cheap wedding inspiration

How To Feed 40 People For $3 Each. You’re Welcome.

When I met the lovely, effervescent Daffodil Campbell at Camp Mighty, I was a bit starstruck, as I’ve long been a fan of her writing. When she turned out to be just as, if not more lovely in person… I quickly identified my mission: make her love me. Ok, so maybe it was a bit less stalkery than that, but I sensed in her a kindred spirit and couldn’t wait to get to know her better. And I did! It worked out marvelously. Mwahahaha.

Over dinner our final night, she mentioned having blogged about a broke-ass food challenge of sorts, in which she fed a group of 40 for $5 each, and I asked if I could re-blog it here for my masses. I love this recipe. It’s comforting, healthy, impressively ethnic, and can be prepared vegetarian or vegan or not, depending on your inclinations and the crowd you’re feeding. I figured it could be just the thing for some of you industrious brides to take advantage of for an engagement party, rehearsal dinner, hell… why not your wedding? While I don’t necessarily recommend slaving over a stove on your big day… with the right group of volunteers and stealthy prep-work, it can be done! Or, you could just throw a bad-ass party for no good reason at all, and impress your friends with your culinary prowess while your pocketbook stays fat and happy tucked away in your purse.

So, without further ado… take it away, Daffodil!

(PS: more on Camp Mighty, coming soon!)
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Last weekend we celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary with a group of friends. I had considered having the food catered – picking up trays of food from our local grocery store, and saving myself a lot of time and stress. But the prices were high, and I wanted the food to be hot and fresh. Besides – I love to cook.

The response from friends hearing that I was cooking for about 40 people on my anniversary ranged from “You ARE?” to “Are you sure?” to “Of course you are!” to “I am so glad you are – yummy!”

Inspired and wanting to rise to the challenge, I sat down with my cookbooks. I wanted to find recipes that were simple – the more ingredients a recipe has, the more it will cost. A tip – if you need a spice or other ingredient that you don’t use often, find a store that sells spice by weight – lots of health food stores do, and you can buy just what you need for the recipe, not a whole jar that will then sit in your pantry. Also, I have a limited diet these days SO I was hyper-aware of this, but it’s a good thing to remember: You want to make something everyone will be able to eat. I decided on a big salad, daal, rice (all vegetarian and very filling, with plant-based protein) and chicken. I started cooking that afternoon and it took me about 2 hours. I had hoped to let the chicken marinate more but it just didn’t work out that way, so I put them on the grill to start them off and add some smoky flavor, then stabbed them repeatedly with a fork (which also helped my stress about cooking for 40 people, since I was feeling kind of stabby by about 4pm) basted, and cooked it on a low heat in my convection oven to allow the flavors to develop slowly.

A caveat about cooking for a large group: YOU NEED BIG PANS. Big ones. And big serving dishes. And a lot of silverware and dishes. We discovered that we needed forks about an hour before the guests started to arrive.

Awesome. Added to the stabby vibe.

The following is a detailed description of the menu, with some overly-simple directions. Sorry about that.

Dinner for 40, for less than $3 per person.

SALAD

The salad was set up salad bar-style. This meant that leftover greens could be bagged and refrigerated, along with with the individual garnishes. People could choose what they wanted to put in their salad, and how much. No dressing? NO PROBLEM. Hate carrots? HEY ME TOO.

The salad bar had dried cranberries, mandarin oranges, sunflower seeds, sliced cucumbers, sprouts, some goat cheese, shredded fresh and crusty french bread (better than croutons!) and balsamic strawberry vinaigrette.

Balsamic Strawberry Vinaigrette

Ripe Strawberries
Balsamic Vinegar
Salad oil blend or olive oil

I am embarrassed to even call this a recipe, actually. I chopped up a bunch of overly ripe slightly wrinkly strawberries into small pieces, put them in a bowl with their juices, poured in enough balsamic vinaigrette to cover them, stirred enthusiastically while gently giving the strawberries a little smooshing, and then let them set. Just before serving, I added salad oil (about the same amount of oil as balsamic) and gave it a good shaking. That’s it! Also great with blueberries. The trick is to use a very sweet, juicy, extra ripe fruit.

RICE

For dinner I made a huge pot of rice. There is a trick to making rice of you don’t have a rice cooker. If you live in Hawaii, you know what a rice cooker is. If you live in rural America, you might have no idea what I am talking about. I learned about rice cookers when I moved to Maui. They are like crockpots – but for rice. They cook rice quickly and efficiently and have an automatic shutoff when the rice is done. I don’t know how they work exacty, but we’ll just call it a miracle and move on. I don’t have a rice cooker. I make my rice in a big pot.

Public Service Announcement: Instant rice is not rice.

Confession: this technique for cooking rice was taught to me by Kevin Flaherty during the middle of a very memorable weekend at his parents beach house off-season. He also taught me some fun things to do with climbing ropes and carabiners. Thanks for the memories, man.

Melt a small pat of butter or heat a tablespoon of oil in the bottom of a pan. Makes sure the bottom of the pan is fully coated. Wash your rice. Just do it. Pour however much rice you need in the bottom of the pan. DO NOT STIR. Pour cold water over the rice – 2 cups of water for one cup of rice. Turn the heat to high – and when the water comes to a boil turn it down and simmer until the water is gone. You cannot put the lid on tightly – if you want to use a lid it has to be slightly off-center so steam can escape, and you have to keep an eye on the pan – once the water is gone you must turn off the heat or your rice will burn! It’s easy to tell when the water is completely gone – look for bubbles on top of and between the grains of rice. Bubbles = water still cooking off. I used one cup of uncooked rice for every 5 people – so 8 cups of rice and 16 cups of water.

DAAL/DHAL/DAL/LENTILS

I used a huge, heavy ceramic-coated cast iron pot with a lid which prevents sticking, minimizes the chance of burning, and is good for slow cooking.

3 tbs butter or ghee
1 onion, chopped
1 tbs fresh ginger (I buy the prepared ginger root puree in a jar)
3 tbs garlic puree (also purchased in a jar)
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp dried chilis (Confession: I once used a package of crushed chili peppers I got from Pizza Hut that I found in my junk drawer to season my daal - Now I have a bottle of them.)

Sautee all in pan until onion is clear, then add:

1 cup lentils (I used french green lentils) stir around well to coat, then add:
3 cups water
1 cup veggie broth
1 can chopped tomatoes with chilis

Bring the whole thing to a boil, turn down the heat and put a lid on it. Stir *very* occasionally, cook for 1 hour and see how the lentils are doing. They probably need another hour to get really soft. Once lentils are pretty soft, smooosh them with a potato masher to break them up a bit. Then add a little lemon juice, some pepper, and a lot of salt. You have to do it to taste – but lentils in my experience need a lot of salt. However, salt will keep them from getting as soft as they should – so don’t add it until the lentils are soft.

This made enough for 10 people – so I quadrupled it. Like I said: you need big pans to cook for a crowd.

SPICY MASALA CHICKEN

First, to clarify: This is NOT CHICKEN MARSALA. No, no it isn’t.

Sauce/Marinade (enough for 10 chicken thighs)

6 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp ginger puree (same stuff I used for the daal)
1 tsp garlic puree (same stuff I used for the daal)
1 tsp crushed dried chilies
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp molasses
2 Tbsp honey

Confession: This recipe calls for marinating the chicken, but I don’t have the time or the space to marinate chicken for 40 people, so I basted with the marinade and it was really yummy. If you have time and space, go ahead and marinate the chicken for a few hours or even overnight. Another problem with marinating – I used frozen chicken thighs. Bone-in, with skin, that you can cook from frozen without having to defrost. They are cheap and flavorful. The fat cooks out of them, and the skin comes off during cooking…….so go for it. I counted on 1/2 pound of chicken per person, and so I bought 20 pounds of chicken. Turn your oven on to 300 degrees and let it preheat while you grill the chicken a bit for flavor. If you have a convection oven, use it. We put the thighs – still frozen – on the grill skin side up. Put the heat on Medium, closed the lid, and grilled for 10 minutes watching for flare-ups due to the fat cooking off. Don’t want to burn down your house while preparing for your dinner party. That’s called irony.

After 10 minutes, transfer the chicken into a large pan (I needed three large pans – 9×12 with high sides) and peel off the skin and excess fat. Spread the chicken out single layer with slight overlap, which prevents the edges from getting overcooked and dried out during slow cooking.

STAB THAT CHICKEN WITH A FORK.
Go on, STAB IT ALL OVER.

Now drizzle the sauce/marinade all over the chicken using a spoon to conserve so that you have enough for all of the pieces. Put it in the pre-heated oven and bake for about 45 minutes.

So that’s it. The bulk of the food cost was baby greens ($8), the chicken ($25), the lentils ($5 or so), and the rice was less than that, and everything was delicious!
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Thanks a million to Daffodil for sharing her wondrousness with us! Make sure you check out her super duper blog, Adventures in Paradise. Before you know it, you’ll want to make her love you, too

What do you think? Would you use a recipe like this to cater your own event?

Sugarflower Design’s Crafty Guest Post Part III: The Joys of DIY Lite!

This  is our very last crafty guest post from the fabulous Autumn from Sugarflower Design! Did you miss Part I or Part II? Be sure to check them out here…and here!  

I’m back for my third and (sniff, sniff) final installment on the ups and downs, dos and don’t of DIY’ing your own wedding stationery. We’ve already covered the potential pitfalls of DIY, and ways to keep your DIY design fly. But, we realized not all of you want to take on the whole enchilada. So, here are two options for cutting some costs with DIY “lite”.

Printable Stationery

Happy craftin'!

Printable stationery allows you to forgo the design process, but save money by printing and assembling yourself. There are lots of options available for printable stationery, generally breaking down into two groups:

1) Pre-printed, blank card “kits”. You set up files on your computer to print the details of your wedding on the blank areas of each card in the kit. Check out this adorable set from Target!

2) Pre-designed computer files (usually PDF files).  Typically files arrive pre-formatted with your wedding details and card graphics ready to print on your home printer. Most print on standard letter-size paper that you must purchase separately and then cut apart after printing. Etsy.com has a HUGE variety of printable wedding invitations and accessories

Sugarflower Design

Some things to keep in mind when considering printable stationery:

a) Are you confident in your home printer to do the job?

b) Does the printable stationery come with sufficient instructions, templates and/or support from the designer to ensure your stationery is printed successfully?

c) What level of proofing for both color and text is supported by the PDF
designer?

d) What materials and tools are required to print, cut and assemble the stationery? Are they supplied, or do you need to find them on your own?

DIY “lite”

You have a limited budget, but you are not interested in designing or
printing your stationery. Consider purchasing low-cost, simple stationery
and spiffing it up with some DIY embellishment. I suggest sticking with
something you’ve done before – particularly if it alters the invitations
themselves (such as watercolor or embossing). Some ideas:

I can haz print job?

1) Hand-cut your own envelope liners. Templates for your envelope size/shape are available online and in craft stores.

2) Apply some well-placed Swarovski crystals to your invitation

3) Purchase a nice, contrasting color of cardstock to “stack” behind your invitation card. Just be sure your envelopes will accommodate the larger backing card!

4) Add a fabric or ribbon “belly band” to hold your cards together.

5) If you are artistic, or have a friend willing to help out, consider some simple watercolor details on your cards.

6) A custom embossing stamp with a pretty emblem or your initials will add some detail to the top of your invitation card or the back flap of your outer envelope.

It’s been a blast my ladies of BrokeAssery. Now, go get your card-on!

Sugarflower Design’s Crafty Guest Post Part II: Design Your Own Invites!

Just proof it. Proof it real good.

Today we’re handing the reigns over to Autumn from Sugarflower Design yet again for another fabulous post! Did you miss Part I? Be sure to check it out here…take it away, Autumn! 

You’ve got a plan, now you’re ready to design! Keep in mind some basic design principles to help keep your invites “professional”:

Make an inspiration board!

1) How will you print your stationery? A lot of the technical aspects of the design of your stationery are driven by the printer you use. This is particularly important if you plan to send your invite to a professional printer (digital, offset, letterpress, etc) Files have to be set up in a very specific way for their equipment – often requiring specific kinds of software. If you don’t know how do prepare your files for professional printing, consult a pro OR consider printing at home.

2) We all love a good font, but don’t go craaaazaaay. If you use a heavily
stylized font, use it sparingly and pair it with something simple for the
other text. Two fonts are really enough. Check out Dafont.com for some
great FREE fonts.

Clip art inspiration!

3) Use art wisely. Make sure all photography or clip art is 300 dpi at actual size to print well. Dover Publications makes lots of great clip art books, many with CD’s included of the art already formatted and ready to go.

4) Keep your color palette simple and cohesive. For inspiration, use this awesome tool that allows you to turn a favorite photograph into a coordinated color palette.

5) Proof. Proof again. Have your mama proof it. PRINT proofs to check for color and margin issues. Proof it again. Editing tip: read your sentences backwards to check for spelling. Our brains tend to gloss over misspelled words when read in the context of a sentence.

WHOO! You’re now on the path to designing the invite of your dreams! Join us next week for the final installment of Autumn’s EPIC DIY trilogy! Now go gather some inspiration from Autumn’s own designs! 

Sugarflower Design’s Crafty Guest Post Part I: Are You Ready To DIY?

Autumn from Sugarflower Design

Oh, BAB readers, you are in for a TREAT. Today we have a special guest post from the uber talented, stationery-designing hottie behind Sugarflower Design! She’s gonna clue you in on whether you’re truly ready to get your DIY on or not – it may save you a ton of $$$, but it’s not always a cakewalk. 

Hello Broke Ass Bride readers! I’m Autumn. I own Sugarflower Design in Austin, Texas where I’ve been designing wedding stationery for the past 8 years. This guide is meant to be an inside track for those of you hoping to invest some “sweat equity” in your wedding invitations without dipping into your bar budget or breaking out in a pre-wedding stress rash. I’ve encountered many brides along their DIY journey  – some needing rescue, others advice. I bet this is what they would tell you over mojitos and some queso…

 Full-On DIY

This is when you design, print, cut, embellish, assemble and mail
everything yourself with or without the help of (hopefully willing)
friends. Ideally this project should save you money, be FUN and result in
pretty, personalized wedding invitations.

Gettin' crafty!

1) Don’t get in over your head. Making your own wedding stationery is a big project. It’s probably best to keep things simple – focusing on good quality materials and artistic elements you are already familiar with. Gaps in your technical knowledge can become a source of stress or additional cost – particularly if you try something new and ambitious (I could tell you the sad tale of a bride, a new home silk-screening machine and a box of vintage handkerchiefs.)

2) Consider consulting with a pro. Before you get your heart set on a design, and certainly before you purchase expensive materials or equipment, consider investing in an hour of professional design consultation. A pro will catch simple issues that would otherwise derail your project – like postal code regulations, technical issues around printing, etc. That hour could save you a lot of money and headaches down the road.

3) Time vs. Cash. Yes, DIY stationery may save you money, but it also
takes your valuable time. In fact, it can take a LOT of your time. If you
want to tackle all aspects of design and production for 25 invitations –
great. That’s a good weekend-size project. 250 invitations? Think hard.

Slice n' dice!

4) Will it save money? Printing at home isn’t free. Paper, printer ink, envelopes, embellishments, tools for proper cutting, etc. add up fast. Buying small batches of paper and envelope leaves you out of the bulk savings enjoyed by stationery manufacturers. In some cases it can actually be more expensive than buying inexpensive printed stationery. Be sure to research your materials carefully to keep costs low.

5) Will this be fun or stressful? Ladeez, I cannot tell you how many tearful calls and emails I’ve received from brides who’ve come to the end of their crafty-crafter rope. They hate their @&$^)*# printer! The glue is everywhere! I’VE RUINED 63 HANDKERCHIEFS! Be smart about what you can handle.

Picked your project? Tune in for another post from Autumn on how to DIY your own wedding stationery, coming soon!  In the meantime, be sure to check out all the fabulous paperie in Autumn’s Etsy shop!

Anatomy of a Chinese-Made Wedding Gown

• For a nicer fabric. It will drive up the cost a little but there is nothing wrong with asking them to use a better quality fabric. Ask for a natural or silk based fabric rather than a polyester/man-made fabric.
• As well as the above, if you’re buying lace, ask them not to use a stiff one, good lace should be soft. Stiff laces look cheap and can make a wedding dress look and feel awful when worn.
• As well as the first point, if you’re buying satin ask for one with a high thread count
• Ask for fabric samples (especially if your dress requires lace and/or satin)
• That the fabric has no stains or marks and is not pulled anywhere
• That the stitching is more carefully done
• To make sure the ends of the string used in the stitching is cut
• For more layers in the skirt! This will also drive up the cost a little but it will be well worth the extra cost

• If you’re unsure about using DH Gate try EBay as many of these Chinese dressmakers can also be found on there.
• Make sure the seller has sold a lot of dresses and has a good feedback store (personally I wouldn’t go below 98%)
• Always ask for pictures of previous work and if possible close up photos of the details and stitching.
• If you’re unsure about taking your own measurements have a seamstress do it for you
• Order it well ahead of your wedding day, custom made dresses can take up to 6 months to arrive (just like when you buy them in a salon), you might also want to allow for more time so that you can have it replaced if you don’t like it.

Money Can’t Buy You Optimal Energy: Make it to the Aisle & Feel Great!

We asked our friend, celeb dietitian Ashley Koff (who you might recognize from Shedding for the Wedding) for some tips on conserving and building energy, because we remember how draining it was to juggle everything as a bride! Whether stress drives you to eat through your emotions or sends your appetite out the window, you’ll need optimal energy to get you through the marathon of wedding planning – but with a finish line as romantic as your aisle, who could resist these tips to keep your energy up for little excess cost?
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Money Can’t Buy You Optimal Energy: Make It To The Aisle and Feel Great!
by celebrity dietitian, Ashley Koff, MD.

It is time for the next stage in life, marriage, and while you are celebrating, planning and getting ready for your big day, adrenaline is not enough to keep you going. So, what do you do for energy? Something simple like grab an energy bar or drink, right? Wrong! Most of the products out there today that are seen as ‘energy solutions offer a short term solution by giving you a quick high from carbohydrates and maybe some vitamins or herbs for an extra kick, which is generally followed by a crash and burn. The secret to lasting energy is nutrient balance and the benefits of frequent eating “occasions.”

For those of you trying to lose a few extra pounds to fit in your perfect wedding dress, you may ask, what about calorie counting? The first thing you need to know is that all calories are not equal, but counting calories can be part of a strategy as long as they are properly distributed throughout the day at regular intervals or “occasions.” By paying attention to the quality and type of calorie you are eating, you can make sure the body is not receiving too much or too little of one nutrient.

What is nutrient balance? Throughout the day, our bodies need a balance of carbohydrates, quick energy, protein and fats, for sustaining energy, along with unlimited amounts of vegetables or plant based nutrients for optimal energy, at regular intervals. Carbohydrates are at the mercy of many diet debates so it is important to understand what it actually is. If you review the nutrition plan at AshleyKoffRD.com, you may be surprised to learn that milk and other dairy products, fruits and even some veggies are considered carbs and that soy, beans, quinoa and other vegetarian “proteins” are also considered carbs. Carbs are good for us and are in fact critical by providing quick “jump start” energy and allow the body and mind to stay in burning mode. It is when we consume too many carbs that there becomes a problem. The body only uses what it needs and then stores the additional carbs away as fat storage. The same goes for proteins, which support lean body mass but are also the building blocks of our hormones, which dictate how our body uses energy, so if you are not getting enough protein or the best quality protein, the messages your body sends and receives may be less efficient, which can mean less good energy. Fat, which also provide messaging, help sustain us between eating occasions, as well as signal satisfaction to the brain. If you take fat away when eating, it can be very easy to over eat on carbs because we do not feel as full.

Nutrition for optimal energy requires that most people intake one serving of a carb, protein, healthy fat and vegetable during an eating occasion, which should be around every three hours. An apple with 1-2TBSP of peanut butter can be an eating occasion with your apple being the carb and peanut butter as your protein and fat or you can try a palm-sized serving of salmon along with a fist of rice, vegetable soup and or a salad with a perfect treat being an ounce of dark chocolate. Love turkey sandwiches? For a bride on the run, why not have half of the sandwich with a salad and the other half three hours later? The worksheet on the website listed above, www.AshleyKoffRD.com, shows you what foods you can combine for maximum nutrients.

Many people, especially those watching their caloric intake, start their day with the idea of eating perfectly. The notion of perfect is best left along because it has no place in health or nutrition. Once we get over perfection, it’s easier to look at reality and think about what your body really needs. Just with a personal relationship, one must understand and accept others lack of perfection as well as your own, and nutrition is no different. Sustaining energy throughout the day and night can be simple if one stays focused on a nutrient balanced diet with eating occasions, making sure to limit the amount of stimulation the body receives from food and beverages. When having a stimulant like caffeine, it is best to watch the quantity but also what you are pairing it with. Skip the baked goodies or chocolate and go for something that is a low glycemic carbohydrates along with a healthy fat and or protein like oats with nuts, cinnamon with stevia or a turkey cheese roll up. White tea is also another great option; it has less caffeine but is a great alternative and can be paired with foods like berries and cottage cheese. Avoiding high sugar intake with our caffeine can greatly reduce the crash you may have been come accustomed to around 3PM.

The last factor one must consider when looking to maximize natural energy is maximum recovery. If we don’t unplug to recharge, we won’t. We all know how useful a mobile device is that loses its charge, well magnesium and potassium in foods, beverages and supplements as well as homeopathic supplements can help us learn to turn off our systems by working at the intracellular level or with other body systems to distress, hydrate and relax the body and mind.

What’s your favorite diet or nutrition trick? Share your best advice in the comments for an entry to win one of three Optimal Energy Bridal Happy Belly Bags, filled with delicious, health-enhancing foods and supplements worth over $100 each! If you don’t win, don’t despair, you can save 20% with special discount code BAB2011 on purchases over $100 on the Happy Belly Bags website!

{Guest Post} 100 Layer Cake

Y’all might remember my friend Amanda from 100 Layer Cake from the last time she guest-posted here, sharing her to-die-for DIY anthropologie-esque rope and brooch necklace. I asked her back today to share a bit about hers, Kristina’s and Jillian’s fantastic new 100 Layer Cake website, and all its broke-ass friendly bells and whistles. You are going to love what they’ve got going on! Welcome, Amanda!

{Guest Post} Caution: Grooms at Work

In 2007 our homey Chris Easter co-founded a little site called TheManRegistry.com. In just 3 years it has become the web’s leading source for groomsmen gifts, content and wedding vendor listings geared to the groom’s perspective. His site is so bad-ass that Chris was recently named one of the top 30 entrepreneurs under the age of 30 by Inc. Magazine. Chris is a good friend of ours and we are very psyched to have him share some of his planning wisdom with your man. After you read some of his tips here, you can check out more of his blogging flava’ at GroomsAdvice.com.
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If the last few years in the wedding industry have taught me anything, it’s that grooms are flat-out trying to shed the “innocent bystander” tag that they’ve been unfairly assigned over the years. Let’s get one thing straight. Grooms have always cared about their weddings. However, not until recent years, has the wedding industry and blogosphere picked up on it. With the influx of real groom bloggers, more companies directly marketing to grooms and more and more guys customizing various aspects of their wedding – the secret is out.

I’m often asked by brides about the best areas of wedding planning for their guy to take charge of. In no particular order, here are a few favorites:

Source

Transportation

Simply put: guys dig cars. And whether it’s a vintage Rolls Royce, a stretch Escalade or dual crotch rockets, there are literally countless options for being creative with the choice of car that will carry you away after the wedding.

Planning the Rehearsal Dinner

This is, of course, a very broad topic. The rehearsal dinner is traditionally a responsibility of the groom and his family. It’s also a perfect opportunity for his inner-event planner to shine. When I got married, I dove headfirst into the rehearsal dinner because I really wanted to leave a personal mark on the wedding festivities. We held the event at The Boulevard Brewery in Kansas City (my favorite beer) and had the event catered by Jack Stack BBQ (my favorite BBQ).  The event was a hit because everyone in attendance appreciated the effort that was put into personalizing it… and it was a hell of a lot of fun! I challenge all grooms to aim for the same.

Paperwork and legalities

Guys are the responsible ones, right? OK OK. I’m a guy and I can even say that this statement is almost never true. However, we do like thinking we’re being responsible and important. That’s why handling the organization, filing and paying of all pertinent legal documents and fees is a great job for the groom. The business of getting married can require quite a paper trail – so be aware of your local/state rules on marriage licenses.  Other topics to research include the changing of name(s), adding your spouse’s name to necessary accounts, agreements and whether or not your church requires pre-marital counseling.

Wedding website/blog

Managing the wedding website or wedding blog is another unique way for today’s tech-savvy grooms to get involved in planning. Even if he’s not a programming wiz, there are countless websites that offer free wedding website templates where couples can post their wedding info. Some grooms have even taken it a step further by starting blogs that detail their foray into the wedding planning world.

Entertainment

Not to stress you out, but wedding entertainment will make or break the reception.  This is why it’s key to hire the right DJ or band. Grooms will often step up to the plate and take on the responsibility of interviewing/auditioning potential vendors. Why? Because it’s fun. In most cases, you can actually go and /listen to the DJ/band perform. Grooms are natural partiers, so it’s often easy for them to look at a performer once and envision how they will handle the crowd at your wedding. My advice to brides: just let him go with it. Us men know what we’re doing.

Of course I always recommend the bride and groom sharing responsibilities and discussing all of those fun little details – but the above list is a great starting point for doling out responsibilities. I hope it comes in handy. Cheers!

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What are your thoughts on these or other tasks that can be delegated to the groom? Let us know in the comments section below.

{Fluffing our feathers} Southern Weddings Magazine & Weddzilla

We’re feeling pretty darn loved these days, thanks to our supportive family and friends… and last week things just got sweeter!

Southern Weddings Magazine (always a feast for the eyes and run by my Making Things Happen boo, Lara Casey) featured us not once, but TWICE in the newest issue.
The issue just hit stands, and among the various delicious spreads and articles…. you can find the Fresh Hubby himself, showing off his fun wedding style with a cute Q&A and some fresh-ass fashion picks in the Groom’s Fab Finds section on page 147.

Ain’t he the cutest? Also, look for us: featured as a Top Blog for the budget beautiful bride!

We’re still swooning over the sweet and encouraging things they said about us…

It may truly be one of the best compliments we’ve received. Thank you Lara and ladies!

We also found out that we were named one of the the 25 Best Wedding Blogs from the Weddzilla Wedding Guru Awards!

So, we’re sending a big thanks to whoever nominated us, and to all who voted! We were so surprised by this one!

What good news have you gotten lately?