Brides on a Budget

Are you one of those brides that wants a special wedding but are feeling financially challenged? Luckily, you are not the only one. It is possible for you to celebrate your special day without having to make your own dress and have the reception at your Grandma’s home.


The good news is that weddings have changed over the years. The current trend is creating a wedding that is perfect for you. This means one that fits YOUR budget.


The average budget for a bride in America is around 25,000. That sounds like a lot. You can do it for a lot less. There are 15 basic categories to think about when planning a wedding.


When determining your budget, don’t forget to add enough to include tax and tips.


Take a look at these categories and start thinking about your priorities:


1. Ceremony


2. Reception


3. Photography


4. Videography


5. Stationary


6. Wedding Attire


7. Music


8. Bakery


9. Flowers


10. Decorations


11. Transportation


12. Rental Items


13. Gifts


14. Parties


15. Miscellaneous ( Marriage license, Gown preservation, Wedding Consulting)


Peak Events is working hard to get you the best prices on vendors and offering you creative solutions for cutting costs. This month we are focusing on the first two categories that are crucial in planning your perfect Wedding day. Let’s face it, the actual site where you get married is up there on the list for important features when setting the stage for that perfect day.


Typically, a large part of your budget will go to the reception site and food. This can be close to 40% of the Wedding cost compared to the ceremony which should be around 5%.


Do you want an outdoor wedding? Why not choose a location where you can have your ceremony and reception at the same place? This will save money, time and energy. The best part is your out of town guests do not have to drive across the city. Worried about inclement weather? Choose a location that offers a back up indoor or covered spot for your piece of mind. There are several places in and around Flagstaff that offer affordable sites for $1500 or less. This does not include food. You can decorate yourself and even bring your own caterer. Don’t be scared away by a location that has simple décor. There are affordable tricks for dressing up a place. Do your guests really care about the granite princess sculpture in the front of some lobby you are paying a premium for? The point is that the day and location should reflect who YOU are. Peak Events will continue to cover and work with local vendors offering the best deals. Feel free to contact us to learn more.

Sally

New Year’s Eve

The holidays are now in full swing.  I always feel like they start off with Halloween and then end with the New Year.  I have always loved the holidays, from decorating for Halloween and carving pumpkins, to hosting a cocktail party for New Year’s Eve.  I usually pick one of the holidays and really do it up.  I’m partial to Winter Solstice Parties because I love to decorate the house, I make a mean egg nog, and for some reason people are always a little weird about Winter Solstice, but I’m thinking this year might be time for another New Year’s Eve bash.  My last one had the taxis arriving at the same time as my paper – I’m not sure I’m up for another 7:30 am end time, but I think a nice cocktail party/open house might be the ticket to a great way to start the New Year!   

I’m heading out of town for the rest of the week, so next week will have to be a busy one as I put together invitations and a theme for the new year.  I’m in a crazy kind of mood today, so I was thinking of doing a crystal ball theme.  Have tarot cards out, I think a friend has a crystal ball, maybe she’ll tell fortunes and then some runes and Ouija board just to make it fun.  And that’s the point – make it fun – don’t just have the same old crowd with the same old music and drinking the same old champagne.  Mix it up!  Make it unexpected!  I think I’ll make an orb ice sculpture – sounds more difficult than it is – then decorate with fire and ice.  Very mystical looking and yet BEYOND easy.

Stay tuned next week and I’ll let you know how to make the decorations.   If you want to throw a party this season and you’re a bit tired, overwhelmed or just hate putting things together – call Peak Events – we’ll make your holiday party look over the top for a bottom line budget!

Take care and I’ll talk to you next week!

Debbi