A DREAM WEDDING WITHOUT THE NIGHTMARISH COSTS

Sure..the groom wants a glitch free wedding day. But ask any bride-to-be and she will tell you the pressure is on them to pull it off. The amount of details to be taken care of can be dizzying...and expensive. The perfect night..weather..location. Impeccable flowers and reliable photographers are essential. The tab can be downright depressing. But dig around and you will find that you dont have to sacrifice beauty to meet your budget. It all starts with getting priorities in line with expectations.

GET ADVICE FROM WEDDING PROFESSIONALS

Candace Dowling is a wedding planner whose sole mission to make dreams come true for the bride-to-be. She runs a company called "Jubilee Events" and says brides on a budget can still pull off that perfect day. One way to save money is to shift from a traditional Saturday Spring wedding to another season or day. Shifting your wedding night to a Thursday or Friday can mean having to pay less for a reception hall and various other related services. She says limiting the open bar to beer and wine can help contain costs as well.

For flowers...I spoke with Elisabeth Zemetis. She runs a floral design company called "Blush" in Madison. Her advice? Choose seasonal flowers and get creative. She displayed an amazing floral piece brightened up with fresh limes that oozed class and simple elegance. Zemetis says dont be shy about asking for roses..they are often more affordable than other cuts and come in nearly every color in the rainbow.

Wedding photographer Eric Langlois produced album after album of stunning still photos. His company, Raw Photo Design, specializes in capturing the essence of each moment. His pictures are jaw dropping and he even has an online registry so that wedding guests can purchase gift cards that can be applied to the cost of the wedding photography..a great option that can be one less thing a couple has to worry about. Guests log on and in quick fashion..the bride and groom can have a pre-paid wedding day shoot.

For top shelf, professionally shot and edited videos..Tom Morlock is a great choice. He can provide a two camera shoot and his editing really makes the final product sing. He uses high quality high definition cameras and can upload wedding highlights to web sites for those who may choose to scale back on full DVD service.

RESOURCES

Jubilee Events
www.eventjubilee.com
203-632-5654

Blush Floral Design
www.studioblush.com
33 Wall Street
Madison,CT 06443
203-915-9102

Raw Photo Design
www.rawphotodesign.com
203-494-2775

Paradigm Digital Video
www.paradigmdv.com
828 Federal Road Suite 2A
Brookfield,CT 06804
203-740-8877

THE BIG NIGHT..BIG DOLLARS...

It's that time of year again for students looking for that one final high school memory. Prom time. Preparing for the big night can be a major underatking and a major expense. It's not uncommon for a prom-goer to shell out hundreds of dollars to make sure they look their best and have every detail taken care of in style. Between the dress and tux, the ticket and the ride..it adds up. But with the economy forcing nearly everyone to cut corners..even Prom night has come under the budget microscope.

FRUGALLY FASHIONABLE

At Connard High School in West Hartford a plan has been in place for quite awhile. How to pull off the perfect prom night without breaking the bank. Originally,ticket prices were set at 80 dollars. But with fundraisers..that price was chopped nearly in half. One of the ways they raised money to offset the ticket price was having a "Mr. Connard" contest..basically a male beauty pageant for the senior class. Other revenues came from food and candy sales at school events. Some of the girls were also involved in Prom dress drives..to collect and distribute previously worn gowns..thus saving a huge chunk of money.

ONLINE PROM PRICE BUSTERS

There are a slew of helpful prom planning sites. They offer up practical tips for staying on budget and staying in style. Here are a few good sites:

www.prettyforprom.com

www.promdress.net

www.promspot.com

WENDY THE WINNER...

Wendy Limauge began entering sweepstakes over 15 years ago. Initially she did it for kicks and maybe to win a few small prizes. Times have changed. Wendy is rapidly racking up some serious sweepstakes wins and has become so proficient that she now teaches others how to cash in. Wendy says every room of her Ledyard house is filled with items she has won by entering sweepstakes. From the flat screen TV in her living room to her computer monitor in her office. Parked in her driveway..a Dodge truck that didnt cost her a dime...she won that in an IGA contest a few years back. And her bank account has been fattened up by her sweepstakes infatuation...she recently won 5 thousand dollars in an online contest sponsored by Burger King.

WHAT IS HER SWEEPSTAKES SECRET?

Wendy says there are several simple keys to winning sweepstakes. First..set up a dedicated email account for all sweepstakes entries. This will keep you organized and help you quickly find any notifications about the sweepstakes status. After all, no one wants to avoid missing that all important email saying...your a winner! Second, Limauge say's to pay attention to the odds of winning...contests will usually disclaim what the chances of winning a prize are. Focus your efforts on sweepstakes that have a higher probability of paying off. And third..stay local. By checking local stores, TV stations and radio stations..the number of people entering will be limited..thus increasing your chance of winning.

WENDY'S MISSION

Wendy is now passing along all her secrets to winning big by playing free sweepstakes. She has an invaluable resource in the form of the web sites..all designed to help others cash in. Check them out:

www.sweetiesswag.com

www.sweetiessweeps.com

www.lifeinthefreeworld.com

Wendy Limauge will also be speaking on July 14th at 6:30pm at the Groton Library.