Breaking down budget

Budget is one of those tough things that's difficult to figure out and needs to be planned out early on. This is one of my favorite break downs as far as percents of budget going where. However a few of the basics:

1) Speak separately with your families about contributing. Say if I were there when my fiance spoke to his family about contributing, they might feel pressure and get into something they can't afford. It's important to know early on though soon after the engagement who can contribute what and if they want to.

2) Save save save. The longer the engagement, the more time to save.

3) Prioritize. Do you want the dream venue or the designer dress? Pick and choose what's most important for the party, the flowers or the drinks? Save your budget and get cheaper options on the things you don't as much care about.

4) Know how much you can spend per person BEFORE looking at venues. Price out the venue before visiting. The worst thing is going to a venue, falling in love and finding out you can't afford it.

5) Make sure when you sign contracts, you know exactly what's in them especially concerning tip. Some places or vendors will include it automatically, some will not.

6) When you set your dress budget, make sure to budget for alterations. Not many girls can just fit into the sample size perfectly and even though it may not be overly expensive, you should watch out for it.

7) Consider hotel room prices especially if you are getting a room for your officiant, vendor, etc.

Rush it or save up?

After the engagement, many couples face the situation of whether to have a longer engagement and save up for the wedding they want or attempt to finance the wedding quickly and rush to the alter. Maybe rush isn't quite the right word, however there are definitely debates both ways. I'm with the wait gang though.

One of the main reasons toward waiting is debt. Starting off a marriage might already bring its own debt whether it be a car payment, mortgage or student loans. Why go into even more credit card debt by spending too much too fast? Waiting and not going into this debt also will strengthen your marriage and help at least eliminate some of the negative finance talks.

Another reason toward waiting may be that you had a fairly short relationship prior to the engagement. Waiting for a bit encourages you to develop as a couple and gives you a chance to really make sure this is the road you want to go down. Living with someone or realizing this is the person you'll be with forever helps solidify reasons for marriage. That way you don't go to the alter with any doubts. It's also much easier to end a relationship or engagement versus a marriage.

Age and dresses

Recently I've struck up a lot of conversations with middle aged women about their wedding dresses. The answers have ranged so much that I found it quite interesting. The women that I spoke with that had multiple weddings found their first marriage to have the fancier dress. Now I'm talking full white, lace, puffy sleeved wedding wonder. Their second marriage was much simpler and not as big of a fanfare.

I am under the firm belief that anyone can have a big, white dress if that's what they want no matter their age or amount of marriages. There's so many styles out there that it's not just the 20 or 30 somethings that get the experience. I've known some older brides that choose a special occasion dress in white, ivory or champagne. Some go full princess bride because that's what they never had. To them I say go for it. If that's what you want, it's what you want and no consultant or family member should try and change that. It's your new spouse and your day. Not theirs. It's ok to break the "white is innocent and only for your first marriage" rule. It shouldn't even be a rule anymore.

If you want that anniversary date, book early

After the flurry of engagements during the holiday season, the next step for many couples is booking their venue. Booking a venue gives you your date. It's the center of your wedding. It's how to determine when you need to buy a dress and the day you need to find your officiant, photographer and DJ for. In a bride's eyes, the date is the center of the universe.

However when it comes to a couple that really want that October 10 wedding or a certain anniversary, you have to move fast. It's unbelievable how early some venues book years in advance. Some brides report their venue booking out two years in advance. If your dream venue is especially popular, it may mean taking a date you didn't really want at first or losing that venue. You have to move fast.

Think about it. A huge percentage of brides will also get engaged during the holidays. After the Christmas decorations have been taken down and the New Year's champagne drank, their minds turn to the next big event: the wedding.

My advice? If you want your dream venue, but there's only one Saturday in May left, take it. Ultimately you are celebrating a new anniversary. Even if the date you had in mind had some kind of meaning, it always will. You will just be adding another important date. Don't sacrifice a venue just because it's not the absolute day you wanted. Unless there's a reason involving close family being able to make it to the wedding or something like that, try and be flexible. Would you ever consider a Friday evening or Sunday wedding? A lot of times venues will give you discounts if you chose a Friday or Sunday instead, especially if they know you really wanted a Saturday. Work with the venue. It may work out in your favor.

David's Bridal's spring line

I feel like David's Bridal had a change of heart in the best way possible. Before the spring 2014 dresses were released, I always was a bit skeptical of their gowns. They didn't seem fashion forward or with the trends. They lacked color and edge and didn't bring something new to the table. A lot of that seems to change with their new line. Here's a small selection of some of their new gowns. All of them can be found here.

Known as the Double-Weaved Floral Matelasse Ball Gown Style VW351205, this dress is both classic and has a drop of unique. Down the back is a row of tiny bows, adding a romantic touch to a less poof ballgown. This dress is not your typical tulle princess, but offers a bit more elegance and simplicity to still achieve a princess look.

Known as the Strapless Corset Gown with Rose Applique Detail Style CWG614, this dress has a lot of fun qualities. The corset top gives a structured, trim look while the tulle skirt is different with its rose appliques. It's a light airy dress with a longer train that gives both a classic and romantic look. Definitely one of my favorites!

Known as the Short Mesh Dress with Illusion Sweetheart Bodice Style EJ4M5197, this dress is one for the modern bride. It's great for not only rehearsal dinners and such, but a simple and relaxed outdoor wedding. Paired with some killer heels and possible a birdcage veil, this dress lets the inner rockstar bride shine. The illusion top gives some security to brides who don't necessarily want strapless, but love the look.

Known as the Strapless Satin Trumpet Gown with Lace Style CWG594, this dress is pretty much a staple of any line. A trumpet gown with the traditional lace, this dress is for a bride looking for the sleek silhouette without losing a more traditional look. Paired with a long or short veil, it's sure to gives anyone a gorgeous look.

 
Known as the Fit and Flare Gown with Organza and Tulle Petals Style SOPHIE, I wasn't kidding when I said DB was looking into more colors. For the edgy, rockstar bride who wants to don black for her day, this dress is sure to wow. It's unexpected, it's dramatic and it's unusual.

Known as the Corded Lace Trumpet Gown with Ruffle Detail Style MS251052, this gives the bride a softer trumpet look. It's a bit more romantic and light than the trumpet I reviewed above. It allows for a bit more movement while adding elegance. I could very much imagine this dress in a garden or museum wedding.

The last dress I picked out is known as the Strapless Ball Gown with Organza Ruffle Skirt Style CWG568 is the traditional princess dress. It's everything a girl wanting to be a princess should be. The ruffle skirt gives a different detail than a full satin ballgown. It allows for some fun and flow along with the corset and beaded bodice.

Dealing with Nosy Nancys

After the excitement of the proposal and the ring begin to die down, the questions begin popping up. Where is the wedding? When? Have you gone dress shopping? Who is in your bridal party? The questions are endless. With the storm of wedding expos that hit in the new year, family and friends can become very nosy and sometimes, it's a bit too much.

Some tips on dealing with the nosiest of your friends or family.

1. If they ask when the wedding is and you don't completely know, maybe give them a year or a season. A vague answer allows for some leeway so you haven't lied, but you have also somewhat satisfied their thirst for knowledge.

2. For the friends who immediately think they are in the bridal party, just say you haven't thought about it yet. You don't know the size of the party or your budget so you're not sure how many maids you can afford. If it's a strong chance the friend isn't in consideration for the big seat of maid, let them down gently and don't give an indication that they weren't considered at all. "Well it may be a small party and it's going to be a close call. I really don't know yet."

3. A lot of females jump at the chance to go dress shopping with the bride. To deal with this one, cite Say Yes to the Dress. "I know it's not great to have a huge entourage. I may just go with my mom! But wedding timelines say I have x amount of time, so I'm not worried with it at all right now. I'm just enjoying being engaged."

4. When in doubt, "just enjoying being engaged" and "taking in the moment" are perfect answers to almost anything.

Instagramming that ring

I stumbled across this Cosmo article this morning claiming the nine things that engaged women do wrong. Quite frankly, the author sounds bitter. Not only does Anna Breslaw claim that engaged couples think the world is theirs entirely and shared with only other engaged couples, but she claims that when a woman Instagrams or posts a picture of her engagement ring that everyone is judging her and the diamond. If it's not a diamond, Breslaw claims, the woman is criticized for trying to be "different."

Every person in this world has a right to post what they want. If they want to share their happy or sad moments with their social networks, let them. Of course after that proposal and the shiny ring is on your finger, you want to share it with your friends and family. You can't call everyone. That would take a lot of hours and a lot of phone minutes. Even if you call, people want to see your ring. So what's easier than just posting it and sharing it?

There's nothing wrong with wanting to post pictures. Actually, a lot of people enjoy them. I get super excited when I see someone on my newsfeed is engaged and has posted a picture. If they haven't, they get swamped with requests to see the ring.

Breslaw, I don't know your relationship status, but it may be time to rethink some of the bitterness. Maybe it's not your time yet, but I can probably guarantee that when she's engaged herself, she'll fall into some of her self declared pitfalls. Should a newly engaged woman still take everything in grace and attempt to be humble? Of course! However it's also an exciting time and couples are just looking for someone to share the happiness with along with their new fiance.

Spring/Summer 2014 The Connecticut Bride

The Spring/Summer 2014 issue of the Connecticut Bride recently took to the magazine racks and included in that is my first published bridal pieces. In the magazine, you can find advice on not making all of your bridesmaids dresses necessarily 100 percent match, but use the same color palette to allow for different styles for different body types, but a cohesive look. You can also find tips on the fun of signature drinks, morning-after activities for your long-distance guests that have flown in and the necessity of transportation and making sure there's enough of it for not only you and your new spouse, but your guests as well.

Upcoming bridal fashion show in Middletown, CT

I'm quite excited for the upcoming bridal fashion show at the Wadsworth Manion on Feb. 9. The mansion, which also doubles as a wedding venue, is hosting Mariella's Creations for a fashion show focusing solely on bridal beauty. Unlike other wedding expos, the event is supposed to be less overwhelming and in your face than your typical expo. Beside wedding dresses, special occasion dresses and bridesmaids dresses will be shown. For the girls just starting their wedding planning and who may not know what's out there for dresses, the event will be a great way to take a small taste of the bridal world, enjoy some champagne and kick back with the girls.