When planning your wedding, there’s much to be said for asking for help! There are lots of things I’m good at doing - for instance, I knew that I could sew my own dress, but there’s no way I could crochet a shawl for myself… But my mom is a talented fiber artist and so she created an amazing silk shawl for me.

Image: sxc.hu

I did trades or just simply asked friends and family for their help with quite a few things.

• My brother & his friend are both professional audio technicians, and together with my iPod, they replaced a DJ.
• My Dad is a jazz musician, and he played during cocktails at the reception.
• My MIL-to-be wanted to help, and so she folded hundreds of origami butterflies to decorate the ceremony location.
• Several of my girlfriends helped me put together wedding favors. I made some munchies and we spent the evening hanging out together.
• The girlfriend of one of my Dad’s musicians is a talented photographer - so we bartered for wedding photographs.
• One of my closest friends is a videographer, so as part of her present to us, she filmed the ceremony.

You don’t want to burn your friends or family out with requests for help - but you’d be surprised by what happens when you ask!

Photo: juliaf

Flowerbud to the Rescue!

If you have the time, inclination (some might call it insanity), or creativity to do your own wedding flowers, there are a lot of online flower vendors that can help you get the materials you need. For my wedding, which is relatively small in scale and simple in decor, I am using tulips in mason jars as centerpieces. Since I have bought several bouquets from Flowerbud in the past, I decided to give them a try. I ordered 40 of the tulips to give them a trial run, and the results were amazing! The tulips were gorgeous and perfect, just like they look in the picture, and of the 40, only one had any petal damage (and it was minor).

So, if your bridal party is up to the challenge, flowers are one way you can save money planning your wedding in these harsh economic times. Prices start at around $75 at Flowerbud.

If you are looking for a gorgeous, affordable bridal gown, turn to Alfred Angelo. This year is Alfred Angelo’s 75th Anniversary are they’ll be running a variety of special events and giveaways all year long. Visit the Alfred Angelo website often to find out about their latest offers.

They were kind enough to share with us these images from their latest runway show in New York in October. Check out the beautiful array of gowns, along with their anniversary ad spot. Whether you are looking for something long or short, mermaid or ball gown, you will find something perfect in this collection.

From Michael Shettel, Vice President of Design for Alfred Angelo:

This season’s trumpet and body conscious mermaid shapes combined with contemporary red carpet necklines recall the 1930’s & 40’s. Using a modern, soft taffeta and iridescent satin I created opulent ball gowns with luxurious trains reminiscent of 1950’s styling. The mod 60’s are represented by short destination and reception dresses, while crystal beaded empire and A-Line styles reflect a 1970’s sensibility.

I am very excited about our 2009 collection. While inspired by fashion from the past 75 years, this Alfred Angelo collection leaps into the future and creates new modern classics.

Photo credit: Alfred Angelo

This bridal gown is fit for a princess. From the Mori Lee Voyage collection, this gown (style 6133) features a strapless bodice that is accented with crystals and beading. The tulle ball gown skirt is light and very pretty.

This wedding dress comes in white or pearl and a matching shawl is included. Find the nearest Mori Lee shop near you by visiting MoriLee.com. They also have a terrific selection of affordable bridesmaid gowns, flower girl dresses, prom gowns and other party dresses.

Photo credit: Mori Lee

Rivini offers a beautiful collection of bridal gowns that are luxurious and sophisticated, yet still quite simple. Created from the finest silk satin, chiffon, crepe and organza, the Rivini bridal collection is all about flowing silhouettes and intricate details.

Wedding dress designer Rita Vinieriss creates modern designs with an charming bit of vintage elegance. The result is a very chic collection that is appealing to many. This gorgeous bridal gown is just of the wonderful choices. To learn more about the company and find out where to shop for Rivini bridal gowns, visit their website at Rivini.com.

Photo credit: Rivini

Liancarlo bridal gowns are exquisite hand-crafted dresses created from fine European fabrics and intricate embroidery. Each of their wedding dresses are designed and made in their headquarters in Miami then distributed around the U.S. and Canada to bridal shops and Boutiques

Last time I was in New York City, I checked out the Kleinfeld Bridal - you know, the one that’s featured on TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress. They carry the largest selection of wedding dresses in the world. This is where I first saw Liancarlo couture bridal gowns.

Here is one of my favorites from Liancarlo. This bridal gown (style: 2883) features French chantilly lace and pearl and crystal bands on the bodice. It’s simply gorgeous.

Check out more Liancarlo gowns at Liancarlo.com and some of their exclusives to Kleinfeld Bridal.

Photo credit: Liancarlo

The elegant sophistication of Reem Acra evening wear and bridal gowns is well known around the world. The gowns are carried in over 100 retailers as well as her signature salon on Madison Avenue in New York.

This gown is one of my favorites. I just adore the skirt! You can find out more about Reem Acra and find a shop near you by visiting ReemAcra.com.

Photo credit: Reem Acra

Marcy Blum, Wedding and Events Planner and author of “Wedding Planning for Dummies,” talks to Lisa Birnbach of Howdini.com about how to plan the perfect destination wedding.

Destination weddings are very hot right now, making up of 20% of all weddings. Jamaica, Italy and Mexico are the popular places for a destination wedding. Marcy’s tips include information on choosing your guests, keeping costs down, planning activities and more.

When planning an destination wedding at an outdoor beach location, you should normally choose a more simple wedding dress. Mon Cheri Bridals offers a terrific collection of bridal gowns just for destination weddings.

Here is one of my favorites (style 28107).

This sleeveless bridal gown comes in sizes 4-20 and 16W-26W. It’s a modified mermaid design with pinched bodice and chapel length train. This wedding dress is perfect for a destination wedding ceremony that isn’t too casual. It comes in Ivory or Coffee. Check out the rest of the wedding dresses at moncheribridals.com.

Photo credit: Mon Cheri Bridals

From the Angelina Faccenda collection at Morilee, you can find this gorgeous bridal gown. It features a strapless bodice along with Swarovski crystals and pearls at the waistline. The gorgeous waterfall skirt continues into the chapel train.

You can view this and other wedding gowns from the collection at MoriLee.com. This particular gown is Style #1028. I also found it online at Best Bridal Prices for $1,199 plus free shipping in sizes 2-24 (large sizes extra).

Photo credit: Morilee

If you are looking for beautiful bridesmaids dresses, check out the collections from Mori Lee. On the website, you will find four collections - their primary Bridesmaid Collection, the sophisticated Ava Collection for evening, the flirty Affairs Collection and the Sticks & Stones Collection, which features a lot of adorable, short dresses.

The dresses come in sizes 2-28 and a wide variety of colors. No matter how formal or casual your wedding will be, you can find some terrific choices at Mori Lee.

One of my favorites from the Affairs Collection is this bubble skirt bridesmaid dress (#766) pictured in Vintage Plum. The dress features a shirred strapless top with a draped midsection. The bubble skirt is trendy and fun. A matching shawl is included and the dress comes in 15 colors. Visit MoriLee.com to view all the collections and find a store near you.

Photo credit: Mori Lee