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BY SHARON PORTA
Times Correspondent | Saturday, February 14, 2004 | (No comments posted.)
Despite the romanticism that accompanies Valentine's Day, those who work with brides locally are not reporting an increased demand for their services.
At Villa De Bruno in Lynwood, only one wedding is booked instead of the usual two. At Strongbow Inn in Valparaiso, there are no weddings today.
"We decided to have open dining in the second room instead of two weddings. We felt that would be more to our benefit," said Diane Kowalczk, owner of Villa De Bruno. "Valentine's Day tends to be popular in the past, but I'm not seeing that as much this year."
The same is true for those registering for wedding gifts at Target in Highland.
"I can't say I've noticed a trend," said manager Lindy Johnson. "People would have registered a few months ago, and it's done at a kiosk, but I'm not noticing increased activity."
The same is true for Paul Groleau, owner of Merrillville Jewelers in Merrillville.
"I can't say I've seen a huge increase for Valentine's Day," Groleau said. "Overall, it's usually a big day, but I'd say we're selling more diamond jewelry than engagement rings."
The same is true at Flowers by Darlene in Dyer, according to owner Judy Horner.
"I don't have a single wedding booked for Valentine's Day, and last year I had three," she said. "I have some anniversaries, of course. But a Valentine's wedding is a very expensive wedding when it comes to flowers."
At Almira's Pastry & Wedding Cake Shop, five wedding cakes were being baked for Saturday.
"That's pretty typical for a Saturday in the winter," said manager Tony Knight. "Valentine's is a big day, we sell a lot of heart cakes and cupcakes for kids' parties. But June is still the big wedding time."
However, things are different in other parts of the country. While Valentine's Day tends to be big day for proposals and engagements, it is typically not significant for weddings themselves because the day often occurs on a weekday, according to Linda Kevich, director of the International Institute of Weddings.
"This year, however, we are seeing a noticeable blip in the numbers of weddings taking place on Valentine's Day," Kevich said. "Couples do idealize the romantic notion of marrying on Valentine's Day, so where we hit a year where the logistics actually work out, it does tend to be a popular day for weddings."
About weddings:
* In 2002, the average cost of a wedding in the United States was $21,300.
* Approximately 5 million brides and grooms are married each year in the United States.
* The average age is 25 for brides and 27 for grooms.
* The average wedding has 180 guests.
* 99 percent of married couples go on honeymoons.
* The wedding industry accounts for $50 million a year.
* June is the most popular month for weddings, followed by August and September.
SOURCE: The International Institute of Weddings
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