A Lovely Deal--Wedding Site to Save You $$$

Phoro not of cake available--just to pretty up the post! Sorry! Photo from Calligraphy by Jennifer on Facebook.

What is A Lovely Deal all about? Save. Share. Plan. Connect. Wed. Their philosophy is simple: help engaged couples save money and vendors expand their business.

They know as a couple planning a wedding, the options seem endless and overwhelming (not to mention EXPENSIVE). By searching “The Deals” list, you find exciting deals offered by all types of vendors! It’s definitely worth a look to see if what they’re offering can benefit you. If you don’t see exactly what you’re looking for, create a listing on “The Wishlist” and let a vendor find you!

Vendors can often feel like a small fish in a big sea. Offering a deal of any kind to couples is a great way to explore and expand your market. There is no stipulations on what types of Deals you can offer and they don’t take a percentage of your sales.

CONTACT INFO

• Questions about the site: help@alovelydeal.com
• Advertising: advertise@alovelydeal.com
• Give us some feedback: feedback@alovelydeal.com

Wine and Your Wedding

If you have a venue that lets you bring your own wine don't forget to figure in the cost of the corkage fee.  Some venues charge as much as $10-20 dollars per bottle!  While this seems steep, don't forget to figure in the cost differential.  So if you figure the venue markup for wine, possibly as much as 60% of the cost, you can save yourself some money buying a $15 bottle of wine and paying the corkage fee.  So don't be shy about asking what their corkage fee is before making this important decision.  Also consider asking your store for a discount for buying in bulk and/or the convenience of returning any wine not opened after the wedding.  Depending on where you live you may be able to buy from an adjoining state and save by avoiding sales tax or paying a lower tax.  Don't throw away money just because you're uncomfortable asking, this could save you money you'd rather spend elsewhere!

Also for some reason most wines venues choose are domestic, and you can usually get a better buy by purchasing an imported wine of a similar quality.  Chilean Sauvignon Blanc or some nice Sicilian vintages are available for as little as $10.  Often a comparable domestic wine is going to cost you 5-10 dollars more.

Speak Up!

Over and over again I hear brides complain about the costs of their weddings. But I have no patience with brides and grooms who don't negotiate (yes ladies you can bring your groom into this). Almost anything is negotiable. The trick is to find out what your 'must haves' are, and use them as bargaining chips. If your venue is offering something you don't want, ask to substitute something of similar value. Often having your groom there allows you to play good bride/bad groom, the wedding version of good cop/bad cop. The bride can wax enthusiastic about the venue, but the groom points out the negatives. This cues the vendor into the fact that you're not going to use them if you have to pay full price for their product or venue. Also If you are a do it yourself-er and making your own centerpieces and favors, when are buying supplies in bulk from your craft store you can often manage to get a nice discount just by asking for one. Don't buy your supplies from a store that specializes in bridal accessories or craft items, they are less likely to discount. So remember, if you don't ask, you deserve to pay full price, just don't tell me about it.