Wedding Budget Tips

Planning a wedding is an incredibly fun and exciting task that most brides thoroughly enjoy and look forward to! However, as most women know, weddings can also be very pricey. Below are several tips to help you stick to your wedding budget!

1. Start saving now! As soon as you’re engaged start putting aside as much of your income as you can for the wedding. TheKnot.com recommends saving 20% of your monthly income. The longer you are engaged, the more you’ll be able to stock away.

2. Get single page invites to save on postage.

3. Give out one favor per couple. We have a great selection of wedding favors that are adorable and affordable!

4. Use more greenery than flowers.

5. Instead of booking an expensive venue, try to look for a friend that has a beautiful house with a big compound or yard. Ask them if you can have your wedding there. Having your wedding on private property can save you a lot of money.

6. Have a friend do your hair and make-up instead of going to the salon. The cost of wedding day beautifications (hair, make-up, manicures and pedicures) can really add up! Make your own spa at home with mimosas, manicures, and brunch with your bridal party! Make it a perfect photo-op by wearing matching zip-ups, tee shirts, and tanks! Bridal Party Tees makes customizing your group designs super easy and fun!

7. Shop the off-season for extra décor. Get pretty pink vases after Valentine’s Day, and rustic brown and burnt orange ones after Thanksgiving.

8. Have bigger tables at the reception so you need fewer table clothes and center pieces.

9. Order a small one or two-tiered cake then supplement with a larger sheet cake hidden back in the kitchen.

10. If you have a photographer that you love but cannot afford, ask if they have an associate shooter who will do your wedding for less!

Wedding Day Make-Up Tips

With the immense preparation and care you take in selecting the perfect dress, hair, shoes, flowers, and accessories, sometimes your make-up takes a backseat. However, what’s on your face should certainly be a priority on your big day! Really take the time to decide what works for you and what doesn’t. Here are some really helpful tips that will help you avoid a wedding makeup catastrophe.

Getting all your bridesmaids together to go to the salon for your wedding up-dos and make-up has become a traditional part of the wedding day! A lot of times, salons will seat you all in the same room or row so you can chat and see the finial product of each other’s looks! Make it even more fun by customizing matching zip-ups! Be sure to check out all of our bridal party gear at Bridal Party Tees.com!

Here are some helpful tips if you’re having your make-up done professionally:

1. Bring a “visual”: Take the time to go through magazines and tear out pages that illustrate makeup styles that you really like, as well as the ones you really hate. This will save you time trying to describe (endlessly) what you want or don’t want, and will really help the makeup artist visualize what she needs to do.

2. Try it on first: Schedule a consultation with your makeup artist, or schedule a full makeup application well in advance. This will help you decide whether or not you like their style, and it will give you a good idea of how long it stays on, how it feels, etc.

3. Show her the gown: Bring a picture of your wedding gown with you to your consultation/application! Having a visual of the dress gives the artist an idea of the style of the dress and the wedding. Is it dramatic? Romantic? Elegant? This will also give the artist a glimpse of your style as a whole.

Remember, makeup goes on and comes off easily, so don’t be afraid to say something if you don’t like what the artist has done. It should be fun, and be a time to play with new colors and ideas to find your perfect wedding look! Once you have a look set that you like, have the artist write down everything that he/she used and makes note of items that you may not have that you’ll need that day.

Tips For Doing Your Own Make-Up:

If you have a bridesmaid or friend that loves to do hair and make-up for fun, (and is good at it!) why not save some money and have her do your hair and make-up for the big day at home? Make it fun with brunch, coffee and mimosas! We have a great selection of customizable mugs, wine bags, and bridal party tees for you to wear while you get glamorous!

Here are some tips for you if you’re doing your make-up yourself, or for you to pass along to whoever is doing it for you!

1. Always use sunscreen: Use a moisturizer with an SPF of at least 30, especially if your wedding is outdoors. Chances are, you’re probably getting more sun than you think, and you don’t want to look too pink in your wedding pictures.

2. Two words: Waterproof Mascara: Even if you don’t like to wear waterproof mascara every day, you can apply a layer of your regular mascara followed by a light coat of waterproof mascara. That way if there are any (happy) tears on the big day, you won’t have any watery black streaks!

3. Breakout Emergency: If you have a sudden breakout or blemish just before your wedding day, don’t panic, and don’t touch it. It may be tempting, but squeezing and touching will make it worse, whereas if you leave it alone, it will heal more neatly. If a sudden monstrous blemish appears that you just cannot deal with, see your dermatologist and ask if they can give you a cortisone injection which will shrink it right away.

4. Shine-Free Day: To keep your powder and concealer on all day, fold a tissue into squares and lightly press foundation before you’ve powdered to remove excess oils and leave only pure pigment. Then, apply a little more powder than you’d think you need, and press again with a tissue. The foundation will stay on hours longer this way.

5. Bold Lips: Go brighter with your lip color. Pale nude or brown lip colors can make you look a little washed out in photos, especially since you’ll be wearing white.

6. Soft Eyes: When applying makeup to the eyes, it’s usually best to go with neutral colors, and play up colors with cheeks and lips. Make the most dramatic part of your eyes be your lashes and eyeliner (this will look best in pictures). Do this by applying black or brown eyeliner to the outer ½ or ¼ part of the eye and blend with a q-tip. Then, take your mascara and eyeliner brush and lightly line the eye with your mascara. Let dry and smudge again. It will stay on for hours! Don’t forget to curl your lashes before applying mascara, not after!

7. Finished Product: When you’re finished with your look, you may want to apply a little more blush, then a light layer of loose powder, then lightly mist with a soft spray of water to set. It will take away the look of makeup while helping to set the makeup.

Most Popular Bridal Party Gifts

Your bridesmaids and groomsmen are a huge part of your wedding. They attend your showers, buy their own dresses and tuxes, go to rehearsal dinners and bachelor/bachelorette parties. Since they are your closest friends and family, there’s no doubt that they love doing all of those things for your special day, but it’s still nice to show them your appreciation with a gift! Bridal Party Tees has a huge selection of gifts that are perfect for bridesmaids and groomsmen! Check out our list below and here for even more bridal party gift ideas!

For the Ladies

Personalized Totes: Personalized beach bags or canvas totes make great gifts for bridesmaids and wedding attendants! Fill them up with each girl’s favorite candy and goodies and maybe even a personalized wedding tee shirt for an amazing gift she will love!

Personalized Magnets: Magnets make perfect “Save the Date” gifts and can also be used as gifts for your bridal party goody bag! Customize them with names, dates, quotes, or upload your favorite photo and stick it on the fridge to be remembered every morning of the special day!

Wedding/Bachelorette Party tees: Customize each of your girls a tee shirt, tank top, or zip-up to commemorate the big day, or to wear out to the bachelorette party!

Shot Glasses: Customized shot glasses are a super fun and easy option for gifts for your bridesmaids! Personalize each one with the girl’s names, quotes or wedding date.

Coffee Mugs: Upload a photo of the lucky couple or put a date of a memorable event on one of our mugs and start your mornings off right! Makes a great keepsake or bridesmaid gift!

For the Fellas

Customized Beer Mugs: A personalized frosted mug or ceramic stein filled with goodies inside makes a perfect gift for your groomsmen or father-in-law!

Wedding/Bachelor Party Tees: So the guys want to take you out on the town for your last night as a free man? Why not provide the uniform tees as your gift to the guys for the night of fun they have prepared for you! Or throw a customized t-shirt in the gift set of goodies you already have prepared for them!

Shot Glasses: Customized shot glasses are a fun addition to any bridal party gift set or memorable bachelor party gift!

Sports Bag: Customize a sports bag and use it as a carry for all your other groomsmen gifts to the guys! It’s a great way to commemorate the day, and your friends will love having another gym bag!

Travel Mugs: Travel mugs make great groomsmen gifts because they can use them in the car, at work or at home! Personalize it with the date and location of the wedding accented by some fun art.

Top 10 Bachelorette Weekend Getaways!

These days dinner, drinks and adult entertainment for bachelorette parties have given way to weekend-long getaways with your favorite girlfriends! Women are looking for ways to think outside the box to have bachelorette parties that their friends haven’t already done. Throw an unforgettable bachelorette party with our list of fun weekend getaways with the girls! Also, check out our Bridal Party Tees Bachelorette Party designs to outfit your bridal party for the big weekend!

1. Glitzy NYC: If you and your girls like to take epic shopping sprees followed by a couple cocktails, then New York City is the perfect destination for your bachelorette party! You can spend the day shopping at SoHo and then put on a party dress and heels for drinks in the Meatpacking District!

2. Vegas, Baby, Vegas: Las Vegas has more to offer than just casinos and hotels. You can spend the day by the pool, at the spa, or chow down with your girls at one of the many fabulous restaurants!

3. Cape May New Jersey: If you’re looking for some fun in the sun with your girls, why not take a road trip for a weekend at the Jersey Shore! Cape May is one of the best beaches in the US and home to a plethora of antique shops and waterfront restaurants. (Not just fist-pumping and spray tans!)

4. Disney World: This may not be the first place you think to have a bachelorette party, but if you’re bride is looking to stay out of too much trouble, this might be a really fun option! You could go to Epcot and have a drink in every country, and then hit the Citywalk at Universal!

5. Wine Country, Napa Valley: World-renown for its local vineyards, restaurants and spas, it’s the perfect place to immerse yourself in the art of indulgence! Spend your days touring the wineries and your nights dining out at world-class restaurants, enjoying the company of your girls!

6. Pampering at the Spa: Nothing calms pre-wedding tension like a weekend of buffing, polishing, and exfoliating with a little deep breathing thrown in too! For most groups of girls, resort spas will be better than destination spas because they appeal to a wider array of budgets. And, there are multiple locations for you and your group to choose from!

7. Hit the Beach: Enjoy some fun in the sun and hit the beach with your girlfriends! Gossip and get a tan while the sun melts all your cares away. Miami beach condos have hosted some of the greatest bachelorette parties ever, but the only required ingredient for a memorable getaway are sand and surf, so head to the closest shore!

8. Back to Nature: If the bride is “one of the boys” and would rather watch football than paint her nails, consider a bachelorette party set in the Great Outdoors! A Colorado ski trip, exciting escape to Lake Tahoe or hike through the Blue Ridge Mountains makes a bachelorette party both scenic and bonding.

9. Charleston, South Carolina: If you and your girls are more about classy dining and nightlife than hog-wild hurrahs, opt for a low-key weekend of Southern comforts in Charleston instead. You and your ladies can rent a beach house on Sullivan’s Island or Folly Beach, with shopping excursions in nearby Charleston.

10. Vancouver, Canada: Travel north for your bachelorette get-a-way to seaside Vancouver, a hip, active town that combines metropolitan pleasures with outdoor recreation! If the bride is adventurous, summers are great for kayaking and biking, and in the winter you can plan a ski trip to Cypress Mountain. At night the group can walk between all the world-class restaurants, cool brew pubs, and bustling clubs on the neon-lit Granville Street strip.

Popular Wedding Themes

Having a theme for your wedding sometimes makes all the planning and preparation a little easier. When you focus on a theme, you have a more specific vision of colors, fabrics, flowers, music and details, which makes your wedding preparation that much easier for you! Listed below are some of the most popular wedding themes that couples choose for their special day. For all other pre-wedding needs check out Bridal Party Tees! We have tees for bachelorette parties, bridal parties, honeymoons, accessories, gifts and favors and more!

Spring Flowers: Spring continues to be one of the most popular seasons to get married. After months and months of cold, icy weather lots of couples are ready to celebrate their love in a time of growth, renewal, and new life! “Spring Flowers” is often a popular theme because it’s easy for the couple to choose colors and costumes for the bridal party in spring floral colors. Center pieces can be arranged using this flora, and favors can be seed packets of spring flowers, or flower bulbs!

Garden: A Garden theme is another popular spring wedding theme. With this theme couples typically choose colors such as turquoise, yellows, coral, and chartreuse. Center pieces and decorations can incorporates birds, trees and the color green.

Beach and Tropical: Beach and tropical themes are extremely popular for summer weddings! With these themes, deep red, purple, and fuchsia are great accent colors that are trendy now, in addition to colors that are appropriate for spring weddings. Sea shells, sand dollars, starfish, and drift wood make great center piece accents, as well as sand-filled vases and candles!

Nautical: Couples who share a love for the sea often chose a nautical wedding theme. An obvious color choice for this theme would be navy blue. Crisp, white linens punctuated with navy napkins, navy placemats, and navy chair covers tied with white satin sashes makes a beautiful statement that can be dressed up with splashes of gold or dressed down with dots of brass. Centerpieces can be something as simple as a seascape in a bowl, and a fabulous seafood feast should be in store for your guests at a nautical themed wedding!

Vintage
: Vintage weddings are definitely in vogue this year, and the best part is, you can have a vintage wedding in just about any season! Depending on the couple’s style, your wedding could reflect the Victorian Era, Jazz Era, 1940’s or 1950’s. Choose your style, and from there you can find plenty of resources to guide you to finding the perfect color scheme, centerpieces, flowers, and more!

“Green”: Environmentally conscious couples everywhere are choosing to have “green” weddings in place of traditional weddings. Couples can send out invitations on recycled paper, hold the ceremony outdoors to save electricity and water, use a caterer that serves organic food, and instead of giving out favors that guest will probably throw out anyways, use that money to make a charitable donation and tell the guests about it at the reception!

Rustic: Rustic wedding themes are great for fall! Autumn is a time when nature is adorned with its richest colors: Coral, deep red, burnt orange, and latte. In combination with these beautiful colors, couples tend to choose antiqued woods, brass or pewter to decorate, as well as leaves and candles

Halloween: October is quickly becoming a most popular month to tie the knot! Of course, a lot of couples who choose to get married in October opt for a Halloween themed wedding. With this theme you can simply choose oranges, reds and black for your colors with pumpkins for decoration, or you can really go all out with spooky cobweb decorations, high, stiff collars added to the dresses, and invite guests to dress in costume!

Winter wonderland: Winter wonderland wedding themes are a popular choice for winter brides! Colors are typically simple and sophisticated with a base color of pure white and adding accents of silver and gold. Decorate with snowflakes, stars, and white branches decorated with twinkle lights!

Christmas: Christmas themed weddings are also popular themes for winter weddings. Red and green are an obvious choice for colors, but another possibility is burgundy, forest green, and gold. Decoration options include holly branches, poinsettias, Christmas ornaments, and even gift-wrapped packages!

Promo Codes for the Week of 5/02/11

Free Shipping!

Hey Guys! We have decided to dedicate a weekly post to the current and active coupons / promo codes for Bridal Party Tees. There are a lot of coupon sites out there now promoting our coupons and discounts but a lot of what you will find are expired or incorrect. So, if you are searching for BridalPartyTees.com promo codes or coupons, you are in the right place! Below you will find the most current coupons and offers with the satisfaction of knowing they will work!

BPT55: Free Economy Shipping Valid through 05/11/2011. Browse some of our templates or design your own!

Don’t forget: when you type in your promotion code in your shopping cart, click the “APPLY” button. Only then will you see your discount applied to your total amount.

That’s it for now!