Creative wrapping tips for shower gifts

You're pressed for time, yet you still want to show you care creatively and fashionably. It's easy. Use these pointers from American Greetings to ensure your gift is received with a smile.

• Be different and wrap one half of a present in one design and the other half in a complementing solid paper. Attach a solid bow that brings everything all together.
  
  
  
• Inexpensive items and things you can find around the house can become creative package decorations. For example, ball up a piece of ice cream-colored tissue paper and nestle your scoop into an ice cream cone -- the perfect topping for a package wrapped in ice cream-patterned paper or a gift for an ice cream lover.
  
  
• Attach something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. A lovely piece of old lace, tied with a blue ribbon and topped with a shiny new penny, is certain to catch the eye of the bride-to-be.
  
  
• Mix two different complementing colors of tissue to top off gift bags. Attach a bow or a package decoration to make this very easy wrap extra special.
  
  
• Wrapping gifts in unexpected ways adds to the fun of the occasion. Roll golf balls in a cylinder of golf-themed wrapping paper, tied at each end and between each ball with curling ribbon. Curl the ribbon with a pair of scissors.
  
  
• When giving a gift for the kitchen, such as a blender or mixer, attach color-coordinating measuring cups or spoons to tie in with your gift.
  
  
• Fresh flowers make great present-toppers on any occasion. Stick with solid color wraps that complement, rather than compete with, your ensemble.
  
  
• Add a fan fold for special occasions. Cut a section of wrap and fold in half diagonally. Fold into a fan and tie or tape the fan to your gift.
  
  
• Draw out the anticipation of a gift-giving occasion by delivering the gift scavenger-hunt-style, having the recipient follow clues on a series of notes to lead him or her to the present.
  

Butterfly kisses for the new mister and missus

Miranda and Jim Merril wanted something spectacular for their wedding -- a special touch their guests would never forget. The couple, who hail from Evergreen, Colorado, decided to release butterflies as they walked down the isle of their outdoor wedding.

"It was the most uplifting moment of the ceremony," Miranda recalls. "I'd recommend it in an instant."

Why butterflies? Throwing rice is out because it's bad for birds. Balloons are not good for the environment. And everybody's doing those little bottles of soap bubbles or disposable cameras at the reception.

Miranda, like many brides today, opted to purchase the butterflies at her wedding from a butterfly farm she found on the Internet. The company sent the butterflies individually in small triangular boxes with air holes. The insects arrived in chrysalid form and were timed to hatch inside the boxes two to three days before the wedding. At the ceremony, ushers handed each guest a box with instructions to open it at a specific time.

"It was expensive," she says, "but the pictures were amazing."

Wedding programs for interfaith couples

Wedding programs are fast becoming a tradition as common as Jordan almonds and blowing bubbles at the end of a ceremony. Plain or fancy, short or long, they are as welcomed by wedding guests as the playbill at the theater.

The programs, which can be made by a printer or a home publishing program, announce the order of the service and explain the meaning of the ceremony's religious rituals has become a popular courtesy. Artistically designed, the program also becomes a lovely keepsake of this special event.

Wedding consultant Hope Fromson says the use of programs has been common at church weddings for a long time. As more Jews encountered them at their non-Jewish friends' weddings, they started requesting Fromson's help in designing programs for their own nuptials.

"The program is a nice touch - to welcome guests and help them understand the service they will be witnessing," says Fromson. "It is especially helpful at an interfaith ceremony when the couple has incorporated rituals drawn from different religious traditions."

Two years ago, Shaker Heights native Audrey Lewis, a Jew, married Dan Ernst, who was raised Catholic. Although their ceremony was not religious, it took place under a chuppah and concluded with the Jewish custom of breaking a glass. The couple wanted their guests to have a program that would explain these traditions to those who were unfamiliar with them.

"All the weddings Audrey and Dan had been attending had programs, so they wanted one, too," says Audrey's mother, Cheryl. "Also, they had a very large bridal party - seven bridesmaids, seven ushers, four flower girls and a ring bearer - and they wanted to identify these people."

The program the couple wrote named each member of their wedding party and noted his or her relationship to the couple. It described the Jewish wedding traditions and identified the musical selections played during the ceremony. Audrey designed the one-page program on a computer, adding a decorative border that matched the wedding invitation.

Another interfaith couple, Laurie Heiser and Neal Robinson, who were married in July, had a Reform Jewish ceremony. For the benefit of Neal's Christian family and their non-Jewish guests, the couple's program included an explanation of the significance of the chuppah, the ketubah, the kiddush, and the breaking of the glass. They dedicated the program to Neal's father who had passed away two years earlier.

On the last page of the program, Laurie and Neal wrote a note welcoming their guests and thanking their parents. The four-page program, printed on white stationery, was embellished with a tiny silk daisy on the cover, echoing the colors of the wedding.

Photography tips and traps

Following are some tips to heed and traps to avoid when working with a wedding photographer:

• Hire a full-time working professional photographer.
  
• Meet the photographer and see his work. Never agree to a contract over the telephone.
  
• Don't assume anything. Somp people say, 'I assumed all professional photographers were the same.' But they are not, and you can't do it again if the photographer doesn't get it right.
  
• Not many brides ask the photographer's advice. "I've been in this business 20 years and could offer some suggestions, but few people say, 'What do you think? What is your opinion?" one seasoned veteran says.
  
• Stay away from photographers who want total control and who will only shoot pictures a certain way. I knew a photographer who would only shoot horizontally. Some will only take the shots on their list and no others, or only shoot a certain number of rolls of film. Rules like that are ridiculous in the creative process.
  

Create a lasting sentiment with rosemary favors

For centuries, rosemary has been a fragrant and lasting symbol of remembrance. Now, The Rosemary Company, is bringing the tradition back to the United States. The company sells Rosemary favors, candles, and botanicals on their website.

Judy Cheney, owner of The Rosemary Company, says that when she was researching the herb she found that the tradition dated back to the Greeks and Romans who used rosemary in their weddings. "In traditions dating back centuries, she says, sprigs of rosemary were dipped in gold, tied with a ribbon, and presented to wedding guests. It symbolized that, although the bride and groom were leaving their friends and family to start a new life, they would never forget their loved ones."

Legend has it, Cheney continues, that "a bride who gave her husband a sprig to hold on their wedding night would ensure that he remained faithful."

"It just has a really nice sentiment behind it," she continues. "That is one of the reasons that it is so popular. People who are getting married are in an especially sentimental, emotional, and meaningful time in their life. And this is one way to convey that feeling to their guests."

Rosemary sachets are a practical wedding favor, too. "It's easy for guests to take with them. It's not going to melt if it’s 90 degrees. Guys like to put under the seat of car to make it smell good, and women can use them in their lingerie drawer."

Cheney also says that the favors are affordable, costing about 95 cents apiece.

The company is also selling a unique favor for bridal showers: Bridal shower soap, scented in Rosemary, of course. "We thought this was a perfect idea," says Cheney. "It's an inexpensive item that brings meaning to these special occasions."

Couples tie the knot and jump the broom

African-American brides and grooms might want to incorporate an ancient "broom jumping" tradition into their wedding. The ceremony affirms the new couple's union and their future together.

"Everything on the broom is symbolic," says Nancy Winslow, curator of an African heritage museum. The broom handle represents God or the creator; the straws, countless numbers of ancestors; and the binding, newlyweds' ties to family, church and community.

Jumping the broom, she continued, is "not an African tradition. It is an African-American tradition rooted in the South. In some parts of Senegal, what they'd do is take small pieces of cloth and tie it around the broom handle."

Once guests have shared their affirmations, the couple holds onto the broom together and starts to sweep into a circle. "To do this, you have to be in one accord," she notes.

"They're making the jump. But we have to have our hearts in the right place," Winslow explains. "We want them to jump over the broom together. Jumping over the broom is a leap of faith."

The concept behind the broom is also to build an heirloom that can be passed down from one generation to another.

Brides are looking for distinctive touches

Everyone in your circle of friends likely goes to the same weddings, so it makes sense you want to strive to make yours different. And within certain religious or ethnic groups, there may be many similarities with the same traditions followed from wedding to wedding.

But there are many small ways to add that special something that makes a big impression, and it doesn't necessarily mean money. Experts say its more a matter of creativity and the relationship between the elements of a wedding.

The event as a whole makes more of an impact, as opposed to all the small components examined one by one. The co-relation between the striking bridal bouquet and the table centre, or a recurring image from an invitation being repeated on the guest book is what makes the lasting impressions.

Here are ideas for adding unique touches to your wedding:

• Create a wedding time capsule to preserve memories, filling it with memorabilia from the day and year of the marriage, to be open on a special anniversary in the future
  
• As an alternative to a guest book, have guests sign a large heavy duty square of paper, which can later be framed and hung on a wall to admire.
  
• Rather than use a guest book that will sit in the closet and collect dust, get them to sign heavy picture matting that will later be used around a wedding photos. Or, guests could sign a designated tablecloth, which the couple can use for years when entertaining.
  
• Wedding favours given to guests to take home are an excellent way to create a lasting impression. Candles are a romantic and inexpensive gift that can be tied with ribbon or decorated with tulle; potpourri to scent drawers and wardrobes can be given away in decorative cones, pretty boxes or sachets; fans are a dainty gift and can be decorated with fresh or silk flowers or ribbons; and chocolate coffee spoons have also emerged as a recent favourite.
  
• Bells are a great giveaway for guests to ring at the reception as a cue for the couple to share a kiss. They can be adorned with some ribbon and a card attached, with a poem explaining their purpose and commemorating the day.
  
• For a touching thank you, write a poem expressing your feelings about your wedding day and thanking your guests for making it so special.
  
• Another new trend is to have a photo tree, which doubles as a decoration for your reception and later serves as party favours. Appoint someone to take an instant photo of guests as they arrive at the reception. Hang them with ribbon on decorative tree branches in a large urn or pot. Have your host later announce that each guest can find their photo on the "photo tree" and take it home at the end of the celebration to remember the day by.
  
• A small picture frame can make a perfect place card holder, as well as a charming favour that guests can use after the event to display a small photo in.
  
• Candy wedding favours, like lollipops with personalized wrappers or favourite Valentine conversations hearts, are also becoming increasingly popular.
  
• Designer heart-shaped rice that is environmentally friendly and safe for birds and animals can be thrown. Or, instead of throwing birdseed, have guests blow colourful bubbles. Individual sized plastic bottles can be decorated with beads, flowers and lace, or can come capped with plastic novelty shapes like flowers and churches.
  
• To include children of new blended families in the ceremony, give each member a new family medallion.
  
• Gifts for attendants can be non-traditional, too. Sought-after tickets to concerts or sporting events are thoughtful and useful presents. Monogrammed robes are also unique and handy for wedding preparation. Gift certificates for massage can make all of the wedding party members a bit more relaxed.
  
• Frame a poem for your parents as a thank-you gift, or make a movie of your and your fiance's lives.
  
• Use the line of a poem or song that means something to you as a couple to personalize your invitations.
  

Flowers tell the story of your wedding

Florists say that planning a wedding is like telling a story. Flowers are the artistic touches that set the tone for the way the story unfolds. Brides who have a long cascade of flowers, like Princess Diana, create an opulent drama for the day. Likewise, brides who choose a simple rosebud bouquet set a tone of elegance by their simplicity.

For today's bride, that story seems to be set in the past as many seek a simple, more classic look not just for their gowns, but for the flowers that will accent them. Experts say most brides today want a nosegay bouquet,often with a mixture of colors.

Some brides have firmly planted ideas about which flowers to use. But for those willing to experiment, florists can create a colorful mix using flowers like calla lilies, gerbera daisies, spray roses, cymbidium orchids, stargazer lilies and cattleya orchids. Still others prefer the rose. Nearly 75% of brides will feature this lovely flower in their bouquets.

Financial good sense

With the wedding season well underway, many couples are turning their attention from catering plans and invitation lists to life after the honeymoon. Unfortunately, for most couples heading down the aisle this year, planning the wedding may end up being easier than planning their financial future.

Financial planners at Harris Bank are urging couples to take time during their engagement to discuss how finances will affect their future plans. More than 1,163,000 couples filed for divorce in 1997, the most recent year statistics are available, and disagreements over finances played a key role. Surveys indicate that more than 70 percent of couples do not discuss finances before marriage.

Financial planners agree that money is one of the most difficult topics for couples to discuss because the way personal finances are managed can reveal a great deal about an individual's values and goals. Having discussions about spending habits, debt and budgets even before the
engagement stage can save couples a lot of difficulty when the honeymoon's over.

"Money causes problems in marriage because it indicates where our real values lie," said Skip Gianopulos, vice president of financial planning services and head of one of the country's most comprehensive financial planning groups. "Successful financial planning comes down to one of the hallmarks of a stable marriage -- honesty. Couples have problems when one person is trying to hide something from the other, so full financial disclosure between partners is always the right way to begin."

The money management habits of most people are strongly influenced by the way their parents saved and spent money. Most people fall into two categories: those who spend and those who save.

"Couples planning to marry should write down their individual financial goals and prioritize them," said Gianopulos. "Then they should discuss what financial goals they have in common and build on them. After that, everything becomes a matter of negotiation and compromise, much like the marriage itself."

After comparing priorities, short- and long-term goals should be determined. Short-term goals could include anything from saving for vacations and a new car, to buying a computer or buying a piece of furniture. Long-term goals may include purchasing a home or allocating money
for college tuition. Income can be set aside for each set of goals by establishing a plan.

Gianopulos suggests that newlyweds establish a "spending plan" rather than a budget. The spending plan should take into consideration established monthly expenses to be paid for from a joint account to which both partners contribute.

After deducting money allocated for retirement, designate money for rent/mortgage, utilities, car payments and other expenses that must be paid every month; set money aside for short- and long-term financial goals, and money that will be discretionary.

"It's also very important that both partners have their own bank accounts and money to retain some of their personal spending freedom," he said.

According to Gianopulos, "rainy day" and "sunshine" funds also should be established for emergencies and adventures. "It's always nice to take a spur- of-the-moment trip and not have to worry about it having a detrimental effect on your finances for months to come."

Gianopulos also suggested three ways that couples can protect themselves in case of tragedy:

• Consult with the employer's human resources representative to make
  sure that the beneficiary designations are correct on your employee benefits
  such as life insurance, pension plans and 401(k) plan.
  
  
• Change beneficiary designations on your IRA accounts and other life
  insurance policies.
  
  
• See a lawyer to have wills drafted. These can be very simple at
  first, but they are very important, especially if there are children from
  previous marriages, inheritances or trust powers to be handled.
  

Do-it-yourself weddings save a bundle

It's no secret that weddings are big business. Gowns and bridesmaid's dresses alone account for more than $1.3 billion changing hands yearly, according to Individual Investor magazine. But while a gown becomes top priority approximately five seconds after a woman says "yes," there are countless other details to consider. Unless a couple is independently wealthy or pays strict attention to the mounting costs, impending nuptials can lead to impending debt.

Fortunately, the do-it-yourself concept that raised an entire industry, from hardware conglomerates like Home Depot to lifestyle guru's like Martha Stewart, is a viable solution for controlling wedding costs. Adding personal touches to the affair is an affordable way to design an elegant wedding.

"It (the do-it-yourself approach) is important, which is why we have more than gown patterns in our bridal line," says Emily Cohen, manager of education and promotion for McCall's Pattern Company. McCall's offers a veil package (#2057) with eight designs plus a pattern for accessories (#2058) includes a ring bearer's pillow, shoe clips, floral arrangements and gift ideas. Cohen suggests the bride use leftover lace from her gown to make various accessories; it saves on expenses and ties the whole theme together.

A truly memorable ceremony is one that reflects you and your future spouses' individual taste and is not a cookie cutter event struggling to include all the trappings. Taking control of the details and relying on your own talent will allow you, as a couple, to set a realistic budget and actually meet it. In many cases, you can also enlist skilled friends and family members.

Sue Hausmann, senior vice president of consumer motivation and education for Viking Sewing Machines Inc., and her husband Herb worked together on their future daughter-in-law's wedding gown. After the bride-to-be presented them with a magazine clipping of a dress she liked, Herb set to work using PC software from Husqvarna Viking and created a-one-of-a-kind embroidery for the waistband of the dress and her veil. Sue then constructed the gown, adapting the sleeves to give the bride exactly what she had envisioned.

"The gown will become a family heirloom and the fact I was able to embroider the accents allows me to contribute to its heritage as well," says Herb Hausmann.

Whether you and your husband-to-be passions are sewing, flower arranging or calligraphy, there are a myriad of ways to incorporate the do-it-yourself (or do-it-with-loved ones) concept into creating a cost-effective wedding to remember.

Consider the following:

• First things first. Pick a date other than the second Saturday in June. In all likelihood, the more popular dates will run into higher costs for halls, musicians, photographers and caterers. A weekday in the winter or even a Friday evening in the summer could translate into significant discounts.
  
  
• It's inviting. Take a course in calligraphy and design your own announcements, shower invitations and thank you notes.
  
  
• An intimate affair. Is it really necessary that you include the new girl in accounting or the guy that details your fiancee's car? Pare down your invitation list and share the day with those closest to the two of you.
  
  
• Timing is everything. Lunch menus at hotels and banquet halls are generally less expensive than dinner menus. Why not have a mid-morning wedding with an afternoon luncheon? Your honeymoon could start that much sooner.
  
  
• Take advantage of that green thumb. You won't be able to spend the evening before your wedding making bouquets, but nowhere is it written that you can't supply your own flowers. There is endless potential in a spring bulb garden, a lilac bush or even ferns and ivy. And while you may want a full bouquet, a single iris or lily works beautifully for attendants. For a fall wedding, consider pumpkins and colorful leaves as table decorations. Be creative.
  
  
  
• Something borrowed. Don't take this tradition lightly. Family treasures including cake toppers, champagne flutes, jewelry or even a veil depending on its condition not only saves money, they add a touch of sentiment to the affair.
  
  
• Consider a local college. Universities can be a virtual gold mine of talent. Many aspiring photographers, musicians and singers will jump at the chance for real-life experience and charge less than professionals.
  
  
• Constructive thinking. Today's wedding gowns are predominately clean-line silhouettes with touches of embellishment. A sprinkling of pearls or embroidered sash is trim enough for a sophisticated look. Translation: there's very little keeping you from constructing your own gown or having one made. Computerized sewing machines with embroidery capabilities, like the mid-priced Husqvarna Viking Rose, enable you to design or select specific embroideries to grace not only your gown, but also every element of your wedding. On her web site, www.bridal.com, Alicyn Wright, bridal designer for McCall's Pattern Company shares information on selecting fabrics, construction and appropriate styles for individual figure types, as well as tips for making each one of the McCall's patterns she designed.
  
  
• Sew much more. Once the machine is set up, consider personalizing gifts such as linen guest towels for the wedding party. Cover an inexpensive journal with scraps from your gown to serve as a guest book. Create an envelope purse or Victorian-look drawstring bag to elegantly carry a few bridal essentials. The ring bearer's pillow, the garter, even the flower's girl dress can be made, again carrying the same embellishments accenting your
  dress, instead of purchased for a significant savings.
  

Heading to the altar for a second wedding?

When Beth Reed Ramirez, a sales and marketing professional who lives in Anaheim, Calif., was planning her second wedding, she had a difficult time finding information for women like her.

While there are hundreds of publication dedicated to brides and grooms, she says in here opening essay: "I discovered, much to my dismay, that they offered very little for the soon-to-be-40, not-a-size-6 encore bride like me," she writes in her magazine's opening essay.

Bride Again has photos of ladies in white and stories on fashion and beauty (such as "The Fountain of Youth" and "Ageless Beauty Tips"). But it also delves into etiquette, finance and legal issues. Can an encore bride-to-be have a shower if she had one for her first wedding? (Yes, says BA, but don't expect gifts from guests who were there the first time around.) Other deep dish: combining two households, writing your own pre-nups and considering the kids.

Bridal budgets: average wedding costs $19,000

Last year, newlyweds spent an average of $19,000 on everything from their engagement ring to the honeymoon, according to Brides magazine. Such averages can be misleading, however, since every wedding carries the signature of its bride and groom. Where one couple might skimp on flowers and food and put most of the $19,000 into music and favors for 300, another could serve 50 first-class and save the rest for a trip to Jamaica.

"Some brides don't care about anything but the (disc jockey)," said one wedding consultant. "What I've found is that what couples decide to invest in says a lot about who they are as a couple."

Here's how some couples set priorities for a wedding day that would set the tone for a happy lifetime together:

Alecia Parker and John Jewitt

• Big day: Jan. 2, 1999
  
• Budget: $ 5,500
  
• Guiding philosophy: Simple elegance
  

With six members of the grooms family traveling to the wedding from his home country of England, the couple wanted to showcase cultural traditions of both nations. Keeping the wedding small helped to keep the British-American representation in check. Holding the wedding and reception at the James Brice House fit the bill, not only for its Colonial American significance, but also be cause Ms. Parker - an employee of the Historic Annapolis Foundation - was able to rent it at a discount.

Bridal bargains: The No. 1 moneysaver was the fact that Ms. Parker's brother volunteered to cater the event, followed closely by the fact that the couple kept their guest list to 50. A friend designed the floral arrangements using seasonal flora from her front yard. The couple opted for a $ 650 photography package with fewer photographs and smaller prints.

Splurge: The cake. The couple wanted three tiers and they wanted it to taste good. They spent $ 200 - a major chunk of their budget - on an almond pound cake with buttercream frosting from the Main Ingredient. "For me, the cake was more important than the dinner," Ms. Parker said. "It's the last thing you eat."

Deborah and Rick Van den Berg

• Big Day: Nov. 20, 1998
  
• Budget: $ 23,000
  
• Guiding philosophy: Quality over quantity.
  
  

It would have been easy to let the guest list grow to more than 250 people, but the longtime Annapolis residents decided early on to tighten it to 155. Holding the wedding at the Kent Manor Inn - the sight of the couple's first dinner date - was a way to draw friends and family into a weekend-long celebration and meet their ultimate goal: "We wanted everybody to have a good time," Mrs. van den Berg said.

Bridal bargains: By getting married on a Friday evening rather than a Saturday, the couple saved $700. They choose in-season wildflowers, rather than $15 a hit lilies. They skipped both the limousine and wedding favors and received their honeymoon - a threeweek scuba diving trip to Roatan off Honduras - as a gift from a family member.

Splurge: The reception. At $60 per plate, it kept the guest list under control. "When I sat down and tallied it all up, I was shocked," Mrs. van den Berg said. "If someone had told me I'd spend that much I'd have said that's crazy. But it was so worth it."

Mature couples guard financial independence

While many couples getting married in their early twenties fret over details of the wedding reception, mature couples in their 40s and 50s have other worries. April's Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine devotes a lengthy article to financial considerations of mature couples.

Couples who marry in their twenties, it says, may be just starting a Roth IRA. But at age 40 and beyond, individuals are "heading into [the] peak earning years," says Violet Woodhouse, a lawyer in Newport Beach, Cal., who specializes in family law. "We're more serious about saving, and more concerned about retirement and about what will happen to any children from previous marriages."

Other things to consider include protecting assets such as a business, an inheritance, property received in a divorce, or an investment portfolio. "And while spouses almost always have differing styles of money management," the magazine warns, "the longer individuals have been on their own and the more money they have, the more likely their habits have become ingrained and harder to merge."

Prenups are a good reality test for couples

It's easy for brides and grooms to get caught up in the romance of planning a wedding. Choosing a bridal gown and sampling wedding cake are just the type of activities that conjure up images of wedded bliss from here to eternity.

However, today's legal experts recommend that if if wedding bells are in your near future, you should prepare a prenuptial agreement -- even if you're not a celeb or a trust fund baby.

"Given today's divorce rate," one lawyer advises, "It's a good reality test. It can serve as a warning for more serious issues in the marriage."

However, they warn, even bringing up such a legal agreement is likely to create some relational strife. Some people, for example, interpret prenups as one person is thinking the marriage won't last and, in effect, is planning for its demise. They argue that it implies you don't trust each other.

But it's not true, says Vicki Fitzsimmons, associate professor of family and consumer economics at the University of Illinois. "It doesn't presume there'll be a divorce, because you're deciding these things ahead of time.''

Attorneys recommend a prenuptial contract especially if this is a second or subsequent marriage where either or both parties have assets they want to protect, particularly for their children. Even with a first marriage, if assets are unequal, the person with more may want to protect what he or she has.

With young people, if some of those assets have come from a trust fund or inheritance, some parents will encourage their adult child to get a marriage contract.

If your marriage does end in divorce, prenuptial contracts usually will be upheld in court if they have been properly witnessed and are considered fair to both parties.

The cost to draw up a marriage contract varies greatly, from $500 to five figures. While people can do their own, experts don't recommend it.

''You can do it yourself, but lack of knowledge often leaves room for dispute later,'' David says.

Tax tips for newlyweds

As April 15 draws near, it's time for many newlywed couples to file taxes together for the first time.

"It is important for married couples to know the advantages and disadvantages of filing jointly or filing separately," said Mike Trainor, president and CEO of Jackson Hewitt. "As a married couple, you have the choice to file married filing jointly or married filing separately. Before this decision is made, determine which status offers you the greatest tax advantage."

Married Filing Joint Return

• Couples find it most beneficial to file as "Married Filing Jointly."
  
• "Married Filing Jointly" will usually result in a lower tax liability.
  
• You may file a "Married Filing Jointly" return even if only one spouse has income.
  
• Couples report their combined income and deduct their combined allowable deductions.
  

Married Filing Separate Return

• If you and your spouse each have about the same income, as well as certain itemized deductions, "Married Filing Separately" may result in a lower tax liability.
  
• This status may be better if either spouse wants to be responsible only for his or her own tax liability.
  
• If the couple has been living apart during the last six months of the tax year, one spouse may qualify as head of household when certain conditions are met.
  

Divorced Persons

• State laws govern whether you are married, divorced, or legally separated under a decree of separate maintenance.
  
• If divorced under a final decree by the last day of the year, you are considered unmarried for the whole year.
  

Annulled Marriages

• You are considered unmarried for this and any previous tax years. You must amend your tax returns for all the tax years not affected by the statute of limitations to show this change in marital status.
  

New York tops list for expensive weddings locales

The New York metropolitan area is the nation's most expensive place to have a wedding, topping the national average by more than $ 10,000. The average cost of a wedding in the region (NY, NJ, CT) is a whopping $ 29,454 versus the U.S. average of $ 19,104.

The results are part of a national study conducted by BRIDE'S magazine on "American Marriage Today."

With wedding costs rising, it's no surprise that the father of the bride is no longer the sole financier of the wedding (19%). Most weddings (53%) are funded by both set of parents and the couple, with a significant number of nuptials (27%) paid for by the bride and groom themselves.

The study also found that contrary to popular belief, the month of May (10.3%) is equally as popular as June (10.3%) when it comes to getting married. Right behind are August (10.2%), July (10%), October (9.9%) and September (9.6%). The least popular month for nuptials is January (4.3%).

Here are additional results from BRIDE'S "American Marriage Today" study:

Marriage and Engagement

• There are 2.34 million marriages in the U.S. each year.
  
• The average length of engagement today is 13 months, an increase of two months since 1990.
  
• Men and women are marrying later. The average age of first-marriage brides in 1997 is 25.7; grooms is 27.7. In 1960, the average age of a bride was 20; groom was 22.
  
• More men are registering with their fiancees these days. Today, 78% of men get involved, compared to less than half (43%) in 1993.
  

Average Wedding Costs*

• - The Midwest (IL, MI, WI, IN) is the least expensive place to get married, costing couples an average of $ 16,195.
  
• A wedding in the Southeast (NC, SC, GA, FL TN, AL, MS, VA) costs an average of $ 16,293.
  
• A West Coast (CA, AZ, TX, NV) wedding is close to the national average at $ 18,918.
  
• Nationwide, the average cost of a wedding is $ 19,104, an increase of nearly $ 4,000 since 1990.
  

Couples are spending the largest portion of their wedding budget on the reception, which has gone up $ 1,735 to $ 7,635 for an average number of 200 guests. - Women spend an average of $ 823 on their wedding dress. The engagement rings grabs $ 3,044 of the wedding budget.

Dual-earner couples

• Today's newlyweds are more likely to be dual-earner couples. In 1984, only 53% of brides and 79% of grooms were employed. Today, 83% of brides and 89% of grooms are working.
  
• A whopping 97% of brides will return to work after walking down the aisle, though with a different name; 90% plan to take their husband's.
  

The Honeymoon

• The average amount spent on a honeymoon is $ 3,657 for an eight day trip.
  
• Most honeymoons are paid for by the couple themselves (70%).
  
• The most popular honeymoon travel destinations are: the Caribbean (27%); Hawaii (18%); Florida (17%); Mexico (10%); Bahamas/Nassau (9%); and Europe (8%).
  

A questionnaire was mailed to a random sample of 3,500 engaged/newlywed readers across the country. A total of 1,001 completed surveys were returned garnering a response rate of 29%. Karli Enterprises performed all tabulations.

(*) The categories used in compiling the average cost of a wedding include: invitations, announcements, thank-you's; flowers; photography and videography; music; clergy, church, chapel, synagogue fee; limousine; attendants' gifts; wedding rings; engagement ring; rehearsal dinner; wedding dress; headpiece/veil; brides attendant' apparel, mother of the bride apparel; groom's formalwear; men's formal wear; and wedding reception.

Wedding insurance dos and don'ts

First comes love, then comes marriage ... what's next?

With the average cost of a wedding rising almost 25 percent since 2000, couples will spend an average of $ 19,000 on their wedding. More newlyweds are now thinking of ways to "insure" their new life together, even if they can't ensure it.

There is a way to evaluate and plan for your financial future together before and after you walk down the aisle, according to the Western Insurance Information Service, a nonprofit consumer education organization.

Wedding insurance is offered in pre-set packages, or couples can tailor a policy to fit their specific needs. A standard package costs approximately $ 200 and covers the reception, photographs/video, special attire, medical, liability and other additional expenses.

Cancellation or postponement is covered up to $ 3,000, however, a change of heart is not covered. Many wedding insurance policies also cover jewelry in case the engagement or wedding rings are lost or stolen. After the wedding ceremony, as couples merge their lives together, they should also merge their insurance. Many insurers offer multipolicy discounts that can save couples money by combining auto insurance policies.

Since married couples are generally considered better driving risks than singles, they may also potentially save hundreds of dollars on their auto insurance policies. If a couple purchases homeowners insurance before the wedding, they get coverage not only for their new home, but also for their personal belongings and any wedding gifts they take on their honeymoon.

No matter what type of insurance policy a couple has, they need to update it to reflect a change in marital status to ensure they are not over- or underinsured.