For many people, January kicks off a brand new year. For brides and grooms, it's not only important to come up with a New Year's Resolution. It's also the beginning of "Wedding Season" - a time when happy, but sometimes anxious couples start preparing for the ceremony and celebration of matrimony.
According to a number of wedding professionals, 2010 is expected to bring a resurgence of brides and grooms who will start planning for the weddings they postponed during 2009 because of an ailing economy.
Wedding planners, photographers, videographers, caterers, hotels, officiants, travel agencies and musicians are eagerly promoting their products and services for the expected flock of newlyweds ready to launch themselves into marital orbit.
Thousands of web sites have sprung up during the last decade, with more coming every day, to help these couples prepare for their journey together. The sites offer helpful suggestions and resources for couples who don't know where to begin, or who need help with writing their wedding vows, or who are looking for information about marriage licenses.
"For the most part, brides and grooms first tackle the challenge of developing a budget for their event," explained Karen Oliver of TheNookandCranny.com. "After the initial shock of how much it will all cost, the next focus is on logistics -- where to hold the wedding and reception, getting the caterer lined up, creating the guest list, and printing invitations."
Oliver said couples then start searching for photographers and videographers to record the special day. "Everything runs smoothly for a few months until someone reminds them about getting music for the wedding and reception," she added.
According to Oliver, the search for music starts with deciding what kind of music couples want to hear at their wedding and reception. Next, the two eager people agree on whether the music should be provided by an orchestra, live band, DJ, or a "one-man band."
"Once all these decisions have been made," Oliver continued, "the search is on for a musician to provide music for one of the most important days of the couple's lives." However, there is some concern about cost, according to Oliver.
"I don't think most couples realize the broad range of rates for a variety of musicians," Oliver said. "The cost can be from a few hundred dollars to more than $10,000."
The amount of money couples are willing to spend on all aspects of their wedding are not declining despite the economic downturn, according to Oliver and a number of other local wedding planners in the Washington, DC area. Instead, today's average cost for a traditional wedding with 200 guests is approximately $25,000. And that doesn't include costs associated with the honeymoon which averages $3,500 for one week.
So what's the New Year's Resolution for all of those couples who became engaged during December? Oliver believes it's "Let's get this party started!"
Author Resource:
One web site has a number of resources to help couples make the right decisions regarding their wedding: http://www.TheMUSICofLOVE.com . One of the latest resources is a 48-page downloadable booklet, "The Practical Guide to Wedding Music." The guide includes descriptions of types of musicians, helpful techniques for finding them, and negotiating costs.
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