Introduction

I never thought I'd be a blogger, and I certainly never thought I would blog about weddings. My experience navigating through the commercial world of wedding services, however trivial it may appear in text, felt much like trailblazing through the wilderness. So much so, that I felt compelled to help guide others through this extremely opportunistic and somewhat hostile environment. With the amount of money people want to charge for the components of a wedding, you may as well be navigating through leech invested waters - when you get out of them, you won't have an ounce of blood left.

Small disclaimer: I'm not against expensive weddings, and this is not a blog railing against the industry surrounding marriage (well, not entirely). I think every couple reserves the right to design and execute a wedding that best matches who they are and what they want. I do not believe, however, that making your special day memorable necessitates the draining of your life savings. Undoubtedly, marriage occupies a place in the world of commerce similar to, well, almost any other momentous occasion for which a Hallmark card is made. Weddings make money, and its expected that financial concessions will be made in the name of having the "perfect day." The goal of keeping this blog is to convey that with some gumption and the right resources, you can definitely make your way against the tide of information suggesting that weddings follow one pattern of construction.

A few points to begin with:

1. Budget. Set a rough budget. Whose resources are going into the day? Yours and your fiance's? Your parents? His/Her parents? Those of an anonymous wealthy benefactor? Figure out who is contributing and how much - what are you working with?
   
2. Prioritize. What actually matters to you and your fiance? Are you dead set on having a one of a kind princess wedding dress? Are you really into cake? Did you make a variety of promises between the ages of 10 and now to make like 15 different people your bridesmaids, should your theoretical wedding day come to fruition? If you are working with limited resources (or just don't want to spend exorbitantly), you are going to have to choose which aspects on which you are willing to spend more. That doesn't mean sacrificing something all together, but it may mean creative solutions.
   
3. Activate advice filter. It's your day. Literally, one day that is entirely about you and the one you love. Your priorities are what matter. Try not to let other people's ideas of what they would want compromise your plans. Asking for help and advice is important, just keep in mind a) your financial limits and b) what it is you value most.
   
4. Dig deeper. Your major wedding websites (The Knot, Wedding Channel, etc.) can be extremely helpful. They can also be extremely convincing about how to do things and where to get certain items. These are great sites for ideas (and for organizational tools)-- just remember to keep an open mind about how to accomplish what you want, and always explore multiple options before settling.
5. Collect on those favors. Been a good friend, child, sibling? It's time to call upon your friends and family for help. Employ the responsible and artistically inclined to help you with your wedding day tasks. You know what they say -- it takes a village. Ok, that's about children, but same idea.
6. Avoid the word "wedding." You may as well ask to be robbed. Many vendors (but definitely not all) will hike your price as soon as you drop the "w" bomb. Sometimes it's unavoidable, but always attempt to get your first quotes by using the term "celebratory event." Obviously for things like the bridal party flowers, you're going to have to be upfront. You'll have to negotiate your word choice on a case by case basis.
   

I hope you stay tuned!