Published on Tuesday, December 7, 2010 by Fran Hansen Gone are the days of the bride's family paying for the wedding, or the groom's parents getting off of the hook completely! Today's couples are actually picking up a greater portion of the wedding costs themselves rather than going to their parents. The first step in coming up with your wedding budget is to sit down together with a pencil, paper and a calculator. Fi...

Published on Friday, December 4, 2009 by Fran Hansen When trying to save money and still have an amazing wedding, seriously think about scheduling your nuptials for the "off season!" During the off-season, reception venues are typically less expensive for obvious reasons. There are not nearly as many brides competing for the space - meaning you have a greater chance for a discount. Of course, off-season depends en...

Published on Tuesday, December 1, 2009 by Fran Hansen Plan your wedding for a Friday or Sunday night and save big bucks!  Saturdays are obviously the most popular day for weddings – but popular comes at a premium price. Unbelievable but true, if you were to decide on a mid-week wedding at your favorite hotel or reception venue you could save as much as 35% off the Saturday evening bid for the exact same services an...

Published on Monday, November 30, 2009 by Fran Hansen How much you should expect to pay for your flowers depends on your personal preferences and your wedding budget. Most brides will spend between 7% and 10% of their wedding dollar on flowers.  For the bride spending the national average of over $27,000 on her entire wedding, that translates into thousands! It’s not uncommon for a bride to spend over $200 for a...

Published on Saturday, November 14, 2009 by Fran Hansen Did I hear pizza for the rehearsal dinner … When planning your rehearsal dinner, you have several options to consider and more than a few considerations. There are a number of ways you can save HUNDREDS on this one pre-wedding party alone – and besides, who doesn’t love pizza? (Most pizza establishments have additional menu items for those guests who don’t.) ...

Published on Thursday, November 12, 2009 by Fran Hansen Flowers for a Wedding at Christmastime Christmas is one of the most special times of the year for a wedding.  People are already in a celebration mood, and there is nothing prettier and more enjoyable than a gorgeous Christmas wedding. There is an abundant assortment of special flowers for weddings at this time of year, making it easy for you to design a beauti...

Published on Friday, November 6, 2009 by Fran Hansen Hollywood would have you believe that every bride is a June bride, but the truth is that there are eleven other months out there to choose from, and a wedding at any time of year a cause for celebration, even on the most stringent of budgets. Winter brings with it thoughts of holidays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukah and Kwanza, of brightly colored lights twinklin...

Published on Wednesday, November 4, 2009 by Fran Hansen First of all, ask for your cake to be delivered FREE!  Remember, there are many places to order your cake and the decorator knows that and wants your business. If delivering your wedding cake at no charge is all it takes to get your business, then it is a no brainer that they deliver it for FREE. Keep in mind, if you don't ASK, you don't GET! If they refuse to d...

Published on Wednesday, November 4, 2009 by Fran Hansen Order the size wedding cake that you actually need to serve your guests! Whether you are ordering or making your own cake, you will still want to be assured that you have enough, but not too much! Most brides will order a cake that is too large and have one or more layers left over! On a budget, that just doesn't make sense! A good rule of thumb is to multiply your...

Published on Sunday, October 25, 2009 by Fran Hansen Ordering all your male attendants formal wear from one shop puts you in a position to ask for something extra, so be sure to request that your groom’s tuxedo be included at no additional cost to you. I MEAN ABSOLUTELY FREE!! Also ask for multiple discounts and because of intense competition between tux shops they will almost always make you a good deal!  If one...