Before You Meet with a Wedding Planner...

Photo from Cinema.com

Believe it or not, you have to do a little bit of homework before you meet with a wedding planner. The planner will ask you a few qualifying questions in advance to determine whether or not you will be a good match.

1. What is your budget?
The answer to this question should never be "We don't have one." This is not a trick question. It's ok to give a range but even Donald Trump has a spending limit. This allows the wedding planner to start thinking about the possibilities for your wedding design, venues, professionals, etc.

2. How many guests will attend your wedding?
Naturally, this question will follow the budget question because it allows the wedding planner to know if your budget-to-guest ratio is realistic. If you set your budget at $5000 and invite 250 guests, then you probably can't afford some of the professionals in her rolodex.

3. Have you chosen any wedding professionals yet?
It's ok to say no. This helps the planner determine whether you have hired professionals they have worked with in the past or are familiar with. It also gives them a glimpse into the style of wedding you want.

4. Describe your dream wedding.
It helps to have pictures or examples of the features you like from flowers to colors and everything in between.

5. Who are the decision-makers for this event?
If your parents are sharing in the cost for your wedding, then they probably want to make some of the decisions too. Be sure to have this discussion with them in advance so everyone is on the same page and there are no surprises.

The #1 Way to Save on Wedding Flowers

When planning your floral budget, keep in mind all of the different purposes for flowers in your wedding: the bride's bouquet, bridesmaids' bouquets, boutonnieres for the groom and groomsmen, mothers' corsages, fathers' boutonnieres, centerpieces, and ceremony arrangements.

So what is the #1 way to save on flowers without sacrificing the overall vision for your day?

Downsize

Lessen the number of people in your wedding party (fewer bouquets & boutonnieres to buy) and the number of guests (fewer tables that require a centerpiece). You can still have the beautiful flowers you fell in love with but you'll need less of them.

How Much Does It Cost To Get Married In PA?

The following stats are from RealSimple.com

Attire: $1939 to $3188

Ceremony: $2233 to $3674

Entertainment: $2489 to $4094

Flowers: $1565 to $2574

Gifts and Favors: $786 to $1292

Invitations and Stationery: $743 to $1219

Jewelry: $4758 to $7828

Honeymoon/Planning: $3875 to $6375 ... This includes the wedding planner

Photographer/Videographer: $2700 to $4441

Reception: $12,026 to $19,784

Transportation: $745 to $1225

For a detailed breakdown by state

- Pennsylvania

- New Jersey

- Delaware

Alfred Angelo's Bridal Stimulus Package

Alfred Angelo Debuts New Value Bridal Collection
In Response to Economic Climate, Alfred Angelo offers Nine New Bridal Styles Starting at $298.00

Fort Washington, PA (PRWEB) April 2, 2009

Alfred Angelo's 75 years of experience has given them the foresight to create timely collections every season. The new Recessionista collection was created to satisfy the needs of brides on a budget.

The Recessionista capsule collection offers brides the same quality, craftsmanship, and design philosophy that Alfred Angelo is known for in their Alfred Angelo, Alfred Angelo Sapphire and Piccione bridal collections, but with the most affordable price tag to date.

Silhouettes include Fit and Flare, Mermaid, A-line, Empire and even a stylish two-piece pant ensemble. These dresses are guaranteed to leave a lasting impression on the bride's guests. And, the bride will feel good about the price.

"The current economic climate requires that we add a new dimension to our
collection. We want to be able to offer EVERY bride an Alfred Angelo gown for
her dream day. This new capsule collection allows us to broaden our reach to
brides even further. We can help fulfill every woman's dream of the perfect
wedding, without sacrificing any of the quality Alfred Angelo is known for,"
says Director of Public Relations, Amanda Sheronas.

The new Value-priced dresses will deliver to stores in April 2009 and can be viewed on-line at the Alfred Angelo website beginning March 2009.

Brides eager to win one of the new Recessionista gowns can enter the The Big Tip Off contest beginning on April 1, 2009. Alfred Angelo wants to know every bride's favorite cost-cutting tips. One bride will win an Alfred Angelo Stimulus Wedding prize package consisting of an Alfred Angelo wedding gown, four Alfred Angelo Bridesmaid gowns, a honeymoon from NWA WorldVacations and wedding bands from SkyFacet.com.

About Alfred Angelo

Founded in the 1930s by Alfred Angelo Piccione and his wife, Edythe Piccione, Alfred Angelo is the world's leading maker of wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses and is committed to providing beautiful, high-quality bridal and formal dresses at affordable prices. In addition to manufacturing dresses distributed in over 2500 wholesale stores worldwide, the company operates Alfred Angelo Bridal Stores located in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington.

For more information about Alfred Angelo, please visit http://www.alfredangelo.com.

Spending Cuts

Since the nation's economy is a hot topic in most households, I'm curious to know how it is affecting weddings.

To engaged couples: Where are you choosing to cut spending the most? Are you cutting the guest list? Are you downgrading your flowers or transportation? This is an open-ended question. Feel free to be as candid as you'd like.

Wedding planners are welcome to comment too.