Surprise Party for Lou! March 21, 2015
But first.. let me take a selfie
Group photo!
Hope he made a good wish!
Numbers game was a HUGE success - everyone loved it (:
Lou and his brother
YUM
Happy 50th Birthday Lou 🙂
Games were such a hit at Lou's party!
Expenses: Couples spent an average of $31,213 on their wedding day.
According to an article in CNN Money The walk down the aisle continues to get more expensive. Expenses: Couples spent an average of $31,213 on their big day last year, according to latest study from The Knot, up more than 4% from $29,858 in 2013. The venue eats up the biggest portion of the budget with an average of $14,006, followed by the engagement ring at $5,855 and the band at $3,587. The average catering price per guest rang up at $68 in 2014.
See average wedding costs in your area
Couples may be spending more on their weddings, but guests have reduced their gift spending recently.
This year, an attendee will spend an average of $106 on a gift, according to research from American Express Spending & Saving Tracker. That’s less than 2014 average of $109.
Gifts also depend on the guest’s relationship to the couple. Invitees will spend an average of $142 on family, and $90 for friends and colleagues, according to American Express.
One third of guests plan to gift cash to the newlyweds while 32% will pick something off the registry. Gift cards, non-registry gifts, money for the honeymoom or a donation also made the gift-giving list.
Related: Creative (and painless) ways I cut my wedding costs
Guests can expect more personalized ceremonies and receptions.
“[Couples] are looking for ways large and small to make their wedding their own,” said Lauren Iannotti, executive editor at Brides magazine. “Oftentimes, that means re-inventing things.”
She said some couples are hiring artists to paint a custom backdrop for the ceremony or reception or a local artist to “live paint” the party. And there’s a new metal infiltrating the wedding scene. “Wedding markets are often affected by the home market, and the copper craze in homes, we are now seeing in weddings.”
Wedding cakes are also getting upgraded. It’s not enough for the outside to look good. “Creative cake interiors are something we are seeing,” said Iannotti. “Ombre insides or something artful underneath the frosting.”
But as couples strive to create a bespoke wedding day, that doesn’t mean they don’t want to share the special moments with the world. According to Kim Forrest, editor at WeddingWire, couples are hiring social media consultants to make sure photos are getting up and tagged properly.
At CKE we post your photos and handle that aspect of your social media. Just say the word.
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