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— particularly consider-ing the gown will be worn for an entire day.

Flattering ColorAs a bride you may

have a colorscape in your mind for the wedding. But what looks good in table linens and flow-eris not always the right choice for clothing. Take the skin tones and hair colors of your brides-maids into consideration before choosing a dress. Green- and yellow-hued dresses may not look nice on women with olive skin tones, while very pale col-ors may wash out women with fair skin. Those with dark skin may need a brighter-colored dress.

Price TagIt is an honor to be

asked to be part of a bridal party, but that honor can be very expen-sive. The bridesmaids are expected to pay for their wardrobe, hair styling, and makeup, as well as parties and gifts for the happy couple. As a cour-tesy to the women who already will be investing a considerable amount to be a part of your wed-ding, make every effort to select a gown that is af-fordable. There are plenty of retailers offering styl-ish options that may not be as expensive as some specialty stores.

Other TipsOnce you’ve decided on

the basic elements, con-sider the following sug-gestions to find a gown that the bridal party will enjoy.

• Take one or two bridesmaids shopping with you. Try to select ones with opposite body types so you can see how the gown looks on a woman who is thin and one who may be more full-figured.

• Think about choosing separates. The brides-maids can mix and match tops and bottoms to find a fit that works. This may enable a woman with a larger bust size to select a top with supportive straps while another bridesmaid can opt for strapless. Many stores have increased their inventory of separates because of their growing popularity.

• Choose one color and then let the bridesmaids choose the style they like the best for themselves.

Day: Think about choosing separates From 1

Simple wedding saving tipsBy MeTrO COnneCTiOn

According to a 2012 re-port in Brides magazine, the average American couple spends just under $27,000 on their wedding, while their northern neighbors in Canada spend slightly more than $23,000 on average for their big day. Clearly couples, regardless of which side of the border they call home, can ex-pect to invest a substan-tial amount of money for their weddings.

While many couples find the cost of a wedding is well worth it, others would like to find ways to save so their big day isn’t a budget-buster. Such sav-ings aren’t always easy to come by, especially for couples with a very dis-tinctive picture in mind

of what their wedding should be. However, even couples strongly commit-ted to a certain wedding style might change their minds once they realize how much such a dream wedding will cost. For those couples as well as couples who simply want to save some money, the following are a few ideas to avoid busting your budget without venturing too far from your dream wedding.

• Trim the guest list. The guest list is perhaps the easiest place to begin saving money. Many re-ception halls will charge by the head, so consider if you really need to invite 150 guests or if 100 will do. Such trimming can save you a substan-tial amount of money. For example, a banquet

hall that When putting together the guest list, remove those candidates who would best be de-scribed as acquaintances. • Don’t go overboard on the gown. The disparity between gown costs in the United States and Canada should paint a good pic-ture of how easily brides can save money on their gowns. According to a survey of wedding trends conducted by Wedding bells, an online resource for Canadian brides, the average Canadian bride in 2011 spent just under $1,800 on her wedding gown, while the average American bride spends roughly $1,100 on her gown. It’s safe to say there are savings to be had for brides who don’t want to break the bank paying for their gowns.

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By Karma Champagne

The Daily iberian

Maggie Elizabeth Gary and Brian Jeffrey Laven-

der were married Jan. 4 at St. Peter’s Catholic Church. It was her dream wedding with the perfect wedding gown to set off the ceremony.

After a visiting a few bridal salons, Lavender quickly found out that purchasing the ideal wedding gown could be a challenge. Shopping for the gown for her special day was fun and exciting, but also overwhelming.

Lavender began casual gown shopping in Novem-ber 2011. After searching in Louisiana and Texas and trying on more than gowns, Lavender finally found the dress that made her day a memorable one.

She approached the shopping adventure open-mindedly and was willing to look through hundreds of gowns until she found the right one.

“When you get but-terflies in your stomach, you know you’ve found the perfect dress. I was looking for a dress with a wow factor and one of a kind,” she said.

Lavender said she shopped with her mother, grandmother and two sisters to get some advice on the best style.

When it was time for the final decision, she selected an ivory-colored satin gown featuring a pleated, sculpted, crumb catcher bodice with crystal and pearl beading that adorned the strap-less neckline. Looped satin embellishments with crystal appliqués at the side hip accentuated the gathered skirt which flowed into a semi-cathe-dral train.

“The dress sets the tone for the wedding. I always wanted a winter wonder-land theme for my wed-ding so the crystals and beading set the tone and I was able to incorporate

that into my wedding and the decorations,” said Lavender.

Courtney Lane Thibodeaux and Ron Anthony Doré were engaged for eight years, but had never talked about specific wedding plans. In July, the couple set the date for Jan. 25. It was crunch time. There wasn’t much time to plan for a wedding or shop for a wedding gown.

After trying on more than 50 gowns and getting various opinions from family and friends, Doré said the best advice she can give to any prospec-tive bride is to try on as many different styles as possible.

“I bought something that was totally different than I had envisioned. I

had envisioned wearing a dress like my mother wore for her wedding with a vintage look. But what I thought I liked, wasn’t complimentary to my figure,” she said.

“My roots are very traditional, so I started out looking for a tradi-tional gown and ended up with a contemporary style. When I put it on, I knew this was the one. Because of my personal-ity nothing compared to that one. ”

But for sentimental reasons, Doré said she wore her mother’s wed-ding gown for one of her bridal photos to keep as a memento in her wedding album.

Doré said she found it

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Brides share their personal shopping experiences

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Maggie Gary Lavender was married Jan. 4. Finding the perfect gown was a challenge, but she turned the shop-ping event into a fun experience with family and friends.

See Brides, Page 8

For decades the month of June held firm as the most popular month for weddings. But statistics now indicate that there may be shifting preferences in the time of the year for marriages.

According to The National Center for Health Statistics, July and August are now the most popular months for tying the knot in the United States. Sep-tember and October have also gained

momentum as premier months. Expla-nations for this shift vary, but it may have something to do with changing weather patterns and warmer weather now arriving later in the season than in the past.

Also, getting married later in the year may make it easier for couples to secure their first choice of wedding venues.

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Unique reception touches

Metro Creative ConneCtion

Use the bouquets of the bridal party as the centerpieces of some of the reception tables as one way to bring something different to your wedding.

By Metro Creative ConneCtion

Over the course of their lifetimes, many people will be wedding guests on several occasions. Dur-

ing the height of wedding season, wed-dings can run into one another, as the format and the festivities are similar at various ceremonies. Couples interested in setting their nuptials apart may want to enhance the wedding reception with a few unique ideas.

Who hasn’t attended a wedding that seems formulaic? The couple enters, they do their spotlight dance, there’s food, a bouquet toss and then the cake cutting.

Guests may actually be able to predict what’s coming next.

While it is often customary and easy to follow tradition, that doesn’t mean you cannot buck with tradition and offer a few creative ideas to make your event stand out.

Here are several ideas you can intro-duce into your wedding to add some-thing special to the reception.

• Skip the big entrance. Those who were kind enough to attend the cer-emony have already been introduced to the newly minted happy couple. Instead of spending the cocktail hour in the isolation of the wedding suite, mingle with your guests from start to finish. So much time is spent posing for pictures or being out of touch with guests, the cocktail hour can be a great time to sit and chat.

Being with guests during the cocktail hour means you don’t have to make that big entrance from behind closed doors. Guests will have all eyes on you when you step on the dance floor for your first dance together.

• Dance to an upbeat number. Guests are expecting a slow, sappy tune. What they may not expect is an upbeat song that shows you are willing to have a little fun.

If you haven’t mastered the waltz but enjoy a little quick step now and again, feel free to choose a tune that shows

See ToUches, Page 10

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figure, but it’s important to remember it’s not about hiding your figure, but finding something to flatter it,” said Moore.

Danielle Hidalgo, bridal consultant and owner of Danielle’s Bridal, sug-gest getting advice from a bridal gown consultant before starting the search for the perfect wedding dress.

“There are so many dif-ferent styles for different body shapes, but a con-sultant can help suggest a style to fit your figure,” she said.

Some brides want to stick with the traditional princess or fairy style gown that has been their dream gown since child-hood, Hidalgo said, while others are looking for the newest trends.

Hidalgo and Moore said the vintage look has been popular this past year among brides who are shopping for their upcom-ing wedding.

“They are going for the old fashioned look with lots of lace, crystals and pearls accenting the gown

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Karma Champagne / the Daily iberian

Bridal consultant Marla Moore, left, adjusts a veil on Veronica Ozenne, as she takes a look in a mirror while-shopping for a dress for her Aug. 17 wedding.

Dresses: Today’s brides going for comfort FrOM PAge 2

See COMFOrt page 9

‘they are going for the old fashioned look with lots of lace, crystals and pearls accenting the gown and higher necklines.’

Danielle HidalgoOwner of Danielle’s bridal

n

helpful to have someone take snapshots of her in the gowns she tried on so she could remember the details of each.

“By taking photos while shopping you can a

get true picture of what you look like in the dress. Once I started looking back on the photos, I defi-nitely ruled things out quickly,” she said.

Victoria Menard and Christopher Theriot plan

to be married, but haven’t set the date yet. Menard was shifting through a rack of bridal gowns at Danielle’s Bridal with an open mind.

“I’ve already started looking and trying on gowns just to get an idea of what style will be flattering. I want to have an outside wedding so that will determine what type of dress I’ll buy,” she said.

“Bridal consultants can give good advice, so I wanted to get a few tips before I really started shopping. I’m approaching this with an open mind and will not rule out anything until I’ve tried it on. It’s never too early to start looking.”

Veronica Ozenne had been shopping for a dress for the past year in anticipation of her Aug. 17 wedding to John Sas-sau Jr.

“I made my final deci-sion three months go, but I limited myself to the number of gowns I would try on. I tried 10 differ-ent styles and knew what I wanted. I just turned 29, so I was looking for something more elegant and sophisticated, but

that changed and I went with a sexier look and some bling. All girls love bling,” said Ozenne.

“I set a budget and stuck with it. It’s a vul-nerable time and you can be easily swayed to spend more than you intended. You just have to go with what you feel looks good

on you and stick to your budget.”

Quinn Marie Zimmer-man and John I. Kahl Jr. were married Jan. 19 at St. Joseph Chapel in St. Martinville.

Kahl said she brought her mother and friends with her to make the trip fun and to get some trust-

worthy opinions. It took only two shopping trips and trying on only 20 dresses before she found the right dress for her special day.

“You do have to be open-minded when you start shopping and try on different styles,” she said.

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By Karma Champagne

The Daily iberian

He’s popped the big question. It is time to set the wedding date and for the bride to make her first visit to a bridal salon to start shop-

ping for that dream dress to make the special day memorable.

Shopping for a wedding dress can be fun and ex-citing, but it may not be as simple as it sounds.

There’s formal and informal. Will it be an A-line style, empire, mermaid, vintage or ball gown?

“It is all about preference and individual taste,” said Marla Moore, owner and bridal gown consul-tant of Ms. Marla’s Bridal.

“The best advice I can give to any bride is to try on many different styles. When you’ve found the right one, it’s just going to pop. You will instantly know it.”

Moore warns that the childhood dream dress, may not necessarily be the perfect gown for the bride’s special day.

“You may have a gown that looks good on a hangar, but not on you. Not everyone has a perfect

Indexn Wedding dress shopping made easy

See dresses, Page 5

Karma ChamPagne / the Daily iberian

Victoria Menard is getting some assistance from danielle Hidalgo, owner of danielle’s Bridal, as she begins her search for the perfect wedding gown.

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Find a bridesmaid gown they all love on the big dayBy Metro Creative ConneCtion

Close friends and family members are an important component of a couple’s wedding day. Individuals

who are especially close to the bride and groom are often asked to become mem-bers of the wedding party, which means a bride-to-be will be asking one or more women to play an integral role in the celebration. To set these ladies apart from other guests at the wedding, they are often asked to wear coordinating bridesmaid gowns. Selecting a style and color that is fitting to the unique people of the bridal party can be challenging, but it’s not impossible.

As if choosing your maid of honor wasn’t tricky enough, you now must make a host of other decisions as well, all while playing stylist to the wedding party. Fashion sense is as unique as a

fingerprint, and it is unlikely the brides-maids will be able to agree on every aspect of the gowns they will be asked to wear. However, there are ways to nar-row down the choices and be as accom-modating as possible to their needs.

Size mattersThe body shapes and sizes of the wom-

en in your bridal party will be different, and this should be kept in mind when selecting a gown style and cut. There are certain dress shapes that are univer-sally flattering, such as A-line. Try to avoid gowns that are extremely form-fitting, as only a few of the bridesmaids may be able to pull off this look success-fully. The remainder could be left feeling self-conscious and uncomfortable. Plus, form-fitting clothing will be restrictive and can be difficult to move around in

See Day Page 12


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By Metro Creative

ConneCtion

Weddings are filled with many emotions

— happiness, excitement and anticipation, to name a few. With all of the positive emotions a wed-ding may drum up, in the mix there may be a few negative ones, including feelings of being over-whelmed at all the details that need to be completed on a deadline.

One aspect of wedding planning that tends to send people into panic is wedding reception seat-ing arrangements. The thought of having 200 friends and family mem-bers together under one roof — and then attempt-ing to seat them next to an acceptable group of people — can cause some couples to hyperventilate.

Every family has its ups and downs, and there are certain people who get along well and a few who clash. Ensuring that a wedding is memorable for all the right reasons (and not for the brawl at table 3) is why seat-ing arrangements are so important. Many couples can use a little advice

when seating guests, while others would love another person to handle the seating arrangements for them.

Here are some guide-lines for setting up recep-tion seating arrange-ments.

• Place yourselves, as well as the bridal party, at a separate table that is in a prime location in the room. Be sure to allow the spouses or dates of bridal party members at the same table so couples remain together.

• Some couples choose to seat both sets of par-ents at one table together — the parents’ table. Grandparents may also be seated at this table, depending on the number of people each table can accommodate.

• If children under the age of 7 are invited, they should be seated with their parents. Children between ages 7 and 14 can be seated at a separate kids’ table.

• Be mindful of guests with disabilities or mo-bility issues. Seat them close to the door, bath-rooms or food station.

• Instead of separating the bride and the groom’s family to separate sides,

intermingle the tables to promote conversation.

• Consider arranging guests by common inter-ests at each table, seating business associates or parents’ friends together.

• Take into consider-ation people who have re-lationship rifts and try to seat them separately. But don’t stress about this too much because it won’t be possible to accommodate everyone.

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their dream wedding. In a world where many people already live beyond their means — financing cars, homes, retail purchases — a wedding loan may just be another shovelful of soil on a financial grave.

The consensus among financial experts is that it is better to scale back the wedding or postpone it until you can save money the old-fashioned way instead of taking out a loan.

But if a loan seems the only option, here are some tips.

• Shop around on a wedding loan, just as with any other loan. Find the best rates and terms before settling on a lender.

• Decide how much you can afford to pay back within 2 to 3 years and how much the monthly payment will be. Then take out the loan only in that amount.

• Figure out which portions of the wedding can be scaled back to make the finances work.

• See if options like refinancing a

home or borrowing from family would be better than taking out a loan.

• Look at banks, credit unions and even programs sponsored through your employer to compare rates on loans.

• Wedding loans may be secured or unsecured.

A home or car can serve as a form of security in a secured loan. Unsecured wedding loans do not require a form of security.

• Personal loans, like wedding loans, generally have low annual percentage rates. It may be worth it to take out the loan rather than using a credit card for financing because the card’s rates could be double.

Keep in mind that a wedding loan — even if it comes at a low interest rate — means you’re starting out your new life together with a large amount of debt for an event that lasts one day.

Think about whether the wedding of your dreams is worth using that joint checking account to pay off months of wedding debt.

Loan: Shop around for best ratesFrom Page 4

your excitement and love for each other.• Encourage couples to dance together.

It’s often customary for the bridal party to join the bride and groom on the dance floor midway through the first dance. However, that leaves spouses or signifi-cant others waiting in the wings while their dates tango with groomsmen or bridesmaids.

Instead, don’t have assigned partners. Rather, encourage your bridal party members to dance with whomever they choose.

• Swap the garter/bouquet toss for something more meaningful. If you’re part of a couple who feels the garter and bouquet toss has become trite, there are other ways to create special moments in your celebration — ones that don’t single out the singletons who haven’t yet found their special someone. Use this time to present a small gift or token of your affection to someone on the guest list who has served as a mentor or source of inspiration.

• Choose one special component as an extra goodie for guests. Some couples feel the more they offer the better guests will view their wedding. Spending more money doesn’t necessarily mean guests will have a better time.

If you want to go above and beyond the ordinary, find one thing that you ab-solutely love and offer that at the party. It could be a flambe presentation, a chocolate or candy bar, a carving station with your all-time favorite food (even if that’s PB&J), or a carnival-inspired

automatic photo booth.* Hire a live performer. Although it’s

hard to beat the performance quality of your wedding song being performed by the original artist, unless you’re cousins with Celine Dion, chances are she won’t be available to sing “My Heart Will Go On” at your reception. However, a live band adds a certain level of excitement that a disk jockey may not be able to provide.

Those who are adding a cultural or ethnic component to their wedding may want to hire a dance troupe or another type of performer, like a bagpiper, as an added measure of entertainment for guests.

• Let them eat … cookies? Some people just don’t like cake. Therefore, why should a couple have to cut a seven-tiered white confection?

Towers of different types of treats can be created from just about anything and serve as the perfect backdrop for that classic cake-cutting photo. A pyra-mid of cream puffs, stacks of brownies, a cookie castle, or cereal-cake concoc-tions can work.

Some bakeries will decorate a “dum-my” styrofoam cake, and then you can serve apple pie a la mode, if you desire.

• Stage a costume switch. Let’s face it, dancing all night in a long gown takes some stamina.

As the bride, have a more comfortable cocktail dress available to switch into for the latter part of the reception. It will also add some variety to your wed-ding photos.

Touches: Spending more doesn’t mean guests will have better time From Page 7

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4 01.31.13 BRIDAL

XNLV71313

Seth Porche - [email protected] 337.380.0322

p h o t o b o m b d o t c o m . c o mWeddings • Parties • Dances • Special Occasions

PAUL’S FLOWER SHOP; 5 in; XNLV71524; 3cols

XNLV71430

BRIDAL CAKESSugar Art Flowers | Fresh Flowers Cakes for All Occasions

Gayle’s Cakeswww.gaylescakes.com 364.1933 | [email protected]


Engaged couples about to take a trip down the aisle are increas-ingly choosing to pay for the wedding themselves. Where it

used to be tradition for the bride’s par-ents to handle the bill for the occasion, today the responsibility for funding has largely fallen into the hands of the prospective bride and groom. To meet the financial demands of the modern wedding, some individuals turn to loans for financing a portion or all of the wed-ding. You may question whether this is a good idea.

As with any situation, there are pros and cons. The same can be said about a wedding loan. The following are some factors you will need to consider before taking out a loan.

One of the most important things to realize is that a wedding loan, like any loan, will need to be paid back and interest fees will be included. What that means is that, by the end of the pay-

back period, you will have spent several thousand dollars more on the loans than the original principal amount when interest is added in. If you’re taking out a loan because you’ve already gone above budget on wedding expenses, a loan may push that budget even further into the red.

That being said, there are some in-stances where a loan may be an option that works for a couple. For example, couples who anticipate considerable monetary gifts from guests attending the wedding can offset the cost of the loan with those gifts. Some couples might begin their professional careers after their wedding, which will increase their salary enough to repay the loan quickly. Others may actually have the money for the wedding, but want to use a loan as a way to establish strong joint credit as a new couple.

However, many couples take out loans because they simply cannot afford

Is a wedding loan right for that awaited trip down the aisle?


Although a wedding loan may enable you to have the wedding of your dreams, it comes with a steep cost — starting out your new life together with a considerable amount of debt.See LoAn Page 10

Jennifer F. Grisaffe110 Weeks St.

New Iberia, LA 70560P/F (337) 365.1428

C (337) 519.9947C (337) 380.0742

• Bridal Bouquets• Bridesmaids Bouquets• Table Arrangements• Boutonniere• Champagne Flutes• Flute Charms• Cake KnivesIf we don’t have it we can order it.

For All Your Wedding Needs

XNLV71524

and higher necklines,” said Hidalgo.

Brides not only are looking for the perfect style to accent their figure, but also are look-ing for comfort. Many brides are foregoing the dresses with long trains and bustles that make the dress heavy and are opt-ing for lighter dresses.

“Brides today are looking for softer, lighter fabric – chiffon, crepe or organza. They want to feel free and not weighed down,” said Moore.

Hidalgo said it is pos-sible for the bride to find her dream dress and still stay within a budget. Brides who often make a large investment in a wedding gown with the hope of one-day passing the gown down to their own daughters may have good intentions, but with the ever-changing styles, there is a strong possibil-ity their daughters will be looking for a dress reflecting their own per-sonality and figure.

Set the budget first and avoid trying on dresses out of the set price range. Falling in love with a dress out of the budget range could mean disap-

pointment. When setting a budget

for the gown, Hidalgo said it is important to add in the cost of alterations, headpiece, wedding jew-elry, lingerie and shoes.

“There is no limit on the price of a wedding gown, but you can find a nice formal gown for an average price of $300 to $2,000 and an informal gown may range from $100 to $500. You have those gowns that are much higher in price, but there is something that will fit into anyone’s budget,” said Hidalgo.

Moore said it is impor-tant not to let the dress make the bride, but the bride make the dress.

“Simple can be just as elegant as extravagant. It is important the dress flatter the figure. The dress should express the bride’s personality and who she is. Whether it is dainty, contemporary, elaborate or traditional, it all has to do with indi-vidual taste,” said Moore, who has been a bridal consultant for 12 years.

Moore and Hidalgo rec-ommend that the bride start shopping for her gown at least 12 months before the wedding date and make the final deci-

sion at least six months before to allow enough time to pre-order the gown.

Wedding attire should also reflect the time and place of the nuptials. Will the wedding take place in a cathedral, large or small church, reception hall, ballroom, a garden or beach side?

Brides should take a cue from the venue and time of the wedding to determine the formality and practicalities. “Each dress has its own place. Long trains are for cathe-drals or large churches. Outside weddings call for a dress that allows the bride to walk freely. The bride’s dress needs to look good, but also has to be functional,” said Hidalgo.

Brides also should consider religious restric-tions before making the final decision. Some offi-

ciants in a house of wor-ship have attire guide-lines and may require the bride to have a dress that covers the shoulders or a high neckline.

Moore, also a seam-stress, said there are brides who prefer having their dress made to order.

“We have brides who find the dress with the perfect top, but aren’t happy with the bottom of the gown. By getting a seamstress to make their

gown, they can have the best of both worlds – a perfect top and perfect bottom,” said Moore.

The bride should purchase a dress that fits and not buy one that is too small with the inten-tion of losing weight. It is easier and cheaper to have a dress taken in than it is to add fabric, she said.

Keep in mind, the dress can be offered in different colors, and many of the

features such as sleeves or long trains can be altered.

Shopping with family and friends can be help-ful, but shopping with a large group can result in too many different opinions and can become confusing.

“It is better to shop with only two or three people. Your mother, best friend, maid of honor or sister will give an honest opinion.

Those who you know and love can usually be trusted to give good sound advice,” said Moore.

“At the end, it is all about the bride’s indi-vidual choice and her personal taste. We can only offer advice to help guide her in the right direction.”

9 01.31.13 BRIDAL

Wedding Cakes

Virginia’s Cake Supplies

For Your WeddingWe Offer . . .

Cake Supplies • Wedding OrnamentsCake Pans • Candy Supplies • Books

Icing Roses • Rental Items

4311 L. Theriot Rd., New Iberia, LA 70560 (Off Hwy. 14) • (337) 364-6463

Comfort: Start shopping for dress at least 12 months before datefrom Page 5

‘At the end, it is all about the bride’s individual choice and her personal taste. We can only offer advice to help guide her in the right direction.’

marla mooreOwner of Ms. Marla’s Bridaln

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5 01.31.13 BRIDAL


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8 01.31.13 BRIDAL

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221 East Main Street, New Iberiaallainsjewelry.com365.2421

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Wedding GownsFind the right one..........................Page 2





By Karma Champagne

The Daily iberian









IndexnWedding dress shopping made easy

See dresses,





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For Men & Women

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INSIDEWEDDING GOWNS Find the right gown for the special day




guide2013


guide guideWEDDING WEDDINGspring

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ALLAIN JEWELRY; 5 in; XNLV71494; 3colsGOUGENHIEM; THE; 5 in; XNLV71294; 3cols











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Custom BridalJewelry Accéntrics

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INSIDEWEDDING GOWNS Find the right gown for the special day




guide2013


guide guideWEDDING WEDDINGspring

12 01.31.13 BRIDAL

ALLAIN JEWELRY; 5 in; XNLV71494; 3colsGOUGENHIEM; THE; 5 in; XNLV71294; 3cols











Day: Think about choosing separates From Page 11Simple wedding saving tips By MeTrO COnneCTiOn






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Exclusively At




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ouguenheim ouguenheim ouguenheim ouguenheim ouguenheim ouguenheim ouguenheim ouguenheim ouguenheim ouguenheim ouguenheim ouguenheim ouguenheimResort to Good Taste.

By Karma Champagne

The Daily iberian


















6 01.31.13 BRIDAL

Luxurious Accommodations forYour Special Day




337-321-6000

“Here For You”

XNL V38

081



Submitted


See Brides, Page 8






Downtown New Iberia • 104 E. Main • 367-6880 • www.accentrics.net


Custom BridalJewelry Accéntrics

BridalRegistry

7 01.31.13 BRIDAL


XNLV71464


XNLV

7146

4

SPRINGBRIDAL

SPECIAL

DINE IN STYLEDINE IN STYLETABLE AND 6 CHAIRS $599

Walter & Carlo INTEREST FREE FINANCING WITH APPROVED CREDIT
















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& The Alligator Bar100 North Main Street Historic St. Martinville

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5 01.31.13 BRIDAL


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www.daysinn.com/hotel/14694560-9500

XNLV38

080

Best VALUE UNDERTHE SUN




Submitted




camou� age bands

starting at $299.00

BIRTHDAYS

ANNIVERSARIES

SPECIAL OCCASIONS

Fine Diamonds, Gold & Platinum JewelryFine Diamonds, Gold & Platinum Jewelry

starting at $299.00

BIRTHDAYS

ANNIVERSARIES

SPECIAL OCCASIONSSPECIAL OCCASIONS


$995.00

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2 01.31.13 BRIDAL




221 East Main Street, New Iberiaallainsjewelry.com365.2421

XN

LV71500







By Karma Champagne

The Daily iberian









IndexnWedding dress shopping made easy

See dresses, Page 5





XNLV

7131

8




your appointment. your appointment. your appointment. your appointment. your appointment.


For Men & Women

11 01.31.13 BRIDAL


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g{x Uxáà4

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4 01.31.13 BRIDAL

XNLV71313

Seth Porche - [email protected] 337.380.0322

p h o t o b o m b d o t c o m . c o mWeddings • Parties • Dances • Special Occasions

PAUL’S FLOWER SHOP; 5 in; XNLV71524; 3cols

XNLV71430

BRIDAL CAKESSugar Art Flowers | Fresh Flowers Cakes for All Occasions

Gayle’s Cakeswww.gaylescakes.com 364.1933 | [email protected]


Engaged couples about to take a trip down the aisle are increas-ingly choosing to pay for the wedding themselves. Where it

used to be tradition for the bride’s par-ents to handle the bill for the occasion, today the responsibility for funding has largely fallen into the hands of the prospective bride and groom. To meet the financial demands of the modern wedding, some individuals turn to loans for financing a portion or all of the wed-ding. You may question whether this is a good idea.

As with any situation, there are pros and cons. The same can be said about a wedding loan. The following are some factors you will need to consider before taking out a loan.

One of the most important things to realize is that a wedding loan, like any loan, will need to be paid back and interest fees will be included. What that means is that, by the end of the pay-

back period, you will have spent several thousand dollars more on the loans than the original principal amount when interest is added in. If you’re taking out a loan because you’ve already gone above budget on wedding expenses, a loan may push that budget even further into the red.

That being said, there are some in-stances where a loan may be an option that works for a couple. For example, couples who anticipate considerable monetary gifts from guests attending the wedding can offset the cost of the loan with those gifts. Some couples might begin their professional careers after their wedding, which will increase their salary enough to repay the loan quickly. Others may actually have the money for the wedding, but want to use a loan as a way to establish strong joint credit as a new couple.

However, many couples take out loans because they simply cannot afford

Is a wedding loan right for that awaited trip down the aisle?


Although a wedding loan may enable you to have the wedding of your dreams, it comes with a steep cost — starting out your new life together with a considerable amount of debt.See LoAn Page 10

Jennifer F. Grisaffe110 Weeks St.

New Iberia, LA 70560P/F (337) 365.1428

C (337) 519.9947C (337) 380.0742

• Bridal Bouquets• Bridesmaids Bouquets• Table Arrangements• Boutonniere• Champagne Flutes• Flute Charms• Cake KnivesIf we don’t have it we can order it.

For All Your Wedding Needs

XNLV71524

and higher necklines,” said Hidalgo.

Brides not only are looking for the perfect style to accent their figure, but also are look-ing for comfort. Many brides are foregoing the dresses with long trains and bustles that make the dress heavy and are opt-ing for lighter dresses.

“Brides today are looking for softer, lighter fabric – chiffon, crepe or organza. They want to feel free and not weighed down,” said Moore.

Hidalgo said it is pos-sible for the bride to find her dream dress and still stay within a budget. Brides who often make a large investment in a wedding gown with the hope of one-day passing the gown down to their own daughters may have good intentions, but with the ever-changing styles, there is a strong possibil-ity their daughters will be looking for a dress reflecting their own per-sonality and figure.

Set the budget first and avoid trying on dresses out of the set price range. Falling in love with a dress out of the budget range could mean disap-

pointment. When setting a budget

for the gown, Hidalgo said it is important to add in the cost of alterations, headpiece, wedding jew-elry, lingerie and shoes.

“There is no limit on the price of a wedding gown, but you can find a nice formal gown for an average price of $300 to $2,000 and an informal gown may range from $100 to $500. You have those gowns that are much higher in price, but there is something that will fit into anyone’s budget,” said Hidalgo.

Moore said it is impor-tant not to let the dress make the bride, but the bride make the dress.

“Simple can be just as elegant as extravagant. It is important the dress flatter the figure. The dress should express the bride’s personality and who she is. Whether it is dainty, contemporary, elaborate or traditional, it all has to do with indi-vidual taste,” said Moore, who has been a bridal consultant for 12 years.

Moore and Hidalgo rec-ommend that the bride start shopping for her gown at least 12 months before the wedding date and make the final deci-

sion at least six months before to allow enough time to pre-order the gown.

Wedding attire should also reflect the time and place of the nuptials. Will the wedding take place in a cathedral, large or small church, reception hall, ballroom, a garden or beach side?

Brides should take a cue from the venue and time of the wedding to determine the formality and practicalities. “Each dress has its own place. Long trains are for cathe-drals or large churches. Outside weddings call for a dress that allows the bride to walk freely. The bride’s dress needs to look good, but also has to be functional,” said Hidalgo.

Brides also should consider religious restric-tions before making the final decision. Some offi-

ciants in a house of wor-ship have attire guide-lines and may require the bride to have a dress that covers the shoulders or a high neckline.

Moore, also a seam-stress, said there are brides who prefer having their dress made to order.

“We have brides who find the dress with the perfect top, but aren’t happy with the bottom of the gown. By getting a seamstress to make their

gown, they can have the best of both worlds – a perfect top and perfect bottom,” said Moore.

The bride should purchase a dress that fits and not buy one that is too small with the inten-tion of losing weight. It is easier and cheaper to have a dress taken in than it is to add fabric, she said.

Keep in mind, the dress can be offered in different colors, and many of the

features such as sleeves or long trains can be altered.

Shopping with family and friends can be help-ful, but shopping with a large group can result in too many different opinions and can become confusing.

“It is better to shop with only two or three people. Your mother, best friend, maid of honor or sister will give an honest opinion.

Those who you know and love can usually be trusted to give good sound advice,” said Moore.

“At the end, it is all about the bride’s indi-vidual choice and her personal taste. We can only offer advice to help guide her in the right direction.”

9 01.31.13 BRIDAL

Wedding Cakes

Virginia’s Cake Supplies

For Your WeddingWe Offer . . .

Cake Supplies • Wedding OrnamentsCake Pans • Candy Supplies • Books

Icing Roses • Rental Items

4311 L. Theriot Rd., New Iberia, LA 70560 (Off Hwy. 14) • (337) 364-6463

Comfort: Start shopping for dress at least 12 months before datefrom Page 5

‘At the end, it is all about the bride’s individual choice and her personal taste. We can only offer advice to help guide her in the right direction.’

marla mooreOwner of Ms. Marla’s Bridaln

TH

UR

SDA

Y, JA

NU

ARY

31,

201

3T

HE

DA

ILY

IBER

IAN

/ S

PRIN

G B

RID

AL

4T

HU

RSD

AY, JA

NU

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31, 2013T

HE D

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N / SPR

ING

BRID

AL

9


By Metro Creative

ConneCtion

Weddings are filled with many emotions

— happiness, excitement and anticipation, to name a few. With all of the positive emotions a wed-ding may drum up, in the mix there may be a few negative ones, including feelings of being over-whelmed at all the details that need to be completed on a deadline.

One aspect of wedding planning that tends to send people into panic is wedding reception seat-ing arrangements. The thought of having 200 friends and family mem-bers together under one roof — and then attempt-ing to seat them next to an acceptable group of people — can cause some couples to hyperventilate.

Every family has its ups and downs, and there are certain people who get along well and a few who clash. Ensuring that a wedding is memorable for all the right reasons (and not for the brawl at table 3) is why seat-ing arrangements are so important. Many couples can use a little advice

when seating guests, while others would love another person to handle the seating arrangements for them.

Here are some guide-lines for setting up recep-tion seating arrange-ments.

• Place yourselves, as well as the bridal party, at a separate table that is in a prime location in the room. Be sure to allow the spouses or dates of bridal party members at the same table so couples remain together.

• Some couples choose to seat both sets of par-ents at one table together — the parents’ table. Grandparents may also be seated at this table, depending on the number of people each table can accommodate.

• If children under the age of 7 are invited, they should be seated with their parents. Children between ages 7 and 14 can be seated at a separate kids’ table.

• Be mindful of guests with disabilities or mo-bility issues. Seat them close to the door, bath-rooms or food station.

• Instead of separating the bride and the groom’s family to separate sides,

intermingle the tables to promote conversation.

• Consider arranging guests by common inter-ests at each table, seating business associates or parents’ friends together.

• Take into consider-ation people who have re-lationship rifts and try to seat them separately. But don’t stress about this too much because it won’t be possible to accommodate everyone.

3 01.31.13 BRIDAL

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their dream wedding. In a world where many people already live beyond their means — financing cars, homes, retail purchases — a wedding loan may just be another shovelful of soil on a financial grave.

The consensus among financial experts is that it is better to scale back the wedding or postpone it until you can save money the old-fashioned way instead of taking out a loan.

But if a loan seems the only option, here are some tips.

• Shop around on a wedding loan, just as with any other loan. Find the best rates and terms before settling on a lender.

• Decide how much you can afford to pay back within 2 to 3 years and how much the monthly payment will be. Then take out the loan only in that amount.

• Figure out which portions of the wedding can be scaled back to make the finances work.

• See if options like refinancing a

home or borrowing from family would be better than taking out a loan.

• Look at banks, credit unions and even programs sponsored through your employer to compare rates on loans.

• Wedding loans may be secured or unsecured.

A home or car can serve as a form of security in a secured loan. Unsecured wedding loans do not require a form of security.

• Personal loans, like wedding loans, generally have low annual percentage rates. It may be worth it to take out the loan rather than using a credit card for financing because the card’s rates could be double.

Keep in mind that a wedding loan — even if it comes at a low interest rate — means you’re starting out your new life together with a large amount of debt for an event that lasts one day.

Think about whether the wedding of your dreams is worth using that joint checking account to pay off months of wedding debt.

Loan: Shop around for best ratesFrom Page 4

your excitement and love for each other.• Encourage couples to dance together.

It’s often customary for the bridal party to join the bride and groom on the dance floor midway through the first dance. However, that leaves spouses or signifi-cant others waiting in the wings while their dates tango with groomsmen or bridesmaids.

Instead, don’t have assigned partners. Rather, encourage your bridal party members to dance with whomever they choose.

• Swap the garter/bouquet toss for something more meaningful. If you’re part of a couple who feels the garter and bouquet toss has become trite, there are other ways to create special moments in your celebration — ones that don’t single out the singletons who haven’t yet found their special someone. Use this time to present a small gift or token of your affection to someone on the guest list who has served as a mentor or source of inspiration.

• Choose one special component as an extra goodie for guests. Some couples feel the more they offer the better guests will view their wedding. Spending more money doesn’t necessarily mean guests will have a better time.

If you want to go above and beyond the ordinary, find one thing that you ab-solutely love and offer that at the party. It could be a flambe presentation, a chocolate or candy bar, a carving station with your all-time favorite food (even if that’s PB&J), or a carnival-inspired

automatic photo booth.* Hire a live performer. Although it’s

hard to beat the performance quality of your wedding song being performed by the original artist, unless you’re cousins with Celine Dion, chances are she won’t be available to sing “My Heart Will Go On” at your reception. However, a live band adds a certain level of excitement that a disk jockey may not be able to provide.

Those who are adding a cultural or ethnic component to their wedding may want to hire a dance troupe or another type of performer, like a bagpiper, as an added measure of entertainment for guests.

• Let them eat … cookies? Some people just don’t like cake. Therefore, why should a couple have to cut a seven-tiered white confection?

Towers of different types of treats can be created from just about anything and serve as the perfect backdrop for that classic cake-cutting photo. A pyra-mid of cream puffs, stacks of brownies, a cookie castle, or cereal-cake concoc-tions can work.

Some bakeries will decorate a “dum-my” styrofoam cake, and then you can serve apple pie a la mode, if you desire.

• Stage a costume switch. Let’s face it, dancing all night in a long gown takes some stamina.

As the bride, have a more comfortable cocktail dress available to switch into for the latter part of the reception. It will also add some variety to your wed-ding photos.

Touches: Spending more doesn’t mean guests will have better time From Page 7

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