When planning your wedding, it’s natural to think about how to incorporate food that will work for specific guests’ dietary needs. You shouldn’t stress yourself out over this, however, because it would be impossible to accommodate every single guest with the exact food they’d like. In fact, most wedding guests understand that they should not expect any special treatment when attending such a large function, and will normally make do with what they can eat.

To help put your mind at ease, choose a basic meat dish for your meal as well as a meat-free alternative that will please those who do not eat meat. For even more leeway, consider having serving your reception food buffet style with a variety of foods your guests can pick and choose from. This is the easiest way to ensure all of your guests, regardless of their dietary needs, will have something to enjoy on your big day.

If all else fails, remember that this is YOUR day, and you cannot be expected to please everyone. Do the best you can, and focus on the most important part – your new life with your groom!

How would you handle your wedding guests’ dietary needs?

These satin rose favor boxes are the perfect way to present a small trinket to your guests, and are an elegant option when clear plastic cellophane just won’t do the trick! These favor boxes are beautifully decorated and are available in 6 colors to match nearly any wedding theme.

Choose from lavender, ivory, red, white, pink, or hot pink for a distinctive way to present a small wedding favor to your family and friends who attend. These boxes are just the right size for small earrings, cookies, candy and anything else you can think of to make your guests feel appreciated on your big day!

Favor boxes start at $1.65, and are available at MomentsofElegance.com

Celebrities are known for extravagant weddings, $20,000 dresses and rings that cost more than a modest home, but you can have a celebrity style wedding for a lot less with these tips!

Get Inspired

Celebrity weddings are a great source of inspiration when planning your own affair, and you can have similar features in your wedding with a bit of creativity. Check out photographs of weddings you admire, and feel free to incorporate their ideas into your own wedding. Your local crafts store has supplies you can use to recreate different decor elements for a heck of a lot less than the stars paid!

If a designer wedding gown a celebrity wore has you drooling, feel free to shop discount dresses with a similar look. There are plenty of modestly priced designer gowns available for $500 or less, and you are sure to find one that looks very similar without the Hollywood price tag!

Food and Drinks

Celebrities spare no expense for their wedding, and the same can be said for the food served. For a celebrity chic wedding, consider serving food “buffet style” instead of a plated dinner. You can still have the elegant wedding you’ve dreamed of, but this way you save some serious cash in the process.

If you plan on severing alcohol, consider creating one signature cocktail to be the highlight of your reception. You’ll save money on booze, and guests will love the allure of a special drink that was created just for the day!

Flowers

Lush floral arrangements are a hallmark of celebrity weddings, but you can nab the look yourself for much less with a little know-how. Instead of tons of small floral arrangements, consider purchasing a few larger arrangements that really make an impact and save you money in the long run. Buying flowers that are in season is also a great trick to shave some cash off the final tab!

Having a celebrity inspired wedding can be a lot of fun, and these tips will help you feel like a star on your special day, even without the big bank account!

What are your tips for having a celebrity style wedding on a budget?

If you’re looking for inspiration for your first dance as husband and wife, check out these 5 tunes that are sure to bring a smile to your face and tears of joy to everyone watching!

1. Come Away With Me – Norah Jones

“Come away with me and we’ll kiss on a mountain top; come away with me and I’ll never stop loving you.”

With lyrics like these and Norah Jones’ sultry voice, this is one first dance song that will be loved by any bride and groom!

2. Just The Way You Are – Billy Joel

“Don’t go changing, trying to please me. You never let me down before.”

There are several versions of this song, but I still return to Billy Joel’s interpretation time and again. The lyrics of this song are absolutely perfect for a first dance between the bride and groom!

3. It Had To Be You – Frank Sinatra

“It had to be you; I’ve wandered around, finally found somebody who could make me be true.”

Frank Sinatra is a popular choice for wedding ballads, and with lyrics like these, you can certainly see why!

4. A Groovy Kind Of Love – Phil Collins

“Wouldn’t you agree baby, you and me, we’ve got a groovy kind of love.

This is a bit of a quirky choice for the first dance song, but the lyrics are emotional and full of sentiments that are perfect for the bride and groom just embarking on their life together.

5. Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You – Frankie Valli

“You’re just too good to be true, can’t take my eyes off of you, you’d be like Heaven to touch, I wanna hold you so much.”

The first few opening lines of this classic ballad by Frankie Valli sums up the rest of the song beautifully, making it a wonderful choice for the first dance.

These are easily some of my favorite romantic wedding songs, but it’s important to choose one that has meaning for you and your partner. Which songs do you recommend for the first dance between husband and wife?

(Photo Credit)

Your guests will love these rainbow colored fortune cookie wedding favors made from wholesome, all-natural ingredients! Each cookie is individually wrapped and can be customized to suit your color scheme and preferences. Choose from several different colors like hot pink, lavender and peach, or choose an assortment of all 7 colors if you aren’t picky!

You also have the option of choosing which shape appears on your fortune cookie favors (hearts, bells, or flowers) or a combination of all three! The fortunes that will appear in each cookie can also be completely customized by you when you order.

These fortune cookie favors are sure to be a hit with both children and adults alike, and are the perfect token to show guests how much you appreciate their presence on your special day. Cookies start at $1.10/each and are available from MomentsofElegance.com.

Reception centerpieces can be very expensive, so why not try your hand at creating your own unique decorations for your special day? Even if you don’t consider yourself the crafty type, these ideas are super easy to do and will save you money, to boot!

1. Candles

Purchase several heat resistant bowls, fill with water, and add floating candles for a luminous centerpiece that won’t cost too much. You can also add flower petals, food coloring or other creative embellishments to create a truly unique centerpiece your guests will ooh and aah over!

2. Baskets

Wicker baskets are inexpensive and can be purchased for a few dollars at your local craft store. Fill your  baskets with fruit, flowers and other items that match your wedding color scheme. You can also thread brightly colored ribbon in and around baskets to make them truly shine!

3. Jars

Mason jars are economical and unique, and you can often find quite a few kicking around thrift stores, garage sales or even your own cupboards! Don’t worry about them being matchy-matchy, either; jars in various shapes and sizes will be even more unique! Fill jars with water and use as vases, or pour beach sand into each jar and nestle a votive candle inside. The choice is yours!

4. Bowls

I attended a wedding once where the bride used fish bowls as her centerpieces (yes, she used real goldfish!) While that is definitely a unique idea, you don’t have to go that route. Instead, nestle the bowl in a ring of flowers that match your decor, fill bowl with water, and add floating candles for a beautiful centerpiece your guests won’t be able to stop talking about.

DIY centerpieces are not as difficult as you might expect, even if you don’t consider yourself the artsy type. These ideas should help spark your imagination and allow you to create your own reception centerpieces without spending a ton of money. What are your favorite DIY centerpiece ideas?

Making your own wedding invitations can not only save you money, but allow you to showcase your creative side. If you want to make your own invitations, here are a few tips to help you get started.

1. Gather Materials

Before you even begin designing your invitations, make sure you have all the materials you will need before you begin. One of the biggest mistakes people make when designing their own invites is to neglect the envelopes. The last thing you want to do is find out your invitations won’t fit into the envelopes you have, so make sure EVERYTHING you need is readily available to you before you begin.

2. Create a “Rough Draft”

You may have tons of ideas about how to design your own wedding invitations, but you may want to practice a bit first before you start working on the real deal. Creating a rough draft of what you’d like the invites to look like is a great idea, and allows you to play around with various design elements before you actually need to commit.

3. Start Early

No matter how crafty you are, DIY wedding invites take time and effort to complete. Whether you have 50 guests or 200 people attending, it’s important to give yourself plenty of time to create all the invitations and mail them out for guests to RSVP. A good rule of thumb? Give yourself MORE time than you think you’ll need, and you should be able to mail your invites off with plenty of time for your guests to respond.

4. Ask for Help

If you feel overwhelmed at all during the process, it doesn’t hurt to ask another crafty friend or family member to step in and help you. Whether it’s assembling the invitations, addressing envelopes, or simply to provide comic relief, a close friend can help share the burden and make you feel much less stressed out over your invites.

Making your own wedding invitations is a time consuming process, but I firmly believe it is a worthwhile endeavor. Not only will your guests appreciate a handmade, unique invitation, but you will be able to save some money too!

Have you made your own wedding invites? How was the process for you? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so please leave a comment below.

Your flower girl will feel just as pretty as a princess in one of these festive frocks!

A demure jewel neckline, satin fabric, and a bubble pick-up skirt make this flower girl gown a picture of perfection! The lavender bow at the waist adds a hint of color to this pretty dress and will make any little girl feel special on your big day.

(Dress, Tip Top Kids, tiptopus.com)

This adorable tea length flower girl dress features a jewel neckline, A-line silhouette, and a tulle skirt that any young girl would love to flit around in! A coordinating sash helps break up the dress for a look that’s pure perfection.

(Dress, Joan Calabrese by Mon Cheri, calabresegirl.com)

This flower girl dress is available in a wide variety of colors so she can match your wedding theme/color scheme perfectly. Dress features puffed sleeves, a scoop neckline and a tulle underskirt.

(Dress, Fox ‘n Lily, foxnlily.com)

For a formal wedding, this ball gown style flower girl dress is the perfect compliment to your celebration! The dress features plenty of elegant beading and ruching details, and also comes with a matching handbag to make your little girl truly feel special.

(Dress, Cupids by Mary’s, marysbridal.com)

Your flower girl plays and important role during the ceremony, and any of these gowns are sure to make her feel grown up and special. Which one is your favorite?

If you’re having a beach wedding, these adorable flip flop chocolate lollipops are the perfect token of appreciation to share with your guests on the big day.

These wedding favors are crafted from delicious, creamy white chocolate and are available in lavender or pink with a soft yellow base and a white flower accent.

Kids will love these yummy favors while adults will find them absolutely charming! Each favor is individually wrapped in a clear cellophane wrapper with matching ribbon. Personalized favor tags are available for an additional charge.

Prices start at $3.25/each and are available at MomentsofElegance.com!

If you want your hairstyle to be a bit different than the norm, these 4 hairstyles featured below will give you ideas for your own ‘do on your special day!

The ponytail is a classic go-to hairstyle when you don’t want to fuss with your hair too much, but this grown-up version gives you a slightly edgy look for your big day. With several loose pieces and a roughed up texture, this wedding hairstyle is a very contemporary look for the modern bride.

A classic updo gets completely revamped with this amazingly fresh wedding hairstyle. It’s also surprisingly easy to recreate; straighten hair, pull back into a twist, and let the various flat ironed ends stick out all over your head in wild abandon. If you aren’t the traditional bride, this hairstyle is perfect for you!

Update a classic wedding style by loosely curling your hair, pulling it slightly back with a jeweled clip, and leaving face framing pieces and tons of curls hanging lushly around your face. It’s a simple way to add a modern look to your wedding day festivities and you’ll look gorgeous, to boot!

If you don’t want to mess with an updo, try this creative take on the classic half up/ half down hairstyle. Sleek, straight strands are gently pulled back from the face and accented with an eye catching hair piece to show off your locks. Simple, modern and so, so pretty!

Classic wedding hairstyles are beautiful, but most take time to create. If you want a hairstyle that’s different from the norm and not hard to do yourself, these 4 styles can be your inspiration to create your own wedding day look that’s out of this world!