Begin Your Reception Planning Early in the Process

There are only a few major decisions to be made when planning a wedding. After deciding to get married, the next biggest decision will likely be the location of the reception.

Some couples choose to set the date first and find an available venue. Other couples find it easier to find the reception venue and let that determine the date of the ceremony. Many venues are booked one to two years in advance, depending upon the popularity of the venue. If you have a long planning horizon – in excess of one year – you can probably choose your wedding date and find a reception location to suit you. The less time you have to plan, however, the more flexible you’ll need to be when it comes to the date.

Dates that fall on Saturday are the most popular, and they book fast. If you have your heart set on a Saturday evening event, you’ll have less control of where and when your nuptials will take place. A longer engagement isn’t the worst tragedy to befall a bride-to-be. Extending your planning period also gives you more time to save money for the wedding bills.

Before you choose a venue, you’ll need to know approximately how many people you will invite to your wedding. Understand that not all of your invited guests will be able to attend the reception, so choosing a reception site whose maximum capacity approaches or even exceeds your guest list should work out in most cases. The more local people you invite, the more likely they are to attend, so plan accordingly.

The choice of reception venue may also dictate other elements of your wedding reception. More likely than not, choosing a commercial venue will dictate your choice of catering service. It may also determine your reception decorations, the length of your reception, photography rules, alcohol service and more. If you choose a commercial reception site, ask about all of these things before you sign a contract.

If you’re having trouble making a choice, see if you can visit the site discreetly while a wedding reception is taking place. Seeing a reception in progress may help you make your final decisions about where you want to hold your reception.

Keywords: Reception Venues, Weddingblog, Wedding

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Reducing The Cost Of A Wedding

Wedding costs occupy most brides’ minds. The cost of a traditional wedding is staggering, and most couples can’t accumulate the funds needed to pay for the event in the year or so they plan to be engaged. Engaged couples are coming up with some creative ways to reduce the overall cost of getting married.

According to the US-based National Association of Catering Executives, members report decreases in the overall spending on weddings. They’re currently seeing a 12% cancellation rate, primarily due to the worsening economy in the US. Caterers also report an increase in the number of Friday and Sunday weddings, and an increase in the number of afternoon ceremonies.

To reduce costs, brides are reducing everything from the size of the guest list to the size of the wedding party. By cutting down on the size of the wedding party, brides reduce the cost of gifts given to the honour attendants.

Brides are also trimming dress costs by buying used dresses, buying dresses online and substituting ivory-coloured bridesmaids dresses for the wedding dress. Limiting liquor costs by reducing the choices available at the bar is another favourite reduction.

Brides are also finding excellent savings by renting greenery from the local nursery instead of spending their money on floral arrangements for the wedding and reception. Overall, brides are reducing their expenses and looking for ways to trim their costs while still enjoying a traditional wedding and reception.

Ordering invitations online is a great way to reduce the cost of printing for wedding invitations. Kardella also offers a full line of do-it-yourself wedding invitation kits, low-cost traditional invitations, and custom designed invitations for those who want to splurge.

Keywords: Wedding Planning, Weddingblog, Wedding

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Australian Idol Winner Says I Do

Guy Sebastian, the winner of the first season of Australian Idol, wed his fiancée, Jules Egan in a weekend ceremony at the Cardinal Ceretti Memorial Chapel in Sydney. Among the 200 guests in attendance were former contestants Shannon Noll and Dean Geyer. Other guests included Jennifer Hawkins and Jake Wall.

The bride wore a cream-coloured one-shouldered gown from Master/slave. The groom wore a brown suit. The couple welcomed their guests at a reception at Luna Park. Mr. Sebastian is well known for his successful bid on the first season of Australian Idol, and has recorded several successful albums since his victory in 2003.

Mr. Sebastian, originally from Mayalasia, emigrated to Adelaide as a child. He and Ms. Egan dated for eight years and became engaged late last year. This is the first marriage for both.

Keywords: Wedding News, Weddingblog, Wedding

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Ashlee Simpson And Pete Wentz Tie The Knot

American singer Ashlee Simpson wed her fiancé Pete Wentz of the band the Fall Out Boys, in a weekend wedding ceremony. Simpson and Wentz announced their engagement last month, but kept their wedding date a secret. The wedding took place at the Encino, California home of Simpson’s parents.

Ashlee’s sister, Jessica Simpson was escorted to the wedding by Tony Romo, a quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys American football team. The bride wore an ivory lace wedding gown designed by Monique Lhuillier and diamond jewellery designed by William Noble. Joe Simpson, the bride’s father and a former Baptist minister, performed the ceremony. Wentz’s English bulldog, Hemingway, reportedly served as the ring bearer.

The reception, which was attended by about 150 guests, was held under a series of tents decorated with Black Beauty roses in an Alice in Wonderland theme. The wedding and reception were planned by celebrity wedding planner Mindy Weiss. Among the guests were Nicole Ritchie and new husband Joel Madden, and actor Donald Faison and CaCee Cobb.

Simpson and Wentz are reportedly expecting a child, but the pair have steadfastly denied the pregnancy rumours. This is the first marriage for Simpson, 23 and Wentz, 28.

Keywords: Wedding News, Weddingblog, Wedding

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Couples Choose Wedding Loans Despite Financial Advice

Some couples still choose to take a wedding loan, despite the double-digit interest rates that come with these loans. The average cost of a traditional wedding is hovering around $40,000, and the figure can be significantly higher in large cities.

Couples who are considering marriage should think twice about taking a loan to cover the cost of the wedding. In years past, the bride’s family paid for the wedding, but weddings were much simpler events. Couples who paid for their own weddings normally invited family members and a few close friends.

With larger ceremonies, couples have not only taken on the responsibility of planning the wedding, but also the responsibility of paying for the event. Paying for a large wedding sometimes flies in the face of sensible financial planning, but experts almost universally agree that borrowing to pay for a wedding is a bad idea. Aside from starting out married life in debt, couples can end up paying significantly more for their wedding ceremonies if they also pay high interest rates on top of the cost. If couples also have other debts, such as student loans, mortgage debts or credit card debts, paying for a wedding loan on top of these other obligations can seriously strain a couple’s finances.

As alternatives to paying for a large wedding, couples may consider eloping. This may be the most financially responsible alternative, especially if they take the money they would have spent on the wedding and reception, and invest it instead. Other couples who have their hearts set on a larger wedding may choose to delay marriage until they have amassed the needed capital to pay for the ceremony. A significant number of couples choose this route, although a recent study by ING Direct of UK couples showed that as many as 15 percent of engaged couples had indefinitely postponed their weddings due to costs.

A third alternative is to have a simple, small ceremony. By scaling down on the guest list, couples can reduce the largest expense associated with a wedding – food costs for the reception. Holding the wedding and reception on a Friday evening, or having a daytime ceremony and lunch reception can also significantly reduce costs.

Keywords: Wedding Planning, Weddingblog, Wedding

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Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly Marry At Windsor Castle

Peter Phillips, eldest grandson of Queen Elizabeth II married his Canadian fiancée Autumn Kelly in a private ceremony at Windsor Castle on May 17. Mr. Phillips is eleventh in line to succeed the throne and holds no royal titles. He is the eldest son of Anne, the Princess Royal and her former husband Mark Phillips. To preserve his claim to the throne, Kelly renounced her Roman Catholic faith and joined the Church of England prior to the wedding.

The bride wore a traditional white dress designed by Sassi Holford, a tiara borrowed from the Princess Royal, and was escorted down the aisle by her father, Brian Kelly. About 300 guests were invited to the wedding, which was attended by the Queen and Prince Philip, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Prince Harry and his girlfriend Chelsy Davy. Prince William was not in attendance as he had previously committed to a wedding in South Africa, but Kate Middleton served as his official representative for the affair.

Phillips and Kelly met when the pair worked at the Montreal Grand Prix. Initially, Phillips did not disclose to Kelly that he was a member of the Royal family. She discovered his identity while watching a programme about Prince William.

Mr. Phillips works for the Bank of Scotland. Ms. Kelly works as a personal assistant to Sir Michael Parkinson. The pair did not immediately announce their honeymoon plans but will continue to reside in London.

Keywords: Wedding News, Weddingblog, Wedding

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Simple Table Centrepieces That Add A Dash Of Fun

If you’re looking for ideas for simple table centerpieces, try these:

Add a small fishbowl or collection of fishbowls at the center of each table. Use gravel that’s coloured to match the theme of your wedding and see to it that the guests have an opportunity to take a fish home at the end of the evening. Don’t plan on having one fish per guest, but you’re likely to find at least one guest per table who will take your swimming centerpieces home. If you don’t like the idea of a live fish, float a tea candle in the fishbowl instead.

Leave a guest book and pens on each table and ask your guests to write congratulatory messages on the pages.

Put a centerpiece made of cupcakes, small desserts, cheescakes, a chocolate mini-buffet or similar sweets in the center of each table. Having a varied selection at each table will encourage the guests to mingle and may be a welcome before- or after-dinner treat.

Wrap different gifts for guests and put them at the centre of each table. Allow the guests to select a gift one at a time and open it. Other guests at the table who haven’t opened their gift yet can “steal” an opened gift and give an unwrapped one to the “victim” or open an unwrapped one instead. The last guest at the table has his or her pick of gifts, or could choose the remaining unopened gift.

A jigsaw puzzle at the center of the table may intrigue your guests and help break the ice. You can choose off the shelf puzzles or have special puzzles made from pictures of you and your intended. For fun, take one piece from each puzzle and put it at a different guest table. Guests from each table will have to look for their missing puzzle piece among the other guest tables.

Keywords: Wedding Planning, Weddingblog, Wedding

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Saving Money On Your Wedding

Many couples dread the cost of a traditional wedding, and some couples put off getting married altogether because they fear the budget-busting ceremonies that are common today. Getting married doesn’t have to be expensive and a new movement is underway to reduce the cost and stress involved in planning a wedding.

After a couple decide to tie the knot, the biggest commitment they make is the size of the guest list. This factor, moreso than any other, determines the overall cost of the wedding. If the planning cycle is short and the couple have little time to save, the best way to stay on budget is to limit the size of the guest list.

Limiting the list to close family and friends may enable the couple to have a small, intimate and happy event that doesn’t leave them in debt for years. Nearly 20 percent of couples today choose to take a loan to pay for wedding costs. Financial experts uniformly agree that starting out married life saddled with debt is not the way to go, especially if bride and groom already have their own debt to deal with.

Once trimming the guest list has been accomplished, the next biggest cost is reception food. Trimming the guest list will do much to keep the reception costs under control, but limiting the liquor or cutting it out completely will reduce your per-person costs further.

Morning and afternoon weddings can also save a great deal on the reception costs, as can moving the wedding from Saturday to Friday. Moving the location of the wedding from a reception hall to a private home can also help manage the reception costs.

The cost of the wedding dress can be substantial and can be minimized in a number of ways. Buying a regular dress or suit, or using a regular suit in place of a tuxedo, can significantly reduce the cost of wedding attire. Also, buying a used dress can also reduce your costs significantly. In some locations, brides can rent wedding dresses. For brides who don’t want to preserve their dresses for posterity, this can mean significant savings.

Do-it-yourself wedding invitation kits can also save money. Kardella has a full line of do-it-yourself wedding kits that look fantastic and can save on printing costs.

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A Tent Is A Lifesaver For An Outdoor Wedding

If you’re planning an outdoor wedding, a tent is turning into a wedding must-have. In the event of a rain, the tent will keep your guests warm and dry. It’s also a great addition of the weather is particularly sunny or hot.

Choosing a tent seems like a simple task, but there’s a lot that should factor into your choice. First, there are multiple kinds of tents. Before you rent one, know what you’re getting and how it will affect your reception plans.

A canopy tent will offer minimal protection from the elements, but it is the simplest of the three tent styles. Canopy tents usually have four poles – one at each corner, so you won’t find a center pole to get in the way, but the canopy tent is relatively small.

A pole tent can be substantially larger, but you’ll have to work around two or three support poles. The pole tent will provide additional room for guests, dancing, dining and a bar.

A frame tent has no center support poles. It’s supported by a frame, hence the name. It is the most expensive type of tent to use.

Extremely large weddings may use multiple tents, and renting a wedding tent can run anywhere from $2,000 to $6,000 per tent, depending upon the size and style of the tent.

Lighting the tent will be an issue if the wedding takes place into the evening hours. Electric lighting may be problematic for some locations. You may want to use lanterns to light the tent and candles for the tables. With open flames, you may need a special permit. The tent rental company should be able to tell you what you’ll need. You’ll also need to provide electricity for a sound system if you plan to have dancing or music inside the tent. This may require the use of a generator if no electrical service is nearby.

If your tent is meant to combat rain, be aware that you could be walking on soggy ground, regardless. You’ll need to cover the ground with some sort of appropriate surface. The tent company can help you out here, too. Just don’t be tempted to dispense with the flooring unless you know that you won’t be dodging raindrops on your big day.

Keywords: Wedding News, Weddingblog, Wedding

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Wishing Wells At The Wedding

Some couples choose to have a wishing well at their wedding, instead of a gift table. For some couples, especially those who have been together for awhile, or for those who do not need to set up a new household, the idea of a wishing well may be appealing. Some couples indicate that a wishing well will be at the reception, and may even say how they intend to spend cash gifts.

Receiving cash gifts at a wedding is nothing new. Wedding guests have given cash for years. But should you ask for cash as a preferred gift? The jury is still out.

Many young couples have no problem asking for cash in lieu of a wedding present, and their guests often find nothing wrong with writing a check out instead of searching for a wedding gift. Other guests bristle at the suggestion, and think that asking for cash is tacky.

To help resolve the matter, some travel agencies now offer wedding registries for honeymoon trips. Some banks are also offering down-payment accounts for couples who are planning to marry. Couples can include this registry information with their wedding invitations, or can ask their friends and family to spread the word regarding this kind of request.

For those guests who can’t bring themselves to make out a check, offering the option of making a charitable donation in the wedding couple’s name to a designated organisation may make guests feel more at ease. The charity should be able to tell you which guests made donations so you can address a proper thank you note.

Anyone who attends a wedding will know that cash is always welcome, but use common sense, tact and a good sense of humour when it comes to recommending cash as a preferred gift.

Keywords: Wedding Invitations, Weddingblog, Wedding

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Bride To Be Turns To Dad For Wedding Dress

A British bride-to-be couldn’t find the wedding dress of her dreams, so she turned to the only person she thought could help: dear old dad! Katrina Wardrop had seen her father’s handiwork when he made a wedding cape for his second wife. The 21-year-old asked her dad to design and make her wedding dress, a task he accepted.

The pair scouted for material for the dress and turned up some cream-coloured French chiffon. Dad bought a tailor’s dummy and set to work. The two-piece dress was done about a month before the wedding and was a perfect fit and a perfect hit. But dad wasn’t done once the dress was finished. He also decorated the couple’s wedding cake.

Katrina said she was looking for a “one-off” dress and that’s exactly what she got. Many guests commented on how beautiful the dress was. Incidentally, dad was nervous about letting the bride-to-be see the full ensemble together, so he let her try on the top and the skirt, but never at the same time. Katrina didn’t see the dress in its entirety until the day of the wedding. She also said that she was thrilled that she and her dad didn’t fall out once while the dress was under construction.

Keywords: Wedding Planning, Weddingblog, Wedding

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Couple Celebrates 70th Wedding Anniversary

Pearl and Loren McFarland of Drayton, North Dakota in the US celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on May 4. The pair were married on May 4, 1938, after meeting during the Great Depression. Loren, who was from Bellingham, Washington was visiting his cousin, who was a friend of Pearl.

He was 21 and she was 17 at the time of their wedding. The couple initially lived in Seattle, where Mr. McFarland worked for the Boeing Airplane Company during World War II. The couple returned to Pearl’s home town of Drayton, North Dakota and started a family on a farm they purchased. The McFarlands still own the farm, but their daughter-in-law lives in the farmhouse. The McFarlands split their time between Drayton and Meza, Arizona, where they own a winter home.

In their Drayton home, which Loren originally built for Pearl’s parents, Loren built a rose garden for Pearl in the shape of a heart. The couple have celebrated every milestone anniversary with a special trip or event, except their 60th anniversary, which occurred shortly after their son Dennis died of a brain tumor. The couple say simply that they didn’t feel like celebrating that year.

The couple are still in good health, though Loren suffered a stroke some years ago, and are active in civic organisations and groups within their church. The couple will enjoy their 70th milestone in the company of family and friends, but do not plan to travel this year.

Keywords: Wedding News, Weddingblog, Wedding

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These I Can Promise

I cannot promise you a life of sunshine;
I cannot promise riches, wealth or gold;
I cannot promise you an easy pathway
That leads away from change or growing old.

But I can promise all my heart’s devotion
A smile to chase away your teases of sorrow;
A love that’s ever true and ever growing;
A hand to hold in yours through each tomorrow.

Mark Twain (1835 – 1910)

Keywords: Wedding Vows and Sayings, Weddingblog, Wedding

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Mariah Carey And Nick Cannon Wed

Early reports have surfaced that Grammy-winning singer Mariah Carey, 38, has married actor Nick Cannon in the Bahamas on April 30. People Magazine and E! News quoted family members and the clergy who reportedly performed the ceremony as confirming that the marriage did take place.

The pair met in March while on the set of the video for Carey’s new single, Bye Bye. Carey and Cannon were recently seen together at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, and Ms. Carey was reportedly wearing a large diamond engagement ring.

People Magazine interviewed Bishop Clifford Petty of the National Church of God in the Caribbean, and he confirmed that he had presided over the ceremony. A member of Cannon’s family also confirmed that she had received a phone call regarding the nuptials from Cannon.

Cannon, 27, is best known for his roles in Day of the Dead, Drumline and Bobby, and will reportedly portray tennis legend Arthur Ashe in a planned movie. This is the first marriage for Cannon, who had previously been engaged to model Selita Ebanks. Carey has been nominated for 33 Grammy awards and has recorded more number one singles than any other artist in history, recently passing Elvis Presley’s record with her hit “Touch My Body.” Carey was previously married to former Sony Music Entertainment chief Tommy Mottola. The pair divorced in 1998.

Keywords: Wedding News, Weddingblog, Wedding

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Wedding Trends For 2008

If you’re planning a wedding for 2008 or beyond, what are some of the trends you can expect to see?

Patterns are big in 2008, and the more interesting they are, the better. Brides are including patterns in just about everything, from wedding invitations to reception decorations.

Story-themed weddings, where guests play parts in vignettes and settings that are inspired by events in history are also coming up in numbers.

Couples are beating the high cost of weddings by having small, intimate weddings at their own homes or the homes of friends and family.

Long tables are making a comeback at larger wedding receptions. Guests may be seated in groups of twenty or more, and create the feeling of a banquet.

Some brides are hiring multiple DJ’s for their wedding to give their receptions a nightclub feel. DJs are also playing music throughout the reception, including dinner.

Big wedding cakes are back in a big way, along with patterns in the cake and frosting. The big cakes often feature a different flavour per layer, and brides are going with stacked layers instead of layers on stands. Bride and groom cake toppers are coming back in style, as a tip to the retro look. Brides are also favouring cakes that replicate the patterns in their dresses. Buttercreme frosting is big, but doesn’t hold up well for warm weather events.

Brides are getting bold by using bold colours for their invitations with coordinating ink colours. Letterpress and environmentally friendly invitations are also coming into the fore.

Kardella has a full line of traditional and innovative invitations and wedding stationery, custom designs and do-it-yourself invitation kits. Please browse through the collection when you’re ready to order your invitations.

Keywords: Wedding News, Weddingblog, Wedding

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Comparing Wedding Planning Software

Wedding planning Web sites are nothing new, but some brides prefer a more comprehensive (and private) method of planning their big event. TopTenReviews put together a list of the top ten wedding planning software packages in a head-to-head comparison.

Packages were ranked for their feature set, ease-of-use, ease of installation or setup and technical support. The median price for the top ten products was about USD$30, and all products were available for Windows XP. Some were also compatible with Windows Vista, and only one of the top ten products had a Macintosh version.

Most products offered a large feature set related to invitations and budget tracking. Most programs also helped with vendor tracking, and many included the ability to define task lists and create timelines.

The products were less thorough when it came to tracking wedding gifts, and only three of the top ten products included seating planners for the reception. Most products offered some form of reporting.

Overall, the reviewers went with iDo as the best overall wedding planning package, with Smart Wedding and Marziplanner coming in second and third respectively. You can read reviews of each product and view the comparisons at TopTenReviews.com

Keywords: Wedding Planning, Weddingblog, Wedding

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Disney World Employees Retrieve Discarded Wedding Rings

Eight employees of Walt Disney World went through bags of trash to find three rings that a vacationing couple accidentally discarded during their stay at the Orlando, Florida resort.

Paul and Karen Campanale vacationed at Walt Disney World with their children. As they prepared to leave, Mr. Campanale dumped the contents of a bowl into the trash, not realising that his wife’s engagement and wedding rings, along with her five-year anniversary ring were inside.

The couple appealed to the housekeeping staff of the resort who told them that their chances of recovering the jewellery were next to zero. That is, until an executive housekeeper discovered that the trash had not yet made its way to the compactor. The housekeeper and seven other members of the staff emptied out the trash container in the parking lot and went to work.

The family had already boarded the shuttle to the airport, when Drew Weaver and his crew found the rings. He called Mr. Campanale on his cell phone with the good news and then delivered the rings to the family. Weaver says that it’s not the first time that the housekeeping staff has gone through the garbage for a guest, but concedes that they don’t often find missing valuables.

Keywords: Wedding News, Weddingblog, Wedding

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Wedding Speech Web Site Sold

Need-a-speech.com, a Web site designed to provide speech materials for the best man’s speech at a wedding has been sold to Robert Hayes-McCoy, and Irish copywriter and author.

The site sells low-cost speeches for weddings and other special occasions. In addition to getting the text for a short-but-apt speech, the site provides tips on delivery and controlling your nerves on the big day. The site also provides guidance on when speeches should be delivered and provides a rich source of one-liners to kick off the address.

Need-a-speech.com is undergoing a major redesign, thanks to Stephen Hayes-McCcoy, Robert’s son. One new addition to the site is instant coupons that visitors can redeem for whatever they buy at the site. The site has had more than 250,000 visitors since it began, and Hayes-McCoy expects to increase traffic by 25 percent.

The redesigned site will debut sometime next month. In the mean time, someone on the hunt for a good wedding speech can still be served by the existing site.

Keywords: Wedding Speeches, Weddingblog, Wedding

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Geelong Woman Loses 18000 Dollar Dream Wedding Plans In Chartwell Failure

Leanne Anderson had planned to marry in November, and thought she would have the use of Graeme Hoy’s $6 million luxury yacht and his $900,000 Rolls Royce. She couldn’t have been more wrong. Instead, Ms. Anderson and her fiancé, Matthew Blair have lost $18,000 and their wedding plans, as Hoy’s Chartwell brokerage failed in a spectacular way.

The Rolls Royce has been sold, and the lease on the yacht has been abandoned, leaving Anderson and Blair, along with hundreds of other investors, with virtually nothing.

Most engaged couples don’t plan weddings aboard luxury yachts, but nonetheless, a wedding can be a significant expense, and disaster can strike at any moment. Many couples are choosing to sidestep the chance that something may interfere with their wedding plans by purchasing wedding insurance.

Policies that cover the loss of venue, failure to perform by one or more wedding vendors, items such as a wedding dress, the need to cancel the event, vendor deposits, honeymoon cancellations and other disasters can be purchased from insurance companies for a few hundred dollars. Comprehensive policies may cost more and are usually capped at a defined benefit, but more couples are budgeting the insurance as a line-item in their wedding plans.

Wedding policies do have limitations, and spell out what they will and won’t cover. Most wedding insurance policies won’t cover cancellations due to “change-of-heart” but cover most other reasons for cancellations and postponements, and their associated losses. If you’re planning a large wedding, you may want to consult your insurance agent for details on coverage that you can acquire.

Keywords: Wedding News, Weddingblog, Wedding

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