Wedding Bar Options (And choosing which is right for you)

If you decide to have your wedding at a non-ballroom location (like a park, garden, rental home, etc.), you can control your expenses. You're more in charge of what you spend because there's generally no minimum to meet, no caterer you're required to use.

When you choose what I call a ballroom location (basically, a traditional venue or reception hall), you are mostly at the mercy of the venue. You can choose a cheaper protein for dinner to cut your expenses, but that's pretty minimal.

Your best bet to cut costs is to close the bar. But, that's not your only choice. You have other wedding bar options.

At the majority of venues we looked at, the average cost of an open bar was $10 a head an hour. It's crazy, especially for someone like me who doesn't drink at all. You don't pick and choose who gets a bar tab; you have to pay that cost per head (unless you invite children; you don't pay for alcohol for them, obviously).

The best way to combat that cost is to close the bar for an hour. During a five-hour reception, you can chose to have the bar open for only four hours. If you have 100 people at your reception, you're saving an average of $1,200 to close the bar for an hour.

I've been to a wedding where the bar was closed for an hour following the cocktail hour. The cocktail hour was on the bottom floor of the reception hall, and the buzz was going around that when we went upstairs for the rest of the reception, there wouldn't be drinks for an hour. So everyone grabbed a cocktail in each hand and nursed them for the next hour.

Personally, I would close the bar during dinner. The chance of people getting up for drinks during that time is slim. And dinner is generally an hour of people sitting in their seats anyway. I did mention this during our planning, though, and my dad said no. It was the only word he uttered during any wedding planning, so of course I honored it.

But, if you don't have any nay-sayers, make a cute little sign that says, "The bar will be closed during dinner. Please grab your dinner drinks prior to the meal" or something similar. Hang the sign on both sides of every bar during the cocktail hour (similar to where you would put a cocktail list if you were doing signature cocktails instead of a full bar) so your guests will be aware of the closure. Then, during the actual meal, you can ask the signs to be moved to the middle of the bar. Personally, I don't think this will be such an inconvenience for anyone. And it could save you over a thousand dollars.

It's definitely something to think about to cut down your costs, especially for a ballroom wedding where there's less wiggle room. But, if you want to keep the bar open during the entire reception, you do have other options.

Wedding Bar Options (And choosing which is right for you)

You can have a cash bar and your guests would pay per drink. For the venue we chose, it's about $9 per mixed drink (if you just go to hang out), which can get pretty pricey. I would hate for people to show up to your wedding without cash, find out it's a cash bar, and be thirsty all night because they didn't know alcohol wasn't included. Plus, there's a very good chance your guests will give you cash as a gift, which will cover a good portion of their per plate cost. It just seems a little tacky if you expect them to bring a gift and pay for their own beverages.

You can also do a running tab. The bartender keeps a tab and you pay it at the end of the night. For a guest list that doesn't drink a lot, this is perfect. For a guest list that does drink a lot, this can get really out of hand and end up costing you more than a flat fee would. So you can set a limit. You can say your tab is $1,000 and the bar either closes or turns into a cash bar when you hit that limit.

If you are worried that the costs of drinks will add up, you can have an open bar but limit the drinks that are offered. Most venues will have a set per head per hour price for beer/wine, beer/wine/well liquor, and beer/wine/top shelf liquor. The price varies with the quality of items you offer. If you know your guests won't drink top shelf liquor, or won't drink liquor at all, you can plan accordingly.

What a lot of couples are opting to do is have an open bar for beer and wine, and then have a signature cocktail available. If you and your groom have a favorite drink, consider choosing that as your signature cocktail.

What We Did

We had a full open bar with beer, wine, and house liquor for five hours. I really wanted to maximize it, though. In my mind, it was sort of a game. I told a few of my best friends that if they drank one drink an hour, we would "win." And if they didn't, the venue would win. We definitely won, but that's why we went with an open bar.

But, just to stack the odds in our favor, I had a champagne flute of white wine passed out to every guest when they entered our venue. When Pete and I were on vacation in Mexico, we arrived at the resort and were immediately handed a flute filled with champagne and topped with a strawberry. It was such a great way to start our vacation. I wanted to give that feeling to our guests, but, like I said, champagne is one of the things you can skip and no one will notice or care. Since wine was included in our open bar package, I had a flute of wine handed out. It maximized what we already paid for (and we didn't have to pay extra), plus added something special to our big day.

BRIDAL BABBLE: Which of the wedding bar options is best for your wedding?

Choosing Shoes For Your Bridal Party

I was in my cousin's wedding a few years ago, and she decided that we would all wear the same shoes. I'm the kind of girl who prefers flats to five-inch heels, and my stability wavers around three inches. So the heels she picked, being 4.5 inches, they were a gamble. I didn't trip down the aisle, and I didn't fall walking into the reception hall either. But, as soon as I did my entrance, I changed shoes.

I actually changed shoes so quickly that I don't even have a photo with them on. The photographer has pictures of me wearing them, but I don't have any personal photos with them. The only photos I have where you can see my shoes are of the flats I changed into.

I've been talking about choosing shoes for your bridal party to a bunch of people lately, and there seems to be a distinct line between what people think. You either think the entire bridal party should have matching shoes or, well, you don't. I don't know if it's just people I talk to but everyone seems to be on one side of the other. No one seems to be in the middle thinking both could work.

Personally, I'm a fan of everyone having the same shoes. It just looks coordinated and I'm sometimes really particular about the weirdest things (and this is one of those times). And this is what I did at our wedding for the bridesmaids. They all wore these heels in silver. They were really comfortable and cute. And do remember one person taking them off before the night was through, but that's because we had a flip flop basket that encouraged our guests to swap shoes.

Honestly, often, everyone tends to take off their shoes and wear some sort of flats, so everyone gets uncoordinated very quickly. So you could start your bridal party off uncoordinated and be sort of coordinated by the night's end.

Then there's the option that you pick a color. Your bridesmaids can choose their favorite shoes (in that color) to wear. Someone can wear flats, someone can wear pumps, someone can wear awesome open-toed rocker heels (which I wore for my engagement party and they were really more comfortable than I thought they would be). Your bridal party can buy new shoes if they want or wear what's in their closets already. Everyone can choose wedding shoes that are comfortable to them and there's a better chance they'll be wearing them by the end of the night.

And that's more of what the groomsmen do. Most tuxedo rentals have an optional shoe rental. But what most grooms do (and what Pete did) is ask the groomsmen to wear any black dress shoe they own. You just want to make sure they clean them before walking down the aisle.

Pete completely bucked that, though, and wore personalized Converse, which I eventually changed into to match him. See, coordination.

So I have to ask ...

BRIDAL BABBLE: What side of the choosing shoes for your bridal party debate are you on? Matching shoes, matching color, or a free for all?

Top Ten Groomsmen Gift Ideas

A Bride On A Budget received two of these items for review. Additional items were selected without compensation or relationship with the brands(s).

Coming up with a groomsman gift idea is so hard. I don't really know why it's so hard, honestly, but every bride I know gets stumped. And yes, this does end up falling on the brides' shoulders often. So, in case you're trying to come up with groomsmen gift ideas, don't worry. I have you covered. I spent so much time thinking about ours so you don't have to. To make your life easier, I put together a list of our Top Ten Groomsmen Gift Ideas.

Top Ten Groomsmen Gift Ideas

1. Travel mugs
2. Monogrammed Soft Side Cooler
3. Personalized Beer Tasting Set
4. Personalized Leather Watch Case
5. Hand Forged Cap Opener
6. Personalized Wall Mounted Bottle Openers
7. Matching Tie & Cuff Links
8. Custom Tie Bars
9. Engraved Drinking Glasses
10. Groomsman Stein

Travel Mugs

1. Travel mugs.
I figured the best way to start this list off would be with the groomsmen gift idea we actually decided on. We got each of Pete's groomsmen an engraved travel mug with a Starbucks gift card inside.

Our wedding was a destination wedding for everyone but us. All of the groomsmen had to travel to us, plus they had to travel home. A travel mug was perfect. We had their initials engraved on them, stuck the gift card inside, and that was that.

We got them ones that are all silver, so they all matched. If you want the travel mugs above, click that link.

Purchase here.

Monogrammed Soft Side Cooler

2. Monogrammed Soft Side Cooler.

My backup idea was to get the groomsmen a monogrammed soft side cooler. We go to the beach all the time (beach season is basically March til September here), and we are always packing a cooler. Plus, we have a pool in our complex so we pack a cooler to go to the pool for a couple hours when it's nice out. A monogrammed cooler is something that I know we would get a lot of use out of, so I figured Pete's groomsmen would too.

And then I realized all but one of them lived in New York. And the beach is not close to our New York home, so this might not get as much use out of it as another gift. If you have groomsmen who are always tailgating at sports games or concerts, or just live close to the beach, this is a great idea. Plus, you could fill it with your groomsman's favorite drink.

Purchase here.

Personalized Beer Tasting Set

3. Personalized Beer Tasting Set.

Speaking of favorite drinks, does your groom have a favorite beer? So many people are really getting into the craft beer movement. Pete's a big fan of them and even brews his own beer. It's very cool. Many breweries that have their own beers will offer you a flight (basically, a tasting of a few of the beers so you can see all the brewery's offerings). My brother actually bought a few whiskeys when he came to visit and him and Pete did a whisky flight in our apartment.

So how cool would it be to jump on that movement and get the groomsmen a personalized beer tasting set? It comes with the wooden paddle (which is how many flights in breweries come) and four spots for glasses. Each glass should be filled with a different beer, so it would be so cool if you mixed and matched four different craft beers to go with this.

Purchase here.

Personalized Leather Watch Case

4. Personalized Leather Watch Case.
Watches are a very cool groomsmen gift idea. It's a great groom's gift idea too (so great that I actually posted about it here). Many grooms decide to give their groomsmen watches, sort of in the way that brides give their bridesmaids jewelry so they are all coordinated on their wedding day. The only little trouble that the groomsman might run into after the wedding is that he now has more watches than space for them.

So remedy that solution before it even happens. You can pick up this personalized leather watch case. This one comes with one case and ten cushions. Place the watch on one of the cushions and present it to the groomsmen this way. It's fantastic.

Purchase here.

Hand Forged Cap Opener

5. Hand Forged Cap Opener.
Can we just stop for a moment and talk about how that photo of the Hand Forged Cap Opener from Groovy Groomsman Gifts is quite possibly my favorite photo I've ever taken in my life? After I took it and looked at the screen, I said, "That a-freaking-mazing." To myself. Or maybe to my cat that was looking at me from the window. There's no filter or edits on it. It's just the raw photo. And I'm in love.

I'm also really in love with this cap opener. It has a really nice weight to it and is branded by an artisan blacksmith, which is definitely a job you never hear about anymore outside of Westerns. So that makes this gift so unique. Plus, it is made from recycled metal and handforged when ordered. You can add up to fifteen characters on it, but I had this one just branded with MIKE for my brother. After I received it, I wished I wrote MICHAEL on it. Not that anyone calls my brother Michael, but it would just have upped the cool factor on this ... if that's even possible.

This comes in a gift box with a ribbon around it and you can pair it with some homebrew or a really rare craft beer. This bottle opener definitely deserves a better pairing than some run of the mill cheap beer.

Purchase here.

Personalized Wall Mounted Bottle Openers

6. Personalized Wall Mounted Bottle Openers
I was on Stumble Upon recently and came across a site called Capcatchers that sells personalized wall mounted bottle openers. I was instantly intrigued. See, we had gone to a BBQ at one of Pete's groomsmen's homes a half decade ago and he had a bottle opener mounted to his cooler. Oh, it was such a brilliant idea. Open the cooler, grab a beer, and pop the top right there. No hunting around for an opener. I immediately wanted to buy it for every man I knew. And Pete and I actually looked into getting my dad that cooler, but it was so expensive. So we passed and I forgot about it.

And then I stumbled over Capcatchers and the brand's reasonable prices and the idea hasn't left my mind since. You can personalize the opener with up to three lines of text and have it mounted on wood. You can get a plastic or leather catcher -- which, okay, here's the best part: it has a snap at the bottom that you unsnap to get the caps out. I think that's brilliant. Because, actually, you can mount the outdoor one on a tree and really, can you imagine trying to pull this off a tree (or turn the tree upside down haha) every time you want to empty it. You can get a magnet on the back to stick it on a fridge, screw it to a tree or wall, or add an adhesive mounting pad that will stick to (basically) any surface.

You can add a gift box when you're ordering, which I would absolutely suggest doing, because the last thing you want to do wedding week is hunt down boxes that are 10.5x3.5. Instead, just hunt down a few craft beers with bottle caps.

Purchase here.

Matching Tie & Cuff Links

7. Matching Tie & Cuff Links.

When you get married, you are (most likely) going to ask all the groomsmen to wear the same tux or suit. Sometimes, the rental will come with a tie and cuff links. But those can end up being plain and maybe not exactly what you want.

To get exactly what you want, you might have to buy a matching tie and cuff links. And if you do, that's an instant groomsmen gift idea. If you click on the link, you'll get a link to five different tie and cuff links sets. If those don't do it for you, you can always shop around. And, if you're really getting coordinated, look for a set with a pocket square too.

Purchase here.

Custom Tie Bars

8. Custom Tie Bars.

I absolutely love custom tie bars. If your groomsmen work in an office, they'll get a lot of use out of these. Plus, they will look amazing in your wedding photos too. You've gotta love any sort of gift than can do double duty.

These ones are hand stamped, so they will take a little more time to process than other gifts so you can't order them last minute.

Purchase here.

Engraved Drinking Glasses

9. Engraved Drinking Glasses.
We have a lot of glasses, but I can't say we have too many. I don't think there's such thing as too many glasses. Too many cups, maybe. But not glasses.

So I really like these engraved drinking glasses as a groomsmen gift idea. They come in a set of four, which is nice. You can add a bottle of your favorite soda or drink mix with this too, just to customize it a little.

Purchase here.

Groomsman Stein

10. Groomsman Stein.
If glass is a little too fragile and dainty for you, check out these groomsman steins. They're really heavy duty and come with a ton of different design options. We actually planned on getting mini steins for our ring bearers but I couldn't actually find them. Sounds like a good business idea.

Purchase here.

BRIDAL BABBLE: Which of these groomsmen gift ideas is your favorite?

Don't forget about the bridesmaids!
Check out our Top Ten Bridesmaids Gift Ideas post.

8 Spring Gay Wedding Favor Essentials

This 8 Spring Gay Wedding Favor Essentials post was written for A Bride On A Budget on behalf of Beau-Coup. This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links.

Spring is in the air and with legislation passed to allow gay marriage in all 50 states (and Washington DC), it's time to prep for some gay friendly favors. We know that spring wedding favors are green, pastel, and may feature flowers, but what about for a gay wedding?

Below you'll find out what makes these eight options from one of the most popular wedding stores online. Plus, we'll let you know why they're gay friendly.

But first, there are three big things to knowing you have gay friendly wedding favors.

1. They come in brides OR grooms or have options to select either brides or grooms.
2. You can find an LGBT section on the website or sort by gay friendly
3. You'll find pro-gay marriage content within the website

If you find any mix of these three things, you know you have a gay friendly wedding store or vendor. Combine that with popular spring favor ideas and you've got a winner.

8 Spring Gay Wedding Favor Essentials

1. Bride Or Groom Oreos
2. Tuxedo Or Gown Favor Boxes
3. Rainbow Cookies
4. Gerber Daisy Flower Boxes
5. The Perfect Pair Soap
6. Two Peas In A Pod Salt And Pepper Shakers
7. Plantable Flower Confetti
8. Scalloped Favor Bags With Spring Flower

Bride Or Groom Oreos

Bride or groom chocolate covered Oreos are always a hit. Choosing white tuxedos can be a great option for spring, but let's face, it, these delicious treats are awesome for a burst of sugar-fueled energy and great in any color!

Purchase here.

Tuxedo Or Gown Favor Boxes

Although these aren't spring, these tuxedo or gown favor boxes are classics for gay weddings. You can select either tuxedos or gowns for these fun favor boxes making them a perfect way to display a present for your guests.

Plus, you can fill them with any treats you want, regardless of what color your wedding theme is. Since they'll be closed anyway, no one will see what's inside (until they peek, anyway).

Purchase here.

Rainbow Cookies

Although these rainbow cookies are meant for baby showers, nobody will know the difference when they see the brides' or grooms' names on the clouds of these delicious rainbow cookies. If you're celebrating and want to go "over the rainbow," these tasty treats will help take you there!

Purchase here.

Gerber Daisy Flower Boxes

These gerber daisy flower boxes are fabulous for any wedding. The bright colors scream spring and you can always provide people with a safety pin to clip them onto their outfits. They're the perfect spring favor boxes to have fun and present a gift to at a gay wedding.

Purchase here.

The Perfect Pair Soap

If you like emotional, classy, and traditional, you cannot go wrong with the perfect pair soap favors. They're shaped like a pear and come in a very spring green with brown packaging. This fun and fresh gift will leave guests with loving memories of a truly perfect "pair."

Purchase here.

Two Peas In A Pod Salt And Pepper Shakers

You could do the birdhouses or love birds thing, but they're really overdone. Why not be cute and functional with a "kitschy" kitchen gift? The two peas in a pod salt and pepper shakers are the perfect color and amount of fun for your spring gay wedding favors.

Purchase here.

Plantable Flower Confetti

I could make a million puns about how your life is blooming or how you'll grow together, but we'll "leaf" that up to you. This fun plantable flower confetti pieces can be planted to grow flowers. Spring is the time that they bloom and having a garden grow from the your wedding confetti isn't only eco-friendly, it's a fun reminder of when your guests helped to celebrate your big day.

Purchase here.

Scalloped Favor Bags With Spring Flower

Want something rustic, chic, and absolutely full of spring? These scalloped favor bags feature a fun yellow flower and a fabulously fresh feeling of spring with the matching greenery. Perfect for any couple with an outdoor wedding, they scream spring wedding.

Purchase here.

Gay weddings and straight weddings are pretty similar when it comes to what to use. If it's in the spring, think pastels, plants, and fresh/clean. If you're shopping for a gay wedding, make sure the vendor is gay friendly so there are no surprises later on.

If you need any more suggestions on favor, gift or décor ideas, click here to visit one of our favorite wedding favor and supply shops.

BRIDAL BABBLE: Which of these Spring Gay Wedding Favor Essentials is your favorite?

How To Survive All Day In Wedding Heels

I remember when my cousin picked out heels for her bridal party. I didn't dare try to change her mind, even though they were way higher than anything I had ever successfully worn. I just had to tell myself, "Suck it up, Buttercup" and learn how to make it down the aisle without falling flat on my face.

I survived. And you can too.

If you're picking glamorous heels for yourself or if your bride picked out tall high heels for you to wear as part of her bridal party, this is for you. I'll get you through this and help you survive all day in wedding heels. It can be done and, for you, it will be done.

How To Survive All Day In Wedding Heels

Before The Wedding

Make sure you buy the right size.
If you can buy your heels in store, that's your best bet. Ordering online is scary because you don't know if the heels you're buying run wide, narrow, large, or small. You can't tell if it will pinch your toe or not. If you can only find your favorite shoe online, write down the name of the designer and find a local store that carries that brand. Even if you can't find the exact heel you have your heart set on, at least you can see how that brand's sizing works. You want to make sure you buy your size. A heel that is too large or too small will be your nemesis on wedding day.

If you do end up being an inbetween size, all is not lost. You can pick up something like Sizers. Those are a little foam insert that goes into the front of your heel to add a quarter size. These won't work on open-toed shoes because they go between your toes and the tip of the heel. For open-toed heels, you want a more traditional insole (small aside: I have these cute, thin, black, sticky insoles that I bought with a pair of heels at a shoe store that no longer exists in a mall I no longer shop in. They're amazing and I still transfer them between two of my favorite heels five years later. It makes the heels just a quarter size smaller so they fit perfectly, I can't find them online, partially because "cute, thin, black, sticky insoles for heels" doesn't bring up any search results).

Buy early and practice.
As soon as you (or your bride) decides on a heel, buy it. You can search for a coupon or you can check Amazon (I've gotten wedding heels at a discount there), but don't stall and wait until the last second to get your shoes. You'll want to buy them early and practice. Walk around the house in them, wear them for date night, wear them to bed. Break them in however you can and you'll be a lot happier.

At The Wedding

Strap up with tape.
Before you get on the dance floor, use first aid tape in any area that may become bruised or blistered. Preventative care will go a long way when you're battling strappy heels.

Pack an alternate pair of shoes.
If you're a wedding guest, you're allowed to sit down every once in a while. As the bride or a bridesmaid, you don't have that luxury. You have to dance every song, work the room talking to every guest, and be on your feet all night. When I'm attending a wedding, I always pack fold up flats because they're convenient and fit in my purse. On my wedding day, though, I packed white flip flops for when we were on the beach and personalized Converse that matched Pete's.

After The Wedding

Soak your feet in an Epsom salt bath.
The next day, you'll want to give your feet a break. If they're hurting, soak them in an Epsom salt bath (fill a bath with warm water, add two cups of Epsom salt and a few drops of lavender essential oil). Soak. After, be sure to exfoliate with a high-quality pumice stone.

Stretch.
Your calves might be a little sore the next day if you're not used to wearing heels. Be sure to do some stretches, elevate your legs a little, and give them a little break. You'll be back to good in time for the next wedding.

BRIDAL BABBLE: How do you survive all day in wedding heels?

Ways To Save When You're On Your Honeymoon

You don't have to go on a honeymoon the morning after your wedding. There's no rule that says 24 hours after you say, "I Do," you need to jump on a plane headed towards a tropical island. But the truth is, most people do. After spending quite a bit of money the day before, couples leave for a romantic vacation ... with lighter wallets.

So you need to save a little bit while you're on your honeymoon. That's definitely possible. If you've been a bride on a budget, you can be a honeymooner on a budget.

Pete and I followed all these tips last summer when we went to Japan and it really helped. Plus, during our three week trip, I never once worried that we were overspending. So to help you, I put together a list of ways to save when you're on your honeymoon.

Ways To Save When You're On Your Honeymoon

Pack your own snacks
Before you leave for your trip, head to the store and pick up your own snacks. We used our extra free money from Walgreens for walking (if you don't know what I'm talking about, read this post) to pick up granola bars, peanut butter crackers, a large container of peanuts, and sandwich bags. When I got home, I packed about two ounces of nuts in each sandwich bag. I made sure to pack one snack each for every day of vacation. I would pack them in my purse when we went out and if we started getting hungry, I would grab one. That way, we didn't run down to the local convenience store and spend money on an overpriced snack (although I did grab a potato croquette or two because, well, when in Japan).

If you're making wedding welcome bags and have a couple snacks left over, this is a great way to use them too.

Bring a water bottle
Buying water every time you're thirsty can get expensive. And if you go somewhere warm for vacation, you'll definitely want to stay hydrated. Instead of buying water at every turn, bring your own. I'm not suggestion you stuff your suitcase with water. Rather, pack an empty water bottle (preferably a nice hard one, like these or this type with a built in filter in case you're filling up at public water fountains, instead of a used plastic one you're trying to reuse). Fill it up at all times and you'll save quite a bit.

Don't forget essentials
One of the biggest tourists traps is sunscreen. Forgot yours and now you're on a small island? A small bottle will cost you a small fortune. Personally, I'd rather spend my money on a nice lunch than a travel-sized bottle of aloe.

So, when you're packing, be sure to check and double check your list to make sure you're not forgetting any essentials. To help you out, we actually put together a really comprehensive Honeymoon Packing Checklist. Just click that link, scroll to the bottom, print it out, and then cross off items as you're packing.

Set a budget
Before you go on your honeymoon, set a daily budget. I knew exactly what I was comfortable with us spending per day in Japan. I knew Pete would want to try Japanese beer and I have a weak spot for Japanese cold coffee. So it was easier for me to give us each an allowance. I actually did call it an allowance.

I separated our money into fifteen different "days." Each was separated by sticky notes with the date and our names on them. Every morning, I would open the main envelope that held all our money and I gave Pete and myself our allowance. Anything that was left over from the day before could be carried over and kept, but we could never dip into the main envelope until the next morning. It worked perfectly. Knowing exactly what we "could" spend each day limited so we never overspent. We actually ended up spending only half of what I allotted, so this was perfect.

Use gift cards to pay for meals
At our shower, a lot of guests gave us gift cards. It was very sweet of them and I was so grateful that people showed up, let alone brought generous gifts to help us celebrate our upcoming nuptials. Did any of your guests give you Visa gift cards? That's money that you basically have to spend. You can't deposit a gift card in your bank account. So make a game out of them.

Pack those gift cards for your honeymoon and use them to pay for meals. If you have a $50 gift card, know that you have $50 to spend on a nice dinner out -- including drinks and and dessert. If you set your budget before you walk into a restaurant, you'll pick a restaurant that fits into your budget and you won't overspend.

Weigh your luggage
On your way home from your trip, be sure to weigh your luggage. Most hotels will have a scale you can borrow. Check with your airline to see what the weight limit is for your checked bags. If your bag weighs a little more than your husband's, take out a bit of yours and stick it in his. If you're both overweight, take out your heavy items and pack it them your carry on.

Bring home memories, not mementos
Skip the cruise photos. Yes, they're nice. And sure, one is okay to bring home, but you definitely don't need to buy them every night. That will get really pricey. Instead, make friends with another couple on the cruise and ask them to take a photo for you. Or ask a complete stranger. Or pick up a small Bluetooth remote control to take selfies (seriously, this thing is great and much better than a selfie stick since it's so compact).

Skip the souvenirs
You don't need tchotchkes. One of the last things you want to bring home from your honeymoon is clutter, so don't feel the need to bring home every cute trinket you see. I had a few things that I had to have when we went to Japan (before we went, I knew I needed Japanese door curtains. After shopping around, I ended up needing two pink cherry blossomed domburi bowls -- which we use every week actually. And after using the black cotton swabs the hotel provided us with every day, I ended up needing those too). Maybe you'll see a dress that you just can't live without and that's okay. But maybe all you really need to bring back is some sand from the beach.

BRIDAL BABBLE: What are your ways to save when you're on your honeymoon?

Thank You Cards At Wedding Paper Divas (And how you can order photo cards if you don't have your photos yet)

Since our wedding was over a year and a half ago, in theory, I'm no longer a bride on a budget. As many have pointed out, I'm now a wife on a budget.

Sigh.

I'll always be Pete's bride, though, so it's okay. A bride on a budget still feels right. If you're a wife on a budget now, though, there's a good chance you need thank you cards.

My wedding twin Kristiana found a great deal on thank you cards, which was a limited time deal.

Often, you can get half off thank you cards from Wedding Paper Divas. That's amazing and, if you got married recently, that's something you should take advantage of.

What if you see a sale, though, and you don't yet have your photos? Or what if you want to take advantage of a deal but your wedding is still a few weeks away? No worries. Kristiana actually bought her cards when this deal was around, even though she didn't have her photos yet.

You have two options. One) you can order a card sans photos. Or two) you can order and hold the printing until you get your photos (basically pre-paying for your cards). Then, just swap your photos in when you get them and have the cards printed. Kristiana talked with Wedding Paper Divas' live chat to confirm that, placed her order, got her half off, and she was ready to go when the photos got to her.

BRIDAL BABBLE: Have you ordered thank you cards yet?

Need wedding thank you card help?
Check out The Ultimate Guide To Wedding Thank You Cards.

Food Trucks At Weddings

When we first moved to North Carolina, we found out about free concerts on the water. Every Friday in the summer, the town sets up a huge stage on the riverwalk and hosts a local band who opens for a nationally-touring cover band. One block of the riverwalk is closed for those hours and you're able to buy beer and wine and drink it on the courthouse steps.

It's very cool.

The first summer we lived here, the same food truck would come each week, serving the same North Carolina BBQ, and we made it our Friday night dinner. It became our thing, our very North Carolina thing.

So when we got engaged, we really wanted to have that food truck come and cater our rehearsal dinner. We wanted to share that part of our North Carolina lives with our friends and family.

We were thinking food truck, beer from the local brewery, and dessert from the local frozen yogurt place. But then, a few months into planning, we fell in love with a caterer. He was from Pete's town in New York and moved to North Carolina. He was able to cook North Carolina BBQ, knew what our New York family and friends would be expecting, and could take care of the beer and wine. It made our lives a lot easier.

We did, however, get dessert from the local frozen yogurt place.

We got to pick 18 different toppings, plus four syrups, and the company brought enough yogurt and cups for 100 people (yes, we had a large rehearsal dinner. We invited all of our wedding guests). What was fun was that the frozen yogurt place actually brought a portable frozen yogurt machine (you know, with a handle, just like in the shop) so our guests actually got to serve themselves as much or as little as they wanted.

It was such a hit because it was something completely different. I had never seen it at a wedding before (or after) and was a great talking point of our rehearsal dinner. Plus, it was a fun way to bring a local business that we love to our guests, especially since they might not have had time to explore our city to check it out for themselves.

And, part of our pre-engagement scavenger hunt (that's how Pete proposed) took place at this frozen yogurt shop. So it was a nice way for us to incorporate our engagement into our wedding.

Plus, who doesn't like the novelty of frozen yogurt?

And people will love if you have a food truck at your wedding. You could have the food truck cater your entire affair or just be available for a late night snack for your guests as they're leaving your wedding. After a night of drinking and dancing, everyone would love to stop at a taco truck. It would be a great hit (and better than a few other favor options). Be sure to ask your food truck if it will provide to go containers if you're going with a late night snack idea or see if you have to bring your own. And, to make it even more personalized, you can ask the food truck operators to stick personalized wedding stickers (that say thank you) on the to go boxes.

Call your favorite food truck and see if they do catering. Some will offer a catering service and others will roll up and cater out of the truck (the latter is what you want). If you do want a food truck to cater your wedding, be sure to ask your venue if the food truck is able to park outside. Some venues won't allow this and you'll want to know that before booking. If your wedding is at an outdoor venue, make sure there is somewhere the food truck can park. Many places may take issue with tire tracks left behind.

BRIDAL BABBLE: Have you seen food trucks at weddings?