Ask the Expert - Answers

Answer: My suggestion is Henderson Lake, Popson Park, Pavan Park, Park Lake, Coaldale Kinsmen Picnic Shelter, Taber Municipal Park, or Waterton. One thing to make sure of is to have a back-up location!! I have seen many weddings that the couple were rushing the day before as the weather was bad, trying to find a back-up location. Pavan Park and the Coaldale Picnic Shelter have the added benefit of having an area that is covered in case of bad weather, and each is enclosed - great for guests with kids!!!

Answer: This really depends on each bride and party. A registry for one bride may not be appropriate for another. One bride that I know wanted gifts from an outdoor store as they already had two of just about everything for the house, but the bride and groom were big campers and needed items in this area. Another couple asked for gifts for just the kitchen as this was an area that they needed items for, so each couple registered with companies that specialized in the items that they needed. On note, remember to give guests a range of items (as well as a range of prices) to chose from. You may not think that a $100.00 item is that expensive but for newlyweds that you invite that are still paying for a new house and possibly preparing for a child this may be a lot. From my own wedding I found the smaller gifts like face cloths and towels were as appreciated as the larger gifts!

Question From Dietta: I am trying to plan a simple small not expensive wedding for around 30-35 people and I don't know where to start. I would like to have it in Waterton Lakes, Alberta. But don't know where to start or what I need to start

Answer: The first thing to do is to decide if the wedding will be outside, or at a location, such as a church or a hotel. Once this is decided then you should go ahead and call the location and see if it is available. This will let you know if it is possible for your day. Once you have this decided upon you will need to look into rooms for people that are traveling from a distance. If they are traveling more then a couple of hours then they should have the option of having a place to stay after the wedding. Next you will need to get someone to handle the ceremony. If you are having the ceremony at a church this will be easy, if not then you will need to track down a minister or JP that will go to Waterton. The rest of the day depends on your plans and your budget, photographers, musicians, caterers and more can be booked to help make your day perfect.

It's not necessary for everyone to have the same style because everyone looks different anyway. It is also hard for the stylist to duplicate the same style as nobody has the same hair texture or the same hairline. Most

I have an acquaintance who assumes that her children (9 &6) are invited to the wedding and reception. The problem is...I do not want her kids to come, they are loud, disruptive and have no manners , plus I want to have a smaller wedding. The only children that I am having at the wedding are my (and my fiance) nieces and nephews. I also believe that if I only put her and her dates name on the invitation that she will not figure out that her kids are not invited. How do I make it very obvious that they are not welcome without being rude?

This is always a very touchy area. Having unruly children at a wedding can definitely spoil the atmosphere. Depending on how you deal with the issue it could also change the relationship you have with the parents.

Firstly, stay focused on the fact that this is your wedding and if you don't want someone there it is your choice. Feeling uncomfortable and dealing with it now can save you stress, misery and money later on.

When sending her the invitation write a short note asking her to ... "come and enjoy the evening. However due to budget restraints, we are forced to limit the number of children attending and have decided that we are only

able to allow the children of your immediate families only". I would also say something like ... "we can assist you in finding a babysitter if required" OR "attached are three names of excellent babysitters that are

If she comes back to you and suggests that she is not prepared to pay for a babysitter, appear saddened and say " awe, I'm really sorry that she is not able to attend" and leave it at that.

This gives her a very clear picture that her children are not welcome. You have offered to assist in child care arrangements and made it clear that it is not personal but a budget issue.

While preparing for our wedding we have looked at all the possible gift lists and we have everything that we need. The one thing that we are looking at in the near future is the purchase of a house. My mother suggested that we set-up a bank account that people could donate towards the house instead of buying presents. My concern is that if we do this we would spend the money before we get around to buying a house. Is there a way that we could take the money and lock it into something that would help towards the purchase of the house? Also, when is the best time to look for a house, we are getting married in June and will probably buy in the winter or spring 2005.

Well Nicole, I can sure relate to your concern of spending your house savings. Banks do have accounts that can be deposited into easily and that need 3 people's signatures to withdraw. Sometimes if it is a hassle to withdraw the money, the hassle delay gives you time to remember why you are saving for your big investment. Kind of like freezing your credit card in a block of ice!

As far as home searching goes, the sooner you start exploring different kinds of residences,the sooner you may figure out the style and location you will target. Spring is a nice time to look, as the yards and the roofs are not usually covered in snow, and there may be more selection to browse through (outside the winter months). I would strongly recommend that you first go see a mortgage broker or your bank, to do a pre-approval assessment of your ability to qualify for a large loan such as a mortgage. This will let you know how much you can spend and what the payments will be. Sometimes job status or credit history may put some boundaries on how much the bank will lend you. And the process may help you in your budgeting and ascertaining the amount you choose to spend. All the best and good luck with the wedding plans!

We do not like most wines and we are not sure we want to serve wine at our wedding. What would be a good choice to serve? Mainly we are concerned about the head table and the toasts?

Shaun would suggest that you try a softer and fruitier white or red wine. If you have a chance stop in Shaun would be happy to recommend a few for you to try. This way you have a chance to try the wine before your wedding day and you can make sure that you like it. Wine recommendations are just one part of selecting a suitable shop for your wine needs.

Mike recommends that you look at a couple of things before you look at a price. Yes, price is important to some people, but at the same time you will want your photographs to last a lifetime. Here are a few things to look at.

First thing to do is look at a wide selection of the photographer's prints, this is the best starting point. Do you like the work that they do? Does it match what you want with your wedding pictures? A professional photographer will have a selection of prints to look at from a number of weddings. The work that you see will most likely be the work that you will get at your wedding. Beware if the photographer promises a different approach to your wedding pictures! The samples that they have shown you are most often what you are going to get.

Secondly ask questions, find out how long the photographer has been in business, the type of gear that he or she uses what back-up equipment that they have. Most times it is easy to see if a photographer is legitimate just by the answers that they give you. If they are defensive or unsure of the answer then beware.

What does the photographer have to offer? This is what will determine the price that you are going to pay. A photographer that uses a consumer grade camera, a One Hour Lab and plain prints with no retouching or enhancements will be less money then the ones that offer a high quality professional retouched portraits taken with professional equipment. You must determine what you want for your wedding, do you want snap shots or a portrait? Do you want final prints that are fully retouched? Do you want a studio in case of bad weather? Just like most things in life, you are going to get what you pay for, remember that you will see these pictures for the rest of your life.

Now for a price range that you are looking at, I would say for an entire day of coverage with two parent's albums and a bride's album you should be budgeting around $1800.00 to $2500.00. This number will vary by photographer and also with adding more options to your package.

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