Two newly-wed women, Nicole Van Duzer and Amy Proctor, encourage recently-engaged couples to plan ahead and get organized.

Nicole was married to Michael Van Duzer last May 2009 at Streator. She spent a year planning for the wedding ceremony and making sure that everything was organized.

She told the Times that in order to prepare for the wedding, she bought a lot of bridal magazines and planners. She also had a large binder filled with tabs for flowers, reception, and bridesmaids, making sure that she doesn’t leave behind all the important stuff.

According to her Van Duzer, for her, the hardest part was coordinating with everyone involved in the bridal party in order to ensure that the rehearsals, measurements, and showers were on schedule. She was also out of state at that time, making the task more challenging. Nevertheless, Van Duzer got a lot aid from her mother, and did all the leg work when she got home for Christmas. She said that she is really satisfied with how the wedding turned out and attributes the success to her advance planning. Her message to engaged couples: start planning right away and weigh you options by talking to a lot wedding vendors.

Amy and Tom Proctor, on the other hand, had their wedding in Ottawa on September 2009. They started planning on January 2009 right after they got engaged. Like Van Duzer, Amy said that she got everything she wanted by preparing early: caterer, photographer, the hall etc.

For Amy, securing wedding vendors was not a difficult task since she grew up in the area. She already had an idea on who she wanted, but she did compare prices. She also booked a live band which she was very happy about.

When asked about her advice to the recently engaged, she agreed with Nicole Van Duzer’s point of view. She said that an early start is important so that the couple can get what they want.

Plan a party for your wedding in Ottawa.

Stacey Price, owner and event planner of Marry Me Productions, wants to get the party started in Ottawa. Price, who is also behind a number of charity events that support cancer research, organizes 40 weddings per year. She said that when she started her business in Ottawa 5 years ago, she wasn’t sure if the people were ready for someone like her. People in Montreal and Toronto already knew how to party, and she wanted the weddings in Ottawa to join the club.

Marry Me Productions accommodates brides who want to have grandiose, unforgettable, and lavish weddings. According to Price, the company’s boss on the wedding day is the bride, and they want to make sure that they keep her smiling throughout the day. The company offers two types of services: the full-service package, where they take care of all the needs of the couple, and the one-day only service.

When Price just started the company, she said that the weddings they handle cost around $20,000, but nowadays the weddings cost more than $30,000, most of them in the $40,000 range.

Price, an Ottawa native, said that she is passionate at everything she does and considers herself as a perfectionist. She was behind some high-profile weddings like the nuptials of famous hockey players: Jason Spezza and Wade Redden. This year, she has 42 weddings to manage.

More information is available at the company’s website: marrymeproductions.ca.

There are so many different types of wedding cakes a bridal couple can purchase.  Besides the different flavors, come brides may decide to go with a cupcake wedding cake or an assortment of different pies as their wedding cake display.  Whichever your preference, you will find what you are looking for on our wedding directory.  Wedding cakes are often used as the main dessert at the wedding reception, so make sure to taste the different flavors your pastry shop has to offer so you are not disappointed.

Depending on your local customs, a portion may be stored, and eaten by the couple at their first wedding anniversary, or at the christening of their first child. This portion is the traditional the top tier, but sometimes it is a portion of the piece from which the bride and groom fed each other. Ask the baker at your pastry shop if the cake you have selected can be frozen and stored if that is your wish.

Most brides make the mistake of waiting until the last minute to get a facial or have their hair dyed.  Some spa and beauty treatments come with side effects that the bride would not want visible on her wedding day.  Brides want to be a top form on their special day, so remember to plan for your spa day a week or more in advance of your special day.

Speak to an expert in your local spas.  There are treatments that some people should try ahead of time, to make sure there are no allergic reactions or disappointments.  This way everything will go more smoothly when you book for your wedding day.

Check out our directory for a list of full service spas in your area.