Monday, October 27, 2014

Wedding DIY Project: Vase Table Numbers



A lot of brides think that making your wedding DIY (Do It Yourself) can save you a lot of money.  This is not always the case.  Many projects, especially for those of us not necessarily crafty, take a lot of time and make frustration, things go wrong and you end up buying more, etc that actually make it end up costing more than buying it premade or having someone else do it.  BUT there are some projects that can save you a lot.

One thing I was surprised to see had such a high price tag were table numbers.  These are such simple things, but even ones that were just a number printed on paper were outrageously priced (plus boring).  I knew this was a project that could easily be tackled because it doesn't involve much, and you don't have to make hundreds of them.

For my centerpieces, I knew I wanted a small vase with some flowers in them.  In order to keep things even and centered (I'm OCD like that), I didn't want the vase and table number competing for the centrally located spot, so I decided to combine the two.  I thought, "Wouldn't it be cute if the table number was sticking up in the vase on top of the flowers?!"  So I went to work.


All you need for this project is:
  • wooden dowels
  • wooden numbers
  • hot glue
  • paint
  • you can add decorative stuff like glitter, ribbon, lace, etc if you want but I chose not to so as not to distract from my flowers

Step 1
Glue the numbers on top of the dowels

Step 2
Determine the height needed for your vase, and cut the dowel appropriately

Step 3
Paint the table number

Step 4
Add any decoration



That's it!  Easy right?!  And it only costs a couple dollars total to make all of them!

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Using Credit Cards to Pay For Your Wedding and Honeymoon

For those of you that have read my post, Make Money With Credit Cards, you'll know I'm a big proponent of using credit cards.  As long as you use them wisely, you can actually make money off of them!  And paying for your wedding is no different.

We all know that a wedding is a big expense, so here are some tips to help you keep track of the amount you are spending and to make a little back!


Tip #1: Sign up for new cards with 0% APR
Although in my previous blog about using credit cards I state that you must always pay the credit card bill on time and in full, since a wedding is an unusually large expense that generally is not with in your normal living budget, I'm going to set that rule aside.  This can only be done if you open a new card that has one of its new perks as 0% APR for a certain period of time (usually 12 or 18 months, the longer the better).  This means that for that period of time, you will not have to pay interest on your purchases even if you don't pay your bill in full.  Meaning that you can take a year or a year and a half to pay off all your wedding expenses without paying anything extra.  You still need to pay the minimum amount on time to avoid late fees though.


Tip #2: Find credit cards that give you perks you can use
I always love signing up for new cards that have a cash bonus for spending a certain amount within a time frame which can give you anywhere from $50 to $200 for just using the card!  In general rewards, I usually go for cashback.  They are overall the most practical and give you the most bang for your buck, but since weddings and particularly honeymoons are such specific categories, it may be more in your interest to find a card that rewards you in those areas.  For example, finding a great travel rewards or airline card for your honeymoon expenses might get you free airline tickets, hotel stays, car rentals, etc.  This means you can spend more on extra treats!


Tip #3: Use the cards only for wedding or honeymoon expenses
Using these new credit cards only for your wedding or honeymoon expenses helps you to keep track of everything you are spending on it.  Even the most experienced planners are going to run into extra expenses that you didn't plan on, and things add up, it can be hard to keep track of everything.  As long as all your expenses are on one or two cards, it makes it easier to see.


Tip #4: Pay for as much as you can with credit cards
In order to make use of being able to pay off the purchases over the 12 or 18 months and to get the most rewards, always try and use the credit card for your expenses.  In today's world, it is much easier to pay with a credit card for almost every wedding expense where you normally would have to pay with a check.  Definitely make sure your venue accepts cards since that is your largest expense (there might be a little fee, but it's still worth it to use the card).  For smaller vendors like florists, caterers, musicians, DJ's, makeup artists, etc, ask them if they use PayPal or any other website or app that lets you pay with a card.  If they don't, suggest that they sign up for one.  There are many that are free to use and just charge a slight fee (a small percentage of their price) to use cards.  This can help gain more customers who are like us and prefer to pay with a card!


I hope these tips help you in paying for your wedding and honeymoon expenses.  I know it's a crazy huge amount so it's important to stay on top of it financially.  Keep reading this blog for more ways to save on your wedding and in your everyday life!

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Wedding Decorations Pt 2, The Dollar Store

For those of you who have read many of my posts, you'll see a lot of my recommendations are for the Dollar Store, and for weddings it's no different!  Believe it or not, there are many things that can be used for weddings that can be found at a dollar or less type store.  Although I love Michaels (and my first Wedding Decorations post was about them), there are things that are a little overpriced.

As with any of my posts regarding this store, shop wisely -- not all their products are the best quality.  But contrary to what most people believe, there are a lot that are good quality so don't let that warning deter you.  And there are some items where quality just really doesn't matter.

Here is my list of items from the Dollar Store that could be used for weddings:

    dollar store wedding
    dollar store wedding
  • individual bubble packs
  • favor boxes
  • candy
  • ribbon
  • confetti
  • fake flowers
  • fake petals
  • floral supplies (floral tape, foam pieces, wire, etc)
  • twine
  • vases
  • sand
  • pebbles
  • baskets
  • frames
  • candles (real and battery)
  • candle holders
  • lights
  • craft supplies for DIY projects:
    • dollar store wedding
    • popsicle sticks
    • glue
    • markers
    • paper
    • glitter
    • beads
  • flip flops (to offer to the ladies for dancing so they don't tire out their feet!)
  • thank you cards



Don't forget to go here for all your pre-wedding party needs (engagement, bridal, bachelorette, bachelor) for party decorations and plastic tableware!

Are there other items that you've found at the Dollar Store that can be used for a wedding?  Leave a comment!

Click to read the first post of this series: Wedding Decorations, Michaels Coupons

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Wedding Decorations, Michaels Coupons

For wedding decorations, most people think of going to Michaels.  And why not?!  It's a wonderful store with a wide variety of decorations for weddings.  And while their prices aren't too bad, I want to give you a little hint that will help you immensely in price (but not in the amount of trips, sorry!).

Michaels has weekly coupons which if you don't get their ad in the mail, you can go online and print it out or have it on your phone.  Generally it's 40% off of one item, but occasionally they have bigger amounts or ones for your whole purchase.  Also, they are partnered with Joann's and will accept any of their coupons, so if they happen to have a better one that week, you can use that.

Now since you can only use one coupon per order, this means to best use the coupons, you have to make several trips.  But as long as you start early, and plan out everything you need, you can just make a weekly trip, or bi-weekly, along with your other everyday errands and slowly check things off the list.  I know it seems tedious, but if you think that even if you only buy $100 worth of items (which would be difficult to spend less!) you'll be saving at least $40!  That's well worth it in my mind!

So check it out! http://weeklyad.michaels.com/





http://weeklyad.michaels.com/ 

Click for part two of this post: Wedding Decorations, The Dollar Store