Wedding Guide 2011

Wedding

Guide 2011

• Hotels / Restaurant • Apparel • Jewelers • Reception Sites • Bakeries • Musicians / DJs • Hair Salons • Day Spas • Travel Agencies • Limos • Financial Planners • Photographers / Videographers

Thisweek Newspapers ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT FEBRUARY 4, 2011

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February 4, 2011 THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

Couples get creative to plan dream wedding in tough economy Many are prolonging their engagement, experts say

by Jessica Harper THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS

Whether it’s a wedding’s venue, caterer or decor, couples are will to spend big bucks on their top priorities — even if that means prolonging the engagement and cutting the guest list, experts say. “Brides are getting back into spending ... but they are taking extra time to make decisions,� said Josh Franz, president of Twin Cities Bridal Association.

The median price of a wedding in the Twin Cities — between $20,000 to $30,000 — has remained relatively the same throughout the recession, Franz said.

However, more and more couples are planning their

wedding over a lavish event focused two or three on the decor,� Deyears to spread Grand said. the cost, rather She and Higgins, than six months both environmental to a year, he said. studies majors, plan Decor and to grow some of the event service proflowers for the cervider Lori Cole emony and vegetables said she is seeing for the reception. the same trend.

What they don’t grow “Couples on their own will be want everything purchased from the for the wedding, local farmers’ market, but know it will DeGrand said. take longer to The couple also pay for it,� said plans to make their Cole, owner of own wine, beer and Fa r m i n g t o n cupcakes, instead based Illuminaof purchasing these tions by Lori items.

Cole.

By cutting many This is true expenses, the coufor Farmington Couples are waiting longer to get married and prioritizing plans to save money ple has been able to resident Court- for their big day, according to local wedding planners. spend more on other nie DeGrand areas, such as musiand her fiancee Michael save for their September stead focus on environmen- cians, DeGrand said. wedding. tal sustainability.

Higgins.

Although the couple has DeGrand, 22, and Hig“My dream wedding is been able to get most items The couple extended their engagement over four gins, 23, plan to spend less to have a huge party with on their wish list, DeGrand years to finish college and than most couples and in- my loved ones, rather than said they had to make the

tough decision to forgo their first choice in venue and honeymoon destination to stay within the budget.

Many couples face similar choices, experts say.

As couple’s prioritize their plans, many will scale back on certain aspects to spend more on others, said Julie Lyford, owner of Fabulous Functions, an event planning service in West St. Paul. “Brides are taking a closer look at what means most to them,� she said.

For instance, Lyford said she consulted one couple who cut their guest list, but had a caviar tasting for those on the list.

In general, couples are getting more creative to have the wedding of their dreams, Lyford said.

E-mail Jessica Harper at: jessica.harper@ecm-inc.com

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THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT February 4, 2011

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Real men plan weddings Technology may transform In the past, if a man chose the right ring with which to propose, successfully rented a tuxedo and arrived at the wedding ceremony on time, he was given a commendation for completing his groomly duties.

How the times have changed. Today the wedding is no longer just the woman’s domain; men are equal partners in the wedding-planning process.

The 21st century couple is older, according to statistics, and more financially secure than couples from previous decades.

As such, many are taking on the entire cost of the wedding themselves. With such a financial obligation on their shoulders, couples are sharing how and where to spend. “Couples today are equals, both in how they earn money and what they’re able to accomplish time-wise,� said Mark Walerstein, creator of GroomsOnline.com. “As a team, they share the decisions on everything from what gifts to register for to what color linens to have at the reception.�

According to a 2007 survey of recently married couples by The Knot, the groom was significantly involved in planning: 36 percent of grooms were “very involved� and 57 percent of grooms were “somewhat involved.� Respondents to a GroomsOnline poll indicated

the future of weddings Imagine sending out personalized, colorful evites inviting guests to a wedding ceremony and reception? Or plugging in an Mp3 player with a pre-set wedding music playlist to get people dancing? How about recording the festivities on handheld video cameras and uploading data instantly to a social networking site?

Some or all of these technological conveniences are already growing in popularity, revolutionizing the way couples plan and carry through with wedding plans along the way.

Many couples are choosing to eschew the formalities and traditions associated with weddings for the convenience that many digital or technological advancements can pro-

vide. Electronic wedding invitations are just one of the many aspects of the wedding that have begun to embrace the digital age.

There are several advantages to enlisting the help of technology to execute a wedding. First and foremost is the cost factor.

The number of items that couples can do themselves will greatly cut down on the expenses of hiring professional vendors. Budgetconscious couples may seriously want to consider sending e-vites, which can save several hundreds of dollars on printing costs and postage.

Another advantage is that technology might be more environmentally responsible.

Eliminating wedding stationery or hiring individuals who have

! similar numbers, with 38 percent of grooms “very involved� and over 60 percent “somewhat involved.�

It also seems that brides-to-be are excited about sharing responsibilities. It takes the pressure off of them to get everything done within a hectic schedule.

Provided the groom checks in with her about some of the decisions, today’s bride is enthusiastic about a groom who wants to be involved. She may see this participation as a reflection of what will come in the future – with her husband also being involved in the household and raising children.

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to travel to and from the ceremony and reception, as is the case with a band or photographer, reduces carbon emissions and further energy.

Technology can also help keep things organized. Instead of keeping receipts and papers inside of a folder, saving items in e-mail and conversing with vendors electronically creates a digital paper trail that can make loose ends a little easier to manage.

Although there are some detractors who frown on employing technology when planning a wedding because of the improper etiquette implications, many modern couples are embracing the convenience and cost savings these technologies provide.

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February 4, 2011 THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

Eco-friendly weddings and receptions growing in popularity Environmentally friendly ideals are now permeating all aspects of daily living. Many people want to take the concept further and ensure their nuptials – and subsequent reception – are good for the planet as well.

Although there are no firm statistics on the number of green weddings being held each year, emerging trends point to the growing interest in eco-conscious weddings. Individuals who already do their best to recycle, reuse and reduce want to employ those same values on their wedding day.

There are many ways to employ a green mindset to wedding planning and execution. Largely the carbon footprint of a wedding can be reduced simply by scaling back and avoiding overconsumption. Here are some ideas to think about.

1. Reduce travel. Research indicates that more than two-thirds of emissions in the U.S. are produced by energy consumption and transportation. By reducing guests’ need to travel far for a wedding or offering transportation that can accommodate sev-

eral people at once (like full of organic fruits and a bus), carbon emissions wildflowers. will be reduced.

4. Choose an open regis2. Home is where the try. Instead of fine china heart is. Keeping wedthat may never be used, dings close to home is many couples are opthelpful. Those with big ing for open registries backyards or a park that enable guests to gift nearby can host the everything from ecoevent at home or in a friendly housewares to nearby park and reduce charitable donations to dependence on large recash for down payments ception halls that use up on a home. large amounts of energy 5. Opt for mixed seating to operate. A home wedarrangements: Instead ding also gives couples of formal escort cards the opportunity to shop indicating firm seating around for locally proarrangements, couples duced, organic foods. are saving paper by al3. Shop for floral lowing guests to choose alternatives.

Flowers their own seats from mixwould seem “green� in matched options, such as themselves.

However, long, communal benches many blooms available and comfy sofas. at florist shops are grown 6. Go with something in hothouses with the use old. Recycled gowns of pesticides and chemiand gently used items cal fertilizers, something are good alternatives that is not very good for Green wedding trends are growing in popularity as for eco-conscious brides. the environment at all. more brides and grooms want to be eco-friendly.

Many Web sites will Brides opting for somematch up brides with thing more eco-conscious could as bouquets made of sustainable others looking to swap items at consider alternative options, such succulent plants and centerpieces low or no cost.

7. Skip the paper. Though etiquette experts frown on abandoning paper invitations for electronic ones, many couples are doing just that. For those who still prefer paper, print invitations on recycled paper. Reduce other wedding stationery needs by posting information on a wedding Web site shared with family and friends.

8. Go small scale. Instead of inviting every last cousin and distant uncle, couples are opting for more intimate affairs, including only the people they are closest to, which saves on cost and helps the environment.

9. Trim some of the wedding day fat. Some couples opt for an all-you-can-eat buffet and then a subsequent dessert bar later on in the evening. Stuffed guests may end up wasting more food than eating it. Instead of all-you-can, go for a more traditional meal.

10. Choose a charitable party favor. Instead of a party favor that collects dust on a shelf, couples are choosing to gift with organic products or a donation to a charitable organization in the guests’ names.

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