For Your Dancing Feet :: Flip Flops

Some say flip flops at weddings have gone "out of style". I disagree. What girl doesn't like to kick off her heels, throw on a pair of comfy flip flops and let loose on the dance floor?! Comfort doesn't go out of style. See my point? Not to mention, I still see flip flops at over half of our weddings each season. This "trend" doesn't seem to be letting up anytime soon. In fact, I've had at least 3 brides contact me within the past few weeks asking for advice on flip flops. Therefore, I thought I would write up a few helpful tips on this subject. 

• How many? Go through your guest list and count each woman/girl attending. I recommend having enough pairs for just about every single one of them. You don't want to leave anyone out. They will go quick, trust me!
• What sizes? This is tricky. Obviously, you aren't going to ask each guest their shoe size; therefore, I recommend purchasing the most common sizes: 7, 8, & 9. Be mindful of the little girls too - if you're inviting children, you should also think about purchasing a few smaller sizes as well.
• How to display? Get creative...there are no rules here! Think about your wedding style, and what type of container would suite your style best. Most common way of displaying? In a tub (as pictured above), basket, bucket, or even wooden box. Don't forget a cute sign too ;)
• Where to purchase? Hands down one of the most popular stores to get cute & cheap flip flops is Old Navy. Don't forget about stores like Target and Kohls too.

Tip :: If you have the ability to color coordinate the flip flops by size, I highly recommend doing so! As you'll see in the photos above, the bride not only color coordinated them, but also added fun little size tags to each pair as well. Totally optional, but definitely practical! 

Photos courtesy of Leeann Marie Photography.

Blogger Brides :: "Trust Me...I Have Done This a Thousand Times Before"

Our next bride in our "Blogger Brides" series is Janice. Janice is a current SPW bride who is planning a wedding at LeMont in October. Janice and I have become quite close, frequently meeting up for monthly lunch/dinner planning meetings. I just love when I connect with a bride on a personal level - makes the planning process a breeze! Besides, who says the planning process has to be all work and no play, right?! One of the things I love about the wedding that Janice and her fiance, Rob, are planning is that they are truly focused on the meaning of the ceremony. Of course, they've had a lot of fun brainstorming ideas for their wedding decor (think: sunflowers!), but Janice and Rob truly understand the meaning and the main point behind the wedding day...the marriage. I'm definitely looking forward to their wedding. We've enlisted an awesome team of vendors that I know are totally going to rock their wedding day!

Without further ado, here is Janice's advice for our readers:

"Trust Me...I Have Done This a Thousand Times Before"

"I know you have heard that line before. I have too, but fortunately it hasn’t been during our wedding planning process. Rob and I are both very determined and head strong people. We have a very clear vision of how we would like our wedding day to turn out. We know there are many factors that we cannot control. However, we also know that there are many MORE factors that we can…to include what vendors we chose. 

We have already selected all of our vendors for our October 2011 wedding. Before we met with any of our vendors, we had a clear (well, as clear as can be when it comes to wedding planning) vision of what we wanted. We had decided not only what we wanted as far as décor, photos, music & food, but what we wanted from our vendors. Here were qualities that were non-negotiable:

• They must be warm, friendly people.

• Prompt at communication

• Creative

• Open to our suggestions

• Must never, ever say “Trust me…I have done this a thousand times before”.

The last one is a big one!! It makes my skin crawl when I hear stories on blogs and bulletin boards about how vendors have said that to their clients. And I (and Rob too) will argue, “No, you haven’t. You have never worked MY wedding before”. 

We have been lucky beyond belief with our planning process. Sumer has guided us towards some of the best wedding professionals in the business. After our meetings with all of our vendors, the choices were easy to make. They were almost effortless. No matter what we were discussing, all of them were creative, easy to talk to and listened to our ideas. When we have questions, no matter who I am working with, I know I will hear back promptly. And not one of them implied that working our wedding would be a cake walk because they have done this before. 

Now that I have rambled on for several paragraphs, you may be asking yourself, “What is your point”? My point is that when choosing your vendors, if you don’t trust them 100%, turn around and leave…as a matter of fact, RUN! One of the reasons I am enjoying the planning process so much is because I trust each and every one of my vendors. I know that Andy Booth is going to keep my party rocking, Jenni Grace is going to capture my moments, Bill Laughlin will make sure the food is fabulous, Carrie Anne will make my flowers unforgettable and that Sumer will keep me calm& everything running smoothly. I don’t have to worry about the “what if’s” all of the time because I trust my team. We both said from the beginning that we want to enjoy the process…and we are!"

{Vendor Credits}
DJ :: Andy Booth Productions
Photographer :: Jenni Grace Photography
Florist :: Carrie Anne Powell Floral Designs
Venue :: LeMont

Blogger Brides :: Practice Makes Perfect...and it's Fun!

Today we are introducing a new series to the blog - "Blogger Brides". This series will feature both past and current SPW brides, who will share their wedding planning advice/experience with our readers. 

Today's featured bride is Jamie. Jamie is a current SPW bride who is getting married on September 10th (9.10.11 - what a fun wedding date!) at her parent's lakefront property in Northern PA. I am just itching with excitement for Jamie's wedding day - she's got incredible design taste, and I am so so so excited to see her vision come to life! 

Check out Jamie's advice for brides-to-be:

Practice Makes Perfect…and it's Fun!

"I am honestly enjoying the wedding planning process, and some of the things that I have found to be the most fun and most important part of wedding planning is practice! There are many things that you can practice for the big day like make-up and hair trial runs, cake and food tasting, and pictures. While these things may seem like things to cross off your “to-do” list…don’t forget to have fun doing them!

I am sure that every bride-to-be has heard and understands the importance of having hair and make-up trial runs done, but the one thing that I would recommend doing when you have your trial run done is to have pictures taken. Your wedding pictures are going to be one of the only things you have to remember your big day, and your hair and make-up may look different in pictures than they do in person. I had a make-up trial run and then asked my make-up artist back to do my make-up for our engagement photos. I am so glad that I did because I learned two things from having photos taken 1. My make-up artist recommended false eyelashes to glam my look up and I love the way they looked in pictures and 2. I want to add some more color to my face for the actual wedding. My skin looked very porcelain-like in our engagement pictures and I liked the black and white photos better than the color photos because I think that I didn’t have enough blush on. I am so glad that I was able to see this before our wedding day. 

While I am on the subject of seeing things before the big day – I would highly recommend getting engagement photos taken by your photographer. I feel like a hypocrite for saying this because I think that I said “I would never do engagement photos” about 100 times before I changed my mind. I couldn’t think of one reason why I wanted (or anyone else would want to see) pictures of Jon and I sharing ‘posed’ intimate moments until I started remembering my senior portrait photo shoot and how awkward I felt posing in front of a professional photographer. I am a sorority girl at heart and have posed for many of pictures before, but working with a professional photographer just feels different. I started getting nervous about how I would feel on my wedding day when a photographer whom I had only met once was going to show up and try and capture all these special moments that my fiancé and I would be sharing. The last thing I wanted to feel on my wedding day was awkward in front of the camera. I am so glad that we did them because it was a great chance for us to work with our photographer, for us to get a little more comfortable kissing and sharing special moments on camera and I was able to see my make-up done in pictures. 

Some other things that you get to practice before the big day is eating! Most brides, myself included, put themselves on a pretty strict diet leading up to the big day, so the day that Jon and I got to do cake tasting was an extra special treat for me! When else is it acceptable to share 6 cupcakes and not feel guilty about it? 

When I tell people that I am enjoying the wedding planning process a lot of people give me funny looks and don’t believe me. Yes, my to-do list seems to be never ending, yes, it will get stressful no matter how organized you are or how much help you have, and yes, there are things that are not fun – like managing the guest list that seems to be ever-changing, but there are a lot of fun things that you get to do during the wedding planning process that are truly unique to being a bride-to-be, and my best advice is to enjoy every second of it!"

Thank you, Jamie for sharing this great advice with fellow brides! We couldn't agree more! : )

{Vendor Credits}
Photography by :: Michael Will Photography 
Makeup by :: Simply Beautiful Makeup Artistry

Preparing for Vendor Meetings

Now that you're engaged, you're probably ready to begin interviewing vendors. Before you head out to meet with your potential vendors, there are a few things you should know ahead of time. In wedding planning, proper planning is key; therefore, knowing how to prepare for your meetings ahead of time will save you a great deal of time and stress in the long run. 

What to Bring :: 

• Basic details about your wedding day - date, location(s), times (if set), & approx. # of guests

• Wedding budget (or at least $ estimates of what you are prepared to pay for each major wedding category)

• Photos of your wedding day vision (especially if you are meeting with a wedding planner, event designer, or florist)

• Dress or fabric swatches (helpful for florist meetings) 

It's also a good idea to come prepared with questions to ask the vendor(s) that you are meeting with. This not only helps the dialogue between you and the vendor, it also helps with understanding how each vendor works. If you are interviewing 3-4 photographers in the same day, your memory may be a bit hazy as to which one was which. Having a separate Q+A sheet for each vendor you meet with helps to keep you organized and on track when it comes time to make your final decision. 

Other Helpful Tips ::

• Don't be shy to ask vendors for referrals of previous clients they've worked with - reading testimonials on their website isn't always enough. Thorough research is a must. 

• Less is more when it comes to the number of attendees at vendor meetings aka don't bring your entire bridal party. You + your fiance or you, your fiance, + your parents (or whoever is paying for the wedding) is plenty. Too many people in attendance creates confusion and can derail your focus when it comes to making key decisions on which vendor you think is the best match for you.

• Out of town couple? Ask vendors if they can set up an initial meeting via Skype (or video chat) instead of just a phone call. This may help put you more at ease about hiring a particular vendor. 

• Lastly, if you change your mind about interviewing a particular vendor, please be kind and let them know ahead of time. Often times vendors have to arrange for daycare, take time off from their "day job", or are driving a far distance to meet with you. A simple one minute email (or call) letting them know that you've decided to go another direction will be much appreciated.

Insightful Blog Reads for the Newly Engaged

With all of the hustle and bustle of the New Year, I thought I would share a few insightful blog reads that I stumbled upon this week. These reads are great for all engaged couples, but may be particularly helpful to the newly engaged couple who is just beginning their wedding planning journey. 

Curious to know why wedding planners "cost so much"?! A must read by an industry veteran explains why we charge what we do. For an even more in-depth look into wedding planning pricing, check out this insightful read.

In the process of looking for a wedding photographer? If so, you won't want to miss this read for help on questions to ask yourself before you begin interviewing photographers. 

Trying to calculate your reception budget and compare venue/catering pricing? Here is a great read on how to discern catering service charges.

Confused about where to start first in the wedding planning process? Check out this informative read that breaks it down step by step according to Emily Post.

Unsure of when to send out save-the-dates and invitations? Here is a great read that includes a timeline for all of your stationery questions. 

Happy Planning!

One Wed Unveils Top 10 Wedding Trends for 2011

Onewed.com, one of the largest online wedding planning resources available to brides, recently unveiled their predictions on the top 10 wedding trends for 2011. Below is a look at their predictions. 

1. Sophisticated Elegance Returns

It's back to basics with elegant, sophisticated style in 2011. Wedding decor will be simple and understated, with modern design elements trumping DIY touches. Scripted calligraphy, custom monograms, and classic wedding cakes embody this trend. Brides will wear pearls, and grooms will ditch the Converse in favor of more tasteful wedding day kicks.

2. Outdoor Venues - Where It’s At

Couples tying the knot in 2011 will gravitate toward outdoor ceremony and reception venues. The raw, minimal backdrop of an outdoor setting leaves room for personalization and customization, a major perk for creative, hands-on nearlyweds. Lakeside venues, vineyard locations and spaces situated alongside sprawling mountains will dominate, and they’ll be spruced up with personalized touches that represent the bride and groom. You'll find some serious outdoor weddings inspiration in our real weddings blog category!

3. Grey is the New Black, Crazy for Navy

Gloomy no more, grey is the neutral IT color for 2011 weddings. Organic and natural, shades of charcoal, dove, stone, oyster and shell will be incorporated liberally into wedding color palettes and paired with vibrant hues to make the colors pop! And while grey remains the talk of the town for 2011, navy blue (and other deep blues) are definitely on-trend for the coming year. Wonder if Prince Will's royal wedding has anything to do with the crazy for navy trend... what do you think??

4. Mad for Metallics & Bold Color Palettes

Whether it’s two bright hues with a metallic accent, or several metallic shades used together, brights and metallics will be popular choices for wedding color palettes in 2011. Gilded gold, shimmery silver, and sparkling champagne will used alone or with accents of yellow, purple or teal. And since metallics make such a bold statement on their own, couples will scale back over-the-top decor in favor of a more restrained style aesthetic.

5. Big Ball Gowns are Back

Dramatic ball gown wedding dresses floated down 2011 bridal catwalks in droves. Wedding dress designers draped, ruched, and layered clouds of tulle, power netting, and chiffon to fashion wedding dresses with limitless volume. The outcome? Fairytale-inspired bridal style and whimsical wedding dresses for 2011 I Dos.

6. Grooms Take a Walk on the Stylish Side

Grooms are taking a stand in the name of fashion. Their tux choices will no longer be dictated by some “rent 5, get 1 free” deal. Instead, they’ll chose formal looks that represent their unique style. Bow ties will replace classic long neck ties, and embroidered dress shirts, engraved cufflinks, stylish lapel pins and the color of the season- grey- will grace the white aisles.

7. Wedding Invitations Go Green

The green weddings movement continues full speed ahead in 2011. From totally paperless wedding invitations and save-the-dates, to stationery printed on 100% recycled paper, invitations have truly gone green. Couples can find all they need with sites like WeddingPreParty (enabling online RSVP and party planning) and Nearlyweds.com (offering coordinating stationery and wedding websites).

8. Luxurious Textures-- from the Dress to the Tablescape

Luxe textured fabrics will bring a sumptuous, opulent vibe to 2011 weddings. Wedding dresses will feature 3D applique, layered light fabrics (tulle, lace, chiffon), romantic ruffles, oversized florals, and illusion fabric with eye-catching beading. Textured linens will be layered to dress up reception tables, chair covers may be embroidered or beaded, and branchy centerpieces and floral arrangements will captivate wedding guests.

9. Ethnic Influences, Cultural Wedding Details

At long last, brides and grooms are embracing and showcasing their unique cultural traditions and ethnicity. Whether it’s a religious wedding ceremony ritual, traditional wedding day garb, cultural cuisine infused throughout the reception dinner, or wedding decor with bold, ethnic prints, you can’t help but embrace the unique cultures and ethnicities of couples in 2011.

10. Revved-Up Wedding Receptions

Who wants the best day of their lives to end? Not couples and guests in 2011, that’s for sure! Couples will plan a post-reception after party lasting into the wee hours of the night with drinks, entertainment, dancing, and snacks so that wedding guests can party all night long!

Content courtesy of One Wed.

Choosing A Getting Ready Location

An often over-looked aspect by brides is the "getting ready" location on the morning of the wedding. This location should be planned well in advance in order to avoid issues the day of. Some important things to keep in mind when deciding on where you and your attendants will be getting dressed the day of your wedding:

• Make sure the space is well-lit (natural light from a large window is ideal). Your photographer will thank you for this, and you will end up with nicer photos.  

• The space should be large enough to accommodate you, your gown, and all of your female attendants. You want room to walk around and breathe - there is nothing worse than being crammed in a tiny bathroom when you're trying to put your makeup on and curl your hair.

• Make sure there is enough room for any makeup artists and/or hairstylists that will be coming to your getting ready location. Not only should there be enough physical space to accommodate them, there should also be proper resources on-site as well. For example, enough electrical outlets for hair curlers, hot rollers, flat irons, etc... and enough workspace for makeup kits and beauty supplies. 

• The space should also have plenty of mirrors, particularly a full-length mirror. 

If you are still having trouble narrowing down a getting ready location, consult your wedding planner and/or hair/makeup artist. 

 Photo courtesy of Pamela Marie Photography.

"Like" us on Facebook

Are you a fan of Simply Perfect Weddings on Facebook yet? If not, head on over to our Facebook page and "like" us to receive daily wedding planning tips. Starting today, we'll be posting quick and simple wedding planning tips, advice, & insight on Facebook, as a thank you to our awesome fans! 

Have a topic that you'd like to see featured on our Facebook page? Email us, and we'd be glad to share our advice!

Happy planning!

Top 10 Reasons to Hire Simply Perfect Weddings

We’ve all heard the standard reasons of why you should hire a wedding planner (they will save you money, they have connections, etc...), but more importantly, why should you hire us? That’s the real question you should be asking yourself. Every wedding planner is different, and it’s so important that you connect with him/her. With that said, here are the top 10 reasons why we think you should hire Simply Perfect Weddings:

10. Weddings are our full time job. This isn’t a “hobby” for us.

9. We love hearing about your non-wedding planning life. “Friend” us on Facebook and “Follow” us on Twitter.

8. We love it even more when you stay in touch after the wedding. We love getting baby announcements ; )

7. We love when you send us your save-the-dates and wedding invitations. We will keep them forever. I promise.

6. Not sure who will set up your favors, menu cards, place cards, cardbox, guestbook, and 100+ other décor items on the day of your wedding exactly to your specifications? Yeah, we got that covered for you.

5. Like feeling that you always have a “go to” person when wedding questions arise? Consider us your wedding encyclopedia.

4. Because you don’t want someone to hand you a checklist and walk away. Say hello to your new BFF. We’re here for you every step of the way.

3. Because you don’t want a cookie cutter wedding. Good news, we like unique weddings. Correction, we LOVE unique weddings!

2. We love spreadsheets. Seriously.

1. You deserve it! You deserve to be a GUEST at your own wedding. Relax, and leave the details to us.

Transportation Itineraries

This is a wedding topic that bores most people, and I can certainly understand why - it's transportation logistics...enough said, right?! It may be boring, but it is definitely a necessary evil. About 2 weeks before your wedding, your transportation company is going to need this document completed. This goes for limos, trolleys, shuttle buses - you name it! One important thing to note, is that the transportation company that you've hired may or may not remind you about this important document - that's right, it's up to you to send it into them. Now, if you've hired a wedding planner, chances are they will take this item off your plate and complete this document for you. But let's say that you don't have a wedding planner or DOC, and you're wedding is quickly approaching...where do you begin? 

The first step in creating a transportation itinerary is to start with your wedding day timeline (another document that your wedding planner will help you create). How do you want the day to flow? Where will you be getting ready? Do you want the groom + groomsmen dropped off at the church first or do you want to arrive with your bridesmaids first? Where are you taking photos? All important items to think about. After you've drafted a solid wedding day timeline (and pondered these types of questions), you'll want to gather up addresses of all the locations your limo/shuttle bus will need to pick up and drop off at. It is extremely important that you provide full and complete addresses to the transportation company - this includes zip codes. Listing your ceremony location as "Church XYZ" is not enough. Even if it is a popular local venue, it's important to spell out the address completely for the driver(s). Once you've gathered up your addresses, it's time to put everything together into one complete and concise document. You'll want to include pick up and drop off times - this can be done with the help of an online map resource such as Google Maps or Map Quest. It's important to double check the distances between locations, as simply "guessing" that it takes 15 minutes to get from the salon to the church is not in your best interest to do. Remember, it's your wedding day, and you want things to run as smooth as possible - this includes an on-time arrival of your limo. After you've completed your transportation itinerary, have someone else review it for mistakes and typo's. Once it's finalized, send it off to your transportation company and have them confirm receipt of it. 

Lastly, it's important to remember that even the most clear, correct, and well thought-out transportation itineraries cannot stop your limo driver from making a wrong turn or getting stuck in traffic on the day of your wedding. As an extra precautionary, include a designated contact person on the itinerary for the limo driver to call incase of an unforeseen problem. It's also a good idea to call your transportation company the week of your wedding to obtain the driver's name & cell phone number. This way, everyone is in the loop and the lines of communication stay open!

Happy planning! : ) 

The Forgotten Wedding Invitation

Last night I had dinner with the amazingly talented Leeann, owner of Leeann Marie Photography here in Pittsburgh. Naturally, we talked A LOT about weddings, and an interesting topic came up...the wedding invitation. Since the wedding invitation isn't part of the wedding day decor, more often than not any extras get thrown in a box and stored away for a rainy day (aka you end up with no photos of your invitation). To avoid this, we recommend mailing a completed invitation to your photographer a few weeks before the wedding, so he/she can take some high quality photos of your invitation. These photos can be a nice touch to showcase all of the little details you worked so hard on for the last 12+ months. Not to worry if you forget to mail out an invitation, just bring an invitation along with you on the day of the wedding, and you're all set!

Video Blog :: Economical Rehearsal Dinner Options

It's a long one today, but there were quite a few things I wanted to address regarding the topic of rehearsal dinners. Hope you enjoy it! 

Happy Friday!

After The Wedding Day :: Love, Milk & Honey

Today I wanted to feature one of my new favorite daily reads...Love, Milk & Honey. Love, Milk & Honey is not just a blog, it's an online community for couples beginning their journey together after the glitz and the glam of the wedding day is over.  

Lauren Kelly, who also happens to be a wedding planner is the author of Love, Milk & Honey. In her words, "This site was started because I frequently see those couples deep in the wedding planning of it all lose sight of what comes after the big day. Couples need to spend just as much time preparing for days 2 – the end, as they do for day 1. The whole point of a wedding is to celebrate a MARRIAGE. Are you preparing for it?"

Well said, Lauren! I wholeheartedly agree! I highly encourage all engaged couples, as well as newly married couples to check out Love, Milk & Honey. A wide variety of topics are discussed weekly...everything from health and fitness, work-life balance, communication, and my personal favorite, what makes a "we". All things that many newlywed couples struggle with in the beginning of their journey together.

So, what are you waiting for?! Head on over to Love, Milk & Honey and start reading! : ) 

"At Home" Engagement Sessions

What a gorgeous day today in the 'burg! It looks like spring is finally on the horizon!  

I was recently asked by one of my couple's if doing an "at home" engagement session was ok, and I wanted to take a few minutes to blog about this topic. My response to them? Absolutely! Obviously, I am not a photographer by any means; however, in my opinion, having your engagement session done in your home can be a great thing. Whether you're bored of the "traditional park photos", or just want to show off your new home together, there are many reasons to shoot your engagement session at home. I personally think that the idea is a great one, and like the idea of capturing the couple in their first home together. Years later, you can look back at the photos and reminisce about what daily life was like back then, and also see how your home decorating style has changed. To see more photos of an "at home" engagement session, click here.

What are your thoughts on "at home" engagement sessions? 

Photo courtesy of Collin Hughes Photography via Love, Milk & Honey

Ask Me Anything!

You may or may not have already heard "the buzz" about Formspring, a place where you can ask people you find interesting, questions about their personal or business life. Formspring allows you to ask questions either publicly or anonymously. Yesterday, I signed up for an account and wanted to use this as an extension of my "Ask The Planner" feature here on the blog.  

So, if you have a question about me personally, or Simply Perfect Weddings, feel free to head on over to our account http://www.formspring.me/spweddings and ask a question! I'd love to hear from you! 

Happy Friday!

Introducing a New Consulting Service for Pittsburgh Brides

Here at Simply Perfect Weddings, we understand that beginning the wedding planning process can be an overwhelming and daunting task for many brides. We've recently received quite a few phone calls from brides in need of some guidance to get them on track with their wedding planning - the only catch was that they couldn't necessarily afford to hire a full-service wedding planner. These phone calls have inspired us to offer a new level of service to Pittsburgh brides!

While we do currently offer hourly consultations, along with full-planning and wedding day coordination services, we've decided to add a NEW cost-effective & convenient one-on-one consulting package to our service menu. We realize that many brides can greatly benefit from sitting down with a professional wedding planner for a few hours to "pick our brains" about their ideas and answer their questions, regardless of their budget. The consulting package is not only for brides who are just beginning the wedding planning process, it's also for brides who may be "stuck" in the middle of their planning, and just need someone to answer their questions and guide them in the right direction. The consulting package is a one-on-one "coaching session", and includes the following items:

• (1) two-hour consulting/coaching session with Sumer Schmitt {owner & principal wedding planner}
• $100 credit towards the purchase of our comprehensive 'Complete Wedding Management' or 'Wedding Day Coordination' service levels
  
• Simply Perfect Weddings "swag bag" full of wedding planning goodies, vendor recommendations/discounts, helpful wedding planning checklists, and more!
  

Consulting packages are currently being offered at an introductory rate of $150 for the month of February.

Consulting sessions are scheduled by appointment only. As weddings are our full-time job, we do have weekday availability, as well as evenings and weekends. Prior to our session, you will be asked to fill out a pre-consultation questionnaire to help us better understand you, as well as your wedding day vision.

If you would like to obtain more information about our consulting sessions, or would like to book a session, please contact Sumer at sumer@simplyperfectwedding.net, or check out our website.

We look forward to hearing from you! Happy Planning! : )

Wedding Insurance 101

Due to the state of our current economy, I've gotten quite a few questions from brides & grooms lately regarding wedding insurance. I personally think that wedding insurance is a wise decision for many reasons. The article below is written by a personal finance journalist for USA Today, and offers a very detailed explanation of wedding insurance.

4/30/2007 - Your Money :: Wedding Insurance, By Sandra Block, USA Today

If your idea of the perfect wedding venue is a drive-through chapel in Vegas, this column is not for you. If, however, the wedding of your dreams involves a June ceremony with a dozen attendants, a sit-down dinner for 400 guests and an open bar, perhaps you should consider wedding insurance.

Wedding insurance will cover your losses if bad weather, airport delays, a military call-up or a sudden illness prevents you or your intended from getting to the church on time. If your caterer is shut down by the local health department, most insurance policies will cover the extra cost of finding a last-minute vendor to feed your guests.

Travelers Insurance added wedding insurance to its product line in February. Fireman's Fund Insurance plans to announce this week that it will expand its existing policy for weddings and other special events. WedSafe, a unit of Aon, also offers a wedding insurance policy.

The growth of these policies reflects the rising cost of weddings. The average amount spent on a wedding in 2006 was $27,852, according to the Condé Nast Bridal Group. Nearly a third of couples pay the entire cost of their wedding, and 36% end up spending more than they had planned, according to Condé Nast. Premiums range from $95 to more than $1,000, depending on the size of your wedding and the level of coverage you buy. Some costs that wedding insurance will cover:

Liability. Liability coverage will protect you from lawsuits if an exuberant guest slips and falls in the conga line. Some reception venues include liability in the rental cost, but many of them require you to have your own coverage, says Rob Nuccio, CEO of RV Nuccio & Associates, program administrator for the Fireman's Fund policy.

Sudden death or illness. If the groom has an appendicitis attack the day before the wedding, wedding insurance will cover the cost of non-refundable deposits. Likewise, insurance will cover your expenses if a parent's death or illness forces you to postpone the wedding.

Lost or damaged formalwear. If the bridal store files for bankruptcy before you pick up your Vera Wang gown, wedding insurance will cover the cost of a new dress. Alan Tuvin, vice president of product management for Travelers, says lost or damaged wedding dresses are the most common types of claims Travelers has received since it started offering wedding insurance.

Photography mishaps. Your wedding photos are supposed to provide a lifetime of memories, but what if they're all out of focus? Or the photographer simply disappears? Wedding insurance policies will cover the cost of reassembling your wedding party and retaking the photos or videos.

Stolen or damaged wedding gifts.

There are also some things wedding insurance won't cover, including:

Change of heart. Traditionally, wedding insurance has excluded deposits forfeited because of runaway brides or reluctant grooms. Wedding insurance is intended to cover events that are out of your control, such as a hurricane that makes your wedding site inaccessible, Tuvin says. "You have control over change of heart," he says. Insurance companies say the exclusion is also necessary to prevent fraud.

Fireman's Fund, however, plans to announce this week that it will provide "change of heart" coverage under certain circumstances. To qualify, Nuccio says, a policyholder would have to show that he or she was an innocent party.

For example, if the father of the bride finances the wedding and the groom gets cold feet, the policy would cover the father's losses, Nuccio says.

Existing medical conditions. If your mother has a chronic health condition that worsens before the wedding, your policy probably won't cover the costs of postponing the event. "If somebody has a heart attack, and it's their first one, that's covered," Tuvin says." If it's a pre-existing condition, that's excluded."

Limiting losses

Even if you don't buy wedding insurance, there are other ways to protect your investment. The Better Business Bureau offers these recommendations:

Research vendors thoroughly. Get references from relatives and friends and obtain a reliability report on prospective vendors from the BBB.

Keep your deposit as small as possible. Because most deposits are non-refundable, limiting the size of your deposit will protect you from a large loss if you cancel or reschedule your wedding.

Use a credit card for as many expenses as possible. That way, you can dispute charges for unsatisfactory service. When you pay with a check, getting your money back is much harder, says Paula Fleming, spokeswoman for the BBB. Save your receipts so you'll have documentation to support your case.