Wedding planners take the angst out of the big day

Elvera N. Makki, Contributor, Jakarta

As actress-singer Paramitha Rusady gingerly stepped through the crowd of paparazzi and well-wishers at her wedding reception earlier this year, few spied the discreet presence of a tall man in a dark suit nearby.

But with a nod to one of his staff or himself moving unobtrusively to clear her way or point her in the right direction, Emil Eriyanto made sure the event went off without a hitch.

It's not just celebrities who are calling on wedding planners (Emil prefers the term "organizer") these days. For young Indonesians, especially in urban centers like Jakarta, are forced by circumstance and also by choice to let wedding planners take care of everything.

If the question, "Would you let a wedding planner handle your big day?" was asked about 15 years ago, it would have been met by raised eyebrows and a terse, "Are you kidding?"

For most Indonesians, especially Javanese, believe that a marriage between two people means the auspicious joining of two families, and relatives do not want to miss out on a thing.

Family members are proud to be chosen to be on the wedding committee and involved in every step of the complicated traditional wedding rituals, culminating in the taking of vows and the reception.

The belief in "family first" is still true, but the old habits are dying just a bit with new pressures.

"In today's busy environment, people do not want to get frazzled by all the complicated details," said Emil, who became a wedding organizer seven years ago.

"Involving the family will make it much more complex, knowing they are also busy with their own activities."

Outside help is also a practical matter. For when the big day dawns, most members of the family are kept busy ensuring that they look the part, from the right traditional hairdo (it can take up to three hours, with touch-ups and changes after other relatives get to see it), getting dressed ("Where's the kris?" "My sandals are too tight!"), to making sure the food is being made to order.

A former model in his hometown of Malang, East Java, Emil began as an emcee in Jakarta, but founded Multi Kreasi Enterprise seven years ago when he saw the potential in the wedding business.

He studied up on the traditional ceremonies of different regions, from Javanese Surakarta (still the most popular wedding ceremony for his company), to Javanese Yogyakarta, Sundanese, Minangkerbau and also foreign nuptials, such as Indian.

"Our clients call on us for different specific needs. Some ask us to take care of the whole wedding from the scratch, while others only want us for the reception. Even if our client just wants us to be a timekeeper, we are ready."

Emil said it was essential to keep the customer satisfied, whatever their demands.

"First, we pay very close attention to detail. Secondly, we always care about a client's changing needs. Finally, we create a warm, familial atmosphere in interacting with the client."

Emil said his success in organizing weddings had to more job assignments, such as birthday parties, product launches and corporate gatherings.

Although he is considered one of the more expensive organizers, Emil said he charged a standard fee with no commission on goods from suppliers.

Emil's optimism that business will continue to grow is shared by Rina Gunawan, a TV presenter who owns event organizer 19HN Production, which is enjoying more orders for wedding events.

Rina said it was essential to have patience, teamwork and discipline in planning weddings, which she acknowledged often led to problems in the stress of the situation.

"It easily generates family arguments," she said. "That is what our clients are trying to avoid, by hiring a third party planner and organizer."

The potential for family discord was among the main reasons "Sinta" decided to hire a wedding planner for her recent nuptials.

"I knew that I wouldn't have the time to do it justice, especially during this election year," said the 30-something reporter for a foreign publication.

"But I also wanted to avoid the usual family hassles through not having our families involved, and so that we could decide on our own taste."

Rina and her staff of 15 have been entrusted to take care of the weddings of several high-profile individuals, and she said there was bound to be snafus and bruised egos with a client.

"A personal approach is my approach in dealing with a client. It has been my best tool, especially if miscommunication or a little friction occurs between us."

Future prospects for business growth look assured, with the cultural preference for bigger is better when it comes to starting married life not about to change.

"Who doesn't want to get married? Particularly in our culture and beliefs, marriage is one of the most honored institutions and we want to make the big day as special as possible. That is a given, positive fact for us," said Yustine Apriyanto, the owner of Yustine Griya Busana.

She started her business eight years ago, first as a pemaes, a Javanese traditional make-up woman who takes care of everything, such as providing the different kinds of offerings, ensuring the running the ceremonies during the event and outfitting the complete wedding dress, ornaments and equipment needed.

Together with her husband, Teguh Apriyanto, she would also build the pelaminan, the stage where the couple and parents stands during the ceremony.

"Right now, we offer an almost complete package required for wedding parties as a one-stop service, excluding catering."

She takes care of the wedding couple's make-up herself, and provides decorations and clothing for Javanese, Sundanese, Betawi (native Jakartan), Batak and Minang customs, the sound system and the necessary documentation.

She also has an international wedding package.

"I've also done several ethnic Chinese wedding parties. Surprisingly, some of them ask us to combine the theme with the traditional customs of the area they live in."

Yustine said she always kept abreast of trends, implementing necessary changes without altering the essence of traditional rituals.

"Nowadays, many Javanese weddings take place in the garden. We accommodate that particular need. If our clients come to our place, they can see our own garden displayed with several types of decorations so they can decide for themselves."

With a staff of 45, Yustine said many clients felt more secure because she and her husband took a full hands-on approach.

"We do it, we organize it, we have full control of the work," she said.