WEDDING PLANNING EXPLODES IN 2008

Roseville, CA – January 2, 2008 – To meet the growing demand from brides- and grooms-to-be, the Wedding Planning Institute (WPI), a division of Lovegevity, Inc. is partnered with hundreds of colleges and universities across the United States and in other countries to offer hands-on training and certification for wedding planners.

The program is designed to assist both aspiring and existing wedding planners with starting or building their wedding planning careers. The Wedding Planning Institute’s Certification is internationally recognized by The Association for Wedding Professionals International and is offered through hundreds of colleges both as a classroom and online course. Students have the opportunity to assist at real weddings, as well as tour venues and meet with professional wedding vendors. “I'm very excited to be able to offer The Wedding Planning Institute's Certification. I believe that it will attract individuals who desire information for their personal use, as well as those setting their sights on this new and exciting career”, states Rhonda Marcontell, Coordinator of Continuing Education for Lamar University.

Colleges and universities across the U.S. are supporting the growing demand for wedding planners by offering 10-week classroom sessions for spring, summer and fall of 2008. Students can attend evening classes and receive their professional certification at the end of the 10 weeks. All graduates of the program can participate in job placement assistance and bridal referral leads from WPI. “The ability to offer hands-on training in addition to our classroom and online sessions has proven to be extremely helpful for newcomers to this career. Hands-on training puts what is text book into actuality and teaches students what cannot be taught in a classroom…such as, thinking on your feet.” says Cho Phillips, Executive Director of The Wedding Planning Institute. Students can enroll directly through The Wedding Planning Institute (www.weddingplanninginstitute.com) or through their local college’s continuing education department.

The Wedding Planning Institute is a division of Lovegevity, Inc® a national event-planning agency. Founded in Omaha, NE in 1997 by Cho Phillips; Lovegevity has administrative offices located in Roseville, CA. Lovegevity, Inc. helps thousands of couples each year plan for their wedding through Lovegevity’s national network of Certified Professional Wedding Planners in an estimated 600 markets. The company’s mission is to provide busy couples with the best wedding resources available, along with the tools to help build stronger marriages such as relationship education during the wedding planning process. As an established leader in the wedding industry, Lovegevity is also helping to improve the skills of wedding event planners through education, certification, and provides professional opportunities for those looking for a full-time career in the wedding planning industry. For more information, contact Jacqueline Logan, at (877) 597-8166, ext. 912 or pr@lovegevity.com.

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