Wedding Wednesdays: Budget Worthy Details

If you're planning to spend a little more on certain wedding details, these are the ones you want to do it for. Skip the ones that go unnoticed - like custom postage stamps or hors d'oeuvre toothpicks. Beyond the basics, like your dress and flowers of course, budget for these exceptional details that will have your guests gawking!

Draping

This is a pricey detail, but after you've draped your reception space, you won't even be able to tell it's the same room. The technique works for indoor and outdoor spaces, creating an intimate vibe beneath an open-air tent or lend some serious drama to an already cozy dining room. For an extra dramatic look, drape the reception entryway with gauzy white fabric or deep-red curtains.

Special Entertainment

Sometimes the best parts of a reception are the elements guests don't see coming. Surprise them with a jazz trio or a Spanish guitar player. To get the party going during the cocktail hour, hire a mariachi group, a bluegrass band or even an acapella group to perform some seriously memorable melodies. Take it to the next level with a marching band that leads them all from the ceremony to the reception on foot! It would be hard to top something like that!

Welcome Bags

I love the use of 90's hip-hop tied to the romanticism of a wedding with this welcome bag! You can make it really represent you as a couple by filling baskets or canvas totes with water bottles, wine or locally brewed beer, something salty, something sweet and a piece of fruit and other personal touches. Don't forget to include a welcome letter as well as a detailed itinerary for where the guest needs to be and when. Leave the whole thing with the hotel concierge for guests to pick up when they check in. And be sure to provide maps and lists of local restaurants, museums and other attractions in case they want to explore on their own. Make it even cooler and more memorable by hiring a videographer to create a welcome video of the two of you venturing around the city showcasing all your favorite places!

A Romantic Lounge Area

Pull on some heartstrings by creating a little romantic lounge area. Who knows, maybe some lucky ones will fall in love at your wedding! Look into renting couches, chairs and other furniture that you can then stage with pillows and votive candles in your wedding colors. It's the perfect way to involve everyone in the party even when they're resting. Really want to wow your guests? Close off the area with curtains, draping and special lighting to create a VIP vibe.

Ceremony Décor

First impressions matter. A personalized ceremony space will make your guests feel at home immediately and surrounded by your love. If you're having an outdoor summer wedding, hang orchid leis, colorful ribbon streamers or sun-catching glass ornaments on surrounding trees. For church nuptials, have your florist create arrangements for the pews as well as the door. If you're a thrifty bride, all of these arrangements can be reused at the reception on the tables, at the bar and in the bathrooms. If you want an upgrade, ask your florist to cover a canopy with lush flowers and hanging votive candles or blossom-bedecked lanterns to really create focal points. Your guests' jaws will drop.

When planning, just remember to budget for the details that are worthy enough of the "oohs and ahhs" they deserve and devour the details of your one-of-a-kind wedding!