Category Archives: Wedding Planning

Destination Weddings – A Steam Powered Riverboat Wedding

Sep 09, 2011 PMCustomWeddings Posted in Destination Weddings, Save the Date, Wedding Planning , , , , , , ,

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.

There is Usually a Story Behind Every Cake Topper

Sep 06, 2011 PMCustomWeddings Posted in Advice, Inspiration, Wedding Planning , , ,

funny bride and groom wedding cake topper
What goes on the top of the cake has been a subject of much variation in the passing years. At one time it was a traditional bride and groom standing together, but it is also a nice way to put a signature on the cake, making it as unique as your wedding.

We devote these tips on wedding planning to the crown of the wedding cake: the topper.

Traditional Bride and Groom Cake Topper

Sometimes the topper doesn’t convey the true feelings of the bride and groom. In the movie “Grumpier Old Men,” the bride to be was appalled when her future father-in-law had the cake designed with the bride on top holding a fishing pole.

The fishing line dropped down to the groom on a lower cake tier, with the hook going around his neck. The icing caption was to be, “Looks like Melanie has landed herself another husband.” (Melanie had been married once before.)

You are not likely to choose something like that for your cake, but you still want your wedding cake to be adorned with something that makes a statement. Borrowing from traditions in other places might give you some relevant ideas.

Sapling Toppers Hail from Bermuda

For instance, Bermudian weddings often have a symbol of a sapling atop their cakes. This symbolizes a tree planted at the beginning of the marriage, which grows as the marriage does.

The sapling can come from real tree branches or be a creation of the cake maker. Additionally, the tips on wedding planning may include blooms of cake topping attached to the branch ends. This is indicative of the beginning of a budding life together. The bride and groom figurines are usually placed along with the sampling.

European Traditions Hear Bells Ringing

You may choose to pass on the bride and groom entirely. Other traditions include the wedding bells that rang to announce the completion of vows. This is a European tradition dating back eons. The bells also ran away the evil spirits that might threaten the new marriage.

A Traditional Symbol of Good Luck

The third of our tips on wedding planning cake toppers is the horseshoe. It has long been a symbol of good luck, which is always wished to the newlyweds. The horseshoe can be made of many things, either edible or a design that can be saved as a keepsake. The one thing that is most important is the direction the horseshoe faces. The two ends must face up for good luck.

Unique Wedding Cake Toppers

Once you’ve decided on your style, choose from the great selection of Wedding Cake Toppers we found at The Wedding Channel Store! Here’s some of our favorites:

script initial cake topper
Script Initial Cake Topper 		personalized acrylic heart cake topper
Personalized Acrylic Heart Cake Topper 		interchangeable bride and groom cake topper
Interchangeable Cake Topper

sparkling love cake topper
Sparkling Love Cake Topper 		lettered Swarovski crystal cake topper
Lettered Swarovski Crystal Cake Topper 		sweetheart cake topper
Sweetheart Cake Topper


Make your announcement to walk the aisle in style with wedding stationery from PM Custom Weddings. Unique and tasteful designs abound in Wedding Stamps, Thank You Cards, Wedding Invitations, Save the Date Cards, and more.

Choosing Your Wedding Invitation Style

Aug 26, 2011 PMCustomWeddings Posted in Advice, Wedding Invitations, Wedding Planning , ,

black and red damask wedding invitation
Are you a real traditionalist? For instance, will you be sending out the hefty and classic wedding invitations that contain all of the different reply cards and details for the wedding day? Maybe you’re a bit “alternative” and prefer a totally unique mailer that limits the amount of paper and/or postage used for the wedding invitations?

Whatever sort of style you have, there is going to be an enormous array of different wedding invitations to match your taste. This is because weddings are becoming a far more personalized and customized issue and it is rare to attend two weddings that are alike.

Generally, the uniqueness of a wedding day is established with the first mailing connected to the event. For some it is a save the date card or the invitation to an engagement party, but for many more it is the actual wedding invitation. This is the set of documents that provides guests with all of the information that they will need to know what to expect on the wedding day.

For example, if your wedding is going to have some sort of “theme,” the wedding invitation is going to have to reveal it. This might be something as simple as the color scheme for the entire day, but it might also tell people whether the affair is casual or very formal. This is most easily expressed through choices in card stock and inserts.

Consider that a wedding with a “beach” theme will have some sort of indication of that on the actual invitations, envelopes, etc. The wedding with a “black tie” format, on the other hand, will be able to be easily recognized by the format of the invitations used as well. When a wedding is this formal, it is essential to be sure that all of the subsequent mailings match, but a good supplier is going to have everything necessary and will make this very easy to achieve.

At PM Custom Weddings, we have a variety of wedding invitations to fit your wedding theme and show your own personal style!

A Wedding Website Communicates Your Details With Style

Aug 25, 2011 PMCustomWeddings Posted in Advice, Wedding Planning , , , ,

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)

Aug 22, 2011 PMCustomWeddings Posted in Advice, Save the Date, Wedding Invitations, Wedding Planning , , , ,

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.