Darcy Miller’s 10 Ways To Trim Your Budget

Posted by Khris in Wedding Planning

The uber-fabulous Darcy Miller, editorial director of Martha Stewart Weddings, offers 10 Ways to Trim Your Wedding Budget.

When you prioritize, plan, and adopt some of the money-saving steps below, it will be the beauty and joy of your wedding day you hold onto forever, not the bills.

Food and Drinks
1. Serve a signature drink, such as a punch or favorite cocktail, instead of providing a full bar and limit other alcoholic beverages to wine and beer, choices that will satisfy most of your guests.

2. Have your caterer use local fruits and vegetables that are in season. Not only will these items be more economical, they’ll taste fresher.

3. Order a moderately priced, plainly decorated cake, and make the focal point the cake topper. Vintage bride-and-groom figurines, wedding bells, horseshoes, a basket filled with fruit, or a pair of doves (from an antiques shop or handmade) are classic symbols that can make a cake memorable.

Flowers and Decorations
4. While most popular bridal flowers are available year-round, some traditional ones — peonies and lily-of-the-valley, for example — can be difficult to find and expensive out of season. Seek your florist’s advice before deciding on your flowers.

5. Use favors as seating or place cards to save a bit on stationery costs. For seating cards, write guests’ names and table numbers on strips of paper, affix them to the favors, and set in order on a table near the entrance. For place cards, put favors with names attached at guests’ places.

General Budgeting Tips
6. When it comes to invitations – save money and the environment by choosing digital options like http://www.pingg.com for save the dates.  For the wedding, you can use a more formal, printed invitation. We offer a number of gorgeous designs at pingg – http://www.pingg.com/info/designer_series?artist=martha_stewart.

7. Fridays and Sundays are generally less expensive than Saturdays for renting a venue.

8. To minimize the guest list, include your friends’ significant others but not casual dates.

9. For your reception, remember that a deejay can be less costly than a live band.

10. The most important thing about a wedding is making sure it is personal and reflects you. Prioritize aspects of the wedding that are most important to you. By compromising in some areas, you can afford to splurge on others.

Visit www.marthastewartweddings.com for even more tips and inspiration.

Louisville, Washington DC, St. Louis: Catch Darcy Miller & Wendy Kromer at Macy’s

Posted by Khris in Events + Soirees

Darcy Miller from Martha Stewart Weddings is going on tour with Wendy Kromer in the coming week or so. Catch them at Macy’s in Louiseville, Washington DC, and St. Louis on the following days:

Sunday, March 2
1 – 3pm
Macy’s Oxmoor
7900 Shelbyville Road
Home Store, 3rd Floor
Louisville, Kentucky 40222
RSVP: 502.423.3356

Thursday, March 6
6:30 – 8:30pm
Macy’s at Tyson’s Corner
8000 Tysons Corner Center
McClean, VA
RSVP:  703.893.4900 ext. 515

Sunday, March 9
12 – 2pm
Macy’s at St. Louis Galleria
1550 St. Louis Galleria
Home Store, 3rd Floor
St. Louis, Missouri
RSVP: 314.726.1810 ext. 3205

This is your opportunity to chat directly with Darcy and Wendy to learn all about wedding planning, registries, and wedding cakes.
The Details (from MSLO):
Darcy will educate brides with Wedding Planning 101 – highlighting style, personalization, examples of memorable weddings featured in the magazine and how to register. Wendy will highlight some of the more than 100 delicious and inspiring ideas for timeless and beautiful confections that are perfect for every style of wedding as featured in the new book – Martha Stewart’s Wedding Cakes.  Wendy will sign copies of the book, available to purchase at the retail price of $60 plus tax.

Darcy Miller and Macy’s Wedding & Gift Registry will be on hand to answer registry questions like: How many place settings do I register for? What is hard anodized? And what exactly is a duvet, anyway? This, plus tips on Macy’s registry rewards, and more will all be at brides’ fingertips during the event.

NYC Folks: Your “Must Attend” Event For January

Posted by Khris in Events + Soirees

The Wedding Library, along in part with Martha Stewart, is hosting the “must attend” wedding event of early 2008 at the Carlyle on January 26. I can’t get to NYC this month (drat!) but if you can, you’ll be dazzled by the likes of DIY Bride favorites Darcy Miller from Martha Stewart Weddings, Preston Bailey, and Reem Acra. There will also be a champagne breakfast and vendor showcase with some of the best in the industry.  Tickets are available at http://www.theweddinglibrary.tix.com.

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