The Fever - NJ Wedding Band

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How to Handle "B List" Wedding Guest Invites

Image courtesy: CelebrateIntimateWeddings.Wordpress.com

The wedding guest list can make for some excitement, yet also present a potentially awkward scenario. If you're paying for your own wedding, then you probably have the mindset that you can't invite everyone you'd like to because your budget limits you to a set number of plates.

If your parents and/or in-laws have offered to kick in, then you'll likely feel obligated to invite people who are important to them. Or, they may have a long list of people they want to invite, whom they also offer to cover the plates for.

Therefore, some people who you might enjoy seeing at your wedding, such as coworkers, or friends you've fallen a bit out of touch with, may not make the wedding guest list. You may see these people around the office, on Facebook, or wherever else your friends and relations tend to gather, and feel a little sad about this.

Remember that all is not lost. As it turns out, some of the people who you had initially invited may not be able to come after all. Parents often invite folks from the older generation, who are often not in the best of health or may not feel comfortable traveling a long way to be at your wedding.

That said, come the time when responses begin arriving in your mailbox... you will probably have a bunch of spots that weren't able to be filled. Said another way... you anticipated 150 guests for example, but now only 122 are actually coming.

Should you go ahead on last-minute notice, and invite some folks who didn't make the first cut? Or should you just sally forth with the number of wedding guests that remains?

You, and only you, will be able to ascertain whether your B-list wedding guests will be more annoyed to a. be invited after the fact, or b. not invited at all. You never can tell what will offend, or not offend, some folks.

I realize not everyone is like me, but my instinct is to just take a chance and invite them. In fact this has happened to me on a few occasions – someone's Aunt Edna fell ill; I got the last-minute phone call. A friend's wedding date decided to ditch them; I was summoned to sub in. In both cases, I didn't mind at all that I was being asked late, and had a great time.

In another instance, an old friend of mine was in NJ making ready to be in the bridal party of a girl we both knew from college. I actually showed up to hang out at the hotel, even though I was not invited to the wedding. No one seemed to mind! This is how my people tend to be: laid-back and easygoing.

If you feel pretty confident that the B-list wedding invite wouldn't put the final nail in the coffin of your waning friendship, then pick up the phone or send that email. Be honest: "Hey, we weren't able to invite some of the people we really wanted to because we have a big family. Some people we did invite weren't able to make it. We were hoping you wouldn't mind being asked late."

Or, if you feel it isn't THAT late... just send them an invite with no explanation or apology! Etiquette i.e. respect for other people's busy lives, dictates that you should send out your wedding invitations a month and a half in advance. But even if the wedding is only 3 weeks away... if you've got tables to fill, why not just print out more.

The only way you'll never know how much fun you could have had with ALL your favorite people... is to not invite them. So for shit's sake... just invite them!

Halloween Wedding Ideas - Our Favorite Pics!

Love the idea of having a Halloween wedding but keeping it classy as they say. Here are my personal favorites from around the web! Hopefully it wouldn't cost too much to DIY many of these great ideas. I tried to select ones that you could easily replicate with a few craft store purchases and some helping hands.

Utterly Bewitching: wicked-cool witch tights peeking out from beneath
the white bride gown! Pics courtesy blog.jilljohnsonphotography.com

Mason jars, candles, candy corns and marigolds create a rustic
autumn and/or Halloween wedding centerpiece.
Pic courtesty of theinspiredroom.net

Jack O' Lantern props: just a touch of spooky on your Halloween wedding day.
Note the antique looking jewel accents on her bridal gown as well. Pic courtesy Pinterest.

Bride and groom carving on jack o' lantern... nice Halloween wedding detail!
Pic courtesy of imgfave.com

Cute! Hay bales and new last name carved on pumpkins carries through a fun fall
theme at the head table. Pic courtesy of bravobride.com

Pumpkin patch pucker-up... photo from linczakphoto.com

In love with the look of this rustic fall wedding! Found on 2.bp.blogspot.com

Ever Attend a Masquerade Wedding?

With Halloween around the corner, we thought we'd shout out to anyone who may have had (or attended) a masquerade wedding.

Did you marry on Halloween, and require guests to show up in costume? What about you and your husband... did you dress in matching period costumes or some other themed duo?

This handmade "save the date" keepsake gives guests a heads-up for your masquerade wedding. Available for custom order on Etsy.com

A friend of mine attended a masquerade wedding and said it was lots of fun. I myself never have, but I think it's an interesting wedding topic to explore.

Post your pics to our Facebook page, or email your story to info@njweddingonabudget.com.

Earn a Little Extra Cash for Your Wedding - Take Online Consumer Surveys

Bored at work? Out of work? Hoping to sock away a bit of bank for that NJ wedding of your dreams? Vindale Research is a legitimate consumer survey company that pays cash to members each time they take a survey or participate in a study conducted by their clients and partner companies.

Just a few ways to make money online:

Get paid to share your purchasing habits via online surveys
Get paid to share your opinion on new products
Get paid to review video and print advertisements for major brands
Get paid to click online advertisements
Get paid to refer your friends and associates to sign up with Vindale

There is no fee to become a Vindale member. You must accumulate at least $50 in paid surveys/other types of studies in order to receive a check. Spend a half hour a day on the site... you'd be surprised how quickly your balance will add up!

Vindale also provides an ongoing list of printable coupons on popular brands of products. Print them out before you head out for groceries or to your local Walmart or Target, and enjoy the savings just for signing up.

Try it out for yourself! You've got nothing to lose... and every little bit counts toward that NJ wedding of your dreams.