The Groomsmen
Tara+Kola
Just wanted to share from this past weekend's wedding. Blog to come soon.
Congrats on Your Engagement...NOW What?
5 Things To Remember in Your Wedding Budget
As many couples start their wedding planning this time of year, I want to add a few tips on things to remember when planning your budget. Hope it helps, and feel free to add any tips in the comments section.
1. SALES TAX. Ranging anywhere from 5-8% on average, sales tax can become a quick way to break the boundaries of the budget. Remember almost every vendor that you will hire will charge some kind of sales or use tax.
2. VENDOR MEALS. Most, but not all, caterers actually will count vendor meals in the overall count of an estimate. You will have a photographer and assistant(s), DJ, Planner, and other on site vendors that will be there all day, it is customary (but not a requirement) for them to be offered a meal.
The extra night in a hotel room can add several hundred dollars in unexpected costs to your wedding budget.
3. HOTEL ROOM. While sometimes, many larger and upscale hotels can offer you a special rate for early check in/late checkout, not all hotels will do this. So keep in mind that the hotel room that you need for 9am on Saturday morning, may have to be checked into on Friday afternoon with a Sunday morning checkout.
4. COUNSELING. Pre-marriage counseling is a requirement in some states these days to getting a quick marriage license. This can be done for a offering to a church or through several services. While in the grand scheme, not a large expense, it is one of those expenses that may catch a bride and groom off guard, especially when they most need it. That Tuesday afternoon before they fly to Vegas for the wedding that weekend.
5. MARRIAGE LICENSE. In most jurisdictions, the license runs as much as a couple of hundred dollars, but is often one of the last parts of the wedding that many couples apply for. If applying for a license in a different state, make sure you know what their policies are when it comes to getting a license. Especially as listed above with counselling.
The average wedding is around $25,000 right now. If you take in consideration just THESE 5 costs, on average you will run into about $2,000-3000 in costs that often are not realized until the last minute. There are many more such as the gifts for bride/groom, parents, groomsmen/bridesmaids; the parties/rehearsal dinners, even the alterations of gowns and tuxedos. The more you know when planning, the better you can plan.
#ShopSmall Special for my wedding clients. Save $2000
If you are a bride that has spoken to me in the past, then you know I am absolutely ADAMANT about having your wedding printed. Don't get me wrong, I love the ability to send images to friends and family around the world in the blink of an eye; but I grew up in a time where we had photos in albums and on the wall. I guess that around this time of year especially, it really hits home when friends and family are over. I know when I was growing up, THIS was the occasion that we would pull out all the old photos and tell the same stories that we told last year. Often with never the same details, but still entertaining none the less. Which is one of the reasons why I am such a big proponent of a wedding album.
an example of one of the fine hand crafted albums that I suggest to all of my brides.
A 12x12 wedding album opened up gives 2 feet of viewing area to have an almost larger than life memory.
These are just a couple of quick examples of what a wedding album looks like. Designed to be a family heirloom that can be passed from generation to generation, they can be as simple, or as customized as your mind can imagine.
The Offer
Between now, and December 31, 2013, ANY wedding collection booked and fully paid by January 31, 2014 will receive a $2000 album print credit. Whether it is the most inclusive Milverton Signature Collection or the super efficient Negril Collection the offer still applies, guaranteeing you the ability of having a printed wedding album for your wedding. In the cases of the collections that already include a wedding album, the print credit can be used towards upgrades, parent albums, or even gift albums as well.
The Catch
The only catch is that the weddings must be booked by the end of this year and paid in full by January 31, 2014. That's all... oh and of course, booking an available date.
What Next?
Feel free to check out the different offerings on collections under the 'Admissions' tab or email me direct for more information. Leighton@LeightonD.com. Or simply Click below.
Bridal Collections
GROOMS: To shave or not to shave?
This article hits home for me. As most know, we are in the middle of Movember or No Shave November to recognize men's health awareness. Well in my 35 years I have YET to be able to grow a beard... I've been trying though, after about 45 days, I think I finally have a 3 o'clock shadow. But men, and ladies feel free to join in as well, will you rock facial hair on your wedding day?
See the full article here