I PAY, I PAY: The recession hasn’t...

I PAY, I PAY: The recession hasn’t stopped the wedding business. Wedding consultant Mollie Merrell says caterers, florists and other vendors can work within a budget, though the bashes don’t come cheap. A wedding and reception costing $8,000 or less is considered “low budget,” $8,000 to $18,000 is “medium” and $18,000 and up is “the higher end,” says Merrell. Most of her clients spend $15,000 to $18,000, but even they often cut corners by omitting a video, ordering chicken instead of steak or hiring a deejay instead of a band.