Tips to Keep Within the Wedding Budget

1. It´s not a good idea to go over your budget or go into debt in order to pay off your wedding. Beginning a married life together is a difficult transition as it is, and having a debt because of your wedding only adds to the financial problems.
2. Choose a weeknight to get married at your favorite wedding chapel, church or even destination. Rates are much lower for weekday weddings (and this includes not only the locatin, but also the vendors rates) and you get to enjoy the weekend for your honeymoon.
3. In general the initially quoted price for wedding services will be high. Keep this in mind and don´t be afraid to dicker. Tell them outright that you don´t intend to spend that much and you will be surprised at the accomodations they can make rather than lose a sale.
4. To stick tight to your budget, before you meet with a vendor, get a rough idea of their price rangeand don´t meet with that vendor if you know that they´re out of your price range. When you do meet with the vendor, tell them your budget up front so they can help you pick from options that will stay within your budget.
5. The rate of couples getting married goes *way* down in the winter. With the exception of December (all those holiday weddings!), November thru March aren´t big wedding months---you´ll spend less money if you get married during the off-season.
6. If you *really* need to save money and aren´t afraid of a little sneakiness, you can do many things (flowers, banquet halls, etc.) and without mentioning the word ´wedding´ can save a bundle. Prices go way up when flowers are ´wedding flowers´ as opposed to ´party flowers´ or ´reunion flowers.´

Sand Blending Ceremony

The Unity Sand Ceremony, a celebration that is usually two to three minutes in length, is a meaningful joining of two lives. It represents the timeless ritual of marriage. The couple ceremoniously pours various colors of sand from a container, such as a seashell, a decorative pitcher (or any other nice container), into one special container symbolizing their coming together as one.

This unique celebration was recently brought into the public eye with the marriage of Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter of the TV series, "The Bachelorette." Rather than the time-honored ritual of the Unity Candle Ceremony, the Sutter's chose an alternative: the Unity Sand Ceremony.

Their decision sparked a craze in weddings across the country.

The ceremony has controversial origins. Some believe it began with the Native Americans, and some insist the Hawaiians created the legend. Whatever its origin, the Unity Sand Ceremony is fast becoming a nationwide trend in wedding ceremonies.

The flowing sand and blending of the colors symbolize the combining of two lives into one. Some couples prefer to leave a small amount of sand in their respective container — to show that even though they now function as one, they remain individuals.

A staple in marriages everywhere, The Unity Candle Ceremony has long been a tradition for marriages both elaborate and simple. Usually, there's a single candle that both bride and groom light from a flame of their own single candle. Parents or other members of the wedding party often join in the candle lighting ceremony.

For more info click here. And, if you are looking for a beautiful Sand Ceremony kit, you need to look no further. We found a nice one (see below) that comes in various colors and is personalized for under $60.00!

Personalized Sand Ceremony Complete Unity Kit This unique Kit includes everything you'll need to create a memorable unity ceremony. An alternative to the Unity Candle, the Sand Ceremony Kit truly captures the blending of two lives joined as one. Your love will never end throughout the years as this magnificent set can be placed as a trendy centerpiece in your own home. Display your finished sand artwork and use your pouring vases for candles, flowers, or any decorative function. Ideal for outdoor ceremonies! May be personalized with your first names only or with your first names and wedding date at no additional cost. This complete ceremony set includes: One large unity vase: measures 3 1/2'' x 10 1/2''. Two couple pouring vases: measures 4'' x 8'' 2 lbs of white sand 2 lbs of silver sand Engraving on large unity vase Instructions for use and ceremony wording options Hand blown glass may contain small bubbles. Due to high volume & engraving times, all personalized items may take up to 3 business days to ship. View Font Example. This product cannot be returned. We will replace this product if we make an error. There is absolutely no returns, so please make sure you are purchasing correctly.