Well, I’m finding that as I go along in my wedding planning, I’m learning things that I wish I would have known before I had started this whole mess (and when I say “mess”, I mean it only in the best sense of the word!)

Take rentals, which I haven’t discussed yet (it’s been a slow real-time planning week, which is why I’m going back to this now): expensive! I mean, I kind of remember reading a little something in some wedding planning book before I started the planning myself about how ten-cent silverwear and fifty-cent cups can really add up, but it didn’t actually get through my thick skull until I was sitting behind the desk at a rental place in Elkhart, waiting for the lady behind the desk to finish calculating the damage.

Seriously. For my wedding, it’s bad. My site fee only includes the site, and nothing else–which means that I have to rent the chairs, reception tent, tables, tablecloths, napkins, silverware, cups, plates, butter dishes, three-tiered trays (more about that ordeal later), pitchers, serving platters, caraffes, vases, and everything else I’m forgetting right now.

And then there’s the fact that it’s Elkhart. Martha Stewart, curses on her! She makes it look like it’s so easy to rent beautiful wedding-day items. Fifteen teapots with a floral motif? No problem! But wait a minute, big problem in Elkhart, a.k.a. podunk-town USA. What I’m trying to say is that the selection at the rental place in Elkhart (no names mentioned here) was measly, and I’m sure it would have been the same at any of the other rental places in the city. I mean, we’re talking three plate patterns here. They did have some pretty cool highball glasses, I have to give them that.

And I just had to have a tea. The lady at the rental place who helped us was lacking in knowledge, to say the least. When I told her we were going to have a tea, she looked confused. “You know, with the three-tiered trays that hold the tea cakes and scones and things…” She still looked confused.

Jarrod’s mom, Kelly, did an amazing internet search and found a place in Midway, Illinois that had an abundance of three-tiered trays for us to rent! It also had some wonderful plates in the perfect style for the reception. I still have to use the Elkhart place for the tent rental, as mandated by my venue’s rules, but Classic Party Rentals, the rental place in Midway, is pretty awesome, and has a much better selection.

One day this spring, I was to fly out to Colorado through the Midway airport, so Kelly and I went up to Classic Party Rentals to check out the stuff and put a deposit down.

The experience there was about sixty times better. Meg, the woman who helped us, was planning her own wedding, so she knew what she was talking about. We got our own room to the side, and she had set up a little demo table so we could see what the reception table would look like. Also, the selection there was huge! Kinda stinks that it’s three hours away from the actual wedding, but what can I say? It’s what Bridezilla wants.

Okay, well I was trying to upload a picture of the set table that I took at Classic Party Rentals, but it’s raining here, and my internet’s being kind of slow. So expect that either later this week or next week! It’s pretty cool…I’m pretty excited…It’s breaking my budget! Eh. It’s what I get for being picky, right? Right-o.

Shawn Rabideau is the President of NYC’s Shawn Rabideau Events & Design. He’s been in the Wedding and Event Production & Design business for almost 10 years and is currently, one of the featured planners and designers for two seasons on the Style Network’s “Whose Wedding is it Anyway?”

A few years ago, he planned a fall wedding with a limited budget. Not only he did achieve an amazing look, he went above and beyond the call of duty creating some of the effects personally.

In Shawn’s words, here is what he did:

The wedding took place in upstate New York and the fall color palette was the “theme”.  Seeing as the couple vacation at their log cabin lake house I thought why not create “log votive holders” to surround each of the centerpieces?   With that idea I called one of my friends who owns forested property nearby and set out to find the perfect dead tree to create these one of a kind votive holders.  Using a saw and a drill bit, I quickly created tea light votive holders in various heights that would surround each of the centerpieces.  On my nature walk I also found tons of trees where the leaves were turning, so I got out my clippers and took some branches of fall leaves to also accent the arrangements. The cost…nothing more than a few mosquito bites!

As I was driving back to NYC I noticed a local farmer who grew wheat, Indian corn and gourds.  I quickly introduced myself to him and asked if I could purchase several bundles of wheat, a few bags of mini Indian corn and gourds, and the majority of my shopping for the main elements of the centerpieces was complete.  The cost, $40 to outfit all 14 tables.

Seeing as sunflowers, dahlias, chrysanthemums and zinnias are in season at the end of September I called a few local farms I knew and asked if they would be willing to sell me bunches of flowers that I could use in the arrangements.

Because this was a “country fall” wedding my client wanted to have the guests throw birdseed at the church…I purchased small organza bags at wholesale off the internet and went to the local garden center and purchased a small bag of bird seed for about $5…the total cost for 100 was about $30.

Finally, I suggested to my client that we tie each of the napkins with raffia and accent them with bundles of wheat; she loved the idea and it didn’t cost her but about .20 cents each napkin.

Want to see more of Shawn’s talent.  Visit his website.

Photography by Cialone Photography

Today’s bride is looking to cut down on wedding costs without compromising on the details. There are smart solutions that will allow you to achieve this balance, such as making some decorative accents play double duty at your wedding.

Most brides accent their reception tables with votive candles – they are soft and romantic. But why not make them pull double duty and use your votive candles as escort cards? Simply use a vellum paper to print on and wrap the vellum name cards around a simple votive candle holder.

Check out these images from a bride that did just that:

Photo Credit

I think that this would look spectacular on a round table or surrounding the Wish Tree centerpiece that was just featured on our blog, Your Daily Wed.

Vellum paper comes in a rainbow of colors, and you can match your font to your wedding stationary to complete the custom look of your wedding.

Not a DIY kind of girl, but still like the idea?  I found this great company on Etsy – Scrapping Innovations that will do the work for you!

The Look for Less is posted on the first Monday of each month.

About: Tricia Huddas & Co. specializes in destination weddings in historic Savannah Georgia and the Southeast.  Whether you are planning an intimate evening or a bold affair, Tricia Huddas & Co will bring your event together with style, elegance and grace.

Who doesn’t love an amazing aisle?  It help set the tone for your wedding because it is one of the first things your guests will see.  And it is the backdrop against which you’ll walk up to your groom (not that either of you will really see it).

Here are some of my favorite elaborate and more simple aisles.  Is one of them your style?

Photo: The Wild Flower Floral Designs

Photo:  Karen Tran Florals

Photo: Lush Floral

Photo: Water Lily Pond Floral Design, Bella Rugose

Photo: Bella Fiori

Photo: Blossoms Atlanta