Could You Do Me A Favor?

With hosting and planning special events, we like to give the parting guests a token of appreciation for their participation and/or attending the event . Those tokens are gifts or favors. It can range from a dainty tulle sachet of Jordan almonds, votive candle to a whimsical miniature figurine. Now those selections have expanded with more practical and eco-friendly favors that everyone would be sure to love. Aside from the eco-friendly trend, there are some who like to give their guests a lavish parting gift like the celebrities do. Thankfully there are plenty of options for anyone that wants to have favors for their wedding that guests will love, but that won't break the bank. Make sure to choose favors that within budget range, plan and buy ahead of time how many to purchase for your guests and yourself to have as a keepsake once you have a list of those that have confirmed to attend and/or participate.


DIY favors add a nice unique touch to the wedding and can help you save a bundle, but save it for the pros if you are inept with arts and crafts.

C'mon baby, light my fire...and my smokes.

Sometimes it's cute to have a little whimsical touch to your favors but there is a fine line with being cute and being downright cheesy.

Speaking of the devil, this is one "grate" favor that will end up collecting more dust than my old toys.


I am all for favors that are practical, but again, not when it's downright chintzy.

Here comes the beer....and canned coke.


Moral of the story: Choose favors that your guests will treasure and will serve as a great reminder of how much you appreciate them.

Tryin' To Catch Me Ridin' Dirty

Another highly essential part of weddings along with proms,homecoming dances and (for some) Quinces and Sweet 16's : the limousine. To ride in style and to feel like a VIP for a day with the oohs and ahhs from your guests when you arrive and depart in your limo. The unfortunate reality is that with rising gas prices, some are opting out of stretch limousines or limousines all together and are opting for antique cars, sedans and some even choose the mini-bus or use their own car. Besides that and the budget factor, you also want to pick a company and chauffeur with a good,stable record. When choosing the transportation, you want to not only pick out the appropriate mode of transportation for yourself or anyone else accompanying but you for the occasion as well.


I highly doubt that Barbie would be caught dead riding in this limo for her wedding.

Antique luxury cars and limos are one of the latest wedding trends for couples to set themselves apart from the rest. By antique I mean something like a 1937 Rolls Royce Phantom III or a 1976 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow.

This is nowhere close to antique, but it's begging for an overhaul!

A little opulence is nice, but it is best to keep it clean, classy and elegant for weddings. No garish colors, rims or tires. Leave that for the rock stars and the high school age functions.

Good for a monster truck show, but not for a wedding.

Some couples opt for the classic traditional route by riding in one of their own cars together and decorating it, or the more romantic route: the horse drawn carriage

Forget horse and carriage, it's more like horse and scrap heap.

Moral of the story: If you want to pick out a good ride for your wedding, consider the safety and the reputation and something that won't draw attention in a bad way.

The Big Fat Wedding Venue

One of the most expensive portions of wedding planning is the venue for the ceremony and reception. Some couples opt for a fancy hotel, banquet hall,country club or even a fancy restaurant as the site for both the ceremony and reception. These days with gas prices going through the roof, it can help not only you save more money with not having the limo chauffeur take you from one place to another, but the guests and/or bridal party as well. Some couples are more traditional with choosing a church/temple or any other place of worship for the ceremony and another place for the reception. One way to cut back on costs for the venues is to have the wedding at home. Besides the fact that you have a smaller guest list to deal with and that it's in a place that you cherish is great. However, when planning the wedding venue at a home, there's factors to take into consideration: if you and/or the host relatives are willing to clean before and after the wedding. Besides that, you must also think of selecting a place that is accommodating for you and your guests and the maximum or minimum amount of guests you can have.
There are some venues that do offer other services to help you on your big day such as on site catering, decor and more.



Again, I will emphasize that a venue with on site catering services is great, but this is just plain laughable. Imagine the invitations: A reception will follow with slider burgers, fries and Danishes for dessert. Real classy, huh.


Moral of the Story: Find a venue that is accommodating to you and your guests needs and that is appropriate for the occasion.