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Five Ways to Beat Wedding Budget Stress

Let’s face it—despite the endless decisions to be made and constant stress, wedding planning is FUN. That being said, sometimes paying for it all can weigh down a future bride and make the process less pleasurable. No matter what kind of budget you’re working with, big or small, there will likely always be something outside of your reach. The key is to know how much money you have to spend, and work with what you've got.

Here are some tips I try to keep in mind when my budget stress boils up:

1. Accept that you can’t have it all, but you’ll still get it all. Sound confusing? Here’s what I mean: No matter what your budget is, there will likely be some things you simply cannot afford (unless your last name is Kardashian). For example, I know that to stay within budget, we can only host an open bar for beer and wine, not hard alcohol. We also will likely forgo an engagement shoot in order to spend more money on a great photographer for the big day. Despite the lack of booze at our wedding and not having any engagement photos to post on Facebook, we still get it all.  Why? Because we’re getting married and spending the rest of our lives together! I can’t imagine that as we head back to the hotel after our dream wedding, either of us will be saying, “You know, I wish I could have had some scotch…”

Father-Daughter Dance Songs You'll Both Love

Each week, we feature music recommendations from Scratch Weddings, the nation's leader with the best wedding DJs at affordable prices. This week's post comes from DJ Chris Mix, Chicago's hometown DJ sensation spinning a wide variety of events and clubs in Chicago, New York, and Las Vegas. Mix's musical skills don't end on the turntables: He's also a pianist, a jazz drummer, plays clarinet and saxophone, and has an encyclopedic musical knowledge. Chris loves to play weddings because it allows him to create the perfect set-list based on the couple's musical taste. "I love being able to play the music that will make your wedding memorable!”

father daughter dance
       Photo Credit: Hailey Erickson Photography

Buyer Beware: Your Wedding Gown May Be Counterfeit If You Shop Online

mori lee wedding gownNEWS UPDATE: Good Morning America investigates Chinese-run wedding gown websites that sell knock-offs of famous dresses. Watch the video clip here.

Dress designer Mori Lee has issued a warning against buying gowns online from non-authorized retailers.

We've heard about many brides who try on a gown in a salon, then search the designer and style number online to find the dress at a lower price. What you may not realize, though, is that most websites claiming to sell designer dresses for less are actually selling counterfeit gowns.

What this means for you is that the look and quality will not be anything near what you just tried on in the salon. And even more importantly, these online stores tend not to stand behind their products, meaning that if you have a problem with the gown, they're not going to solve it. And since the dress is not from an authorized retailer, the designer is also not likely to correct the mistake.

Couple Gets Married While Running the NYC Marathon

Yesterday, thousands of runners participated in the New York City Marathon. One couple, Mary and Raymond Donaldson, didn't just run the race together—they got married in the midst of it!

At mile 22, with an officiant running along with them, the couple exchanged vows and rings. Then, they finished the race together.

The couple met while running, so Mary says it only felt right to get married while running. Their families were even able to watch from the sidelines as they exchanged vows.

—Kristen O'Gorman Klein

Best Father-Daughter Dance Ever?

Earlier this week, a video of Texas bride Ashley Richmond's wedding dance with her dad, David Sparks, went viral and was quickly hailed as the greatest father daughter wedding dance ever.

Their four-and-a-half minute routine started with a classic father-daughter song, "My Girl" by the Temptations. But before long, the pair launched into a hilarious—and impressive!—choreographed routine that cycled through 10 different songs, from Motown classics to Beyoncé.

We love how Dad looked a little nervous in the beginning, but then he really got into it!

Why I Broke the Golden Rule of Dress Shopping

It’s a good thing I was decisive when it came to finding Corey, the man of my dreams—choosing the dress of my dreams has proven to be much more challenging. 

Mori Lee Dress, Style 1808

Let me start by saying that I’m a very practical person, which makes me a very tough shopper. Seeing veils for $200 and finding a dress that I loved, only to learn that alterations would cost $400 - $500, is pretty hard to compute. Wedding dress shopping by the numbers: Thousands of gowns (priced between $100 to tens of thousands of dollars), only five to ten dresses that you actually get to try on (if you're going by the standard recommendation), just one dress that’s “The One.” In a sea of white, there's a whole lot of green! 

Friday Obsession: Bleu Garters

Even if you're skipping the garter toss tradition, there's no reason you can't still wear one—especially when they're this gorgeous! Bleu Garters specializes in handcrafting keepsake garters from fine silk and antique lace. 

“A big trend I'm noticing is brides being more adventurous with color and not sticking to white/ivory/light blue," said Jaime Lawson, founder of Bleu Garters. "Don't get me wrong, the classics are still the most popular garters, but brides have also been ordering their favorite bright colors, as well as the black floral lace garters for their wedding day!”

Garters range from $60 to $120 at shopbleugarters.com. Here, some of our favorites from the new collections. 

From the bridal collection:

bleu garters orchid
Orchid

Website to Watch: PointHub

There are a thousand and one gajillon travel websites out there, and figuring out which one to trust can be a major time-suck. That’s where I come in. True story: I’m a mess when it comes to managing my miles. I know, I know, with the amount of flight time I do, you’d think I’d want to cash it all in for more rewards. Part of my problemo is that I rarely fly the same airline. The other excuse? Well, I’m not really sure about that answer. Luckily for those who are a little less organized than most type A-ers, there’s a new site that can streamline the process. PointHub.com not only helps you manage your miles, reward points, and other accumulative prize scenarios in a single spot; it also offers a side-by-side analysis of cash vs. rewards, so you can decide which is the best option for you. 

pointhub

pointhub

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