How many Bridesmaids will you have?

I recently came across this article from WeddingWay.com which lists Charleston, SC as the "Bridesmaid Capital of the United States" averaging over 5 bridesmaids in a typical wedding party.

I must say that I have seen more of a trend to smaller wedding parties and personally, I prefer it.  My opinion is to just let your friends and family enjoy the day without having the formal commitment of a role in the wedding.  Also, think about the budget, not only do your bridemaids have to spend more on dresses, hair and make-up, you have the extra expense of bouquets and gifts which can add up quickly.

My recommendation is to keep the bridal party small and just focus on a wonderful experience for all of your guests.

Until next time...

Cheers!

A few more tips on budgeting for your wedding

When planning your wedding knowing where to begin can often be the hardest part of the planning process.  Often I hear brides ask “how much is that going to cost”.  While cost is one of the most important parts of the wedding I often turn the question back to them asking them to prioritize their priorities.

You see, once a bride knows what’s important to her, she can then put a value on that item.  Determining the value as it relates to your wedding can be one of the most stressful parts of planning.  So I often caution clients to break down what’s at the top of their list.  For my clients I do the homework of determining what their priorities cost.  However, for those brides that have not hired a planner I highly recommend they do their homework.

Start out by contacting the venue first and foremost.  Detail out everything you want and work to get the best possible price.  While researching venues go to the next most important item on your list and research that cost and so on and so forth.

It’s very important to gather all the costs before signing any contracts.  Don’t let any one vendor pressure you into signing with them.  Once you start signing contracts and giving deposits it’s too late to turn back.  If you have hired a planner this is where you want to bring them in.  They are the ones who can and will negotiate the best possible price for you.

By gathering all your costs you can see exactly where each item fits into your budget.  This allows you the option to switch gears and change your expectations based on how the value of your “priority” fits into your overall wedding budget.

Take for example, I’m working with a client who has a fabulous venue.  Their most important items are photography and band.  I’ve cautioned them before signing anything to let us do the homework to determine what all of the other elements will cost.  This way they can decide how all of the elements can work within their given budget and how they can allocate more money to the items they deem most critical.

Once you feel comfortable with how things work into your budget you can sign on the dotted line.  After that, all the little details will fall into place.


Until next time…

Cheers!

How much is your wedding going to cost?

I just came across an article about the average cost of a wedding that I thought needed to be shared.

We all know that prices are continually rising and this is certainly true in the wedding industry.  A recent study released by The Knot points out what I feel is a very realistic view of how much it will cost to hold your dream wedding.  Wedding costs have been escalating rapidly and the average cost of a wedding nationwide is approaching $30,000 and in New York City the average cost is almost $87,000.

Check out the article below for more details on wedding costs and to see wedding trends, all of which are very much on target based on what we have been experiencing with our wedding clients.

Wedding cost and trends

Happy wedding planning and ...

Cheers