Wedding planner likes to change it up

It’s a saying she had to keep repeating to herself one day when a vendor accidentally broke a glass table being delivered for a reception that day.

“My insides were crawling,’’ said Gross, 29. “I very calmly said to the driver, ‘OK, you need to have a replacement table delivered here from New York,’ and I prayed they wouldn’t hit any traffic on the way.’’ The table did show up on time, and the reception went without a hitch.

Gross started her business about a year ago on a shoestring budget and with a little advice from her father, an entrepreneur himself. She has an unconventional approach.

“I had worked with a lot of traditional brides, following the A-Z of what society says a bride is supposed to do, but it was a little routine and boring,’’ said Gross, who has a degree in communication and design.

“At the end of the day, you’re throwing a party because two people fell in love. It’s not brain surgery.’’

What are some current trends in weddings?

Couples want photojournalistic pictures rather than the standard family portrait, and cupcake bars and candy stations are popular. There is a vintage and eclectic approach to attendant wear, with fun-colored shoes and funky headpieces. I did one wedding where the gentleman all wore bowties with bumblebees on them. How cute is that?

You’re not married yet. Will you use a wedding planner?

Ever since I was a little girl, the big fairytale for me hasn’t been the actual wedding but finding the man of my dreams and living happily ever after. I go back and forth on whether I would use a wedding planner. I contradict myself, because I think everyone needs a professional to help them coordinate all the details, but after all the weddings I’ve planned, part of me just wants to elope to Vegas.

Public vs. private? Check all the facts

Anonymous

A. There are a number of factors that should be evaluated when considering different schools and universities.

Some of the factors worth discussing include: location, majors or academic programs, the size, student services available, retention and graduation rates, as well as financial considerations.

Your son’s high school guidance office should be a good resource to help him narrow down the options.

The price tag is a significant consideration. However, be careful that you are comparing “sticker prices’’ as opposed to the published prices commonly available on websites and included in many of the college guides.

Because many private schools have healthy endowments, these schools can typically offer more aid to students.

There may even be private schools that are ultimately less expensive for your son, based on grants and scholarships.

By August 2011, the Department of Education will require all accredited institutions to post a net price tuition calculator that will compute a forecast of the tuition and required fees that a student would expect to pay annually and cumulatively.

This is designed to provide a truer picture of actual costs based on the aid package that a student would be eligible for.

Some institutions already have tools like this on their financial aid websites that you can use to obtain a truer picture of the actual cost to your family.

The bottom line, though, is that you should consider the various elements of educational value — both financial and nonfinancial. — PATRICIA HUNT SINACOLE