Eeeeee! It's time for more cufflinks!

After my last post of useful cufflinks, I promised to post a wonderfully geeky set, and here it is! Nine more pairs of cufflinks to die for.

On to it!

D'awwww. Click for a bigger picture!

1. Pac-Man Cufflinks: This classic game will live on forever, just like your marriage.
2. Playstation Controller Cufflinks: For your gamer guy or gal, if they can pull away from the TV long enough to get married! (To be honest, I'm a little worried about this myself...)
3. Apple Cufflinks: Even though I'm a PC, I can appreciate these cuties.
4. R2-D2 Cufflinks: I think I need a set. To die for!
5. Captain America Cufflinks: For your hero. They also sell Spiderman, Batman, Superman, and Iron Man!
6. Lego Cufflinks: For your architect, the kid at heart, or to symbolise the strong foundation of your relationship.
7. Millennium Falcon Cufflinks: I know, two Star Wars sets, but the detail is incredible!
8. Rubik's Cube Cufflinks: you really can't get more awesome than that.
9. Pi Cufflinks: For the guy or gal who is a little irrational...but delicious anyway.

Wouldn't these be great wedding-day gifts for your groom or groomsmen? My guy better be careful or I'll end up hogging all of these for myself...and I don't even wear dress shirts!

Stay savvy, my dears. xo

You know what absolutely shocks me? The price of wedding flowers, that's what. In fact, anything with the word "wedding" attached automatically has its price jacked up anywhere from 10 to 30 percent. Wedding flowers are especially shocking. The average price seems to be about $2,000.

Whaaaaat? For flowers? For one day??

Don't get me wrong; I love flowers. I wish my boyfriend would give them to me...um...ever. And while I'm not truly an Offbeat bride, I don't feel the need to have flowers at my wedding. That $2,000 could be used for much more than one element of decoration. Let's break down the flower costs and discuss alternatives.

Flowers on people.
Not a terribly succinct description, I know, but apt. I was shocked to discover that in addition to bouquets for bride and bridesmaids, bouts for groom, groomsmen and fathers, and a flower girl's flowers, you're also 'supposed' to have an extra bouquet to toss and corsages for both moms.

As you may recall, I feel no need to have a flower girl, so there's that. If you have one, I suppose you can't avoid having flowers. However, the rest of the 'floral requirements' seem optional at most. In short order:

Bouquets: Ask yourself, do you really need a throwaway bouquet? Or even a real one? There are so many non-floral options these days for bride and bridesmaids. Fans, clutches, parasols, feathers, lanterns, wire bouquets, sticks, books, herbs, even cooking utensils...you can be so creative, so DIY, and so frugal!



So precious! And completely free!

Boutonnieres: They average about $15 apiece and easy to DIY for much cheaper. There are many other options, too, from artsy to crazy: buttons, herbs, sticks, pocket squares (three for $6 on Etsy!), or these awesome customised ones:



That's right. LEGOS.

Corsages: Wait, our moms are supposed to get corsages? Is this a prom? People will know your mothers by sight; they don't need a floral beacon. I vote that instead of paying $30 for flowers that won't last, instead invest in thoughtful little gifts for your parents to thank them for getting you this far.

Flowers at the ceremony.
Flowers at the altar, flowers on the pews/chairs, flowers on the walls, flowers on the aisle...I understand why they would create a breathtaking scene, but that kind of drama comes with a price. Instead, cut costs by decorating where it really counts.

To start with, look for a venue whose inherent beauty will decorate for you, like a beautiful church with stained-glass windows, a restaurant or museum with lots of little curiosities, a garden with plans already abundant, or anywhere that decorates for the holidays, if that's when you're getting married.

Next, instead of lining the aisle and pews/chairs with flowers, consider something cheaper, such as tea lights in a medley of lanterns ($4 for 100 at Ikea), a beautifully patterned cloth runner, feathers and ribbon bought in bulk, or rows of sticks that suit a rustic theme (and are free!). Remember that everyone's attention will be focused on the aisle and altar, so those are the places to decorate, but mostly their attention will be on you! No one will miss the flowers when they are focused on the striking couple in all their finery.



All you need is a glorious tree.

Flowers at the reception.

Ah, the reception. It calls for centerpieces, wall decorations, ceiling decorations...and that can add up, but with a little ingenuity, you can easily find solutions that won't break your budget. Again, seek a venue with inherent visual interest. That will take out half the need for decoration. Then, take a look at my Pinterest "Centerpieces" board for inspiration. Just like with the bouquets, the sky is the limit. I've seen global knickknacks, books, thrift-store teacups, feathers, fruit...anything can be a memorable centerpiece!

As for the rest of the décor, lights and fabric are always winners. Rope lights twisted with bunting, ombré ribbon-decorated chairs, filmy organza over the windows, rented candelabras...they can create an enchanting atmosphere in which your guests will never realise that flowers were missing.



Beautiful, and not a flower in sight.

And of course, if you must have flowers, go for it! Just be wily. Don't tell your florist it's for a wedding; you'll save a ton of money. Use flowers that are in season, in natural colours. Even better, buy them at a farmer's market and arrange them yourself.

Remember that as in anything, doing your 'flowers' yourself will almost always be cheaper, at the expense of a lot of your time. Decide if that's going to be worth it to you; sometimes a little money is worth saving the hassle. And if you do DIY, make sure you're actually saving money! It's easy to go crazy with creativity and end up spending too much on the individual elements. Just be aware.

So what do you think, my savvy couples? Flowers or no flowers?

I'm as mushy-gooshy romantic as they come, but I like to think I have a little bit of edge in me. So even though I love saccharine songs like Big & Rich's "Lost in this Moment" and Etta James' "At Last," I want music with a little more pep and seasoning for my day...for example, I'll be walking down the aisle to Guns 'N' Roses' "Sweet Child of Mine," which my mom used to sing to me as a baby and which has an awesome intro to catch people's attention. Now, I know a lot of my savvy couples have too much personality to stick to "Here Comes the Bride" and "Canon in D." (Incidentally, I am so sick and tired of Canon in D...long story, but suffice it to say that any orchestra dork would sympathise.)

So, how about love songs that maybe you wouldn't think of at first?

Country
"Love You Out Loud" - Rascal Flatts
"Fearless" - Taylor Swift
"Would You Go With Me" - Josh Turner
"Wanted" - Hunter Hays
"This Everyday Love" - Rascal Flatts
"This" - Darius Rucker
"Love's Gonna Make it Alright" - George Strait (whom I love so much that he gets a grammar pass)
"Love Like Crazy" - Lee Brice
"God Gave Me You" - Blake Shelton
"My Wish" - Rascal Flatts (sue me, I love 'em)
"Must be Doing Something Right" - Billy Currington
"Cruise" - Florida-Georgia Line

Pop
"You and I" - Lady Gaga
"Hey, Soul Sister" - Train
"Kiss" - Prince
"Forever" - Chris Brown
"Just the Way You Are" - Bruno Mars
"Sparks Fly" - Taylor Swift
"Always" - Bon Jovi
"Truly, Madly, Deeply" - Savage Garden
"A Moment Like This" - Kelly Clarkson
"Little Things" - 1Direction
"I Will Wait" - Mumford & Sons
"Push" - Sarah McLachlan


Rock
"Maybe I'm Amazed" - John Lennon
"You're the Inspiration" - Chicago
"Faithfully" - Journey
"I Do It For You" - Bryan Adams
"Something" - The Beatles
"Sweet Child of Mine" - Guns 'N' Roses (woohoo!)
"Wonderful Tonight" - Eric Clapton
"Never Gonna Be Alone" - Nickelback
"Still the One" - Orleans
"You Make Lovin' Fun" - Fleetwood Mac
"Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" - Aerosmith
"With or Without You" - U2

Any glaring oversights? Let me know! Stay rockin' and stay savvy. xo

You choose your bridesmaids because they're your family, or your best friends. You choose them because you love them, because you trust them, and occasionally because your mom insists you add your awkward second cousin and she's paying for your wedding so you have to accommodate her wishes. But mostly because you love and trust them, and you all get along.

So why do so many friendships sour during the wedding planning process?

When you choose your bridesmaids, it's important to outline your expectations, but more importantly, you need to know what they expect from you. They're doing you a huge service and taking on a lot of responsibility. It's imperative you make sure they feel appreciated and acknowledged, not like a prop. So meet with your bridesmaids early on for a straightforward talk. Let them ask questions, voice concerns, and give them an opportunity to back out if they aren't up to the task. The best way to do that will be to sit down yourself beforehand and decide what you want from your bridesmaids.

Consider:

• How many bridesmaids do you want? Do you want a maid of honour? Who will it be?
• How much freedom will they have with their attire? Identical from head to toe? Complete mix-and-match? Somewhere in between?
• What is a reasonable amount to expect your bridesmaids to spend? Can they afford to attend a destination wedding, if you're having one? (You're going to lose some people if you expect each lady to pay $1500 on a designer ensemble.)
• Do you want a bachelorette party? What kind? Do you want to travel for it?
• What elements of planning will your maids have a hand in? Will you need their help with DIY? Who has special skills that will be helpful for you?
• How will you make sure they feel like they're being heard? What are some control measures you can put in place to avoid being a Bridezilla?

Kaitlin's dos and don'ts:

• Don't make your bridesmaids wear pricey taffeta monsters. You love these ladies. Pick out a dress that flatters them and is preferably one they could wear again, and give them some freedom with hair, shoes, or accessories.
• Do take time to hang out with your girls without making it about the wedding. I promise your friends are going to get sick of hearing about it, so if you want to keep everyone friendly, go out with them and relax for a few hours wedding-free.
• Don't make being maid of honour a competition. I see this on occasion, and it seems like that could only hurt people. You want your wedding party to be compatible and Zen, so they can help you out when you're stressed.
• Do pick bridesmaids who have a range of talents, from style sense to DIY mastery, who can  help you during your wedding prep. Make it fun; have a little party with cocktails and get your tedious DIY tasks done.
• Don't expect your maids to be at your beck and call 24/7, or to have deep pockets for anything that takes your fancy. They have their own lives and expenses, and will appreciate you saving them hassle.
• Do remember that they are on your side; they are excited to help you get married. If they have concerns, it's worth listening to them; an extra pair of eyes is always helpful for catching mistakes. Be nice to them, even when you're stressed.
• Don't let your maids take over your wedding. Regardless of how savvy a bridesmaid is in some element of planning, your tastes and your plans are what matters. It's your day; they should be helping you make your vision come true, so don't back down on something you care about.
• Do delegate tasks. You can't do it all on your own, so trust your bridesmaids to do certain things--and don't micromanage. That will stress you all out. If everyone has something to do, everyone feels trusted and respected, you'll be less stressed, and you'll know that your beautiful wedding was crafted by many loving hands.

Ultimately, your wedding day is hugely important to you, and therefore it's important to your bridesmaids. Just remember that they want to help you, their sister/cousin/friend, not some terrifying Bridezilla. So treat them like the wonderful ladies they are, relax, and have fun! You don't want to look back on your wedding day and see yourself a nervous wreck. That's what your maids are for--and they'll pull through amazingly, you wait and see. Stay savvy! xo

Here's a roundup of some truly fabulous pink shoes for all types of brides...and, since we're always looking for a deal for our savvy brides, none of them are over $60!

Bonus point: Several of these shoes are from a store that I whole-heartedly support, JC Penney. Last year, the notoriously homophobic group One Million Moms boycotted JC Penney when they ran a Mother's Day ad featuring a two-mother family. In response, JC Penney ran a Father's Day ad featuring a two-father family. Good on you, JCP. Good on you.

And now, on to the shoes!

1. T-Strap Peep-Toes Pumps
2. Like a Prosecco Wedge
3. You Look Sharp Heel
4. Call It Spring Peep-Toe Pumps
5. Pecks Cutout Peep-Toe Patent Pumps
6. Glitter to the Greek Flat
7. Profit and Gloss Heels
8. Meow's the Time Heel

Stay tuned for fabulous groom shoes...and stay savvy! xo

So you want a private elopement in a remote location, just you, your spouse, and your officiant--but your parents and siblings are insisting loudly that they attend.

Or you're planning a ceremony with your family, but simply don't have the money to invite all of your loved ones.

Or your wedding is right around the corner and you're ready and excited for all your guests...and then your aunt in China can't get a visa, or your brother has to deploy to Afghanistan, or your grandparents' flight gets cancelled.

There's a compromise for all of these scenarios, and it's extremely cheap: Skype group videos!

Now you and your spouse can go to that teeny island in the Pacific to get married privately on the beach, and enjoy your very quiet, personal celebration, but your parents can watch joyfully from afar and not miss out on such an important moment. And your loved ones who, for whatever reason, can't come to your wedding can tune in and pass along their good wishes and congratulations.

What are your thoughts about remote-viewing a wedding? If you couldn't make it to a wedding, would you want to use Skype to celebrate with the couple from afar? Would you set up a webcam at your own?

One of my favourite trends in wedding lately has to be blush wedding dresses. I'm a big fan of nontraditional wedding gowns. Blush is that perfect colour that looks good on almost everyone and allows you to have a statement gown without going completely wild.

So, a tribute to some beautiful, beautiful blush gowns (click to enlarge):