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 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 Thursday, July 30, 2009 by Fran Hansen Orange "Punch-in-a-cloud" is perfect for the bride with a champagne taste and a beer pocket book!  Almost any favorite punch recipe can be served with an added bottle of your favorite inexpensive wine or champagne. There are dozens of great champagne punch recipes, (you can find some of them in my latest book Our Wedding Wish Book and Keepsake Wedding Planner...

Published on Monday, May 11, 2009 by Fran Hansen While the wedding cake will normally be on the to-do list of a bride, the stand for the cake is sometimes forgotten. It is also something you don’t want to spend a fortune on or by the time you get to the stand your budget can be stretched to the limit. Fortunately there are many ways around this problem. To begin with, if you have a chosen to have a tradit...

Published on Tuesday, April 14, 2009 by Fran Hansen No one, but no one says you have to have a “wedding” cake!  Why not “wedding” pie, “wedding” cupcakes, “wedding” cookies or “wedding” brownies? Do you like cheesecake? Bake several and make them your reception table centerpiece by placing a few sprigs of greenery and flowers around their base. And who doesn’t love strawberries atop a fre...

Published on Wednesday, March 4, 2009 by Fran Hansen My favorite reception is without a doubt the least costly that you can plan. It’s the traditional cake, mints, nuts, punch, coffee and tea reception! For a fraction of the cost of preparing a meal for your guests, you can provide a beautiful reception for up to 200 people for under a thousand dollars! Mints, nuts, punch, coffee and tea are NOT expensive and...

Published on Sunday, February 1, 2009 by Fran Hansen Although it is unlikely that you will be named as the primary party in a lawsuit, you are, technically, hosting the event.  Unless the reception hall agrees to sign a hold harmless letter stating that you are not liable for any damage that should occur as a result of your wedding, you should look into event insurance.  The cost for event insurance will range from $5...

Published on Sunday, January 18, 2009 by Ask Fran Have your wedding at home !  An old fashioned idea, but one that is coming back strong, thanks to the economy and THANKS to good common sense!  Home weddings are perfect for an intimate ceremony and reception. Candles, flowers and soft music set the stage for a romantic evening wedding. Whether your wedding is held in your own home or that of a close frien...

Published on Thursday, January 15, 2009 by Fran Hansen Showpiece –Backdrop – Prop - Expression – Dessert Whether you see your wedding cake as a backdrop or prop to some of the most beautiful photographs taken at your wedding, or a unique expression of your wedding theme, a showpiece to impress your guests or simply dessert, you will want to take some time deciding on the perfect delicacy for your guests. However ...