What kind of wedding favor?

Wedding favors are a fun part of wedding planning. You can get as creative as you want. You can choose the DIY route, or you can pay someone to do them for you. As a wedding photographer, my favorite part of the reception is to see what the couple did for their favors. I've seen some really cute ideas!

Diamond confetti is simply beautiful on tables surrounding centerpieces.

The latest favor trend is giving guests a CD with the couple's favorite love songs-how romantic is that? You can put them in decorated CD holders, or make your own like the ones pictured below.

I really like these crafted holders. You can find the instructions here. They are made out of card stock which, you can find on Amazon along with other cheap wedding supplies . I L.O.V.E. Amazon because it's better than eBay to find good deals.

If you aren't too crafty, you can still put together a great favor for your guests without breaking the bank.

These little boxes make great holders and you can find them at your local dollar store these days, along with other wedding supplies. I think that organza bags work well with Hershey kisses and Jordan candies. You can buy them in bulk here.

Whatever favor you decide to go with will be sure to be a hit-have fun with it and enjoy your special day!

Wedding Tour-Racheal and Lonn

Lonn and Racheal were married in August in Illinois. A very wonderful couple who are meant for each other!

(photography by Tess Moody Photography)

Congrats!

Valentine's Day is almost here

Are you looking to do something special this year for your fiancee?

Tiny Prints has you covered this year for Valentine’s Day, from Group & Photo Cards to Party Invites and even Photo Gifts. But, the big news for 2011 is the Tiny Prints Greeting Card Collection, which lets you create individual personalized cards with photos starting at $1.99. They have everything from romantic to sentimental to hilariously funny and suggestive cards. In a matter of seconds you can create personalized cards for your loved one, mom, dad, friend or anyone else important in your life and Tiny Prints will mail the card directly to that person. No more scouring the rack at your local convenience store for a lame last minute card, Tiny Prints has removed the hassle and added the fun back into Valentine's Day shopping.

Quad Cities Reception Halls-Choosing the right one for you

An important part of planning a wedding is picking the right wedding reception hall. There are many things to consider that a couple may not even think about. Location, size, decoration, food and D.J are key factors.

Location of Your Wedding Reception Hall

Choosing a reception close to the ceremony will be a big help for guests. Sometimes this cannot be helped due to booked nearby locations to your ceremony, but if you start looking way ahead time, you might get lucky. Some churches have reception halls in the church, or like at Tanglewood Hills Pavillion in Bettendorf, where they have a chapel on site!



Size and Decorations
The seating and size of the hall is your first consideration. If you are planning on having a large number of guests, you have to keep this in mind when looking. Most reception hall owners will know how many people their establishment can hold comfortably. We recommend the Skellington Manor if you are looking for a fairly large reception hall and great customer service.


When dealing with decorations, ask what is included with their package. Do they offer any decorations? Linens? Do they set up?


DECORATING TIP:

Donna Kooler, author of Beautiful Wedding Receptions, suggests picking a decorating theme that fits your taste, not what others want.

Catering


Other then the couple themselves, food is the main attraction of a reception. You first have to decide what your budget is. Do you want a reception hall that caters? Do you want to bring in food yourself? Set up tours through different reception halls to check out their kitchens to see how clean and organized they are. Request a sampling of the menu that you are interested in. Ask a friend or family member to come along to get their opinion also.


DJ

Something you might not thought about is acoustics. If you have a DJ picked out, ask them if they have worked at the venue you are interested in. If so, he will know where to place his speakers accordingly.


Stay in control

Make sure to read contracts and paperwork carefully; don't be afraid to ask questions if you don't understand something. Remember, you deserve the best!