Wedding and Honeymoon Guide 2004

Thinking of tying the knot in New York City? If so, you’d better budget at least $125,000 ( that’s the average New York City wedding budget). Nationwide the average cost of a wedding has topped the $50,000 mark!

The good news– that’s not the case here in Southwest Colorado. Area couples should budget at least $5000 (extremely small wedding) with the average wedding costing $15,000 and yes, we do see many weddings topping the $50,000 range although most are from out-of-town couples getting married here in Southwest Colorado.

Every wedding is different and as couples move away from the traditional wedding, we are seeing some unique wedding celebrations that truly reflect a couples’ personalities.

Location
There are fewer church weddings. Most couples opt for ceremonies with a scenic outdoor locale. At-home or backyard weddings are very popular.

Cakes
Simple and elegant cakes decorated with fresh flowers are popular. Chocolate and vanilla still reign king.

Catering
Multiple food stations are "big," with cuisine ranging from BBQ to Asian.

Music
Although the popularity of bands is on the rise, DJ’s remain the top entertainment choice.

Bridal Attire
Simple and elegant dresses that are comfortable and allow the bride to dance the night away are in.

Favors
Colorado-made favors are hot. Honey and jams from Honeyville or fabulous chocolate treats from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory are a hit.

From one end of the color spectrum to the other, daring brides are not afraid to mix it up with vivid hues from orange to purple. Roses remain popular.

Invitations
Are less traditional. Couples are creating their own unique invites using their engagement photo or hand-made invitations that set the theme of the wedding.

Photography
Classic black and white combined with lots of vivid color are being seen. Photographers are spending less time on the stuffy "formals" and more time capturing the emotions and special moments with "candids" (photojournalism).

Scrapbooks, customized albums and multiple wall frames that create a story are all popular ways to store those gorgeous wedding day photos.

Be prepared, as most of your out-of-town guests will turn your wedding day into a week long vacation!

Couples are creating web sites to help disperse information about their wedding, especially helpful to the out-of-town guests. Sites include useful information such as lodging, gift registry links, local attractions and driving directions to the ceremony and reception. For fun, couples add how they got engaged, where they are going for their honeymoon, and bios of their wedding party.

Pure Fun: Cruising, Walt Disney World
All Inclusives: Sandals, Palace Resorts, SuperClubs

Adventure Seeker: Galapagos Island, Ecuador; Machu Picchu, Peru, South African safari

(Debbie Devereaux is the publisher of the Western Colorado Wedding Guide, the ‘Who’s Who in the Wedding World,’ an annual publication/wedding planner for local brides-to-be. Devereaux also publishes a monthly E-zine and web site; www.WesternColoradoWeddingGuide.com and organizes bridal shows across the state. She can be reached at 970-884-6001 Email: debbie@westerncoloradoweddingguide.com)

Organization is everything!
Getting started - The Top 10 List

1. Envision your perfect wedding.

2. Gather information.

Pick-up a copy of the Western Colorado Wedding Guide, utilize the Internet, attend a bridal show.

3. Start a planning notebook. Keep everything wedding related (pictures, ideas, checklists, bids, contracts and anything else pertinent to your wedding ideas).

4. Put together your guest list. This will determine which venues can accommodate all your friends and family.

5. Decide on a budget. Call the parents, sit down and get a $ figure.

6. Set the date. (Give yourself at least 6-12 months!)

7. Select your wedding party.

8. Interview wedding consultants.

9. Send ‘Save the Date’ cards.

10. Shop for the dress.