Bling-Bling Bride: No-so "big" band

I loved my play one words, particularly since FH and I are old skool and LOVE the oldies music including Sinatra-era music. But this post is not about music––it is about our quest to look for the perfect wedding bands that are miraculously affordable, especially since precious metals our being priced so high these days.

The last few weeks I have struggled to find the perfect band ring. I sought out a serious of rings that I thought would satisfy my needs, including even a plain polished band.

So I started with desiring a diamond-cut band, which was apparently very hard to come by (I realized that this is more of a hammered look, but you get the deal):

SecretCharm

 

I figured with the thin band, I could get two and one on each side of the band. But when I actually tried this "brilliant" idea when we went into a department store, I wasn't excited.

Then I figured a gem band would suffice, preferably a garnet eternity band:

Amazon

 

But when I put this against my ring, I didn't like how it did not lay flat against it. I did the same with a plain gold band but it looked to plain.

Finally I found a polished gold band with a bump/swirl to it, that helped it lay against my ring better (I don't have a pic because I found that one at a jewelers). The awful thing was that it was almost $400, and since I had FH with me, an argument ensued because he wanted to buy the ring for me and didn't want to spend so much for the band. I didn't object, since my budget was max $200 per ring.

I did take this discovery back home with me and decided to research v-shaped rings. After few minutes of searching, I stumbled upon this beauty that was everything I could have imagined:

Amazon

 

Of course the biggest downside is that I don't get to try it on and may have to get it sized, but I have honestly not seen too many stores online and physical that have much variety at all. 

So then my next quest was trying to find a ring for FH. He nixed the idea of a silver band and said he would rather have a band that complimented mine. So I searched high and low for gemstone accented rings for me, but only found bulky flashy rings that are just not his style. So we settled on the ring that he picked out in person (but I found it online):

Amazon

 

Again, I hope it fits! The greatest thing about it all is that the best man offered to pay for our rings! Yippie! Granted that it is only $249.81, I am elated that we are coming well under our budget, and that hopefully we won't have to get them sized.

Mini-Moon

When I first heard the term it was much like brides-to-be using the term "STD" freely (which is save-the-dates if you don't know). The funny thing is that my plan for our honey moon happened to be a mini-moon, before I even knew the proper term. A mini-moon is basically a scaled back honeymoon that is just a couple of days rather than a week or more and costs a heck-of-a-lot less.

A mini-moon is budget friendly, since you will only have to miss a couple of days of work and you skip the cost of week-long expenses. Apparently this is becoming more and more popular during this economic crisis, and as couples hold off to save up for the honeymoon of their dreams. The cool thing about the mini-moon is that you can still take off a week for vacation time from work, only have a couple of days out of town, then spend the rest of the time home, resting, settling into your place as a married couple.

The other great thing about the mini-moon is that if your families want to contribute to your wedding, but can't pay for an extravagant trip, they could fit all or a good part of the bill since it will only be a few hundred dollars (if that much).

A mini-moon doesn't even have to be out of town. You can easily rent a suite in an upscale part of town and splurge on room service, the spa, and great restaurants. Just as long as you are away from your normal stresses and can enjoy one another, a mini-moon can basically be anywhere.

I am not sure where our mini-moon will be. FH really wants to be at a beach, and I want to go where I haven't been yet. We are thinking Florida might be the best route, and perhaps California. Of course my opinions may change in the next couple of months as we finalize our plans. I guess I am not so particular about where we go, just that we are together, having fun, and enjoying each other as newly weds.

I do have ideas about our future honeymoon though. After seeing the movie A Good Woman (?? I think), I fell in LOVE with the Amalfi located in Italy. I am also enamored with Fiji, Greece, and the Dominican Republic. Another romantic thing to do would be spending a week in the mountains in a cabin. There is still so much of the world to see, and I am excited about seeing it with FH :-).

Finding the Perfect Photog Part II: 3 Great Tips

Today I didn't end up cleaning my room like I had planned to do, or making skin moisturizer either. Instead, I spent the last seven hours combing the net for photographers.  I freaked out yesterday when I realized just how important photography is to me, and how I am will to spend a whole lot more than a measly $600 if I have to if it means getting really nice photos.

Really nice photos don't come cheap though. Many packages have a base price of $2,500 to $3,000 and sometimes that price doesn't even include digital negatives. Are they living in the same economy I am? I am thinking though of upping my budget to $1,000 to $2,000. I will try to get our parents to contribute 25% to 50% of the amount, which would be a HUGE help (we will see if this happens). Even if they don't I think I am willing to forgo taking all but one summer class, just so I use the extra money toward the photography amount. There are some places that do financing though, so I may not have to worry about that.


While searching, I made quite a few mistakes during my initial research (especially since it was so hard to find articles on the web in researching). So here is a list of tips on researching photogs (whether you are on a budget or not):

1. Devote Plenty of time to your research
Devote plenty of (frustrating) hours of finding photographers in your area. This may be easier for some areas than others. Also, the upload times on many of these sites take a long time unless you have super duper internet speed (but even then, if your service provider caps you on a certain amount you can upload each month, you may want to opt seeking out someone who have unlimited). Some great sites to start out with:

• Facebook pages & groups: while I only landed a couple of hits on here, the great part is that you can often message the photographer on the spot and see some of their work uploaded in albums, which you will be able to upload a lot faster since Facebook caps the size of their photos
  
• Flickr groups, pro & individuals: many professionals and novices have photos listed on Flickr and a contact e-mail and in some cases an actual web address that will lead you to more of their work. Just watch out for the dates when they last posted. One person I found hadn't posted for two years and likely moved, or may have not been taking pictures at all.
  
• Local photography associations:  One website I visited was specifically for photojournalists (which tends to run a bit more sometimes). The great part is that the prices were listed and there were links provided to their websites. Click here to view.
• Friends, family, co-workers, associates, peers who have had recent photography: Whether you inquire on Facebook, via e-mail, or face-to-face, find out who provided their photography. Most people are willing to share that info. Don't forget to mention who referred you and make sure you find out if they have ever done weddings. If they have not, don't risk it.
  
• Photography or photojournalism students: Look around at the local colleges, post some listings––you may find great aspiring photographers. If they have a decent portfolio and references, it could be a good steal. Just make sure, as with anyone else, get a contract in writing.
  
• Decidio: I discovered this website during a Google search: affordable photography Philadelphia and this site provided me with an entire page of results that I couldn't even get through tonight.
  
• Google: play with different search terms to see what you come up with. When you get frustrated, keep trying. I was about to give up when I discovered Decidio through a search.
• Reception & Ceremony site preferred/recommended photogs:  It is worth the inquiry to see what these photogs have to offer, especially since they have actually covered an event at your venue.
  
• Knot.com, Brides.com etc (as a last resort): While these sites offer (over-priced) options, it is a great place to start to view different photography styles just to see what you would like for your own wedding. That way it makes it much easier to sift through the pile

Don't forget to expand your search to statewide or if you have close neighboring states. If you are in a optimum location like Philadelphia, you can seek photographers in PA, NJ, and DE as prospects. Some of them have small fees to travel outside of a certain radius, which may be minimal and not offensive to your budget if they have excellent photography and packages. The only down side is that the photog may or may not be familiar with the area in getting around or with your reception/ceremony/photo shoot site.

2.  Research dates of availability and prices first before falling in love with a photographer.
I know it sounds obvious but I learned this the hard way after falling in love with a photographer's photos, e-mailing, and finding out that she was already booked. Then in other cases I would practically have drool all over the screen before I realized that the average package was $2,500 or higher. Don't let the price completely deter you though. Some are willing to sell their services a la carte, particularly if you know you just want a couple of hours of coverage and only a CD––that can cut your budget dramatically. I find that the easier way to approach the site is by skimming their photos just to make sure their style is consistent and plentiful, then looking for their availability (if they have it listed) and finally looking at their prices.



3. Have all of your info ready e-mail so you don't have to send e-mails back and forth.
So it is probably a good idea to make sure your date is set in stone as far as your venue and ceremony site (unless for some reason you want to plan everything around the photog's schedule). Include the:

• date of your event (this should be the first thing you mention, that way if they aren't available, they can stop reading)
  
• the place and address of the ceremony and/or reception (include city, state, and zip)
• what type of services and/or packages you are looking for (number of hours, 1 or 2 photogs, video, copyright, digital negatives, albums etc)
• your budget (within reason! make sure if you want something significantly less, mention that you want less coverage hours––like 2-3 hours instead of 5 etc; don't insult them!)
• questions you may have
• who/what referred you
  
• your contact info (if you want to be contacted via phone)
  

Don't write a novel but don't be too short or frank either. Be gentle and courteous. Mention a line about how you admire their work––and don't be generic, be specific.

You can also call of course, but if you want to keep a electronic paper trail of all of your research and communications, it it far easier to look for a sent e-mail and/or response than it is to sort through all of your billions of collages, outlines, notes, magazines etc.


I am so glad that I am making progress in this area sooner than later!

First Go-See!

I was elated to go to my first venue appointment (although it I was annoyed at the whole process of getting there, I almost ended up losing my credit card at the gas station). I call this a go-see, though the term is traditionally used for models. I had mixed feelings going into it (because of the whole buffet thing not happening) so I didn't really know what to expect. I told myself that the friendliness of the coordinator and the menu would be two huge determining factors.

So my aunt and I arrived and the place was as small as I remembered. It was more quaint and intimate than I remembered though. As we waited in the lobby, I peered into the room and envisioned us having our brunch there. It was everything that FH had hoped far––quiet, small, old-school, and quaint, and I was very much on board with that now, given the financial circumstances. I never dreamed of having a small wedding, but now I loved the idea of getting hitched without losing my wallet in the process.

My vision of the fireplace room was slightly shattered since they traditionally reserved the room across from it, which didn't have as much personality, but was doable, especially since it had a long table in which most everyone would be able to sit (me, my FH, and our parents could opt to sit apart from the table). I would have to redo my seating chart, which I set up for the other room (no biggie since it was less than 25 people!).

The coordinator whisked us away to a back room near the patio and bar (also very nice!). I was relieved that they still had the brunch options, would swap out the dessert for the wedding cake at no additional cost, and would charge $100 for an on-site wedding.

I was surprised by the site rental fee (which I didn't see written anywhere), that was tacked on for a Saturday. But that didn't deter me. At $30 a head and additional $375 was more than a value for what we were getting, and definitely didn't break our budget. Anyway we could always have it on a Sunday morning, which FH wasn't opposed to, though it would be hard getting someone to preside over our wedding.

Another drawback was setting up. We wouldn't be allowed to set up the night before, so either the site coordinator or someone would have to go in and set up a couple of hours before. And since we are having a morning wedding that would be a big task. I'd prefer to set up by myself because I trust my own judgment but for sanity sake I can't be in two places at once and have to simply trust that it will be taken care of. It will be my responsibility to make sure that I provide exact photos of what I am looking to accomplish so that whoever does it will get it close, if not perfect.

I was surprised that they had so few photos of actual weddings though, which was a slight disappointment. The other big plus was that the bakery that I'd be working with to get the cake, was where my aunt had purchased many cakes  in the past, so I felt really good about that.

Overall, this place is still definitely my number one choice. I love the atmosphere, the fact that it overlooks the river and is tucked away, it's small and quaint, affordable, serves brunch (breakfast is our FAV meal) and has a wonderful backdrop for photographs (a HUGE factor). Despite my itch to really nail down the deposit and a date, I refrained from doing so, heeding my mother's suggestion that I should seriously sit down and meet with a few other places, just to see if there was anything additional that they could offer.

Although I had only one appointment today, my aunt and I went to David's Bridal to look around and just those two things alone completely drained me. It was a good move on my part to not schedule more than one appointment. And surprisingly I worked up a serious appetite. I can't wait to meet with the other places :D

Uh Oh...Money Woes

After having a long conversation with my aunt about possible restaurants where we can have our reception, then having a text conversation about my initial research on her recommendations, mid-stream I received a text from my FH. Puzzled, and partially excited (had he found someone offering to pay the other half of our budget, like my mom offered to pay the first half), I sent a text back.

He called a few minutes later wondering where our half of the $1500 was going to come from. I didn't lose patience with him. Obviously he was stressed out because we had spoken at 8:30 earlier and he was exhausted and ready to hit-the-sack. I gently reminded him that I owed him $400 and instead of giving it back to him I would put it toward our budget. Then I would take $1,100 from my refund (which I was originally going to put aside anyway for photography and my dress budget when we were aiming for a $8,000 wedding in November) and put that aside as well to meet our budget.  I reminded him that I would be starting work in a few days, and no longer needed to save that money toward our wedding––so even if we went over budget, we could still afford to, since I would put any extra money that I wasn't spending on bills, to put into savings.

I further reassured him that we could ask our family members to pay for certain aspects of the wedding––like the cake, limo, photography etc, as their gift to us. He said that even if we meet our budget, this will still be a good idea anyway. 

He seemed relieved. We continued our conversation and what it really boiled down to was that his recent pay increase wasn't nearly as much as he had hoped and he is really adamant about contributing to our wedding––so much so that when my mother wanted to pay for all of it he refused. I think he feels bad that he has a full-time job, I don't, yet he can't really contribute. I reminded him of what he has expressed to me continously over the last few weeks––in less than six months there is not going to be two separate budgets, but one budget where we both work together to help each other. He hesistantly agreed.

I think I kind of contributed to his stress from earlier by telling him that he needed to start thinking about what his next career move was, because us getting a place together was contingent upon that. Oops! I didn't mean to scare him, I was simply uncertain about being married but having to live apart for awhile (we live 90 minutes away from each other).

I am not one of those insecure women who believes her man has to bring home all the bacon. It would be nice, but with our current financial situation, it is completely unrealistic. I am well aware of my FH's income and expenses and he barely supports himself––why should I expect him to magically be able to support me too, especially since there are so few job options in this economy? Yes, we both need to bring home more income, especially to raise a family in the future and settle down, but it won't happen overnight unless we are blessed with abundance. I am really glad to be the secure woman that I am and be able to provide the reassurance my FH needs when he's feeling insecure and/or uncertain. I wish I knew more women who do the same.

10 easy ways to slash your wedding budget

1. Have your wedding off-season.
I know you’ve probably heard of it before but it is so true. If you can, simply avoid getting married May to September, the busiest months. Make sure you avoid scheduling around holidays, though. Many companies and people have holiday parties and that can cause your prices to sky rocket and your options to be limited.

2. Have your wedding on a Friday or Sunday.
Many places will give you a bargain deal. But remember that if you have a lot of out-of-town guests, they may not appreciate having to take a Monday off to fly home. Also, I attended a Sunday evening wedding, which was very annoying because I had to turn around and go to work the next day. Keep those factors in mind.

3. Cut your guest list.
If you are being charged per plate/head, then the quickest way in some cases is to reduce your guest list. Keep in mind that there is no law that says you can’t have a small celebration now, and a bigger one in a few months or even a year or two after your big day. This may not always work though, as some places require a minimum head count or spend amount. In those situations still reduce your head count, but find another venue.

4. Have Brunch or Lunch instead of Dinner.
When I shopped around for a reception location, I found that places generally charged $10 to $20 more for dinner than for lunch or brunch. If you choose this option, make sure you know find out what restrictions they have on the hours. Many places stop serving lunch between 3 and 4 p.m..

5. Eliminate the Alcoholic Beverages.
Having an open bar or free alcoholic beverages can inflate your price per head/plate exorbitantly. Many “wedding packages” include this expense increasing the cost to and additional $20 to $50+ a head/plate. Also, keep in mind that the alcohol may have its own tax which increases the bill further. You could still keep the champagne toast and not break the bank. If you want to forgo the alcohol altogether, think of having sparkling grape juice or sparkling apple cider for your toast.

6. Look for all inclusive packages.
Try to look for package deals that include everything: food, beverage, decorations, flowers, linens etc. If possible, also try to find an in-house coordinator that can assist you in the process. This may save you tons. And best of all, you’ll have less stress trying to find a separate florist, bakery, and interior design specialist. Of course you should also ask to see pictures of previous events and ask for food and cake samples to ensure that your packaged deal doesn’t become a package nightmare.

7. DIY - Do-it-yourself.
With the Internet and television, you can virtually learn to make and do anything for yourself. This is a growing trend in the wedding industry, especially in tough economic times and people generally being sick of being over-charged for an item just because it has the word “wedding” associated with it. A number of projects include center pieces, veils, bouquets, food, desserts etc. Just make sure that if you choose to do anything yourself (or if you choose friends or family to do it for you), that the amount of stress and trouble doesn’t exceed the peace found in just purchasing the item/service. Sometimes intensive cooking could have be avoided with quality store-brought food. Also, make sure that you always have a back-up plan and/or budget and extra time just in case things don’t work out.

8. Seek out free venues.
What places can you rent dirt-cheap or don’t have to rent at all? It could be a family or friend’s home, a church hall, a club/center hall in which you are a member of, a college/university site, a park etc. Try to think of creative places where you can have your event. Keep in mind that some places like a park or someone’s house may require that you hire a caterer, tent, etc. If that becomes overwhelming, continue to seek out restaurants and other places.

9. Buy or rent a used or discounted/out-of-season wedding dress OR formal gown.
I know, this doesn’t fit every woman’s wedding dream, but sometimes the gown of your dreams is an added expense that just can’t be accommodated. Many people only wear the dress once anyway, so why deal with the stress of paying full price. If that option freaks you out (as it did with the FH when I suggested it for myself), then seek out formal gowns and evening wear that aren’t slapped with the “wedding” label, often making them much more affordable. Look at department stores that often have sales and dresses prices a few hundred dollars or much less.

10. Have the ceremony and reception at the same site.
For those who are adamant about getting married in a traditional church/temple/religious setting, you may be able to save a ton on exchanged vows at your reception site. Some places have packages allowing for this, so it may be good to take advantage of it. The great part about it, is that there is no need for limos to transport between sites. The only thing is being aware that it is awkward to invite people to the wedding if they aren’t also invited to the reception since it is at the same place. Also, you want to make sure there the site has good spots to take pictures.

Keeping these things in mind can help you set a realistic wedding budget without breaking the bank.


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Marquita Bell is the founder and product developer for The Body Buffet and lead photographer for Divine Image Photography. When she isn’t making soap or editing pictures, she is practicing more simplistic, sustainable, natural, greener living from food to spending habits. She loves sharing her frugal and simplistic adventures in hopes of inspiring others to improve their overall health and wellbeing for themselves, others, and the environment. In her spare time she enjoys refuting the term tree-hugger (how her best friend labels her) and explaining how she likes to “flirt” with veganism.

image source

10 Ways Why Reducing Your Wedding Budget Makes for a Better Celebration

Has your fiance ever said this to you in your planning stages: "I am afraid you're planning a wedding that we can't afford"? This could possibly become your worst fear because:

A. You thought the same thing.
B. You fear what a cheaper wedding would look like.
C. You won't have the wedding I always dreamed of and resent it (or him).
D. You realize that your combined income does not total the amount someone has spent on their wedding.

What can you do? How can you pull off a decent, not-cheap-looking, wedding that was well under $5,000, well under the reduced cost of $10,000.

Source

It may be extremely difficult, but you may have to listen to your gut and cut back significantly--after all, you don't want to have to take out a second mortgage or borrow again your retirement fund to pay for one day.

The is a real example of a budget a couple had initially, then the reconfigured budget that was much more realistic.

ORIGINAL BUDGET:

Wedding Dress    $500 to $1,000

Photography    $1,000 to $1,500

Rings    $500

Church    $500

Reception Hall    $1,000

Reception Food    $1,575 to $3,500

Cake    $300

Flowers    $100 to $300

Transportation    $250   

Tux    $200   to   $300

Officiant’s Fee    $100

Wedding Party Gifts    $100  to  $250

Make-up & Hair    $100   to   $400

Bachelors/Bachelorette Party    $250   to   $500

Rehearsal Dinner    $250   to   $400

Honeymoon    $1,000  to    $2,000

Invitations    $200  to    $400

Marriage License    $80

GRAND TOTAL    $8,005   to   $13,280 (based on 70 guests)

NEW BUDGETt:

Wedding Dress    $200

Photography    $250

Rings    $150

Church    n/a

Reception Hall      n/a

Reception Food    $875

Cake    $150

Flowers      n/a

Transportation    $150

Tux    $150

Officiant’s Fee    $25

Wedding Party Gifts      n/a

Make-up & Hair    $30

Bachelors/Bachelorette Party      n/a

Rehearsal Dinner      n/a

Honeymoon    $500

Invitations    $20

Marriage License    $80

GRAND TOTAL: $2,580 (based on 25 guests)

At first glimpse it seems rather drastic, but given the fact that she was graduate school student, not working full-time he worked in social services, and neither of their sets of parents wanted to pitch in, for this couple this was much more realistic. In the end, they ended up not getting married (not because of the budget lol), but there are very good things that came of this budget adjustment:

1. It reduced the amounts of guests.
You are probably wondering why in the world this is an advantage, but one of the first keys to cutting your wedding costs is to cut your guest lists, This couple's original guest list had 130. About 35 of that amount were children. The groom to be immediately eliminated the children. Secondly, they eliminated non-family members, which brought down their number to 70, which was definitely doable. Finally, they narrowed it down to immediate family plus the wedding party which brought them down to 25. Twenty-five people at even $30 a head would be well under $1,000. You might think: well what about all of the important people? The key is to really sit down and invite those who mean the most to you, not people you may not even know in five years.

2. A smaller headcount opens the doors for restaurants, uncommon spaces, and expensive venues.
Some reception venues have a very low capacity, which is great for extra small weddings. Because the you have less people, you can spend up to $50 without breaking the bank, allowing for a very elegant reception at a ritzy place that you would have not have been able to afford with a much larger group. Another added bonus is that sometimes the smaller spaces have a much lower minimum purchase requirement than a bigger place, if any at all.

3. It creates an intimate environment.
With this couple the groom wanted a small, sweet, elegant, intimate wedding to begin with, while the bride wanted a big celebration that was elegant but cost effective. She realized the reality of the situation and compromised. They were both able to sleep at night realizing that they didn't need to go into debt.

4. You don't have to worry about parking.
You now have access to those awkwardly located places that are in the middle of a busy city or that have limited parking (which is rampant in all of Philadelphia and other major cities). Your guests could carpool and you will probably save a ton on parking, if you don't receive free parking or valet.

5. Buffet or Sit Down––either one works.
There is no big deal about what type of meal it should be since either way you will save on having to hire additional waiters/attendants for your small group. You also may be able to save a great deal on the alcohol by simply ordering a few bottles of wine, rather than having an open bar for a couple hundred people.

6. Less Invitations and favors/gifts
You can either go all out in this area (especially if many of your guests or couples or families) or simply reduce the cost.

7. More time to Spend with Your Guests
Instead of wasting precious eating time thanking each of your guests individually for their attendance, you will now be able to actually dine with them if you so desire.

8. Save on Entertainment and/or sound system
Unless you plan on cutting the rug with your small group, you can forgo a dj/band/musician(s) and simply settle for background music.

9. Save on your Cake
You may be able to save a hefty amount on your cake since it is only feeding a small amount, or forgo the cake and instead opt for cupcakes, the dessert tray, or skip the cake altogether. If you aren't having all of the other festivities like tossing the bouquet, the first dance, garter toss, etc., then no one is going to look for a big to-do with the cake.

10. Save on photography
If you have a short ceremony and do all of the "fancy stuff" (cake cutting, first dance etc) at the very beginning of the reception, you will probably save a bunch in your photography fees––instead of 5 hours of coverage, you will have more like 2-3 if you can find a photographer willing to compromise. You can also always do your wedding portraits AFTER the big day. Just think, you won't have all of the nervousness and stress after the big day. You can just relax and enjoy one another, which makes for better pictures.

So the bottom line is a HUGE savings all around. Plus, if you still want to go all out, you reap the benefits of marriage AND get to save for a bigger celebration, the one that you do want, in the near future.


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Marquita Bell is the founder and product developer for The Body Buffet and lead photographer for Divine Image Photography. When she isn’t making soap or editing pictures, she is practicing more simplistic, sustainable, natural, greener living from food to spending habits. She loves sharing her frugal and simplistic adventures in hopes of inspiring others to improve their overall health and wellbeing for themselves, others, and the environment. In her spare time she enjoys refuting the term tree-hugger (how her best friend labels her) and explaining how she likes to “flirt” with veganism.

What Makes Us Not-So-Average?

Why did we start this blog? Because we feel as though not-so-average brides are often left out of the "main-stream" wedding planning, as they are in most aspects of "main-stream" life. 

By not-so-average we mean brides who aren't apt to go after the latest trends, vegan brides, tree-hugger brides, eco-friendly brides--basically all of the women out there who don't want to allow their wedding to consume them and want simplicity and a rustic elegance. Those who dare to be unique and cater their big day to themselves and their partners; not aiming to please everyone else.

Join us on this journey of sticking to the basics, and planning your unity of love.

While we will focus a lot on local Philly businesses, including our own, we believe that a lot of the information provided could benefit any bride living any where. The Body Buffet emphasizes getting back to the basics: handmade, local ingredients, natural ingredients, and eco-friendly packaging. You don't have to be a tree-hugger, vegan, or anything else to go back to the basics. We believe in taking one step at a time and choosing how you want to either change or maintain a healthier, greener life.

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Photo credit: http://ristovski.com.au/baby/images/clipart_bride.bmp