Financial Planning Leads to Marital Bliss

Monday, May 9th, 2011 | media | No Comments

Money is at the root of most breakups
By Shaun Polczer, Calgary Herald May 8, 2011

The Wedding of the Century has come and gone, the cake has been cut and Will and Kate are man and wife.

It was an awesome spectacle of pomp and pageantry that took precision planning and the logistical skills of a tactician to pull off, in full view of the entire world.

But once the honeyoon’s over, what’s next?

That’s were the fairy tale ends and reality sets in.

Experts say most people put more thought into planning for one big day than the rest of their lives, with disastrous results. According to Statistics Canada figures, the sad fact is that one in two marriages in Canada are destined to fail by the 30th year. More often than not, the root of marital discord can be boiled down to a single cause: money.

After the ponying up for the cost of the tux, gown and cake, many couples fail to think about the cost of mortgages, retirement savings and contingencies such as insurance to make sure ‘I Do’ doesn’t become ‘I Don’t’.

“In my opinion, I would like to see couples put more time into the marriage than the wedding,” says Lisa Hanslip, a Calgary-based wedding planner whose company, The Wedding Planner Inc., has been organizing nuptials for almost two decades.

Hanslip, who has organized weddings that cost as much as $500,000 or as little as $5,000, says you don’t always get what you pay for and that there is no correlation between the cost of the ceremony and the quality of everlasting bliss.

Hanslip says she can often tell beforehand which marriages are destined to fail based on the way couples approach small details such as floral arrangements, but more importantly, how they’re paid for. In that sense, the big day is the template for the marriage.

Jennifer French and her groom Colum Furey are a lot like other couples getting married these days. Both are in their mid-30s with professional jobs; she’s a human resources professional and he’s an engineer for a large oil company.

This weekend they tied the knot in front of 85 invited guests in an intimate ceremony that cost their parents almost $40,000.

Although they didn’t have to pay out of pocket, the future Mrs. Furey says both are keenly aware of keeping it in perspective. “It’s a down payment on a house,” she jokes. “Every time you take out the Visa you get that sense of panic, it creeps up on you.”

To get married in their church, both had to take wedding preparation classes that dealt with issues such as financial planning. They already own a home together and have retirement plans through their employers. They both like to spend money, but have taken steps to save as well.

Although they’re starting on solid ground, French agrees money is the big stressor in any relationship.

“It definitely breeds its own sense of pressure, it can tear people up,” she says.

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/life/Financial+planning+leads+marital+bliss/4746936/story.html#ixzz1Lth7hXJb

Tags: calgary herald, calgary weddings, Lisa Hanslip, marital bliss, shaun polczer, the wedding planner inc

Get the Look: Purple Perfection

Monday, May 2nd, 2011 | media, testimonials, trends, weddings | No Comments

We’re excited to be featured again in the May issue of Weddings in Alberta:

This wedding is also featured on their site with 10 gorgeous images:

Inspired by the royal wedding buzz? Steal this fabulously regal look with help from The Wedding Planner!

For a bride who simply said, “I like purple,” The Wedding Planner put together this stunning reception style. Choosing to use the whole spectrum of the royal hue, shades ranging from pale lilac to deep aubergine create a stunning look with a lot of depth. To start, the tent was draped and chandeliers were hung from the ceiling. The feminine look was anchored with touches of black to add masculinity and modernity: a wide black runner was laid down the centre of each table, chiavari chairs were tied with a black sash, and all the printed goods involved black papers. Three shades of purple table linens were alternated throughout the room, and varying arrangements of purple, blue, and pink flowers were placed on each table. Each vase was wrapped in a different shade of purple ribbon, and alternated between square and round shapes to add texture to the space.

The final details? 12,000 purple and lavender rose petals created a luscious ceremony aisle, half-pomanders in vibrant purple shades were strung from the sides of the ceremony chairs, glamorous candelabras were centered on the head table, and customized M&Ms were gifted to the guests (purple, of course!).

http://weddingsinalberta.com/articles.php?articleId=609&image=11

Tags: calgary wedding planning, calgary weddings, Lisa Hanslip, mystylishwedding.com, Purple Wedding, the wedding planner inc, weddingsinalberta.com