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 Thursday, November 4, 2010 by Ask Fran The Early Bird Gets the Dream Wedding A wedding is one of  life's  most important events, and as such, it is meant to be a memorable, beautiful and poignant affair.  But before the actual ceremony can take place,  you know there is a tremendous amount of planning that needs to be done. A bride has a certain vision of her ideal wedding – where it is...

Published on Wednesday, January 6, 2010 by Ask Fran If you like quiet, leisurely shopping with no pressure, and a narrow focus, bridal shows are not for you. If you want a one-stop shop where you can interview and review florists, photographers, caterers, wedding planners, dress makers, tent rentals, beverage services, etc., a bridal show certainly provides the perfect opportunity. However, bridal shows will most defin...

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 Monday, February 2, 2009 by Fran Hansen Sometimes called a junior bridesmaid, a child some may consider too old to be a “flower girl” can still be invited to be an attendant and walk down the aisle in place of, or instead of a young child who quite likely will make a scene anyway! After assisting in hundreds of weddings, the majority with young children included in the processional, I can tell you tha...

Published on Friday, January 9, 2009 by Ask Fran Hiring a wedding planner can cost a lot and there is something special about creating your own unique wedding just as you envisioned it all the time. While the centerpieces are important to the overall ambiance and visual enhancement of your wedding it doesn’t have to take a big cut out of your budget. There are lots of unique and easy ideas you can try with ...