Two years ago I wrote a post called Behind the Cost of Weddings which explained some of the reasons weddings are expensive and what goes into the pricing of the vendors you hire.  You can read that post here. 

A recent conversation I had with a bride brought up a common misconception in regards to hiring wedding vendors and I wanted to expand a bit on that here since it wasn't covered in that first post.  While we were discussing options for which band the couple was going to hire, the bride remarked that the price split evenly between the band members was a great salary for them to walk away with. 

Please know that the price you are paying your wedding vendors is NOT their salary.  The fee they are charging doesn't go directly into their pockets - it includes overhead (rent, utilities, business licenses, equipment, postage, etc), taxes, employee salaries and benefits as well as other costs of running a business.  So, for example, if your photographer is charging $7000 to document your wedding, that total amount is not going into their personal account.  Their full fee is not their full paycheck - not even close. 

If you're planning a wedding in Scottsdale and are still on the hunt for your dream dress, be sure to stop by Mariee Gallery at the Shops at Gainey Village this weekend, June 5th-7th for their Champagne, Cake, Tapas and Fashion sample sale.

Every gown in the shop will be on sale to make room for their new arrivals, which means that you can potentially find your dress for 40-80% off! Some of the lines Mariee carries include Romona Keveza, Nicole Miller, Adele Weschler, and Elie Saab, among others.

To reserve your appointment, contact Mariee Gallery via phone at 480.946.4343. 




Photo of bride at Mariee Gallery by Jane Zarzynski Photography.

Two exciting things happened in the wedding world this week that you should know about:


First, Once Wed relaunched their site yesterday with a new focus.  While they will still be featuring once worn wedding gowns for brides to purchase (yes, you can even list yours to sell as well if you're not into preserving it in your closet forever), founder Emily (in the photo above) has expanded the site to be a highly edited resource for brides to find the best of the best as they plan their wedding.  Bonus: Once Wed donates a portion of their proceeds to International Justice Mission, a social justice organization that is near and dear to my heart. 

Check out the newly designed site here.



Next up, Christy and the lovely ladies at Junebug Weddings have been working diligently interviewing and researching the Southern California weddings scene in order to find the best to feature as they expand their directory services.  They launched yesterday with their new directory for So Cal and you can find it here.  If you're planning on tying the knot in the Seattle or California area, be sure to check out their online directories, and be sure to check out their now-daily blog regardless of where you're getting hitched.

I've personally met the ladies behind both Once Wed and Junebug Weddings and they are some of the sweetest, most genuine people you'll meet.  I stand behind them 100% and am so excited for what they are doing. Congrats, ladies!




Photo of Emily via Once Wed, photo of Carissa of JL Designs by Jasmine Star.

One of the things I love about weddings is that they are so personal and unique and that they can truly reflect who the bride and groom are as people.  Here are five wedding dresses that may be the perfect fit for the bride who still wants style but doesn't want the traditional look:

Silver ruffled wedding dress; $1280 from Etsy seller Ouma:



Fitted ruffle dress; $260 from Etsy seller Liza Rietz:



Striped tutu wedding dress; $168 from Etsy seller Ouma:



Red wedding dress; $1125 from Etsy seller Rubypearl:



Short wedding dress; $375 from Etsy seller Sarahseven:



What's your wedding dress style? Would you ever wear a non-traditional dress?