Saving money while planning a wedding

>>> it's june, so you know what that means. the wedding season is in full swing. with an estimated 2 million americans getting married each year, a lot of brides -to-be are stressing out right now. here to answer some of the pressing questions, editor in chief of " brides " magazine. great to have you here.

>> thanks.

>> you asked all the brides who read the magazine to send in the questions and you've come to their aid. let's get to them. first most stressful aspect of the wedding is the budget and money you'll spend. obviously the first question goes to that. where are the best places to save money asks one bride or asks many brides .

>> this is one of the most commonly asked questions, natalie. so the bar can be a big budget buster. we suggest skip the open bar , go with wine and beer and a custom cocktail, it will be delicious and your guests will remember this.

>> custom cocktails here.

>> delicious and memorable.

>> shows a lot of personality. what about invitations, can you save there, too?

>> a lot of people ask me if they can do an electronic invitation for wedding , great for shower but you want to stick with classic for the wedding . about $200 for 100 invitations. one of these digitally printed can be less.

>> they look beautiful.

>> a lot of great options online. find them online and print them digitally.

>> flowers, too, you can save there?

>> flowers are great. we had a florist make these from a local farmers market. when you think flowers, think seasonal, local, voluminous. these are peonies. they are big flowers. you don't need a lot to make a big arrangement. when you don't need a lot of flowers, a big savings.

>> a lot of times you have the big centerpiece and you can't talk to people over the centerpiece.

>> it's one of the most popular wedding flowers, too.

>> next question then is i think the white dress, a lot of brides still going for the classic white dress. but more and more brides want a way to stand out. one of the questions was, how do i make my look for personal, give it more personality. move on over here.

>> when you're accessorizing the dress, all about the shoes. we love a great shoe. one thing, if you want to stick with a classic pump, go with a color. i love the colored shoe. a lot want to do something blue, a blue shoe, yellow, green, i myself love a red shoe. those are options for pumps. you don't have to stick with a classic pump, if you're married at the beach, backyard, go with a sandal.

>> these are great dancing shoes . go all night.

>> if you want to think out of the box , pack a lot of personalities into your accessories, go for sneaker or cowboy boot . if you want a traditional pump for the wedding , throw them on for the reception.

>> next up, wedding favors . brides asked what is a favor guests will use. people wonder do you really have to give favors anymore.

>> you don't have to do favors. they are totally optional. if you are going to do a favor, i would stick with $5 per guest. that's all you need to spend. if you're known for something like chocolate chip cookies , bake up a batch, stick them in a bag. i'm not a baker.

>> go buy.

>> chocolates. people love something sweet. edible is one option for favors. another one is a theme. getting married by the sea like i did years ago, go for sea salt soaps, which are a really cute option. if you don't want tad favor, give to a charity, a big theme now a lot of brides and grooms giving to a charity. a great thing to do is print up cards to let your guests know you've done this and put these on every place setting or table.

>> i love that idea.

>> stick your website on there so they know about the charity as well.

>> wonderful. finally i think a lot of brides don't want to be lugging a big handbag on their wedding day. what items will i need on my wedding day? what should they have to keep this hands on, low maintenance.

>> all you need to worry about on wedding day for emergency kit is wardrobe malfunction. great premade kits online, a couple of great options here. if you do have time to pack one yourself, buy a cute kit like one of these here. just pack it with a sewing kit, safety opinion.

>> chalk.

>> a lot of people don't know this, white chalk or baby powder is a great stain remover, wine, a tear, these are all the things you need.

>> deodorant, you'll need a lot of that. waterproof mascare.

>> absolutely.

>> thanks so much from " brides " magazine.