Party, Wedding, & Event Planning

by Bob Suter of Newsday: The new year brings a new calendar sprinkled with special events - anniversaries, weddings, birthdays, bar mitzvahs, etc. It also brings a new site that aims to eliminate much of the legwork involved in assembling the elements needed for a special occasion. Utilizing the MyAffair.com search screen, you fill in the ZIP code, date and time of your event. Then, from a series of pulldown menus, you indicate the event, service you require (band, bartender, hall rental, photographer, etc.) and amount you'd like to spend. The site searches its database of entries and returns a list of those in your geographic area most closely meeting your criteria. Listings include pricing and contact information and are often accompanied by a photo. A trial query seeking a band to perform at a wedding produced musical options including a salsa band, a harpist and a duo playing classical and jazz/contemporary music, the latter offering MP3 samples of their performances. Those providing services can list with the site free of charge.