North Bay Woman

S U M M E R 2 0 1 5 | NORTH BAY WOMAN 47 were highlights of a lunch. The bride loves country music, so on Saturday, they had a second ceremony and a big party with a western theme. "I'm planning an event with lots of events," says McLeskey-Dolata. What have you seen couples do to make their wedding day unique and personal? Ferrell has seen handwritten notes from the bride and groom at each place setting, sometimes with a party bag, and the ges- ture provides a sincere, personal touch. Balatti recalls a wedding in which the groom was a musician and sang for his bride. "He wrote the sweetest song. He did it a capella. It brought tears to everyone's eyes," she says. "What makes a wedding special is touches that come from the heart." "It's not just one detail; it's little thoughtful details all along the way," says McLes- key-Dolata, who makes sure guests don't have to worry about anything. If they have to cross rough terrain to get to a tent, she'll advise against high heels, and at one event, she had shiners to polish guests' shoes. What is your advice for a couple for their wedding day? "Enjoy it," says Ferrell. Some brides have difficulty letting go of the details, so she advises, "Let it go and enjoy your special day. … Be a guest at your own event." "Don't lose sight of why you're having this wedding. It's the first day of your marriage," says Balatti, who advises couples to avoid getting so caught up in the wedding that they overlook the marriage. "Let someone else take the reins," she advises. "Take time for yourself and absorb everything," says McLeskey-Dolata. "Take a breath, be relaxed and enjoy every minute." She also suggests getting a photo of the first time the bride and groom see each other on their wedding day, because it captures a love-filled moment that will get them through difficult times. These pieces of wisdom come from pros who have a passion for weddings and un- derstand the demands. "It's a stressful job, but at the end of the day, I love weddings. There's no job I'd rather do," says McLes- key-Dolata, and that's a characteristic that all three planners share. ■ Our Commitment: To develop a comprehensive, customized financial plans to help our clients pursue their lifelong financial goals. Our goal is to enable our clients to relax, enjoy their lives, and feel more confident about their future. Services Guided by Your Values and Insight Your future is our business. Your confidence our goal. Specializing in the unique financial investment needs of life transitions for women such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, empty-nesting, retirement and career "re-inventions". Knowledge is power and leveraging money to make money is something women have not been taught. Education, as much or a little as you need, combined with our planning process is key to our successful relationship. We help you gain the knowledge and insight needed to make empowered, well-informed financial decisions. 350 Ignacio Blvd, Suite 105 • Novato, CA 94949 Andrei Jigalin, CFP ® • 415-506-4569 • alphawmp.com Andrei Jigalin is a Registered Representative with and Securities offered through LPL Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advice offered through Alpha Wealth Management and Planning, a registered investment advisor and separate entity from LPL Financial. So Eventful designed bouquet. – Photo by Scott Andrew Shoemake.

• Cover