Wedding Vow Magazine

Fall2009

Find the Perfect Dress

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LOCAL CONNECTIONS4SET YOUR EYES ON A FEW OF LOVELAND’S NEWEST BRIDES AND GROOMS

Fall, 2009 10

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PERFECT ARRANGEMENT 6LOVELAND COUPLE IS JOINED TOGETHER BY FATHERS

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Wedding apps for the iPod/iPhone........................................................pg. 5One shoulder wedding dresses...........................................................pg. 16Wedding to-do countdown....................................................................pg. 22

On the cover: Bridal photo by Aspen Photo Design

ALSO INSIDE:

Wedding Vow Fall, 2009

Wedding Vow is produced by the Loveland Reporter-Herald.

For advertising information, call 970-669-5050.

For editorial information, e-mail editor Jade Cody at [email protected]

or call 970-635-3656.

Contact reporter Rhema Muncy [email protected]

or 970-635-3684.

FIND THAT PERFECT DRESSMAKE A PLAN TO FIND THE RIGHT FIT WHEN SHOPPING FOR THAT WEDDING DRESS

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Meet a few of Northern Colorado’s newlyweds

I Do

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Cheryl Davidson & John Nacos May 30, 2009

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Krystyna Kras & Mark TenglerJune 6, 2009Estes Park

Andrea & Chad BrenneiseOctober 17, 2008

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Take your wedding planning — and planning distractions — on the go with these hot apps for your iPhone/iPod.

My Wedding Publisher and price: New Gravity

Ventures, Inc., $3.99What it does: A customizable

wedding checklist app complete with pre-programmed timeframe to help you know when to set your budget, book the rehearsal dinner and meet with the DJ. Task catego-ries range from attire and wedding cake to honeymoon and guests.

Best for: Staying on top of your task list and knowing what to ac-complish when.

iBridalGown: Wedding Dress Shopping Assistant

Publisher and Price: Daveworld, Inc., $3.99

What it Does: Designed by a bridal salon owner, this app assists you in your search for the perfect wedding dress. Store info and photos of dresses you’re consider-ing, complete with directions to the bridal salons where you found them.

Best For: Getting dress informa-tion organized and making your final decision.

What Brides are Saying: “It’s so nice to have all the dresses you liked at your fingertips.”

Wedding Dash Publisher and Price: PlayFirst,

Inc., $4.99, Lite version — first five levels — for free

What it Does: An action-puzzle game like Diner Dash and Sally’s Salon. Help wedding planner Quinn select the perfect details for the big day and avoid obstacles like tipsy guests, falling cakes and catty bridesmaids.

Best For: Blowing off steam — but watch out, users say it’s addic-tive.

Wedding DatePublisher and Price: Alications,

$0.99What it Does: A real-time

countdown to your Wedding Day, displayed in years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes and seconds. It also keeps track of how long it’s been since you said, “I Do.” Cus-tomize the background, add music and set up special messages.

Best For: Keeping track of how many days till the big day and how long it’s been since. You won’t forget an anniversary because your phone will send you a message congratu-lating you.

What Brides are Saying: “Best wedding day app out there by far. “I love the fact that I can customize it to make it fit my wedding exactly.”

— Melissa Tussing, CTW Features

App-ropriate planning tools for your iPhone/iPod


Above: Photo by Kaylen SatherJeff and Breanna Sather pose for engagement photos.

Perfectly ARRANGED

Sometimes fathers truly do know best — a notion Jeff and Breanne Sethman validated on July 16, when they wed at the Tapestry House in Laporte. The couple’s fathers, who had been best friends since going to the same elementary school, introduced the pair, thinking they would make a great match.

After going to visit his old high school buddy, Breanne’s father, Richard, told Breanne that he had found her husband. He gave her Jeff’s senior photo, and soon Jeff came to work with Richard for a short period of time. They spent a lot of time boating at Horsetooth Reservoir, and Jeff and Breanne got to know each other.

Jeff and Breanne began dat-ing and both decided to attend Colorado State University in Fort Collins. Three and a half years later, Jeff took Breanne back to Horsetooth and read her a story.

“Since she wanted to be a teacher, I took the Dr. Seuss book “The Places We Will Go,” and I changed the words and kind of made it about our life,” Jeff said.

After reading the book he

proposed there on the beach, with their dog, Teo, in tow. She said yes.

“At the end of the book it said ‘will you marry me? ... ‘yes’ or ‘ab-solutely,’” Breanne said laughing.

Jeff got the idea to rewrite the book from his mother, Kathy, who teaches elementary school at Na-maqua Elementary School.

The wedding ceremony was performed by Jeff’s grandfather.

COUPLE IS SET UP BY FATHERSBy Jade CodySpecial Sections Editor

Jeff and Breanna at their wedding.

Left: Photo by Cale Johnson


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Jeff and Breanne’s fathers, along with several of their friends from California, attended.

The colors of the wedding were pink and black, with the brides-maids in black dresses and the groomsmen in black tuxes. The girls got to choose the length and style of their dresses, which was nice because they could spend whatever they wanted to, Breanne said.

To further comfort the women at the wedding, Breanne set out a basket of flip-flops for guests to wear during the dance, which went over really well, she said.

Sparkling cider was used instead of champagne so that the children could join in on toasts, and there was a candy buffet that was a hit

Photos by Cale Johnson


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among children and adults alike. Guests were able to take home bags of the candy at the end of the night.

Breanne made a play list on a laptop computer, and a friend of the couple served as the DJ. He was able to take requests all night and did many of the announcements.

Jeff and Breanne are living in Fort Collins currently, with Breanne set to at-tend the University of Colorado-Denver to get her masters degree and eventu-ally teach elementary school. Jeff will start his job in the fall as a firefighter in Cheyenne.

Photos by Cale Johnson


Northern Colorado Home Style 2009, Issue 2

timeless dress reflecting edgy fashion and vintage romance is bleeping across the radar of

current wedding gown trends accord-ing to area bridal shop consultants. Brides seek figure flattery, daring neck-lines and material to fit their wedding location of choice, not to mention the perfect fit.

“Right now one of the popular things is the side wrap, an a-symmetric look that pulls off to the side,” Longmont Bridal Connection owner Cindy Schlagel said. “The side wrap features swoops to the side at the waist line that looks fabulous on all sizes. It really emphasizes the waist, draws it in and gives it definition.”

Schlagel has watched a lot of trends come and go. Strapless gowns reigned fashion for the last eight years, and while she said those gowns will still be around, the trend is mov-ing towards a tank-top styled dress with wide straps. Lace is currently very popular and all dresses are avail-able in different hues of white such as cream, ivory or bright white.

“We do a lot of ivory right now because it is better for people to wear,” Schlagel said. “Also gowns with color accents are available in up to 55 colors.”

The Bridal Connection carries 10-12 bridal manufacturers at a time as well as six bridesmaid manufac-turers. Each brand offers a different strength, such as Maggie Sottero’s

Perfect DressFinding the right fit takes

research, trial and error

Photos special to the RHDresses are available to fit all body types. Top, dresses by CTW features. Above, local model Lindsie Renee dressed in Bridal Suite attire by Aspen Photo & Design. Left, local bride Tina Onuoha by Sunshine Photography.

By Rhema MuncySpecial Sections Reporter


Alace-up back or Impressions bead work embellishments.

Wedding consignment stores offer another option for finding the perfect dress. Wed Wisely, a downtown Love-land shop, offers a large selection of consignment bridal gowns for every size of bride. Owners Bonnie Walter and Di-anne Carpenter compiled the dresses by measurements into a computer program so that brides can peruse their selection by picture and size to determine what they want to try on.

“A consignment dress doesn’t mean it was worn,” Walter said.

Their large selection boasts many name brand dresses at low prices as well as vintage pieces. Walter and Carpenter will only let a bride try on dresses after

Aspen Photo & DesignBridal Suite Dress

www.liasupatraphotography.blogspot.comLocal couple Krystyna Kras and Mark Tengler


she has determined her wedding day budget.

“What are the top priorities for your perfect day?” Walter said. “If the dress isn’t one of the top three, we don’t want to sell a dress that will be too much for the budget.”

Carpenter suggests couples make their top three list and stick to it, because the rest of the wedding is only the icing on the cake. The Dress QuestWith all of the options available,

finding the right dress style for each body type can be daunting. Carpen-ter and Walter handle this process with honesty. “We show people what styles work well with their bodies,” Walter said. “You know it is right when the dress goes on and everyone just gets all misty. We love that moment.”

Schlagel begins with letting the bride pick out the styles she thinks she will like.

“If they have pictures in mind or a neckline, we try in on and see what it looks like,” she said. “If it is an outdoor location, they may want it soft and cool. If it is winter time, satin will be great.”

Many people don’t consider the

need for alterations, according to Windsor seamstress Mary Jane Cooley, the owner of MJ Altera-tions.

“As a general rule, most dresses are going to need side seams and a hem,” Cooley said. “A lot of people think that when they take measure-ments, it gets ordered perfectly, but it is just ordering a size.”

And for those brides romanticiz-ing re-making their mother’s dress, Cooley recommended bringing in a big chunk of money from the bank because it is not a cheaper alterna-tive.

Schlagel said to bring in a small amount of friends and family for choosing the dress, because large parties bring large opinions.

“If [the bride] plans to bring an entire entourage, don’t plan on making a decision that day,” she said.

Cooley strongly recommended brides follow their own gut reaction.

“What I see a lot of times is they will put a dress on and love it and then the mother or sister will put doubt in their mind, and they end up buying something they don’t like,” she said. “Brides need to trust their own feeling when they are in the dress.”

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CTW Features photoA gold paillette strap helps this design from Rafael Cennamo channel screen sirens from the 1940s.

One Shoulder Wonders

By Nola Sarkisian-MillerCTW Features

O


ne-shoulder looks are a key silhou-ette of the fall season, influenced by Michelle Obama. The fashionable first lady practically sashayed in her

one-shoulder gown by Jason Wu, a Taipei-born designer, at the Inaugural Ball in January and pulled it off without a hitch, according to the fashion cognoscenti. Wu’s white silk chiffon number cascaded down her 5-foot 11-inch frame with ease and grace, prompting brides to

seek the envelope-pushing style.Even though designers had already created

their fall 2009 collections prior to the presiden-tial bash, Obama is giving the one-shoulder style some legs.

“Designers already had gone in that direc-tion, but she helped substantiate the look,” said Heather Levine, fashion and beauty editor of TheKnot.com. “Women look to her as a style and fashion icon.”

It’s a silhouette popular even in red-state Texas where brides are asking for the one-shoulder design – but they’re not making the Obama connection.

“We haven’t had people mention it,” noted Debbie Watts, owner of Bridal Portfolio in Southlake, Texas.

Levine and bridal designers say it’s been a while – perhaps too long – since a first lady inspired bridal gown trends. The last time that was the case was in the early ‘60s when the Beatles were singing “Love Me Do” and Jackie Kennedy enthralled millions of American women with her pill-box hats, oversized glasses and shift dresses.

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CTW photoAn Angel Sanchez silk trumpet gown with organza ribbon.


fashionable now – chic yet accessible, mixing high and low fashion (i.e. designer and mass labels),” said Rafael Cennamo, a Miami-based designer who launched a new bridal collection for fall 2009, includ-ing one-shoulder styles. “There is an ease to what she wears and she is comfortable in her clothes which is in contrast with some of the former first ladies.”

That ease is giving confidence to women to em-brace the one-shoulder gown, which designers have created in a variety of silhouettes, from mermaid to ball-gown styles. Some, such as Angel Sanchez, avoided using the asymmetrical look with A-line styles. The Cotton Bride offers a cotton chiffon Gre-cian column with Swarovski trim on the neckline, while another is shirred at the bust with a long sash. Kirstie Kelly for Disney implemented the one-shoulder neckline into a silk satin ballgown with lace. And, a Jim Hjelm design married a sexy sheath with the trend.

How the designers weave the one-shoulder strap in the design also differs, some going for drama and oth-ers playing coy. Both Angel Sanchez and Junko Yosh-ioka up the glamour quotient with flowers serving as the strap, incorporating three-dimensional organza flowers for a romantic dress and using diaphanous organza petals for a soft, wispy effect, respectively. Rafael Cennamo embodied the 1940s screen siren with a strap crafted from gold paillettes.

Designers said the gown appeals to brides looking for newness in a sea of strapless options. There’s no question that strapless is the Number one seller, since it’s a safe, practical choice for most brides who

can count on looking good in the silhouette. But, brides still are looking for ways to stand out from their contemporaries and individualize their ensem-ble and wedding.

“I think in the past, it was perceived as too dif-ferent or edgy, but today’s bride is reaching out to edgy,” said bridal designer Anne Barge, who created a mermaid-style gown with silk flowers clustered on the shoulder. “She’s not afraid of being different so this is the right time for it.”

Opinions vary on whether the statement-making gown suits most body types. In general, bridal design-ers note that the look flatters taller woman, creat-ing a statuesque silhouette, and those with wider shoulders and longer necks. They suggest that smaller ladies should strive for a simpler one-shoulder design so that the dress doesn’t wear them.

“A very petite girl has to be careful that the strap is not too wide, because a lot of width around the face is overpowering,” Barge said.

For more modest brides, the dress holds appeal, giv-ing them an alternative to baring it all in a strapless gown.

“It allows a woman to be covered up, yet also feel like she’s wearing something sexy,” said Kelly. “You don’t have to wear a shawl with it like a strapless dress.”

TheKnot.com’s Levine calls the style more of a staple in a collection verses a trend and designers are taking note. Jim Hjelm will include another look in its fall 2010 line, according to designer Francesca Pitera.

For the eco-conscious couple, the honeymoon is no time to forget about the environment. The rise of ecotourism —

and some top-notch Earth-friendly resorts — are making it easy to relax,

luxuriously, in low-impact style

Now more than ever, a couple’s honeymoon is as personally unique as the ceremony itself. Adventurous couples climb mountains or kayak through turbulent waters. More traditional couples spend languid days on white-sand beaches. Culture-loving couples head to Europe. And thanks to a growing movement in ecotourism, green couples can opt for environmentally friendly getaways.

“There are a lot of eco-lodges and hotels that are eco-friendly and have activities that focus on the environment,” said Ayako Ezaki, director of communications for The International Ecotourism Soci-ety. She said Central America and the Caribbean seem to be the most popular destinations for eco-minded couples, both for their romantic settings and the slew of eco-friendly hotels and resorts that have begun peppering the landscape throughout the past few years.

For some, the term “ecotourism” may conjure images of mosquito nets, natural thatch huts and bland organic cuisine. And while there is some of that, the span of ecotourism ranges from the hands-on and adventurous to the downright luxurious. “One of the important things about ecotourism that not everyone understands is that it’s not one way,” Ezaki said, adding that another misconception is that environmentally responsible trips will be inevitably more expensive than traditional honeymoons. “It’s more about a set of principles that you can apply to whatever you’re doing.”

These principles include minimizing environmental impact, build-ing environmental awareness and cultural respect, and providing direct financial benefits for conservation and the empowerment of local people. According to the IES Web site, “for the world’s 40

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poorest countries, tourism is the second most important source of foreign exchange, after oil.” In some cases choosing an eco-friendly honey-moon not only helps the environment, it helps the people of a struggling economy, as well.

Locating a LocationEven if you already have a honeymoon destina-

tion in mind, the best way to start planning an eco-friendly escape is to do your homework. “Being a smart consumer in terms of what you choose and how you decide where to stay is basic research you can easily do online,” Ezaki said. You can reduce your honeymoon’s carbon footprint by opting for hotels and excursions committed to environmentally responsible prac-tices. Even airlines are going green. In a recent rankings list released by sustainable directory greenopia.com that measured everything from an airline’s carbon offsets to the fleet’s age, Virgin America and Continental Airlines were found to be the most eco-friendly. Internation-ally, hotels are making strides to buy and hire locally, implement solar power and reduce water and electric consumption. Some take it a step further by offering green-specific packages and activities, from tree planting to educational presentations on sustainability.

To get started, visit Web sites like conserva-tion.org, ecotourism.org and ethicaltraveler.org. These have resources like destination guides, expert directories and suggestions on how to assess the sustainability of a particular hotel or amenity. If you’re set on a certain hotel or resort already, try calling or e-mailing to learn more about any potential sustainable practices they use. Do they have a written policy on environ-mental responsibility? Where does the food in their restaurants come from? What percentage of employees are local, and does the hotel make any contributions to the community? Often, hotels and resorts committed to sustainability will post written policies or feature pages on their Web sites. Additionally, here are a few eco-friendly destinations with special honeymoon packages Ezaki recommended:

Lapa Rios Rainforest Ecolodge, Costa Rica

Set on more than 1,000 acres of nature preserve in the middle of Costa Rican tropical rainforest, Lapa Rios aims to protect the land on which it stands. Honeymooners stay in bunga-lows and can choose from excursions like a boat ride in Golfo Dulce complete with nature guide, horseback riding on the beach, or planting a tree in the lodge’s rainforest reserve as a “memory of your unforgettable honeymoon.” The lodge’s buildings and paths incorporate erosion control, water is solar heated, and the local staff prac-tices manual gardening. www.laparios.com

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Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort, Belize

When Hamanasi was built on a 10-acre na-ture preserve, in order to avoid deforestation, they built rooms in the trees rather than on top of them. As part of the Seaside Romance Package, couples can choose to stay in a hon-eymoon suite or a treehouse, and the package includes each individual’s choice of five ad-ventures. Just a few examples are barrier reef diving, jungle river kayaking or canoeing, a mayan history tour or a trip to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and Jaguar Preserve. To promote sustainability, the resort uses old linens as rags, replants many floral cuttings, and composts vegetable and fruit scraps to be used in the on-site gardens.

www.hamanasi.com

Hotel Mockingbird Hill, Jamaica

Hotel Mockingbird Hill promises to offer “the luxury of sharing quality ‘new couple’ time that will neither break the bank nor the environment.” The honeymoon package includes breakfast on the balcony, daily four-course dinners and a bamboo raft cruise down the Rio Grande. For each booking, the hotel contributes to the Jamaican Conservation Development Trust, and the facilities feature eco-friendly design including solar energy, rainwater harvesting and natural air-condi-tioning. www.hotelmockingbirdhill.com

Sarinbuana Eco Lodge, Bali

Sarinbuana’s honeymoon package includes traditional amenities like daily in-room break-fast, a candlelit dinner and couples’ massages, but the lodge also offers more unique options. The locals can teach you Balinese calligraphy, Balinese wood carving, Indonesian cooking or how to play traditional instruments like a bamboo Rendik or Balinese flute. Or you can take a half-day workshop on permaculture and sustainability or play with the lodge’s five pet monkeys. Sarinbuana uses natural cleaning products, including locally produced liquid soaps and insect repellents, features organic on-site gardens, and even uses banana leaves as drink coasters.

www.baliecolodge.com


Down the Aisle

he original plan involved hand-dyed brides-maid dresses, an extravagant sit down feast between the golden aspen trees of autumn, a 12 piece big band for dancing and a full

orchestra for walking down the aisle. And don’t forget the etherial dress layered with miles of silk, satin and hand stitched lace with diamond studded slippers fit for trapsing down a lilac-strewn walkway.

Fast forward to 2009, and I have to plan a real wedding, not just daydream about one. And the day can no longer include playing hop scotch while my father walks me down the aisle (well, maybe). Getting started with the whole wedding process, not to men-tion trying to match my dreams with reality, seems impossible to jump start.

The proposal created by my fiance Matthew was marvelous — a plane ride in a little airplane over the front range during sunset was the setting. He popped the question over the radio head sets and dug into his pocket to get out the ring. When we landed I asked him if I had to come out of the clouds.

Then we got down to business and we finally picked a month — June of 2010. Let the negotiations begin. Join me this year as I plan a modern yet budget friendly wedding. We have $8,000 dollars to work with, 130 guests to please and an unforgettable day to plan.

Unfortunately the grand gourmet feast may be out of the question with my budget, but with some hand-

Finally nailing down wedding plans is not as easy as daydreaming

TBy Rhema MuncySpecial Sections Reporter

Special Sections Reporter Rhema

Muncy can’t decide if she should serve Asian or American

cuisine at her wedding.

Contact her at rmuncy@reporter-

herald.com.

made ideas, the help of vendors, family, friends and the support of brides who have gone before me, our wedding day will be perfect. And we already live in Colorado, where the mountains are laced with rustic romance and stunning beauty.

If you, dear readers, wedding planners and dreamers, have any tips or suggestions along the way, make sure to let me know. At this point in the planning process I am open to any money-saving ideas, as I am planning a lot of the decora-

tions and details myself. I want to hear your money saving ways and personal touches.

We have a professional photogra-pher friend who has offered to snap the wedding for a deep discount, an army of helpful moms who want to cook the food, musicians wait-ing in the wings to take the stage and a seamstress willing to sew bridesmaid dresses for free. Now all we have left are the locations, tuxes, decorations, invitations, oh, and picking a date. At least we are finally headed down the aisle.

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Getting Started Share the news of your engagement with your family and friends

and announce it in the local newspapers. Discuss finances with everyone contributing to the event and set

a budget. Set the date and ceremony/reception locations. If you’re set on

getting married at a certain time of year, choose the date first, then the location. If you have your heart set on a specific venue, let that drive your decision.

Meet with the officiant or the clergy at your church/temple/mosque.

Establish a guest list. Start interviewing wedding planners/events designers, if you’re

thinking of enlisting the help of one. Start thinking about the style and theme of your wedding. Start shopping for a gown. Oh yeah ... If your parents haven’t met, now would be a good

time for that.

6-9 months before your wedding Mail out Save-the-Dates Interview and book your vendors — and don’t forget to get a

signed contract Caterer Baker Florist Photographer/Videographer Musicians/DJ Transportation Choose your attendants and shop for their dresses. Order your stationery — invites, envelopes, thank-yous, etc. Start looking into honeymoon locales. Get your wedding Web site up and running, if you’re having one. Schedule any beauty treatments you’re planning on having lead-

ing up to the wedding. Register for gifts.

4-6 months before your wedding Book your hair/makeup help for the big day.

Countdown to a Fascinating Wedding


Make any final amendments to the guest list. Plan the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. Help the moms get shop for their wedding-day attire. Shop for wedding bands with your fianc Find accommodations for out-of-town guests and reserve a block

of rooms. Finalize your honeymoon plans.

2-4 months before your wedding Start addressing invitations. Buy attendants’ gifts. Get the men’s fashions in order - groom, groomsmen and ushers. Choose readings for the ceremony. Select music for the ceremony/reception. Check marriage-license requirements. Make sure your vendor contracts are complete. Meet with your caterer to discuss menu and drinks. Order the cake. Pick out favors. Plan and shop for welcome bags. Arrange party rentals, if necessary. Book your wedding-night room.

4-8 weeks before your wedding Mail out your invites. Do a hair/makeup run-through. Discuss insurance/bank account changes you’ll need to make. Send ceremony programs and reception menu and place cards to be

printed. Write vows.

2-4 weeks before your wedding Submit a shot list to your photographer and setlist to your DJ. Finalize the seating chart and prepare escort/place cards. Update registry. Call anyone who hasn’t RSVP’d. Confirm details with your vendors.Get your final dress fitting.Write a toast for the rehearsal.

1 week before your wedding Give your caterer the final headcount. Pick up your dress; break in your shoes. Give scripts to your readers. Pack for your honeymoon. Find someone to transport heirlooms (candles, glasses, cake knife)

to and from the reception site. Organize your wedding-day payments and decide who will dis-

tribute them.

1 day before your wedding Get a mani-pedi. Enjoy the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. Get plenty of sleep.

The Big Day Keep your meals small and light. Give yourself plenty of time for hair/makeup before the photogra-

pher arrives. Give yourself a bit of time to relax before the big day.

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