Roses won't break the bank

Roses are only expensive at two times a year, Valentine’s and Mother Day. Other times of the year they can be had for as little as $10 a dozen. Buy five dozen and you have enough for ten tables when you fill in with greenery. You can also buy flowers wholesale online. Just make sure that you don’t need a retailer’s license and that the minimum quantity is something realistic. 12 dozen roses sounds like a lot, but if you have 8 tables at your reception, the cake table, and a drinks table, you’ve just used 12 dozen roses. Keep in mind flowers from wholesalers are shipped in the tightly closed bud state. You will need some place to store the flowers and keep them in water. And leave enough time, two or three days after delivery for the buds to open up a bit.

Whether you order the flowers online or pick them up from your grocers the flowers need to be prepared. Strip off all the leaves from the stem that will be below the water line in the vase. Recut each stem at a 45 degree angle and immediately put in a bucket of ice water. If the buds are tightly closed and you want them to open place the buckets in a warm brightly lit room. If you want to slow down the flower’s from opening place the buckets in a dark cool room.

The easiest way to transport the flowers from home to the wedding site is to keep them in the buckets and place them in the vases at the site.

After the wedding consider giving the flowers to a Senior Citizens’ Home or to a children’s hospital.

Collectible Glassware from Romania

Romanian Mouth-Blown Glassware Makes Its Way Into Mainstream Art
By Cornel Plescan

The art of glass making holds a special relevance in Eastern Europe and particularly in Romania. What is quite extraordinary about Romanian glass manufacturing is that it combines traditional themes from Rome and Constantinople, lending vivacious color and ethnic design to the glasswork. Eastern Europe has lots of fine sand, which allows glassmaking to flourish in the region and Romania in particular is well known for its exquisite art glass pieces.

Glass making in Eastern Europe and Romania emanates from the Murano style in Italy as most of the artisans studied glassmaking there. Up to the 13 century, European glassmaking was exclusive to Venice. But frequent fires prompted Venetian authorities to shift the furnaces to the island of Murano.

There has been a long history of making glass in Romania. Romanian glassmakers have successfully passed on this art for several generations and the craft continues to thrive in this part of Eastern Europe. In Romania, it is said that artisan's only pass on the secrets of glass making to members of their family. More importantly, there is a rigid hierarchy in obtaining the coveted position as a glass blower. For example, a young man may take years before he can get to that stage within this strict hierarchy.

Romanian glass is comparable to any great piece of Eastern European mouth blown glass. And they are nothing like the ones that are made by machinery or inexpensive duplicates. Traditionally Romanian factories and glass studios manufacture clear glass utilizing pellets that are distinct and commonly found in Western Europe. And depending on the artisan, German pigments are popularly used for coloring or painting glass. The combination of this blend makes Romanian crafted glass truly a superior product anywhere in Europe. Though Romanian glasswork is normally not made from crystal, nonetheless, it carries a similar purity and shine. Glass products in Romania are not just great looking, they are also being produced to suit a host of lifestyles, from the traditional to modern and the line of products are guaranteed quality glassware that is both functional and decorative.

Romanian mouth-blown glassware is made by highly skilled artisans. They are very creative pieces with exceptional quality. They are also a prized collector's item. Some of the work includes vases and bowls that are made as centerpieces as well as plates - the artisans who create these masterpieces learned their skills in Murano itself.

When it comes to Romanian glassware, each piece is distinctly unique. Each of the mouth-blown glassware may be described as an individual masterpiece in itself. They are exceptionally colorful, creative and elegant. Some of the works made by glass artisans in Romania are the most sought after pieces of contemporary art and have been on display in several galleries across the world. They are also prized as some of the top-notch pieces of glassware in the craft of modern blown glass art.

The contemporary glassware is not just placed in galleries to be on display, they also make great gifts, particularly wedding gifts, and decorations especially in restaurants, businesses and hotels. They can also be used as decorations while designing your home.

A Romanian glass artist and designer, Cornel Plescan now lives in the United States. For more information about him and his products go to: http://www.coniartglass.com

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Don’t Spend a Fortune on the Flowers

Flowers at your ceremony and your reception are an integral part of a beautiful wedding, but they can cost thousands of dollars. You can have fabulous flowers and remain on a budget.

If you’re buying the flowers through a florist order flowers that will be in season. Daffodils are beautiful and not very expensive in the spring but horrendously priced at other times of year. Roses, carnations and mums are year round flowers usually reasonably priced.

Be flexible on your color choice. Yellow and white are the most common flower colors, followed by red. Blue is rare, as is purple. True black in nature doesn’t exist. If you have got to have black, use silk flowers. You can mix silk flowers with real ones as long as the silks are small flowered.

Florist prices depend on the variety of the flower, how many flowers and how long it takes to make the arrangement. The simpler the arrangement, the less time they have to spend on it, the less expensive the arrangements. If you have got to have exotic flowers like orchids, place one stem in a tall slender vase. You’ll get the glamour at a lesser cost. You can use oriental lilies the same way. Usually there are three flowers on each stem. Place one stem in each narrow tall vase.

To keep your flower costs to a minimum don’t use a florist. Grocery stores these days have a fabulous assortment of blossoms and bouquets. And they come in a variety of colors. If you want an arrangement for each table at your reception, buy an inexpensive glass vase and a bunch of flowers from the grocer. Place flowers in vase and you’re done. If the colors are of paramount importance you can talk to the flower manager to see what she/he has ordered for the week of your wedding. You can then have the correct color bouquets saved just for you.

Save the date, bridal showers invites and wedding invitations

When choosing your wedding stationary from save the date cards to bridal shower invites to the invitation itself, keep the style and ambiance of your wedding consistent. If you've always dreamed of a formal church wedding with cathedral length veil and train, then it wouldn't make sense to have light and frothy invitations designed. And the reverse is true, a beach wedding at sunset is more informal and needs wedding stationary that reflects that informality.

Wedding invitations aren't a major cost of a wedding when compared to catering, bridal gown, or even the wedding cake. Many people keep the invitations as a keepsake, so splurge a little. Most brides send a save the date card as soon as the wedding date is finalized, even if the location and other details aren't worked out yet. That card can be followed by the wedding invitation including the RSVP card and perhaps a menu selection card as well with return envelopes.

The wedding program is handed out at the wedding itself. While it doesn't have to be identical with the invitations the program should be in the same style and colors. And finally the couple's thank you cards should be consistent as well.

A memorable wedding starts with the wedding stationary.

Professional Wedding Photographers

Hiring a professional wedding photographer to capture the memories of that special day is a smart move. It's to let friends and family take candid shots but don't depend on them to keep beautiful photography as their primary goal. They're attending your wedding as guests.

A professional wedding photographer knows how to compose photos, adjust for the lighting, and present you and your groom in the best possible way. Whether you're hiring New York wedding photographers or you live in California, Pennslyvania, or any state in between find a professional photographer.

Wedding Favors

Every bride wants her guests to remember her special day and what better way than wedding favors? The keepsakes can range from photograph frames to bags of specially wrapped candies to gourmet food items.

Here are a couple of cute ideas you might want to try.

Fill a small terracotta plant pot with potting soil. Plant a few marigold, zinnia, or nasternium seeds. Don't water. That makes a mess and the seeds will start to sprout which you don't want. Wrap the pot in netting and tie securely at the top of the pot with a bow. Insert a sign in the pot that says "Watch our love grow." On the back of the sign write: "Water thoroughly and place in a sunny window sill. "

Another cheap favor is to take an inexpensive wine glass and place a votive candle in the glass. Place the glass and candle in a cellophane bag. Tie shut with a bow. On the streamers of the bow, write "Let Our Love Shine Through."

If you're the bridesmaid or maid of honor, part of the festivities is the bridal shower. These days co-ed showers seem to be in vogue. Don't forget to include bridal shower favors as part of your party. The guests will appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Creative Bridal Shopping

One of the most expensive single items in a wedding is the wedding dress. While every girl dreams of a fairy tale wedding you don't want to trap yourself in a dungeon of debt paying for everything.

Buying wedding dresses at a bridal salon can result in spending thousands of dollars on a dress you'll never wear again. There are alternatives. Where you buy your dress can result in major cost savings.

There are two seasons every year when long gowns and dresses are prevalent in fashion and that's the holiday season and Spring during prom season. Prom dresses are young and flirty and fashionable. If you shop early in the season you can find a terrific assortment in a range of prices to fit just about any bride's budget.

If your heart is set on a traditional formal wedding gown then consider prom dresses for your bridesmaids.

Save money for your bridesmaids

Be a thoughtful bride and save your bridesmaids a few dollars on their dresses. Bridesmaids dresses are beautiful but expensive. You can have a co-ordinated look to your wedding if you don't shop in the bridal department for your bridesmaids dresses.

So where do you shop? Try evening wear in the department stores. Many cocktail dresses are appropriate for weddings as are evening dresses for more formal weddings.

The sales associate at the store can contact other stores in the area, or even in another state, to make sure each of your bridesmaids has a dress that fits perfectly. Alterations can be made if adjustments are needed.

If you want a co-ordinated look but the dresses don't have to match exactly give the bridesmaid a choice of dresses that are in the same style or color. If each bridesmaid then carries an identical bouquet the look will be beautiful.

2 Tips for a Champagne Wedding on a Shoestring Budget

Are you faced with planning a wedding on a shoestring budget? Considering the state of today’s economy, you can rest assured that you’re not alone. Many brides-to-be are in the same boat. You can have a champagne wedding on a shoestring budget.

The good news is this: there are many things you can do that will actually help you save money on your wedding. You can still have a beautiful day, without spending thousands of dollars in the process.

Tip number one. Develop a budget. Be honest with yourself and your fiance about how much you can reasonably spend for your wedding. You can do some preliminary estimates by going to websites and seeing how much a three tiered wedding cake costs, a dramatic bridal bouquet, centerpieces, invitations, and so forth. Once you set a budget limit, stick to it. It's easy to get carried away and decide that the darling tissue paper liners for the save the date cards are a must have and add only $100 to the total cost of the invitations. The problem is that if you keep adding $100 here and there you'll end up thousands over budget.

Tip number two. Decide what's important to you. If you've always dreamed of a beautifully embroidered wedding gown with yards of lace then cut back in other areas. Or find a wedding gown that fulfills your dream but is second hand. Because most dresses are only worn once, opting for a 'gently used' gown is almost like purchasing a new one... for a whole lot less.

Many bridal shops carry at least a small selection of used wedding dresses. You can also utilize online resources such as eBay. You will probably be surprised at the number of 'designer' gowns that are currently up for grabs, for a fraction of the price.

A Green Graduation

A Green Graduation Party

There is no reason why you cannot get creative for a graduation party.
Amidst the rage for all things green, a client wanted to forgo ordinary floral arrangements and incorporate plants into the decor for her boyfriend's graduation party. Since the party was taking place at her NYC apartment, we thought what better way to spruce up her home than by designing innovative arrangements that definitely made Mother Earth the guest of honor... well, apart from the recent grad!