Low Cost Wedding Tips

Usually weddings can cost a lot of money, and many young couples cannot afford it, however, it is possible to pull a few tricks in order to save up on the wedding costs to make your big day come true. There are a lot of creative methods which can help you get rid of unwanted costs to make sure that you have your perfect wedding without any issues.

Although it will hard to make the tough calls, it is needed if you are planning on making a wedding with a tight budget.

Avoid getting married on a Saturday
You probably got used to marriages happening on Saturdays which is why you should avoid it when planning your wedding. It might sound like an unorthodox idea, but because venues are mostly reserved for Saturdays, they will be cheaper on any other days; which is a great solution to save some money so that you can afford the other things you planned out for your wedding.

However, make sure that people will be able to attend your wedding, as you have to take into consideration that any other might be a regular workday for some; but choosing a Sunday is still a good way to save money and still have a traditional wedding.

Shorten the guest list
Perhaps the biggest of all expenses is inviting all the important people for your wedding, and it is never easy trimming your guest list, but it must be done. The guest list should be taken into consideration only after you have selected the venue and when you know for sure how much budget you have left. So that you can really sit down and think whether to invite your friends from high school. It is important to make sure that you and your partner both agree on the guest list and that you can avoid having any unwanted and unintended guests bashing your wedding.

Sometimes though only the immediate family will make the final list, and this is alright too; you can always go party with your friends, but family is more important.

Go for a morning wedding
It will be a hard thing to pull off, but it will be well worth it for your budget. A morning wedding means that you will be serving brunch or lunch, which is a lot cheaper than having everyone enjoy dinner. You can also go wild with all the lunch ideas that are great for such an important event; and on the bonus side, you will be able to spend some more time with your newly-wed spouse throughout your wedding day.



Plan your wedding off-season
Although not getting married during summer is not your imagination of your wedding, you will be able to save a lot of money if you go off-season. Moreover, you will be able to get really creative and create a marvelous wedding that can be immortalized by professional wedding photographers. If you really feel creative, go for moths which can have a specific theme you can include in your wedding to make it more unique.

Remember that when wedding off-season, you will be going for your honeymoon off-season too, and that means that you will be able to book it for cheaper. All in all, it is a great win-win situation for both you and your newly-wed spouse and for your wedding budget.

The wedding
Remember that it is never too early to start planning your wedding and that you should always count for unexpected wedding costs; always make a big enough budget to accommodate for an extra family member, or a little bit more money for the venue. Moreover, you should not only focus on having the best wedding your budget can afford, but you should also focus on marriage as well; after all, it is all about living together and making compromises.

Do not waste the saved up money on silly expenses, rather use the extra fund to pay for what you will really need in the marriage to come. It is imperative to learn that the wedding is about the bride, but it takes two to tango and the groom should be included in the decision making too.

Create Vintage Style Bedroom on a Low Budget

Some people say that the good things never go out of style and that you can measure up the quality of stuff by the amount of time they stuck by. Therefore, using this logic, we can surely conclude that the vintage style is just what the doctor ordered. The vintage looking furniture, textile and colors, not to mention the charming details are always in style. However, this doesn’t mean that this look is too expensive for you. It is very affordable if you are willing to check out a couple of cool tips, do a little bit and DIY, invest some time and some effort in it..

Antique Shops
Now these places are just treasures of all the amazing things that you can buy and bring the spirit of the old days back home. Among other things, all those details and ornaments are found here. Think about all the figurines that can be on your walls or night tables. Also, you can find amazing curtains and even some furniture like vintage vanity cabinets and other things. Take your time and go through these amazing shops and find some details and ornaments for your bedroom. Think in the direction of mirrors, photo frames, vases, crates and the like. Don’t just see them as they are in the current state, but think about how they would look after you fix them up a bit, throw a coat of paint on them, or give them a vintage finish.

Garage Sales
If you are about to change the furniture in order find one of those big beds with big headrests, the best place to try and find them is the garage sale. Perhaps the bed will need some work done on it, but that is fine as long as the wood is healthy and good. Lamps and chandeliers are also found there at a very good price and they can be fixed, painted, changed and altered in order to give your bedroom a vintage look. Take a weekend or two and dedicate it to visiting the local garage sales or the ones that happen in the houses that you suspect can have such pieces inside.

Colors
The colors palate is crucial in turning your bedroom into the relaxing vintage room. No bold colors whatsoever. Only natural tones, whites, eggshell, pale and pastel tones and all those colors that can be made only by natural coloring techniques. These colors are mild and soothing and they are simply beautiful. They give the room that wonderful feeling of freshly done laundry, morning coffee and breakfast in bed. Definitely your choice when it comes to this type of bedroom interior.

Details and Touches
Nothing says ‘vintage’ like a wonderful baldachin over the bed. If you are not able to find it and don’t know where to look, it is not that hard to make one. This could be a fairly cheap project as the fine net needed for making this is not expensive at all. You can use any sort of material that you like, even those that can be used for making curtains. Simply make a holder on the ceiling over your bed and let it fall over the bed. If you don’t mind some extra work, you can buy some lace in stripes and sew it on the border of your baldachin. It will make it look fancier and more old fashioned and it will help it fall down more naturally. Another great touch for the bedroom is a screen for dressing. These amazing pieces of furniture can really be wonderfully made and examples of great craftsmanship. However, if you don’t want to spend a fortune on it, simply make dressing screen yourself using wooden frames and textiles. Add a great and soft rug to the whole equation and you have a perfect look.

A lot of lace, craftwork, crochet and other similar things will complete the vintage look for you. That, and some mood lighting, or preferably candles will make it look like it is the perfect bedroom from the romantic old days and the charm and the spirit of the times long past. Definitely a look that should be experienced at least once.

Hints on Choosing the Right Trees for Your Yard

One of the best things about having a yard is the fact that you can decorate and organize it according to your interests and taste. Perhaps the most amusing way to express your creativity is to plant some trees. Apart from being beautiful and graceful, trees offer numerous advantages, such as producing more oxygen, providing shade to your home in the summer, warmth in the winter, as well as presenting the perfect isolation from the street and the neighboring houses. However, the only thing you have to know is that the selection of the right tree depends on many conditions, such as the measurements of your yard, as well as your personal interests.

There is Always Room for a Tree
Firstly, you need to check the dimensions of your yard, and then to choose the tree according to these measurements. Trees can be of various dimensions, ranging from short to tall and from wide to skinny. Broader trees, which can grow forty feet wide, either tall or short, are appropriate for larger areas, with a lot of plain room, whereas certain species are better suited for smaller areas.

Wide and short ones isolate you from the surroundings and can grow above a single-story roof, while wide and tall trees can grow higher than forty five feet tall. So, if you own a large yard, it would be a shame not to plant one of those massive trees. On the other hand, if a plot of land is small, you should choose skinny trees that can grow up to twenty feet wide. The taller ones give the room elegancy and a sense of sophistication, while the short ones are great for confined areas, and the best way to grow them is near fences.

Keep a Green Tree in Your Heart
There are some other criteria that need to be considered. The basic decision you have to make is whether you want to grow evergreen or deciduous trees. However, there are some considerable differences between the two, such as the fact that the deciduous trees lose their leaves during the fall and the winter, while the evergreen trees don't. That's why evergreen trees should be planted on the north side, while the deciduous ones on the south, east and west sides of your home.

In a recent conversation with the people who run a reputed tree service, I learned that one of the most important things when it comes to the choice of the tree is drought tolerance, which is related to the quality of the soil. So, if the soil is poor, you have to choose one of those trees that, when established, require little or no water. 

Riot of Colors
Aesthetics, colors and shapes could also be one of the key factors that can contribute to your decision. If you love vivid landscapes, you should definitely choose a tree that has beautiful and delicate flowers during the spring and colorful leaves in the fall. Also, trees can be of various shapes, such as narrow, pyramidal or oval. Finally, at the peak of your creativity, you could combine various kinds of trees, of different dimensions, shapes and characteristics.

All in all, there are many things that make trees so special. Not only that they give a special look to your yard, but also provide better environmental conditions and have a huge positive impact on your health.

Author bio: Lillian Connors is a home improvement professional and avid blogger keen on doing all sorts of DIY projects around her house and passionately writing about them. You can check her out on G+ and Twitter.

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Ways to Better Brand Recognition

Getting respect from your colleagues in the field and your customers is not so easy to do. You need to have a high quality product, great service and an appealing brand to offer. If you are stuck and you are not sure how to get proper brand recognition, here are some ideas to get you going.

1. Customer service
A successful business is a mixture of a great product, great business set and great service. With so many firms out there offering something similar to what you’ve got to offer, the business plate became an arena – everybody is fighting for customers, using their best service as their main tool. To succeed, you need to be better than your competitors. One of the ways to do so is to have great customer service. Customer service can be just the thing that will make or break business deals. Everybody wants to be treated with respect, so make sure your employees are able to offer your customer just that.

2. Have a good story behind it
Everyone loves a good story and something they can connect with your “human” part of the business. Yes, they’ll know just like you and your business partners know that you are in the business for money. But, they need something under the surface to keep them going. So, to get more customers have a heart-warming story that will speak out to the customers and make them see you as a person who started something from scratch and managed to work their way up working hard and not giving up on The Dream.

3. Be present
Out of sight and out of mind is true for any filed of life, including business. If you are not constantly present in your field, don’t expect people to organize a search part and see what’s happened to your brand. Work to keep your name in front of your market. Your target market needs to be constantly reminded that you are there. Don’t let competition overshadow you.



4. Exceed your customers’ expectations
All of us love a firm that we can trust. We are comforted with the fact that there and there, at any given moment we can get what we need. So, we stay true to such brands. But, we get more excited about companies that keep exceeding our expectations. It doesn’t have t be anything huge but occasional surprises such as bonuses, discounts, little gifts are what makes the customer happy!

5. Be awesome
Customers stay true to brands for sever reasons – apart from great quality, amazing customer service and overall feel they matter to you, they also stay for the gifts. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, anyone would be happy to get something free, no matter how small it is. That being said, one of your ways “in” can be custom branded giveaways! They are a cool reminder of the brand, they are useful and surely one of the best ways to keep your customer around. If your budget allows it, make sure promotional products aren’t something disposable. Go for coffee mugs, USB sticks, key chains, pillow cases, etc. Corporate branded items are a reminder of your brand and the customer will always want to come back.

6. Write a blog
If you are a big corporation, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll have enough time to run your blog. But, you can always hire a person to run it under the name of the company. This is where you can share your personal experiences, share advice, communicate with people and talk of the upcoming projects and new products. Way to get the blog spinning is to post it on your official LinkedIn page and your Facebook and Twitter pages (assuming you have them… in case you don’t – make it your priority to open them, asap!)



7. Social networking
Ok, since mentioned in #6 it needs to be thoroughly explored – Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. In the world of social media interactions it is unthinkable to have a successful business without being present in the social media sphere. Brand recognition is almost impossible if your customers aren’t connecting with your brand 24/7. Social networks are the way for them to follow you, notice you, stay with you and above all – recommend you to those who may be interested in what you are offering. So, if you don’t have pages up, make sure you create them as soon as possible. If you do, then keep them running and upgrade them with variety of novelties – you need to be hip and in everyone’s face. It’s just how it is!

How Much Time Can Home Clearance Save You?

There are many, many advantages to hiring in the right help when thinking about getting rid of the older items in your home. Professional help can bring all kinds off benefits, but one of the most overlooked aspects of the whole enterprise is being able to save a huge amount of time on the help which matters the most. With this in mind, it can be important to make sure that you are able to enjoy the best solutions around in a way which allows you to spend your time exactly as you want. When you are thinking about hiring in clearance services, how much time do you stand to save?

Of all of the things which stand to benefit you when hiring in professional home clearance help, it can be the time which you save which has the biggest impact. There is no better way in which to make sure that you are saving time and this is never more apparent in the expertise which the professional services are able to provide. Thanks to the large amount of time in the industry, hiring in things such as garden clearance and furniture clearance means that you are bringing in the help of people who have handled these issues many times in the past. Rather than attempting to do this yourself, the expertise and the experience of the clearance company means that you are treated to the most efficient way possible of clearing away all of your things.

Often, hiring the right help means that you are able to deal with a large volume of work in a quick and easy manner. When thinking about clearance, this becomes an issue for those thinking of doing the work themselves when it comes down to the choice and range of equipment which they have. Whatever it is, from the right vans to the right gloves, the professionals make sure that you are getting the kind of rubbish clearance and beyond which is backed up by not only the best expertise, but the best range of professional equipment at the same time. Hiring help means that you can be sure that the items which you want to get rid of will be getting the kind of help which is carried out with the right tools for the right job, making sure that you are saving time in the right manner. 

Time is such a big factor in many people’s lives that any few minutes and hours which they can save are hugely important. Whether it is redecorating or having new appliances delivered, learning how to deal with the domestic clearance is often essential simply as a means to an end. In this regard, those who have a grander idea in mind when thinking of clearing items can use professional services to make sure that they are getting the right solutions. Saving time is easy when you are able to make other projects and needs more efficient, simply by hiring in the best clearance company for you.

Travel accessories for special causes

If you would like to become a real globetrotter and start measuring your time spent on this planet not by days and years, but by special places you have visited, get ready to move. Guess what – the time is flowing rapidly and you have to begin with making your wishes come true. When it comes to traveling, it has never been more affordable and for a thousand dollars you can visit almost any destination in the world. However, if you are still an inexperienced traveler, heed this travel call and have a look at items you should always have with you in case something goes wrong while flying high up in the sky or being trapped in a hotel room or an elevator. 

Food supplies for unwanted surprises

You do not really have to drag tuna cans and mum-made sandwiches from home, but make sure that you get some when you arrive in the target destination. If you are traveling by plane, you most probably not be allowed even to have a can in your bag. However, traveling by train or car will open the possibility of bringing some basic food items, such as a couple of apples, a can of tuna and a pastry with you. If the means of transportation that you are going to travel by allows you, you could bring a travel lunch box with you. If not, ensure that you get one as soon as your plane lands. If you get stuck on a train or a bus without any food, it could be a traumatizing and stressful experience.

Adapters are what matters

Today nothing is possible without a functional cell phone. When you are traveling somewhere, it is vital that your cell phone battery is always charged and that your phone is always at your disposal. If traveling to foreign countries or other continents, you should never hit the road (or the air) without checking their voltage standards. For instance, most of the North American and Middle American countries have the 120V standard and people coming from 220V/230V countries need to bring adapters with them. 

Apart from these adapters, you should always bring your laptop adapter with you if you know you will be needing the laptop during you stay in a certain destination.

 

Light-weight hygiene set

Only a small percentage of people can afford flying in business class departments. In fact, only the chosen ones can travel with mainstream airliners at all. Instead of wasting hundreds of dollars on planes that actually offer you only more baggage space and usually a better meal during the flight. However, you can easily adapt your travel habits to low-cost airliners and fly around the world for a half of the money charged by huge airline companies. While your travel lunch box from the first part of this text will help you survive the flight (if they let your eat it on the plane), you will have to be rational with your personal belongings. Every item that exceeds the proscribed weight limit is charged quite a lot. That is why you should bring only the most necessary hygiene accessories with you. It goes without saying that a toothbrush, toothpaste and a shower gel are must-bring items. In addition to them, you should always have your electric shaver with you, especially if you are going on a business trip. Also, make sure that you bring the best condoms for maximum protect when on a tourist travel or business trip.



Eclectic clothes choice
When it comes to clothes, you have to prepare yourself for all the potential weather changes. There always has to be place in your suitcase for a raincoat or a jacket with a similar function. Beside the jacket, always bear in mind that temperatures can drop overnight even if you are going to Sahara (especially there) and always pack a couple of pairs of socks. If it is still an in-between period, such as the months of March or October, always bring a warmer jacket when travelling to areas with four seasons. Also, never forget to take one pair of sneakers with you, because long tourist walks in shoes can cause severe troubles in form of blisters and swollen feet.

Becoming an experienced traveler is a long-lasting process. After dozens of trips, you will have more knowledge and experience. Now, at the beginning of the travel part of your life, obey these tips to make your first couple of trips smooth and comfortable. Later you will acquire new travel habits and develop your own travel strategy.

Dan Radak is a Cloud Computing security professional. Currently employed as a consultant in couple of Web Hosting companies. Lately, he has been interested in web design. In his free time he likes travelling. You can reach him on Twitter.