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Promises

Surrounded by wildflowers, Jessica Eckhardt posed for bridal in Fredericksburg. The portraits were taken by Sandra Jacoby of portraits before her marriage to Kade Burrow on Sept. 27, 2014, SRJ Photography.

Contents She Said ‘Yes” ...................................................................14 # I Do ...............................................................................15 Photographers share their photos................................. 16-17 Simple Treats for a Sweet Day ......................................18-21 A License to Wed ..............................................................20 With This Ring ............................................................22-24 And… Don’t Forget to Share the News ..............................25 Take it Outside ...........................................................26-28 Wedding Checklist .....................................................29-30

The Cover Rustic buildings, large trees and an antique Chevrolet pickup added to the atmosphere when Kristin and Dave Pullig were married on Oct. 11, 2014, in Luckenbach. Bride Kristin shows off her boots for photographer Rhonda Wheeler of Rhonda Wheeler Photography. Featured on pages 16-17 of this special section, “Promises,” are some of the favorite pictures taken by local wedding photographers over the years.

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Promises

She said

‘Yes!’

Rebecca and Tyler Turbeville

Couples share engagement, wedding memories Whether it is a special proposal , the perfect venue, heirlooms from loved ones or a certain song, couples create special memories of their engagement and wedding by adding their own personal touches. Six couples who married in 2014 share their memories of their marriage proposal, what made their wedding special, their favorite memory, how they selected the date and venue and if they have any advice for couples planning a wedding. They also share some of their favorite wedding day “bloopers.” Answering from their hearts were the following couples: •Kasey Nebgen and Chace Vacek were married on May 31, 2014, in Holy Ghost Lutheran Church. •Sarah Starry and Victor Mendoza were married on June 9, 2014, at Pieve di San Pietro a Pitiana in Reggello, Florence, Italy. •Sharla Schmidt and Kristopher Ede were married on June 14, 2014, in St. Mary’s Catholic Church. •Whitney Tatsch and Eric Poer were married on Sept. 13, 2014, at the Ruff Haus in Fredericksburg. •Nina Smith and Jarrett Miller were married on Sept. 20, 2014, at Pat’s Hall. •Rebecca Tiemann and Tyler Turbeville were married on Sept. 21, 2014, in Bethany Lutheran Church.

How did your husband propose to you?

Kasey:

Chace planned a mini vacation to Gruene with another couple that I happily agreed to go on. We had an amazing little cabin in Sattler, on the river, that had an outdoor fireplace that looked over the river. The evening we arrived, my friend and I were sent to get beer and wine. When we got back, the guys had a fire built down at the fireplace on the river that I had wanted to go see since we got there. My friend cleverly had to run back to the room to get cups for our wine, so I wandered down the hill to the fire by myself. There, I found Chace all alone, throwing rocks into the river. Once I got there, he went to a little speaker he had set up and played one of our favorite songs “Cowboys and Angels” and proceeded to ask me to dance. He knows I love to dance, so I gladly said yes. As we started to dance, I noticed something wasn’t right with him because he was having a hard time two-stepping. We didn’t even make a full loop and he suddenly dropped down saying that there was something in his boot poking him. I am oblivious to everything and didn’t even pay attention; I was just looking at the water and fire. When I looked back

Promises down at him, he was on one knee with a ring in his hand. I immediately lost it and began to cry like a baby. I said “YES!!” and the rest is history. This was more perfect than I could have ever imagined. He did an amazing job of keeping me clueless of everything and it being a complete surprise.

Sarah:

Nina and Jarrett Miller

Victor sprung the idea of a trip to Chicago mainly dedicated to my mom’s birthday (Aug. 8), my dad to see his beloved Chicago White Sox and lots of sight-seeing and fun. In Chicago on Saturday, Victor invited me to dinner for just the two of us at “Sixteen” (the restaurant on the 16th floor of the Trump Hotel tower). We arrived before the sun went down and were seated at the perfect table with a panoramic view of Lake Michigan, the Chicago River and the Wrigley Clock Tower to compliment our 12 course tasting. Throughout the two-hour dinner, we looked longingly at the outdoor terrace that seemed impossible to get a table because they don’t allow reservations, asking our server periodically if there was any way he could “pretty please” get us a table. Each time, he answered that he would try but couldn’t make any promises. As we got up from the table, about to leave, the server said that he had made it happen. He walked us through the inside bar, through a crowd of (glaring) people literally posted up with iPads entertaining themselves during their “first-come first-serve” hours’-long wait, to the most gorgeous outdoor terrace. We were seated at the front and center table with two Cont. on page 6

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Promises

She said ‘Yes!’

Cont. from page 5

chairs. How lucky is that?!? And just when the view couldn’t get any better, a fireworks show, eye-level from the river started. I love fireworks. Then, as the show was reaching its finale, Victor leaned in and told me that he wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with me, got down on one knee, and asked if I would marry him. Obviously, I said yes! I couldn’t believe that I was one of those girls from the cheesy chick flicks who teared up with joy, but it happened. I wrapped my arms around him, and then all the surrounding tables applauded as our waiter came out of nowhere and popped a bottle of champagne — a dream come true. From the beginning of the night, long before there was a proposal, I kept telling Victor how lucky we were and how it was truly the best night ever. At the end of the night (after Victor had, without me noticing, handed out all sorts of cash to get the right tables in the restaurant and terrace), Victor let me in on a little (tongue-in-cheek) secret… Luck is very expensive.

Sharla:

Kris was not supposed to come to my parents’ house until the day after Christmas to visit. Instead, he surprised me by waking up early and driving to Stonewall so he could wake me up Christmas morning and propose.

Whitney:

The proposal happened on New Year’s Day after I got off of work. When I got home, one of my good friends was at the door videoing me and on the floor were rose petals and sticky hearts with notes on them. The trail went through the house and ended in the garage where some of our friends and his family were standing. Eric was standing in the

middle of the room with flowers. Our song “When she says baby” by Jason Aldean was playing the whole time.

Nina:

With the help of friends and family, Jarrett planned a surprise engagement under The Century Tree at Texas A&M University. I thought they were just going to tailgate and meet up with a few friends — but Jarrett had other plans. Whitney and Eric Poer On our way to meet up with our friends, Jarrett led me to the center of campus. We were nearing The Century Tree when Jarrett pointed out that someone had decorated the limbs with photos. I saw it, too, but thought nothing of it. As we continued to get closer, Jarrett said, “I bet someone is going to get engaged under The Century Tree.” As we got up closer to the tree, Jarrett pointed out, “It looks like it is us.” At that moment, I recognized the pictures and, naturally, started crying. Jarrett had a team of family and friends setting up before we arrived. The ring box and a single pink rose were set on the cement bench, with rose petals sprinkled on the ground and his favorite pictures of us hanging from the tree limbs. After getting on one knee and asking me to marry him, our parents jumped out from a nearby building, whoop’ing and hollering with joy and excitement. That wasn’t the end of the surprises, though. Jarrett planned a surprise tailgate with about 50 close family members and friends. It was a special day we will never forget.

Rebecca:

I was home in Fredericksburg visiting my parents for the weekend. I lived in Galveston at the time and Tyler was living in San Diego. Earlier in the week, Tyler had

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Promises

Kasey and Chace Vacek told me that his ship was going underway on Friday. Little did I know he was actually flying home and used this as a cover up. I was supposed to go meet Tyler’s mom for coffee on Saturday morning. I actually slept in later than normal and apparently was ruining plans I did not know about. Once I finally got up, I went to the living room and found it weird that my family (including my brother) were all awake and dressed for the day. I texted Tyler’s mom and she told me to meet her in an hour … so I decided to lounge for a few more minutes. My mom then asked me if I wanted to go a plant sale with her in an attempt to get me to start getting dressed for the day. I said no. A few minutes later she told me she was going to take my dog for a walk. I knew my dad had already taken my dog earlier that morning, but I didn’t question her too much. About five minutes later, my dad came running over and told me there was something outside he wanted me to see. I admit I groaned a little. What could possibly be so exciting outside that early on a Saturday morning to require me to get up and go see it? I followed my dad out and as I looked out the front door I found Tyler standing on my front porch with my dog. I couldn’t stop saying, “What are you doing here?” He got on one knee and proposed. I quickly said yes. His family had parked down the street and watched it all happen. I was a little embarrassed about my attire for the morning but I quickly got ready after that. We made breakfast and enjoyed the morning with our families before having a party with friends later that evening at Hondo’s.

As you were planning your wedding, was there one particular aspect of the ceremony or reception that was the most important to you and why?

Kasey:

Most of the wedding I was very easy going about but I really wanted there to be certain touches of our wedding that were ours and not like any other wedding. I wanted it to be an original. I did this by picking out music for the ceremony that was non-traditional but still some of our favorite songs. We also really wanted a band at our reception because we love to dance. So we chose Clearwater out of San Angelo, who we love to go see play whenever we can in San Angelo. I wanted personal touches of each of our lives tied into everything. Pastor Bobby is awesome and made the ceremony so personal to us and tied our history into it so well. We came out with some really incredible memories and keepsakes from our ceremony.

Sarah:

The most important factors were to have a relaxing sit-down dinner with delicious food and open bar, followed by a fun party with lots of dancing.

Sharla:

It was really important to me to have a wedding that Kris and I could enjoy and remember for the rest of our lives. I wanted the reception to reflect and represent our style and make sure that the wedding was a celebration where our friends and family could have a great time and enjoy. Cont. on page 8

Promises

She said ‘Yes!’

Cont. from page 7

Whitney:

Making sure that our grandparents who are no longer with us were part of our day. I had in my flowers things that were my grandparents like my PaPa’s firefighter badge, my Grandfather Klein’s sharp shooter medal, and then my bracelet had a piece from both my Maw Maw (which has passed) and my Oma’s wedding dress in a locket.

Nina: Overall we had two main priorities.

First, we wanted our wedding to be a celebration of our strong faith and a testament for how we plan to live our lives as a Christ-centered couple. Second, we wanted the reception to be fun for all of our families and friends that had traveled there to be with us. We both have very large, fun families and many close friends, so we wanted to make sure everyone had a great time.

Rebecca:

Honestly, after all we had been through leading up to our wedding day, the most important thing to me was that Tyler and I were getting married. As long as that happened, I was happy. We were lucky in that both of our parents did such a great job of making every detail of the day special for us. From our wedding to our after party, I couldn’t have imagined a better wedding day. How did you go about selecting your wedding date and venue?

Kasey:

We knew we wanted our wedding in the summer but we did not want it to be too hot. We landed on May and needed to wait until my semester was over so we decided on May 31. We chose the church, Holy Ghost, that my family and I belong to and we both find the church to be beautiful. For the hall, we needed one that was large enough for our guest list and had air conditioning so we decided on the Farm Bureau Hall. It all turned out to be incredible.

Sarah:

We wanted an intimate crowd, so therefore we chose to have a destination wedding. Because of the weather and vacation availability for our guests, we chose to get married in the summer. I immediately fell in love with Villa Pitiana, an old monastery which has been converted into a hotel with about 70 rooms, located half an hour from Florence, when searching for the perfect wedding venue online, and wanted nothing more than all my closest friends and family in one spot for the few days surrounding the wedding celebration. I just kept picturing us hanging out outside by the pool, or in the garden, surrounded by the beautiful Tuscan hills, or gathered in groups inside the café, or on the main terrace with the enormous chandelier behind us, and the most remarkable view ahead … I had it pictured in my head based on the images online, and then when we all got there, it happened. It

Sharla and Kris Ede was perfect. All activities took place at the villa (excluding the actual ceremony, which was only a mile or so away). We ended up with a few more than 60 guests, which was a perfect number for us — small enough to hang out with everyone, but enough to feel like a big party.

Sharla:

When selecting the venue, we wanted to make sure and choose a location that would be able to be decorated to our taste. To me, Marktplatz was a blank slate, with nice landscaping, that we could transform into exactly what we were wanting.

Whitney:

We really wanted to get married in Fredericksburg since that is where I am from, born and raised. Eric didn’t want to wait long, so once I started looking around, Sept. 13 was the day that both the Ruff Haus and St. Mary’s Family Center were both open. So we went ahead and booked it.

Nina:

My dream was always to get married on our family ranch, The River Road Ranch. My dad built a large deck for weddings, receptions and events just before he passed away in 2012, so it meant a lot to keep with his wishes and plan our wedding there. There is a beautiful rustic red barn which we were planning to surround with custom benches, built painstakingly in the heat of summer by Jarrett and a team of family members. Unfortunately, the Hill Country weather decided not to cooperate — even after burying a bottle of bourbon (a southern wedding tradition that had worked for my brother’s outdoor wedding).

Promises Nevertheless, we had to change venues the day of the wedding. We ended up having both the ceremony and reception at Pat’s Hall. While it was a bit thrown together, I will never forget the outpouring of love and support from so many friends and family members that were there at the venue all day setting it up to make it as close to my dreams as possible. I couldn’t be there the whole morning, so it felt somewhat like a surprise wedding as I was walking down the aisle. Jarrett and I decided it was a perfectly imperfect day — which we know the rest of our lives will joyfully continue to be. As for selecting the date, we were lucky in that we only had a handful of weekends that wouldn’t work. Surprisingly that made it harder for us to pick a date.

Rebecca: Originally we decided to get married in

Nina and Jarrett are amazing friends and were very accepting of sharing their weekend with us. We had their rehearsal dinner Friday night, their wedding and reception on Saturday night and our wedding on Sunday. Fun weekend. We got married at Bethany Lutheran Church and had our “wedding after party” at the home of Troy and Karlene Ottmers. They were so gracious to offer their place to us. Their daughter, Courtney, was my maid of honor. We plan to have our formal reception next summer when Tyler gets back from deployment at the Nimitz Museum. What is your most treasured memory of your wedding?

Kasey:

My most treasured memory of our wedding was when I was standing at the back of the church with my dad and he was doing what the two of us do best together, joking around and making each other laugh; as the doors opened for us to walk down the aisle and I looked ahead and saw Chace’s face. It is a moment I will always remember, seeing the love and emotion he showed at that very moment. The pictures I have of that time are some of my favorites.

February. However, in July, Tyler got new Navy orders and we found out he was deploying in three months and would be gone for our wedding. Obviously that wasn’t going to work. With my work schedule having no flexibility, and with his work schedule constantly changing without any warning, we were a little confused on what to do. Somehow, we found one weekend where we knew that we would both have off, a very rare thing for us. I had already been granted a week of vacation to be a bridesmaid in Nina My most treasured memory is that never again and Jarrett Miller’s wedding and it just so happened that Tyler in my life will I be halfway around the world with all the peohad a week break in his training that same week. ple I love the most, marrying the one I love most of all. For once the stars aligned and we decided we had to take advantage of it. Cont. on page 10

Sarah:

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Promises

She said ‘Yes!’

Cont. from page 9

Sarah and Victor Mendoza

Sharla

: Standing at the entrance of the church and seeing Kris standing at the altar, with both of our families sitting in the front row with our friends there to celebrate with us.

Whitney:

The moment my dad got to see me for the first time in my wedding dress.

Nina:

Many of my favorite memories happened during the reception. I am a big 80’s fan and we also love to dance so I had our DJ Kyle Treibs do several throwback songs like “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper and “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” by Whitney Houston all in a row. It was a blast dancing and belting out the lyrics with my high school friends. For our last dance, Jarrett and I swirled to another 80’s favorite of ours “We Belong” by Pat Benetar. He took Aggie Wrangler Dance lessons at Texas A&M so he got to show off some of his country dancing skills while I sang along and tried to keep up.

Rebecca:

So many parts of the day were amazing that it’s hard to pick just one memory. However, there was one part of the service that continues to

stick out in my mind that I never expected. Toward the end of our ceremony, Tyler and I took communion and after, the rest of the guests were served. During this time Tyler and I had the chance to enjoy a few moments alone during the service. In that time, it felt like Tyler and I were all alone in the church. It ended up being a really special part of the service to me. Did you have a wedding day blooper?

Kasey:

The first blooper was when we were getting ready before the ceremony; we were running a last minute errand that did not go as smoothly as planned. I was running extremely late and ended up having my bridesmaids help me get dressed and shove food and drinks in my face while I was putting on my makeup. At the reception, my bridal portrait was knocked over and broke and while we were dancing, someone got their high heel stuck in the lace of my dress and ripped part of it. Our sparklers we had for our exit also ended up being duds that smoked a lot and didn’t have a lot of “sparkle” but the pictures still turned out great. I think it might be inevitable to make the day without some sort of blooper. With all those things happening, it still didn’t faze either of us. The day was still perfect and in the end, we were husband and wife and have an amazing journey in front of us.

Promises

Sarah:

Our priest spoke broken English, but was very enthusiastic about our wedding ceremony. At the end, after he pronounced us man and wife, but before we walked down the aisle and out of the church, he stopped us, handed his camera to Victor’s mom in the front row and requested that she take multiple pictures with us. We affectionately now call him the “selfie priest.”

Sharla::

Kris’ groomsmen decided that they would catch the garter after it was tossed and auction it off. It was totally unexpected and it was really funny to watch all of our guests get fired up to “bid” on the garter.

Whitney:

The rain was really our blooper, since we got married outside. The rain did stop right before my girls started walking out but I didn’t get to walk up or back down the aisle because of the wet grass and mud spots. Instead we walked up the sidewalk.

Nina:

Our photographer took several gorgeous pictures of my dress out on the ranch before I put it on. I’m not sure what happened, but when it was brought back inside there were two quarter-sized grass stains on both of the back, lace straps. Luckily, my sister-in-law had a stain remover pen and with the help of her and several bridesmaids, they were able to get it out. My up-do would have quickly become a “down-do” if they

weren’t able to get them out!

Rebecca:

All I know of is that we were one corsage short, we made another one and no one noticed. I’m sure there were more bloopers than that, but if so, everyone did a good job of not telling me about it. Knowing what you know now, do you have any advice to give to brides as they plan their wedding?

Kasey:

Give yourself enough time and start early. Make a binder of everything to stay organized and keep everything together. I became very scatter brained and began forgetting what I did with things I had planned. Get things done early enough so that the week of the wedding, you can relax and enjoy all the things that will take place. Take whatever help you can get. It is hard to do on your own and it will take a ton of stress off of you. Make your wedding what you and your fiancé want. People will tell you all their ideas and how they did it at theirs but there are no rules. It is your special day and if you do it like you want it, it will be perfect. Enjoy every second of your rehearsal and wedding day. It flies by so fast. Make sure you have a great photographer and videographer because the day goes by so fast, there are things you forget and looking back at the pictures and videos is everything. Most of all, try to avoid planning while in nursing school. Cont. on page 12

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Promises

She said ‘Yes!’ Sarah:

I know people always say this, but truly don’t sweat the small stuff, and on your wedding day, trust that the people around you will make sure the little things are taken care of. Try to soak it all in while it is happening rather than just

Cont. from page 11

will fall into place just like they should. It’s your big day, live it up and have a great time.

Nina:

No matter how much you plan in advance, there will always be unexpected circumstances that are out of going through the steps. Don’t over-schedule your wedding your control. Of course, I wish we could have controlled the party — everyone will have a much better time and will be weather and had the perfectly, Pinterest-inspired wedding day more relaxed if they aren’t on a tight itinerary. of my dreams, but I’m extremely happy and grateful that I get Also, I waited until the reception to have one drink, and then to spend the rest of my life with the man of my dreams. No didn’t have another until the champagne toast with cake. I am amount of rain can change that. so glad that I remember every detail from the day — it was magical.

Rebecca:

Sharla:

I would recommend getting as much done as early as possible. Decorating and making sure everything goes smoothly on your big day can add stress. There are certain aspects of the wedding that will not be able to be completed until the week or day of the wedding, such as flowers and food. So plan ahead and get as much done before the week of the wedding. In addition, the wedding and reception will fly by … so be sure and slow down to take it all in.

Whitney: Don’t stress the day of the wedding. Things

Expect that something in your plans will go “wrong.” When it does, discuss things with your fiancé, give yourself a few days to think on it, and then make the decision that is the best for both of you. When we started planning our wedding, we pictured the big Fredericksburg wedding. If I said I wasn’t upset when Tyler’s Navy orders completely changed our plans, I would be lying to you. We gave ourselves a few days to process everything and after much discussion we decided on the best decision for us. We knew some people would be inconvenienced. We knew we would not be able to include everyone we wanted to. However, in the end it worked out perfectly for us and we get to celebrate again next summer. So when you think things are going “wrong,” you may be

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Promises surprised to find out everything actually works out better than you could have imagined. It’s the grooms’ turn. Here is what they had to say. As the groom, was there a particular aspect of the ceremony or reception that was important to you and why?

Chace:

I’d have to say, seeing Kasey walk down the aisle. She was absolutely breathtaking and I can honestly say that is a moment I will never forget. The reception in itself was unforgettable. Seeing family and friends that you haven’t seen in forever is always something to cherish.

Victor: My most treasured memory was the first look.

Also, we did not want to spend the night going from table to table “introducing” ourselves and making small talk. We wanted to have a small enough group that we felt we saw and spoke with everyone throughout the evening without having to cram it in between meal courses. Also, because we were all there for a few days, we were able to spend quality time with our guests outside of the direct wedding activities.

Kris:

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I was looking forward to watching the families and then the bride come down the aisle. It was a very exciting time for me to get to see the entirety of both families walk before the person I was going to get to spend the rest of my life with.

Eric:

Seeing my wife in her dress for the first time and saying “I do.”

Jarrett:

I didn’t have any particular requests. The most important thing was that it turned out the way Nina wanted it to.

Tyler:

I wanted to make sure we would have a “relaxed reception.” Both of our mothers put a lot of planning into it and knocked it out of the park. It gave my wife and I a chance to spend some quality time with our guests instead of moving from reception event to reception event. We knew we wanted a formal reception after I returned from deployment so it gave us more flexibility as to what we wanted for the relaxed reception.

Remember we engrave on almost anything ~ glass, leather, wood and metal

Did you have a wedding day “blooper?”

Chace:

I guess you can call this a blooper, I’m not really sure. I never cry and I’m kind of proud of that but on this day it got the best of me and Kasey got her wish. I started to cry the moment they started their way down the aisle. That would have to be my blooper, if that even counts. Cont. on page 14

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Promises

She said ‘Yes!’

Cont. from page 13

Victor:

and don’t worry about talking to everyone there, it is utterly We gave out the groomsmen gifts at the Welimpossible. Other than that, drink up and enjoy the party. come Party (equivalent to the rehearsal dinner) and a couple of the bags were left by accident after the late night. One of the ties, which was the only distinguishing characteristic of the A little bit of input goes a long way. groomsmen, went missing until right before the ceremony.

Victor:

Eric:

Got sick at the reception before the first dance.

Jarrett:

While my groomsmen and I were getting dressed right before the “first look” photos with Nina, I realized my suit was missing. We searched all over the cabin for about 15 minutes only to find out my brother was wearing it by mistake. He was wondering why it was a bit tight and too long.

Tyler:

When my wife and I went to light our unity candle, I ended up spilling hot wax all over my hand. I think I played it off well, no one seemed to notice. Knowing what you know now, do you have any advice to give to grooms as they get ready for their wedding?

Chace:

Soak it up and enjoy it because it flies by

Kris:

Just relax and enjoy it because it is one of the most important days you will ever endure. Let the memories sink in and enjoy your time celebrating your special day with all of your closest friends and family.

Eric:

Don’t get frustrated with taking so many pictures.

Jarrett:

My best advice would be not to take it all too seriously. The wedding is one day — more like a five-hour party — that just signifies the start of your new life together. Something will likely go wrong, so it’s all about being flexible and staying positive as you roll with the punches.

Tyler:

If you find yourself with not much to do in the planning process, try and accomplish something small. A phone call or email to confirm a reservation or appointment, or clearing the schedule for the afternoon to take engagement pictures can make things a lot smoother. Remember to give yourselves a break, too.

Wide Selection

The cakes can be as unique as the couple. From traditional to modern, the cake is the last delicacy of the day. It will taste as good as it looks. We offer options to fit everyone’s budget. For more pictures and information, you may visit our website.

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well in advance of the wedding day. Some couples are asking guests to put away their cell phones and iPads in order to be actively engaged in the ceremony. Others have gone the other way, promoting a wedding hashtag to be used by guest on social media for the couple to enjoy during the honeymoon. Couples can even designate a party guest, bridesmaid or groomsman to live tweet and/or Instagram all the day’s festivities from the couple’s accounts. Whatever the decision, make sure that your social media wishes are communicated to wedding guests before the event, in programs and at the reception.

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Keep your wedding trending the right direction

Snap less, chat more For wedding guests, it’s important to remember that, though constantly updating Twitter and shooting the next Instagram-able moment is exciting, there’s still an event going on that needs to be enjoyed by active participants. Seeing the bride in her wedding dress before the ceremony is still a no-no for grooms, so wait to post pics of the future Mrs. until you and the couple are safely at the reception. Stay seated and keep the cell phone in your pocket or purse for the duration of the ceremony, unless asked to do so. Be aware of the photographer the couple has hired to shoot the wedding and reception, so try and capture personal, fun moments that a pro photographer might not catch. It’s a special day for the couple, so be respectful and only post flattering pictures of the bridal party who have spent time (and money) to look their best. Whatever you post, be sure to use the wedding hashtag and tag the bride and groom if possible to ensure the couple is able to see it later.

Hash-tagging your wedding is becoming quite the trend on Twitter, Instagram and Vine. It wasn’t too long ago that having a wedding website was trendy and unique, but places like TheKnot.com seem more like a time-honored tradition than what’s new and hip. Pinning ideas on Pinterest is a terrific modern way of organizing and planning for the big day, but with the emergence of news spreading virally across the world with MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR #WEDDING a few keystrokes, it’s become increasingly important for So you’ve got friends, family members, co-workers and other wedding guests takcouples to decide on their ing pictures and sharing memories for your social media strategy for the big day using a personalized hashtag. big day. How can you take advantage of that For couples not as tech both at the wedding and afterward? savvy, it might seem unimTo instantly share Instagram photos at portant until a bridesmaid the reception, sites like eventstagr.am will tripping down the aisle or combine photos using the hashtag and Cousin Mike knocking over prepare a constantly updating slideshow. the cake becomes a viral Tweets, replies and re-tweets using your #WeddingFail. hashtag can be compiled for slideshows as What, and how much, well through sites like visibletweets.com. social media involvement Once you’re back from the honeymoon, Storify (storify.com) couples want in their big day can help you compile a digital wedding scrapbook. is a choice they need to make

Matt Ward is Digital Media Director for the Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post.

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Marry Me Enchanted Rock formed the backdrop for the bridal portraits for Claire that were taken by Kathy Weigand of Hill Country Images in 2014.

Have n M a ss, Chris who o marri Hof fm n Jan. 1, 1 ed 9 a togra n Haus 98, at the phed wa s by J e Horm annet p h o uth. te Jo y

Happy Day â€” Sheila White of Sheila White Photography photographed Mariah and Billy Bonham on their wedding day on Oct. 18, 2014, at St. Maryâ€™s Catholic Church.

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Chy and Paul Dittiege were married at the Rheingold School on Oct. 20, 2012. Capturing this photo of the couple and their wedding party was Sandra Jacoby of SRJ Photography.

A bridal portrait of Miranda King, who married in 2004, was taken by Sam Stanton of Reflections Photography Bridal Images.

Photographer Alana Lively of Faith Hope Love Photography took this engagement picture of friends Adrian and Cady Pena in Colorado in 2012.

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Simple treats for a

sweet day

The centerpiece of the dessert table without a doubt is the cakes. Brides and grooms are faced with several decisions when picking out which sweet treats they will serve at their wedding reception. Sophie Lochte, owner of Sophie’s Bakery, Inc., has baked wedding cakes for over 20 years and has some tips to make sure dessert is the sweetest course. •

What is the most common concern people have with their cakes? What’s the first question they ask?

They have their pictures. The internet has opened it up. They come in with their ideas, and some are greater than others. Some is too much information for us because they are way out there. Cost is always a concern. For others, it’s about how it will best fit the event center as far as size and design.

Q A

What is the most extravagant cake you’ve had to bake?

Probably some of the last couple of extravagant designs took a ladder to finish because they wanted the height and the confection flowers. Some of the most extravagant were partially faux tiers because they just wanted something that was grand in appearance. Here in the Hill Country, we have many facilities available to have weddings. Anywhere from your bed and breakfast that have a handful of people to the some of our event centers that will hold up to 300-500-person parties.

If you have 100 visitors, how large of a cake do you need?

Sophie Lochte’s wedding cakes can feature butter cream designs or like the cake above feature fondant designs with confection roses. — Submitted photo

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Typically we say for every 100 people, you have about 15 people that do not eat cake, they choose another beverage or for health reasons, they don’t necessarily want a whole piece. But when you get into several hundred people, you need several hundred servings of wedding cake. You can usually cut back and be fine.

to give you a more elegant, fine line than butter cream.

Instead of one large cake, some weddings parties opt for multiple smaller cakes with different flavors. Is that something you’ve seen here?

It’s very popular, especially when people want multiple flavors, and I want to say it is a very old-fashioned look. Some of the designers and coordinators want to set up in some of our antique areas, and they set the glass pedestals with individual cakes and then they set up homemade pies. They give it a real essence of old German neighborhood. Individual, bite-size and self-serve is very popular, too.

Q A

Have you noticed any changes in trends over the years?

In the early 2000s, we did a lot of fondant designs. In the last three years, butter cream has come back. I would say more than half of our designs are butter cream right now. Of course, we are in Texas, so if it is anytime from May to September, you must have air conditioning, or you must like the fact that if you want to be outside and display outside, typically you’re going to go with a fake cake, and we’re going to bring the real stuff in a box that the servers are going to cut later. Then we can use a design that will hold up to the heat. You don’t want anyone to eat the shortening butter cream, but it holds up for the looks. What is the difference between looks you can achieve with butter cream and looks you can achieve with fondant?

It’s apples and oranges. You can hardly bring a picture that has fon-

Q A

What are the most popular flavors for cakes?

Sophie’s Bakery, Inc., designs have included themed cakes like this confection, complete with edible boots. — Submitted photo dant, and say I want to do this exact thing in butter cream, because the fondant is going

Well we’re the Hill Country, so we do a peach cream cheese. With the white cake, we use peach cream cheese because we’re in peach country, but fresh strawberry and raspberry, which are standards, would probably be the most popular on the white cake. With chocolate, it can vary. It’s chocolate mousse, cappuccino, Bavarian creams, combinations or traditional German chocolate. Cont. on page 21

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A license to wed

Before the trip to the altar and the exchange of rings and “I do’s”, couples planning their weddings can’t forget one of the most important matters to attend to — getting a marriage license. The following are important reminders about applying for and using a marriage license: Where to go?

Gillespie County Clerk’s Office is in Room 109 of the Gillespie County Courthouse. Mary Lynn Rusche is the county clerk, and personnel there are ready to assist applicants with the paperwork. Office hours from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. To contact the county clerk’s office, call 830-997-6515.

What to bring? Couples applying for a marriage license must both be present when the license is issued. Each should bring at least one form of photo identification (such as a driver’s license or passport) or two other forms of non-photo identification (such as certified birth certificate, Social Security card, current utility bill or school report card, etc.). A Mexican Matricula Consular card will not be recognized as appropriate identification. Be prepared to pay the $71 cost of the marriage license. A reduced marriage license fee of $11 is available to couples who complete the free eight-hour “Together in Texas”

course and bring in a certificate of completion at the time of applying for their marriage license. In Fredericksburg, the course is not religion-based and is offered through Victory Fellowship Church (414 East College Street). Their telephone number is 830997-9717. The course is also available through St. Mary’s Catholic Church, where it’s collated with counseling. A couple will receive two separate certificates. One, recognized by the Catholic Church, says they’ve completed the program. The other certificate for the county clerk shows that they’ve completed the “Together in Texas” program. St. Mary’s is at 307 West San Antonio Street, and its telephone number is 830997-9523. Applicants who are 16 or 17 years of age must bring with them their legal guardian at the time of applying for the license and the guardian is also required to show photo identification. The minimum age required to apply for a marriage license is 16 years. Anyone younger should bring with them a court order to obtain a license.

Common law marriages Couples claiming to be married by common law should keep in mind that if

they have a baby, the father must undergo an affidavit process to claim paternity unless the couple comes to the county clerk’s office some time before the baby is born and declares that they have been married and living together since a certain date. That “informal marriage” fee is $36. Someone claiming an informal marriage cannot claim a date that places them at less than 18 years of age.

Other things to know … Divorced persons applying for a license to wed again must be divorced for 30 days or longer, unless there is a waiver of that wait in their divorce decree. After a marriage license is issued, the couple is given the document to take to the person who will be officiating at the marriage ceremony. After the wedding, that officiant will fill out the remainder of the license and return it to the county clerk’s office, where it will be recorded and the original license will be mailed back to the newlyweds. Couples are reminded that a marriage license must be used within 90 days of its issuance, or it will become void. Couples obtaining a license must keep in mind that there is a waiting period of 72 hours after the license has been issued before the wedding can take place. The waiting period to use a license may be waived by a district judge or if one of the applicants is on active duty with the United States military and can show proper military identification. Completing the “Together in Texas” course will also waive the 72-hour waiting period.

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Sweet day

What is something that is often overlooked by people looking to buy a wedding cake?

the year and the temperature can play a part in the planning.

What is the best way to keep the top of a cake for one year?

y t r A a P ffai eh

As they’re looking for pictures — because most people go to Pinterest and the Internet first — they need to think about the location. If it is inside, we have some of the greatest buildings in town for parties, but they are very tall. The taller the ceilings, possibly the more height in a cake you would want. If we go too small, it looks really small for the building. Several of the wineries are set up on patios. The time of

Cont. from page 19

We provide a topper box, which is for the top tier that the bride and groom keep, and we always recommend that it is put into a sealed bag — a thick, plastic bag. If it they can store it in a chest freezer versus a household freezer, it will last much better. But, the story is that most times it gets eaten within the first three months.

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With this ring... One of the most important days in a person’s life is their wedding day. On that day, they pledge themselves to someone else and start a new life as a couple. While pictures and videos capture the moment, couples also use jewelry to symbolize the event and help create lasting memories. The jewelry used for the wedding makes a strong statement about the bride and groom: their love for each other, their tastes and their creativity. When selecting jewelry for weddings, the couple has three things to consider: the engagement ring, wedding bands and jewelry used during the wedding. Engagement rings The magical moment in a future bride’s life is when her fiance drops to one knee, proposes and, after she says yes, slips a sparkling engagement ring on her finger. Then, she shows her ring off to everyone — when she’s not

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busy planning the wedding. Champe Carter, a partner with Chämpe Jennings Jewelers at 109 North Adams Street, said white metal is still the popular choice for engagement rings. The shape of the stone, though, has shifted from the square princess cut to more of a soft square cut, like asscher or cushion, with a halo of small diamonds around the center. “One-carat diamond centers are probably the most popular,” Carter said. “I advise guys to buy quality over quantity. If your situation changes later in life and you can afford to upgrade to a larger stone, the stone you purchase now won’t hold you back then, meaning it typically won’t decrease in value, or hinder your design if you choose to use it as an accent stone in a new ring.” Jennifer Spies, a jeweler and manager at Segner’s Jewelers at 236 West Main Street, has seen a huge popularity in the white gold “halo”-style engagement ring that features small diamonds surrounding the center stone.

Promises “The most popular shape is still the classic round brilliant, but the cushion is close behind,” she said. “We’re seeing more interest in oval shape. Rose gold has definitely had a spark.” Many customers Carter sees are getting married for a second time, later in their lives, and they appear to not be interested in a big center stone engagement ring. “Most have been there and done that, and now they want something that will be much more comfortable to wear every day,” he said. A “comfortable” ring would be something more lower profile that won’t catch on things. Many go with just one ring or a band. “Lately, we have been seeing a little accent color being added to engagement rings,” Carter said. “Originally, the sapphire was the stone of choice for an engagement ring — that is, until De Beers successfully marketed the diamond as the engagement stone.” The biggest change Spies has seen is customers wanting a more customized ring. “We are able to design and make changes on a ring right in front of the customer,” Spies said. “We are also able to design a piece using Jennifer Spies of Segner’s Jewelers family diamonds as they watch, and alter as shows a display of (clockwise, from we go.” Some men who struggle with knowing what bottom left) of classic and “halo”-style engagement rings. — Standard-Radio their future bride wants in an engagement Post photo ring but don’t want to ruin the surprise by asking her directly or taking her shopping have one beneficial option, providing their future wife is online a lot. “Look at their Pinterest boards,” Spies suggested. “I promise there will be something there to help you find the perfect ring.” Wedding bands One of the most magical moments in a wedding is when the bride and groom take each other’s left hands and slide on the wedding band that they’ve chosen. Wedding bands for young brides often consist of a white metal with small diamonds set across the top, Carter observed. “A little engraving on the sides always looks good, in my opinion,” he added. While some traditions come and go, Spies has found most ladies still prefer wearing their engagement ring and wedding band together. There also is interest in stackable bands, along with wearing one wider diamond band or a band called an eternity diamond band (band that has diamonds that go all the way around). “There is also some interest in adding sapphires to the wedding ring,” Spies said. “Rose gold and morganite or peach sapphires are also seeing some interest.” The color of the ring depends on what’s in style. Yellow gold was very popular, but then the trends turned back toward the white metals. “All of the trade magazines are showing more yellow these days and the trend is heading back to yellow,” Carter said. “What’s old is new again.” While tastes change constantly, Spies also feels “yellow” will

make a comeback. “Generations are always looking for something different,” she said. “White gold has been popular for almost the last 20 years. It’s just a matter of time when yellow comes back.” Spies added that yellow gold has already made a comeback in the fashion industry and has almost made a comeback among brides. Among men, besides the yellow gold and white metals, there also has been a lot of interest in the alternative metals for wedding bands. This includes titanium, tungsten and other metals. While some metals were viewed as almost dangerous for a while and others were so hard they couldn’t be cut off in an emergency, newer technologies have made them easier to wear. “With new alloys and methods for removal, there is minimal risk in wearing them now,” Carter said. Shopping for wedding rings depends on whether the couple’s going to the altar for the first time or for an additional time. Carter has observed that a lot of first-timers in marriage like to surprise each other, while many marrying for a second time like to shop together. Cont. on page 24

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With this ring... “Either way, I have to say that I’m usually impressed by the amount of attention and effort most men put into the process,” he said. “Women really have a pretty easy time of picking out the man’s ring.” Spies added that most couples still like to surprise each other with the wedding bands selected, but with today’s technology, it’s easier to know what a person wants while still letting them be surprised. “We see a lot of phones with pictures, which is great for us and the customer,” she said. “The girls usually give a couple of variations of the ring they like, and the guys ultimately pick the carat size of the ring to fit in their budget.” She added that guys also

Cont. from page 23

often will come in with their future brides and pick out the wedding band they want. Other wedding jewelry An old adage when it comes to a bride’s wedding attire is, “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.” For weddings, brides often will wear a strand of pearls that is “something old,” and “something borrowed.” Carter added that bridesmaids often will wear matching earrings or pendants. Spies considered diamond studs to still be the most popular to wear. “They are timeless, and they can be worn to the gym or to work,” she said.

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And ... don’t forget to share the news Submit engagement, wedding and shower announcements In the midst of making all those pre-wedding plans and then settling down as a married couple, there is one more detail to remember — sharing the news of the engagement and wedding with the readers of the Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post. Along with engagement and wedding announcements and photographs, don’t forget to also submit information about any showers that friends and family may have hosted. To help couples share their news in the paper, the Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post has several options available for submitting the information. There is no charge for having engagement and wedding announcements and shower stories published in the newspaper. And while there is no deadline prior to or after the wedding, couples are still urged to submit the information and photographs in a timely manner. Weddings which have taken place after a reasonable length of time will be shortened to include only the highlights of the day (with photograph). Information on weddings that are current take precedence in where they are placed on the “Gillespie Life” pages over those which took place several weeks or months before. The deadline for submitting articles and photographs for the “Gillespie Life” section of each week’s paper is 5 p.m. on

Monday. Black and white photographs or color photographs can be used, providing the picture is in good focus and is of good quality. Photographs that do not meet reproduction standards will not be used. Also, full-length wedding pictures will not be used. Photographs can be submitted in a variety of formats. Some couples may choose to submit an original photo with their information while others may choose to submit the photograph on a CD. Also, e-mailed photographs will be accepted, provided that they are submitted in a jpg format at a minimum of 300 dpi resolution. Couples are discouraged from submitting photographs that are reproduced on a home printer or copy machine. In an effort to aid couples in submitting information to the Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post, engagement and wedding forms are available at the newspaper office at 712 West Main Street. Forms are also available by telephone at 997-2155, by writing to P.O. Box 1639, Fredericksburg, TX 78624 or by e-mailed requests to yvonne@fredericksburgstandard.com. In addition, couples can visit www.fredericksburgstandard. com for engagement and wedding forms.

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Take it outside The scenery around Gillespie County serves as a memorable background for a wedding at Kairos: The Celebration Barn. â€” Submitted photo

County offers numerous outdoor wedding locales In addition to the large number of churches available for weddings and/or wedding receptions in Gillespie County, there are numerous other locations available. These other venues, many of them steeped in the history and beauty of the Texas Hill Country, may provide the perfect answer to the question of where an engaged couple should tie the knot. Mentioned below are these other properties as well as contact information. All

Pioneer Museum, located in the 300 block of West Main Street, has been the scene of a number of weddings over the years. In addition, ceremonies have been held in the on-grounds sanctuary. More information is available by calling 990-8441 or: www.pioneermuseum.net.

Street; 997-0202) and Inn on Barons Creek (308 South Washington Street, 990-9202) can help with the planning. Also included in this list is the Hangar Hotel and Conference Center, 155 Airport Road (next to the Gillespie County Airport) carrying with it the theme of an old World War II military hangar. Pricing and details are available at 9979990 or events@hangarhotel.com.

Located around town are wedding site possibilities that are found at some of the inns and other similar facilities. For example, both Fredericksburg Inn & Suites (201 South Washington

Likewise, several of the vineyards and wineries in Gillespie County offer engaged couples venues that will provide a lifetime of memories. Wineries that regularly serve as wedding

phone numbers found in this story use the Area Code 830 unless otherwise indicated.

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Promises venues include: •4.0 Cellars (10354 U.S. Highway 290 East, 997-7470, www.fourpointwine.com); •Becker Vineyards (464 Becker Farm Road, Stonewall, 644-2681, www. beckervineyards.com); •Fiesta Winery (6260 U.S. Highway 290 East, 997-4466, www.fiestawinery. com); •Messina Hof Winery and Resort (9996 U.S. Highway 290 East, 1-800990-4653, www.messinahof.com); •Torre di Pietra (10 miles east of Fredericksburg, U.S. Highway 290 East, 644-2829, www.torredipietra.com); and, •Woodrose Winery (662 Woodrose Lane, Stonewall; 644-2539, woodrosewinery.com. A more stately wedding and reception might be accomplished with the facilities at the Admiral Nimitz Museum grounds. Several outdoor locales support the Admiral Nimitz Ballroom. To learn more about what the museum has to offer with regard to weddings, call 997-8600 (extension 211), via email at eisenberg@nimitzfoundation.org or online www.pacificwarmuseum.org/ the-venue/weddings/. For those interested in a smaller wedding, Fredericksburg Herb Farm is available. Situated at 405 Whitney Street, the herb farm can be reached at 997-8615 or www.fredericksburgherbfarm.com. Featuring a 6,000-square-foot event hall, the Gillespie County Farm Bureau Events Center, located at 237 Equestrian Drive, is available for weddings and receptions. More information is available at 997-4396.

One of the newest wedding and wedding reception venues in the area is The Lodge at Country Inn Cottages, located on Lower Crabapple Road in Fredericksburg. — Submitted photo Located 16 miles north of Fredericksburg, just off Ranch Road 965 (and about a half-mile from the entrance to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area), is Trois Estate. To learn more about the wedding possibilities there, log onto the web at www.troisestate.net/weddings. The phone number is 685-3415. Opened about a year ago, The Lodge at Country Inn Cottages is one of the newest wedding/reception venues in the county. It’s located at 3319 Lower Crabapple Road in Fredericksburg. More information is available by contacting 998-6200 or going online to www.thelodgeeventcenter.com. For a simpler backdrop, there’s always Luckenbach, Texas and its worldfamous dancehall. It’s a place where everybody’s some-

body, according to the old saying. To get more information on what awaits an engaged couple’s possibilities, call 997-3224 or online at www.luckenbachtexas.com/weddings-and-parties/. To add a little more flavor from the Old West days to the wedding ceremonies, there’s Tin Star Ranch, located on Tin Star Road, just a couple of miles from Enchanted Rock State Natural Area near Ranch Road 965 (456 Tin Star Road). A replica of Front Street of the old Western town of Dodge City has been recreated on the grounds. There’s even a scale model of the Alamo for those who’re interested in incorporating Texas history into their wedding plans. Information can be obtained by contacting the ranch at: www.tinstarranch. com/weddings-and-special-events or Cont. on page 28

IMAGINE YOUR WEDDING OR SPECIAL EVENT ON THE HISTORIC MUSEUM GROUNDS... The natural beauty and rich history of Pioneer Museum create a unique setting for any special event. Our staff can help with the details of any function from meetings and conferences to weddings and receptions.

pioneermuseum.net 325 West Main Fredericksburg Texas 830.990.8441

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Take it outside

Cont. from page 27

calling 685-3464.

website: www.historicschools.org.

Located on Kott Road a few miles from Fredericksburg off of State Highway 16 South, Kairos: The Celebration Barn offers outdoor and indoor venues for both the wedding and ensuing reception. More information can be found online at www.kairos-celebrationbarn.com or by calling 990-9515.

The City of Fredericksburg has facilities that would compliment any wedding, including Pioneer Pavilion, the several open-air pavilions, and the Tatsch House inside Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park (located about two miles south of Main Street, just off State Highway 16 South), as well as Marktplatz in downtown Fredericksburg. Rental costs, scheduling and other information are available online at www. fbgtx.org/index.aspx?nid=161 by calling the Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park office at 997-4202.

A different kind of trip back into the historic scenes of Gillespie County can be found by holding a wedding at one of the schools that make up the Gillespie County Country Schools Trail. The dozen old schools, many of them now converted into community club headquarters, include: Cave Creek, Cherry Spring, Crabapple, Lower South Grape Creek, Luckenbach, Meusebach Creek, Nebgen, Pecan Creek, Rheingold, Williams Creek (Albert), Willow City and Wrede. More information about rates and scheduling can be found by contacting each school’s representative listed on the

Also available for weddings and receptions is the Gillespie County Fair Grounds, operated by the Gillespie County Fair and Festivals Association. The facilities are located a couple of miles south of Fredericksburg’s Main Street on State Highway 16 South. To learn more, call 997-2359 or log onto the internet website: www.gillespiefair. com.

5 Diamond 1.5ct TWT from $1800.00

Wedding gift registries Often times, choosing a place to register for gifts is overlooked during the wedding planning process. However, picking the right store (or stores) to register at takes time and consideration. To-be-wedded couples need to factor their needs with the budgets of guests. The following is a list of places around the Fredericksburg area that will help with gift registry. Der Küchen Laden 830-997-4937 258 E. Main St. Linens-N-More 830-990-1212 302 E. Main St. Segner’s Jewelers 997-2559 236 W. Main St. Walmart 830-997-2633 1435 E. Main St.

In addition, some couples choose to register out-of-town or ask for monetary gifts to help pay for the honeymoon or other uses at the discretion of the bride and groom.

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Round Brilliant Halo Split Shank Ring $2990.00

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Royal Asscher in Platinum $16,900.00

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Counting down to wedded bliss Brides: Planning the “big day” can be much more simple by starting about a year out and staying on task with the following checklist:

At 6 to 12 months

• Set a date. — Absolutely the first thing that must be done out of consideration to wedding party and family members who need the lead-time to make arrangements for lodging and time off from work. • Who will stand with you? — Choose, ask and confirm the bridal party and groomsmen. They need early notice to plan for time to fulfill their duties. • Announce the big news! — Allow a friend or relative to host an engagement party. — Spread the word through your local newspaper. • Crunch the numbers. — It is important that the bride, groom and their families get together now to determine “do-able” costs and settle who will pay for what. This avoids confusion, hurt feelings and debt later down the road. • Reserve venues. — Book locations for both ceremony and reception, taking into account potential weather and size of attendance. Most places sell out fast on popular wedding dates, so don’t delay. • Nail down the time. — Figuring out what type of wedding you want helps you in the planning stages. Formal affairs are held in late afternoon or evening, while more casual ones are usually in the morning or early afternoon. The type of wedding decides if the reception should feature a formal meal or just cake and punch. • Color it fantastic. — Choose your wedding colors early and stick to them. Best advice: Pick what feels right (not what a magazine tells you is the latest trend.) Choose favorite(s) and you’ll never tire of looking at the attire, flowers, decorations, linens and cake.

• Say ‘yes’ to a dress. — Order the bridal gown, bridesmaids’ dresses and their accessories. Remember to mind the budget! • A celebratory trip of love. — It’s never too early to start planning for after the wedding. Get the ball rolling on the honeymoon by visiting a travel agency and reviewing options (and prices) for that time of year. Both bride and groom should agree, in advance, on a destination and whether it’ll be a simple relaxing outing or an itinerary-filled adventure. • Register your wishes. — Bride and groom should visit favorite their favorite stores and register for items that’ll be needed in their new life together. Guests will appreciate the helpful hints. • Now … decide the details! — Six months to a year out, choose musicians, a florist, a photographer and a caterer. Sample their wares and be sure to check references. Keep their contact info handy for discussing details as they are decided. • ‘With this ring, I thee wed …’ — Shop and design/purchase wedding rings. — Begin pre-marital counseling (required by some churches.)

At 3 months

• Who’s coming? — Complete the guest list, count up the names and then select and order invitations. • Moms’ day out — Mothers of the bride and groom should both get their dresses to compliment the rest of the wedding party in style, color, etc. • Introducing Mr. and Mrs. … — As it will be the groom and bride’s first social appearance together as husband and wife, pay attention to finalizing reception details to make sure it is a memorable success. Keep a running list of any needed items (i.e. chairs, tables, linens, etc.) and be sure to reserve them early. • Bite the bullet — Go ahead and sign on the dotted line for the honeymoon. Mention to all

providers that the guests planning to travel are newlyweds because many will provide a free surprise perks along the way! • Double-check and recheck — Call and confirm dates and information with photographer, musicians, florists, caterer and the church. Make sure there’s been no double-booking or other special occasion disaster-in-waiting. • ‘Your chariot awaits…’ — Decide on transportation to and from the wedding and reception sites. Limousine? Horse-drawn buggy? Drive yourself? • Finalize this and that — Pick a final wedding cake design and groom’s cake design and any other pastries for the reception and get them ordered. — Get groom and his groomsmen to visit store, get fitted and order their tuxedos. — Spend a girls’ day with bridesmaids getting dresses fitted and setting up a schedule for any future fittings. Choose shoes and get them dyed, if necessary.

At 2 months and closing...

• No turning back! — Hand address and mail out invitations to the pre-determined guest list. — Visit the courthouse together, with photo identifications and fees in hand, to procure the official marriage license. — Pay for honeymoon and finalize any side trips or relevant details to the trip. — Help guests with reservations for flights or at local overnight accommodations.

At 1 month

• Lists, lists and more lists …

— Start a list of gifts being received. Begin writing and mailing “Thank You” notes as soon as gifts arrive (you’ll be glad you at least tried to keep up with them in the beginning so that the task isn’t so overwhelming later on.) — Plan the rehearsal and dinner. The groom’s family traditionally arranges and pays for this, but the entire family can contribute to the set-up, planning and pulling it off. • Giving credit where it’s due — Buy gifts for your wedding party. Brides often give jewelry the bridesCont. on page 30

Promises

Counting down Cont. from page 29 maids can wear in the ceremony. Grooms prefer money clips, pocket knives or the like. Monogramming is a nice touch to personalize an item for those who are giving their time to help make the bride and groom’s day even more special. — Take care of final dress and suit fittings, as well as appointments for beauty treatments, pedicures/manicures and hair salon visits. — Host a bridesmaids’ luncheon to show them support and appreciation for giving of their time and expense to make the big day special. — Buy a guest book and decide where to station it at the reception. Also, designate a “keeper” of the book who is good at encouraging guests to sign.

At 2 weeks

the honeymoon. — If planning to take the groom’s last name, brides should go ahead and visit the proper offices to officially change their driver’s licenses, Social Security cards, passports and other official documents. Also put in calls to credit card companies, utilities, doctors and dentist offices and others regularly contacted.

At one week

• Full speed ahead! — Pick up wedding rings and make sure they fit. — Start packing for the honeymoon. — Give the caterer a final estimate on number of guests. — Plan seating arrangements. — Practice hair styles and/or makeup for the big day.

• It’s getting close, so … — Finalize transportation to the church, to the reception and off to

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• But don’t forget… — Brides should find time in the

THE GO!

rushing about of final arrangements to take care of themselves. Drink lots of water, eat healthy foods, get plenty of rest each day (even take a nap here and there) and smile, knowing they’ll soon be united with the ones they love.

The wedding day

• Hearts joined at last! — With all the planning taken care of, the final hours leading up to the wedding should be a snap. — Best advice for brides: NO amount of planning will guarantee a “perfect” ceremony or reception. Keep in mind, though, it’s the mishaps that make things unique and memorable, but it is the bride’s reaction to these events that becomes unforgettable in the minds of her family and friends. So, roll with the flow, smile and enjoy the spotlight (and the happily ever after, of course!)

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Historic

St. Joseph’s Halle

“Celebrating the Past - Envisioning the future”

Custom floral design to compliment the colors and theme of your wedding.

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serving Fredericksburg since 1899 • Full kitchen facilities • Air conditioned • Accommodations for up to 185 people • Our mission: Inculcate in its members love and esteem for the German tongue, customs and mode of life Information and reservations 830-456-1999 rental@stjosephssociety.org

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215 W. San Antonio St., Fredericksburg, TX 78624

For Available Dates Visit: http://www.stjosephssociety.org/Calendar/calendar.htm

A Vintage Barn with Native Texas Landscaping and Full Service Catering makes the Perfect Setting for your Wedding! 830-990-9515 • www.kairos-celebrationbarn.com

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