KF: What a great idea, a television show dedicated to wedding planning, how did the idea for Wedding Spectacular come about?

LT: Well honestly, it's not an uncommon story... six years ago, I too was engaged to be married, and with a very hectic schedule, found it difficult to obtain a real thorough amount of information about wedding related businesses specific to my geographic area. Being an account manager at one of the world's largest advertising agencies, McCann-Erickson Worldwide, along with the long commute, lots of business travel around the country, managing home, and then adding in the wedding planning process, I thought to myself, "...if only there were a television show I could watch that could provide me with the information I needed right here in my livingroom with as little effort as possible..." Lazy? Maybe. But boy, I had so much to do packed into Saturday and Sunday, just like every single Bride-to-be out there right now, and I just wished for something a little bit easier to get information and ideas for my special day. Sometimes reading magazines and going to Bridal Expos even seemed too exhausting. After being married, I continued my marketing and advertising career at McCann-Erickson, then moved to a Long Island firm as the Vice President of Donaudy Munch, and after another five years there, the option for to-be-weds to get wedding planning assistance via television had still not hit the screen. It was then that I found the most dynamic team of professionals, got everyone together, and kicked off 'Wedding Spectacular' here in the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut area.

KF: What do you look for in a guest for Wedding Spectacular?

LT: The goal of Wedding Spectacular is to provide New York Metropolitan area Brides and Grooms with as much information as possible about the wide variety of professionals out there that can help make their wedding day truly spectacular. Knowing of course that today's to-be-weds are busier than any that came before them, our talk show is there to ask the questions for them, bring fresh new ideas to them in an entertaining format, and, to introduce them to special companies that they may not have known about prior to our program. There are over 41,000 wedding-related businesses in this area! Although I would love to showcase every single one of them for all of the to-be-weds out there, I can't - but I can certainly try to bring as many as possible to the 4-million+ potential viewership of our show.

KF: What type of responses have you had from your viewers?

LT: Finally!!! A television talk show about wedding planning! Something that's entertaining that I really need, and it's brought into my own living room, every single week of the year, and for free! Fun, exciting, quality advice and information for my wedding, on a weekly basis. Thank you!

KF: What makes the New York Metropolitan area such a great market for Wedding Spectacular?

LT: This is the biggest wedding market in the country, meaning, there are more to-be-weds here in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut that can benfit from the information we are providing. The most weddings per year means the most businesses to try to learn about...if we can help all of these Brides and Grooms even in one area of planning their wedding, then, we did simply that, we helped. Wedding Spectacular will soon roll-out to help to-be-weds in all of the top wedding markets in the country...Phildelphia,Boston,Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas and Houston.

KF: As Executive Producer of a television show exclusively dedicated to planning a wedding, what do you think is the is the most important element to maintaining quality programming for your viewers.

LT: My staff. Anyone who has any type of business in any category, anywhere, knows that the people they choose to have surround them is the most precious asset they have. My "front line" - especially my director of programming, Barbara McNamara, and my director of sales and marketing, Laura Donohue, are two of the most important reasons why I can leave the office at the end of the day and have a happy, peaceful evening with my son, becuase I know I have an incredible team of people who are dedicated to our mission, our viewers, and our clients that we represent. Because of these poeple, I consider myself to be a very fortunate woman. I only hope to give back to them what they give to me every day.


KF: How can a wedding related business, for example a reception site,
florist, entertainment company, etc.. become a guest on the show?

LT: Contact Laura Donohue at 631.244.7400, or e-mail her at
ld@weddingspectacular.com.

KF: The show airs on WLNY-TV 55 on Sunday mornings at 11:00am, how can a viewer find out what guests will be on an upcoming show?

LT: They can visit www.weddingspectacular.com any time of day, or, call to hear the weekly pre-recorded message on our toll-free viewer information line at 1.877.71.TV.WED, or, check our bi-weekly ad in the Sunday Styles section of The New York Times. All of our show guests that have appearared, and will be appearing soon, are listed and mentioned in all of these places.