By Amy Shey Jacobs, owner of Chandelier Events, who is planning the Dream Wedding for WeddingChannel.com
I am so lucky to be working with Us Weekly & Weddingchannel.com to plan this one-of-a-kind wedding for Van Ngo & Eric Oberly. Since we're whipping up a wedding to suit the stars, Us Weekly asked me to share my some tips for planning a platinum affair on a, well, "2009" budget:
Party on a Tuesday! (Or any day but Saturday)
Hey, aren't the Oscars on a Sunday night? The stars are decked out seven days a week. Make like a celeb and host your affair on ANY DAY but Saturday night. Even better, plan quickly like Van and Eric who picked a Sunday two months out, and you might grab a date that's still open. Save big bucks on the venue—and other vendors, too.
Find more affordable wedding ideas
"Luxe/Less" Your Look
Now, we're not saying you should wear a Gap tank with an Armani silk ballgown skirt … but why not? When it comes to looking like the glam goddesses of Hollywood, pick your priorities. There's no rule that says you have to pair your $5,000 gown with Jimmy Choo shoes. Splurge on the gown, and hit the mall like my client Lisa Loeb did (who found Charles Jourdan jeweled shoes off-the-rack). Stop by Payless, which now carries designer shoes by celebrity style maven Lela Rose (who's doing Van's bridesmaid dresses and shoes). They're just $44.99! (You can browse wedding day fashion by budget at Weddingchannel.com/gowns).
Tap Your Inner Foodie
What, Wolfgang Puck "not available" to cater your big day? Not to fret. Chefs from Tampa to Tacoma are all turning up the heat on fun, personalized wedding day food. Go casual-chic like Sandra Bullock and Jesse James, who served up Southern BBQ picnic style, or Julia Roberts and husband Danny Moder, who celebrated their Fourth of July wedding with hot dogs, lemon chicken and corn on the cob. For dessert, Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell offered mini-country apple and red velvet cupcakes. We're so excited that Chef Xavier Deshayes of The Ronald Reagan Building is going to deliver Van & Eric's signature "Trackerita" paired with mini Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches at cocktail hour as an ode to their annual Indy 500 trip.
