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When my former neighbor called to tell me she had finally found the man of her dreams, I couldn’t have been more excited for her.  As our conversation progressed, it became readily apparent that she and Tom were going to need some help with their wedding.  While Kerri would never dream of asking me to donate my services, I’m sure she was secretly hoping that I would.  Kerri is like a daughter to me, so of course I offered to help her plan her wedding. 

The first thing that a couple needs to do, is to sit down with family members (or former neighbors who think they’re family members) and identify what the budget will be.  Kerri and Tom were realistic about what they could afford and they set their expectations accordingly.  What they didn’t know though, was that by utilizing the services of a Professional Bridal Consultant, they could have a more lavish celebration than they ever dreamed possible and one that still respected the budget.

When my partner Janice and I are dealing with a bride on a tight budget, it forces us to become even more creative than we normally are and find even more ways to cut corners.  One way we do this is by heading to the basement and seeing what’s there in our inventory that might be able to be put to work again.  For Kerri and Tom’s wedding, they had selected burgundy, pink, and purple as their color scheme.  Amazingly, we had all of these silk flowers in those colors sitting in our basement waiting for the right time to use them.  The picture below shows off the arch arrangements we created for Tom and Kerri’s ceremony.  The ceremony table also came out of our inventory.

Once an arch arrangement has been created, it can be re-rented to another bride at a very reasonable price.  If a bride went to a Florist and had something similar made up with real flowers, the cost would be in the hundreds of dollars.  While fresh flowers are gorgeous, we encourage our brides with smaller budgets to consider fresh flowers for bouquets, corsages, and boutonnieres only. We then see if something in our inventory might work or we shop around for a cheaper floral solution for the ceremony and reception.  In Tom and Kerri’s case, we were able to pull stanchions out of our inventory, purchase inexpensive silk bouquets that doubled as reception centerpieces after the ceremony, and we finished the look off with bridal quality tulle.  The one additional extravagance I wish in retrospect we had added was a top of the line, deep pink aisle runner from another of our preferred vendors The Original Runner Company.  Yes it would have added to the overall cost of the wedding, but it would have put the wow factor into this ceremony site too.

Tom and Kerri opted to have an outdoor wedding and they utilized the services of Justice of the Peace, Talibah Williams of Norwich, CT and good friend Ed Hyde to preside over their nuptials. Both did an outstanding job.  They wanted to be married by the water, but could not afford the price tag associated with most waterfront properties.  Instead, they opted to hold their wedding at Day Pond State Park in Colchester, CT.  The cost to rent the Pavilion and surrounding area by the pond was $150 for the day and there was a per car admission price of $7 for each car from CT and $10 for out of state cars. 

The tables, chairs (enough for 100 guests), and arch were rented from Eastern Rental for another $350.  Food was pot luck with Kerri and Tom and their parents providing the entree, and other family members bringing their specialty side dishes.  Paper plates and cups added another $100 to the reception costs.  When it was all said and done they spent less than $1500 on a reception for 100 guests.

This left plenty of room in the budget to add a few more things that you might think you can’t afford, but it’s those little details that turn a so-so wedding into a memorable event.  We rented specialty table linens in Kerri’s favorite lilac color and pink plaid cloth napkins for $195.  This is another area where we can save you money. Our clients receive a discount from Elegant Linens, LTD, one of our preferred vendors who offer a discount to our clients under contract.  Additionally, we surprised Kerri with glass plates at the head table (purchased at The Christmas Tree Shoppe for $1.29 each).  Guest tables had candles lit that doubled as favors and the ceremony flowers doubled as centerpieces.  Finally we headed back to our inventory to find a few select centerpieces for the head table and hors d’oeuvre table. 

In the photo above on the left, the table is pulling double duty.  This had been the table where the hors d’oeuvres were served earlier during the cocktail hour, but during the reception, it became the focal point for the children attending the wedding when Kerri’s Mom Linda surprised them with their own personal goodie bags.  Yes this was an added cost, but once again, all outstanding events come down to the little details, and this was a very thoughtful and meaningful touch on Linda’s part.

Kerri and Tom’s budget was not going to allow them to hire a Professional Photographer or DJ.  Once again, having a Professional Bridal Consultant with them, made all the difference.  Many people think that they will get great photos from a friend or family member who has a great camera.  The equipment is really only half the battle though.  If your family photographer isn’t a professional, chances are good you’ll end up with a photo like this...

You might be thinking, “What’s wrong with this photo?” The bride getting ready didn’t need to be quite this realistic in my opinion.  A staged photo where the Matron of Honor was applying a last minute touch-up with the woods as a backdrop would have made for a stronger photo than Kerri standing in the doorway to the latrine.  Once the Bridal Consultant is available to lend a hand, they can provide some coaching which leads to more interesting photos like the ones below.

None of these photos compare to the work of a Professional, however.  If you can expand your budget by another $1500 to $2000, you can hire a top notch Photographer to capture your special day and that is ideal.

The same holds true for a Professional DJ.  You might think anyone can spin some records, but once again when you hire a DJ, you’re hiring them to put the life into the party.  If a DJ just isn’t in the cards for your wedding, having that Professional Bridal Consultant by your side to offer musical suggestions can mean the difference between your guests having a blast or wanting to go home right after the cake is cut.  No doubt you have special songs that are meaningful to the two of you and those songs absolutely have a place at certain points during the ceremony and the reception.  For the filler songs though, rely on our expertise.  We’re at different weddings several times a month and we know what songs get the crowd up and dancing no matter what style of music you prefer. 

Another place where a Professional Bridal Consultant can help you save some money is to help you rent the sound equipment you need to host a fabulous party.  All you need to do is provide the CD and get this party started as the song goes.   We can help you rent a top notch, portable sound system with a mike that doesn’t require an electrical outlet for just $250 that can be used during both the ceremony and the reception. 

These are just a few of the ways we can help you have a great event while saving you money. So, I’ll bet you’re wondering how much Tom and Kerri’s wedding would have cost them if they’d paid for everything themselves and Kerri’s second mom wasn’t a Wedding Planner by profession.  Drum roll please!!

$4,667.61

This price tag included all rentals, the food, Kerri’s wedding dress which she bought for $80 at David’s Bridal Clearance, Tom’s suit, and the kid’s clothes and shoes.  It included a manicure and pedicure for Kerri, the Unity Candle and the Bride’s Box in the picture below that was handmade by Patricia White Davis of Simply Done (read her story “Holding Memories” also  available on the NEWP website  if you would like to learn more about the history behind the bride’s box).

It included a stunning wedding cake, wedding favors for the guests, the Cristalino Brut champagne the couple was toasted with and the toasting glasses they drank from.  Even the “Just Married” car decorations were priced into that final dollar amount and our normal $1000 day of service fee is in there too.

 Are you surprised? We wanted to show you that you can afford to be pampered, have the wedding of your dreams, and your own professional wedding team with you on your big day.  It doesn’t matter if you have a sky’s the limit budget or a $4.667.61 budget.  The question now isn’t if you can afford to have a Professional Bridal Consultant with you.  It’s can you afford NOT to have one with you?

This is one of the most important days of your life and you deserve to be the star of the show no matter what your budget happens to be.  You and your loved ones should only have one concern on your minds on this most special of days…..are we having the time of our lives? When you hire a Professional Bridal Consultant, that answer is absolutely.

Written by Terri Altergott, PBC™
Something Borrowed, Something New Events
(508) 277-6597
www.somethingborrowedsomethingnew.com