Are You Prepared For Disaster...Even On YOUR Special Day???

For those of us living on the East Coast we have experienced two natural disasters in less than 7 days and to say it's wrecked a little havoc would be an understatement.  We've been caught off guard by an earthquake with a 5.8 magnitude followed by Hurricane Irene which forced us all to immediately gather our families, emergency supplies and prepare our homes for the worst.  But what if your wedding or other special event is scheduled during such a time when Mother Nature is so unpredictable?  What are you supposed to do when you've spent months pouring over exquisite details for your treasured day? 

HAVE YOU CAN CONSIDERED WEDDING INSURANCE?

With more than 15 years of experience in special events, I'd like to think of myself as a seasoned professional.  However there may be times when even the best planner needs to have an even better contingency plan for life's unexpected challenges because as strange as it seems sometimes there are challenges that we just can't avoid.

  Imagine it...you've finally selected the most beautiful garden location ever or you're dreaming of a Winter Wonderland but within the week of your most special day the forecast suddenly calls for a downpour!  Or what do you do if the Winter Wonderland that you imagined is right outside your door buried under 4-ft of snow?  What are you going to do now?  Can you even handle any more stress?  Probably not if you've decided to DIY your entire event.  Make no mistake there is nothing wrong with wanting to take a hands on approach to your event planning but bear in mind that you may spend months, days and long hours to assure all goes smoothly for the "big" event, perhaps even referring to the infamous Farmer's Almanac for added weather security.  But let's be honest, do YOU really have the energy to create a back-up event plan so closely to your day? 

ISN'T YOUR EVENT WORTH THE EXTRA EFFORT???

Are you a bride on budget? Or are you newly engaged with no idea where to start?

You've dreamed of this day since you were a little girl but can't afford to break the bank?

The reality is EVERY bride is on a budget.  Recently, I was given the challenge of creating a wonderful upcoming wedding for a bride...no problem, right? The challenge was we were to keep her within her budget of $15k, it must be amazing and the food also must be good. Hmm. Never one to admit defeat, I embraced my new bride but not before sharing with her a few key tips:

#1 - You must have an open mind! I can't share enough how important this is in planning especially when you may have limited budget. Yes, you absolutely can have a dream wedding but you must be honest with what you can afford to spend.

#2 - Cut that guest list! Do I really have you share this one? The bulk of all your wedding costs will be increased or reduced right here with your per person food and beverage costs. Eliminate the little people.  Yes, I am bold enough to say it no children with the exception of the children who may be in the wedding party. This means the couple's children (if they have any), the flower girl, ring bearer, bell ringer or whatever your designation may be.

#3 - Nix the bar. I know this one will probably create a little bit of tension for some of you but this again goes back to #2. If you cannot afford to provide an open bar for your guests then nix it all together (and please do not confuse your guests with an hour of open bar which then changes into a cash bar for the remainder of the evening. In fact, nix the entire notion of a cash bar entirely! (if you really want my opinion on weddings and cash bars feel free to send me an email:-) Don't get me wrong there are still some wonderful options that you can provide your guests for cocktails that won't break the bank.

#4 - Avoid peak days/times. Seems simple enough right? You would be surprised by the amount of money that you save when you consider planning your date during the months of November to April. You may even be able to choose your favorite venue...have I got your attention now?  Don't be afraid to think outside the box - consider brunch or a luncheon vs an evening reception.

#5 - Your Wedding Gown. You could save hundreds of dollars alone by considering some alternatives: gaither your best gal pals and your running shoes and head off to the Running of the Brides (sponsored by Filene's Basement http://www.filenesbasement.com/ ). Prefer something less chaotic (and actually one of my favorites), then try the Brides Against Breast Cancer (http://www.bridesagainstbreastcancer.org/) trunk shows that provide thousands of dresses (including lots of couture gowns). Not only is it a way to save money on the cost of your wedding dress but the proceeds from the gown sales support survivors of breast cancer!


***Bonus (especially for the DIY brides):  think you can do without the costs of a wedding planner/coordinator? Well, who do you think is going to be your best advocate for the cost savings?  Who's going to offer you all those fab suggestions and advice?  Who's going to make sure that all your hard work on those personal touches doesn't go unnoticed? 

Talk to you soon, xoxo!

Leslie