Wedding Vendor Scam

Beware wedding vendors! This scam has been around for a long, long time. The scam artist usually contacts you by email, however, I've heard a couple stories where victims got contacted by phone. Here is the latest wedding planner scam e-mail that showed up in our inbox a few days ago.

Greetings,

My Name is Engr. Danny manslow,I am looking for an experienced wedding planner who will handle my wedding and arrange dinner for a group of people who will be attending the wedding ceremony. twelve guests will arrive few days before the wedding day.The wedding is to hold on the 7th September 2011 and 70 to 90 guests are expected to attend.

You are to arrange for Videography, Music Entertainment, Photography, Officiant/Priest & Church, cake, flowers and hall. If there is any of these items that you cannot handle, you let us know so that another company can handle it. As i do not know what the guests might choose for their meals and drinks,i will make a prepayment as initial deposit for this booking via my credit card once availability is confirmed by you. All checks and balances will be made with you on 20th September 2011 which is the final day of the booking, Get back to me with your response as we don't have much time left so that we can process our accommodation also within the region more convenient for you and us.

Best Regards,
Danny.
Address:13 Croft Rd, Leicester LE4 1HA, United Kingdom

NOTE" REPLY TO *********@gmail.com

If you get an e-mail like this, you can report it at http://www.ic3.gov/complaint/default.aspx

How Much Does A Wedding Cost 2011

Cost Of A Wedding

Brides.com and TheKnot.com recently released the results of their wedding industry studies for 2011. Brides.com had nearly 3,000 participants that were surveyed between April 15 – April 28, 2011, while TheKnot.com surveyed nearly 19,000 participants in 2010 to come up with these wedding industry statistics. Let's take a look at both studies.

The average cost of a wedding, including total wedding cost with average costs for the reception, engagement ring, photography and videography, live band, flowers (and decor), wedding rings, ceremony site and wedding gowns are outlined above. Also included are the costs for the rehearsal dinner, disc jockey, limo/transportation, wedding cake, ceremony musicians, invitations, favors and bridesmaid dress.



Key Statistics (average % from both studies - Brides.com/TheKnot.com)

The average length of the engagement is 14.5 months. 15/14

The average number of wedding reception guests is 147. 152/141

Destination weddings are becoming increasingly popular (19.5%). 15/24

December is the most popular month of the year to get engaged (17%). 18/16



Key Statistics (from Brides.com)

Many couples are blending old with the new.

More couples are preserving traditions like the first dance and cake-cutting.

Less sit-down dinners and buffets, more continuous cocktail hour and passed hors d’oeuvres.

The bride buys the wedding dress 9 months before the wedding.

The typical wedding party consists of 4.5 bridesmaids and 4.5 groomsmen/ushers, 1 maid/matron of honor and 1 best man (total: 11).

Couples spend $582 on gifts for each other. The top gift from bride to groom is a watch and the top gift from groom to bride is jewelry.

The favorite gift for bridesmaids is jewelry, the preferred gift for groomsmen is liquor related.

63% of brides-to-be provided input on their engagement ring.

21% of brides-to-be selected the engagement ring themselves.

Nearly 10% of all weddings have a “man of honor” or “best woman”.

Most couples register for wedding and shower gifts (93%).

The cake cutting is still a very important tradition (92%).

The majority of weddings have a maid/matron of honor (91%).

9 out of 10 newlywed couples are going on a honeymoon (91%).

9 out of 10 couples incorporate the first dance into their wedding (90%).

Friends usually pay for the bachelor and bachelorette parties (88%).

The bride and groom have a rehearsal dinner (87%).

Many grooms are still selecting a best man (87%).

Toasts are still an important part of the wedding reception (87%).

Brides wear something old, new, borrowed and blue (84%).

Friends pay for the bridal shower (72%).

Brides and grooms are paying for their honeymoon themselves (68%).

More than half of the wedding parties include a flower girl (62%).

Brides-to-be are the primary contributors for the bridesmaid’s luncheon (60%).

The groom's parents are paying for the rehearsal dinner (60%).

The bride's parents are primarily focused on paying for the wedding reception (58%).

Less brides and grooms are tossing the bouquet (68%) and garter (57%).

Brides-to-be are the primary contributors for the wedding ceremony (57%).

Brides-to-be are the primary contributors for the wedding weekend (53%).

The ring bearer will be present at 5 out of 10 weddings (53%).

Nearly half of all couples wed in the city or town where they currently live (48%).

Brides-to-be are the primary contributors for the post-reception party (47%).

Brides will box up their dress and pass it on (45%).

The bride and groom have an engagement party (35%).

More newlyweds are having a post-reception party (24%).

More brides and grooms are having a wedding weekend (22%).

More couples are using mobile apps to help plan their wedding (20%).

Photos booths are becoming very popular at weddings (20%).

Brides and grooms are using social media apps to plan, shop and/or register (17%).

More couples are getting married by a friend or family member who got ordained for the occasion (14%).

Couples make charitable donations on behalf of their guests (11%).


Key Statistics (from TheKnot.com)

The average wedding spend per guest is $194.

20% of brides are spending more than $30,000 on their wedding.

12% of brides are spending more than $40,000.

The bride's average age is 29 and the grooms average age is 31.

Hawaii has the most casual weddings, while Northern/Central New Jersey has the most formal weddings.

New York City Tri-State Area, New Jersey and Rhode Island brides are the biggest wedding spenders.

New York City is the most expensive area ($70,730) and Utah is the least expensive area ($13,214) to have a wedding.

More couples are living with each other before marriage (74%).

The most popular wedding color is white/ivory (43%).

Purple is the new popular color (21%).

June is the most popular month to get married (15%).


Most Expensive Areas for Weddings (TheKnot.com)

New York (NYC/Manhattan): $70,730
New York (Long Island): $51,811
New Jersey (Northern/Central): $49,347
New York (Hudson Valley): $45,695
New York (Outer Boroughs): $44,718
Rhode Island: $41,169
New Jersey (Southern): $36,694
Pennsylvania (Philadelphia): $36,294
California (Santa Barbara/Ventura): $36,233
Massachusetts (Boston): $35,458
Illinois (Chicago): $35,389
Connecticut: $35,197
Florida (Southern): $33,810
California (Los Angeles): $33,745
Washington DC Area: $33,727


Source: Brides.com, TheKnot.com

Submitted by Joe Tortorello, owner and site administrator at www.weddingzone.net, a popular Wedding Planning Guide online since 1997.

NJ Wedding Industry Event December, 2010

The festivities at New Jersey's wedding industry networking event for the 2010 holiday season at L'Affaire Fine Catering in Mountainside, NJ were fabulous. Next event is May 25, 2011 at The Westminster Hotel, Livingston, NJ. Video by Celeste Studios.

NJ Wedding Industry Event April 27, 2010

NJ Wedding Industry Networking Event at the Landmark on 4/27/2010.

Videos 2010 - First NJ Wedding Industry Event

Video from the first NJ Wedding Industry Networking Event. AFWPI presents exclusive footage from the NJ Wedding Industry Event on 12/3/08. Sponsored by Wedding Zone, NJWedding.com, Brides.com, WedAlert.com, Contemporary Bride Magazine, AFWPI and Bridal Expo of NJ.