Wedding plans....

Ok, so in the midst of relocating and job hunting, I also have to plan my wedding next year. I started off wanting all sorts of bells and whistles, but now in the harsh light of day, I'm feeling guilty about spending so much money on my wedding reception location. I had my heart set on a romantic outdoor wedding, but when I look at the economy and that fact that all that money will be gone over a 6 hour wedding reception, it puts things in perspective.

According to the statistics:


• $72 billion per year is spent on weddings
• the average wedding budget is $20,000
• $1,016 is the average cost of wedding rings for the bride and groom
• traditionally, the father of the bride would pay for everything. Today, however, the bride and groom themselves pay for the wedding about 30 percent of the time; the bride's parents pay about 17 percent of the time. As for the rest of the time, costs are covered by different sources -- the bride and groom and one or both sets of parents, according to surveys by Bride's magazine.
• $19 billion per year is spent on wedding gift registries
• $8 billion per year is spent on honeymoons
• the average honeymoon budget is $3,657
• over  91 percent of all to-be-weds register for gifts. The couple receives gifts from an average of 200 guests
• most wedding guests spend between $70 and $100 on a gift 

In the grand scheme of things, why do we spend so much on one day and risk going into debt for the forseeable future. I am seriously considering getting my deposit back, getting married in my local church and having a fun, less bank-breaking reception. But where?

These brides are no joke. Every Saturday in June and July from here to eternity is already booked. Let the games (and high blood pressure) begin.

Any suggestions for cool locations in the DC or MD area?

And so it is....

Ok, so just to quickly catch you up on my life so far:

• Turned 30 and decided to change careers from law to media
• The recession hits and all the jobs disappear
• By some miracle, I get a media job...but it's in Latvia
• Work in Latvia, get engaged in the US and relocated back to the US
• Have been torn between continuing my media career or being dragged back into soul-sucking corporate job

I worked at finding a job much harder than any employed person I know. I managed to get a part-time media job after 5 solid months of trying everything and everything to get one. Turns out my British accent is only an asset in England and local tv stations are looking for someone with more experience and less 'Britishness'.

But what's a person to do to keep themselves motivated and hopeful in this cruddy job climate, while still being able to pay the bills? Here are a few tips that worked for me:

• Develop a routine. It's all about organizing your space and time. Everyone needs a reason to get up in the morning and if you set yourself a schedule, you'll have a sense of purpose. Don't beat yourself about the day before, it's already gone. Just because you're not working, doesn't mean you don't deserve to take a mental break to relax. A simple schedule could start off like: 1. Wake up and give yourself a pep talk/prayer/good breakfast/yoga/talk with your dog (whatever works for you), 2. Go for a brisk 20 min walk (gets the mind alert and productive and forces you not to be in the house all day), 3. 10am-11am Review resume, make any updates or changes, 4. 12pm-3pm Look for jobs etc.
• Think outside the box. Most internships are for college credit, so try volunteering. It won't pay the bills but it will look good on your resume, so that when the right opportunity comes around, you'll have gained experienced. Try blogging - with so many companies looking to get an online presence in social media (twitter, facebook, LinkedIn), it's a good way to show off your knowledge of a subject, your IT skills and the fact you are keeping up with current events in your field. You might have to suck it up and take a temporary job that's not in your field or a full-time job that's out of your field. As long as you still keep your skills sharp, you'll be in a good position when a job in your field opens up. On the plus side, most temporary jobs pay very well and give you flexibility with your time to work on your desired career. Maybe consider relocating, free online courses, starting your own company...the possibilities are endless!
• Use your contacts. Don't be shy to ask friends, family and former co-workers for the inside scoop about job openings at their companies. You don't have to beg, but just ask them to keep you in mind if something in your field or at a desired company comes up.
• Practice your elevator pitch. If you had 30 seconds to sum up your skills and the value you can bring to a company, what would you say? You should think about 3 or 4 accomplishments or projects you were recognized for along, with 3 words that neatly describe who you are. You never know if you might run into someone who could be a future boss, so you should make sure you're confident about who you are and what you can bring to the table.
• Stay connected. Get some free business cards so that you can network at various events, meetup groups or at any opportunity. A number in a phone can be forgotten, so write down keywords to keep a fresh memory of who they are and what they do.
• Stay positive. The most important thing you can do is be as positive and patient as possible. You might be the right candidate at the wrong time or there might be other influences (like hiring freezes) that is stopping companies from hiring. As the economy turns around and companies get more confident, they will pick up their hiring pace. Whether it's religion or another means of finding peace, have a happy place in your mind where you put positive energy into a positive outcome. Good luck!

Do you have any tips on things that you're doing to help you get through these tough times?