Invites/our first fight

My first fight with my sweetheart was over our wedding invitations. Not the style, the wording, who to send them to, etc., but addressing them. It's a pain! We were both working and in school during our engagement and time was at a premium. I felt like it was only fair that he addressed his half and I addressed mine. He insisted that my handwriting was better, so I should just do them (he's also a salesman so he'll take whatever angle it takes to get what he wants). When it was said and done, I had done more than my half but at least he had done some! I swear some things (most things) never change.

You have so many options when it comes to invitations. If you're trying to save money, you can have them printed on photo paper which I've found through Walmart and local printing comapnies for as low as $.24. That's amazing. You can buy just your card stock in bulk and then take them to a local printer. If you have a large budget then certainly you can have custom made invitations, and there's always the middle ground. Websites like http://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/ offer darling invitations at reasonable prices. They'll usually start at around $1 and go up to $1.60.

This announcement can be found at http://www.walmart.com/. You would just tell them the text you want on the right.

This announcement, and many others, can be found at http://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/.

Dress Picks of the Day

$400
Size 12
Kansas City


Price $50
Size 2
Detroit, MI

I love wedding photos!

I love to look at wedding photos. From the time I was six years old, through my teen years, twenties, and onward (you get the idea), I have absolutely loved wedding photos. Whether I know the bridal couple or not, and usually I don't, there's something so magical about wedding pictures. You're seeing a couple on the precipice of a new life. You're seeing love, hope, excitement...

(photo by Forever Yours Photography, Idaho Falls)

On an ironic note, as I mentioned before, my own wedding photographer was terrible. To be fair, if I had done appropriate research then I wouldn't have found myself in that situation. So this is my recommendation to you: meet with many photographers. Make sure that you not only like their portfolio, but that your personalities jive. Make sure they listen to you.

(Photo by Modern Wedding Photography)

You can fit a great photographer into your budget. If you have a large budget then by all means, fly the photographer of your choice to your wedding location. If not, check out photography blogs, go to bridal shows, try to find photographers who are just getting started but are talented (they'll cost less). And do research. Look at wedding photos on the internet and find poses you like. Take them to your photographer and you're that much closer to getting photos you love.

The wedding photos are what you have left after the flowers have wilted and the cake has been eaten.

Dress Picks of the Day from TheDressList.com

Size 8
$40
Cincinnati, OH



Size 6
$250
Ogden, UT

http://thedresslist.com/

How would you have spent your wedding budget differently?

My wedding was nearly 7 years ago now. I saved money by buying a used dress (of course) and wouldn't change that. I bought card stock for my invitations from a wholesaler and took them to a printing press on my own and wouldn't change that.

We spent thousands on renting the top floor ballroom of a tall building in Des Moines, IA and had a full dinner served. It was delicious and I loved it.

But...we hired a photographer from the area that we hadn't met, but had been referred to through someone else. She was inexpensive, $500 - and she was terrible. She had another wedding booked right after mine and gave us less than an hour of time. And she didn't even take decent pictures! I would tell every bride to spend whatever amount it takes to have beautiful photos to remember your wedding. Everything else will fade, but the pictures you have will be what help your special day live on. Meet with multiple photographers, get to know them and their style, and decide if they can fulfill your desires. Do what it takes to get a great photographer!

The one other thing I would have budgeted money differently for was a deejay. It was so important to me to have dancing at my wedding. I talked to my deejay on the phone and thought things would work out. I should have gone to other events to see how he actually he did. It turned out that every few m inutes of my reception he'd do some self-promoting and just did not play music like we'd discussed. I really hadn't thought one deejay could be that different from the other. I was wrong.

Dress Picks of the Day

Size 4
Orlando, FL
$250


Size 8
Seattle/Tacoma
$100

http://www.thedresslist.com/

$100 GIVEAWAY

At TheDressList.com we are currently doing a $100 Giveaway!!!

Entering to win is easy! Simply post a comment about TheDressList.com along with a link to our Website, http://www.thedresslist.com/, on your Blog, Facebook, or MySpace page. We'll track the links and you could be chosen as the winner!

Be sure to browse TheDressList.com for great deals on beautiful dresses!

Spokane Giveaway!!!

Bella Dolce Salon in Spokane Valley, WA is currently offering two incredible giveaways.

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http://www.thedresslist.com/contact-us.php

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Window Decals

TheDressList.com is growing incredibly everyday as people post links to our Website on MySpace, Facebook, Blogs, etc. Thanks to everyone who has helped this great resource to spread!

If you're interested in receiving a free window decal for TheDressList.com, just click on the link below and type the word "decal" in the Comment box. We'd love to mail you one!

http://www.thedresslist.com/contact-us.php

New This Week!

We appreciate the many city suggestions we receive each week and are pleased to announce the addition of two major cities to our website--Chicago and Boston!!!

Welcome to all the girls from the Chicago and Boston areas, we hope you enjoy our site.