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Chapter 23 - Beam

\SATURDAY/

-@Work-

[Ember] \opens door\ (They're here.) \walks to the coffee machine\

*Coffee machine sounds.

[Ember] \serves herself and her guests coffee\ Complimentary coffees.

*The meeting lobby features a mix of comfortable lounge sofas, a coffee table, and decorative plants.

[Ember] Hello, are you my Mom's clients?

[Couple] Ah, Yes. Hello. 

[Ember] So, what do you want to inquire about?

[Couple] Ah yes, we would like your assistance for our wedding plan.

*The girl beams her 5 carat diamond proposal ring. \shines\ 

[Ember] \shocked\ (Wedding plan, huh?) Ah.

[Ember] Welcome to Emfire Management, where we do networking and arrangements for you.

[Ember] Can you tell us your vision, goals?

[Ember] Do you have a planner somewhere?

[Couple] \hands the wedding binder\

*The planner has the weight of an academic textbook, a thesaurus or a trilogy in one binder.

*It's completely personalized, with the power of leftover college stationery sets.

[Ember] \takes\ (Heavy.) \opens the binder, first page\

[Ember] (10 chapters.) \reads\

[Ember] (Chapter 1: What the bride wants, Chapter 2: What the groom wants, Chapter 3: What the bride's parents want...)

[Ember] (Chapter 10: Budget.) \flips to chapter 10 marked by a sticky note bookmark\

[Ember] \internally coughs\ (This budget, wow. That's a lot.) \glances at the couple\

[Ember] (Are they really planning to spend all this in one day, night?)

[Ember] \stares at the budget page again\ (Maybe if we sell our building and maybe sell the condominium too, then maybe I can also do this to my wedding.)

[Ember] \thinks then sighs\ (Ember are you insane! The condominium is still under mortgage, it's not fully paid. And would I really sell all this, for a night?)

[Ember] (Mom wouldn't want that... I wouldn't want that) \sighs\

*Ember now goes to work mode.

[Ember] \flips the bride's page, scans it, then flips the groom's page, scans it\

[Ember] Can you tell me more about your theme?

[Couple-Bride] Yes, So I want it to feel private, like the world is ours for just one night.

[Couple-Groom] I want it to be public. I'm in a band, famous, and we could do a total gig, celebrity and sponsors. I want to show the world, how pretty my bride is.

[Couple-Bride] \blushes\ Can we not make it private? \turns to Ember\

[Ember] (A big venue, for bands, celebrities, sponsors... this is definitely a hotel buyout.)

[Ember] (There's no way to properly accommodate all the guests.) \sighs\ (Other than reserving the whole hotel and its staff...)

[Ember] \glances at the couple and scans the pages some more\

[Ember] (8-course meal, for everyone... this screams 5-star hotel.)

[Ember] \scans again\

[Ember] (Scout international singers... Okay.) \sighs\

[Ember] (We'll need to prepare contracts.)

[Ember] \flips to next page and scans\

[Ember] (Celebrity guests...A photobooth, autograph section? Or just casual red carpet?)

[Ember] \scans the pages\

[Ember] (Professional photographer and a live filming crew.)

[Ember] (...We'll have to rent LED video walls as the background for the video presentation and concert.)

[Ember] \searches and scans the guests list\

[Ember] (Airplane tickets... the guests need a plane, to come...)

[Ember] \scans again\

[Ember] (!) \internally screams\ (A flower cathedral???)

[Ember] (...This page photos and descriptions, is definitely a grand ballroom transformed into old architecture cathedral, using flowers.)

*Grand ballroom is a standard term that implies a large, high ceiling space.

[Ember] (How much flowers is that?)

[Ember] ...(Mom! are you crazy! Isn't this our biggest job yet!? Why did you give this to me!?)

[Ember] \stares at the couple\

[Ember] (A flower cathedral for the wedding, and a concert for the post wedding.)

[Ember] \taps pen\ (Where would the guests go? The common thing to do is to separate, reception from wedding using two ballrooms.)

[Ember] \shakes head\ (No. The bride wants all those wedding flowers in the reception too.) \taps pen\

[Ember] (Should we do a thematic transformation?)

*Thematic transformation- using the same space, wedding ceremony, for the post wedding concert.

[Ember] (Oh yeah, they have the whole hotel. They can change in their own rooms. This also complements the groom's differently-themed concert.)

[Ember] \lost in thought, taps pen, then remembers the couple\

[Ember] Ahm. May I ask, why did you choose us as your wedding managers?

[Couple] \looks at each other\ Our friend recommended you.

[Couple] You held their weddings and they really said, and I'll quote: "They really thought everything through, it's amazing. If you want a great wedding, contact them".

[Ember] (Way to go, Mom. Your effort is back to bite us in the butt T_T)

[Couple-Bride] So are our ideas, okay?

[Couple-Groom] Can you make it work?

[Ember] \smiles\ Let me see.

[Ember] \continues checking\ (!) \glances and stares at the bride\

[Couple-Bride] \notices the shock and glance, immediately understands\ Shhh. \shush gesture, one finger in front of mouth\

[Ember] (A surprise event.) \leans back\ (Even a surprise proposal after the dinner, around midnight.)

[Ember] (The bride's sister will get a proposal... a family approval, and help? Wow.)

[Ember] \reads\ (...The idea for this proposal event is all yours ;3) \sighs\ (What to do?)

[Ember] (Wedding proposal part 2... Isn't this another wedding in my schedule?)

*That thought lingered in Ember's mind.

[Couple-Bride] Uhm okay... But if our ideas don't fit, pick neither of us. Give us a new idea.

[Couple-Groom] \nods\ Yeah, Surprise us.

[Ember] (!) ...We will review this planner and contact you as soon as possible.

[Couple] Okay, thank you! \waves\

...

*The sounds of rushing footsteps echo as soon as the couple left.

*Ember suddenly stops.

[Ember] (Wait... where's the budget for when they have kids?)

*Ember is reminded, that this insane budget is truly, just for a wedding.

...

[Ember] Mom!!! Why did you give this to me!!!

[Ember's Mom] Well it's obvious. The couples are young, your design vision fits them best, don't you think? Use that.

[Ember] ...Are you telling me to plan my dream wedding, Mom? And it won't be my wedding!?

[Ember's Mom] ...At least try it Ember. Go see your dream wedding.

[Ember] \sighs\ Mom. How much do I have for my wedding? Do I even have a wedding fund?

[Ember's Mom] ...Ask your husband.

[Ember] \T_T\

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