wedding guide 2011

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T T h h i i sweek sweek Newspapers Newspapers Wedding Wedding Guide Guide 2011 2011 • Hotels / Restaurant • Apparel • Jewelers • Reception Sites • Bakeries • Musicians / DJs • Hair Salons • Day Spas • Travel Agencies • Limos • Financial Planners • Photographers / Videographers ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT FEBRUARY 4, 2011

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Articles and advertisements concerning planning a wedding.

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TThhiisweeksweekNewspapersNewspapers

Wedding Wedding Guide Guide 20112011

• Hotels / Restaurant • Apparel• Jewelers • Reception Sites • Bakeries

• Musicians / DJs • Hair Salons • Day Spas• Travel Agencies • Limos • Financial Planners

• Photographers / Videographers

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENTFEBRUARY 4, 2011

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2B February 4, 2011 THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

by Jessica HarperTHISWEEK NEWSPAPERS

Whether it’s a wedding’s venue, caterer or decor, couples are will to spend big bucks on their top pri-orities — even if that means prolonging the engagement and cutting the guest list, experts say. “Brides are getting back into spending ... but they are taking extra time to make decisions,” said Josh Franz, president of Twin Cities Bridal Association. The median price of a wedding in the Twin Cit-ies — between $20,000 to $30,000 — has remained relatively the same through-out the recession, Franz said. However, more and more couples are planning their

wedding over two or three years to spread the cost, rather than six months to a year, he said. Decor and event service pro-vider Lori Cole said she is seeing the same trend. “ C o u p l e s want everything for the wedding, but know it will take longer to pay for it,” said Cole, owner of Fa r m i n g t o n -based Illumina-tions by Lori Cole. This is true for Farmington resident Court-nie DeGrand and her fiancee Michael Higgins. The couple extended their engagement over four years to finish college and

save for their September wedding. DeGrand, 22, and Hig-gins, 23, plan to spend less than most couples and in-

stead focus on environmen-tal sustainability. “My dream wedding is to have a huge party with my loved ones, rather than

a lavish event focused on the decor,” De-Grand said. She and Higgins, both environmental studies majors, plan to grow some of the flowers for the cer-emony and vegetables for the reception. What they don’t grow on their own will be purchased from the local farmers’ market, DeGrand said. The couple also plans to make their own wine, beer and cupcakes, instead of purchasing these items. By cutting many expenses, the cou-ple has been able to spend more on other areas, such as musi-

cians, DeGrand said. Although the couple has been able to get most items on their wish list, DeGrand said they had to make the

tough decision to forgo their first choice in venue and honeymoon destina-tion to stay within the bud-get. Many couples face simi-lar choices, experts say. As couple’s prioritize their plans, many will scale back on certain aspects to spend more on others, said Julie Lyford, owner of Fab-ulous Functions, an event planning service in West St. Paul. “Brides are taking a clos-er look at what means most to them,” she said. For instance, Lyford said she consulted one couple who cut their guest list, but had a caviar tasting for those on the list. In general, couples are getting more creative to have the wedding of their dreams, Lyford said. E-mail Jessica Harper at: [email protected]

Couples are waiting longer to get married and prioritizing plans to save money for their big day, according to local wedding planners.

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Couples get creative to plan dream wedding in tough economyMany are

prolonging their engagement, experts say

THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT February 4, 2011 3B

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Imagine sending out personalized, colorful e-vites inviting guests to a wedding ceremony and re-ception? Or plugging in an Mp3 player with a pre-set wedding music playlist to get people dancing? How about recording the fes-tivities on handheld video cameras and uploading data instantly to a social networking site? Some or all of these technological convenienc-es are already growing in popularity, revolutionizing the way couples plan and carry through with wed-ding plans along the way. Many couples are choosing to eschew the formalities and traditions associated with weddings for the convenience that many digital or technologi-cal advancements can pro-

vide. Electronic wedding invitations are just one of the many aspects of the wedding that have begun to embrace the digital age. There are several ad-vantages to enlisting the help of technology to ex-ecute a wedding. First and foremost is the cost factor. The number of items that couples can do themselves will greatly cut down on the expenses of hiring pro-fessional vendors. Budget-conscious couples may seriously want to consider sending e-vites, which can save several hundreds of dollars on printing costs and postage. Another advantage is that technology might be more environmentally re-sponsible. Eliminating wedding stationery or hir-ing individuals who have

to travel to and from the ceremony and reception, as is the case with a band or photographer, reduces car-bon emissions and further energy. Technology can also help keep things orga-nized. Instead of keeping receipts and papers inside of a folder, saving items in e-mail and conversing with vendors electronical-ly creates a digital paper trail that can make loose ends a little easier to man-age. Although there are some detractors who frown on employing technology when planning a wedding because of the improper etiquette implications, many modern couples are embracing the convenience and cost savings these tech-nologies provide.

Technology may transform the future of weddings In the past, if a man

chose the right ring with which to propose, success-fully rented a tuxedo and arrived at the wedding ceremony on time, he was given a commendation for completing his groomly duties. How the times have changed. Today the wed-ding is no longer just the woman’s domain; men are equal partners in the wed-ding-planning process. The 21st century cou-ple is older, according to statistics, and more finan-cially secure than couples from previous decades. As such, many are taking on the entire cost of the wedding themselves. With such a financial obliga-tion on their shoulders, couples are sharing how and where to spend. “Couples today are equals, both in how they earn money and what they’re able to accomplish time-wise,” said Mark Walerstein, creator of GroomsOnline.com. “As a team, they share the decisions on everything from what gifts to register for to what color linens to have at the reception.” According to a 2007 survey of recently married couples by The Knot, the groom was significantly involved in planning: 36 percent of grooms were “very involved” and 57 percent of grooms were “somewhat involved.” Re-spondents to a Groom-sOnline poll indicated

similar numbers, with 38 percent of grooms “very involved” and over 60 percent “somewhat in-volved.” It also seems that brides-to-be are excited about sharing responsibil-ities. It takes the pressure off of them to get every-thing done within a hectic schedule.

Provided the groom checks in with her about some of the decisions, to-day’s bride is enthusiastic about a groom who wants to be involved. She may see this participation as a reflection of what will come in the future – with her husband also being involved in the household and raising children.

Real men plan weddings

4B February 4, 2011 THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

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Environmentally friendly ideals are now permeating all aspects of daily living. Many people want to take the concept further and ensure their nuptials – and subsequent reception – are good for the planet as well. Although there are no firm statistics on the number of green weddings being held each year, emerging trends point to the growing interest in eco-conscious weddings. Individuals who al-ready do their best to recycle, reuse and reduce want to employ those same values on their wed-ding day. There are many ways to em-ploy a green mindset to wedding planning and execution. Largely the carbon footprint of a wed-ding can be reduced simply by scaling back and avoiding over-consumption. Here are some ideas to think about. 1. Reduce travel. Research in-dicates that more than two-thirds of emissions in the U.S. are pro-duced by energy consumption and transportation. By reducing guests’ need to travel far for a wedding or offering transporta-tion that can accommodate sev-

eral people at once (like a bus), carbon emissions will be reduced. 2. Home is where the heart is. Keeping wed-dings close to home is helpful. Those with big backyards or a park nearby can host the event at home or in a nearby park and reduce dependence on large re-ception halls that use up large amounts of energy to operate. A home wed-ding also gives couples the opportunity to shop around for locally pro-duced, organic foods. 3. Shop for floral alternatives. Flowers would seem “green” in themselves. However, many blooms available at florist shops are grown in hothouses with the use of pesticides and chemi-cal fertilizers, something that is not very good for the environment at all. Brides opting for some-thing more eco-conscious could consider alternative options, such

as bouquets made of sustainable succulent plants and centerpieces

full of organic fruits and wildflowers. 4. Choose an open regis-try. Instead of fine china that may never be used, many couples are opt-ing for open registries that enable guests to gift everything from eco-friendly housewares to charitable donations to cash for down payments on a home. 5. Opt for mixed seating arrangements: Instead of formal escort cards indicating firm seating arrangements, couples are saving paper by al-lowing guests to choose their own seats from mix-matched options, such as long, communal benches and comfy sofas. 6. Go with something old. Recycled gowns and gently used items are good alternatives for eco-conscious brides. Many Web sites will match up brides with

others looking to swap items at low or no cost.

7. Skip the paper. Though etiquette experts frown on aban-doning paper invitations for elec-tronic ones, many couples are doing just that. For those who still prefer paper, print invita-tions on recycled paper. Reduce other wedding stationery needs by posting information on a wed-ding Web site shared with family and friends. 8. Go small scale. Instead of inviting every last cousin and dis-tant uncle, couples are opting for more intimate affairs, including only the people they are closest to, which saves on cost and helps the environment. 9. Trim some of the wedding day fat. Some couples opt for an all-you-can-eat buffet and then a subsequent dessert bar later on in the evening. Stuffed guests may end up wasting more food than eating it. Instead of all-you-can, go for a more traditional meal. 10. Choose a charitable party favor. Instead of a party favor that collects dust on a shelf, cou-ples are choosing to gift with or-ganic products or a donation to a charitable organization in the guests’ names.

Eco-friendly weddings and receptions growing in popularity

Green wedding trends are growing in popularity as more brides and grooms want to be eco-friendly.