Do You Need Wedding Insurance?

What is the worst thing that could happen on your big day? A bit of rain? A bad hair day?  A late bridesmaid or two? How about a hurricane? Bride Erica Sternin Weiss planned on having a beautiful waterfront wedding in New Rochelle, New York; she hadn’t planned on inviting Irene, but the hurricane showed up anyway. Thousands of weddings were planned for the region affected by Hurricane Irene, and many had to be cancelled or postponed. Mother Nature does not stop for love; what does this mean for the bride and groom – and the budget?

In Erica’s situation, her venue called to notify her that it was being forced to close by the county just a day before her planned nuptials. By that point, most couples have paid for most of their wedding. In addition to the venue fees, couples have paid for or paid a deposit for everything from the caterers and photographers to the florists and musicians. When a venue is closed or a wedding must be postponed, the couple may lose thousands in nonrefundable deposits. Worse, they may not be able to find a suitable replacement because so many venues book a year or more in advance for the “good” days (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday). Erica and her groom ended up transforming their rehearsal dinner into a rather impromptu wedding to mitigate the financial loss and to allow a portion of their guests to attend.

In cases like this, wedding or event insurance certainly makes sense. Most people do not opt to undertake this added expense, but it can be an incredible money-saver if something unexpected happens. What options are available to the bride and groom? Each company will have its own specific policies, but in general, you will find two broad categories:

• Event cancellation or postponement. With this type of coverage, you can recoup money lost in case of severe weather, illness, or other events that will derail a wedding. If your wedding proceeds, but a vendor does not show up (ie: a missing photographer) or an adorable toddler gets grape jelly all over your wedding gown, your policy should cover that as well. Make sure to ask about specifics so you are prepared – and covered – for every eventuality.
• Liability.  If Aunt Mildred trips on the church steps and falls, it would be a shame if she sued you on your wedding day. Liability insurance covers you in the event of alcohol-related accidents, property damage, or bodily injury. Some venues require you to purchase liability insurance, so this is a practical choice.

You never know what the future, or your wedding day, will bring. With event insurance, you can at least be prepared, and compensated, if things do not go your way.

Bridal Boot Camps: Kick Your Bridal Butt Into Shape

A marriage is about celebrating the love between a couple and about the commitment they are making to love, honor, and respect each other…but a wedding is about the bride.  Everyone looks eagerly down the aisle when the wedding march begins to play, and besides the cake, the gown is the most hotly anticipated component of any wedding.  Every bride wants to look her best, and this has caused an explosion of interest in bridal boot camps.  While any boot camp-style workout will help you lose weight and look great, a workout routine that is geared towards brides may give you the extra motivation you need to achieve your goals.  Here are some suggestions to get you started.

The Healthy Bride’s Bootcamp Workout DVD. This video has strong reviews and is praised for its intensity and its targeted instruction.  One bride commented that she loved it because it worked her arms, which would look great in her strapless gown.  ACSM-HFI and NSCA-CPT certified fitness instructor Christi Masi leads you through cardio, ab and pushups, weight training, and fully body stretching routines.  In addition to losing weight, you will achieve a more toned body and have plenty of energy to dance all night.

Women’s Health: The Wedding Workout. Planning on wearing a form-fitting dress?  Start here.  This video has warm-up, power cardio, upper body, lower body, abs and core, and cool-down segments that are customizable.  Mix, match, repeat: create the perfect workout for your goals.  Reviewers tend to love the bonus segments – Love Your Honeymoon, a little intro to striptease, Walk Gracefully, and Eat Smart.  Some hard-core exercise fans say this is a little easy for them, but if you are a beginning or moderate exerciser, then it will whip you right into shape for the big day.

Seven Day Boot Camp for Brides (paperback). This isn’t a workout, per se; instead it is a guide for looking – and feeling – great on your wedding day.  Stress, anxiety, and fatigue can take their toll on anyone, particularly frazzled brides who have to plan, plan, plan.  This book is full of exercise and nutrition tips, garnered from respected experts in the field.  It can also help you relax and enjoy taking care of your body and mind.

PX90. This system includes proper exercise and nutrition for a healthier, fit body.  It is built on the idea of “muscle confusion.”  That is a euphemism for “These workouts are so hard that your body will have no idea what’s coming next and you will work so hard that all you will want to do is hold yourself in a fetal position.”  That would not fit on the box, so PX90 it is.  Muscle confusion, though, is effective because it ensures that your muscles are never complacent, that they are always working, and that they get maximum benefit from each workout.

Personal trainer. Imagine having Jillian Michaels whip you into fighting shape?  You’d be proud to show off your back, arms, abs, and everything else.  You may not be able to get Jillian, but go to your local gym to sign up for a few sessions with a personal trainer.  They can help you design an exercise program that helps you reach your goals, as well as help you with proper, safe form and technique.  It can also be incredibly motivating to have a professional cheering you on.

One of the traps that brides fall into is putting off diet and exercise until it is a few weeks until the wedding.  This is where fad diets and unmanageable exercise routines come into play.  Not only do these increase anxiety, they can be unsafe and unhealthy.  Eat.  There is no point in starving yourself to fit into a wedding dress if you are not going to have the energy to enjoy the big day.

The key to both exercise and diet is to start immediately and take a “slow and steady” approach.  You cannot lose 20 pounds and be healthy in a week; your body needs time to do this.  Do not have unrealistic goals for yourself; you may not be able to lose 50 pounds in six months.  That’s fine.  Do what you can, and then get a fabulous dress that celebrates your shape.

When planning your wedding, make sure to plan time for exercise, eating right, and resting.  These are really the keys to looking your best all the time, not just on your wedding day.

Theme Weddings: Make Yours an Affair to Remember

“Traditions and expectations are loosening up, and there are so many options now.  If you want a circus wedding, you can find someone who will pull it off.”  Kristin Koch sees every type of wedding imaginable in her role as senior editor of The Knot.  From circuses to pirate ships to creepy Halloween masterpieces, more couples are opting to make their big day even more memorable.  Themes can help personalize the day – and ensure your guests never forget it.

Tara and Paul Adkins took their love of goth – and each other – to a new level.  Tara wore a red and black 18^th century-inspired dress.  Tara did give a nod to traditional bridal white; she wore contact lenses that made her eyes appear completely white.  Their venue was an old barn, which they decorated with fake tombstones, a casket, and a fog machine for effect.  When it came time to “kiss the bride,” Paul sank his teeth into Tara’s neck.  The blood capsule hidden in his mouth was an excellent touch.   Guests, and most importantly, the couple, were thrilled with the entire affair.

The idea of a theme may have been a little stuffy a few years ago, but more couples are adopting this fun approach to their weddings.  It can be all-out, like the Adkins’ wedding, or more subtle: wine lovers may have a cork and bottle décor or a wine-tasting reception.  Couples who love the ocean may incorporate a seaside look and feel.  Beach, garden, and Victorian themes are the top choices for 2012, but the point is that couples should never feel constrained.  As Ms. Koch says, “Traditions and expectations are loosening up.”  Maybe it’s time we loosened up with them!

Besides appealing to the bride and groom’s sense of fun, whimsy, or romance, theme weddings can also appeal to those who are embracing another top trend of 2011-2012: budget weddings.  When you think creatively about your theme, you can also think about ways to cut costs.  Venues do not have to be the typical country club or reception hall.  The Adkins used an abandoned barn; you might use your backyard or a cheaply-let city or town park.  Food, flowers, and decorations can be equally inexpensive.  From going potluck to DIY, you can cut costs and still produce a memorable theme wedding.

Luckily, the intrepid bride and groom have a wider variety of resources in planning their unusual nuptials.  Scour the internet for offbeat ideas, consult your own imagination.  Don’t let traditions restrict your big day.  More ministers and officiators are amenable to unusual weddings, so if at first you get a no, try, try again.

Having a Beautiful Wedding on a Budget

When Kate Middleton wed Prince William, the affair cost an astonishing $60 million. Luckily, most of us common folk can skip the $35 million in security guards. And we can probably do without the $80,000 cake, $600,000 reception, and $800,000 in flowers. Most of us spend less on our entire weddings than Pippa did on her bridesmaid’s gown. You can – and will – have a beautiful wedding on a limited budget. Here’s how:

Host two receptions. How is having two receptions less expensive than one! It is when you have a small, intimate reception for close families and friends, and then a larger, less expensive party for everyone. This second party can be given at your home, or that of a friend, and you can make your own foods or even have a potluck. Decorations are much cheaper, and you can serve fun cupcakes instead of paying for a custom wedding cake – again! At your “real” reception, you can go all out but still save because you are accommodating much fewer people.

Off the rack. Instead of a custom wedding dress, choose one off the rack and simply go to a seamstress to get it fitted. There are so many styles that are ready-to-wear that you really can find your dream dress, and it will cost you significantly less. Look online for auctions or retailers, and don’t skip the higher end thrift stores. Most wedding dresses are, after all, only worn once, and you can get a great deal!

Set on Saturday? Getting married on Friday or Sunday can drop your bill significantly. Opting for an odd day – like Thursday – can cut your venue costs by as much as half.

DIY. You can make favors (having a candy bar with small boxes, for instance, does triple duty as favors, decorations, and dessert), centerpieces, decorations, and even your bouquets and boutonnieres on your own. You can print invitations on your home computer – or even be “eco-conscious” and email them. Yes, it’s all right to do this.

Today’s brides and grooms are not bound by the same level of tradition which was prevalent even a generation ago. We have much more freedom to make our weddings creative and unique – and inexpensive. Make it your day.