She’s a deejay, a wedding hostess and a bridal planner. And if you’re lucky, she may even serenade you with a love song at your wedding. Vernetta Lopez not only hosts Lunchbreak on Class 95FM from Monday to Friday at 10am, but she also runs the wedding-planner business, Eternally Yours (www.eternallyyours.com.sg). Style: Weddings checks with the “super-woman” on her views about planning for that all-important day.
How long have you been a wedding planner? About two-and-a-half years. I thought I would get sick of it but I actually love doing it — the pretty decorations, the gorgeous dresses and arranging the whole set-up.
With your busy schedule as a deejay, how do you find time to plan weddings?It’s all about delegating. I have two other planners to assist me, but I supervise and oversee everything.
Do you meet the couples personally? Yes, I meet some, but not all; I’ll sit down with them to plan their wedding and even go for bridal fittings with them.
What is the first thing couples should do when planning their wedding?Set your budget. It’ll be the yardstick on how much to use for your celebration. If both parties are working, you may wish to contribute a part of their salary to the wedding budget every month until the actual day. As planners, we’ll help you keep tabs on it to make sure you stick to your budget.
Next, start thinking about your guest list. From there, you will have an idea about the type of venue and decorations you want. If you have fewer guests, you can afford to splurge more on the venue and decorations.
What is the most challenging celebration you've had to plan?That was to create a setting filled with mattresses and pillows! It was an Indian wedding party and I was tasked to decorate a room in which people could sit around and dance. The bride had brought some pillows over to the venue but there weren’t enough, so I had to rush down to Little India and bargain to buy a bunch of pillows. I wanted to make sure that the place looked just as she had envisioned it.
Despite all that, it was a casual and cosy celebration with tea lights all over the place. Her father was very happy with it.
The most memorable wedding would be...My friend’s wedding, where I sang The Look of Love for them.
Any horror stories to share?Yes, but my trouble was with the couple’s relatives. There were about seven or eight of them and they would wander around during the set-up.
And when they saw something that they didn’t like, they would panic. Each of them wanted something done his or her way. It was just impossible. Too many cooks spoil the broth. In the end, we got one person to be the main contact and everything turned out fine.
You also host weddings. What is that like?It’s fun. I’ll get to know the couple and ask them about everything — from how they first met to having babies in the future. I will also speak to their parents, best friends and bridesmaids to gather little bits of info, then I’ll let go of their secrets during the wedding.
Everyone wants to be involved in a small way, so I will encourage their close friends to come on stage and say something about the couple. It could be a joke or a sentimental story.
The most important thing about the wedding is...To enjoy the process and not to quarrel too much. Learn to compromise. Always think of what the other person wants and don’t hold each other’s dreams hostage.
Any advice for couples who are planning their wedding?Couples should ask themselves what their two main priorities are from their wedding celebration. It could be having gorgeous photos, lots of lush flowers for your settings or setting a sumptuous spread of dishes with minimal table decor. This is where the bulk of your budget will go to.
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