Is a Consultant Necessary?

Before you say "I don't need a wedding consultant, thank you very much", let me ask you a quick question or two.

When you don't feel good you seek a doctor's advice, right? Or when you have a legal dilemma, you probably will go see a lawyer, and if you want financial advice you seek out a financial planner, correct?

Well, here's a news flash, those professionals are all basically consultants, wouldn't you agree? So lets just say to keep from having a wedding dilemma you merely consider hiring a professional wedding consultant, because weddings can be very stressful especially when you are trying to please a lot of people all at once and you want to stay within your budget.

Like aforementioned, weddings can be stressful and totally time consuming. To determine if you should seek the services of a professional wedding consultant, sit down with all parties concerned and see if you have the means to hire competent vendors. Also consider what the wedding will cost within a reasonable budget. Will you be able to arrange a schedule so your vendors, wedding party, and parents know when and where to do their assigned parts?

Yes, wedding consultants have a fee, but sometimes they can actually save you some of your hard earned money. A young lady who works with my wife recently got married and she of course handled all of her wedding arrangements. She told my wife about all the money her and her fiance paid for the DJ. They agreed to pay $400 for this guy to play music at their reception and he had over booked so he called her the week of the wedding and cancelled. So there she was having to book another DJ at the last minute and not surprisingly had to pay $600 more plus all the stress. Do you think a DJ would have done that to a professional wedding consultant? Probably not. So with that one example you can see how easily it is to have unplanned expenditures.

After talking over the need for a professional wedding consultant, you will need to discuss whether or not you can afford one. Because this is a formal occasion, not to mention the most important day of your life, you have only shot to get it right.

So, do you want to spend all of your free time putting this whole thing together yourself with little or no opportunities to enjoy the experience or maybe hire someone to take on the responsibility for the details freeing you up to relish the event.

With that said, let's look at some tips on choosing a competent professional wedding consultant. I don't throw out the term "professional" loosely because there are incompetent wedding consultants out there. For instance, the woman who after planning her own wedding, where everything went perfectly, thinks she is now a pro and gets business cards and a sign and basically becomes an accident looking for place to happen.

To find out if the consultant is competent, ask where they received their training. Then you can check out the agency or organization simply by asking for the phone number. If the state of residence requires a license that can be verified by contacting the appropriate state agency.

For further assistance find vendors in your area and ask them who they have worked with in the past. Their opinions are just that their opinions, but they can give you a good start.

This article was written to give you information on why you might want to consider hiring a professional wedding consultant, not to promote them. Just be aware there are always people ready to take advantage of you. Be diligent do your homework and remember, if it sounds to good to be true it probably is.

By Bob Ragman, For a free wedding music tutorial and video goto http://freeweddingmusic.net/

Marriage Harley Davidson Wedding Invitations

Harley Davidson has been a classic theme for many years. Until recently the Harley Davidson wedding theme was not seen. Granted it is not a traditional style, but with the popularity why not? This classic theme has brought together thousands of couples, so they should have marriage Harley Davidson wedding invitations.

The bride and groom can now locate not only wedding invitations for their style but also the entire wedding theme. Several printers and wedding consultants have come to realize that many want Harley Davidson for their theme. Everyone wants a unique wedding and the marriage Harley Davidson wedding invitation is a great way to get started. The invitations are in the traditional style, but include different ribbons, bows and artwork. They may have the motorcycle in the background or other themed significance.

A good way that many couples have carried their theme is to include a photo of them on their motorcycle for their marriage Harley Davidson wedding invitation. The invitations give the hint and symbolize what is important in the couple’s life. That is what a wedding day is all about. The love shared by the couple. Many love to spend their days riding on their bike to different locations. This should be signified on their wedding invitation. What better way to divulge the couple’s story, than on the wedding invitation. Not only can they share their love with their guests it also provides a great way to signify their foundation. Many Harley lovers certainly love their spouse, but their second love is their hobby!

Marriage Harley Davidson wedding invitations are not in most of the stores as of yet, but with growing popularity it is believed that they will be soon. There are a variety of types of paper, color and styles that can be used for the invitation. Many couples have chosen to have their marriage Harley Davidson wedding invitation on a white background with the classic black typeset and an artwork of the famous motorcycle. The styling is up to you just as with the traditional wedding invitation.

Besides marriage Harley Davidson wedding invitations many couples have decided to follow the theme throughout the entire wedding. Many of the couples are suited in their riding gear and having group wedding photos around their motorcycles. Some wedding parties will go onto have the guests share their leather attire with sunglasses. Guests are to arrive on their motorcycles and the couple rides off into the sunset on their Harley! It is a great theme and now you can go all out with the theme with the customized marriage Harley Davidson wedding invitations.

Harley Davidson is a significant theme that everyone recognizes. The following of the motorcycles is huge and it is about time that the followers can share their love with those receiving the invitations. Too many couples have longed for the chance to send marriage Harley Davidson wedding invitations, but could not find them. Not any loner, they are available. Do not mistake the fact that the invitations are not formal. Many of these marriage Harley Davidson wedding invitations are handmade with the finest products. The invitations are very classy and signify a classic theme of a wedding.

Tim Olden is a respected author offering advice and reviews of Handmade and Custom wedding invitations. For more information click on the links below -
http://www.invitations-you-design.com/Motorcycle-wedding-invitations.html

Choosing the Best Wedding Consultant

Maybe you’ve been toying with the idea of hiring a wedding consultant. If you have the budget and an excessive amount of guests, than it may be a great idea! Prior to selecting your wedding consultant, you should ‘interview’ several of them and compile a list of questions. After all, you want to hire the right man/woman for the job, don’t you?

The idea behind hiring a wedding consultant is to take the stress of wedding planning and arranging your details–off of your shoulders. Let someone else worry about it. And, best of all, you always have final say. You’re the boss. That doesn’t sound so bad, does it? Just make sure you do it right, boss!

The final fifteen questions are a great guideline to finding the perfect person to plan your wedding. If you’re looking for the PERFECT wedding consultant, than they shouldn’t express any hesitation when asked these questions:

1) Are you licensed, or do you at least have a DBA registration document?

2) How long have you been in the business of wedding consulting?

3) How many weddings do you do on an annual basis?

4) Do you have any feedback/testimonials?

5) Do you belong to any professional organizations?

6) Are you certified? If so, by whom?

7) Do you have a contract (if so, may you see it?)

8) Do you plan on doing this work yourself or are you using the services of your staff? (You’d be surprised how many wedding consultants send other people to do their work–this is an important question to ask).

19) Do you accept referral fees and/or commissions? (If they say that they accept referral fees–you should walk out the door, this sounds like a scam artist).

10) How do you work? Will we be meeting on a one on one basis, or will you full staff be there?

11) Will you be able to work within my budget? If I give you a ceiling budget, will you go beyond it to meet your expectations? (Make sure they are willing to work within your budget–it’s always easy to spend someone else’s money!).

12) What are you willing to do for the fee you are quoting me? Make a list and make sure it coincides with any written contract that requires your signature.

13) How often will you provide me with updates on my wedding planning?

14) Will you be present during my wedding rehearsal and wedding day? Will this be included in your fees?

15) What type of attire will you be wearing should you attend these events?

Jen Carter is owner of My Wedding Blog, a free wedding planner guide about weddings. This article can be found in our wedding planning section. You may publish our articles on your website only if you do not edit the article in any way, and include all html as direct links to our site.

Getting Married? How to Plan a Romantic Beach Wedding in the US Virgin Islands

Thinking about a romantic and beautiful setting for your wedding? Why not try something a little different like a barefoot tropical beach wedding in Paradise.

Picture yourself on an beautiful white sand beach, with fragrant tropical flowers in your hair, standing under majestic coconut trees. Lazy azure water is lapping at the beach just a few feet away and melodic steel pan music is playing softly in the background. Hypnotic sounds and smells are surrounding you during this special moment... and a group of your closest friends and family are by your side, listening to the romantic words the local official is saying to complete your union... you are now Man and Wife.

If this sounds like the perfect wedding setting... it is, so why not get married in the US Virgin Islands? It's simple, romantic, and tons of fun. Should you decide to get married in the US Virgin Islands, it's a good idea to plan ahead. Most wedding planners and consultants recommend starting several months in advance, and if this is going to be a large affair, add another month to your planning schedule.

How could anything be more romantic than sharing your vows and beginning your life together in one of the most gorgeous places on earth; the U.S. Virgin Islands. You simply can't go wrong having you wedding on any of the three islands that make up the US Virgin Islands... St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix. Any of the three Islands are considered upscale wedding destinations.

It doesn't matter whether you choose a beautiful white sand beach, or something something totally different like an underwater wedding. A lush green tropical garden, or resort location, or even a traditional church wedding are available and make great memories. You'll find many experienced wedding planners who can assist you with your wedding in paradise. One recommendation I can give you is Island Wedding Services.

Another idea is to get married on a boat. Capt. Frank Barnes and his wonderful boat, Sea More, can get you into the most secluded and beautiful coves imaginable... and it's tough to beat a boat wedding at Sunset.

As a U.S. Territory, the laws of the United States Government apply... and your wedding will be as problem free as if you were getting married in your own city and state.

What to Know:

* No blood tests or physical examinations are necessary, but there is a $25 license fee a $25 notarized application

* There's an 8-day waiting period, which is sometimes waived, depending on circumstances.

*Civil ceremonies before a judge of the territorial court cost $200

*Religious ceremonies performed by clergy are equally valid. Fees and schedules for church weddings must be negotiated directly with the officiate.

*More information is available from the U.S. Virgin Islands Division of Tourism, 1270 Ave. of the Americas, New York, NY 10020 (tel. 800/372-USVI or 212/332-2222; www.usvitourism.vi).

The guide Getting Married in the U.S. Virgin Islands is distributed by U.S.V.I. tourism offices; it gives information on all three islands, including wedding planners, places of worship, florists, and limousine services. It also provides a listing of island accommodations that offer in-house wedding services.

Contact the Territorial Court of the Virgin Islands, P.O. Box 70, St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. 00804 (tel. 340/774-0640). Territorial Court of the Virgin Islands, Family Division, P.O. Box 929, Christiansted, St. Croix, U.S.V.I. 00821 (tel. 340/773-1130).

Terry Hudson owns http://www.FiveDayTrips.com and is an regular contributor of quality Travel articles.

Terry has written many articles around the quick getaway, 'take shorter and more vacations' concept. View all his articles at http://www.fivedaytrips.com and get some great ideas for your own quick getaway.

6 Tips for Choosing a Qualified Wedding Consultant

Many women choose to alleviate some of the wedding planning stress by hiring a wedding consultant. If you are thinking about hiring a wedding consultant, no doubt you want to make sure that you hire someone that is qualified in this field. It can be a bit difficult to know what to look for in a wedding consultant, so below are six tips that will help you pick out a qualified wedding consultant that will make your wedding go smoothly.

Tip #1 - Check for a Business License - One thing that you need to do when you are picking a wedding consultant is to be sure that they have a business license or a DBA registration. You do not want to just pick out anyone to do this for your wedding, so be sure that they are truly in the consulting business before you give them any money. If they have no business license, you may want to consider looking elsewhere.

Tip #2 - Check Referrals - Make sure that you get referrals from the prospective wedding consultant and check them. You may also want to ask your friends and family members if they are familiar with the services that this consultant provides. If the consultant cannot produce any referrals for you to look at, then this may be a clue you do not want them helping you with your wedding.

Tip #3 - Is the Consultant Organized? - Organization is a key factor when you are trying to find a qualified wedding consultant. The consultant is going to be in charge of organizing one of the most important days of your life, so you want to be sure that they are actually organized. If they seem scattered and disorganized, choose another consultant.

Tip #4 - Consider the Prices - No doubt you will want to take a look at prices before you make your final decision. After getting a price quote, you may also want to check around with other consultants to see if their rates are similar.

Tip #5 - What is Covered in the Fees? - Before you take a deal because the price seems lower, you may want to check and see what the fees actually cover. Are the fees all inclusive, or are you going to have to pay more later for other services. Some deals may look great at first, until you find what else you will be paying for as well.

Tip #6 - Personality - One of the most important things you need to remember when picking out a consultant is their personality. You are going to be working quite closely with this person, and you need to be sure that your personalities mesh. If they seem overbearing, or you just feel uncomfortable, then you need to make another choice.

Having the right wedding consultant can make your big day much easier and less stressful. On the other hand, a bad consultant can make everything a disaster. Use these tips to help you make the right choice so you can enjoy your wedding day with peace of mind.

Yolanda is the owner of Yolandas Wedding Favors. She sells many different types of wedding gifts such as personalized cosmetic bags, spa slippers, glass mugs and many more wedding gifts. So if you are looking for wedding guest books, unity candles, toasting flutes, personalized bridesmaid gifts then visit Yolandas Wedding Favors.

What to Look For in Choosing Your Wedding Consultant / Planner?

Wedding consultants / planners are professionals who are good in planning nuptial events from the pre-preparation to the wrapping up of the events. Their expertise in this area could help you relieve the stress of planning for the dream wedding.

Whether this is your first marriage or second one, you might find yourself at a loss of where to start looking.

Depending on you location, you could find that there are thousands of wedding consultants / planners, so which ones are good?

Below are some tips to help you:

Theme of the wedding

First, you must have an idea on what sort of wedding you want and the rough venues for the event. If you are choosing destination weddings, you might want to explore the various locations which you have in mind.

Next, check out if there are any wedding planner associations or government authorized sites to look for the directories of wedding planners / consultants.

You might be able to pick this up from the tourism sites for the more popular wedding destinations. Alternatively, try the yellow pages or phone directory of the area.

Reputation of the wedding consultant / planner

Assess the reputation and expertise of the wedding consultant / planner. Ask for testimonials or samples on their niche areas of expertise.

You could get more neutral ones at forums or blogs. This is a good resource as the testimonials reflected at the wedding sites might just be a handful and it might be hard to come to a decision.

Budget and rapport

Think about the entire wedding budget and how much you can spare for engaging a wedding consultant / planner. Do not over blow your budget. Talk to the wedding consultant / planner on your budget and your idea of a dream wedding and get advice if they can accommodate your requests based on your budget.

Finally, this is your BIG day! Get someone you feel at ease with and could discuss and work. This is important as there are a lot of details which needs to be discussed and worked out between both of you and the wedding planner.

If you cannot stand your wedding planner, then it would make things difficult and unpleasant. So if you don’t have a good feeling after talking to the wedding planner, do consider finding other alternatives. The choice is yours!

Beach Wedding Planning Guide provides detailed information on beach weddings, beach wedding destinations, beach wedding favors, beach wedding dresses and more.

Wedding Planner: How to Choose the Right One for Your Wedding

If you watched “Father of the Bride” with Steve Martin, the wedding planner played by Martin Short was a hilarious interpretation of a job that many now consider serious business. “Frahnk” (or Frank), as he was called, flitted about managing all of the details of the elaborate wedding. But, a real wedding consultant or planner can be an invaluable tool in making your special day a real joy instead of a real headache. Some people opt for a wedding planner in book form which outlines all of the necessary tasks to plan a wedding and gives you a timeline, but it will not do any of the jobs for you. A wedding planner can take care of all of the legwork for you so that you can go on with your work, school and other responsibility.

How do you shop for a wedding planner? Just as you should do when you look for any type of service professional, you can ask friends and family for recommendations. If you can get a word-of-mouth referral, this is better than all of the advertisements and glowing referrals provided to you by the wedding planner. If you don’t know anyone who has used a planner, you can always look in the phone book or the classifieds in the newspaper.

Once you have a few potential leads you will need to interview the wedding planner candidates. You are hiring them for an important job, and you need to have confidence that they share your “vision” for your special day. See how willing they are to take suggestions and see what they will do with the ideas that you already have. Do they have doubts about their ability to fulfill your needs? This is a yellow flag, but see why they have concerns before you make a judgment. Once you have interviewed a few planners you are ready to make your decision and get to work.

Most wedding consultants charge a fee of around 10 percent of the cost of the wedding. This is standard-and it is worth it for the peace of mind it will give you.

Eriani Doyel writes articles for and about Weddings. For more information on a wedding planner visit fleckwedding.com.

4 Tips for Choosing a Wedding Consultant

Planning a wedding can get a bit hectic, especially if you have a job and other things going on as well. Many brides today are very busy, so planning a wedding ceremony and reception on your own may be a bit too much to handle. If you find yourself getting stressed out about wedding details and not having enough time to get everything done, you may want to pick out a wedding consultant to provide you with some professional help getting all the details together. While hiring a wedding consultant is a great idea. There are a few things to look for before you make the hire.

Tip #1 - Check on Their Experience - More than likely you do not want to hire a wedding consultant that has never planned a wedding ceremony and reception before. You will probably want to hire someone that has experience and is well acquainted with various wedding vendors. Ask about their experience and verify it before you decide to hire a specific consultant.

Tip #2 - Choose Registered Consultants - If you want to find the best wedding planner to help you with your wedding, you will want to check and see if the consultant is registered with any type of business association. It may be a warning sign if the consultant has no registration with any association at all. Check up on their business registration to make sure that you get a qualified consultant that operates under a specific code of ethics.

Tip #3 - Check the Fees - Be sure that you check into the fees of the wedding consultant and look for any hidden fees that you may end up having to pay. While a quality wedding consultant will not be cheap, you want to make sure that you do not pay more than necessary.

Tip #4 - Quality Personality is Important - One of the most important things to remember when you are choosing a wedding consultant is that personality is of utmost importance. You will be working with your consultant for months before your nuptials, and they will be at your side all day during the wedding as well. Be sure to choose someone that you can easily get along with and someone who will not be pushy or overbearing.

Finally, the right wedding consultant can save you a great deal of stress and time when you are planning your wedding reception and ceremony. As long as you keep these tips in mind, hire a consultant that has experience, is registered, has reasonable fees and a great personality, you should have a consultant that will make your wedding day smooth and successful.

L Hayes is a wedding professional and owner of Wedding Favors Emporium. They carry an extensive line of unique wedding favors. They offer many popular gift ideas such as place card holders, discount wedding favors, and bridesmaid gifts. For more information about unique wedding favors, wedding planning, or wedding reception ideas, visit their website.

Bridal Consulting Online

If you have been dreaming about becoming a professional wedding planner, an online course in Bridal Consulting can turn your dreams into an exciting career. Through a distance learning course, you can study via the Internet to become a certified Bridal Consultant in as little as six credit hours!

Since there are no enrollment prerequisites, online Bridal Consulting schools are open to anyone who wants a professional career as a wedding planner. Bridal Consultant certification qualifies future wedding planners for a challenging and rewarding profession helping brides, grooms and family members to coordinate every aspect of the perfect wedding.

Future Bridal Consultant are taught how to plan ceremonies and receptions, arrange for a photographer and videographer, select and order flowers, suggest wedding attire and invitations, advise the wedding party on etiquette, decorate the ceremony and reception area, and even how to start a new wedding-planning business!

The business of Bridal Consulting can be complicated, time-consuming, and competitive. Online certification helps future wedding planners gain the skills, savvy and confidence needed to oversee all the aspects and details of a wedding, resulting in a magnificent event. A distance learning course is a convenient way to obtain Bridal Consultant Certification in the comfort of your own home, at your own pace, and without giving up current employment.

If you are interested in learning about the field of Bridal Consulting, feel free to research our site for more in-depth information and resources.

Copyright 2006 - All Rights Reserved Michael Bustamante, in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc. for SchoolsGalore.com

Notice to Publishers: Please feel free to use this article in your Ezine or on your Website; however, ALL links must remain intact and active.

Michael Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find Bridal Consulting Online at SchoolsGalore.com; meeting your needs as your educational resource to locate schools.

Pursuing Online Bridal Consulting, Part I

There are many people out there that have possibly dreamed of becoming a wedding planner at some point in their lives but just never really knew how to properly pursue such a dream. The truth is, people are learning how to become successful professional wedding planners right from their own homes, on their computers! Look it up on the internet, all you have to do is find what it is you are hoping to achieve, talk with the right people and begin taking a few courses online so that your dreams of becoming a wedding planner are not put off any longer, it can happen now, with as few as just five or six credit hours.

Once you have successfully completed your online course to becoming a professional online bridal consultant, you will have the opportunity now to totally prepare the most amazing, memorable events in so many peoples lives. The job as a online bridal consultant is so extremely important that people are paying huge amounts of money, in order to make sure that their wedding day is done in style and with as much ease on them as possible.

A online bridal consultant is not only in charge of the bride but also needs to be there for the groom, with any needs or wants that he may have on this very nerve wrenching day and the families of the bride and groom, that may have any questions or concerns of the planned ceremony they are awaiting. The online bridal consultant is basically providing everyone attending the peace of mind in simply knowing that they are there for them, to take care of all the necessary procedures that will need to be completed for the perfect wedding experience, during and after.

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Raymond Nesa is an experienced web marketer specializing in article marketing, traffic generation, and list building.

Getting Married? How to Plan a Romantic Beach Wedding in the US Virgin Islands

Thinking about a romantic and beautiful setting for your wedding? Why not try something a little different like a barefoot tropical beach wedding in Paradise.

Picture yourself on an beautiful white sand beach, with fragrant tropical flowers in your hair, standing under majestic coconut trees. Lazy azure water is lapping at the beach just a few feet away and melodic steel pan music is playing softly in the background. Hypnotic sounds and smells are surrounding you during this special moment... and a group of your closest friends and family are by your side, listening to the romantic words the local official is saying to complete your union... you are now Man and Wife.

If this sounds like the perfect wedding setting... it is, so why not get married in the US Virgin Islands? It's simple, romantic, and tons of fun. Should you decide to get married in the US Virgin Islands, it's a good idea to plan ahead. Most wedding planners and consultants recommend starting several months in advance, and if this is going to be a large affair, add another month to your planning schedule.

How could anything be more romantic than sharing your vows and beginning your life together in one of the most gorgeous places on earth; the U.S. Virgin Islands. You simply can't go wrong having you wedding on any of the three islands that make up the US Virgin Islands... St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix. Any of the three Islands are considered upscale wedding destinations.

It doesn't matter whether you choose a beautiful white sand beach, or something something totally different like an underwater wedding. A lush green tropical garden, or resort location, or even a traditional church wedding are available and make great memories. You'll find many experienced wedding planners who can assist you with your wedding in paradise. One recommendation I can give you is Island Wedding Services.

Another idea is to get married on a boat. Capt. Frank Barnes and his wonderful boat, Sea More, can get you into the most secluded and beautiful coves imaginable... and it's tough to beat a boat wedding at Sunset.

As a U.S. Territory, the laws of the United States Government apply... and your wedding will be as problem free as if you were getting married in your own city and state.

What to Know:

* No blood tests or physical examinations are necessary, but there is a $25 license fee a $25 notarized application

* There's an 8-day waiting period, which is sometimes waived, depending on circumstances.

*Civil ceremonies before a judge of the territorial court cost $200

*Religious ceremonies performed by clergy are equally valid. Fees and schedules for church weddings must be negotiated directly with the officiate.

*More information is available from the U.S. Virgin Islands Division of Tourism, 1270 Ave. of the Americas, New York, NY 10020 (tel. 800/372-USVI or 212/332-2222; www.usvitourism.vi).

The guide Getting Married in the U.S. Virgin Islands is distributed by U.S.V.I. tourism offices; it gives information on all three islands, including wedding planners, places of worship, florists, and limousine services. It also provides a listing of island accommodations that offer in-house wedding services.

Contact the Territorial Court of the Virgin Islands, P.O. Box 70, St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. 00804 (tel. 340/774-0640). Territorial Court of the Virgin Islands, Family Division, P.O. Box 929, Christiansted, St. Croix, U.S.V.I. 00821 (tel. 340/773-1130).

Terry Hudson owns http://www.FiveDayTrips.com and is an regular contributor of quality Travel articles.

Terry has written many articles around the quick getaway, 'take shorter and more vacations' concept. View all his articles at http://www.fivedaytrips.com and get some great ideas for your own quick getaway.

Wedding Planning Survival Guide Part 1

So you've chosen your rings and you set the big date. Now how do you make your wedding happen without ending up in a padded cell?

Many brides do not get the luxury of enjoying their wedding day because of all the stress. We're here to tell you how to get through this so you can "enjoy" your special day.

Here are some important survival steps that you must make before you tie the knot!

Planning Your Wedding

Till death do us part. That may be true for your wedding, but not for your hard earned cash!

Fact: The average cost of a wedding in the United States is $22,000.00. Average age of the groom is 29 and the average age of the bride is 27.

1. Plan it well. Get out a calendar to organize things so that you can flow along and on schedule. The calendar will cover every thing from start to finish.

According to experts, here are the "must hit deadlines"

1. One year ahead: Announce your engagement. Begin booking vendors, caterers and wedding planners. Make sure you book your site at least a year out. If your DJ or band is really popular, you may even need more than a year.

2. Nine months ahead: Finalize the guest list and by now, you should be selecting your wedding gown. If you are hiring a consultant, now is the time to finalize the contract.

3. Six months ahead: Register for gifts. Order your wedding cake and flowers. And send out your "save the date" cards, but make sure they only go out to people you know will definitely make the guest list.

4. Four to five months ahead: Plan your honeymoon. Grooms should be picking out their formal wear.

5. Two months: Buy your wedding rings and arrange for the transportation.

6. One month: Confirm the guest head count and call all the guests who have not rsvp'd.

7. Two weeks: Confirm, confirm, and re-confirm. Check on all the details of the reception, the ceremony, the flowers and everything else. The seating chart for the reception should also be finalized at this stage.

Budgeting

Not everyone can afford an expensive wedding, but regardless of the cost, here are some basic know hows as to what percentage should be spent on what.

1. 50% of your wedding should be spent on the reception.

2. 10% should be spent on flowers.

3. 10% on clothing.

4. 10% on music.

5. 10% on your photographer or videographer.

6. 10% on favors, invitations and gifts.

The three advantages to hiring a wedding consultant are:

1. Experience

2. Contacts

3. Assistance

Wedding planners can tie up all the loose ends and be in charge of the day so that you can relax and enjoy your wedding. However, wedding planners can add $5,000 to $15,000 to your wedding costs, so if you want one, make sure you hire a good one.

Tips for locating a good wedding planner:

1. Do they appear organized? Can you look around this wedding consultant's office and see organization in detail? Or are they just someone who thought they did a good job on their cousin's wedding and therefore they now call themselves a wedding consultant? Anybody can print up some business cards and call themselves a wedding consultant.

How do you avoid running into an inexperienced consultant? Contact professional groups like the Association of Bridal Consultants. Most wedding industry groups have these sorts of organizations. There's even an American Disc Jockey Association.

But what if you are the take charge kind and you would rather spend all that money on a nice honeymoon? One of the benefits of doing all the planning yourself is that you will be involved in every aspect and if you enjoy this kind of thing, it can be very fun. Keep in mind though, that you can split the difference. You can do part of it yourself and hire a consultant for just the wedding day which is what a lot of brides are doing today. This way you can plan the wedding and be totally free to enjoy the day of the wedding.

Wedding day coordinators run around $800 - $1000 for the day of the wedding only. And while you're walking down the aisle, they are running around making sure the DJ shows up, the centerpieces are right, etc.

Who to Invite and How

The Reception: What about that annoying uncle your mother says you have to invite? Sometimes guest lists can take on a life of their own. Before you know it, you have twice as many people on the guest list as intended. Experts say " be ruthless". If you haven't sat down with someone for a meal or visit in the last two years, then they probably don't belong on the guest list.

When inviting people from your work, follow this rule of thumb: For an office size of about 4-5 people, invite them all. In larger offices, just ask your best pals.

The guest list myth: Perhaps you have heard that you should over invite by 10% to make up for "no shows". This is a big no no. You could be surprised and everyone shows up - its not all that uncommon.

Once you've narrowed down the guest list, how do you let everyone know? Well, you have a lot of choices. The sky is the limit for creativity for your invitations. For the average wedding about $500 - $700 is spent on invites and stationary. Make sure your invitations make a statement. The invitation is the first thing the guest will see and will give them the spirit and the style of the wedding. So you want to make sure your invitations reflect the event that is about to come. Keeping the envelopes to standard sizes will save on postage.

When receiving the rsvp's, lots of people sometimes forget to put their name on them when they send them back. A great tip for this is to put a light number on the back of each card. Keep a record of who goes with what number and you'll know exactly what rsvp belongs to who.

Addressing invitations can be tedious but it doesn't have to be. Have a party with just the wedding party. If all of you sit down together and do invitations, you can have them done all in one night. You can offer drinks and appetizers and have fun doing it.

Watch for part 2 of the Wedding Survival Guide which offers tips and advice for choosing your wedding gown, reception location and decorations.

Evelyn Whitaker writes articles for German Toasting Glasses http://www.german-toasting-glasses.com which specializes in custom engraved wedding gifts from Germany.

A Wedding Planner, a Wedding Consultant, a Wedding Coordinator - Whatever the Title, Do We Need One?

We are asked this question often, by brides and by grooms.

For the sake of simplicity, let us refer to all as wedding specialists.
Actually the tone of the question varies between brides and grooms.
Brides get very emotional and excited about planning their dream weddings. Most want to plan it.

Grooms often would like to take an active role but believe, or thinks that their brides believes that it is the women who should plan the wedding. Many would like to, but do not volunteer because they do not want to "take away" the excitement their bride has toward planning their very special day. We are also asked by brides and grooms who hold jobs or professions, go to school or both and are pressed for time.

The question whether you need to hire a wedding specialist is rather complex. It cannot be answered with a yes or a no. Many factors need to be considered and they will influence the decision.

The first step to answering the question is to determine

What is a wedding specialist?

A wedding specialist is professional who is familiar with the wedding circuit in your region, usually possesses a lot of experience, creative ideas, know-how, sense of organization, attention to details and strong contacts with vendors and service providers. Most experienced wedding specialists have over the years learned what to expect, what to ask and how to negotiate with their peers.

Now, consider the following:
How much time and energy do you have to devote to planning your wedding and can you rely on friends and family to help?
Planning a wedding can and should be fun. You must remember however, and be prepared for the:

realistic wedding budgets you need to set and stay within,

various schedules you need to plan,

endless details you need to take care of,

logistics you need to coordinate,

many vendors and service providers you need to interview, hire, work with and supervise when necessary,

deligation of some responsibilities and being on top of the - what, by whom and by when to do list and following up.

If you were to, to what degree you would like to engage the wedding specialist?

To consult with regarding what needs to be done, a realistic budget to execute it and how to go about doing so?

To hire the vendors and service providers you can work with on your behalf?

To hire the vendors and service providers for you, work with and supervise them?

To do everything other than the attire, from the Save the date to the favors and everything in between and to supervise during the wedding itself?

To supervise the wedding day itself - only?

You do not want to engage a wedding specialist.

How much can you budget for the service of a wedding specialist?
Take into consideration that some wedding specialists charge:

A flat fee that depends on what you want them to do,

A percentage of the cost of your wedding,

A fee from you and a fee from the vendors and service providers they offer your wedding to,

There are some other fee schedules but they are less common.

Are you planning a destination wedding?
Unless your wedding location offers their services as part of the wedding package, this is the only situation where you must budget and hire a local wedding specialist. Hire the most experienced wedding specialist where you plan to have your wedding, because it is impossible to plan a wedding from afar.
The only exception is if you have friends and - or family in the region who can plan on your behalf. However, I do not recommend it.

Many brides and grooms do not want to miss the excitement of planning their own wedding but are not sure quite how to achieve professional results. Following are a few tips

WHAT PROFESSIONAL WEDDING PLANNERS, CONSULTANTS AND COORDINATORS DO NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW

As for most endeavors, there are tools You need to have.
You need information.
So, read as many books on wedding planning and as many articles as you can lay your hands and your eyes on.
The Internet offers many informative articles.

Attend as many Bridal Shows as you can

Pay attention to how various vendors and service providers interact with each other.

Collect as much literature, brochures and business cards as you can

Write yourselves information notes and remarks on the back of the business card.

If you have questions for any vendor or service provider, ask! You need to be informed!!!

You need to be organized and you want wedding planning keepsakes.
So arm yourselves with a comprehensive wedding planning kit that includes:

a planning calendar,

an appointment book,

a 3 ring binder with dividers and sheet protectors,

notebooks,

a large journal,

2 small journals and pens to always have with you,

a business card folder,

a mini photo album,

scissors, tape, and a mini stapler

a pretty box or a tote bag to house these items

a computer, a printer and a camera are very helpful tools indeed.

The following tips are applicable to most of the vendors and service providers you need.

To save money and for easy negotiations contact vendors and service providers and request a quote over the phone before your first meeting because:

For some reason, most vendors hear the word wedding and up their prices.

Wedding professionals charge higher fees than those of their general counterparts.

Look for vendors and service providers not for wedding vendors and service providers.

Contact a vendor, service provider, not a Wedding vendor or service provider.

While on the phone to set an interview appointment, request a price quote for a party, event, get-together. You name it, but do not call it wedding.

Give the service providers the basic information including number of guests, date, time of day and number hours requested and ask for a quote.

If the vendor ask if it is a wedding ask why is it important. Watch the fees!

With a price quote in hand, you may tell the vendor when you meet, that it is a wedding.

Interview AT LEAST 3 vendors - service providers per category before you decide who to hire.

Your vendors and service providers team.

A wedding is a most important event and necessitates the participation and synergy of many vendors and service providers.
You want to assure that that your vendors - service providers have:

vast experience,

the necessary and up to date training

all the required licenses and documentation,

proper and sufficient insurance,

health permits if they handle any food,

comprehensive contracts that are clear and easy to understand.

You also must be sure that you hire professionals not hobbyists.

Did you ever attend an event where every vendor and service provider came to do his job and go home?
I have! It was a disaster! I attended a wedding that left the bride and the mother in tears and the bridegroom and fathers so angry the wanted to scream.
The wedding ceremony was beautiful but the reception…
The couple came from church only to find the florist arguing with the bandleader about flowers on the stage. The photographer was literally, everywhere at the same time snapping pictures. The caterer started serving almost as soon as all were seated, leaving no time for formalities, toasts and congratulations.
You get the picture. It was really sad!
There is only one way to avoid such a fiasco.

You must hire vendors and service providers that:

Work well as a professional team.

Take your event seriously, are concerned with and do their utmost for you.

Once they know how you want your wedding to be, can envision your wedding individually and as a team to be the one you can call, without hesitation, your dream wedding.

How do we find a group of vendors and service providers that work well together?

Your best bet is to check out institutions that are no strangers to events.
Contact or visit the Chamber of Commerce, churches and synagogues and other such establishmentsin your region.
Find out if they have a list of approved vendors and service providers they work with.
Most churches use vendors and service providers for Church events such as certain holiday celebrations, fund raisers dinners, wedding receptions, special anniversaries (25)(50th), Communion, Baptisms quinceaneras, Sweet 16s etc…)
Even if you are not Jewish, visit Synagogues and Temples and ask for their approved list. Every Synagogue - Temple has such lists the institution uses for events such as holidays, fund raiser dinners, weddings, special anniversaries (25th)(50th), Bar Mitzvahs, Bat Mitsvahs, etc…).

One more group or individuals to consider is within your own circle.
They may not have credentials or special training but are experienced.
Find out if any of your friends or relatives have planned event at work or privately.
Check your list for couples who planned their own wedding successfully, parents who planned special life cycle event parties for themselves, their children other loved ones etc...
Pay special attention to people you know who can contribute to your success and just as you ask for bridal attendants, ask for their participation in the wedding planning. Most will be honored to be asked and eager to help.

I hope the information will help you make your lifetime event, an event for a lifetime.

Copyrights © 2007 All Rights Reserved Nily Glaser

Nily Glaser, the CEO of www.a-weddingday.com She writes important articles, and has presented workshops for wedding professionals all over the USA.
To read more of her articles CLICK HERE Her web site is very popular for its discount wedding gifts, bridal accessories, print your own invitations, favors and the very unique items offered including the exclusive line of wedding Accessories By Nily.

What to Look For in Choosing Your Wedding Consultant / Planner?

Wedding consultants / planners are professionals who are good in planning nuptial events from the pre-preparation to the wrapping up of the events. Their expertise in this area could help you relieve the stress of planning for the dream wedding.

Whether this is your first marriage or second one, you might find yourself at a loss of where to start looking.

Depending on you location, you could find that there are thousands of wedding consultants / planners, so which ones are good?

Below are some tips to help you:

Theme of the wedding

First, you must have an idea on what sort of wedding you want and the rough venues for the event. If you are choosing destination weddings, you might want to explore the various locations which you have in mind.

Next, check out if there are any wedding planner associations or government authorized sites to look for the directories of wedding planners / consultants.

You might be able to pick this up from the tourism sites for the more popular wedding destinations. Alternatively, try the yellow pages or phone directory of the area.

Reputation of the wedding consultant / planner

Assess the reputation and expertise of the wedding consultant / planner. Ask for testimonials or samples on their niche areas of expertise.

You could get more neutral ones at forums or blogs. This is a good resource as the testimonials reflected at the wedding sites might just be a handful and it might be hard to come to a decision.

Budget and rapport

Think about the entire wedding budget and how much you can spare for engaging a wedding consultant / planner. Do not over blow your budget. Talk to the wedding consultant / planner on your budget and your idea of a dream wedding and get advice if they can accommodate your requests based on your budget.

Finally, this is your BIG day! Get someone you feel at ease with and could discuss and work. This is important as there are a lot of details which needs to be discussed and worked out between both of you and the wedding planner.

If you cannot stand your wedding planner, then it would make things difficult and unpleasant. So if you don’t have a good feeling after talking to the wedding planner, do consider finding other alternatives. The choice is yours!

Beach Wedding Planning Guide provides detailed information on beach weddings, beach wedding destinations, beach wedding favors, beach wedding dresses and more.

Wedding Planning and Event Planning

Wedding Planning and Event Planning degrees are offered by a variety of schools. Wedding planners are also known as wedding consultants and bridal consultants. Community colleges offer diplomas and associate degrees in applied sciences for wedding and event planners.

Colleges and universities offer bachelor degrees and master degrees in event planning through their business degree programs. Event planning universities and colleges provide students with skills and knowledge in managing staff as well as coordinating and planning events, such as banquets and dances.

The business of event/wedding planning is for those who like working with people, who enjoy planning large gatherings, and who are good at negotiating and networking. The event/wedding planner must be personable, a good listener, and a good delegate for their clients. They are the spokesperson in all facets of planning, including ordering flowers, hiring musicians, hiring photographers, finding a caterers, finding locations, choosing colors, etc., for their clients. Event and wedding planners look for the best services, best prices, and connections that will ensure successful events.

Event and wedding planners must be very organized and must be adept at handling financial arrangements they make for their clients, as well as their own finances. Studies may include English and communication skills, mathematics, management, hospitality, sanitation and safety, computer uses for planning and executing events, foods, marketing and sales, legal issues, travel industry, and more.

Knowledge of customs and traditions of various ethnic groups and various religious practices is essential for event planners. Professional planners should expect to regularly read current materials throughout their careers to keep abreast of the latest styles, colors, and trends for large and small events.

If you are interested in learning more about Event Planning and Wedding Planning Schools, colleges, and universities, please search our site for more in-depth information and resources.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com.

Copyright 2006 - All Rights Reserved Michael Bustamante, in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc. for SchoolsGalore.com

Notice to Publishers: Please feel free to use this article in your Ezine or on your Website; however, ALL links must remain intact and active.

M. Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find Wedding Planning Schools at SchoolsGalore.com; meeting your needs as your educational resource to locate schools.

Wedding Planning Vocational Schools

Vocational Schools offer courses of study for wedding planners (wedding consultants, bridal consultants) for those who like working with people, who enjoy planning large gatherings, and who are good at negotiating and networking.

Too often, brides and grooms are busy with their jobs and don't have time to spend planning their weddings. The wedding planner, or wedding consultant, facilitates, mediates, manages, and fulfills dreams of their clients. Wedding planning is a stressful job, requiring patience and the ability to remain calm in adverse situations. On occasion, wedding planners may feel as though they are cast in roles as therapists, sounding boards, and "punching bags."

The wedding planner must be personable, a good listener, and a good delegate for their clients. They are the spokesperson for the bride and groom in all facets of planning, including ordering flowers, hiring musicians, hiring photographers, finding a caterers, finding locations, choosing colors, etc. Wedding planners look for the best services, best prices, and connections that will ensure successful events. Wedding planners must be very organized and must be adept at handling financial arrangements they make for their clients, as well as their own finances.

Knowledge of customs and traditions of various ethnic groups and various religious practices is essential for wedding planners. Professional wedding planners should expect to regularly read current materials throughout their careers to keep abreast of the latest wedding styles, colors, and trends.

If you are interested in learning more about Wedding Planning Vocational Schools, search our site for more in-depth information and resources.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com.

Copyright 2006 - All Rights Reserved Michael Bustamante, in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc. for SchoolsGalore.com

Notice to Publishers: Please feel free to use this article in your Ezine or on your Website; however, ALL links must remain intact and active.

M. Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find Wedding Planning Vocational Schools at SchoolsGalore.com; meeting your needs as your educational resource to locate schools.

Wedding Planner: How to Choose the Right One for Your Wedding

If you watched “Father of the Bride” with Steve Martin, the wedding planner played by Martin Short was a hilarious interpretation of a job that many now consider serious business. “Frahnk” (or Frank), as he was called, flitted about managing all of the details of the elaborate wedding. But, a real wedding consultant or planner can be an invaluable tool in making your special day a real joy instead of a real headache. Some people opt for a wedding planner in book form which outlines all of the necessary tasks to plan a wedding and gives you a timeline, but it will not do any of the jobs for you. A wedding planner can take care of all of the legwork for you so that you can go on with your work, school and other responsibility.

How do you shop for a wedding planner? Just as you should do when you look for any type of service professional, you can ask friends and family for recommendations. If you can get a word-of-mouth referral, this is better than all of the advertisements and glowing referrals provided to you by the wedding planner. If you don’t know anyone who has used a planner, you can always look in the phone book or the classifieds in the newspaper.

Once you have a few potential leads you will need to interview the wedding planner candidates. You are hiring them for an important job, and you need to have confidence that they share your “vision” for your special day. See how willing they are to take suggestions and see what they will do with the ideas that you already have. Do they have doubts about their ability to fulfill your needs? This is a yellow flag, but see why they have concerns before you make a judgment. Once you have interviewed a few planners you are ready to make your decision and get to work.

Most wedding consultants charge a fee of around 10 percent of the cost of the wedding. This is standard-and it is worth it for the peace of mind it will give you.

Eriani Doyel writes articles for and about Weddings. For more information on a wedding planner visit fleckwedding.com.

Pursuing Online Bridal Consulting, Part II

Online bridal consultants have the ability to provide proper planning for the wedding ceremony and the receptions that will follow. The list of things that are achieved by a wedding planner when preparing for all weddings are amazingly enormous. It includes hiring a photographer for the ceremony, sending out all of the invitations before and thank you letters afterwards, all of the decorating for the wedding, giving advice on what to wear for the wedding day, planning for which types of foods that will be served, choosing which flowers are best suitable for wedding, as you can see, the list goes on and on and on right. Yes, the list is unimaginable for anyone not experienced in planning for huge, successful events such as weddings.

Online bridal consultants gain the success that they have because of lots of hard work and taking the time out to learn more all the time and creating a good, trustworthy, dependable name for themselves, right from the beginning of their online bridal consulting career. Word of mouth counts for a lot, when it comes to being a success with any type of business you are pursuing, so keep your customers happy and you will be that multitasking, creative and giving kind of online bridal consultant that you have always wanted to be.

One thing to remember with your online business is that your online business should be increasing and improving your lifestyle, not serving as a drain on you and your resources. Remember it is your business, do not let the business own you.

Do you want to learn more about how I do it? Secrets of Article Marketing

Do you want to learn how to build a massive list fast? Click here: Email List Building

Want to learn more about driving traffic like I do? Download my free traffic guide here: Traffic Generation

Raymond Nesa is an experienced web marketer specializing in article marketing, traffic generation, and list building.

Importance of Choosing a Wedding Consultant With a Complimentary Personality

On your wedding day, everything should be perfect or at least, it should be as perfect as it humanly can be. After all, you don’t want anything stressing you out on your special day. The best way to make sure that your wedding day goes as smoothly as it possibly can is to hire a professional wedding consultant. With a wedding consultant by your side, you can concentrate on enjoying your special day. You won’t have to worry about anything but marrying your spouse and enjoying the festivities.

However, you can’t just go out and hire anyone as your wedding consultant. Even if she is the most celebrated and talented wedding consultant in the world, you have to make sure that her personality meshes with yours and your guest. After all, if she is cantankerous, difficult and rude to your guests that is what everyone will remember and talk about for years to come. It is as important to hire a wedding consultant based on personality as it is to hire a consultant based on skill and expertise.

Wedding consultants have a reputation for being unreasonable and snooty. Just like any creative professional, some are but most are not. In general, wedding consultants enjoy their work, love interacting with wedding parties and guests and take pride in creating special memories. Just be sure you end up hiring one of the good ones!

The best way to feel out a wedding consultant is during the initial interview process. Ask a lot of questions and gauge the responses to determine if there is a good fit. If she seems irritated by your questions or is blunt with responses, you can assume that this is how your guests will be treated on your wedding day. Find another wedding consultant and quick!

Always ask for reference and then make sure you follow up and call the clients to find out how their wedding day went with this particular consultant. Ask the reference if she was patient, friendly and accommodating. Also, ask how their guests were treated by the wedding consultant. If you do not get the positive answers you are seeking, you should consider looking for another wedding consultant.

When you interview consultants, be certain that she will be the one who will handle your event. Some larger corporations have several consultants and may send a junior consultant to your wedding unless you are specific. You do not want a stranger showing up on your wedding day to coordinate the events. You want the person that you interviewed and hired based on skill and personality. Make sure this is stipulated in your wedding consultant contract.

Remember that if you are uncomfortable or unhappy with your wedding consultant on the day of your wedding, it will show. Choosing the right wedding consultant, based on skill as well as personality, will ensure you have a wonderful wedding day and memories to last a lifetime.

Yolanda is the owner of Yolandas Wedding Favors. She sells many different types of wedding favors such as, love glass coasters, two peas in a pod salt and pepper shakers and many many more. Yolandas Wedding Favors also carries many different bridesmaid gifts such as spa slippers, photo tote bags and much more. Also if you are having a beach wedding then be sure to check out our beach wedding favors.

Defining the Role of the Dallas Wedding Planner

In the past 25 years the role of the wedding planner has evolved from being one for only the wealthy to almost one of necessity. For those who could not afford help it was usually family and friends who contributed to the final stages of actually getting the wedding "off the ground." Whether these friends and family contributed monetarily or by moral support, they were the ones who were counted on to make the wedding a complete success for the bride and groom. Fewer brides and mothers were in the work force and most had plenty of time to plan their own weddings.

But what exactly is a Wedding Planner?

A Dallas wedding planner is a trained professional wedding expert able to tend to the needs of the bride through the planning process until the bride and groom’s farewell. The planner will offer choices to the bride and groom based on their vision, personal taste, and budget and will do whatever it takes to make sure the event runs smoothly.

The full-service wedding planner will play many roles during the course of events leading up to the wedding. Therefore, it is imperative that the Trained Wedding Planner possesses certain skills to fulfill this role.

Required Skills of the Dallas Wedding Planner

Mediator

The bride, groom and their families will have many decisions to make during all phases of planning. At some point the planner may be asked to step in as an intermediary to solve differences between bride and groom, bride and her family, or bride and her attendants.

Facilitator

Follow-through is extremely important and with all of the details couples must manage leading up to their special day, a minimum amount of stress will be felt if they feel they can depend upon their wedding planner to tend to many of these tasks.

Etiquette Expert

The etiquette expertise of the wedding planner will help couples with the sensitive decisions of planning a socially correct wedding.

Organizer

It is the position of the Dallas wedding planner to make sure that every aspect is covered in the planning process of the wedding in an orderly fashion.

Negotiator

Reviewing contracts and proposals from wedding industry professionals is one of the most important positions of the Wedding Planner.

Director

The Wedding Planner is responsible for implementing wedding activities according to the bride’s wishes and may include weekend activities leading up to the actual event.

Budget Manager

All brides have a budget, whether it is generous or scant. One of the responsibilities of the Wedding Planner is to keep the bride informed regarding expenditures.

Shari Johns is the owner and founder of As you wish… wedding & event planning of Dallas. She is certified by and a current, active member of the Association of Certified Wedding Consultants (ACWC) as well as June Weddings, Inc. (JWI). Her membership in these organizations assists her in keeping up to date with current events in the Dallas/Fort Worth wedding market. Shari has also served on the Board of ACWC for four years.