Thursday Tips & Tricks

Sadly, I've really neglected this series, but I just don't have time most days to share all my good ideas! Today, we're four months away from our wedding day! Yay!

My favorite thing in the world (other than reading) is bargain shopping. I get a perverse thrill from finding awesome deals and my Mama taught me to share, so here ya go. Let's talk about Dollar stores. Sure, they can be tacky, but coming from someone who used to design stationery for the $1 market, you can find some really great stuff out there, too!

I dropped in to the Dollar Tree in Gallatin, TN this past weekend and holy smokes, they have a whole aisle of wedding stuff! Like this perfectly reasonable guest book mat for $1. It's 11 x 17!

Or these gorgeous glass votive holders for your reception tables. Also, $1 each. Also, look at places like Old Time Pottery for glass wear. They have tons of apothocary jars.

In the wedding aisle, I found silver bell place card holders (like the ones below) six for a $1 and I bought two packs for our buffet tables. They normally run about $1.55 each on wedding favor websites. I'd say this is a steal, comparatively.

Not to mention the possibilities for home decor and wedding signs by purchasing one of these little $1 luau signs. I bought one for a DIY project I can't wait to share with you! Hint: primer and spray paint.

Great thing about Dollar Tree is that you can now order wholesale from their website, so if you need 48 floating candle bowls, you can get them direct without going from store to store.

Next up, Big Lots. I freaking love this store. They always have a ton of scrap booking stuff and Martha Stewart crafts close-outs, among other fun finds. This was my favorite yesterday - talk about decoration your reception under budget! All these glass vases were $2 each or $2 per package of 3. Add a can of $0.97 white spray paint from Walmart and create "fake" milk glass jars for way less than they are going for these days. Cha-ching!

Happy bargain hunting!

Wedding Bands: Part 1 - Little Spoon

We are less than five months from our wedding day and the time has come to consider wedding bands. Let me preface this post by saying that I have been looking for several weeks now. Big Spoon suggested that we wait until late summer to shop for bands, mostly so I didn't drive him crazy and also so that I would have more time to consider the budget and my current "wants". The two don't always coincide. Instead of scaring you with revealing the budget we set for bands (here's a hint, we forgot to put it in the original budget), I'll make sure to put it in the breakdowns after the big day :)

See that little pink arrow? Little did I know, my "unique" setting would be so difficult to pair with a band of any sort. The two beveled diamonds on the side prevent me from buying a plain 'ol round band. After shopping online, in major chains and a few hometown jewelry stores, we've come to the conclusion that I need to a) have a plain band "notched" to fit the beveled diamond on the side of my solitaire, b) buy a contoured band and weld it to my engagement ring or c) have a ring custom made ($$$).

Yeah ... anyway, after Big Spoon humored me several times now and went band shopping anyway, I had an "ah ha!" moment yesterday. Hold on to your seats, folks. I bought my wedding band for a grand total of $52.93 (without sizing). Whoa wa-what? YES. I am the queen of bargains ... for today, at least.

Really though, here's how it went down: ultradiamonds.com is an online jewelry retailer I became aware of through my Discover card. I luv my Discover card* and have been saving my Rewards cash back credit for our wedding. While shopping online, I checked my Discover card's rewards retailers and found Ultra Diamonds. I went to their website and found the band above for $299.00 (which is already a steal compared to other places). It's almost exactly like ones I have tried on at the major retail stores, but for much less. Combine the already great price with their current $100 off promo code and my Discover e-certificates redeemed specifically for Ultra Diamonds and voila! A $260 savings! 

I ordered the ring un-sized so that if it doesn't work out, I can return it within 30 days. They have a fair return policy and good customer service. I just couldn't wait for it to come in before I blogged about it! I'm hoping it can save someone out there some money. Specifically, if the quality of the diamonds in your band are less important to you than those in your engagement ring. 

Stay tuned for Part 2 when we reveal Big Spoon's wedding band! 

*We were in no way compensated for this blog post by either Discover Card or Ultra Diamonds. We like a good deal and we're telling our readers about it. Good day to you.

Ashley's Bride Guide Keeping Nashville Brides in the "Know"

I love Ashley's Bride Guide.

What's that? Well, just the most comprehensive source for Nashville and Middle Tennessee-based weddings there is! No joke, no one is going to help you more along the way than Ashley. Not only does she run a killer, newly-designed and super easy to navigate website, but she is also a very sweet person who has a genuine interest in helping couples have memorable, stress"less" and fabulous weddings! We know first hand how very awesome she is!

Whether you are a newly engaged bride or area vendor, Ashley's Bride Guide is a must-read source. Here's a short list of my personal reasons for loving this site:

• Great Events - I attended a free event hosted by Ashley's Bride Guide and several Nashville vendors in August 2009, where I met tons of lovely brides-to-be as well as our caterer! Fun and informative. Ashley has the DL on all bridal-related events in Nashville, like the Elegance Bridal Gala last summer or the HER Nashville Bridal Brunch that is coming up this Sunday!

• Bride & Vendor Blogs - Looking for real people who are planning weddings? Check out the entire section of wedding blogs! (toot! toot-ing my own horn here. Big Spoon Little Spoon is featured on this page)

• Great Savings - Ashley has a page full of vendors who give discounts for just mentioning Ashley's Bride Guide. How awesome is that?!

• Tons of Inspiration - Just one glance at her new Inspiration Gallery and you'll understand why this is such a helpful source. So many blogs out there have great inspiration posts, but you can't find images and ideas quickly while sorting through hundreds of posts. Inspiration Gallery = Problem solved.

Tell your friends. Tell your friend's mother's engaged niece. Ashley's Bride Guide should be your first stop on the wedding planning express!

8 Months and Counting *OR* Why Do I Feel Like I'm Forgetting Something?

 {Toppers With Glitz}

I think we've reached it: the proverbial "boring" time during the wedding planning process where all the big stuff is done, it's too soon to move on to the next stuff and I feel like I have all the time in the world for DIY projects ... except the unfinished details are bugging the crap out of me.

Eight more months. Eight seems like a long time, but the fact that we've been engaged since last April puts it in perspective. We've accomplished so much in 10 months that I am really beginning to feel like I've forgotten something. Here's what's been happening lately ...

Bridesmaid's dresses, tux shopping, wedding band shopping and gift registry are all being pushed until May-ish. There is simply too much going on with my family and with Big Spoon's job to justify adding to people's stress when these things will get done eventually.

I've more or less finished designing our invitations. I even purchased the envelopes today at Paper Plus in Downtown Nashville. Am I crazy to want to print, trim, embellish and mount these little guys already? I still have all this other paper stuff to design to and I swear to you, I lay awake at night and critique my designs. Over and over and over. I'm constantly talking myself into "it doesn't matter, it's an invitation." ::Sigh::

It occurred to me over the weekend that the lovely little $2 cake topper my mom bought for right after we were engaged (when I was going balls-out "vintage". Yeah right) is white. Our cake is ivory. Oops. So, naturally, I decided to do the thing I've secretly wanted to do the whole time: monogram cake topper! Cliché? Maybe. But I've decided that a) I don't care what people think b) this isn't a beauty pageant or popularity contest, it's our wedding and c) We'll put some flowers around it. It will be fab.

It gets better. Although I loathe the Knot.com, on a night of steroid-induced insomnia, I was browsing the "wedding coupon" section of retailmenot.com (with monogram on the brain) and discovered that they were having a sale. Their plain jane mirrored monogram cake toppers were $5.99 and I also found this handy $5 off coupon, so I bought it. Unfortunately, the shipping was ridiculous, but in total, I paid $10 something for it. I'm going to embellish it myself.

All these little details and "to-do" things are swirling around in my brain and making me nuts. I keep writing lists over and over of the DIY projects I want to do and I'm afraid I won't get them done if I don't do them now, in order of importance, wearing a tutu and simultaneously folding laundry, ahhhhhhhh!

Have I officially moved to Crazyville?


*Oh yeah. I just remembered the thing I was forgetting ... we don't have an officiant! I'll post about that later because it's a long story.

Merry Christmas to Me Via Rue La La!

Have you heard of Rue La La? No? well, then ... let me introduce you to your new vice. Rue La La is an online shopping resource where Members get their most wanted designers at private sale prices. And if you sign up by December 24, they'll start you off with a $10 credit!

This week, I opened an email from them that contained a $25 credit for the holidays! I didn't have to do anything but shop for this beauty. It was sale priced $29.00 and with my credit and shipping, I paid less than $14 for a sterling silver Argento Vivo necklace:

But, Rue La La is by invitation only. So click here to get started today through my personal invitation! They currently have a Vera Wang Wedgewood boutique open for you brides to be.

* edit: Rue La La did not in any way, shape or form, ask me to post this, pay me to post this or give me free goods for posting this. I'm simply sharing a cool website. The end.