spring 2016 bridal guide

Bridalguide

$5.00A special supplement to The News Sun, The Herald Republican and The Star.

FEBRUARY 2016

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Putting together the perfect wedding takes much planning.

That’s why we have created this guide. We want to make sure your special day is wonderful and one you remember forever!

Our Spring 2016 Bridal Guide will help you make many of the big decisions that lie ahead. From taking the stress out of planning to trying to buy the right wedding ring, the guide offers much valuable informa-tion.

We also hope you will enjoy the story written by reporter Mariah Miller, for-merly Martz, one of our reporters who was married last fall. She talks about the details that went into her wedding.

Also, we have pulled together infor-

mation about wedding photography, when to hold weddings, bachelor parties and

much more, all written by members of the KPC Media Group staff.

As you read through these pages, we hope you will find the information helpful as you plan for the big day, and find the adver-tising messages useful with your wedding needs.

This guide is also available online at kpc-news.com.

Best wishes to all of the happy couples out

there in northeast Indiana from all of us at KPC Media Group!

ON THE COVER: Mariah Miller poses on her wedding day that was cus-tom designed by her and her husband, Austin Miller. Photo courtesy ChromeL-ens Photography

Welcome

Spring Bridal Guide • February 2016 • kpcnews.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

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BY PATRICK [email protected]

KENDALLVILLE — Digital photog-raphy has changed the way the world takes pictures, including weddings.

Thousands of websites are now devoted to new and different ways to take wedding

pictures, but local wedding photography professionals warn grooms and brides to be not too get too caught up in having their wedding photo shot with those trends in mind at the expense of traditional, time-less, once-in-a-lifetime wedding and fam-ily photos.

A beautiful wedding photograph, they point out, never goes out of style.

These days, the ways to shoot a wed-ding are almost as varied as the number of digital cameras on the market, and new and different trends in wedding photogra-phy pop up almost every day.

So what’s a bride and groom to do?Experts say start surfing the web and

look at photographs to educate yourself, but once the big day starts to loom on the horizon, find and talk to a wedding pho-tographer. Wedding photography trends are almost countless, from Instagram to self-ies, photo booths to photo books, wedding photojournalism to photo-backlighting; all popular techniques. But not all of those techniques lend themselves to backbone of wedding photography — couple, wedding party and family portraits.

Flashy or not, good lighting and rich colors, as well as strong composition and sharp focus are always in style, said one wedding photographer.

Grant Beachy, an Indiana-based por-trait photographer and wedding specialist who works across the Midwest but calls Goshen his home, warns couples to not get so caught up having the trendiest wedding album possible while forgetting good basic wedding photographs of the bride and groom and their families.

“I try and strike a balance. I think there’s a real danger of responding too quickly to trends,” he said, “because in 10 years, when you’re looking at the photos, you don’t want to have lost those timeless elements.”

Angola’s Bill Eyster of Eyster Photo &

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See PHOTOGRAPHY page 5 Spring Bridal Guide • February 2016 • kpcnews.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc.

Graphics agrees.“People are doing a lot of wild things in

post processing and doing things with wild color effects, and some of that is OK,” he explained. “You have the whole Instragram revolution that has affected the looks that some people want to see, but I would say it’s hard to beat a nicely composed, well-lit, family photo that doesn’t need a lot of stuff added to it.”

Eyster said he looks online to learn and understand what’s new. One trend he en-joys is photographing the proposal. Eyster said he’s already had two recent requests to shoot proposals.

Beachy’s strongest advice is find a photographer you feel comfortable with, someone who you can happily work with for the eight or so hours it can take to shoot a complete wedding.

Talk about the photographs with the photographer long before the big day, and feel free to make suggestions, he said, but rely on the photographer’s skill and profes-sionalism to get the job done right.

“Trust them and enjoy your day,” he explained.

Eyster said natural moments that happen throughout the day, but can’t be posed or predicted, add life to any wedding album.

“You still want to have those family shots, group shots, all nicely composed, but yes, I think a whole wedding photo package needs to be really good record of the wedding day and it needs to have those special moments you see throughout the day,” he explained. “I’m always on the

lookout for those moments because they’re very fleeting.”

A final bit of advice. While digital discs of images are nice, and can be enjoyed on an smart device, don’t forget to budget some money for actual wedding prints. Over time, discs can be scratched or acci-dentally destroyed and five years after the wedding, it might be impossible to have the disc replaced.

The lakes and many golf courses around northeast Indiana provide excellent outdoor studios for wedding photos.

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PHOTOGRAPHY Bridal Guide

From page 4

PHOTOGRAPHY


BY KATHRYN [email protected]

From vendors to budgets, guest lists to reception venues, planning a wed-ding can become overwhelming if you don’t stay organized and on track.

According to the popular marriage website TheKnot.com, “the key to a glitch-free wedding is smart planning.”

So do you enlist the help of a pro-fessional wedding consultant, or do you go it alone?

According to TheKnot, a consultant will save you stress during the planning process and especially on the actual day of your wedding. As well as over-seeing logistics, a consultant also will offer ideas and insights.

Wedding and event planner Andi Jo Clark operates Simply Sparrow in Fort Wayne. She describes her role as being the go-to person and the voice of reason on what is feasible for couples

based on their vision and their budget.“I try to make sure that my No. 1

priority is the bride,” Clark said.

Wedding consultants are familiar with ven-dors and are able to make recommen-dations and suggestions to couples who don’t know where to start. Plan-ners also are familiar with pricing and rates for services and are able to help couples make the most of their budgets.

Clark said she has worked with many vendors and can connect couples

with the ven-dors who would best serve the couples’ needs, based on their vision, budget, the wedding location and the season.

“It saves time,” Clark said. “I’ve al-ready worked with so many so I know what’s going to fit.”

Wedding planners also

are there to make the wedding day less stressful by taking care of small problems that may arise during the cer-emony or reception.

Clark recalled stepping in to solve a problem when the power went out at a church on the day a wedding she was coordinating was scheduled to take place. Clark said she went out and bought candles to fill the space, as well as obtaining a generator. The bride did not have to worry and things went for-ward beautifully.

Clark said her role also involves making sure everyone and everything stays on track on the day of the wed-ding. During the ceremony, she might have to coax a flower girl to walk down the aisle or make sure members of the wedding party are where they need to be at the correct time.

At the reception, she makes sure special highlights such as dances and speeches take place at the appropriate time and that the sound system and mi-crophones are working properly.

“There are so many little things and each wedding is so different,” Clark said.

For those who choose to go it alone, there are a wealth online resources, wedding planner books, checklists, budget worksheets, timelines and apps to help steer them through the wedding planning process.

Using a wedding planner helps you overcome many worries

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Bridal Guide WEDDING PLANNER

She describes her role as being the go-to person and the voice of reason on what is feasible for couples based

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— Andi Jo Clark

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WEDDING RINGS Bridal Guide

BY JENNIFER [email protected]

KENDALLVILLE — Buying engage-ment and wedding rings is a big step for a couple.

Oodles of choices with gems, metals, prices and designs greet shoppers. Mor-ris Barker, sales manager and goldsmith with Barker’s Jewelry, 123 S. Main St., Kendallville, said it’s important to re-member there are alternatives.

“It’s really changed,” he said. “With engagement rings, we try to stick to matching (with wedding rings).”

Others couples are looking for alter-natives to gold and he said titanium steel and sterling silver is available.

“One in 10 or 15 come in with a de-sign,” he said. “Most want diamonds, but we get some who want colored gems.”

He said it’s a good feeling when he helps a bride or groom find just the right ring and fit. Their search is over, as their investment in ring choice symbolizes their nuptials.

Brekan Manahan said it’s a matter of satisfying and educating customers.

Manahan is a bench jeweler and gem-ologist at Christianson Jewelers, 127 S. Main St., Kendallville. She said buying the right ring starts with answering ques-tions.

“If they’re undecided, it’s a matter

of getting to know them,” she said. “Traditionally, the gentleman comes in with a list and wants to get it right. The No. 1 thing is after we narrow it down,

Choosing the right ring is an investment

Barker’s Jewelry, 123 S. Main St., Kendallville, has a selection of engagement and wedding rings and rings for other special occasions, watches and fine jewelry. The store has been in business for 60 years. Shown are owner Ruth Barker and her son, Morris Barker, sales manager and goldsmith.

DENNIS NARTKER

See RINGS page 11


Bride and groom photos of Mariah and Austin Miller were taken in the apple orchard at Sylvan Cellars Event Center in Rome City. The apple orchard was a big focal point for pictures. The scene was romantic, tranquile and fit in well with our fall theme.

CHROMELENS PHOTOGRAPHY

Bridal Guide COVER STORY

A custom wedding fit for twoBY MARIAH [email protected]

Planning a wedding is a kind of like running a marathon. Brides plan for months up until the wedding

day, the big day comes and goes in a flash, and then a couple months later you’re left to reflect.

Austin and I were married Oct. 24, 2015. Reflecting back on my own wedding expe-rience, what I found to be the most unique aspect is how everything was tailored to our liking, partly because I’m guilty of being a picky control freak. A lesson in Marriage 101: admit to and accept your faults. Sorry Mr. Miller.

But in all seriousness, the whole day was

custom to fit our specific tastes including the menu, music, venue, flowers and photogra-phy. Even our wine selection was personal-ized.

While planning took a little extra effort, at the end the day, it was all well worth it.

MenuWe started the whole wedding planning

checklist by meeting with an event plan-ner from Empyrean Events and Catering of Fort Wayne to start putting together our customized, seasonally-influenced menu. Austin and I agreed early on in the planning process that we wanted exceptional food choices for our guests to enjoy during the reception.

After sharing our favorite staple dishes, Austin’s being pasta and mine being fish, we had our very own custom-made wedding menu.

During the cocktail hour, guests sampled mini chicken and waffles, braised pork belly with white cheddar grits and potato croquettes with tomato marma-lade.

The three main dishes for our guests to choose

from included an orange dusted sea bass with butterscotch miso, beef tenderloin with a demi glace over dauphinoise potatoes and

homemade spinach and vegetable lasa-gna with seasonal squash and boursin cheese.

The plated dinner was served to guests on mis-matched china pur-chased from local antique shops.

VenueThe wedding

reception was held at Sylvan Cellars Event Center in Rome City. The event center was especially unique because of the historic, vintage nature of the establishment newly renovated with modern, elegant elements.

My sister and brother-in-law happen to own the establishment so the night was not only a celebration of Austin and I’s committment to each other, but also a cel-ebration of their accomplishments with the venue.

Sylvan is, in my opinion, the perfect combination of rustic yet regal. High gabled ceilings with original woodwork with added crystal chandeliers and dim lighting. Guests enjoyed a cocktail hour in the tasting room downstairs while we finished photos in the orchard.

FlowersWhen you think flower arrangements,

you think to pick a color scheme and that’s all, right? Wrong. At the end of my consul-tation with Kari Geary from BeMarried of Fort Wayne, I had decided on blueberries in the boutonnieres and apples in the tall table arrangements. Who knew?

The color scheme I decided on was a romantic, classic theme incorporating deep red hues, soft blues, golds and silvers. The tables were decorated with large candelabras and floral arrangements with roses, hydran-geas, pink peonies, and apples picked from the apple orchard on the grounds.

It turned out to be a brisk fall day and overcast, which is perfect for taking pictures. I loved how the bridal party pictures turned out with the big tree in the background bursting with orange and red fall colors.


The Austin and Mariah Miller wedding reception was held at Sylvan Cellars Event Center in Rome City.


Austin Miller poses for a photo in the orchard at Silvan Cellers.


COVER STORY Bridal Guide

See CUSTOM WEDDING page 10

Reflecting back on my own wedding experience, what I found to be the most

unique aspect is how everything was tailored to our liking, partly because I’m

guilty of being a picky control freak.”

— Mariah Miller

“

Spring Bridal Guide • February 2016 • kpcnews.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc. Page 9 Spring Bridal Guide • February 2016 • kpcnews.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc.

Guests found their table number on mismatched china purchased from local antique shops. The plated dinner was also served on china.


PhotographyThe two of us met with Kristi Martin

of Chromelens Photography of Syracuse a few times before the wedding. Part of what sold me on hiring Martin was how passionate she is about her craft, and how adamant she was about meeting and truly grasping my vision. She insisted on meet-ing a couple times before our engagement

photo session to get to know Austin and I personally to capture our personalities and unique love story.

Martin’s approach to wedding pho-tography was exactly what I had in mind. The pictures look relaxed and natural instead of posed and artificial, which is what initially attracted me to her style of photography.

MusicAdmittedly, this was extremely

time-consuming but, to me, nothing kills the mood more than a group dance or the recent hip-hop hit making my Grandma blush with embarrassment.

Austin and I both started making lists of our favorite songs to include on the playlist. We also took recommendations from friends and family members on their favorite songs to play. Our first dance was “Only One” by The Black Keys, my favorite band.

The Brat Pack performed our favorite classic songs during dinner and then we transitioned into the playlist once guests finished dinner and started to flood the dancefloor.

I’ve never understood why people say, “Well it’s not actually about what you want” because yes, it is. Let your day be an expression of who you are as a couple so you can reflect back on the day with a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction.

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Bridal Guide COVER STORY

From page 9

CUSTOM WEDDING

Page 10 Spring Bridal Guide • February 2016 • kpcnews.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc.

WEDDING RINGS Bridal Guide

what’s the price range? Traditional round diamond or princess cut?”

Engagement rings are usually solo endeavors and couples shop for their wedding ring sets together. When the time comes to shop, give yourselves at least two months to browse and then choose the rings you like best.

Choosing rings comes down to per-sonal preference and it can help for each person to list the attributes he or she would like in a ring. This should include the type of metal, color, width and even cost. Couples may find they have different preferences, and this is perfectly fine, as wedding rings do not have to match.

A wedding band should complement the engagement ring but not be a per-fect match.

Similarly cut gemstones also can complement an engagement ring. If the bride chooses to wear both her engage-ment ring and wedding band together on the same finger, she should choose a band that will accommodate the curves of uniquely shaped engagement rings.

Lifestyle and daily routine should be considered at all times. These rings will be worn daily, and no one wants to fret about a ring being too delicate to stand up to everyday wear and tear. Also, think long-term. Trendy rings can be fun, but will they still seem like such a good idea when you are celebrating your 20th wedding anniversary?

When getting rings sized, both the bride and groom should go when their fingers aren’t swollen from exercise or early in the morning after they may have retained fluid. Shopping should take place when hands aren’t too hot or cold. This will allow the best size so the bands fit comfortably and will have enough wiggle room should fingers swell or shrink a little bit.

People can protect their investments by keeping the ring on as much as possible and only removing it when en-gaging in demanding physical activity or when working with chemicals. Store the ring in a safe spot when you are not wearing it so you are less likely to lose it.

Wedding rings can be purchased from any number of retailers. Just be sure the rings are of good quality and the seller stands by the craftsmanship.

From page 7

RINGS

Bench jeweler and gemologist Brekan Manahan, Christianson Jewelers, Kendallville, examines a ring she is crafting to ensure the stone is secured.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

Spring Bridal Guide • February 2016 • kpcnews.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc. Page 11

BY AMY [email protected]

Why have your anniversary at the same time as everyone else, and when ev-erything else is going on during the busy summer months?

Some couples purposefully choose to get married in the fall or winter, to get the most out of their bridal budget or to avoid competition from the many sum-mer festivities.

For those looking for a scenic wooded wedding, the Potwatomi Inn offers a 2-for-1 winter special for lodging. The inn — nestled in Pokagon State Park on Lake James — runs the special Nov. 29 to Feb. 25, except during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, Dec. 20-31.

People can take advantage of two nights’ stay Sunday through Thursday for the price of one night, mak-ing a wed-ding party at the inn a bargain for those bring-ing guests from out of town.

Honey-moon desti-nations may be more affordable off-sea-son. According to a report by CNN, the

cheapest time for a Caribbean cruise is October through mid-November, toward

the end of hurricane season.

Airlines tend to offer the least expen-sive fares between the most expensive travel times, gener-ally between Thanks-giving and Christmas and New Year’s Eve and spring break. Taking advantage of honeymoon travel deals not only guar-antees a fantastic venture after the big

day, but also inexpensive anniversary travel in the future.

Reception locations provide off-sea-son deals, according to theknot.com. That may go for photographers and caterers as well, who are grateful for work during less busy times.

For those considering off-season wed-dings, there are some contingencies to be made. Decor may incorporate items associated with the season, such as fall leaves for a November wedding. Winter bouquets tend to feature a lot of whites and reds, according to Teleflora.

“Many bridal shops start receiving large shipments of dresses in November because so many couples get engaged around Christmas and on New Year’s Eve, then begin shopping for dresses in the winter. If you shop in December, when stores are less crowded and are try-ing to boost their end-of-the-year sales, you’ll be in a better position to negoti-ate,” says a Forbes report.

Wedding planning, and the wedding timing itself, can be optimized to fit a budget and a couple’s unique interests. Just because it’s not mid-August doesn’t mean a wedding can’t be fantastic and full of fun.

Weddings don’t have to be in the summer

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Bridal Guide SEASONS

Decor may incorporate items associated with the season, such as fall leaves for a November wedding.

Winter bouquets tend to feature a lot of whites and reds.”

— Teleflora

“


BY JACOB [email protected]

Bachelor and bachelorette parties give the bride and groom and their friends a last chance to let loose before the care-fully scheduled and planned wedding day.

But if it’s not done right, the parties can quickly become a hassle, says the website theknot.com. After all, an entire film franchise is dedicated to bachelor parties gone wrong. Here’s a few tips to make your party spectacular, memorable and stress-free:

• Keep it simple — Don’t bite off more than you can chew when planning the party. Make sure you can pull off whatever you’re planning. A picture-per-fect, extravagant weekend to the big city isn’t always the best choice. Alterna-tively, spend a weekend at a lake house or rent a cabin at a state park.

• Be creative — Outside-the-box party ideas can be both cheaper and more memorable than a big trip to Las Vegas or another big city. Instead of just going out to restaurants or bars, plan more high-oc-tane excursions — like skydiving, rock climbing or whitewater rafting. Chances are you’ll be talking about those adven-tures years later.

• Timing is key — Nobody wants to show up to the wedding day still feel-

ing it from the events of the party the night before. The party should be scheduled at least a week before the wed-ding, but you might want to schedule it up to a month prior to the big day. De-pending on what kind of party you plan, this might be the best option. Be sure to give those invited plenty of advance notice so that anyone traveling

from out of town will have time to plan accordingly.

• Get on the same page — Make sure you know what type of party the bride or groom wants. If they don’t have a good time, no one else will, either. Contact ev-eryone who will be attending the party and make sure ev-

eryone stays in the loop. Figure out how much everyone is willing to spend on the party and stick to that price range.

Take time to plan bachelor, bachelorette parties

BACHELOR & BACHELORETTE PARTIES Bridal Guide

Instead of just going out to restau-rants or bars, plan more high-oc-tane excursions — like skydiving,

rock climbing or whitewater rafting. Chances are you’ll be talking about

those adventures years later.

“

Great

ConnectionsLocal and

World News!

kpcnews.com Spring Bridal Guide • February 2016 • kpcnews.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc. Page 13

Mariah Miller’s grandma, Jackie Swain, passed away a week before her wedding. She wore her wedding ring, shown in the foreground, on the big day.


BY DENNIS [email protected]

Traditional Christian marriage cere-monies in the Western world are full of

symbolism such as a wedding cake, wed-ding gown, bouquet, bridal veil, wedding ring, throwing rice, honeymoon, carrying the bride across the threshold, bride

standing left of the groom, wedding bells, groomsmen and garters.

Many of the symbols go back to an-cient times. Here’s some information from LovetoKnow.com and Llewellyn Worldwide.

How many symbols are used depends on the bride and groom, but some are meant to invoke good luck, long life and fertility, and skipping them could mean bad luck.

Here are some of the symbols, their origins and what they mean:

• Wedding cake — goes back to Roman times when a cake of meal was crumbled over the bride’s head to pro-vide good luck. The cake symbolizes good fortune and fertility and brings good luck to everyone who eats it. The bride is suppose cut the first slice, but

Many symbols involved in weddings have ancient roots

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Bridal Guide SYMBOLS

See SYMBOLS page 15

Carrying the bride across the threshold — This tradition prevents

the bride from stumbling, a bad omen.

“


now days the groom helps. The groom feeding the bride the first slice is also a modern tradition.

• Wedding gown — dates to ancient Egypt when the bride wore a dress of shear silk that clung to her body. Since then more and more has been added for modesty. White symbolizes purity and innocence. Now brides tend to wear any color.

• Bridal veil — brides may choose to wear a veil of a friend or relative who is happily married. The veil conceals the bride’s beauty from evil spirits who might try to steal her away.

• Bouquet — symbolizes joyful love-making and fertility. Ribbons bring good luck, and love knots at each end of ribbon symbolize unity and wholeness. The bride throwing the bouquet is a modern tradition. The woman attending the wed-ding who catches it will be the next bride.

• Wedding ring — should be a perfect circle with no beginning and no end to symbolize union, eternity and com-pleteness. Romans introduced rings of precious metals such as gold and silver to show the woman was married. The wedding ring has been worn on different fingers at different times in history. In an-cient Greece, it was on the index finger, and in India, it was on the thumb. The third finger on the left hand was thought to have a vein that led directly to the heart.

• Throwing rice — Rice symbolizes fertility, prosperity and good health in the orient. Throwing it over the marriage couple is a way of wishing them good luck.

• Honeymoon — The word comes from an ancient Teuton practice of drink-ing mead, a wine made from honey, for a moon’s cycle (one month) after the wedding.

• Carrying the bride across the thresh-old — This tradition prevents the bride from stumbling, a bad omen.

• Bride stands on the left side of the groom — In ancient times this allowed the groom’s sword arm (right) to be free to fight off other suitors.

• Groomsmen — In the middle ages

groomsmen kidnapped bride for the cer-emony or helped defend the bride from suitors.

• Wedding bells — Spread the word that an event had taken place at the church.

• Garter — narrow band of fabric

worn about a leg. The bride removes the garter during the reception and tosses it to unmarried male guests after tossing the bouquet. The man who catches the garter and the woman who catches the bouquet will be the next man and woman to be married.

SYMBOLS Bridal Guide

From page 14

SYMBOLS

The bouquets for Mariah Miller’s wedding were done by Kari Geary of BeMarried. The color scheme for the flowers included deep reds, soft blues and light pinks.


Spring Bridal Guide • February 2016 • kpcnews.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc. Page 15

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spring 2016 bridal guide

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