ADVERTISING SECTION BRIDAL It’s All PLANNER About · TIP NO. 4: Personalize everything, including...

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It’s All About You!

BRIDAL PLANNER

Tips and ideas on a five-star wedding, bridal trends, best man speeches and more!

INSIDE

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T he average couple shells out nearly $27,000 just to

say their “I do’s,” according to a recent survey. That

doesn’t include the cost of the honeymoon, either. If

you’re spending that kind of money, shouldn’t your unfor-

gettable wedding be a five-star event?

“It’s possible to plan a wedding with five-star touches at

nearly any budget level,” says Jenna Check, wedding special-

ist at The American Club Resort in Kohler, Wis., one of just

36 hotels and resorts worldwide to earn both the Forbes

Five-Star Award and the AAA Five-Diamond designation.

Consider these wedding ideas from the wedding plan-

ning pros at The American Club Resort:

TIP NO. 1: Give your guests ample time to ogle — the cake, that is.“Often, the cake arrives in the reception room just in time

for the bride and groom to partake in the cake-cutting cer-

emony,” says head pastry Chef Richard Palm. “And then it’s

quickly whisked away to be cut, plated and sauced in order to

create a seamless dining experience when served as the des-

sert.”

For a more memorable experience, give your guests ex-

tra time to view, photograph and comment on the cake by

using additional cake — not immediately needed for food

service — in the reception room. “Having the time to “ogle”


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the cake will make it that much more memorable,” Palm says.

Not sure what to do with the leftover cake? Freeze the top layer to be thawed and eaten

on your first anniversary, or serve the extra cake the following day at a gift-opening party.

TIP NO. 2: It’s better to look good and to feel good.Wedding planning can be stressful, and stress can take a toll on your appearance as well as

your health. “It’s important for brides-to-be to take steps to minimize stress and its effects

before their big day,” says Jean Kolb, the resort’s director of wellness and Kohler Waters Spa.

Establish a wellness routine well in advance of your wedding day and include daily medi-

tation and exercise in your ritual, she advises. Your routine could be as simple as a yoga class,

five minutes of at-home meditation and a brisk walk every day.

As your wedding day approaches, arrange a massage and spa time for yourself and your

attendants. “A massage for the bride is not just a luxury,” Kolb says. “It’s a tried-and-true way

of calming nerves prior to your special day.”

TIP NO. 3: Guys — and grooms — need a break, too.Brides aren’t the only ones who can feel stressed before the wedding day. Bridegrooms and

groomsmen can also benefit from some relaxation. If you’re doing a destination wedding,

take advantage of recreational opportunities like golf to help bond and decompress.

“Enjoy everything at a leisurely pace,” advises Ed Elsner, tournament coordinator at

Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run. “Play the day before the wedding, not on the wedding

day, so that you don’t stress yourself with conflicting responsibilities. And allow plenty of

time for relaxing afterward with a few cocktails and cigars.”

TIP NO. 4: Personalize everything, including your drinks.Personalization is a popular trend in weddings, and it touches every aspect of your day,

from the colors you choose for your bouquet and

bridesmaid gowns, to the hors d’oeuvres and entrees

served at the reception. Don’t forget to personalize

your drink selection, too.

Missy Dortman, director of meetings and events,

says her team often receives requests from couples to

create a personalized cocktail for their weddings. “We

try to incorporate something special from their court-

ing, such as the drink the bride might have enjoyed

on their first date, a drink they always share, or some-

thing that pays homage to the color of the attendants’

dresses,” Dortman says. “One fun couple named Brad

and Alexandra chose to serve Brandy Alexanders.”

TIP NO. 5: Variety is the spice of life — and it makes for great pictures, too.Photos of your wedding will be the tangible memory

of your big day, so it’s important to keep in mind how

they’ll look when you’re choosing your wedding ven-

ue, says Christine Loose, resident manager for the American Club and Inn on Woodlake.

Look for venues that offer a variety of picture settings, from a beautifully landscaped garden

setting to an elegant courtyard to a paved lane for carriage rides.

“Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life, with memories and photos

you’ll look back on forever,” Check says. “With creativity, planning and the right venue, you

can ensure your big day is a five-star experience for everyone — especially you!”

To learn more about the American Club Resort, visit www.AmericanClub.com.

five tips (cont.)


Y ou’ve dreamed of this day your entire life — from the vows to the dress to the recep-

tion decor. But often, it can take a king’s ransom to make the fairytale wedding of

your dreams a reality.

Fortunately, cost-conscious brides have discovered they can plan a wedding that’s fit for

a queen — even on a shoestring budget. All it takes is a little creativity and know-how.

“Many brides have discovered they can stretch their wedding budgets by taking on a few

simple do-it-yourself projects,” says Rust-Oleum Designer Angie Stinner. “These fun, easy-

to-do projects can make any wedding special without busting the budget.”

Store lately, you may be surprised at the variety of glass vases, jars and containers on the

shelves. Choose one — or mix and match several — for each reception table. Then visit the

spray paint aisle of your local home center.

Spray paints come in a variety of on-trend colors and finishes — and many are designed

for glass or ceramic. Chose a color that coordinates with your wedding decor. Or try some-

thing unexpected, like Frosted Sea Glass spray paint. It replicates the look of expensive sea

glass for a fraction of the cost. Customize the design using a stencil — or place rubber bands

around the vase in a random pattern. Spray the entire surface. Then fill your centerpieces

with freshly cut flowers, feathers, branches and shells — the possibilities are limited only by

your imagination.

crafted signs are a great way to display a wedding schedule, menu or to add a personal touch

to your nuptials.

Craft or hobby stores carry wood plaques in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some come

with predrilled holes for hanging. After you’ve selected plaques in the size and shape, coat

them with Rust-Oleum Chalkboard Paint. It comes in variety of colors beyond traditional

black and green — like Raspberry and Deep Teal. Once the chalkboard surface is dry, tie

ribbons in coordinating colors through the holes for hanging and write names, messages,

menus or schedules for a truly personalized touch.

about those distant relatives on the groom’s side? Introduce yourselves with a photo time-

line. All you need are photos from your past, an easel and a little creativity.

Purchase a sheet of Masonite at your local home center. Then coat the entire surface

with Rust-Oleum Magnetic Paint. Add a burst of color with one of this season’s hottest

wedding colors like Winter Gray, Candy Pink or Sun Yellow with Painter’s Touch Ultra

Cover 2X spray paint. Hang the photos in chronological order with stylish magnets.

For more creative wedding decorating projects, visit Facebook.com/Paintideas and en-

joy the wedding of your dreams.

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Y ou are in a position of honor. Your close friend is assuming the position and he

needs your help. He has asked you to be his “best man”, to stand by his side and sup-

port him through his last act as a free man. You relish your thoughts of all the fun

aspects of your job; you get to help coordinate a stag party, ok, so maybe that’s the extent

of the fun parts. Still you want to help your old buddy make as cool and smooth transition

to the other side as possible; you want to be the best best man you can be. You’re going to

have to make a speech, a verbal representation of good times past, current times observed

in a promising light, and words of ominous wisdom pertaining to the future of the newly

linked couple.

Let’s break this speech thing down into some workable components. You need to first

embrace the fact that as the deliverer of a speech, you need to project not only your voice,

but others projectiles like enthusiasm, positivism, confidence, and an entertaining sense of

composure. I know it sounds like a lot. Don’t worry; we have a plan to bring you through to

the successful side of this speech writing/delivery.

The most important component of your speech is not the words you choose to deliver, it

is how you present them to your audience. Think about it, you know that the last thing that

they want to endure is a long winded, non-personally relevant, over-mushy, big bag of wind.

They want entertainment. They want lighthearted laughter. They want it to be over rela-

tively soon so that the celebration can continue. So there is your first lesson. In a nutshell:

Be confident; speak up; smile a lot; don’t belabor your points. These aspects of delivery will

make even a poorly written speech flow easier thereby enhancing the undercurrent of the

whole ceremony.

You are going to need to at least write a flowchart to have in front of your eyes to keep

you on task. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you’ll be able to fake your way through it.

Most people are not fluent public speakers. This has nothing to do with you; it’s just that

public speaking, sometimes especially in front of friends and acquaintances who you would

think you’d be at ease in front of, makes people nervous. Without some notes for reference,

speechmakers commonly will draw a blank at the crucial moment of deliverance. Although

the friendly crowd won’t judge you for a poor performance, in retrospect you will wish that

you had shined when the focus was on you. You will want to flow like a pro, making all

wonder how you pulled off such an orchestrated masterpiece.

As for the content, that is where you are the expert already. Remember that you got this

job because of your knowledge. You know the groom. You probably know him better than

his new wife (mostly), especially if you have been friends for an extended period of time.

Use your knowledge to bring out the lighter side of life. Keep topics non-offensive and

lighthearted for the most part. It is expected and would be a letdown to the crowd if you

did not do at least a little grilling. Poke some borderline, yet still clean, fun at the groom

and whoever else may be present as a target of your room-captivating speech. Spontaneity

is a beautiful thing as well. If you draw a blank, just take a breath and tell a little story that

nobody but you and the groom would know. The audience will appreciate being made to

feel like insiders, and you will be remembered as the best man who knew how to lay it down

like a breeze through the trees. Salute!

By Frankie Janiyan


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S ince getting engaged, Jillian Brown, 32, from St. Paul, Minn., is hitting her neigh-

borhood fitness center more often. “I’ve added weight training to my regimen,”

says Brown, who is planning an August wedding. “I have to get those arms and

shoulders wedding dress ready.”

Every bride wants to look great when the big day comes, but how many brides com-

mit to fitting into her wedding dress on their 10th anniversary? Do you want to look

good for a day, or feel good for the rest of your life?

While considering vows, include a commitment to live healthfully ever after. That’s

the advice from Cliff Edberg, a registered dietician and personal trainer at Life Time

Fitness, The Healthy Way of Life Company, in Chanhassen, Minn. “When I work with

a bride and her goal is to look her very best the day of the wedding and fit into the dress

she has dreamed about for years, I encourage her to make this a lifestyle change, not just

a short-term diet.”

Brown, who visits her neighborhood Life Time Fitness, and her fiance both lost a

significant amount of weight before meeting each other (70 pounds for him, 40 pounds

for her) and plan to stay devoted to their healthy lifestyle as well as to each other.

“It’s not just about the wedding pictures — although I want them to look amazing —

but also about feeling my absolute best on the day I marry my best friend,” Brown says.

Jen Emmert, 30, of Minneapolis, and another August bride-to-be shares the same

outlook. “I was overweight my entire life and it was only about four years ago that I de-

cided to make changes. Now that I’m months away from the big day, I want to make sure

I’m focused on being the healthiest I can be.”

Edberg, says it’s important to celebrate the milestone and good work you put into the


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losing weight (cont.)

wedding day. “Just be sure to continue to set goals,” he adds.

Brown is already thinking beyond the wedding day to having a healthy honeymoon.

“Just like all of the vacations we have taken, we will seek out meal options that are healthy

and satisfying,” Brown says. “While we haven’t decided on our honeymoon spot yet, we are

looking at places where we can be active, instead of locations where the days are filled with

lying on a beach.”

Once the honeymoon is over Edberg suggests newlyweds rely on each other as their sup-

port team. One way to do that is for couples to spend time cooking meals together. “Often

people get bored with ‘eating healthy’ but they just don’t take time to explore new food and

new ways of preparing food.”

Edberg also suggests exploring new ways to exercise together as a couple. “Try to em-

phasize play in your activity,” Edberg says. “When we have fun during activity, especially

together, there is a higher likelihood that it will continue and form a habit.” And the less

likely you will be to fall back into old sedentary habits. “No better time than now to com-

mit to a lifelong partnership in health, not sickness,” he adds.

Emmert, who chronicled her weight-loss journey in a blog, acknowledges that planning

for the wedding day is exciting, but “it’s just one day out of the rest of our lives,” she says.

“Working out and being healthy will always need to be a priority, no matter what kind of

life event is going on around us.”

When the honeymoon is over, life goes on. Will you fit into that wedding dress 10 years

later? In 20 years will you still be fit and healthy? In other words, look at the big picture.

And you won’t find the “big picture” in your wedding album. Need additional advice or

assistance? Visit www.lifetime-weightloss.com.


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T he most commonly asked question you will hear when your friends and family are

informed of your engagement is “When is the wedding?” Choosing a wedding date

is very important because almost all of your wedding planning details will revolve

around the date that you choose. Here are some things to take into consideration to help

you pick a perfect date for your wedding.

If you already know where you would like to have the ceremony and reception, you

should call them and confirm what dates they have available. If you are set on a specific

location, your wedding date will have to coincide with the availability of the location, es-

pecially if you have chosen a very popular location because these places tend to get booked

very quickly.

Take into consideration what type of wedding you have in mind. For example, have

you always dreamed of a beach wedding surrounded by the calming sounds of the ocean

or a fall wedding with beautiful red and orange leaves in the background? You will have to

choose a date that is appropriate in terms of temperature and seasons. In addition, if there is

a particular style of dress that you have in mind, the time of year will influence your bridal

attire choices.

Have you always wanted a wedding during a specific holiday such as Christmas? Christ-

mas is a popular time because many wedding locations are already beautifully decorated at

this time of year. However, getting ready for a wedding in addition to all the activities that

occur during the Christmas holidays such as shopping, parties, wrapping gifts can be too

much for some people.

Maybe you thought having a wedding during a holiday would be easier for your guests

due to the three day weekend. Some people may appreciate that your wedding is during

a long holiday week-

end while it might

be difficult for others

because many people

plan their own vaca-

tions during these

times of the year.

Are there im-

portant people in

your life that you

feel must attend the

wedding? While

there will always be

people who will not

be able to make it,

some people may be

higher on your prior-

ity list than others.

For example, if your maid of honor is giving birth the same month you choose to have your

wedding, you may want to give her a little time after the birth to feel more comfortable in

her bridesmaid dress. Or maybe your parents have a vacation already planned for the same

time. Prevent scheduling conflicts as much as possible by discussing your wedding date

with these important people to avoid any problems.

By Gina Brown


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Y ou spend your life dreaming about your wedding day, so imag-

ining it going any other way than perfect is not easy to think

about. However, it doesn’t hurt to do a little planning for po-

tential setbacks as you continue to invest precious time and money into

your big day.

Not only do you have a lot of emotions riding on your wedding, but

likely a lot of money, too. For most couples, the cost of a wedding ranks

right up there with other major investments like a car purchase or a down

payment on a home. The level of investment alone makes planning for

the worst a necessary part of preparing for your nuptials.

Purchasing wedding insurance can give you financial protection and

peace of mind as you plan your wedding. With wedding insurance poli-

cies from providers like WedSafe, you can obtain coverage for up to the

full cost of your wedding if your event is forced to be canceled or post-

poned due to unforeseen circumstances such as an extreme weather event

or an issue with the venue.

Wedding insurance can also cover items such as the cost of restaging

the photos if your photographer doesn’t show up, or reimburse expenses

to repair or replace your wedding dress or other special attire that could

get stained or damaged. You can also purchase liability insurance to pro-

tect yourself from claims of legal liability for injuries, alcohol-related in-

cidents or property damage.

www.dmcityview.com

find out moreONLINE.


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In addition to buying insurance, here are a few

more suggestions for covering all your bases as you

plan your big day:

event a business you were working with would not

be able to provide the service you asked of them.

Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, you have the

right to dispute charges on your credit card you

didn’t make, are incorrect, or for goods or services

you didn’t receive. That same protection may not

be available if you pay by cash or check.

any insurance policies. If you aren’t positive that

you understand an agreement, it makes sense to

get some help wading through the legal wording,

especially any obligations on your part, how fees,

deposits or penalties are addressed, and your rights

if a vendor does not perform its contracted respon-

sibilities. “Those of us who work in the insurance

industry and specialty markets such as wedding in-

surance can share their experience and explain the

risks and benefits of an insurance policy contract,

what coverage it can provide, and just as impor-

tantly what it cannot provide,” says Steve Lauro,

vice president of Aon Affinity, the company that

administers the WedSafe wedding insurance pro-

gram.

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credited wedding planner. Often the cost of hiring a planner can pay for itself. If you choose

not to hire out a pro, try to learn as much as possible about the best practices that event

planners use in their daily course of business.

“Hiring a wedding planner can mitigate your risk of wedding-day snafus,” says Christine

Dyer, founder of BridalTweet. It takes experience to know exactly how to prepare for a

large-scale event that has so many moving parts. And brides can sleep better at night know-

ing that an experienced wedding planner can refer them to other trustworthy vendors (i.e.

florists, cake artists, photographers, etc.) with whom they have built relationships.”

-

tions. Browsing wedding-focused guides like WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards is a good

place to start. Visit the Facebook and Twitter page of your vendors and see what they say

outside of the sales process.

browse forums on sites like the TheKnot, Project Wedding and many others that are readily

available.

For the vast majority of couples, their wedding day goes according to plan and their

dreams become reality. Thinking ahead can ensure that your day will be as perfect as you

have always imagined, and you will be protected even if an unforeseen glitch does find a

way into your special day.

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