Wedding bells, with a dose of reality

Families are reluctant to let financial woes stand in the way of a wedding day, but the recession has prompted many to find creative ways to make fairy tales more affordable.

Throngs of people descended on the Antlers Hilton hotel Sunday afternoon for the Beautiful Beginnings Bridal Faire, where dozens of vendors touted their photos, dresses, cakes, flowers and other wedding-day wares.

Here, the atmosphere was upbeat and a world away from the headlines of unemployment rates, foreclosures and failed businesses.

People are less willing to say no to weddings than cars, TVs and other big-ticket items, vendors say, noting that couples get married in good times and bad.

"If we went into debt, it'd be worth it just because she's getting married," said Toni Senger, who was attending with her daughter, Kristen, 25, whose wedding is planned for September in Las Vegas.

Yet visions of royalty in many cases are met with reality, some say.

Conrad Smith, of Reflections Photography, said he's noticed guest lists are smaller, and there have been more elopements. Many couples are also opting for weekday weddings, when discounts are usually available from businesses. He said orders for basic photo packages are up, while demand for costlier services is down.

Cakemaker Carol Hildebrand, of Creative Cakes by Carol, said business grew in 2008, but many of her customers opted for smaller cakes with backup sheet cakes to save money. Unlike photographers and florists, there are few local cakemakers, she said, so there is less competition. Still, she added, "It's going to be an interesting year."

Nationally, the average cost of a wedding fell by 24 percent, according to The Wedding Report, an Arizona-based market research firm, and it was expected to fall another 6 percent in 2009.