Destination Weddings – A Steam Powered Riverboat Wedding

Riverboat weddings - riverboat wedding planning

Destination weddings grow in popularity on a daily basis, and couples keep coming up with some of the most creative ideas for this type of ceremony. Not everyone wants a traditional church wedding, and a popular trend of late is the steam powered riverboat wedding.

Step Back in Time on a Riverboat

How would you like to step back in time when you take your wedding vows? Consider for a moment going back to the days when stately travel was conducted on the rivers of this country, when coal powered engines pushed the paddle wheels that propelled the big steamboats through the waterways.

You don’t have to be Mark Twain to hold a love and fascination of steamboats. A garden or other outdoor wedding has nothing up on one that is conducted aboard a steamboat.

Yes, it may be more confined than some other services, but it is also more of a family affair, too, and quite an event to remember. Imagine sending out your riverboat themed wedding invitations.

Destination Wedding Themes – Creativity Possibilities Abound

There are so many ways a destination wedding theme can be used creatively in your ceremony including your stationery, gifts, decorations, party favors, entertainment, refreshments, and you might even have some good natured riverboat gambling on board at the reception.

If you get nervous at the thought of making a great many decisions about your wedding, or if you don’t want to have such an involved wedding in the first place, a steamboat wedding may be a good choice. Evening weddings as the sun sets over the water are about as romantic as you can possibly get.

Riverboat Wedding Theme is Suited to Small Wedding Parties

Those who have a large wedding entourage will have difficulty making the steamboat theme work, but for gatherings of one hundred or less, it is an excellent fit. A cruise ship might be more inline for a larger guest list.

When the wedding invitations go out, the guests are most always intrigued at the idea of destination weddings because they are a lot of fun for them, too. It gives them an excuse to travel somewhere they might not otherwise go.

Steamboat Wedding Package Options

There is often an onsite wedding coordinator who can help with preplanning so the bride and groom have little more to do than show up. Some riverboat wedding providers have packages with various options which often include entertainment, food and beverage plans, decorations, flowers, etc. Having options allows you to stay in budget and still have an incredibly memorable destination wedding event.

You will have fewer surprises with a steamboat wedding. You have a captive audience so no one shows up at the last minute to spoil the festivities. The sooner you make a commitment and send out the wedding invitations, the sooner you (and your guests) can begin to anticipate your riverboat adventure!

Riverboat Wedding Save the Date Cards invitation
Riverboat Wedding Save the Date Cards


PM Custom Weddings offers a unique selection of products to complete your destination wedding stationery needs. Save The Date Cards, Wedding Invitations, Wedding Stamps, Magnets, Postcards, Thank You Cards and more can be customized to coordinate with your riverboat wedding theme.

A Wedding Website Communicates Your Details With Style

free wedding websitesA popular trend on the to-do list of the betrothed is the creation of a wedding website. It provides a central location making it easy to communicate important information about your wedding to family and friends. The wedding website should be started early in the wedding planning stages, and it can be updated throughout the weeks or months leading up to the “special day.”

Here are a few of the items couples typically include on their wedding website.

Ceremony Information

Naturally your wedding website should include details of the ceremony itself. The date, time, and location, of course but other details such as theme, reception details, dress required, etc. For example, a beach or destination wedding may require less formal attire than other types of ceremonies. Include all pertinent information you can think of.

A Personal Touch

Here’s where you can share some personal details, such as how you met, your first date, or the specifics of your proposal story. You can upload photos to give the website a very personal touch, reflecting the love you share and the life you are planning together as a couple.

Tips for Travel Arrangements

For those required to travel to attend your wedding ceremony, you can simply their travel itinerary planning by posting beneficial information online such as recommended hotel accommodations, favorite restaurants, things to see, and places to shop. This is especially helpful for those who are unfamiliar with the area.

Gift Registry

Friends and family will appreciate being able to view your registry information online. It makes gift shopping so much easier for them.

RSVP via Internet

Another way to make things easier on your invited wedding guests is to allow them to RSVP online.

Hopefully you can get your wedding website launched early enough so that you can include the website address on your Save the Date Cards. PMCustomWeddings.com offers a unique collection of Save the Date Postcards along with beautiful wedding stationery and personalized wedding stamps. We know how special this event is for you, which is why we offer a collection that contains just the right designs for your wedding needs.

The Wedding of Your Dreams (On a Budget)

planning your wedding on a budget
One of the major tips on wedding planning concerns a subject every couple must confront, like it or not, and that is the wedding budget. In a perfect world, every couple should have the wedding and honeymoon of their dreams, without regards to cost. Now, back down to earth.

In the real world, especially in these tough economic times, it is important to be realistic and avoid taking on a long term debt that may end up affecting a couple’s life together due to the financial strain it can cause.

You want to spend your married life basking in love’s glow, not burdened with debt and stressing over money.

Tips on Wedding Planning – The Guest List

Every wedding planner will advise that there is a cost per guest, and this will vary depending on many factors. The main expense is the reception, which includes not only food and beverages, but a caterer (optional), rental space, furnishings, decorations, entertainment, etc.

When making the guest list, it is important to remember that every name on that list adds to the wedding cost. You don’t want to leave anyone out, but you must also be selective. How close are you to this friend? Do you stay in touch with them? The guest list involves compromise from both bride and groom.

Since this is a major portion of the budget, around 45% of the total, it is easy to see this is an area where overspending should be avoided.

Tips on Wedding Planning – Research is Essential

Before any Save the Date Cards or Wedding Invitations go out, before even the first check is written, a budget should be determined. An inaccurate and unrealistic budget is about as worthwhile as none at all. It is important to research what items actually cost in order to create a reasonable and realistic budget.

Make calls to caterers for estimates; find out the rental cost for the ceremony and reception venues; decide if you can afford a wedding planner; price out wedding stationery, your wedding dress, decorations and flowers, the wedding cake, and the honeymoon.

Once you have the budget set, stay within it. If you spend more in one area, make up for it in another. Also, have a “contingency” in the budget for the unexpected things that arise, and there will be unplanned items that were omitted from the original budget.

Tips on Wedding Planning – Estimated Percentages

Keep in mind these are just estimates, and they can easily vary based on many different factors.

– Ceremony, license, entertainment, parking, transportation – 5%
– Stationery – 3%
– Entertainment (ceremony, reception) – 6%
– Reception (venue, food, beverages, cake, rentals, party favors) – 45%
– Flowers (ceremony, bouquets, corsages, boutonnieres, reception) – 8%
– Photography, video – 10%
– Gifts for bridesmaids, maid of honor, groomsmen, parents – 3%
– Rings (bride and groom) – 3%
– Attire (bride, groom, jewelry, hair, makeup, shoes, accessories) – 9%
– Contingency fund – 8%

When you budget, don’t forget the special little touches that make your wedding unique. Check out the impressive collection of Wedding Invitations and Save the Date Cards at PMCustomWeddings.com, your source for personalized and stylish wedding stationery that will remain a treasure keepsake throughout your lives together.

An Affair to Remember – Announce It With Save the Date Magnets

beach theme save the date magnet
You’re engaged! You are getting married and you want everyone to know. You’ve selected a date and you want to notify friends and family so they can make plans to be there on that special day when you and your fiancé tie the knot.

Save the Date cards have become a standard on the wedding “to-do” list. There are many styles and colors available so you can easily find one that blends well with your wedding day theme.

What are Save the Date cards? These cards are a way to notify wedding guests of the date, place, and time of your ceremony. They aren’t intended to be overly busy with too many details that might detract from their intended purpose. They are a stylish yet affordable way to alert guests far enough in advance so they can mark their calendars.

Another clever idea for announcing your celebration is Save the Date magnets. Your unique Save the Date magnets measure 2″ and come in either a square or round shape; they include an uploaded photo image of your choice. This is an excellent keepsake way for your guests to keep track and make plans to attend your wedding.

They attach easily to the fridge or a file cabinet and are large enough to be noticed yet small enough to blend in. Save the Date magnets are totally customizable from beautifully designed templates that allow you to design and order your magnets in mere minutes.

When deciding on the style for your Save the Date magnets, you want yours to stand out enough to draw attention and at the same time to blend with the tone of your ceremony. For instance, if you are having a coastal wedding, a perfect design fit would be the “Hearts in the Sand” beach themed magnet.

Whether your wedding theme is modern or contemporary, in bold or subtle colors, we have just the right design for you. Express your unique style in perfect taste using a selection from our impressive collection of Save the Date cards and Save the Date magnets. You want your wedding to be unforgettable and so do we!

 

Tips for Planning Romantic Beach Weddings

beach theme save the date cardsIf you love the romance and splendor of the beach, you’ll enjoy planning a lovely beach wedding. Beach weddings can combine simplicity with elegance to create a beautiful wedding in a gorgeous setting. Romantic beach weddings do require some forethought. The weather plays a big role in the beachside wedding. Research the weather patterns and prepare for any possible alternative.

When planning a wedding on the beach consider the area. Some parks and beaches have special areas such as gazebos that are designed specifically for these types of events. There may be the need to reservation and there may be special fees involved. A rental company can provide and set up the chairs and tents if required.

There is usually a breeze blowing at the beach, so keep this in mind when planning the ceremony. If the waves are loud, you may need microphones to allow the guests to hear the wedding vows. A beach wedding can be a more simplified affair than a traditional church wedding. The wedding attire may be streamlined and the couple may walk barefoot.

Guests at beach weddings can dress more casually than when they attend church weddings. Be sure to provide some special instructions to guests so they understand the attire that they should wear. Provide some flip-flops so guests can take off their shoes to safely walk on the beach.

When planning your wedding on the beach, find out the rules that govern the area. If a permit is required, obtain one. Find out if you can bring in seating and tents, even just for the ceremony. It is essential to have a backup plan in case the weather doesn’t cooperate. Provide directions to the site along with specific information so guests know what to expect at the wedding site. A beach wedding is a lovely option and one that will provide you with beautiful memories.

Shop our selection of beautiful beach wedding invitations and beach theme save the date cards, and your guests will look forward to your special day on the beach!

Selecting the Right Save the Date Cards

save the date cards

One of the first things that people want to do when they get engaged is to tell “everybody”. This is usually done through an announcement and even a small party. The primary question asked of the couple at the time that they announce the engagement is “have you picked a date?” Interestingly enough, a lot of people have not picked a date by the time they announce the engagement, but when they do it is usually followed up by a mailing of save the date cards.

Save the date cards are extremely simple and smart ways of getting the details about the wedding day to everyone you hope will attend, but there are a few “tips” for picking the most effective choices.

Firstly, you need to make the save the date cards something that can be posted in a visible spot such as a bulletin board or even on a refrigerator. This is to ensure that no one books another activity for your wedding day or weekend.

Secondly, you need to be sure that the cards are going to coordinate with the general color scheme or style of your wedding day. For example, you might find one of the photo cards appealing, but you should not use one that has bright and bold colors if that is not what the wedding day will feature.

Fortunately, these cards are now becoming such an essential part of the wedding planning process that you will easily find them in coordinating styles and colors to most of the popular invitations too. You can also elect to have very affordable and stylish custom cards made as well.

Don’t try to put too many details in these cards because they are meant only to give the time, date, and place. This lets guests understand if they can actually make the event, and allows them to pencil it in to their calendars immediately.

Shop our selection of save the date cards and save the date post cards to announce your wedding with your own unique style.