Can’t afford a wedding like Prince William and Kate? Not to worry! Our experienced staff of consultants can help you to create a beautiful wedding no matter the size of your budget. Before you begin call and talk with one of our staff that will be your advisor throughout the process. Whether you have six weeks or six months to plan, we can help you make wonderful wedding memories. Here are some ideas to help you save dollars.

• Plan your wedding for “off season” and pick the day carefully. Depending on where you live, November and January are likely to be slower months for weddings. That should help you find the caterer and/or reception venue more easily.
• Many wedding related businesses hold sales in these months enabling you to enjoy savings.
• Consider being married on a Friday night instead of Saturday night. Or consider a morning wedding followed by a brunch instead of a sit down dinner. Time of day of your event can make a difference in costs.
• Take care of the “something borrowed” by asking a friend or relative to borrow her veil or headpiece.
• Let seasonal themes decorate for you. If you are getting married between Christmas and New Years, the church you choose will already be decorated, thus saving you floral expenses. The same will be true of your reception venue.
• Let your iPod furnish your reception music instead of an expensive band or DJ.
• Let a friend with a passion for “classic cars” be your limousine for the day.
• Hire a professional photographer for the formal and ceremony shots only.  

Have friends and wedding party members take the informal party shots from the reception. We have other wonderful ideas that can help you create the dream you can afford. Call and talk with one of our experienced consultants. Happy Planning….Kay

Increasing in popularity and use are individual wedding websites. Today’s bridal couple is likely to be “wired” in that they are techno savvy and used to online information gathering and sharing. Couples have seen the websites of their soon to be married friends and have some ideas about the site they will create for themselves. In our years of working with brides, here are some of the best components that we have seen. Many websites begin with the story of the couple’s courtship, how they met, how the groom proposed and their detailed wedding plans. The website is a good way to introduce and profile the attendants chosen for the wedding both the bride’s and the groom’s. Be sure to include pictures of them. Site visitors should be able to learn about the fun and friendship that has developed over the years and know why someone was chosen to be such an important part of the celebration.

Include pictures of the church and reception site and even the honeymoon destination if it isn’t a secret. Some brides include photos and information about china, crystal, and silver patterns chosen and often list the stores where registry items are recorded as a help to invited guests. A few words of warning however, resist expecting guests to reply to invitations via email. Do not send thank you notes that way either. Some things are still done the traditional way in spite of electronic innovations. Our experienced consultants can share other good ideas for using the internet as an effective communication tool for your wedding.

Happy Planning…Kay