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BRIDAL GUIDE: Tips to make a bride’s ‘big day’ the best day
Erica Thomas
Erica Thomas is a Covington-based wedding planner. (Special to The News)

COVINGTON, Ga. — A lot of things go into planning a wedding day. From flowers to picking the right dress, couples wanting to get married go through a lot to celebrate their special day. 

However, Erica Thomas, a Covington-based wedding planner, echoed the importance of establishing a “realistic” budget to help eliminate the “confusion” and “stress” of the wedding planning process. 

“The first homework I give every client is to sit down with the paying party and come up with a budget,” Thomas said. “The budget is definitely always first. And that’s hard because it’s difficult to process how expensive weddings are. Then also trying to break it down in that way is a tough pill to swallow. But it’s important because we can’t do anything until we know how much money we can spend.” 

As a matter of fact, Thomas highlighted not setting a budget as a major pitfall in wedding planning. 

“I think it’s the give and take that’s hard for people,” Thomas said. “Because it’s a lot of money and it adds up so quickly. There is so many different pieces — it’s your attire, your jewelry, all of the showers and all of that stuff — so I think being realistic about your budget so there are no surprises down the road is the biggest thing.” 

After couples have established their budget, Thomas said that they immediately go on the search to book the venue and then the vendors. Thomas said, too, that once the budget, venues and vendors are set, everything else falls in afterward based on each couples’ plan.

Thomas services her clients through Blush and Bashful Events — a full service wedding planning company that she owns and operates. Thomas has been in business since 2018. And, in those four years, she’s identified a major pitfall that she always warns clients of. 

“I think it’s so important for the couple to stay true to who they are,” Thomas said. “It’s still your day and you won’t get any of this back. If you want to have flamingos walk down the aisle, have flamingos walk down the aisle. A lot of couples try to stay within what’s expected of them, but I’m always an advocate of doing what you want to do. 

When asked about which part of the process excites her the most, though, Thomas couldn’t pinpoint one specific step. 

“All of it, honestly,” Thomas said. “Then, on wedding day, to see it all unfold with all the hardwork and preparation, it’s so rewarding.” 

That’s why Thomas decided to enter the wedding planning industry four years ago. And, even though things have changed with her business, Thomas said the goal has remained the same. 

Thomas wants to assist couples and their families along the wedding planning journey. 

From booking the venue and vendors to the wedding day itself, Thomas and her team is there for all of their clients. 

“We get in there and get it done,” Thomas said. “Every event is different and things come up that we have to adjust and rework. But we do it. We’re very hands on planning company. I get very close with my clients to the point where they come over to my house, we go out to dinner afterwards. It’s a more intimate relationship than I think people expect.” 

For more information about Thomas and Blush and Bashful, visit https://www.blushfulevents.com/. 

Rotary Clubs of Monroe and Covington come together for a veteran's new home
rotary covington and monroe

The Rotary Clubs of Monroe and Covington pitched in to support Gwinnett/Walton Habitat for Humanity’s Veteran’s Build in Monroe, GA, on March 8, by providing financial contributions and volunteer labor to help build a home for Nickolas Garrett, a U.S. military veteran and single parent. 

Both Rotary clubs demonstrated their commitment to service by donating $1,000 each toward the construction of the home, working alongside Habitat staff and community volunteers.

With the price of housing, Garrett felt that home ownership was beyond his grasp. Then, he was chosen for Habitat’s Veteran Build Program, and his dream came true. 

“I’m truly blessed and I’m just excited to be part of this process, honestly,” Garrett said. “For my daughter to be able to grow up and have a place to call home is a miracle.”

“Rotary is filled with people of action,” said Tarrence Houston, Rotary Club of Covington president. “As Rotarians, we have a shared responsibility to take action on our world’s most persistent issues. By joining hands with other clubs, we can increase our impact in our communities and around the world.

“Together, we are helping to provide a family with a safe and comfortable place of their own. It’s the ‘American Dream’ fulfilled.”

Leading the initiative were Matthew Whitley of the Monroe Rotary Club and Phil Lanier of the Covington Rotary Club. Both men spearheaded efforts to raise awareness about Gwinnett/Walton Habitat for Humanity’s mission to provide affordable housing and support for veterans in need.

“This is what Rotary is all about,” Lanier said. “It’s coming together to serve others with both contributions and sweat.”

The Rotary Clubs of Monroe and Covington encourage others in their respective communities to help Habitat for Humanity through donations, volunteering, or advocacy. To learn more about how to get involved, visit www.habitatgwinnett.org.