I LOVE HALLOWEEN! It is one of my favorite holidays by far, probably because of the creative freedom it allows you. Plus, when else can a grown-up act like a total kid and get away with it?  I love the costume parties, I love seeing kids all dressed up and having fun, and I LOVE DECORATING! Despite this fact it seems that every year I procrastinate on my Halloween planning. Even now, with just four days until the holiday, I am still trying to decide on a costume. Some of us are great under pressure, and can pull off phenomenal last-minute costumes and parties. The rest of us need help!

Fellow Halloween enthusiasts and 11th hour slackers, this blog is for you! We have some wicked HALLOWEEN PARTY DECOR suggestions and killer COSTUME IDEAS to help you salvage your Halloween spirit. NEVER SAY DIE!

Well, except maybe on Halloween.

Click here to get our DO-IT-YOURSELF COSTUMES tips!

Click here to access our HALLOWEEN PARTY DECOR ideas!

We wish all of you a safe and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

The average cost of a wedding is now $28,000. That's a major expense for what usually amounts to being about a five hour party! It's no wonder families are considering wedding insurance to protect their investment. 

However, if purchasing a wedding policy is not in the cards, just make sure you're paying with one...a credit card, that is. Always use your credit card when placing orders & paying deposits. It can be your greatest financial protection during the several months of planning (and paying for) your wedding.

For example, let's say you pay your bridal salon a deposit to get started on making your dress. This is not unusual, as most vendors require a substantial deposit before beginning work. Now let's say the bridal salon goes out of business prior to delivering that beautiful dress of yours. Are you protected? If you paid by cash or check, you're out of luck. However, if you paid by credit card, you can contact the credit card company to get your deposit refunded.

Here's another benefit: cardmember perks! Many credit card companies offer bonuses such as airline partner miles, points, or other awards based on spending. You could earn enough points paying for your wedding to cover airfaire on the honeymoon!

We wouldn't be good planners if we didn't tell you to be responsible with your credit card spending. Know your budget, and don't get in over your head. The last thing you want to do is spend the first few years of marriage swimming in wedding credit card debt.

It is estimated that this year alone over 200,000 women and nearly 1,200 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Sadly, breast cancer will take the lives of almost 40,000 people this year in the United States and over 300,000 worldwide. Breast cancer is the number one killer of women between the ages of 15 and 54.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We thought this would be the perfect time to tell you about two unique ways you can have a positive impact on this important cause.

Donate Your Gown: Brides Across the Nation Help Grant Dying Wishes
If you were thinking about paying for bridal gown storage, here's an idea that will save you money and support a good cause! "Brides Against Breast Cancer", a fundraising wing of Making Memories, holds charity wedding gown sales in dozens of cities across the nation every year. Gowns whose original value is up to $4,000 are sold between $89 and $899. Gowns originally priced between $4,000 and $10,000 sell for up to 80% off. Sale proceeds help grant wishes and memory making events for women and men who are losing their battle with breast cancer. http://www.bridesagainstbreastcancer.org/

Host a 'Pink Envelope Project' Bridal Shower
So, maybe you're not crazy about the idea of parting ways with your bridal gown. Well, Making Memories offers this creative way for you (and your guests) to support the cause. Make your bridal shower a PEP Shower by including a special Pink Donation Envelope with your shower invitations. Ask your guests to make a donation on behalf of your event. PEP Participants will get their shower featured on the website. For more information, and to order supplies, go to http://www.pinkenvelopeproject.org/pep_bridal_shower.html

About Making Memories
Making Memories was co-founded in 1998 by the mother/daughter team of Fran Hansen and Anna Nelson. Their story has received national coverage from Oprah, MSNBC, Redbook, Martha Stewart Living, Newsweek, Woman's Day, and Shape magazine. They were named 2005 Trendsetters of the Year by Modern Bride Magazine and they were honored as "Women Who Make a Difference" in a recent issue of Family Circle. http://makingmemories.org/

When planning a wedding ceremony & reception, there are numerous ways the budget can spiral out of control. Happy couples dreaming of saying "I Do" often times don't realize that the roasted chicken dinner for their reception guests will cost them upwards of $40 per person. YIKES! Whether your wedding budget is $15,000 or $50,000 here are some helpful ways to get the most bang for your buck.

TIP #1: Use what you've got to get what you want.
You know what you want your wedding to look and feel like, but creating it on your budget may present some challenges. When planning your decor, always take full stock of what your venue has to offer. Many times you can get linens, place settings, and even centerpieces that coordinate with your decor as part of your rental fee.

TIP #2: Reuse and Recycle.
We recently did a wedding reception where the head table & cake tables needed floral decor, but it was not in the budget. Enter the planners: we hung around after the ceremony to grab some beautiful arrangements that had been attached to the pews. These colorful gems made a repeat appearance on the reception tables, and the guests were none the wiser. We also had the maid of honor & bridesmaids place their bouquets on the head table. This gave us an opportunity to enhance the decor, and it gave the bridal party a place to unload the bouquets without feeling guilty.

TIP #3: Buy locally.
One hidden cost of planning is delivery & set-up fees. Renting linens from a company in California for a wedding in Georgia could tack on $200 or more in shipping costs. If you want to get around those types of costs, always look for local suppliers first. Depending on how extravagant your needs, or how unique the items are, you can probably get them in your neck of the woods. Even if the cost per item appears to be more with your local supplier, remember that your cost savings from the cross-country vendor will quickly disappear once shipping is tacked on.

TIP #4: Cut the Fluff.
Favors and programs and placards...OH MY! You want your guests to have something to remember the big day by. Completely understandable. Just try not to go overboard. Technically, if they received a customized invitation, your guests already have a favor. Although they may look great on the table, many of the favors that brides & grooms spend hundreds of dollars on are left on the table or get thrown away. Spend that money on something the guests will really appreciate (such as the bar).

TIP #5: Keep it Simple.
The more elaborate the event structure, the more it will cost you. People tend to doubt this, but it's proven true time & again. If you plan to rent coordinating linens, but you also want two cake tables, two gift tables and a table to display a matted picture...guess what? You need linens for all those. Likewise, if you are going with formal, assigned seating, you will be forced to buy some sort of placard or table card so guests know where they should be. Try not to complicate more than you have to, and it will surely help you keep your costs down.

The best tip we can offer to anyone planning their wedding is this: hire a professional planner. They would be able to tell you all these tips and more. In addition, planners normally receive trade discounts and wholesale pricing. In some cases, the money a planner will save you can completely offset the cost of hiring them. Of course, the biggest upside is that you get to sit back & relax while someone else manages all the details. You can't put a price tag on that!