It’s the small things that make a difference sometimes. Take this for instance:

After a Tuesday afternoon visit to a dentist on Penn Avenue in Wyomissing with my son (Riley, 6), we stopped in for a well-deserved treat at Best  of Berks-winner Café Harmony. He had some chocolate ice cream (yes, even though
it was just about the first day of winter) and I warmed up the dreary day with a Chai Stinger.

But I think what we both enjoyed most was what we call the “Window of Wishes.” At the counter seating spot on the right side as you exit, you could grab a Post-It note in white, pink or green, scribble a wish and hand it to the lady working the counter, who would later stick it on the window for all to see.

From “I wish I could meet Justin Bieber,” to “I wish for more wishes,” and “I wish for happiness for everyone,” the small notes sure did put a big smile on our face as we read them. What a fun idea!

Café Harmony, 616 Penn Ave., West Reading, 610.378.9001, cafeharmony.us

By Nikki M. Murry

Being fun, fashionable and budget-conscious on your big day? It’s TOTALLY possible. For tips on how NOT to break the bank on your wedding day, we bring you what we believe are the best of the best in wallet-friendly wedding tips:

• Focus on Your WANTS. Don’t make your wedding something you think it should be, rather incorporate all the details you really want. Don’t want to wear a veil? Don’t. Don’t want a large bridal party? Skip it. It’s YOUR day. (thefrisky.com)

• Cut the Cake. A sky-high cake can come at a sky-high price. Order a beautiful, but modest-sized, cake to put on display, and supplement it with sheet cakes to cut and serve behind the scenes and serve to guests. (TheKnot.com)

• Wed Off-Season. A whopping 70 percent of weddings take place between May and October. Your best bet is a January-March affair (avoiding Valentine’s Day) when you don’t have to compete for a location and other in-demand services. (WeddingChannel.com)

• Barter with Vendors. See if you can get a reduced rate on your cake, catering and music services by allowing the vendors to advertise at your reception. All it may take is putting simple place cards with their contact information at their assigned station. (thesimpledollar.com)

• Say “I Do” to the iPod. Don’t want to do the dollar dance? Just want some background music you want to dictate? Load up your iPod with those tunes, check for a speaker system and you’re all set!

Just remember, every details counts, and costs. Your big day doesn’t have to be a big budget day!