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Company Plays Out Real Thing At Mock Bridal Show

By WTOP Staff

Lights. Camera. I DO! mock wedding show at Bethesda Marriott Lights. Camera. I DO! mock wedding show at Bethesda Marriott Lights. Camera. I DO! mock wedding show at Bethesda Marriott Iman Huschmand, president of Bethesda-based Exclusively Entertainment Lights. Camera. I DO! mock wedding show at Bethesda Marriott Lights. Camera. I DO! mock wedding show at Bethesda Marriott Lights. Camera. I DO! mock wedding show at Bethesda Marriott Lights. Camera. I DO! mock wedding show at Bethesda Marriott

In Iman Huschmand’s experience, the best way to market his wedding services company has been through actual weddings.

So his Hampden Lane-based company rented out the ballrooms at the Bethesda Marriott on Sunday and acted out the real thing, cocktail reception, ring ceremony, after-party all included.

Exclusively Entertainment, Huschmand’s full-service event company, hosted “Lights. Camera. I DO!,” a staged wedding show featuring about 50 independent vendors offering wedding cakes, dresses, dance floors, picture frames and more.

“Brides really want to see things live when they are choosing a vendor,” Huschmand said. “That’s how they really get connected. A $10,000 full-page ad in the [Washington] Post wouldn’t do anything more than if I did a great job at a wedding of 500 people.”

Women in wedding dresses and men in suits lined the halls between ballrooms, waiting for their mock ceremonies to begin.

The festivities began with a mock, non-denominal wedding ceremony. Bridesmaids and groomsmen walked in, followed by a bride, groom and a wedding officiant who walked through how the process would go.

Huschmand said he was able to include a number of vendors from other wedding services companies in the event through his years in the industry. He started as a DJ 15 years ago and began the more wide-ranging company about five years ago.

Exclusively Entertainment provides DJs, lighting, MCs and videography.

It’s not the first example of a mock wedding bridal show, but it’s not common. Huschmand hopes to put on the event again in February or March and make it into a bi-annual show.

He was pleased with the turnout for Sunday’s show, which consisted mostly of engaged couples making plans.

Huschmand’s company started out specializing in Persian weddings, an example of which it showed off at the show on Sunday. But the Chevy Chase-native said he wants to expand the company to a broader group.

“I knew it couldn’t survive on 40 to 50 Persian weddings a year,” Huschmand said. “It had to be something for the whole community.”

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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