The Citizen, 1999-02-10, Page 14PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1999.
Consultants can lessen stress
After reviewing the myriad
details involved in planning your
wedding, you may decide you
could use some help. Many women
today are busy with careers. They
find they don’t have time to plan a
wedding, or a mother nearby to
help with those plans, and find
comfort in the advice of an expert.
Brides have found hiring an
experienced consultant especially
helpful when planning a wedding
out of town. If you fall into any of
these categories, or just would feel
more comfortable with a
professional on the scene, you may
want to consider hiring a bridal
consultant. They can help you
maximize time and money by
making use of their abundant
resources and recommending
quality services.
Many details involved in the
happy, but often hectic, planning
process can be handled by a
professional consultant. Some
consultants offer full-service
planning from booking locations to
hiring caterers, florists and
musicians to supervising the actual
wedding.
Olhers may be limited to specific
areas. Or you may decide you only
need someone to supervise the day.
So determine what you want to
have done, then choose a bridal
consultant whose services fit your
specific needs. Bridal consultants
are there to provide the wedding
you dream of; they handle the
details, leaving you time to enjoy
your engagement, your family and
your fiance.
Determine The Cost
Though prices often vary
according to region and services
rendered, the fee you pay may very
well be offset by the money and
legwork a consultant can save you
in the long run. The actual amount
you'll pay will depend on your
consultant's method of billing.
Some charge a flat fee for their
services. Others charge a
percentage, of the total wedding
bill, which is usually between 10
and 20 percent. Or your consultant
may charge an hourly rate,
especially if hired for only limited,
services. Many use a combination
of these methods, depending on the
bride’s needs. Some may also
receive payment from vendors,
rather than from the bride.
Hiring a consultant is not always
an additional expense; many times
their fee can fall within your
established budget. Since bridal
consultants have an established
base of suppliers, they often can
negotiate discounts for you, or at
least assure the best service
possible. In addition, the consultant
will help you stay within your
budget, often offering suggestions
on how you can save money
without tarnishing your dreams.
Finding A Consultant
Some brides fear that a bridal
consultant will barge in and take
over. That is very unlikely, since
you hire the consultant to pi an your
wedding. Reputable consultants
make your dreams - not theirs -
come true.
To find a good bridal consultant
ask other wedding professionals
such as caterers, reception site
coordinators, florists or brides
whose weddings you have
attended.
Here are some suggestions to
help you choose your bridal
consultant:
• Interview more than one
consultant.
• Find a consultant you feel
comfortable working closely with,
and one who understands your
desires.
• Ask about the number of
weddings the consultant has
worked on.
• Request client references if you
feel you need further reassurance
about the consultant's abilities.
You must feel confident she can
do the job.
• Learn which specific services
the consultant offers. Some may
handle every detail; others may
not.
• Establish the fee structure up
front. Is it a flat fee, an hourly rate
or a percentage of the wedding
costs?
Weddings:
Weddings:
photography since 1982
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k/f’’' £ Creating elegant wedding-
Grooms plan rehearsal meal
Continued from page 13
at the reception. Help the couple
make their getaway at the
appropriate time.
Ushers:
• Be at the site of the wedding one
hour before the start of the
ceremony. The groGm should
have boutonnieres ready for you.
• Have a typed list of guests
occupying reserved pews. Stand at
the door and ask each arriving
female guest if she is a friend of
the bride or groom. Offer your
right arm to the woman and escort
her to her seat.
• Head usher escorts groom's
mother to the front right-hand
pew.
• Ushers escort all women in the
front pews to the door. The bride's
mother is first, then the mother of
the groom, etc.
Groom's Parents:
• Give your guest list to the bride
so she can coordinate the list with
hers.
• Give a rehearsal dinner for the
bride if the bride's family is
willing for you to do so.
• Call on the bride's family before
the engagement is officially
announced.
• Send the bride's mother a note
expressing happiness about the
couple's engagement.
Borrowed, blue
Blue symbolizes purity, fidelity
and love. It is also associated with
the purity of the Virgin Mary.
In South America, brides used to
wear a pale blue petticoat under
their wedding gown as the
"something blue."
Dan and Pamela (Martz) Rosu
(519) 291-2303
360 Main Street East, Listowel, ON N4W 2C2
- Capture your wedding memories through our experienced eyes.
OWA/Au/w-v r /< A< <A oF'drxjAe-
& ^Breakfast
will now offer catering at
your place or mine
for
Bridal showers, Come-and-Go teas,
Rehearsal suppers
or Family Gatherings
Bride's fringe benefit, use of the pretty lawn for
wedding pictures
Patricia Ham
Auburn (519) 526-7606
9 0
aoartan
JOreiju JiFuTe
Nothing in life comes easy
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Planning your wedding is sure to cause your
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Come and see us at the
289 Josephine St.
Wingham
519-357-9976