Wedding Savings

A FLOWER IS JUST A FLOWER, RIGHT?  WRONG!

          Flowers can make your wedding look and feel more romantic and pretty. It used to be a time when white flowers like lily of the valley or orchids and fern was the style.  Thank goodness times have changed!  There’s nothing wrong with white flowers and fern if that’s your style.  However, there is a whole new science behind choosing flowers as well as plants that are right for your wedding.  Did you know that?  First of all you’ll want to choose flowers that are in season.  Flowers that are in bloom are easier for your florist to get and as a result cheaper as well.

          You’ll also want to pick fresh flowers that will live longer once they are cut and out of water.  Certain flowers hold up better than others.  Remember, you have a long day ahead of you that includes picture taking.  Your flowers will also have to survive being outdoors in heat or wind.  Ask your florist about a hydrator that you can use inside of your bouquet to keep your flowers watered. 

If you don’t have enough money for live flowers or if your favorite flower is out of season then you may want to think about the unique beauty in silk flowers.  The big plus to using silk flowers is that they are less expensive and never die! 

You’ll want to make a date with the florist to pick out your wedding bouquet.  I know too many horror stories where the bride never even saw the flowers before the wedding day.  I suggest you find a picture of the flowers that you like in a bridal book.  You can show the flowers to your florist and hopefully duplicate the bouquet.

Selecting flowers is not just about what looks pretty to you.  Flowers have a meaning.  All of them do!  Isn’t it hard to believe that someone actually took the time to make up the different meanings?  It’s amazing to me at least.   For instance, did you know that a calla lily means, “magnificent beauty” and   the fringed gentian means, “I look to heaven?”  Add them together and I think you get the picture.  

You can create a very special meaning behind the flowers and plants you pick.    You can even clue your wedding guests in on the meaning behind your flowers on the back of your wedding program. 

Take a look at some of the most popular flowers and what they mean.  Put a check by the ones who you like the meaning for and ask your florist to let you see them. 

FLOWERS/PLANTS & MEANING

 1     ABUTILON Meditation

2     ACACIA (Rose or white) Elegance, friendship

3     ACACIA (yellow) Secret love

4     ACANTHUS Artifice, fine arts

5     ACHILLEA War

6     ACONITE Lustre, misanthropy

7     ADDER’S-TONGUE Jealousy

8     ADONIS Sad memories

9     AGRIMONY Gratitude

10 ALLSPICE Compassion

11 ALMOND (common) Indiscretion, perfidy

12 ALOE grief, misplaced devotion, religious superstition

13 ASTOREMERIA Devotion

14 ALTHEA Consumed by love

15 ALYSSYM (sweet) Excellence

16 AMARANTH (coxcomb) Affectation, pretension

17 AMARANTH (globe) Constant, unchangeable

18 AMARANTH Foppery, immortality, pretension

19 AMARYLLIS Beautiful, timid, proud

20 AMBROSIA Love returned

21 ANEMONE Fading hope

22 ANGELICA Inspiration, magic

23 APOCYNUM Falsehood, figment, I doubt you

24 APPLE-BLOSSOM Preference

25 ARBOR-VITAE (American) immortality

26 ARBOR-VITAE I never change, live for me

27 ARBUTUS You only do I love

28 ASCLEPIAS Sorrowful remembrance

29 ASH Prudence With me you are safe

30 ASMINE (night-blooming) Love’s vigil

31 ASPEN Excess of sensibility, fear

32 ASTER (China) Afterthoughts, love of variety

33 AURICULA (scarlet) Pride

34 AURICULA Painting, wealth is not always happiness

35 AZALEA Your blush has won me

36 BACHELOR’S BUTTON Devotion, hope, love

37 BALM Social intercourse, sympathy

38 BALSAM Impatience

39 BAY-LEAF I change but in death

40 BABY’S BREATH Pure of heart

41 BAYBERRY Discipline

42 BEGONIA Deformity

43 BELLFLOWER Constant

44 BETONY Surprise

45 BITTERSWEET Platonic love

46 BLUEBELL Constant

47 BLUEBOTTLE Delicacy

48 BLUETS Contentment

49 BORAGE Talent

50 BRAMBLE Holiness

51 BROOM Humility

52 BRYONY Prosperity

53 BURDOCK Importunity

54 BUTTERCUP Riches

55 BUTTERFLY-WEED Let me go

56 CACTUS Grandeur, warmth

57 CALLA LILY Magnificent beauty

58 CALYCANTHUS Benevolence

59 CAMELLIA (Red) Unpretending excellence

60 CAMELLIA (White) Perfected loveliness

61 CHAMOMILE Energy in adversity

62 CANDYTUFT Indifference

63 CANTERBURY BELLS Gratitude

64 CARDINAL-FLOWER Distinction

65 CARNATION Fidelity, love

66 CARNATION PINK Woman’s love

67 CATALPA Beware of the coquette

68 CATCHFLY Unchanging friendship

69 CATTLEYA Mature charms

70 CEDAR I live but for thee

71 CELANDINE Joys to come

72 CENTAURY Delicacy

73 CEREUS (night-blooming) Transient beauty

74 CHERRY-BLOSSOM Spiritual beauty

75 CHESTNUT-BLOSSOM Do me justice

76 CHICKWEED Rendezvous

77 CHICORY Frugality

78 CHRYSANTHEMUM (Chinese) Loveliness

79 CHRYSANTHEMUM (red) I love

80 CHRYSANTHEMUM (white) Truth

81 CINERARIA Always delighted

82 CISTUS Popular

83 CITRON Natured beauty

84 CLEMATIS Mental Beauty

85 CLIANTHUS -Self-seeking, worldliness

86 CLOTBUR Rudeness

87 CLOVER (four-leafed) Be mine

88 CLOVER (white) Think of me

89 CLOVES Dignity

90 COLTSFOOT Justice shall be done

91 COLUMBINE Folly

92 CONVOLVULUS Uncertainty

93 CORCHORUS Return quickly

94 COREOPSIS Always cheerful

95 CORIANDER Hidden worth

96 CORN-BLOSSOM Riches

97 CORN-COCKLE Peerless and proud

98 CORNEL Success crowned you

99 CORNFLOWER Delicacy, refinement

100COWSLIP You are my divinity

101COXCOMB Foppery

102CRABAPPLE-BLOSSOM Irritability

103CRANBERRY Cure for heartache

104CREEPING CEREUS Modest genius

105CRESS Power, stability

106CROCUS Mirth

107CROWN IMPERIAL Pride of birth

108CURRANT Your frown will destroy me

109CUSCUTA Meanness

110CYCLAMEN Diffidence

111DAFFODIL Unrequited love, regard

112DAHLIA Forever thine

113DAISY (colored) Beauty

114DAISY (Michaelmas) Farewell

115DAISY (white wild) I will think of it

116DAISY Innocence

117DANDELION Love’s oracle

118DAPHNE Fame, glory

119DARNEL Vice

120DEW-PLANT Serenade

121DIOSMA Your simple elegance charms me

122DITTANY OF CRETE (white) Passion

123DOCK Patience

124DODDER OF THYME Baseness

125DOGBANE Falsehood

126DOGROSE Pleasure

127DOGWOOD Forgetfulness, love undiminished by

128EGLANTINE Genius, I wound to heal, poetry, talent

129ELDER Compassion, zealousness

130ENDIVE Frugality

131ESCHSCHOLTZIA Do not refuse me

132EUPATORIUM Delay

133EYEBRIGHT Cheer up

134ENNEL Strength, worthy of praise

135FERN Fascination, magic, sincerity

136FIG Argument, I keep my secret

137FILBERT Reconciliation

138FIR Time

139FLAX I feel your kindness

140FLEUR-DE-LIS Message

141FLOWER-OF-AN-HOUR Delicate beauty

142FLOWERING ALMOND Hope

143FORGET-ME-NOT Constancy, true love

144FOUR-LEAFED CLOVER Be mine

145FOUR-O’CLOCK Timidity

146FOXGLOVE Youth

147FOXTAIL GRASS Sporting

148FUCHSIA Confiding love

149FUMITORY Spleen

150FURZE Love for all occasions

151GARDEN DAISY Share your sentiments

152GARDENIA Refinement

153GENTIAN (closed) Sweet be thy dreams

154GENTIAN (fringed) I look to heaven

155GERANIUM (dark) Melancholy

156GERANIUM (fish) Disappointed expectation

157GERANIUM (horseshoe) Stupidity

158GERANIUM (Ivy) Favour

159GERANIUM (lemon) Unexpected meeting

160GERANIUM (nutmeg) Expected meeting

161GERANIUM (oak) True friendship

162GERANIUM (pencilled) Ingenuity

163GERANIUM (rose) Preference

164GERANIUM (scarlet) Comforting

165GERANIUM (silver leafed) Recall

166GERANIUM (wild) Steadfast piety

167GERANIUM Gentility, peaceful mind

168GILLYFLOWER Bonds of affection

169GLADIOLUS Ready-armed

170GOLDENROD Encouragement

171GOOSEBERRY Anticipation

172GRANDIFLORA High-souled

173GRAPE (wild) Charity, mirth

174GRASS Submission

175HANDFLOWER Warning

176HAREBELL Submission

177HARLEQUIN Laugh at trouble

178HAWKWEED Quick-sighted

179HAWTHORN Hope

180HAZEL Reconciliation

181HEARTSEASE Think of me

182HEATH Solitude

183HELENIUM, Tears

184HELIOTROPE Eagerness, intoxicated with joy

185HELLEBORE Devotion

186HEMLOCK You will cause my death

187HEMP Fate

188HIBISCUS Delicate beauty

189HOLLY  Domestic happiness

190HOLLYHOCK Ambition

191HONEY-FLOWER Love sweet and secret

192HONEYSUCKLE (coral) Fidelity,

193HONEYSUCKLE Bonds of love

194HOP Injustice

195HORNBEAM Ornament

196HORSE-CHESTNUT Luxury

197HOUSELEEK Vivacity

198HOUSTONIA Contentment

199HYACINTH (purple) Jealousy

200HYACINTH (white) Modest loveliness

201HYACINTH Constancy

202HYDRANGEA Boaster

203HYSSOP Cleanliness

204ICE-PLANT Your looks freeze me

205IRIS (German) Aflame

206IRIS Message Eloquence

207IVY Fidelity  Friendship, marriage, wedded love

208JACOB’S-LADDER Come down

209JASMINE (cape) I am too happy

210JASMINE (Carolina) Separation

211JASMINE (Indian) I attach myself to you

212JASMINE (Spanish) Sensuality

213JASMINE (white) Amiability

214JASMINE (yellow) Grace and elegance

215JASMINE I am too happy

216JONQUIL I desire a return of your affection

217JUDAS-TREE Unbelief

218KINGCUP Riches

219LABURNUM Forsaken, pensive beauty

220LADY’S SLIPPER Capricious beauty

221LADY’S SMOCK Ardor

222LADY’S THIMBLE Submission

223LADY’S-TRESSES Bewitching grace

224LANTANA I am unyielding

225LARCH  Boldness

226LAUREL (ground) Perseverance

227LAUREL (mountain) Ambition

228LAUREL Perfidy

229LAURESTINE I die if neglected

230LAVENDER Acknowledgment

231LEMON Discretion

232LETTUCE Cold-hearted

233LICHEN Solitude

234LILAC (purple) First love

235LILAC (white) Youthful innocence

236LILY (water) Purity of heart

237LILY (calla) Maiden modesty, beauty

238LILY (day) Coquetry

239LILY (frog) Disgust

240LILY (tiger) I dare you to love me

241LILY (white) Purity and sweetness

242LILY (yellow) Flirtation

243LILY-OF-THE-VALLEY Return of happiness

244LINDEN Conjugal love

245LIVE-OAK Liberty

246LIVERWORT Confidence

247LOBELIA Arrogance

248LOCUST Affection beyond the grave

249LONDON-PRIDE Frivolity

250LOTUS Estranged love

251LOVE-IN-A-MIST Perplexity

252LOVE-LIES Hopeless but not heartless

253LUCERNE Life

254LUPINE (rose) Fanciful

255LUPINE (white) Always happy

256LUPINE Voraciousness

257MAGNOLIA – Nobility

258MISTLETOE – Kiss me

259MOSS – Charity

260MYRTLE – Love

261NARCISSUS Stay as Sweet as You Are

262NASTURTIUM – Conquest, Victory in Battle

263OLEANDER – Caution

264ORANGE BLOSSOM – Eternal Love

265ORCHID – Beautiful Lady

266ORCHID (CATTLEYA) – Mature Charm

267PALM LEAVES – Victory and Success

268PEONY – Happy Life and Marriage

269PETUNIA – Your Presence Sooths Me

270PINE – Hope

271POPPY (GENERAL) - Imagination

272POPPY (RED) – Pleasure

273POPPY (WHITE) – Consolation

274POPPY (YELLOW) – Wealth, Success

275PRIMROSE - I Can’t Live Without You

276PRIMROSE (EVENING) – Inconstancy

277ROSE (BRIDAL) – Happy Love

278ROSE (DARK CRIMSON) – Mourning

279ROSE (HIBISCUS) – Delicate Beauty

280ROSE (LEAF) – You May Hope

281ROSE (PINK) – Perfect Happiness

282ROSE (RED) – Love, I Love You

283ROSE (TEA) – I’ll Remember Always

284ROSE (THORNLESS) – Love at First Sight

285ROSE (WHITE) – Innocence and Purity

286ROSE (WHITE AND RED MIXED) – Unity

287ROSE (WHITE-DRIED) – Death

288ROSE (YELLOW) – Try to Care

289ROSEBUD – A Heart Innocent of Love

290ROSEBUD (RED) – Pure and Lovely

291ROSEBUD (WHITE) – Girlhood

292ROSEBUD (MOSS) – Confessions of Love

293ROSES (Bouquet of Mature Blooms) – Gratitude

294ROSES (Single Full Bloom) - I Love You

295SMILAX – Loveliness

296SNAPDRAGON – Gracious Lady

297SPIDER FLOWER – Elope with Me

298STEPHANOTIS – Happiness in Marriage

299STOCK – You’ll Always Be Beautiful to Me

300SWEETPEA – Thank You for a Lovely Time

301TULIP (GENERAL) – Perfect Lover

302TULIP (RED) – Believe Me

303TULIP (VARIEGATED) – Beautiful Eyes

304TULIP (YELLOW) – There’s Sunshine in Your Smile

305VIOLET - Modesty

306VIOLET (BLUE) – I’ll Always Be True

307VIOLET (WHITE) – Let’s Take a Chance

308ZINNIA (MAGENTA) – Lasting affection

309ZINNIA (MIXED) – Thinking of an absent friend

310ZINNIA (SCARLET) – Constancy

311ZINNIA (WHITE) – Goodness

312ZINNIA (YELLOW) – Daily Remembrance

 Can you find a flower, maybe two or three out of all of these that you’d like to have in your wedding because of the meaning?   There is a rhyme and reason behind picking a flower type.  But, there is also a reason why you should be choosy over the size of your bouquet.  It’s not like the flowers are being delivered to you so you want the biggest and the biggest!  You want your flowers to add to the beauty of your dress.  You don’t you’re your flowers to overwhelm you.  Your flowers should accentuate your waistline when you’re holding them. 

Now, I’d like to share with you a few tips to getting the most out of your wedding flowers.  You can give away the corsages and boutonnieres to family, friends and other wedding guests.  You can even give the flowers to your clergy, musician or disc jockey.  Everyone loves flowers!  I was recently at a wedding where the flower centerpiece was given away to one lucky person sitting at the reception table.  I won one much to my surprise!  I never win anything by the way.  

Finally, when choosing a flower it’s not just the looks and meaning that are important.  They should smell good as well.  Gardenias, tuberoses, and peonies are some of the most fragrant smelling flowers.

Wedding Savings Trend #3

(You may have not heard about this trend because it’s so hot off the market!  A member of your family or friends can become temporarily ordained in order to marry you!  Hey, don’t laugh; you could save in ministerial costs on this one.) 

          Okay, so having your Uncle Bob marry you may not be your cup of tea.  I can’t say I’d go for it either.  Saving money on your wedding isn’t just limited to the wedding itself.  The bulk of your savings will come from cutting the costs at your wedding reception.  I’ve had many couples ask me, “Well, do I really have to feed them?”  They may have been joking, but my response was a resounding….           

YES, YOU’VE GOT TO FEED THEM! 

I know some people who have gone so far as to cook the food for the reception and store it in a freezer a week in advance.  Still, others have gone to the grocery store to have the reception catered.   However, buying from the supermarket is not the only way you can save money on food.   

The time of day that you hold your wedding and reception also plays an important role.  Take a look at the timetable I’ve developed.  You can save a pretty penny by having your wedding during a time of day when folks are not “as hungry.  Take a look at what I mean. 

Morning Wedding Ceremony before 11:00am

Continental breakfast or buffet

Midday Wedding 11:00am to 1:00pm

Luncheon buffet

 

Afternoon Wedding 1:00pm to 4:00pm

Hor d’oeuvres buffet or cake and punch only

 

Early Evening Wedding 4:00pm to 7:00pm

Dinner buffet

 

Evening Wedding after 7:00pm

Hors d’oeuvres buffet or cake and punch only 

As you can see, the amount of food you’ll need to supply at your wedding reception depends on the time of day you hold your reception.  Let’s now look at the ways you can save in a nutshell!  Here’s how to do it and do it big!  Save as much as 40-60% on your reception costs by following this advice.  Here are the TOP TEN ways to SAVE MONEY on your reception. 

SERVE NON ALCOHOLIC DRINKS

 You can save a fortune by only serving non-alcoholic drinks at your wedding reception.  Some couples are choosing to serve non-alcoholic drinks like sparkling cider or grape juice to their guests.  I think this is especially understandable if the couple doesn’t drink.  Some other couples just serve wine or champagne.  In those cases, you can still save money by buying your alcohol in bulk.  I’ll show you how.  Read on. 

 BUY LIQUOR WHOLESALE 

You may decide to go the extra mile and give your guests the option to drink if they want.  One way to do this and save money along the way is to buy your liquor direct from a wholesaler.  A wholesaler will offer you a discount of up to 20% on bulk purchases of alcohol.  A wholesaler will also allow you to return any bottles of liquor that you have not used.  By in large this is a great deal. 

LIMIT COCKTAIL HOUR 

Having an open bar is quite expensive.  You can still show your guests a good time and keep the costs down as well. Another way to do this is to limit the amount of time for the cocktail hour.   Once the cocktail hour is over, you can then limit drinks to nonalcoholic beverages or wine.  I suggest having a host or hostess to pass out the drinks because this helps to prevent waste. 

OFF HOUR RECEPTION TIME

 We talked a little about this earlier in the ebook.  You can have a breakfast or early afternoon reception and save 30-50% off the reception costs.  Breakfast and brunch receptions cost a lot less than dinner receptions do for obvious reasons.  Plus, people do not drink as much during the day as they do at night. 

SERVE GOOD FOOD NOT EXPENSIVE FOOD

           You’ll want to go for the lobster and filet mignon meals, however chicken and pasta is just as tasty.  Save money by ordering good food, not the most expensive!  Also consider having a buffet as opposed to a sit down dinner that costs more. 

SERVE EASY HORS D’OEUVRES 

          Let’s face it!  You look at some hors d’oeuvres and you just know the cook spent hours in the kitchen making them fancy.  I say don’t worry about that.  Your guests just want something to snack on until din-din arrives.  You can have some prepared that aren’t expensive requiring hours of preparation time.  Also, avoid using hors d’oeuvres that require expensive ingredients. 

SERVE THE GUESTS 

You’ll want to have someone serve your guests rather than have them helped themselves for several reasons.  For one thing, people have a tendency to take too much food before everyone is served.  You want to make sure everyone gets at least one heaping helping!  

The worst thing that can happen at your reception is that everyone doesn’t get fed.  Here are another trick, use small plates.   Your guests won’t be able to take too much food if it doesn’t fit on the plate.  They can always come back for more after everyone is served. 

EAT AND THROW IT AWAY 

Okay, not everyone is going to love this idea!  But, I do!  You can save lots of money by using paper plates, plastic cups and utensils.  You can save up 10-20% over the cost of renting breakable china, glasses and silver. 

BE PICKY ICKY WITH YOUR GUEST LIST

 You can keep your costs down by keeping your guest list down.  You can invite only close friends and business associates.  You can do this by asking your guests not to bring dates and children.  I know one couple that actually hired a babysitter to watch the kids during the wedding and reception.  Now isn’t that a great idea.  The kids got fed and played while the adults did the same thing! 

 

WAYS TO CREATE A MOOD

 

MUSIC & ALL THAT JAZZ 

You can cut the cost of music with a little ingenuity.  How many of us know someone who knows someone who is as good as professional without actually being one?  Yes, that’s right.  I’m suggesting getting an amateur to play and perform at your wedding!  No, I’m not crazy.  You can save tons of money this way.  Take a look at this breakdown. 

You can have the friend of a friend or relative of a relative play a musical instrument.  It could be a flute, piano or horn.  The key to this is to make sure the person is good.  Now, you wouldn’t want this person to play alone.  The cost of your friend’s friend will hopefully be nothing.  You can have them perform for a short time.  Then, you can follow them up with someone who is professional.  Someone you do have to pay!  The going rates for musicians and singers these days’ starts somewhere around $50.00. 

Another option is to use the above combination along with some pre-recorded music.  I like this option because it gives you a little of both worlds.    You can even record you own music using high fidelity recording equipment.