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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 12, 1993)
Experienced bridesmaid gives wedding advice By Anne steyer Staff Reporter You're familiar with the saying: “Always a bridesmaid, never a bride*? That saying sums up my life. Not that I'm complaining. I have the traditionally male, terminal fear of commitment. I’m in no rush for gardenias and organza or gold bands and bath towels. But I digsess. The point is, I have been involved in more weddings in my 25 years than I can count on my hands and feet. My closet is filled with dresses I will never, ever wear again — some be cause they arc too small, others be cause they’re too big (yea, right!) and the rest because they’re too god-aw ful ugly. Kathy, one of my best friends, and I decided our satin-filled closets have made us wedding experts. We also decided that we should transform this knowledge into a tangible cash flow. So we planned to form our own business: wedding consulting. Who better than us: the women who have lived through cascades of hot pink taffeta, scratches from scam -44 Most of the weddings Kathy and I have been in have been fairly organized, but in the process, the bride is reduced to a nervous wreck. -%% - stress pins gone awry and mountains of cream cheese wedding mints? And what better name to operate under than “Always a Bridesmaid”? It fits. People remember it. And it reeks of expertise, which we have — along with a healthy dose of common sense and the ability to effectively balance a budget. (Especially if it’s not our own.) Brides-to-bc often get out of con trol planning what they think is the perfect wedding. Oftentimes, how ever, that wedding isn’t a reflection of the couple; it is a reflection of tradi tion. Couples need to be encouraged to do their own thing. After all, it’s their day. And they don’t have to be paying for it forever, cither. There are so many little “outs” in planning a wedding. Take wedding invitations for example: Independent w w printers are usually cheaper than spe cialty stores. They can do a quality job and they allow a lot more flexibility in design. This lakes me back to the individu ality issue. Recently, friends of mine planned their wedding around a Winnie-the-Pooh theme. An indepen dent printer custom-made invitations for them. They were terrific. I can’t take credit for that particu lar piece of advice, but I contributed others. Photographers, invitations, bridal registries, caterers, banquet halls, musicians, DJs, dresses, seamstresses, cakes, colors, flowers, tuxes, an nouncements, arrangements, ceremo nies, vows, processions, receptions, honeymoons, headpieces, hotels, bou quets, themes, showers — you name it, we have advice on it. Most of the weddings Kathy and I nave been in have been lairly orga nized, but in the process, the bride is reduced to a nervous wreck. She com mences to verbally abusing her groom fornot helping enough and Tights with both her mother and mother-in-law to-be over small details like table decorations. Wedding coordinators could alle viate a lot of this by flexing some muscle with stubborn caterers and bullying the seamstress into getting the dresses done before the day of the wedding. And the bride and groom could enjoy getting married. Unfortunately, Kathy and I haven’t really organized ourselves yet. But we both work about 50 hours a week. That doesn’t leave much time for putting our heads together to list prices,preferred salons,caterers, halls, seamstresses and such things. It leaves about enough time to get a beer and congratulate each other on how lucky we arc not to be planning our own weddings. And, of course, we’re both antici pating being in weddings this sum mer. Bridesmaids. Again. ' - If wedding bells are beckoning, make your entrance into marriage in bold style — make it in a Holway tuxedo. J Christian Dior ^uNVi C«aJLl, PERRY ELLI LORD WEST CROWN COLLECTION HENRY GRETHEL FOR AFTER SIX* CHAPS RALPH LAUREN . • /■ —(gw—n^^asass 1228 P STREET ♦ LINCOLN. NE 68508 ♦ (402) 476-2262 GATEWAY SHOPPING CENTER ♦ LINCOLN. NE 68505 ♦ (402) 464-6661 Perry Ellis ► Classic style with a notched lapel. It’s available with a full-dress tail coat or dinner jacket Tails on the full-dress coat are I 1/2" longer than other mat tail' ◄ Chaps by Ralph Lauren This high-fashion, contemporary tuxedo features a double-breasted jacket with a shawl lapel. The high breast and European shoulders create a longer, sleek looking torso.