ACCESSORIES
1. Fake Them Out
Many of the rhinestone pieces at emitations.com are replicas of diamonds worn by A-list divas like Halle, Heidi, and Nicole.
2. Buy Bargain Baubles
The deals at overstock.com are phenomenal—we found an 18K gold multistrand gemstone necklace for just $35.99!
3. Snag Some Shoes
White shoes rule at myglassslipper.com, which carries high-end designers, as well as more affordable brands (Dyeables, Touch Ups).
4. Top Your Tresses
Satisfy your inner princess with hair jewelry from saragabriel.com, home of classic and modern styles.
5. Look for Lingerie
When mining for wedding day unmentionables (bras, bustiers, shapewear), go to figleaves.com—good selection, good prices.
BEAUTY
6. Master an Updo
Learn how to do your own do at hairstyles.nexxus.com, which offers video tutorials. Hit the "Holiday Hairstyles" tab for formal looks ranging from chic chignons to romantic waves.
7. Find Your Faves
Your #1 lipstick has gone AWOL from store shelves? Don't panic—hit sephora.com, which carries nearly 200 brands, including hard-to-find items.
8. Enhance Your Eyes
Find out how to do your big-day makeup at smashbox.com; the "Insider Secrets" tab has how-to videos galore.
9. Design a Fragrance
At scentdesign.net, brides can create custom blends of fruits, flowers, and spices. One-third of an ounce costs just $10.
BRIDAL PARTY
10. Dress Your Maids
At dessy.com, the easy to use dress guide lets you search the collection by color, length, neckline, silhouette, and fabric.
11. School Your Man
Written from a man's perspective, groomgroove.com offers straight talk (and videos) on planning, clothes, guys’ duties, and speechmaking.
12. Garb the Flower Girl
Ethereal and elegant, the flower-girl dresses at usangels.com come with satin bows, organza ruffles, and loads of charm.
BUDGET
13. Estimate the Bills
To help you plan your expenses, use the "Weddings" section of costhelperher.com, which lists price ranges for goods and services from musicians to ice sculptures.
14. Compare Costs
Plug in your zip code at costofwedding.com to find out the average budget for "I do's" in your specific area.
15. Track Your Digits
Once you've figured out a budget, use numsum.com to not only create spreadsheets but also share them online with your fiancé and parents.
16. Bid for Bargains
Don't forget ebay.com for finds like barely worn headpieces and lace tablecloths.
17. Do It Yourself
Need to make a guest book, craft a favor bag, or set up an iPod playlist? Diybride.com has advice from crafty brides and links to experts' Web sites.
CAKES AND COOKIES
18. Make a Cake
From baking pans to sugar daisies, fancyflours.com sells everything you need to raise the wedding cake to a piece of art.
19. Sweeten Things Up
Pick your favorite posy at unitedsugardesign.com, where the candy flowers include orchids, roses, and lilies.
20. Tailor a Topper
Crown your cake with your names scrawled inside a wire heart from gaugenyc.com.
21. Bejewel the Cake
Top the tiers with a cake crown from paristiaras.com—and find a match for you, too!
22. Customize a Cookie
On the dessert table, offer these initial cookies from casuesweets.com, which specializes in custom treats.
23. Get Specifics
Every recipe at wilton.com is accompanied by a list of the exact pans and tools needed to create a masterpiece.
CEREMONY
24. Choose Readings
The "Planning" section of todays-weddings.com lists popular passages plucked from Scripture, literature, and poetry.
25. Ordain a Buddy
Want someone special to officiate at your wedding? Send 'em to themonastery.org (Universal Life Church) to apply.
26. Find an Officiant
Stop by nawoonline.com (the National Association of Wedding Officiants) to find a religious or secular authority to perform the service.
27. Write the Words
Get inspiration at myweddingsvows.com, which offers examples from traditional to interfaith to celebrity (Elvis and Priscilla!).
EMBELLISHMENTS
28. Bring on the Bows
Midoriribbon.com has ribbons in every color, fabric, and width, some customizable with a personal design.
29. Hire a Scribe
Find a calligrapher in your area through the professional group societyofscribes.org.
30. Reinvent the Vase
At themacbethcollection.com playful prints transform galvanized buckets into chic containers for wine and flowers.
FAVORS
31. Value the Variety
A limited budget's BFF: orientaltrading.com. It has a festive selection of favors from fans (12 for $3.49) to mint tins (12 for $14.99).
32. Have It Your Way
At foryourparty.com, you can pick out a favor (matchbooks), decide on a color (gold), then choose a font (Bickham Script). Sweet.
33. Find a Goodie
Blissweddings.com is the place for guest giveaways. Edible, seasonal, thematic—it's got dozens of choices.
34. Decorate Your Day
Think of save-on-crafts.com as your one-click supply source for DIY projects, with all the necessities for making favors, menus, centerpieces, and more.
35. Go Organic
Considering candles? Nix paraffin for nontoxic soy options sold through lumia.us.
36. Box It Up
Even a cup of jelly beans looks fancy packed in an elegant vellum bag or pretty organza box from annagriffin.com.
FLOWERS
37. Buy Arrangements
Hydrangeas, calla lilies, and sunflowers—oh, my! For centerpieces and bouquets at bargain prices, click on proflowers.com.
38. Go Bulk
Purchasing roses in bulk is a smart way to save. Fiftyflowers.com offers deep discounts.
39. Know Your Limits
Is doing your own arrangements right for you? Find out with the "Wedding Flowers" quiz at flowerbud.com, which sells blooms at cut-rate prices.
40. Try a Topiary
Create an enchanted forest at your reception via westhavendesign.com, where you can find decorative branches and wreaths, as well as topiaries and lighting.
FOOD & DRINK
41. Green the Dish
An eco alternative to landfillloving Styrofoam, bambuhome.com dishes are made from bamboo and biodegrade in four to six months.
42. Make a Wine Run
Raise your glass to wineinsiders.com, where each bottle is vetted by a team of wine pros and discounted with a money-back guarantee.
43. Customize Your Cuppa
Sugar cubes iced with your initial sweeten your reception guests' after-dinner tea; sugarcubes.ca.
44. Seek a Caterer
Click "Caterers" at gatheringguide.com to find gastronomic experts by location. (You can even flag picks for future reference.) Look for other vendors here, too, and read the “Tips” section before your interviews.
45. Jazz up the Drinks
Personalize cocktails with tiny custom flags from estiloweddings.com.
IDEAS
46. Launch a Web Site
Announce events, manage RSVPs, even poll guests for free at ewedding.com.
47. Be Original
Offbeatbride.com chronicles goth-a-billy updos, baby-blue tuxes, and other think-outside-the-white-wedding-box ideas.
48. Go Eco
Earthfriendlywedding.blogspot.com offers DIY ideas (where to book an eco venue; how to use vintage milk bottles for vases) and links to green-thinking vendors.
49. Get Ideas
Melissasmitten.blogspot.com has photos and ideas from reallife theme weddings like "Sweet Citrus" and "Asian Fusion."
50. Choose Your Hues
Enter the URL of any image (like a pic from your reception hall's Web site) and colorhunter.com will generate a complementary color palette.LEGALITIES
51. Study the Law
USmarriagelaws.com lists wedding-license regulations for all 50 states.
52. Take his Name
Change your name through missnowmrs.com, which completes forms online and provides detailed instructions for filing.
53. Ponder the Pre-nup
Prenuptialagreements.org makes a hard subject easier, with tips on how to talk the talk effectively with your fiancé.
MUSIC
54. Learn to Dance
Master your first-dance moves by taking lessons; go to ballroomdancers.com's directory for a studio near you, or practice your cha-cha at home with the site's online lessons.
55. Make a Mix
Download iTunes at apple.com, then snag songs for 99 cents a pop. Search "wedding essentials," then click "iTunes Essentials: Wedding Essentials" (top right) for hundreds of possibilities.
56. Pick a DJ or Dance
Discjockeys.com offers a national DJ directory, plus suggestions for father-daughter and mother-son dances.
57. Bag a Band
Jazz? Bluegrass? Motown? Gigmasters.com lets brides seek bands by zip code. (Bonus: Many listings come with reviews from past clients.)
PARTY PLANNING
58. Gather Your Tools
Facebook.com's wedding book application lets you share event info, photos, registry links—it even includes a countdown clock.
59.Rent Your Stuff
Tables, china, lighting, Flooring—at classicpartyrentals.com you'll find all the basics under one virtual roof. (Yes, they have tents, too.)
60. Do the Seating
Kind of like "Musical Chairs: Wedding Edition": You can drag and drop guest names, tables, and chairs anywhere on the screen at toptableplanner.com.
61. Look for Linens
Partymosaic.com has a huge selection of linens, plus boffo decorating advice (how to set a modern/country/seasonal table), useful for a bride planning her first big celebration.
62. Set Up a Booth
Photo-me.com will rent you a photo booth (nationwide), operate it throughout your wedding, and take it away after the last goofy group shot.
63. Secure a Location
At banquetfacilities.com, search for party sites by city or zip code. Watch videos of some of the spaces, especially helpful when planning an out-of-town wedding.
64. Scope Out Tents
Know the difference between clearspan and pole tents? You will once you've checked out squidoo.com/tent-decor.
65. Map the Route
Weddingmapper.com helps transform your ceremony and reception maps into something elegant enough to pair with your invitations.
PHOTOGRAPHY
66. Hire a Lensman
At the Professional Photographers of America’s official site (ppa.com), look up pros in your area, then check out the portfolios on their Web sites.
67. Get Expert Tips
What's the best way to incorporate pets into your wedding photos? That question and many others are revealed at wedpix.com, the online magazine of the Wedding Photojournalist Association.
68. Share Your Photos
Rent digital cameras for your reception tables at youshoot.com Afterward, the company will upload the photos to its site so you can share.
REGISTRY
69. Check Things Off
Choose your favorite kitchen and bathroom items—and manage the guest list, seating plan, and budget—at bedbathandbeyond.com.
70. Make It Easier
Instead of registering in a half-dozen shops, sign up at one: Myregistry.com allows brides to select gifts from any store in the world with its oneregistry-fits-all function.
71. Give Back
At idofoundation.org, you can link to stores like Target and REI , which will donate a percentage of guests' gift purchases to your favorite charitable cause.
STATIONERY
72. Find the Words
At finestationary.com, order invitations (Crane & Co., Kate Spade) and get an etiquette specialist's help for free!
73. Nail the Goods
Choose from a wide variety of affordable, ready-to-order items or design your own at myjeanm.com.
74. Create a Stamp
Upload a graphic detail from your invitation to mountaincow.com you'll receive sheets of customized U.S. postal stamps to stick on your envelopes.
75. Cut Card Costs
Formal-invitations.com sells more than 100 invites for less than a dollar each. (Use their template to print cards.)
{Source: www.bride.com}
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete