The Value of Words

“We are betrothed. Nay more, our marriage hour…Determined Of.”

As I was working on a feature about vows for Bridal Guide's March issue, it occurred to me that the words a couple chooses for their ceremony are awfully important. Couples are personalizing their vows more than ever these days, and I see this as a very good trend. and guess what, it costs absolutely nothing! Even on a budget, you can show your elegance and style by considering the true value of the words you say to one another as you look into each other's eyes. As I was thinking about all this, I was paging through a neat little book called Bardisms: Shakespeare For All Occasions, by Barry Edelstein, and sure enough, the greatest poet and playwright in the English language had a great deal to say about weddings. You might want to take a peek at this collection. where better to turn for the best bons mots than to the man who said it all. and better than anyone else, too?

From As You Like It, Rosalind to Orlando, and vice versa:
“To you I give myself, for I am yours.”
(Exchange these sweet, simple words at the altar and trust us, there won't be a dry eye in the house.)

From The Merchant of Venice, Bassanio speaking:
“When this ring/Parts from this finger/then parts life from hence.”
(Another good one to exchange.)

From Romeo and Juliet, Juliet speaking to her swain:
“My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
My love as deep. The more I give to thee
The more I have, for both are infinite.”

(Wow!)

From Midsummer's Night Dream: Lysander speaking:
“My heart unto yours is knit
So that but one heart we can make of it.”

*Oh, and by the way, guys, here's a beauty for the proposal from Richard III:

“Look how my ring encompasseth thy finger;
Even so thy breast encloseth my poor heart.
Wear both of them, for both of them are thine.”

In other words, have both my heart and my ring. I'm yours forevermore!

There's lots, lots more (psst! Take a look at the suggestions for wedding toasts too).

Posted by Susan at 2:13 p.m.

Guest Savings

Hello out there, to the budget minded among you. meaning ALL of you. That's the ongoing trend in weddings these days, and wedding planners are coming forward with so many helpful suggestions to help you achieve your goals. Lori Stephenson, owner and senior event consultant with LOLA Event Productions (lolaeventproductions.com), offers words to the wise:

“The trend toward smaller wedding size will continue into 2010,” she says, “with a guest list of 150, on average, as compared to 200–250.” Smaller wedding sizes, she says, open the opportunity to look at “creative venues like galleries, restaurants and lofts spaces, not just traditional hotel ballrooms.”

We're on the same page with Lori when it comes to guest comfort. happy guests are the heart and soul of a wedding. She says that “amenities for guests can be added to make it more economical for those traveling to attend. For example, secure a range of price points for accommodations and ensure hotels offer features like a complimentary breakfast or a mini-kitchen. For guests traveling with a family, all-suite accommodations are a welcome option.” Lori adds that, with fewer people attending, you can “maximize little touches like hotel amenity gifts or inviting out-of-towners to a pre-wedding cocktail party. Another nice touch is to add interest with a complimentary sightseeing outing, like a museum visit.”

P.S. Before signing your venue contract, Lori advises reviewing your guest list in detail. “Take into consideration the number of out-of-town guests when negotiating your food and beverage ‘minimum' with the hotel or other vendor. Nobody wants to pay for upgrades just to reach their food and beverage goals. If it looks as if you're falling under the minimum, try to parlay this into a post-wedding brunch.”

Posted by Susan at 11:19 a.m.

Rock These Savings!

Party planner Jes Gordon has a hot new book out called Party Like a Rock Star-we like the sound of that! And Jes has her head on straight when it comes to cost-cutting for weddings. Here, a few tidbits of wisdom:

• 'Don't feel obligated to serve every alcohol under the sun. It is OK to limit it to just beer and wine and perhaps a specialty drink of choice. Create a fabulous signature drink that all your guests will enjoy.'
• 'You can cut down on food, a little. Folks can't dance when they're stuffed to the gills. Do a nice tasting menu of little bits of scrumptious foods rather than a side of cow on a plate!'
• 'Throwing cocktail receptions instead of elaborate sit-down dinners is really hot right now! Passed apps with drinks + awesome DJ or band = a mighty good time-and freedom for guests to roam around and really have fun.'

• 'Trade in the four-tier cake. It all started with the cupcake thing, and since then, desserts are moving further away from the traditional tiered cake to more fun ideas like mini assorted desserts and stylish s'mores or candy buffets.'

Look for Jes Gordon's book at BarnesandNoble.com, Amazon.com, Target.com or Borders.com.

Posted by Susan at 5:32 p.m.

Dance, Dance, Dance!

Strike up the band! Or maybe not? DJs are increasingly popular with the budget-minded among you. but remember, if music is high on your priority list, as it is for many couples, you may want to make it your splurge. Many wedding planners, like Marcy Blum, for example, urge couples NOT to cut too deeply into entertainment expenses. after all, you want guests to kick up their heels and have a blast, right?

That said, Kevin Kinyon, cofounder of GigMasters, an online entertainment booking service (gigmasters.com), recently sent us tuneful tips to help you keep expenses down to a dull roar.

• “Tough economic times require couples to seek more variety, performers to be more versatile and weddings to be more unique,” Kevin opines. Lots of couples are booking “tribute” bands as opposed to a traditional wedding band, he says. A tribute act is one that pays homage to, say, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles or Bob Marley. the nice thing is that you can save money by doing so: $2,000 for a traditional band; $1,500 for a tribute band.
• Instead of hiring different performers for each part of the big day, couples might want to have their reception entertainment “break down into smaller solo and ensemble acts for the ceremony and cocktail hour.” Kevin says this is a more cost-effective approach.
• One big way to cut wedding costs is to cut the guest list. your next move then is to go for smaller, more intimate music. “Solo acts, like acoustic guitarists and harpists, are up 44% this year.”
• Be absolutely sure that you comparison shop, Kevin emphasizes. These days, everyone is looking for a deal, so be sure to leave enough time to shop around for what you want.

Posted by Susan at 3:37 p.m.

Worth the Money?

Here's an interesting tidbit from a recent conversation I had with Karen Bussen, a New York event planner and author of the gorgeous book, Simple Stunning Weddings. Even for the most budget-conscious couples, Karen says, be sure to ask your planner or designer (if you have one!) if she'll do a pre-wedding mockup for you so that you can rest assured that everything will be just as you like it on the big day. For her clients, Karen will do a mockup by setting a table with the linen, tableware, candles and flowers that she'll use for the reception. Then the couple can fuss around and make it EXACTLY right. (Last chance, guys!)

The best time to negotiate for this service? Karen recommends doing it at the beginning when the pro is seeking your business; see if she'll include it in her fee. And, please guys, remember to get everything. every item, every service. spelled out in your contract.

Karen notes that even if your planner says she'll need to charge extra for the service, you should bite the bullet and do it anyway. She is totally against the notion of having any unpleasant surprises whatsoever on the wedding day!

Posted by Susan at 11:59 a.m.

Invite Savings

Brides often ask Diane Forden and myself whether it's OK to send Evites. The short answer is no. So is the long answer. Weddings are special, don't you agree? Let's vow to keep something in our lives tech-free! That said, paper invitations can run you into a lot of dough. I recently heard from the people at Hello! Lucky, a stationery company based in San Francisco and London, which makes paper stuff that I just love. I noticed they offer a digital option for invites and I asked them to give me some comparative costs between digital and letterpress. Here's what they told me:

RSVP cards
For 25 cards: digital would be $67.50 while letterpress would be $427

Place cards
For 25 cards: digital would be $55 while letterpress would be $276

Menus/Detail cards
For 25 cards: digital would be $60 while letterpress would be $423

So, you see, going digital can save you some big bucks-plus keeping you in line with wedding etiquette!

NOTE: Jes Gordon, event planner and E! News' Countdown to the Altar wedding expert, says basically the same thing we do. But she says it's fine to send Evites for your rehearsal dinner and to use for your Save the Dates. If you do decide to send thank-you notes by e-mail, send it to your guests along with a photo of themselves at the wedding that they can print out and keep forever. As Gordon notes, this is just so much more thoughtful than firing off a plain old e-mail.

We agree!

Posted by Susan at 9:52 a.m.

Focus on Budget

If anyone you know has gotten married lately in New York or New Jersey, they may already know about wedding photographer Alyse Liebowitz, owner of 3 Chicks That Click Photography. Recently, Alyse offered us some general budget advice. Alyse says, by the way, that people are getting married just as much now as they were before the recession. (phew!). but that absolutely every client she works with has budget concerns. Here, some ideas from Alyse that definitely clicked with the Budget Guru:

• Make sure your quotes from vendors include EVERYTHING. There are unscrupulous folks out there who may charge you for hidden fees after the fact.
• Splurge on your bouquet but not on your table arrangements. Alyse thinks big, fancy-shmancy centerpieces make dinner chit-chat too challenging.
• Forget brand-name alcohol. in a mixed drink, no one will know the difference.
• It's OK to use the much-maligned e-invite, even though in the past it's been a wedding etiquette no-no.
• Don't give up on your honeymoon dream. If you've always wanted to go to Hawaii, go. But stay 10 days instead of two weeks, rent the compact car instead of the convertible, choose a hotel that's further inland. In Hawaii, it's never hard to find a beach.
• Everything is negotiable these days. hone your haggling skills and get the best deal you can (but be polite!)

Posted by Susan at 10:11 a.m.

Flower Power

To: All Budget-Minded Brides
From: The M.I.A. Budget Guru

Sorry I haven't been around lately. Getting our November issue closed (and by the way it's chock full of budget advice from me and other wedding experts). Meanwhile, Susie Coelho, television host, Grandin Road designer and best-selling author of four books, including Style Your Dream Wedding, stopped by with some tips about wedding flowers.

Susie Coelho: There are so many ways to create an inexpensive as well as a beautiful centerpiece! For a really romantic look, start by placing a round mirror in the center of the table, or, if you have a long table, use a long mirror. Then arrange small votives with tea lights on the mirror for a lovely glow. Add a pop of color with beautiful paper flowers. Psst! I found some great ones at Ikea! Or you can buy small vases and use just one flower per vase.

BG: Flowers tend to be a big expense, but what's a wedding without them?

SC: Oh, I agree. Flowers are often the main source of color in a wedding. To save money, use them wisely. Mix them with other less expensive elements, like grass, twigs, branches, etc. Or make a contemporary statement and use just a single stem per vase. If you want to go without the flowers, there are lots of alternatives to bringing in color by using ribbon, candles, vases filled with water, sand, stones, lemons, apples, etc. The most important thing is to pick a style and a color palette.

SC: Personalizing a wedding has nothing to do with money, but it does have everything to do with creative cleverness. Here are some options:

- For the couple who loves candy, how about having a candy bar for dessert instead of an expensive cake?

- For the couple whose first date included a movie, why not have the movie projected onto a wall during the reception. silent, of course?

- For the couple who has a beloved dog, who'd make a better ring bearer?

- For the music-loving couple, hire a local gospel choir or a cappella group to sing before and after the ceremony.

BG: One of the most popular bits of advice about cost-cutting is to cut the guest list. Well, what if you have a really huge list and you can't cut it? What sorts of other economies might the couple consider?

SC: I would say that food and alcohol are the biggest expenses for most weddings and especially for big weddings! I personally love dessert and champagne receptions as an alternative to the sit-down dinner for big weddings. Another option: Serve only wine and beer; forget the open bar. And here's one I'm hearing a lot about: If you've got girlfriends who know their way around a kitchen, have them get together and make cupcakes. You don't need a huge, expensive wedding cake and the girls will have a blast making and decorating the little treats.

Posted by Susan at 10:45 a.m.

Spa Week

Hey, out there on Planet Bride! Sorry I've been out of touch for a while, but I'm back now. Here's a bit of good news for the fall that I wanted to be sure to pass along: On September 14-20 on the West Coast, and on October 12-18 on the East Coast, hundreds of spas across the U.S. and Canada will be offering spa treatments for just $50! (Yes, you heard right: 50 bucks!)

A list of participating spas will be posted on spaweek.com on August 17 (West Coast) and on September 14 (East Coast). You must book in advance for the best treatments and scheduling.

Now if you feel anything the way I feel nowadays, this is quite a relief. That woman ahead of you in line? That'll be me, so don't forget to mark your calendars.

P.S. This would be great to do with your bridesmaids or with you and your Mom or you and your best pals-or even with you and your guy! Everyone needs to relax.

Posted by Susan at 2:50 p.m.

Wine Bender

The Budget Guru is on a bender. There's never been a better time than now to buy vino for your wedding because there's so much great vintage out there, available for great prices. I'm going to be spotlighting suggestions from experts all around the country. Pull up a wineglass and read on.

David O'Day, wine director for Del Frisco's Restaurant Group, told the BG that many people are under the impression that you have to pay top dollar for the best wines. Uh-uh, he says. He's seeing lots of brides scrapping the fancy hotel or banquet room in favor of intimate backyard celebrations. Does that appeal? These are the affordable selections David would choose if he were planning the wine for your small outdoor bash (prices vary from state to state):

Sparkling wine: Gruet 'Methode Champenoise' Brut NV, New Mexico, $13.95. Crisp, full bodied, perfect for passed hors d'oeuvres.

White wine: Crawford 2006 Napa Valley, Sauvignon Blanc, California, $12.95. Crisp acidity w with balanced finish. Pairs well with hors d'oeuvres, seafood, summer salads. Kris 2007 Venezie Pinot Grigio, Italy, $12.95. Great for outdoor events. Crisp, with notes of melon, apple and pear. Good accompaniment to seafood and shellfish.

Rose wine: Montes 'Cherub' Rose of Syrah, 2007, Colchagua, Chile, $12.95. The perfect outdoor wine; elegant and dry; pairs well with cheeses, fruit, seafood, pasta, grilled or roast chicken.

Red wine: Pascual Toso Malbec 2007, Mendoza, Argentina, $8.95. Medium-bodied, with notes of black cherry and toasted oak. Great with grilled meats and game. Sexto 2006 Grenache, Carignan, Tempranillo Blend, Terra Alta, Spain, $11.95. A medium-bodied blend of six grapes with a smooth finish. Very versatile and pairs well with cheeses, chicken, pasta, lamb and beef.

Cheers!

Posted by Susan at 12:35 p.m.

Brunch for the Budget-Minded

A surprising number of brides are going for brunch receptions these days. Well, what a great idea! Chef Chris Opper at Food for Thought in Chicago says brides can save money AND put out a tres elegant groaning board of food for guests.

Here, one menu suggestion:

French toast station: Guests can choose toppings and fillings, ranging from fresh fruits to caramel and cinnamon to creams and custards.

Omelet bar, plus an assortment of seafood, meat (including ground beef), an array of vegetables from asparagus and carrots, and a selection of cheeses from around the world.

'Frushi': rice flavored with coconut milk and topped with various kinds of fresh fruit and served in the same style as sushi. Editorial comment from BG: Yum!

Champagne bar with your choice of fresh-squeezed orange and grapefruit juices, peach nectar, strawberry nectar and chambord or cassis.

Hey, gentle readers: Doesn't this sound terrific? Should I ask Chef Opper for more brunch menus? Let me know!-BG.

Posted by Susan at 6:15 p.m.

Budget Bloom

Sure, blooms can run up bridal bills like mad, and lots of panicky people are advising other panicky people to slash and burn in this beautiful area. But the Guru advises taking some deep calming breaths. and literally stopping to smell the roses. Beautiful blooms are an indispensable part of any wedding. and the solution is obvious: Simply find more cost-conscious options. There are so many out there that I'm going to start with just one and follow up with more soon.

Take a peek at Bridesign. These enterprising people offered to send their wedding packages (see the pictures below) straight to our office so that we could see for ourselves that it's possible to order your flowers from an online company and get them fresh, undamaged and on time. Plus, the company claims that because you're cutting out the middleman, you can save 30% on costs.

So one day, these big boxes were rolled into my office via dolly, and we all set to work ripping them open. Wow! Bouquets, table arrangements, tosses. oh my! And every petal was in place. Our offices were filled with the sounds of ooohing and aaahing.

NOTE: Your flowers are delivered by FedEx two days before your wedding. If you aren't satisfied, another shipment can be sent overnight. If that still doesn't work, the company will arrange for a local florist to get the blooms to you at no cost.

Posted by Susan at 4:26 p.m.

The Write Stuff

As a person who values the environment AND beautiful stationery AND affordability, the Guru often finds herself in a moral quandary as she tries desperately to set priorities. So what a relief it was to hear that Yoko Chapman, eco-stationery designer and contributor to wedvert.com, a huge green-wedding website, was launching VERT, a green and carbon-neutral stationery line that's designed to minimize paper consumption and reduce waste, while being stylish and affordable all at once! Eureka!

Here are some of Yoko's ethical, budget-savvy, aesthetically pleasing stationery tips.

1. Choose single flat-panel invites with embossed details instead of designs with multiple layers of paper (overlay, invitation jacket, etc.). Embossing adds texture and interest without bulk. As for envelopes, an artful design printed on the inside flap is just as appealing as expensive envelope liners at a fraction of the cost.
2. Keep the text of your invite simple and succinct enough to fit on a 5X7 card. Not only will you reduce the amount of paper you use, but you'll also save a ton of money on the postage that you'd need to send oversized pieces.
3. Consider an all-in-one invite with a tear-away RSVP postcard. The typical wedding invitation costs somewhere around $5 per piece; by scaling down just one sheet, you can shave a few bucks off that. Then you can print an RSVP e-mail address or phone number on the invitation and do away with another piece of paper altogether.
4. Use vegetable-based, biodegradable inks, like soy, and ensure that your cards are easily recyclable; every ton of paper recycled saves 17 trees! Yes!

P.S. And it's so easy to pretty up that eco-paper too. get creative with biodegradable ribbons, feathers or vintage jewelry pieces. This is actually fun.

P.P.S. Forgo the metallic foil, though, because it may contain ground metals that are hard to recycle.

Posted by Susan at 12:26 p.m.

A Brooklyn Wedding

Good morning, to all you money-crunchers out there. The Guru must share with you a conversation she had with the son of a dear friend who married his beloved last September. Now, this couple, although rich in love, are decidedly not rich in the other way. Fortunately for them, they're both culinary students, so they made most of their own food! But even so, they were SO SMART about all their wedding planning and had so much fun that they could write a book (or maybe a play).

ACT ONE: PROLOGUE

BUDGET GURU: So let us in your secret: How did you have a dream wedding that didn't send you and Leah to the poorhouse (or your parents either!)?

PAUL: Susan, our big secret was simple. We didn't go into it with a dream that we'd then have to slash into reality bites. We both would have been content with a justice of the peace.

BG: No, really? How many guests did you have?

PAUL: Thirty-two. Counting someone who just showed up and the woman who lived in the house!

BG: How did you keep to such a small guest list?

PAUL: We decided together to include only the people we love.

BG: So of course that kept all your expenses down.

ACT TWO: DRINKS

BG: OK-drum roll, please-tell us about your reception.

PAUL: It was on the day that Hurricane Hannah hit. It was totally hot and muggy. But no one cared. We'd picked up some brushed metal tubs at Ikea and filled them with ice and Fizzy Lizzy sodas that we got at Costco. We could have rented champagne buckets, but that would have cost us more than buying the tubs.

BG: Good thinking!

PAUL: Post-ceremony we were going to have a champagne toast, but we did it with a good prosecco instead. It's cheaper than champagne, and it's better to have a good prosecco than a bad champagne.

BG: Tell us more about drinks.

PAUL: Well, besides the soda and water, we had beer-just one was upscale-and we had one kind of red wine and one kind of white. Both were under 10 bucks a bottle. I think your readers should be sure to do wine tastings before they pick their selections. That's what we did and the wine we chose was great and we got a 10 percent discount on a case. We also had one signature drink, a pomegranate margarita. My mom made pitchers of it. Delish!

ACT THREE: FOOD

PAUL: Except for the charcuterie and a side of salmon from Citarella, we made all our own food...

BG: Which we don't recommend that our readers do-unless they're experts like you guys, right?

PAUL: Oh absolutely! For us it was fun, but don't make yourselves crazy. We made beef tenderloin with sauces, like hazelnut and arugula and pesto, as well as a horseradish sauce. And we made big salads too. A pastry chef friend made black and white cookies and we arranged them on wooden trays. Each of our moms made a chocolate cake, and we had three pies from the Little Pie Company in Manhattan arranged on tiers.

ACT FOUR: DeCOR

PAUL: We kept things so simple. We did have to rent a tent for the backyard at the last minute, but we covered our tables in swatches of colorful fabric that we got for $2 a yard. We had ten tables and we put one arrangement on each table and one on the food tables.

BG: And your tableware?

PAUL: We weren't fanatic about things matching. We used Leah's grandmother's china set and wooden platters and porcelain and metal...you name it. We served one salad in a salad bowl we'd registered for. Leah loves sunflowers so we put them in Ikea metal tins that we wrapped in checked cloth with lots of them.

BG: Flowers can really run you into some big bucks...

PAUL: A few of our friends gave us flowers as their gift. I think this is a great thing for guests to do.

TO BE CONTINUED....TUNE IN FOR MORE GREAT TIPS FROM PAUL AND LEAH!

Posted by Susan at 2:39 p.m.

Veggie Chic!

Yes, the humble vegetable is very much the 'in' food. Now the Guru, although not strictly a vegetarian, adores vegetables for wedding meals, especially healthy locally grown choices. Your guests will be 'green' with envy over the vibrant colors and fresh tastes on the tables. But what about costs? We asked Chris Opper of
Food for Thought in Chicago for advice.

Chris notes that whether you're considering an all-vegetarian menu or just one or two super-duper vegetable dishes, there definitely are a few obstacles to consider.

• First, he says, keep in mind that organically grown vegetables, as well as specialty types like baby greens and out-of-season choices, can actually increase your costs. So talk to your caterer about how to avoid that. 'People nowadays want the biggest bang for their buck,' Chris says. 'They want the most value for the least money without their guests suspecting they are cutting corners! For our chefs that means seeking out alternative products and presenting them with flair. So, for example, that might mean looking for locally grown yellow squash instead of baby squash.'
• Chris stresses that brides want local food. Nowadays everyone 'wants to know where their food comes from, they want a connection to a local farmer, and the comfort and freshness of food from their own garden. Unfortunately, a couple's budget may not allow us to create an entire menu with those kinds of ingredients. And because we are writing menus months in advance of an event, we can't always predict the quality of a crop. So we try to highlight individual local ingredients-a salad featuring an heirloom tomato from a local farm, for example.'
• Chef Opper adds that you can increase the portion size of your meal-and stay within or under budget in most cases-by serving a vegetable-only entree.
• He tops off his tips with the reminder that nowadays-what with the economy and all-there's a big demand for comfort food. 'People want the security of familiar flavors and ingredients.' The Guru's interpretation of this wisdom? Forget fancy-shmancy and think about the food your family cooked and the food that's traditional to you and your fiance's ethnic backgrounds.

Bon appetit!

Posted by Susan at 11:34 a.m.

Cheers!

A wedding without spirits is...a wedding without spirit (that's the Guru's opinion anyway). The Wise One offers you some sips of good cheer:

1. Don't even think about...having a cash bar. This is NOT the way to deal with the high cost of libations! Talk about leaving a bad taste on your guests' palettes.
2. Don't even think about...having an open bar. Sure, you want to spread the joy among your loved ones, but this will leave you high and dry financially. And anyway, your guests still have to drive home. Friends don't let friends....

Now here's a refreshing idea. Consider serving a signature cocktail at your reception. Swish it around in your wedding colors or give it a cute name. Or do both. The Wolfgang Puck Catering group (wolfgangpuckcatering.com) devised a couple of recipes just for us.

Dreams Azure
2 oz Absolut pear
3/4 oz Peach schnapps
fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 oz simple syrup (a sugar and water blend)
splash Blue Curacao to color
Garnish with a lemon wheel

If you serve one of these fabulous concoctions, you'll do fine forgoing other liquor and just serving wine and beer. And pssst...you don't even need champagne if you don't like it (and many people don't): You can have guests toast you with whatever they happen to be drinking.

NOTE: Each of these recipes makes use of just two different kinds of alcohol (except for the splash of Blue Curacao)-this is another way to keep the costs of a signature drink down. A drink that includes more ingredients-like Long Island Iced Tea, for example, which includes five kinds of alcohol-will almost certainly run you lots more $$$$.

Posted by Susan at 12:31 p.m.

DIY Wedding Music. and Save $$$$

There's nothing like live musicians for getting a party to kick up its heels. But since the Budget Guru looks at cost-savers, she's going to recommend that you take a serious look at your ever-so-humble iPod. The Guru recently came across a survey done by MyWeddingMusic.com, saying that 41 percent of today's couples plan to use their own iPods in order to save money on their reception dance music. The O'Neill Brothers, who run that website, give their blessing with a few tips:

Designate a driver. Pick a tech-savvy friend or relative who'll be happy to be the master of ceremonies.

Double up. Load all your songs onto two iPods or MP3 players, so that you have a back-up just in case. You don't want to find yourselves suddenly enjoying the sounds of…silence.

Bring the juice. Be sure they're charged. and take the chargers along to the venue.

Shake it up. Go for a variety of tunes. A polka for the grandparents? Sure, why not? Motown, be-bop, the samba, the hully-gully, the waltz. whatever you think will suit your particular crowd. The point is to get people out on the floor and keep them there. (It won't hurt to pass out some tiny Popsicles after everyone's broken a sweat.)

Do a test run. Don't skip this step. Before the big day, take the player to your venue and test it out with their sound systems. It's called “be your own pro”!

Posted by Susan at 1:57 p.m.

Checking Out!

Okay. Today our brilliant tips will focus on choosing your wedding location that will save you lots of $$$$.

• While you're checking out venues, keep a comparison chart. Some spots may say that everything is included in the price, but then leave out the cake and the linens, for example. Figure out where the best deal actually lies.
• Many couples love the idea of holding their event in a public space, like a village green or a quiet corner of a local park, and these spaces are often available for low fees. Bingo! However, if a spot is not equipped to handle parties, you'll have to figure in the costs of renting everything, from tables to flatware, and costs add up. (But these can still be great deals-just do your homework.)
• Book one location for your ceremony and your reception. This lets you off the hook for multiple site fees AND you won't have to provide transportation between the locations. (Hint: Guests love this arrangement, because it's all less trouble for them.)

Posted by Susan at 11:11 a.m.

I Love Cupcakes for Weddings!

Not every couple loves the idea of having a multi-tier traditional wedding cake. But they may hesitate at the idea of serving cupcakes instead. Won't their wedding look like a kindergarten birthday party? Good question!

Well, lucky us, we just happen to have a cupcake whiz right here in the office. Today she showed up with these amazing creations (see photo and weep!) and we asked her to share some wisdom. 'I love cupcakes for weddings. One reason is that they stay moist and fresh. Sometimes cake slices sit out and get dry (at least in my experience). Plus, when you have cupcakes, they're a presentation in and of themselves. You can decorate each one differently.

Photography: David Malosh

'If you have a friend who is a great baker, ask her to do cupcakes for you as a wedding gift. I made cupcakes for one friend's rehearsal dinner, in vanilla with vanilla frosting. I made more than 100, and every one got eaten. I made them for her shower too, in vanilla and chocolate with vanilla buttercream frosting.' Stephanie's cost-cutting tips:

• If you choose to do very elaborately decorated cupcakes, that'll cost you-so you may want to forgo basket weaves and inordinate amounts of tiny sugarpaste flowers.
• The more flavors, the higher the cost. Keep it simple by doing them in your wedding colors, and arrange them on a tiered wedding-cake-style stand.
• Monogramming is nice. I do that in gumpaste. It does make the price go up a little, but it's simple and elegant.
• Order just one cupcake per guest.

Note from Stephanie: If you're having an outdoor wedding, keep cupcakes out of the sun-buttercream melts. Fondant won't, but no one wants fondant on cupcakes!

Note from the Budget Guru: Check my blog on "Bridal Buzz" for more on cupcakes.

Posted by Susan at 10:27 a.m.

Battling Wedding Envy

Beware the green-eyed monster! Now what does this have to do with saving costs? Plenty. Did your best friend's wedding include a 5-course dinner, a 7-tier fondant-covered cake and any number of other Marie Antoinette–type touches? Did you find yourself glowering over your glass of Dom Perignon as you figured out how much she spent and asked yourself how in the world you could compete? Be honest. Wedding Envy is running rampant, and this nasty syndrome makes you competitive and unhappy and anxious. It makes you do nutty things like run up a huge credit card bill or spend your house down payment on flowers. all just to keep up with the proverbial Joneses! Our advice? Green. as in envy. doesn't become you, so don't let it rule your life.

• Now, about that 5-course dinner: We recommend not exceeding three courses: salad, entrée, dessert. Don't worry. your guests will be stuffed! Many planners note that you'll save money by offering a “duet” plate (a combination of two items such as steak and lobster) instead of a choice of several entrees. Go local and seasonal with your menu choices. it's chic AND often quite cost-effective.
• Please. a 7 tier cake? What will you do with the leftovers? Serve mini cupcakes instead, or purchase a small cake for the cutting ceremony and supplement it with a sheet cake cleverly concealed in the kitchen. Don't go with fondant. it's more expensive than buttercream or cheese cake. And if you do go with fondant, ask for fresh flowers instead of sugarpaste, which take lots of time and labor to create and thus, cost more.
• You know the old tradition about saving the top tier for your first anniversary? Very sweet. But if forgoing it won't make you shed any tiers, then drop it and save yourselves some precious dough!

Send me YOUR ideas. I'll share them with your fellow brides!

Posted by Susan at 2:08 p.m.

Stylish Savings

How often have you heard “Save Money and Have a Beautiful Wedding!”? Well, Bridal Guide has always been on top of wedding cost-cutting advice, and now we're going to help you through these scarily money-conscious times. Here's an interesting trend: Saving money has actually become stylish, and everyone wants to do it. So we're rising to the occasion with a tough-times special: our wonderful friend, Sharon Naylor, a great money-savings wedding guru, will feature recession-proofing tips on our home page. (By the way, Sharon just got married herself and the tips she used for her own wedding will appear in BG's March/April issue.) I'm the editor of all those gorgeous reception stories you see in every issue, as well as all the magazine's budget pages, so I'm going to serve up new ideas and suggestions on a regular basis. Okay, time is money. let's get started:

Recently I've been working on a destination wedding booklet for an upcoming issue of Bridal Guide. You may not realize that this is a way that you can actually save money. Here's a preview:

• The super-size guest list will not be a factor in a wedding away. A monster list is often the main reason that brides break their budget, but guess what, a smaller guest list works perfectly for a destination wedding. Fewer mouths to feed, lower costs.
• As long as you stick to LOCAL flowers, food and entertainment, you can stay on track quite nicely. (For heaven's sake, if you're in the tropics, don't fly in dozens of roses when hibiscus will do beautifully!)
• Many resorts. Beaches, Breezes, Couples, Sandals and Superclubs, located in the Caribbean and South America. throw in a free wedding if you book a stay of three to six nights.

Okay, I'll be back soon. Please send in all your wedding-budget questions and I will answer them ASAP!

Posted by Susan at 3:00 p.m.