Dolla Bills Ya’ll

Prince William finally proposed to you, so now all you need to do is call your Dream Team - Versace, Martha and Wolfgang - and sit back and let them handle it all, right? I am sure that your fiancé treats you like a Princess, and gurrrl you are ALL princess on the inside!  But unfortunately, most of us probably will not have the scrilla to throw down like royalty.  But I say, so what?! That does not mean you can’t look and feel like a Princess on your big day.  But I know most of you are probably working princesses, so here is a tip for planning when time and money are in short supply:

                Treat your wedding like you treat your wardrobe. Every magazine has the same advice for appearing high fashion on a budget.  Affordable basics, one luxury statement piece (shoes!!!) and accessorize, accessorize, accessorize!  So why not treat your wedding the same way?  Remember your ‘favorite’?  That is your luxury statement piece. Now focus on the basics to compliment your luxury piece. I do not mean compromise, but if you have fabulous flower arrangements draping your reception tables, maybe an affordable satin or matte linen tablecloth is all you need. Warning:  Do not cry about your table linens.  I did. I wanted the expensive ones.  They were nearly identical to the linens that were $300 cheaper. Did I notice at my wedding?  No, it was dark. Lesson learned. But my cake?  Worth every penny.  I almost didn’t want to cut it, it was so perfect. For me, the wedding cake was the most import thing. So think about what is really important to you at the end of the day….and what is not so important.

                So you know what you are going to splurge on, you know what your basics are going to be, and the accessories are everything from actual accessories to DIY projects of your own. Maybe you and your bridesmaids make all the party favors for your guests. The personal touch will make them special, and could save you some cash. But not always, so avoid allocating the time for this unless it is either important to you or a major factor in your budget. Otherwise, I recommend buying favors.  Whatever the case, once you make a decision about the types of items you will either purchase or make, and their budget, you can move forward with a clear wedding plan. This will make shopping for that diamond and sapphire tiara that much easier!