Category: Budget Wedding Ideas

Recently, I had the opportunity to interview celebrity wedding planner David Tutera at the Langham Huntington Hotel in Pasadena. Even though he’s worked on events with such VIPs as Jennifer Lopez and Vice President Al Gore, I was impressed by his enthusiasm for helping non-famous brides have equally stellar weddings.

These days, brides want wedding flowers that exude an authentic, down-to-earth feeling. Think less showy and much more “real.”

I just got engaged and I keep hearing about trunk shows for wedding dresses. What exactly is a “trunk show”? Is it worth going to one?
—Amanda, San Luis Obispo, CA

You’d think that working from a budget would be obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people, especially brides and grooms, are unrealistic about what they can afford. Part of the problem is that most people aren’t very experienced with event budgeting and don’t know how to estimate what locations, products and services will ultimately cost.

There’s no doubt that the biggest 2009 wedding trends all seem to be centered on the same idea: less is more. Budget weddings are big: Couples everywhere are looking for the best deals around before they plunk down the plastic. Check out this episode of Road To The Altar for one hilarious example of a wedding budget gone awry:

Want to be a DIY bride but don’t know how to get started? WeddingDNA.com gives you access to chic graphic templates which can be used for wedding invitations, save-the-dates, programs, thank-you notes, place cards…even powerpoint presentations for reception slideshows! Membership’s just $39.95/year, and you can download and print as much as you need to create a cohesive wedding style. I’m partial to the Moonlit Owl design—a new twist on the usual lovebirds!

I confess to major butterflies for my interview with celebrity wedding planner and TV show host, David Tutera at the elegant Langham Huntington Hotel in Pasadena last month. I needn’t have worried. He was warm and charming, and very open to sharing his wedding planning pointers. Later when I dished the dirt with two of his “My Fair Wedding” Season 2 brides, Dee and Quiana, they both agreed that he was way more personable and down-to-earth than they had expected. I was particularly excited to confirm that David and I were in complete agreement about several key “Wedding Dos & Don’ts.”

I saw a super simple DIY way to decorate your cocktail tables for your wedding while hanging out on the harborside terrace at The Ritz-Carlton Marina Del Rey.

If your personality is more backyard than ballroom, you’re in good company this year. The New York Times says that casual food and a relaxed setting are the latest trend among couples who either don’t have the money for a fancier wedding—or just don’t want to look inappropriately lavish in this economy. Whatever the reason, an at-home, casual wedding is always appropriate, IMHO.

The 2009 edition of this luscious glossy (actually, the pages of Real Simple Weddings have a soft matte finish) is the kind of mag you want to read while soaking in a bubble bath…breakfasting in your sun-dappled garden…or curled up in bed next to that special someone. It has the effect of unraveling the pre-wedding stress by breaking down the planning elements into manageable components: Location, Flowers, Food, etc.

It’s a shame, really. All that time, effort and money spent on finding the wedding dress, and you really only ever wear it the one time. Fashion designer Hanna Hartnell of HARTNELL Santa Monica feels you, and has come up with an ingenious solution—the Double Dare Gown.

Planning your dream wedding on a very real budget? You’re not alone. Cutting back on the pricey parts of your wedding is never easy, but if you have even an ounce of “do-it-yourself” spirit, you might find some of the tasks you had planned to pass off to a pro are kind of fun to DIY.