People spend how much on their weddings?

by Megan Neil
SMH,September 27, 2011

 AUSTRALIAN couples don’t hold back when it comes to their big day, forking out an average of more than $36,000.

Many retailers may be finding it tough going, but for weddings it’s apparently a case of ”sensible splurging”.

Couples are spending an average of $36,200 on their dream weddings, a 6.5 per cent increase on 2010/11, business information analyst IBISWorld said.

Weddings are still viewed as a high-priority expense that couples save for over a period of time despite gloomy consumer spending reports, IBISWorld general manager Karen Dobie said.

”So while couples may tighten their budgets in order to save, sensible splurging seems to be the theme for the big day,” Ms Dobie said.

IBISWorld senior analyst Craig Shulman said the trend over the past few years, after the global financial crisis, was for people to be more value-conscious.

”Weddings are obviously a high-priority purchase,” Mr Shulman said.

Ms Dobie said couples are often in a stronger financial position when they get married than their predecessors, given an increase in disposable incomes, financial help from both sets of parents and a higher average age when they walk down the aisle.

Australia’s wedding industry is worth $4.3 billion and IBISWorld expects revenue to reach $4.7 billion over the next five years.

Venue hire is the highest cost, followed by wedding dresses, clothing and accessories, and then catering. IBISWorld expects the $942 million spent on wedding dresses and clothing to increase by almost 7 per cent over the next five years.

People are spending less on photography, taking advantage of cheaper, digital technologies, but what they save there is simply shifted into other parts of the wedding budget.

”You find around 60 per cent of people actually go over budget with their weddings,” Mr Shulman said.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/weddings/people-spend-how-much-on-their-weddings-20110926-1ktnj.html

Once again ….How fortunate we are here on the Northern Beaches to have so many magnificent and varied venues to choose from.

Last Tuesday evening I had a rehearsal on site for the wedding of Jess and Wade at “Lauriston House”, Marsden Rd, Dundas Valley, and how impressive was not only the venue but their own on-site “MC” …PAUL.

As a romantic, a perfectionist and a Marriage Celebrant, I want everything just perfect for one of the most “Special Days” in the lives of my couples, and was pleasantly surprised to find that Paul, “Lauriston House’s” professional MC, held the same values as myself for his couples.

Paul took Jess and Wade, plus their parents and bridal party through what would happen at the reception  just as carefully as I took Jess and Wade and bridal party through their Marriage Ceremony Rehearsal, and with the added attention to detail  both of us were willing to put in,  it is going to be a magical event with Jess and Wade in the hands of two caring professionals like Paul and myself ..It is a venue to dream about, a little further away than you first thought about perhaps ….but definitely a Venue to think about and check out as my GPS got me home in 30mins! !!!

http://www.lauristonhouse.com.au

Dianne

From getting everyone to the church on time to making sure the centerpieces look stunning, planning the details of your wedding day can be stressful. Use these tips for a worry-free wedding day.

Details, details, details! From the perfect menu to the beautiful centerpieces, there are so many details to take care of when planning your dream wedding. But what happens when your perfect wedding is not so perfect? Let’s face it. There are plenty of opportunities for things to go awry. Even with the best-laid plans, things are bound to happen. But don’t worry. Here are some tips to help you panic-proof your wedding.

1. Don’t make any verbal agreements. Have everything in writing. Be specific about the items you want AND the things you don’t want. For example, if you don’t want to see a lot of posed pictures in your wedding photo album, it’s best to be specific about that and request more candid photos.

2. On the day of the wedding, bring along a survival kit for those little emergencies. Include a needle and thread, aspirin, safety pins, nail polish, hairpins, extra pantyhose and some hard candy or breath mints.

3. Do a test run. Practice driving the route to the ceremony at the time of day and day of week of your wedding. Check out traffic patterns, construction delays, etc. That way you’ll minimize surprises and will know how much time you’ll need to get to there.

4. Call all your wedding vendors and verify your bookings two or three days before the wedding. Confirm the time, date, location of the wedding and reception, directions to the sites and the services or items they’ll be providing. A good way to know you are both on the same page is to have them read back the instructions from their notes.

5. Assign someone to take care of the last minute details, such as helping the bridal party get dressed, running errands to the store, etc. Provide her with the contact numbers for all of the vendors, just in case someone is running late.

6. Don’t wait until the last minute for anything. If possible, take care of as many details well in advance of the wedding. The night before the wedding is not the time to put together 200 wedding favors. Limit yourself to just a few small tasks and leave the rest of the day to relax.

What’s the best wedding day stress reliever? Realizing that, while you will have a wonderful day, a beautiful day or even a memorable day, it will most likely not be a perfect day. Try not to make a big deal about things and take it all in stride. Sometimes, it’s the quirky things that go wrong that help make your day memorable. Stressing over every detail can take the joy out of the wedding and the planning process. The most important thing to remember is that you are marrying the man of your dreams, and at the end of the day, that’s all that really matters.

Wow, what great weather we had today in Sydney – just perfect for weddings!

When we have spring weather this great, Sydney’s Northern Beaches are just perfect for weddings or even Renewal of Marriage Vow ceremonies.

Have you ever considered renewing your Marriage vows? I found this article on tips for renewing your vows that is worth checking out:

http://marriage.about.com/od/vows/a/renewalvows.htm

Many couples want to celebrate and reaffirm their love and commitment for one another by renewing their marriage vows, either privately or publicly, and by saying “I do” again. This article, by Sheri & Bob Stritof discusses ways that a renewal of your vows can be both fun and meaningful.

What fantastic venues we have here on the Northern Beaches for that most special of days …your wedding day.

Over the last two weeks I have visited and spoken to wedding co-ordinators of some exciting new venues, as well as some old favourites.

The Mosman Skiff Club at The Spit, is an amazing new venue with a back drop of  Middle Harbour to die for. It also has so many plan B alternatives if the weather fails you with walls and glass windows and doors  that  simply slide away making all sorts of wonderful areas possible for both small and large weddings.

An old favourite has to be The Bathers Pavilion at Balmoral, with the Island and The Rotunda as a possibility for the ceremony, as well as the amazing Terrace at the Pavilion itself, boasting a panorama that is simply breathtaking.

A new discovery for me was Mosman Art Gallery, which houses what used to be an Anglican church and has the most beautiful stain glass windows you could ever hope to see… it truly is a gem and for those of you wanting a church wedding without it being a church wedding this is an answer.

Then the exciting news that I discovered, was that St. Patrick’s Cathedral, which is now managed by ICMS, is now finally able to hold non-religious weddings in the grounds……..can you imagine being married where Nicole Kidman tied the knot!!! Nina the wedding co-ordinator at ICMS is as excited about the change of policy as I am and has already started taking bookings. This certainly is going to be a venue very much in demand.

Another fantastic venue that is hoping to open in late January is the Manly Pavilion. Again right on the harbour front at Manly and a very short walk for your guests, from Federation Point and Dalwood Beach, both of which are very popular spots for weddings. The Manly Pavilion  once again offers you, should you need it a fantastic plan B if the weather fails you.

Hope you enjoy checking them out.   

Dianne

Do you have a smartphone?

Read this blog entry from the wedding network on great apps to use ♥

http://blog.theweddingnetwork.com.au/2011/10/wedding-apps/

Should You Change Your Name After Getting Married?

By Sheri & Bob Stritof, About.com Guides

Did you see the movie The Wedding Singer? There is one scene where the character Julia is saying her soon to be, new last name, Julia Gulia, and she breaks down in tears. Can you blame her?

The decision to Change or Not Change Your Name After Marriage is a Major Decision

Because names are very much a part of your identity and heritage, the decision to retain your birth name (maiden name) or not after getting married is a major one.

It is not unusual today for a woman to keep her maiden name professionally, and to use her married name socially. Whether or not to change names is one of the first decisions a married couple needs to make.

Name Change Options
-There are many name change options available to married couples today. We’re using the names Mary Jones and Pete Smith as examples.

Both Use Your Husband’s Family Name:
-This is the most widely used name change option in the U.S. (Pete and Mary Smith)

Both Retain Your Birth Names
-This name change option is a popular choice when you both have established professional identities. Some women who choose this option use their husband’s last name for social purposes. (Pete Smith and Mary Jones)

Both of You Use Wife’s Family Name
-This name change option is not widely used as some couples have strong feelings about using the wife’s last name. (Pete and Mary Jones)

Wife Uses Maiden Name as Middle Name Along With Husband’s Family Name
-This name change option is growing in popularity. (Mary Jones Smith and Pete Smith)

Hyphenate Your Two Names
– This is another name change option that is growing in popularity, but there is concern that it could create confusion for some people and computers. (Mary Jones-Smith and Pete Jones-Smith)

Both Use Each Other’s Names as Middle Names
-Since you are both keeping your own last name, this is more of a symbolic gesture than a practical one. (Pete Jones Smith and Mary Smith Jones)

Pick a New Name
-Some couples use their last names to create a new name (Smiones) or they pick an entirely different name. (Pete and Mary Carter)

Latin American/Spanish Name Tradition
– Couples in many Spanish speaking countries give their children both their father’s last name and their mother’s maiden name to preserve the heritage of both families. When marrying, a woman has the option of keeping all her names and adding her husband’s last name or dropping her mother’s maiden name.

It is amazing how many of my couples, when I ask them what they love about each other, reply that it is the fact that they are each other’s Best Friend. Here is a reading which explains that friendship and how only by taking it to the next level…that of Marriage ….can they be content in their friendship and the deep love they share…..ENJOY!!!!”

READING   BY:   Laura Hendricks