wedding guide 2012

edding Guide 2012

W

a special supplement to the January 10, 2012 edition of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman

The Perfect OutdoorWeddingCompletely achievable.

Page 7

Wedding ChecklistEvery couple’s best friend

and step-by-step listPage 5

Financial PlanningIdentifying goals for your future

Page 3

Wedding Guide January 10, 2012

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Weddings are joyous occasions – family, friends, music, and the newlyweds, both pledging their respective lives to the other. Just like the process of coordinating the perfect wedding, the journey that begins after the ceremony requires a great deal of forethought and planning to be successful. One major topic in any marriage is developing stability and the most effective financial plan for your new family.

Tammy Bruce, financial advisor at Edward Jones, said the first step in building a successful financial plan is to determine where you and your spouse are today. Make a list of your expenses and income, whether from your employment or investments already made. From this point, it is easier to determine where you want to be and to help you make realistic goals.

When identifying financial goals, consider both the long and short term. Younger newly married couples may wish to save for a down payment on their first home. Those planning a family may be considering financing options for private school. Looking toward the long term, couples are most likely to be concerned with life milestones such as retirement, or paying for a college education for those children.

Next, establish a plan of action and commit to making these goals a reality. On average, younger couples tend to have a limited amount of disposable income. When budgeting, set aside whatever is possible to put toward your investments. Bruce said that the most common regret she encounters is, “I wish I had started investing sooner.” Small steps will make more of a difference in the long run than none at all.

Couples may need to reconcile conflicting investment styles. Your spouse may be a more cautious investor, mainly

interested in smaller increments and low-risk opportunities. On the other hand, you may believe in a more aggressive approach. Separately, these investment styles may compliment one another. When investing jointly,

by Erika Moon/ Frontiersman

F inancial Planning for Newlyweds

continued on page 4

Establish a plan of

action and commit.


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however, challenges may arise. Also, learning to co-manage your money with your spouse can alleviate financial stress in the future. In many situations, one spouse may handle all the finances. But Bruce advised that this isn’t always best. In the case of separation through divorce or death, for example, it’s best that both partners are aware of how the financial plan is structured.

Another aspect of establishing stability in your new life is upgrading your insurance policies. Dusty Silva at Silva Insurance recommends

reviewing your auto, home and life insurance policies with your spouse and taking advantage of available discounts by consolidating. Also, if you or your spouse has a life insurance policy, check your beneficiaries. If you do not have life insurance, consider purchasing a policy.

There are many options for couples in different walks of life to build a solid financial future and services available to help wade through the confusion of establishing a plan. The earlier you start, the more likely you will be able to reach your goals.

Photo Courtesy of Sugar Six Photography

F inancial Planning

continued


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Ceremony:Decide on location

Choose offi ciateSelect rings

Pick attendants

Legal Issues:Marriage License

Name change

Reception:Choose site of reception

CatererGuest list

Select invitationsVerify addresses

Place cardsBeverages

Cake Music

PhotographerVideo

FlowersFavors

Transportation

Wedding attire: Wedding dressGrooms attire

Choose attendants attireBeauty appointments

Related events:Bridal shower

Bachelorette partyBachelor party

Rehearsal dinnerGift registry

Purchase gifts for attendants

Honeymoon:Select location

Choose trousseau

Guest Related:Accommodations

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Donna’s Corner: T raditional

Wedding Checklist


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attention to detail. She has even researched wedding traditions and etiquette so her couples can understand not just the “how” of what needs to be done, but also the “why”.“Everyone has their favorite part of their job,” Donna said. “My favorite is the smile on the bride and groom’s face, the creativity, and helping people plan their perfect wedding.”Satisfied customer Barbara Moore credited Donna with making her granddaughter’s wedding a success.

“She organized the whole function, including the wedding itself, which made it just about stress-free for the rest of us,” Moore said. “She was a Godsend. She will do whatever it takes to make your day perfect for you. Donna is absolutely great with what she does. She strives to make her customers happy.”Alaska brides face several unique challenges, Donna said. So she offers some great advice:

• Don’t wait. Pay attention to time lines and give yourself plenty of time to plan. Many couples get engaged during the holidays and hope for a summer wedding. They make the mistake of believing they have extra time. In reality, by the time they realize how close the date actually is, they are already late. This creates extra stress and forces the couple to make sacrifices in their wedding wish list.

• Find your venue first. There are limited spaces in the Valley, and they get booked quickly. (Some are currently booked through 2014.) “You can’t really plan anything else until you know the venue. How many people you can invite, the dress, everything depends on that.”

• Plan your guest list carefully. Couples, especially the budget-conscious, should consider complications caused by a larger wedding. “You don’t have to add everyone you’ve ever known since kindergarten in your wedding,” she said. “If you want to add stress, add eight bridesmaids to your wedding party.”

• Get the groom in on the planning. “If you want to impress your bride, take the responsibility of getting your groomsmen together to get their tuxedoes fitted,” Donna said.

It’s a long walk from “Will you marry me” to “I do”, and few people know this better than Donna Turner, owner of Donna’s

Corner in Big Lake. Her clientele features couples from both in and out of state, each with their own set of hopes and challenges for the big

day. Her experience and connections provide a great advantage to tackling the daunting task of planning the perfect wedding, from “Yes!” to the honey-moon.Donna has been helping brides-to-be achieve their dream weddings for

15 years, and she has seen her own set of interesting nuptial requests. One of her couples even asked that their ceremony at the Denali Princess Lodge

be timed so precisely that their wedding kiss be accented by the train passing and sounding its horn. She has coordinated weddings for some of the most popular venues in the Mat-Su Valley and in the state, including Settlers Bay Lodge, Sunset View Bed & Breakfast and many more. Some of her more unique weddings included locations such as the Motherlode Lodge, near Hatcher Pass, and Alyeska Resort in Girdwood.The list of services offered by Donna’s Corner and her partners is impressive, spanning from budgeting, venue recommendations, catering, photography, and dress selection to the cake, scheduling, and honeymoon options. She said she believes what sets her apart is her experience and

Photo Courtesy of Carrie Lambing

“She will do whatever it takes to

make your day perfect for you..” -Barbara Moore


Feature:

Dream WeddingFeature: Donna’s Corner

Photo Courtesy of Donna’s Conrner




P roper planning key to perfect outdoor wedding

When planning the wedding of a life-time, a major emphasis is placed on three crucial aspects: location, location, location. For those fortunate enough to live in Alaska, the natural outdoor back-drop is arguably one of the most stun-ning available. Intrigued but daunted by the thought of braving the elements? Don’t be – with proper planning and careful budgeting, the perfect outdoor wedding is completely achievable, even in Alaska.

The fi rst thing to consider when planning an outdoor wedding is the date, according to Catherine Moore, owner of Start to Finish Event and Wedding.

“You can do anything,” she said. “It just depends on which month you do it.”

There are several factors to consider when thinking about an outdoor reception. Cooler months and fall weddings tend to bring the additional cost of renting heat lamps. Die-hard Alaska outdoor enthusiasts can forget their friends and family from the warmer Lower 48 tend to feel the chill a bit more and need to be kept comfortable.

“Chilly guests are unhappy guests”, said veteran Valley caterer Kirsten Pedersen, owner and executive chef of Alaskan Events and Catering. Sum-mer months are more popular, but do present their own set of challenges. For example, Alaska is known for its mosquitos, which tend to come out in droves around water and wooded areas. According to Pedersen, mosquitos are typically less prevalent in mid-July or later in the summer. But her menu is still often limited by accounting for the possibility of mos-quitos. Chocolate fountains, for instance – a staple at most receptions – are not wise when planning an outdoor summer wedding, as sweet foods tend to attract bugs.

Alaska weather patterns are unpredictable at best. So when coordinating an outdoor wedding, it is extremely important to have a back-up plan. There are two ways to approach this: rent a tent, or plan for an indoor option. Wedding Coor-dinator Kara Delong off ers the same advice to her couples planning an outdoor wedding: rent the tent, whether you need it or not. That way, you are “covered” either way.

“It’s much easier to have the peace of mind,” she said.

Couples should also keep in mind that tents tend to book quickly for the summer months. Depending on the venue, some outdoor wedding options provide easy access to an indoor fallback plan. Lodges, resorts and hotels often have banquet rooms available for rent with their wedding pack-ages.

Alaska off ers many diff erent options for outdoor wedding venues. For those on a budget, state and national parks are a great option. Some cost as little as $50 to $100, which leaves more money for other wedding perks. Each specifi c outdoor location will come with its own set of obstacles and should be carefully measured. One thing to keep in mind is the terrain. What type of vehicle will be required for the guests to attend the wedding? Couples should consider whether their dream spot will have running water and power easily acces-sible. While couples may rent power sources, Port-a-Potties, or four-wheel drive vehicles, they add substantial cost to the bottom line.

Finally, consider how each location can be utilized to make your event as special as possible. One of Catherine Moore’s couples were married in a river wearing fi shing waders where the bride “snagged” her husband-to-be. Kara Delong coordinated a wedding near Long Lake in Willow where mem-bers of the wedding party wore camoufl aged clothing designed for hunting. Some couples tastes veer more toward the traditional, and venues such as Sunset View Resort and Lake Lucille Best Western have excellent natural settings for a classic wedding.

When in doubt – use your imagination!

“You can do anything...

It just depends on which month you do it.”

-Catherine Moore


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wedding guide 2012

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