By Susan Nicholas
HQ 43 | WINTER 2002
It’s among the most important days of your life your wedding day. Young girls often spend hours talking and dreaming about the event. They know it will be the perfect day.
Or will it? Nicole Strapoli Williams of Huntington wasn’t so sure in the weeks leading up to her big day because of what she calls “A Wedding Dress Nightmare.” The store she selected for her dress purchase went bankrupt and the gown got caught in legal limbo. She finally got the dress, but not the matching veil.
Chrissy Barry of Charleston sent out her wedding invitations and realized too late that the address to the church was wrong. She worried until the last minute that no one would be able to find the location of the wedding.
And wedding consultant Ila Lee Drown of Huntington remembers another local bride who showed up at the church to find the florist had delivered the wrong flowers. “The bride cried,” Drown says. “She was devastated.”
The best planning may not have prevented these problems. But they’re all examples of what can go wrong. And it’s why many brides-to-be spend more than a year getting ready for a service that often lasts less than an hour.
So where do you start? The Huntington Quarterly got advice from people all over the city who make weddings their business. We wanted to find out the latest trends and show you what today’s couples are choosing to make their wedding day full of joy and free from stress. No wedding day is perfect. But you can do a lot to make sure your ceremony comes close.
If you haven’t gotten that engagement ring, but know that a wedding is in your future, the latest trend in rings may surprise you.
“The retro look is in,” says Jeremy Walker, the sales manager at C.F. Reuschlein Jewelers. Walker says estate rings and antique rings are popular. Platinum, which was big in the 1920s and 30s, has made a big comeback as well.
As far as the cut of the diamond, Walker says the round stone is still the number one choice followed by the square cut. Another popular look for engagement rings is colored stones around the diamond.
As for the cost of the ring, Walker says grooms can expect to spend three months salary.
As soon as the excitement of getting engaged wears off, the realization sets in that you have to plan one of the biggest events of your life. The first thing you need to do is get organized. You can do this with a wedding planner book. Borders Books at the Huntington Mall has an entire section of titles devoted to weddings. Store manager Robert Bailey says the most requested book is Planning A Wedding To Remember. This book covers the engagement through the honeymoon with a monthly checklist for the groom as well as the bride.
Another good source for planning a wedding is the internet. Bridaltips.com has advice on everything from how to choose a florist and photographer to tips on how to avoid being the victim of a scam.
You can also hire a wedding consultant. Ila Lee Drown of Huntington has helped couples plan their weddings for more than 10 years. “They are stressed,” Drown says. “Their parents may not live around here and they come to me for help.”
Once you get organized, setting the date is the next step. Some bridal books say six months to a year is necessary to plan your wedding. Drown recommends at least a year. She says if you don’t allow that much time, you may not get what you want. Florists, photographers and musicians all get booked quickly.
Next, decide where you want to get married and reserve the space. If you want a traditional wedding in a church, you have to check to see if it’s going to be available. Most churches have rules and some require you to be a member. One outdoor setting where you can get married is the Rose Garden at Ritter Park. To reserve the garden, call the Greater Huntington Parks and Recreation District office. The price varies depending on the season.
You’ll also want to reserve your reception location as soon as possible. The places we checked are often booked a year in advance. The Palms Room, located below the Touma Museum on the Ninth Street Plaza, is one of the newest reception halls in the area. It was already booked for June 2002 by November 2001.
Emily Stapleton, the director of special events at Guyan Country Club, recommends calling her a year ahead of the nuptials if you are planning a June wedding. You don’t have to be a member of the country club but you do need a member sponsor.
Membership is required at the Huntington Museum of Art if you want to rent the Great Hall for your reception. It’s available on a limited basis.
The Four Seasons on Third Avenue in Huntington is another possible location, and you may want to consider Marshall University. They have several rooms available for rent at the Student Center. The Don Morris Room seats 500 guests, while the Shawkey Room seats 50. Most churches in the area also have a room you can use for your reception, but that room may already be reserved for an event the day of your wedding. That’s something you need to check on when reserving the church.
Next, you’ll want to hire your caterer, photographer and florist. Some of the reception halls mentioned earlier do their own catering, so that makes it easier. Chef Andrew Anthony at Four Seasons says most of the receptions he caters are buffet style. He says couples like the idea that their guests can pick and choose what they want to eat. Beulah Wise owns her own catering business. She says receptions are becoming more casual. Brides are also requesting healthy foods at the reception such as low-fat vegetable dips or vegetarian dishes.
Linda Beaty says the look of wedding photos is also changing. She and her husband James own Beaty’s Photography in Huntington. They do about 50 weddings a year. Linda says couples are requesting more candid shots. She says a lot of brides want outdoor photographs so they often stop at Ritter Park on the way to the reception to take pictures. According to the Bridaltips.com web site, the photographer is an investment worth researching.
So it’s best to ask around, look at other couples wedding albums and watch photographers in action at other weddings to see if they are good at getting the best moments on film.
Many couples also choose to have their wedding videotaped in addition to the still pictures. You’ll find several video companies in the yellow pages. The best way to choose one for your ceremony is to view examples of their work. You’ll have to decide if you want just a simple video or a more costly production that includes editing, interviews with the wedding party and other extras.
Flowers are another important part of any wedding ceremony. Scott Archer of Archer’s Flowers says he is getting a lot of requests from brides for open roses with the stems showing for bouquets. He says free and natural is the look. He recommends you book your florist at least six months in advance and he says you should visit the florist the day before your wedding to make sure you’re happy with the flowers.
Most wedding dresses have to be ordered and altered. So the dress search also goes at the top of your planning list.
Kathy Johnson, a bridal consultant at Rose Tree in Ceredo, says color is big now. Johnson says it’s showing up in embroidery and in beading on the gowns in pastel colors. She says the trendy styles are halter, strapless and separates. She says separates are popular because you can mix and match the top part of one dress with the skirt of another.
It’s traditional for the bride to wear a strand of pearls around her neck. Johnson says that’s getting replaced this season by big, crystal beads to match the headpiece. She says that showcases the cathedral length veil.
Elisa Sinkewitz says bridesmaid’s dresses are becoming more simple and classic. Sinkewitz is the owner of Yellow Brick Road, a new and pre-owned dress shop. She says the color many brides are choosing this season for their wedding party is a light, mint green.
There are new trends in tuxedos as well. Coats are getting longer with more buttons and vests instead of cummerbunds, according to Charles Roeller, manager of Skeffington’s Formal Attire. He says black is still the most requested color but he believes gray will be coming back this spring.
Wedding invitations can be ordered at several card shops and stores at the Huntington Mall as well as some print shops in Huntington. A to Z Rental on Seventh Avenue is another choice. It usually takes seven to 10 days for orders to be shipped to your home. Consultants say you can save money on your invitations by leaving out the RSVP cards. Drown says guests rarely send them back.
There are many choices for music in the area. Bill Heaberlin, president of Media Promotion Enterprises, books live bands. He says he can provide everything from a harpist to a rock band. Another choice is to hire a string quartet. David Becker is with “The Classic Quartet,” a group of musicians who are members of the Huntington Symphony Orchestra. Becker says his group can play at rehearsal dinners, wedding services and receptions. Jim Davis, program director at WKEE radio, also coordinates music for receptions. He books area DJ’s to play a variety of music and emcee the reception.
Traditionally the groom is responsible for planning the honeymoon but the bride should definitely have a say in the location. Betty Given, the president of Travel Incorporated on Fourth Avenue, says the top three honeymoon spots for local couples are Hawaii, Cancun and the Caribbean Islands. “Believe it or not, we also get a lot of couples wanting to go to Disney World,”Given says.She recommends booking early to make sure your options are not limited.
Many brides are now choosing non-traditional cakes. The staff at Francois PastryShop on Eighth Street says stacked cakes with thin sugar icing or butter creams are among the most requested for weddings. They say some brides are even asking for cheesecake.
Several local restaurants have rooms available for a rehearsal dinner, or they can bring the food to you if you choose to have the meal catered. Karen Keck, manager of the party division at A to Z rental, says a lot of couples are choosing to have the rehearsal dinner at a home or in an outside setting.
When you register for gifts, most stores have a scanner system to help couples choose items without having to write anything on paper. Store web sites are also a nice feature so that friends and relatives can shop on-line anywhere in the country. Lazarus at the Huntington Mall even gives you a password so you can update the list from home anytime you want.
Transportation on your wedding day can be as simple as your own car to a scene out of Cinderella. Everett Smith owns Sugarbush Hitch Company on Greasy Ridge near Chesapeake, Ohio. His horse-drawn carriage can get you from your wedding to the reception in style. Smith’s fee starts at $275. He does recommend booking early, especially if you are planning a June wedding. There’s also the TTA Trolley. Your entire wedding party can ride on the streetcar style bus. The price is $265 for three hours. There are also several Limousine services to choose from in the Tri-State. You can even have the mayor of Wayne chauffeur you to the reception. Mayor James Ramey owns his own limo service. He charges $150 for two hours and there’s no requirement that you get married at City Hall.
Don’t forget the legal details. You have to go to the courthouse to register for a marriage license, get necessary forms to change names on Social Security card, driver’s license, insurance and bank accounts. Some couples also decide to get a pre-nuptial agreement to protect assets they bring into the marriage.
On the day of the actual ceremony, many brides treat themselves to some pampering. One destination is El Haijj Salon and Spa on Twentieth Street. Heather Farthing, a receptionist at El Haijj, says a lot of brides come in and bring their bridesmaids with them to get their hair and nails done. She says this has become so popular that they even offer special package deals for wedding parties.
Hairstylist Karen Lewis says most of the brides she works with at Visions Hair Studio want up do’s. “Your hair should match your dress,” Lewis says, “If you have an elegant dress, your hair needs to look elegant.” She recommends a practice session on your hair and makeup before your wedding day to avoid a potential disaster.
There are many different ways to plan each aspect of a wedding. But most couples are happiest with a ceremony that is unique, one that creates a lasting impression on the guests. Wedding consultant Ila Lee Drown says you can make your wedding special by combining family traditions with the latest trends. “Some brides wear their mother’s veil and grooms wear granddad’s cufflinks.”
Will it be the perfect day? You’ll likely remember it that way if the ceremony is a reflection of your tastes and personality.
