Don't get married on Opening Day!

We have a tendency to elevate America’s past-time to the Nth degree…

Add to this another World Championship, and it’s no surprise weddings at Busch Stadium are very popular in 2012.

There is even talk about making Opening Day a city-wide holiday.

I’m sure no one would argue otherwise, especially not those who spend days camping out for tickets.

So what do you do if you’re a die-hard St. Louis Cardinals fan and you’re getting married? For many, the answer is simple.

Baseball Wedding theme

Baseball themed weddings are growing in popularity because they allow the bride and groom to personalize their wedding day experience in a way that is truly unique, meaningful, and not to mention, fun!

Many professional ball parks now offer wedding and reception packages and Busch Stadium in St. Louis is no different. But you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to show your love for the game.

Check out these fun ways to incorporate the magic of America’s past-time into your wedding day celebration:

• Use Cracker Jacks or shelled peanuts in bags as reception favors. Of course, you probably wouldn’t want your guests to make a mess of your reception, so handing these out as a parting gift would be your best bet.
• Set up your seating like a playing field and label tables by position. Home plate will represent the head table. If you have more tables than positions, there’s no problem with doubling them up.
• Have your emcee announce your reception entrance like they would at the ballpark. You can really have fun with this one by playing organ music in the background and don’t forget to carry a bat on your shoulder.
• Baseball themed groom’s cakes are always fun. There’s no limit to what you can do with a groom’s cake.
• Your guests can sign a custom jersey, bat, or stack of baseballs as your guest book.
• Serve ballpark themed appetizers like mini hot dogs, nachos, cotton candy, soft pretzels, and Coca Cola Classic in glass bottles.

If you’re having a hard time deciding, here’s proof that a baseball wedding can be very stylish. And these baseball invitations off Etsy are to die for.

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Spinach Artichoke Dip

Naturally, food plays a central role in most gatherings.

But whether your motivation is for healthier eating or saving cash, you have options when preparing and serving food for your upcoming nuptials.

One option for wedding food that often gets overlooked are those foods traditionally considered appetizers.

These foods, which many consider to be good healthy snacks at home, can be made quickly, easily, and many times inexpensively.

While choosing to go this route won’t keep your guests rooted in their chairs for a few hours, they will offer them the opportunity to wander around, visiting with the bride, groom, and likely friends and family they haven’t seen for years.

Favorite Wedding Recipes

So with that in mind, I picked some of my favorite healthy hors d’oeuvres (or at least relatively healthy) to share with you. These recipes are lower in fat and calories than some of the standard fare, with the added benefit of being easy and inexpensive to prepare. Enjoy.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip Recipe

Hot, rich and creamy spinach and artichoke dip is always a hit and one of my personal favorites. It’s versatile – can be served in a bread bowl with bread or in a festive container with carrots, celery, tortilla chips or even crackers. Spinach offers the added benefit of being one of nature’s natural metabolism boosters, but the fat and calories in the traditional dip can be a show stopper though. Here’s a recipe for a reduced fat and calorie version that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients:

• 1 small box (8-10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach
• 6 oz (¾ block) 1/3 less fat cream cheese
• 6 oz (¾ block) fat free cream cheese
• ½ cup fat free sour cream
• 1 ½ cup part skim mozzarella cheese
• 1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 3 cloves crushed garlic
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese, divided

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thaw and drain spinach. In large mixing bowl combine sour cream and cream cheeses with a mixer until smooth and creamy. Add spinach, mozzarella, artichokes, pepper, garlic & ¼ cup of the Parmesan. Stir all ingredients together until combined well. Put mixture into a 1 ½ quart baking dish. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan on top. Bake 30 minutes or until mixture is bubbly. Remove from oven & let cool 5-10 minutes before serving. Each ½ cup contains approximately 135 calories and 7 grams of fat.

Note: A full cup of Parmesan makes this dish even richer and creamier but also adds more fat and calories.

Tomato Basil Skewers Recipe

These are SO easy and quick! And they’re yummy. Arrange them on a platter, or insert the skewers into a cheese ball or pot with foam insert for a beautiful arrangement. You can also use different colored cherry or grape tomatoes if they’re available for a more colorful treat.

Ingredients:

• wooden skewers (1 for each serving you wish to make)
• cherry tomatoes (1 for each skewer)
• fresh basil leaves (1 for each skewer)
• small mozzarella ball (1 for each skewer)
• extra virgin olive oil or Italian dressing to drizzle
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation:
Roll up mozzarella balls, about ½ – ¾ inch in diameter. Slice tomatoes in half and layer pour ingredients; place onto skewer ½ of one tomato cut side up, basil leaf, mozzarella ball, and another ½ tomato cut side down. Drizzle with olive oil or Italian dressing. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Each skewer has approximately 46 calories, 3 grams of fat, 1 carb, & 3 grams of protein if using the extra virgin olive oil. Nutritional content will vary depending on whether you use oil or dressing and how much of either you drizzle.

Smoked Salmon and Cheese Mini Twice Baked Potatoes Recipe

If you’re looking for something “different” from the standard party fare to serve, give this recipe a try. It requires a little more prep time, and is a bit more expensive, but well worth both.

Ingredients:

• 6 small Yukon gold or red potatoes (about 2 pounds)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• ½ tsp salt divided
• Cooking Spray
• 2 TBSP fat free milk
• 1 TBSP butter
• ½ tsp black pepper (freshly ground is best)
• ½ cup (2 oz) finely grated white cheddar cheese
• 2 TBSP finely chopped smoked salmon

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Rub potatoes with oil & sprinkle with ¼ tsp salt. Place potatoes on sprayed baking pan. Bake at 400 for 35 minutes or until tender. When potatoes are tender in the center, remove them from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Cut potatoes in half crosswise. Cut off a small portion of the rounded edge so the potato will stand upright. Carefully scoop out about 1 tsp pulp from each half, leaving the shells intact.

Combine potato pulp, milk, butter, pepper, cheese, and remaining ¼ tsp salt in a bowl. Spoon about 1 heaping tsp of the potato mixture into each potato shell. Place stuffed potatoes back onto pan and top with ½ tsp chopped salmon. Bake for 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Each ½ potato contains approximately 96 calories, 2.9 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of protein, 13 grams of carbohydrates.

Bruschetta Recipe

One of my all time favorites. It makes a wonderful presentation and the flavor just explodes in your mouth and it’s so easy to make! Dried basil can be substituted for fresh, but the fresh really does make a huge difference in taste.

Ingredients:

• 6 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 TBSP Balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup fresh basil, stems removed
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 French or Italian baguette
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preparation:
Preheat the oven on broiler setting. In a large bowl, combine the Roma tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper. Allow mixture to sit for 10 minutes. Cut the baguette into ¾ inch slices. Arrange baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Broil for 1-2 minutes, just until lightly toasted. Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the toasted baguette slices. Top slices with mozzarella cheese. Place slices back in oven and broil for approximately 5 more minutes, or just until cheese is melted.

Each slice contains approximately 215 calories and 9 grams of fat.

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Creativity is a Good Thing

“We discovered we could order tropical flowers from Hawaii over the Internet cheaper than we could get them locally,” Mead said.

“The arrangements were not as large, but the bright colors and uniqueness made them very pretty.”

The Collinsville newlywed saved in other ways, too.

Forgoing a groom’s cake saved money on catering.

The reception site didn’t allow alcohol, so it was off to Sam’s Club for sodas. A shoe sale at DSW provided the perfect pumps. And all this meant that she and her intended could invite whomever they wanted.

“That was a choice of ours… we didn’t want to cut the guest list, so we cut in other areas,” Mead said. Even with champagne taste and a beer pocketbook, you can have the wedding of your dreams – if you exercise some creativity.

Budgeting is the primary step

“Sit down with everyone who is paying for the wedding,” said Denise Fields, co-author with her husband, Alan, of “Bridal Bargains” (Windsor Peak Press). Today, one-third of all couples pay for their own weddings, which average $19,945, according to “Bridal Bargains.”

For the majority, however, it is a combination of the bride’s parents and the bride and groom who foot the bill. So when it comes to planning, talk isn’t cheap – it’s essential. “When someone is kicking in some money, they may want a say in the process,” said Alan Fields.

Prioritizing is the other key to creating a wise wedding

Have you always dreamed of a horse and carriage? Or is your heart’s desire to have hordes of photographs to remember your special day? Give serious thought to what you really want. And work with the people you hire to help attain it. When meeting with vendors, Carley Roney, says do your homework first.

Make sure that what you want and what you can spend are realistic. “Challenge them if the estimates are too high by saying, ‘Help me–how can I achieve what I want with the money I have?’ ” Roney said.

More cost-cutting wedding ideas

All in the timing

Thinking about becoming a June bride? So is everyone else. Considering other times of the year may afford you more flexibility with your budget. “Wedding merchants have to pay their mortgage year-round. In January they are really lonely,” said Alan Fields. “The slowest times of the year to get married are October, November, January and February – except for Valentine’s Day.”

Off the beaten path

“There are amazing places to have a reception,” Alan Fields said. “People e-mail us all the time about zoos, museums. These are all very affordable alternatives.”

Beer vs. liquor

Think about what’s quicker. “Most people believe that a beer and wine reception is cheaper, but hotel staff tell me that isn’t true. People consume more beer and wine than hard liquor. As a result that bar tab is higher,” said Sue Winner, a wedding consultant in Sandy Springs and author of “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Budgeting for Your Wedding” (Macmillan USA, $16.95).

As for the popularity of cash bars, Winner warns that you wouldn’t invite people to your home and make them pay, so you shouldn’t invite them to your wedding and charge. Instead, she said if you can’t afford liquor, punch is proper.

With the end in mind

Keep sight of your long-term goals as a couple. Going into debt for the perfect wedding is never advised. “Keep that budget in your face. You want a house someday, which is a worthwhile goal,” Denise Fields said.

Weddings often take on a life of their own, and it’s hard not to get carried away by expenses. So, the Fields suggest keeping in mind the importance of the special day. “The goal is to see two people married and have a party (within their budget),” said Denise Fields. “It is the being married part that is really cool.”

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Wedding Toast

It’s a chance for close friends and family members to congratulate the newly married couple.

It also gives the couple the opportunity to thank their guests for joining them on their special day.

Wedding toasts are one of the main elements that make a wedding memorable, so it’s important to get it right.

Although most people are aware of wedding ceremony etiquette, they usually don’t pay much attention to wedding toast etiquette.

This could wind up creating a disastrous outcome.

Besides making it heartfelt and reasonably appropriate, guests should follow the guidelines listed below if they want to create a memorable, enjoyable toast.

Wedding Toast Guidelines

1. Don’t ramble: While recounting funny or memorable stories about the bride and groom is perfectly acceptable, nobody wants to sit there and listen to someone go on and on about inside jokes and personal stories. People are there to enjoy the wedding, not an hour long discourse. Keep the toast short and sweet and avoid using “inside jokes” that nobody understands.
2. Avoid inappropriate stories: Sure, there are probably several side-splitting, hilariously amusing stories about the bride and groom that many people would love to hear; however, it is extremely inappropriate to bring up embarrassing or raunchy stories during a wedding toast. You will not only embarrass yourself in front of an entire audience, but you will likely embarrass the bride and groom which is a huge wedding “no-no”.
3. Don’t use bad language: Even if you use bad language frequently in your everyday speech, make sure you clean it up for the wedding toast. Using foul language during your toast will not only award you awkward looks from the crowd but it also makes you sound classless. Not to mention, there are grandparents and young children in the audience that will likely be highly offended by your inappropriate language.
4. Don’t memorize your toast: While it’s good to practice and have an idea of what you want to say, don’t memorize your toast word for word. Simply know the gist of what you want to say and let your genuine feelings of the moment shine through. The bride and groom will see your sincerity and your raw emotions will touch the audience.
5. Never refuse to participate: Even if you are extremely shy and start sweating at the thought of speaking in front of a large group, it’s important to say at least a few words if you get called upon to make a toast. Simply saying “congrats” or “I am so happy for you guys” will suffice; but not saying anything will turn a sweat moment sour.

Don’t worry about forgetting your toast or dealing with nervous jitters. If you are relaxed and speak from the heart, your toast will be great. Guests enjoy listening to a sincere toast that’s short and sweet with spurts of humor; so inject your personality into the toast and end on positive note.