Bay Model: Finalists blessed with bouncy confidence

Jacqui Ranui works for the regional council and runs a wedding-planning business

Some of our indulge Bay Model finalists are busy businesswomen. This week Annemarie Quill catches up with a few more of them as they count down to the show

JACQUI RANUI, 38, is a wedding planner and also works as a water administration officer in the Pollution Prevention Team for the regional council.

She lives in Pyes Pa with her schoolteacher husband, Grant, who she has been with since high school.

They have four children. Rhiannen (daughter) is 20 and in her third year of teacher training; 16-year-old Maraea is at Tauranga Girls' College; 15-year-old Haeata is at Tauranga Boys' College; and 6-year-old son Kian is at Pyes Pa School.

"With friends I am sharing a Step Out of Your Comfort Zone Challenge. It took a lot for me to even register.

I was at my son's soccer game when I received the message on my phone that I was a finalist and my photo was in the paper.

I was so shocked I felt almost nauseous. It took me about 24 hours to settle the nerves and decide that this was actually going to be a cool experience.

I think it will be a lot of fun; what lady doesn't like having her hair and makeup done and parading around in beautiful designer clothing.

Also, seeing the progress of all the ladies over the weeks leading up to the fashion parade night. We're all new to this and have the same amount of fairly short time to model with confidence.

It will be a great confidence builder for all participants.

My siblings have been nick-naming me 'Bay Model' and 'Super Model' - as a joke.

I do get a little bit shy about it, but reaction from family and friends has been really positive.

I have been involved in the wedding industry since 2009, when I did my first wedding. I now incorporate special events, corporate events and charities.

In 2013, I added a destinations component and am working with a lovely new business partner to bring the Japanese wedding market to New Zealand.

Hopefully, by next year, we'll be able to release our packages to the Japanese, creating the Bay of Plenty as an ideal wedding destination to the overseas market.

J-Lo from The Wedding Planner makes being a wedding planner look so glamorous, when it's actually very far from it. But it's great helping to make a couple's day awesome.

One of my most memorable weddings had both my worst and best experience. It started with backdrop lighting falling off the wall just before the ceremony; the photographer was three hours late; the cake arrived after long-distance travel with cracks all through it; one of the groomsmen wearing a stark white shirt carried in a bunch of flowers before the ceremony started. When he released them, his white shirt was yellow from pollen stains from the stamens; the power went out; the luxury loos broke down; the bride's father was given the wrong speech notes by his wife ... it was one drama after another.

But all the above issues were remedied promptly, with very little impact to the proceedings and most going unnoticed by attendees and the bride and groom.

Everyone had a fantastic day and the couple and their families were really grateful.

The trends that I am predicting for summer weddings are:
- A more relaxed and casual feel to weddings;
- More inquiries and interest around beach weddings or in an informal environment, like home;
- Wild flowers, assorted jars, rustic and vintage are still pretty big; a lot of DIY creativity."

SUE JAMES, 52, lives in Te Puke with partner Den and their three dogs. Born in Taranaki, she moved to the Mount when she was 9.

Sue James has just made the career switch from personal trainer to selling real estate

"Everyone has been very excited and very supportive. I've had text messages from friends I haven't chatted to in ages. Very nice to hear from them. Shows that lots of people read the Bay of Plenty Times.

I've never done anything like this so I'm not sure what to expect. But I want to have as much fun as I can and get to know the wonderful ladies in the group as well as I can, and just let it happen and hang on. Oh, and I am looking forward to the clothes, of course.

I love chatting to people so I think I have a good personality. Oh, and this may not be unanimous but I think I'm funny and I love to make people laugh.

I was a personal trainer but just waiting for my real estate licence to arrive and will be working for Eves Papamoa.

As I was when I was a personal trainer, I will be self-employed - what you put into it you will be rewarded for. Well, that's the plan."

YOGEETA DEVI, 32, is an accountant with her own practice. Born in Fiji, she lived in Hamilton 15 years ago then moved to Tauranga, where she met her current partner.

Yogeeta Devi runs her own chartered accountancy business

"Mum and Dad live in Auckland as does one of my brothers. My other brother is in San Francisco. I am very close to my family and we do a lot of things together.

I love it here in Tauranga. It's beautiful and sunny and reminds me of beaches in Fiji. The water's not as warm though.

I was in the kitchen cooking breakfast when my partner came running saying I was one of the finalists.

One of his friends saw my photo in the paper and texted him straight away.

I kept asking, 'Are you sure, are you sure? How do you know? We haven't even seen the paper'.

There was a lot of running around and jumping in the kitchen for a few minutes.

My friends from all over New Zealand are coming to the show. It will be great to see them all together and, of course, I am looking forward to the nice outfits, the makeup and the hairdo for the show.

To prepare for the show my personal trainer makes me do a lot of lunges and squats for my legs, which I so hate doing, so they had better be good.

My best talent used to be dancing. I did a lot of dancing growing up.

I enjoy numbers and was good at that at school.

I was given a scholarship to study a business degree and I decided to major in accounting.

At the end of my four-year degree I decided to continue with the chartered accountancy path and here I am so many years later, a fully chartered accountant with my own practice.

I started Accounting Gurus four years ago. We have just over 150 clients and three staff members. Our head office is based in Hamilton although we service the whole central North Island.

It's a personal achievement for me to see my clients doing really well in business and expanding nationwide and always a proud moment when they go global.

We have a great bunch of clients and staff members and it's always fun and great to work with them.''

Fifteen indulge Bay Model finalists will compete in a fashion show on September 26. For details of how to buy tickets, and vote for your favourite indulge Bay Model, see page 24.