Cut the cost of your wedding in halfWritten by Jennifer Holder
So you and hubby have set date, now what? If you are like most couples these days financial burden of planning a wedding is rested upon your shoulders and you find yourself worrying about how you will ever be able to afford this major life event. Believe it or not if done properly your big day can pack a powerful punch without spending thousands of dollars. As long as you are willing to put thought of an overpriced wedding planner aside and do some of grunt work yourself, your special day will be one to remember forever. First of all think about who you know. Do you have a friend who has really great decorating sense? A cousin who is taking photography classes? If you sit down and think about who you know and what types of things they excel at you will be surprised at how quickly your wedding bill will shrink. Forget hiring expensive caterers and photographers. All it takes is a simple phone call and I would bet money that person on other end would be more than happy to help in any way they can. While planning my wedding I knew a friend of a friend who bakes cakes out of her home for a little extra cash. I got in touch with her and I was able to get a very beautiful cake made exactly how I wanted it for under $150.00. Consider having a small intimate reception at your home or someone else’s home. The days of having a huge stuffy reception at a hall or overpriced ballroom are over. People like to be comfortable and cozy and surrounded by people that they love. The fact is, less people you invite less expensive affair is going to be. When making your guest list consider crossing off second cousin you haven’t seen in 5 years or Aunt that lives on other side of country. Your wedding day isn’t about how many people you can cram into a room. It is about being with people you love and care about most. You can shave thousands of dollars off of your bill by checking your guest list twice. Once you have decided on a theme for your big event it is time to go invitation shopping. Resist urge to order all of those thick wedding catalogs that sell invitations and accessories and head on over to E-Bay. There are some very talented people out there that earn a living on E-Bay creating custom made wedding invitations at a fraction of cost. For my wedding I was able to get my invitations, response cards, reception cards and all envelopes for just over $50.00 with shipping and handling. They were made to my specifications and turned out beautiful. Now if you are feeling creative and you have time you can also try making them yourself. There are invitation kits at craft stores that are very inexpensive. You can save hundreds of dollars by doing it this way.
| | Mommie Moments – Taking Time For YourselfWritten by Heather J. Tait
Being a parent is a role that requires a large majority of our attention and time. Whether you have one child or fourteen children, you are more than likely aware that personal time is at a minimal. As a mother your attention is always on demand. There are meals to be made, clothes to be washed, and rooms to be cleaned. Not to mention other responsibilities like entertaining hungry little minds. So where does your time fit into this equation? Regardless of time restraints, it is imperative for a mother’s well-being to have a little down time. Even a half hour to an hour a day can be a refreshing overhaul for a mother’s daily routine. A moment to gather your thoughts without distractions can refresh your spirit and attitude, making you that much more prepared to meet demands of your children, your family, and your life. Nurturing our children begins with us nurturing ourselves. When we view our personal time in this way, we are able to see what a priority we really should be. Take time to dedicate to personal reflection like journaling, music, or art or whatever activity that makes you really feel apart of yourself. If you only get small increments of time daily then make a weekly list of what you would like to accomplish. Manage your time, don’t allow time to manage you.
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