Vendors Can Help Keep Nuptial Costs in Check

It’s wedding season and if your expenses are running over budget, some last-minute bargains could help.

First, look at your estimate for flowers. One woman in a wedding-planning frenzy phoned us recently and said, “The flowers are costing as much as the food!”

They don’t have to. Floral Designs by Michael, which is not a retailer, does flowers strictly for weddings and parties and can save you big bucks. A bridal bouquet made up of a dozen roses, a dozen stephanotis and five to 10 stems of dendrobium orchids with baby’s breath filler is $65. Most florists would charge $100 to $150 for such a bouquet.

Pew bows with connecting ribbon are $4.50 each (retail $10) and centerpieces for the reception start at $15 with mixed flowers in a clear vase.

Michael Holtzer will come to your home or consult with you at his office by appointment.

Floral Designs by Michael, (818) 885-0600.

If you think your photographer’s fee is a little high, check out Lee Brubaker Photography.

Two longtime customers are typical. The man and woman met through Brubaker’s photos of them in a singles publication. They called Brubaker to do their engagement party and called him again for the wedding.

Soon it was maternity time, then newborn shots and now christening photos. He charges a flat rate of $100 an hour plus $80 for a 36-exposure roll of film and one 5-by-7 print of each . . . and you get to keep the negatives.

Lee Brubaker Photography, (310) 476-1992.

If you bought the dress--chances are you want to preserve it for posterity. Gown preservation can be costly; many places charge as much as $500. Forever Treasured, a Valley company, does only wedding gowns and guarantees each piece. The price for cleaning, preserving and boxing the gown and veil is $250.

Forever Treasured, (888) 389-8787.

On the other side of the hill, there’s the Lace House that cleans, repairs, preserves and boxes wedding gowns for $200, but co-owner Tony Prager said the fee is commensurate with the work required.

The Lace House, 6080 Pico Blvd., Los Angeles. (323) 653-4052.

Weekend Supersales: The Hydra Spa Factory Outlet is overstocked, so much of its inventory is priced to move. More than 50 spas have been marked down and are ready for delivery. One spa that regularly sells for $2,395 is now $1,995; and the outlet’s top-of-the-line spa is $6,000, reflecting a $700 reduction. Spa covers also are a good buy. Some that are slightly damaged start at $79 (regular $300), and first-rate quality covers are $200.

Hydra Spa Factory Outlet, 6559 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Canoga Park. (800) 992-7727.

If father is a sportsman, M & M Sales has pistol crossbows that usually sell for $29.95 on sale at $14.99. Or for the gardening dad, air hose reels that retail for $45.95 are $29.95. There are some great deals here on all kinds of tools.

M & M Sales, 7544 Balboa Blvd., Van Nuys. (818) 989-7514.