Discuss.

Pooh and Rapunzel recently stayed at Bay Lake Towers and LOVED the convenience of being able to hop on the monorail or walk to Magic Kingdom. Especially when they stayed at the park for Extra Magic Hours until 1am! They are highly recommending we stay there again. I love the whole idea of it, but just can’t seem to get over the lack of theming at both the Contemporary and Bay Lake. I know, I know, it DOES have a theme. It’s just not a very exciting one. ‘Modern’ just doesn’t have much of a wow factor with me.

Our last trip we stayed at Jambo House in Animal Kingdom Lodge. That place is heaven for someone who enjoys a good theme!I love being able to sit out on my balcony and watch the zebras and giraffes. Last time we saw two zebras playing ‘tag’ (or so it seemed) and got to watch a giraffe try to get a drink of water! Man was that a sight to see!  I, personally, would love to stay there again for this next trip, but the thought of convenience is always weighing in and making me have doubts.

As a compromise, another option that offers a great theme and is somewhat close to the parks is Wilderness Lodge. From there, you can take a boat to Magic Kingdom or the Monorail, so you don’t always have to rely on buses. The downside of Wilderness Lodge is the pool. I guess not the biggest deal for a December trip, but I know the little princesses are going to want to swim and they all love a good water slide. The pool here looks ok, but nothing too exciting. In fact, if we chose based on pools, I think the Polynesian would win!

I was pretty much decided against Bay Lake until yesterday when I received an email from Disney Destinations. (have I mentioned how much I love getting emails from Disney?) They knew I was playing around on their reservation system recently and emailed me with the ‘suggestion’ of staying at Bay Lake Tower. The email contained pictures (chosen just for me!) of how it’s decorated for Christmas as well as some of the pro’s of staying so close to the magic. Ok, fine. It’s sounding better by the minute.  That email led me to start watching videos online to see how the villas look. I’ve seen them all before and I still wasn’t completely sold, but then I saw this picture……yes, that’s Magic Kingdom out the window.

Seriously people? Do you have to make it look so gorgeous? I really don’t want to like this hotel.

I have to say, Bay Lake MAY be back in the running…only time will tell.

I AM planning on having several Disney theme nights during our long, long wait, so why not make this the first one? Once the wheels in my head start turning, there’s no going back. This was the perfect day to have a Winnie the Pooh theme night! I set to work straight away on the menu and then ran the necessary errands while the princesses were at school. While we did run into a few snafu’s along the way, it turned out to be a fun evening!

For dinner we had Pooh’s Favorite Hunny wings, Vegetables from Rabbit’s garden with ranch dressing,

Piglets in a blanket with Hunny Mustard (these were kind of hard to swallow, knowing we were EATING Piglet…),

Owl’s Hunny Roasted Peanuts, Bouncy Orange Jello, and Kanga’s famous Pooh Cakes for dessert! I was hoping to find some sort of Pooh themed cupcake decorations, but there was nothing, so Kanga made the cakes ‘Pooh yellow’ with Red and Yellow frosting.

Ariel helped out by making cards that said what each food was.

While we were eating and after, we were supposed to watch Winnie the Pooh movies. Now, I know we have a few of the Pooh movies SOMEWHERE in our house, but of course, they were no where to be found on this particular day. I checked the cable on-demand and they had the newest Pooh movie, but that was it. Netflix had nothing whatsoever…typical. We ended up making a last minute dash to our local Blockbuster. They are going out of business, so I wasn’t holding too much hope that they would have anything, but we did end up finding The Tigger Movie and The Book of Pooh. The sales clerk told us there was a woman there just that morning who bought all the Pooh movies they had. Somehow she missed those two.

Now armed with our movies, we were ready for the festivities to begin! Even the Fairy Godmother arrived for the occasion. We all enjoyed our first Disney Theme Night and we hope Pooh had a wonderful birthday! I can’t wait to see what the next theme will be!

This time around, we’re counting down on a much grander scale! Rapunzel and I worked into the wee hours of the night cutting strips of colored paper, numbering them and stapling them all together. The end result was a paper countdown chain 344 links long! It now hangs, in all it’s glory, all around our kitchen and the girls remove one link each night before bed.

The fun part is that it’s really a countdown for all of 2012! We took the time to mark the days for holidays, birthdays, graduations, and the other trips we have planned for this year. We even added some fun things like ‘not even close’, ‘one more Disney day!’ (for leap day), reminders for when we get to make our ADR’s, the 100 day point, and double and single digits.

While it’s a little overwhelming seeing how ALL these links wrap around the kitchen and knowing exactly how far we are from leaving, it also reminds us every day that we have a trip to Disney World planned and in motion!

There’s also a little trick in this chain. I really want to surprise the kids with a Disney trip (I love watching all the “Disney Surprise” videos on YouTube!), but there’s NO WAY I’d ever be able to keep it a secret. So, we came up with the idea of telling them we’re going, but giving them the wrong date. They think we’re going on December 21st during winter break, so our countdown chain has an extra 20 days added to it. I can’t wait to sit them down the night before we really leave and hit them with the surprise! Of course, we will be video taping the whole thing. 

As of today, 333 links left on the chain. Next BIG day to look forward to is tomorrow! Pooh’s 18th birthday!!

We are going to be having our first general planning meeting this Saturday, November 12th at 6pm. It will be held in the Gender and Diversity Center at New College of Florida. Philip Bloom, myself (Roger Butterfield), and Mary Mac (via Skype) from the Tampa Free Skool will be attending to observe and participate in the meeting. Please RSVP to sarasotafreeskool@gmail.com or in the comments here if you would like to attend, so that we can have a general idea of how many people might be showing up. If you can’t make it to the meeting, there will be more in the future, as well as minutes taken of this one.

And if you haven’t already, join the facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/285662858131690/

Hope to see you there!

-Roger

Even though I know this, sometimes other people aren’t as optimistic. I actually had one photographer who I contacted say, “Well, I hope your photography doesn’t suck, because with your budget, I can’t imagine you’ll find anyone good.” (My budget was less than $1000 for photography.)

Well, I did find a kick-a** photographer who was willing to work with my budget. But that’s not the point. This isn’t supposed to be a rant or a nanner-nanner style post. The point is, meeting with wedding vendors as a budget bride can be tough.

For me, there is a lot of anxiety involved from the moment I copy-paste a vendor’s email address into a new message. Thoughts flutter through my mind: ‘Is this a service I can afford?’ ‘Can I DIY this?’ ‘Will they think I’m being cheap?’ ‘Will I get the same service that a higher-budget bride would?’ etc., etc., etc.

The worst is meeting with them, though. I met with a wedding planner this week. I was so nervous about it that I almost cancelled. Maybe it was the fact that I had been checking out her blog all day and seeing all the beautiful weddings she’s done, and in my mind maybe beautiful = no budget. (I know, dumb. All one has to do is read MY BLOG to see that beautiful can be done on a budget!)

Maybe it’s my personality. I’ve never been the girl who is good about asking for prices. I’m the girl who talks her mom and/or fiance into calling the store to ask what their hours are, or to ask if they have my size jeans in stock.

Anyway, this lady ended up being really nice. We chatted for about an hour, and then went our separate ways. Budgets never came up. I breathed a sigh of relief.

For now, I really don’t have any tips to help on this issue. I’m still trying to work it out myself. My mom (a pretty intelligent lady) tells me that I’m in charge. I’m the employer, and they the employees.

One of the things Mr. Lox and I decided to do a long time ago was to take dance lessons before the wedding. But then, as wedding planning kicked into high gear, neither of us could really find the time to research and find a place to take lessons. I was surprised to learn that it’s not as easy to find good dance lessons as I thought it would be. But then, it was Groupon to the rescue. We found a Groupon for a Ballroom Blitz class. It was four weeks long with a different dance being taught each week. We figured we could decide which one of the four would be right for our song and then we’d be set.

After the third group lesson, we realized that a class like that wouldn’t cut the mustard for what we really wanted. It was fun, and I’m totally glad we did it (would do it again in a heartbeat) but we needed private instruction. So, just a handful of weeks before the wedding, we went for a package of 10 private dance lessons with Beginning Ballroom. And hive, this was the best wedding planning decision we made.

The obvious benefit was a confident and nice looking first dance. You all get that. But it had another, even greater, hidden benefit. For those 10 hours, all Mr. Lox and I had to do was concentrate on each other. There were no vendors to handle. There were no crafty projects to wrangle. We weren’t researching ideas or sweating over details. For those 10 hours, we were concentrating solely on each other. And we had fun. Those lessons turned into dates for us. We laughed, we touched, we were close to each other. They were stress relief and dates all rolled into one. So yeah, our first dance was pretty sweet. No hug and sway for us. But those dance lessons, they reminded us of why we were doing this whole wedding thing in the first place.

Now, as a prize for listening to me gush, here is a video of us from one of our last dance lessons. I was wearing my crinoline so we could have a realistic idea of how much space Mr. Lox needed to give me and he could learn not to step all over my dress. Or, you know, you can imagine it was my version of a fashion statement and laugh at me. Either or.

Personal video – Mr. Lox and I taking dance lessons at the Beginning Ballroom studio.

Aren’t we cute? We really did enjoy these lessons and I can’t stress to you enough how beneficial they were. Mr. Lox and I are considering going back to continue taking lessons just because we had so much fun. And hey, everyone needs date night.

So what was/is your favorite part of wedding planning?

It doesn’t always have to be that way, though. There are plenty of lovely places to get married that won’t swallow your budget whole.

Our top 3 places to wed for less?

*****

*****

1. Public Parks: Park weddings, such as the one pictured above (photo credit: JennyJ Photography), just have such a sweet charm to them. This one was held at Sunset Hill Park in Seattle, which couples can rent for as little as $100 per hour.
2. Masonic Lodges: Oftentimes masonic and other club lodges will give you great deals on wedding sites. These venues also often have a place for not only your ceremony, but also your reception.
3. Backyard: Getting married just takes on a whole new allure when it’s in a place that not only carries sentimental value, but also is a place that you can re-visit again and again. Your backyard is, guess what, FREE!

*****

Now for our top 3 places to steer clear of (they’ll eat YOU up):

1. Wedding-centered venues: These businesses make all of their money off of weddings, so their prices are automatically going to be higher.
2. Hotels: Most hotels require you to use a certain catering company, and this company usually has steep prices. If you do go for a hotel, make sure you find one that offers reasonable catering or lets you bring in your own food.
3. Converted Mansions: A lot of historic mansions are now available for weddings and events, and one would think that since they primarily serve as historic landmarks that they would not be among the top-cost venues. Unfortunately, these venues make most of their money from events, and this means higher costs.

*****

We love this post that came through our email this morning: 22 Budget-Friendly Wedding Ideas via WeddingChannel.com. We are the first to admit that mainstream wedding media doesn’t always think about budget brides, but today we thank them. :)

Here are some of our favorite ideas from the post:

*****

DIY Signs

Unexpected Flowers

*****

The other lovely email we received this morning alerted us to a great deal going on over at Project Wedding’s invitation shop. Here’s how to take advantage of it:

1. Head over to Project Wedding’s invitation shop (or click this link to see their more budget-friendly options).
2. Choose a design, quantities, and other options.
3. Personalize.
4. Go to checkout. Put in the coupon code PWF0411, and get 10% off AND free shipping.
5. Fall in love all over again.

*****

Check back later today for shots from a real wedding in Arlington, Wash., and info on a quite wonderful budget-friendly photographer from Puget Sound.

Here we go!

Total # invited: 70
OOT Guests: 9
“Local” Guests: 61
Total # of Invitations Sent: 40

Local is in quotations for a reason. Our wedding is an hour away from our house and at least that far away from the majority of our local guests. So even though they are all in this general vicinity, everyone is putting up with a bit of a drive to share in this day with us.

Total # of RSVPs Received: 34
OOT Declines: 6
“Local” Declines: 14
OOT Accepts: 3
“Local” Accepts: 47

Total Number of Meals we will be providing: 50 adults (+2 for Mr.x Lox and me!), 8 children, and 5 vendors

Yes, there are 6 RSVP cards I simply never received. Those stragglers have been hunted down and answers have been extracted. But let’s talk about the ugly for a moment. The majority of the non-responders were my family. And I have to tell you, I expected to have to hunt people. I did NOT expect to have to hunt down my grandmother, for example. And did I know she probably wasn’t coming? Yes, yes I did. Was I hurt? I won’t lie… a little. But I’d always known this was likely to happen due to my issues with her son (both of my parents are only children, so we’re not talking uncles here folks). However, I was still hurt that not only could she not still be there for *me*, but that she felt that since she wasn’t coming there was no need to send in the card. I know, I know… and I’m working on building the bridge and getting over it. Maybe one of these days that will work out for me.

Let’s not end on a sour note. Our original projections to the venue and our baker was 60-65 people. We set our minimum low at the venue so we didn’t get stuck with extra costs. We told them 50 and they set the minimum at 45. Those totals are all for full-price adult guests. We came in at 52 adults. Including ourselves, we hit 60 guests total with 52 adults and 8 children. Additionally we will be providing 5 vendor meals. (Important distinction because vendors and children are half price!)

So there it is, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Luckily for us, mostly good. Have you gotten through the RSVP gauntlet yet? How did you fare?

Right. Except no one gave my coworkers the memo. I tried to deliver it multiple times, but they would have none of it. As far as they were concerned, it was their only chance to celebrate our marriage and they were going to have it, by golly. I told them there was no reason to bother. They laughed at me. Then I told them no gifts, and they ignored me. Instead, they put together one of the sweetest things I’ve ever had coworkers do for me. I was floored.

First, there was tons of food. i mean, they really had a great spread. And then,t here was the cake. Made by the yummiest bakery anywhere near me. I mean, you guys,this is some serious cake.

Look at the flowers in our wedding colors! So thoughtful!

And then there was the thing I tried to stop them from doing. In fact, I tried so hard I didn’t give them any ideas on what I would want. I said nothing. And they knew better than to ask. But this happened anyway…

That is me trying to get the cool tag off without breaking a ribbon while the whole room jeered and joked. I was victorious by the way. And eventually I got the whole package opened.

Now let me tell you a little story. About 6 months ago, we were talking about holiday baking at work. And I told the sad tale of the KitchenAid mixer my ex-MIL had given me when her son and I were married. when we decided to divorce, I predicted the first words out of her mouth would be instructions to seize the mixer from me. He disagreed. Seeing as I am now receiving this mixer, you know what she did. Too bad we didn’t place money on it.

Anyway, the sweet part of the story is that I mentioned this once, in passing, at least 6 months ago. And my coworkers remembered and decided to buy me this mixer of my very own. I almost cried. For reals.

But no one wants to see a grown woman blubber… so instead, we cut the cake!

Please take a moment here to appreciate not only the delicious cake and seriously generous gift, but the fact that they purchased totally coordinating paper products.in..  our wedding colors.

So, there you have it. Now you all know why I love my job. It’s because I work with people who do things like this. Even for a gal’s third wedding. They are kind, and generous, and just all around good and I’ve been bowled over by their generosity all weekend every time I think about this. So yeah, I made them a thank you card and made over 100 cake pops to take into work today to express my gratitude. and that’s the story of the wedding shower that shouldn’t have ever been… but I’m so spoiled that it was anyway.

Did you get a shower from an unexpected place? And don’t I have the most awesome coworkers ever?

However, two weeks ago I thought of something that we should both be very glad I remembered. That’s right, our marriage license. You know, tiny little important detail without which the purpose of the day isn’t complete (!!!). So I decided to research what we needed to do to make this happen.

Before I go into what happened next, you should know that although I’ve been married before, it was never in the state of Maryland. So you’re going to have to forgive me for this.

I already knew I needed to go to the courthouse. And I already knew the courthouse has hours that exactly mimic our jobs. So I knew some time off was in order to make this happen. No problem, you know, just take an hour or two off and the whole thing will be over. Right? Not so much. I mean, yes, we both needed to take time off . But here’s a fun fact… Mr. Lox and I live in the city. And the Vandiver, our lovely wedding venue, is aaaaaaaall the way up in Harford County. (You already see this coming. I know you do.) And the wedding license has to be procured from the Harford County Courthouse. Which is about an hour away. Way to go Loxy.

So instead of an hour or two, we each took half a day and trekked up north to git ‘er done. After some minor snafus with parking, and a bit of crabbiness from me (because I was unknowingly coming down with strep throat it seems) we located the building and did what had to be done. There was no wait and we sat down immediately with a nice lady who would get us all set up. We were sworn in, gave her all of our information, and $40 later we had a marriage license!

Somehow that makes it seem more real. Have you done the research so you know what it takes to get a marriage license where you’re getting married?

Finished Product:

Materials:

1. Silk flower
2. Buttons
3. Cork Board
4. Ribbon and thread
5. Scissors
6. E-600 Glue
7. 1 yard of Muslin fabric

1. Lay the muslin on top of the cork board, then cut the extra fabric on each end.

2. Fold the extra fabric under the edges, so that the border shows. Using push pins, secure the fabric in place on one end.

3. Fold back the other end of the fabric, and squirt glue onto the cork board. Smooth the fabric over the board, keeping the folded edges in tact.

4. Cut ribbons to lay on your board in the above pattern. Then, either use your needle and thread to sew them down or your glue to glue them down with a button at the corners and cross points.

5. Let it dry for 24-72 hours, then add your inspiration pictures, color swatches, and your favorite flower!

1. Invest in a wedding planner. We’ve heard this from many planners, but have never heard it so well explained as the way Sarah explained it. She said, “We know the ins and outs of the areas, who’s who and what the best prices are.  We will create and make sure you hold to your budget.”
2. Use paper flowers. According to Sarah, they are “fun, cheap, beautiful and fun to make!”
3. Take advantage of rentals. “You can rent almost anything these days.  If you cant afford to buy it, look into renting.”
4. Ask a baker about the possibility of just decorating a cake. Cake is expensive, and omitting the whole baking thing can really save you money.
5. Cut your guest list to save money. So many of your wedding costs are based on the number of people present—food, alcohol, centerpieces, linens, chairs, tables, invitations, etc. Cutting this list will cut your costs significantly.
6. Recycle your wedding! Specifically, Sarah suggests hunting eBay and CraigsList to find great deals. (To see our post on recycling your wedding, click here.)
7. “Beware of each flower you purchase,” as Sarah puts it. She reminds us that you can make beautiful centerpieces with just a few flowers.

Craigslist, though, can be really dangerous when considering something as important as your wedding photography. One has to remember that anyone can post listings on Craigslist.

That being said, I found my photographer on these lovely online classifieds, and she does excellent work.

So how does one distinguish between the good and the bad apples? By conducting interviews. Think about it. You are hiring these people to do a job for you. If you were running a company, wouldn’t you interview before a hire? Yes, yes you would. (And, by the way, if a photographer doesn’t offer a free consultation, then say goodbye right away.)

Here, we have compiled a list of questions that need asked (with our commentary in green italics).

Package and Cost Questions

1. What does your package cost, and what does it include? On Wed4Less, we won’t feature a photographer unless they can offer at least 6 hours of photography and some print credit/print rights for less than $1500, sometimes $1750 if the work is really good. We find this to be very reasonable. This isn’t to say that photographers who charge more or give you less are ripping you off—they probably have more experience. It just gives you a benchmark to work off of.
2. Here’s my budget. What can you do with it? Are you totally in love with a photographer, but they don’t quite meet your budget? Pose this question and hope for good results. Some photographers are awesome and give brides really great bargains. Others won’t budge, but it’s worth a try.
3. How much of a deposit do you require? Remember that the deposit will be the immediate fee, usually required to reserve the photographer for your date. If you can’t afford this right now, you might want to keep looking.
4. When is the balance due? Some photographers require this a month ahead, some won’t require this until you have the pictures in hand.
5. Do you do engagement, boudoir, bridal, or trash the dress shoots? Are any of these included in your package? If not, how much extra would it be? If you have your heart set on one of these shoots, this question is a must. It’s definitely much better to be able to use the same photographer for all of your shoots, that way you can get to know each other and each others’ respective styles.
6. How soon do you usually book weddings before the date? This question is important for brides who like a photographer, but want to shop around a little more before settling on one. Just know that you’ll have to weigh the pros and cons if it turns out you need to book ASAP to get this photographer.
7. Can you hold our date while we consider our options? For brides in the aforementioned situation, this question could be your saving grace. A few photographers will put a hold on your date for a week or so while you shop around.

Contract Questions

1. What happens if you get sick the day of my wedding? Do you have other photographers that will come in your stead? This is such an important question to ask right away. Make sure, of course, that this information is spelled out in your contract.
2. What happens in the case of an equipment failure? You need to be sure that your photographer has plenty of back-up equipment. This equipment may not be as good as their starters, but at least your wedding will be photographed.
3. What if an equipment failure causes a significant loss of images from our wedding day? Basically, they better not make you pay.

Equipment Questions

1. What kind of camera do you use? Even if you know nothing about cameras, make note of this answer and do a quick google search when you get home. If you see a bunch of awful reviews, address this with the photographer before booking.
   
2. What other equipment do you use? The photographer should have plenty of flashes and lenses, at the very least. Some more traditional photographers will also have other lighting equipment.

Experience Questions

1. Do you primarily focus on shooting weddings, or are weddings just a piece of your photography? Beware of photographers who use weddings as a way to make money while pursuing a career in, say, landscape photography. Although they will likely understand the basic dynamics of general photography, they probably won’t fully understand the importance and special caveats of weddings.
2. How long have you been a photographer? How long have you been professional? Use your discretion.
3. Have you had formal training, or are you self-taught? Remember, self-taught DOES NOT necessarily mean bad. Some self-taught photographers are absolutely fabulous. You just have to use your discretion, again.
4. How many weddings have you shot before? Try to find photographers who have shot at least one wedding before, hopefully many more, and who have great pictures to show for it.

Style and Form Questions

1. What would you say your photographic style is? A real professional should be able to answer this question, although they might need some help jogging up the words. If they struggle to find an answer or say that they’re not sure, steer away. Also, know what style of photography you want. Photojournalistic? Traditional? Artistic? Detailed? Edgy? Posed?
2. Do you like to put people in poses or work stealthily, capturing the real moments?
3. Are you open to inspiration pictures? Some photographers balk at this idea, which isn’t necessarily bad if you LOVE their work.

Legal Questions

1. Will we have rights to our images in digital form (for facebook, myspace, blogs, etc.), or is this an additional charge?
2. Will we have print rights?
3. What resolution will these pictures be? Again, if you have no idea, google it.
4. How long will we have to wait for images?
5. Do you provide an online gallery for friends and family? If so, will they be able to purchase from this gallery?
6. How many images can we expect?

Logistical Questions

1. Who will actually be shooting my wedding, you or someone else? Some photographers will have interns or assistants shoot lower-budget weddings. Make sure that you see images taken by the person who will do the actual shooting.
2. Do you have an assistant? Shooting a wedding alone is simply next to impossible. Some photographers are successful shooting on their own, but these photographers are the exceptions to the rule. As a general rule, your photographer should have someone tagging along at least to carry extra equipment, if not to snap some additional pictures.
3. (For outdoor weddings) How comfortable are you with shooting in bad weather? If you are hosting an outdoor wedding, and your photographer doesn’t have the right equipment to shoot in the rain, you might be in trouble.
4. Are there any situations in which you would refuse to take photos?

Some tips for the interview:

• Ask the photographer to bring a full collection of images from a single wedding. AKA, ask them to provide you with the first photo from that wedding, the last photo, and every one in between. At the meeting, flip to random ones. This ensures that you are seeing more than just the best of their photography.
• If your gut says no, say no. You have to have clicking personalities, or your photography won’t turn out as well.
• Do that engagement session. Don’t take off the engagement session to save money. That session is so important. It allows your photographer to get to know you before the wedding, and for you and your fiance to get to know your photographer. This makes for better wedding day images.

Just to let you all know, next week we will not only be featuring our first real wedding, but we will also be featuring TWO vendors. One exclusive with an online vendor, and one feature on a photographer from Portland.

Post edited on March 28, 2011 for increased clarity.

The federal government is concerned about the rising costs of long-term health care for senior citizens and the disabled. And it is actually taking action.

The Community Living Assistance Services and Support Act (CLASS Act), part of the health reform legislation signed into law by President Obama in 2010, will establish the nation’s first government-run, long-term care (LTC) insurance program. Long-term care insurance is designed to cover costs associated with cognitive impairment, a chronic illness, a disability, or help with daily needs such as bathing and getting dressed.

One of the primary goals of the CLASS Act is to reign in the role Medicaid plays in long-term care. Currently, Medicaid spends one-third of its budget on LTC costs — and with a rapidly aging population, those costs are only expected to skyrocket over the next few decades.

The Act does not yet specify premium levels or the full scope of what services will be covered. The Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for determining the parameters of the program. While the program became effective as of January 1, 2011, the full details won’t be finalized until October 2012.

Here is a summary of what is known so far.

• The program will be voluntary and not funded by tax dollars.
• Employers can include the program as part of their benefits offerings and may fund all or part of the costs. Their employees will be automatically enrolled, but will have the ability to opt out.
• Eligible employees can pay their monthly premiums through direct payroll deductions, similar to traditional workplace health insurance plans.
• Participants earn eligibility for their LTC needs after at least five years of participation.
• These plans will be tax-advantaged, allowing participants to deduct their premiums and out-of-pocket expenses on their tax returns.
• Those who are currently retired are not eligible for the program. Also not eligible are the unemployed and nonworking spouses.

A Need for Supplemental Coverage?

The program’s benefits won’t be capped, but the amount paid will probably not cover 100% of all LTC costs. The law stipulates a daily benefit minimum of at least $50, and many experts believe the program will launch with a $75 daily stipend. Currently, the median cost of “adult day health care” is $60 a day, while a semi-private room in a nursing home runs $185.1

Given the rising costs of care, it is likely that supplemental insurance still may be a necessity for many who have not yet retired. Standalone LTC insurance can be pricey. In 2009, premiums for a policy with a three-year benefit period averaged $1,590 annually for a single 55-year-old.2

In addition to their costs, LTC insurance policies are complicated. If you are considering purchasing a policy before the government plan is launched, be sure to consult with your financial professional. 

¹Source: Genworth Financial, Genworth 2010 Cost of Care Survey, April 2010.

²Source: American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, 2009 Long-Term Care Insurance Price Index.    

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© 2011 McGraw-Hill Financial Communications. All rights reserved.

February 2011 — This column is provided through the Financial Planning Association, the membership organization for the financial planning community, and is brought to you by Ronald J VanSurksum, CFP® , a local member of FPA.

Some authors, though, didn’t forget about us. Some of them wrote whole books for us—books about DIY projects, budgeting, and organizing. These are our top five picks:

*****

The DIY Bride Crafty Countdown

$20 ($8 on Amazon)

Wed4Less Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

This book is perfect for the DIY bride. It has forty different projects to do in preparation for your wedding—everything from a DIY flower girl basket to DIY invitations. Each project includes a price break-down for materials, which can be really helpful for budgeting purposes.

It’s sister book, The DIY Bride, provides budget brides with forty more projects in a similar style.

*****

Bridal Bargains

$15 ($9 on Amazon)

Wed4Less Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Bridal Bargains is a nice purse-sized guide to cutting costs on everything wedding. It has a section on the dress, a section on the venue, and even a section on choosing your wedding date in ways that will cut costs.

*****

Offbeat Bride

$17 ($12 on Amazon)

Wed4Less Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Our third pick is perfect for the bride who is a little less traditional. We love its advice on planning a wedding without sacrificing your sanity, whether that sacrifice be through budget woes or through giving up your personality.

*****

The Bride’s Book of Lists

$13 ($11 on Amazon)

Wed4Less Rating: N/A

This book was recommended to Wed4Less by a member of Project Wedding. Though we’ve never read it, The Bride’s Book of Lists has received stellar reviews on every online bookstore I checked (which included Amazon, B&N, BetterWorld, and more).

According to one Amazon review, “This book has a checklist for everything.” Sounds good to us.

*****

Simple Stunning Wedding Organizer

$20 ($14 on Amazon)

Wed4Less Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Although this book wasn’t created with budget brides specifically in mind, it definitely helps with staying on budget. This is the book that Lindsie, our founder, uses to organize her own wedding plans.

We love a ton of things about this book:

1. It’s a binder. That means that you can print your own inspiration pictures, hole punch them, and put them in this book.
2. It has a very nifty section for budgeting and another nifty section for creating a guest list.
3. It includes a place for you to take notes on different vendors, and has lists of great questions to ask each of them.
4. It has clear pocket areas to keep inspirational trinkets.
5. It’s awesome. :)

*****

Although these books are a small investment at first, they can all save you tons of money on your wedding. Buy them. Read them. No. Peruse them.

Oh, and you can always find them used for really cheap. Lindsie got her copy of the Simple Stunning Organizer on Amazon.com for $1.

*****

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Note: All images & titles on this post are links to the Amazon.com listing of each book. You can help support Wed4Less by buying them through these links. We get 15%! :)

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Ooooh! I almost forgot to tell you! A week from today, we’ll be featuring our first real wedding. Subscribe using the green RSS link or the email subscription form at the right, and you won’t miss it!