Category — Contest

Ryan Ward

Is your FI becoming a…GROOMZILLA?

All is not lost.  Your wedding-obsessed guy might just win you a free honeymoon.

Check out The Great Groomzilla Search.  Just make a short video of your Groomzilla showing himself in all his wedding control-freak glory and you could win…

First Prize -A 4 Day/3 Night stay at one of 12 luxury Sandals hotels

Second Prize - $1500

Third Prize - $1000

What have you got to lose?  HURRY - Contest ends April 17, 2009.

You might find yourself wishing you had a Groomzilla.  At least he’d be involved!

How do you get your groom involved?

Well, there’s a difference between having an involved groom and a “groom on assignment.”

I run into the “groom on assignment” all the time.  He’s calls up and gives me his wedding date and wants to set an appointment.  But when I ask him even the most basic question about the day he says, “Uh, I’ll have to ask my fiancee.  She’s really in charge of the planning.”

That groom is NOT involved.  He’s an errand boy.

If you really want him involved, ask your guy which part of the wedding process he’d like to help with.  Then let him take charge of it.  Really.

The last thing you need is another thing on your list you have to “delegate” and then check up on…and nag about…to make sure it gets done.

Let your groom be in charge of it and let him run with the ball.

If you don’t quite trust your groom’s sense of style (his idea of “decorating” is popcorn balls and beer tabs on a string) let him do the legwork for you and then make the decisions together.

Do you have a bonafide Groomzilla on your hands?  Leave me a comment.

Photo by Julie Ray

There’s no question that David’s Bridal has risen to the top of the stack (or the top of the search engines, at any rate) when it comes to selling elegant wedding gowns for less.

But the gossip and rumor about DB seems to be unending.  Some brides swear to god they’ve found both great bargains and great treatment…others just swear and spread their list of complaints.

What’s the truth about David’s Bridal?

The Pros:

• You CAN find a great gowns discount.  They run frequent specials with dresses that start at only $99.  Will this fool you into thinking it’s a designer gown?  No.  Will you still look beautiful if you choose the right style?  Yes.
• One stop shopping for inexpensive wedding gowns and all the trimmings.  Check out these four wedding gowns looks including accessories from head to toe for under $800.
• When you register on the website, you get entered into a contest to win a free wedding dress in a monthly drawing.  You can opt NOT to receive any offers and promotions, but I still recommend creating a specific “wedding” email account with Gmail or Yahoo.  (Unless you want tons of spam, this is highly recommended for all your wedding related email inquiries.)
• Accessories, favors and invitations are available all in one place, many at reasonable prices.  They even have green wedding favors.

The Cons:

• Service varies from store to store.  Some get great reviews…others don’t.
• Alterations are not included in the price.  Most brides recommend hiring an independent local seamstress to minimize the stress.
• You can get lured in by the $99 dress deal…and end up spending A LOT more on various accessories and “upsells.”

The Verdict:

Like anything else, YOU have to decide what’s right for you.  If you’re dying for a couture designer wedding gown…this probably isn’t the place for you.  If you’re looking for an affordable option on a great dress…check it out.

Do your research.  Have an idea of what you like…and what you can spend…BEFORE you go to DB.  Have a definite plan of action.  Being a smart bride means being a prepared bride. I teach you exactly what to do and say to snag your dream dress for less in my eBook.

What’s your take on the debate?  Leave me a comment.

How would you like to win FREE wedding professional photography for your big day?

Enter the Bella Pictures sweepstakes to win free professional wedding photography valued at $4800 at this link.

To qualify you must enter the sweepstakes by JAN 31, 2009, your wedding must be scheduled between Feb 28, 2009 and Feb 28, 2011, and it must be held in one of the eligible states.  For the complete list of sweepstakes rules, click this link.

Bella is giving away a two photographer package with 8 hours of coverage valued at $4800.  It’s a phenomenal deal if your entry is chosen.  But you gotta be in it to win it, so enter today.

Not familiar with Bella Pictures?  Here’s the rundown…

When you book Bella Pictures, you DO NOT get to select your photographer right away.  You meet with a “photographic consultant” (in other words, a salesperson) who helps you select a package to fit your needs.  They will also give you a questionnaire with photo comparisons to determine the style of photography that fits you.  60 days before your wedding, your photographer will be assigned.  You’ll get to check out their work and accept or reject the choice.

The Pros of going with Bella:  Bella has many talented photographers and styles to choose from, so you WILL have a professional wedding photographer who delivers the photos you want.  Because Bella’s photographers freelance for them, you can often book talented photographers at a discounted price.  Bella matches you up with the style of photographer you prefer, which means you don’t have to worry about finding the right match.  I’ve worked with Bella photographers on several occasions, and each one was professional, focused and hard-working.

The Cons of going with Bella:  You don’t get to meet your photographer.  Your wedding photographer’s personality is extremely important; if you don’t like them, it WILL show in your pictures.  If you’re a bit camera shy or if developing a relationship with your photographer is important to you, Bella may or may not match you up with a good choice…and you won’t find out until the day of your wedding.

Whether you decide to go the Bella direction or not, ENTER THIS CONTEST.  It’s a tremendous value with a company who has an excellent reputation.  You’ve got nothing to lose.

I reveal more insider secrets to save on your wedding photography in my eBook.  Make sure you download my free “Bride’s Secret Weapon” special report to learn how to get discounts on ANY wedding vendor.

My Dream Wedding Story Contest is going on RIGHT NOW. And the feedback has been great!

Have you downloaded my book yet? What are you waiting for?

Are you committed to having your Dream Wedding on budget, or what?

You’ll learn how to plan your dream wedding on your budget, create a timeline wedding, and make your wedding unique.

This is your chance to not only learn how to easily save BIG on planning your wedding–the winner gets an EXTRA $1,000 for her Dream Wedding. It’s a Win-Win!

Here’s what to do:

1. Download my book and get on my mailing list at http://www.simplyyourspecialday.com/.
2. Use what you learn to rack up the savings for your Dream Wedding.
3. Post your savings story RIGHT HERE on my blog.

I’ll read through all the stories and pick the winner on December 15th.

It’s easy, but you’ve got to get in action NOW. You’ve got less than 2 months to save as much as you can.

GUIDELINES TO KEEP IN MIND FOR YOUR SAVINGS STORY

• You must be a bride or groom planning your own actual wedding.
• Your Dream Wedding savings must happen between SEPTEMBER 17th and DECEMBER 15th as a result of the techniques you’ve learned from my book and newsletter. (It isn’t fair to everyone if we count savings before the contest began.)
• Your story should be personal, engaging and well-told. It should demonstrate the specific challenges you faced, what you learned, how you implemented what you learned, and how much money you saved. A true, relatable story and demonstrating that you really learned something are MUCH more important the the $ amount of your savings.
• You don’t have to buy my eBook to enter. (But it will give you a big advantage if you do!) You can also sign up for my email newsletter and use the tips and ideas you learn to save.
• The winner agrees to a telephone interview with me to discuss your savings story.

That’s it! Let the fun begin…

Stephanie

P.S. If you have questions about the contest or have trouble getting your copy of the book, please email me at Stephanie@SimplyYourSpecialDay.com.

P.P.S.  I must receive at least 10 contest entries…or I won’t give away the prize.  So hurry!

Photo by bhollar

In my search for wedding bargains, deals and freebies I came across this fantastic opportunity.

You can get a FREE wedding dress for your wedding!

Dianne Hutton, owner of One Enchanted Evening specializing in women’s formal attire and bridal gowns, is giving away a wedding dress FREE once a month to brides planning a wedding while their fiance is deployed in the military.

She knows how tough it can be to afford the wedding dress of your dreams…especially when you’re planning without your other half.

To qualify for a free wedding dress visit the Free Wedding Dress Giveaway page at OneEnchantedEvening.com.  You must:

• Show proof of your fiance’s active service.
• Purchase your veil, tiara and shoes from One Enchanted Evening.
• Send Dianne Hutton a letter describing why you deserve a free wedding dress.

So if you’re engaged to a serviceman, enter this contest NOW.  You can read the newspaper article interviewing the owner at RNews.com.

On that note, you can often get “military” discounts from ALL your wedding vendors.  It never hurts to ask…

I’m celebrating the completion of How To Plan Your Dream Wedding–On YOUR Budget–In Only 10 Days with a Dream Wedding Story Contest.

The winner gets $1,000 toward her Dream Wedding!

Here’s how to enter:

1. Download my eBook.
2. Use the tricks and techniques you learn to rack up the savings on your wedding.
3. Post your savings story right here on my blog.

I’ll read your story and the bride with the best savings story wins $1,000.

It’s that simple!

You’ve got nothing to lose…and nothing but a Dream Wedding and $1,000 to gain…

Go to SimplyYourSpecialDay and download your copy today. And let the savings begin!

Stephanie

P.S. You don’t have to buy my book to enter the contest. (But it gives you a big advantage if you do!) Just sign up for my email newsletter and use what you learn to save, then tell me your story.

P.P.S. The winner will be chosen on December 15, 2008. That gives you almost 2 MONTHS to save as much as possible on your Dream Wedding. So get cracking!