Deja Couture Bridals of Atlanta

How to Save on Your Wedding..

2011-03-24T22:09:00.000-04:00

The following is a guest post from Maggie at Family Frugal Fun:

Fall is quickly gaining popularity as the season for weddings, and most people don’t know this, but more people get engaged in December than at any other time during the year.

If planning a wedding is in your future, here are a few things you can do to save money, but before you do anything you’ll have to keep your cool, take a deep breath, and take a good look at your budget. Even if the economy hasn’t hit your family hard, EVERY family has a budget, no matter how big or small!

Here are some tips to maximize your savings:
1) Look for a venue that will allow you to bring in your own alcohol. Venues that offer a full service bar also offer a full-service mark up. Alcohol is known to be a great money maker in the reception industry. In the hundreds of weddings I helped to plan, every wedding, with the exception of only 2, would have been better off running a tab instead of paying for the more costly “open bar” option.
With that being said, if you already have a deposit on a full-service venue, remember that you can bargain on your beverage service too… If your crowd is most likely to drink beer and wine and you really are dead set on the open bar option, then ask to run a tab on hard alcohol drinks, mixers, and on the rocks beverages that less people are likely to consume. If you want table wine service during a meal then purchase wine by the bottle in advance – not by the glass.
2) When shopping for a cake, don’t rule out your local grocery store. Several local chains in almost every town make wedding cakes for about half the price of exclusive “caking specialty” businesses. Many of the mom and pop grocery stores make them from scratch. Do your research in person and speak with the bakery manager. If you are set on a more pricy cake from a specialty shop think about a small 2 layer cake and have extra sheet cakes in the back (away from sight of your guests). The cake will instantly multiply enough to feed all of your guests after the cake cutting ceremony by the kitchen or catering staff with the help of your sheet cakes.

3) Bargain on the venue fee. If you are planning a wedding less than 8 months out and you have found a suitable venue with a Saturday night open then it’s time to bargain. Most wedding receptions book 1 year (or more) in advance so if the date is open on shorter notice, put thatmoney in your pocket. Another way to save on a venue fee is by opting for a Friday night, Saturday day, or Sunday event. The current trend is for a Saturday night wedding so it will be easier to find a better value at any other time.

4) A DJ is usually less expensive than a live band. You may not have the ambience of a bass guitar right in front of you but a lively DJ can add just as much fun to the party. If you are a lover of live music then consider hiring a few musicians just during dinner or the cocktail hour to keep expenses down. Look for musicians accepting side work at places like your local universities (Peabody Conservatory), orchestras or military bands like the Naval Academy or Army band.

5) Hire your own caterer. This will ensure greater control over your food options, thus meaning greater control over the bottom line budget. Ask for half price meals for any children in attendance and ask if your caterer would be willing to comp meals for hired help at the reception like your DJ and photographer. Most caterers are happy to feed them either for free or at cost because they are a great source of word of mouth advertising in the wedding industry.

6) Decorate with in-season flowers. If you’ve found the perfect florist and need to bring the total cost down you’ll want to follow these tips. The further your flowers need to travel to get to you, the higher the cost is going to be. Stick to 1 kind of flower. If your florist has to purchase several different kinds of flowers to make your bouquet, then the total cost in going to increase. Consider flowers petals sprinkled on the guest tables instead of expensive floral centerpieces.

Island Photographers - Pros & Cons - Beach Wedding Article

2011-02-27T19:06:00.000-05:00

Long after your bridal bouquet has shed its last petal, the key to your memories of the biggest day of your life are your photographs. Choosing the right photographer is no easy task and the decision of whether to take a your home photographer with you, or hire a photographer local to your wedding destination adds another layer of complexity to things.

So what's the best option? Let's look at each.

Local to You

Finding a photographer in or close to your hometown should be relatively straightforward. With the Yellow pages, friends, family and, of course, the internet, you won't have a hard time finding a photographer who matches your style, and, hopefully, your budget and for whom you'll have personal recommendations.

You'll be able to make an appointment and sit with them in person to review their work, their packages and spend time getting to know them (its important that you feel comfortable with whomever you choose, and a face-to-face meeting can usually tell you what you need from that aspect in a few minutes).

Seems like the obvious way to go? Well, there are pitfalls, and the main one is cost.
While a photographer from home may seem like the perfect choice, the costs of using them are going to rack up fairly quickly. Along with their own fees, you're going to have to get them to your wedding - this means the costs of an additional airfare. If they shoot with an assistant, yep - two tickets on the bill. Then, of course, they'll need somewhere to stay, and expenses for food, ground travel etc during their trip.

With flights, accommodation and living costs, you could well be looking at double their standard package rates, and sadly it doesn't end there...

With the exception of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, none of the countries in the Caribbean are US owned. Why do you care? Well, because US citizens (or people of any nationality other than that of the destination) can't just show up and work there, which is what your photographer will be doing.
He (or she) will need to apply for a work visa or permit before being allowed to shoot your wedding. The cost of these permits is usually only a few hundred dollars, but it's 'yet another thing' to add to the list of items that need to be taken care of.

Is it essential to have a work visa? Well, the Caribbean is fairly laid back, and a photographer could take the risk and try to sneak through as a tourist, but its not unusual for them to be turned right back around and sent home, leaving you several thousand dollars out of pocket, and without a photographer to capture your day and the precious memories that will last your lifetime. Not something we at islandbrides.com recommend risking.

So, is it better to go the other route? Lets take a look....

Local to Your Wedding

Your search for a wedding photographer located in your wedding destination is pretty much going to start and end online. Type the name of your destination into Google with the word photographer on the end, and you should come up with a few options straight away. To broaden your search you might also want to check out a few other resources too - sites like ours, photolinks.com, listphotographers.com and many others will provide you with even more options.

Once you've found a few with an online portfolio that catches your eye, or who have a style that suits your personality, make contact by email and find out what they can offer you. While not a perfect test, you can get a feel from the replies of the type of photographer you're dealing with, which can help in your decisions.

The downside, of course, is the lack of real contact. You won't get to make an appointment with them and sit down for a face to face chat. You're not likely to find friends or colleagues who have used the photographer before.

You can also ask them for references from previous brides they have worked with, and check with your resort or wedding planner to see if they have worked with the photographer before.
You also need to be aware of issues that may arise - how can you make your payments? Is the photographer a 'prints only' type and do you want to be dealing with buying prints from a far off country when you get home? What recourse will you have if something goes wrong?

While the downsides are there, there is some amazing talent to be found in these destinations, and they have the added advantage of knowing all the best locations to make the most of the islands for your bridal portraits. This kind of insider info of unique and picturesque places can make the difference between great wedding photos and amazing wedding photos.

Another plus for local photographers is the cost. Your budget won't need to be eaten up by flights, work visas and accommodations if you choose an island photographer, and this can save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars, or free it up for those extra special favours you had your eye on for our guests!

At the end of the day, you have to choose a photographer who's work inspires you, and who's personality you feel comfortable with, but don't be too quick to dismiss the possibility of a photographer on the ground in your wedding destination - it might just be the best choice for you and your purse!

islandbrides.com

Bridal Gown Rental Tips

2011-02-20T18:16:00.002-05:00

One of the most daunting tasks of a woman's life can be choosing the perfect bridal and bridesmaid gowns for your wedding day. While many may try to go it alone, most are happiest when they get a little help from the experts. Alexandria's Formal Gown Rental, is one of the most innovative leaders in the gown rental industry. We offer a few hints to help ensure that your trip down the isle will be one of the most memorable moments in your life.

Work with an Expert: A dedicated bridal formalwear specialist will be up on the latest styles, and can offer assistance with your bridal fitting and accessories.

Choose Your Look: Romantic, elegant, princess, sophisticated or traditional? Your bridal attire is a reflection of your personality and style, so put as much thought into your choice for this memorable occasion. Fashion magazines can help you choose the style of gowns you like, but however you make your decision, remember after all it's your wedding day!

Dare to be Different - Accessorize: Bridal gowns can be dressed up with creative use of accessories, such as a beautiful veil, or the perfect pair of shoes. A fabulous necklace, bracelet or earrings can go a long way toward helping you express your individuality. So go ahead and break all the rules.

Coordinate with Your Girls: It's important select a style of bridesmaid gowns that compliment your bridal gown while defining your personal style. Consider the décor of the wedding facility or choose your favorite colors when selecting your bridesmaid dresses.

The Early Bird Catches the Best Gown Choice: Since so many ladies are now renting gowns, planning and early shopping helps make sure you will get the style you want.

Financial Planning Helps: Renting your gown will save you time and money. Hint: If you pay for your rental in advance, you can avoid nerve-wracking delays on the special day.

Renting just makes sense… After all guys have been renting for years! Actual rental prices may vary according to your selection, but expect to spend between $199 to $399 for your in stock bridal gown rental package including your accessories.

10 Ways to Save On Your Wedding

2011-02-17T18:31:00.001-05:00

Weddings reflect the individual personalities and priorities of the couple getting married. The focus of this special day need not be about how much was spent or saved. But, with the average cost of weddings running more than $27,000 nationally, according to a survey conducted for the Conde Nast Bridal Group, it's no wonder couples get antsy when they think about coordinating a wedding.

But does it have to be this way?

"Absolutely not! There is no need to spend tons of money on a wedding when the most important thing is to make it personal," says Kathleen Kennedy, a chef, stylist and event planner with more than 18 years of experience in the hospitality industry.

Whether your budget is $500 or $5,000, Kennedy's book, "Priceless Weddings for under $5,000," offers budget-savvy strategies for making your special day memorable

1. Prioritize. Before you begin planning your wedding and reception, sit down with your partner and make a list of your top five priorities.

"This will help to determine where to go all out, and where it's fair game to cut corners," says Kennedy. "For instance, if it is important to you that the wedding and reception be held at the restaurant where you had your first date or you know you must have a specific designer gown or a certain DJ that you really like -- then you can fit that into your budget and decide to save money in other areas."

2. Limit the guest list. Keeping the guest list as concise as possible will drastically reduce reception costs. Most caterers, restaurants and banquet halls charge per-person, so the difference between 100 guests and 150 will be significant.

Rev. Roger Coleman of Clergy Services Inc. in Kansas City, Mo., who specializes in small family weddings, has a good rule of thumb for deciding how many guests to invite. "Don't invite more guests than you can spend one minute of time with. If you invite 300 guests, spending one minute with each would take over five hours." And that doesn't include the actual ceremony, eating or dancing!

3. Cuisine costs. Food can be the biggest expense at a wedding. Research your options. You may want to consider a buffet instead of a sit-down meal; or host a high tea; a dessert reception; brunch or luncheon instead of a multicourse meal. Another possibility for holding down expenses without sacrificing fine cuisine is "drop-off catering." The caterer delivers already prepared food and sets it up. Or if you are really adventurous, cater all of part of the reception yourself.

4. Location, location, location. The world is truly your oyster. There are many options for low-cost or no-cost locations, including local and national parks, forest preserves, your own back yard or that of a friend or relative. Or you can make it easy on yourself and find an all-inclusive package in which the wedding, reception and even the honeymoon are all included in the deal.

A great way to celebrate your wedding at a special spot without the high cost is to plan your wedding during an off-season. Remember too, a wedding on any day but Saturday will reduce the expenses.

5. Wedding attire. Here's where you have many options for stretching your bridal dollars. You don't have to buy at a traditional bridal salon. You could purchase a gown at an outlet or from a department store in the special occasions off-the-rack area. Other cost-conscious options include buying a vintage or once-worn gown, wear a designer suit, purchase a traditional gown through a discount gown retailer, rent a gown or check out an online auction to find your dress. Or go for the "something borrowed" by redoing your mom's or mother-in-law's bridal gown.

6. Set the mood with flowers and decorations. If you choose to wed in a location that is already decorated, you'll see big savings. To set a stylish mood without much work, plan the wedding to take place in a garden, art museum or a beautifully furnished home.

Or consider doing the flowers and decorations yourself.

"One bride I interviewed for the book planted 200 bulbs months before their wedding, and then married right in the middle of the fully-blooming cheerful yellow tulips. Another bought 13 dozen roses at a great price from a warehouse store, " Kennedy says.

7. Getting the word out. Invitations are definitely an area where do-it-yourselfers can show off their skills and pocket the difference in costs.

Kennedy and her husband-to-be printed their wedding invitations on their computer, and no one would ever have guessed! They also prepared a newsletter that they sent out a few months before the wedding. "This helped to alert out-of-towners to make reservations in advance and plan a mini-vacation if they wanted to," Kennedy explains.

8. The magic of music. For some couples, a band is an absolute must, for others a disc jockey. The advantage of a DJ is you get a master of ceremony to move the reception along and they usually are much less expensive than a band. If your hearts are set on live music, look for bands that have day jobs and "jam" for fun. Don't rule out high school-aged bands. Or hire a child violin virtuoso to perform for the ceremony -- there won't be a dry eye in the place. A rock-bottom budget option is to set up a playlist on your mp3 player and rent an amplifier and speakers..

9. Picture perfect. Weddings tend to go by so quickly, and each moment is so precious that having a photographer chronicle the event is the only way to really capture the moment for posterity.

It doesn't have to be over-the-top expensive. Kennedy says, "When we were married, we knew that photography and videography, were important to us, but we also knew that we did not want to spend top dollar for the services. We hired a friend of a friend who was an art school graduate. She gave us a package deal of a full day of shooting, a wedding book, the proofs and the negatives for a very fair price. Another friend videotaped the wedding in lieu of a present."

10. Bar service adds up quickly. Eliminating or limiting a traditional full bar to one or two hours will really cut costs. Alternatives include serving beer and wine only, not serving alcohol at all or only pouring a champagne toast. Depending on the local laws and the rules at your reception hall, if you are able to buy the liquor yourself and then hire someone to pour it -- the savings potential is enormous.

By Julie Bandy • Bankrate.com

Why Not Wedding Dress Rentals?

2011-02-14T12:44:00.000-05:00

Men have been renting tuxedos for years, why not wedding dress rental for women? This isn't as far fetched as it may sound. In addition to buying a wedding dress, most brides have to contend with preserving and storing the wedding dress. With a wedding dress rental, all the bride has to do is choose the dress, wear it, and return in within the allotted time period. She doesn't even have to worry about the dry cleaning.

Pros

•Money -With a wedding dress rental, you'll be spending a lot less money. Many thousand dollar wedding dresses
will rent for only a couple of hundred dollars. In fact, many rental businesses offer packages that include veil, shoes and jewelry. If buying these items individually is something that causes you worry, you'll want to consider a wedding dress rental. The money saved can be put towards other aspects of the wedding, or to save up for a new house.
•Maintenance – The last thing any bride wants to worry about upon returning home from her honeymoon is cleaning and preserving her wedding dress. With a wedding dress rental, this is the least of your worries. Once you're through with the dress you can return it. The cleaning is handled by the rental business.
•Destination Weddings – Renting a destination wedding dress will save you from having to lug a heavy suit bag on a plane. Many places famous for destination weddings such as Las Vegas or Hawaii have many wedding rental shops to choose from.
•Space – If you have limited storage space, a rental helps to eliminate the issue of where to store your wedding dress.

Cons

•Selection – You won't have the same options available for a wedding dress rental. You have to rent one of the dresses already in stock.
•Size - In some cases you won't be able to make alterations and can only choose a gown in your size. If the dress of your dreams doesn't fit properly, you'll have to find a different one. If the rental location does offer alterations, it's a separate charge.
•Care – While you won't have to pay for dry cleaning, you will have to take special care. If you cause damage to the dress you may be expected to pay for the repairs. If the dress is damaged beyond repair, you'll have to purchase it outright.

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Choosing wedding dress rental instead of buying a one-time-wear gown is an economical decision that can help a couple trim their wedding budget without trimming their special day.