Cheers!

Expat Woman

I think it would be cute to use one of our chalkboards for a special bar sign showing how to say "cheers" or "to your health" in different languages- particularly languages we've studied or that we've heard in our travels.


French - A votre sante 
German - Prost
Irish - Sláinte
Spanish - Salud


I loved saying, "sláinte" when my friends and I toasted during my study abroad trip to Ireland.  I'm not sure if I'm actually going to have room for anything else on our bar after I've ordered napkins, made drink flags, and made a chalkboard menu listing the beverage choices, but I still like my idea :)

Time to Slash the Budget: UPDATED

For a while there, my nightly habit was signing on to the Knot and zeroing out my budget.

After putting in the estimates we've gotten so far, we're more than $3,000 over budget.

Time to slash!

- On Monday, I will be calling some alternative florists to set up meetings. The florists I met with will be e-mailing me an itemized lists. My mental plan right now is to have a pro do the personal flowers and ceremony arrangements and to DIY the reception centerpieces using a $200 gift card for Growers Box that I won in a blog contest.

- I will also be e-mailing my Mary Kay consultant to find out how much she charges for wedding day make-up.

- I may be looking for an easy hairstyle I can DIY/have a friend do for me.

- I don't know if we'll be able to afford favor boxes. Might just have to do old-school escort cards. Would not be the end of the world because our guests are already getting tons of dessert!

- Speaking of the tons of dessert, I think it will be much more affordable if THAT's all DIY as well, so I'm going to ask my caterer for an updated budget without the mini desserts.

- Cut the champagne toast. Champagne isn't very tasty; our guests can toast with whatever liquids are in their hands at the time.

- Just realized we can register for some things, like toasting flutes and a cake serving set, and even cake stands for the dessert buffet! Although I guess we don't really need toasting flutes if we're nixing champagne... maybe we could have special wine glasses? My BM Penguin kind of specializes in DIY frosted/bejeweled glass. Otherwise, check out these Crate and Barrel toasting flutes under $3; super modern platinum stemmed glassware or etched floral glassware for $3.48-$9 from Pier1.

- DIY enclosure cards and thank-you notes (picture postcards are cuter than plain ol' matchy-matchy notecards anyway, right?)

ETA: The dress shop called this week and I now have to add $80 to the cost of my dress to have it rushed. Otherwise, it would arrive... the last week of June. My wedding is in July. Clearly, the folks at the bridal salon have not been reading this blog.