Guest Post By: Jennifer Hartman, Heart 2 Heart Occasions
There is a phenomenom among mothers called the perfect mom syndrome (ie: the mom that tries to take on the world, but suffers in silence). We all know it exists but we never ever discuss it. And I have seen this illness in many brides over the last several years. It happens when a bride works, volunteers, runs a house, all while being the perfect best friend to at least a dozen or so gals. And yet, refuses to ask forhelp, and pressures herself to plan and execute the perfect wedding. Leaving everyone to wonder “how does she do it”?
Very rarely does she do it easily and without consequence. With today’s fragile economic status, couples are feeling the pinch and are trying to take on many of the details themselves. Doing their own favors, centerpieces, place cards, invitations, etc. Don’t get me wrong, these can all be great ways to save money… if you have help. Planning a wedding can often seem like a “do-able” task, until you attempt it. Actually, that could be said for a lot of things in life!
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Guest Post By Rachael Zebrowski, Vintage&Lace, Wedding Planner
One of the best pieces of wedding planning advice I received shortly after my engagement came from a newly wed friend who said, “Negotiate! Negotiate! Negotiate!”
From my friend’s insight, I soon learned that one of the best-kept secrets in the wedding industry is the incredible willingness of most vendors to negotiate a trade.
Many couples on a tight budget take one look at the price of a venue and write it off as out of their range. However, if you get creative, there are ways to craft a better deal.
Instead of just asking for a discounted rate, ask yourself what you have to offer that might be of value. For example, my husband and I chose a brand new wedding venue to host our reception. Knowing that the venue would need photos for their marketing material, we offered them the use of our wedding photos in exchange for waiving the Event Use Fee. Recognizing the offer as a win-win for both parties, the venue took the deal. They received loads of professional photographs to use in their marketing campaign while we saved $2,000 (which we then used to hire a top-notch photographer)!
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It Takes Two To Make A Thing Go Right. As a result of the brief and still unchartered history of same sex marriage, gay and lesbian couples have the luxury (often born through hardship) of designing their ceremonies as a reflection of their relationships rather than as a reflection of legal, societal or familial expectations. Though one member of the couple may be more of the organizer, it is often the case that both partners are equally invested in envisioning and creating their wedding, commitment ceremony or civil union together.
But, ask just about any wedding vendor in the mainstream wedding market and they’ll tell you that they spend the majority of their time working with brides or brides and their mothers. There’s hardly a mention of the groom. It is traditionally assumed that the bride has long dreamt of her ideal wedding day and, once she is in engaged, she swings into action, bringing her groom along in her wake.
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