Pictures worth a thousand words... or $1.50+

Framed photos aren't the first thing that you might think of when imagining your perfect table setting for your event... however, flowers can be expensive and live fish went out of style in 1995. Framed photos are charming, personalized, and can be as elegant or playful as you want.

I recently caught a deal at Target for 8 4x6" frames for $7.00 which is less than a $1.00 per frame. They're simple and black and could be paired with some silver or black candlesticks (for height) or could be painted pink for a baby shower or bachelorette party.

A friend of mine had assigned seating at her wedding and she put a picture of each of the people at the table with her or with her groom. She then gave them away as their party favor. What an intimate way to bring her guests together - to share about where/when the photo was taken, how they met the bride/groom, etc.

As you plan for your event, you can visit thrift stores, garage sales, and craft store blow-outs and start collecting frames at rock-bottom prices. If you're concerned about uniformity, you can always buy a can of four-dollar spray paint in the color of your choice and make them all the same color BUT with different textures, patterns & sizes.

Booze: The best bang for your buck

Planning a party where you are going to serve alcohol? Budget-wise, your best bet is to serve beer & wine only. Hard alcohol is expensive - ranging from $1-5 per drink or more at a restaurant venue - and can lead to embarassing "lamp shade" incidents.

After doing much shopping in town for vino, the best bang for your buck is Trader Joe's (but stay away from 2-buck Chuck, it tastes like cheap wine)... Their wines start at $3/bottle and goes up from there. TJ's has a great selection of wines from around the globe and changes up its selection regularly so it's always new to your pallate (and to your guests). It's also your best choice for budget-priced sparkling white wine (aka champagne).

More soon on glassware and the dangers of plastic - taste-wise, not health-wise. Stay tuned...

Another option is to contact any friends who you might have in the wine/alcohol industry to see if they can "hook you up" with an even better deal.

Beer: A keg is much easier on your wallet (and the environment) than bottled beer. You can put a black table cloth around the keg and have a staff person stand at the keg serving guests wine & beer - it takes some of the "Frat Kegger in IV" feeling out of it. Santa Barbara Ice Company is one of the best deals in town and carries a wide variety of inventory. They can also deliver and provide dispensers and ice for a nominal delivery fee. If you want to do bottled beer, keep an eye on your local grocery store as they often have prices per beer that beat Costco.