Start planning early
for the ideal wedding
■A perfect wedding day depends
on giving marriage vendors plenty
of advance warning to get the job done
By Courtney Sweet
for the Emerald
When attending a wedding, the casual
observer may think that the whole pro
duction is easy — buy a dress and some
flowers, and the job is done.
These people are living in a world of
make-believe. Anyone involved in
wedding planning knows a huge
amount of effort and work goes into the
event. However, it doesn’t have to be a
complete nightmare.
Jo Dial, owner of Eugene’s The Wed
ding Solution, earns her living by making
sure every wedding is the one her clients
dream of all their lives, she said.
Dial, who has worked for more than
three years planning these ideal wed
dings, said her job is "to relieve all of the
stress of the bride.” She helps the bride
organize everything, from choosing the
invitations to cleaning up after the recep
tion, she said.
In addition, Dial said she is at the wed
ding “all day to make sure everything is
delivered on time.” She contacts the var
ious vendors, from the florist to the cater
er to the DJ, and matches the bride’s
dream wedding to her budget, she said.
A wedding planner also requires six to
nine months’ advance notice, Dial said,
and ideally up to a year’s warning. “So
many people book their vendors a year
ahead,” she said, and without enough
time, the bride may not be able to get her
first choice.
But for those do-it-yourself brides, a
number of local businesses can help
everyone make their weddings an occa
sion to remember.
The Wedding Gallerie, located inside
Reed & Cross, has everything from rental
tuxedoes to gowns for the bride, brides
maids and flower girls.
Valerie Babb, manager of the Wedding
Gallerie, said special-order wedding
gowns take three to five months to arrive,
and the store gets “more special orders
than off-the-rack” dresses.
Wedding dresses vary in price from
$300 to $1,500, she said, while brides
maids’ gowns typically run $100-$200.
The groom and groomsmen need to
choose their tuxedoes two to three
months before the wedding to ensure a
proper fit, Babb added.
The flowers are another crucial part of
the wedding. Carol Headlee of The
Flower Market said that the most popu
lar style of bridal bouquet is the “Martha
Stewart-style” clutch bouquet, which has
approximately 30 roses.
Summer weddings require the most
advance notice, Headlee said, as August
and September are the most popular
months to get married. She recom
mends giving three to four months’ no
tice when choosing a florist. She also
suggests choosing the style of bridal
gown and colors before talking to the
florist, so the flowers can complement
those choices.
Bridal bouquets typically cost $35
$150, she said, while bridesmaids’ bou
quets cost around $35-$50 and tie in
with the wedding theme. Decorative
flowers vary widely in price, from cande
labras at $45 to altarpieces ranging from
$100 to $200, she said.
To save money, a bride can transfer
flowers from the wedding to the recep
tion, she said. Headlee added that
bridesmaids’ bouquets can also double
as centerpieces.
A major part of the wedding reception
is the food, and unless a bride plans on a
barbecue for her guests, she may want to
contact a catering service.
Paul Webber, owner of Alpine Cater
ing, recommends contacting a caterer six
months in advance, depending on how
elaborate the wedding will be.
Different caterers offer different servic
es for their customers. Alpine Catering,
for instance, provides delivery and set
up, Webber said. As for eating utensils
and waiters, he said most catering servic
es do have those options available for an
extra cost.
Vegetarian and vegan meals are also
available, he said. The cost can range
from $ll-$35 per person, and some
times a deposit of one-third of the total
cost is required.
The most crucial part of a wedding is
the marriage license. According to Marie
Hoehne, supervisor of Lane County
Deeds & Records, anyone getting married
must be at least 17 years old.
No witnesses are needed to get the li
cense, he said, nor is a medical or blood
test required. Licenses cost $60 and are
valid for 60 days after purchase. He
added that civil ceremonies, which cost
$15, are available weekdays at 9 and 11
a.m. for walk-ins, and at 2 and 2:30 p.m.
weekdays by appointment. For more in
formation, call 682-3640.
Courtney Sweet is a freelance reporter for the
Emerald.
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