Found Things

I found heaven yesterday. Actually, I found three white glass saucers, two red beaded glass votive candle holders, a glass plate, and an (almost) complete set of fine china for… under 25 dollars! All of these items (and more if only I would have been able to carry them) were at Found Things in the East Village of Des Moines. As a young adult looking to move on from college dorm room style to first apartment style, I was excited about how the finds would look in my space, however, weddings are never far from my mind and I soon began to think about how these antiques could look at a spring reception.

The three white saucers would look so elegant with one or three cupcakes put on each one and placed in the center of a table (thanks Marsha!). I can envision the votive candle holders mixed and matched with more contemporary candle holders to create a unique look and in the basement of Found Things, there were several old glass bottles that, with the addition of a single bloom, would transform any table.

With ceremony and reception ideas aside, any bride could find her new set of dishes, a dining room set, and much, much more at Found Things. Visit Found Things to discover your heaven!

http://foundthingsdsm.com/

http://www.some-think-pink.com/

Weddings on a Budget

If any of you are like me, you are sick of hearing about the poor economy and how everyone needs to go on a budget. For goodness sakes, even Oprah is dedicating entire shows to the topic of how to save money and has even flown in "the thriftiest" family in America to Chicago to share secrets of living on next to nothing with the world. There are certain areas of my life where I am willing to compromise a little. I am willing to cook at home more instead of going out to eat, I am okay with adding water to my shampoo to make it last longer, and I am even willing to unplug appliances to save some cents on my electric bill… but when it comes to a special, once-in-a-lifetime event, like a wedding, I hate to see the word budget.

Instead of cutting back on quality, however, there are several tips to follow to ensure you still have the wedding you have always dreamt of without the price tag you can’t afford. The biggest way to save money is to enlist the talents and services of your closest (and even not so close) friends and family. Do things yourself, invitations, centerpieces, even cakes can be done at home. Set up assembly lines at your dining room table, turn on some music, set out a couple bottles of wine and let the fun begin!

Another way to save is the ancient art of bartering. Do you have a special talent? Do you own your own business? Do you (or are you willing to) babysit? If so, barter! Ask around and see if people are willing to trade their service for yours. Check out sites like www.favorville.com to find people to begin trading with.

Whatever you do, don't let the economy bring you and your wedding down!

www.some-think-pink.com