On your mark ... get set ....

Sooo ... did everyone have a good holiday?!?! My Christmas was very nice and relaxing! Just hanging out with my parents and boy ... what more could a girl want?

I've kind of been slacking off on creating since I have the once-a-year excuse of Christmas ... But now that that's all over, it's time to get cracking!

You might have noticed my announcement about getting custom orders in early --- and this is SO TRUE!! It's so less stressful to get things planned and taken care of ahead of time, especially when you want to make sure it's perfect!! (Perfection can't be rushed, you know!)

Anyway, for all you lucky newly engaged girlies out there ... here is some wedding inspiration and tips!!!

ENJOY ....

-- Save, save, save: If that means skipping your morning lattes, do it.

-- Skip the planner: Select a family member or friend to help organize your wedding.

-- Get married on Friday or Sunday: It will cost less than a Saturday wedding.

-- Avoid May through October: This is the priciest time of year.

-- Outdoor reception: Many parks can handle outdoor events. You may have to purchase a permit. Also, if a friend has a beautiful home or garden, consider having your wedding there. It’s free, but you’ll have to pay for rentals of tables and chairs and perhaps a tent.

-- Keep guest list small: It’s a newer trend to have only those closest to you at the wedding.

WEDDING CAKE

-- Cupcakes: Display in round tiers or stacked on homemade boxes. They’re a popular trend, inexpensive and practical.

-- Skip the baker: Bake your own or buy a supermarket cake to embellish.

-- Showpiece: Make a small showpiece cake and have sheet cakes made in the same flavor to serve your guests. Or prepare small centerpiece cakes and place them at each table for guests to serve themselves.

INVITATIONS, PROGRAMS

-- Save on postage: Use a postcard instead of an envelope for your return RSVP.

-- Skip printing: Have a family member or friend with beautiful handwriting prepare the programs.

-- Use color paper: Have your programs printed on color paper (to match your wedding colors). For example, color copies at Kinko’s start at 20 cents a sheet. To prepare 125 programs (5-by-7 size) with black and white print on color card stock, prices start as low as $22.

FOOD

-- Timing: Plan your reception for a time during the day when you don’t need to serve a full-course meal.

-- Tea reception: Serve cucumber sandwiches, fruit and nut breads. Or try miniature cream puffs filled with chicken, ham or tuna salad.

-- Cocktail reception: Served hors d’oeuvres. Guests tend to eat less when they are served.

-- Food stations: Have family members do the serving or hire area high schoolers. These stations are trendy because they make simple foods seem more extravagant.

-- Skip the open bar: Serve champagne instead of having an open bar, often one of the biggest expenses. Also, if your reception is a brunch or lunch, guests will be less likely to drink.

DO-IT-YOURSELF FAVORS

-- Potpourri or mints: Make drawstring bags from lace, tulle or silk and fill with potpourri or mints. Tie with ribbon. The bags (20 to 35 cents each) are available at www.papermart.com.

-- Seed packets: Tie with ribbon or raffia.

-- Wine glass markers: Make from wire and beads, place in a small box and tie with ribbon.

-- Lavender sachets: Make a small bag from lace. Sew up three sides, put the lavender in and sew up the fourth side. Attach a small silk flower.

-- Cupcake liner: Fill with candy (silver and gold are classy options). Try M&Ms in your wedding colors.

FLOWERS AND DECORATIONS

-- Use fresh flowers sparingly: Consider fresh for the head table and silk for the guest tables.

-- Divide and conquer: Use three different types of centerpieces, spreading the same color throughout the room. One centerpiece could be fresh flowers, the second could be inexpensive pillar candles and the third a bowl of floating candles.

-- Pedestal bowl: The bloom from a gardenia floating in a pedestal bowl is inexpensive and elegant. Tie a satin ribbon around the pedestal. Use a color that coordinates with your wedding. Camellias are gorgeous used this way.

-- Consider your garden: Blooms and cuttings from hydrangeas, azaleas, dogwoods and magnolias from your garden or a friend’s work well arranged in any style you choose. Zinnia is a colorful annual that can be grown from seed and should bloom for a late summer or fall wedding.

-- Branches: Try a centerpiece made with branches (with leaves) from your yard. Spray paint them with silver or gold and arrange them on tabletops.

-- Potted plants: Caladiums, azaleas, redbuds and other plants with a colorful leaf or bloom.

RECEPTION MUSIC

-- Piped-in: Some halls have background music that’s programmed in and ready to use, so it’s free. But preview the music first.

-- Amateur DJ: You may have a talented friend or family member who can pull this off.

-- Two for one: Hire the same person to be the organist at the wedding and pianist at your reception.

-- Small band: Consider a small group of student musicians or pros.

PHOTOS AND VIDEO

-- Novice photographers: Scour sites such as craigslist.com for professional photographers looking to break into the wedding business. Often they’ll do a full day of photos for thousands less that a “name” photographer.

-- Do your own printing: Hire a photographer to shoot the wedding and give you a CD with the high-resolution images. You can save on printing costs by going to discount stores, such as Wal-Mart, or online sites, such as www.snapfish.com.

-- Packages: Hire the same company to do video and photos. You often can save on a package deal.