Kennedy - Priceless Weddings for Under $5,000

W hen I am introduced as the author of Priceless Weddings for Under $5,000, I often get one of three responses:

Can you really have a wedding for under $5,000? or

No way! Thats not possible! or

I was at a great low-budget wedding recently, and then the individual begins to tell me all of the fabulous details of the days celebration.

Many people tell me they wish they had a copy of the book when their daughter, son, or they themselves got married. Others ask where they can buy a copy to give as a gift for a friend, a sister, a godchild, or someone else they know who is getting married soon.

However this book ended up in your hands, I hope it inspires you and your fianc as you embark upon your wedding planning journey. To date, thousands of couples have used this book. They all discovered the very thing I want to share with you: there is no need to mortgage your future for a one-day event. You can have a priceless wedding without spending a fortune!

The idea to write about priceless weddings occurred to me while I was working as a caterer and event planner. My clientele were brides and grooms who were throwing lavish weddings with hundreds of guests and costing tens of thousands of dollars. I had witnessed firsthand the stresses of the big day, the unrealistic expectations, and the inevitable letdown. I saw fights between family members, brides in tears over minor details, and how some couples were so overwhelmed that they really did not enjoy themselves. As one bride I know said, My wedding day was a blur of chaos and details. With the whole day so tightly planned out, I didnt even get a chance to say hello to some of my closest friends.

When I got engaged, I vowed that our wedding would not suffer that same fate. We set out and planned an intimate, personal ceremony and reception for a fraction of what my clients were spending. Our day of celebration, relaxation, great food, and good friends was affordable, enjoyable, and memorable. Several of our guests said that they felt they knew us better when they left our wedding than they did beforehand. That, to me, was priceless. Yet all in, it cost under $5,000.

After we got married, other engaged couples began to call and ask me for advice on how to plan a customized wedding with a shoestring budget. I soon realized that there was a need for a budget-planning guide to help couples craft their wedding their way. Priceless Weddings was written to empower you to plan and personalize your day so it reflects who you are as individuals and as a couplewithout costing a fortune. The book is full of cost-cutting ideas, suggestions on where to splurge and where to save, plus savvy strategies gleaned from years of catering, event planning, and bargain hunting.

In the following chapters, I walk you through the steps I would recommend to you if I were your very own wedding consultant. When I refer to your inner wedding planner, I am encouraging you to ask yourselves questions, fill out forms, and take the first planning steps as if I were right there next to you. I will work with you to accomplish the following:

Create a vision and a memorable event that will resonate for you and your fianc, plus all family and friends who attend.

Carve out strategies for your wedding, whether you are the do-it-yourself (DIY) type or someone who wants to have it all done for you.

Save significantlywithout it being noticeable or offensive.

Inspire you, especially by sharing scenarios and tips from recently married couples and wedding professionals.

Research and do as much as possible online, including planning, preparation, making checklists, building a wedding website, registering, picking music, and sharing photos.

Execute your ceremony and reception flawlessly.

Throughout the book I focus on special touches and meaningful personal inspirations that you can utilize to add dimension to your wedding, such as family memorabilia (your mothers wedding dress), the story of how you met (a nightclub in Boston), favorite flowers (heirloom roses), or a special venue (a local farm). I will help you build a wedding and reception around a meaningful theme, such as a specific historical period (e.g., retro vintage chic), or a philosophy, such as natural and organic.

In the process of writing Priceless Weddings, I had the opportunity to interview dozens of other couples like us, who, for whatever reason, didnt have $5,000 to spend on their nuptials, or who didnt want to spend more than $5,000. I realized that while each wedding was unique, something occurred in all of them that was missing in more elaborate weddings. I heard tales of people pitching in to help in any way they could, and how good it felt to these participants to play an active role in the union of their loved ones. The common thread I felt when brides, grooms, family, and friends described the days events was the overwhelming feelings of love, joy, and community.