Wedding Inspirations Wedding Inspirations

Sunday, February 7, 2010

By ANGELA McRAEFor the Times-Herald

On Wednesday, July 29, 1981, some 800 mil-lion people worldwide watched Lady DianaSpencer glide down the aisle of St. Paul’sCathedral in London to marry Prince Charlesand become the Princess of Wales. Perhapsno bride’s gown had ever been more eagerlyawaited than that one, designed by the younghusband and wife team of David andElizabeth Emanuel. Trimmed in antique laceand featuring a 25-foot train, the ivory silktaffeta gown was a hit with the public — andmore importantly, Diana herself. Public dis-plays of the gown have attracted legions ofviewers ever since.

The gown is currently on display at theAtlanta Civic Center as part of the “Diana: ACelebration” exhibition which runs throughJune 13.

Today’s brides may find it hard to believethe gown for Diana’s July 1981 wedding wasnot commissioned until March of that year,just months before the royal wedding. Editorsat British Vogue had borrowed an Emanuels-designed pale pink blouse as one of the possi-bilities for Diana to wear during a photoshoot. The newly-engaged Lady Diana lovedthe romantic blouse so much she wore it forher official engagement photograph.

Then, she made an appointment to see theEmanuels in their studio and ordered a blackevening gown to wear for her first publicengagement with Prince Charles after theannouncement they would wed. Soon shecalled up and asked Elizabeth, “Liz, wouldyou and David do me the honour of makingmy wedding dress?”

The story of the gown’s creation is beauti-fully told and illustrated in the Emanuels’2006 book “A Dress for Diana,” released onthe 25th anniversary of the royal wedding andthe gown’s creation.

While at the Atlanta Civic Center, the gownis displayed in an enormous glass case whichencloses the gown and its fully extended 25-foot train. According to the Emanuels, theirresearch into royal wedding gowns indicatedthe longest royal wedding gown train at thattime had been 23 feet long, so they suggestedDiana’s be even longer and she happilyagreed.

The Emanuels tried to use as many Britishmaterials as possible in the gown’s creation,yet they were surprised to learn there wasactually a silk farm in England, LullingstoneSilk Farm in Dorset. Unfortunately there sim-ply weren’t enough British silkworms to cre-ate all the fabric required, but the silk farmdid produce silk that was used in Diana’s veil.

Diana’sdressAtlanta exhibitprovides look at royalwedding fashion

See DIANA, page 2B

By NICHOLE GOLDENnichole@newnan.com

For all those guys trying to plan the per-fect proposal, take note of ChristopherHerdener’s 2008 proposal to Ragan Ellen.Herdener popped the question to his girl-friend during a candlelight picnic in aMontgomery, Ala. park. Candles, good food,a nice September evening. How could yougo wrong?

“It was very romantic,” said Ragan, nowMrs. Herdener.

The Newnan couple tied the knot July 11,2009. Chris works for Grant FinancialGroup, LLC and New York Life. Ragan isemployed at The Heritage School.

Chris, a University of Georgia graduate,was introduced to Ragan by his sister,Jessica. Ragan was attending AuburnUniversity when they met.

“We had ten months and a few days toplan for the wedding which was, in myopinion, just the right amount of time,” saidRagan. “Planning takes a while, so tenmonths gave us plenty of time to get every-thing done.

The Herdeners’ wedding ceremony was atFirst Baptist Church on the Square inLaGrange. Because Ragan attended thatchurch while growing up, it was a “special”place for the couple to be married.

The wedding included nuptial music witha vocalist, and instrumentalists playing vio-lin, cello, organ, piano and the viola.

“We wanted something very classic with atouch of Southern flair. We also wanted todo traditional but with our own originality,”said Ragan about their wedding’s style.

The wedding reception was held Hillsand Dales Estate, also in LaGrange.

Ragan’s wedding dress was a white strap-less taffeta and organza gown that featured

asymmetrical ruching on the bodice and acrystal beaded taffeta overlay along thedropped waist. “I loved it because it wasboth traditional and modern. The lace andthe buttons running down the back werevery traditional, but I loved the straplesslook and the asymmetrical ruching,” saidRagan. She wore a single chapel-length veilwith crystal beading.

Ragan was able to purchase her gown aswell as order all of the bridesmaids’ dressesat An Affair to Remember in LaGrange.

The bridesmaids’ dresses were a sagegreen and they were strapless. They alsohad ruching at the waist with a lighter greensash. The attendants carried pink gardenroses and green hydrangea for the summerwedding.

What was the hardest part of planning?“For us, the hardest part of planning was theguest list. We were so excited about ourreception site, but it could only hold a cer-tain amount of people, so we really had tonarrow our list down and decided howmany each family could invite,” said Ragan.

While Chris left a lot of the planningdetails to Ragan, they picked out the recep-tion site together as well as all of the musicfor both ceremony, and reception. “He wasreally good about handling everything withhis groomsmen,” added Ragan.

The bride and groom were able to incor-porate several special touches that weremeaningful to them. Ragan had two broach-es that belonged to her grandmotherspinned on her bouquet. One pin was her“something old” and one was her “some-thing new.” The bridal bouquet consisted ofpink and white garden roses and greenhydrangeas tied with ivory satin ribbon andaccented with pearls.This wedding day photo uses color and black and white for a unique look. Ragan’s bridal bouquet fea-

tured garden roses and hydrangea, perfect for any summer wedding.

Photos courtesy of Steve Mason Photography, LaGrange

Newnan residentshave wedding withclassic, Southern flair

Photos by Angela McRae

The Royal Wedding gown is on display in Atlanta with the bridal earrings, a parasol, and the bridesmaid’s dress of young ClementineHambro. Diana wore her family’s tiara for the ceremony.

See HERDENERS, page 3B

20100207_B01-02_clupbridalFIXED 2/8/10 2:27 PM Page 1

2B — The Times-Herald — Sunday, February 7, 2010

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Secrecy was paramount onceDiana’s dress got under way,and the designers went so faras to install a vault — completewith security guards — whichwas used to house all thesketches and materials for thegown and bridesmaids’ gowns.

Stephen Walters & Sons ofEngland was commissioned toweave the fabric for the gown.The firm had long ties to theroyal family, having woven thesilk lining for Queen ElizabethII’s coronation gown as well asthe silk for Princess Anne’swedding dress.

In “A Dress for Diana,” theEmanuels explain how the milltwisted and dyed the silk totheir specifications. “Twoforty-one-metre lengths werewoven; the additional one,woven in case of accidents,was subsequently used for theMadame Tussauds (wax muse-um) dress. The loom wasstripped down and rebuiltespecially for the weaving, andat a rate of about one metre perhour, the weaving of each bolttook nearly a full week.”

Again with secrecy in mind,the employees were not told ofthe real purpose of this specialproject. Also, samples of thefabric were ordered in bothwhite and ivory so that no onewould ever know which theywere going to use.

Elizabeth Emanuel, a fan ofromantic frills and flounces,had long been a collector andgatherer of antique laces whichwere used in the firm’s designs.During the creation of Diana’sgown, however, the Emanuelswere offered some Carrick-ma-Cross lace which had beengiven to the Royal School ofNeedlework by Queen Mary.This lace was sewn onto thebodice of Diana’s gown, andthe Emanuels said that “whenwe explained the significanceof this lace to Diana she wasgenuinely touched.”

The gown’s long train is oneof its most memorable fea-tures, and it is elegantly dis-played in the Atlanta exhibit.During fittings, the Emanuelswere unable to spread out thetrain in their tiny Brook Streetstudio, so fittings had to bemade at Buckingham Palacewhere there was more room.

The Clive Shilton slippersworn with the gown are alsoon view in the Diana exhibi-tion, and they, too, weredesigned with much thoughtand detail. The shoes could notbe made of the exact same fab-ric as the dress because thedress fabric was simply toolightweight. The StephenWalters firm which wove thefabric for the dress also wovethe fabric for the shoes, a silkduchess satin which was dyedto precisely match the gown.

The fluted heel of each slip-per is made of leather andwood. The sole of the shoeswas made of suede so Dianawouldn’t slip on her weddingday. In addition to an elegantlygilded design on the sole, justunder the heel can be glimpseda gold heart with the initials“C” and “D” on either side.

The top of each shoe fea-tures an elegant lace heartembellishment — a designchosen by Diana — and thepair includes some 542 mother-of-pearl sequins.

Also in the display, but neverused, is a vintage parasol theEmanuels bought at auction

DIANAContinued from page 1

Atlanta exhibit provides look at royal wedding fashion

and covered in fabric and laceto match the dress. With it is amatching pochette, or enve-lope.

The bridesmaid dress on dis-play is that of ClementineHambro, who at five was theyoungest of Diana’s five brides-maids and was a former kinder-garten student of Diana.

Completing the ensemble arethe diamond earrings Dianaborrowed from her mother andthe Spencer family tiara shewore with her veil.

Other wedding-related arti-facts on display include analbum of photos taken by

Diana’s father of the streets andstorefronts of London as theylooked when decorated for theroyal wedding. Also in the wed-ding gallery is one of the cakeboxes presented to weddingguests for their souvenir slicesof cake.

In addition to the weddinggallery, visitors will see gal-leries devoted to the Spencerfamily, Diana’s childhood andher charity work. One of themost popular galleries is thedress gallery with 28 of Diana’sgowns on display. A video ofDiana’s memorial service playsin the tribute gallery, which

also features such objects asElton John’s score for “Candlein the Wind” and the EarlSpencer’s tribute atWestminster Abbey.

“Diana: A Celebration” runsthrough June 13, and ticketsmust be purchased in advancefor specific days. Ticket pricesare $18.50 for adults; $15.50 forseniors, students with ID, andgroups of 10 or more; $12 forchildren 6-12; and free for chil-dren 5 and under. For moreinformation, visit atlantacivic-center.com or call 404-658-7159.

Guests at the 1981 wedding of the Prince and Princes of Wales were presented with thesemonogrammed boxes for their souvenir slices of cake.

Photos by Angela McRaeLady Diana Spencer wore these Clive Shilton slippers on herwedding day. The soles of the shoes were made of suede soDiana wouldn’t slip on her royal wedding day.

While at the Atlanta Civic Center, the Diana gown is displayed in an enormous glass casewhich encloses the dress and its fully extended 25-foot train.

The ivory silk taffeta dresswith antique lace wasdesigned by David andElizabeth Emanuel. Thegown is part of the WeddingGallery exhibit of “Diana: ACelebration.” The exhibit willbe at the Atlanta CivicCenter through mid-June.

Sunday, February 7, 2010 — The Times-Herald — 3B

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A fun touch involved thefood served at the reception.“We both love seafood and aswe mentioned we wanted toadd some Southern flair, so weserved shrimp and grits at ourreception,” said Ragan. “Wewanted something fun to giveto guests as a thank you forcoming to the wedding, so wehad sugar cookies shaped likean “H” for Herdener, and theywere iced in pink and sagegreen (our wedding colors)and were given to guests ontheir way out.”

The couple’s “getaway”vehicle was a 1950’s PinkCadillac. Family and friendswere given sparklers, perfectfor any July wedding, to waveas the newlyweds exited thereception.

The Herdeners wouldadvise any engaged couple tostart planning early. “Summeris a very popular season forweddings and if you choose tohave your wedding in a small-er town like we did, ceremonyand receptions sites getbooked fast, so the earlier youbook it the better,” said Ragan.In fact, the first thing thatRagan and Chris did followingtheir engagement was tosecure the church and recep-tion location.

HERDENERContinued from page 1B

WeddingPlanning Tips-If planning a

warm weatherwedding, make sureyour guests will becomfortable.

-Always have aPlan B in case ofinclement weather,particularly foroutdoorceremonies.

-Pick yourceremony andreception locationsfirst, and book early.

“Be sure to think about theweather when choosing yoursite,” said Ragan. “Make sureyour guests will be comfortablein the summer heat, and makesure you have a plan B in caseof bad weather.”

After all the wedding plan-ning, the pre-nuptial showersand parties, and then the wed-ding, the Herdeners escaped toJamaica for their honeymoontrip.

“We knew we would beexhausted after months of plan-ning and after the big day, sowe wanted to go somewheretropical where we could relaxand recover,” said Ragan. “Weboth had never been to Jamaicabefore so we decided that iswhere we would go. It waswonderful and we cannot waitto go back again soon.”

Classic, Southern flair

Give sparklers to your reception guests for a magical farewell. The Herdeners of Newnan depart for their honeymoon at theirJuly 11, 2009 wedding.

Ragan Ellen Herdener is surrounded by her bridesmaidswho wore sage green, strapless gowns. Candles with globeswere used to decorate the church sanctuary for the summer2009 wedding.

Mr. and Mrs. Chris Herdener had fun riding in a classic Pink Cadillac on their wedding day.

-Photos by Steve Mason Photography, LaGrangeRagan Herdener’s wedding dress was a white straplesstaffeta and organza gown.

4B— The Times-Herald — Sunday, February 7, 2010

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Planning a wedding ceremo-ny in Coweta? Don’t forget totake care of the “business,”side of the nuptials by obtain-ing the marriage license fromCoweta County Probate Court.

To obtain the license, thebride and groom must appearin person, and both be at least18 years of age. This applies toboth non-Georgia and Georgiaresidents being married inCoweta County.

Probate Court, located at 22East Broad St. in Newnan, isopen Mondays through Fridays8 to 11 a.m., and from 1-4 p.m.

Those applying for a mar-riage license should bring adriver’s license, passport orbirth certificate as their identi-fication.

A final divorce decree is alsoneeded if either party has beendivorced.

If a couple has had “premari-tal education” as defined inGeorgia Code Section 19-3-30.1,the cost of the application willbe $16 (cash or money orderonly). If a couple has not had“premarital education,” the feewill be $51.

To get the reduced fee, youmust provide Probate Courtwith a signed, notarized certi-fication by clergyman, doctor,social worker or therapist. Theform is available onwww.coweta.ga.us by follow-ing the link to the ProbateCourt.

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So how can you keep yourdiamond looking its very best?

The nonprofit GemologicalInstitute of America (GIA) –regarded as the world’s fore-most authority in gemology –offers the following tips on dia-mond care:

• Handle your diamond spar-ingly. Because diamonds arenatural magnets for grease,they’re not easy to keep clean.Handling a diamond with yourfingers provides enough oilsfrom your skin (the type of“grease” that most affects dia-monds) to alter the way your

diamond looks.• Clean your diamond regu-

larly. A simple plan to keepyour diamond jewelry alwayslooking beautiful is to soak thediamond in an ammonia-basedhousehold cleaner (such aswindow cleaner) overnight,once or twice weekly. In themorning, remove the diamondfrom the cleaner and brush itwith a soft, clean toothbrush(one that has not previouslybeen used in any way, and thatyou reserve exclusively for

cleaning your diamond) toremove any leftover dirt. Takeextra care to brush the back ofthe diamond as this will be thearea that has collected the mostoil and dirt.

• Be aware that fragile set-tings and estate jewelry won’ttake kindly to being scrubbedwith a toothbrush, so use a softtouch. Then, just rinse the dia-mond with water and wipewith a soft, lint-free cloth.

• Don’t use harmful solu-tions. Chlorine (as in house-

hold bleach) or abrasives (suchas household cleansers ortoothpaste) should never beused when cleaning diamonds,especially those set in jewelry.These erode some of the met-als often used in diamond set-tings, and may loosen prongs,or even dissolve the metalcompletely.

Sometimes an ultrasoniccleaner is necessary to removeencrusted dirt on diamonds.By sending high frequencysound waves through a deter-gent solution, ultrasonic clean-ers cause vibrating fluid toremove accumulated dirt and

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By NICHOLE GOLDENnichole@newnan.com

After a season of planningand then the wedding weekenditself, you’ll need a relaxingtrip.

The top honeymoon destina-tions for locals in the past yearhave been tropical locales.“The Caribbean is still verypopular,” said Mitchell Hicksof Uniglobe McIntosh Travelin Newnan.

The number one destinationis Jamaica, which Hicks sayshas so many different and “all-

inclusive” resorts. These hon-eymoon resorts are usuallycouples-only with other resortsspecifically designed for fami-lies with children.

“Cruises are still right upthere,” said Hicks. “They arethe best value in travel.”

Many of the cruise lines areintroducing new and largerships, such as RoyalCaribbean’s “Oasis of the Sea.”Hicks said several of his agentshave already taken a trip on thenew ship.

Other top vacation spots fornewlyweds include theCaribbean island of St. Lucia,or the Riviera Maya in Mexico,also called the Mayan Riviera.Cruise ships do stop there, butmany fly straight to Cancun tovacation there.

A lot of engaged coupleshave inquired about Costa

Rica, said Hicks. For the moreadventurous set, Costa Ricaoffers canopy tours (zip lineactivities) and river rafting.

Spain and Italy are the mostpopular European destinations.

Domestically, honeymoonersseem to enjoy Charleston, S.C.and Asheville, N.C. Las Vegas isanother popular post-wedding“fun” place to visit.

Travel agents are able to helpprovide information about sideattractions, and for resort staysto assist with pre-booking ofrestaurant reservations.

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Caribbean islands amongtop honeymoon

destinations for locals

Sunday, February 7, 2010 — The Times-Herald — 8B

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