With the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve a prime time for a man to ask a woman “Will you marry me?” it’s not unreasonable to expect that these days the first question to follow a “yes” will be “How will we pay for the wedding?”
Ahwatukee wedding planner Kim Horn says she has an answer for budget-conscious couples in a time when affordability is dominating the national conversation.
As the owner of the Arizona Wedding Show, which runs 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Jan. 10-11 at the South Building of the Phoenix Convention Center, Horn has built into the event a plethora of money-saving opportunities.
“When you come to the show, every exhibitor has a show special or an exclusive show offer that once you come to their booth, that is something that you get that you would not get from their website,” she said.
“You’re not going to get it from walking into their store. You get that exclusivity because you attended the show. They offer show specials that are for a limited time. …Every exhibitor kind of has a different built-in thing that they do.”
Besides, the Arizona Wedding Show offers more than just a chance to save money.
“With 200 exhibitors all in the same place, you’re saving time, energy and effort because of the fact you’re not driving around everywhere. You’re not having to basically be on the web and trying to get in touch with somebody or trying to get an email back.
“You’re actually face to face with the people that are able to offer that exclusive deal that you can only get by coming to the show.”
Horn, one of only about 75 people in the world who hold the title of Master Wedding Planner, cited other ways a couple can approach the expense of a wedding – like inviting “the inner circle of your family” and friends instead of everyone they ever knew. “Each guest has a financial consequence to your budget,” Horn said. “Every guest costs you money because you need food, you need a chair, you need beverage.”
But there are other considerations as well, like the venue and even the day of the week a couple choose for their nuptials, since many venues offer cheaper rental rates for those willing to marry on a day other than Saturday.
Horn has designed the Arizona Wedding Show to be helpful and entertaining for couples.
With her daughter Alexa managing the fashion show that features gowns and menswear at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. both days, Horn has lined up DJs, tastings and suppliers of every conceivable service and item a couple might be looking for in a wedding – from venue owners and photographers to caterers and florists.
She’s also lined up interactive experiences and fun activities and with her daughter has arranged that every attendant will have an app that connects them with every vendor with a booth so they can find what they’re looking for quickly once they’ve entered the Convention Center.
Horn also has a couple other savings for couples. While day-of admission is $15, early registration at arizonaweddingshow.com is $12.
And the first 50 couples who show up each day not only will get a special surprise Horn’s not ready to disclose but also get in early and be entered into a raffle for one of the gowns and one of the tuxedos at the 11 a.m. fashion show.
There also are other raffles, including for one lucky couple who will win “the ultimate wedding package” with thousands of dollars of wedding day items.
