The average wedding costs almost $20,000 (according to a Weddingbells’ survey conducted online in early 2009), but can you afford it?

“After a recession, many couples are thinking twice about spending money on a chocolate fountain and matching table cloths,” said Liz Lunney, senior vice president, Fiduciary Trust Company of Canada, a subsidiary of Franklin Templeton Investments Corp. Here are five ways to save money on your special day:

1. Party after the wedding

The venue and food can be the largest drain on your budget. An option is to go to a vacation destination for a private ceremony with close family and friends. When you return, have a cocktail and hors d’oeuvres party to celebrate.

2. The early bird saves money

Consider booking your wedding in the winter or spring and even on a Friday or Sunday. Avoiding a Saturday in the summer will probably get you the venue you want and save you money.Watch for sales to save on wedding decorations and out-of-season items. A wedding dress on clearance can save you hundreds of dollars.

3. Stick to a VIP list

 Only invite friends and family who are closest to you to keep the numbers low. This can open up the opportunity to have the reception in a cheaper venue like someone’s backyard or at a restaurant.

4. Get creative – ask friends to help

For the personal touch, create your own invitations – it’s a great way to save money too. Keep décor simple and order flowers in advance from a grocery store.

5. Something old…something borrowed…something creative.

Do you really need a brand new cake knife or vases for the flowers? Instead, borrow items from family or friends, or rent what you need. “Ensure that you spend your hard-earned dollars on what matters to you most and put the rest towards your future together. Remember, it’s not so much about the day but the life you’ve planned together,” added Ms. Lunney. More information on how to save for your future is available on websites like www.fiduciarytrust.ca

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It has been a tradition to receive gifts during your wedding. Such gifts may also come from loved ones who were not able to share the wedding event with because of important reasons. One good idea is to have your names registered to shops you want so you can get the gifts you really desire. The probem with not registering for your wedding gifts is that guests would just pick the gifts they think you like for your wedding and you end up not wanting some. It’s not your fault. Here are some steps you can take to fix it.

Know what you want. Tell your family and friends the things you want to get on your wedding day to free yourself from the hassle of exhanging them. Talk it over with your future husband. Your future home can dictate what you still need and these are good wedding gift ideas you can tell your family and friends. There is no fee when you sign up for a gift registry so you can go to as many stores you want to and list the items you want. Keep a list of guests you think will not be able to buy from your gift registry and list down items you have not registered too and send it to them. Always make sure that you do not give your guests the same idea, be specific if they ask you what you want.

It’s okay iif your guest would find out that you have exchanged the gift he or she has given. Just do what you have to do so you get the right items in place. You don’t have to always show the gifts the giver has given you whenever they visit your place. Show how much you appreciate their effort on looking for the right gift for you and let them see the new item you have chosen in exchange for the one they gave you.

Make a tab of the gifts you have replaced. Once this happens, the list is a nice to have so you can give them the right answer about which was their gift and ifyou have them replaced to what item. It’s a fact that one of the guests would ask you where they gift is so looking at your tally will clearly give you the idea on what to tell them. You don’t want to get caught in a web of lies by telling multiple people that you exchanged their gift for the same thing.

Just don’t make the mistake of exchanging it to something you do not like as well. Make sure that when you return something, the item you have chosen will match the price and usefulness of the one you returned. Show the person who gave you the gift you have returned that you have chosen one that will last a lifetime, if not at least a long time.

Even though you spend months ahead planning for your wedding day, everything can still hectic as you try to cram everything into your schedule as the days pass by and your wedding date draws near. Some people are even so caught up in the frenzy that they forget to send out wedding invitations except in the crucial closing weeks. However, with some careful planning ahead, your wedding day can be perfect!

1. Wedding invitations should be sent at least two months before the event. This gives people sufficient time to clear their schedules and begin their hunt for appropriate wedding gifts. However, if you really want to prepare for the smallest of details, then the invitations should go out even much earlier. The invitations themselves should have a note asking guests whether or not they would choose to attend or not (a “save the date” card). This way you can gauge the expected number of persons attending the event. Knowing the estimate gives you a lot of breathing room. It can be rather stressful when you prepared a reception for 200 people when 300 people are expecting dinner.

2. When planning for a wedding, it is always good to prepare in advance. Preparation should also account for allowances. Always have a back-up plan ready in case the rain decides to visit when you planned a sunny garden ceremony. Know local tailors to go to in case the gown or suit has unexpectedly ripped. Also, know where you can get extra dessert in case that item is in demand. Sometimes you might get to use all the extra information, but it will help you immensely in relaxing and focusing on your special day.

3. If you do not want to handle every minute detail, then you should definitely consider looking for and hiring a wedding planner to handle the wedding order of service. A wedding planner would help keep things on track. You should hire only the best when it comes to your wedding plans. This person should be able to visualize and translate your dreams into something tangible. Therefore, interview your married friends and have a bit of research into the market yourself before hiring anyone. Make sure that you interview the wedding planner before entrusting them with the big event.

If you do not trust an outsider or a professional to do the job then entrust the task to a groups of close friends or family. If you decide to go on this route, you would have to either take on an active role yourself or leave one specific person to be in charge. Different people mean different perspectives and opinions so someone needs to mediate. Nevertheless, as long as you plan in advance and make sure that you have ample allowances for errors and mishaps, you will have an excellent wedding order of service and beautiful wedding invitations. It will be organized and ideal.

Few of us have bottomless wallets when it comes to paying for a wedding.  When you are trying to stick to a strict budget for your wedding, it helps to think about the big picture. You need to allot enough money for the things which matter the most to you. Cut corners and trim the budget on all the extra, less important items. The top ten items ways to say money on your wedding is as follows:

1. Avoid Saturday. By choosing an off day, you will avoid paying a premium for services. You might also be able to afford your dream photographer, ideal wedding location or perfect caterer because of your wedding date choice.

2. Trim your guest list by moving your wedding elsewhere (such as a destination wedding.) Or politely explain the wedding is only for close family.

3. Repurpose items in your wedding.  Have your bridesmaid’s place their bouquets on the reception tables as centerpieces or order mini wedding cakes, allowing the confections to act as both a centerpiece and dessert.

4. Go online for everything from RSVPs to bargain shopping. There are many cost saving applications and purchases to be found online. It only requires time.

5. Call in favors from friends and family. Ask if any of them are calligraphers, DJs, aspiring photographers or florists. 

6. Remove the fat from your food choices.  Instead of offering hors d’oeuvres, a sit down meal and an open bar, schedule your wedding between meals. Offer only cake and drinks. Or lighten up on the food, eliminating some of the higher priced items.

7. Turn down the music by forgoing the traditional wedding band or DJ. Create your own wedding soundtrack by choosing music together and burning it on a CD.

8. DIY is for YOU! Creating your own wedding invitations, wedding favors or wedding programs is a simple way to save a lot of money. With today’s high quality DIY kits, all you need is a quality printer and time to create a professional looking piece.

9. Borrow traditionally rented items. Consider using family heirlooms such as candlesticks, wedding accessories or serving ware instead of renting or buying. It also adds a nice personal touch.

10. Elope! The easiest way to save a lot of money on your wedding is to elope. You can still throw a killer party, letting your friends and family celebrate with you but you avoid over  half of the fees related to a formal wedding.

The key to saving money on your wedding is to choose to forgo items which aren’t important to you in the long run. Decide on what you can’t live without and scrutinize everything else in order to save money on your wedding.

The fuel consumption of car inexplicably increase, the engine suddenly does not fire and the effect that wiper scraps washes car is satisfactory and so on, although these matters are not big problems, but the owners still feel headaches. Penelope Cruz even Bought cocktail dresses for Mother! How do you solve these problems? At present, many vehicle owners can not cultivate to pay attention to the car everyday until the car appear problems the owners sent their car to the repair shop or 4s shop for maintenance. What to Buy for Dad? formal dresses ! So the costs of keeping a car increase while the owner is also consumed a lot of time and effort. Actually, car owers can avoid many problems through daily maintenance.wedding flower girl dresses Decide in the Season of Autumn

When you start the car, automotive engine does not work. The start of engine is fired by spark plug promoting by the current of battery. Two reasons may be leading to this problem. First of all, it is probably caused by rusty battery or leaked battery, secondly, it is probably caused by the wet of engine spark plugs in rainy days. Maintenance method: check whether the battery fluid is plenty or not every one or two months. It is proper when the liquid level is between the two lines. At the same time we should also check the level difference in each tank. If the liquid is not enough , you can unscrew the battery lid and pour in distilled water to fill the surface. After that check on the terminal block of the storage battery and use iron bush to sweep the dirt. If the terminal block is badly damaged, use sandpaper to rub along the inside part. If the spark plug is damped it can be out and baked with a lighter, so that the water is as soon as possible evaporated on it.

The noise of exhaust system increases and the exhaust emissions are beyond standard. It is because that exhaust system gases of the engine oxidate under high temperature which lead to the leak of exhaust system. Maintenance method: make regular check on the exhaust system and interfaces( especially the muffer) to see whether they are rusted or not or whether the glue pad is rushed alway. If the exhaust system is broken, go to 4s shop to repair or change parts immediately. Regular check once a year can not only assures that the exhaust system works well but also reduces the pollution from the harmful substances in the exhaust emission.Inexplicable increase in fuel consumption. Cause: There are many reasons for fuel consumption. However, the most common reasons is the owner often overlook to check the tire pressure. The insufficient of tire pressure will not only increases the driving resistance, causing increased fuel consumption, but also affect tire life. Maintenance method: when you drive a car, pay attention to if both tyres are full of air and make regular checks on tyre pressure on tyre pressure. You must remember to check on the spare. In case that when you need to change the tyres urgently, you only find flat tyre. Tyre pressure is higher under high temperature, so it is more accurate to measure the tyre pressure in cold weather and shade. Usually, tyres should be changed position after driving every 10,000 kilometers in case that abrasion level of the tyres is too huge. If you need to replace the badly worn tires, you had better change two or four together, the the same lines cross tire can be replaced before and after. In addition, the line pattern tire will help save fuel.

The Engine performance has obviously decreased with the fuel consumption increased. Cause: this is probably due to a long time not change the oil, oil filter, air filter and fuel filter. So this may cause the fuel inadequate burn and the engine increases carbon deposition. Maintenance means: oil and oil filters can be replaced once about 5,000 km, the air filter and fuel filter can be replaced once every 10,000 km, or air, fuel and oil impurities will cause the parts fray and the oil line is stopped up, thus affecting the normal operation of the engine. Car oil pump is broken. The improper way of pumping the gas may destroy the oil pump. If you often travel in urban areas and more conveniently fuel charging, you must not fuel fill every once, because this may lead to the failure of the oil floats and sensors and oil form is distortion and fuel consumption is increased. So it is proposed that owners fuel charging when oil is exhausted.

Battery is unstable.Reason: Abnormal Changes in the electrolyte will affect the battery performance and reliability. Maintenance: In summer driving, the battery will appeared the overcharging phenomenon and rapid evaporation of electrolyte, plate damaged. Therefore, we should always add the distilled water to the battery; and try your best to avoid the battery is completely discharged, and note whether the electrolyte is freezing or not. The cleaning effect of glass done by wiper scraper is not good. At the same time we should also check the level difference in each tank. If the liquid is not enough , you can unscrew the battery lid and pour in distilled water to fill the surface. Maintenance means: first of all owners need to correct the bad habits by dry scraping. It is best to spray some water first and use the wiper scraper, so that it is benefit to protect the wiper.> Second, the wiper sometimes gives off a gurgling sound, at this time if the wiper blade is complete, then the owners had better to correct wiper angle in the 4s shops. Last, if cars have been parked for a very long time, car owners can put foam barstrip or a piece of wood under the wipers in order to separate the wipers and windshield. The service life of cars will be extended through these methods.