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Call on talented friends. Ask a friend or relative to make your wedding cake or take your photographs in lieu of a gift. You can still provide them with the supplies or offer a token payment if you like.

Buy liquor in bulk. Head to the largest liquor store or supplier in your area. Tell them it’s for your wedding (they might give you a break!). Buy wine and hard alcohol by the case. Consider kegs of beer for additional savings.

Go wholesale. Purchase food and beverages, along with disposable napkins, cups, etc from a wholesale restaurant supply company. Believe it or not, many of them are open to the public and you can get a big discount compared to retail.

Be thrifty. Don’t think everything has to match. You can find beautiful vases (and other goods) at thrift shops and dollar stores. You don’t need 16 of the exact same vase. Just choose the same type of material or color family.

Get sponsored. Sponsored weddings sound tacky but they don’t have to be. You don’t need a big sign over the reception door saying, “Sponsored by Sam’s Crab Shack” but you’d be surprised at the donated food, beverages, napkins, matchbooks, decorations and other items you can get for a little signage. For example, you can get a local bakery to bake/decorate your wedding cake for free in exchange for their sign and business cards on the cake table.

Wedding DJ Toronto

Some DJs read the crowd very well and others have strengths that can range from Musical library to Lighting and setup as well as being able to sing and play other instruments as well. Depending on the tone of your wedding certain DJs can be more appropriate than others. For an older crowd, perhaps consider a DJ that can belt out a good Sinatra tune or if the audience is quite young you might need to have them focus on more contemporary music.

Wedding DJs in Toronto

Setting up the hall for the Dj is also very important. In some circumstances they will be off to the side and in others they will take centre stage so to speak. Make sure they are comfortable and able to see the entire audience. DJs often need to feel the atmosphere in the room to play their best, so audience interaction is very important.

DJ for your Toronto Wedding

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• Tickets to a play or sporting event
• Gift certificates to a movie theatre
• Video games or DVDs
• Spa gift certificates
• Silk pajamas or a robe
• A painting or vase for her home
• A set of luxury sheets or towels
• A designer clutch
• A cappucino maker
• Kitchen tools, if she loves to cook
• Gardening tools, if she loves to garden
• A gym membership, if she loves to workout

Don’t think you have to give each of your bridesmaids the same gift. They are all individuals. So pick a gift that is specifically suited to their hobbies, personalities and needs.

Try to buy something that you know they won’t splurge on for themselves. Whether you spend $30 or $300, it doesn’t matter. As long as the gift is thoughtful and useful!

Image: istockphoto

So what does your maid of honor do? Well, a lot more than standing next you at the altar.

Planning the Shower
If your family isn’t hosting your bridal shower, it’s time for your maid of honor to step up. She can plan the shower (or help you plan your own shower) including handling the invitations, the catering and all other aspects. At the shower, she should mark down each gift as you open it, along with the name of the person who gave it to you. She can help you write the Thank You notes too. If you are having a bachelorette party, she should plan that too.

Shopping for Dresses
The maid of honor normally accompanies the bride when she’s choosing her wedding dress. Ideally, the maid of honor should be honest enough to give her opinion about how the gown looks. She should also help the bride pick out the bridesmaid dresses. She should organize the fittings for the bridesmaids.

Addressing Invitations
The maid of honor and the other bridesmaids should help the bride addressing the invitations and stamping the envelopes. It’s kind of a pain, so make a night of it and use the opportunity to hang out with your favorite girls. If you have to put together D-I-Y favors, centerpieces or other decorations, the maid of honor should help the bride with these items too.

On Your Wedding Day
The maid of honor should assist the bride with her train, help the bride with her makeup and hair, and do just about anything else to make sure the bride looks perfect. She stands up for the bride as a witness. She is also responsible for holding the groom’s ring for the bride, as well as hanging onto her bouquet as the couple says their vows. At the reception, she will dance with best man and make a toast. She should also be on the look out for trouble — making sure your Uncle Sal isn’t drinking too much and that the kids aren’t dipping their fingers into the icing on your wedding cake.

Basically, your maid of honor should do everything and anything she can to make sure your wedding is beautiful and stress free for you. When picking your maid of honor keep these things in mind. She can’t just be a good friend; she needs to be responsible, organized and trustworthy too!

The Bahamas are often overlooked as a Honeymoon Destinations for Canadians during Winter. But in fact, Winter is the best time of year for you to visit the Bahamas! it’s right after the wet season that ends in November and up until May there is clear weather before the summer storms hit. This makes it a great place to visit during the winter months.

Honeymoon Horseback Riding in Freeport in the Bahamas

There are dozens of activity choices when you visit the Bahamas on your Honeymoon. These Include:

- Scuba Diving and Snorkeling wrecks and coral reefs
- Fishing dozens of Big Game species
- Golfing world renowned, professionally designed courses
- Flamingo shows, held on Nassau are a treat
- Visiting secluded beaches
- Motorbiking or driving along winding tropical roads
- Walking white sand beaches
- Boating to gorgeous island hideaways
- Partying at the many hotels, bars and casinos
- Romantic Horsebackriding in Freeport

Bahamas Nightlife

These are just some of the choices. There are many others. Check out the official Islands of the Bahamas for all the best information, travel warning, weather updates and much, much more.

Remember that the best time of year is Winter. So be sure to book now and enjoy a great Bahamas honeymoon!!

Fall Wedding Colors (and fall wedding flowers)- If you want to stick to typical fall colors, use oranges, yellows and reds in everything from your bridesmaids’ dresses to flowers.

Fall Wedding Centerpieces – Instead of flowers or candles for your centerpieces, do something a bit more unique. A cornucopia of fall fruits and squash makes an interesting centerpiece. Also consider flowering plants.

Fall Wedding Food – In the fall, serve hardy food like soups, potpies and more unusual meats (pheasant, lamb, veal). Serve hot apple cider (or hot toddies) and warm pie.

Fall Wedding Cake – Instead of a traditional white wedding cake, consider dark chocolate or carrot cake for fall.

Fall Wedding Favors – Caramel apples, pumpkin candles, homemade preserves and maple syrup are wedding favors your guests will truly enjoy. Also consider anything with a fall (leaves) theme, including bookmarks and paperweights.

Consider these possible themes for table names:

• “I Love You” in different languages
• Types of flowers
• Different gemstones
• Countries (or cities)
• Favorite bands (or names of popular love songs)
• Names of movies (or TV shows)
• Sports teams
• Famous couples (or famous actors)
• Types of wine (or cocktails)

Keep in mind if you use names instead of numbers, people are more likely to get confused or mixed up. So make it very clear on the table assignment cards but using a picture as well as words to demonstrate the table name.

Narrow Down Your Choices
Find four or five florists in the general area near your ceremony and reception site. Don’t pick anything too far away — they may charge extra for delivery according to distance. Instead of just picking florists from the phone book, try to get personal referrals from friends and family members as you narrow down your list.

Meet with each florist to discuss your floral needs. Be sure to know your wedding colors, number of attendants, and total flower budget before the appointment.

Types of Bouquets & Flowers
Talk in depth with the florist about your centerpieces and other decorations, paying special attention when it comes to your bridal bouquet. There are many types of bridal bouquets to choose from and the prices range dramatically. You can choose a simple hand-tied posy bouquet, an elaborate cascading bouquet or something in between.

A basic wedding flower package includes:

• Bridal bouquet
• Bridemaids’ bouquets
• Corsages for mothers, grandmothers and other important women
• Boutonnieres for the groom, groomsmen, fathers, grandfathers and other important men
• Centerpieces for the reception

Other flowers to consider include a smaller bouquet to toss, flowers for your flower girl, blooms for the altar and other floral decorations for both the ceremony and reception site.

Get Quotes
Ask the florist to provide you with two quotes — one for a basic package and one for a more elaborate package. Consider that exotic flowers, dyed flowers and flowers that are out of season are going to cost more.

Check References
After you have quotes from several florists, ask them for a few references from their previous brides. If they are unable to provide such references — move on! It’s a big warning sign if they don’t have any brides willing to vouch for their services.

Talk to the references about the customer service, promptness of delivery, quality of flowers and any other concerns. If you find a florist that you really like, but the prices are a little too high, don’t worry. Many florists are flexible and will help you to develop a package that will fit your budget.

Image: istockphoto

Tables
For an outdoor reception, make sure each table is shaded with an umbrella. Create centerpieces that consist of both garden flowers and fresh fruits.

Food
Garden weddings should have light food, such as finger sandwiches, pasta salad, veggie dishes and fruit salads. Top your wedding cake with fresh strawberries. Serve sweet tea or lemonade along with raspberry martinis, wine spritzers and tropical cocktails.

Music
For ceremony music, a harpist is a classy, sophisticated choice that is perfect for outdoors. A jazz band is a great addition for the garden reception.

Favors
Stick with the garden theme when choosing your wedding favors. Plant bulbs and seed plantable seed packets are optimal choices.

Attire
A tea-length bridal gown, or even shorter, is just pefect. Add a pair of chunky heeled or thong sandals glitzed up with crystals. The groom should wear a light colored linen suit. Cream is a fantastic choice, but don’t overlook the possiblity pale green or yellow.

Use a Honeymoon Registry

Just like you register for wedding gifts, you can also register for your honeymoon. With a honeymoon registry, your family and friends can contribute to the costs of your honeymoon instead of buying wedding gifts. This is especially good for couples who don’t need a lot of items for their household. After all, an extra day in Hawaii is probably a better gift than another toaster. You register for hotel accommodations, airfare, food and beverages, activities, merchandise and more. Some people think honeymoon registries are tacky, but you should be no more ashamed of having a honeymoon registry than you are a wedding gift registry. Some honeymoon registries include Honeymoon Wishes and The Big Day.

Travel in the Off-Season

Depending on your honeymoon destination, some times of year are cheaper to travel than others. For example, in Europe you will find cheap flights and hotel rates from December through March. In the South America, Central America and some parts of Mexico, there are “green” or rainy seasons when you can find hotels rates as much as 60% off the peak prices. You should also avoid traveling on weekends. Arrive Sunday through Thursday for the lowest rates. Additionally, don’t travel near holidays.

Honeymoon Domestically

Honeymoon destinations within Canada or the continental United States can be just as romantic as those abroad, while being much cheaper. Consider off the beaten path destinations, like a ranch or a cabin retreat in the mountains. Call a travel agency in your destination city. They will be able to give you information, insight and maybe even discounts that you cannot find elsewhere.

Find Promotional Codes

Search online for promo codes. Car rental companies, hotels and airlines all offer special promotional codes and discounts. If you are a member of CAA, or belong to any civic or military organizations, you may be able to get discounts between 10-30% off. Some discounts are rarely advertised, so it doesn’t hurt to ask for them. You can also oftentimes locate special honeymoon packages that may include a free meal, gift basket, champagne or spa treatments.

Eat Cheap

If you decide to splurge for a luxury hotel, cut cost in other areas. One way to do that is by eating cheap. Instead of dining at hotel restaurants and pricey eateries, choose to eat where the locals eat. Have lunch at a diner or dinner at a local pizzeria or cafe. If you are staying at a hotel with a kitchenette, buy groceries, stay in and cook.