Romancing Louisiana

2010-05-25T15:24:00.000-07:00

What Could Go Wrong at A Wedding?- EVERYTHING!

2010-02-25T11:57:00.000-08:00

How to Find a Fabulous Wedding Dress

2010-02-25T11:13:00.001-08:00

By Leslie Granston

There's no doubt about it—things get personal when shopping for a wedding dress. Unlike any other frock you'll purchase, your wedding dress is part and parcel of a major commitment, and you'll want to remember it fondly for the rest of your life. As you enter the wonderful world of wedding dress shopping, don't worry if you're clueless about crinolines or corsets. Our 10 insider tips will help make your wedding dress search a celebration in itself.

1. Do your homework

Before hitting the wedding dress stores, be an educated consumer. Studying wedding dresses in bridal magazines is the best way to get started. Many designers and salons also have web sites where you can view wedding dresses (as does Brides.com with its Dressfinder) and check out fashion-show schedules.

The point of this research is not to induce hyperventilation, but to help you get a general idea of what wedding dress you want. Make notes about silhouettes, fabrics, and prices, then bring them, as well as magazines with pages you've flagged, to your salon appointments.

One caveat: Try not to get too attached to a wedding dress that looks great on paper. There's always the chance that it won't wow you in person. If that's the case, your consultant can direct you to similar, but more flattering, wedding dresses. Just make sure you try on the major wedding dress silhouettes: A-line, ball gown, basque waist, and Empire waist.

2. Start searching early

Any consultant worth her salt will ask you for the date, time, and location of your wedding. These logistics will dictate the type of wedding dress that's most appropriate. Experts agree that you should start looking for your wedding dress at least nine months before the big day. "Everything from the flowers to the headpiece revolves around the bride's wedding dress," says Lori Allen, owner of Bridals by Lori, in Atlanta. It will take at least three months for your wedding dress to arrive from the manufacturer and from one to three fittings to get it right.

3. Enter at your own risk

Just as you wouldn't show up at your doctor's office unannounced, don't go to your bridal salon without an appointment. "This allows us to spend more time with you and help you efficiently," points out Dorcas Prince, owner of Low's Bridal and Formal, in Brinkley, Arkansas. Some salons do take walk-ins, but you could be sitting around for hours before seeing a consultant, whose job is to listen to your ideas, then offer a few of her own. She will also educate you on wedding dress silhouettes, fabrics, and fit.

If possible, avoid scheduling a Saturday visit, when stores are busiest. Any other day will mean additional time and assistance in a relaxed setting.

4. Be real about money

Honesty is the best policy when it's time to talk money. "If you're on a strict budget, tell your consultant up front," advises Allen. "Then we can help you find a great wedding dress in that price range." You're only setting yourself up for heartache if you try on wedding dresses that you can't afford. "Everything after that will be like comparing a Rolls-Royce to a Kia," says Allen. "It will drive you crazy."

Sometimes it's okay to spend a little more than you planned if you're willing to cut costs in another area. "Spending two or three hundred dollars more for your wedding dress may not make that much of a difference to your overall budget," says Elsa Carlesimo, designer for Paloma Blanca, in Toronto, Canada. "Ideally, you're only going to do this once. So you probably won't regret spending a little extra."

5. Look the part

Even the prettiest wedding dress loses some of its appeal if the wearer has dirty hair. Shopping for a wedding dress can be an event in itself, so why not primp a little? Put on some makeup and style your hair, and you'll get a sneak preview of how you'll look on the day.

Unless you intend to wed barefoot, bring a pair of shoes with a heel that's similar to what you plan to wear for your ceremony (some salons have samples you can use).

6. Go under cover

It's almost a certainty that in between try-ons you'll be standing around in your underwear. To avoid embarrassing yourself—or your salesperson—make sure you're wearing lingerie that looks good. Avoid anything with holes, bleach stains, or loose elastic.

If nothing in your dresser drawer fits the bill, purchase a simple strapless bra for your appointments. "It's your best bet since many wedding dress silhouettes require that you wear either a strapless or backless foundation," maintains Carlesimo. If you forget to bring one along, most salons will provide you with a suitable style as well as a slip or crinoline.

Once you've chosen a wedding dress, make sure to bring the bra that you are going to wear on your wedding day (or one that's a similar style) to each fitting. "The type of foundation you wear affects how your wedding dress is altered," explains Prince. "You want consistency."

7. Don't be a crowd pleaser

Here's a sanity saver: Bring along only the people at the very top of your A-list. That means Mom (or another close relative) and a supportive friend with great taste. Most salon consultants agree that two people is plenty. Three or more is definitely a crowd, especially when they start offering conflicting opinions. That's the kind of drama you don't need while trying to make a decision.

With entourage in tow, be sure to visit at least three salons. Is it possible to fall in love with the first wedding dress you try on? Sure. But that doesn't mean you can't confirm it's "the one" by looking in more than one place.

8. Know what to look for

Note the way wedding dresses curve over the bust and waist, and whether the neckline and hem lie correctly. "You can get an idea of how it will fit even if you try a sample that's not your size," says Allen. (Don't freak out if you find your size-10 body needs a size-14 wedding dress. "Most wedding dresses run small because they follow the smaller sizing that was set up in the 1940s," explains Prince.)

If you start adding sleeves to a strapless wedding dress or narrowing a ball gown's skirt, then you haven't found what you're looking for. "It pays to think twice before you commit to a wedding dress whose design you want to change dramatically," says Laura Kaye, of Bridals by Roma, in Clifton, New Jersey. Even simple alterations like turning an on-the-shoulder neckline into an off-the-shoulder one can start at well over a hundred dollars. Add that to the cost of the basic alterations that most brides need (adjusting side seams, shoulders, length, and bustle loops), and you could end up spending an extra $350.

9. Read the small print

Once you're ready to buy your wedding dress, make sure you know the specific terms of sale. They're usually spelled out on your receipt and include the amount of your nonrefundable deposit (50 percent of the full price), when the balance is due (usually when the wedding dress arrives—don't pay before inspecting your merchandise), and the salon's policies regarding alterations, exchanges, and special orders.

Each store operates differently, but most consider the receipt a binding contract. "When you sign, that's it," says Prince. So read all paperwork thoroughly.

10. Know when to call it a day

If every wedding dress is starting to look the same, you're suffering from bridal burnout. The way to avoid it is by shopping in moderation—no more than two stores a day.

How will you know when you've hit the jackpot? Experts agree: You'll shed at least one tear of joy—or break into your biggest grin since he popped the question.

Groom arrested at wedding reception in spat over saggy pants

2010-02-25T10:59:00.000-08:00

By Mary Swerczek of NOLA.com

Groom John Lucas

A groom was arrested at his own wedding for disturbing the peace after his nephew violated the dress code with low-riding pants, Kenner police said.

Arrested at the wedding reception Friday were groom John Lucas, 53, of River Ridge, and his brother, Walter Lucas, 52, and nephew Samuel Lucas, 19, both of St. Rose.

"We got arrested like 20 minutes after they said 'I do,'" said Samuel Lucas, the 19-year-old with the allegedly low pants. "They spent $1,500 on dance lessons and they didn't even get to dance."

The incident began one Friday evening (last May) at the Crystal Plantation when the police officer working a detail at the wedding asked the youngest Lucas to pull up his pants to comply with the reception hall's dress code, according to the police report.

Walter Lucas

The officer told Lucas: "We don't want to see your underwear,'" said Leonard Dazet, owner of the Crystal Plantation. Dazet said each bride and groom is required to sign a contract agreeing guests will abide by the dress code.

"All the kid had to do was pull up his pants."

Samuel Lucas denied that his pants were low or that his underwear was showing, though he acknowledged that his belt was loose. "I have beaucoup witnesses. All my cousins and everything said my pants were not sagging," he said.

But according to the police reports, the teen-ager's father told the police officer to mind his own business and began arguing with him. When the officer escorted him outside the hall, he resisted, the report said.

Samuel Lucas

The groom then got involved, the police report said. He grabbed the officer's arms and tried to position his body between the officer and his brother, the report said.

He tried to close the police car's trunk to prevent the officer from retrieving his handcuffs, while yelling at the officer to free his brother, the report said.

Meanwhile, Samuel Lucas stood outside the business on the patio and cursed and yelled, the report said. The detail officer called for backup.

But the teen-ager said he was actually asking the police to stop hurting his father, who was hit with pepper spray by police.

All three were arrested for disturbing the peace. The groom, John Lucas, was also arrested for obstruction of police. His brother, Walter Lucas, was arrested for resisting an officer.

All there were escorted to Kenner jail but made bail a few hours later, said Lt. Wayne McInnis, a police spokesman. Samuel Lucas said they were freed about 3 a.m.

It was the second time in the 21 years Dazet has owned the Crystal Plantation that a groom has been arrested, Dazet said. With alcohol served at the reception and wedding-related stress, he said he figures it's a pretty good record.

"You have in-laws and you have outlaws," he said.

Consumer confidence flags, intensifying economic fears

2010-02-23T17:01:00.000-08:00

By The Associated Press

February 23, 2010, 5:21PM

Pat Wellenbach/The Associated PressA shopper browses Tuesday in a department store in Brunswick, Maine. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its Consumer Confidence Index fell almost 11 points to 46 in February.

Americans' confidence in the economy has suffered a sudden relapse, dimming hopes that they will start spending -- and spurring job growth -- any time soon.

The Consumer Confidence Index figures released Tuesday were much worse than analysts had expected and showed that Americans are morose about the job market and their economic prospects. That bodes ill for the sort of uptick in consumer spending that normally powers economic recovery, and could raise pressure on the Obama administration and Congress to create jobs themselves.

Paul Sakuma/The Associated PressAnalysts were expecting only a small decline in the Consumer Confidence Index.

The index fell almost 11 points to 46 in February, down from a revised 56.5 in January and the lowest level since a 40.8 reading in April 2009. It erased three consecutive months of improvement, according to the Conference Board, the research group that releases the monthly index.

Analysts were expecting only a slight decrease to 55. Economists watch the confidence numbers closely because consumer spending accounts for about 70 percent of U.S. economic activity.

Outside of the Great Recession, the index hasn't been this low since December 1974.

"It still feels like a recession" to consumers, said Lynn Franco, director of the Conference Board Consumer Research Center.

Confidence has been recovering fitfully since hitting a historic low of 25.3 in February 2009. Many economists believe it will remain well below healthy levels for at least another year or two. A reading above 90 indicates an economy is on solid footing. Above 100 signals strong growth.

Dana Huskey of Chattanooga, Tenn., said she's being very cautious with her spending -- limiting her trips out to eat and her drives around town. The 26-year-old lost her job at Ann Taylor in July and has lined up a job at a yarn store, but it won't open until this summer. Her family has been helping her since then.

"I try not to go out to eat unless I have to," said Huskey. "I got a subscription to the local paper for the weekend edition, to do coupons."

Some economists say Americans won't start to feel better and spend more until they see clear evidence of sizable job growth. In past recessions, however, the employment picture didn't improve dramatically until after a recovery in consumer spending and confidence.

Many economists say business investments and exports can help drive the nascent turnaround in the short term, but a rise in consumer spending is essential to keep it going.

"Without a sustained acceleration in consumption growth, this recovery will eventually fade," said Paul Ashworth, senior U.S. economist at Capital Economics Ltd.

The consumer confidence report put a scare into the stock market, overshadowing retailers' reports that showed stronger holiday profits but also offered cautious sales outlooks. There were also signs that the U.S. housing market is continuing its bumpy recovery: A key index showed home prices rose for the seventh straight month in December.

Executives at discount chain Target Corp. said they expect the recovery to continue -- slowly -- as shoppers grapple with high rates of unemployment and pay down debt.

"I think we're going to see two steps forward, one step back," said Gregg Steinhafel, Target's chairman, president and CEO, in a conference call with investors Tuesday.

The Dow Jones industrials were off 100 points. Interest rates also fell as investors moved money out of stocks and into the safety of Treasury bonds.

The confidence index is based on a sample of 5,000 U.S. households surveyed between Feb. 1 and Feb. 17.

A surprising aspect of the report was that the index's key gauge -- consumers' expectations over the next six months -- took a big hit. The gauge had been on the rise since last October. Consumers' assessment of the current economy slipped to a 27-year low.

Several factors may have aggravated the decline. Heavy snowstorms in many areas of the country may have dampened confidence as they shut down businesses and thwarted job searches. Worries about Greece's national debt hammered the U.S. stock market.

The unemployment picture has become a full-time preoccupation in Congress. The Senate cleared a key hurdle Monday on its way to passing a $15 billion package that includes tax breaks to encourage hiring. Final passage on that measure is scheduled for Wednesday. The measure, however, is likely to boost hiring only modestly.

A second measure for broader and longer-term assistance was under discussion as well. Such a package could include a full-year extension of unemployment insurance and a 65 percent health insurance subsidy for the unemployed through the federal COBRA program. States could also get direct assistance to help them with their straining Medicaid budget.

The overall economy expanded at an annual rate of 5.7 percent in the fourth quarter, but only about one-fourth of that growth came from consumers. Most of the growth came from companies replenishing low inventories.

For those out of work, the economy's recent improvement has been invisible.

"The jobs aren't coming fast enough," said Jim Fox, who was laid off from a steel mill in Sharon, Pa., last August. "The jobs that I do see pay less than what I was making."

Many economists expect new jobs to be created in coming months. Unemployment fell to 9.7 percent in January from 10 percent in December, and employers shed 20,000 jobs. Economists believe the unemployment rate fell because many unemployed people gave up on their job searches, and worry that it will climb back up by summer as those without jobs start trying again.

Gary Thayer, chief economist at Wells Fargo Advisors, believes big improvements in jobs, confidence and spending will be "marching together."

"This is going to be a year when people are waiting to see what happens rather than assuming the best going forward," he said.

___

Anne D'Innocenzio of The Associated Press wrote this report. Chris Rugaber, Emily Fredrix and Adrian Sainz contributed.

JOSH DISNEY on WGSO 990-Wed 2/24/10

2010-02-22T12:05:00.000-08:00

Romancing Louisiana's director JOSH DISNEY will be discussing the launch of the company's new website and the advantages of having a wedding in New Orleans.

Listen to Ringside Politics on WGSO 990 in New Orleans, LA

WEDDING STORIES WANTED!!

2010-02-01T16:01:00.000-08:00

Romancing Louisiana wants to hear you’re funnest, craziest, wildest wedding stories ever!

You can comment here or send them to romancinglouisiana@gmail.com