Wedding Cakes - Choosing Your Wedding Cake

Choosing a wedding cake to suit your wedding theme can be a chore if you haven't a clue where to start. There are tons of cakes ideas and you are presented with dozens of choices but the tricky part is choosing the best baker, one who understands your wishes and can show an amazing portfolio.

Budget and Cake Size

Before embarking on the wedding shopping, brides must have a definite wedding theme in mind. This guides them throughout the wedding preparation and managing the budget; after choosing the motif for the wedding invitation and the wedding dress; the next big task is shopping for the wedding cake. Currently, bridal shops carry a wide range of wedding needs, including exquisite wedding cakes. But before seizing the first proposal offered, stand back and go over these important details.

How much can you spend for one and how many guests are you expecting for the wedding party? The number of guests determines the size of your wedding cake. Size is a factor that adds up the expenses for the wedding cake. A regular-sized single layer cake cannot treat a hundred guests. You are looking for a cake of epic proportions to give all the guests a generous slice of the wedding cake.

Seven Ways to Cut Your Wedding Flower Costs

Most people have a set amount of money that they can spend on flowers for a wedding. Usually the cost of wedding flowers is about 10% of the entire wedding budget. Of course this number is flexible - you might want to splurge in one area (e.g. your invitations) and tighten the reins in another (e.g. your flowers). Here are 7 different ways you can lower your flower costs:

1. Use less expensive flowers rather than exotic ones. Chrysanthemums, carnations, alstroemerias, and baby's breath are beautiful flowers and can make a stunning display. These flowers cost a lot less than roses and lilies yet can do the same job.
2. Use exotic blooms very sparingly such as only in your bouquet or your fiance's boutonniere.
3. Use flowers that are in season. They will be less expensive and you have a greater chance of them being fresh.
4. Avoid getting married around times where flower prices are higher - Mother's Day, Valentines's Day, Christmas, and Easter.
5. Use less expensive look-alikes. For example, roses tend to be costly, so to cut costs, you can use lisianthus.
6. Use smaller bouquets and arrangements. Instead of having 40 roses in your bouquet, cut it down to 25 roses. If you have your heart set on a certain size, you can then add ivy, berries, herbs, or other affordable flowers to fill up your bouquet. Your bridesmaids can carry single stems down the aisle. That can be both dramatic and elegant. Sometimes less is more.
7. Use your ceremony flowers at your reception. Arrange for someone to transport any arrangements that you may have to your reception. Use your bridesmaid flowers to decorate the cake table and yours to dress up the head table.

These are just a few ideas for how to trim your wedding flower costs. Keep them in mind when planning and you will save yourself a significant amount of money. It is possible to have very beautiful wedding flowers without breaking the bank.

Nadine Visscher has arranged flowers for more than 15 years and has written The Beginner's Guide to Wedding Flowers found athttp://www.WeddingFlowerDirections.com

Great Flower Decoration For Your Unique Wedding

Many options are available to get the right flowers for the wedding decoration. It is your choice to save money or spend a lot of money on it.

In any case, this is the right place for more information. Here are some useful tips for the flower decoration:

Hawaiian Wedding Flowers

The presence of sweet-smelling flowers you won't miss on your wedding. Hawaiian wedding flowers are perfect for outdoor weddings with a warm sea breeze, romantic music, and the nice smell of tropical flowers.

Hawaiian flowers are giving the right atmosphere for a unique wedding. A bouquet of flowers displayed at the wedding reception make a natural impression to all your guests.

Choose one or more of the colorful blooms of the Hawaiian flowers such as Birds of Paradise, Orchids, Hibiscus, Heliconias and ..... for your wedding theme. If your budget is small, seashells can be also used for the decorations. Only some orchids may be tucked in conch shell is a creative idea of a tropic and outdoor table decoration.

Make sure that the Hawaiian flowers have always enough water and not getting dry during the day.

Assorted Blue Wedding Flowers Ideas

Another option is to stay on your theme of a wedding, such as the blue themed wedding.

Did you know that blue is standing for unity and trust? It is also a fact, that blue is the most popular choice of a couple, because the blue color symbolizes trust, which also happen when two people will get married.

They promise to trust each other for the rest of their lives. Blue brings elegance to the wedding concept.

Baby blue is the most common choice for flowers, because that gives a light and easy feel atmosphere Blue flowers displayed in a church or reception are eye catching and most likely associated with the environment, because blue is also the color of the sky.

The most common flowers you will see in shops are blue. Choose your favorite flower and present them as a wonderful decoration on your reception or display them on the wedding table.

Add a contrast to your blue flowers, such a white or silver vases and ribbons, the blue flowers will stand out.

Cheap Wedding Flower Ideas

Wedding flowers can be very expensive. As common with a little creativity, cheap wedding flowers can provide the wedding a great look.

There is no need to spend a lot of money for your wedding flowers. You have not to buy the real extravagant and out of season flowers.

Choose your favorite color for your flowers arrangement and look for seasonal flowers, which are available and not so expensive.

Of course, you can still buy some expensive flowers for the bouquet, but is not necessary to the rest of the scene.

Another option for savings on flowers is, to choose a location where flowers are already part of the decoration.

Why to waste money on flowers, when you have your wedding in a garden where flowers are already surrounded. You could also consider to celebrate your wedding at places like a park, beach or botanical garden.

The reception area is probably the place where to save the most. There is no need to display roses, orchids or other expensive flowers.

All it takes is the right combination of aesthetics and your creativity.

Keep it in your mind, that flowers are a symbol of beauty and love. Flowers give the wedding the right atmosphere.

I hope you enjoyed my ideas of creative flower decoration. Now it is your choice, what flowers are the best for your wedding.

Paul Easton welcome you to visit http://www.101UniqueWeddingideas.com/ which was created while planning her own wedding. Pick up the F-R-E-E Wedding Planning Checklist plus Great Unique Wedding Ideas and Money saving ideas, vouchers and discounts on Wedding Gowns, wedding flowers, favors, plus Save hundreds of hours managing all guests, budget, vendors, gifts, seating, honeymoon, and much more. All F-R-E-E

Sourcing Wholesale Flowers For Your Wedding

Flowers and weddings -- It's like peanut butter and jelly or spaghetti and meatballs. They just go together. But flowers can be expensive, especially if you're not watching what's in season. Some florists even charge extra when they find out the order is for a wedding (as do many other vendors who feel as if they can get away with pricing items higher for weddings).

But there is a way to buy a lot of flowers for a lot less money: Buy them wholesale. You can buy flowers wholesale - or at least at deeply discounted prices - from a flower market that's intended to sell to florists and other businesses.

Many flower markets have hours during which they're open to the public, so if you don't have a friend or family member with a reseller's license, you can still buy cheap flowers.

Timing is important when visiting a wholesale flower market. The day of the week you go is important because you don't want to go too early - the flowers will die before the big day. You also don't want to go too late - Often the buds are sold closed, so you need to give them a few days in order to open up.

The time of day is also of concern. Many flower markets open early - we're talking before the sun even comes up, and the good flowers can go quickly. So set your alarm and brew some coffee!

As mentioned before, if you know someone who has access to wholesale prices with a reseller's badge and is willing to work as a buyer for you (you might have to bribe them with breakfast), you're going to be able to get even more of a discount. But even if you go during public hours, you're going to get a smaller total bill than if you went through a florist.

When you show up at the market, don't buy the first thing you see. Check out all the vendors to get an idea of who charges the best prices and which one has the best quality flowers. Once you've narrowed down your options, scrutinize the flowers more closely.

Don't buy from a vendor who has brown or withered flowers in their booth. Look for freshly cut stems and firm buds. Don't be concerned if the buds aren't open yet. If you timed your visit right, the flowers will be open in all their beautiful glory at your wedding.

Once you've found the flowers for you, you can negotiate. If you're buying from multiple vendors, your negotiation probably won't be as successful as if you buy from just one. Loyalty usually pays, after all.

There is now also the option of buying flowers for wholesale prices online. While this definitely guarantees the lowest rates - which is a good thing because you're not going to be able to negotiate with a computer - there are definite risks.

First, you have to rely on the postal system to get the flowers to your home in time for you to create arrangements before the wedding. You also don't get to select the flowers yourself so you don't get to check out the quality.

If flowers show up brown and withered, then you have very little recourse other than complaining to the company, who might or might not send you new flowers, which might or might not get to you in time. While buying online is a legitimate path to use, just be aware of the risks before you put in your credit card information.

When you've purchased your flowers, place the flowers in several inches of cold water until you're ready to create the arrangements. Have your bridesmaids over, open up a bottle of wine and get creating those beautiful bouquets!

Looking for more information about planning your wedding? Gail recommends the following site for all your wedding planning needs:
http://www.budgetweddings4u.com

Inexpensive Wedding Cakes That Look Gorgeous

Inexpensive wedding cakes are a great way to save some of your wedding budget but they can look cheap and that is not the look you want in your wedding photos!

Rather than spending a fortune on what in the end is just cake, have a look at the cakes that your local supermarket is producing. Most stores will now sell celebration cakes in a variety of flavors that are decorated in white icing and you can buy various sizes if you want your wedding cake to have several tiers.

To make your store bought cake look gorgeous you can decorate it in a number of ways.

• Tie a ribbon that matches your wedding colors around each cake and then add a cake topper for a simple and classy look. You can buy lots of different cake toppers online or choose a light weight ornament to use instead.
• Fresh and silk flowers look gorgeous, all you need are the heads of the flowers and some ivy.
• Fresh fruit can work in miniature and you can add an extra sparkle by covering in egg white and sprinkling sugar over.
• Sugar petals look expensive but they are so easy to make and look great with just a few petals on each tier.
• Curls of chocolate look great on the cake and also around the cake.
• Either make your own or buy ready made rolled fondant and from this you can create hearts, monograms, flowers, butterflies and lots more. Use these to decorate the tops and sides of the cake.

Cupcakes are a popular trend to use for an inexpensive wedding cake and although plain cupcakes are cheap to make and buy, when they are decorated they can be expensive. To avoid buying expensive cupcakes look at making your own cupcakes and decorating yourself or buy the plain cupcakes from your local store. Decorate the cupcakes individually with fruit, flags, stars, fondant hearts, or even sprinkles! Really anything works on cupcakes.

The cake stand you use to display your wedding cake will also add a touch of glamour to your wedding photos, most wedding venues will have their own cake stands that they will lend free of charge for your wedding - you just need to ask!

Suzanne Daykin is owner of http://www.cheap-wedding-solutions.com.

Suzanne has spent the last 14 years working in the Hospitality Industry as a wedding planner and event manager. Organising thousands of functions from small personal parties to large corporate product launches in the UK and Europe.

Currently a work at home mum, Suzanne set up her own event company in 2006 and now looks to help future brides and grooms save money when they are planning their wedding.

More cheap wedding cake ideas and a gallery of great cakes for inspiration.

Protecting Your Big Day: Wedding Insurance

With the average price of a wedding in the UK hovering around £20,000 and businesses going belly-up over night, insurance might be just the thing to make sure the big day goes as planned.

Wedding insurance is set up to protect the bride and groom from the many “what ifs” surrounding the preparation for the walk down the isle, but what can a couple expect from their policy?

Johanna King examines the ins and outs of wedding cover, what you can expect to pay, what policies do and don’t cover and if the insurance is really worth buying.

What is wedding insurance?

Wedding insurance is exactly that – insurance to cover your nuptials in case something goes wrong.

Policies are offered by both stores and traditional insurers, and generally cover everything to do with planning up the actual event and often 24 hours after the last toast is made.

Replacement of presents, flowers, cake, rings, transport, photographs and wedding attire is included if any of the above is lost, stolen, or your supplier fails to show up.

If your outdoor wedding gets rained out or the reception hall double-books? The insurance will pay all the last-minute rearrangement expenses.

Some insurers will even go so far as to have a mini re-do of the big day - including re-renting tuxedos and buying a new cake - if the photographer doesn’t show or ruins your prints.

And if all the planning is getting you worked up, Marks & Spencer’s policy even includes stress counselling.
Ian Fleming, head of personal finance at Debenhams says: “Unfortunately disasters do occur but wedding insurance can stop a drama becoming a disaster by providing reassurance that the situation can be rectified.”

Pricing

The cost of insurance varies depending on the price tag on your wedding, which provider you choose, and how much cover you want.

Most insurers offer varying levels of cover that are based on the overall cost of your ceremony. Premiums range from as low as £30 for a £5,000 wedding to as much as £355 for a £50,000 event. The premium is paid only once.

Ele Field, insurance product manager for Greenbee, reminds couples to compare the cost of the premium to that of the ceremony, and to consider the economy when deciding if the price is right.

“Particularly in the current climate, there’s no guarantee that suppliers will still be trading,” she says.

“Most claims that come through, around 50 per cent, are around failure of suppliers.”

Make sure to look at what each policy does and does not cover. For example, all charge an additional premium to cover marquees. Some include public liability cover and cover if the company goes bankrupt in the base price, while others do not.

Also, not all policies insure ceremonies taking place abroad or couples who are not both UK nationals.

Some policies are more flexible than others. Many will stick closely to the tier system while others will give you more individualised quotes.

Ecclesiastical, for one, offers a “mix and match” system that allows a customer to select cover for the dress from the top tier of cover, cake from the bottom tier, and the venue somewhere in the middle.

Chris Pitt, spokesperson for Ecclesiastical Insurance, says his company introduced the mix and match policy last year in order to meet demand for a wide range of weddings.

“Weddings don’t follow the formula anymore,” he says.

What isn’t covered

Reimbursement of deposits if you have to cancel the celebration due to something like illness is included, but if the bride or groom gets cold feet don’t expect help getting your money back.

If costs balloon and the couple can no longer afford the wedding, the policy won’t help, but many policies will cover costs if the person paying for the wedding is made redundant.

And if any accidents arise from someone enjoying a bit too much champagne, don’t expect your insurance to cover it.

Making a claim

Most insurers have a phone number to call to make claims, with hours varying from company to company.

Mr Pitt says many claims can be solved in a matter of minutes, and monetary compensation paid very quickly. Although some claims – like flooding of the venue - require more time and inspection.

“If it’s a small claim, it’s very quick and easy to sort,” he says.

Ms Field says at Greenbee, the average time it take it settle a claim is about three months.

“What the claim is determines when it’s paid out,” she says.

Where and when to buy

Some department stores, including Marks & Spencer, Debenhams, and John Lewis through their trading partner Greenbees, offer wedding insurance. Many major insurance providers also offer cover for the big day.

Almost all major wedding insurance providers allow policies to be purchased online. Debenhams even offers a ten per cent discount for those who buy online instead of in person.

Providers recommended buying wedding insurance as soon as the first deposit on flower or a church is made, to make sure the cover can fully protect the wedding.

Wedding insurance can be purchased up to two years and as late as fourteen days before the date of “I do.”

“Sixty-five per cent purchase a policy seven months in advance - it’s not a last minute consideration but it’s not at the top of people’s minds,” Ms Field said.

Do I need it?

The answer is: it depends on the type of wedding.

If the newlyweds-to-be have home insurance and are planning a very small wedding, they probably don’t need additional cover.

Most home insurance will replace items like wedding attire, gifts, and the rings if they are lost, damaged or stolen.

It is recommended that the policy is checked, however, to ensure the level of cover is sufficient. Policies tend to have limits on the price and quantity of valuables, like jewellery, it will cover.

But if you’re planning a more elaborate affair using a variety of different vendors and venues, or you’re worried about suppliers going bankrupt, then you should consider wedding insurance.

Mr Pitt says: “A wedding is arguably the most important day of your life and it’s a big investment for brides and grooms.

“No one would drive a £15,000 car without insurance.”

Mr Fleming agrees: “In these difficult financial times insuring one of the most expensive, and hopefully happiest, days of your life goes off without a hitch, has to be a priority.”

Johanna King

Taken From MyFinances.co.uk

Beautiful Flower Arrangements on Wedding Occasions

Flowers play a vital role in wedding. It's a special occasion that brings two people together for entire life. It is one of the strongest bonds between two people based on love, trust, respect and honesty.

After this day, life of the man and woman tying knots changes completely. To make that special moment more memorable every arrangement should also be unique and special. Flowers impart elegance along with beauty to that special day and form an integral part of wedding celebrations.

Sweet and lovely flowers are used to decorate wedding venue to add beautiful aroma in the wedding environment. Flower decoration gives royal look to wedding place. Wedding flowers need to be of special kind vibrant and appealing to match the beauty and elegance of the gala event.

People often hire an experienced florist to accomplish the task of wedding decoration in the best possible manner. Because only an expert and skilled florist can create the most beautiful atmosphere and surrounding by making the best flowers arrangement and their perfect placements on wedding venue.

Right from the entry point of wedding venue to the actual place of marriage, flowers are arranged in various forms. Use of flowers as overhead horizontal garlands on the way, to circular flower arrangements at entry point and scattered flower petals on pathways are very popular.

Flowers are not only used for wedding decoration. It is widely used in greeting guests visiting to the wedding party. The tradition of presenting exclusive flowers bouquet to newlywed couple is a very old and popular. After wedding, people wish for the bright, happy and successful wedding life of couples by throwing rose petals over them.

Hand-tied or Loose-tied bouquet are very popular on such happy occasions. In this flower arrangement, the stems of the flowers are shown which convey the greenery of the garden, thus giving the bouquet a casual look. The flowers are tied around the stems using ribbon or lace. The florists choose flowers like roses and sweet peas giving a beautiful look to the wedding bouquet.

Silk Flower Arrangement, Artificial Flower Arrangement, Dried flower arrangement are other popular flower arrangements used in wedding. The fragrance and tenderness of fresh flowers makes the best for Wedding decoration. Exotic Flower Arrangement in brilliant colors adds the refreshing beauty to the wedding venue.

Rideau Florist Toronto is a local Toronto florist. Send flowers & gifts the same day in Toronto area. Find premium quality flowers at affordable prices. For more information please visit: http://www.rideaufloristtoronto.ca