with this ring the kentucky new era presents |...

The pleasure of your company is requested at the James E. Bruce Convention Center

99thth Annual Bridal ExpoAnnual Bridal ExpoWhere the Magic Begins

Sunday, February 17 • 1:00p.m.-5:00p.m.Located off Lovers Lane from 41A in Hopkinsville, KY

With this Ring ...THE KENTUCKY NEW ERA PRESENTS | FEBRUARY 2013

IN THIS ISSUE n

“Love is friendshipset on fire.”

Jeremy TaylorCleric in the Church of England, sometimes known as the “Shakespeare of Divines” n

PAGE 2Choosing a photographer

I’m not sure if all girls are like this or justme, but I’ve been readingwedding magazines

since I was in high school. Ihad my dress picked out,the colors, the details, all ofit. I even own two event de-sign books by celebrityevent designer, Preston Bai-ley, and have read EmilyPost’s wedding etiquittebook multiple times, justfor fun.

So when the opportunitypresented itself to workon “With this Ring …” I jumped at the

chance. In this special section, I hope tohelp brides, myself included, in puttingtogether the biggest day of our lives. As Iwrite this, I have 30 days left till my bigday. Crazy. In planning our weddings, Ihope we all remember to keep what is im-portant at the forefront of our minds. Thefood may not taste the best, the band maysound horrible and our distant unclemight get overly intoxicated and make afool out of himself, but in the end all thatmatters is both of you say “I do.”

Happy planning!

MONICA K. SMITH is the New Era Community Editor and recent bride-to-be. Reach her at 270-887-3243 or [email protected].

MONICA K.SMITH n

PAGE 5

My $2,000 wedding budget

PAGE 11

All in the details:Easy decorating ideas to make your wedding stand out

AND MORE!

PAGE 8

Local StyleOne couple’s love of UK becomes

the theme of their big day

BY MONICA K. SMITH

NEW ERA COMMUNITY EDITOR

“At the end of a wedding all you have areyour memories and photos.”

That’s the driving force behind the workof photographer

Craig Hodge. Hetook a momentfrom his day toshare with uswhat he believesbrides should look

for when bookinga photographer.n What should

brides look for?Look at their

portfolio.It’s notabout

their volume but the quality of theirphotographs. Do you relate to the im-agery? Do you look at a photo and aredrawn to it?n What about their experience?You have some people who have been

photographing weddings for 15 yearsand some who have been doing it for twoyears who are just as good. For some peo-ple, the one with 15 years is good forthem, but not every photographer isright for every bride. You should be ableto connect with their work.n What are some challenges?Lighting. The equipment I use allows

me to work in really dark situations.Also now knowing what to expect, butthat can be easily overcome with atimeline worksheet.n What is a timeline worksheet?It makes you plan out the day so you

know how much time is allocated fortravel for the photographer, where tobe, when to be there. It makes the dayeasier for everyone so there is no pres-sure. You have plenty of time to geteverything done.n What is the turn-around time to

get your photos?For me it’s typically two to three

weeks. There is a bad stigma for wed-ding photographers. There are storiesof people who have been married forthree years and are still waiting fortheir photos. My uncle waited ninemonths. I like to build on the excite-ment after the wedding.n What’s a piece of advice you

give to brides when selecting a pho-tographer?

You should be comfortable with thephotographer. A good way to do that is

through an engagement shoot. That way,the bride and groom get used to the pho-tographer and the photographer getsused to them. They should feel comfort-able with each other because, by the timethe wedding is over, the photographerwill have spent more time with the brideand groom than they have with eachother on their wedding day.

MONICA K. SMITH is the New Era Community Editor and recent bride-to-be. Reach her at 270-887-3243 or [email protected].

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TALK WITH THE EXPERTS n

Choosing the person to spend the day with: Your photographerQuickInfo:Craig Hodge Photography

www.creativecraigcreations.com270-839-3132craig@creativecraigcreations.com

Craig Hodge is a local photographer whotook a few minutes out of his day to sharehis thoughts to future to brides.

MONEY TALKS n

Tips from real brides

BY MONICA K. SMITH


You’ve heard of taking a loan out to pay for a house or a car, but whatabout for a party? That’s what brides may be tempted to do, especiallysince, in 2012, Brides magazine said the average American couple spendsaround $27,000 on their wedding day. And the cost adds up quickly withfood, decorations, invitations, wedding gowns, tuxes, entertainment, pho-tography, wedding favors; it’s not long before your budget is stretched.

The discussion boards of wedding websites are full of brides askingthe same question: How do I save money? The answer may be more ap-parent than you think, although it may require some sacrifices.

The best plan of action is to be prepared prior to anyone popping thequestion. If you plan on getting married at some point, start saving now.

For those looking to purchase rings, bigger isn’t always better. There isa temptation out there to get the largest diamond available, but it’s notnecessary. Your beloved is saying “yes” to you, not your ring.

Once someone has asked and someone else has accepted, it’s time todetermine who is paying for what. This might be an uncomfortable con-versation to have with both families, but it important. The days of thebride’s family paying for the entire wedding have become days whereboth families work together to make the day memorable. Don’t go in withany set expectations and know that for some people providing financialsupport means they get a say in the details of the wedding.

Once you’ve set your budget, decide what things you must have, whatthings you want to have and what things you’d like to have. Practical de-cisions start with date, location, attire and food. Next comes the “want tohave” including types of flowers, decorations and entertainment. Thencomes the “like to have,” including all the extras like fireworks or elabo-rate invitations. And this list may vary from bride to bride. To savemoney, cut the areas that aren’t as important to you.

When determining the date of the wedding, remember weekdays andafternoons are cheaper than a Saturday evening.

Near the top of your list should be determining your guest list. Theoverall cost of a wedding can vary dramatically based on the number ofpeople attending. If you’re looking for an effective, but sometimes diffi-cult, way to trim costs, consider having a smaller wedding.

Finding a wedding dress in your budget can sometimes be a challenge.One tip is when trying on dresses, tell the store your budget and thenstick to it. Tell them to only bring you items that fall within your budget.It is harder to say “no” if you fall in love with a dress you’ve tried on.Protect your heart and steer clear of dresses outside of your budget.

In the end, the wedding is what you make it. Instead of worrying aboutfilling your day with wedding items, focus on filling it with loved onesand good memories.

Groom $One yearFamily and friends $One lifetimeEverything else $A lot of money

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TOTAL : $Priceless-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Taking a loan out to pay for a wedding

RECEIPT-----------------------------

PAID

n Bride – pays for the groom’s ring, lodging for her out-of-town atten-dants, a wedding gift for the groom and gifts to the bridesmaids.n Groom – pays for the engagement and wedding rings for the bride,

fees for the marriage license or other legal documents, lodging for out-of-town attendants, clergy fee, cost of honeymoon, and wedding gift forbride and groomsmen.n Bridesmaids – pays for the bridal shower and bachelorette party.

Also pays for their own gowns and accessories.n Groomsmen – pay for the bachelor party, their

own attire.n Parents of the groom – pay for the rehearsal

dinner, wedding brunch and a gift to the couple.n Parents of the bride – generally they pay

for everything else including venue, food, enter-tainment, flowers, in addition to bridal gownand a gift to the couple.

Traditional roles in financing a wedding

WE WENT ONLINE AND ASKED FACEBOOK FANS OF THE NEW ERA TO SHARE WITH US THEIR TIPS

FOR SAVING A FEW DOLLARS WHEN PLANNING THEIR BIG DAY.

Shannon Finley My fiance & I are getting married in October.My maid of honor & I are making all of ourbouquets & arrangements ourselves, ratherthan hiring a florist.

Christina Maria Jones I'm not getting married until 2014 but when Ifind things on clearance or really cheap I getit then, plus I'm pretty much doing everythingfrom flowers, decorations, my own cake andcatering, my invitations and favors. It saves alot from hiring other people to do it for you.

Angela Reeder I actually bought some things and borrowed some things. I bought tablecloths, runners, glass votives — that was cheaper than renting those thingsfrom a planner. Then I sold them on ebay or at a yard sale and got backabout half of what was spent. For example, I bought table cloths online forabout $9-$10 each. We used them for the wedding and for a couple otherthings afterward (it would have cost about $20 each to rent) then sold themonline for $5 each. I don't recommend doing your own catering or cake justbecause the last few days before the wedding are super hectic unless youhave lots of people to help you cook.

Janet Read Godsey My husband and I servedcommunion to our guestsright after we were pronounced man andwife (after the kiss ofcourse). We had minimalflower arrangements inthe sanctuary, becausewe wanted the focus to beon the communion elements. That savedmoney and kept the focuswhere we wanted it to be.

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BY MONICA K. SMITH


When looking through a wedding planning guide,most couples have at least a handful of months to planout their big day. My fiancé and I had seven weeks.

He is in the Army and going to Korea for a year andwe wanted to get married before he left. Having a quickwedding meant we put the whole party together withthe money in our pockets: about $2,000.

Although $2,000 sounds like a good amount of money,in the wedding-planning world, that amount will payfor a dress and a cake. Or a cake and a photographer. Orthe venue. But not all of them. Having planned out mywedding a million times in my own head (down to theprice of my wedding favors) it should have been easy toput this together — however, in all my original plans Ihad a healthy budget. This was going to be tricky andwe were going to have to think outside the box.

I was lucky in coming across the Christian CountyChamber of Commerce newsletter which announcedthe opening of 801 Main — formerly known as theHogshead. It is now an event space with plenty ofcharm. The warm wood floors, round lights and vin-tage feel meant I would be able to host a reception therewith little decorating needed. The space has its owncharacter, I wouldn’t need to add much — but if Iwanted, I would be able to as long as we “put everythingback the way you found it.”

We were able to book both downstairs halls for a frac-tion of the price most venues charge in addition to hav-ing it the entire day and being allowed to come in theday prior to decorate. In one hall would be the weddingceremony followed by cocktail hour. From there guestswould enter through two large wooden and glass doorsinto the main reception space.

While 801 Main worked with us on drinks, we choseto cater through another nontraditional business. Abuffet. We went with Hong Kong Garden who workedwell within our budget to ensure our 100 guests wouldbe well fed through four main course options, two types

of rice and two side items. We printed our invitations through an online company

who delivered them in a week. They were simple but fitour personalities and the mood of the wedding. Our sim-ple but elegant cake was created by local baker MarilynSt. John of Sweet Designs by Marilyn. The band on FortCampbell cannot play at any civilian event, howevermany of their players do work together on the weekendsto play at weddings and parties. We had the option to get asix-piece jazz combo band with the rest of our money.

That still left us with photography, video, flower, hair,makeup, party favors and the big one — the dress. Forthe majority of those things, we looked to family andfriends. Friends doubled as photographers taking pho-tos from their many perspectives throughout the event,in addition to some friends pulling a double shift doinghair and make up. We decided not to have video orparty favors to save money and it appeared no one re-ally cared that they didn’t have another knick-knack toadd to their garage-sale pile. As for the flowers anddress, my mother was insistent on having flowers —something I don’t really care for or against and my fam-ily pulled together to get the dress of my dreams thatwas way out of my price range on my own (thank you!).

In the end, the wedding cost my fiancé and I $2,400. Notwithin my budget but pretty close and I think we did apretty good job. In the end what was important to us washaving each other, our family and friends, and good foodand entertainment. Everything after that was extra.

My $2,000 wedding: Remembering what is importantMONEY TALKS n

MONICA K. SMITH | KENTUCKY NEW ERA

The character of 801 Main means less work with decorations. The spaceholds enough for my 100 guests and is flexible in its layout.

The pleasure of your company is requested at the

James E. BruceConvention Center

99thth Annual Annual Bridal ExpoBridal Expo

Where the Magic BeginsWhere the Magic BeginsSunday, February 17

1:00p.m.-5:00p.m.Located off Lovers Lane from

41A in Hopkinsville, KY

Everything you need to plan the perfect wedding will be together in one place for this fun-filled and

informative afternoon.There will be lots of prizes as well aswork shops and of course spectacularfashion shows for everyone to enjoy.

Some lucky bride will receive the GrandPrize Package at the end of the event.Tickets: $5.00 in Advance - $8.00 At Door

For more information please call: (270)707-7000 / (877)452-3836

BY MONICA K. SMITH


There is a great debate between havinga live band and using a disc jockey dur-ing a wedding reception. For BrandonBurke, with First Dance DJ Service, hebelieves brides should choose what theylike and what stays in their budget. n What is better, a band or a DJ?A DJ is cheaper for sure and even a

band needs a DJ for when they are be-tween sets. That’s something to ask aband. A lot of them prefer a soundengineer so they can focus on themusic. I can do both.n What are some other bene-

fits to having a DJ?The number of songs can be an

issue. A band can only know somany songs as far as requests gowhereas I can get on my phone, buyit, download it and that’s that. It’snice to have a digital system.n What should brides focus on

when choosing a DJ?Price, of course, but also if the DJ

fits your personality. Different DJsput on different types of shows.Some focus more on their lights, oth-ers on music quality and some areon the microphone more, whetherthat is too much or too little.n How can a bride tell if a DJ

is good for them?If you can, go see them in action

if they are doing an event some-

where. You can also ask other people forreferrals. The wedding industry is wellconnected and if you can’t get a good re-ferral that might be an indicator. But

that’s with any vendor. Ask other ven-dors if they’ve heard of them. It does-

n’t hurt to ask.n What should brides have

when meeting with a DJ?

If you have a theme, let the DJknow. It’s also important to know

who is involved in the wed-ding party. I give people

documents that explainthe song order for theceremony and recep-tion. It might not fityour line up, but it’sjust to show you thepotential order ofevents, at leasteverything thatmight need a song.

MONICA K. SMITH is the New EraCommunity Editor and recent bride-to-be. Reach her at 270-887-3243 or [email protected].

TALK WITH THE EXPERTS n

Here we are now; entertain usQuickInfo:First Dance DJ Service

[email protected]

DEAR ABBY: I used to be close friendswith “Colette.” We were so close that I askedher to be a bridesmaid in my April wedding.

During the last few years of our friend-ship, she became selfish and domineering.

How do I let her know I want to with-draw my request for her to be a brides-maid? I don’t want to hurt her feelings, butmy wedding will be a small, private affair,and her presence would be painful and dis-ruptive to me and another bridesmaidwho had a similar experience with her.

Colette may not be burning with de-sire to come anyway, given our falling out,and hasn’t yet incurred any of the ex-penses or spent any of the time and effortassociated with being a bridesmaid. Idon’t want to act unkindly, even though Idon’t plan on rekindling the friendship.

— Needs Perspective in KansasDEAR NEEDS: Tell Colette your

plans have changed and you have decidedto “scale back” the wedding; therefore,your wedding party will be smaller, andyou won’t need her after all. It’s eu-phemistic enough that it could be takento mean that finances have dictated yourdecision, which would be face-saving.

If she feels as you suspect she does,she may be relieved to be let off the hook.And if not, well — you don’t plan on con-tinuing your friendship with her in anycase. Do not make the conversation any-thing but polite and brief.

DEAR ABBY is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as JeannePhillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Ab-by at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

Perplexed bride ponders how to let bridesmaid go

Brandon Burke is an area DJ who alsoruns karaoke at various locations.

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BY MONICA K. SMITH


Their love story began in the seventh grade when Tanya-Tuaand Bryan Moore were a middle school couple at North Drive Mid-dle School. However, they were torn apart when the each attendedrivaling high schools in Hopkinsville.

It was then their story took a hiatus. Then 13 years later, the story picked back up.“We were at a family friend’s gathering and I ran in to say some-

thing to someone and he was there talking to my neighbor and heyelled my name,” said Tanya-Tua, 32.

That was in October in 2011. In May 2012, Bryan, 33, asked per-mission from Tanya-Tua’s three children to marry their mother.They said yes and so did Tanya-Tua.

The couple then entered a whirlwind of planning for their Sep-tember 2012 wedding. Both Tanya-Tua and Bryan are avid Univer-sity of Kentucky fans and chose UK blue and white as their colors.However their passion for the team was not limited to the colors.

“I had UK jewelry, a UK garter, you name it, it was Kentucky,”Tanya-Tua said.

The wedding took place at Oakland Manor in front of a whitegazebo surrounded by lush greenery. The long UK blue dressesworn by the bridesmaids complemented the blue ties of thegroomsmen. Instead of traditional bouquets, the bridesmaidseach had blue and white corsages ornamenting their wrists. Thebride also wore a similar corsage in addition to carrying a bou-quet. All floral pieces were created by the bride’s godmother.

“She really wanted to do the flowers and they came out perfect,”Tanya-Tua said. “They are still on display in a cabinet.”

After the ceremony, guests dined on a menu catered by Four Sea-sons. The cuisine included pork tenderloin, garlic herb chicken,green beans and mashed potatoes. Their cake was an assortmentof cupcakes.

“We took two menus and asked our moms to pick out threemeats, three sides and if they picked anything alike that’s whatwe would pick,” Tanya-Tua said.

Music was provided by a disc jockey and while the bride danced,the groom took in the moment.

“I was overwhelmed,” Bryan said. “She was beautiful.”

REACH MONICA K. SMITH at 270-887-3243 or [email protected].

“I was overwhelmed. She was beautiful.”

Local love story

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KOKOMO, Ind. (AP) — In an era of tech-nology, a bridezilla’s outburst can go viralon YouTube just as quickly as a crafty wed-ding table creation can be re-pinned hun-dreds of times on Pinterest. As thewedding trends of 2012 are turned intophotos and dissolve into a framed memoryplaced on the mantel, one trend is here tostay: technology.

Flower shops, hair stylists and the wed-ding planning world are taking cues frombrides with a smartphone in their hand anda picture on Pinterest pinned in their mind.

“If it’s on Pinterest, brides want it,”Linda Taylor, owner of Bowden Flowers,said about her prediction for weddingtrends in 2013. “As a florist, I’m not seeingone up-and-coming trend, the trend is tonot follow a trend but create your ownideas and personalize things you see onPinterest and online. We’ve done stuff withpeacock flowers, baby’s breath bouquetsand bouquets with a rustic feel that haveburlap intertwined in them, everyone isinto their own unique thing, that’s the di-rection.”

Although brides are letting their cre-ativity lead the way, Taylor did mention acolor that is popping up everywhere — not

just Pinterest.“Lime green, it’s really big right now,”

Taylor told the Kokomo Tribune. “Limegreen roses, lilies and hydrangeas all arepopular paired with a dark purple or red. Wehave a Kermit mum that’s really popular, thelime green is a big colorseen in bouquets.”

For future brideMeredith Platt, deci-sions about flowers andcolors have been madethrough the Internet.Platt added Google hasbeen a go-to guide forplanning a destinationwedding in Florida.

“If it wasn’t for the In-ternet I wouldn’t be ableto plan my wedding; I’veordered a personalizedcake topper and cham-pagne flutes at etsy.comand met my DJ and wed-ding officiant through theInternet. I sent picturesof the flowers I want to aflorist I found online. I can do all of it online.”

Platt, who will marry fiance Leighton

Freeman on June 6, said her style of plan-ning might not be for everyone.

“It depends on what kind of personalityyou are too. Not everyone would want to doit this way,” she said. “A wedding plannercould help with organization, but I like see-

ing an idea or comingup with one and run-ning with it. Just beingindependent with theplanning is fun.”

Platt and her futurehusband also designed awedding app just fortheir special summerevent through AppyCouple. Platt said it’s justone of the many appsthat assist brides whoare doubling as theirown wedding planners.

“You create your ownwedding app and otherpeople can access itthrough their phones oron your site, it links pho-tos and it has a wedding

date countdown. It’s new so there are a fewglitches, but it’s been helpful,” Platt said.

“The Knot planning app is what I use tolook through hairstyles and it has a check-list for how many months out you are,that’s pretty good. We created a Facebookgroup where I can post suggestions for ho-tels and directions to keep everyone up-dated. Technology is a big help.”

Lindsay Pyle, Posh Salon and Day Spaowner, knows with wedding planningcomes planning your appearance. And shesaid the best advice is to practice.

“I’d have the bride go in for a practiceupdos; not for the hairstylist, but for thebride. You definitely want to like your hairfor your wedding day and this gives you achance to get it done, take some picturesand see what you like and what you don’tlike,” Pyle said. “Keep in mind the type ofhairstyle you want and the time of dayyour wedding is; if you want your hairdown and you’re getting married at 5 p.m.I’d suggest a hair appointment closer tothat time instead of that morning.”

Pyle, who travels internationally tostudy updos, said for brides to expect amodern twist on the classic bun and keepin mind not every style works for everyface shape — no matter how good it lookson Pinterest.

Technology changes face of wedding fashion, trends, planning

“... the trend is to notfollow a trend butcreate your own ideasand personalizethings you see onPinterest and online.”

Linda TaylorOwner of Bowden Flowers n

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PANAMA CITY, Fla. (AP) — A yearafter her wedding, bride Cassidy Bancroftand photographer Robert J. Hill took aroad trip to complete her wedding album— and to destroy her gown.

Somewhere near Graceville, they shotimages inside an abandoned house, butthat didn’t get the dress nearly as dirty asthey expected. Next, Bancroft climbed ontrees above the Econfina Creek, gettingbark and lichen stains on the white fabric.

Finally, they employed an underwatercamera and shot her swimming in a bluehole spring like a newly married mer-maid.

“We had such a great time,” Bancroftsaid. “We went to an old dilapidatedhouse, and (Robert) helped me get to cer-tain spots that were surrounded by old,broken wood and probably hidden spiders— it was great! . When we got to the pointwhere he said ‘let’s do some underwaterones,’ I had to mentally prepare myselfbecause the water was cold. It was somuch fun, though. He had me hold onto atree root so that I could stay in one placelong enough to take a picture — and he gota perfect shot with that.”

Hill, a Panama City-based photographer

and filmmaker, is a big proponent of“trash-the-dress” shoots. The trend hasbeen around for years, he said, but onlyrecently has penetrated into the South.

“It’s never been big in this area,” hesaid, because not only is the idea of familyheritage so ingrained in Southerners, butalso, “people are more conservative downhere.”

However, women are finding more oftenthese days that their daughters or grand-daughters have no interest in wearing anold, out-of-style gown — even if they aretouched by the sentiment. And those samedaughters or granddaughters see no rea-son to store their own dresses for poster-ity.

“So many brides hold onto their $2,000wedding dress because they think, oneday, they may pass it on to their owndaughter,” Hill said. “But our culture istransitioning to never passing their wed-ding dress down.”

Bancroft’s sister, Nycole, first told herabout seeing similar photo shoots online,so she did some searching and “justthought it was such a different thing to dowith a dress ... better than storing it in acloset and it never seeing the light of day,

ever again.”Trashing the dress usually is done

sometime after the wedding day — oftenon an anniversary. Hill and his bride,Emily, were married last April and havebeen holding onto her dress to trash it inthe springtime.

The method of trashing the dress can beas individual as the bride. Some havedone it by climbing trees, wallowing inmud, ripping them apart or burningthem. In this area, many brides opt forrunning into the Gulf surf.

According to Wikipedia, the idea of de-stroying a wedding dress has been used inHollywood since at least the late 1990s,when Meg Cummings of the short-livedsoap opera “Sunset Beach” ran into theocean in her wedding dress after her wed-ding was interrupted.

The modern phenomenon has nothingto do with disrespecting the union, al-though many women who kept their wed-ding dresses have chosen to destroy themafter a bad divorce. Huffington Post blog-ger Joelle Caputa released a book in 2011called “Trash the Dress: Stories of Cele-brating Divorce in your 20s,” and trashedher wedding gown for a Style Network

photo shoot.“I have great, funny memories of the ex-

perience,” Bancroft said, describing acanoe ride to scout locations, climbingtrees as Emily Hill helped her with herdress and Cassidy’s husband, Doug Ban-croft, helped Robert with flash reflectors.“Everywhere (Robert) picked was perfect.. Shooting with him was such a fun time.”

The reason for photographing andvideo recording something like this has todo with a desire to create memorable art,said Hill, 23, who has been a professionalphotographer since age 16. He also doeswebsite and graphic design — but in allthese formats, his real interest is in tellingtales.

“I love shooting weddings for the story-telling aspect of it, capturing a couple’slove story,” he said, adding that what hap-

pens to the dress is part of the story. “Whynot go out with bang in your dress, in-stead of it hanging and taking up space inyour house?”

Wedding over? Trash the Dress!

PHOTO PROVIDED

The New Era Community Editor happened to haveanother dress in her closet and didn’t mind getting ita little dirty for photos.

Engagement,Wedding or Anniversary

Submission forms are available at our office:1618 E. 9th St., Hopkinsville

or online at www.kentuckynewera.com/site/contact_us

270-886-4444

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4537 Ft. Campbell Blvd.,Hopkinsvil le, KY270.886.8090

www.graciousme.com • [email protected] 9:00AM-5:30PM • Saturday 9:00AM-2:00PM

Visit our store for a unique selection of eclectic gifts and accessories for the home

Special iz ing In Wedding & Gif t Registry

BY MONICA K. SMITH


Local photographer, Craig Hodge said“details are important. If you think aboutit, all weddings are essentially the same.It’s the details that make them unique.”

On every bride website, blog and col-umn brides want to know: What are goodideas to decorate? No one wants theirceremony or reception to be bland, butwhat do you do? Here are a few sugges-tions that not only look great, but arecost effective.n White Christmas lightsWhite Christmas lights are generally

available all year round, and if not, its easyto borrow from friends and family. Thelights can be draped over the ceremonyarea to add light to a dim room, hung dur-ing the reception to add to the ambiance oreven wrapped around trees or other struc-tures to create focal points. Other light op-tions are lanterns and patio lights.n RibbonsI once saw a venue where the trees had

ribbons hanging from them. It added a ro-mantic and whimsical feel to the weddingas guests sat beneath them. More tradi-tional uses are to decorate seats in lieu ofusing seat covers. Another idea, courtesyof Pinterest is to have ribbons hangingfrom an arch behind the couple as a back-drop during the ceremony.n FireJust yesterday my coworker, Copy Edi-

tor Logan Todd told me to take theamount of fire I was having in the wed-ding and multiply it by three. While I’mnot sure that’s always the best idea, a fire,or water element can add depth to yourwedding. Candles are the obvious choiceused in decorating the aisle, the backdropfor a wedding and on the tables during areception. Consider grouping candles to-gether in odd areas to create a beautifulenvironment. The best part, they are in-expensive.

n Picture framesThis has become popular recently and

used to frame engagement photos, drawthe eye to cake stands, double as chalk-boards and even used as props for photos.They are easy to purchase and even eas-ier to borrow from friends and family –just as long as you promise to return themafter the wedding.n FoodIt’s going to be there anyway, why not

dress it up a little? Instead of piling allyour chicken strips together, use smallermore creative platters at more stationsthroughout the reception. Open yourcocktail hour with a dessert bar with jarsof candy or baked goods. Presentation iseverything with food, so play it up. You’repaying for the food anyway, might as wellmake it look good.n But what about that eyesore in the

corner?Inevitably, you’ll have a part of the room

you wish you could remove with a sledge-hammer. Before you start destroying yourvenue, try covering with fabric. You cancreate a curtain around the eyesore with alittle PVC pipe and cheap fabric.

REACH MONICA K. SMITH at 270-887-3243 or [email protected].

All in the details: Easy decorating ideas to make your wedding stand out

Just the right place…

…to have the Weddingof your Dreams!

A wedding is one of the most exciting times in a person’s life. The experiencedWedding Planners at the Bruce Convention Center will assist you in having a trulymemorable event. Our experienced staff can handle everything for you includ-ing the flowers, cake, food and beverage, décor, and even the entertainment.

We know that every little girl dreams of that special day when she will walkdown the aisle. At the Bruce Convention Center we strive to make all thosedreams come true. Our Professional Staff is ready to handle all of your weddingneeds from start to finish whether it’s a small intimate ceremony or a large for-mal affair.

Our Grand Lobby, with its beautiful marble tiled staircases and oak banisters arereminiscent of a Southern Mansion. This setting provides a picture perfect placefor the wedding ceremony. Our Ballrooms offer an elegant setting for therehearsal dinner and wedding reception.

James E. Bruce Convention Center

303 Conference Center Drive—Hopkinsville, KY 42240

270-707-7000www.bruceconventioncenter.com

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