Brides-to-be have long checklists for planning their big day. Dress, flowers, venue, vows, will there be a sit-down dinner or hors d'oeuvres and crudités? Who will be in the wedding party?

"Every bride wants her wedding to be perfect and by that, many mean that they want the event itself and themselves to be absolutely beautiful," says Eric Gulbrandson, a wedding photographer and author of the new book, "Dream Wedding Secrets: The All Important G.S.F," (www.dreamweddingsecrets.com).

"But a perfect wedding is also one that people remember months and years later as a wonderful event where they thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Think about it - no bride wants her wedding remembered as a disaster!"

The secret is to put a high priority on what Gulbrandson calls the G.S.F. - Guest Satisfaction Factor.

"It's how others perceive your wedding," he says. "Most brides do want their guests to be able to enjoy their wedding, but they overlook the G.S.F. because all the advice is geared toward beauty and budgets."

Gulbrandson interviewed hundreds of wedding guests and compiled more than 200 do's and don'ts for brides-to-be for ensuring a high G.S.F. Among them:

•  If you invite children, arrange a supervised activity area for them. Couples often include children on their guest list because they contribute to the family atmosphere and celebration, but weddings are not child-centered events. Kids get bored; the wedding day is often a long one with extended periods of sitting quietly and an abundance of adults consuming alcohol. Help parents and children enjoy the event by arranging for a supervised activity area on the outskirts of the reception. A couple of teenaged relatives may appreciate earning some money for overseeing arts and crafts projects and games.  Hiring relatives for this job will help keep the costs reasonable.

•  Don't make costumes a requirement for your themed wedding. Whether you've got your heart set on a Renaissance faire or zombie nuptials, don't require your guests to shell out money buying or renting costumes! Yes, you can ease any financial burden by requesting they wear costumes in lieu of buying gifts, but that doesn't address the potential for physical and emotional discomfort. Sure, all your friends may be LARPers, but if Uncle Howard and Aunt Betty are not, they may not enjoy wearing capes and carrying swords to your ceremony.

•  Don't plan your wedding for a holiday weekend. Occasionally, brides plan their wedding for a three-day holiday weekend thinking it will help out-of-towners who want to attend. However, it also boosts the odds of local guests being out of town! Given that most working people have only two guaranteed three-day weekends a year, many plan ahead for them. Additionally, hotel and rental car prices tend to go up during holidays, and traffic doubles. Play it safe by avoiding calendar holidays and, of course, Super Bowl Sunday.

•  With food and drink, if you have to choose between quantity and quality, choose quantity. Nobody will mind if the chicken skewers aren't the best they ever had, but they will if you run out of them! While taste and presentation are important, having enough food and drink available throughout the event is more important than a glamorous presentation. If you have children at your wedding, you can keep costs down -- and make them happy -- by planning a separate menu of, say, chicken nuggets and macaroni-and-cheese.

•  When it's all said and done, don't ruin your perfect wedding by failing to follow through with that time-honored (for good reason) custom of sending thank-you notes. "Technically, accepted protocol allows guests a year after the wedding to send a gift, so you may be on the receiving end for quite some time!" Gulbrandson says. "Keep a list and send handwritten thank-you's as quickly as you can. Most guests and experts agree that one to three months after the wedding is fine, but my advice is to get on it quickly!"

About Eric Gulbrandson

Eric Gulbrandson is a longtime wedding photographer who began compiling interviews for "Dream Wedding Secrets: The All-Important G.S.F.," (www.dreamweddingsecrets.com), in 2009. As a wedding photographer, he heard many happy guests - and many unhappy ones - and realized that most publications offering wedding advice focused on either making the bride and wedding more beautiful, or planning the wedding on a limited budget. When interviewing guests, he asked one primary question, "What makes a wedding great or not so great for you as a guest?"  He compiled thousands of stories and responses to derive consensus opinions on essential Guest Satisfaction Factors.

(Rock Island, IL) The Rock Island Library's Main Library location, 401 19th Street, will be closed Saturday, August 30 due to the Rock Island Gran Prix race in downtown Rock Island. The Rock Island Library's 30/31 Branch, 3059 30th Street, and Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road, will be open from as usual on Saturday, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

All Rock Island Library locations will be closed on Monday, Sept. 1 in observance of Labor Day. Locations reopen at 9:00 Tuesday, Sept. 2.

For more hours and events at Rock Island Public Libraries, visit the library website at www.rockislandlibrary.org, follow the library on Facebook or Twitter, or call 309-732-7323.

Founded in 1872, the Rock Island Public Library serves the area through three locations, which include the Main, 30/31 and Southwest Branches, community outreach efforts, and online opportunities that provide resources to enhance personal achievement and stimulate the imagination.

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ANCHORAGE, ALASKA--The Council of State Governments' Executive Committee has called on the Obama administration and Congress to establish a national energy policy that promotes all available domestic sources of energy.

The resolution, approved Aug. 13 during the CSG National and CSG West Annual Conference in Anchorage, Alaska, comes in response to proposed new Clean Air Act rules that will require modified, reconstructed and existing power plants to reduce carbon emissions. The resolution states the regulation of retail electricity sales and local distribution should be left up to the states and that each state is responsible for ensuring a reliable and affordable supply of energy.

The resolution urges state policymakers to develop comments on the rules by the Environmental Protection Agency's deadline.

The executive committee also adopted a resolution dealing with a proposed rule to redefine "waters of the U.S." that could significantly increase the cost and regulatory requirements of state and local governments. That resolution calls on full consultation and engagement of state governments in any process that may affect management of their waters.

It also asks the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to delay redefining the waters of the U.S. rule until after an economic analysis and a Science Advisory Board review are completed.

The proposed rule, the committee believes, would apply to all programs of the Clean Water Act and subject more activities to permitting requirements, analyses and mitigation requirements. The resolution states that the EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers did not consider the impact on the full range of programs affected or the economic impacts to small businesses.

The executive committee also adopted resolutions:

• Supporting recognition of the EMS Personnel Licensure Compact known as REPLICA;
• Supporting the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement, known as SARA, which addresses distance learning;
• Requesting Congress and the federal government to pursue opportunities to protect intellectual property, reduce fraudulent theft and protect American businesses and consumers;
• Urging Congress to pass reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank before the current authorization expires in September;
• Recommending each state's elections website provide specific information for military personnel and other U.S. citizens living overseas and that each website link to the U.S. Department of Defense Federal Voting Assistance program; and
• Commending the National Conference of State Legislatures on 40 years of service to the states.

Mona Moeller Named 2014 Hy-Vee Legendary Customer Service Award Recipient 

BETTENDORF, Iowa (Aug. 22, 2014) – If you visit the Bettendorf Hy-Vee and the express lane has a long line, chances are Mona Moeller is working.

"The best compliment a checker can have is a long line. Mona always has a long line because she makes customers' days and no other checker will do," said Steve Mokosak, Bettendorf Hy-Vee store director. "She laughs with our customers, she cries with them, she jokes with them, and in the end, she keeps them coming back."

Moeller is the definition of a helpful smile, showing up to work each day with a positive attitude, ready to greet each customer as enthusiastically as she did the last and making sure nobody leaves the store unhappy. Co-worker Amanda Pickett said she enjoys checking next to Moeller and witnessing the way she interacts with customers.

"I don't think Mona has ever met a stranger. She has formed relationships with customers and they care about her as much as she cares for them," she said.

Moeller's ability to build relationships is one of the reasons her co-workers and customers nominated her for Hy-Vee's highest honor, the Legendary Customer Service Award.

This afternoon company officials, fellow employees, family members and customers gathered at the Hy-Vee in Bettendorf to surprise Moeller with the award, which recognizes exemplary achievement in providing service that exceeds customers' expectations. Only 10 winners of the award are selected each year from among more than 70,000 Hy-Vee employees in eight states.

Candidates are nominated for the Legendary Customer Service Award by their co-workers, and winners are selected by a panel of Hy-Vee's top officers. Nominations are evaluated on the employee's overall contributions to the company in nine areas: passion for customer service, attitude, initiative, teamwork, problem-solving skills, dedication to Hy-Vee fundamentals, communication skills, professional image and self-confidence.

Tim Cernin, assistant vice president of operations for Hy-Vee's eastern district, said Bettendorf Hy-Vee has found something special in Moeller.

"Mona is someone you look forward to seeing in the morning just to brighten your day with her quick wit," Cernin said. "Mona sets the example in service. And when other checkers are motivated to live up to what Mona's standards are, the store continues to set itself apart – all because of Mona."

Moeller is constantly making new friends and learning about her customers. Al Ulrich, one of Moeller's regular customers, said he looks forward to checking out when Moeller is working because he can count on her having a quick, interesting story or an insightful comment.

"I can honestly tell you that I don't know the names of any cashiers at the dozens of other stores I have shopped at over the years. But I can tell you that I know Mona and I look forward to seeing her in the express lane," said Ulrich. "Some days can be extremely busy for her, but she handles the stress with professionalism and a funny quip. She has even made me laugh on days when I was a little more stressed than usual."

Hy-Vee CEO Randy Edeker said Moeller is exactly the type of employee company officials had in mind when the Legendary Customer Service Award was established in 2006.

"Through the years, our employees have made the name Hy-Vee synonymous with friendliness, caring and outstanding customer service," he said. "This award honors the best of the best, like Mona, who remind all of us what it really means to serve the customer."

Moeller and the other 2014 recipients of the Legendary Customer Service Award will be inducted into Hy-Vee's Customer Service Hall of Fame and receive a coveted Legendary Customer Service name badge and a custom-designed ring to commemorate the honor. They will be guests of honor at their area's service award dinner in October, which honors employees for longevity of service in five-year increments, from five years to 45 years and beyond. And finally, their photos will be prominently featured on the side of Hy-Vee trucks, taking their helpful smiles to millions of travelers throughout the Midwest.

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