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The Desktop Wedding
By Elif
Armbruster • Bankrate.com
Here's the scenario: You've just gotten engaged --
congrats! -- but between bouts of ecstatic joy and phone calls to
friends and long-lost relatives, you realize you are so filled with
anxiety about planning the big event that you can barely sleep.
Who said the engagement was going to be this grueling? Well, it
can be, and the average bride-to-be just can't swing a six-month
hiatus from work to plan the perfect wedding.
One solution is at your fingertips -- the Web. Online
you can find everything from free therapy and advice on calming
pre-wedding nerves to applause-winning toasts and perfect bridesmaids
gifts.
Get started by posting your matrimonial questions
on iVillage.com.
Wedding experts Eileen Livers and Monica Bernstein give free advice
to jittery brides to be. Or, log on to Cyberpsych.com
where, for $40 a question, licensed psychologist Rob Sarmiento will
counsel you on anything from sleeplessness to emotional outbursts.
With the help of this site, "You'll still fit into your wedding
dress by the time the big day rolls around," says Becky Cross, a
26-year-old from San Francisco.
The Big Event
Unless you're a professional event planner, juggling
the details of planning your nuptials can be overwhelming, if not
downright annoying. Luckily, software designed to reduce your stress
is available for download on the Web. Wedserv
is free, while My
Wedding Organizer and My
Wedding Companion can both be downloaded for free trial periods.
The Invitations
Want something more original -- or speedier -- than
the usual cream-colored invites with calligraphic black lettering?
Evite.com
allows you to e-mail your invitations for free -- an appealing idea
if you are broke, cheap, or getting married in two weeks. Simply
fill in the information you want announced and choose from 13 designs.
If Mom insists on printed invitations and you don't want to pay
more for them than you pay for rent, impress her with samples from
mail-order companies. You can sign up online for free catalogs at
Weddingorders.com.
If you are one of the fortunate few without budget constraints,
visit Dellaweddings.com
for out of sight wedding, shower or engagement invitations that
run the gamut from elegant and clean, to funky art nouveau styles.
Most choices run $10 to $15 per box of 10 to 12.
The Dresses
If you don't have time to make the rounds looking
for the perfect wedding gown, log on to WeddingChannel.com,
and customize your dress search by color, style, price and fabric.
You can even get the designer's address, Web site and phone number,
plus a list of regional stores where you can pick up the garment.
Before you buy, protect your checkbook by cruising through Bridalgown.com.
If the site's Bridal Quote service lives up to its motto, you'll
find "The dress of your dreams at a price you can afford." If you
are having trouble finding a dress that compliments each of your
bridesmaids, check out Threaddesign.com.
The site offers 25 styles, each of which cost no more than $250
-- perfect for those who don't want to shell out lots of dough for
a gown they may never wear again.
The Bridesmaid Gifts
There is no better site than theKnot.com
for finding thoughtful, creative gift ideas that won't bust your
bank account. One example: the heart-shaped key chains that Jennifer
Thompson, a 28-yeard-old from Portland, Maine, picked up for $6.95
each. "I expected to spend much more on each of my six bridesmaids,
but when I saw these I couldn't resist. You'd never know they were
so inexpensive!" You can also mix your own CDs on CDNOW.com
for about $20 each.
The Speech
If you are like me, making an impromptu speech in
front of 100 or more guests is about as appetizing a notion as sour
milk in your coffee. Don't fret; Speeches.com
will take what you provide (funny anecdotes, family history) and
whip it into a rocking toast for you. The price depends on length.
Alternatively, you can fill out a form of multiple choice questions
and get a somewhat generic but perfectly passable speech in less
than a minute for $10. Can't beat that if you are under the gun
and fighting sweaty palms.
The Honeymoon
Once the big day -- and all its heady moments and
momentary headaches -- has come and gone, you will no doubt want
to settle down in paradise for a week or two. These three sites
should help you and yours plan an unforgettable honeymoon: HamiltonFitzJames.com
offers fabulous choices for those who want great food and exercise.
For example, a stay at an Italian villa with a week of cycling through
Tuscany goes for $5,000 a person. At Artis-tours.org
you can plan a trip to Bali and other exotic destinations, places
which cost a lot to get to ($1,000-$1,500) but much less once there.
Be sure to revisit Weddingchannel.com before you go for articles
on packing efficiently and exchanging money to surviving a 12-hour
flight. Other couples' past stories will serve you and your groom
well for taking off without a hitch. Bon voyage!
Other useful sites
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TopWeddingsites.com
has links to 100 wedding sites.
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For Bridal Bargains, check out BridalBargainsBook.com.
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Your groom-to-be can get all kinds of info,
too. The skinny on rings, honeymoons, tuxes, and bachelor parties
is available at marryingman.com, groomsonline.com,
and nearlywed.com.
-- Posted: June 20, 2000
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