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The Valley News &The Herald-JournalCopyright 2013 The Valley News & The Herald-Journal

January 2013

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Business Directory

Eileen’s Cake•Weddings • Anniversary

• Birthdays • Etc.

EILEEN BISBEEStanton, Iowa • 712-829-2555

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We offer one of the largest ballrooms in the areawith separate lounge and banquet facilities. Witha seating capacity up to 450, a new state of the art

sound system and a wide variety of cateringoptions available.

Elks Lodge

The Elks is the place to be.

Highway 59 • Shenandoah • 712.246.5110

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Now booking for 2013 & 2014 Call Doug @ (712) 246-5110

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Becky DeWild . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .02Clarinda Country Club . . . . . . . . . . . .05Clarinda Flower Shop & Greenhouse .08Deer Creek Photography . . . . . . . . . . .09Design Originals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Ding’s Honk ‘N Holler . . . . . . . . . . . .08Easter’s True Value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Eileen’s Cake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .02Elks Lodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .02Goldsmith Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Howard Clothing & Sporting Goods . .04Images by Tracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10J Bruner’s Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . .04J’s Pizza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Katie’s Flowers & Greenhouse . . . . . .15Marriott Party Rentals . . . . . . . . . . . . .08Mickey G’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Paper Trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .02Shenandoah American LegionCountry Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .05Shenandoah Floral . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Shenandoah Inn & Suites . . . . . . . . . .11The Emporium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11The Sanctuary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .02Travel Place, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Wabash Wine Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Weil’s Clothing Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . .08

3

What’s inside

6/Top Wedding

Trends

11 & 13/Tips for WritingWedding Vows

12 & 13/Getting Engaged

14 & 15/Wedding

Superstitions

4

Being chosen as a best man or a maid ofhonor is a significant and meaningfulhonor. Those roles have evolved over theyears, but these special partici-pants must still performsome of the traditionalduties of the past, includ-ing serving as the officialwitnesses to the ceremo-ny. The following is arundown of the variousduties maids of honor andbest men are now expect-ed to handle once they'rechosen for these distin-guished honors.

Prior to the weddingBefore the wedding takes

place, the maid of honorwill closely assist the bride-to-be with many of theimportant decisions relatedto the look and the feel of thewedding. She typicallyaccompanies the bride to dress shops toselect gowns for the bride and bridesmaids.Much in the same manner, the best man willassist the groom-to-be with choosing tuxe-

does or suits and also with coordinatingwith the ushers to ensure they know when

to go for fittings.Although the best man

will serve as a soundingboard for the groom, tra-ditionally the bride andher bridesmaids havetaken on the majority ofthe wedding planning,so the maid of honorcan expect to play alarger role than the bestman. The maid ofhonor may be asked todelegate certainassignments, such ashelping to find wed-ding vendors oraddressing invita-tions. She may gowith the bride formakeup and hairstyle

trials. Together with the bridesmaids, shewill plan a bridal shower party and a bach-elorette excursion. She may select a wed-ding gift for the couple and present it onbehalf of all the wedding attendants.

The best man will coordinate the bache-lor party and may be asked to assist thegroom with selecting a honeymoon site orto come along to book the trip.

Wedding dayOn the day of the wed-

ding, the maid of honorand the best man will actas a support system forthe bride and groom.The maid of honor willhelp the bride getdressed and help ironout any mini-emergen-cies that should cropup. The best man willhelp ensure all of theushers are dressed andget the groom to thewedding on time.

During the ceremo-ny, the maid of honorwill hold the bride'sbouquet while sheparticipates in thewedding. The best man will keep the ringssafe until they are needed. The maid ofhonor also will help adjust the bride's train

and veil as she sits and stands during theceremony. Both will sign the marriage cer-tificate as witnesses.

At the reception, the best man is expect-ed to give a toast and the maid of honor may

share some words as well. Shealso may accompany thebride to the restroom andassist her with managingthe gown.

After the weddingThe best man will be in

charge of returning thetuxedoes to the rentalshop, if necessary. He alsomay drive the newly mar-ried couple to the airport sothey can depart on theirhoneymoon.

The maid of honor willassist the bride in changingout of her gown and into hertravel clothes. Oftentimesthe maid of honor takes thegown to the cleaners in thedays following the ceremony

so the dress can be preserved.

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120124-48706 Many people dream of a wedding in achurch or synagogue before dozens of fam-ily members and friends, while there areothers who prefer to forgo the fanfare of alarge wedding ceremony and are contentwith a civil wedding instead.

Civil ceremonies are often a choice forcouples who may have different religiousbeliefs or do not belong to a particular reli-gious persuasion. In lieu of being presidedover by a pastor, priest or rabbi, civil cere-monies are conducted by an authorized offi-cial, such as a judge or justice of the peace.The marriage also can be performed by alicensed wedding officiant. Depending onwhere a couple lives, mayors or even notarypublics can solemnize a marriage. Pilotsand ship captains also may be able to pre-side over the ceremony.

Some states and provinces will allowanyone to solemnize a wedding, providedthey have filed for a special permit for theday.

In terms of location, the most basic ofcivil ceremonies take place at the countycourthouse, where paperwork is immediate-ly filed. Ceremonies also occur at City Hall.Couples can choose to hire an officiant togo to another location to oversee the mar-riage ceremony. The latter is the moreexpensive option and will be based on theofficiant's schedule.

The structure of a civil marriage is much

more lax than those which follow the moretraditional course. Rather than beingrequired to wear a certain wardrobe or meetwith the requirements of a particular churchor other house of worship, couples oftenfind flexibility with the civil route.Although some brides and grooms prefer towear a tuxedo or suit and a wedding gown,it is not necessary to do so. There are manycouples who have tied the knot in morecasual clothing or even costumes. In orderto participate in a civil ceremony, couplesmust secure a marriage license.

This is usually obtained by a county reg-istrar or another officer of records where thecouple lives. Regulations will vary as to thetime period in which the ceremony can bedone after the mariage license is received.Some licenses may be voided if the coupledoes not tie the knot within a few days ofsecuring the license.When the ceremonywill take place is generally up to the coupleand, if a member of the judiciary will beoverseeing the wedding, the courthouse.Some courts require an appointment for thewedding, while others may have a walk-inpolicy. Determine these policies well inadvance of the wedding day.

There is often a fee collected for the wed-ding ceremony in addition to what was paidfor the marriage license. For those hiring aprivate officiant, the fee will be much high

What to expect witha civil ceremony

see CIVIL, Page 8

6

Top wedding trends for 2013

Backgrounds~ Lately theoutdoor weddings have thebeautiful hand-made back-grounds against which youcan spell your vows out.These backdrops are thekey element of the weddingceremony decorations andcan serve as a stunningbackground for the firstkiss snapshots. Streamers ororigami can make up theperfect ceremony back-drop.

Appetizers ~ Consider hav-ing appetizers and dessertsof mini sizes, which lookcool and stylish. Believe meyour guests will appreciatethe idea of eating the smallsandwiches, beverages anddesserts. Amaze everyoneby presenting the food theoriginal way. The sameprinciple works for thecakes Beer.

The Way You Want ~ Thisis the loudest and thequickly growing trend inthe wedding sphere.Contemporary couples pre-fer to set their weddingsthe way they want them tobe and skip the ancient tra-ditions like the ceremonyat the church, white wed-ding gown, a lot of atten-dants etc

VintageVintage is often used in the weddings, but this year it is going to reign not only in thewedding dress styles, but will also become a big trend in the wedding themes ingeneral. We will probably see the 30s and 40s-inspired themes along with the 20s mark.

Mint ~ Mint was thehottest trend duringthe spring summerseason 2012 and itseems to continueduring the year2013. Besides look-ing fresh and chic,this color has a retrofeel.Rainbow hues ~ Incase you don’t wantto limit yourself tojust one weddingcolor, you can pickthem all. Regardlesswhether you choosethe bold or subduedhues, you can haveyour bridal partywear the outfits inthe colors of therainbow. Even incase you don’t wantto utilize the entirerainbow, you maystill choose the boldcolors.Birds ~ Usuallycalled the lovebirds,these sweet crea-tures have beenalways associatedwith romance andlove so it is obviouswhy they perfectlysuit all those wed-ding attributes likethe decorations,invitations, caketoppers andcenterpiecesOriginalbackground.

Lounge areas ~Your guest will lovethe idea with thecomfy lounge areaat the weddingreception. Thiscould be set bothindoors ando u t d o o r s M i n imenusServing Drinks ~You shouldn’t avoidserving the symbol-ic wedding cocktail,but also considerserving the specialdrink at your party.With the great rangeof microbrews andcraft beer offered onthe market, you willeasily find theexclusive ones toserve to your guests.You may even cus-tom make thelabelsDo it the wayyou want.Covered center-pieces ~ In 2013 flo-ral designs andother planted cen-terpieces are prom-ised to be coveredup and caged.Terrarium center-pieces made fromthe bell jars or glassvases add the con-temporary feel tothe floral center-pieces.

7

NNuuppttiiaallss::DESTINATION WEDDINGS

Far Out

Imagine gettingmarried in a tropicalparadise, like the Fern

Grotto in Kauai, Hawaii, aspot formerly reserved forHawaiian royalty. Afterthe ceremony, you areserenaded with theHawaiian wedding song,before taking a shortcruise to your traditionalHawaiian luau/reception..

DESTINATION WEDDINGS MOVE the festivitiesfrom your local reception hall to exotic locations, oftenleaving the massive cost behind. No additional expense onrehearsal dinners, tuxedos, bridesmaids’ gifts, etc. Instead,you and your spouse can recite your nuptials and enjoyyour honeymoon in one place.

Such wedding isn’t for everyone. But for the adventurerwith flexible family and friends, destination weddings pro-vide a wonderful option.

PLANNING YOURDESTINATIONWEDDING

Plan your nuptials as if they’re a vacation. First, decidewhat locale to visit and research it. Many wedding pack-ages include the license, a minister, flowers, entertainers,

and photography. Another good resource is travel videos,which you can rent from your local library.

If you marry outside the country, make sure you file theproper paperwork to make your marriage legal. And keep inmind that just because you marry outside your hometown,it doesn’t mean you can’t share your happiness with others.By hosting an informal reception after your return, you canstill share your special event with friends and family.

8

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CIVILContinued from Page 5

er than what a clerk of the court will cost.The couple will need to bring the marriagelicense and photo identification. Two wit-nesses also will need to be present withtheir own photographic identification.These witnesses will be needed to sign themarriage certificate. Because there is nofirm tradition with civil ceremonies, cou-ples may need to be more hands-on when itcomes to executing the wedding. Here aresome tips to consider.

■ An officiant may not organize the wed-ding, meaning it will be up to the couple tochoose vows, arrange where people willstand, request any clerical blessings, orinclude any other special elements.

■ Some officiants enjoy presiding over

weddings, while others see it as just a partof public duty. Couples can try to find anofficiant who meets with their approval andwill keep with the tone that is expected ofthe ceremony.

■ For those adding personal vows, keepthem brief and tailored to the occasion.

■ Know how many people can attend theceremony in advance. Couples should rec-ognize that space could be limited andrestricted to only a few people if the wed-ding is taking place at the courthouse.

■ Arrange the venue for a party after-ward. Couples may choose to record avideo of the ceremony for playback at areception to enable those who were not inattendance to be part of the special momentwhere the rings and vows were exchanged.

Civil ceremonies are advantageous tothose who have factors that may make areligious ceremony unfavorable.

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What would a wedding day bewithout flowers? The beauty andthe aroma of fresh-cut flowerscan create a welcoming atmos-phere and complement the beautyand the style of a weddingwardrobe. Flowers are often thefirst things that guests see uponarriving for the ceremony, andthey may even be somethingguests take home at the end of thenight. Flowers create an air ofromance, and most couples wantto make flowers -- whether freshor silk -- an integral part of theirwedding day.

As with any decision whenplanning a wedding, choosing theright flowers requires someresearch and a basic knowledgeof which flowers will convey themessage and the theme of your

wedding. The number of colors,textures and combinations thatcan be created are so numerousthat couples may feel the decisionon the floral arrangements is bestleft to the florist. But it doesn'ttake a lot of expertise to knowwhat you want, and it is importantfor couples to convey their feel-ings to the florist. Consider thesetips when choosing a florist andselecting flowers.

■ Experts advise that a couplestart looking for a florist at leastsix months before the wedding,especially if the wedding willtake place during the peak seasonof May through September. Getrecommendations from friends asto which florist they used or findout if your wedding planner orbanquet hall manager recom

Tips for selectingwedding day flowers

see FLOWERS, Page 10

10

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FLOWERSContinued from Page 9

mends a particular florist. Some cateringhalls have agreements with florists, andthey work together.

■ Browse magazines to get ideas of whatyou like. You also may be able to find aflorist through an advertisement or if he orshe has been featured in publications. Keepa scrapbook of the colors, types of flowersand arrangements and any other ideas thatattract you so you will be able to presentthis information to the florist.

■ Establish your flower budget prior tositting down with the florist. You shouldexpect to pay at least 8 percent of the totalwedding cost on flowers. Get an estimate onthe floral arrangement and then tweak yourneeds according to your budget. Manyflorists can modify arrangements and find amiddle ground with regard to cost.Selecting flowers that are in-season willresult in more affordable rates than if youdesire exotic or out-of-season blooms.

■ Once you've hired the florist, you cancome up with a wedding flower worksheetthat establishes all of your needs. The floristmay ask for specific information, such asphotos of the bride's gown as well as thecolors and styles that the wedding party willbe wearing. A good florist knows that abouquet should not overpower or detractfrom the beauty of the bride. The floristmay want to mimic textures from the dress,such as beading, with smaller flowers orberries within the arrangement. Thegroom's boutonniere is traditionally one ofthe flowers from the bride's bouquet so thatthe look is cohesive.

■ Ceremony flowers may be traditional,and some houses of worship have strictguidelines as to what can and cannot beused. However, reception flowers can bewhere you show off your creativity andwhimsy. After all, this is a party and itshould be fun. You may want to give theflorist more freedom of expression with

regard to reception centerpieces and flowersthat adorn other areas of the room.

■ Because receptions tend to take placein the evening hours and are often indooraffairs, experts say that added lighting maybe needed to put emphasis on the floral cen-terpieces and help present them in their bestlight. You may want to think about hiring alighting designer to spotlight some areas ofthe room or at the very least incorporatecandlelight into your centerpiece arrange-ments.

■ To give the impression that there aremore flowers than there really are, use fra-grance and filler as your tools. Fragrantflowers can fill up the room with a welcom-ing aroma. Look for frangipani, lilies,hyacinths, jasmine, and sweet peas for a bigimpact. Florists know how to stretcharrangements by using greenery and otherfiller to lend bulk without too much extracost.

■ Experienced florists will know howlong it takes certain buds to open and showoff their maximum beauty. Therefore,expect a florist to be working on your floralarrangements as much as a week before thewedding date -- purchasing containers,cleaning flowers and waiting for certainones to open fully. Minimize changes closeto your wedding date as most things willalready be started.

■ It is possible to make your own center-pieces or bouquets if you so desire.Simplicity will work best for the novice.Think about grouping similar-hued callalilies together for a bridal bouquet.Hydrangea and peonies are larger flowersthat can easily fill up a vessel on a table asa centerpiece. White flowers will coordinatewith any color scheme and could be the eas-iest to mix and match. White bloomsinclude sweet pea, rose, camellia, stephan-otis, narcissus, gardenia, orchid, lily of thevalley, jasmine, and gypsophila.

Flowers are one component of the wed-ding that will help achieve the magic andbeautiful atmosphere couples desire.

11

By KRISTAN GRAYStaff Writer

A wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime eventfor many couples, so brides and groomswish for the event to be momentous andmemorable. As such, couples are increas-ingly integrating personal nuances into theirceremonies and receptions to tailor wed-dings to their unique visions.

The desire to include personalized wed-ding vows continues to be a popular trend.If you are considering personalized wed-ding vows, first realize that it may not be asimple task. That's because you want themessage conveyed to be dear to your heart,and that can be challenging when facedwith the pressures and planning of the restof the wedding. That isn't to say that writingyour own vows is impossible.

The Shenandoah Assembly of God pastorperforms an average of half a dozen wed-dings a year and feels that the words “tildeath do us part” are an important part ofthe vows, “Don’t enter into the decision ofgetting married lightly, it is not a trial run,”Pastor Dan Ver Woert advised. “Try to findsomeone in your life who’s done a longterm marriage right and ask them what’skept them together. Mutual respect and try-ing to not be selfish have kept Annette and Itogether for 26 years.”

Regarding other ways to personalizevows, Pastor Ver Woert said, “I alwaysappreciate when the bride and groomacknowledge the people who’ve broughtthem to that point in their lives; and recog-nize their spiritual mentors.

“More important than necessarily writing

down the right vows is to find the right pas-tor and the right church. Every church hasits own unique process. See the wedding asan opportunity to get involved in a localchurch.”

Ver Woert offered this bit of financialadvice, “Don’t break your budget on a wed-ding, spend it on the honeymoon – you’llwear the dress for an hour but you’ll spenddays on the honeymoon and the time spenttogether there will be better remembered.”

Here are some guidelines for personaliz-ing your ceremony with your own senti-ments.

■ Schedule time for writing. Amid thebustle of dress fittings and interviews withphotographers, it can be easy to put off theimportant task of writing vows for anotherday. But as any great writer can attest, ittakes writing -- and rewriting -- to achieve afinished product of which you can be proud.Give the task of writing your vows yourundivided attention. Mark it in on your cal-endar just as you would any other appoint-ment.

■ Be aware of ceremony guidelines. Itis best to check with your officiant and con-firm that personalized wedding vows areallowed. During civil ceremonies it's oftenacceptable to customize vows as you see fit.However, during religious ceremonies theremay be lines of scripture that need to beread or certain passages required. Beforeyou spend hours working on the task, besure that it is allowed and that you and yourspouse-to-be are on the same page.

■ Jot down your feelings. Answer somequestions about what marriage means to

Tips for writing yourown wedding vows

see VOWS, Page 13

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12

By KRISTAN GRAYStaff Writer

Are you one of the thousands of coupleswho got engaged over the holidays? This isthe time for you and your soon-to-be to geteverything you ever wanted -- whetheryou're starting from scratch, upgrading,expanding or replacing. Turn a wholebunch of mismatched “mine and yours”into a lifetime of “ours”.

Here are some tips to make weddingplanning a breeze:

Binders Will Keep You Out of a Bind: Ifyou haven’t already, begin leafing throughbridal, lifestyle, fashion, gardening, design,and food magazines for inspiration and putthe pages in a 3-ring binder. The moreorganized you are, the more relaxed you’llbe for your big day.

Do the Math: Determining how much to(or not to) spend will set the boundaries tokeep you out of debt going into your mar-riage. Financial goal planning for yourfuture is a smart conversation to have withthe love of your life.

Note: include pricing for passportupdates and shots if you’re traveling out ofthe country. The Perfect Date: Optimumwedding planning allows for a year-longengagement, but some of the best weddingstook only weeks or even days to plan. Howbig of a splash do you want to make?

Consider the season. Tax-time is notalways the best season for the most impor-tant day of your life. How about harvest-

time? Are there important people in yourlife that would have to miss the wedding ifit was during planting or harvesting? Doyou want a Christmas wedding? Out-of-town guests may have difficulty reachingyour destination during winter weather, butif guests are already planning on gatheringaround the tree to celebrate the holidays, itmay the best time.

Want an extra hour on your weddingweekend? We gain a spare 60 minutes Sat.night Nov. 2, 2013.

Consider symbolism. Is there a date like11/12/13 coming up around the time you’dlike to say “I do”? How about setting yourwedding date to be the same day as yourparents or grandparents, or someone elsewith a special calendar event?

Remember: time may be an issue in pick-ing the wedding date to correspond with thearrival of travel documents and gettingthose shots if you’re honeymooning over-seas.

Find Your Friends: As soon as word getsout that you’re engaged, people will startwondering who’s “in”. After choosing thewedding party, get started immediately onthe guest list. If you throw an engagementparty or have showers – remember to putthose same people on your wedding invita-tion list!

Pick Your Preacher and Pick Your Place:There are many options in Shenandoah andthe surrounding area but “The Sooner TheBetter” rule certainly applies to schedulingministers and renting space.

The Shenandoah Elks Lodge is alreadybooking for 2014 but still has plenty ofoptions open in 2013. Close to 15 weddingreceptions were held at The Elks Lodge in2012 and they would love to book more.There are two rate choices that include theirfull building for $500 or half of the buildingfor $250.

The Wabash Winery offers not only avenue for indoor or outdoor weddings, din-ners or receptions, but provides decorationrentals. “We’ve hosted over a dozen wed-dings just in the last six months of 2012,”said co-owner Shelly Skahill, so she sug-gests booking soon. The top dollar you canplan on spending there is $950, the bottomdollar is $50, while Skahill said the averageprice is $450.

Other indoor venue options inShenandoah, besides churches, include TheAmerican Legion Country Club, theNational Guard Armory, and theShenandoah Historical Society Museum.

Or if you’d like to try a venue createdspecifically for weddings, try TheFountains Ballroom in the Loess Hills nearGlenwood.

Take Advantage Of Internet WeddingPlanning: Websites like theknot.com, oreven Bed Bath & Beyond provide organiza-tional tools for you to create your ownPersonal Wedding website, budgeter, taskmanager, guest list manager, gift trackerand even a seating arranger. This way, all ofyour information can be stored in one con-venient place.

Hurry to Howard’s: If you’re renting for-mal wear for the men, Howard Clothingand Sporting Goods and Micky G’s bothrent tuxedos in Shenandoah. Weil'sClothing Store in Clarinda rents tuxes aswell. Make an appointment as soon as pos-sible to ensure the tuxedo you desire isavailable in the quantities that you wish.

Get Registered and Dream Big: Start abridal registry as soon as you say "yes."Now is the time to let others get you thestuff you'd never buy yourself. Expertsadvise registering for 2-3 items times thenumber of guests you plan to have. Thatway, guests will have lots of options forengagement gifts and showers. Be kind toprocrastinators by periodically updatingyour registry and by adding more productseven after the wedding. Register for gifts ina range of prices and categories to giveguests lots of alternatives. Your friends andfamily might even get together to purchasea higher priced "group gift."

"When it comes to registering, relax, takeyour time and have fun," recommendsAudrey Stavish, a Bridal and Gift Registryexpert at Bed Bath & Beyond. "Most bridesupdate their registries online and go into thestores many times. There aren't any rulesthat you must follow. Choose items that areright for you and your soon-to-be. Gothrough the registry process together andhave fun!"

The Rule of Three: When it comes to set-ting your table, if you choose bold patterns

Getting engaged is just the beginning...Now what?BEGINNING... The Wabash Winery June 2012 wedding of Dusty Skahill & Chrissy Brice. All items in the picture are available for rent; fees include the room, tables and chairs and a bartender.

see NOW WHAT, Page 13

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VOWSContinued from Page 11

you and how you feel about your spouse.Try to avoid trite sayings and think fromyour heart and personal experiences. Askyourself, “What is the most important thingI want to promise my future partner?”These notes can serve as the starting pointsfor the actual vows.

■ Read inspirational writings. Perhapsthere is an author or a poet who inspiresyou. You can quote certain writers in yourvows or let the tone of their works helpshape the words of your vows. There alsoare suggested wedding readings and otherquotes about marriage readily available atthe library or with a quick search online.

■ Decide on a tone. Although the day isbased on love and affection, you may notfeel comfortable spouting words of adora-tion in front of friends and family. Feel freeto tap into your unique personality. Humorcan be used if it aligns with the way younormally express your affections. Be sure toweave this tone into more traditional pas-sages to create a cohesive expression ofyour feelings.

■ Establish an outline. Put together allof the words and phrases you've jotteddown into an outline to help you organizethe flow of the vows, using these words as ablueprint for the vows and building uponthem. Make sure the vows will be concise.Aim for your entire speech to be around oneminute in length to keep everyone engagedand the ceremony moving along.

■ Put everything together. Draft yourvows and then practice by reading them outloud. Avoid long sentences or anything thattrips you up. Although large words maysound impressive, they could make thevows seem too academic and not necessari-ly heartfelt. Enlist the help of a friend ortwo to act as your audience to see if thevows sound good and are easily understand-able.

Writing your own vows can be a way toinclude personal expressions of love into acouple's wedding day. Public speaking isseldom easy, nor is finding the perfectwords to convey feelings about the personyou have chosen to spend the rest of yourlife with. However, with some practice andinspiration, anyone can personalize theirwedding vows.

NOW WHATContinued from Page 12

for your china and flatware, pick a moresimple style of glassware. Prefer intricatestemware? Pair those glasses with simplerpatterns of china and flatware. So, it'sbold/bold/simple or simple/simple/bold.

Visit a Store: It's in your best interest toschedule an appointment with an expertconsultant who can help you with your gift

selections and share great tips like "TheRule of Three," what cookware you willneed to prepare your favorite dish, whatfork to use when and much more. Whenmaking your selections, it's important totouch the towels, heft the flatware, and seeeverything in person! Most couples don'tmake all their selections in a single spree.Plan on making multiple visits.

Congratulations and best wishes on yourengagement. Now get planning and let the“Happily Ever After” begin.

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WEDDING

SSuuppeerrssttiittiioonnss::do’s and don’ts

In the past, a weddingwas seen as a timewhen people were

particularly susceptible tobad luck and evil spirits.Superstitions began manycenturies ago to helpprotect the bride andgroom from any bad luckthat might befall them.

SURNAMESIt was thought unlucky for a woman to marry a man

whose surname began with the same letter as hers. The sen-timent was summarized in the following rhyme:

To change the name and not the letterIs to change for the worst and not the better

THE WEDDING DRESSIt is thought unlucky for the bride to make her own wed-

ding dress or for the groom to see the bride in her weddingdress before the ceremony. To avoid bad luck, the brideshould not wear her entire outfit before the wedding day.Some brides leave a final stitch on the dress undone until itis time to leave for the ceremony, then the outfit is complet-ed.

THE VEILTraditionally, brides have been thought to be particularly

vulnerable to evil spirits, and many of the customs and tra-

ditions associated with weddings are to provide protection.The veil was first worn by Roman brides. It was thoughtthat the veil would disguise the bride and therefor outwitmalevolent spirits.

BRIDESMAIDSBridesmaids were dressed in a similar way to the bride

for the same reason as the origin of the veil. The brides-maids were thought to act as decoys to confuse evil spiritsand thus protect the bride.

FLOWERSFlowers have always been used for decoration at wed-

dings. A combination of red and white flowers is avoidedby the superstitious because they stand for blood and band-ages. People from different regions may attach other mean-ings to the same flower. For example, lilies symbolizemajesty to some but are thought unlucky by others becauseof their association with death.

see WEDDING, Page 15

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WEDDINGContinued from Page 14

THE BEST MANIt is the best man’s duty to protect the groom from bad

luck. He must ensure that once the groom has began hisjourney to the church, he does not return for any reason.

He must also arrange for the groom to carry a small mas-cot or charm in his pocket on the wedding day. When thebest man is paying the church minister’s fee he should payhim an odd sum of money to bring luck to the couple.

SHOESThere are a number of customs involving shoes, which

were thought to bring good luck. The best known, which isstill upheld, is to tie shoes to the back of the newlyweds’ car.This has evolved from the Tudor custom where guestswould throw shoes at the newlywed couple. It was consid-ered lucky if they or their carriage were hit.

LEAVING THE WEDDINGLoud noises were believed to chase away evil spirits, and

during the ceremony, the guests would make noises to keepthe spirits away. Today, it’s traditional that the bridal partyhonks their car horns while leaving the ceremony.

CROSSING THETHRESHOLD

After the wedding, the bride must enter the new maritalhome through the main entrance. It is traditional for thegroom to carry the bride over the threshold when they enterfor the first time. There are thought to be several reasons forthis tradition. One explanation is that the bride will be vis-ited by bad luck if she falls when entering. An alternative isthat the bride will be unlucky if she steps into the new homewith her left foot first. The bride can avoid both mishaps bybeing carried.

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