How to create a blog on Wordpress - step by step guide for beginners

If you are wanting to start a blog, you need to check this out!!

 

A few budgeting resources to check out

Here is a great step-by-step guide showing you how to make a budget. And if that wasn't good enough there a bunch of budgeting spreadsheets that you can download as well -including a wedding budget spreadsheet!

Got any other budgeting resources that you want to share?  Share them in the comments below!

CSN Product Review

So I figured out the perfect hostess must-have that you really will use when you have people over.  It's something that I completely overlooked when compiling my own wedding registry and have resorted to things like big mixing bowls and pots to compensate... A nice pitcher.  If you make any kind of cocktail, mixed drink or juice for more than 3 people, you really do need something to serve it out of.

And I realized this just in time.  I was having a pirate- themed birthday party for my son and invited a bunch of my own friends.  Since the party was in the middle of the day, I figured people wouldn't really drink wine, so I made a "pirate punch" and served it out of the pitcher.

 

It is a beautiful Pfaltzgraff 2.5 quart pitcher that holds a lot more than it looks.  The design is beautiful and the quality of the pitcher is also top notch- especially for $27.95 (list price $43.00).  And I also have to give them props for getting it to me within 2 days from ordering it.  A lot of their stuff has free shipping, too, but this wasn't one of them.

However, there was one little snafoo.  Although the pitcher was wrapped in bubble wrap and seemed to be handled well, there was a little chip around the mouth of the pitcher.  I thought about returning it and having them send me a new one, but I wanted to use it for the party and decided that it wasn't all that noticeable. 

So, I'd say my experience with CSN stores was average.  I love the pitcher, love the price, but don't love the chip :(  I would definitely give them another chance, though.  I'm sure it was just a one time glitch.  Check out their site to see the variety of household items they offer (at great prices)...

www.csnstores.com

Product Review Coming Soon

Well, this is very exciting stuff. CSN has offered me the opportunity to review one of their many products- they have over 200 online stores where you can find ANYTHING you need; whether it be a chic handbag, bathroom shelving or even cute cookware! It will be a tough decision :)

Looking back, I now realize how much you can get wrapped up in the whole wedding registry craze- often picking up a lot of cute junk that you will never use, and forgetting the bare essentials.  I need A LOT of housewares right now, so I'm going to think long and hard about some of the items that would have come in handy for a newly married couple.

For instance, a DIY sushi set with spinning plates, bamboo serving stands, and 8 soy sauce holders may seem like a good idea before you get married... but after, you'll be pulling your hair out trying to find space at the back of your cabinets to store this once a year use novelty.  Let's get serious- what do we really need?  I'm on it ;)

Stay tuned!

Discount Wedding Favor of the Month

Favors are always so tricky.  Most people don't even bother to take them, but you still want to offer some token of gratitude for sharing your special day.  You don't want to spend too much money or make too much of a fuss about them, but you want people to remember (and actually want) to bring it home with them.  What's a bride to do?

I think these personalized wine glasses are a great and affordable token.  You can get 150-250 of them for $1.27 a piece.  How great is that?!  The personalization will remind your guests of the great day, and the wine glass is a very functional and practical gift.  They also have optional colored stems. Hope you like it...

http://www.discountmugs.com/nc/personalized-glassware/1265/65oz-arc-grand-noblesse-wine-glass.htm

Affordable Dress of the Month

I found this wedding gown on sale for $250 from David's Bridal (where I find all of my affordable dresses)... and I was so pleasantly surprised to finally find a pretty dress that wasn't strapless.

I remember searching for my gown and desperately trying to find something different from the typical strapless dress.  Unfortunately, it seems that most designers these days think that any kind of strap or sleeve is completely out of the question.  Anything that I found was unflattering and totally old school/ boring.

This one is a nice fresh take on the cap sleeve.  Subtle, but something unique and classy.  I hope you like it!  (Sorry so small, I had trouble enlarging it without making it blurry).  Visit the webpage to see full details...

http://www.davidsbridal.com/Product_Satin-Gown-with-Beaded-Chiffon-Bodice-WG9940_Sale-Sale-Bridal-Gowns

San Diego Budget Wedding - It Happened!

I recently helped my stepsister with planning her August wedding in San Diego.  You might be asking yourself how "San Diego wedding" and "budget" could possibly show up in the same sentence.  But they do, and it was a beautiful day!

Here were her basic tricks...

Location:  her ceremony took place FOR FREE on the beautiful cliffs of La Jolla.  They simply sent someone to stake out their spot early that afternoon and set up the chairs.  It's a public strip of land.  There were people picnicking about 100 feet away.  Anyone can use that space!

Guest List: 30 people.  Simple as that :)

Reception: House party with catering of various delicious hors d'oeuvres- no sit down dinner.  We hung out on the upstairs deck and lower patio/ yard and mingled.  It was great!

Built in Honeymoon:  Who doesn't love San Diego?!

I offered to do a video of the ceremony and tidbits of the reception with my flip cam, since she wasn't planning on hiring a videographer.  I wasn't expecting it to be great or anything, seeing as I'm not a professional.  But I really thought I could capture all of the important moments and put something nice together for her.

I was seriously dissapointed- I have used the flip for over a year now, and it has never steered me wrong. Crystal clear quality, so easy to work.  But I guess I never used the zoom feature before.  Well, at the most important time I needed it (for a wedding), it made everything blurry whenever I zoomed in.  I don't know if it's something I did, or if that's just what I should expect from a $200 mini video cam.

Anyway, if the blurriness had not been an issue, I would have been pretty happy with this video.  And I only used Windows Movie Maker, which is automatically installed in most computers these days.  The point is, if I can do it, anyone can do it.  Give it a stab some time :)