A few years ago I was visiting my father when there was a knock at his front door. A very frustrated woman stood before us-looking distraught. When she explained to us her problem we both were in shock. She was irate about the noise coming from the Springfield Swim Club. It was very early in the evening...around 7pm and the Swim Club was having their annual splash party for the teenagers of the community. The music was playing in the distance and you could hear the faint chatter and laughter of partygoers. This sound was not out of the ordinary to us. In fact, when my mother was still alive she enjoyed it so much she would open all of the windows in our home and welcome the music.

Our newest neighbor was not having any parts of it. She immediately explained to us that she was going to call the township and complain. She wanted it stopped immediately. She was in disbelief when she learned that us, as well as our other neighbors, welcomed the noise. My father was very confused. After she left he turned to me and asked,”Did she not know she moved into the neighborhood with the Swim Club...there’s bound to be some noise.” The lesson learned quickly by her was that she did not really look into the neighborhood before buying her home. Sure, she went over the actual house with a fine tooth comb-but the neighborhood was a different story.

When looking into buying a home, first look at your family. Asking yourselves important questions about your lifestyle can make a huge impact if you will be happy in your new dwelling or not. For starters, make a list of what is important to you. Think of your commute to work, schooling for the children if you have them, and recreational activities that you do or do not like.

When you zero down your search into certain communities, you must really do your own investigating. Sure, sellers and real estate agents will give you information on the community, but you will learn much more when you experience it yourself. Drive by your potential new home several times a day at all different hours. A quiet neighborhood by day could turn into a party haven at night. The street may be traffic free at 2:00 pm, but by 4:00pm it could be a parking lot with rush hour commuters making it impossible for you to leave your own driveway.

Make sure you drive by during different types of weather also. Years ago my parents looked into moving into a new house. They wanted a change. They were very excited about the possibilities of starting anew until they took my husband and I by the place on our way home from a family reunion. It was pouring outside and the entire development was under water! The streets were flooded. Whew! That was a close one on my mother’s end since she had already talked to the agent and was ready to sign on the dotted line!

Do you like animals? You may not own one yourself, but your potential new neighbors might. Get out and walk around the neighborhood. Introduce yourself to anyone outside and get a feel for them. The last thing you want to do is get high hopes of having neighborly “coffee talk” only to learn that your new neighbors are snobs and don’t socialize.

Talking to folks in the neighborhood can also give you a take on the home you are actually considering buying. Mention it to them. They may perhaps know about some damage that occurred to the home that’s not mentioned on the disclosure statement. They may also talk to you about the property tax rates or if a builder is planning on developing near your home in the future. Take advantage of their insider knowledge.

Research the educational facilities in the area and your proximity to schools. Also do the same for all recreational venues. Is there a private or public swimming pool nearby? Some might feel that within walking distance is great and a bonus, while others who don’t like noise-well this could be their biggest nightmare. Remember too that schools have students practicing sports during the afternoon, evenings, and early morning weekend hours. Will the whistles, bells and field lighting often used by schools be a problem for you?

Envision the coming years of the property and how the neighborhood could change. Is there a nice open field across the street? You may want to investigate who owns it and what the plans are with it. A nice open field today could turn into a shopping center with parking garage in a year. You will want to look at the proximity of the house to busy streets or main thoroughfares as well.

Research! Research! Research! Before you make what could be the largest investment of your lifetime, put in the time to do the research. It will pay off ten-fold in the long run. Meeting your potential new neighbors way in advance makes it so the time you move in you will already be acquainted-moving you one step closer to a happy environment and a happy home!

Budgeting is the key to financial management-making for a happy marriage. If you and your partner can budget for your wedding- you will be well on the way to sound financial management in the future. And in today’s tough times financially for the entire country- you will impress family and friends by being creative with your budget rather than worrying about putting on a ritzy show. Now is the time to remember what is really going on here-you are marrying the love of your life-you have invited friends and family to witness your vows and you are celebrating your union.

By writing down and sticking to your budget you can accomplish your goals if your mind is set to it. Yes, I believe in the old adage, “where’s there’s a will, there’s a way”. The budget tells you how much money you need to carry out your wedding plans. The budget forces you to be rigorous in thinking through the implications of each expenditure and if it’s necessary. There are times when the realities of the budgeting process force you to rethink your action plans. It forces you to get creative.
You know what you have to spend. Write that number down. Do not put the credit you have available to you into this configuration. The interest rates on credit cards make it impossible for you to pay them off. It’s just not worth it. Now, write down everything involved with what you had envisioned for your wedding. Don’t forget every detail-from gifts for your bridal party to the music you are planning to play to the decorations and centerpieces. Share your ideas with your closest family and friends and get their feedback. By sharing with friends and family, your dividing of your budget could change. My best friend couldn’t attend my wedding-she insisted on making it up to me by paying for a DJ to make sure everyone had a good time. My wonderful mother in law wanted to give us our cake, and my own mother wanted to take care of the catering. I was very blessed that way-I fully admit that. I never expected anyone to pay for anything but my fiancé and myself. We were in our late twenties at the time and I felt it was our responsibility.
Write down your invitation list. Is it really necessary for you to invite everyone’s children? You may be able to cut your overall cost by limiting your invitees. I had no choice but to limit mine. The hall I had rented only fit a cozy 80 people. I wanted the theme of my wedding to be a very intimate affair so this size limit worked perfectly. I held the actual ceremony and the reception in the same room to avoid transportation costs. I had my cousin hand each guest a candle at the start of the ceremony so that we were married by nothing but candlelight. I also borrowed the traditional wedding ceremony music from my local library for free and brought my own stereo to play it throughout the hall.
Now, decide what is actually necessary to purchase and what you can get creative with. For example, to add ambience to the hall I rented, I went to Ikea. It was January and the store was having incredible sales on holiday decorations-in reds, greens and whites. I bypassed the greens, and loaded up on whites and reds. I purchased great candles to use as centerpieces at rock bottom prices. Rather than purchasing holders for each of them, I used creativity. I called my brother- in- law Joe, the owner of Robinson Tile Company and asked to borrow some spare tiles...those tiles with the candles and some silver confetti to reflect light from the candles; I knew it would make for a dazzling romantic centerpiece. And telling my ideas to family and friends caused a friend of my mother’s to donate a huge ream of red velvet that she had acquired but never used. She insisted that we use it to make my tablecloths.
I adorned the ceilings with icicle lights to add to the ambience. They were purchased at one of the many drug store “after holiday sales” for pennies on the dollar! The manager of the hall had never seen anyone do this before and was so impressed he immediately left to get a camera for pictures for the hall’s portfolio. That’s when I knew my creativity had paid off. Use our worksheets from last month’s issue and carefully read each line entry. Is the item absolutely necessary-and how can you achieve the same effect at a lower cost? For instance, your guests would much rather have a handmade invitation and thank you card from you rather than some fancy designer stock invitations and thank you notes. On the cover of your invitation include a photo of the two of you while you were dating and on the thank you cards consider keeping within the theme and including a picture of you two as a married couple. Your time and effort will be appreciated and noticed by all.
Entertainment can make or break a wedding, but hiring an expensive professional band might not be in your budget. Check out fun DJ’s that can get the festivities started, or bring in your own stereo system and assign a family member to a microphone and let the party begin! Other options might be to rent a jukebox and let your attendees pick their own music to dance to. How about a Steel Drum Band? The possibilities are endless! When purchasing decorations look for items that you can actually use in your life together- I repurposed all of my decorations for use during the holiday season. My icicle lights get hung if I get the chance, and I even pull out a funky lamp that I had at the do-it-yourself bar station that I had at my affair.
Be realistic when setting your budget. It’s not worth it to start a marriage in debt...it just leads to problems down the road when you can’t get caught up. Think every detail out as if your life depended on it...you’ll thank yourself in the long run. And dispel the myth that you will get so many monetary gifts it will cover the amount that you had spent on the affair. It’s just not the case. Everyone’s finances are different and you have no idea what financial pitfalls your friends and family have fallen into.

Adding Hard Scaping to your yard can give you a large variety of decorative possibilities. It is important to remember that hard scaping is a more permanent fixture; therefore, it is important to research your ideas. Make sure you know exactly what you want and where you want it. If you are the “do-it-yourself” type, then planning is everything. Consider the purpose of your hard scaping project. For example, if you intend to use the patio for entertaining be sure that it is large enough to comfortably accommodate the people, grill, and patio set. With hard scaping, simple miscalculations could cost you valuable time and money in repairs.

Here are some common mistakes to watch out for:
• Always look at the big picture! Even if your current design plan is for a small portion of your yard, you should be thinking of your overall design goals. This helps to prevent unforeseen challenges to future design additions. • Drainage! This is often overlooked because you may not be currently having any drainage issues. Hard scaping additions like walls or patios can have a major effect on your yard’s drainage pathways.
• Keep it Natural. Even with hard scaping, it is important to keep a natural feel to the elements. Consider the element’s natural habitat when looking for the proper placement. Try including more shapes or curves to allow the elements to gracefully transition with the rest of your landscape. Too many straight lines can seem unnatural. Plants surrounding a hard scape project can add to aesthetics as well as make it look more natural. • Green is good too! Do not eliminate your lawn. Not only does it bring color and diversity to the space. It can allow for a cool, safe play area for children and animals.
• Blend and Balance. Stay away from restricting yourself to just one material or one color. Blending the materials and/or colors allows you to be more creative. It creates depth and is more visually pleasing. Think about putting a border around the patio, like framing a picture.
• Don’t skip the small stuff. Make sure you know the proper preparations for any landscaping or hard scaping project. Pay attention to the base, the project will only be as strong as its base. Talk to inspectors or landscape professionals for the most accurate advice. Mistakes can be costly.
• Always contact your local government agency before altering your yard. This will ensure you follow any state, county or city regulations.
• If you are contracting the project out, be sure to use a professional and reputable person or firm. When comparing quotes, make sure they are pricing out the same scope of work, compare apples to apples.
Moore Outdoor Rejuvenation, Inc. Specializes in all outdoor landscape and hard scape needs. We are EP Henry Certified and licensed contractor. We have professional landscape designers on hand to help you from design to installation on any project.

Planning a wedding can seem like an overwhelming task if you don’t know what to expect. Most brides have dreamed about their wedding day from the time they were little girls playing dress-up. Picture in your mind what the ceremony and reception looked like and prepare a list of questions to ask when visiting the florist, caterer, etc. It will ensure that your day goes exactly as you imagined. Here are some suggestions to get you started.

SELECTING THE WEDDING CATERER
At least 6 months to 1 year before your wedding day begin meeting with caterers. Be prepared to answer the following questions: How many people will be invited? What type of cuisine and serving style (sit-down or buffet) would you prefer? What time of day are you considering? What type of beverages would you like to serve? What is your budget?

Questions you should be asking the caterer:
1. Are they willing to customize the menu to reflect your taste?
2. Do they have an in-house wedding specialist and if so, is it extra to use their services?
3. Will your wedding be the only event being catered that day?
4. How many servers will be assigned?
5. How are they trained?
6. Will you be charged per drink ordered or a flat fee for each person?
7. Do you need to pay a certain percentage of the cost in advance?
8. Will they need to visit the reception site prior to submitting their proposal?
9. Can you visit an event they are catering prior to making a decision?
10. Will they prepare a ‘tasting’ of the items you are considering serving?
11. How soon can you expect an estimate?
12. Can you provide references from past clients?

Remember to ask each of the caterers the same questions and give prices for the same type of service and food. Obtaining a price for a sit-down lobster dinner from one caterer and a buffet with chicken and pasta from another will not give you a good idea of who is less expensive.

SELECTING THE BAKER
Gone are the days of the white wedding cake. Today, there are many choices of flavors, fillings and icings. Begin to interview bakers 3 to 6 months prior to your wedding and don’t forget to ask these important questions:

1. Do you have photos of previous designs?
2. Do you specialize in any particular type of cake?
3. Are there any extra charges?
4. Will you use fresh or silk flowers in the design of the cake if that is my wish?
5. How far in advance is the cake prepared?
6. Can we have a taste test?
7. How large a cake will we need for the amount of people invited?

SELECTING THE FLORIST
When discussing floral arrangements with your florist, consider the style and mood of your wedding, the season or environment, your budget and what you would like. You need to have selected your gown, the bridesmaid’s dresses and the color theme of your wedding before visiting the florist. If possible, bring fabric swatches. The florist should be selected 5 to 6 months before the wedding. Be prepared to ask:

1. Is my date available?
2. Do you have pictures or samples of actual arrangements?
3. Do you offer any silk or dried flower arrangements?
4. Is there a delivery or set-up fee?
5. How many weddings to you do in a day?
6. Are you familiar with my ceremony and reception sites?
7. Can I attend one of your weddings during set-up for a look at your designs?
8. What time will you be at my ceremony/reception site to set up my wedding?
9. How large a down payment is needed at the time of ordering?

SELECTING THE PHOTOGRAPHER
Start this selection process as soon as you have a wedding date. Decide whether or not you would like only still photography or want a video as well. Getting just the right person to photograph your wedding is very important. You want a photographer/videographer who will not try to control your every move, but work silently behind the scenes to capture your special day.

1. What percentage of your business is in wedding photography?
2. What is the cost breakdown per print?
3. Are special mountings an additional expense?
4. Is there a minimum order requirement?
5. What album styles are available and what is their cost?
6. How long will you stay at the wedding and reception?
7. Is a travel fee imposed?
8. What extra services are available?
9. Can I see a portfolio of your work?
10. How long have you been in business?
11. Do you have skill in diffused lighting, soft focus, split framing and multiple exposures?
12. Is your equipment capable of shooting in any light available?
13. Do you do portraits?
14. Are you the person who will be taking the pictures?
15. What package plans are available?
16. Do you do negative retouching?
17. How much are reprints?
18. What are the delivery dates for prints?
19. What is the cost?
20. Is a deposit required? How much? When must it be paid and when is the balance due?
21. Can you put together a formally posed album and a photo-journalistic style of our wedding?
22. How many photos will be taken in all?
23. What sizes of prints are offered?
24. Do you have a videographer or must I go elsewhere for this service?
25. Are you familiar with my ceremony and reception site?
26. Will I get the master tape?
27. How many copies come with the package?
28. Tell me about a wedding where something went wrong. How did you handle it?

SELECTING YOUR TRANSPORTATION
A stretch limousine is typically used for wedding transportation because it is elegant and classy. However, you may wish to consider other unique modes of transportation. These may include a horse-drawn carriage, a vintage car, a helicopter ride or a balloon ride. Be creative when deciding on the transportation you will use for your wedding day. Let your imagination run wild! Make your reservations at least two months in advance.

1. What type of limousine or specialty vehicles do you offer?
2. How do you base your charges? Time? Distance?
3. Is there a minimum rental time?
4. After the minimum time, how are we charged?
5. When must reservations be made?
6. Is a deposit required? How much and when must it be paid? When is the balance due?
7. What is your cancellation policy?
8. What is your policy on decorating the vehicle?
9. Can I use the same vehicle to pick up several people?
10. Can we see the actual vehicles prior to selecting?
11. Are the vehicles properly licensed and insured?
12. What is your smoking policy?