Congratulations again to all of you who are newly engaged! I remember well the initial rush of excitement and, the overwhelm that comes in right behind it. “Where do I start?” is an all too common question newly engaged clients ask us when we begin discussing their Colorado wedding.

Although I believe strongly that there’s no one size fits all schedule to what needs to be done when to plan your wedding, there are two things you can begin work on immediately after getting engaged:

• Begin putting together a guest list. No need to worry too much just yet about shaving it down; just shoot for the moon and include everyone you’d like to have there. This will give you general sense of the size of wedding you’re interested in hosting.
• Begin discussing budget. As a couple you’ll want to discuss what you’ll be contributing and, you’ll need to discuss with your parents what they’re able to contribute. I know it can be a tough subject, but do it now; it will make things easier when the planning gets underway. While you’re talking money, it’s worth deciding on how your parents would like to pay out their contributions. Sometimes it’s easiest for them to set-up an account and make a one-time or monthly deposit. Or, they may want you to communicate back and forth with them about costs of specific aspects of the wedding that they’ve agreed to cover.

Both of these are important steps to everything else that comes. In essence, they’re the basis for all other decisions–choosing a venue will be difficult without knowing how much you have to spend or how many guests you need to accommodate, choosing a date will be difficult without knowing when your venue is available, choosing a dress without knowing when and where you’re getting married, and the list goes on and on.

Start with the numbers!

photo of my actual engagement (yup, that’s it!) from Christina Kiffney Photography

I’d encourage you to broach the subject of who’s paying for what early. Not knowing your total budget, makes it tough to look at cermony and reception venues with a discerning eye.

There are long-standing traditions for surrounding which wedding-related expenses the bride’s family, groom’s family and couple  pay. However, in today’s world of couples who are established in their own homes, full-time jobs and a life very different than their parents at the time they got married, one can’t assume those traditions will prevail.

Real Simple Weddings posted this list of who traditionally pays for what, I thought I’d share in hopes that it will be helpful for your intial budget conversations. Keep in mind, it’s just a guide; there’s nothing to say this can’t be shaken up a bit.

Bride

• Couple’s personal stationery and thank-you notes
• Wedding programs and guest book
• Gifts for bridesmaids and flower girl
• Lodging for bridesmaids

Groom

• Bride’s engagement ring
• Marriage license
• Officiant’s fee
• Rental or purchase of his formal wear
• Gifts for the groomsmen and ring bearer
• Lodging for groomsmen

Bride and Groom

• The wedding bands
• The honeymoon (in traditional families, this is still considered the groom’s expense)  

Bride’s Family

• Engagement and wedding pictures
• Wedding invitations
• Wedding planner
• Bridal attire
• Ceremony fees (including rental of synagogue or chapel, chuppah, aisle carpets, and other decorating items)
• Flowers (arrangements for ceremony and reception, as well as all bouquets, corsages, and boutonnieres)
• Reception (site fees, caterer, food, bar, gratuities, decorations)
• Music (ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception)
• Bridesmaids’ luncheon
• Transportation for bridal party to ceremony and reception  

Groom’s Family

• Rehearsal dinner (or any other expense they elect, such as all beverage and liquor service, limousines, music for the reception, or photography and/or videography) 

If you haven’t already done so, be sure to drop by here and pick up a copy of Talia Events’ new bookette, No One Will Notice: 15 Practical Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding and sign up for our monthly e-newsletter. Both offer easy, practical tips for planning your Boulder, Denver of Colorado mountain wedding!

If you haven’t picked up your copy of our new bookette, No One Will Notice: 15 Hidden Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding, now’s your chance.

Inside are ideas for 15 simple things you can do to save money on your Colorado wedding. They’re little things that will go unnoticed by your guests, but will save you pennies, dollars, tens, twenties and hundreds.

Don’t worry, you won’t have to serve PB and Js for dinner or have to ask your guests to pay for their own drinks at a cash bar!

It doesn’t sound so great, but I have a feeling your sweet tastebuds will pay attention after seeing these photos…
cake pops

this one from Boulder’s Tee & Cakes

pie pops

believe it or not, these are cheesecake pops

click each image to enlarge
with the exception of the cake pop from Tee & Cakes, all are from Bakerella

Here are a few easy tips on how to save a little here and a little there on the bar at your reception:

• Simplify and only offer a signature drink, wine and beer.
• Purchase wines that are available in magnums (bottles double the size of regular ones); several quality wines are. Wine sold in a magnum will often cost less per ounce, and because the corkage fee your caterer likely charges goes twice as far, you’ll save on two fronts.
• People often take a sip or two of champagne after the toast and then return to their beverage of choice. Eliminate this waste by eliminating the champagne altogether and allowing guests to join in the toast with whatever they have in hand. Those who (like me) love champagne will have it and those who don’t really care, will enjoy their favorite drink.
• If you want to offer guests more than just a signature cocktail, wine and beer, but less than a full bar, purchase vodka in bulk. It is the most popular item at the bar.

I’m coordinating what will no doubt be a beautiful, fun wedding in Zion National Park in a couple weeks and have been on the phone with the couple’s vendors tying up loose ends all day.

My conversation with the rental company providing their linens and chairs, got me thinking about centerpieces. Like everyone today, this couple is trying to create the wedding of their dreams without overspending. Up until now their centerpieces have been an elusive and potentially expensive part of the day. To help, I’ve been brainstorming centerpiece ideas that are quick, easy and cheap.

Here are just a few ideas that have come to mind:

A potted plant—an orchid, a simple terra cotta pot of pansies, a galvanized bucket of dahlias, a pot of herbs or even moss or a small green plant. In my work as a florist I would often add a couple flowers to a plant that was being delivered. It spiced it up a bit and but didn’t add much to the overall cost. I’m happy to show you what I mean; just give me a call.

Balloons—I know, don’t think child’s birthday party. Instead, consider something like this:

A bowl or basket of fruit or veggies—If you visit Talia’s blog often, you may remember that this was my Something Green recently. As I mentioned then, it’s a cheap, beautiful and, environmentally friendly idea. To expand even further, consider a basket of small gourds for a fall wedding or filled with pinecones in the winter.

Wheatgrass–It’s not uncommon to find a bowl, candle holder, tea cup or, at this moment, a glass Pyrex dish being used to grow live wheatgrass in my house. I love it. It’s fresh and reminds me and seemingly everyone else of the feeling of lying in soft summer grass. And, it’s uber cheap and quick and easy to grow. West End Gardener in Boulder sells small bags for around $3; it should be enough to grow 15 or more cereal bowl-sized beauties.

from top :: potted zinnias and orchids Martha Stewart Weddings :: balloons Brooklyn Bride ::potted moss the blog stead happy :: tomato and peach centerpieces Martha Stewart Weddings :: wheatgrass with poppies In the Now Weddings :: wheatgrass off my kitchen table