COVER STORY
Planning a by Michael J. DeCicco
(post-pandemic)
PERFECT WEDDING
Planning the perfect nuptials takes time. In 2022, after the pandemic shutdowns and disrupted wedding schedules of 2020 and 2021, local wedding planning vendors all say the same thing: a couple should plan every phase of their wedding a year or more in advance. "A bride should come in at least a year to 10 months before her wedding," said Madalena Arruda, owner of Carmen's Fashion Bridal Shop, found at 1415 Pleasant Street in Fall River. For 25 years, she and co-owner Mary-Jo Mederios have slowly guided brides through finding the perfect wedding gown and bridesmaids dresses, and even do the alterations in-house. She noted this process takes time, especially because 90 percent of the shop's purchases are custom orders. Despite the necessity of custom ordering, many brides come in planning their weddings on short notice. She's had 20 or more brides come in at the last minute this year. As a result, they had to pick from the rack. "But many others do and should plan a year in advance," she said. Last-minute planning is especially complicated in the post-COVIDshutdown era. "The suppliers and a lot
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of these manufacturers are overseas," Arruda explained. Before the pandemic, it took 4-6 months to receive the shipment of a custom order. Now it takes 6-8 months because of shipping delays related to current supply chain issues. Arruda says that Carmen’s goes above and beyond to make sure a bride gets the dress she always dreamed of, no matter what obstacles may be in the way. “We make sure our brides have a stress-free experience with us,” she said.
Love songs Jordan Paiva of Music of our Lives DJ Service, found at 6 Cotton Candy Lane in Dartmouth, has been helping engaged couples provide music for
May 2022 | The South Coast Insider
their weddings for 15 years. Perhaps counterintuitively, Paiva’s advice is to hold off on calling him. "Give it at least a year to a year and a half to save for and plan out your wedding," he said. "And secure the venue first. Then it's a breeze to schedule the rest. Your vendors need to know where and when first. Lock in the venue. Then you can secure all your vendors. For a stress-free wedding, plan ahead." Paiva provides DJ and MC services for wedding receptions with whatever style or international type of music the couple requests, but he also offers a fun photo booth and even wedding ceremony photography; Paiva’s wife is a professional photographer. He can do what he calls an “all-inclusive package.” He's been able to assemble a “dream team” of the vendors an engaged couple needs for a wedding plan. "Sometimes I've planned the entire wedding," he said. But how did the years of the pandemic
