A2 www.havredailynews.com Saying "I Do" without stressing about money "It's nice to have everyone that feels like family," she said. Alice Campbell Friends will transport the 300 guests to the meadow in horseHavre Daily News drawn wagons. Another friend will supply the beef and pork for Like many girls, Melanie Walker knew all along what she wanted her wedding to be like: a princess gown, abundant flowers the reception. And Melanie's mother, a florist, will do the flowers as a wedding gift. and the color pink to create simple yet romantic elegance in the While a friend got the couple a discount on party rentals, ballroom. She met her fiance while playing putt-putt golf, she introduced Melanie said that having an outdoor wedding isn't saving them much money. Things like chairs, tents, glassware and tablecloths herself "because I thought he was really tall and cute." She knew all have to be rented. after only a few months of dating that she wanted to marry Chris But some of the expenses will be for long-term home improveSkoyen. So when he said: "I love you Melanie Joy Walker. Will ments, Melanie said, including repainting trim on the outside of you marry me?" during a romantic evening to celebrate their Skoyen's home and putting in seven-month anniversary, she two new french doors where the agreed. reception will be held. "That's "I'm just really excited to something we're going to be marry him," Melanie said, addable to enjoy for a long time," ing that she can't imagine a Melanie said. better family to marry into, The two lovebirds are paying either. for the wedding themselves. So For their July wedding, far, they've stayed on budget, Melanie will still have pink, but Melanie said she's sure combined with green, as her they'll have to look at it later. wedding color, along with the Weddings in the area tend to princess dress and the flowers. run between $2,500 and $7,000, But the ballroom will, instead, said Susan Brurud, owner of be a meadow on Chris’ family Blushing Brides. Setting a budranch. Birdbaths and plenty of get and starting to plan by at roses will transform the meadleast six months before the big ow into a secret garden setting, day are important things for she said. brides to do, she said. Brides Melanie said that in her should sit down and really look home state of California, peoat what expenditures, like tuxeple try to impress others with do rentals and bridesmaids we d d i n g ex t r ava g a n c e. dresses, are going to cost, she Montanans aren't like that she said. "Then deciding what are said. She explored the option of the things that are the most having a ballroom wedding, but important to them." decided that it was too costly It might be cheaper to drive and didn't provide enough room than to fly to a stateside honeyfor all the guests on the list. moon destination, she suggest"Here we just want to have a ed. And having family help prebig party and celebrate our pare food can save money over marriage." having the reception professionInitially, Melanie thought ally catered. 150 people would be a good In general, if a bride is happy number of guests. Now, the with her dress, that's the most guest list has more than 300 important thing, she added. names on it. Look for sample sales, she said, "When it comes down to it, where dresses are in pristine we just want everyone who's condition and often as much as important to be there for us," Havre Daily News/Nikki Carlson 50 percent off. Brides should she said. tell their bridal store what their The day she becomes Mrs. Chris Skoyen and his fiance Melanie Walker get ready to slide on budget is so that consultants Chris Skoyen will be a commu- the playground equipment Feb. 11 at Pepin Park. can help find the perfect dress nity affair. while staying in the red. Here are some more money-saving tips from http://wedding. weddingchannel.com for staying on with the couple’s price range: percent of all weddings between the months of May and October. BEYOND THE BOUQUET Winter 2010 Havre Daily News/Nikki Carlson Chris Skoyen whirls his fiance Melanie Walker on the merry-goround Feb. 11 at Pepin Park. Without the competition, vendor prices are generally lower. January, February, other than near Valentine's Day, and March are the cheapest months. money on alcohol and food. at churches and synagogues can use the buildings for free. Cityowned locations, such as parks, tend to be surprisingly inexpensive. Home weddings can often be less expensive, but be aware of how much will have to be spent to rent things like tables and chairs. as expensive. ers. For example, guests won't notice the decorations on the back of their chairs as much as they will see and admire the table centerpieces. ly. If planning a summer wedding, make sure that heat-resiliant blooms are chosen. Gerber daisies, tight roses and calla lillies maintain their shape and color under strong summer rays. More tips can be found at sites like www.theknot.com and www.ourweddingday.com. DIY Wedding Ideas: The Dos and Don'ts of Do-It-Yourself Avoid a Do-It-Yourself disaster with this easy guide. Whether you want to save money or include personalized touches, do-it-yourself details can make a big impact. But some projects are tougher than others, and what you thought would be a 1-2-3 process could turn into an undertaking worthy of a worldclass planner. To avoid DIY overload, choose wisely. Here are our picks for what to take on and what to leave to the pros. 5 DIY Dos Your Makeup: If you do your own makeup, you'll be in the privacy of your home or hotel room — and you won't have to book an appointment (or worry about being on time)! Grab a few basics: foundation, powenough to accentuate your best features. Worried about looking washed out in your photos? Do a trial run and have a friend take a few pictures. Your Ceremony Decor: The ceremony lasts less than an hour, so it seems like a waste to pay big bucks for specialty arrangements, especially if the site is pretty on its own. Create hanging baskets or vases filled with locally grown flowers. Doing so is both eco-friendly and cost-efficient. Or, instead of flowers, buy candles any extras you may have to brighten your newlywed nest. Your Favors: A quick way to save money on wedding favors is to add a personal touch. Sweet treats are a safe choice. Grab a box of your favorite mix and start bakbags. For nonedibles, wrap up tree saplings or donate to charity. Be sure to give guests handwritten cards that say you've given in their name. Your Invitations, Programs and Savethe-Dates: Specialty papers, postage and card sizes can cost hundreds, and you still might not be able to find exactly what you want. Head to a local paper store for a DIY kit or choose stock paper in any color and print stylish invites right off of your computer. Avoid the mistake of getting too fancy and using oversized envelopes — they cost extra to mail. 6 DIY Don'ts Your Cake: Whether it's a missed teaspoon of sugar or a tilted tier, a wedding cake disaster is hard to fix. Yes, it would be much less expensive to buy a few boxes of cake mix and do it yourself, but the quality in the end could be lacking. Decorating and transporting a wedding cake is quite difficult and best left to someone with the knowledge of how to handle your confection without damaging it. Your Photos: Your photographs are one of the few tangible things you'll have to remember your wedding. All of your loved ones may promise to capture every moment, but what happens if they get distracted or have a camera malfunction? If it's important for you to have high-quality images and hundreds of great shots, hire a pro. You'll be glad you did when you see your picture-perfect album. Coordinating it Yourself: You've organized every minute detail so far, so why shouldn't you be in charge on the wedding day? Because you won't be able to relax. Hiring a coordinator for the day can be a lifesaver. While you're getting pampered, they'll be setting up and averting any crisis that may occur. When everything isn't going perfectly, you'll be none the wiser. Trust us —- peace of mind is worth the extra expense. Your Centerpieces: A beautiful centerpiece sets the mood of the reception. From sophisticated to fun, you can create a setup that will wow your guests -— with a florist's help, of course! Flowers can cost upward of $3,000, depending on your taste and the season. Although it's a larger part of the budget, it's worth every penny. Your wedding florist will ensure that you get exquisite displays filled with the freshest blooms. Catering: Catering a large-scale party is a huge undertaking, even for a culinary whiz. You'll be hard-pressed to get enough food together for a hundred people and keep it hot -- even if you make the best dish in town. And, once you get it made, you'll need a reliable staff to serve it. Caterers are trained to make it happen; they have the support staff to serve you and your guests in a timely manner. Your Music: It's tempting to rock out to your favorite tunes, and you might think it's be limited to the music that you love as a couple, not necessarily what everyone else will like, and you'll be stuck with the premade playlist. Music pros are trained to read the dance floor. They can speed it up or slow it down so that your guests are footloose into the wee hours. Havre Daily News/Nikki Carlson Bride-to-be Ami Verploegen and her fiance Shayne Guttery model Blushing Brides wedding attire during the Fashion Show portion of the 2010 Bridal Fair at the Holiday Village Mall Feb. 13.