Let Them Eat {Wedding} Cake!

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I’ve been married for exactly one week and I’ve been asked numerous times if anything feels different. The answer I give everyone is the same – It feels no different. It’s kinda like a birthday.  You anticipate the day but after it’s gone, everything is still the same. Nothing feels different…well maybe I feel a little broke. But besides that…nothing out of the norm.

In fact, the wedding almost feels like it was a dream and although I wouldn’t change a thing, there are a few things I would have done differently.

Don’t Procrastinate: I waited until last-minute to do a few things like pack for the weekend and get everything I needed together.  Because I was scrambling to get everything ready the day of – the morning flew by and I forgot the gift box…Don’t forget your gift box!

Start Early: I arrived at the hotel around noon and most of my bridesmaids didn’t show up until 2pm.  Even though some were getting their hair and make-up done elsewhere it was really chaotic in the bridal suite. I would highly suggest having everyone arrive earlier than you think you need them there.  Something will happen that will cause you to run a little late.  For example. I hit every red light and the bridge.  Gotta love Florida! Plus, the last hour will flew by and we were rushing out of the bridal room with handbags, flip flops and clothes from the morning.  We had no time to stash them in a room so we carried everything to the church.  No fun!  My Valentino shoe box got crushed in the chaos! So upsetting.

Take More Pictures: I love pictures so I have no idea how this was overlooked.  But with all the excitement my camera was a no-show.  Luckily, a good friend grabbed her camera and stopped by the bridal suite to snap a few shots before the professional photographer got there.  I haven’t seen any of her pictures yet but hopefully some will leak soon.  Another thing I wish I had was a videographer. Because I went over budget (by a lot) I opted to save money and forgo the video.  I did however ask a bridesmaid to film some memories using my Sony Bloggie. If this is a route you are planning on taking I suggest having a plan to follow.  Some suggestions: Video of the girls getting ready, the guys getting ready, the bride getting into her dress, the girls/guys walking to the limo, highlights of the ceremony and the grand entrance just to name a few.

 Don’t Hand The Top Layer of Your Cake to Random Hotel Workers – After the wedding is over there is a possibility you will do something without thinking clearly. Case in point – The top layer of my wedding cake was delivered to my hotel room in a pretty white box, unfortunately the air conditioner in the hotel room was broken so I called downstairs to ask for a new room and a refrigerator to place my cake in for safe keeping. We were moved to a new room and my cake was taken by a friendly employee….who lost my cake. I did however have another cake made and it is now safe in my freezer.

{My pretty little cake top)

Traditionally, you are supposed to freeze the cake and eat it on your one year anniversary.  My cake was amazing and there was no way I could go one whole year without getting my hands into that deliciousness. So, I cut my cake into 12 petite pieces and  wrapped each slice individually.  My husband (so weird!) and I will eat one slice of cake on the 11th of each month (the 11th is the day we were married) for the next 12 months. I also thought it would be a cute idea if we each wrote a letter to each other that we would open and read on our first anniversary.  Sappy I know. But if get to eat wedding cake every month I am willing to get a little sappy!

Here’s what to do: Cut your cake into 12 slices. Make sure you count.  I mistakenly cut only eight slices and had to unwrap a few slices and re-cut.  Wrap each slice individually – I used two pieces of Glad Press and Seal and two pieces of Reynolds Wrap Tin Foil.  Each slice was wrapped a total of four times each.   I placed all 12 slices in the cake box it was delivered in and wrapped that in tin foil too.  Better safe than sorry…right?

Once I have the letter from my husband and myself (which I need to write soon!) I am going to tape it either in the inside of the box or underneath.  I am praying the freezer doesn’t malfunction and ruin our letters… We shall see.

PS. The image above is from our engagement shoot.  I can not wait to see the wedding photos!

Up Next On The Undomestic Bride: Mini-Moons, Thank You Cards and Wedding Rehab Oh My!

The “B” Word

Sticking to a budget is definitely not the most exciting part of planning a wedding and the idea of cutting corners on your special day can be disappointing.  But with a little organization and self-control, sticking to a plan doesn’t have to be constricting.

In fact, planning an event that fits within your means and still exceeds your expectations is completely doable with a little research!

To stick to a budget and create an event that doesn’t leave you seeing red here are a few tips.

Prioritize: Create a list of the most important aspects of your wedding day. Whether it is food, location, music or ambience, figuring out how you want to divvy up your funds will help you determine which vendors to contact and what aspect you what to focus on the most.  I am all about the photos, food and venue!

Be Flexible: Scheduling your wedding on a Friday or Sunday can save you thousands of dollars depending on your venue and location. Plus having your wedding on any day besides Saturday will lower the cost of many of your other vendors as well. After months of looking for a location, I decided to explore Friday as an option and have been pleasantly surprised with the savings. There was a $5,000 difference on the food and beverage minimum at the venue. Plus, I was offered an additional discount . And one of the vendors I contacted for desserts quoted me a price that was almost $200 lower than what I was original told for a Saturday event.

Negotiate: From flowers to an extra hour of premium alcohol, If you are about to sign a contract, don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. You’ll be surprised at what a vendor will throw in especially when you are about to sign on the dotted line. To increase your negotiating power research, ask politely but firmly and practice!

Have Fun: Budgeting doesn’t have to be stressful and with a little research the perfect wedding can be created without breaking the bank. For more help creating a wedding budget check out The Knot, About Weddings and Real Simple.

One more tip….Don’t forget to include gratuity in your budget.  It can add up!