Go Green Wedding Tip: Rent and Borrow More Items

March 15, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Mother of the Bride, is your daughter earth friendly and hoping to incorporate some green strategies into her wedding celebration? If so, along with some of her other ideas, I’ve got a super simple and economic idea to add to the list. Simple plus economic! Can’t be that, right?

One eco-friendly wedding tip, MOB, is renting and borrowing more items. Brides can rent everything from gowns to jewelry to vases. Some vendors even offer rentals as they respond to the economy and to customers’ buying habits.

I’m glad that borrowing wedding items has become more widespread. When you stop and think about it, so many items can be borrowed—or rented. Be sure to read my “borrowing” post for lots of ideas.

MOB, go ahead and make a list of things to borrow or rent and then also ask your vendors for any rentals they offer. They may offer something you hadn’t yet put on your list. Then after the wedding, be ready and willing to loan the items you actually bought. Other budget-strapped MOBs will thank you!

*You might also like to read Wedding Savings Tip: Borrow!, Wedding Planning Options: Rent Bridesmaids Dresses, and Post-Wedding Inventory.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, will come out in early May. Sign-up is FREE and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.) *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*Flickr photo by FestivitiesMN, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: advice, bride, free, money, Mother of the Bride, preparation, protection, simplify, trend, wedding, wisdom Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Savings Tip for Wedding Expenses: Make It Yourselves!

January 21, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Mother of the Bride, as you look for ways to save on the multitude of wedding expenses in front of you, be sure to ask yourself this question: Can we make it ourselves? Of course, expense is still involved when making things yourself, but the cost can many times be cut in half or more.

Start by making a list of all the items you or the bride or other family members and friends could possibly make. Your list might include: the bridal gown and veil, the garters, bridesmaids dresses, flower girl dress, your own dress, bouquets and boutonnieres, favors, pew bows, invitations and programs, the cakes and/or other food for the reception, and centerpieces and other décor. I’m sure you’ll be able to add other ideas to your list as well.

But keep this in mind—several factors need to be considered before deciding to make some items yourself.

*Do you or someone you know have the skills needed to make the items?

*Will the savings be significant enough to justify using your time in this way?

*Do you (or the person making the item) truly have the time to give to the project or will it add too much additional stress?

*And also, is there enough time before the wedding to make the items on a reasonable schedule?

Remember, MOB, always balance the savings against the stress and time involved. After you’ve made your decisions, go forward with joy. If you can save a little money while making your daughter’s big day one that she’ll remember forever, what a great bonus. But if you need to buy most items to save your sanity, that’s a bonus, too, right?!

*You might also like to read Wedding Savings Tip: Borrow! 

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and also my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out in early February. One lucky subscriber (new or current) will receive a $15 gift card to Starbucks and a signed copy of my book to use personally, give as a gift, or donate to a library. Sign-up is free and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.)

*Flickr photo by thepatrick, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: advice, bride, challenge, creation/creative/creator, decorate, help, money, Mother of the Bride, preparation, provision, stress, talent, time Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Savings Tip for Wedding Expenses: Borrow

March 19, 2019 by Leave a Comment

All MOBs’ ears perk up when they catch wind of a way to save some money, and I’m sure you’re no exception, Mother of the Bride. Be sure not to overlook the value of today’s tip: Borrow when you can!

You’ll be amazed at how many dollars you can save by borrowing. And you’ll be equally amazed at how many items can fall into this category.

Some items you might try to borrow include cake knife and server sets, champagne buckets, white rose garland, hurricanes and other glassware for candles, a wedding arch, pew bows, extension cords, flower girl baskets and ring bearer pillows, and plant stands. If the bride doesn’t mind, you might even be able to borrow a veil, headpiece, or bridal slip. After all, she needs something borrowed for the big day! And you might even be able to borrow a small purse to match your ensemble, MOB.

So MOB, make a list of items and then check with friends and family. Someone might have just what you need. Be especially sure to check with friends who’ve hosted weddings themselves recently. One of the things I was happy to do during my post-MOB days was loan items to fellow MOBs eager to save dollars where they could.

Be bold, MOB. Ask to borrow when you can!

*You might also like to read Savings Tip for Bridal and Bridesmaids Bouquets,  Quick Tip: Getting the Most Bang for Your MOB Buck , and Making Her Beautiful—Bridal Primping on a Budget.

*I hope this slightly revised encore post from April 2014 is a help to you today, MOB!

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and also my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

*The new issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, will come out in early May. Sign-up is free and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.)

*Photo by Flowers Photography

Filed Under: advice, bride, free, help, money, Mother of the Bride, preparation, wisdom Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wedding Budget Tip: Prioritize and Trim

October 30, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Mother of the Bride, it’s easy to get overwhelmed when thinking of all the expenses coming at you while planning a wedding. The whole process can start to feel like a runaway train you can’t seem to slow down. Soon you can find yourself engulfed in emotions like panic and dread instead of excitement and joy.

Here’s a wedding budget tip that can help: Prioritize and then trim. Talk with the bride and groom and have them decide which elements of the wedding are most important to them and  which elements are the least important. And then plan your spending from there.

Devote the bulk of your budget to the things the couple cares the most about and plan for minimal amounts to be spent on the others, possibly even forgoing some things altogether. If your daughter and her beloved want an amazing venue, a live band, and top notch photography, maybe they would be willing to have an hors d’oeuvres buffet rather than a sit-down dinner and scale back on flowers and favors. They might even decide they don’t need ceremony programs at all. You get the idea.

MOB, take the pressure off a bit—prioritize and trim. The results will be unique to your own situation and will help put the brakes on that runaway train, giving wings to joy instead. Why not give it a try?

*You might also like to read Budget Agreement with the Father of the Bride, A Simple Wedding Expense Tip, Wedding Savings Tip: Borrow, Bridal Primping on a Budget, and Christmas Gifts for the Bride.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride check out my Books/My Work page.

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out this week. One lucky subscriber (new or current) will receive a $15 gift card to Starbucks and a signed copy of my book to use personally, give as a gift, or donate to a library. Sign-up is free and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.) p.s. It is too late to get in on this issue’s giveaway, but if you subscribe, you will be included in all future Life Notes giveaways.

*Flickr photo by cafecredit, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: advice, balance, bride, money, Mother of the Bride, organize, preparation, protection, simplify, wisdom Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Wedding Expenses: Get the Most Bang for Your Buck

January 30, 2018 by Leave a Comment

At the beginning of a new year, many of us are looking for ways to trim down, both physically and financially. Saving money always feels good and getting the most value for our money makes us smile as well. Sometimes we get downright giddy over a good deal!

Want to know how to get the most bang for your MOB buck, Mother of the Bride? Here’s my tip: Put your checkbook away and use your credit card when paying for wedding expenses.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not advocating racking up charges that you don’t have the money to cover. But since you’re going to be making lots of purchases—and some of them very big—why not take advantage and rack up the points on your credit card so you can purchase free flights or other free items?

In other words, let the money spent on the wedding work twice for you—once to make your sweet daughter’s dreams come true and the second time to make your dreams come true. Another win-win on the wedding front!

*You might also like to read Wedding Planning Tip: Ask for Price Breaks, Wedding Savings Tip: Make It Yourselves!, A Simple Wedding Expense Tip, Wedding Savings Tip: Borrow!, Let Bridesmaids Bouquets Perform Double Duty, Wedding-Themed Shower Gifts, and Christmas Gifts for the Bride.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride check out my Books/My Work page.

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out on Thursday Feb. 1st. One lucky subscriber will receive a $15 gift card to Starbucks and a signed copy of my book to use personally, give as a gift, or donate to a library. New subscribers this week won’t be included in this giveaway but will be included in all future giveaways. Sign-up is free and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.)

*Flickr photo by Images Money, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: advice, money, Mother of the Bride, opportunity Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,
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