Michigan Wedding Savings Guide

Michigan Wedding Savings Guide
Brought to you by Party Pros Detroit
Planning & Preparation
Wedding Day Emergency Kit
Snacks
Have snacks (granola, chips, beef jerky), soda & water available for the wedding party before and
after the ceremony. We have seen one too many groomsmen fall ill due to lack of food or water.
Remember it’s a long day and most of the time even the groomsmen get very little sleep the night
before.
Free Online Event Planning
Use an Online Event Planning System such as the one offered by Party Pros Detroit that will allow
you to create a timeline, specify contact people, share vendor information and special music
requests in one central editable location. This will keep everyone from the mother of the groom to
the DJ on the same page ensuring a stress-free day for all.
Invite Lists
Save postage by using EventBrite or Google Forms to manage your RSVP’s and guest list online.
Guest Music Requests
Include a link on your invites or your Google Forms page to Party Pros Guest Music Request
system. This allows your guests to make music requests before the event. It’s a great way to get
people excited about being a part of your big day.
Wedding DJ as your Wedding Planner
Hire a professional DJ that specializes in weddings. This way you do not need a wedding planner. A
Wedding DJ will help you with creating manageable timeline and help ensure that stay on that
timeline.
Wedding Budget
Use Google Sheets to create a budget using each of the areas in this guide as the sections. Make
sure to add all purchases to the Google Sheets and adjust your budget if needed as you go.
Officiant
Have a friend, family member or Party Pros Detroit Officiate (minister) your wedding. This way you
can have your ceremony and reception at one location. Guests love this being it makes one less
location to find. You also can utilize the expertise of your DJ to play a more customized music list
than what can be offered in a
Floral & Decorations
Bouquets
Order roses from Costco or Sams Club ahead of time. If you order ahead of time, you can order
most any color and the flowers will be fresher than any florist can provide. Schedule a flower crafting
party the night before to assemble the bouquets. This is a great way to involve the mothers, aunts or
bridesmaids in the planning. Use this guide to prepare the bouquets. Be sure to refrigerate the
flowers if you purchase them the night before.
Reception Flowers
We also recommend purchasing pre-cut roses from Costco or Sams Club for the reception
arrangements as well. You can order most any color to stay with your theme. Check out the dollar
store for vases or glass jars to place the arrangements in. Another option is to rent the vases from a
decorator or purchases them wholesale ahead of time from Amazon. Our favorite option is buying a
case of mason jars and you are good to go! Be sure to refrigerate the flowers if you purchase them
the night before.
Table Arrangements
Another inexpensive captivating option for décor is purchasing small LED lights, placing them at the
bottom of a mason jar filled with fake twigs purchased from the dollar star which creates a great
effect. We have also seen couples purchases annual flowers in the spring and summer and place
them in small buckets. We have also seen couples offer to guests that stay to the end to take home
the buckets filled with annuals. It’s a great way to thank the people that stay till the end.
Venues
There are some really nice venues out there run by the VFW’s, Knight’s of Columbus and Union
Halls. The other great thing about these venues is you can bring in your own food. We have seen
some really memorable events where the couple rented a VFW and then set up dinner stations all
around the room from their favorite restaurants. Some other venues to check out include: Packard
Proving Grounds, Eastern Market Sheds, City Rec Centers and Art Studios. With the money you
save by selecting one of these venues, you will can jazz up the room with LED Room Lights and a
Animated Monogram Projection.
Photography
Get all your Digital Photos
We strongly recommend that you ensure that your photographer provides you with a DVD of all of
the high-resolution photos without watermarking. You too will want to make sure that the
photographer provides you with a waiver allowing you make unlimited prints of the photos. We
include this waiver with all of our photography packages.
Photo Books & Canvas Prints
Another way to save is to sign up for an account with The Knot, Groupon and Living Social. These
web sites are always running specials on Photo Books, Invitations and Canvas Prints for their
members. These can be great holiday gifts for parents and grandparents after the wedding.
#Hashtag Photos
You may also want to consider having Party Pros Project a #hashtag with instructions on the wall
instructing guests to hashtag their photos from your wedding so you can download them all after the
event. We even offer an option where you can have the hashtag photos show up on the wall as they
are tagged in real time via twitter or instagram. It’s a lot of fun to share the photos and wait for your
photos to show up on the big screen. This new trend is becoming more and more popular at events.
Put your Photos in the Cloud
Another great way to archive your photos for free is to upload them to Google Photos. We love this
service because there is no limit, no cost and they allow the high resolution photo to be stored in the
cloud forever.
Attire
Second-hand Shops
Check out second and wedding dress shops. They have great dresses that are super current and
only worn once.
I’m not wearing a wedding dress
Buy a white dress. Who said your dress needs to be a wedding dress. Trust us, you will enjoy your
day way more if you are not bogged down by a bid wedding dress.
DIY Veil
There are plenty of “make your own veil” guides online. The material is readily available and super
inexpensive with a Joann’s Fabric Coupon and takes less than an hour to complete. By doing it
yourself, you can pick out the perfect shade and fabric texture to match your dress and theme. It’s a
win-win any way you look at.
Groomsmen in bow ties
A great look for groomsmen we are seeing now that saves big is to have all the groomsmen wear
dark jeans, white shirts and same colored bow-ties.
Happy Bridesmaids
Who said bridesmaids need to all be in the same dress. We have seen some great wedding parties
where all the bridesmaids had similar colored or similar cut dresses and looked great. Your
bridesmaid will be happy to hear that they get to pick their dress.
Favors
Photo Booth photo holders (bookmarks, magnets, tabletop)
Koozies
Wildflower packets – you can brand them with a sticker or hand written note
Christmas Ornaments
Candy Bars – place paper bags on a table along with piles of candy and let you guests go at it. Who
doesn’t like a snicker bar for the drive home?
Candy – Morley’s Chocolate, Personalized M&M’s and Detroit’s own Rocky’s Peanuts are always a
great call.
Donation - A note that you are making a donation in each guests name to your favorite charity. We
love to personalize this by adding the charity’s mission statement on the note or how the donation is
impacting your community.
Food & Drinks
Yum.. Costco Cake
The best tasting cakes we have tasted have come from Costco. Most bakers make wedding cakes
4-5 days before the event and then refrigerate them. Not Costco, if you put in your order for your
cake to be picked up on a Saturday, they will bake it early Saturday morning. If you want to display a
wedding cake, we recommend picking up a Styrofoam one. Your guests will never know being the
wedding cake is always cut in the kitchen. So when its time to cut the cake, have the wedding cake
brought to the back and the Costco cake pieces served to your guests. If you have not had a Costco
cake, believe us, they are the best.
Strolling Stations
We discussed this a little in the venue section, but if you select a venue that allows you to bring in
your own food such as a VFW, Museum or the like, consider having food catered from a 3-5 of your
favorite restaurants. You can have strolling stations setup all around your venue with food from a
Mediterranean, Greek, Mexican and Italian Resuraunt. And for dessert, have a Ice Cream Truck pull
up to the front door letting guest pick their favorite ice cream bar. These events are memorable and
quite affordable.
Signature Drinks & More
If you can bring in your own drinks, we suggest picking a craft beer keg, a signature drink or two and
maybe a Starbucks coffee bar with Bailey and Kahlua to whoop it up a bit. We have also seen
couples throw a couple of small metal tubs on a table filled with ice and bottled Coke, Faygo &
Towne Club Sodas. Who does not love a real sugar Coke from the bottle?
Wedding Music
Justine Zwiebel / BuzzFeed
ClassicWeddingProcessionalSongs
1.JohannPachelbel,“Canon in D”
2.JohannSebastianBach,“Air on the G String”
3.WolfgangAmadeusMozart,“Andante”
4.ClaudeDebussy,“Clair de Lune”
5.JohannSebastianBach,“Sleepers Awake”
6.GeorgeFridericHandel,“Air”
7.RichardWagner,“Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride)”
8.JohannSebastianBach,“Arioso”
9.WolfgangAmadeusMozart,“March of the Priests (from The Magic Flute)”
10.EnnioMorricone,“Gabriel’s Oboe (The Mission soundtrack)”
Listen to a playlist of these songs on Spotify.
Chris Ritter / BuzzFeed
UnexpectedWeddingProcessionalSongs:
1.PenguinCafeOrchestra,“Air à Danser”
2.SigurRos,“Hoppipolla”
3.ReginaSpektor,“Us”
4.IronandWine,“Lion’s Mane”
5.BrunoMars,“Marry You”
6.CatPower,“Sea of Love”
7.Elvis,“Can’t Help Falling In Love With You”
8.TheTroggs,“With A Girl Like You”
9.FlorenceandtheMachine,“You’ve Got The Love”
10.TheLoveAffair,“Everlasting Love”
Listen to a playlist of these songs on Spotify.
Justine Zwiebel / BuzzFeed
WeddingRecessionalSongs:
1.FelixMendelssohn,“Wedding March”
2.NoahandtheWhale,“5 Years Time”
3.Common,“The Light”
4.FlorenceandtheMachine,“Dog Days Are Over”
5.Queen,“You’re My Best Friend”
6.BillWithers,“Lovely Day”
7.JustinTimberlake,“Mirrors”
8.MariahCarey,“Emotions”
9.StevieWonder,“Signed, Sealed, Delivered”
youtube.com
Listen to a playlist of these songs on Spotify.
Christina Lu / BuzzFeed
GrandEntranceSongsForYourWeddingReception:
1.Hall&Oates,“You Make My Dreams Come True”
2.Shalamar,“A Night To Remember”
3.NatalieCole,“This Will Be”
4.JaggedEdge,ft.RunDMC,“Let’s Get Married (Remix)”
5.KanyeWest,“Good Life”
6.MichaelJackson,“The Way You Make Me Feel”
7.K.Michelle,“V.S.O.P.”
8.TheDarkness,“I Believe In a Thing Called Love”
Listen to a playlist of these songs on Spotify.
Chris Ritter / BuzzFeed
ClassicFirstDanceFavorites:
1.EttaJames,“At Last”
2.EllaFitzgerald,“Our Love Is Here To Stay”
3.TheFlamingos,“A Kiss from Your Lips”
4.BrightEyes,“First Day Of My Life”
5.JohnLegend,“All Of Me”
6.BenFoldsFive,“The Luckiest”
7.EttaJames,“Sunday King of Love”
8.DonnyHathaway,“A Song For You”
9.311,“Love Song”
10.JasonMrazandColbieCallait,“Lucky”
11.JoshuaRadin,“Today”
12.TheBeatles,“Here, There, Everywhere”
13.Toploader,“Dancing In The Moonlight”
14.K-CiandJoJo,“All My Life”
Listen to a playlist of these songs on Spotify.
Chris Ritter / BuzzFeed
UnexpectedFirstDanceSongs:
1.TheWallflowers,“Closer To You”
2.TheBangles,“Eternal Flame”
3.Ginuwine,“Differences”
4.LaurynHill,“Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You”
5.JanelleMonáeft.Miguel,“Primetime”
6.AmericanAnalogSet,“Know By Heart”
7.RayLaMontagne,“You Are The Best Thing”
8.BobMarley,“Is This Love”
9.CorinneBaileyRae,“Like A Star”
10.JohnLegend,“Stay With You”
11.ArcticMonkeys,“Baby I’m Yours”
12.ErykahBadu,ft.StephenMarley,“In Love With You”
youtube.com
Listen to a playlist of these songs on Spotify.
Chris Ritter / BuzzFeed
GuaranteedDanceFloorJams:
1.Shalamar,“A Night To Remember”
2.IsleyBrothers,“Shout”
3.NatalieCole,“ThisWillBe”
4.AllenStone,“Say So”
5.MarvinGaye,“Let’s Get It On”
6.JanetJackson,“Love Will Never Do”
7.Beyoncé,“Love On Top”
8.CherylLynn,“Got To Be Real”
9.MichaelJackson,“P.Y.T.”
10.Rihanna,“We Found Love”
11.Beyoncé,ft.JayZ,“Crazy In Love”
12.Pharrell,“Happy”
13.KatyPerry,“Teenage Dream”
14.OneDirection,“What Makes You Beautiful”
15.BonJovi,“Livin’ On A Prayer”
16.OutKast,“Hey Ya”
17.TheBlackEyedPeas,“I Gotta Feeling”
18.Usher,ft.LilJon,“Yeah”
19.BritneySpears,“Toxic”
20.RobBaseandDJEZRock,“It Takes Two”
21.FloRida,ft.T-Pain,“Low”
22.JustinTimberlake,ft.Timbaland,“SexyBack”
23.Nelly,“Hot In Herre”
24.Earth,Wind&Fire,“September”
25.AmyWinehouse,“Valerie”
26.LadyGaga,“Just Dance”
27.Beyoncé,“Single Ladies”
28.JustinTimberlake,“Suit & Tie”
29.MCHammer,“U Can’t Touch This”
30.Journey,“Don’t Stop Believin’”
31.MichaelJackson,“The Way You Make Me Feel”
32.MileyCyrus,“Party In the U.S.A.”
33.MariahCarey,“Fantasy”
34.Cupid,“Cupid Shuffle”
35.ChristinaAguilera,LilKim,Pink,andMya,“Lady Marmalade”
36.JasonDerulo,“Talk Dirty”
37.112,“Dance With Me”
38.Robyn,“Hang With Me”
Listen to a playlist of these songs on Spotify.
Chris Ritter / BuzzFeed
CountryWeddingSongs:
1.HunterHayes,“Wanted”
2.KennyChesney,“Me and You”
3.FaithHill,“This Kiss”
4.MartinaMcBride,“I Love You”
5.TimMcGrawandFaithHill,“It’s Your Love”
6.ShaniaTwain,“Forever and For Always”
7.RascalFlatts,“Bless the Broken Road”
8.BradPaisley,“We Danced”
9.AlanJackson,“When Somebody Loves You”
10.TrishaYearwood,“Perfect Love”
11.KeithUrban,“Making Memories of Us”
12.Heartland,“I Loved Her First”(father/daughter)
Listen to a playlist of these songs on Spotify.
Chris Ritter / BuzzFeed
Rap/R&BWeddingSongs:
1.Usher,“Love In This Club”
2.NickiMinaj,“Super Bass”
3.Drake,“Best I Ever Had”
4.Salt-N-Pepa,“Push It”
5.BigPun,“Still Not A Player”
6.JaRule,ft.Ashanti,“Mesmerize”
7.Beyoncé,ft.JayZ,“Drunk In Love”
8.Rihanna,“What’s My Name”
9.JayZ,ft.AliciaKeys,“Empire State Of MInd”
10.Ciara,ft.MissyElliott,“1, 2 Step”
11.UGK,ft.OutKast,“International Players Anthem (I Choose You)”
Listen to a playlist of these songs on Spotify.
Christina Lu / BuzzFeed
Father-DaughterDance:
1.BobCarlisle,“Butterfly Kisses”
2.BruceSpringsteen,“When You Need Me”
3.TheTemptations,“My Girl”
4.TheAvettBrothers,“A Fathers First Spring”
5.FrankSinatra,“The Way You Look Tonight”
6.PaulSimon,“Father and Daughter”
7.NatalieColeandNatKingCole,“Unforgettable”
8.TImMcGraw,“My Little Girl”
9.StevieWonder,“Isn’t She Lovely”
10.RascalFlatts,“My Wish”
youtube.com
Listen to a playlist of these songs on Spotify.
Christina Lu / BuzzFeed
Mother-SonDance:
1.BenE.King,“Stand By Me”
2.LouisArmstrong,“What A Wonderful World”
3.TheCarpenters,“Close To You”
4.BoysIIMen,“A Song For Mama”
5.EltonJohn,“Your Song”
6.Jackson5,“I’ll Be There”
7.TheBeatles,“In My Life”
8.StevieWonder,“You Are The Sunshine of My Life”
9.LaurynHill,“To Zion”
10.BillieHoliday(orTonyBennett),“God Bless the Child”
provided by Buzzfeed.com