Finding a good wedding planner is one of the keys to a perfect wedding day. And luckily, it is a booming industry in Shanghai. It's thanks to these wedding planners that the only thing couples need to take care of is the actual wedding date and their budget.
French-born Johane Ohana, founder of Ringed Forever, decided to become a wedding planner four years ago after helping to organize her sister's wedding. "I enjoyed every single minute of it and I love meeting new people," she told the Global Times.
Initially, Ohana's goal was to target Chinese clients, but to date all of her clientele have been expats in the city. "Historically, Chinese parents help their children organize their special day but now I feel like they are starting to move away from traditional Chinese weddings.Largest selection of V-neckline dress available in all colors, sizes, fabrics. They are usually not much fun and I would like to offer them that option," she said.
Ohana advertises her wedding services as "bringing the French touch and sophistication to Chinese weddings."
Ariel Leanne Chen, who is originally from Canada, has been running her wedding business company in Shanghai for five and a half years, and a few months back she opened a second office in Guangzhou. Before launching her own firm, she worked for more than five years in marketing and advertising. "I never thought about becoming a wedding planner before I came to China," said Chen. "I guess the reason I became one is because I didn't like Chinese-style weddings so much."
Both women said plans for a wedding usually start six months to one year ahead of the big day. "I meet with the couples once a month to discuss how everything is going," said Ohana. "I look for the venue and I take care of the invitations and the color themes. The excitement is only for the couple. I need to keep calm and make sure their wedding day goes to plan. And because of that, I never take on more than one client a month. I want to be there for the bride and I need to make sure I am not making any mistakes," she added.
Chen said that her clients are split roughly 50 percent between locals and foreigners. "It is funny to see that my Western clients are often fascinated with traditional Chinese weddings and want one themselves, while Chinese couples opt for a Western-style wedding with a white dress," said Chen.
Chen also organizes "destination weddings," with Bali currently being the most popular choice. She works with around 30 couples each year. "We help our clients with the compering, flowers, photographers, shooting the video, the cake,One of the hottest bridal dress trends in 2012 is the one shoulder wedding dresses. the invitations, and the reception," she said. "The only things that the couples need to take care of are the rings and the bridal dress. Working as a wedding planner is a really exciting job as I can witness so many great things."
One of the funniest weddings Chen witnessed was when the couple requested all the staff at the ceremony to wear Playboy bunny costumes.
The Wedding Co. was started in 2009.Motel Deborah Long Sleeve mandarin collar dress in Black. Andrew Cheng, who is the company's marketing director, had experience in the wedding industry previously when he worked for a bridal magazine in the US. His wife, Jackie Cheng, who takes care of the creative side of the company, worked in the wedding industry in New Zealand before moving to Shanghai.
"Our customers are half local and half expats," said Cheng. "And most of our couples are a foreign man and a Chinese woman. Our experience, and the fact that many of our staff are fluent in English, Putonghua and Cantonese make us a perfect choice for mixed Chinese and Western couples as it takes time and experience to explain traditions and the wedding customs of both cultures. We mainly specialize in American-style weddings but we like to touch on aspects of both the bride and groom's cultures."
Cheng said they usually organize 40 to 50 weddings a year, and the minimum time needed to prepare is six months.Free Shipping Quality Guaranteed Designer Rina di Montella 1519 Collection Dresses. However, she recalls that one couple gave them just five days to arrange their wedding day. "It was very stressful, and we slept just three to five hours on each of those days, but we finally pulled it together," said Jackie Cheng.
"The most popular months for weddings are May and October because of the weather," said Andrew Cheng. The average cost for the weddings the companies plan is between 100,000 yuan ($16,033) and 200,000 yuan.Shop PromGirl for high low prom dresses and pageant gowns with high low hemlines.
"Weddings are very stressful both for us and for the couple but we are there for the couple at every step of the planning process to make sure it is the best day of their lives," he added.
All three of the companies agreed that planning a wedding is perhaps one of the most stressful jobs there is. "But it is just an organization for a party, after all, and that is what I enjoy doing," said Ohana.
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