Winter Wonderland

As I'm sitting here in my house, looking out the window at the 30 inches of snow, I can't help but wonder "what if I were getting married this weekend?"  Some friends of mine got married this very weekend last year and it was unseasonably warm (about 65 degrees!).  This year, unfortunately, people who planned their wedding on this weekend will most likely have to cancel. I can't even see my car right now, never mind go outside in wedding attire.  You'd have to be decked out in a complete snowsuit to get out in this!  I should also mention that I'm not in Maine or Utah or one of these places that snow like this is to be expected.  I'm in Maryland.

I thought this would be an interesting discussion.  Have any of you thought about a back up plan if you had to cancel your wedding for unforeseen circumstances?  It would be a good idea to discuss these potential bumps in the road with your vendors and write it into your contract.  Of course, they're going to have to charge something to compensate for reserving that time slot, but maybe they would be willing to work out some kind of a contingency plan with you so that you wouldn't lose all of your money.

On a weekend like this, it's possible that all wedding plans could be completely ruined and those people who traveled will not be able to turn around a few weekends later for a re-scheduled event.  You may want to consider having a considerably smaller event a week or two later at your own house.  Although this would be very upsetting to the bride who has dreamed of a certain kind of day her whole life, it is good to be prepared.  If it's any consolation, a wedding is about the 2 of you, and your closest family and friends are supposed to be there to support you.  The big reception and all the glam are fun and wonderful, but they're not the most important thing.  In a situation like this, although not ideal, you can really focus on the true spirit and meaning of a wedding.

Battle of the Seasons

Whenever budget comes up in weddings, you're most likely going to consider altering the time of year and time of day.  You'll often get quotes of more than $40 savings per head if you go off-season or early in the day.

But what does this mean for the most important day of your life??  Are you willing to give up the beachside wedding for a wintery wonderland?  This, of course, is something you'll have to think about.  If you are able to embrace a change of theme, you could really make this budget friendly option work in your favor.

The other option, as previously mentioned, is to have a brunch wedding instead of dinner.  Imagine the savings if you combined off-season with early in the day!  If you're not willing to stretch that far, just consider one or the other.

Winter Wonderland:

Ok, this may not sound ideal, but I really think you could take this theme and run with it.  How nice would it be to have a completely unique wedding?  Everyone has been to a summer or fall wedding- dare to be different!

You could make the setting really elegant with shimmering white snowflakes and silver accents.  You could have a signature drink such as spiced wine, hot cocoa with bailey's/ amaretto, or spiked eggnog.

You will also be able to save a lot of money on decorations by going with poinsettas, seasonal berries and pine tree greenery.  Accent tables with wintery candles for that extra touch.


Photo Credit: Weddzilla http://blog.weddzilla.com/2009/09/diy-winter-wedding-centerpieces.html

Brunch:

I'm usually not impressed with the typical wedding reception dinner- a bland chicken, some green beans and a couple of roasted potatoes.  The idea of getting really creative with brunch options is very exciting to me.

For a brunch themed wedding, you can really save a lot of money on food but still keep it interesting.  Think fruit, muffins, sandwich station (lunchmeats, rolls, cheeses), an omelette station, pasta salad, etc.  And a cake would likely be too heavy for an early reception, so you could go with warm cookies and brownies for dessert.  For alcoholic beverages, you don't need to get a lot- just focus on mimosas and/or screwdrivers as your signature drink.

I know that a lot of brides dream of their wedding day from the time they are a little girl, but try to think outside of the box if you're on a tight budget.  Good luck!