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Weddings Bring Financial Bliss to Virginia

As June comes to an end, hundreds of businesses will be counting their profits and celebrating their biggest month of the year.  With more and more wineries in the state, beautiful mountains, beaches and rolling farm fields, Virginia is a popular destination for weddings, valued at $1.8 billion a year.  Sandy Hausman has more on the business of getting married:

Hundreds of brides to be, their mothers and sisters gathered in Charlottesville earlier this year for a bridal show featuring the latest in gowns, which average just over $1,300 apiece.  Jessica Jarrell of Sealed With a Kiss in Charlottesville and Erica Cook  of the Butterfly Boutique in Mineral say that after centuries of wearing white, brides are choosing colors that complement their skin.

"We do very few pure white gowns," says Jarrell.  "The trend is for shades like blush or light gold."

"We are seeing a resurgence in ivory," adds Cook,  "with lots of lace.  Once Kate walked down the aisle in a vintage looking gown with lots of lace, the designers started trending towards that again."

White wedding cakes are also passe as couples opt for cupcakes in all flavors.

"I really liked the strawberry butter cream and white cake, and then there was one that had sparkles on top of it that was really pretty," said a prospective bride who identified herself only as Angel.

"Our most popular cake is a carrot cake with a white chocolate cream cheese," said the head baker at Krecek Kakes of Gordonsville. "That’s not traditional, but it's really delicious."

"We really liked the turtle and the mocha latte," added another guest who opted not to sample the jalapeno mole cup cakes.

But before they tuck into cake, some prospective brides will be buying nutritional supplements, which is why Kyle Bryant was at the show.

"We have a detox program for brides or bride’s maids who may be looking to slim down before the wedding," he explains.

Come the big day, they can eat again.  Last year, Virginia couples spent more than $400 million on food and drink at parties after their weddings. 

Renting a place to have your wedding is another in the long list of expenses – averaging $3,700 bucks. No wonder Tim and Karen Liske decided to diversify their Harrisonburg farm by turning the historic barn into a party place.  Less than two years into their new business they had 30 weddings on the schedule.

"It was a working barn, and we still own 150 acres around the barn," Karen says. "We have all the tables and chairs.  We do the set-up and break down and take away the trash."

Simple decorations and casual themes can keep costs down. 

"We’ve had some all pink weddings -- even the groom," says Chuck Caldwell of the American Hotel in Staunton.  "We’ve also had some dogs involved."

Photographs and video could set you back another $4,000, but Richmond cameraman Felix Bueno figures you can amortize that expense over time.

"The most important part of the day is the memories that you create," he says.  "You’ll be crying for years."

Add in flowers  and invitations, rings, limos and beauty services, and it’s easy to see how an average ceremony and celebration in Virginia costs more than $31,000.