Wedding Season is here... some helpful tips to save you money on that big day from Shades Within You, Event Planners

Choose a less popular day and time.

Most weddings take place on Saturdays which means it is the most expensive day to book a reception hall. Consider having an evening ceremony and reception on a Friday. If you really want a good price for a Saturday look into booking the ceremony in the morning and having an early afternoon reception. Brunch weddings are a popular new trend that are considerably less costly than evening dinner receptions. Other budget ideas for the ceremony and reception: consider a Sunday afternoon wedding or serving only a light meal instead of a full dinner.

Cut out unnecessary expenses.
One of the best ideas is to skip some extras you don’t really need. Do you really need a professional videographer? If you really want a video of the ceremony today’s high resolution handheld video cameras can do a great job and it’s likely you or someone you know has one. Ask someone in the front row to record the wedding for you. Other low cost wedding ideas include asking the photographer to deliver the negatives to you and arranging for your own prints and skipping rental cars or limousines and simply driving your own car to and from the wedding.

Do it yourself.
There are plenty of inexpensive things you can do yourself rather than hiring someone to do them. Make your own centerpieces and decorations even wedding favours! Low cost wedding ideas for the favours include things like small decorative pouches or boxes of candy or a candle that you have decorated yourself with ribbon. You can also print your own invitations place cards and thank you cards at home using affordable kits available at stationary stores. There are many do it yourself low cost wedding ideas that can save your budget while still making your wedding beautiful!

Look for experts among your friends.
There may be a wealth of inexpensive wedding ideas hidden among your friends and family. Find out if anyone is a good photographer and if they will do the honours at a good price for you. Do you have a friend who plays an instrument and can supply ceremony music? Or maybe you know someone who can officiate at your wedding. Not only are these great ideas but hiring friends also makes the day more special. Your friends may even have more ideas to share!

There are many wedding ideas to help you stay within your budget and still have a beautiful wedding. Doing a little work yourself and asking friends to help out are all wedding ideas that are easy to implement. Hopefully with these great low cost wedding ideas you will have some money left over for a great honeymoon

Let Shades help you make all your dreams come alive on that special day

Easter Crafts for the family

Materials

• 14 plastic pull-apart eggs
• Puffy paint
• Egg cartons
• 2 large heavy-duty paper plates

• Scissors
• Glue
• Green craft foam
• Twist ties

Instructions

1. First, decorate 14 plastic pull-apart eggs with puffy paint and let them dry. (Overturned egg cartons make great workstations and drying racks; just set each egg half over a carton cup bottom.)
   
2. Cut the rims from the paper plates and glue them together. Glue green craft foam leaves around the ring, leaving 1 1/2 inches between them.
   
3. To attach the eggs, tightly wrap twist ties (one for each egg) between the leaves around the paper plate ring, then simply close the egg halves together over the ties.
   

Materials

• Shallow, handleless basket with a wide mouth
• Clear vinyl saucer
• Potting soil
• Ryegrass seed
• Water
• Undyed hard-boiled eggs

• Bunny cookies
• Animal figurines
• Chocolate eggs
• Brown paper bag
• Scissors
• Rafia

Instructions

1. Fill a clear vinyl saucer with potting soil, sprinkle on a layer of ryegrass seed, cover with a very thin layer of soil, and spritz with water.
   
2. Keep in a sunny window and spritz daily. It will take 10 days for the grass to reach a few inches high.
   
3. Place the saucer into the basket.
   
4. Top the grass with undyed hard-boiled eggs, bunny cookies, animal figurines, and chocolate bunnies.
   
5. Create a tag for your basket by cutting out a leaf shape from a brown paper bag.
   
6. Tie it on with a raffia bow.
   

A Romantic Dinner for Two "Valentine's Day"

Everyone knows that I love to cook and host parties. I also love to take pictures of the dishes that I prepare and post them on my facebook, or blogsite.  Here is a meal that I made for my Husband and he loved it so I thought I would share this romantic dinner for two with you.   

Set a table for two, or for something a bit more intimate, cover the floor with blankets and pillows for a cozy picnic-style dinner.

Lower the lights and turn on some romantic music.

Light every candle you own and create a trail of rose petals leading from the front door your dinner locale.

Ingredients

Cantaloupe – cubed or balled

Fresh Basil Leaves

Bocacinni (mozzarella balls)

Prosciutto

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt

Wooden Skewers

Mixed Greens with Raspberries, Almonds and Vinaigrette

Ingredients

chopped romaine

herb goat cheese

raspberries

slivered almonds

a dash of olive and some balsamic

Mandarin Roast Chicken

5 lb whole chicken

Unsalted Butter

Salt and Pepper

Chef of the Future Cajun Seasoning

1/2 Yellow Onion (Cut into two pieces)

2 Mandarin Oranges cut into quarters

4 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary

1 Orange Juice (Juiced)

2 Tbsp of Honey

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slather chicken with butter then generously cover the bird with Cajun Seasoning and salt and pepper (get under the skin, get under the wings, put it everywhere!).

2. Season onion, mandarine oranges and rosemary sprigs with salt and pepper and cajun seasoning and then stuff into chicken cavity.

3. Place chicken on roasting rack inside roasting pan and cook until meat thermometer reads 180 degrees (about an hour and a half). Baste occasionally with juices from pan.

4. After chicken comes out of the oven place on serving tray to rest. Pour pan drippings into sauté pan and heat to medium high.

5. Add honey, juice from orange, and season with salt and pepper. Stir continuously and allow to bubble and thicken. Pour over chicken and serve

Berry Martinis with Chantilly Cream

Ingredients

2 1/4 Cup(s) heavy cream

1 1/2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tsp vanilla

Pinch of salt

Fresh Whole berries

Directions

In a large bowl combine ingredients.

Mix on high speed of mixer until whipped cream holds its shape.

Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Fill your favorite martini glasses with fresh mixed berries and top with chantilly cream.

Created by Shades Within You

Created by Shades Within You:  Baby Basket for a Queen

Purple Passion if you want to order any designs or want someone to plan your next party email

Shadeswithinyou@gmail.com.... Party Planner

Just some of my images created by T. Singleton from Shades Within You

This was taking at the South Street Seaport in NY

Looking outside

This is a image from 3000 thousand ft in the air 

Snow a look from my lens

Just look up and see what you can find

Ceremony: 20 Ways to Personalize Your Ceremony

1. Lemonade Stand Paige and Marc, who wed on a ranch, chose a lemon theme to ensure a cheery celebration. Just before the ceremony, the couple served lemonade in big glass jars to quench guests' thirst under the hot summer sun.
2. Unity SandAt their destination beach wedding, Lisa and Mike, who both spent many summers under the boardwalk, extinguished the unity candle idea and instead chose to combine symbolic cups of sand from their respective hometowns.
3. Breezy ReadSummer brides, take note: Jennifer and David's fan-shaped wedding programs did double duty listing the wedding party and ceremony details-and cooling off guests.
4. Hung out to DryGuests crossing a bridge to Becky and Aaron's ceremony had a good chuckle at the couple's childhood photos strung along a clothesline.
5. Shoeless SuitorWhen Suzanne and Tripp's Jewish ceremony concluded, the "boot boy" presented a barefoot Tripp with yes, a boot, so the groom could smash the glass at their ceremony. Mazel tov!
6. Irish BlessingPamela and Tom's ceremony ended with the blessing of a Celtic cross, brought back from a family trip, which now hangs in their home.
7. Lucky LadyWhen it was time for Elisa and David to exchange their self-written vows, the best man flipped a coin to see who would go first (it was the groom!).
8. Bribing the BearerCristina and Mike's two-year-old ring bearer was a little aisle shy. So the groom did what anyone would-bribed him with candy. From the altar, Mike flashed a bag of jellybeans to coax the young boy down the aisle. Naturally, it worked.
9. Send & DeliverBlakely and Chris' gorgeous hand-sewn programs not only included details about the wedding party (including a lengthy children's procession) and Greek Orthodox traditions, it listed their new contact information for guests to keep in touch!
10. Ceremony CheersTake the toast up a notch with a champagne cocktail. At Elaine and Kevin's wedding, guests were given glasses of bubbly garnished with strawberries as they entered the ceremony space.
11. Exceptional PetsWho says weddings aren't for the dogs? Animal lovers Clayton and Andrew asked the bride's mom to escort two four-legged friends, outfitted with flowers, down the aisle.
12. Homemade HuppahFrom the handcrafted woodworking of Meet the Parents fame to treasured heirloom quilts, our brides get pretty crafty with the traditional Jewish huppah. Our favorite sentimental touch? Joanna and Scott sewed together old handkerchiefs from all eight of their grandparents to create their wedding canopy.
13. Baker's DuoAndrea and John gave rise to a new tradition: Several days before their Catholic ceremony, the couple got busy in the kitchen and baked the communion bread themselves.
14. Welcome CommitteeIn lieu of a receiving line, Maribeth and Erik threw tradition out the door and greeted guests arriving at the church. Even though many were surprised to see the bride before the ceremony, it helped calm Maribeth's down-the-aisle stage fright.
15. Personal PetalsElizabeth honored her deceased father, a huge University of Tennessee fan, with a bouquet of bright orange roses-the school's signature color.
16. Holiday SpiritEbenezer Scrooge definitely didn't make the cut on this guest list. Before the start to Amy and Shawn's Christmas celebration, guests were welcomed into the barn where the ceremony was held with hot cocoa, holiday cookies, and Christmas carols.
17. Fountain of YouthEmily and Sean stocked a child's red wagon with monogrammed water bottles and tied a glass to every seat at their outdoor ceremony.
18. Not-So Empty NestFor their intimate garden-theme wedding, Joiye and Gino's rings were nestled in a delicate bird's nest woven with pale peach roses and green ribbons.
19. Bug OffRachel and Chris made sure guests were well equipped for the outdoor ceremony with a welcome basket filled with bug spray.
20. Exit with a PopFollowing a performance by a quartet of professional singers, actors Kendra and Eric exited the church in a shower of rather fitting theater popcorn. At Lauren and Scott's ceremony, guests were handed personalized kazoos and party horns to blow on the steps of the church.

New York

Engagement or Weddings To-Do

Set a Timetable

The first thing to consider is how long your engagement will be. This will depend on a couple of factors, such as your ideal wedding date and how much time you'll need to prepare. A typical engagement lasts anywhere from six months to a year and a half or more. If you got engaged during the holidays but always wanted a summer wedding, make sure you've got enough time to plan without making yourselves wedding-crazy, and keep in mind that many of the best vendors and reception sites book a year or more in advance.


Envision the Style

Your wedding style will be reflected first and foremost in the location, whether it's a luxe ballroom or an intimate backyard reception. Discuss with your fiance where your wedding will take place (in one of your hometowns or in the city where you currently live, for example), and then start scouting sites that can accommodate your wedding style. Use theknot.com/local to find reception venues in your area.


Set Your Budget

In the end, dollars, not dreams, are a main determining factor for the size and style of your wedding. So, what affects the price tag?


Formality: In general, the more formal the reception, the more expensive, considering you'll have to match the site, food, and decor to the overall upscale tone.

Date and time: Saturdays, summer months, and evenings tend to be the most costly times to have a reception.

Location: In many cases, a wedding in a major metropolitan area is simply more expensive than in a smaller town.


Determine a Date

Choosing a wedding date can be tougher than you'd think. There are a few things to consider: How much time will you need to prepare for your wedding? Do any loved ones having a conflicting graduation, vacation, or pregnancy due date? If you have your heart set on a particular place, caterer, band, or photographer, the availability of these crucial vendors may also play a large part in your decision. Try to avoid dates of big conventions or other events that draw large crowds, since that might make it harder for out-of-town guests to get hotel rooms. Find out more wedding dates to avoid here.

Announce Your Engagement

Call your local newspaper, your alumni magazine, and anywhere else you want your engagement announcement to appear. Find out the name of the appropriate editor or department and ask for the writer's guidelines or a standardized form, if available. Also, ask if there's a fee for publication. Here's what you need to know if you want to have an engagement photo session, plus a list of contacts for major newspapers.


Choose Your Attendants

It's time to honor your closest friends and family members by picking your wedding parties. Remember, the earlier you ask, the sooner you can enlist their help. (Here's help if you're not sure who to choose.) Keep in mind that your wedding party is agreeing to spend their hard-earned money and donate their precious time -- be considerate and kind by informing everyone about all your plans, showing them a good time, and making sure they know how much you appreciate them.


Make a Guest List

As you begin to build your guest list, you'll need to consider a number of factors. If you have a particular ceremony or reception site in mind, for instance, you're going to be limited by how many people it can accommodate (you can't squeeze 300 people into a lighthouse). Would you rather have one-on-one time with each guest or to throw a once-in-a-lifetime party for all your friends and family? If Mom and Dad are adamant about inviting throngs of friends and family, you'll have to hear them out -- especially if they're footing a major part of the bill. Obviously, the more relatives you must invite, the larger your list will be. And more guests means a bigger bill, as catering costs are generally calculated on a per-head basis. So, in addition to location, your budget will have a big influence on the size of your guest list.

Create and manage your guest list.


Consider a Consultant

If you're a super-busy couple, hire a full-time wedding consultant to help you prepare your entire event, from the announcement to the honeymoon. You can also hire a part-time consultant to devise a wedding blueprint -- including budget, schedule, and lists of good vendor and site choices -- before you launch solo into the preparations. Another option is a day-of coordinator (which we definitely recommend), who will make sure everything goes as planned on your wedding day.

Find a consultant in your area.


Start Gown Shopping

It's never too early to begin thinking about your wedding dress. Start by figuring out which style will look best on you. How? Learn the lingo before stepping foot in a dress salon. Read up on silhouettes, necklines, trains, and hues that might flatter you. Season will also affect your choice. Getting married in the sweltering summer? Go with lightweight fabrics such as chiffon, linen, or organza. Having a winter wedding? Brocade, faux fur, and velvet fabrics will keep you warm. Satin, shantung, silk, and tulle are perfect year-round.

Created by Shades Within You

Work created by www.Shadeswithinyou.com

All designs are originally created by Shades Within You. If you would like to place and order please visit our website at www.shadeswithinyou.com. (Copyright)

To image (Created by Tassajo S.)

As I sit here
My mind is a blank
No words
No voice

Why has the darkness fallen
My mind is blank

I remember a time
A time where the wind was blowing south
I remember a time
When the world stopped
I remember peace

As I look out
I see darkness
I hear my mind telling me to let go
and be free

My mind is blank
No voice
No hope
No peace

The world stopped
Am I free

Posted by "Tassajo S."

My eyes watch over you (Created by Tassajo S.)