Blissful Bay Weddings

Hey y’all

My biggest apologies for not putting up any new blog posts for some time!!  But wait – 2010 is just around the corner & there will be a heap of new interesting wedding content to keep you busy reading, including a variety of wedding ideas with budgets under 10K from our Bay of Plenty vendors.

Hope all your wedding plans are all coming together well … & all the very best for a new decade ahead to all you Brides & Grooms to Be!

See you next year!!

So after considerable research & analysis, it seems my endeavours of becoming a busy Wedding Planner is not all in Vain!

Typically, the Kiwi culture of being DIY’ers, & planning your own dream wedding was almost as exciting as the Big Day itself. Wedding Planners were typically recognised as being available to cater to only the wealthy & elite, however, this misconception is now very unfashionable. The reality is, Wedding Planners can save you a lot of money and time & ensure that your Wedding Day runs blissfully; how so?

1. Vendor Savings: Wedding Planners establish relationships with Wedding Vendors that often lead to discounts or Special offers that the Planner can make available to prospective Brides & Grooms;
2. Budgeting: Wedding Planners work with the couples to establish & stay within the parameters of a budget. The Wedding Planner is aware of all expenses that need to be taken into consideration so wedding couples are not left unawares about any unexpected expenses; the Wedding Planner will provide comprehensive check lists & Expense Reports to keep the budget on track;
   
3. One Stop Shop: Rather than having to “shop” around for suitable vendors & information regarding the Services they provide, your Wedding Planner will already have a comprehensive list & information on hand for you to view straight away; So you can browse before making a number of unnecessary trips to visit vendors that may not be to your preference.
4. Time Savers: Almost as precious as your finances is your time. The time that is needed to prepare for your Big Day can be overwhelmingly consuming. Visiting vendors, co-ordinating your bridal party & yourselves, as well as Of-the-Day Schedules & post-wedding priorities can & do take their toll on many couples. Imagine the amount of stress that is alleviated when a Wedding Planner takes over these daunting tasks leaving you & your partner the joy of only having to choose what you want for your Day & also allowing you to continue your usual routine without undue disruptions to your day-to-day living arrangements for the months leading up to your Wedding. Let’s face it, life is only getting busier & to have an experienced person take over the reins a bit is more of a ‘God-send’ rather than a financial liability. Do we not utilise the services of Housecleaners, Childcare givers, Mid-wives, Hairdressers & Beauty Therapists, not because we NEED them, but because they provide us with an invaluable service that we cherish & depend on? So too today with the trusty Wedding Planner.
5. Damage Control: Most people are non-confrontational, & let’s be honest, weddings can be an Abyss for brewing potential Family Disturbances, and certainly not what the Bridal couple care to have to deal with. Well meaning family members are inclined to want to have a say on how the Wedding deliberations should take place although it may not be what the Couple want. This is the perfect opportunity to mention you have a Wedding Planner and that all wedding processions need to go through go through them – a great scapegoat for any couple.
6. Wedding Etiquette: These days, almost anything goes, however, there are still some Wedding Rules that should still be applied, such as: Who knows how late is fashionably late for the Bride to arrive, speech sequences, what time is appropriate for the Bride & Groom to leave, Seating Arrangements, Who pays for what & Guest Mingling – amongst some. Your Wedding Planner will advise you of all these To Do’s and more.

So, taking all of the above into consideration, it’s no wonder the need for a Wedding Planner has become Top of the List to prospective Wedding Couples – they are most definitely a worth-while investment, but let’s not leave that to my Word, the Stats are out & this is how YOU all felt about the need to have a Wedding Planner.

Please note: These Stats were compiled by way of a Poll I had running on this Blog, Facebook Polls, Vizu Polls & a Survey that was distributed to Newly Weds & couples currently planning their wedding. Total Poll Stats totalled over 100 participants. So here we have it:

72%    - Yes, you would use a Wedding Planner

28%    - No, I would prefer to plan my own Wedding

Of the above Stats, the 72% that would use a planner, 45% assume that a Wedding Planner might be too expensive & have therefore not considered, although they would love a Wedding Planner. Perhaps considering the above, you have already ascertained that a Wedding Planner is a good example of funds well spent, or perhaps it may prompt you to seek further information on how much a Wedding Planner actually charges, it is likely far less than you think.

The 28% that would prefer to plan their own wedding, 72% would like to see a Website that offers services & Wedding Planning tips to help them with their Wedding Preparations. I am pleased to inform you that I am currently working on the design of such a Website that will provide a One-Stop Shop to all your wedding needs & I have catered to the feedback I received from you. I hope to have the Website running by November after I have meet with all my Vendors. Fingers crossed this continues to run to plan, it has been no easy feat to initiate but thanks to your support & the invaluable feedback I have received from you all, things are still moving forward.

Thank you all who participated in the Survey, I have also received a significant amount of Feedback on what prospective couples require in order to aid them on their Wedding Day. If you are planning on getting married, or know someone who is getting married, please feel free to contact me on my Contacts Form to inquire further on what I charge & very Special Offers I have available that is very affordable.

All the very best to you for all your Wedding Preparations!!

Arohanui, Jacqui

Me & Weddings, why the passionate interest you ask?

When I was a little girl, around 6 years old I was a flowergirl at my aunty’s wedding. From that day on, the fantasy of one day growing all the way up to 21 years old and getting married to a big, stong, handsome man occupied my thoughts constantly.

I had hoped that Jason; who sat next to me in class every day and would help make up dance routines to popular songs of the day that we would sing aloud together, would be the ONE.

Who could possibly have guessed that Jason was actually gay and therefore did not share the same interest in me as I in him and would therefore not likely marry me. Upon this discovery at the tender pre-teen age of 11 years old, in mad panic for fear of time running out, the daunting task of finding another possible marriage suitor was on!

It seemed that every boy that crossed my path would be analysed as a potential marriage suitor. In my fantasy’s, each boy would be endowed in a black and white tuxedo, black top hat & a black cane – do not ask why they had to have a black cane, perhaps it added a touch of drama to the thoughts I entertained.

Of course, these boys would be completely oblivious that I was re-dressing them in the my head – and were likely a little ill at ease in my presence as I stared them intently up and down only to look away completely dismayed as none seemed to fit the bill. At that stage, the only thing of importance with regards to the perfect marriage mate, was how well he would look in that tuxedo.

A couple of years later, other, more significant facets of my perfect suitor were to be realised, it wasnt just about the tux. 14 years old & trying to initiate some sort of social life which I needed to be an active participant of in order to find Mr Right; as he certainly couldnt be found if I sat at home – no, Mr Wonderful does not appear to you from the middle of nowhere on that fairy tale white horse, another pre-conceived misconception that dashed my hopes. But I had a wee dilhemma, I had no car. So now, the suitor not only had to look great in a tux, but drive a car. Ironically, I happened to meet such a guy – Cameron.

Cameron didnt just have a car, he had a van!! (Was this some sort of foreshadow of the people mover I now drive … hmmm). But, there was a small problem, yes, he had a car, and yes, Cameron would look great in a tux, but something was missing … some time later, it dawned on me … feelings! One had to have feelings, some sort of attraction that would make me/him different from just any other person. Cameron was my best friend, definately marriage material, but not my suitor – oh how complicated this whole wedding thing was getting…

Like an excerpt from Bridget Jones’s diary, I was starting to become quite concerned that things weren’t going to plan. I was beginning to wonder I would end up a spinster, bear in mind I was only 14 years old.

Perhaps I was placing unrealistic expectations upon marriage. The fantasy’s I had conjured up since childhood had fast diminished. So why did an ache inside of me continue to exist? Why did the fantasy of a wedding, whereby I now revelled in the thought of my dad walking me down the isle, still linger in me like a mexican over a tequila bottle? Simply, I love the concept of weddings, marriage and all that entails – that is, a family, my life.

Was I normal? Perhaps not. Did any of my friends feel this way? Do other young girls anywhere think such things too? I now have a 15 year old & an 11 year old daughter who of course want to one day get married, but fantasise more about career prospects over marriage to guys in black and white tuxedos.

In summary – Weddings & Me is kind of like “Forest Gump & Jenny”, the ultimate eventuality. I love the concept of marriage including the Wedding Day, and I continue to remain a passionate advocate of this institution. It is the oldest institution since man was created, therefore one to be sanctified.

So did my fantasy come to fruition? There was a wee string of boyfriends, a couple of whom I actually also thought might be the ONE, but as history shows certainly were not, then … at 17 years old I met Grant.

A short time later, and for the very first time in my life, that “feeling” was discovered, and there was a word for it to – LOVE – and whilst I wasnt even looking for it! 4 years later, what irony, we were married when I was 21 years old. Things are great. I have my love, my life, my family. I look back and remember clearly the exhileration of planning my wedding so many years in advance.

This year, Grant and I would’ve spent 17 years together, over half my life’s existance. We have certainly have had our share of hurdles and nobody knows what tomorrow will bring either, but for now, things have turned out better than I even planned. And what have I learnt?
MARRIAGE IS NOT A WEDDING but FANTASY ISNT ALWAYS FICTION

I think it is fair to say that many today dont necessarily share my enthusiasm on this subject for numerous reasons. Please be sure to come back and check my blog as I address some of these reasons in future topcis. The next Blog will discuss:

“To Marry or not To Marry”, 3 key reasons why people are reluctant to marry.