McWeddings: Something different (and easy on the budget, too)

Couples would usually go all out on their weddings. I remember during our wedding preps, I was very particular about the venue, the attire, and the food. Especially the food. For the buffet meal alone, we spent around US$1500. That's not including the charge for the venue, dresses, photography, and everything else.

Some people would pull out all the stops and splurge more or less US$22,000 for everything. But there are still some brides- and grooms-to-be who choose to be a bit more on the frugal side, cutting down costs here and there.

Fortunately, for couples-to-wed in Hong Kong, McDonald's is out to help them have a unique and memorable wedding without overspending. McWeddings is the food chain's newest venture which is sure to attract future brides and grooms who are on a fairly tight budget.

A milkshake toast for the bride and groom!

For just around US$1,280, they can avail of the wedding package which is inclusive of McDonald's treats that are transformed into wedding wonders: food and drinks for 50 people, and a cake made of stacked Apple Pies. Invitations, decor, and gifts for guests are also included in the package. The crew takes the extra mile to make this occasion special for the couple as they come in dressed in black suits, just as ushers and waiters in a hotel would.

Yes, McDonald's is not just a venue for kiddie parties anymore. With McWeddings, they've broadened the reach of the clientele -- and eventually helping out couples on a budget create a fun, magical and special wedding day.

Photo credit: The New York Times website

Dessert and candy buffets: Sweet!

While creating my posts for this blog, I always sift through the World Wide Web to look for pretty pictures to post, probably as a stand-alone post or as part of an inspiration board. And one of the things I've been enjoying seeing are dessert and candy buffets in wedding receptions.

I remember my cousin doing this, using sweets that are found in Goldilocks, one of the Philippines' bakeshops. I thought, being one with a sweet tooth, I should've done this in my own wedding! (Well, we had music CDs as souvenirs, which is also one thing about us: hubby and I are also audiophiles.)

And any bride or groom with a sweet tooth should have one in their wedding, too. Dessert and souvenir in one -- and something that everyone will absolutely love.

One of my favorite dessert buffet creators is Amy Atlas. Just looking at her pictures makes me swoon! And just like this dessert buffet she created for Martha Stewart Weddings, all her buffets are works of art -- they're so nice to look at!

Part of designing the dessert and candy buffet is to keep in mind the theme and the decor that should go along with it. I like this dessert buffet from Sweet & Saucy Shop that they made for an actual wedding. Looks fun and yummy at the same time.

Here's another dessert and candy bar I found on Yummy Piece of Cake's Flickr. Aside from candies, they also have cupcakes. I like the elegant white theme and how all the food was arranged.

What's nice about a dessert and candy buffet is that you can match it with your color motif. Since candies come in lots of colors, you can just choose what you want and put them in nice jars like this candy buffet arrangement from Classic Candy Buffet. And it's also okay to buy a lot of candy. The more, the merrier, and the better it looks on photos.

For your dessert and candy buffets, also consider the packaging where guests will put the candies. You can put your names or monograms on it, similar to the paper bags found in this candy bar from Inspired Goodness.

Aren't all these gorgeous? And I think they're practical, too. As a guest, you won't be bothered by favors that you'll just keep in a shelf. You'll actually enjoy this one. Dessert and candy buffets will surely be loved by people of all ages. It's one idea to consider for your wedding.