From 1956.

Can you make an affordable wedding possible without sacrificing the style? Of course yes! All it takes is a careful planning, a good research, a great amount of practicality, and a wedding budget.

Planning a wedding can be extremely expensive today and aside from that, it can be very time consuming and difficult to work on. Fortunately, there are several ways on how to plan an affordable wedding. The average cost of a wedding is over $20,000, but you don’t have to worry if your budget cannot stretch for the most expensive wedding supplies. After all, planning an affordable wedding doesn’t mean celebrating a less unique and special marriage.

DIY Wedding Ideas

Creating your own wedding essentials can drastically cut your wedding expenses down. There are so many sources on how to make your own wedding supplies, the most huge one is the Internet. You can look for online tutorials to learn how to make your own wedding invitations, wedding favors, wedding decorations and many more. All you need are the things needed to make those items plus your all out creativity. For example, you may let yourself be inspired with online DIY’s wedding invitations, but your own creativity, you can change those to match your own creative vision. You may change the color and patterns of the papers or you may use different embellishments or different colored ribbons.

Affordable Wedding Favors

It is a wedding etiquette to give thanks to your guests for sharing their time in the most unforgettable moment of your life. How would you like to say thanks you to your guests? Of course, by means of wedding favors. Wedding favors come in so many types, designs, styles and themes. There wedding favors that are expensive and there are also inexpensive ones. Opting for an inexpensive wedding favor doesn’t mean choosing the “cheapest” one. As a matter of fact, there are thousands of inexpensive favors that are as beautiful as favors used by affluent couple. To prove this, here are some affordable wedding favors with style:

Capture My Heart Photo Coaster Wedding Favors. If you’re on a budget, you should look for a wedding favor that does it all! What more could you want in a wedding favor? If you want to number your wedding reception tables and organize the seating at there restaurant or reception hall, these Capture My Heart Photo Coasters are perfect! At home, we’d place a ball shaped candle, an alternative to pillar and taper candles, on top of these glass coasters.

Scented Frosted Glass Votive Candle Favors. Your guests will appreciate this glittering new spin on a traditional wedding favor. Each frosted glass votive will both reflect the romance of your event while complimenting any décor. Votives are crafted in heavy frosted glass with hearts and vines entwining all around the votive.

Silver Couple Wedding Bell Favor. These silver tone wedding bells make great wedding favors and it can be useful in helping signal the bride and groom to kiss, its definitely better than hitting the utensils against the glass ware at your wedding reception.

These are only few affordable wedding favors that doesn’t look cheap. There are still lots available online. You may check the clearance section of your favorite online store to see great deals for your affordable wedding. Good online stores have always a clearance section, where you can view discounted items - from cheap wedding invitations, wedding favors, wedding decorations to wedding gifts.

THIS DOES NOT BELONG TO ME!!! Starring Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler. PLEASE NO LAW SUIT THIS IS JUST FOR ENTERAINMENT ONLY!!!

Can anyone help? I am looking for the perfect field to hire in the St Albans area for my wedding. We have found 1 which is nice but I am sure there are others out there that do not have websites? Any ideas on how to find them? We want to have the freedom to bring our own wine etc with no restrictions, but in a picturesque setting?

White Wedding live from DVD StoryTellers by VH.1

Just as with any big show, your wedding day will not be perfect - but that’s okay. While you cannot plan ahead for every little detail or problematic situation that may arise, you can arm yourself with some helpful advice to be prepared at all times for any potential wedding mistakes. But before you begin planning your special day, consider these five biggest wedding preparation and planning mistakes that amateur ‘wedding planners’ often make.

1. Not Budgeting Costs

It’s hard to believe, but true - many couples do not create a budget when it comes to wedding preparation and end up in a deep hole of debt. The very first thing you should do to avoid disastrous (and bankrupting) wedding mistakes is devise an itemized budget, allowing for the necessary requirements, such as a venue for both the ceremony and reception, food and drinks, flowers, favors, decorations, etc. If anything is left over, either use this money for your honeymoon or spend it on something a little more frivolous, like a horse drawn carriage for your departure from the reception.

Budgeting ahead of time also involves your acknowledging the fact that you may surpass the total by at least 10%. Surprises do happen, so cutting back on other needless things will ensure that you don’t go over budget too much. In these initial wedding preparation stages, you and your fiancé need to discuss who will be paying for what. It used to be that the bride’s parents paid for everything, but this ideal is slowly fading away. If you’re still coming up short on funds, there are literally hundreds of ways to cut costs for your wedding day, including having fewer guests, choosing an off-season date, selecting flowers that are in season, and having friends and family play a bigger part by making the wedding cake or trying their hand at photography.

2. Not Giving Yourself Enough Time

The image of the harried bride has been engrained into the psyche through a number of television shows that hype up the combination of little to no time and a ‘my way or the highway’ attitude. This is why giving yourself ample wedding preparation time is necessary to ensuring that your wedding flows seamlessly. If you want a large, extravagant wedding, you need to begin planning at least a year and a half in advance; for a smaller, more intimate wedding of about 50 guests, eight months to a year is fine. You need to take into account what your plans are for your wedding and adjust your schedule accordingly to prevent costly wedding mistakes from occurring.

Giving yourself more wedding preparation time allows you to order your cake, dress, wedding favors, flowers, decorations, etc. well in advance so that you don’t come up empty-handed from last minute rushing. Allotting enough time also applies to your wedding ceremony and reception. Don’t keep your guests waiting at the reception venue while you and your wedding party are taking hundreds of photos - consider taking a majority of the pictures before the ceremony and the all-important couple, wedding party, and family pictures after the vows have been exchanged.

3. Not Delegating Responsibilities

Delegating responsibilities, wedding preparation tasks, and roles is vital - you cannot do everything! For brides, their bridesmaids are there to help them with the important duties of the wedding day, so creating a short list of responsibilities for each friend is not unexpected. Mothers, family members, and friends are also glad to help run a few errands or make calls for you if you ask. Just make sure you ask someone you know will get the job done on time.

Part of the wedding experience also relies on a number of people who require detailed wedding preparation directives from you, such as the caterer, photographer, florist, transportation and/or drivers, and DJ. Discussing your ideas with them ensures that you can work together on the same wavelength and avoid embarrassing wedding mistakes during the actual reception. You should also arrange for the wedding party to meet at the church or the wedding ceremony location at a specified time. Corralling so many people at the same time is what leads many couples to pick up the wedding party members at their homes. Late arriving wedding party members is one of the most frequent and sometimes uncontrollable wedding mistakes a bride and groom have to deal with.

4. Not Hiring a Wedding Planner or Someone You Trust

Many brides swear by their wedding planners, and yes, it’s true that they take care of just about everything involved in wedding preparation and planning, preventing a number of the more common wedding mistakes brides make. It’s kind of like you and your fiancé are the stars, while the wedding planner works behind the scenes for your big performance, seeing everything from start to finish. Wedding planners know all the ins and outs of great wedding preparation and planning and can help the couple find reliable caterers, bridal attire and supply stores, transportation, and DJs at lower prices. Before signing any contracts, however, talk with the wedding planner to see if it’s a situation you’re happy with.

While incredibly helpful, wedding planners can also be pricey, unfortunate for the bride who is trying to cut costs. This scenario goes back to delegating responsibilities - ask someone you trust to help you make wedding preparation arrangements and appointments with each wedding supply store and/or vendor. You can even scale back operations and have a simplistic wedding that you plan or DIY completely to save money.

5. Not Fully Considering the Reception Venue and Details

Sending your guests on a wild goose chase to find the reception venue is something that happens more often than you’d think and is one of the biggest wedding mistakes couples overlook. For out-of-town guests, this is confusing; for in-town guests, it’s an annoyance. Choosing a reception venue that’s close to the wedding site is a must, unless you provide the transportation to and from the reception. More than 15 - 20 minutes away is a hassle, and some guests may not even bother going if it’s farther than that.

Otherwise, if your reception venue is outside (or exposed to the elements), rain and windy conditions may appear so you should always have a back up in cases of inclement weather. A rained out wedding reception is one of the more common wedding mistakes brides have neglected to plan for. Part of the wedding preparation necessities should also include your requesting the venue’s landscaper to spray for bugs so your guests aren’t being bitten by mosquitoes and gnats.

Learn to Laugh Off Those Wedding Mistakes

Pre-wedding preparation, while helpful, will inevitably miss some little detail of your big day. These wedding mistakes (or, more likely, minor ‘blips’) are to be expected and may even provide a funny moment for you and your fiancé to laugh about in the future. Wedding mistakes do and will happen, but you shouldn’t be bothered by them. Simply go on with the show and smile - no one will know the difference!

Wow! It is spring and the wedding bells ring! The Marriage Island located in the San Antonio River on the Riverwalk is located just down the Riverwalk from the Westin Riverwalk Hotel. The Island has been used for Religious Services for over 300 years. The first Catholic Mass held in San Antonio was held on the Island. The island has also been used by most other denominations at one time. This includes Baptists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, &Methodist over the past 250 years as a meeting place to hear the gospel. The Marriage Island is one of the most beautiful wedding spots in the State of Texas. Several photos are shown on the website of past Riverwalk Weddings.

Weddings may be officiated at any San Antonio location. Outdoor and backyard wedding make for a real cozy setting. We have served people from all areas of San Antonio, New Braunfels, Gruene, and Universal City. Churches available for rent if you require a Church Wedding.

Military Weddings for members of all Bracnches of the United States Military. We have officiated weddings at the Fort Sam Houston Chapel, and the Lackland Air Force Base Chapel. Father Louis Bernhardt is a Member of the United States Chaplain’s Service, and serves as State Commander. Father Louis also serves as a Member of the Board of Govenors for the Texas Association of Wedding Officiates for 2009.

There are many options for your Riverwalk Wedding. You may charter a Riverboat for the Wedding Meal. Live Musicians available to play your favorite songs. You may have a friend or family member read a poem! You may write your own vows that you speak to each other during the celebration.

Children from previous marriages may be included in the ceremony. The Minister would present each child a ring or other memento that the couple furnishes. This officially makes the child a part of the celebration and a member of the new family.

Rules for Military Weddings at Militarty Chapels &West Point.

Every wedding requires special planning, but a military wedding calls for some specific traditions that may be unfamiliar to a civilian bride whose mother or mother-in-law did not have to consider such a ceremony.

Marilyn Sharp, wife of Colonel Dan Sharp (retired), gives this advice on how to smooth the way to a perfect military wedding. “The most important thing to do is to plan as soon as you becone engaged, and don’t feel silly checking two or three times with the caterer or florist.” Mrs. Sharp said that it was not uncommon to have the wrong flowers and wedding cake end up at the wrong wedding. Part of the problem with simple services, like hotels, caterers, and florists at the academies, is that there are so few of them. West Point, for example, has only one hotel in the nearby town. Many people come each year to West Point for graduation and weddings in June, so hotel reservations must be made as early as February.

Mrs. Sharp’s husband graduated from West Point in 1951 and retired from the service as the deputy commandant at West Point. Being the wife of the deputy commandant, she helped the cadets plan their weddings and recalls having attended eight military weddings in one day! Any enlisted man or officer can have a military wedding in full-dress uniform. Like anything having to do with the military, there are certain guidelines that pertain to all military weddings, regardless of wether they are held at one of the academy chapels or in a civilian church.

A military wedding is a formal affair. Your fiance and his military friends wear their dress uniforms and white gloves. Boutonnieres cannot be worn on a military uniform. If there are any civilian ushers, they should wear cut-aways, strollers, black or dark-colored suites. Your father, if he is not in the military, should do the same.

Invitations to a military wedding read almost the same as those for a civilian wedding. However, you should include your fiance’s rank and branch. For instance, instead of John Smith, you would put, Lieutenant John Smith, U.S. Army.

The saber arch is one of the things that makes the military wedding so special. During the recessional, the bridge and groom walk under an arch made by the ushers or designated saberbearers. This is also the most photographed part of a military wedding. A good rule of thumb is to have four to six saberbearers in your wedding party: they can serve as ushers or can be separated from the ushers. It looks nice to have the same number of bridesmaids as saberbearers, but this is up to you.

Commanding officers should always be seated according to their ranks. Your ushers will probably, if they are in the service, know how to do this. Other officers may sit anywhere. The chaplains at each of the military academies have provided a summary of their own specific rules.

United States Naval Academy: Annapolis, Maryland. The following people can be married at the U.S. Naval Academy Chapel: Naval Academy graduates, active or retired, and their children; military personnel assigned to Annapolis, and

their children; Academy faculty, active or retired, and their children; and military personnel retired with pay, and their children who regularly attend the Academy Chapel.

Weddings are scheduled through the senior chaplain’s office, which can be found in the wedding handbook. Weddings can be held Monday through Saturday from noon to 4:00 P.M. except for the week of commissioning. After the application has been received, you will be issued a time for the rehearsal and wedding.

During commissioning week, the Chapel is reserved for the graduating midshipmen only. The scheduling for their weddings is usually different from weddings at other times. For information on commissioning week weddings, you should contact the office of the senior chaplain.

Only Naval Academy chaplains will peform weddings in the Naval Academy Chapel, and the Academy chaplains advice premarital counseling before a couple are married in the Chapel. If you live far away from the Academy, the chaplains

will suggest a counselor.

The arch of swords, as it is called in the Navy, takes place in the Chapel steps. Since the Chapel does not supply swords, your party must furnish them.

Music for the wedding is the responsibility of the director of musical activities at the Naval Academy. Only appropriate sacred music can be used. Soloists and guest instrumentalists are not encouraged at the Chapel.

Pictures can be taken in the Bride’s Room, in the sacristy, and outside the Chapel before the ceremony. A flash may be used during the processional and the recessional. Pictures may be taken in the new nave during the ceremony, including the balconies, without flash. No pictures may be taken in the Chapel after the ceremony unless the weather is inclement.

Flowers for the Chapel are provided by the Chapel Altar Guild. These flowers cannot be removed from the Chapel after the wedding. Flowers for the members of the wedding party are the responsibility of those getting married.

Rice cannot be thrown inside or outside the Chapel. Be sure to inform your guests of this restriction.

There are rooms for last-minute preparations at the Chapel, but at the beginning of the ceremony everything should be removed from these rooms.

A mininum contribution should be made to the Protestant or Catholic Chapel. This is to be paid when you submit your application: it helps to defray the cost of marriage books, candles, flowers, and music.

United States Air Force Academy: Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Academy has two different chapels and a different booklet for each.

The Protestant Chapel can be used only by graduates of any military academy and active-duty military personnel assigned to the U.S. Air Force Academy, and their dependents. This is an Academy regulation. Chaplains that are assigned to the Academy normally preside over the wedding, but in special circumstances other clergy may officiate. Premarital counseling is mandatory for all marriages, beginning at least thirty days before the ceremony.

Rehearsals should be scheduled with the chaplain. Flowers are to be provided by the wedding party, and should be delivered to the Chapel. White runners are not allowed because of the highly polished floor.

The Chapel provides candles and kneeling cushions for the bride and groom. Sabers and baldrics (holders for the sabers) are available at the Chapel, too. However, they cannot be removed.

Pictures may be taken with a flash only during the processional and following the benediction. Pictures of the religious portion of your wedding may be taken from the balcony only. Flashbulbs are not allowed at that time. Flashbulbs may be used during the arch of sabers. There will be time after the wedding for pictures.

In the interest of time, a reception line cannot be formed at the end of your wedding. Weddings at the Chapel must also begin and end on schedule.

Nothing–rice, confetti, or flower petals–can be thrown either inside or outside the Chapel (mainly for safely reasons).

Military chaplains do not receive fees for their services. Donations can be given, but there is no charge for the use of the Chapel.

The Catholic ceremony is relatively the same. However, there are a few differences.

Catholics need a copy of their record of baptism from the church where it was performed. This needs to be issued six months prior to the ceremony. A questionnaire must be filled out in the presence of a priest. If the marriage is interfaith, special counseling on the responsibilities of being Catholic is required before the ceremony. For all couples marrying in the Catholic Church, attendance at premarital sessions is required. You must also obtain permission from your pastor to be married in any church other than your own parish. Sabers are not permitted inside the Catholic Church.

United States Military Academy: West point, New York. West Point does not have a bride’s handbook, but Chaplain Louis Bernhardt offers some tips for brides who want to be married at West Point.

According to Chaplain Louis Bernhardt, the bride must bring to West Point everything that the party will need. If you are marrying a graduating cadet, he will draw lots several months before the event to determine what time your wedding will take place during June week. Weddings begin one hour after graduation and run continuously throughout the week. There are three chapels at the Academy and one Jewish Synagogue.

Chaplain Louis Bernhardt said that the hardest thing about having your wedding during June week is finding a place to stay. There is one hotel in Highland Falls; and it is booked early in February because of all the wedding parties and all of the parents and relatives who plan to attend graduation. You should make

reservations at the hotel for your entire wedding party as soon as you know the date. Follow this immediately with a call to the officer’s club about the reception. It is very important that you include a “reception following” card with an R.S.V.P. on it so that you know the number of guests to expect.

Order the flowers from the florist early and recheck to make sure that there is no mix-up as to the time and place. Photographs depend on the church–you will have to ask the chaplain of the chapel you have chosen. Rehearsals are set by appointment. First, you should check on any special rules that your church might have on the drawing of sabers.

Planning a military wedding is basically no different from planning any other type of wedding, until the conclusion. The recessional proceeds like this: The bride and groom leave the church first, followed by the bridesmaids and seaberbears. When the bride and groom reach the back of the church, they step aside to let the wedding party and congregation leave. After everyone is out of the church, the saberbears form two lines facing each other to form an arch of sabers. According to officers who have had military weddings, the saber arch should be practiced before the wedding. Make sure that officers participating in the saber arch leave enough room between them so the bride and groom can go under side by side.

The commands for the arch are as follows: Sabers are carried in the “carry draw” position. At the command of “draw sabers,” the arch is formed. Each bearer raises his right arm with saber in hand rotating the arm until the blade is on top. If the saberbears bend their wrists, they should have a true arch. At the command, “return sabers,” the saberberars return their sabers to the “carry draw” position. Your saberbears should know what the “carry draw” position is: if the are unsure, it is partially in the baldric and partially out.

Only the bride and groom may walk under the saber arch.

One special tradition at a military wedding reception is that the bride and groom cut the first piece of cake with the groom’s saber. The groom places his hand on the hilt of the saber (the handle) and the bride guides the blade.

A military wedding can be as modern or as traditional as you want to make it. Concluding with the arch of sabers adds an especially memorable touch for you and your officer husband.









For the last 15 years Father Louis has been know as the “Riverwalk Pastor” and he continues to this date! Father Louis is Ordained by:

The Anglican Rite Old Catholic Church * Consecrated Bishop 1996 *

Call Father Louis at 832-549-4696.

A sponsored wedding is not a new concept but a practical one. As the cost of weddings increase so does the realization of sponsorship. What does sponsorship actually mean? It can be as simple as getting a 70% discount on the purchase of invitations or as involved as a large cash injection of $10,000. So why would someone discount or for that matter give cash when they don’t even know the wedding couple. It is commonly referred to as “cross promotion” where you bring on common interest partners that tastefully share in the success of your wedding day or event.

Most sponsors are looking to somehow tie their products or services in with the event itself. Like any advertiser the end product must be to heighten the awareness of the Sponsor and their level of participation in the event. Such as, if a Sponsor gave you 70% off of a service that would have cost you $1900 , the level of participation for that Sponsor is $1330 ( which is your net savings). Now the question is, how do you give that value back to the Sponsor ? This can be done in many different ways but the main objective to remember is the level of awareness the Sponsor has traded in services. Such as offering the Sponsor advertising opportunities on a web site specifically set up for the event, a combination of print and web, tie in to a press junket ( a theme pre-event gathering where press are invited ), or many other combinations. For more information on wedding sponsorship visit www.sponsoryourwedding.com

Wedding invitations come in all shapes and sizes. Unfortunately, that means you may have a tough decision to make when it comes time to choose the wedding invitation that is right for you. You can choose from a wide range of colors, fonts and designs. These are all available in a variety of styles. Some styles that you can choose from are the following: classic, contemporary and destination.

The style of your wedding invitation should reflect the theme of your wedding. By choosing your wedding invitation style first, you can narrow down the options, making it easier to find a design that works well for you. Here are some great tips for choosing the perfect style for your wedding invitations.

First, consider that the wedding invitations are a reflection of the wedding theme. If you are going to have an informal beach wedding, choosing an elegant style for your wedding invitation might throw them off a bit. Similarly, if you want your wedding to be a black tie affair, sending out a bright colored modern wedding invitation may be confusing to your guests. Although you should be clear about the dress code and other elements in the invitation itself, the style really sets the tone. Even though you may really like one particular style, it may not be the best choice for your wedding if it does not match the theme you have chosen.

The theme chosen for your wedding affects the style you should consider when choosing a wedding invitation. Weddings can take place during any time of the year and color and styles reflect that. A fall wedding is usually more formal and a classic style invitation is an excellent choice for this type of wedding. Classic style invitations are usually white with black lace or a grey border. This provides your guests with the information that this wedding is formal.

Contemporary wedding invitations are similar to the classic style as they are also a great choice for a formal wedding. The main difference is that the contemporary or modern style provides more of a laid-back feel than the classic variety. Modern style invitations may contain an illustrated image of a wedding party, palm tree, or even a photo of the bride and groom. If you are not looking for invitations with fun illustrations, there are other options to consider within this category. There are also simple monochromatic invitations that are very similar to that of the classic theme.

If you are planning a destination wedding at the beach, you should not consider using a modern or classic style invitation. A wedding at the beach is very informal and this should be considered when deciding which invitations to utilize. One suggestion is to consider a photo invitation as this allows you to include a photo of the location. This allows your guests to get a sense of what to expect at the ceremony.

Another thing to consider when choosing the theme for your wedding invitations is your budget. Although you can find wedding invitations in all styles no matter what your price range may be, some styles may always be more expensive. Anything that is embossed, includes multiple elements, or is larger than a traditional size may cost more. Remember, although you want your wedding invitations to be reflections of you, you still need to set a budget when making these decisions. If you spend too much on wedding invitations, you may not be able to properly plan the rest of your wedding necessities.

With wedding invitation styles, your personal needs also come into play. Some minimalist styles, although very inexpensive, may not have all of the elements you need for planning your wedding. Consider whether your wedding invitations come with RSVP cards, save the card cards, and return envelopes. Some styles do not include these elements, which mean that you have to order them separately.

There are many styles available when choosing a wedding invitation. When deciding which is best for your wedding, be sure to consider the location, budget and theme. The theme is important as this helps narrow down colors and invitation styles and formality of the ceremony. For example, if you are choosing a destination wedding at the beach during the month of August, you should consider a light blue informal invitation that may also have an image of the ocean.

Classic and contemporary are also excellent choices to consider because they inform your guests of a traditional wedding that is most likely taking place in a formal location. Budget is also an important aspect to consider and this helps narrow down the list of possible invitation choices. Consider these tips when planning your wedding and you should have a better understanding of how to decide the right invitation style for your wedding.

*Sorry, we don’t have a copy of the music* This is the first dance we did at our wedding July 28, 2007. We just created our own version of the very popular evolution of dance, borrowing some of his ideas and mixing in a few of our own…thanks for watching, and yes, we’re still happily married! When You Say Nothing at All — Alison Krauss Hound Dog — Elvis Presley The Twist — Chubby Checker Hokey Pokey Oompa Loompa — from Willy Wonka Kung Fu Fighting — Carl Douglas Chicken Dance Grease …