AMERICA’S TOP WEDDING MAGAZINE
MARCH/APRIL 2023
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CONTENTS
Bridal Guide March/April 2023
WEDDING PLANNING 23 BRIDAL INSIDER Artful watercolor inspo and ideas.
28 PARTY PLANNER
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A fabulous tropical fete on the East Coast.
32 PLANNERS WE LOVE We’re putting our favorite wedding pros in the spotlight. by Carol Straley
36 GET THE WEDDING YOU WANT The most important questions to ask each of your vendors. by Debra Witt
40 PLANNING NOTEBOOK Shopping tips from Kleinfeld’s Mara Urshel.
41 ASK DAVID TUTERA Our guru answers your biggest wedding questions—and adds a few of his own.s
44 PERSONAL BEST Showcase your creative side with these stylish tips and ideas.
NEWS & FEATURES 12 WEDDING Q&A Etiquette questions and answers.
42 15 MONEY SAVING MOVES The easy-peasiest ways to slice and dice your wedding budget.
Get more online at
bridalguide.com
• NEVER-BEEN-SEEN RECEPTION IDEAS Personalize your wedding with the unique ideas at bridalguide.com/neverbeenseen
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SPECIAL SECTION IN BACK
• TOP WEDDING GOWN TRENDS FOR 2023 Get a look at this year’s hottest dress trends at bridalguide.com/gowns2023 • BACHELORETTE PARTY FAVORS Fun and functional ideas for your last fling before the ring at bridalguide.com/bachfavors
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Mary Clarke
EDITOR IN CHIEF ART DIRECTOR Mary Cate Godfrey
FASHION AND BEAUTY
FASHION AND BEAUTY DIRECTOR Juli Alvarez
TRAVEL
TRAVEL EDITOR Jenna Mahoney
HOME DESIGN
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Robin Zachary
CELEBRATE
your LOVE AT SANDALS® RESORTS
What makes for a magical wedding? It ’s walking down an aisle to your hap pily ever af ter an d knowing that the honeymoon b egins the moment you say I do. It’s days and nights filled with love, laughter, and shared adventures, finding romance in suites th at d ef y imaginatio n , savoring cuisine that transpor ts you to another world and cocktails worthy of a toast or two. At Sandals, the magic is found in the details when it comes to making wedding and honeymoon dreams come true.
ART
DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR Wendy Mansfield
BRIDALGUIDE.COM
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Bridal Guide magazine (Vol. 39, No.2 March/April 2023 ISSN 0882-7451) is published bimonthly by RFP Corp., 1333A North Avenue #706, New Rochelle, NY 10804; 212-838-7733. Copyright © 2023 by RFP Corp. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use without permission of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. Subscription Rates: U.S. and possessions one year $18.95. Back issues $7; prepayment required. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY 10017 and additional offices. All unsolicited editorial must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. We assume no responsibility for returning unsolicited material, including but not limited to photographs, artwork, manuscripts and letters. Postmasters—Send address changes to P.O. Box 16717, North Hollywood, CA 91615 PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.
Gain access to the latest digital edition of Bridal Guide magazine, now available on Issuu. Browse beautiful wedding gowns, score expert planning tips, research the ultimate honeymoon spots and get the best bridal beauty advice from our editors.
bridalguide.com/onthego
STYLE PHOTOGRAPHY: DAVID DUNAN @HCR. MAKEUP: ANN BENJAMAS LIENDO. HAIR: JESSICA LAVENDER.
GUIDE
REACH FOR THE STARS. Young Hearts sequin mini-dress, $1,295, by KYHA STUDIOS, kyhastudios. com. Aldrin Bone White Earrings by STATE PROPERTY, thisisstateproperty.com. Sparkle Princess Bobby Pins by DAUPHINES OF NEW YORK, dauphinesofnewyork. com. Dalila Cathedral Veil by MONVIEVE, monvieve.com. Photographed at The TWA Hotel at JFK Airport 49 000 000
wedding album
REAL COUPLES
STARRY NIGHT .Abigail Taylor Chase and Tyler Alexander Rubeor’s Madison, Wisconsin .wedding took center stage under a constellation of twinkling lights. PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAUL F. GERO PHOTOGRAPHY
ABIGAIL WASN’T EXPECTING A PROPOSAL FROM TYLER. “In fact, I was in the process of pre-heating the oven to cook us dinner,” she says. “When I turned around, he was down on one kn knee.” ee.” Law school (Abigail) and medical school (Tyler) found them in a long-distance relationship during the pandemic: not an optimal time for wedding planning. “I was studying in Madison, Wisconsin, so I was already familiar with the Overture Center,” Abigail says. The couple planned to use both the stage and the lobby, but at one point they were unsure if dancing would be restricted. That’s when they decided to book additional space in the Orpheum Theater, a venue right across the street “to give our guests and entertainers more space to dance, drink and enjoy the final hours of our wedding. Thankfully, most Covid restrictions were lifted by the time we had our big day,” says the bride. Bravo!
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“We always knew we wanted to have an indoor venue, but we wanted to incorporate lots of natural elements, too,” Abigail says. 1 Guests mingle on a mezzanine at the Overture Center. 2 In the spotlight, ceremony musicians The Camerata String Quartet. 1 3 Marquee attraction: Abigail and Tyler outside the Orpheum Theater. Abigail’s dress by Lazaro; Tyler’s attire, Men’s Wearhouse; Bouquet by Gene’s Floral. 4 Look up! Groomsmen’s attire, Men’s Wearhouse. 5 Beneath hundreds of lights, a lineup of transparent ghost chairs accommodated 175 friends and family. The dark, glossy stage provided a completely different look for the ceremony, in stark contrast to the venue’s airy lobby where Abigail and Tyler held their cocktail hour and dinner. mm
PHOTOGRAPHY: RYAN ROSE PHOTOGRAPHY @JUSTRYANROSE
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& Destination Wedding Guide MARCH/APRIL 2023
Fall in Love
A MAGICAL MEXICAN WEDDING…TOP WELLNESS RETREATS…PLUS WHERE TO WED IN ITALY
PLUS: IT’S BIGGER IN TEXAS—READ ONE COUPLE’S STORY