2B
WEDDINGS/The Charlotte Post
Thursday, March 26, 1998
Right gown a matter of taste and style
Continued from IB
share with them how it would
work,” Chisolm said. “The wed
ding is a sacred ceremony.
People have come to see you get
married because they care
about you. I tell all of my brides
to smile, look beautiful and be
radiant. I remind them that
this is your happiest day.”
In order to make that happen,
the bride has to feel confident
in the gown. Chisolm said the
bridal gown, in addition to
accentuating the brides assets,
should also accentuate the
bridds personaJtity.
“If the bride has a sunny, open
personaUly, the gown should
reflect that in design,” Chisolm
said. “If shds elegant, the most
likely shdll want something
that looks elegant. The list can
go on and on.”
The gown can also transfiirm.
“A quiet, shy woman may
choose a gown thats sexy or
really outgoing,” Chisolm said.
“They want something that
nutkes them look different and
special.”
OccasumaUy, the bride choos
es a gown that rtuiy not be flat
tering. Often they krww imme
diately it doesn’t look quite
right, but sometimes it rrwke
take some steering.
“After a while you know what
looks good on a person when
they walk in,” Funderburk
said. “What Fve found is that if
they try it on and it doesn’t
work, they know it immediate
ly and try something else.
Everyone wants to look their
best. When something doesrit,
the^U immediately try some
thing else.”
Sometimes, Chisolm said, it
may take a little gentle nudge
to get them going in the right
direction. When the gown is
designed, brides can’t see it
until its done which may be too
late. Not every woman is built
like a model.
“You have to be tactful,”
Chisolm said. “Often people
dorit realize how something
will look on them. It may look
good on someone else, but ru>t
on them. I build a relationship
where we can be open and hon
est and if something may not
look right, I try to steer them in
a different direction -gently.”
Chisolm and Funderburk
both agree the rrurre confident a
bride is the moire radiant shdll
be. They also say linking with a
professional retailer with good
refereruxs and years of experi
ence is essential.
If you see someone with a
gown you like, ask who made it
or where they bought it.
“Most of my weddings are
referrals,” Chisolm said. “Fve
found that if Fm happy with
the gown and the bride is
happy with the gown, then
everything will come out just
right.”
PHOTO/CALVIN FERGUSON
Stephanie Adams models the
perfect dress for flower girls.
Dress: David’s Bridal, $99.
Planning for the big day no piece of cake
By Jeri Young
THE CHARLOTTE POST
He proposed. You accepted.
Now comes the hard part -
putting all the pieces in place
so the big day will run smooth
ly. No small (or inexpensive)
feat, say local wedding plan
ners.
“When clients call in and say
they want to get married in six
rrumths, I ask them if they have
$10,000 - on hand,” said event
planner Wialillian Howard.
“Generally, that really does
make them stop and think
about getting married in such a
short time.”
What does $10,000get you?
Just about anything you want
as long as you limit the number
of people atteruUng the wed
ding reception to 100.
“It shocks them,” Howard
said. “Usually, the^re shocked
by the figure and change the
wedding date. People honestly
are rwt in tune with the kind of
money it takes to have a nice
wedding. Ten thousand dollars
will get you a beautiful wed
ding, flowers, nice reception
hall, sit-down dinner and pre
reception hour for about 100
guests.”
Since most couples begin with
a guest list at least twice as
long, the^re already at adisad-
vantage. Then come the ven
dors.
Howard, owner of
Heartstrings, an event plan
ning service, says couples ate
almost always surprised by the
number of vendors needed.
“Most brides have no idea the
number of vendors they need,”
Howard said. ‘They always
think about flowers and the
food, but there are so many oth
ers.”
Picking a florist and caterer
is only the beginning. Most cou
ples want keepsakes which
means hiring a videographeror
photogrxqrhers. At some point
they probably will want to hire
a wedding director. Arid musi
cians, entertainment for the
reception, a printer and graph
ic artist to design the prr^ram
and someone to handle decora
tions yoiFve got a plethora of
jobs to farm out.
‘The bride probably has no
clue as to the negotiating power
they have or the going rate for
rrurst services,” Howard said.
“When you add that to all the
other things theyre doing, it
can be overwhelming. They
usually go into negotiations at
a severe disadvantage.”
As soon as the bride accepts
and the haze wears off, the cou
ple needs to figure out how
many guests to incite and how
much money to spend.
The next step probably should
be a trip to an event planner or
iceddirtg consultant.
There are plenty out there,
Howard said. If you attend a
wedding and like the service,
ask who planned it. Ward of
mouth is the best way to find
someone. But couples need to
be careful.
“It takes a lot of organization
to plan a wedding,” she said.
‘Douples shouldrFt be afraid to
ask for references or even
attend a wedding the planner
or director is doing. You need to
get a feel for how that person
works and seeing an event is
the best way.”
After the initial trip to a wed
ding planner, work on shearing
the guest list if you need to. A
good starting paint is to elimi
nate escorts for unmarried
guests, business associates and
relatives who live far away.
With the planner, figure out
what kind of service and recep
tion you want to have.
“Most people automatically
think sit-down dinner,”Howard
said. “Sit-down dinners do have
advantages, but there are also
disadvantages.”
Sit-down dinners tend to be
costly and if the goal is for the
two families to get to know one
another, it may rwt be the most
effective.
‘During a sit-down dinner,
people tend to stay in one place,
they don’t mingle,” Howard
said.
From there iFs on to vendor
contracts, finding the best loca
tion and attire for the wedding
party.
“There really is a lot of work
involved,”Howard said. “If you
need help, don’t be afraid to
ask. You’ll get a better deed and
most importantly, the bride
worit have the worry arul
stress.”
Styl
53"
spcilon
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P^A
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nn
Dot Barnes
Massage Therapist
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Diane Ervin, Owner
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1600 Fulton Street
Charlotte, NC 28205 • 704-333-3031
Stroud’s Florist
3201-G Beatties Ford Rd. • Charlotte, NC 28216
(704)399-3374 Or (800)858-5097
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ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED • CHARGE BY PHONE
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Best wishes to all
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Upscale Business Suits • Church Attire
• Selected WINTER Suits
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lUe., Wed., Thun, & Sat 11am - 6pm
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1125 East Sugar Creek Rd. • Suite E
Charlotte, NC 28205
704-372-2558
SUGAR CREEK ROAD
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$12.95
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704-867-4448
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SEATING CAPACITY FOR
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Guinn - Sackor
Elizabeth Ann Jefferson-Guinn and Moyayah Abu Sackor were joined
in Holy Matrimony March 21, 1998 at 2:00 p.m. in the Touch of Elegance
Chapel, Ft. Worth, Texas.
The bride is the daughter of Merle and Sandra Usher of Gardenia,
graduate of Los Angeles High School and is working
B.S. degree in Computer Information Systems at DeVry Institute of Technology,
Irving, Texas. Elizabeth is currently employed by Channel Solutions Group as an
Information Systems Analyst.
The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Mohammed Sackor of Liberia,
West Africa. Moyayah is enrolled in the Business Administration program at
Tarrant County Community College, N. Richland Hills, Texas. He is employed
by Bankston Nissan of Irving as a Sales Consultant.
The Matron of Honor was Catherine Mitchell, and Maid of Honor was
Apryle Jefferson. Bridesmaids were: LaKaya Guinn, Coretta Nichole Pilot,
Manlyn Baccus. Romeisha Roberson and Talencia Bullock were the flower girls.
The Bestman was David Hallie, with Eric Guinn, Jr., Kenneth Howard,
and Eric Howard serving as groomsmen. Jefferey Guinn was the ring bearer.
After the reception, held at the chapel, the couple left for a honeymoon
in Cancun, Mexico.
Moyayah & Elizabeth will make their home in Watauga, Texas.
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