It is not easy to work out how much money you have to spend on your wedding. At first, you should know the items which you must have, and then write them down. The best idea is making a list. In my opinion, the list should include your wedding gown, bridesmaid dresses. Then it is down to the food and ceremony.

In a word, everything you think out should be written down. Dare I say it, but the best place to start is your parents. Find out if they’d like to contribute to your wedding, or if there are any specific things they’d like to pay for. Make a note of this along with any savings you have put aside for your big day and this should be your wedding budget.

Fix the budget there. Don’t try and add to this amount with loans or extra credit as this will only give you additional stress in the long run up to your wedding and at the beginning of your married life. It might be a good idea to open a “wedding bank account” or get a “wedding credit card” as these will help you keep track of all your payments. This way each month, you’ll know exactly how much you’ve spent on your wedding. If you do get a credit card, ensure it is one with a 0% introductory rate and that it gets paid off each month. The interest charges shouldn’t add to your budget!.

Now, are you making out the lowest cost of your wedding? Call The D-Tales for a complimentary consultation. You would be amazed how we can save you time and money! 407-687-6552

There is no better gift to give on Valentines Day- to you or your sweetie! This session is an amazing deal with an amazing photographer. Someone who will bring out the best in you, and THAT is what shows up on film.

Call or email Tab Today and reserve a spot!!!

Drain the canned pumpkin before making the cake batter to keep the cake's texture light.

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice)
Ingredients

* Cake:
* Cooking spray
* 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
* 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
* 3/4 cup granulated sugar
* 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 4 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 3 cups all-purpose flour (about 13 1/2 ounces)
* 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 cup fat-free buttermilk
*

Glaze:
* 1/3 cup fat-free buttermilk
* 1/4 cup granulated sugar
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 teaspoons cornstarch
* 1/8 teaspoon baking soda

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare the cake, lightly coat a 10-inch tube pan with cooking spray; dust with 1 tablespoon flour. Spread pumpkin over 2 layers of paper towels; cover with 2 additional layers of paper towels. Let stand about 10 minutes. Scrape drained pumpkin into a bowl.

Place 3/4 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 3 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in pumpkin and vanilla. Lightly spoon 3 cups flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture and 3/4 cup buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pan, and cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare glaze, combine 1/3 cup buttermilk and remaining ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Drizzle cake with glaze.
Nutritional Information

Calories:
273 (29% from fat)
Fat:
8.7g (sat 5g,mono 2.4g,poly 0.5g)
Protein:
5g
Carbohydrate:
44.6g
Fiber:
1.4g
Cholesterol:
72mg
Iron:
2mg
Sodium:
243mg
Calcium:
66mg

Jan Moon, Cooking light

It's Something Blue

I Do Tattoo offers a modern twist on the timeless tradition of wearing “Something Blue." Gone are the days of the tired old garter. Now there’s a fresh new alternative for today’s savvy bride. It’s unique. It’s innovative. And it’s personal.

I Do Tattoo offers 8 exclusive tattoo designs. Just pick your favorite! We've included two tattoos of your chosen design – one for practice, and one so you’ll look perfect on your wedding day.
It's a keepsake

I Do Tattoo comes elegantly encased in a stunning blue folio which opens like a book. The outside is adorned with a blue satin ribbon and sparkling crystal brooch. The custom packaging is so beautiful, you’ll want to save it with your most treasured wedding day mementos. Click on folio to view close-up image.

In addition, your chosen design is carefully screen printed in a beautiful, scratch-resistant silver ink. It is elegantly framed as a permanent keepsake, so you’ll always remember what you wore as your “Something Blue.”
It's a photo frame

After you’ve used your tattoos, you’ll want to show off your beautiful keepsake. Just slide a 5 x 7 photo into the top of the picture frame. Or, use it to solve the age-old problem of how to preserve a copy of your wedding invitation. The choice is yours.

A great value for only $36.00.

Wishing you all the happiest of holidays and a prosperous New Year!!!

Oh how I love the humor of the "Holly Days"

Tel Santa. Children and adults call Santa Claus Tollfree Number and record their wishlist for free. Invite family members or friends of any age to join in the fun. This free service is provided as a gift to you by Santa and TollFreeForwarding. We'll make sure that everyone's recorded wishes are delivered to Santa - by email! Get Personal Wish Numbers today. Later, when each family member dials Santa's toll free number and leaves their list, you and your family will receive it by email. Now, you have found tel santa. Easy as 1 - 2 - 3 1. Get a free wishlist number 2. Kids (or adults) call the toll-free number and "Tel Santa" their wishlist. 3. Receive an email with your child's (or friend's) voice-recorded wishlist attached. You will not be asked for any payment; this is a completely free service. Invite a child to Tel-Santa for free For children under 13 or anyone else without an email address Invite a grownup to Tel-Santa for free For anyone who has their own email address

Listen to: Michael's Wishlist - very cute. Keep the recorded wishlist on your computer, iPod, or any device that can play music files.

Calling Santa is Fun, Easy, and Free!

It's Fun! Santa's Tel Santa will deliver to your email address a beautiful, personalized invitation that you can print and present to kids or email to friends. It's Easy! When your loved ones call the toll free number on their invitation they will hear a special greeting from Santa himself. They'll then be invited to leave their wish list for Santa and his elves. For the youngest, Santa recommends that a grown-up help out with the dialing.

It's Free! Santa wants you to know that Tel Santa is free and you can call as often as you want! As your loved ones think of new additions to their list, just have them call Tel Santa. Every wish will be carefully delivered by email. How does it work? Santa is using Voicemail2myEmail™ to help him collect and deliver millions of wish lists. We attach each voicemail message to an email as a sound file and send it to your email inbox. It's the best way to get voicemail – particularly if you are at the North Pole! More at TollFreeForwarding.com

Sign Up at Tel Santa Now

"We are proud to have been chosen by Santa as his official message service. From all of us at
TollFreeForwarding.com to all of you, may you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday!"
- The Elves at TollFreeForwarding.com

can you guess that I LOVE LOVE LOVE this :-) Beautiful shot! http://carriewildes.com/

Nine West Women's Janika Two Piece Peep Toe Pump - Free Overnight Shipping & Return Shipping: Endless.com

Yall know that I made Northern California my home for a while. There were a few things that i just fell in love with..... Napa and Sonoma being WAY up there. Well I have always followed Sasha and now I am excited to stay even MORE up to day thru Twitter.
Here is a chance to win the first copy of her book. Enter quickly before the contest ends next Monday, Dec 21st......

http://thealisters.typepad.com/sparkliatti/2009/12/sparkliatti-contest-be-1st-to-own-a-copy-of-signature-sasha-magnificent-weddings-by-design.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+Sparkliatti+(Sparkliatti)&utm_content=Google+Reader

I too have fallen in love with these calligraphy Cakes. I found a vendor in the South that sells them. Check their goodies out - http://www.americanchocolatedesigns.com/cakes.php#

Probably the greatest thing about the internet is that when you’re looking for something completely unrelated to one topic you find an absolute gem. In this case, I don’t even remember where I was online – I was just following a series of links I believe – but I fell fast and hard when Iacoli & McAllister’s website loaded up.

How awesome are these cake stands? They’re upcycled from vintage candlestick holders that are powder coated for a chic, modern finish. I’m a fan and would love to see them start appearing in dessert buffets as an unexpected way to tie back to the wedding color palette!

Ready made cake stands are available through their online shop, but never fear – if you can’t find the color you want (or not enough of them) you can also contact them through their website for special orders.

Now a Sassy Blog deserves a sassy cake!

Macarons have been at the top of my list since Marie Antoinette came out, and when I stumbled across San Francisco and Beverly Hills-based Paulette Macarons my heart went all a-flutter! How beautiful is the centerpiece above that they have available for special occasions? I would replace flowers with those stunners in a heartbeat (though they look so delicious that I don’t think they’d make it past the first course!).

I’m sure you guys won’t be able to get enough of them, so how’s about some more tasty treats? Here are some more awe-inspiring shots of their gorgeous macarons in several mouth-watering flavors:

Images from Paulette Macarons.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this site and the cards are out of this world! Taking the advice of this card :-)

thanks @BlingtheParty

The Proposal Story is offering a Grand Prize of a
$1,000 USD Tiffany & Co. Gift Certificate to the winner of the "Top Proposal Story Contest".

Simply sign up and create a proposal story. After you have completed writing your story select "Published to Public", and your story is automatically entered.

For our existing members who have already published their stories to the public, your proposal story is already entered. If you are an existing member and have your story's published status set to "Unpublished", "Secret" or "Published to Friends" you are NOT currently entered in the "Top Proposal Story Contest" and must set your story to "Published to Public" to be eligible.

Invite all your friends to join www.theproposalstory.com, read your story and vote by hovering over our 5 diamond rating system. The more friends who vote and the higher the rating you recieve, the better chance you have of winning the $1,000 Tiffany & Co. Gift Certificate!

Contest starts on 12:00:00 a.m. Pacific Time on November 1, 2009 and ends at 11:59:59 p.m. Pacific Time on, Sunday, January 31, 2010

Please click here for official rules

Good Luck to ALL!

Oh how i love this simple DIY project. What a great last minute gift- Christmas, Baby shower, Bridesmaid gift!!!! So simple yet elegant!

What do YOU think? Thanks to Sara Kauss for this Photo

As a dating coach and matchmaker, I've spent the past ten years conducting some unconventional dating research using a business concept called "Exit Interviews." I interviewed over 1,000 men who were former dates of my clients, as well as strangers I approached in cafes or bookstores.  I asked all these men what turned them on (and off) about the women they had dated. Most of my interview subjects were single, but over 100 of them were married or engaged, and they described to me the moment when they first knew a woman was special and had future-wife potential.

I had assumed these husbands and fiancés would recall how beautiful their wife was, or how funny or smart she was. I might have guessed they'd say, "She seemed like she'd be a good mother." Perhaps they might talk about mutual interests such as skiing or foreign films. Sure, all those elements probably factored into their attraction, but I discovered something else was actually credited with that initial "aha" moment. The #1 most frequent answer men cited about when they knew a woman had future-wife potential was something rather…. um, bland. They basically said she was really a "nice" person.  Initially this sounded so boring, but I asked for examples to help me understand if there might be more to it. The anecdotes I heard turned out to be anything but boring. The men's stories focused on small moments that were fascinating but nothing grand: just brief gestures or comments they remembered when a woman seemed nice, kind, thoughtful, or considerate. Four examples:

"I had mentioned my favorite dessert was from a bakery with the best chocolate walnut brownie. The next night she dropped off that brownie with my doorman, but the point was that she did a 'drive-by.' Most girls would have used it as an excuse to hang-out, or worse, to check up on me. I liked her gesture because it was actually focused on doing something nice just for me."  ---Thor, age 45, Dallas, TX

"I was blown away by her respect for other people! She told me that whenever she stays at a hotel, she tidies up her room before leaving so the maid won't be grossed out. She feels sorry for hotel maids because they have a hard and often disgusting job. If there's hair in the sink, she wipes it out. If there's a used Kleenex on the desk, she'll throw it away. She puts herself in the maid's shoes and tries to do her small part by not leaving one room dirty.  I'd never heard anything so considerate!"
---Nigel, age 46, Minneapolis, MN

"We met for coffee at Starbucks, and we were standing at the condiments bar when she accidentally spilled a little sugar onto the counter top. No big deal, right? Except she actually took a napkin and wiped up after herself! I asked her why [she did that], and she told me it just seemed polite so the next person wouldn't have to look at someone else's mess. If it was me, I'd just leave whatever I spilled and figure the staff would clean it up… It was just a small thing, but it impressed me how thoughtful she was."
---Brian, age 34, Denver, CO

"As a doctor, I used to be on call several nights a week. I was always exhausted, but I was really looking forward to our first date. When I picked her up, she invited me in for a quick glass of wine before we drove to the restaurant. I sat down in this really comfortable leather chair, and while she was in the kitchen opening the wine, I actually fell asleep. But she didn't get mad! Most gals would have taken offense if their date fell asleep on them. Not only that, she sat quietly for about 20 minutes and read a book. When I woke up, she said she could see I was exhausted and thought I could use a quick nap. I'd never met someone so kind. We've been married 46 years."
---Murray, age 85, Denver, CO {a.k.a., my dad!}

Kind… nice… thoughtful… Hmmm. Was it really that simple?  Do men actually want to marry "bitches" or women who "play it cool," as I've read in some popular advice books? Or do they really, deep down, just want someone nice? Here's my theory about all the stories men remembered: it's basically "like attracts like." The guy looking for a truly nice woman understands the importance of kindness, and is most likely a nice person himself. Of course, there will be individual exceptions, but from what I've seen, the guys who stand the test of time-the ones who make the best husbands and continue treating you with respect after "I do"-are impressed during the dating phase by a nice person.  The word "nice" gets a bad rap in our society today: I think it is often synonymous with "boring" (which was my own initial assumption!). But from my research, I can assure you that marriage-minded men sit up and take notice of women who display kindness before any other trait.

The rest of my 1,000 dating "exit interviews" highlight all the small comments and gestures to avoid during the early stages of dating when first impressions are so crucial. You can read about the Top Ten reasons men said they didn't call back after a date or after an online flirtation in my new book, WHY HE DIDN'T CALL YOU BACK.

Rachel Greenwald is the author of the new book:  Why He Didn't Call You Back: 1,000 Guys Reveal What They Really Thought About You After Your Date. She is also the New York Times Bestselling author of Find a Husband After 35( Using What I Learned at Harvard Business School). Rachel is a frequent relationship guest on The Today Show, The Early Show, CNN, National Public Radio, The Dennis Prager Show, and has been featured in Oprah Magazine, Fortune Magazine, The New Yorker, People, USA Today, and many others. She is a professional dating coach and matchmaker. Visit her website and ask Rachel a question at www.whyhedidntcallyouback.com

Always on the look-out for something unique, I have to introduce you to Laz! This amazing artist can create magic from anything- Ice to Fruit, your imagination is the limit!
Check out a sampling of his work http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2886977&id=727241343 or email him at nicework.icescupltures@hotmail.com
A dream to work with and a joy to know!

"We are very excited to award you the Get Married Sassy Site Award! Your blog is Smart, Awesome, Savvy, Stylish, uniquely You, exuding SASSY! We applaud your creative posts filled with inspirations galore."

How exciting for The D-Tales and thank you to Get Married for the oh so appropriate award. Check out The D-Tales at www.getmarried.com

What a great way to end 2009........... Every day we have a choice to make. You can decide that you will live for the past or move into the future.
Putting your goals down on paper makes them real. If you are in the Orlando area I highly recommend this session. Jenn is a friend and inspiring. Let's make 2010 a rockin good year!

1. Back to Basics
Events will focus on the attention to the details, the foundation of the event, not the drama or grandeur of the evening. Consider spending more on the lasting memories than the showmanship of the event. Spend a bit more than the average budget allotment on photography mediums rather than abundant floral. Or consider a bit of a longer stay on your honeymoon and a little less of a party at the reception and you’ll be grateful for your decision in the end.

2. Home Weddings Hit Home
Intimate and personal affairs in the backyard are bigger than ever. Going home incorporates the continued trend of personalizing the wedding day experience.
Smaller size guest lists, more intimate settings, grass roots weddings, elegant and detail driven, but in no way small on what counts.

3. Buttercream on the Big Day
Fondant is falling behind, buttercream corners the market.
Tools and techniques now allow for buttercream to look as smooth as fondant when applied by a skilled artist. You have the option of better flavor, more natural ingredients, and less costly cakes that no longer suffer or lack in design.

4. Favor Comeback
Personalized appreciation is back. The effect that an event has on the guests is more noticeable than ever before so the importance of a favor is felt more than ever. Be sure to appreciate to those in attendance - it’s not just an afterthought, omission, or generic item. Think local artisans, locally grown products, personal mementos, and on-the-spot print outs.

5. Nearby Destinations
Nearby destination weddings are taking flight over the exotic and far off locales. The ever popular destination wedding will remain but guests will get out of town by car (within driving distance) so couples can create a weekend, guests get an escape, but no one breaks the bank. Enjoying the US destination locations, spend within your own local economies, create a greener effect, experience undiscovered backyards, and stay sensible about cost while you’re at away.

6. Colors
Monochromatic palettes - this doesn’t mean muted colors, just single color bunches. Vibrant Colors: Orange, green, yellow, and pink. Metal Colors: Gold, silver, copper, and pewter. And black is definitely the new black. Break the rules and show off the darker side of your event.

7. Greener Conscience
Immerging will be the newest phase of eco-conscience: A better understanding of the gray shades of green. You will see more emphasis on the smaller changes that are less recognizable to the guest (i.e. cleaning green, composting, solar and LED lighting, no more oasis in floral arrangements, less catering waste). It’s no longer about making the event appear “organic” – it’s about understanding how things are made, disposed of, and where/when events take place. Learning to make better choices that are unseen by the guest are just as important as those tree-free invitations everyone is talking about.

8. Video Integration into Events
We’ve all seen the photo montages of your childhoods during dinner but the next phase in video at your event comes in several different forms. Video DJ’s are immerging, allowing your dance party to dance to the visuals of the music videos; ceremonies are being broadcast on screens for better viewing from the back; and time lapse photography is being shot and integrated into video for current day montages of you and your fiancé. Love to party? Set up crane camera and project the event as it unfolds on screens around the dance floor (budget permitting of course).

9. HD Video
Videographers have already gone hi-def. But next year all or most will make such a transition, making HD and even Blu Ray the norm in wedding videography. Upgrade now and appreciate the quality later. This also means smaller cameras on site and less intrusion into your event, all around a better (though more costly) option on the big day.

10. Visual Combinations
Professional grade still photo cameras like the Canon 5D Mark II DSLR are being released with HD video capabilities included. It is recommended to have both a videographer and a photographer at your wedding to capture every moment of the big day. Tech-savvy brides looking for a new experience, may like to experiment with a visual professional (videographer or photographer) who has this technology. In the future, you will begin to see an emergence of two-in-one companies. Companies like Engaging Films and Video Keepsakes of Beverly Hills in Los Angeles will shoot video and take stills, but use only one piece of technology.

This is a great concept with a new spin. Have your wedding guests call in, leave messages, and store the messages to be replayed later in a keepsake memory box or download to your iPod. What a great way to say I love you!

VoiceQuilt will help you create an electronic playlist of greetings and memories (a “VoiceQuilt”) that will delight your recipient. Once your VoiceQuilt is finalized, you can download or e-mail an electronic version for FREE. They also provide a selection of heirloom-quality keepsake gifts that will play and preserve each message. Check out VoiceQuilt today!!
http://www.voicequilt.com/whyvoicequilt/overview.php

So, I cry at weddings........ every wedding (even on TV!) Yes, it is true, so I am always prepared with a tissue. But what I notice is that there are many people in the audience tearing with happiness too.
You want to make your wedding about the details, so here is something that will set you apart without setting back the bank.

Check out this DIY from The Blue Room: Step by step instructions http://www.blue-room.com/wedding/planning_tissues.html#

All new line of polka dot baking cups in fresh, hot colors! Made from high-quality Swedish greaseproof paper. Miniature size 1 5/8" bottom X 1'' height
Helpful Hint: You may want to double-up on these liners if you want the white dots to really stand out after baking.
Approx. 45 cups per pack (individual colors) approx $2.95/pack
*Assorted set contains approx. 15 cups per each of our 8 colors, about 120 total.

An inspiring look at everything sweet and how to make the simple color scheme look elegant. It's all in the D-Tales :-)