Flower Power
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~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§ T H E C O S T E F F E C T I V E B R I D E Vol 3, No. 2 November 5, 2001 ~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§: Kelly Kons, Editor, kelly@bwedd.com This newsletter is distributed by subscription only. If you wish to unsubscribe, you can find instructions at the end of this E-mail newsletter. ~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§ CREATE YOUR PERSONAL WEDDING WEB SITE AT BRILLIANT WEDDING PAGES http://Bwedd.com/ ** Whatever Your Heart Designs ** * Choose from Multiple High-Quality Designs * Share Your Stories and Photos with Your Family and Friends * Unique URL of your choice i.e. http://www.bwedd.com/lorianddave/default.asp?p=ceb22 * Featuring a 1-Day FREE trial * Enhanced Features, including a Personalized Wedding Quiz and Online RSVP! * Check out our Bwedd Sale: http://www.Bwedd.com/Couples/default.asp?p=ceb22a ~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§: The Cost-Effective Bride \ Kós-te-'fek-tiv Brid \ n. (2001): The about-to-be-married woman that desires the tangible, emotional, and memorable benefits of her wedding to outweigh the money and time spent on producing those benefits. She is both elegant and fun, emotional and sensible. She understands that more expensive does not necessarily equal better. She is you. ~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§: FEATURED ARTICLE FLOWER POWER Flowers can be a very expensive part of any wedding. But, they can also bring a bright and cheery mood to the character of any room - something that you want to create on your wedding day. So, how do you balance the want of beautiful, sometimes extravagant flowers for your wedding, with the cost of having those flowers at your wedding? Well, I have a few tips for you that could save you a bit of money when purchasing your flowers. First, make sure you have a budget for your floral expenses. Decide what the total amount you are willing to spend on flowers is. Once you have decided this amount, stick to it. Do not go over this amount for any reason. Second, choose flowers that are in season for your wedding. Some flowers can be as much as 8 times more expensive when purchased out of season. Your florist can tell you what these are for your wedding date as they are different depending on what time of year you are being married and where you live. If your florist cannot tell you what flowers are less expensive during the time of your wedding, then I might consider find a new florist. Third, especially if you are having a large wedding with lots of soloists, readers, musicians, and other flower-bearing people, consider going with a simple but very elegant style. Have your bridesmaids carry one of your favorite flower with a ribbon tied around it. For arrangements on the altar, use greenery. For your bouquet, consider carrying a smaller bouquet which will be less expensive, rather than giving in to the temptation of a large bouquet. Bigger is not always better and you may find that by minimalizing the flowers at your wedding, the focus becomes more on you. ~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§ Announcing a new Bwedd.com add-on - Now your guests can RSVP right online from your wedding website! See an example at: http://www.bwedd.com/lorianddave/rsvp.asp Or, sign up for your wedding website at: http://www.Bwedd.com/PageBuilder/SignUp.asp?p=ceb22b ~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§ Fourth, check out your local supermarket's floral department. Especially, if there are many of the same supermarket in your area they may buy their flowers in bulk for less expensive and yet these are often very good flowers. Talk with the floral department personnel and find out if they have done weddings before. Most likely, you will need to have someone pick up your flowers on the day of your wedding and you will have to pin the boutonnieres on yourself, but this will save you delivery and hourly expenses. If possible, get in touch with the bride of one of the weddings that the store has done and see what she has to say - she may have some great advice about that particular store for you. Finally, especially if you are having a small wedding, a small trick may be to not tell your florist that you want the flowers for a wedding. If you just order a few floral arrangements and a couple of other flowers, you may find that they are less expensive when not for a wedding. Of course, you will have to pick up the flowers and do the pinning yourself if you use this trick, but it should save you some money. Don't forget, before visiting your florist to make a list each of the different types of flowers you will need and how many of each. For example, if you are having 3 bridesmaids, 3 groomsmen and 2 ushers, you will probably want 3 bridesmaids bouquets, and 5 boutonnieres. And, don't forget to consider your soloists, readers, grandparents, and any other special people at your wedding. In order to get an accurate estimate from a florist, you will need to know these numbers. And, interview 2-3 florists before deciding which one to go with. You may find there are pluses and minuses to each that you want to consider. Have fun choosing your florist and flowers! I have heard the advice to always include your favorite flower in your bouquet. If your favorite flower is extremely expensive, maybe only have one put in your bouquet, but I think you will find that it will bring a special smile to you on your wedding day. Good luck! Sincerely, Kelly Kons http://www.Bwedd.com/TrueCompanions/default.asp?ceb22 ~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§ ** Do you have questions about this or past articles? Please drop me a line. I would love to hear from you and help you out in any way I can! ** - Kelly Kons, Editor kelly@bwedd.com ~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§ Copyright (c) 2001 Brilliance Web Design, Inc. If you enjoy this newsletter, we would be honored to have you forward it to your friends, however, we ask that you only reproduce it in its entirety. Subscriptions to this newsletter are free. The Cost Effective Bride is published bi-weekly. TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Visit http://www.bwedd.com/couples/cebnewsletter.asp enter your e-mail address and press "Remove Me" To subscribe: Visit http://www.bwedd.com/couples/cebnewsletter.asp enter your e-mail address and press "Add Me" ~:§:~~:§:~~:§:THE COST EFFECTIVE BRIDE ~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~ http://www.bwedd.com/ Brilliant Wedding Pages Kelly Kons, Editor kelly@bwedd.com P.O. Box 667 Hales Corners, WI 53130 ~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§: