Before and After Hair and Makeup Pictures   Professional hair and makeup makes a huge difference when it comes to your overall wedding day look. Even the natural look needs a professional hand.   Below you will find before and after pictures sent to us by some of the vendors featured on Frugal Bride. To visit [...]

Copy and paste the checklist into a word document and delete any entry that doens’t apply to your wedding; and add anything that we did not include like your cultural requirements and traditions. Keep in mind that this is only a guideline. Some weddings take 3 years to plan and others are done in 6 [...]

We’ll leave the layout up to you but below is the info needed on a master wedding day itinerary or timeline. Naturally, different cultures require different info but this worksheet should give you a good idea of what you need to know.   See the Wedding Day Itinerary worksheet for a simple layout.   VENDOR [...]

This is a worksheet of wedding day events from which you can make your wedding day itinerary. Fill in the times that you are sure of. Don’t worry about the order of events right now. Once you know all the times, you can make your itinerary on a spreadsheet or table, in the proper order. [...]

Food plays an important role in the wedding festivities, so you’ll want to take plenty of time and care when choosing your caterer. Here are some great questions to ask your caterer to ensure that you have an amazing “wedding feast” without any surprises!   Menu Options and Reception Styles There are so many food [...]

Before you book your reception venue, read over our tips and suggests and jot down a few of the questions you should be asking your potential venue.   Depending on where you have your wedding and the type of wedding, not everything here will apply to you and other things may need to be added [...]

FB Tip: Food and music are the biggest and most important elements of a successful wedding reception. The disc jockey you hire for your wedding could make or break your reception.   • Your wedding will most likely require music to satisfy all ages and musical tastes so ask about variety and the policy on [...]

Read what types of gifts other couples have given to their bridesmaids, groomsmen, parents, and each other.   GIFTS FOR THE MAID OF HONOUR AND BRIDESMAIDS • Diamond & amethyst bracelets • Swarovski crystal figurine • Tickets to see Mamma Mia and I subsidized everyone’s dresses by $50. • Wooden memory boxes. Each box had [...]

  We realize what a brain buster choosing the right bombonniere/favour can be. By the way, Bomboniere is a term used by many European cultures and has become a pretty mainstream “wedding” word that means the same as Favour. Why spend big money on something that probably won’t be used. Now, it’s not law that [...]

Choosing a florist for your wedding flowers.   Word of mouth is always your safest bet. If the florist’s service and work comes highly recommended, chances are they will do a good job for you. Do your research by going to bridal shows and looking at online pictures from your store’s website. Make appointments to [...]

Wedding Ceremony Sample #2   Introduction: We have gathered here today in celebration of Joanne & Terry’s deep mutual love for one and other, their desire to commit to one and another and to publicly share their heartfelt vows.   Giving of the Bride: Question: Who brings this woman to be married to this man? [...]

Wedding Ceremony Sample #1   This ceremony was written for a non-Christian couple with Christian families. They wanted a civil ceremony that would be meaningful for their religious guests while staying true to their own feelings. This ceremony includes a unity candle. The mothers light the two tapers after they are escorted down the aisle. [...]

What you need to know when Booking your Wedding Ceremony.   Questions to Ask Your Officiant Just as with all your other wedding vendors, the Officiant you choose should match your personal style and the type of wedding ceremony that you’d like to have. For instance, you may not choose the same Officiant for an [...]

Flexibility in design choices Will they “custom-make” your cake based on your individual preferences? This only matters if you have a custom design in mind. Some bakers only offer a few designs while other can look at picture and replicate the design.   Request pictures of their work Take a look at their portfolio of [...]

Thank you notes or thank you cards should be personally handwritten and remember they are “notes”, so don’t feel like you have to write individual letters to everyone. Because each thank you will be different, we’re not going to tell you what to put on it. We’re just going to give you a couple of [...]

Wedding reception card ideas and samples.   If you are inviting guests to the ceremony and reception, you’ll need a reception card…unless you are using a corner copy (reception info in the bottom corner of your wedding invitation).   Dinner Reception and Reception, implies that a dinner will be served and probably cocktails before dinner. [...]

Reply cards or RRSP cards.   Reply cards and self-addressed envelopes are inserts that you send with your invitation. These inserts are filled out by your guests and sent back to you. The cards let you know such information like, who and how many will attend and/or their meal preference. They are also known as [...]

How to pack your wedding invitations.   TIPS: -The Outer envelope has glue on the flap. -The envelope with no glue on the flap, is the inner envelope. – Address envelopes before stuffing them, just in case you make a spelling mistake. The invitation and the inserts are piled on top of each other as [...]

What goes on the different lines of a wedding invitation?   INVITATIONAL LINE Who’s doing the inviting or hosting the wedding?   REQUEST LINE 1 & 2 These lines are doing the inviting. Telling guests what they are invited to.   BRIDE’S NAME • If the bride’s parent’s names are on the invitation and she [...]

Wedding Invitation Wording Samples and Ideas.   We will give you different samples for different situations. Feel free to mix and match words according to what you like or what your situation is. The best website for samples on invitation wording is www.verseit.com.   Below are basic loayout for invitations showing different hosts.   BRIDE’S [...]

There are so many different types and styles of wedding invitations. Below are the most common.   Handwritten If you are having 50 guests or less, you can hand-write your invitations on personalized plain white stationary. Either the bride or her mother can issue these invitations.   Genuine Engraved This is the most exquisite and [...]

Addressing Wedding Invitations 101   FB Quick Tips: – Feel free to use your computer and print out clear address labels if you don’t have good handwriting or can’t afford a calligrapher.   – List children’s first names on line 2 of the outer envelope from oldest to youngest   – If you don’t want [...]

What you are about to read are things to do and not to do at your wedding. Some of the information comes from professional etiquette guides and other information comes from what we’ve learned through the years. So if you want to pull this day off the PROPER way keep reading. If you don’t fancy [...]

I love hearing from our users and I’m always here to help. I don’t claim to know everything but I’ll do my best for you. If you have a question for me, I can be reached a Darsi@frugalbride.com   Below are recent queries from users from around the world. For privacy sakes, names, dates and [...]

Not everything in the list below will apply to every couple. Look over the different categories, copy and paste all the details that apply to your wedding and try to check off a couple of items every week. Start 2-3 months before your wedding.   __Guest Checklist __Send out your invitations __ Call all guests [...]

For those that don’t want to leave anything to chance or are superstitious, you better know what the meaning of those flowers are in your bouquet before you walk down the aisle.   Ambrosia: Reciprocated love Apple Blossom: Better things to come Azalea: First Love, Temperance Baby’s Breath: Innocence, pure heart Bamboo: Strength, Loyalty Begonia: [...]

Below are a few of the questions that we see often. We’ll give you the correct wedding reception etiquette for different situations but remember your reception is the time to party, so don’t take the rules to heart.   What is the correct order for people to stand in the receiving line?   Line Up [...]

The time has come to change your name or think about whether you want to. Below are a few different situations, pros and cons and how to’s. Also, don’t bother applying for a Change of Name Certificate because it’s of no use, we’re still trying to figure out why this certificate even exists. **A frugal [...]

Centrepiece games for your wedding reception.   If your centrepieces aren’t rented or you don’t want to keep the ones you’ve bought, you’ll need a way to get rid of them. FB Advice: If you have people that you would like a centrepiece to go to, there are certain games that can be fixed, like: [...]

The advice below works for any number of guests and tables but we’ve used the floor plan shown in point #3 as a guideline in order the explain different situations to you.   FB Tips • Don’t start the seating plan until all your guests have replied. It takes long enough and you don’t want [...]

If you have a bride’s speech sample that you would like to share with our users, please email it to darsi@frugalbride.com   Public speaking can be very nerve wracking for a lot of people. As the bride you are required to say a few words but don’t feel like to you have to be up [...]

Which side of the church do I sit on? • Left side of the church is the bride’s side • Right side of the church is the groom’s side * If the two sides look uneven it’s perfectly acceptable for the ushers to escort guests to the side that has less people. * If it’s [...]

Describe the gift on the “gift received” line for reference when you send the thank you card.

1. Start off with your guest list. Get all the lists together, yours, his and the 2 sets of parents.   2. Put all the names in alphabetic order by person, couple and/or family.   3. Get a floor plan of your reception venue from your catering manager with where the guest tables will be [...]

It’s party time – toss the rules out the window. Every wedding is different. The order of the events bellow isn’t written in stone and you can change the orders or dismiss of any event you don’t want.   1. You and your HUSBAND arrive at the reception location with your wedding party.   2. [...]

  Studio Name___________________________________________________ Videographer’s Name____________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________________ Phone Number___________________ Contact Name___________________ What do they wear to the wedding?__________________________________ How long after the wedding will the video be ready?______________________ How many hours do they film for?____________________________________ How many weddings has your videographer done________________________ Have you seen samples?____________________________________________   DOES YOUR PRICE INCLUDE … Yes   No   Travel [...]

When your parents are divorced, wedding planning can be a bit tricky. In this section we will suggest what you can do in different situations you may come across if your parents are divorced. But, we don’t know your parents like you do and you will have to be the final judge. As a divorced [...]

Track your wedding budget. Feel free to copy and paste this into Word and remove or put “0″ beside any entry that doesn’t apply to you.   Jewellery Engagement Ring: $ Wedding Day Accessories: $ Wedding Bands: $ Other: $ Section Subtotal $_______________   Ceremony Site Fee: $ Marriage License: $ Officiant’s Fee: $ Ceremony [...]

Wedding Favour and Bombonnieri Worksheet   Company Name ___________________________________________________ Address__________________________________________________________ Phone Number ______________________ Contact Name_______________________ Flavour of Candy_____________________ Colour_____________________________ Quantity _______________________ Total Price______________________   Bomboniere Attachment Tulle Colour______________________ Ribbon Colour____________________ Kind of Candy____________________ Quantity________________________ Total Cost_______________________

Take a wild guess why we would even have a page like this? It’s that well known saying called “Murphy’s Law”. And we definitely don’t want that to be a factor on your wedding day, so here are a few suggestions of things that we think would be handy to have available on your wedding [...]

Order Info: Bakery______________________________________________ Address_____________________________________________ Contact______________________ Phone__________________ Order Date___________________ Total Cost $______________ Deposit Date__________________ Deposit Amount $_________ Pick-up Date__________________ Amount Due $____________ # of Guests___________________ Cost per serving $_________   Cake & Tier Description: Theme/Description_____________________________________ Extras (lights, topper, flowers, fountain) ____________________ Top: Flavour_____________ Filling______________Size_______ 2nd : Flavour_____________ Filling______________Size_______ 3rd : Flavour_____________ Filling______________Size_______ 4th : Flavour_____________ Filling______________Size_______ [...]

Let me start off by saying that no bride in the history of weddings needs everything below but we think you`ll feel better if you have something to look over and maybe refresh your memory or give you an idea.   REHEARSAL ___Facility ___Caterer ___Menu ___Bartender ___Dishes ___Glasses ___Toasting Glasses ___Coffee Cups ___Teapot ___Music ___Sound [...]

Do You Need a Coordinator? We’re not going to tell you the answer to that because we can’t. Only you know if you need one or not. Will you be getting help from others around you, your mother, bridesmaids, fiancé, friends or will you have to do it all by yourself. Can you do it [...]

This wedding checklist is here so that you know you’re not alone. The bride that doesn’t go through at least half of this stuff is the “weirdo”. Print this list, tack it up in your room somewhere and see if you can be the “all time champ” and check off every single item. Whatever you [...]

Wedding flower checklist and worksheet.   List of delivery locations, contact person, address and phone numbers: Bride: _________________________________________________________ Groom: ________________________________________________________ Ceremony: _____________________________________________________ Reception: ______________________________________________________ Theme: Types of Flowers and/or Colours _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ Bride: Type of flowers____________________________________# of Flowers_____ Ribbon colour_________________Type of Handle________________________ Bridesmaids: Type of flowers_____________________________________# of Flowers_____ Ribbon colour_________________Type of Handle_________________________ Flower Girl: [...]

Anniversary Gifts by year for all the married couples you know. 1st Anniversary – Paper 2nd Anniversary – Cotton 3rd Anniversary – Leather 4th Anniversary – Linen 5th Anniversary – Wood 6th Anniversary – Iron 7th Anniversary – Copper or Brass 8th Anniversary – Bronze or Electrical Appliance 9th Anniversary – Pottery 10th Anniversary – [...]

3-4 months before your wedding date is enough time to book your wedding day transportation. Before making an appointment to visit a transportation company, you should have an idea of:   • How many passengers will be in the vehicle? • How much you’re willing to spend. • What type of car you want. • [...]

Before we get to the kissing games, a word of advice. When it’s time for you to kiss each other, you must stand up. No sitting. No little pecks. No rolling eyes. Make it look like you’re enjoying yourselves and the company of your guests. Okay, let the games begin…. B&G TRIVIA On cards or [...]

Here are some wedding related money saving tips that FB would like to share with you. Use a couple of tips to save a few bucks or use more and save $1000+. * For specific information and tips on the services below, see the other service specific articles on our site.   The Most Important [...]

This is a very important question. Think about it. How much can you realistically spend? Well, this might help a bit. Here’s a list of questions you need to ask yourself. • How much money do we have saved? • What is our combined monthly salary? • How much money can we put in our [...]

This article shows who traditionally pays for what and we all know that things have changed over the years. Depending on your family and culture, the list may not apply or be exactly the way you see it. Please take with a grain of salt and enjoy. Bride’s Family • All Reception Costs • Church [...]

ANNOUNCING YOUR ENGAGEMENT IN THE NEWS   Depending on your situation, there’s many different ways to publish your engagement. One word of advice, you shouldn’t give the exact date or your exact address because of security reasons. You don’t want anyone breaking into your house after you’ve gotten all your wedding presents, not to mention [...]

Wedding traditions and customs love’em or hate’em, use’em or forget’em; the story behind their meanings makes for fun reading.   These words are taken from an old English rhyme. Meanings of this phrase may vary, but this is the one we like. Something old and borrowed represents past traditions. Something new will bring you luck [...]

Wedding Catering and Caterer Worksheet   Catering Company ____________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________________ Phone Number______________Contact Name ______________________   TYPE OF RECEPTION REQUIRED: ___ Buffet Meal ___ Full Sit Down Dinner ___ Hor D’oeurves Number of Guests_______________ Cost Per Guest__________________ Required Deposit________________ Last Payment Due Date___________ Per Hour Staff Cost ______________ Per Hour Bartender Cost__________ Per Hour Chef [...]

Questions to Ask Your Officiant   Just as with all your other wedding vendors, the Officiant you choose should match your personal style and the type of wedding ceremony that you’d like to have. For instance, you may not choose the same Officiant for an informal wedding in the park versus a formal religious ceremony [...]