A Better
Wedding without Breaking Your Budget.
A wedding will probably cost the happy couple
and their parents more than they expect, even if
they’re used to sticking to a budget.
There are so many things which have to be paid
for!
I’ve put together some tips to help you keep
control of your spending. Otherwise, you will
start your life as a married couple with a financial hangover that it
could take months or even years to recover from.
I can almost guarantee that your expenses will be more than you
thought. It’s like a “Parkinson’s Law” for Weddings; instead of “work
expands to fill the available time”, you get “expenses grow to
swallow the available budget!”.
Your Budget.
1] Decide what you must have, list what you would like to have and
be ruthless about trimming what you can do without.
2] Never assume that anyone will give you some money or pay for
a particular item or service. Ask them, if you feel that is
appropriate. Otherwise, plan to cover it yourself.
3] Keep talking to everyone. Even when someone has committed to
paying for something, keep in touch. Remember that people’s
circumstances may change rapidly through an accident, a change in
their employment, unexpected medical expenses or just a change in
of their priorities. Keep in touch, and try to be as understanding as
possible if they cannot fulfill their promise.
4] Some people put conditions on their “help”. That might be to add
more people to your already bulging guest list or to sing at the
reception. You must decide with your partner how important the
financial contribution is to your budget and whether you will
accommodate the “request”, and possibly disappoint other people,
gently insist that the help is unconditional or decline the gift.
5] You, or your parents, may consider getting a loan to cover some
major wedding expenses. This is a personal decision which I can’t
advise about.
I suggest that whoever is looking at this option, consider the long-
term effects:
1) Will this extra burden put a strain on your other financial
goals?
2) Will this debt put a strain on your relationship with each other
or your parents as you start married life?.
3) Can you comfortably meet the repayments?
4) Have you compared loan options, read all the fine print and
selected the best terms available?
5) How really important is the loan to making your wedding day
a happy one?
Stick with Your Plan
It’s not unusual for people, especially the bride, to start thinking of
alternatives to the previously agreed food, venue and other
arrangements just a few weeks before the big day.
Please stick with the original plan unless there really are pressing
concerns that make some change necessary.
Otherwise, you’ll have extra and probably un-necessary worry for
your family and other guests as well as inflated expenses for
The service providers won’t mind because their contracts will
provide for extra charges be added to your bill. They will usually be
much more than you expect.
Get Family and Friends to Help
You may have the answer to reducing some major wedding
expenses in your own, or a relative’s, back yard.
Ask them if they will provide their:
〈 Garden for the wedding or home for the reception
〈 Catering skill
〈 Dressmaking.
〈 Printing
〈 Transport for the bridal party on the wedding day, or to get
fly-in guests to and from the airport.
You might suggest this as their gift for your wedding.
Don’t forget to thank them publicly and privately.
Keep in touch with them so you will know if, for any reason, they
cannot fulfill the commitment in time for you to make other
arrangements.
Your female relatives and, maybe, close friends might have a
gathering to produce food or decorations for the reception. That
could be a great help for your budget and theirs if you do that
instead of having another shower.
Some might be able and willing to provide flowers for the reception,
church or bride and bridesmaids.
Some keen gardeners may not want to cut off the flowers and some
of the foliage, especially if they are preparing for a Flower Show or
just want to enjoy the flowers later themselves. Then, they might
prefer to loan you the plants in pots.
Dollar Saving Decorations
If you and your friends are making some or all of your decorations,
the two words to keep in mind are simple and strong. Then, if
something is bent but not broken, it can probably be refurbished by
willing but unskilled hands on the spot instead of having to be
discarded.
Confetti is frowned on or completely banned at many venues
because it becomes unsightly and can require serious effort to
remove from clothing and the venues. Be sure to enquire before
providing it.
Some people provide small bags of rice or seeds. The birds in the
area would definitely be better off if you do not use rice. Use
birdseed and the birds will happily do most of the clearing away for
you.
Don’t be afraid to use quality fake plants for decorations, especially
when real ones are hard to get or simply too expensive.
Balloons are an easy and inexpensive decoration accessory. Buy
them in bulk packs rather than the small supermarket size for big
savings.
Match the colors to your theme. Get a couple of plastic pumps –
blowing them up by mouth can be exhausting and is now regarded
as unhygienic by Doctors.
Warning: balloons should never be given to small children who are
not well supervised and no-one should put a balloon near anyone’s
face – there are people injured frequently, especially when a balloon
breaks and a piece lodges in their eye. If a piece gets into a child’s
throat, it can be fatal.
Dress up your simple and inexpensive decorations with a monogram
using the bride and groom’s names or initials.
Select the lettering and font on your word processor, choose a large
size and just print an outline on thin card.
Then, cut out the letters
to make your stencil(s).
If you have a lot of items to decorate, put some adhesive plastic,
usually used to protect school book covers, over the cardboard
before you cut out your stencils so that they will last the whole job.
Also, make some extra stencils so that you have enough without
having to set up the computer again.
Surviving the Engagement!
At this point, you have to deal with some issues which affect
each step in the journey to your actual wedding:
Finances: There is a cost attached to each part of the journey and
the wedding itself. On top of everything else you have to contend
with, it’s very important to keep your available funds in mind.
It would be a bad mistake to splurge on your dream wedding to the
extent that you are both consigned to a financial nightmare at the
start of your
marriage.
Another important financial consideration is to be aware that the
other people involved, family and friends, may have limited finances
but feel obligated to meet any requests or arrangements you make.
Don’t put an unreasonable burden on them.
Schedule: Almost everything will take longer than you might
anticipate. I’ll give you a list of important milestones to plug into
your personal calendar. Because everybody’s situation and
obligations are different, you’ll need to adjust it to fit you.
Health: It’s obvious that there will be demands on your physical
and emotional strength above what you’re probably used to. So, it’s
a good idea to get a full physical check early on and make sure that
you eat well and exercise to help you cope with all of it.
Plan for Your Perfect Wedding!!!
Preparing for your wedding is like taking on another job.
Reduce the impact on your normal life by writing out a schedule of
the important things which you must keep aware of.
Keep this list handy and refer to it when needed. You may need to
adjust it to fit your situation and perhaps discard or add some
items. But, it’s fairly comprehensive.
If the list seems overwhelming, don’t panic! Almost everything
here is covered in the later chapters. When you’ve read them, you
will be well prepared and, I hope, looking forward to the adventure.
I’ve put the list here as a memory aid. That doesn’t mean you’ll be
able to recite the list without looking at the page – that’s not
required.
If you read through it a couple of times, you will impress it on your
subconscious which should help eliminate the possibility that you
will overlook any important steps – your subconscious will pop the
right items into your conscious mind when needed.
Tell your families. If they’re very traditional, then the future
husband might ask his prospective father-in-law first.
You also need to work out who will pay for the event, the other
associated expenses and whether you will pay or assist with the
costs, like accommodation, travel etc., of members of the bridal
party or any special relatives who might not have the funds to be
able to attend.
Then, tell your friends and announce it through the local newspaper
(not compulsory).
Set a date for the wedding!!!.
Decide where you will be married and where you want to have the
reception. Popular venues are often booked far in advance.
Contact any relatives and friends who might have to travel a
considerable distance to the event as soon as possible after booking
the venues.
Decide where you will have your honeymoon and start checking the
travel brochures and legal requirements, if any. Find out if you need
passports or other documentation and, if so, start the process.
Pack your luggage carefully, including you carry-on luggage, to
minimize delays at airports or when embarking on a cruise.
Check well in advance about any import restrictions which might
affect you in countries that you plan to visit.
You must sort out between you who you want to have fill the other
roles in your wedding party and contact them to see if they accept
and are available.
Start planning what the bridal party will wear – six months out is
not too early to order your wedding dress.
Let your mothers decide between themselves what they will wear.
If you will have a bridal registry, start visiting those stores which
have the items you want and your guests are likely to be able to
afford.
Start sorting out your guest list. You’ll probably involve your parents
but you should have the final say.
Order your wedding stationery; invitations, place cards and
whatever else you want.
Decide whether you will hire a wedding planner or organize and
supervise all the preparations yourself. Some couples do most of
the work themselves but bring in professional help close to the
event so they can concentrate on the personal aspects of the
arrangements, including keeping in contact with relatives that might
be flying in, attending pre-wedding events and keeping the peace
between the bride’s family and the groom’s family.
If you are not using a
wedding planner, get firm quotes from
different suppliers and then make your decisions and bookings as
soon as possible. Your MC (if you decide to have one), musicians or
other entertainers, photographer, hire car provider, minister or
celebrant and caterer need to be confirmed at least a month before
the event and probably much earlier.
Of course, you may have friends or relatives providing some of the
services. If so, it’s probably even more important that you keep in
touch and can be confident that they’ll be able to fulfill their role on
the big day.
Choose and order your wedding cake, table decorations and
balloons etc.
When the members of your wedding party have confirmed, you can
discuss and then decide on what they will wear on the day.
You can also decide what small gifts you will give the bridesmaids
and groomsmen and buy them.
Mail the invitations. Yes, email is all-pervasive and very fast, but it’s
not always reliable. You can suggest that people confirm by email
and also follow up with those that you do not hear from.
Check for the regulatory requirements you need to meet. As well as
the marriage license, you need to know whether blood tests are
required, how long it will take for the license to be issued and any
waiting period required between getting the license and having the
Wedding!!!
Reserve accommodation for guests or confirm that they made their
own arrangements. Make sure they understand whether you or they
are responsible for payment.
Start a list of gifts you get. This is much easier to do on your
computer than with paper and pen.
Print or write your thank you notes. Send them soon after the gift
arrives.
Open and check that the gift has not suffered any damage in
transit.
Start filling in and submitting the necessary forms to get the bride’s
new name on her licenses and other official documentation.
Pack your honeymoon clothing. Keep in mind the strict airport
security regulations to minimize stress and delays.
Make sure that you have enough clothing and accessories for the
last week leading up to the wedding without the stuff you’ve packed
for the honeymoon.
Confirm with your caterer, the exact number of guests that you will
have. They will also want to know about any special dietary
requirements or other important issues as early as possible.
Sort out where the guests will sit. Discuss this with your partner and
your parents.
Arrange your appointments with the beautician and hairdresser. You
might want to confirm appointments for the bridesmaids too.
Choose and buy the wedding ring(s). Store
them safely and make sure they’re delivered to
the wedding venue on the big day.
Setting up the
Bridal Party!!!
After selecting the person they want to marry, many brides next
biggest problem can be assigning the formal bridal party titles and
duties among her family and close friends.
You’re often faced with more good choices than slots to fill or you
may not have enough people to fill your list.
But, remember that asking someone to fill one of those slots is not
doing them a favor; everyone will have responsibilities and all of
them will need to be capable of contributing real effort to making
the whole event a success.
You haven’t got much choice with your parents but you need to give
careful thought about who you ask to fill the other slots.
You need to be sure that each friend or family member can be relied
on to produce and also has the time and financial resources, so that
the costs involved will not be a burden to them.
The Maid or Matron of Honor
The Maid or Matron of Honor is the most prestigious position, after
the parents of the bride and groom. It’s also a lot of work, including
helping with the invitations and checking out possible suppliers. But,
I know of a few families where someone was very hurt that they
were not asked by their sibling to fill that coveted position.
The solution, many times, is simply to have two of them, provided
that both people have the qualities needed to do the duties and give
real support to you through the whole adventure. That can be sold,
if necessary, by mentioning the fact that there’s plenty of things for
the two of them to do and so, it might be too much too ask of one,
however loyal a friend.
If there is no-one you want who is available for a particular slot,
think about offering to someone of the opposite gender.
Be realistic about your size and your shape.
Choose a color and shade which complements your natural look.
Avoid anything which will reduce your
enjoyment of your big day. Tight but stylish
shoes may be okay just for a photo shoot but
switch them for something which will caress
and support your feet while you are dancing
with your new husband or trying to avoid his
uncle's clomping feet during the next dance.
Your dress should catch the eye but not constrict you from moving
around or being able to eat some of those special snacks which
you’ve been looking forward to since you ordered them from the
caterer.
Keep your make-up to a tasteful minimum.
If someone offers you a miracle wrinkle reducer cream be very
careful. One treatment which has been used for years by make-up
artists was developed to reduce hemorrhoids! It is claimed to have
some effect over time but there’s a big downside. Some doctors say
that the cream may reduce the natural elasticity of the skin. That
might give you a papery complexion like a real smooth sheet of
paper.
The Bridesmaids!!!
There’s a lot more that your girlfriends who accept your invitation to
be your bridesmaids contribute to the wedding day and your whole
experience than just their company, laughter and gifts.
It’s not just the money and time they give to help make your day a
raging success, they may help with checking possible suppliers and
hosting as well as attending your showers and other prenuptial
events and helping you to perk up when the load gets a bit heavy.
So, you owe them!
Remember that when you are about to choose a dress in a very
expensive fabric that some of them might not be able to buy
enough to make an apron, let alone a complete outfit.
Tone down your spending to what is likely to suit their pockets too.
You can put the money you didn’t spend into your reserve cushion
or perhaps use it to help with some of their travel or
accommodation costs, if you’re not already picking up the tab.
Here’s a few other suggestions to help them help you and keep the
costs in check:
Dress Sense: Choose a style which will suit them or, if they vary
markedly in size and shape, settle on a color and ask them to get a
dress in that shade but to choose a style which suits them.
Make sure that you choose a color which is hard to duplicate in any
reasonably-priced type of fabric.
Don’t just discuss your needs and the progress with your wedding
when they are around.
Ask them about their careers and conquests and the other interests
you all shared B.T.E. (Before The Engagement).
If you’ve got a few spare dollars, get some simple but classy jewelry
for your bridesmaids to wear and keep as a memento.
The Receiving Line
A traditional way of ensuring that every guest gets at least a few
seconds to personally wish the happy couple well and speak a few
hurried words to the happy couple’s parents.
But, it also tends to drag for the guests who are waiting to get to
the bridal party. They have only the people on either side of them in
the line and that’s often two people that they have already been
sharing a table with for some time.
Maybe it’s time for the line to be erased.
Bring in the Professionals.!!!
You might not need all the services which I’ll cover here but what
you save in dollars or pounds may not compensate for the extra
effort, time and stress, accurately termed “sweat equity” that you
will have to expend as a substitute.
You can keep some of your expenses in check by using your
“personal network” to find people that can make your wedding cake,
table decorations or even provide classy vehicles to transport the
bridal party on the wedding day.
But, don’t expect to get everything for free. Offer to cover any out
of pocket expenses (such as gas). Don’t forget to seek them out
during the reception and chat. Then, make sure that you give them
a quality token of your appreciation along with your sincere thanks.
Wedding Planner
If you’ve got just a minute budget then you and, perhaps, family
and friends will have to do all the planning (with my help, of
course).
If you have the funds, then you might find the professional planner
will not just save you more than she charges, but will also act as a
buffer where there is disagreement between you and one or more of
your parents about some part of the arrangements.
You can hire a planner to take charge from the earliest stage or just
come in a few days before the event to make sure everything comes
to a memorable and joyous conclusion. Even if you go for the
second, less expensive option, you will still need to book them much
earlier, of course.
When the planner is in charge of most of the arrangements, she can
get professional discounts from suppliers which means that your
costs are lower. You might get discounts from some suppliers by
yourself but they give planners who provide them with steady
business much better ones.
She also only deals with suppliers that she knows are reliable and
high quality.
Remember that any good planner will provide you with choices but
always be focused on helping you to achieve the type of wedding
that you want. She will explain what can be provided within your
budget, suggest alternatives in design, location and other aspects
but always leave the final decisions to you.
Wedding Planners build their businesses through referrals. So, their
focus is over-delivering on your usually very high expectations.
Don’t want a Professional Planner?
You can call on friends, colleagues and, especially, family to help
you with advice and also the leg-work involved in checking on
venues and suppliers.
Many people will also have contacts that may be able and willing to
supply some services for your wedding. At the very least, their
feedback about suppliers they have used could save you a lot of leg
work and time.
Photographer
There are many commercial photographers to choose from when
looking for someone to take photos or a video of your wedding and
reception. It’s a very competitive market but price is just one
important factor you have to consider.
You need to look past the specially chosen pictures that the
photographer puts on his brochure or website. The best idea is to
ask to see a full set of proofs from one of the weddings which he
photographed.
Ask for references and check through your own friends about their
recommendations. Be prepared for some horror stories and some
glowing testimonials.
Make sure that the photographer whose pictures you’ve seen is
actually the one who will be at your wedding. But, if it’s a one
person business, ensure that they have someone with similar
abilities who is able to step in if they are not available at short
notice.
As with each of the other suppliers, you must expect to pay for any
additional services or features.
Make sure you have the cost for the whole package, including
albums, in writing before signing the contract. At that point, you are
legally committed and any additions or changes could be very
expensive.
Most photographers will proudly display their membership
certificates for the appropriate professional associations. But, a
photographer may still produce work of a very high standard and
not be a member of any association. And, membership or even
having won awards, is no guarantee of a good result – check their
recent work.
Don’t expect “Hollywood” standard results. Those pictures are
produced by experts with a supporting team of qualified
professionals and in highly controlled environments. One picture
might take an hour to set up and then undergo significant
retouching later on.
Time is another important consideration.!!!
If you want the best possible pictures, set enough time into your wedding day schedule for the photographer to arrange and shoot the pictures at the
various locations.
Don’t let the photographer tie up your guests for long periods – they
want to enjoy the function, to eat the food and mingle. Also, people
that are not used to being posed and directed get irritable fairly
quickly unless very carefully handled.
Tell him what you want but be guided by his suggestions where
they concern technical details.
You want a photographer that you like enough to be comfortable
around through the big day and one that will get along well with
your guests. You can’t always avoid inviting your less pleasant
relatives to your wedding but you’ve got more control over choosing
the photographer.
Tell the photographer about any particular shots that you want,
especially groups containing special family members and/or friends,
and encourage them to take lots of pictures.
They will probably have a good knowledge of the venue you chose.
If they say that there are no good backgrounds for some shots,
work with them so that you get the best possible results.
All the above will apply when you hire someone to produce a video
of your big day.
Give them a list of the particular moments that you want covered.
Don’t want a Professional Photographer?
Even when you hire a professional, encourage your guests to take
their own pictures (without interfering with the photographer when
he is setting up or shooting).
Think carefully before you decide not to use a professional.
Then, try to find someone you know who has photographed
weddings before and got good results. It’s too important an
occasion to risk ending up with no good pictures.
Make one person your designated photographer and give them a list
of the shots which you want.
Give them time to set up their equipment and the groups to be
photographed. But, don’t let any photographer run your whole
schedule or harass your guests.
Set the locations for the special group shots.
Give the people that you want in them at least a few minutes notice
so that nobody pops out for a cigarette or is hurrying off to the
toilet when they’re needed.
Everybody knows that the best pictures have everyone looking at
the camera but it is worth reminding your guests just before they
are photographed, so that you aren’t left with an album full of
apparently sleepy or distracted people.
Some amateur videographers like to add a lot of flashy effects to
their movies. Ask that they first give you an unedited version for
you to keep.
Videographer!!!
Weddings can be a profitable area for Videographers but it takes
experience and attention to detail to get good results.
Unfortunately, some people see wedding videography as a quick
way to earn some money from their new video camera, maybe so
they can buy a better one.
So, you’re likely to have to sort through a lot of wannabes to find
someone with some good references which you can check and then
you need to discuss the fee.
Arrange to talk with the videographer that you are considering and
ask them for references and also to let you see a full video from
someone else’s wedding.
If they cannot or will not supply a full wedding for your review and
to return or even just watch in their premises, but want you to just
look at selected short clips, my advice is to keep looking.
Ask how many people and cameras will be used. A good craftsman
or woman can produce an enjoyable result with just one camera and
operator but two cameras give many more possibilities (and cost
more too, of course).
If the film will be edited, check whether you can also get a copy of
the raw footage for your own viewing. A professional probably won’t
agree to just supplying the raw footage because they would not
want it distributed – it might reflect on their professional reputation.
But, supplying an unedited copy might be agreed to provided you
confirm that it won’t be shown outside of your own home.
It’s a good idea to get a volunteer to stay near the videographer
while they are at the venue to smooth their way with the other
guests so they can concentrate on giving you the best possible
video memories.
Give them a list of the main people at your wedding and reception
along with a clearly marked map and all the relevant people’s
mobile phone numbers.
Don’t want a Professional Videographer?
The potential for disappointment with an amateur video of your
wedding is like that with amateur photography but multiplied a few
times.
That’s because the technology is still fairly new but the price of a
reasonable camera has dropped to where almost anyone can get
one, just in time for your wedding.
Where a professional will try to make a story from your wedding
and reception, many amateurs will be prone to trying every feature
which they can find on their camera.
They may not have conquered those common beginner problems of
shake and external unwanted noise like wind or irrelevant
conversation.
That can be significantly reduced by using an external directional
microphone with a wind cover.
It’s a good idea to use quality lapel microphones to record the
speeches onto the video.
Careful editing will improve most amateur videos but it is like
anything else; start with the best original that you can to get the
best results.
The bottom line is that you get just one chance to get it right.
Master of Ceremonies
A professional MC can make an event memorable and the worst
speaker look good.
But, it’s an extra expense and many couples are choosing to get a
DJ and rely on a male relative to introduce the special guests,
speakers and anything else that is required.
They’ll discuss with you before the event any particular people you
want them to mention and subjects that might unwittingly cause
discomfort to any of the guests.
Give them the times that your reception will start and finish as well
as when you want them to begin their presentation, plus any
relevant information about the minister or celebrant, special guests
and the people who will do the actual speeches and any musicians
or other entertainers who will perform at your reception.
Then, just leave them to it.
Don’t want a Professional Master of Ceremonies?
You should try to find someone with some speaking experience or,
at least, someone that you know will prepare for the occasion.
There is no such thing as a great impromptu speech. A friend who is
a professional speaker said that the most valuable advice he ever
got was to practice everything, including his ad-libs (impromptu
remarks).
If the professionals don’t risk making a real off-the-cuff joke, then
the risk of someone with much less experience seeing his joke fall
flat or, even worse, seriously offending a guest or group, you can
see that preparation is essential.
The other point to be aware of with an amateur MC is for them to
avoid making a speech themselves. They’re needed to provide a
smooth connection between the bride’s father, the groom and best
man (or whatever speakers you have) and help the audience to get
maximum enjoyment possible from each one.
All speakers need to rehearse their speeches. But, remind them that
they’re going to be among friends and you just want a few sincere
words from their heart, not a stunning piece of oratory.
Your Caterer!!!
You should do some serious investigating of your catering options before
settling on the caterer or venue. Some venues have in-house
catering which may give you a better price than if you hire a venue
and arrange an outside caterer who has to bring in their equipment,
staff and supplies, then pack up everything afterwards.
Of course, deciding to use a specialist caterer will give you a wider
range of food options and some may cost less than the in-house
catering.
Focus on the sort of food which you both like and also your families,
but be aware of the likely preferences of your guests, especially any
from different cultures and the elderly.
This is an area where you are unlikely to get more than you pay for.
Catering is fiercely competitive and costs are steadily increasing.
The best recommendation is word of mouth from friends, colleagues
and people in other businesses you deal with. You could ask the
people that organize your office’s Christmas party or the people at
any other reasonable-sized business you deal with who caters for
their functions and what they like or don’t like about them.
You need to be sure that you won’t be let down on the day, so
inquire what provision the caterer has if there is a problem with the
number of their regular staff available for your event.
Don’t just go for the caterer with the most eye-catching or largest
advertisement in your phone book. You might find out that eating
the Yellow Pages would have been better!
Don’t want a Professional Caterer?
If members of your family
really want to prepare the food for you,
tell them up front that they will have a lot to do and you won’t be
able to help much because of the rest of your commitments.
But, if they’re determined to go ahead, then give them what support
you can and be mindful of this major contribution to your wedding
when you’re thinking about asking them to help with other
preparations.
There can be problems too if someone, like your mother or favorite
aunt, offers to make your wedding cake for you.
Preparing a wedding cake really is a major project, requiring a lot of
effort and time.
But, if your budget is very limited, thank them and keep an eye on
their progress so that you don’t become cake-deprived at the last
minute.
The easier option all-round might be to use a professional caterer
and ask the generous relative to maybe take part in the reception or
give a reading during the wedding itself.
The Right Cake for the Occasion
Whatever your choice of cake maker, I strongly recommend that
you stick with one proven tradition, have your wedding cake made
with fruit cake and not some other type.
Fruit cake may not be your favorite but a well-prepared one will
probably remain edible for longer than most other kinds. Even after
being frozen and revived, it will still taste okay!
You can’t expect a fruit cake to stand up to being dropped even a
few inches but you could send a piece around the world without its
flavor or appearance being seriously affected.
But, please don’t send any fruit cake or any other food to someone
in another country or even another state without first carefully
checking if you might be breaking their quarantine regulations.
If you do get a home-made cake, be very careful about who you ask
to deliver it to the reception. They are very delicate and need to be
well-wrapped, then transported on the floor of the car.
Don’t put the cake on a seat or shelf, even if it is in a well-padded
box. If it falls or even just tips over, major irreparable damage will
probably result.
Leave the final assembly of the upper tiers and decorations until it’s
safely on the table at your reception venue.
stay Smart, stay Beautiful!!!
