Brides and grooms are facing a tough go in this economy, as are their parents. Although the number of weddings appears to be hardly slowing, attention to budget limitations are now heightened. Typically, couples-to-be seek out the help of family to help cover wedding expenses. Yep, the parents who have typically said “I Do” to funding your dream fairytale wedding are struggling to recover from a recession that has seen a good chunk of their child’s “wedding reserves” wiped out.

Cutting Back on Wedding Costs

With some effort brides, typically the wedding organizers, are finding creative ideas to save on wedding costs. Perhaps the release of doves at the conclusion of the wedding ceremony will go, as might driving away in an exotic sports car (sorry grooms!). Many couples still feel that giving an inexpensive keepsake favour to reception guests is still a must. But how about that wedding budget?

Elegant Yet Cheap Wedding Favour Ideas

Whether you need 20 wedding favours or 300, there are plenty of choices that won’t leaving you feeling cheap! Of course, I’m not suggesting you run out to the nearest dollar store for cheap wedding favors as giveaways that will leave guests saying, “Oh…(long pause)…thanks”. OK, they wouldn’t be obvious but you do want to make a great impression – after all, it’s your wedding. So what are these great ideas? Here’s some great favors – ideal for weddings or as bridal shower favors – that typically sell for under $3.00 Canadian each and their some of my personal favourites at any price!

1. ‘Memories Forever Frosted Glass Photo Coasters Favors (Set of 4)
2. Falling Leaves’ Fall Leaf Photo Coaster (Set of 2)
3. Sand and Shell Tealight Holder
4. ‘Double Happiness’  Bottle Stopper Favor
5. ‘Double Ring Romance’ Photo Frame Favor

Memories Forever Frosted Glass Photo Coasters

Smart Brides Wedding Shop Online

Brides, you don’t have to drag your fiancee away to bomboniere stores to browse for wedding party favours – just bring the laptop to him! Get wedding favour shopping online to see for yourself what’s out there and get great, cheap wedding favours right here in Canada (and you might be doing your parents a “favour”, too!).

Keeping it practical

So often, keepsake favors become merely that: a keepsake that gets thrown into a box where sentimental items are stored unseen and forgotten. When we provide useful and unique favors, however, they become a part of the guest’s household and are so much more. For those that harbor an incredible love for espresso, these favors make grace day-to-day use, but for most they will be used on a special occasion—entirely appropriate given that it was gifted to your guests on a very special day. Even though many only drink espresso on occasion, having those adorable little espresso cups on hand is incredibly practical.

Keeping it original.

With the overwhelming amount of wedding favors in Canada available, finding one that is original may seem daunting. Wedding party favors are so often looked over in the planning process as a last minute detail—all of the attention falling to the bigger elements, such as the dress and the cake. Because your family and friends are likely integral to the success of your relationship and future marriage, it is important to show your appreciation for their support. Your appreciation will resonate through original wedding souvenirs. Your guests will appreciate the thought and the practicality of the gift regardless of whether they are espresso drinkers—as these little souvenirs make great decorative items as well.

Exuding your style.

Wedding party favors may be a giveaway at the end of the wedding, but they can be just as useful in the decorating process as well. Because they come in a variety of colors, espresso cup wedding favours are versatile as decorative table pieces (just make sure your guests understand that they can take them home). Having Mr. and Mrs. espresso cup favours is a fun way to organize your tables, and a variety of styles from an elegant Damask print to a playful contrasted type print will give you flexibility in your coordination of décor to your favors. Having an espresso cup wedding favour at every place setting will give your reception a friendly atmosphere that is conducive to conversation between guests and is a unique style for your special day.

The bonbonniere may not be the focal point of your wedding, but it is certainly an important element of the experience. Coffee themed wedding souvenirs are a great way to address that need and show your appreciation to your friends and family. Love may be what makes the world go round, and adorable espresso cup wedding favours are the perfect reminder.

First, you should plan all celebrations around the future bride and groom, and do your best to ensure that they have a good time. While traditional bachelor and bachelorette parties involve drinking, debauchery and strippers, if the guest of honour (or their fiance!) is not comfortable with these ideas, it is best to avoid them. When it comes to payment, all costs should be covered by those attending the stag or doe night. After all, the future newlyweds will already have spent a lot arranging matters such as personalized wedding favors and the like.

Ideas for unique bachelor parties:

• If the future groom is an avid sports fan, simply go to an upcoming game. To make this event even more exciting, you can book some VIP seating and celebrate the occasion in style.
• For something a bit more casual, you could always play a few rounds of baseball, hockey, football or even curling. Of course, the sport you choose will depend on the groom-to-be.
• Take a road trip to somewhere unusual around Canada or the USA. Just make sure that the journey is as exciting as the destination to make the celebrations even more special.
• Have a poker session at someone’s house or hit the casinos for a night. Gambling is always an enjoyable way to spend an evening with the guys and is a great male bonding experience.

And, here are some memorable bachelorette parties:

• Get pampered with a massage, facial and pedicure at a luxury day spa. There is no better way to prepare the bride-to-be for her wedding than making her feel ten years younger!
• Head out on the town for a night of dancing and revelry. From Vancouver to Ontario, going crazy with some close friends is a great way to celebrate that upcoming marriage.
• Make a booking at the future bride’s favourite restaurant. Wine and dine the night away while you reminisce over the past and look forward to many happy times ahead.
• Act like kids for a day at your local amusement or water park. There is no reason why everyone has to act mature when celebrating an upcoming wedding after all!

If you are Canadian and have hosted or been to any successful bachelor or bachelorette parties in the past, we would love to hear from you. Please tell us what you did and where you went and why the celebrations were a big hit by leaving a comment for us in the box below.

To make the moment special or to ensure that the bride and groom get the right sort of gifts, there are plenty of options. Below, we have compiled a list of themed bridal showers that are suitable for celebrating future husbands and wives all over Canada.

• Kitchen Bridal Shower: This special event will provide the bride with everything that she needs to stock up her kitchen once she moves in with her new husband. This theme will only work though if the bride and groom have not been living together previously.
• Sports Bridal Shower: If the future husband and wife are keen sports enthusiasts, this is the perfect theme for this memorable occasion. The event also works well if the bride and groom already have all of the household items that they require.
• Holiday Bridal Shower: Prepare the future bride for upcoming holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving and Canada Day by presenting her with special items including decorations, platters, picnic baskets and blankets for each type of celebration.
• Lingerie Bridal Shower: For a sexier twist to this age-old tradition, you can offer the bride everything that she will need to look absolutely breathtaking in the bedroom. Help her add a little spice, romance and fun to those intimate times spent with her husband.
• Honeymoon Bridal Shower: If the happy couple are heading to an exotic location after their wedding, this themed celebration will provide them with everything that they need while they are enjoying each other’s company in a far off land.
• Around the Clock Bridal Shower: Each guest should choose a gift suitable for a different time, for example 7am or 10pm. In this way, the bride-to-be will receive a diverse range of presents which she can then use throughout her daily routine.

Of course, if you offer the bride the right sort of gifts then she will certainly feel the need to repay your kindness in some way. In this case, you may be offered some unique wedding shower favours as a token of the bride’s gratitude that you have gathered to share this special moment with her.

If you have successfully held a Canadian bridal shower in the past or even if you have just been to one, we would love to hear the details from you! What did you do? Was there a theme? Please leave a comment in the box below. We look forward to reading about your past celebrations.

Who Organises the Party?

Traditionally, engagement parties were arranged by the future bride and groom’s parents. These days, however, anyone can prepare for the party, including friends, relations and even the husband and wife to be. The newlyweds to be may have a lot on their plate already though, especially since they will now be thinking about wedding preparations, so it may be best if the engagement party is hosted by someone with more free time.

Set the Party Tone

The simplest way to organise this sort of pre-wedding party is to think casual. A small garden event or a BBQ in the park can be a great way to catch up with friends and family over some good food and cold drinks. From Victoria to Montreal, our country has plenty of choice when it comes to scenic outdoor settings that will be perfect for celebrating the everlasting love felt between two people. Of course, with the Canadian climate, these sorts of events are best held in the summertime when the weather is warmer unless you make sure there are sheltered options in case of bad weather. With summer weddings being most common, perfectly selected spring venues are great for engagement parties.

Formal Party Your Preference?

If your engagement party is planned for the winter or you are searching for a more formal option, you can always book some tables at a fancy restaurant or rent a hall so that you can celebrate your engagement in warmth and luxury. Just remember that formal occasions require invitations and decorations that match with the desired atmosphere, meaning that they can be more difficult (and expensive) to arrange. The end results will be well worth it, though, as these sorts of events are more unique than a casual gathering and will be remembered by your soon-to-be wedding guests. 

Half the Money, Double the Style

To be smart while planning, you can purchase unique wedding decorations that can be used both at the engagement party and on the big wedding day, allowing you to save money and still hold two great reception celebrations in style, with the same theme. The costs of getting married can add up and up and this is one way in which you can reduce the amount of money spent while still retaining the elegance and class that you desire.

If you have hosted an engagement party in the past or have been to one anywhere around Canada, we would love to hear about your experiences. Please let us know about the event by leaving a comment. You can help our readers gain some insight into how to hold a successful engagement party and celebrate this wonderful pre-wedding occasion in the future.

Wedding Favour Selection In Canada

When you are buying wedding favours or bridal shower favours, your first goal is to find a store with a large enough selection for you to choose from. Fortunately, your favourite brands can be found right here in Canada. When you picture your dream wedding your favours, gifts, and decorations are important. When you can buy unique wedding favours in Canada, you remove one of the biggest stresses of planning your big day.

If you find your favourite wedding decorations, but they are located in a store from the United States, you may be subject to a number of border fees to import them into Canada. This can make that special deal you found useless, as you wind up paying a lot in fees. By buying Canadian, you avoid all those transportation fees and use that money for something else. Even better – you can buy the perfect favours and not compromise because of the price – yes, get more for your wedding budget! This makes the entire experience more enjoyable, as you now know you don’t have to sacrifice your budget for these wedding decorations and accessories.

Budget Friendly Party Favours – Less Wedding Planning Stress!

All of this boils down to one single point: less stress in planning your wedding day. With the complications that come from dealing with vendors, renting halls, getting dresses, and the inevitable family issues, the last thing you want from your wedding favor shopping experience is more stress. In fact, wedding favors are considered to be the fun part of your wedding! These are the little keepsakes that you place at a wedding party receiving table for when guests arrive, or leave at individual guest place settings. They add to the wedding experience, and they give your guests that extra dose of fun. When you choosing your keepsake gifts, it should be a fun and happy experience for you as well, so that you can choose the ones that you know your guests will love.

By keeping away the troubles of finding the right wedding favours in Canada and avoiding the excess fees that you might incur when importing them from elsewhere, you can relax and enjoy the process of finding the wedding favour bomboniere that demonstrate the love you have for each other and the joy you want to share with your guests.

Getting great party favour ideas can be difficult, especially when shopping for wedding favours. In Canada, you don’t need to worry about looking for perfect keepsake giveaways outside of the country. There are plenty of great favours here that your guests will love, and you can avoid a little more stress in planning your wedding day.

Wedding boutiques – from wedding dress shops to wedding favour stores – are few and far between, typically slim pickings in an average size Canadian city. Does that limit our Canadian selection? No way. At Canada Weds we not only present you with a great listing of Canadian wedding vendors in our exclusively Candian wedding directory – we provide great “Canadian only” content from leading Canadian wedding industry experts. Want to get great ideas from a bridal seamstress? Want to explore local wedding vendors?

Shopping online, Canadian brides have tremendous choice not otherwise found locally. Plan your wedding to the precise detail – get the perfect wedding photographer to capture your memories forever, get great wedding favours to thank your guests, and explore great Canadian wedding travel destinations. Our expert articles will educate and inspire you with fresh ideas – learn from an expert bridal seamstress or from Canada’s leading e-tailers. You can blog and contribute your own wedding ideas and experiences at Canada Weds, too!

Why shop online with Canadian vendors? Well for one, it’ll give you a warm feeling inside! “Oh, Canada…” (you know that song, eh?!). Seriously, there are many benefits. How about saving on shipping charges, gas costs (driving around costs a loonie a litre, no?), time – lots of time – and of course, shopping outside of Canada costs a tonne. Wha?

For example, a Canadian bride shopping for a U.S. retailer might be attracted by seemingly low prices BUT consider…

1. Exchange Rate Costs – those U.S. dollars cost you more Canadian dollars!
2. Bank Charges – you don’t get the exchange rate you might think, all credit cards take their exchange fees – so add a few percent there!
3. Customs Duties-Taxes – this surprise usually comes at your door on delivery! You’ll think you’re saving until you take delivery, then you’re stuck.

….Shoulda bought Canadian, right?

With so many great Canadian online wedding planning and buying choices, why would you go elsewhere? Take a look around Canada Weds, get some great ideas, and stay within your wedding budget. After all, the more you can save on your wedding day, the more you’ll have to start your wonderful “happily ever after”.

See You “Online”,
CanadaWeds.ca Editor

This post was submitted by admin.