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Home Away From Home: The Madonna Inn

CasaSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:30:01 -0800

Looking for a kooky, kitschy hotel experience? Then check out San Luis Obispo's own Madonna Inn. This 51-year-old hotel is an absolutely unique experience for visitors, featuring an overwhelming pink color palette and rooms with themes including "Love Nest," "Caveman," and "Portugal."

If you're in the market for a unique wedding reception venue, the Madonna Inn can handle your reception. Fully equipped with a steak house, day spa, convention center, and bar, the Madonna Inn can supply all of your needs - especially if those needs involve gaping at the Swiss-Alps-meets-Old-West decor. One last piece of advice: don't forget to direct your male friends to the rocks and waterfall urinal if they need to take care of business - it's apparently a tourist must-see.

Take the full tour.

Money Tip: Choose a Tax-Deductible Wedding Venue

SavvySugar — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:02:05 -0700

The Knot's Annual Real Wedding Survey found that about 45 percent of a couple's wedding budget is spent on the reception venue, and based on the average $27,882 budget that amounts to about $12,722. One way to save on your venue is to hold your reception somewhere that's an approved nonprofit organization - your cost may be tax deductible as it could be considered a donation to the organization. It doesn't take too much thinking outside the box to come up with this type of venue as several museums and historic landmarks fall into consideration. Just be sure to ask the organization for a statement that includes the amount of your contribution, otherwise known as the facility fee.

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Jennifer Aniston and Cam Celebrate a Gigandet Wedding!

Molly — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:30:00 -0800

Jennifer Aniston showed off her killer legs out with her hairstylist Chris McMillan on the way into the wedding of their friend and fellow stylist Kelsie Gigandet. The bride's brother Cam Gigandet was looking hot all dressed up in a suit for Kelsie's big day. The Twilight star carried his young daughter Everleigh into the event and later smoked cigarettes outside the reception venue, Smog Shoppe, in LA. Jennifer looked fantastic in her simple black dress heading into celebrate her girlfriend's big day!

To see more of Jennifer, Cam and Kelsie just read more.

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Sugar Bits - Kerry Katona Apologises And Plans Treatment

PopSugarUK — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 01:00:00 -0700

Coming Up With a Wedding Budget, Part II

SavvySugar — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 06:30:08 -0700

Approaching wedding planning by handling one thing at a time is the best way to stay organized. After you've landed on a best estimate for your total budget, it's time to focus on the guest list. It may seem premature to start thinking about who will be receiving an invitation, but a relatively accurate head count is necessary before you venture out to check out venues.

After cost, the number of people you expect at your wedding is the second biggest actor in narrowing down venue choices. More importantly, the expected number of guests can dictate how you allocate your entire wedding budget. The money will be spent very differently if you're feeding 200 of your closest friends and family versus 80 of them, and don't forget about the cost of the actual invitations.

Get your family and his family to make preliminary guest lists while reassuring them the lists are not set in stone, and you and your fiance should create a list of your own. Any venues you visit will immediately ask how many guests you're expecting, so go in armed with the knowledge and get on your merry wedding planning way.

For more wedding tips, check out all of the Sugar Network’s wedding coverage here.

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Would You Say "I Do" to a Pop-Up Wedding?

TresSugar — Thu, 07 May 2009 08:30:00 -0700

Who doesn't love pop-up books? Or Pop-Up Video? So why not a pop-up wedding chapel? In the spirit of pop-up retail, wherein trendy stores materialize for a matter of days or weeks then vanish, an event space in Brooklyn called 303Grand is turning itself into a wedding emporium for a limited time only.

Starting June 1, the "experiential wedding showcase" will feature different weekly themes, including stationery and gifts the first week and dresses, makeup and hair the second. Then, on June 25, 303Grand will turn into a full-fledged wedding chapel for a week, hosting ceremonies for 10 couples. (Two couples will win a wedding and honeymoon free of charge.)

Given, you'd have to turn on a dime with your wedding planning, but this could be a very cute venue to tie the knot. Would you have your wedding in a pop-up chapel? What if you could get hitched and honeymoon for free?

Get Wedding Planning Advice From Free Online Podcasts

GeekSugar — Fri, 01 May 2009 13:26:19 -0700

When planning a wedding, it's almost expected that you go out and spend hundreds of dollars on bridal magazines, books, and maybe even a real-life wedding planner! In this economic climate, the wedding itself is a huge financial burden, so why make it worse by spending unnecessary funds on planning materials? The reason I say this is because there's so many free online tools to help you with your planning and preparation that you really shouldn't have to pay a cent for.

I've already discussed all the great websites available, but did you know there are useful podcasts, too? The Wedding Planning Audiocast on iTunes is filled with useful goodies like how to pick a wedding cake or unique venue ideas to consider. You should also check out the Wedding Podcast Network, which features newlyweds and wedding professionals sharing their personal experiences.

Do Tell: What's the Most Interesting Wedding You've Been To?

TresSugar — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 07:00:00 -0700

It's Wedding Planning Mania time on the Sugar network, and as brides-to-be surely know - it may be one of the most stressful times they may ever experience. From planning the guest list, to deciding the registry, to choosing a location for the big day - it's almost understandable that some women go into Bridezilla mode.

But for some daredevils (or financially strapped and/or free spirits), there's a way of getting married - short of hightailing it to Vegas without telling anyone - that can turn the day into a near-spontaneous and yet memorable and poetic event. Want to hear about one such wedding I attended? Now read more.

Years ago in New York, a boyfriend's coworker invited us to his wedding. He told us it would be simple, short and sweet. Not expecting much, I was nevertheless, floored by how lovely the ceremony was. To this day, after attending many weddings, I cite it as one of the most magical I've attended.

The venue? Sleepy Hollow, a village in Westchester County, New York on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, only thirty miles north of midtown Manhattan. (Take a peek at it in the picture above.) The wedding took place late afternoon, and as soon as we got off the train, I knew this was going to be special.

As we walked toward the woodsy locale (it inspired Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow), strains of a solo violin could be heard. Soon after, the bride and groom (both struggling theater actors) read carefully selected poems to each other while we all tried not to choke up. Sunlight was still visible through dappled leaves.

After the ceremony was over, there were delicious passed hors d'oeuvres, champagne toasts, and, of course, wedding cake. As it began to get dark, we all said our goodbyes as the forest cooled in the night air. Simple and beautiful. I remember it like it was yesterday.

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Couple Uses Bartering to Afford Santa Monica Dream Wedding

SavvySugar — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 06:50:39 -0700

How do you get a $40,000 wedding for $3,000? If you're Jennifer Mae Fletke and Chris Watters, you barter, borrow, and bargain your way there. The couple traded the videotaping and editing services of their production company for other vendors to sign on for their wedding day. When it came to getting a photographer and videographer, they offered to simply take some projects off their competitors' plates after the wedding.

While the couple used their creativity to trade their time and skills, some aspects of the wedding couldn't be handled through bartering. Jennifer brought out her bargaining guns to get the venue she wanted for half its usual price and negotiated a rate for out-of-town guests that would put most Priceline deals to shame. She was able to get her guests a four-night-stay for $150 from the typical nightly rate of $200 to $400, and at the last minute a bridal salon agreed to lend the bride-to-be a wedding gown that she loved.

The events design firm they hired commended the couple's efforts and said, "To stay on top of the economy, you really have to put yourself out there. You have to have the right tools to promote your company and your services." If you're not in the industry like Fletke and Watters then your bartering success rate would likely be much lower, but it doesn't mean you couldn't try in some areas.

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Do Your Wedding-Planning Friends Make You Envious?

TresSugar — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 04:00:00 -0700

Traditional wedding planning can seem like a full-time job. You have to choose a dress, venue, photographer, band, registry, guest list . . . the to-do list goes on.

For those who wait their whole lives for the big day, planning a wedding is not only a full-time job - it's a dream job! Other people see the time (and money) consuming planning as a necessary evil.

And if you're not getting married soon, you might be watching from the sidelines as your engaged friends figure out all the details.

I'm curious, would you rather be in their shoes planning your wedding, or are you thankful that you don't have to deal with the headaches? Of course, you might be totally neutral.

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