Celebrity Wedding Pics!

It's always fun to check out exclusive pictures from Celebrity Weddings. Take a sneak peek at these beautiful photos from Avril Lavigne's wedding - from punk rock goddess to cinderella princess!

Virtual Wedding Planning!

Can't get enough of your own wedding planning, check out this cool game that I came across, and you will be entertained for hours. There are even extra ”Wedding crisis” levels which are sure to challenge you!
Visit Dream Day Wedding Game

Top Tips to Save Money

With the average wedding now costing $30,000, many couples are now looking for ways to have a ‘celebrity’ stylish wedding, without the celebrity price tag. We’ve pulled together some top tips to help you create your dream wedding on a shoestring budget.

1. Wedding Venue Cost Saving Tip
Many community halls, golf and RSL clubs have suitable rooms available for a fraction of the price. The trick is to see past the existing décor and imagine it sprinkled with hundreds of fairy lights or candles – think of Ross’s wedding in London on the hit show Friends that Rachel ruined!

If you’ve found the wedding venue of your dreams, but it looks as if it will be out of your budget, don’t despair. Many venues offer significant discounts for mid-week or ‘out of season’ weddings which can run into thousands of dollars.

2. Food Budget Cost Saving Tip
There are lots of ways to cut back on your food budget, and still have a memorable day. Selecting a venue where you can bring in your own caterers is often a much better value than using the existing venue catering. You can even go as far as preparing all the food yourself, though be careful of taking too much.

If you don’t have a choice about which caterer you use, there are still ways that you can trim your spending costs. Try replacing the starter course with canapés, instead of having both. Or, replace dessert with your wedding cake – so often wedding cake gets forgotten about because guests have already had so much to eat.

A new idea that brides are buzzing about is the wedding ‘cheese’ cake. Literally, it is three slabs of cheese turned into a wedding cake for that special ‘cutting of the cake’ photograph and ceremony. Why not combine the two instead of having a separate cheese and cake course? Or serve this with crackers, chutney and pate for your evening guests?

3. Booze Budget Cost Saving Tip
The ideal in this instance is to use a venue where you can bring your own booze. I was lucky enough to be able to do this at our wedding and managed to pop across to Hunter Valley and buy 180 bottles of wine and 240 beers, for under $1,000. We had stacks left and our guests were restricted to beer, wine or soft drinks, but no one seemed to mind.

Another option is to come to an arrangement with the hotel regarding corkage. A friend got married in a hotel, which charged $20 per bottle of wine. She arranged a flat fee of $500 for all of her beer and wine opening. Although it seems like a lot, it meant that she could afford to supply beer and wine for her guests.

Let us know whether you have any other cost-saving ideas.

Oh Glory!!?

Its such a beautiful picture! You walk down the aisle in your gorgeous dress with everyone's eyes on you. You reach your hubby-to-be and gaze into each other's eyes with a beaming smile from ear to ear. With a flip of your heart, you have said your vows, exchanged rings and the priest is just about to pronounce you husband & wife. Now here is a reaction that you wouldn't be expecting.....

Introducing Mr & Mrs Packer!

Who would of thought after many years together and a rumoured split last year, Erica Baxter & James Packer have now tied the knot. Not once.....but twice on the French Riviera.

The couple first married in a small civil ceremony, witnessed by a few close family and friends. Erica was wearing a white jacket and knee-length skirt while carrying a white bouquet and Mr Packer wore a dark suit (pictured left). Later, a second wedding ceremony took place, attended by celebrity guests including Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes.

These two ceremonies concluded three days of pre-wedding celebration which included a private waterfront bash. Guests were ferried to a secluded beach in luxury Mangusta cruisers carrying canvas beach bags with a pair of sea-horses kissing emblazoned on the side, and packed with towels and parasols.

Now, not everyone can afford such a lavish, celebrity-studded wedding in the French Riviera, but multiple ceremonies are a growing trend. Some couples have multiple ceremonies due to different religions, others because of the large distance between families round the world. Recently, I was speaking to someone who had a ceremony with a guest list of four, so that legally she could stay in Australia until they had time to plan their 'proper' formal wedding (not even their family knew). I would love to hear about your stories. Why did you have multiple ceremonies and where did you have them?

Dirty Dancing Dreams!

Ever dreamt of acting out the famous romantic finale dance in Dirty Dancing! Check out this couple's first wedding dance and you are guaranteed to be left with goosebumps. Would love to hear about your experiences with adding a personal, unique touch to your wedding.

Celebrity Quiz Answers

How did you go? Celebrity wedding genius or dunce? Take a peek of the answers below and you may even find out more than you bargained for.

1. Which pop star is such a fan of Tiffany and Co. that she had linens and carpeting for her wedding reception specially dyed to match the company's signature robin's egg blue?

The correct answer: Toni Braxton
When Grammy winning singer Braxton married Mint Condition singer Keri Lewis in Georgia in April 2001, the cake, carpeting, flowers, invitations and flower girl baskets were custom designed to pay homage to Braxton's love of all things Tiffany and Co.

2. This Oscar-nominated actress hosted a marriage ceremony for her Italian greyhound dog, complete with doggie wedding gown and guests. Who is this eccentric wedding planner?

The correct answer: Sigourney Weaver
Alien star Weaver hosted a January 2000 wedding for her dog Petals, who wore a fake Vera Wang dress and veil. The "groom," Jimmy, wore a bow tie around his furry neck, Weaver's 11-year-old daughter Charlotte played minister, and guests -- both two-legged and four-legged -- were in attendance at Weaver's New York City apartment for the festivities. Three months after the doggie "I dos," Petals gave birth to Jimmy's puppies.

3. How many wedding ceremonies did Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale have when they were married in 2002?

The correct answer: Three
The musicians were wed inside an Anglican church in London on September 14, 2002, outside at the Los Angeles home of Interscope Records honcho Jimmy Iovine on September 28, and, to please Stefani's Catholic family, inside an L.A. cathedral on September 26.

4. This superstar athlete had a very special wedding singer: Elton John. Who was it?

The correct answer: Pete Sampras
When former Wimbledon and U.S. Open tennis champ Sampras married The Wedding Planner actress Bridgette Wilson in 2000, his pal Elton John performed a private 45-minute concert at the reception, including the wedding favorite "Can You Feel the Love Tonight." Guests also received custom-made Elton John CDs as favors.

5. Which actor had a chapel custom-built near his home for his wedding?

The correct answer: Russell Crowe
Crowe spent $250,000 to have a special, domed chapel custom-built on his ranch in Coffs Harbour, NSW for his April 7, 2003, (also his 39th birthday) wedding to actress Danielle Spencer.