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Don’t Have Regrets!

    When I ask brides who decide to have a “family friend” photograph their wedding or why they cut the budget for photography, I usually receive one of the two responses below.    I want to spending my money on the things that are more visually gratifying such as the flowers, my dress (of…

Modest Bridal Gowns

What is a modest bridal gown?  A modest bridal dress provides the same high quality wedding dress BUT with sleeves and higher necklines to provide more coverage.   Some religious faiths (LDS, Christians, Evangelicals, Muslins and others) require a bridal gown that is designed with less reveal.   And honestly – these are beautiful dresses!  Very few…

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Don’t Stress Out – 7 Things to Do to Keep Your Sanity

At this time of year, if you are planning a winter wedding and celebrating the Holidays, you might feel that things are spiraling out of control.  Even if your wedding is several months away, here are seven golden ideas to keep you in control:   Stay within your budget.  (Yes, you really need to create…

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Do you have concerns about your “Father” giving you away?

In today’s crazy mixed up world, there are lots of “fathers” who are “fathers” in name only.   One of the hardest decisions many brides have is whether to have their biological father walk them down the aisle, or should they ask someone who is closer to them, someone who has helped them to be the…

Do You Know How Much to Budget for Flowers?

  We encourage couples to create a “budget” for their wedding, itemizing individual cost estimates and percentages.  And one of the most asked questions I receive is, “How much should I budget for my bouquets and other floral requirements?”   After all, this is something most of us do only once in a lifetime.  One of…

Just Engaged?

Congratulations!  Is your head still spinning, your heart still a flutter?  Of course, your whole world is about to change.  Excitement prevails.  You probably can’t stop talking about how he proposed, and family and friends are all wanting to know all the tiniest details. Some of you may also be feeling overwhelming.  All of a…

Insights from Wedding Planners & How They Do Business – Part 3

    This is our final section that continues our discussion about wedding planners and how they do business.  We will answer the final two questions and provide a summary of their responses. What are some of the toughest issues that you have had to deal with? Dealing with families of the couple is the…

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Insights from Wedding Planners & How They Do Business – Part 2

Today’s blog continues our discussion from the previous day about wedding planners and how they do business.  We posed four questions to various planners throughout the area, and here is a summary of their responses. Second question to our wedding planners: When you recommend a vendor, what is the basis of that recommendation?  Do you…

Insights from Wedding Planners & How They Do Business – Part 1

Recently I had the wonderful privilege to talk to several Wedding Planners in our area and I asked them several questions regarding Wedding Planning and issues that they had experienced.  Plus I asked specific questions about their business practices.  Here are some insights from professionals in the field and some honest information about how they…

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Enjoy the Moment!

When you walk down the aisle and join hands with your husband-to-be, it is one of the most emotional moments of your life.  You have come together to begin a life united as husband and wife.   And quite naturally, this is a time that your guest should be totally focused on what is happening.  BUT,…

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Sealed in a Box

  Couples have adopted this really neat wedding day moment.  They have a simple wooden box at the ceremony site that they will seal right before they say their vows.  But before this box is sealed they add personal letters to one another, a bottle of wine, or any other sentimental items that they wish…

Is Marriage a Luxury?

There is a very interesting article I recently read in Today’s Money  and I thought it would be good to discuss the highlights of their article and get some feedback from you, our St. Louis/St. Charles couples.   This article points out that the demographics of who walks down the aisle has change in recent…

Winter Weddings

Over the last few years, I’ve noticed more and more winter weddings and find they are just as elegant as a June wedding.  In fact, one bride last year was a bit sad because she planned a winter wedding and was really hoping for snow.  Here are some ideas to help keep in the spirit…

Make it you!

I love it when a bride takes a simple standard thing such as an aisle runner and personalizes it.  How special is this as you walk down the aisle.   This aisle runner starts with your first date and proceeds to your day at the altar with photos, timelines, and text.    

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The Ultimate Way to Have a Beautiful Wedding for less than $2000!

Not all weddings have to be expensive and extensive.  Sometimes the best weddings are the smaller, more intimate ones.  Just because you are low on funds, doesn’t mean you can’t get married.  I’ve seen some terrific weddings with less than 10 people! The easiest way to save money on the reception is to limit the…