"The average cost of weddings in 2017 was $33,391" (www.theknot.com/press-room/) which may be well beyond your wedding budget.  "When planning the wedding, a couple's most important consideration is cost (72%), followed by the overall look and vibe (69%)" (www.theknotww.com/press-room/). "Couples are also shifting away from formal affairs to create an experience that truly is reflective of their personalities and infusing more unique and unconventional ideas from their venue and invitations to food, entertainment and more". (Kristen Maxwell Cooper, Editor and Chief of The Knot).

So how do yo pick the best and most cost effective venue menu to impress your guests and stay within your wedding budget? Search and seek alternatives that are "outside-the-box".  Utilizing non-trational venues can cut your wedding budget significantly, but saving on your wedding dress and menu can also slash additional budget dollars.  With non-trational venues come non-trational menu options.  Pairing your trendy barn wedding venue with an outdoor BBQ provides a fun and unique experience for you and your guests, and who doesn't like grilled food and a good BBQ sauce.

Food Trucks are trendy and can be a less expensive alternative to a formal reception.  Food Truck entrepreneurs have become so common that you can find a food truck with a unique and tasty menu that fits your style and persoanlity. Also, don't overlook the possibility of your local restaurants.  If your venue does not have restrictions on "outside" food, check into the catering options at your local fav.

One last thought when considering your menu;  Think of it like your first date with a guy and you study the menu trying to find an entre that you can eat gracefully so you don't embarrass yourself.  No slurping soups, sloppy tacos, or whole chicken - who knows how to cut that up?  And, a second date might not happen with rib sauce all over your face.

The same consideration should be applied when determining your reception dinner menu.  The last thing you want is your dinner dripping all over your gorgeous designer wedding dress, yet if the food is fun and fits your venue, what options do you have?  Clearly, a tablecloth-sized napkin or kitchen apron could protect your wedding gown, but how classy is that??

A new alternative to your delimma is a Bridal Bib from Classy Clothing Covers (www.classyclothingcoverrs.com).  Bridal Bibs are designed to protect your wedding dress and present an elegant appearance during your wedding reception.  Bridal Bibs by Classy Clothing Covers, are made of beautiful materials designed to match the elegance and beauty of your wedding gown.  Bridal Bibs are a great solution to the venue-menu-stay lookin' good dilemma and a smart choice for the practical and savvy bride.
Follow Classy Clothing Covers on Instagram: Instagram@classyclothingcovers 

Christmas is just around the corner and our already busy lives will accelerate exponentially as the Christmas season approaches.  We will strive to juggle work, kids, elderly parents, parties, and the laborious chore of shopping for Christmas gifts.  You may already be making your gift list and checking it twice, but what gift do you get your elderly parents?  

Buying gifts for seniors is difficult.  Whether your elderly parent is living with you or in a Senior Living Community, buying a gift for a senior adult can be a daunting task.  A senior’s living space is generally small and limited to the essentials.  The cute “knick-knack” gifts end up in a drawer if not thrown away due to lack of storage or shelf space.  They have a lifetime of accumulation and, as a senior adult, they are trying to minimize their possessions.
 
When considering gifts for seniors or gifts for your elderly parent, practicality should be top-of-mind. It is the epitome of the cliché, “it’s the thought that counts”.  Your effort in a thoughtful senior gift will demonstrate your empathy and love.  Consider comfort and convenience as the two primary factors when buying a gift for seniors.  Many seniors are unaware or unable to articulate a need due to a physical restriction assuming it is just part of the aging process, therefore you need to do some investigating and assess your elderly parent’s needs.
 
The next time you are with your elderly parent, watch how they move, where they sit, what and how they hold onto items.  Ask them questions such as “do you have trouble …….?”  And listen to their concerns, needs, and struggles.  Many times the solutions are easy and simple.  Acknowledgement of an issue, some creative thought of options, and implementation of your solution might be all that is needed.  Why not use these creative solutions as the perfect Christmas gift for your senior parent.
 
Below is a list of simple practical senior gift ideas:

• Many seniors are less active and tend to be cold even in warm temperatures.  A wonderful gift for seniors is an electric blanket for their bed and/or an electric throw for when they sit in a chair.  If you (or they) are uncomfortable with the idea of an electric blanket, your senior can use it to pre-warm the bed to take the chill off of their sheets (flannel sheets are also an asset), then shut the blanket off when they lay down to go to sleep.  Most electric blankets have an auto off that will shut off the heat after a specified number of hours.

 

• Many elderly people have difficulty forming a tight grip whether due to arthritis or loss of muscle strength.  Consider an electric toothbrush for a senior gift.  They have a larger handle to grip and do all the work!  This also might encourage them to maintain good dental hygiene.

 

• A high number of seniors now live in an independent or assisted living facility.  Many have a “resort-like” atmosphere whereby the residents go to a lovely dining hall for their meals.  Accidental spills are common among the elderly and yet the terry or plastic adult bibs lack style and are humiliating to wear in public. Consider an elegant cover (bib for seniors) from Classy Clothing Covers as a gift for your elderly parent.  They are designed with beautiful fabrics and embellishments.  Classy Clothing Covers create adult bibs for women and bibs for adult men so that seniors can “Dine with Dignity”. Visit: www.classyclothingcovers.com

 

• Forming a tight grip on small items is especially difficult for seniors.  Consider a lamp for your elderly parent that you can tap-on & tap-off.  This eliminates their need to grasp the tiny light switch on their lamp.  Check Amazon for this type of table lamp. Additionally, the inexpensive small round tap-on-tap-off lights can be found at most discount stores and provide additional light when hung low in closets, shelves, near beds or laid on a dresser for easy access.  For nightly trips to the bathroom, consider a pretty nightlight that will come on automatically when the room is dark.

 

• Although your senior adult may think that water bottles are for the grandchildren, a pretty water bottle with a built in straw will encourage your elderly parent to drink more water – something that most seniors do not get enough of.  (Water consumption early in the day will lessen the need to use the restroom during the night)

 

• As we age we shrink in size.  Items that may be at our eye level may be out-of-reach for an elderly parent due to their height or a mobility issue.  Consider a “Senior Grabber Tool” for the light weight and hard to reach items on a shelf.  Additionally, clear plastic shoe bins are small, lightweight, and can used for small items in the refrigerator or on a low cabinet shelf.  These bins act as drawers and are easy for a senior adult to handle.

 

• Many of us think about larger circumference pens for seniors which provide a better and thicker grip, however many seniors also have difficulty seeing, so look for a thick shafted pen with a thicker writing point which will create a broader writing base with which they will be able to read what they write.

 

• Another great senior gift is a pouch which can be hung on their walker of over the arm of a chair.  The pouch can be used to carry non-valuable items, keeping a senior’s hands on their walker. A pouch over the arm of a chair can house a cell phone, TV changer, tissues, and is a perfect place for hearing aid containers.

 

• A couple of other thoughtful gift ideas for senior adults are large magnifying instruments (many sizes and types) and a shoe horn that has a long handle.

 
This list does not come close to covering the many practical items made for our senior adults, however it does provide a few Christmas gift ideas for seniors that might get you thinking outside the box!  

As a modern bride, you are savvy and strive to stretch a dollar while insuring your unique style and creativity take center stage at your wedding.

While the venue, flowers, and decor can take your budget to it's limit, it is the reception meal that will really squash the momentum of your creative ideas and soak-up the majority of your wedding dollars.

Cheers to the couple who discards the notion that a formal carved beef dinner is a must!  Alternative options are fun and have unique menus which will be remembered by every guest.
Food trucks have grown in popularity and can be found at entertainment events, corporate functions, and wedding receptions.  They are posh, add an element of uniqueness that can get the party started, and be the focal point of your reception theme.  Food trucks are now so plentiful that finding one that caters to your pallet and whimsical taste will be easy.  They have become "a super-popular wedding catering trend" says Vi-An Nguyen with The Knot.
​
The best reason for you to consider a food truck is the price.  Most will cater for far less than a plated or buffet dinner.  The only downside to a food truck is factoring the logistics of how your guests be served.  Ask the food truck owner for their recommendations and also those of your venue.  Generally, servers can be hired if you do not want your guests to pick up their meal.
Your wedding should be fun and worry-free!

Bridal Bibs by Classy Clothing Covers will also help to make your reception "worry-free".  These unique and elegant bibs for brides will keep you looking glamorous while protecting your expensive wedding dress from food or drink spills. 
Visit: www.classyclothingcovers.com to see the classy bridal look that can be yours!

Can fashion and practicality go hand-in-hand at your wedding reception?   Absolutely!
 
Your wedding day is one of the most exciting times you will experience in your life. It’s what you have been dreaming of since you were young and now you are in love and engaged!  You enjoy the process of shopping for a wedding gown, bridal veils, bridal bouquets, wedding cakes, and wedding reception venues.  You invest a tremendous amount of time, energy, and money into creating that once-in-a-lifetime wedding and wedding reception.
 
With current trends in wedding reception themes and unique wedding venues, it is only fitting that the menu is as customized as the décor.  This unique style is a reflection of your personal taste, fun personality, and effort to make your wedding special and memorable ……. but not memorable due to a toast that baptizes you and your white wedding dress in red wine.
 
Everything is perfect until that moment when the contents of your dinner plate or wine glass go from their respective container and onto your beautiful designer wedding gown.  Not only can this change the momentum of your special day, but the embarrassment of a stained wedding dress and potential of an additional expense to clean your wedding gown,  begin to weigh on your mind. 
 
Whether you have chosen an Italian Tuscany style dinner or a casual rustic BBQ, red sauce can spell disaster when it comes into contact with your white satin and lace gown.  Dry cleaning can be expensive and the DIY options are risky at best.  
           
What is the best way to keep your wedding dress clean and pristine?   A Bridal Bib!
​At first thought it sounds like a childish looking bib with the word “Bride” embroidered on the front, however if you look further there are new modern options that provide an elegant look. 
             
This new concept of a bridal or wedding “bib” is gaining momentum.  Bridal Bibs are wedding gown covers that are designed to complement your beautiful gown and not detract from it as with a cumbersome bridal apron or awkward wedding napkin. These Classy Clothing Covers use beautiful fabrics and many are embellished with unique features such as jewels, crystals, pearls, and/or rhinestones.  Isn’t it great that you have the ability to be “proactive” instead of “reactive” for a wedding reception disaster?  Check out these gorgeous bridal bibs that will look as beautiful as your wedding gown or reception dress.
 
Classy Clothing Covers are designed for the modern bride who is classy and savvy with a splash of practicality.