PW Guide Article: Celebrity Wedding Planner David Tutera Answers Your Burning Questions!

Hi David! Just finished watching your My Fair Wedding show and I've watched a few shows and always get teary eyed.  I am a 55 year old woman and life has given me another chance. I was first married when I was 19.  I don't even recall how it happened.  That was back in my native country. My second wedding was to someone I really loved.  We had a simple wedding at the courthouse, ate at McDonalds with our son and went home and watched TV.  My friends later on gave us a small reception which was really nice. Life was good until he died so suddenly of heart attack. I was 44. Never in my wildest dream did I thought that I will meet another man.  He is so gentle, loving and we are best friends. He was so patient and understanding when I asked him at the start that I will have to see my son through college and participate actively with my grandchildren's lives.  Last summer, on my 54th birthday, he surprise me with breakfast in bed and a marriage proposal.  He is 62 and retired well. We plan to have it in his home backyard which we just started landscaping. My problem is that I only have $4000. to spend.  This is the money I will get from my tax refund.  I've searched, and read, and searched for ideas for a really nice reception to fit my budget.  Will you be showing an episode for outdoor weddings on a budget? I would love to find ideas for our wedding that we have scheduled for early August of 2010.  We are both adults and we do not want to spend too much.  Though on a tight budget, I still wish I can make this something better than my previous ones, and make it really special and I am very sure this is my last. 

I trust that you are okay and I pray for the success of your show.  More power, David!

Thanks, Maria

David,

I absolutely love your work and take some inspiration from it. I am not a wedding planner yet but I am currently aspiring to be. That being said...I need help! I agreed to take some stress off of a bride who is planning her wedding. She has a limited budget..$5000 and she wants to invite...wait for it....200 people! (in other words, 100 invites, 2 ppl per invite) I know this may not be realistic and they are currently working on the guestlist. Everything else is not too bad except for the catering of food, so that throws everything off! I have already told the bride that catering will be half or more of the budget, but she said that she will get a family friend to do it. She is not compromising the time of day (no brunch-she wants dinner) and we're still in the early stages....Any advice you can give me will be helpful! Thanks...

J

Mr. Tutera,

I love your work! and your personality! which adds to a great show and weddings I would have killed for.  I have been to tons of weddings, I watch all the shows, and I am working on a planning course.  I also live in White Plains, NY and my husband and I still have single classmates from our days at Yale Law School (some are working on their second or third time!) so for a free intern (me!), no promises but maybe some great learning opportunities for me without putting their weddings at risk!

If someone in your office would like to puruse my resume, the technical stuff may be meaningless but we've lived in 10+ places so I am familiar with a lot of venues.  Plus we traveled for 9-10 years around the country when my son was a nationally-ranked tennis player.  The point of this babble is to ask that you don't focus on the engineering or legal side other than to note that I work well with people and have managed people throughout my career.

I do not "talk" this much but given my strange background, I thought I would highlight why I would be a great choice for a free intern.  I would be happy to deliver a copy of my resume if there is any interest, even if just curiousity.  Thanks for my favorite shows.  Patricia 

Hi david

              I am in LOVE WITH EVERYTHING YOU DO I'm watching your shown right now the one where "MONIQUE wants an insect themed wedding with butterflies" and the way you turn these weddings around makes me want to cry and I really hope you keep doing what your doing so one day which I hope is soon so I can be one of the luckly people whoes wedding you will plan............. please keep being the person you are because you are blessed.

                                                                                   &nb sp;           Love Xenia......

Hi David! i am a die hard fan of My Fair Wedding- I laugh, I cry, point being, I'm in love with your show.  And should i fail to be glued to the TV on Sunday I always make sure to have it recorded.  Just from watching your show, I know that we both share similar characteristics, we are GIVING and Generous and Selfless.  We live to see other people happy and simply smile ooh and did i mention I also grew up in Port Chester, NY.  By nature i am creative and have this drive inside of me to become an event planner. i will do whatever it takes, im not joking. do you offer any internship opportunities? i currently have 2 jobs and am willing to leave them if you take me under your wing. I idolize you, please say YES!

Sincerely,

Tatiana

Hi David,

I love your show!  I am marrying an avid golfer.  We are getting married at his golf club and it's beautiful, but in addition to the spectacular view, I would like to add some subtle touches of golf throughout the room.  I was thinking of using pewter golf frames for the  table numbers and I'd like to use a golf idea for the placecards as well but the only thing I've read is using score cards and I'm not sure that's elegant enough.  Any ideas?

Hey David my name is ariane I'm getting married November 5th of this year. Do you havr any advice me and my fiance are paying for our wedding on our own and if we saved all the money possible til then our budget is 4000 for the whole wedding my mom has had a lot of health problems and my dad has never met me cause hw don't want to its tough for us I need help figuring this out before I go insane can you please help me. Sincerely Ariane Vickroy

Hello David,

I'm a bit embarrassed to say I have never seen your show, but most of the women in my circle have nothing but great things to say about your gift to make a bride and her grooms dreams come true.  I am marrying a 21 yr Newark Police officer who has been shot in the line of duty and has sustained several head injuries in his 21 yrs. This will be his first wedding at the age of 50. I reside in the state of GA and I work for the Department of Defense. I want a wedding that captures his life as a police officer and prior Marine, as well as it captures me being born and raised in San Francisco but now i am a resident of GA.  I am to mature I think to have a wedding like first time young people.  So I'd like to know how should I approach our wedding to ensure it reflects both of us. My colors are orange,yellows and greens.

Your thoughts and inputs are greatly appreciated,

Ladyonamission

David I'm watching your Phantom of the Opera wedding on WE and I started thinking about my sister who is getting married in August; I'm one of her bridesmaids. She, right now, is on an EXTREMELY! tight budget. She's finishing up college this May and then heading right back in June for Grad school- she's paying for all of this HERSELF! My parents can't avord to help her out with expenses either and right now she's stressing; her and her fiance' can't even find an avordable venue at the moment. I want to help her out as much as possible and was wondering if you could give me a lot of money saving ideas for her and her future husband. She deserves the absolute best and their budget just isn't allowing that right now. Please help :)

Hey David,

I am just graduating high school and am intrested in going into the field of event planning. I was wondering were you went to college and what your major was?