budget bridal tips

5 Ways to Personalize Your Wedding (Without blowing the budget!)

20 May2013 By Bridgette 9 Comments

Triple B founder Bridgette Bartlett shares wedding planning tips!

Earlier this month, Triple B joined forces with the lovely bridal boutique Soliloquy right outside of Washington, D.C. for a fun afternoon of trying on stunning wedding dresses by the likes of Kevan Hall, awesome gift bags and champagne. I shared some wedding planning tips with attendees and since the feedback was so positive, I felt it was only right to extend the information to those in the Triple B audience who can benefit from it as well. Check it out! [Read more...]

Filed Under: Flowers, Planners, Peonies & Placecards Tagged With: budget bridal advice, budget bridal finds, budget bridal resources, budget bridal tips, budget wedding advice, budget wedding ideas, budget wedding tips, creative wedding favors, reception centerpiece ideas, reception centerpieces, unique wedding favors, wedding centerpiece ideas, wedding favor ideas, Wedding Favors

Bridgette’s Pick of the Week – Guests saying “I Don’t” to weddings

1 May2013 By Bridgette 9 Comments

If you feel my wedding is too expensive to attend, staying home is always an option.

I had a completely different post scheduled for today. But when I received a link to this article from my cousin, I knew I had to share it in this week’s BPOTW. Said article from MSN delves into the topic of wedding costs, particularly costs of weddings for guests and especially attendants. Check out this snippet: [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bridgette's Pick of the Week, Uncategorized Tagged With: Bridgette's Pick of the Week, budget bridal tips, planning a wedding on a budget, wedding day expenses for guests

Tie the Knot Tuesday SPECIAL – Real Brides Share Their Money Saving Tips

16 Apr2013 By Bridgette 7 Comments

Find out what advice savvy brides like Stephanie (above) have for the rest of us!

Since the last Triple B “Real Brides Share Money Saving Wedding Planning Tips” special, I started preparing for my own nuptials. Now, helping brides get the most bang for their bridal buck is even more of a priority (and I didn’t think that was possible) because I am seeing first hand how easy it can be to overspend when planning one’s own wedding. An extra $200 here, $75 for that and $300 here adds up quickly. This is an event attached to so much emotion, so it is easy to become disillusioned into thinking that the perfect wedding will lead to the perfect marriage. [Trust me, marketers prey on this fact.] Since overspending in some areas is almost inevitable for most brides, why not take tried and true advice from other women on how to at least minimize or balance things out a bit? Take notes!

You Oughta Know: Cool Wedding Planning Resource

10 Jan2013 By Bridgette Leave a Comment

Yesterday I discovered a neat tool online that I’ve been itching to share with you all. As I’ve mentioned a gazillion times before, wedding costs vary greatly from city to city. The cost of a wedding in Los Angeles might be $55,000 while virtually the same wedding is only $24,500 in Siler City, North Carolina. Cost of Wedding is a genius website that crunches these types of numbers for you! Trust, you will want to bookmark this site if you’re currently planning nuptials as it will ultimately help you get the most bang for your bridal buck. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Planners, Peonies & Placecards, Uncategorized Tagged With: budget bridal advice, budget bridal finds, budget bridal resources, budget bridal tips, budget wedding advice, budget wedding ideas, budget wedding tips

Bright Bridal Idea: Personalized Reception Candy Bar

26 Nov2012 By Bridgette Leave a Comment

Candy and/or snack bars at receptions aren’t new to most and in fact I’ve even featured a few weddings that contained fun ones in Tie the Knot Tuesday. But the idea of personalizing them according to the couple’s fave sweet treats growing up? That is new to me and I find it too cute to boot. Anything that helps to add a true personal touch to one’s wedding is usually a winner in Triple B’s book. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Planners, Peonies & Placecards Tagged With: budget bridal advice, budget bridal finds, budget bridal resources, budget bridal tips, budget wedding advice, budget wedding ideas, budget wedding tips, diy reception ideas, diy wedding ideas, reception candy bar, reception snack bar

Tie the Knot Tuesday – Mirlaine & Pernell

13 Nov2012 By Bridgette 11 Comments

Meet Mr. & Mrs. Pernell S. Brice III

Bride: Mirlaine Onelien, 37
Groom: Pernell S. Brice III, 38
Occupations: Onelien, magazine executive; Brice, development and evaluation director
Homebase: New Jersey
Wedding Date: September 29, 2012
Wedding Location: ceremony and reception: David’s Country Inn, Hackettstown, NJ

Bridgette’s Pick of the Week – Fab Decor Find!

10 Oct2012 By Bridgette 3 Comments

How cute are these?!

Yesterday I attended another great press preview for David’s Bridal. You’ll read all about the gowns and trends (plus view pics) for spring soon enough but I couldn’t wait to share these nifty ceramic letters from DB with you all in the meantime. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bridgette's Pick of the Week, Planners, Peonies & Placecards, Uncategorized Tagged With: Bridgette's Pick of the Week, budget bridal finds, budget bridal resources, budget bridal tips, budget wedding ideas, budget wedding tips, decor ideas

“When’s the Wedding?!” and Other Newly Engaged Tales

1 Oct2012 By Bridgette 6 Comments

The Road to Mrs. is full of surprises -- from the very start!

So, I’ve officially been engaged two weeks and two days. And I have probably answered the question, When’s the wedding? and Have you guys set a date? a few dozen times…at least. I’m not complaining; but I just feel so unprepared. My fiance and I agreed to not discuss “the wedding” at all the first week of our engagement. A mandate I suggested. I wanted to enjoy and live in the moment before we started breaking out spreadsheets and fabric swatches. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Engagement, Planners, Peonies & Placecards, Uncategorized Tagged With: Black brides, Black love, black marriage, Black marriages, Black relationships, Black weddings, Black women getting married, budget bridal tips

Bridgette’s Pick of the Week – A New Way to Thank Your Guests

29 Aug2012 By Bridgette 2 Comments

A Token of Thanks

I recently stumbled across a great lil’ find on Glamour Weddings. Many couples are now using the above cards – or variations of them — to thank their wedding guests. I think they’re pretty neat plus quick and painless for any DIY bride (or groom) to create. The cardstock can of course coordinate with your wedding colors and the words should be tweaked to reflect you and your spouse. You can even add a pic. How pleasantly surprised will your guests be to find this waiting for them at the reception rather than the standard menu card? [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bridgette's Pick of the Week, Planners, Peonies & Placecards, Uncategorized Tagged With: Bridgette's Pick of the Week, budget bridal tips

Fun (and Unique) Bachelorette Party Ideas!

17 Aug2012 By Laura 14 Comments

Cheers! Create lifelong memories with your own pre-wedding portrait party.

Before a bride gets hitched, there’s a tradition that typically takes place first. All her girlfriends and bridesmaids are required by an unspoken law to get together and celebrate her last night of “freedom”. This usually entails a night full of colorful cocktails, partying, sometimes traveling; but most importantly as demonstrated in the recent chick flick Magic Mike, a well-endowed male stripper is part of the hoopla.

However, there are alternate approaches to celebrating that final night of being a bachelorette if strippers aren’t your style or you just want peace and quiet before a day full of unpredictable. Triple B found 5 alternative (and non-cheesy!) ways for brides to enjoy their friends, make memories and not regret that your name will be changed forever and ever. [Read more...]