2020 Fall Bridal Guide by The North Platte Telegraph.
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TIFFANY WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHY
TIFFANY WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHY
Prepare envelopes with payments for the officiant, reception hall, mu- sicians, disc jockey, etc. Ask officiant when he/she would like to receive your marriage li- cense. Begin packing for honeymoon. 1 week before wedding Pick up wedding rings and check engravings and sizes. Final consultations with florist, musicians, photographer, videogra- pher, etc. If you are having a rehearsal, pres- ent attendants with gifts. Men have final fitting two to three days before the wedding and pick up formalwear and shoes. Make a wedding day schedule and give everyone copies at the re- hearsal dinner. Relax the day before; keep per- sonal appointments; finish honey- moon packing. Day of the wedding Give payment envelopes to the best man, who will deliver them after the ceremony and at the re- ception. Go to hairdresser, makeup artist and manicurist. Make sure the car keys, wedding rings, marriage license, keys to the new house, airplane tickets, hotel confirmations and honeymoon spending money are all assembled. Arrange for your car, your go- ing-away outfits and your luggage to be delivered to the reception hall. Arrange for someone to bring tissues, lipstick and any other per- sonal items to the reception. Be dressed and ready for the picture-taking two hours before the ceremony or according to the arrangements made with your pho- tographer. Relax and enjoy your big day.
Visit hairdresser and manicurist; make wedding day appointments for bridal party. Order all printed items, including in- vitations, thank-you notes, programs and napkins. Order needed utensils, which may include engraved cake knife, per- sonalized champagne glasses and a box for monetary gifts. 2 to 4 months before wedding Reserve rental items: candelabra, arches, canopy, lines, etc. Arrange rehearsal dinner. Shop for trousseau and apparel for honeymoon and prenuptial parties. Reserve limousine, carriage, trolley or coach transportation. Review florist’s arrangements and finalize order. Buy attendants’ gifts. Experiment with hairstyle and makeup changes. Buy bride’s and attendants’ shoes; send to be dyed. Order wedding and groom’s cakes. Plan the ceremony and select mu- sic for the service. You should receive your invitations at least three months before the wedding; send them out immedi- ately. Don’t forget to request a reply date of at least five weeks before the wedding. Register for wedding gifts at the stores of your choice. Decide on reception menu and select beverage options; decide if there will be an open bar. 1 to 2 months before wedding Final bridal fitting. Final attendants’ fittings. Confirm honeymoon reservations. Select reception decorations: bal- loons, candles, table favors, etc. Select ceremony accessories: unity candle, ring pillow, guest book, etc. Select personal accessories: hand-
bag, garter, engraved goblets, guest mementos, etc. Finalize arrangements with offici- ant. Finalize arrangements with musi- cians taking part in the ceremony. Arrange bridesmaids’ lunch or brunch. Finalize arrangements with photog- rapher and videographer. Discuss any special shots you want. Finalize arrangements with musi- cians, disc jockey and master of ceremonies for the reception. Finalize arrangements with florist, specifying time and place of deliv- ery. Finalize transportation arrange- ments. Make sure all clothes for brides- maids, groomsmen and ushers will be ready on time and that they have the appropriate accessories. Apply for marriage license. Formally inform employer of leave of absence. 2 weeks before wedding Invite guests to rehearsal dinner. Move your belongings into new home. Review reception seating and place cards. Confirm lodging for out-of-town guests. Record gifts as you receive them and write thank-you notes. Arrange for gown cleaning and bouquet preservation after the wed- ding. Finalize arrangements with hall and caterer, confirming final number of guests (preferably in writing). Finalize arrangements with baker regarding cake. Pick up wedding dress and brides- maids’ dresses. Groom or best man arranges final fittings for men in the wedding party.
Here’s a checklist for everything you need! JESS DEHAVEN St. Joseph News-Press, Mo. 6 to 12 months before the wedding Determine budget. Decide type of wedding: formal, semi-formal or informal. Choose ceremony location. Discuss dates with clergy or offici- ant. Choose attendants. Select gown style. Select veil style. Select attendants’ apparel. Compile bride’s and groom’s invita- tion list. Select reception site. Select caterer. Select wedding planner. Plan details of reception. Select photographer. Have engagement photos taken. Select music for reception. Select videographer. Select florist. Discuss gown colors and styles with mothers of bride and groom. If composing own vows, inform officiant. 4 to 6 months before wedding Select men’s formalwear and ar- range for final fitting a few days before wedding. Select ceremony musicians and music. Make honeymoon plans. Print map to include with invitations. Reserve hotel rooms for out-of- town guests. Have physical exams and update immunizations. Buy wedding rings and order en- graving. Finalize invitation list with families.
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GREEN SHOOT MEDIA After saying your vows and sharing the joyous moment of holy matrimony, your new spouse, family and friends will gather to celebrate. The reception is a fun way to relax with your loved ones after a wedding day’s sometimes stressful experience. Make your special event one to remem- ber by planning an epic after-party. If you live in a region where winter carries harsh conditions that cause driving hazards, consider renting a venue that offers lodging nearby. This allows your guests to enjoy the event without worrying about leaving and facing icy roads or snow.
categories to pay for the essential ser- vices, including: Venue and meals. Live band or DJ. Decorations and favors for guests. Wedding cake and bar limit. Try to plan your budget before spend- ing a penny on the event to avoid mak- ing financial mistakes. Consider the details When planning a wedding reception to remember, you must nail down the important details regarding how the event will play out. Ask yourself these questions when creating your plan: Do you want to have a receiving line where guests can congratulate you
individually or a less time-consuming strategy where you visit each table? Will the dinner be a sit-down style where invitees select their meal, or does a more informal buffet make sense? Will the wedding party be the only guests who are tasked with speeches, or can anyone speak? Should the photographer take se- rious portraits at the reception or catch the party in action? Remember that the reception should be an exciting way for guests to con- gratulate you on your wedding. Try to mix in a combination of fun and mem- orable events.
If possible, look for a loca- tion that works with local ho- tels and offers bundled pricing to find great deals. Here are some other tips to consider when planning a winter wedding reception. Stick to a budget While you may dream of an extrava- gant reception, it’s necessary to create a budget and stick to it during planning. You don’t want to start the new jour- ney of marriage with significant debt, related to the big day. Write down a precise dollar amount that you can comfortably afford and separate it into
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CHRIS CHRISTEN Omaha World-Herald
DAY OF THE WEDDING
Here are proven ways to keep everyone healthy and at ease in what still is a COVID-cautious wedding world.
Reception » Create table assignments that only include members of the same household and maintain at least 6 feet of social distance with those outside your household or friend group. » Set up multiple smaller dance floors to minimize people partying shoulder to shoulder. » Trade a buffet for a sit-down meal. Or serve individually wrapped food items. This might include a gourmet sack lunch for the reception meal, and a sweet-and-salty dessert table with individually wrapped treats dressed up with custom stickers and-or ribbon. » Serve bottled drinks, and avoid community drink stations. Havewaiters go tableside to pour champagne for toasts. Or place bottles on each guest table.
Ceremony » Create a station for temperature checks and hand sanitizing for guests arriving for the ceremony and reception. » Encourage mask-wearing indoors and outdoors where maintaining 6 feet of social distance will be difficult. » Skip paper programs and email or text a digital version to your guests. » Seat guests by household for the ceremony and encourage social distancing among people outside family and friend groups. » Livestream your ceremony for family and friends who are unable to attend. » Skip the receiving line and go table to table at the reception to acknowledge your guests. » No hugs! Instead bump elbows, wave or blow mask-shielded kisses.
Couples marrying in late 2020 and early 2021 no doubt are feeling insecure about their ceremony and reception plans amid the coronavirus pandemic. Six months ago, celebrating in person with lots of guests anywhere in the U.S. was an impossibility because of COVID-19 lockdowns. A flicker of normalcy briefly returned — at least to Nebraska weddings. In early September, state-imposed health mandates for reception venues were mostly lifted. Now, they’re coming back. This is definitely not the time to throw caution to the wind. Those COVID-19 germs are still out there. And health officials continue to encourage people to follow voluntary guidelines to reduce the risk of a resurgence of the disease.
Before the ceremony
» Downsize your guest list without apology — out of an abundance of caution. If you have a wedding website, post a memo to your guests saying that you regret that your numbers are going to be limited to immediate family and their plus-ones — or whatever you decide. Everyone will understand. And, trust us, your wedding memories will not be compromised. Every couple we’ve encountered has cherished their downsized day. » Two weeks before the ceremony, check in with your wedding party to be sure no one is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. If so, ask them to be tested to be sure it’s safe to travel and mingle with others.
Place hand sanitizer in strategic locations throughout the ceremony and reception venues. Consider a small bottle for every guest table. [ ]
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HANNAH HERRERA GREENSPAN Chicago Tribune Q: Your wed- ding is ap- proaching, and you need to limit the num- ber of guests in atten- dance to follow social distancing guidelines. How should you uninvite people? A: Uninviting guests is
seats, set aside time after the ceremony for a private e-toast. (Maybe send a Champagne care package beforehand.) Acknowledge their supportive participation and say that, un- der better circumstances, you wish you could clink glasses in person but look forward to doing so when you can. This is the modern equivalent of in- viting a guest to the ceremony but not the reception. However, how do you decide who makes the in-person cut? Before you rank your relationships, first ask for opt-out volunteers. There’s social pres- sure to attend a wedding, which might
take, do it as a couple. Marriage’s pur- pose is to lend support in good times and bad; consider this good team prac- tice for the future. And when breaking the bad news to anyone, do it with care. Draft a polite, apologetic response, and customize it to each relationship. Don’t text, email or send the news second- hand. Make an audio or video call to each person. Or deliver the bad news in person (6 feet apart, masked), offer consolation air hugs and give them their own hand sanitizer wedding favor. — Katrina Majkut, author of “The Ad- ventures and Discoveries of a Fem- inist Bride: What No One Tells You Before You Say ‘I Do.’”
much easier than it normally would be because no one is going to be surprised that a global pandemic has forced you to modify your wedding plans. You may even find that many guests will be relieved to be uninvited so that they don’t have to send regrets, as many may be worried that your event could put their health at risk. The key is to let your guests know as soon as possible and ideally offer them an alternative to an in-person celebra- tion. You might write a note like this: “Dear (guest’s name — this should be personalized) “In light of the current global health crisis, we are modifying our wedding to make it as safe as possible and to follow social distancing guidelines. Be- cause of this, we hope you will accept our apology as we will not be able to in- clude you in our special day, in-person. “We will be having a virtual celebra- tion for our original guest list after our very small in-person wedding, and we hope that you can attend that event. You are so important to us, and we
would love to have the opportunity to celebrate this moment in our lives with you however we can.” Other important elements are to fol- low up any gifts with thank you notes immediately as you usually would and if you’ve already secured wedding favors you can even send them to guests who can’t attend in person, so that they feel like they’re a part of your day. The purpose of a wedding is to bear witness and celebrate the union of two people, and even during this challeng- ing time, with small weddings and vir- tual celebrations, you can still create that connection. — Lisa Orr, etiquette and protocol consultant A: With today’s tech, no one has to be officially disinvited. Everyone can be included even if it’s limited to the virtual world. To protect guests from feeling downgraded to the virtual nose-bleed
force high-risk or risk-ad- verse guests to reluctantly forgo their COVID-19 con- cerns. Giving them an op- portunity to opt out might be a welcome relief. If your local govern- ment or venue has strict COVID-19 guidelines, like mandatory masks or travel restrictions, explain these constraints to your guests. Another option includes limiting plus-ones. Or re- duce the headcount by re- placing wedding staff and asking essential guests to act as the officiant, musi- cian, hairdresser, makeup artist, photographer, etc. This makes a wedding an intimate community event. Whatever actions you
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DARCEL ROCKETT Chicago Tribune
Couples are pushing forward with their planned wedding dates. Chicago Vintage Weddings owner Kate Reavey offers these spot-on pandemic wedding tips: » Upgrading menu options. Think ad- ditional courses and intermezzo teasers, “Don’t get ordinary banquet food,” said Romona Johnson, DNR Events co- founder/owner. “Be creative. Hire food trucks — empanadas, jerk chicken and some cupcakes.” » Bringing in a sommelier or improv- ing bar options. Think vintage wines, a champagne tower, or personalized bitters for cocktails. » See if your caterer/venue will allow you to bring in a chef to do a cooking demo for guests. » A trend in the time of COVID-19 is single-serve wedding cakes, so you can have small cakes brought to each guest’s setting for dessert. » Provide packages of desserts/candy for each guest to enjoy at home. Custom- ized cookies printed with your wedding logo and packed in a box with a person- alized tag. » Bring in draping to make the wedding environment feel more intimate, or deco- rative greenery walls to create the same effect. Katherine Healy Brown, owner of Clover Events, said lounge furniture groupings that allow people who live in the same house to sit together is another layout option. » Going big on flowers via a grand entryway, hanging floral displays, and larger-than-life centerpieces add to the wedding’s ambiance. » Order monogrammed customized masks. Brown suggested the same thing with cheeky face masks for guests. » Bring in specialty entertainment, such as a dance performance or even stand-up comedy for later in the evening. Brown said one of her 2020 couples chose to do a casino night, in lieu of dancing.
TIFFANY WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHY
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Quotes
TIFFANY WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHY
“A great marriage is not when the perfect couple comes together. It is when an imperfect couple learns to enjoy their differences.” – Dave Meurer “There is no remedy for love but to love more.” – Henry David Thoreau “There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage.” – Martin Luther “When I saw you, I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew.” – Arrigo Boito “Let there be spaces in your togetherness and let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another but make not a bond of love: let it be rather a moving sea between the shores of your souls.” – Khalil Gibran “Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone, it has to be made, like bread; remade all the time, made new.” – Ursula K. Le Guin
“Where there is love there is life.” – Mahatma Gandhi
“You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” – Dr. Seuss “If I had a flower for every time I thought of you, I could walk through my garden forever.” – Alfred Tennyson “Love is like a beautiful flower which I may not touch, but whose fragrance makes the garden a place of delight just the same.” – Helen Keller “We loved with a love that was more than love.” – Edgar Allan Poe “What is love? I have met in the streets a very poor young man who was in love. His hat was old, his coat worn, the water passed through his shoes and stars through his soul.” – Victor Hugo
GREEN SHOOT MEDIA The love you feel for your future spouse may be hard to put into words. However, when the time comes for sharing vows at the altar, you should plan to recite your feelings flawlessly. And like the old mantra says, imitation is the best form of flattery. That’s why looking at the words of others can help spark some of your own creative ideas. If you’re having trouble finding your voice when saying how much you appreciate their companionship, use these powerful quotes as inspiration. to inspire your vows
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Reliability is another consideration. “Since March 15, we’ve had several weddings where the couples had bought and paid for rentals of tuxedos and suits online and the retailers simply stopped communicating with them,” Lerner says. “The weddings were happening, and the couples had no response.” The pandemic no doubt has been a contributing factor, with layoffs, closures, mail delays and shortages of manufactured goods and raw materials in the apparel industry, he says. “When you have things bought and paid for and you don’t communicate with the bride and groom in the weeks leading up to the wedding, that’s a problem,” Lerner says. Lerner’s shop, Bel Air Fashions, sometimes has come to the rescue with just two weeks to pull everything together. “We’ve had Zoom and FaceTime calls and after-hours appointments to help couples.” The clothier stresses the need to finalize your wedding attire six to nine months in advance. And to get everyone in your wedding party measured by a professional. Going the wedding suit (not tuxedo) route can alleviate some anxiety about receiving rental attire in time for the wedding, Lerner says. Price-wise it can be a wash. And everyone ends up with a classic suit for future use. “The thing is, when done right, everybody is going to look great for the wedding and look wonderful for the pictures,” Lerner says. “That’s what you should be paying for.”
Lerner knows because he has spent 35 years coaching out-of-town grooms and groomsmen via phone, video and email when long-distance measurements don’t measure up. Online representatives at discount tux houses often aren’t helpful because they lack training themselves, Lerner says. “They rarely will question a measurement or give you advice beyond what’s stated on the website.” Tuxedos typically are offered in classic, modern and slim fits. The terms can be confounding. “If you don’t have the right body type for the cut you select, you’re not going to look your best,” Lerner says. “You put the wrong body type in a slim cut, for example, and they’re going to look like a two-pound swan in a one-pound package.” For that groom, a modern fit most likely will be the better choice. It’s in between a classic and slim fit — narrower in the shoulders, trimmer in the body but still generous. Get it wrong on your own, and there may not be enough time to reorder online. And then there’s the risk of the replacement still needing alterations by a sympathetic retailer like Lerner, which was the case with one recent groom. An in-store experience is a fail-safe experience. “We’re the eyes and ears for the vendors for rentals,” Lerner says. “It’s up to us to make sure we take very detailed, exact measurements. We’ll also have options in tuxedos and combinations of fits from a variety of vendors, not just one.”
CHRIS CHRISTEN Omaha World-Herald
A bride spends months contemplating and perfecting her wedding-day look. A groom? For many, it’s one-and-done. One tuxedo shop with two appointments: one to select his look; another to fine- tune the fit before the big day. Or worse. He might skip the in-person appointment, order his wedding attire online and instruct his groomsmen to do the same. Menswear retailer Dick Lerner doesn’t get it. “The bride invests a great deal of time and money in her gown and accessories. The groom should respect the dress and look like a million bucks too.” And toward that goal: “Ordering a tuxedo online is a risky proposition,” Lerner says. Especially if your primary motive is to save money on the rental, or you think there’s an element of convenience to shopping online. It’s likely to cost you frustration and angst and even embarrassment if the order is wrong or the fit is bad. Tux shopping, Lerner says, is an entirely different ballgame from athleisure shopping. the measurements,” Lerner says. “If you don’t turn in the correct measurements, the tux is going to look horrible.” Most people have no experience taking formalwear measurements. “Tuxedos are all about
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