By Alexis Tarrazi
Senior Reporter

(June 4, 2009) — Now that you’ve said “yes” and the big, beautiful, expensive rock is on your finger, it’s time to start planning.

A wedding day is one of the most important days in a couple’s life. To ensure everything goes off without a hitch, here are some helpful tips for getting hitched.

First thing first, you need to choose a date and location. The online site www.wedalert.com can help you as you hunt for the best banquet hall or hotel. Southern Bergen County has several choice options, mostly along Route 17. Be it Wood-Ridge’s Fiesta or the Landmark in East Rutherford, one can stay local when ringing the wedding bells.

Established more than 30 years ago, the Landmark — located at 26 Route 17 South, East Rutherford — hosts roughly 300 weddings a year. “We are very well known for our quality of food and service,” said B. Nella Cicchino, director of operations for the Landmark. “We have very comfortable rooms, which have been renovated. And we are known for being very accommodating.”

Customizing the needs for any bride and groom, the Landmark has rooms that can hold as many as 320 people or rooms with a more intimate feeling.

Landmark is currently offering a rate of $65 per person for parties of 100 people or more for the months of July and August 2009 and 2010.

The Renaissance Hotel — located at 801 Rutherford Ave., Rutherford — also offers newly renovated spaces for parties up to 125 people. Smaller intimate rooms for 30 people are also located on the ninth floor, which overlooks the Meadowlands. The Renaissance has four certified wedding planners. The Renaissance also offers a complimentary bridal suite that includes: a dozen fresh roses, champagne and chocolates, a spa basket (bath salts, candles), breakfast for two, late check out and a car service to the airport.

Other area hotels in the Meadowlands offer specials, as well.

What to wear?

A bride’s main priority is looking her best on the big day.

Divina’s Bridal — located at 525 Kearny Ave., Kearny — designs and tailors any dress to individual measurements. Additionally, Divina can duplicate and copy a dress from a magazine.

In the local area, there are many dress locations for brides to choose from, including NJ Bridal Outlet, 203 Paterson Ave. in Wallington; Becky’s Wedding Boutique, 218 Stuyvesant Ave., Lyndhurst; or Affordable Elegance, 155 Route 17 South, Hasbrouck Heights.

Rinaldi’s Shoes by Gina — located at 104 Park Ave., Rutherford — offers a wide variety of shoes, jewelry, handbags, invitations, favors, guest books, candles, garters, gown preservation, tiara, vales, flower baskets, ring pillows and much more.

Established in 1967, owner Gina Rinaldi-Pander is specifically proud of the family’s ability to customize any shoe.

A bride may want to seek a personal trainer to tone up.

Sheila Dunn, nationally certified personal director and director of group fitness at Signature Fitness — 471 Cortland St., Belleville — will mold any workout and create a meal plan to help a bride meet her goals.

Whether it is targeting a specific area, such as arms, waist or legs, or just losing some pounds, Dunn has several training plans to meet the bride’s time frame.

For losing weight, Dunn said she has brides do cardiovascular and strength training exercises.

“Many women think they will bulk up, but that is not the case,” Dunn said. “Muscle helps burn fat. So when working with strength training it will help firm and tone up the body to help to burn more calories.”

In the local area, there are also many other fitness centers to choose from for brides or grooms, including VIP Fitness, 1000 Wall St. West, Lyndhurst; Strong & Shapely Gym, 15 Union Ave., East Rutherford; Female Fitness, 15 Park Ave., Suite 300, Rutherford; and Classic Meadowlands, 205 Chubb Ave., Lyndhurst.

Diamond Exchange, at 546 New York Ave. in Lyndhurst, is also a local option for all your jewelry needs.

Finding the hard to find

Many wedding expos are held during the year throughout the Garden State to help couples get ideas and help find those hard-to-find items.

Coming events in the local area include:

• Morris County Summer Wedding Showcase will be held Wednesday, Aug. 19 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Parsippany, 707 Route 46, Parsippany.

• Union County area Bridal Showcase will be held Wednesday, Sept. 30 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Solar do Minho Restaurant & Banquet Center, 147 W. Westfield Ave., Roselle Park.

• Metro Bridal Expo Fall Showcase will be held Sunday, Oct. 4 from 12 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe, 100 Frank W. Burr Boulevard, Teaneck.

For information on upcoming wedding expos visit www.bridaltradeshows.com.