Recreating Celebrity Weddings on a Real-Life Budget

Celebrity Entertaining Expert Debi Lilly Teams With The Pampered Chef to Help Couples Take Wedding Inspiration From the Stars and Create a Day All Their Own

ADDISON, Ill., April 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Watching celebrities weddings can make any engaged couple green with envy. From the luxurious locations and exotic flowers to the crisp linens and innovative invites, everything about celebrity weddings is perfect ... except the price tag. Couples wishing to recreate Tony Parker and Eva Longoria's summer nuptials or Katherine Heigl and Josh Kelly's winter wedding don't need to spend millions. All it takes is inspiration, creativity and a focus on the right details.

To help couples nationwide learn to plan a celebrity-inspired wedding of their dreams, The Pampered Chef and wedding expert Debi Lilly, founder of A Perfect Event and party planner for Oprah Winfrey, are teaming up to show real couples how to create the day of their dreams without breaking the bank.

"You don't have to be a celebrity bride to have a wedding worthy of making headlines," says Lilly. "It's easy to take popular Hollywood trends and incorporate them into your wedding. That is why I'm working with The Pampered Chef, to take great pieces that go beyond the kitchen to help make your wedding -- the ultimate entertaining occasion -- everything you want it to be."

Debi Lilly's "Three Rs"

Lilly says there are three things every bride should think about. "Ceremonies are usually very similar, so I tell brides that the 'three Rs' of any wedding - registry, rehearsal and reception - really provide the opportunities to set your wedding apart," said Lilly. "Those three pieces of your celebration are essential. Your registry is something that's going to help you start your life together and the rehearsal and reception are key ways to personalize your day and make it special."

Real Life Registering

Registering is one of the most important things a couple can do to let their wedding guests know how they want to set up their new household and start their lives together. But the whole process can be confusing to couples if they are unsure of what they should register for. While celebrities have assistants to seamlessly take care of these needs, everyday couples are handed a scan gun and take a leap of faith that they will find the products to fit their needs.

To take the guess work and frustration out of registering, The Pampered Chef helps make the process easy -- just visit http://www.pamperedchef.com/ and check out the Wedding Registry page. Registrants will feel pampered from the get-go by either working one-on-one with their own personal Consultant or choosing to register on the spot. Either way couples can notify friends and family with complimentary registry announcement cards and e-mails. The online registry provides unlimited access 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

"I recommend that brides use The Pampered Chef wedding registry, because it is so easy use, you cannot go wrong," says Lilly. "Brides can choose from hundreds of items to add to their registry, including those from The Pampered Chef's Well-Stocked Kitchen List. This comprehensive collection is a list of high quality kitchen products that can't be found anywhere else and that brides simply can't do without. The list includes everything from cookware to stoneware, cutlery to cookbooks, timeless serving dishes to time-saving tools that newlyweds need to be ready for any entertaining occasion."

Ready Or Not -- Time to Rehearse

Wedding rehearsals bring together family and friends to reflect on the past and look forward to the big day. One celebrity rehearsal trend that can be recreated on any budget is a backyard party or barbeque; these fun events are cost effective and always a hit. The goal of the barbeque is to keep the atmosphere casual and save the more formal event for the wedding day.

"I tell my couples who are hosting a barbecue for their rehearsal to purchase nice serving pieces and stands, like those from The Pampered Chef's Simple Additions collection, to pull the event together," says Lilly. "It makes sense to invest in items that you can keep for years. Just think of all of the future parties that you will be able to host without any worries!"

Rendezvous at the Reception

"Receptions vary widely from couple to couple, and that is what makes them exciting to guests," says Lilly. "And they're a great way to infuse celebrity inspired elements such as themes, centerpieces and favors. Brides can go online to find information and inspiration for celebrity wedding ideas that will fit into their day."

Lilly's favorite celebrity wedding reception elements include:

-- The Lounge Reception: Hollywood is all about being seen at trendy
night spots, which is one reason that lounge receptions are popular
with couples who prefer a modern edge and an overlay of glamour for
their weddings. These receptions forgo a formal sit-down dinner in
favor of passed hors d'oeuvres and interactive food stations such as a
taco bar, candy bar or mini-hamburger stand. In keeping with the
trendy theme, lounge receptions typically start later and are more
interactive, with guests mingling throughout the night.

-- Do-It Yourself Floral: Instead of engaging a costly florist with a
high profile client roster, consider tapping your creative side and
making your own arrangements. Look for photos of celebrity reception
centerpieces in wedding and entertainment magazines for inspiration.
Arrangements can be made by purchasing flowers and decorative items
and then utilizing a piece like The Pampered Chef's Trifle Bowl. The
bowl has a removable stand, letting the bowl sit either low or high to
create different visual effects. At the end of the reception, these
centerpieces also make a nice gift for those who helped the couple
with the wedding.

-- Favor Fun: Wedding favors are a memorable way to say thank you to
guests for being part of a couple's special day. Celebrities have
been giving favors that tie back into the overall theme of their
wedding. For example, if the wedding is outdoors, like Jerry
O'Connell and Rebecca Romjin's, they will give guests flip-flops or
fans to keep them comfortable, or if it is at a vineyard, they will
give wine openers and stoppers. The favor possibilities are endless,
all it takes is creativity!

To find inspiration, creative ideas and little details to put weddings over the top, Lilly suggests turning to the Web. For her downloadable Entertaining Guide and more on The Pampered Chef's wedding registry and products, please visit http://www.pamperedchef.com/.

About Debi Lilly

Debi Lilly is a nationally renowned event-planning expert based in Chicago. She is the founder and president of A Perfect Event -- one of Chicago's most successful special event company with a faithful (and famous) following, including Oprah Winfrey. Founded in 1996, her company designs events, flowers and invitations for several high-profile clients and companies including, Brooke Shields, Debra Messing, Cartier, Leo Burnett, McDonald's and The Symphony Orchestra among others.

About The Pampered Chef(R)

The Pampered Chef, founded in 1980 by Doris K. Christopher and now part of the Berkshire Hathaway family of businesses, is the premier direct seller of high quality kitchen tools. At in-home cooking demonstrations, called Cooking Shows, guests see products and recipes in action, learn quick and easy food preparation techniques and receive tips on how to entertain with style and ease - transforming the simple to the spectacular. For more information call 1-800-266-5562 or visit http://www.pamperedchef.com/. The Pampered Chef is a registered trademark.

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Source: The Pampered Chef

CONTACT: Michelle Young, +1-312-988-2294, myoung@webershandwick.com, for
The Pampered Chef; or Andria Rosell of The Pampered Chef, +1-630-792-7610,
andria_rosell@pamperedchef.com

Web site: http://www.pamperedchef.com/

2008-04-22 11:43:18 0342069 PRNEWSWIRE