Print This Article

~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~

  T H E   C O S T   E F F E C T I V E   B R I D E

  Vol 2, No. 3                    May 25, 2001

~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~

Kelly Kons, Editor, kelly@bwedd.com

This newsletter is distributed by subscription only.
If you wish to unsubscribe, you can find instructions
at the end of this E-mail newsletter.

~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~

       CREATE YOUR PERSONAL WEDDING WEB SITE
            AT BRILLIANT WEDDING PAGES
       http://www.bwedd.com/default.asp?p=ceb9f
         ** Whatever Your Heart Designs **

* Choose from Multiple High-Quality Designs
* Share Your Stories and Photos with Your Guests
* Unique URL of your choice
   i.e.
   http://www.bwedd.com/lorianddave/default.asp?p=ceb9a
* Enhanced Features,
  including a Personalized Wedding Quiz
* Now 1-WEEK FREE trial

~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~

The Cost-Effective Bride \ Kós-te-'fek-tiv Brid \  n.
(2001):  The about-to-be-married woman that desires the
tangible, emotional, and memorable benefits of her
wedding to outweigh the money and time spent on
producing those benefits.  She is both elegant and fun,
emotional and sensible.  She understands that more
expensive does not necessarily equal better.  She is
you.

~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~


              FEATURED ARTICLE

	  	        DISCIPLINE

< WEDDING BUDGETS - PART 3 >

If you are wondering why the title of this article is
discipline, you are probably not alone.  You may be
wondering, "What does discipline have to do with being
a cost-effective bride?"  My answer?  Everything.

Discipline has everything to do with being a cost-
effective bride.  You cannot be one without it.
Without discipline, you will lack the strength to say,
"no."  Without discipline, you cannot draw the line.
Without discipline it is easy to forget your
intentions.  Without discipline, you may end up paying
for your wedding with a credit card - and that......is
not a good idea.

Without going deeply into why that is not a good idea,
just let me say that a large percentage of divorces are
attributed to financial difficulties.  You do not want
to begin your commitment in debt, nor do you want to be
able attribute your debt to your beginning.   So let's
start out on the right foot, with discipline.

Pull out that budget that you have written down or
typed up, and take a good look at it.  I truly hope
that you and your fiancé have agreed completely on
everything on your budget, as well as both sets of your
parents.  Financial communication is also going to be a
key to your marriage and this is great practice!  If
you haven't shared your budget with your fiancé, now is
the time to do so.

~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~
Would you do me a favor?  I need to know what you think
of our wedding websites.  Would you please sign up for
a free trial site, enter your stories, take a look at
your site, and tell me what you think?  Sign up at:
http://www.bwedd.com/couples/default.asp?p=ceb9c
and then write to me at: kelly@bwedd.com  Thank You!
~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~

Once you have agreed on your budget, you both need to
take a long, hard look at it.  Almost to the point of
memorizing it.  Before you can hit the stores or make
further decisions, you need to get to know your budget.
Become good friends with it, because it is going to be
with you through the coming months.

Now that you have a good idea of what your budget is
and what it is all about, you can begin making some big
decisions.  Are you going to have a formal wedding, an
informal wedding, a blend, a Friday wedding, Saturday
wedding, etc.?   No matter what, when making these
decisions - stick to the budget.

Here is the discipline part: So...you are at Le Bridal
Gown Shoppe, you have set a budget of $500 for your
wedding gown, do you? -
a) Immediately ask to try on the gown in the window
b) Head to the clearance rack
c) Tell the store attendant that you are looking to
spend between $200-400 on your gown

Which is the correct answer?  Well, if you were to ask
me, I would say "c" - the gown in the window, while
beautiful, is probably the most expensive gown in the
store, and the clearance rack, though inexpensive, may
have problems with some of the gowns.  No matter what,
the worst thing you can do is try on 10 dresses without
looking at the prices and then having your whole bridal
entourage cry when they see you in that "perfect gown",
only to find out that the "perfect gown" costs $3000!
Your heart will be broken, and we don't want broken
hearts.  So, spare yourself the anxiety, and only try
on dresses that are in your price range.

The same goes for everything else.  Don't even look at
something unless it is in your price range!
Discipline.  You can do it!  Of course, there are
exceptions to every rule, and I will make some for this
one.  For example, you have given yourself a budget of
$30 for shoes for your wedding day.  You go to four
stores and find that the only pair of shoes that will
look okay with your dress are $35 and very
uncomfortable.  On the other hand, you did find a pair
of beautiful shoes, perfect for your dress, and very
comfortable for $75.  Is it worth it to go $45 over
your budget (remember, that's twice what you budgeted!)
for the beauty and comfort?  Talk to the key money
players for your wedding and see what they have to say.
My guess is that all will agree - it's worth it!  You
don't want blisters on your wedding day - there are
cases where sensibility is more important than money.
Use your common sense, and talk it over with your
fiancé and parents when these situations arise.

~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~
Now you can get your wedding website's "Welcome
Message" for FREE (when you sign up for a limited
time).  As well as a FREE subscription for a YEAR!
That's a value of $88.89!  Sign up now!
http://www.bwedd.com/PageBuilder/SignUp.asp?p=ceb9c
~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~

BUT, here is another key to these situations.  You are
inevitably going to be put into pressure situations
when you have to make an instant decision on whether or
not to do something.  Whatever the situation, you are
not going to have a chance to talk it over with your
fiancé.  In cases like this, if it is only a few
dollars and it brings a ton of happiness, then it is
probably okay.  However, if we are talking $50 or more
(maybe even less!) then no matter what the situation,
you need to wait!  Do not make a hasty decision - you
will regret it.

And always remember - if something sounds too good to
be true, it probably is.  Don't fall into this trap.
There are a lot of great people out there who want to
help you out and see you have the best, but there are
also those who know what a state of ecstasy and
obliviousness you are in and will try to take advantage
of that.  Wedding retailers have been known for the
scams that they pull.  So, be careful.

Finally, here is the last trap that I want to warn you
not to fall into - I call it the "Out the Window" trap.
This is what happens when you write that check for
$3000 for the reception hall and then are at the dress
store and see a gown for $1000 - you think that is
cheap compared to the check you just wrote!  And you
begin to throw your money out the window.  It is so
easy to spend money once you are in the habit of it.
Watch out, don't make it a habit.  Think it through and
stick to the budget!

Good luck to you!  Have fun planning and remember -
stick to the budget!  Till next time...

Sincerely,
Kelly Kons, Editor
http://www.bwedd.com/truecompanions/default.asp?p=ceb9d

~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~

** Do you have questions about this or past articles?
Please drop me a line.  I would love to hear from you
and help you out in any way I can! **

- Kelly Kons, Editor
kelly@bwedd.com

~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~

Copyright © 2001 Brilliance Web Design, Inc.

If you enjoy this newsletter, we would be honored to
have you forward it to your friends, however, we ask
that you only reproduce it in its entirety.

Subscriptions to this newsletter are free.  The Cost
Effective Bride is published bi-weekly.

TO UNSUBSCRIBE:
Visit http://www.bwedd.com/couples/cebnewsletter.asp,
enter your e-mail address and press "Remove Me"

To subscribe:
Visit http://www.bwedd.com/couples/cebnewsletter.asp,
enter your e-mail address and press "Add Me"

§:~~:§:~~:§:~THE COST EFFECTIVE BRIDE~:§:~~:§:~~~:§
http://www.bwedd.com/        Brilliant Wedding Pages
Kelly Kons, Editor                   kelly@bwedd.com
P.O. Box 667                 Hales Corners, WI 53130
~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~:§:~~

Print This Article