76.120-033011-Wedding Guide

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GUIDE THE DAILY COUGAR ® Wednesday, March 30, 2011

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THE DAILY COUGAR ® Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Transcript of 76.120-033011-Wedding Guide

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GUIDE

THE DAILY COUGAR®

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

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PLANNING

En Vogue Events ensures trendy dream weddingsDeunbra Ivory

There are several key components to planning a successful wed-ding, but it all starts with a bridal consultant. Although most brides are apprehensive about hiring one due to the current condition of the economy, event manager and owner of En Vogue Events Haley Hughes strongly recommends utilizing this resource. Hughes explained that hav-ing a consultant can greatly reduce the headaches, chaos and expenses that a wedding can bring — saving you from the frustration that can morph you into the infamous bridez-illa you promised not to be.

A good wedding often gets off the ground with assistance from experts who eat, sleep, and breathe wedding planning, as they have valuable experience that can rescue any bride in distress. Hughes explained some of the latest fashions in modern day weddings as she detailed trends in colors, seasons, budgets and much more.

An important factor in formulat-ing a successful and stylish wedding are the color schemes. Most women spend their entire lives contemplat-ing the perfect color combination that will embody their beauty, charm and romantic fulfi llments. Still, some

may opt for more neutral colors, because, as Hughes explained, “black and white are making a comeback.”

It is also essential to consider the season in which the wedding is held. Autumn seems to enthrall many couples, with October serving as a favorite month for weddings.

Location is another critical decision. Most couples have a pre-conceived notion that a ceremony outside the boundaries of residency would exceed their budget. But des-tination weddings are quite popular, because, they can be surprisingly affordable when planned correctly. On the other hand, in order to fi t the budget, some couples gravitate toward all-in-one venues, a single location that comprises both the wedding and reception.

With the average Houston couple spending between $25,000 to $35,000 for a descent wedding, relatively large guest lists are still trending, with an average size of 150-200.

Even with all this in mind, however, some brides still need to alleviate their stress. Hughes advises three steps: hiring a wedding consultant, making a spa appointment, and most importantly, sitting down with family and friends to discuss what everyone is accounting for.

BRIDE’S TALE

Bride-to-be shares wedding planning tips Deunbra Ivory

Nearly all women anticipate the day they get to verbalize those two reciprocated words, “I do,” and fi nally live happily ever after with their prince charming. The mere thought of being wed to the only one who seems to understand you enough to look beyond all imperfections is priceless. It’s truly a beautiful occasion to witness, and it’s a dream that many women, such as Renia Lusby, aspire to attain. In February, during the Bridal Show at the Hilton hotel on campus, I had a chance to speak with Lusby, who was accompanied by her mother Ramona Buffi ngton.

The beautiful 27-year-old bride-to-be from Little Rock, Arkansas, will wed on July 2, 2011, kissing the lifestyle of a single woman goodbye for good. She chose the Hilton Hotel as her wedding location as she explained some remarkable facts about the venue, such the affordable deals that the hotel offers, or how the Hilton embodies the perfect wed-ding setting.

After probing fi nancial provi-sions regarding the wedding, she decided on a budget that would not exceed $11,000. With this fi nancial goal, she planned to have a guest list of 150-175 attendees, four bridesmaids and four grooms-men, , Italian Crème cake, and the purchase of the bridal apparel.

As women, we all know how imperative it is to fi nd “the one” — the perfect wedding dress. Unlike most, Renia fell in

love with the fi rst one she put on, even after trying on others. She was excited to tell us about her gorgeous Alfred Angelo gown and gushed with anticipation of

TIPS continues on page 4

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Amanda Starghill

Trying to juggle schoolwork, par-ticipation in a student organization, a demanding job and maintaining a cherished relationship can be stressful. Adding a wedding to that daunting list may seem impossible. But with the right help, anyone can pull it off.

Jo Ann Woodward is an accomplished wedding planner in Houston whose success put her on the couch with Katie Couric and CNN. She has valuable experience and can assist anyone in under-standing how feasible, convenient and effi cient your wedding will be with the help of a planner.

Q: What are the bene! ts of having a wedding consultant?

A: We feel that every couple should have a planner and every bride deserves a planner. Regardless of whether you use someone to get started or to complete planning, you avoid costly mistakes because the planner is working with different vendors. They know who is honest and reliable.

Using a planner for the whole wedding will pass on more dis-counts, which will save time and money because most brides are working and going to school. There have been situations when brides have put down money at a venue and then declare bankruptcy, so we try to have and keep up with the most current information so that we can direct our brides to make good decisions.

Q: What important questions should a couple should ask a wedding consultant and what answer should they expect?

A: When you initially go to inter-view with planner it is important to know how many years they have been planning. It is important to know if they belong to a national organization with ethics and guidelines. It is important that a

consultant is always learning so they keep up with the latest and greatest trends and most current wedding information via workshops.

Q: What do you usually verse your clients with in regards to planning a wedding?

A: We start from the beginning with the information of how they met, how he proposed and what fl owers her mother walked down the isle in. I want to know by the end of the day how they want to feel and how they want their guests to feel. Not everything can be a ten, so I want to know what is most important.

We talk about priorities and we discuss why things are done a certain way, like the history about a groom not seeing his bride. I give them articles to read and photographs of dresses and fl owers, a timeline and a checklist of what we are going to do, how and when we are going to do it by. I organize them. What I do is not rocket science. I am not a brain surgeon. What we do is want their wedding

planning experience to be fun, stress free, smooth and seamless as humanly possible.

Q: What is the average cost to hiring a wedding consultant and what is the common budget range?

A: The average cost of a wedding in Houston is about $26,000-$28,000.

We suggest that brides should stay in their budgets and not max out credits cards, because their wed-ding day is the fi rst day of the rest of their lives.

They should not go into debt because of the wedding. Only invite the most important people you can-not imagine not having there and do not promise what you cannot afford. Planners charge anywhere from $500-$10,000 and you get what you pay for. We try to very hard to fi nd them someone that is within their budget.

What is the time line of communication with a couple?

Houston-area wedding planner Jo Ann Woodward o! ers advice to couples who are looking to hire a professional to plan their wedding. | Courtesy of Jo Ann Woodward

PLANNING Q+A

Delegate planning to a professional?

fi nally walking down the aisle. For her fellow brides-to-be, she shared several tips, which include being organized and detailed oriented, preparing a guest list ahead of time, and searching for less well-known vendors, because popularity does not always mean quality.

No doubt, Renia’s wedding will be a captivating classic, and she is certain each element of this momentous occasion will leave a beautiful memory.

TIPScontinued from page 3

PLANNER continues on page 8

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Houston fi rm specializes in Southeast Asian weddingsDesi-gn Wedding planners help couples plan the a dream wedding ceremony

Amanda Starghill

Not all wedding consultants in the Greater Houston area are well experienced in planning weddings outside of the typical American church ceremony, with its hotel banquet room reception.

But Southeast Asian weddings specialists from Desi-gn Weddings help transcend that dream into reality — a couple can have the traditional Indian wedding they once thought was only attainable in their native country.

Consultant Shena Cherianen-thusiastically sharesd her insight about coordinating weddings.

The first inquiry a couple should make in regards to hiring a wedding planner is about his or her experience with special themes, styles and different

Desi-gn Weddings specialize in planning weddings for couples that desire a traditional Indian ceremony, regardless of religious beliefs | Courtesy of Desi-gn Weddings

cultures. Experienced planners will

exude confidence when they discuss their knowledge, and that should be reflected in their portfolio.

Couples should expect a quali-fied prospective consultant to be up to date on what is trendy.

“When they hire us on, they expect us to offer advice, give ideas, know latest in trends, and be very unique,” Cherian said. “They have many requests; to get that from idea to execution is where we come in. Bringing it to life is our role.”

Desi-gn has the capacity and resources to assemble a beautiful ceremony, regardless of their religious beliefs.

Recently, Cherian constructed a wedding between a Jewish bride and a Hindu groom that was unique, fun and most of all memorable.

Budget restraints should not discourage couples from hiring a wedding consultant. Good con-sultants recieve many discounts

from their relationship with ven-dors, which helps substantially in maintaining a designated budget.

Cherian asserts that about 10 to 20 percent of the budget should be allocated to the wedding con-sultant and planning should begin about 12 to18 months in advance of the anticipated wedding date..

For this reason, Desi-gn pro-vides a convenient online project management tool that assists couples in checking the progress of what has and has yet to be confirmed.

Couples can have the miscon-strued notion that coordinating a wedding simply comprises of food, décor and a band, but they forget small logistical details such as the number of electrical sock-ets the wedding festivities would require.\.

Taking advantage of having a wedding consultant helps couples make fully aware and educated decisions.

Planners provide much more than a luxury service — they are a necessity.

Don’t forget the male perspectiveBreanna Rogers

Many people assume that wed-ding planning is only for the bride. Contrary to popular belief, however, there are grooms that get just as involved in planning. I recently talked with a newlywed named Johnny, a UH student who has great advice for other upcoming grooms.

Johnny and his bride Monica spent quality time together by going to different vendors, such as fl orists, venues and bakeries. They split other responsibilities — Johnny focused on the budget, schedule and timing, while Monica focused on creativity and details such as invitations and favors.

Johnny said that it is important to remember that one person in the relationship is a realist (budget) and the other is a dreamer (creativity). The realist should not shoot down the dreamer’s ideas, nor should the dreamer make the realist feel bad about their goals and plans.

Johnny also said that it’s important to compromise, with the wedding plans and ideas. You may need to make a few sacrifi ces to help your guests be comfortable because the wedding is for them too. For his wedding, Johnny compromised and incorporated family traditions by holding a bi-cultural wedding.

Although these traditions were important, Johnny noted that couples should remember no one is bound to traditions. Though traditions are important, for your wedding you can incorporate your new ideas with the old.

Lastly, Johnny wanted to let other grooms to remember to enjoy the wedding. It is a celebration for only one day — so have fun and eat the food and cake. There’s no need to stress out — in the end, all that matters is that you are now married!

CULTURES

GROOM’S TALE

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Zadok Jewelers

When buying a diamond, remember that this diamond ring is really for your special someone. She will want to cherish her ring for a lifetime and possibly for generations to come. Even if the process might be frus-trating at times, one should enjoy the art of looking for the best diamond and always make an effort to stay positive.

Do your homework Don’t just walk into a jewelry store with-

out doing your research. Obviously, there’s no need become a gemologist, but make an effort to do some reading online and give yourself a basic understanding of diamond quality basics, reputable diamond labora-tories and diamond grading certificates.

Know your Jeweler Do your shopping with a highly

reputable jeweler. Ask friends or checkout Jewelry store reviews online before going to shop in person. Shop around and try to avoid pushy salespeople. This should be a good experience not to be tainted by pres-sure from a salesperson. You already have enough pressure without them — Go with someone who you feel comfortable with.

Do compare “apples with apples”Compare GIA certified diamonds from

one store with GIA certified diamonds of other stores. Comparing GIA certificates with other certificates (even very recog-nized ones such as EGL) is considered comparing “apples with lemons.” The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) is considered to have the strictest grading standards that advocate for the consumer instead of the seller.

Know her ring sizeIf it is a surprise, a good way to get some

helpful advice is to ask family — perhaps her mother, or a sister who she is close with. Many women often know their ring size by the time they graduate elementary school. Just make sure that the person you ask for advice knows how to keep their mouth shut!

Don’t be fooled by the words “wholesale.” Just because someone says they are a

diamond wholesaler or is located in a busi-ness building without a storefront doesn’t mean that you are getting wholesale prices. Diamond prices are much more competi-tive and easier to compare today than a decade ago, significantly lowering profit margins and creating a more level playing field. In fact, a large established retail jewelry store that does a high volume of business in diamonds and bridal jewelry is likely to have the same or more competitive diamond buying than most wholesalers. Any wholesaler who advertises, sells to the public and puts your ring in a fancy box with a cute carryout bag is called “Retail.” On the other hand, don’t throw your money away on a name such as Tiffany. You can find the same quality diamonds at other reputable jewelry stores without spending thousands of dollars.

Don’t buy a diamond without a GIA certificate

Even if the jeweler guarantees that the diamond will be certificated by GIA as stated — If the diamond is good enough to be certified, it should have a GIA certificate. Some diamonds that have been graded as SI2 by GIA certificates appear flawless, even under 30-times magnification, because they happen to be slightly milky, which most customers can’t see. Remember, it only costs $98 for a one carat diamond to be GIA certified. Make sure that the stone they are selling you matches the certificate.

Don’t wait to shop for your engagement ring at the last minute

With a rushed purchase you are likely to spend more and settling for less. Find-ing the right diamond for the right price might take some time, and most settings must be special ordered according to the center stone that you pick and you loved one’s finger size. Give yourself at least six weeks to start the process before you plan to propose.

Don’t choose a diamond by color and clarity alone

The diamond’s “cut” is the most impor-tant factor. A diamond’s overall quality is

based on the cut and polish. These are the two most important aspects when selecting a quality loose diamond. The quality of a diamond’s cut is what givesit its beautiful brilliance, fire, scintillation and dispersion of light. A diamond can have a high color and clarity grade, but look boring and lifeless.

Don’t spend beyond your means.Don’t be a cheapskate. Find the right

balance between what you can reasonably afford without sacrificing the overall beauty and quality of the diamond and engage-ment ring.

Hopefully, you’re only going to make this purchase once in your lifetime, and it is decision one that you can’t afford to screw up!

The Four C’s of Diamonds from ZadokJewelers.com

The The Four C’s are the key character-istics of diamonds: Clarity, Color, Cut, and Carat weight. Taking a few minutes now to learn about them will make your purchas-ing experience smarter, easier and more enjoyable. Not only will you know the exact quality of the diamond you’re considering, but you’ll be confident that you’re paying a fair market price for it. The Four C’s give you the information you need to compare the characteristics of diamonds within one jewelry store or from one store to the next.

Because diamonds are so valuable, it’s essential to have a universal grading system for comparing their quality. In the 1940s and ‘50s, GIA developed the Four C’s and the GIA International Diamond Grading System™ to objectively compare and evaluate diamonds. This system essen-tially involves the Four C’s and provides standardization for the certification of diamonds.

Buying the perfect engagement ring is one of the most important aspects of popping the question. Use the fol-lowing tips to make your shopping process easier. | Photos.com

A jeweler’s tips to help pave the way to a good gem decision

Picking a diamond shouldn’t be rough

DO IT YOURSELF

Planning your own wedding is rewarding, saves moneyBreanna Rogers

Last summer, I was lucky enough to get married to my best friend. When we started the plan-ning process we chose to plan our own wedding, rather than having a wedding planner.

Although wedding planning can be a lot of work, it can also be very rewarding. These are five great reasons to plan your own wedding.

Save some extra cashWedding planners can be

expensive, so by planning your own, you can cut out an expense. When planning your own wed-ding, you can also look for options in your price range and find creative ways fill every part of

your wedding without breaking your budget.

Planning is a lot of Fun Going to different vendors and

venues may be time consum-ing, but it is also exciting and interesting.

You can spend time seeing dif-ferent places with different styles to find something more fitted to your ideas, see different florists and their work, and, best of all, go to bakeries and try different cakes. Instead of focusing all of your energy on the stress of plan-ning, enjoy the planning process, because you only get to do it once.

The Wedding becomes all about you and your fiancé

When planning a wedding

on your own, you get to pick out every little detail and make it unique to your personal taste. This is especially great if a tra-ditional wedding is not to your personal taste.

Also, being able to have special details that are important to you and your fiancé shows your guests what you both like and enjoy.

Spend quality time with those you love

Wedding planning is time consuming, but that can be great because you are able to spend time with your fiancé and get to know them better.

You are able to see what they like and their taste. You are also able to spend time with your clos-est friends and family, and they

can help with the planning. If you hand-make or design items for your wedding, such as favors, you can have help from bridesmaids, sisters and moms, which helps you draw closer to them before the big day.

Creativity is keyPlanning your own wedding

gives you a chance to be creative and pull in your own ideas. Pull-ing inspiration and ideas from websites, television shows,and magazines can help make your wedding unique and fun.

Instead of a cake or another dessert, you could have a candy bar. Pretty much whatever you want, you can have — making your wedding truly about you and your fiancé.

Planning your own wedding allows you to spend quality time with the people you love and have a wedding that is unique to you and your ! ancé. | Photos.com

ENGAGEMENT RINGS

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ENGAGEMENT Q+A

Sarah Pease helps plan the perfect proposalAmanda Starghill

People identify the nervous stage of courting as cold feet before the wedding, but what about the proposal? Many men will let an engagement ring burn a hole in their pockets for months on end before proposing, but Sarah Pease, the Proposal Planner, can alleviate that stress by coordinating a proposal to remember. Pease is the owner and creative director of the renowned Brilliant Event Planning that has been featured on CNN and in Manhattan Bride. She is based out of New York, but extends her services out-of-state and even internationally. The following interview answers further inquiry of her phenomenal services.

Q: What does your proposal plan-ning service comprise of?

A: Proposal planning is helping couples get engaged. Typically we are working with a guy getting engaged to a woman, but we also provide services for same-sex couples. We provide three differ-ent services: concept only, vendor matching, and full planning. The concept consultation only starts with a Q&A session.

We find out who is going to propose, hear their love story, and look at photos of them. This process takes about an hour to learn about the couple.

Vendor matching is taking someone’s idea and providing him or her with the resources and services to execute their idea properly.

Full planning is coming up with a concept for them,

matching vendors, and being there the day of the proposal.

Why do you think it is important to have a proposal planner?

A: There are a lot of people who realize that creativity is not their strong point and want to make this a memorable moment. Those who do not have the dedi-cated time towards coordinating the proposal would want to hire me.

Is there a long time line to planning a proposal?

A: Most times when guys are proposing they have had the ring for months in advance or are in the process of buying a ring.

How far in advance do people schedule appointments and book services?

A: The most time I have had to plan a proposal was anywhere from a couple of months to less than a couple of days.

How do you provide services for your out-of-state clientele?

A: The majority of my out of state clientele are either traveling to propose in New York City or are hiring for concept only an out of state proposal. The majority of what I do is over the phone sharing contacts and inspiration boards for what we are shooting for.

Is it popular to counsel and provide services to women?

A: It isn’t necessarily popular to provide service for women to propose, but same-sex marriage is on the rise and love does not have a definition, at least in my mind,

between a man and a woman and I support that!

Do your clients usually come with an idea or ask for a lot of advice?

A: Sometimes, 50 percent of the time they come with an idea and whether they use all of it is up to them. We usually incorporate it or use it later.

Do a lot of people come with simi-lar ideas? What is the most unique proposal that you have done?

A: A lot of people come with a traditional, cliché proposal and proposing at the end of dinner. When you think outside the box it is amazing! We did a travel inspired proposal this weekend. We brought a compass with a special saying in which she can always find her way home to him. It also had a leather journal that had the same engraving on the compass.

Does having a proposal planner make the boyfriend/girlfriend less nervous?

A: It definitely makes the guy less nervous, hands down. The girl isn’t nervous until after she says yes. She doesn’t know we are there until the end so it doesn’t have a lot of effect on her.

What is the fastest turn around that someone has gotten married after being engaged?

A: I had a gentleman who got engaged in July and married in September.

What is the shortest time someone dated and the longest before being engaged?

A: It’s hard to say because a lot

New York-based proposal planner Sarah Pease specializes in helping clients plan a proposal of a lifetime. | Courtesy of Sarah Pease

of my clients have been together over a year. I don’t see it as a requirement. The longest is usu-ally five plus years.

Are you married? Did you use a proposal service?

A: I got engaged a week ago and I did not use a proposal plan-ner but he did a surprise trip to Jamaica. We were on the beach drinking Red Stripe and he jok-ingly proposed with a plastic ring. I was surprised by the proposal because he just woke me up and said pack your bags we’re going somewhere warm.

Carefully laying out a wedding budget will keep you from making uneducated deci-sions, acquiring unwanted debt and allow you to enjoy your big day. | Photos.com

FINANCES

Weddings for every budgetAmanda Starghill

As they go about choosing every detail for their big day as bright-eyed little girls, many women often miss an essential element in planning a wedding: budgeting. The select couples that have their fantasy wed-ding televised bring hope to many brides-to-be that their dreams will also come true.

They say “it ain’t trickin’ if you got it” but there is no need to go broke because of the demand to live a lifestyle you cannot afford. Budgeting should not be rejected as an ugly truth; it should embraced as an acceptable reality that is a necessary in order to avoid an accumulation of disappointment and frustration. Fail-ure to budget leads to uneducated, illogical decisions, unwelcoming stress, deb, and a depreciation of the big day you have been anticipating.

Below are tips attributed to marthastuartweddings.com and costofwedding.com that guide you toward an affordable and helpful direction, so that you can jump-start your blissful life together as newlyweds.

Reception: ! 40 percentWedding Consultant: ! 10 to 15 percentMiscellaneous: ! 10 percentFlowers: ! 10 percentPhotography/ !

Videography: 10 percentBride and Groom’s Attire: !

5-10 percentMusic: ! 5-10 percentCushion: ! 5-10 percent

BUDGET GUIDE

Do not go into debt to pay for 1. a wedding. Consider having an intimate gathering versus a big reception.Do not pay your wedding bills 2. with credit unless you can pay o! the balance in full as soon as you get each statement. Having credit card interest rates and " nance charges to is a bad way to start the beginning of a new life together.Do not agree to any upgrades 3. without inquiry of extra cost.Do not spend more than you 4. allocated in one area unless you can cut back by that amount in another area.Do not budget for fewer guests 5. than you invited. Always overestimate.

5 WEDDING DON'TS

Limit alcoholic beverages1. Avoid pricey main courses (use 2. hors d’oeuvres rather than main courses)Make cake the dessert course3. Select in-season # owers4. Turn favors into centerpieces5. DJ vs. wedding band6. Seek free fonts for wedding invita-7. tions, announcements, and save the datesCreate your own website (save 8. paper)Have a baker take care of the cake 9. if it is not in the caterer’s contractBuy local ingredients10.

10 WAYS TO SAVE

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A: It varies. It depends on their availability. Initially there are many phone calls and daily emails. As things get crossed off the list the communication lessens.

Eight weeks before the wedding there is a lot of communication. It varies depending on where we are in the planning process. I do not have any restrictions. One thing that makes us successful is that we are very responsive.

Q: What advice would you give to a young, aspiring wedding consultant?

A: I think that the advice was given to me was learn as much as you possibly can and get a degree in business or marketing. There is much more than going to buy a dress and picking out pretty fl owers.

It is really important to have education behind you. You are not going in to make a million dollars. You are going in to make someone’s dream come true. I have a master’s in social work. I use my skills every day.

Weddings are supposed to be a really happy time, but every family has issues and you need to be able to help people through happy and sad times.

PLANNERcontinued from page 4

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