Who is Your Wedding Coordinator?

It's interesting to see how fast people will waste their money on "$500 Day Of Coordinators" with no experience, but think that they are actually saving money by not going with a professional that has a higher rate. There is that old saying "you get what you pay for", and we would like to speak with you about what it is you are actually paying for.

The inspiration for this blog is a recent Facebook post that we saw. It was a planner (so she claims) posting in an open group for those in the wedding industry, and she was asking for another planner to help her on an event. The event is scheduled for a few days from now and she needs someone else because her assistant is sick.

Does she have Ebola? She's sick? The event is a few days away and she is already calling out?

And you don't have a backup?

So this "planner" (picture me using air quotes and rolling my eyes) comes to a Facebook group looking for an assistant. If you were the bride, and you found out that the planner you trust is coming online to just find someone to help, how mad do you think you would be?

When we have consultations with our clients, we talk to them about the years of experience that we have and the projects that we have completed. We also mention that we always work with an assistant and depending on the project, may have a third one along for the big day. God forbid I get sick or die or something like that, there will be a back up. That backup will not come from Facebook, Craigslist, Tindr...Tinder..Timber? Whatever that site is....That backup will be a trained coordinator even if I have to get a coordinator that has his or her own planning business. 

My best guess as to what happened here, is that the couple that hired this planner wanted to spend next to nothing. Who knows, maybe they were even in my office and couldn't imagine actually paying more than $500. Now they have this person running their wedding day that is hiring off of Facebook. There is so much wrong with this that it is painful not to post the screenshot and shame this "planner". 

I have said it before and I will say it again: a real wedding coordinator is not going to charge you $500 for day of...the price is going to be higher. In fact, if you get that quote and you hire them, you are basically throwing your money into a pile on the floor and setting it on fire. Don't hire this planner and if you cannot afford the professionals, then don't hire one at all. Save your money and put it towards something else. Do not hire a planner just to say that you hired a planner. The real ones, the ones that help you will start their prices above the $2k mark and go from there. 

Just to break down the math of the $500 planner for "Day Of"/Month Of Coordination.

6-8 weeks of work prior to the wedding, 7 days a week, 8 hours a day (it's more than that, but let's just keep it simple)

$500 divided by 6 weeks=$83 per week.
$83 divided by 7 days=$11 per day.
$11 divided by 8 hours=$1.48 per hour.

Now, is the planner working all 8 hours a day on your file? Probably not. But there will be days where they might work 12 hours on just your file, and every other day they will be on call to work on your file. We get calls at 2am, 7am, 10pm....every day of the week from our clients. 

Get quoted $3,000 for "Day Of"/Month Of? Here is what that looks like:

$3,000 divided by 6 weeks=$500 per week.
$500 divided by 7 days=$71 per day.
$71 divided by 8 hours=$8.93 per hour.

So basically, if you hired a planner that is getting paid $1.48 per hour to work for you, trust and believe that her assistant probably came from Facebook or a similar site. That assistant is also (most likely) being paid even less....how motivating for them to make sure your day is perfect.

Please stop hiring hackjobs for what will be one of the most important days of your life.

*drops mic*

Hurricane Sandy

It's hard to believe that it has been two years since Hurricane Sandy came tearing through New Jersey. No one was prepared for it because it's NJ, not Miami and we don't get hurricanes here. At least, not hurricanes that can paralyze a state for weeks and months on end. Snow storms? No problem. Superstorm Sandy? Big problem.

Rothweiler Event Design had a wedding on November 2, 2012 which was just a few short days after the storm ripped through the area. In fact, I was at the bridal shower for the bride the day that the storm approached. I remember looking outside and watching the sky get dark. And then I remember the entire state going dark as everyone lost power.

During the week of the wedding, we speak with all of the vendors to finalize the timeline. This includes everything from limo pick ups to hair pull downs to when vendors are allowed to set up inside the venue to when shuttles will pick up guests at the end of the night. It's a challenge to get this all together, but it's even more challenging to do this without anyone being able to use a phone or email. 

That week we had to change the rehearsal dinner location (as the location previously selected had no power) as well as the church for the ceremony (same problem). Thankfully, The Palace of Somerset Park, did not lose power, and we were still able to hold the reception there. 

Our bride had ordered a custom runner from Original Aisle Runner which we had our limo drivers pick up on the way to the church since there was no way to do that during the storm. After a little fight with the priests (Catholic churches tend to frown on and not allow runners) we were able to put the runner down the aisle for our bride who remained calm during all of the chaos. 

Conversations that needed to happen during the week, happened at the set up, and the location for the outside photos was changed as the park we wanted to use was under several feet of water. 

Hurricane Sandy was probably the biggest challenge I have ever faced as a wedding and event planner. You cannot plan for something of that magnitude until you actually go through it. The power going out, not being able to communicate, and the gas shortage was just unreal. The eerie stillness of the streets with dead traffic lights and no one on them looked like something out of a zombie movie.

It was an experience every planner and every vendor should have to go through once. Because if you can handle Sandy, you can handle anything.

Venue Coordinator vs. Wedding Coordinator

"But our venue comes with a coordinator, so we don't need a planner."

"Our venue told us that they have an on-site coordinator, so we don't need to hire a planner for the day of."

"The venue said that they handle everything that a planner would."

I have heard all three and frankly, I have heard enough.

Hiring a planner for your wedding or event is often seen as a luxury item and less of a necessity. Necessities would include vendors like a photographer, caterer, florist, and so forth. But what happens when none of these vendors talk to each other before your big day and the timeline falls apart/the food comes out cold/your photographer misses your first dance/the shuttles don't arrive on time/etc.? Your venue is not going to save you even if they said they would.

Many venues come with an on-site coordinator. This coordinator works for the venue. Their job starts at either the ceremony if it is on site or at the cocktail hour. You may not even meet this coordinator until your final walk through the week of the wedding.

A planner's job starts months if not years before that (depending on your package with said planner) and concludes on your wedding day....at the end of the day. Your wedding planner will work with your venue and all of your vendors to put together a timeline for your entire day. That timeline will include things that are outside of the venue such as hair and make up preparation, first looks with your sweetie, transportation pick ups and more. 

Your venue coordinator will be at your venue (probably showing up an hour or two before your vendors do) dealing with venue stuff. Why? Because that's their job. If the shuttle that you have picking up your guests doesn't arrive at the hotel where your guests are staying, do not call your venue coordinator because that is not their job.

I am hearing more and more often that venue coordinators are telling couples that they do not need a planner. I had a venue coordinator say that to my couple while I was standing right there, in fact. That's a bunch of garbage. 

Russell Pinto of Little Red Bean Productions had this to say:

"Venues and caterers have taken the role of their existing catering captain or on-site venue operator and spun it into a perceived value-add on of their services. I urge my brides not to be fooled."

He went on to say,

"It's the wedding planner that works directly for the bride! We are the bride's voice, as we understand every single detail of the wedding- the 'venue coordinator' will not."

We couldn't agree more. The venue coordinator has their own issues to deal with and on the wedding day you will want someone on your side dealing with everything else that goes on outside of your venue. The wedding "day" not the wedding "five-six hours" is your planner's responsibility.

Danielle Aspromatis of d'Luxe Events talked to us about this issue as well, saying:

"Venues often confuse couples by saying they have a day of coordinator. Their coordinator is a bridal attendant that will get the couple food and drinks, as well as have communication with the Maitre D as far as timing for the introductions into the ballroom. What they neglect to tell you is that their 'coordinator' is not going to coordinate your day from the time you wake up until the time your head hits your pillow at night."

The timeline is a major duty of your wedding planner, and getting the entire day right requires a planner that communicates with all of your vendors. Danielle also added,

"The bridal attendant knows nothing about their (bride's) style, vision, details or how you want all of your day of items displayed. A true wedding coordinator needs to be involved WEEKS before your event and should be involved day of from hair and make up onwards...the wedding day does not just begin with cocktail hour!"

One of the hardest things to do as a planner is to educate couples as to why they need one. They will drop thousands on a vendor that will be there for a few hours, but not put anything aside for the one person that can be with you every day from day one. There is only so much warning that we, as planners, can give to couples about what can go wrong without a professional planner (i.e. not your mom or sister that planned one wedding) on the day of the wedding. Frustration is the client that didn't book with us, that comes back after the wedding and tells us that they wish they had...and yes, that has happened.

A planner might not be for everyone. But trust and believe that a venue coordinator will not act as a substitute for a wedding planner. Ever. 

Make sure you visit the pages of the planners we interviewed for this blog here:

www.littleredbeanproductions.com
www.dluxeevents.com

Oscar de la Renta

....and Oscar de la Renta...

We know you recognize this screenshot from the first Sex and the City movie. Carrie Bradshaw wore various iconic dresses for her Vogue shoot, and this one was designed by Oscar de la Renta. This morning, we received news of his passing and it is devastating to say the absolute least.

While de la Renta was famous for designing items that were outside the wedding world (take a look at any red carpet event), we are going to miss his white gowns the most. 

His most recent Spring 2015 collection was unveiled on the catwalk in NYC a few weeks ago. It contained one classic dress after the next and many with hints of the lace that we continue to see since Kate Middleton walked down the aisle. The simplicity of each gown was breathtaking and perfect for the bride looking for something not so over the top as many other designers showcased. 

Of course, his most recent work was seen on Amal Clooney (aka George Clooney's wife) at their wedding earlier this year in Italy. Amal, who had been quoted in interviews said that she wanted a gown that was "classic and romantic" and that Oscar was the first person she thought of. Her lace wedding dress worn on September 27, 2014 was graceful and stunning, just like all of de la Renta's other designs.

This is a true moment of sadness in the fashion world. With many designers competing to bring their backless dresses to the forefront and blinged out necklines to brides across the world, none of de la Renta's dresses were ever like that. He was a classic designer and his gowns were just that: classic. There was no "back down to here" and "slit up to there" and unlike many dresses that we see now, his wedding gowns looked like actual wedding gowns. 

One word I would never use to describe de la Renta with? "Trendy". And that's a good thing. In a world of "I've seen that dress a hundred times before", his creations stood out. You always knew his gowns when you saw them. Brides that are trying so hard to be different should look at his gowns for inspiration. When a woman put on her de la Renta wedding gown, you couldn't help but say, "Now there's a bride."

He is going to be missed dearly. 

Thank you Oscar. You made an impact on the fashion world, and the bridal fashion world that was more powerful than many designers ever dream of. Thank you for being true to your designs and for always putting together some of the classiest wedding gowns we would've never imagined ourselves.

No. Just Stop Talking.

Brides.com published a Top 10 list of things that you should never say to a bride. I want to print this list out a billion times, rent a helicopter and rain it down every weekend in every location that a wedding is taking place.

Read the full list here: http://www.brides.com/blogs/aisle-say/2014/08/things-to-never-say-to-a-bride.html

Number 3 is near and dear to our hearts and should be numbers 4, 5, 6 and 7 as well. Telling the bride "don't panic but..." or any rendition of same on her wedding day is a capital offense. The person that says it should immediately be ejected from the room, through the ceiling and off the planet. I'm serious.

First of all, why are you even saying it? So that you can present a "solution" and be the hero for the day? Newsflash: it's not your day. You are not going to be the hero by presenting a way to avert a crisis. Want to be a hero? Fix the problem and never say a thing. We know how hard that is to do in a society where people clamor to get credit just for putting their pants on the right way, but do it. 

Does the bride have a wedding planner? I cannot tell you the amount of times that Aunt Lily or Sister in Law Betty comes to the bride with this nonsense *right in front of me*. What do you think I have been doing the entire planning process? I have been putting fires out and making sure that the bride never has a reason to panic, least of all, on her wedding day. If there is an issue, bringing it up in front of me doesn't show the bride that she didn't need a wedding planner, it shows the bride that she *did* need one because you are a headache and are causing issues that I am hired to make go away. Don't you dare make issues on the day of the wedding in front of me. Don't do it at all.

The absolute last thing a planner, by the way, wants to hear from some friend or family member on the wedding day is a suggestion of how things should be done. We don't show up at your job on Monday morning to give you suggestions. We have it handled, go attend to the bride. We do not need your two cents, help with set up, or anything other service that you are offering solely because you want to show how "helpful" you are. 

Furthermore, don't offer your suggestions to the bride because when the planner walks in and finds out that you have manipulated her into your way of thinking, you might be taken into the hallway for a "talk". Telling the bride your concerns about the timeline or anything else that has been planned meticulously by us, is a reason for you to be scolded (and you will be) by us. You don't understand something? You truly think there is a reason to panic? Tell the planner and we will handle it. No planner? Then keep it to yourself. 

Unless the venue has burnt down to the ground, her dress has gotten eaten by dragons and all of the flowers have mysteriously died, then do not, I repeat, do not talk to the bride about how she should panic BUT. 

Thanks to Brides.com for this amazing list. We hope it reaches everyone that it needs to.

Flowers: The Ultimate Ink Blot Test

What do you see? Flowers? A hat? An insect?

Ink Blots or "Rorschach Tests" as they are properly known, are used as a personality test. What you see in this picture can determine your personality characteristics and way of thinking. In wedding planning, flowers are the ultimate ink blot test.

Many of our brides think that finding the dress is going to be the hardest part of planning their wedding. They think that once that is done, everything else will be easy. Then we get to design and flower selection and it's as if someone put on the brakes. Interestingly enough, almost every bride has more pictures of flower inspiration than they have dress inspiration. The difficult part is seeing what she sees.

For instance: you go to a hair salon because you see that the hottest new celebrity has this amazing cut and color that you need. You bring a picture. What is the first thing that the stylist asks you? "What do you like about this picture?" It's important to know this answer because what YOU see is not necessarily what your stylist will see.

As a wedding planner, we work hand in hand with our florists to make sure that the vision of the couple, what is in their heads, is what they will see in person on their wedding day. Pictures are just not enough. We need words and descriptions to help guide everyone along. Because, let's face it, no one wants the exact picture they found on Pinterest because that's unoriginal. 

Currently we have multiple clients in the flower phase. For most of them, we've had to explain (and it's true) that this is time consuming and isn't going to be easy. Some believe us and some don't. Some understand that this is a monumental task while others don't. If you're in the flower phase right now and stressed out, we want you to know that you are not alone. There should be a support group for this type of thing. 

Supplying pictures to your planner and florist is only step one. That said, supply a lot of pictures, and we do mean a lot. Never worry if you are sending too many because that is never going to be an issue. Be prepared to hear "out of season", "out of price range" and "out of your mind". But also be prepared for "this would be a great alternative" followed by suggestions from people that do this for a living and have been doing it for years. 

Come to your appointments with words and lots of them. What do you like and what do you not like about the pictures you are bringing? What's important to you and what's not important to you? Mostly: be honest with yourself and with your planner and florist. If you don't like something, say you don't like it AND why you don't like it. Expect the same honesty in return. If you're having a winter wedding, stop pinning the peonies. The best florists will tell you like it is. You want to work with those people. PS- same goes for planners.

Now, there are some couples reading this that are more laid back and probably will never need this advice. To them I say "God Bless" because you don't know the mind struggle that these couples are dealing with. Personally, I had one floral appointment with one designer for my own wedding....no sample...and loved every last detail. That said, being in this industry, I know at what point I have to relinquish control and I do speak flower. 

But, if you are *that* couple (and again, many are) that has specific wants and needs when it comes to flowers, then treat it like an ink blot test. Not everyone sees what you see. Be prepared to take your time and know that your perfect table setting isn't going to happen in the blink of an eye.

And if it does...if you're promised that it will...do not book that florist.

No keg stand at your wedding? Marriage of Doom!

First of all, I did not think finding a picture of a bride doing a keg stand at her wedding would be that easy to find. Google it. There are literally hundreds of images. If you think this is OK then stop reading.

This week, CNN put out an article basically stating that an extravagant and expensive wedding means that your wedding is doomed for failure. A direct quote from their article: "Specifically, the study found that women whose wedding cost more than $20,000 divorced at a rate roughly 1.6 times higher than women whose wedding cost between $5,000 and $10,000. And couples who spent $1,000 or less on their big day had a lower than average rate of divorce."

Hold the phone.

The national average hovers around $28K for 2014, but in the Northeast (NJ, NY, PA, CT) it's closer to $45-$50K. Why? Because that's what it costs to get married in this area. California is pretty much the same, Chicago gets pricey, Southern Florida is up there, and so are a few other areas of the country. 

Here's some basic math and facts for you (and CNN): A per person cost on a Saturday night with an open bar can be anywhere from $75-$250 per person. The average guest count in the Northeast is 150 people. $75 times 150 is $11,250. This is on the lower end and only factors in the cost of the food and alcohol. Truthfully, most venues will start you out above $100 per person and toss in service and gratuity (that's anywhere from 6-9% and 20-27%). You could easily be looking at a $20k bill before you pick anything outside of your venue and catering. 

CNN goes on to say that it's the wedding industry that is manipulating couples into believing that the more they spend on a wedding, the more successful their marriage will be. I don't know of a single wedding professional that believes that or says it. There is no correlation between how much you spend on a wedding and how long you will stay together. There just isn't.

There is also no relationship of the statistics in CNN's article. Couples that spent $1,000 or less had a lower than average rate of divorce? That is merely a coincidence. One thing has nothing to do with the other. Furthermore, where is the statistic about the rate of divorce in 2013? Nowhere to be found. But we found it and you can read the entire article (get coffee) right here: http://www.divorcesource.com/ds/main/u-s-divorce-rates-and-statistics-1037.shtml

Divorce Source states that, "A young couple marrying for the first time today has a lifetime divorce risk of 40 percent, 'unless current trends change significantly.'" It also debunks the whole myth about 50 percent of marriages ending in divorce, which was never true in the first place.

"The divorce rate ranged from a low of 14.3 in North Dakota to a high of 34.5 in Washington, D.C., for a national average of 19.4, according to National Center for Family and Marriage Research."

Watch the math fall apart here: 20% of marriages end in divorce, so what percentage of that 20% had weddings valued over $20,000? Do we convert it into today's dollars? How do you compare a couple that got married 15 years ago and spent $20,000 to a couple that got married this year and spent $20,000? It's not the same $20,000, but both couples are divorced and now part of a statistic. Is the $20,000 today's $20,000? It doesn't add up, literally.

Where is the math? Nowhere. All CNN wants to tell you is "don't let those evil wedding people tell you to spend more money because it will not guarantee you a lasting marriage." 

Well, duh. Of course it won't! We don't know if your marriage will last! I'm not JLo and this isn't "The Wedding Planner" movie. What we do know is what things cost, and as a planner, we are going to work with you and your budget, but we are also going to be realistic. Would I love to see flowers on the ceiling at every wedding I plan? Sure! But that's because I like suspended flowers, not because I think it will bring the couple luck and they will be married forever. 

CNN puts the nail in the coffin with their closing quote:

"Planning a wedding? In addition to slashing costs, you might want to invite those extra co-workers and far-flung cousins, too. The Emory study also found that the greater the number of people who attend a wedding, the lower the rate of divorce."

How is that possible? The more people you invite, the more you spend (per person costs, hello???) and the closer you get to that marriage of doom aka over $10,000 mark! 

This is the dumbest article I have ever read: http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/13/living/wedding-expenses-study/index.html

 Go home CNN, you're drunk.

35 States. And Counting.

35 states this week. It should be 52, and it will be, but right now, same sex marriage is legal in 35 states. Ta-da!

We are so happy to hear this news, especially since we're currently hosting a contest where one lucky same sex couple will win an all inclusive wedding. New Jersey has been legal for almost a year and Pennsylvania became legal this year...these are the states where we work the most so we cannot wait to continue celebrating and working with these amazing couples. 

CBS news reported on Friday (http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2014/10/11/with-same-sex-marriage-legal-in-more-than-half-of-american-states-wedding-industry-has-whole-new-market-to-service/) that the wedding industry now has a whole new market to service. They also went into detail about how to appeal to the same sex couples.

We would like to make this perfectly clear, if we haven't already: we are pro-love and pro-marriage. Gay, straight, it does not matter to us. We want to meet with you, plan with you and put together the ultimate wedding of your dreams. 

Now, that might turn some people away from us. We're aware of the people that will not book with us because they do not support gay marriage. To those people we say this: we were not the planners for you ever. We believe in love and that's what this is about. Whatever it is that *you* are about, is nothing we want to be a part of.

Our doors are open. If you and your partner are finally able to tie the knot, please reach out to us about putting together your special day. We are privileged to work with some of the most talented and LGBT friendly vendors across the country. Your day can finally happen and we want to plan it with you.

The article posted by CBS also went on to state that there hasn't really been a boom of same sex marriages since the laws are so new, but we disagree. We have seen that as soon as gay marriage became legal, couples that have been waiting for years, race off to city hall to make it official. We hope those couples, now with the paperwork behind them, will choose to celebrate, in a big way, with a wedding. You may officially be married, but let's put together a day to share with your family and friends. It's a time to celebrate!

Call us. Email us. Just in get in touch. Let's get the planning process started!

Let Them Eat Cake. Seriously. Allow This.

Know what my favorite thing about this cake is? It's real. It's made of flour, sugar, eggs and other stuff that bakers use (I am not a baker) and is presented for the entire duration of a wedding. Guests "ooh" and "ahh" over it all night and then the bride and groom cut into it before serving it to their guests. It's a tradition that gets played with, but 9 times out of 10, our clients want a wedding cake.

Last week on Shark Tank (one of the best shows of all time ever and if you're not watching it, please start), a company called Fun Cakes made the first pitch. While they might have actually been in the room for anywhere up to 2 hours, their segment was edited down to about 7 minutes and each shark chewed them up and spit them out. Their numbers didn't add up (and they were low) and that is a big problem to these multi-million and billion dollar investors. 

Normally with Shark Tank I get frustrated when a wedding company comes in. As brilliant as the sharks are, none of them know the wedding industry to understand the products correctly. Case in point: they invested in a photobooth company but not in The Original Aisle Runner. However, this time, they got it right and sent this company packing.

The company claims that most wedding cakes can run anywhere from $1,320-$3,080. Where are they getting these numbers from? My clients spend anywhere from $0-$10,000 on a cake. The company also claims that their rental cakes are a cost effective alternative to today's couple because "wedding pricing is getting out of hand". That's a direct quote from their episode on Shark Tank.

Here's the thing (and the sharks didn't mention this/know this): most banquet halls or caterers will provide the couple with a wedding cake. Will it be fancy and hang from the ceiling? Not really. But it will be beautiful enough to show off to your guests, and it will be available in a bunch of different flavors to choose from. Total cost for the couple? ZERO DOLLARS. Many (and I mean many) of my couples will choose to use a cake that is already being provided because they do not want that over the top, dripping in fondant, star of the show cake. On the other side of the spectrum is the client that wants something very specific and is interested in working with a cake designer. Those clients are not renting a fake cake.

So who is the client here? I have no idea. And in the 7 years that this company has been around, they don't seem to have that answer either. On Shark Tank, they admitted to making $150,000 in 7 years. Quick math: $22K a year. This is a nationwide company, and that number was a big ol' fondant and glitter encrusted red flag to the sharks.

Years ago, one of the "this is how you save money" rules was to have a small wedding cake for the reception to cut into, and then serve the guests sheet cakes that are in the kitchen. Many banquet halls and caterers will not even allow this practice anymore. This is no longer how you save money anymore than the "have your wedding on a Friday or a Sunday instead of a Saturday" rule. The rules are changing and your banquet hall might not give you the break that you think.

I am all for finding ways to save my clients money, but a fake cake is not the way to do it. You could spend $0 on a cake and still get a cake. So why spend a few hundred on cardboard with fondant? Why? Seriously. Why? 

So tell me, do you buy into this? Would you rent your cake?

Check out their site right here: http://www.cakerental.com/

Huff and Puff....and Blow Those Suggestions Away!

Normally, I love The Huffington Post, but their most recent blog on moving saving tips for brides made my brain hurt. I also received an onslaught of emails and facebook messages that read something like this: "OMG Did you read this hot mess?!"

Yes, I read it, and you can read the whole thing right here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-taylor/10-ways-to-cut-the-costs-_b_5950362.html

With all due respect to The Huffington Post, I couldn't disagree with most of their points more if I tried. As a planner, I pride myself on being able to show my clients how to save money, and I want to burn this list so that they never see it. The problem with things like this on the internet, is that everyone believe the internet as Gospel. How many times have you heard that Betty White died this year? She's not dead. The internet said so though, and I had to throw a little Snopes.com at everyone that posted that nonsense.

Betty White can't ever die by the way. She's a genius.

Anyway...

Below are some of the points HP made, and what my answers are to them. Feel free to throw in your two cents regarding these points or anything else in the article!

HP says: 2. Go to a bridal shop, then go online.

When people say 'never buy your wedding dress online', I like to imagine what they really mean is 'never buy online without trying the dress on first'. Though there is some risks with buying a preowned dress, finding the dress you love in a Bridal shop first and then heading to PreOwnedWeddingDresses can be a great way to save cash. Alternatively, try these 8 Etsy Bridal Boutiques.

Rothweiler Event Design says: OMG, no. Do not do this. I cannot believe this piece of advice is out there. As a planner, I fight this all of the time. This is a wedding gown, not a pair of shoes from JustFab.com. This is possibly the most important piece of clothing that a bride will ever wear in her entire life. I strongly encourage brides to cut corners elsewhere because this is not the place to do it. Can it work out in your favor? Sure. But why roll the dice here? Figure out your budget, track down dresses and styles that you like, and then go purchase one from a reputable store that offers in house alterations. 

HP says: 6. DIY centre pieces and other DIY items

On one hand DIY can be a seriously cost efficient way of cutting out unnecessary price burdens. On the other hand, it can also be a COMPLETE disaster. Think carefully about your skills before taking on any DIY project and scout out cool printable items like these wedding table games.

Rothweiler Event Design says: DIY is fine and some couples are crafty and do enjoy this. But what many couples do not think about is a. the time is takes and b. the storage that is necessary both before and after the big day. Planning a wedding is a full time job, and if you're adding arts and crafts on top of that, you will find yourself spending every weekend with a glue gun and glitter. Plus, where will all of your decor live leading up to the wedding? What about after the wedding? It's not always easy to unload everything you made once you've tied the knot.

HP says: 7. Hey Mr DJ, take the evening off!

Welcome to the world of iPods, MP3 players and mobile phones. Update with all your favourite songs, make a super playlist and party away. If you're like me and have a dubious musical library, why not ask a couple friends around for an evening of cocktails and musical playlist making. Still worried about being your own DJ? Check out DIYreception, these guys will create your playlist for you, covering a range of genres and can even create custom introductions.

Rothweiler Event Design says: In the grand scheme of your budget, a DJ is not a large percentage. What you are saving here is not worth it. A playlist is super for your work out at the gym, but you need a real live person to watch the crowd and play appropriate music. Even with a playlist, an experienced DJ will know when to change it up and how to get the crowd moving. 

HP says: 9. Set up a DIY bar.

A luxury for only the luckiest of couples, having the chance to host your own DIY bar can be one way to save save save when planning your wedding. Hosting your wedding at an owned or backyard property? Find out how to pull off the ideal DIY bar here.

Rothweiler Event Design says: What a great way to burn through a lot of alcohol really quickly. How does this save money? By not hiring a bartender? This is a recipe for disaster. A planner and/or a caterer will be able to tell you exactly how much and of what you need for your guest count. That way you are still able to buy your own and save money but not buy too little or too much. A trained bar staff will be able to correctly pour drinks so that you're not completely out of alcohol by the first hour of the reception.

Snooki's....No, Nicole's Wedding Day.

Here comes the bride and she's not wearing leopard. Thank. God.

Despite speculation from planners (and the general public), Nicole has grown up and has decided that her wedding day is going to be Gatsby themed and glamorous, not Jersey Shore and leopard. We remarked on this a few months ago when we read comments from planners suggesting how to incorporate cheetah print into her decor, that we didn't think that was the direction she was heading. To those planners we say "we were right and you were wrong. Better luck next time!"

We applaud Nicole for choosing a beautiful theme and timeless colors for her wedding day. She also chose the perfect venue to showcase her big day, The Venetian in Garfield, New Jersey. Between the marble floors and the attention to detail, this venue is everything that this reality star could wish for.

A Gatsby theme has been on and off popular for the past few years now. A color palette of gold and black is always classic, and for the dramatic couples, it's a staple color combination. Below are a few ideas on how we would bring this day to life:

1. Ditch the linens. Get rid of them! Mirrored table tops are the new thing and this is the time to use them. Keeping the lighting low and adding candles to the table, a mirrored table top will reflect everything and add to the romance and glamour of the evening.

2. Orchids. Big, huge, white, cascading orchids. I see tall gold vases with orchids spilling over the top and practically touching the tables. White is a major trend in weddings right now, and orchids scream "regal". 

3. Amber up and down lighting. Warm up this huge room (have you been there? It's huge.) with candles and amber lighting up the walls and across the ceiling. Pink, blue and purple are great for birthday parties and Mitzvahs, but this is a wedding. 

4. Big entrance with sparklers. The room hosting Nicole's reception boasts a double staircase. What a brilliant way to bring in her wedding party, and of course, the happy couple. All eyes will be on what will be a well dressed party (because no one will be in leopard) and then the new Mr. and Mrs. LaValle. We would love to see a huge entrance followed by a dramatic but fun first dance.

5. A fun signature drink. Kick off cocktail hour with an amazing mix! We hope Nicole and Jionni will spend the next few weeks mixing up liquors to find something unique that they love. Put it in a sugar rimmed martini glass, give it a fun name and cheers!

6. A cake to end all cakes. These two have a huge guest list and nothing would be sweeter than watching them cut the cake together. We recommend a 5 or 6 tier cake with alternating flavors. The Venetian boasts an impressive dessert hour too, so they're covered in that department. 

7. A larger than life send off. When the party is over, we'd bring these two and all of their guests outside for their amazing departure. Whether that includes fireworks or not could be up to them. We envision a super amazing getaway car taking the newlyweds off to their honeymoon!

Congratulations Nicole and Jionni! We can't wait to see pictures of your special day!