WEDDINGS NORTH 2013

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VisionsofRomanceThe rich, luxurious gowns that brides will fall in love with in 2013

PIN MY WEDDING!hOW tO ShOWcaSe yOUr StyliSh eVent Online and beyOnd

OMBRE STYLElight-tO-dark

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INSTA-GLAMcreatiVe effectS

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Marva Pearson 218-855-5824

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page 2 | WeDDINgS NORTH 2013

Engaged or Married?announce your exciting news!

Marva Pearson 218-855-5824

Email: marva.pearson

@brainerddispatch.com

$25 Engagements$40 WeddingsFull Color

Deadline: Noon on Wednesday

Publishes Sunday

Must be Prepaid.


Weddings North • 2013

2013 Gowns: Visions of RomanceBrides feel good these days. And with a positive outlook comes a desire for rich, luxurious gowns that will make fashion-able statements at their weddings. From lace to layers to fun pops of col-ors, these are the gowns brides want to wear in 2013

Ombre Style A color scheme that takes you from light to dark is one of the hottest right- now trends in bridal

Insta-GlamSmartphone apps like Instagram add instant charm and radiance to photos with chic filters and effects – just like the tricks photographers employ to make wedding photos pop

Pin My Wedding!Your wedding photos are unique and stylish, and they deserve to be seen the world over. With Facebook and Pinterest, your favorite wedding blogs and even national magazines, there have never been more options for putting the spot-light on all the details that went into making your special day

Town or Country?1 wedding, 2 options. A big city celebration has modern conveniences, while a country setting offers its own ‘rustic chic’ charm. Here’s how to make your choice

PLUS:The Pre-Wedding Cocktail HourThink Pink!Something Blue for GroomsMeet the MillennialsHigh Fashion, Fine Jewelry

Cover photo courtesy of Kelli Engstrom Photography

| WeDDINgS NORTH 2013

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Ombre Stylelight-tO-dark cOlOr iS the hOt trend Of the mOment

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Ombre Style light-tO-dark cOlOr iS the hOt trend Of the mOment


If you want your guests to have a memorable time from the moment they arrive, con-sider following the lead of more and more modern couples who are opting to get the party start-ed pre-ceremony.

To set the right tone, Brides magazine Senior Editor Yolanda Crous recommends creating a special playlist or hiring an instrumentalist (think guitar-ist or jazz trio) to play classical versions of your favorite tunes. Give guests something to look at like a slideshow or elaborate wedding program. Crous sug-gests including your love story, mini bios of your attendants, and background on your read-ings.

If you’re location is unique – museum, art gallery, zoo – Crous also advises arranging for mini tours. Added bonus: These pre-wedding activities are a fun conversation starter for guests who don’t know each other. Photo booths, the guest book and lawn games are good pre-ceremony activities, too.

It’s also nice to offer a little refreshment. Karine France-Matsumoto, owner of Honolulu-based Seasons of Life Events, recommends having servers

pass signature cocktails and booze-free mocktails, and set-ting up a self-service beverage station with minted water and fruit tea. No need to go over-board on the food, but this is a perfect time for featuring regional bite-sized appetizers or the couple’s favorite snacks, France-Matsumoto says.

In addition, think about the weather. If it’s hot, France-Mat-sumoto suggests handing out chilled hand-towels, and Crous recommends providing paper fans, sunscreen and bug spray. If it’s cold, Crous says having space heaters and baskets of blankets or pashminas is smart.

Most importantly, you, the couple, should feel free to join in! The pre-ceremony party will give you even more time to chat with old friends or relatives who traveled from afar, notes France-Matsumoto, and connecting in a casual way can help calm jitters about being the center of atten-tion. But it’s probably best if the newlyweds-to-be avoid the alco-hol, Crous says: “You don’t want to slur your vows.”

–Anna Sachse © CTW Features

Party Plan

The Pre-Wedding Cocktail Hour


Think Pink!When Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake tied the knot Oct. 19, 2012, in southern Italy, Biel was the latest celebrity bride to choose pink for her big day.Biel’s custom Giambattista Valli Haute Couture gown featured a light pink floral motif and a tiered skirt of silk mousseline and silk organza for a ball gown effect.Biel’s rosy selection puts her in the recent com-pany of Anne Hathaway, who’s Valentino gown for her Septem-ber 2012 wedding featured pink hand-painted details, and Reese Witherspoon, who opted for a blush-hued Monique Lhuil-lier number for her 2011 nup-tials. You don’t have to be a celeb to think pink on your wedding day, however, as designers are responding to the trend by putting pink looks on the runway.

© CTW Features

Watters isaac mizrahi for kleinfeld Vera Wang White

Tradition does not mandate somethings borrowed, old or new for your groom, but a blue embellishment will lend playful ele-gance to his attire. Here, Patricia Trépanier, a men’s fashion stylist and image consultant based in Toronto and Montreal, offers a few chic selections

CufflinksThere are countless options, featuring

everything from precious gems to sports logos or plaid. If he’s fashion-forward but not very flashy, Trépanier recom-mends Tateossian Scoubidou’s blue-and-white braided Italian leather cuf-flinks which wrap around the edge of his shirt cuff.

Tateossian.com, $165

SocksSince only a few inches of his socks will

show when he’s sitting down, socks are a great way bring in blue without overpower-ing the groom’s look.

Trépanier likes Happy Socks’ striped socks mix stripes of dark and light blues.

HappySocks.com, $12

ShoelacesColorful shoelaces are trending this style

season, says Trépanier. These shiny bright-blue laces from Stolen Riches look good in both black and brown shoes.

StolenRiches.com, $17.50

–Anna Sachse © CTW Features

Grooms

Something Blue ... For Him


Meet the Millennials A new generation couple is changing the way modern weddings are taking place

When Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg married his longtime love Priscilla Chan on May 19, 2012, the event defi-nitely was on the modest side, considering just two days prior Facebook’s IPO officially made Zuck a billionaire – with a B. The pair hosted about 100 guests in a private backyard ceremony at their Palo Alto, Calif., home. (Sure, it’s a $6 million home, but still, backyard wedding!) Food was catered by the pair’s two favorite local restaurants; des-sert was the same chocolate truffles the couple shared on the first date

Zuckerberg traded in the hoodie for a dark blue suit and casually worn tie; Chan donned

a lacy Claire Pettibone gown she stealthily ordered from a Denver boutique.

To be sure, the high-profile couple required a bit of subter-fuge to pull of the event; guests thought they were there to cele-brate Chan’s medical school graduation. But it reveals a look at how the next generation of bride and grooms are getting married — with an emphasis on the simple, meaningful and affordable.

It’s not surprising, consider-ing the 20-to-24 and 25-to-34 sets have fared the worst when it comes to unemployment fig-ures. According to Pew Research Center data, half (49 percent) of 18- to 34-year-olds

have taken a job they didn’t want to help pay the bills, a quarter (24 per-cent) have moved back in with their folks and 20 per-cent have postponed get-ting married. (FYI: The U.S. Census Bureau denotes “millennials” as anyone born between 1981 and 2000.)

No matter where you look, the average cost of a wedding has is some-where around $25,000. Not cheap, and given the past few years, not always feasible. But if a billionaire can showcase how to keep a wedding simple, make no mistake, a generation of

young couples will find a way to follow suit.

© CTW Features

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High Fashion, Fine Jewelry

When you hear the names Monique Lhuillier and Vera Wang, the first thing that pops in your mind probably isn’t don’t think engagement and wedding rings. But fine jewelry is the latest addi-tion the two iconic bridal-gown design-ers’ wedding worlds.

Lhuillier recently collaborated with online jeweler Blue Nile on a collection of platinum-and-diamond engagement and wedding bands. Ranging in price from $1,800 to $5,000, the collection is broken down into four styles:

• Romantic, featuring interlacing bands of pavé-set diamonds

• Modernity, featuring center stones framed by micropavé diamonds for a fine-lined, modern aesthetic

• Antiquity, which features richly

detailed settings reminiscent of Lhuil-lier’s bridal designs

• Tradition, simple but elegant inter-pretations of timeless profiles

Vera Wang LOVE, the designer’s exclusive jewelry collection with Zales, launched in the fall of 2011 with engagement and wedding rings and in 2012 introduced a new 31 new under-$6,000 pieces, includes pendants, ear-rings and groom’s rings.

Both lines feature signature stones inset into the pieces. Lhuillier’s pieces feature a pink sapphire, representing the designer’s trademark accent color and symbolizing a blushing bride; Wang’s LOVE pieces feature inset blue sapphires.

© CTW Features

Gown designers Monique Lhuillier and Vera Wang put their wedding style into the bling business

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By Taniesha RoBinson

CTW Features

Navy blue and silver.Fuchsia and gray.Black and gold.

They’re the color combina-tions that have set the tone for countless wedding ceremonies. But trendy brides are leaving the old color combos behind for another effect: ombré, the gradual change of color shades from light to dark. It’s become one of the most popular design elements of weddings today, making a mark not only in cer-emony décor but fashion and beauty trends, too.

Ombré, a French word mean-ing “shaded,” has long been a technique for home décor and interior design. It was only a matter of time before it made

its way down the aisle. And, brides can integrate the

stunning effect in their wed-dings whether they’re using the talents of a professional wedding planner or taking the do-it-yourself approach.

“The whole idea of ombré is to be very subtle with it,” says Candice Coppola, owner and creative director of Jubi-lee Events, based in Chesire, Conn. Coppola warns against the temptation to use the effect everywhere. “You need to pick and choose what’s going to make the most sense,” she says. “[Ombré can] be a tribute to what your natural style is.”

The key element in a subtle ombré design is the gentleness of the gradation. When done right, the color seems to float into the space with a very natu-

ral progression. Here are some popular ways the effect has been trending on the wedding scene.

DecorationLast year, Coppola infused

the popular scale of pale pink to deep red into a stunning wedding design. Floral arrange-ments, including the bouquets and petals that aligned the cen-ter aisle, fea-tured the effect. The bridesmaid dresses, the centerpieces at the reception, and what Cop-pola described as “unexpected

areas” (linens and paper in the table settings) all featured gra-dation as accents to the overall color scheme.

Cake“One of the most popular

cakes we have done in ombré is the ombré ruffled cake,” says Amy Beck, a professional Chica-

go-based cake designer.Each shade blends

almost seamlessly into the next in her cake designs, and the ruffled effect adds sheer ele-gance.

“I happen to think that they look bet-ter when they’re tall-er,” Beck says. This is because the gradation can be smoothed out

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over more than a dozen shades, giving the eye more to pick up on.

Beck says the ombréd cake has become so popular in recent years because it’s a way of bring-ing in color, letting the color stand out but not overwhelm the cake, especially for dark colors.

BeautyOmbréd hair took off in Hol-

lywood a few years ago, draping down the shoulders of stars such as actress Drew Barrymore. But the effect has been around for ages because hair strands natu-rally become lighter at the ends with sun exposure.

Today’s techniques create more dramatic effects for a per-fect touch of glamour for wed-ding ’dos. “Because of the ombré, you’ll see the texture better in your updo and even your typi-cal style versus if it was just one solid dark color,” says Holly Kas-prisin, hair stylist and makeup

artist at Chicago Bridal Hair and Makeup. “It would be flat, and you wouldn’t see the definition or texture as much as you do with ombré.” There’s one caveat for women who covet the trend: it’s better for people with solid, dark hair.

Kasprisin also has seen the ombré trend grow in popular-ity for nail designs. Shading tech-niques have long been used in eye makeup.

Fashion The ombré trend in wed-

ding gowns heated up this fall.

Actress Anne Hathaway married in a custom Valentino gown with pink ombré accents. At the 2012 New York Bridal Fashion week, designer Anne Barge showcased an ombréd wedding gown from her fall 2013 collection. “It was subtle but very obvious,” says Coppola, who was in attendance. “The bottom of the dress was of a darker shade and it got lighter and lighter as it went up to the top ... It was a really subtle and beautiful way to incorporate the trend while still being bridal and classic and beautiful.”

For brides who can’t dream of donning anything other than an all-white dress, ombréd acces-sories (jewelry, shoes, etc.) make perfect accents. Also, a popular trend for bridesmaids’ dresses is to have each be a unique shade of your wedding color rather than the same color and style of dress.

© CTW Features

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alencon lace peral to blush ombré trumpet gown with Sabrina neckline and separate silk charmeuse slip from anne barge

| WeDDINgS NORTH 2013Weddings North • Fall 2006 • Page 10

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Wedding Budget WorksheetDESCRIPTION ESTIMATE ACTUAL DESCRIPTION ESTIMATE ACTUAL

RECEPTIONFacility

COST STATIONERY COST

Food

Cake

Entertainment

Bride’s Wedding Ring

Groom’s Wedding Ring

Beverages

Decorations

RINGS COST

WEDDING ATTIRE COSTBridal Dress

Tuxedos

Accessories

Alterations

Headpiece/Veil

FLOWERS COSTCeremony/Reception

Bouquets

Boutonnieres

CEREMONY COSTChurch/Location

Clergy/Judge

Musicians

Decorations/Rentals REHEARSAL DINNER COST

Location

Other

Announcements

Wedding Invitations

Thank You’s

Stamps

Programs

Albums

Other

PHOTOGRAPHER COST

VIDEOGRAPHER COSTOther

Gifts for Attendants

Wedding Favors

GIFTS COST

Gifts for Parents

Gifts for Each Other

TRANSPORTATION COSTTo Ceremony

To Reception

Guest Transportation

MISC. COSTMarriage License

Taxes

HONEYMOON COSTHoneymoon Trip

Wedding Night Accomodations

Splurge Money

Tips

Brides feel good these days. And with a positive outlook comes a desire for rich, luxurious gowns that will make fashionable statements at their weddings. From lace to layers to fun pops of colors, these are the gowns brides want to wear in 2013

or the most romantic day of theirlives, brides want to look as roman-

tically alluring as possible. Visions of lace cascading down their

dresses, fabrics layered for movement and shape and pops of color conveying a sunny mood are some of the key trends emanating from the 2013 runways that can help achieve that fashionable dream.

Along with feeling good about their impending marriages, brides-to-be are in a more bullish mood and willing to spend a bit more on higher-end styles that include laces imported from Europe.

“A more positive outlook on the econ-omy is driving the desire for richness and luxuriousness,” says Andrea Novella, sales and marketing manager for New York-based Anne Bowen. High-quality fabrics such as lace, silk and crepe “are preferred because although they are pricier, they add a richness and finish that makes the gown look much more expensive than it is.”


VisionsofRomance By Nola Sarkisian-Miller CTW Features

f

ivory lace and silk organza gown with V-neckline, delicate embroi-dery and hand beading on bodice, slim a-line skirt and cathedral train from Watters


Bridal salons from the West Coast to the East Coast report that lace gowns are key sell-ers with customers, whether it’s more modest fitted looks at Esti’s in Brooklyn, N.Y., or show-ier styles at M Bride in La Jolla, Calif. Designers are creating lace works for the 21st century that are more modern and more envelope-pushing by incorpo-rating lace in sleeves, on illusion necklines, on portrait backs, on belts and with embellishments of beading.

Lace abounds in the portrait backs of Lela Rose’s collec-tion and plays a central role in Monique Lhuillier’s spring line. There are Chantilly lace bow belts on corset gowns with drop waists, Chantilly lace sheaths

and re-embroi-dered lace illu-sion necklines and ball gowns. Guipure lace gowns mixed with satin-faced organza in glam-orous slim, col-umn shapes are popular Kevan Hall White Label styles. Anne Bowen is incor-

porating beading into lace gowns, such as a beaded Chan-tilly lace dress or a white beaded lace trumpet gown. Another for-ward style is by Modern Trous-seau, based in Connecticut, which offers a pinstripe silk taf-feta gown with a lace overlay.

The key for brides to remem-ber is that a little lace goes a long way.

“Brides have to be careful,” says Michele Martin, owner of M Bride. “If they wear allover lace, the dress can wear them. But, lace mixed with tulle or English net looks more whimsical, more ethereal and more flattering.”

How brides wear it also makes a difference. For instance, when picking out a dreamy lace dress, don’t ruin the confection

with a sash, say bridal experts.

“Sashes can down-grade the dress, dumb it down,” Martin says. “It looks more prom-my and not as sophis-ticated.

Novella agrees that “sashes have given way to beaded belts, especially those incor-porated into gowns.”

Lace-bow belts were a huge staple at Monique Lhuil-lier, accented with two-inch to four-inch bows. Watters part-nered with Thomas Knoell Designs to create a line of acces-sories, including belts with rhodium-plated metals, for an opulent, vintage feel for its collection of Miami-inspired dresses.

To keep the lace in check, lace has been pairing up with other fabrics for a match made in heav-en whether it’s for an accent or a layering piece.

floral lace over taffeta gown with corset bodice, fit-to-flare skirt and chapel train from modern trousseau, right

Silk white and gold embroidered tulle illusion cap sleeve gown with natural waist, soft a-line skirt and 4-inch

embroidered bow belt from monique lhuillier, below

‘Subtle and unexpected’: designer Jennifer Williams of alvina Valenta mixed lace and tulle for a soft, feminine feel in

this V-neck gown with shoulder straps


ivory chantilly lace illusion cap sleeve sheath with embroidered tulle overlay, low back and godet skirt

Jessica Williams, the designer of Alvina Valenta, wanted to create looks that featured “subtle and unex-pected dimensions” for the spring season. Her gowns include a V-neck style with shoulder straps mixing lace and tulle for a soft, feminine feel.

Kevan Hall’s bridal dress-es that are receiving positive reactions include a strapless style accented with a front bow along with gowns lay-ered with classic tulle and touches of re-embroidered lace in a move away from heavier gowns.

“Dresses that are soft

and light and airy are what’s in,” Hall says. “Brides want fabrics that are more sensu-ous and light-weight.”

M i x i n g clean lines with Art Deco details, Watters is using washed silk organza mixed with tulle for soft, flowing looks in drop-waist and modified A-line silhou-ettes, says Maria Prince, vice president of the Dallas-based bridal line.

“We’re using yards and

yards of fabric for draping and billowing for a very lady-like look,” Prince says. “We’re layering and layering with-out the weight of big satin.”

There’s also no shortage of color on the runways. But, brides

lace portrait back on the ‘tompkins Square’ gown from lela rose, right


Whisper pink tulle and silk taf-feta gown with V-neckline, silk taffeta-covered buttons and tulle skirt with silk taffeta and hand-beaded design details and chapel train from Watters

are opting for subtle color to make a big statement. Many designers are keeping the shades understated, such as at Anne Bowen, which offers a gown made of ivory lace with a blush under-layer.

“Brides are keeping color soft so it looks like a wedding gown, but has an edge,” says Callie Tein, designer for Modern Trousseau. “They don’t want their gowns to look like an evening dress. When do you ever get to wear an all-white dress? You can always wear a red dress or a green dress.”

Nova, a Cinderella-blue satin dress, and Eden, a Chantilly lace sheath re-embroidered with chif-fon are bridal favorites at Modern Trousseau. Monique Lhuillier created some blush drama with her figure-hugging Chantilly lace corset gown and Spanish tulle draped trumpet gown with a full

skirt. Watters’ pink dress with cut pieces of taffeta shimmering with embroidered metallics streaming down the skirt is a showpiece.

Geography, however, often plays a role in how much brides are willing to deviate from the conventions of color or lack thereof.

“Tradition dies very hard here,” says Gail Hester, a bridal consultant at the Mimi boutique in New Orleans. “We had one girl who wore black this weekend, and she looked stunning. She has red hair and blue eyes. But there aren’t many girls who have the confidence to pull that off or that have parents that will let them.”

© CTW Features


Real Couples

It’s time again to feature another great lakes area couple.

Meet Matt and Cayanne Ruis.

They dish out all of the details on how they met, how he proposed, memorable wedding moments, future plans and more!

Occupations:Matthew works as a financial advisor

for Edward Jones and Cayanne works as a teller at Deerwood Bank in Brainerd.

Hobbies and guilty pleasures:

Cayanne says that Matt would golf all day, every day if he could. Matt also likes to go to the gym and play any sport that he can (including video games). Cayanne likes to golf also (because Matt taught her) and play volleyball. Sports are a big thing that they both have in common and enjoy doing together. Cayanne also loves to cook and bake. Matt’s guilty pleasure is video games — Call of Duty to be exact — and of course, golf. Cayanne’s guilty pleasure is anything that involves clothes and shoes and the occasional bag of Cheetos and Dove chocolate bar.

How the couple ended up together:

A mutual friend of theirs introduced them while playing sand volleyball. They went on their first date when Cayanne was only 18 and Cayanne ended up getting grounded because of the fact that Matt was five years older and she hadn’t told her parents. So for two weeks, if Matt wanted to see Cayanne, he had to go to her house. In that time he spent a lot of time with her parents and they fell in love with him just like Cayanne did.

The Proposal:Matt picked Cayanne up on her birth-

day and wanted to take her out. She got all dressed up because it was her birthday

and was surprised when he showed up all spiffy also. He took her to the movie “Bridesmaids” (which he claims was her first clue) and then when it was over, they headed to dinner. At the intersection of 371 and Woida Road, the stoplight turned red, Matthew turned to Cayanne and point-ed to the Deerwood Bank billboard and in flashing lights were the words “Cayanne A. Robben, will you marry me?” Cayanne became overwhelmed with excitement and honestly did not believe that it was happening. Matt reached over to open the glove compartment and sitting open was an engagement ring for Cayanne! She looked at him and answered yes! Matt then took the ring, and placed it on her finger, and the rest is history!

Details of the big day:Matt and Cayanne were married Decem-

ber 17, 2011, at First Baptist Church in Bax-ter. The wedding ceremony and reception were both held there.

Most memorable moment:

Unfortunately Cayanne has the negative memory of getting the flu on her wedding day. However, the couple says their best memory from their wedding day was the pictures they took before the ceremony. Cayanne says it was great to have each of their families there, taking photos with them and being able to spend time with them before the chaos began.

Matt and Cayanne RuisAges: Matt, 25, and Cayanne, 20Together: 2 ½ yearsMarried: 1 year

18 Weddings North • Fall 2011page 18 | WeDDINgS NORTH 2013

The most fun with planning the wedding:

Matt would say he didn’t really do much of the planning, so for Cayanne the best part of the planning process was being able to spend a lot of time with her mom and to have her help throughout the entire process. Cayanne says her mom took a lot of the stress off of her and that she may have fallen apart if it weren’t for her mom.

Most difficult thing about planning their wedding day:

Because Matt was offered a new job in St. Louis after they got engaged, the couple had to move their wedding date up and squeeze eight months of planning into three! Cayanne wanted to go with him, but didn’t want to delay the wedding even lon-ger so they decided to get married sooner.

Wedding advice:Simple: The only opinion that matters in

the end is the bride’s and the groom’s!

Honeymoon:Because the couple moved to St. Louis

right after the wedding, they were unable to go on a honeymoon right away. For their one-year anniversary, however, they were able to take a relaxing vacation/hon-eymoon to the beautiful Riviera Maya in Mexico.

Baby clock:The couple definitely wants children,

but not for another four to five years.

Best thing about being married:

Cayanne jokes Matt can never get away from her. In all reality though, the couple says the best thing about being married is falling asleep and waking up next to each other.

Biggest challenge about being married:

The couple says the hardest thing is adjusting to living with someone who was raised very differently from you.

Biggest worry as a couple:

The couple worries that when the time comes to start a family, Cayanne won’t be able to stay home with them.

Decorating style:New Traditional. The couple enjoys

many neutral pieces that can be used over and over while their pillows and acces-sories add a pop of color. They try to make their home warm and inviting.

Biggest future splurge:A nice big SUV, says Cayanne, for all of

the children they are planning to have.

Where do you see yourself in the future?

Still in Brainerd. Both of their families are from the area so it’s important that they stay here. Still married to each other (of course) with a few kids and happy in their home that they recently purchased. The couple looks forward to making many memories in their new home.

An interesting fact about Matt and Cayanne:

There is exactly 14 inches height differ-ence between them, and the couple has moved four times since they’ve been mar-ried. Needless to say, this couple has had a busy first year of marriage, but they’re lov-ing every minute of it!

Want to be featured as our next Real Couple? Email [email protected] and tell us your story!

Weddings North • Fall 2011 19page 19 | WeDDINgS NORTH 2013

My Wedding!

Pin

PhoToGRaPhy By Ryan WiLCoX

You Look Nice Today Photographywww.youlooknicetodayphotography.com

20 Weddings North • Fall 2011page 20 | WeDDINgS NORTH 2013

By anna saChse

CTW Features

Just a few years ago, when the wedding was over you were left with a book of photos, a disc of digital images and a lot of lovely memories.

That’s nothing to complain about, of course, but these days, thanks to your social networks,

countless wedding blogs and plentiful national and local brid-al publications (like the one I edit, Portland Bride & Groom), you can showcase your special day to an audience well beyond your guest list.

Whether you’d prefer to keep your wedding story – the beauty, the blunders and all your hard work! – all in the

friends and family, or share it to the world, read on for a crash course in how to do it right.

Social MediaIf you simply want to show

off your favorite pictures and, most importantly, wax poetic about the wedding details you found most interesting in your

own voice, then social-media platforms like Facebook, Pinter-est, YouTube, Tumblr and Twit-ter are an easy and efficient way to go. Just make sure you check in with your photographer first and get permission to do so, warns Sharon Naylor, author of more than 30 wedding books, including “The Bride’s Guide to Freebies:

Your wedding photos are unique and stylish, and they deserve to be seen the world over. With Facebook

and Pinterest, your favorite wedding blogs and even national magazines, there have never been more

options for putting the spotlight on all the details that went into making your special day

Weddings North • Fall 2011 21page 21 | WeDDINgS NORTH 2013

Enhancing Your Wedding Without Selling Out” (Lyons Press, 2012). Yes, you hired your photographer to take pictures at your event, but depending on the photo package you pur-chase, the photographer may still own the copyright. “Differ-ent photographers have differ-ent rules, and you don’t want to get in legal trouble or receive angry requests to remove your posts,” Naylor says.

Another thing to keep in mind is that there are nasty people out there who take delight in posting insults or criticism on public websites, Naylor notes. Your choices are to ignore any less-than-glowing reviews, or, if possible, consider making your account or album private so that only select peo-ple can take a peek. This also prevents the etiquette mistake of jamming up your contacts’ feeds with tons of individually posted photos, Naylor says. Pub-lic or private, be considerate

– some of your guests may pre-fer their image not be shared with anyone, especially if they were caught in an unflattering moment.

The MarketplaceLooking to showcase your

wedding in a prettier package? You can submit to the “real weddings” sections in your local bridal magazine, national publications like Brides maga-zine or Martha Stewart Wed-dings or numerous wedding style blogs like Style Me Pretty, Green Wedding Shoes, 100 Layer Cake, Snippet & Ink and more. An issue of the magazine or PDF file of the post makes a lovely keepsake, and let’s face it – it feels good to know other people thought your wedding was as special as you did.

That said, not every wedding can be chosen. The parties that pique my interest for Portland Bride & Groom feel fresh and

unique, they’re full of inspira-tion and been-there-done-that wisdom for future brides and grooms, they’re jam-packed with great local-vendor leads for brides-to-be currently planning their own special day, and they include detail shots that high-light things like your incredible dessert table, hip paper goods, creative tabletop and awesome venue – you know, the same reasons engaged-you loved real-

wedding stories, too.Most outlets will provide

instructions for the kinds of wedding submissions they want, but one of the most help-ful articles I’ve seen was an


SMP Backstage post called “Getting Your Wedding Out of the Slush Pile,” by Abby Larson, founder of the Style Me Pretty blog and author of “Style Me Pretty Weddings: Inspiration and Ideas for an Unforgettable Celebration” (Clarkson Potter, 2012). It’s a must-read when you consider the fact that Style Me Pretty gets around 600 sub-missions per week. “That’s a lot of pretty to go through!” Larson says. “If we could find one word that really encompasses what we look for in a submission, it would be ‘refinement.’ Not in the traditional sense of the word, though. What we mean is a cohesive style and edited, clean photography... We love to feature wedding styles of all shapes and sizes, but a perfect submission is one that tells a story through simple, well-exe-cuted photographs and details.”

That story that Larson is looking for can start with the sweet “getting ready” shots

and simple photographs of the gown, makeup, jewelry and bridesmaids, and transition into the first look, ceremony, recep-tion and, to bring the story to a close, the last kiss. “Within that story, we love to see details that are steal-worthy, that are pho-tographed in a simple, editorial way and that scream chic,” Lar-son says. “We want photojour-nalistic images to get a sense of the real vibe of the day, along-side clean, thoughtful shots of all those little touches that the bride put so much love into.”

Ryan Wilcox, who operates You Look Nice Today Photogra-phy in Portland, Ore., has shot weddings that have been fea-tured in more than a half-dozen blogs and magazines. He says three things stick out about the publish-worthy weddings he’s photographed: unique personal touches in the details, gorgeous settings that match the tone of the wedding, and, finally, the moments.

“This is fairly hard to plan but with the right photographer know-ing where to be when a photo can go from a snapshot to telling a complete story, which is something the edi-tors look for,” Wilcox says. “There needs to be a handful of those moments included when submitting a wedding.”

Again, you must get approval from your pho-tographer before you submit images, and you want to be considerate of your guests. But there’s also submission etiquette. Most outlets want exclusivity, so it’s polite to only submit to one at a time. If you happen to get a “pass,” try to understand that it’s in no way a judgment on the fabulousness of your big day. “There are so many things that go into a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer for publication,” Larson says. “It could be that

we have a backlog of California rustic-elegant weddings, that we recently featured a wedding very similar, or that the design is fabulous but the photographs won’t look great on our blog.”

You can always submit to another publication. In the meantime, flip through the pages of your photo album again, because, after all, YOU are the audience that matters most.

© CTW Features

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Insta-GlamSmartphone apps like Instagram add instant charm and radiance to photos with chic filters and effects – just like the tricks photogra-phers employ to make wedding photos pop

By Taniesha RoBinson

CTW Features

On their wedding day, Jonathan Buckley and his wife, Brandi, stood on the grand staircase of San Fran-cisco City Hall, where Brandi’s grandparents married nearly 70 years before. Everything about their day paid homage to the town they would together call home: Brandi’s dress, the limo service and even the technology they’d use to capture the day in photo. They gazed into each other’s eyes, smiling. Their

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photographer stood away, aimed and shot the image – with an iPhone 4S.

More than 500 photos of the Buckleys were taken that day solely with an iPhone. Later, the Buckleys’ photog-rapher, Kim Thomas, added effects mostly with Instagram filters and delivered more than 100 images to the cou-ple.

“The very next evening we had a mini reception of 40 to 50 people, and we had iPads set up in picture-frame mode around the room with all the photographs,” Buckley says. Soon afterward, hundreds in their social network would browse through the photos online.

Digital and mobile pho-tography has enabled what is perhaps the biggest trend in photography today – sharing images shortly after they’re taken. Now, the immediacy has transferred to the editing process. “Being able to use the Instagram filter is really, real-ly quick,” Thomas says. “You don’t have to spend hours and hours trying to get the right look for your photo.”

Not only are the effects from smartphone camera applications such as Ins-tagram, well, instant, they create striking, appealing pho-tographs. “It brings back an element of film because the quality is not as great,” Thomas says.

Thomas used the Amaro and Rise Instagram filters for most of the Buckleys’ images, which created a warm, vin-tage look. Amaro adds a blue-toned, aged appearance while Rise softens images with a g o l d e n glow. Thom-as’ eye homed in on the cou-ple’s chem-istry, and the hall’s lighting and a r c h i t e c -ture to pro-duce her enchanting photos.

Lighting, c o m p o s i -tion and the m o m e n t of action are the key e l e m e n t s of any wed-ding photograph with or without effects, says British Colombia-based photogra-pher Kelsey Goodwin. “If you have those three things then you can do whatever filter you want,” Goodwin says. “Once in a while, a mediocre image can be pushed into greatness with a little bit of editing help, but it’s a fine line.”

Stunning effects and fil-ters, however, are not limited to pics snapped via a smart-phone apps. Here, some of

for Jonathan and brandi buckley’s wedding at San francisco’s city hall, kim

thomas photographed the wedding using an iPhone 4S , then edited the photos and added effects via the insta-

gram iPhone app.

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The vintage look at this point is like pearls. It’s timeless.

— Kelsey Goodwin, photographer


the most stylish photography trends that photographers can employ to their photos captured via their trusty dSLR camera.

Textured PhotosTextured photography has a design

overlay that gives a perceived surface quality to the image. For example, a layer could add a brushstroke effect to different areas in the picture giving the overall image the feel of a painting. “If the texture overlay is laid on too thick, it can lend itself as a distraction to the actual image,” Goodwin wrote in a guest blog for TheWedLoft. “Though if done correctly, it can be a very pleas-ing effect,” she adds. Textures were very popular in the ’90s but are now used less often.

Selective Desaturation

A photo with selective desaturation leaves on part of an image in color while the rest is pared down to black and white. This is one of those trends that have stood the test of time. It first appeared in the ’80s but seems to have timeless character.

High Dynamic RangeHDR has been around for more

than a century. “It was originally designed to bring value in lights and darks to create a balanced image in terms of exposure, but if you overdo it, it looks like a painting or a cartoon,” Goodwin says. Picture a comic book to get a sense of what the extremes of this effect can do. Yet, even toned-down usage creates awesome defini-tion and heightens the intensity and mood of an image.

Long-Exposure PhotoThis technique requires a night or

dark setting and moving light. Station-ary elements are sharply captured while moving light blurs during the long exposure time. It has been popu-larly used to shoot traffic at night, mak-ing city landscapes look like a carnival has come to town.

high-dynamic range photos, above, create awesome definition and enhance the mood of a photo. city traffic takes on an alluring life form with long-exposure photos, below.

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Light Leak and Lens Flare

When film or a camera sensor is exposed to extra light, red or yellow glares can fill the image. “Back in the day it was considered poor photog-raphy skills,” Goodwin says. Likewise, lens flare from unplanned reflections or impurities in the lens was consid-ered an amateur mistake. Today pho-tographers are clamoring to get these washed out, hazy effects in their pho-tos. Both can make images look more vibrant, retro or just plain creative.

Holga The Holga is a medium format cam-

era created in the 1980s that harnesses the creative power of light leaks, blur-ring, and other distortions for a faded, vintage look.

“The vintage look at this point is like pearls,” Goodwin says. “It’s time-less.”

© CTW Features

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Photos shot with light leak and lens flare have a much-desired washed-out or hazy effect.


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Town or

Country?

By anna saChse

CTW Features

Sure, the city where you live (or the one where you grew up) would make a deeply personal backdrop for your big day. But perhaps you’ve always pined for a more pastoral celebration. Urban fêtes and country soirées both have lots of pros – and they have their party-downer cons. Here, three wedding planning

experts share insight to help you decide which setting is right for you.

Go to TownAt the top of the list for

why an urban wedding should win out? Practicality. First, you have your pick of venues, from traditional hotel ballrooms to modern museums and art galleries to hip converted warehouses, restaurants and

more, all of which are likely practiced at working with big events. Many may even include everything from tables to light-

1 wedding, 2 options. A big city celebra-tion has modern conveniences, while a country setting offers its own ‘rustic chic’ charm. Here’s how to make your choice

continued on page 30

Bachelor/BacheloretteRisky Business326 Washington StreetBrainerd, MN218-829-9361www.riskybusinessmn.com

CakesCold Stone Creamery15175 edgewood Drive Baxter, MN218-824-0016

CateringPrairie Bay Grill and Catering15115 edgewood Drive, Baxter218-824-6444www.prairiebay.com

Child CareStepping Stones Childcare Learning CenterBrainerd/Baxter218-270-3100aitkin218-927-4767www.steppingstonesmn.com

EntertainmentComplete Music Video Photo218-825-7244www.brainerdlakesdj.com

ExposBrainerd Wedding Associationwww.brainerdweddingassociation.com

FitnessFitquest Athletic ClubHwy 371 N. Brainerd, MN218-829-6453fitquestathleticclub.com

FloralLily Grass Floral Studio320-293-4025lilygrassfloral@gmail.comwww.lilygrassfloral.com

VIP Weddings/Ivy Chapel712 Laurel Street Downtown Brainerd, MN218-829-1771800-491-1770

JewelryRiddles JewelryWestgate Mall, Baxter, MN218-828-1254www.riddlesjewelry.com

PhotographersChristina Johnson PhotographyLittle Falls, MN320-630-1361www.christinajohnsonphotography.com

Kelli Engstrom PhotographypO Box 83Crosslake, MN218-692-4626www.kelliengstrom.com

Receptions/Banquets/RehearsalsBreezy Point ResortBreezy point, MN1-800-432-3777218-562-7141www.breezypointresort.com

Cragun’s Resort on Gull800-CRagUNS (800-272-4867) ext. 8857www.craguns.com/160

Falls Ballroom15871 east Hwy 27 Little Falls, MN320-632-9992www.fallsballroom.com

Receptions/Banquets/Rehearsals (cont.)Northland Arboretum14250 Conservation Drive Brainerd, MN218-829-8770www.northlandarb.com

Arrowwood Lodge at Brainerd Lakes6967 Lake Forest Road Baxter, MN877-687-5634www.lodgehotelsbrainerd.com

Timbermist19624 Co. Rd. 3 Brainerd, MN 218-829-7507www.timbermistmn.com

Rental/SuppliesO’Design218-340-6172www.odesignmn.com

Party Time RentalHwy 317 N Brainerd, MN218-829-6300www.brainerdparty.com

Party Worldedgewood Drive Baxter, MN218-828-2127www.partyworldbrainerd.com

Rohlfing293 Wright Street Brainerd, MN218-829-0303

Salon/Spa/CosmeticMidsota Plastic Surgeons3701 12th Street N St. Cloud, MN320-253-72571-888-MIDSOTawww.midsota.com

Weddings North Directory • 2013


Weddings North Directory • 2013

Salon/Spa/Cosmetic (cont.)Salon SevenHwy 371. NBrainerd, MN (in the Fitquest building)218-454-4547

TransportationPearl Limousine320-251-1101www.pearl-limo.com

Ultimate Limo & Party Bus326 Washington StreetBrainerd, MN218-829-9361www.ultimatelimomn.com

Wedding/Party PlanningCentral MN Wedding Professionalswww.perfectmnwedding.com

Call 218-855-5824 to place your engagement/wedding

announcement in the Brainerd Dispatch and on

upnorthweddings.com


Minnesota’s Most Trusted Wedding Professionals

UNVEILING • Brainerd’s Premier Wedding Event

January 12, 2013 • 11am - 3pm • Northland Arboretum


ing and the sound system with their venue fee or cater-ing minimum.

Similarly, getting married in town enables access to numer-ous qualified vendors, allowing you to pick the caterer, florist, baker or DJs that best suit your needs, personality and budget, says Constance Curtis of Southern California-based Constance Curtis Events. There are no travel fees, delivery charges will be minimal if any, and competition may open the door to special packages, dis-counts or deals. Plus, it’s easy to meet with your vendors pre-wedding on a lunch break or after work if you need to hammer out centerpieces or sample the menu.

In addition, metropolitan weddings are über-convenient for guests, notes Curtis. Those who live close by don’t have to pay for lodging and may be able to use public transporta-tion to avoid driving after a night of revelry. Out-of-town-ers can simply book a room upstairs from or within walk-ing distance of your bash.

As for a city affair’s down-sides, traffic takes the cake. Anja Winikka, the site direc-tor for TheKnot.com, advises checking ahead of time to see if there’s preplanned subway or train work and informing

guests on your wedding web-site. You’ll also want to mention if any large events (festivals, football games, races) may impede public transport or clog the roads for drivers. And be sure to note parking garages near the venue, Winik-ka adds, as you don’t want to walk down the aisle with half-empty rows because half your guests are driving around in circles looking for a spot.

More things to make you think twice: If you have cho-sen a major city, expect to pay a premium for all your vendors, and know that those venue fees and minimums don’t come cheap. Traditional event spac-es can feel generic and their included linens, chairs, dishes, etc. can be boring or beat up, thus you may end up shelling out a pretty penny for alterna-tive rentals and décor.

Finally, you aren’t alone. if any part of your wedding is outside, you’ll likely get some gawkers, Winikka says.

Country StrongWhether you’ve got your

heart set on saying your I do’s amid a field of flowers, at a vineyard or in a barn, a key advantage of having a country wedding is that there’s already gorgeous scenery to serve

as the backdrop, says Maggie Lord, founder of RusticWed-dingChic.com and author of “Rustic Wedding Chic” (Gibbs Smith, 2012). Although Lord notes that the often big, open spaces make it easy for you to create whatever atmosphere you want: elegantly Old-World, woodsy and sweet, a festive ranch hoedown, or a glamor-ous garden party with bocce ball and croquet. These settings typically have a ton of natural character, minimizing the need for extra embellishment. If there’s no onsite catering, you also can save money by bring-ing in your own alcohol, which is a great way to showcase your favorite local wineries, brewer-ies and distilleries. And you’ll likely having the ceremony and reception in the same place, which means you won’t have to pay for two venues or trans-portation between sites.

If the location is too far away from town for guests to make it a day trip, another bonus is that you can make a weekend out of it, says Curtis. You’ll have more opportunity to spend time with all your loved ones, espe-cially if you plan group activi-ties like wine tours, hay rides or hikes.

But like any wedding, coun-try destinations also have their concerns. Unless your loca-

tion is an established wed-ding venue, everything from the table and chair rentals to creating a cooking space for the catering team to furnish-ing generators, lighting and portable bathrooms might be your responsibility, warns Lord, not to mention all the cleanup afterward. For this reason, even if you’re having a very informal event, Lord strongly advises hir-ing a wedding planner or day-of coordinator who can handle all the details, plan for contin-gencies and ensure everything runs smoothly.

Keep in mind that you’ll also have less local vendors to choose from, or will have to pay more for city-based ven-dors to travel or make deliver-ies to your locale, says Curtis. If it’s very remote, you’ll want to make sure there’s enough lodging for friends and family nearby, or organize transporta-tion to get guests safely to and from town in a timely manner. And don’t forget about unpre-dictable weather, adds Winikka. In most cases, some element of the event will be outdoors, so definitely have a Plan B for rain, excessive wind or extremely hot weather.

© CTW Features


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