Vote for Jen!!!!!!!

Although I have used this space to champion for a cause, none has been so far from serious as this one. Let me first start with a rant on weddings, which seems to be an appropriate topic for Valentine’s Day. Most everyone has a personal viewpoint on weddings. Either they plan to get married, are married or were married. In the U.S. there will be an estimated 2,290,578 weddings in 2007, according to market research data. In Wisconsin alone there will be 33,216 weddings this year.

Each individual wedding will cost, on average, more than $20,000. That’s more than some people make in a year. In total, $40 billion will be spent on weddings. This enormous industry has spawned a whole new career (wedding planning) and even a movie (The Wedding Planner). Of the $20,000 budget, here’s where it goes (keep in mind these are averages probably put together by someone who has never planned a wedding): reception site, $8,000; engagement ring, $3,000; honeymoon, $3,000; wedding rings, $1,100; photography and video, $2,500; rehearsal dinner, $800; bridal gown, $800; bridal accessories, $200; bridesmaids, $900; flowers, $850; music, $750-$2,500; limousines or transportation, $450; stationery and invitations, $400; formalwear, $500; and clergy and chapel, $250.

So, to get to my point, this is why when my college friend Jen called me to share the happy news she was engaged, I begged her to go to the courthouse. Although she did not take my advice, I agreed to support her by becoming a bridesmaid in her wedding. So far, I like the planning. It’s the end of March, a great time of the year for bored dairy farmers and newspaper people between sports seasons. It’s in Ashland, which is a heck of a lot cheaper than her current location, the Twin Cities area.

Jen’s newest money saving idea was to enter a radio station’s “Ugliest Bridesmaid Dress Contest.” The winner receives a free couture wedding gown, a big ticket item for a wedding. She submitted the photo of a beach- towel-bodice thing and, lo and behold, she is a finalist! I went to the site to vote and for a good laugh at the hideous attire.

Now Jen may not be wearing the ugliest dress, but I think she is exceptionally deserving of a freebie. She works very hard at her two jobs and does community service even without a court order. Besides being a great person herself, Jen’s family is awesome. Her parents, who are small business people, have volunteered to care for her toddler niece while Jen’s brother and sister-in-law serve their country in Iraq. I just think they all need a little break from the wedding bills and stress.

If you’d like to help with the cause (or just laugh at the satin and poof) visit http://www.kdwb.com/ pages/dave/poll.html. Point, laugh, then be sure to click on Jen.