A WATCHUNG COMMUNICATIONS, INC. PUBLICATION The Westfield Leader and THE TIMES of Scotch Plains – Fanwood Thursday, January 21, 1998 Page 7

CYAN YELLOW MAGENTA BLACK

By SUZETTE F. STALKERSpecially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

Congratulations, you�ve just becomeengaged! You�ve shared your excitingnews with family and friends, and nowyou�re about to begin the thousand-and-one preparations for the weddingof your dreams.

According to the editors of Bride�smagazine, it typically takes betweensix months to a year to organize �a largewedding in an urban area at a popularsite during a peak wedding month.�

May and June, along with Septem-ber and October, are considered favor-ite months of the year for couples totake their vows. February is anotherpopular month because of Valentine�sDay, bridal experts say.

Couples generally set the date oftheir marriage at least a year in ad-vance, due to the myriad of prepara-tions involved. In the 1997 edition oftheir Wedding Planner, the editors ofBride�s advise reserving the ceremonyand reception site as soon as possible,in order to ensure availability for thedate desired.

A year before the nuptials is also theappropriate time, the editors note, tochoose members of the bridal party andto begin booking professionals whoseservices will be vital to making thewedding day a success. These includethe caterer, photographer, videographer,florist and musicians, and, if desired, awedding consultant.

Anthony Pantagis, Manager ofPantagis Renaissance in Scotch Plains,said that once a couple has booked thefacility, he provides them severalmonths later with maps to include withtheir invitations. He said he conferswith them again several weeks beforethe wedding, to review such details asthe menu, professional services theywill be using, and the room layout.

Mr. Pantagis revealed that in addi-tion to helping couples organize thereception itself, a banquet manager canoften recommend the services of ven-dors with whom the establishment hasworked successfully in the past, whoare familiar with the layout and policiesof the hall.

Nine months before the wedding, theBride�s editors say, the engaged coupleshould meet with the person who willperform their marriage ceremony, sincesome form of prenuptial counselingmay be required.

It is also an ideal time, they maintain,for the couple to begin preparing theirguest list, register for gifts, and discussprospective honeymoon sites.

Six to nine months beforehand is agood time for the bride to shop for and

order her gown, along with accessoriessuch as the veil, shoes and underpin-nings, as well as her attendants� attire,wedding professionals note.

Grace Chetta, store manager ofDavid�s Bridal in Springfield, said thisamount of time allows ample opportu-nity for fittings, alterations and specialorders, and frees up the bride to takecare of other wedding details.

In its Spring/Summer 1999 edition,New Jersey Wedding magazine, offersseveral tips to minimize hassles whenshopping for a wedding gown. Pro-spective brides are encouraged to takeno more than two other people along toa bridal salon, since a larger group mayhave such differing opinions over whichdress is best that she may feel over-whelmed.

In addition, brides-to-be are alsourged to avoid the Saturday �mob scene�at bridal stores by shopping on a week-day if possible. It is also recommendedthat they bring magazine pictures fea-turing preferred styles to the store, andthat they try not to fit too much into asingle shopping excursion.

During this time, the bridegroomshould also choose the attire that will beworn by him, his best man and theushers. If the bridegroom intends to buyhis tuxedo, New Jersey Wedding maga-zine advises he purchase it far enoughbefore the wedding to allow for alter-ations.

The Bride�s editors recommend that

six months prior to walking down theaisle, couples should discuss with theirvendors such all-important details asspecific photographs they want takenand music selections for the bandleaderor disk jockey who will entertain attheir reception.

According to shop owner SallyOsgood and fellow designers atCranford Florist, the bride ideally shouldorder her flowers six months before themarriage date. An order typically in-cludes the bride�s bouquet and those forthe honor and bridal attendants, as wellas boutonnieres for the bridegroom andushers.

The bride may also want to ordercorsages for mothers, grandmothers orother special guests, as well as bouton-nieres for fathers and grandfathers. Theymay also be ordered for individualsperforming readings during the cer-emony.

Flowers to decorate the place wherethe ceremony will occur � whether itbe a house of worship, a private home orelsewhere � would also be ordered atthis time, according to the CranfordFlorist, plus centerpieces or other flow-ers for the reception. Floral needs vary,as some banquet halls include tablearrangements in their reception pack-ages.

The editors of Bride�s also advisethat couples order their wedding invita-tions and announcements, book limou-sines, and meet with a travel agent

about honeymoon plans at this time. Itis especially important for couples tofind out whether they will need pass-ports, visas or inoculations before trav-eling to their honeymoon site.

Three months before the weddingdate, the Bride�s editors maintain,couples should finalize their guest list,shop for and order wedding rings, andcheck on state requirements for bloodtests. Hotel rooms should also be re-served for out-of-town guests, and de-livery dates for all dresses and accesso-ries should be verified with the bridalshop.

The editors say this is also the timefor the bride to make an appointmentwith her hairdresser and makeup artist,have her first gown fitting, and select aheadpiece.

They also suggest the bride andbridegroom start shopping for honey-moon clothes at this point, and that thebridegroom and/or his family beginmaking preparations for the rehearsaldinner.

Six to eight weeks before the wed-ding, the Bride�s editors recommendthe couple address and mail their invi-tations, purchase their gifts for theirattendants, submit their announcementto local newspapers, pick up weddingrings from the jeweler, have the bridalphotograph taken, and write thank younotes for shower or wedding presents.

The bride-to-be should also have herfinal fitting around this time, and any

new hair color should be tested at leasteight weeks before the wedding, themagazine editors suggest.

During the final month prior to thewedding, the Love & Marriage Bride�sGuide advises that couples touch basewith their caterer about the menu andwith their florist about church and re-ception decorations.

The publication also recommendsthat the bride and bridegroom confirmhoneymoon reservations, plan the re-hearsal dinner, obtain the marriage li-cense and check that all paperwork is inorder, including blood test informationand any necessary identification. Theyshould also arrange to have their be-longings transferred to their new home.

Two weeks beforehand, bridal ex-perts recommend making transporta-tion arrangements from the reception tothe airport or hotel. The bride may alsowant to visit her hairstylist for a trim ortouchup, according to the Bride�s edi-tors.

For the last week, the Bride�s Guideagenda for about-to-be-married couplesincludes purchasing traveler�s checksand packing for the honeymoon; givinga final headcount to the caterer or ban-

quet hall, and reviewing their seatingarrangement for the reception.

The couple is also urged to notifytheir attendants of the time and placeof the rehearsal dinner, if they have notdone so already, and to take care ofname or address changes on driver�slicenses, Social Security cards, creditcards, bank accounts and the like.

Bride�s magazine�s editors also sug-gest that couples confirm all pertinentwedding day information with theirvendors, including places and times,and to inquire with hotels or banksabout the availability of automatic tellermachines at their honeymoon loca-tion.

The editors also recommend thebridegroom give the officiant�s fee tohis best man during the final week, tobe paid after the ceremony, and to giveany special seating instructions to theushers.

On the eve of that very special day,with all other preparations taken careof, Bride�s Guide suggests both brideand bridegroom get a good night�ssleep in order to be refreshed and re-laxed for what will hopefully be awonderful day!

Engaged Couples Typically Need a Year to Prepare for That Perfect Day;Attention to Details and Planning in Advance Helps to Eliminate Stress

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