I Do…. For Less
“You can trim costs and still have the day you’ve dreamt of,” says Gino Filippone of Ultimate USA Weddings and Ultimate California Weddings. Even couples who can afford pricier weddings are paring back because it’s not good form to show off during a recession when times are difficult for so many. The average cost of a wedding in the U.S. was $19,212 in the first quarter, down from $21,814 last year according to this Wall Street Journal article. The key is for the couple to set their priorities (the must-haves for the wedding day) and their budget and plan accordingly.
Hollywood Weddings on a Budget
Charli Penn, Managing Editor at WeddingChannel.com, has some thoughts and advice on planning Hollywood-inspired weddings. One cost-saving tip takes its cue from the prop department: The idea is to fake the wedding cake — insert fake layers in your cake and serve guests from a sheet cake in the back. Your cake will look gorgeous, and it can save you around 50 percent!
Jill and Kevin Do the Right Thing
The video of their entrance processional made YouTube viral history in the weddings category. The greatest thing about it is that they’ve used it to raise funds for a non-profit dedicated to ending domestic violence. Kudos to Jill & Kevin! J&K Wedding Entrance on YouTube
Trends from The Wedding Report
While your desires are specific to your wedding day, your awareness of the tendencies of brides and grooms nationwide may help you gauge what is essential to your day and what could be an expendable extra. Here are the top 10 wedding trends according to The Wedding Report, based on interviews with 500 wedding vendors.
1. Smaller weddings, more intimate weddings are popular
2. Couples are hiring less expensive unprofessional photographers
3. Do-it-yourself wedding projects are common among brides
4. Couples are looking for packages from vendors
5. The Internet is used in numerous ways during wedding planning
6. Cheesecakes, cupcakes, and specialty deserts
7. Bolder and brighter colors are fashionable
8. Brides are creating their own bouquets
9. All-inclusive honeymoon packages and cruises are popular
10. Curvy tuxedos for women are in demand for gay weddings
In keeping with ongoing economic concerns, couples are continuing to go small: smaller weddings, budgets, and guest lists. Many look to wedding packages with established wedding coordinators such as Ultimate USA Weddings – specializing in New York City weddings – and Ultimate California Weddings.
“He gives large parties.”
“And I like large parties. They’re so intimate. At small parties there isn’t any privacy,” said Jordan Baker to Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby. IMHO, a more brilliant line of fiction was never written. This counterintuitive statement perfectly describes the wonder of having a small, elegant wedding in the midst of New York City. There’s nothing like being in love, just the two of you, alone in the colorful crowd. Don’t take my word for it. Look at these wedding photos from Ultimate USA Weddings. You’ll see what I mean.
alone in the crowd - Dream NYC wedding
Get Married Launches Magazine
Every day we hear how print media are closing operations and consolidating all content to the Web, but here’s a reverse situation… Get Married, the multi-channeled wedding planning resource with platforms online and on television every weekday, announces a third platform – a new, glossy national wedding magazine launching this October. Just goes to prove that love endures all – even a lousy economy. If you would like to receive a free copy of the new magazine, send an e-mail to Magazine@GetMarried.com or register for a copy on the website.
Where did you meet? Odds are it was at work
We polled a hundred brides and asked the question…
Where did you meet?
70% said they met their spouse at work
20% said they met their spouse on the internet
9% said they met their spouse at a holiday party
1% said they met their spouse, through the yellow pages searching for a service such as plumber, carpet cleaner, gardener.
Marriage for All!
Same-sex marriage is valid and recognized in California. California is the second U.S. state, after Massachusetts, to make marriage licenses available to same-sex couples
You and your partner have come out, met each other, fallen in love, gotten engaged, and picked a date. Though you’ve covered great distances, you are now finding that you’ve actually only just begun and “square one” is staring you in the face. You are asking yourselves: “We’ve come this far and know we want to build the gay wedding of our dreams, but what is next? Where do we begin?”
Begin here — Ultimate California Weddings is pleased to do Same Sex Weddings.
Airlines
Tips to buying cheap airline tickets
- Buy your tickets at least three weeks in advance.
- Visit the big search engines like Travelocity, Orbitz, Expedia, and Cheaptickets. These sites will give you a good idea on the average going rate for a retail ticket and it allows you to compare rates and plan on traveling on the least expensive day.
- Remember that ticket prices can vary drastically by airport.
- Go directly to airline websites. If you’ve found a great deal on Virgin Atlantic via the above search engines, then you’ll more often than not find a better deal directly from the airline. Even if price is the same, buying directly from the airline will save you the search engine’s booking fee. Some airlines even guarantee the lowest rates from their own websites, backed up with special offers for those who find cheaper fares elsewhere.
Fly Virgin Atlantic to San Fransico for your Destination Wedding.
They fly one of the youngest fleets of Boeing and Airbus aircraft and are the UK’s second largest long haul airline.
They offer the utmost in service especially when you mention you are getting married.
Weddings on a Budget
Weddings can be very expensive. Ask any married couple and they’ll tell you the hoopla they went through to set up a wedding. From ordering your wedding dress, to getting your brides maids and wedding party together, the event can be quite challenging. Then there’s family and trying to make everyone happy. There are so many details to keep in mind, but when it comes to the best ways to get married on a budget, it’s time to think small intimate Destination Wedding.
