By Emee Pumarega, EJP Events www.ejpevents.com, weddingcoordinator.typepad.com

As I write this post, a vendor friend of mine is strategizing how she is planning to get from our office to a downtown hotel in the middle of the Bridge Pedal. She’s doing the makeup for the bride’s wedding day, and I can just imagine the chaos she’s going to run into when she gets there.

Not to say that no-one should get married during the Bridge Pedal, but we’ve found that if you want the best hotel room rates, and want your wedding to be less encumbered by traffic snags and road closures, it’s best to do a little research on your desired wedding date ahead of time. Here are six dates we’ve found historically affect hotel availability, parking or downtown streets:

- Grand Floral Parade, Rose Festival – First Saturday in June

- Waterfront Blues Festival – July Weekend, varies

- Oregon Brewers Festival – July Weekend, varies

- Saint Patrick’s Day – the weekend closest to March 17th

- Providence Bridge Pedal – Early August

- Portland Marathon – First weekend in October

There are many more festivals and events than can be mentioned here. Check Travel Portland, Keep Portland Moving, as well as other Portland news sites for event calendars and street closures.

Even if you find that the date you’ve already locked down for the wedding is shared with a major event – never fear, just take a few additional steps to make sure that your day goes off smoothly:

– Inform all of your vendors, guests, and wedding party of the possible conflict and provide alternate routes to the location.

– Block hotel rooms for your guests well ahead of time so your wedding guests don’t have to compete with fairgoers or marathoners.

– Set your timeline so that everyone is asked to arrive 15-30 minutes earlier than you actually need them to be there, in order to compensate for inevitable delays.

– Reserve parking with your venue or the City of Portland for vendors to load in and out of your event, to ensure the cake arrives on time and doesn’t need to be hand carried from several blocks away.

– And finally, relax! Once you have done your part, that is all you can control. Perhaps your photographers can get some great pictures of you amidst the excitement!

Visit EJP Events’ website and blog for additional helpful tips: www.ejpevents.com and weddingcoordinator.typepad.com.

The average cost of a wedding in 2007 rose to $28,732, however that number is projected to drop this year to $28,704 (The Wedding Report). Many engaged couples are looking for creative ways to make their wedding affordable. In March a survey done by the National Association of Catering Executives (NACE) noticed an increase in the number of bookings for Fridays and Sundays as a cost-saving method.

Many couples are also choosing less expensive meals and limited bar options such as beer and wine only. Some are even opting to leave out champagne as many of the guests are already drinking something else. Careful attention is being paid to the guest list and how many people are actually invited.

As many couples are becoming more environmentally conscious or trying to go green, they are finding that this practice is also helping their budget. Many brides have an heirloom ring providing no expense as well as sentiment.

Using local farmers eliminates the need for middleman and usually brings fresher food. Many brides are using rental plants and trees for their décor instead of fresh cut flowers.

Some brides and grooms are limiting the number of attendants in the bridal party to cut down on costs to both the attendant and the bride and groom.

Check out bravowedding.com for creative reception ideas.

Source: www.time.com