National Wedding Month February 2021 Page 1

Savings strategies for weddings

The question was popped; the en- gagement ring presented. What's the next step on the road to the wedding? Saving should definitely be on couples' minds. A wedding is likely the most costly party couples will ever throw. Accord- ing to The Knot's 2019 Real Weddings Study, the average cost of a wedding in 2019 was $33,900. There are many dif- ferent costs associated with weddings. Some are predictable, while others are unexpected. Investopedia says the vast major- ity of couples budget too little for their weddings and also end up spending more than they had planned. Various strategies can make it easier to save for a wedding and avoid a post-wedding financial hangover. Get informed It's impossible to budget for a wed- ding and ultimately save without knowl- edge of what services and items cost in the region where you live. A wedding in New York City will be expensive, while a wedding in Mississippi will cost a lot less, indicates SuperMoney's guide to wedding costs. Conduct some research and find out what photographers, florists, transpor- tation providers, reception halls, and wedding wardrobe vendors charge for common services. This will paint a vivid picture of what a wedding may cost in your area. Flesh out the budget Once you have gathered estimates, you can then figure out a financial goal. Photo by Metro Creative Connection This also is when you can determine Various strategies can make it easier to save for a wedding and avoid a post-wedding financial hangover. where to rein in spending and where you might want to splurge. may be available through your bank or funds to wedding savings. Do you need have concrete confirmation. A parent If having a video memory of the employer. An automatic savings plan a takeout coffee in the morning or can may host the rehearsal dinner. One's wedding is not a top priority, you can will pull a set amount from a personal you brew a pot at home? Might you be relative may offer to pass down an an- skip videography services. If you have checking account into a savings account able to scale back on streaming ser- tique wedding gown to wear. But rather a special flower that you like, you may through auto-draft. The bride and groom vices? Do you feel comfortable buying than simply removing these gifts from want to budget more for that bloom even can link individual checking accounts less expensive store brand groceries your savings calculations, keep them if it isn't in season. to one savings account to contribute over name brands? Small cost savings as a safety net to put toward unforseen Set up a dedicated savings account jointly. can quickly add up. expenses. One of the easiest ways to save for Avoid overspending Add up gifts Saving for a wedding can be chal- big-ticket items like a wedding, home An analysis of your spending habits Factor in deduction of expenses that lenging. But various strategies can help purchase or other financial goals is to will likely reveal areas where you can other people will commit to covering couples plan their dream weddings use an automatic savings account that scale back so you can devote more for wedding expenses, but only if you without breaking the bank.

Page 2 Love is in the air color

Wedding planning tips and tricks Recently engaged couples are often • Decide on a guest list. Planning de- so swept up in the excitement surround- cisions are often based around the pro- ing their engagements that they can be jected number of guests. You'll need to forgiven for initially overlooking all the have a ballpark figure regarding guests wedding planning that awaits them. before you can choose a venue and Planning a wedding is no small task, but make other decisions, such as where many couples very much enjoy all the guests will stay. And if the majority of hard work that goes into making their guests are coming from a certain area, special day a success. such as your hometown, you may want It's hard for newly engaged couples to bring the wedding to them instead of who have never before planned a wed- asking them to come to you. ding to know what awaits them. But the • Create a priorities list. Make a list following tips can help make the wed- Photo by Metro Creative Connection of at least three things that are most ding planning process go smoothly. Take your time planning your wedding. important for each of you. It may be the • Find your organization method. ceremony location, the food or another Organization is the key to pulling off all the tasks that lie ahead. yourself more time to plan can make for factor. Knowing what is important can the wedding of your dreams. Whether • Take your time. There's no rush a wonderful wedding day. help you negotiate prices and under- your organizational style is best served to the altar. Feel free to extend the en- • Discuss the budget openly and stand what to look for when planning. by jotting details like dates and deposit gagement long enough to keep stress honestly. Did you know a New York City These are some of the considerations deadlines down in a notebook or utilizing levels down and get the location and wedding can cost $77,000, according couples should make while planning an online spreadsheet or smartphone ceremony of your dreams. Many re- to Money magazine? Wedding costs their weddings. While it's important to app, choose your method early on. cently engaged couples feel pressured can vary widely, and couples should sit consider these factors and others, it's Keeping information and reminders in to get married right away. Stretching out down together to decide what they can also important that couples have fun one place can make it easier to manage the engagement to save money or give afford and are willing to pay for. when planning their nuptials.

National Wedding Month February 2021 Page 3

Make a statement with your cake

Brides and grooms may pour over glaze tinted in the couple's wedding • Sometimes a statement comes by every detail of their weddings, but few colors. way of texture. components of the festivities may be as This artistic expression can be espe- Even an all-white cake can be fun, especially for foodies, as deciding cially stunning in boho-chic weddings. dressed up with interesting textural what the wedding cake will look like. • Statement tiers also are popular. effects. Ruffles, lace, embossing, and Couples who want to deliver show- The cake may be traditional in nearly 3-D rosettes are different textural com- stopping visuals often express some every way, but couples then set the cake ponents that can be incorporated in measure of their creativity and per- apart by featuring an elaborate design cake designs. sonalities through statement wedding or a different hue in one tier. • Couples also may want to tell their cakes. • Martha Stewart Weddings advises unique stories with cake. Individual tiers Many couples now eschew the clas- that more than just color can be used to designed to reflect various milestone sic three-tiered white cake in favor of a make a statement. Lifelike sugar flowers moments from the couple's relationship dessert that garners instant attention. can really set cakes apart. can be quite engaging. Whether the cake is brightly colored Guests may not be sure if they can • Capitalizing on the trend of edgier or hand-painted, a towering architec- consume all aspects of some cakes. But weddings, couples may opt for darker tural marvel or shimmering in metallics, delicate sugar flowers taste as good as hues on their cakes - even a black tier couples are opting to make a statement they look. - or nontraditional geometric shapes to with their confections. • Hand-painted tiles on a cake are the cake itself or its design elements. Apart from clever cake-toppers, here another way to add panache. Statement cakes can really say are ways to stand apart when dessert A bride and groom may be inspired something about the couple getting is served. by a European vacation or the stained- married. • According to the Perfect Wedding glass effects of religious windows and Photo by Metro Creative Connection Much like other wedding elements, Guide, a rising trend in cakes is to cover want to add that feel to the tiers of the Texture can help your wedding cake cakes provide a window into the minds a white or naked cake with translucent cake. make a statement. of happy couples.

Page 4 Love is in the air

How to find the perfect wedding florist Weddings join the lives of two loving individuals so they can share their future with one another. Various elements help make weddings both momentous and magical. Some weddings adhere to themes that are designed to make an impres- sion and showcase couples' person- alities. Floral arrangements are key components of wedding themes, as they help to establish ambiance at both the ceremony and reception. Flowers can easily help couples achieve a desired vibe, whether that's rustic, romantic, modern, or even whim- sical. Skilled florists may use a variety of flowers and foliage, as well as dramatic displays to help create the couple's wed- ding day vision. According to an internal study from the wedding advice and planning re- source The Knot, which surveyed more than 27,000 couples who got married in 2019, the average cost of wedding flowers was $2,000 in 2019. However, the cost of floral arrange- ments can vary depending on the scope of the arrangements and choice of flowers, including whether they're in season or not. It is essential for couples to spend time vetting potential florists to find one who will produce their desired vision at a price that fits their budget. These guidelines can make the process go more smoothly. • Establish your theme early on. Flo- ral arrangements will complement and enhance other elements of the wedding, including color scheme and the wedding Photo by Metro Creative Connection theme. If your wedding theme ties into It is essential for couples to spend time vetting potential florists to find one who will produce their desired vision at a price a specific season, you will work with the that fits their budget. florist to find blooms and other pieces that coordinate. For example, winter or groomsmen vests so that colors can headpiece, petals to sprinkle, table • Explain your budget. Research the weddings with white, ice blue and silver be complemented. centerpieces, altar arrangements, pew average cost of floral arrangements and color schemes may coordinate with • Create a list of desired items. Flo- or chair decorations, and cake decora- let the florist know what you can afford. white ranunculus flowers, dahlias, dusty rists may sell items a la carte or have tions. This can help the florist narrow down miller foliage, and viburnum berries. packages of common floral pieces for • Go easy on aroma. Tread lightly options or make substitutions that fit • Bring swatches and photographs wedding celebrations. Types of floral when selecting blooms that have strong your theme and your budget. to consultations. It is easier to explain arrangements include bridal bouquet, aromas. They may be beautiful, but Couples can take certain steps as color palettes to a florist with examples bridesmaids' bouquets, maid of honor many people are sensitive to smells. they choose floral arrangements for their in hand. Show the florist the types of ar- bouquet, corsages for mothers/grand- Allergies also may be exacerbated by weddings. Cost should not be the only rangements you prefer and have actual mothers, boutonnieres for groomsmen flowers with strong aromas. Discuss op- factor in the decision, even though it is fabric swatches from bridesmaid gowns and fathers/grandfathers, flower girl tions with the florist before proceeding. an important one.

National Wedding Month February 2021 Page 5

Tools for keeping wedding guests informed Weddings give couples an opportu- nity to share the joy of joining their lives together with a host of friends and family members. Guests liven up the party and help make the celebration that much more memorable. According to The Knot 2019 Real Weddings Study, the average wedding in the United States hosts 131 people. Data indicates this number has been slowly decreasing over the years, after the average wedding size reached an all-time high of 153 in 2007. No matter how big or how small the guest list, keeping guests informed of what's happening regarding the upcom- ing nuptials is a courtesy couples can provide. Couples can explore various avenues for keeping guests informed and ensuring they'll be able to take part in the festivities. Save-the-date announcements Save-the-date announcements have become an increasingly popular com- ponent of wedding planning. Instead of waiting on the wedding invitation, which traditionally arrives one or two months prior to the wedding itself, save-the-date cards provide guests with an advanced advertisement of the celebration to come. According to the photo and invitation specialists at Shutterfly, it's customary to send save-the-date notes around six months before the wedding. For a destination wedding, which will require extra travel plans, an eight- to 12-month advance can be helpful. Save-the-date cards generally have Photo by Metro Creative Connection basic information, including the wedding Couples can explore various avenues for keeping guests informed and ensuring they'll be able to take part in the date and the venue. Many will feature festivities. a photo of the couple as well. If you're planning on sending save-the-date that can help answer questions that memories and anecdotes can be in- These apps also can prove invaluable announcements, coordinate with your guests may have. The website can cluded. when conferring with wedding vendors, photographer to have a photo taken spell out specifics, including dress code, Video conferencing apps such as florists or musicians. exclusively for these cards. whether children are invited, the names As the world continues to adapt in You also can schedule smaller meet- Wedding website of wedding party participants, overnight the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, ings with specific guests who may be Couples are increasingly embracing accommodations, transportation provid- video conferencing applications like playing key roles in the wedding, such technology as they plan their weddings. ers, and even restaurants near the hotel Facetime, Zoom and Microsoft Teams as those giving speeches, doing read- Brides magazine states that, during the for a quick bite between ceremony and enable people involved in the planning ings, escorting guests, or serving in typical 15-month engagement period, 48 reception. process to routinely "gather" and go other capacities. percent of couples will launch a wedding Wedding websites also can be used over details about the wedding, helping Certain resources can help couples website. as fun ways to keep guests engaged. to limit in-person meetings as much as keep guests informed about what's to A wedding website is a versatile tool "Throwback Thursday" photos or funny possible. come in regard to their weddings.

Page 6 Love is in the air

Keep guests safe during the pandemic

Happy couples planning to tie the In addition, cities or regions whose guests. Social distance markers also knot in 2020 confronted a challenge responses to the virus have been suc- can be placed on the ground throughout they likely never saw coming. While cessful may have relaxed restrictions the venue to make it easy for guests to many couples fear inclement weather more than areas that are still strug- stay six feet apart from one another. on their wedding days, 2020's prospec- gling. • Choose an outdoor venue. The tive brides and grooms had to contend The WHO notes the importance of Centers for Disease Control and Pre- with something far more fearful than checking local guidelines prior to plan- vention notes that the COVID-19 virus rain clouds. ning an event, and that's especially spreads very easily through person- The outbreak of the novel coronavi- important for couples who hope to get to-person contact and that the risk of rus that began in the winter of 2019-20 married in towns or cities where they do spreading the virus is greater when and was ultimately declared a pandemic not currently reside. spending time indoors. by the World Health Organization put • Keep guests up to date about pre- Couples can mitigate some of that many couples'wedding plans in peril. Photo by Metro Creative Connection cautions. Include detailed information risk by tying the knot outdoors and then In an effort to stop the spread of the Take precautions as you organize your about the safety measures that will be hosting an outdoor reception where virus and protect those most vulnerable ceremony and reception. implemented during the wedding on tables are kept at least six feet apart. to it, governments across the globe your wedding website. Insert a card Weddings will be different until the placed restrictions on social gatherings, the WHO recommends they take cer- detailing this information into your invi- world puts COVID-19 in its rearview including weddings. Those restrictions tain precautions as they organize their tation envelopes as well so all guests mirror. In the meantime, it's up to happy prompted some couples to postpone ceremonies and receptions. know what to expect when they accept couples to keep their guests safe come their nuptials until 2021, while others • Confirm local regulations. Restric- the invitation. In addition, remind guests the big day. tied the knot at considerably smaller tions related to COVID-19 differ greatly of the safety precautions throughout the Editor’s Note: Please consult your ceremonies than they initially planned by region. Areas that were not hit hard ceremony. local laws and regulations before pub- for. by the virus may not have as many • Provide sanitary supplies. Make lishing this story to confirm its content Couples planning to tie the knot in restrictions in place as those that were sure hand sanitizer, soap, water, and aligns with mandates currently in place the months ahead can still do so, but devastated by the outbreak. masks are readily available for all in your city.

National Wedding Month February 2021 Page 7

Page 8 Love is in the air