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Cu stomizable Ve nue Ve ndors of Yo urChoosing
Haley Elizabeth Studios
Heather MaePhoto
WHAT CAN GOWRONG
Here are5 things — and how to plan for them
BY MADDY PONTZ
Awedding can be asignificant investment—of time,energy and expense— and, for some couples, the fearthat something might go wrongontheir big day can become overwhelming.
Here, local wedding expertsshare five things that could go wrong on your wedding day— and how to planahead to prevent or mitigate any issues That way, you can focus onhavingfunandcelebrating yourlove.
Rain
1 onyourwedding day?
Rainon yourbigday is a common worry so much so that it’s often mentionedin popculture and superstitionssurrounding weddings. With a bitofadvancedplanning,however, gray weather won’t ruin yourcelebration. Expertssuggestbooking a venuethat not only offers anindooror tentedspace,but one that you like asmuchastheiroutdooroption.
“Themost important thingis to have a backupplan,” says ToriAllensworth,director ofoperations at Lititz-basedSimply Events. “A lotoftimes, if(a venue)has a ceremony locationoutside,they also willhave a backup to move indoors.”
“The biggestthingisjustbeingcognizant of what a venue’s backupplans are,andbeing OK withthat fromthe get-go,” says Alyssa Kurtz-Price,CEO, owner andlead planner at Miss Lyss Planning.
Allensworthand Kurtz-Pricebothsuggest setting a firmtime by which you’llmakea weather callon your weddingday— and not waitinguntilthe verylastminuteto decide. That way, you’re allowing your vendors the necessarytime toset upandeasing yourself intoa new plan mentally
“We seea lotofcoupleswho get nervous aboutthe rain andthey try to hold off on that decision,” Kurtz-Price says “Erring on the sideof caution Itgives you time to digestandpivotmentally, so thatas you’re getting yourhairand makeupdone, you can
start to reimagine yourself walkingdownthis indooraisleinsteadofthe outdooraisle,just mentallypreparing yourself for that planB.”
“It’s thelast-minute change that definitely derails(thecouple’s) expectationsthat they had fortheday andthevision,” Allensworth says.
Butwhen fog and rain rolledinontheir weddingday, thecouple was able to pivot
“We hadpickedthe venue for theview because it was overlookingtheSusquehannaRiver, andit’s absolutely gorgeous Butunfortunately, you couldn’t seea lickoftheriver,” Denver-Renshaw says withalaugh.
Kurtz-Price,who servedasthecouple’s weddingplanner, utilizedclearumbrellasandhot pads so that they couldstilltake outdoor photos Theirphotographer workedwiththe fog to stage atmosphericphotos that “made for evenmore of a theme,” Denver-Renshaw says. “You’re inthemiddleofOctober, so it goeswith the falltheme,almostwith a spookiness to it.”
2
Missing, late or unprepared vendors
Thebest way to avoidissueswith your wedding-day vendors?Clear, advancedcommunication.
“Certainly, touchbase with your vendors inthe weeks leadingup to your wedding.Ask for their timeofarrival,” Kurtz-Price says “Maybethat’s something you can task to oneof yourbridesmaids, justmakingsure allthese peopleare arrivingontimeorbeingthat point-of-contact.”
“Ifit’sa buffet, that’s easy. Ifit’sa served (dinner), sometimes you justhave tosay, ‘Hey, you geta chickenbecause that’s what we have left.’ ”
5
Wardrobe malfunctions
Extreme heat
Whenplanning a summer wedding, be sure to take thepotential for extremeheat ordirectsun exposure into account.
“Inthese summermonths … theheat hasbeen kind ofanissue,” Allensworth says. “Depending onthelength ofthe ceremony, you couldbeout there for an extendedperiodoftime,which can make guests feeluncomfortable,as wellasthe bridalparty andthecouple.”
“Umbrellasare trendingright now for ceremonies, to provideshade over thechairs,” Allensworth says.
Couplesmight also look to hang fansin tented receptionspacesandprovidehand fans to each guest by placingthemontheirchairs before theceremony.
Prioritize booking reputable vendors, as well, forpeaceofmind.
“Make sure that you are selecting vendors that have a (positive) reputationand a staff that canaccommodate emergencysituations,” says Allensworth,who suggests readingGoogle reviews oraskingaround for recommendations
3 4
Unexpected guests
Byassembling a simplekit before your weddingday, you’lllikelybeable to solve many common wardrobe, hairor makeupissues.
Allensworthsuggests: a sewing kit, dress tape, instant stain remover wipesandpens, hair spray, safety pinsand a crochethook to help withsmallbuttonson a bridal gown.
Throughoutthe planningprocess, it’s easy to get boggeddowninthe details, worryingabout anythingand everythingthat might go wrong. But try to keepthe biggerpicture inmind,the expertsadvise.
You’re walkingdowntheaisle toward yourbetrothed, revelingintheday that you’veworked so hard to plan… but, wait Isthat youraunt and unclewho never RSVP’d?
Don’t worry, the experts say. Unexpected guestsare generallynot a significant issue.
“Ifpeopleshow upthat didn’t RSVP, we can work together withthe venueandthe caterer to make ithappen,” Allensworth says. “Most caterers are really good at having some extra food, so itdoesn’t really affect too muchoftheday.”
“Youjustmakea setting,andusually a caterer willhave a few extra plates,” Kurtz-Price says.
“Thething we try totellourcouplesislook, keepinmindtheperspective ofthewholeday,” Kurtz-Price says. “The pointof today is to celebrate,have funand get married.”
“Trusttheprofessionalsandthe vendor team that you have hired,” Allensworthadds. “Your worry and anxiety isn’t really going to change anythingon weddingday, so reallyjustlean into what the day is allabout the two of you celebrating yourmarriage with your familyand friends.”
Whilethe weatheronDenver-Renshaw’s wedding day didn’t turnout how she’d pictured it, she offers thisadvice to engagedcouples: “Juststaying calm, rollingwiththepunches, findingthebeauty inallofthose littlemishaps.”
How some local ‘celebrity’ weddings fromthe past still feelcurrent today
MiltonHersheyandhiswife, Kitty,sitfor a formalportrait a few yearsaftertheir veryprivateweddinginNewYorkCity. FILEPHOTO
BY REBECCA LOGAN
Granted,the real Catherine“Kitty ” Sweeney likelydidn’t wearanything overlybridalwhenshe married a man who was crankingout caramelsin Lancaster The Hershey Community Archives contain several photosofthe couple,butnonefromtheir wedding. The26-year-olddaughter ofIrish Catholicimmigrantsand the40-yearoldfrom a strict Mennonite family were marriedinthe rectory ofSt Patrick’s Cathedralin New YorkCity.
“Imaginethe shockMilton Hershey’s mothermusthave feltwhenin1898 he arrivedhomeinLancaster… with an attractive youngbride,” states the website for the Milton Hershey School, founded by thecouple.“Fanny Hershey wasnottheonlyperson heshocked; thepeopleofthe Hershey Caramel Company andLancastersharedher surprise.”
Prevailing sentiment was that the newlyweds’backgrounds were too different.
oviemakers may beskipping a wedding sceneinthe big-screen versionofMilton andKitty Hershey’s love story Actors Finn WittrockandAlexandra Daddariostarinthe“Hershey” biopic filmedprimarilyinand around Pittsburgh this summer Daddario wore 54customdesigned costumes, pertheproduction company for the film, whichis expected outnext year. But a weddingdress is notamongthem,according to Michelle McEnroe,The Hershey Company’s associate managerofcommunications
Harriet Laneand Elliott Johnston: 1866
“Yet, Kitty mesmerizedMiltonwith herauburnhair, quicklaugh,and wit,” according to the website. “Sheneeded hisstability, andheneededherfresh, carefreeoutlookonlife.”
A few piecesfrom a silver toiletry set, believed to be Hershey’s wedding present to hisbride, are displayed at The Hershey Storymuseum.Otherpieces are housed in a mansion overlooking Hershey ’s original Dauphin County chocolate factory Before movingthere, the Hersheys occupied a SouthQueen StreetLancasterhomethat was later demolished.
Now, justin case any Hollywood costumedesigners everneed to know where otherLancaster County-linked celebrities marriedorwhat they wore, we’ve assembled somephotos They may offercues for today’s couples, too.
When HarrietLanebecame anorphan at age 11,heruncle JamesBuchananof Lancasterbecame herguardian.And whenBuchanan —a lifelongbachelor becamepresident ofthe UnitedStates, Lanemoved withhim to theWhite House to actas first lady
“Her fashioninfluencestarted at the get-go,” reported Timemagazine, which rankedLaneasoneofthe country ’s 14 most fashionable first
HarrietLane’sbasque-waistwedding dressisnowhousedintheSmithsonian. Thebasquewaistishaving a moment withsomemodernbrides.
ladiesanddescribedher “scandalous”low-cut inauguration gown.“Thedress was aninstant hit, andbodicesdroppedaninchor two overnight. Mary ToddLincolncopiedthedress for herinauguration four years later.”
So, whenLanelater married a wealthy Baltimore banker at a ceremony at heruncle’s Wheatlandestate, hersilk wedding gown probably wouldhave beenall overInstagram, had social media existedbackthen.
Something we might borrow today: Her gownmay beofparticularinterest to those who followed the“Isthebasque waistthe2025 versionofthemasonjar?” TikTokdebate You can readmore about thatonpage 20. Laneembracedherera’s versionofthe elongated waistwithherdress, whichisnow housedintheSmithsonian.
Lane was 35whenshe got married,which was consideredlate inlife at thetime,per a LancasterHistoryvideo Inpart, that’s because Lane waitedouttheCivil War, which followed heruncle’s presidency Today, the average age ofcouples gettingmarriedis32,per a 2025 study by The Knot.
Barney Ewell and Duella Massey: 1944
Denise Ewell saidif a weddingphoto ofher parents ever existed,shedoesn’t have itinany ofheroldphoto albums Nor, she said,doesher lastlivingbrother Theclosestshe’s got isone that she’s fondoffrom someother formal affair
Ewell can seea bronze statueofher father
North Queen Street. That honors
Lancaster’s NorthQueenStreet That honors thelate runner Henry Norwood“Barney” Ewell, a J.P. McCaskey graduate who won gold inthe1948SummerOlympics.
Ewell’s college status kepthimoutofthe Army fora time at thestartof World War II, according to JeremiahMiller’s documentary “BreakingThrough:TheBarney EwellStory.”
He kept settingrunning recordswhile at PennState, whichiswhere hemetDuella Massey,a nanny whomoved from North Carolina to Pennsylvaniawithherdoctor employer and family Ewell eventually went into theArmy and was assigned to runthesportscenter at what was then CampLeein Virginia, according to the documentary In July1944, he was transferred to what was then FortPickett. That samemonthhemarried Massey at a ceremony in Wilmington,Delaware, per thedocumentary
Giventhetimingandher father’s low-key demeanor, theirmarriage likely was notanelaborate affair,
Denise Ewell says. Buthermotherdid have class. Ewell says shecouldeasilyimagineher mother wearing a hat or a great pair ofearrings onthat Julyday. Andpossiblygloves. Years later, she’d make sure heronlydaughter always wore a pair to church.
Something we might borrow today: Gloves have poppedupin some recent high-profile unions. For example,actor HaileeSteinfeld wore sheeropera gloves at her wedding in May.
Jim
Herrand Mim Hershey: 1947
Jim Herrgrew upon a farm in Willow Street. Miriam“Mim” Hershey grew upon a farmin Paradise.They got engagedin1946, the same yearthat Jim Herrboughta smallLancaster potato chip company fromwhichhecreated Herr’s,a majorsnackplayer now basedin Chester County ’s Nottingham. Jim proposed whilethecouple were on a dateat the West Lampeter FarmShow, according to “Life with Flavor,” which Herrwrote withco-authors Bruce Mowday and June HerrGunden.
“We looked at cows and farmequipment and atesomeice creamandthen I justpoppedthe question!”hewrote.“Iknow it wasn’t very romantic,butit worked.She said yes!”
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY THEEWELL FAMILY
JimandMimHerr
PHOTO BY FROM"LIFEWITHFLAVOR: A PERSONALHISTORY OFHERR'S"
Herrs hadbeenmarried for ars when Jim diedin2012. followed in2016. A page fromherdiary, includedinthe book,describestheir wedding at herparents’ farm.
hortlyafter 7:30thecooks, consistingmostlyofneighbors, arrivedand soonthere was the nderful soundoffriendly hurrying about settingtables, preparing food,arranging owers, etc.,” shewrote.
“Finally11:00 came,thehour we had so happily awaited. Thetriobegansinging and wewere married. Truly, it was thehappiestmoment of ourlife.”
Somethingwemight borrow today: Probably nottheir sendoff “Amid farewells, and a dueamount ofconfetti,crepepaperand tin cans, we left for our 2 wks. honeymoon,” Mim Herrwrote inherdiary. These days most, ifnotall,Lancaster County wedding venuesare going tosay no to confetti.
“Forus, itisbecause it gets caught in betweenthefloorboardsand we can’t get
If you’ve seenthe 2001miniseries “BandofBrothers,” you’lllikely remember a closing sceneinwhichtheactorplaying Maj. Richard D. “Dick” Winters— who was borninLancasterandgrew uplargely inEphrata— sitswithhisfriendLewis Nixon and watches fellow Easy Company soldiers play baseball. Viewers learnwhere the menendedupafter World War II. Winters accepteda joboffer at Nixon Nitration Works in New Jersey. Not mentionedintheshow was the factthat New Jersey iswhere Winters wouldmeet andmarryEthelEstoppey.
Thecouple eventuallymoved to a farm near Hershey, describedinthat baseball sceneas “a peacefullittlecornerofthe world.” Ethelmissed privacyafter “Band ofBrothers” cameout, according toobituaries followingherdeath, a year afterherhusband,in2012.Butshe was
Dickand EthelWinters’ weddingphoto is partof a
PHOTO BY VINNYTENNIS
moved to helpproperlydocument Winters’ life.Their weddingphoto isincludedin a collectionshehelpedassemble for The Hershey-Derry TownshipHistorical Society.
Somethingwemightborrow today: Checkouther oversizedheadband. Models wearingonesthat look a bitlike that showedoff Tony Ward’s fall2025 bridal collectionand Reem Acra’s Signature collection for spring2026
Evelyn Ay and Carl Sempier: 1954
It’s beenmore than seven decadessince someonefrom Pennsylvania wore the arguablymost famouspageant crown.
Evelyn Ay —a long-ago Lancaster County TobaccoQueen becameMiss America 1954during a pageant in AtlanticCity in late 1953.
Whenthepageant was televised for the first timeinSeptember1954, folks across thecountry watched Ay crown her successor and eventuallifelongfriend, Lee Meriwether, who went on to anacting careerthat included roleslike Catwoman in 1966’s “Batman.” Meriwetheris godmother
to oneoftheEphrata HighSchool graduate’s daughters, StacySempier, wholivesoutsideofPhiladelphia
The gownthat Evelyn Ay wore during that televisedpageant?She wore itagain a coupleofmonthslater at Trinity Lutheran ChurchinEphrata whenshemarried CarlSempier,a Navalflightofficer. (Their honeymoon wasa cross-countrydrive to Texas where thegroom was training.)Their nuptials were notablein a community that threw Ay a paradeafterherwin.
“The wedding wasa bigcelebration too asthepeopleofEphrata feltthat ‘Evie’ was their own andthey celebrated herday,” StacySempierwritesinanemail.“That's what small town America isallabout!”
Somethingwemightborrow today: Ay madeherpageant gownmorebridal by addingelegant lacesleeves and a lace overlay. The Knotplacedlace toppers amongits top 10 weddingdress trends for 2026 “Forthose saying‘Ido’in a church, templeormosque,they're…a great way to makea strapless orsleeveless dress more modest,” writesSofia Deeb, The Knot’s assistant fashioncommerceeditor
Onlinedatingapp. Started officiallydatingon June 9, 2019, and got engagedonDec.13, 2022.
Wasthereatheme for yourwedding?
“We didn’t have any particular theme for our weddingother thanthat we are both nature lovers and wanted to besure to have anoutdoorceremony withasmany natural elements as possible,” Casey says. “Paulis a lover of forests, andI am a loverof water andthe CameronEstate’s outdoorSpring Gardenprovidedbothelements.”
Whydid you choose crocheted flowers?
“Iam a self-taught crocheterand learnedhow to workwiththemedium during(theCOVID)lockdown. We wanted to have subtlehints ofthing that we enjoy being a partofour wedding. I had so many friendsand familymembers encourage me to tryandthrow in somethingcrochet andhaddecided to doourmainflowers.”
Howmanyarrangementsdid youmake?
“Icouldn’t bemore thankful for ushavinga smaller weddingparty because ofthis! I madea totalof 25 flowers that were includedinthe bouquets, corsages andboutonnieres. The tiger lilies were the only ones that were crocheted,andthenartificial flowers were addedin asfillers. Halfofthebouquets, thecorsages and Paul’sboutonniere hadthemaincoloroforange,andthe remaining half and boutonnieres were yellow. Eachpetal was madeindividuallywithwire incorporat to allow movement and thenpainted withacrylicpaint for addeddetail. A totalof150petals were made. Wire was thenwrappedwiththreadand painted for thestamensand then everythingbundled togetherwithwir and floraltape toget the final shapelaid out.”
Howlongdidit take?
“We thankfullyhad a longengagement for me to beable to workon themintermittently throughout.A roughestimate onthe total amoun oftimefromstart to finish wouldprobably beabout 100 hours of work,butit wasn’t too bad workingonthem for anhouror so for eight months.”
If
someone wanted to attemptthisthemselves, do youhaveanyadvice?
“Ihad purchased thepattern fromPippa Patternsoff Etsy They did a phenomenal job withwritingoutthe pattern andprovidingdetailed photos to helpas well.They also have a lotofotherpatterns for different typesof flowers My best recommendation wouldbe to be sure to planaheadbefore makingthe decision to do somethinglike this.A patternthisdetailed would require some experienceinthe art form, and you want to know how many flowers you would want to incorporate.If you doendupdeciding to do somethinglike this take yourtimeandtake breaks, because itdoesendupbeing a lot more workthanwhat you would expect ”
Did you incorporate anyother personal elementsinto yourweddingday?
“Pauland I wanted to addin touches of otherthings we enjoy or‘fandoms’that we area part of butmadesure to be subtle. Paul wore cufflinks that were D20s,a nod to his love of Dungeons & Dragons, and I hadalso crocheted a Poké Ball that was in my bouquet for my love of Pokémon. We also did a lotofincorporationswith ourmusicchoices by having scoresfromour favorite games playingwhen we walked down theaisleand returnedwith a songfrom‘Lord ofthe Rings.’ Ourlastadded touch was having three cat silhouettes forour cupcakes for ourtriothat we love so much.”
Asidefrom making your own flowers,werethereany other challengesin planning yourwedding?
“Thankfully, we didn’thave anything outrageousoccurwhenit came to planningthe wedding!Theonlychallenge we had wasthe typical gettingguests to RSVPintime forus to beable to planthe seatingchartasbestas we could.”
Vendors:
CATERER
CAMERONESTATEINN
BAKER
GATEAUMONIQUE
Would you changeanthing aboutthe planningprocess or theweddingday?
“I can honestly say that there isn’t anythingthatI would have changed. We were able to plan everythingoutand got an earlyenoughstart that we had everything finished on time for the day of We also endedupluckingoutwith the weather, and itcouldn’t have beenany better.”
Do youhaveanyadvice for engaged couples?
“Justbecause you are engageddoesn’t meanthat you must rush into makingthemarriageofficial. Take your timeandhave a longengagement ifnecessary Thisday isalways known asbeing oneofthemore important days about yourself;make sure it’s what you want it to be Look for theperfect venue,date, dress, colors, flowers and anythingelse that you thinkmeansthemost for yourday. At the sametime,though, sometimessimplerisbetter Justknow what itis you want andmake sure to always keepwhat you like inmindwhenever makingdecisions.”
Tohave and to hold onto
Freshflorals may fade,but these woodenblo oms are built to last
BY KYLIE STOLTZFUS
ouplesspent an average of$2,723on wedding florals in2024,accordingto the wedding websiteTheKnot. With bridalbouquetsstartingat$65, Abby Witherell isprovidinganalternative solutionfor brideson a budget.
Seven years ago, Witherell began Abby DesignCo., a York-basedcreative company sellingthehand-sewnhomedecorpiecesshemade while herchildrennapped.Looking fora new project todabble in,shelearnedabout wooden flowers on socialmedia.Afterseeinghow realistictheornate florals could be,she was all in.Crafting bridalblooms was thenatural next step
“Everyonejust keptasking,” Witherell says “Brides have been fantasticso far. Like they justshow me theirinspirationpictures, andthenthey get so excited toseethat I can actuallyputittogether.”
OnceWitherell knowsthe typesofblooms sheneeds fora bouquet, sheplacesanorderfor wooden flowers fromherpreferred vendor, Luv Sola Flowers,a familybusinessbasedinSouthernCalifornia.
What arewooden flowers?
Accordingtothecompany, sola flowers are madefromthesholaplant,known by its LatinnameofAeschynomeneAspera and native to regionsofsouthernAsia.Whilesola woodisthought tobethemostdurableand authenticformof wooden flower,they can also bemadeofbalsa wood,tapioca or cassava starch.
The flowers arrive increamorbarkcoloring. To prepare themfor a bouquetplacement,Witherell sendsherclientsto a nearby hardware store where they can picktheir favoriteswatchesofBEHRpaint.
“There’s not a lotofblue flowers and a lotofpeople love bluesfortheir flowers,” Witherellsays. “Ihave a lotof(requestsfor)black flowers, too.”
The pr ocess
Oncethecolorpaletteis finalized,Witherellmixes latex-basedpaint withthinners andhanddipseach bloom,coatingthe flowers withjusttheright amount ofcolor. With a few hours offocused work,and sometimeswiththehelpofher 7-year-olddaughter, shecompletes a coupleofhundredpiecestobeused inbouquets.
“Ihand-dunkallofthe flowers, butthenI’ll go back inoncertain flowers (andstart)handpaintingallthe detailsintothem,” Witherellsays.
If a brideordersa custombouquetofliliesortwotoned roses, shewilluse a brushor a spraybottleto add realisticdetailtothe flowers. Afterthe flowers are dyed,driedandpainted,Witherellattachesthestems andbeginsarranging. For addedtexture and realism, she weavesinpreserved plants like driedbaby’s breath,star flowers, pampasgrassandeucalyptus. Eachbouquetisfullycustomizable.Her goalisto workone-on-onewithbrides, sameas a traditional floristmight,tocreatebouquetsthatmatchthe visionfortheir wedding.Witherellasks foratleast two monthstocomplete floralprojects, butthe timingoftheordertypicallydependsonthescopeof theinstallationandbouquets Beyondthebouquet, Witherellcreatesarches,floralrunners andother ancillary floralpiecesequippedwithziptiesso a weddingcoordinator can easilyinstallthebride’s floralsatthe wedding venue.
Wooden flowercreations by Abby Witherell ofAbby Design Co.
PHOTOS BY ABBY DESIGN CO
Limitationsof faux florals
“I’ma fresh flower girl,truthfully,” Witherell says “Like my childhooddream was truly to be …aflorist but now I’m doing itthis way.”
She sayssomeofthedisadvantagesofusing wooden flowers are theabsenceoffresh-flower scentandthe availability of somespecialty flowers “I don’t whittlethem,(that’s)not my talent,” Witherell says “I can’t whipup a newflower type, (but) sometimes I can change someofthem.”
Ifaflower isnot availablein wood,itmaybe available in silkoranother faux flower material,and Witherell can weave itinto herbouquets Somebrides, however, preferthelookoffully woodenbouquetsand arenot interested inthesilk floweroptions
A caseforwooden flowers
After a six-monthengagement, Amandaand Nick Dorbit got marriedon March 31,2023. AmandaDorbit hadbeenmarriedpreviouslyandknew she wanted to keepthings simplethistimeand bedeliberate about where thecouplespent money.
“Gettingmarried(at)theendof March,(we) definitely wouldhave beenlimitedorspending a lotof money onthe flowers we wantedif we wantedspecific colors,” Dorbit says
Dorbit found Abby Design Co while searching for vendors onInstagramand booked a bouquet for her daughter andherself, wristlets for themothers ofthe coupleandboutonnieres for the groomand fathers of thecouple Wooden flowers were theonly florals at the wedding.
The average bridal bouquetcost $250in2024, according to brides.com. At Abby Design Co.,bridal bouquets range from$65 to $350
“Weddings are expensive.There’s no way around it,” Dorbit says “The affordability of the wooden flowers for what you get and what you save forever isjustnot comparable.”
Whenitcomes to cost-savingmeasures, Witherell says sheoften seescouples repurpose their flowers across events
“Youalso can technically save money in the sense oflike you can reuse onething frompartof your wedding to theotherpart of your wedding,likea sweethearttable to an archpiece,but(it can) also be yourgift to yourbridesmaids, instead ofhaving to do extra things,” Witherell says Shehas seencoupleswithlonger engagements save money by using wooden flower centerpieces at boththeirbridal showers and receptions
Ofthemany reasons a bridecould consideropting for wooden flowers, maybe themostcompellingisthat itbecomes a keepsake fromthe weddingday.
“Ido a lotof recreationsofpeople’s (bridal bouquets),” Witherell says, notingthat each piecestays frozenintime,withthe same colorquality andstructure asitdidon your weddingday.
“It’sa constant memoryofwhat we shared that day,” Dorbit says “Withthe wooden flowers, notonlydid I know that I’d have a forever keepsake that we literallyhave displayed inourhouse andinourliving room,buton top ofthat, I didn’t want to be limited to what was in season.”
For brideslike Dorbit, choosing wooden florals overfreshisnotmerely a budgetconsciouschoice.It’s aninvestment to cherish for aslongasthemarriage itself
Abby WitherellofAbby Design Co. created the bouquets,boutonnieresandwristlets for the weddingofAmandaandNickDorbit.
PHOTOS BY DEVYNPHOTOGRAPHY
GBY REBECCA LOGAN
en Z andmillennial brides
engagedin a bitof a social mediabeefthis year
“Don’t hate me,”a Los Angeles brandmarketernamedAlexa Palermo saidon TikTok.“Butthe basque waistof a wedding dress isthe2025 versionof a mason jar. I’m sorry.”
Her video went viral,as didmany others that poppedupin response.That includes onefrom KaitlynZeitler, who typicallyposts viaher @allmyflowers account abouturban gardeningin KansasCity, Missouri.
“Gen Z’s fearofbeingassociated with millennialculture needs to bestudied,” Zeitler says in a TikTokvideo, questioningthelogic ofcomparinganelongated waist to drinking vesselsonceabundant at rustic weddings but now largelyeschewed.
“I’ll own it. I’ma millennial woman. I’m gettingmarriedinSeptemberin you guessed it —a basque-waist weddingdress,” she says inthevideo “Justlike countless peopledidbefore me.Inthe’90s, the’80s, the ’60sa littlebit. Andthen,inthelate 1800s where itallbegan.”
Distefano says. “And I think I dida littlebit of both sortoftrends.”
That’s fairly typicalofthis year’s back and forth.
“There’s definitely a lotofcontent outthere bashingonthemillennialtrendsa little bit,” says DanielleDistefano, who works at Lancaster-based 3 WestProductionsand Ziggy Booth.“I’ve even seen someGen Z realizingthey hada verymillennial wedding.” Linesdoblurwhenitcomes to the generationsthat are frequently definedas
Again,nothingishard and fast Buthere are a few things Gen Z is said to bebringing to the weddinglandscape.
A caref ree vibe
That’s being reflectedin everything from attire to venues. Distefanohas a clear vantage point when workingthephoto booth.
“I feellike millennialsarea littlebit more particularabout exactlyhow their photoslook. They ’ll redotheir photos, makingsure they lookperfect,” she says “Gen Z area lotmore carefree.And I feellike that also translates to a lotofotherelementsoftheir weddings.”
Music for theirpeople
Unconventional wedding songs are among The Knot’s 2025 trends for Gen Z weddings.
“Don'tbeafraidthat the song you really want to play at yourceremony isn'tappropriate, just hirea live band to do a rendition (sanslyricsifnecessary),” the wedding website advises.
Youngercouplesare budgeting for such things, says 3 West founder Matt McCarthy.
“Gen Z isdoing a lotmore DIY stuff,” he says “When I speak to them,they’re saying, ‘We’re doingour ownflowers orour backdrops.’ So that freesup someofthose funds to beable to splurge on a live music element.”
Gen Z songlists tend to cater more toward themselvesandtheirfriends, he says They oftenskiporganizeddanceslike the“ChaCha Slide”or“ChickenDance,” he says.
“Themajority of(millennials) want to have alltheirfriendsand familyhave a goodtime,” he says. “So they will keepthose things inthere.”
McCarthy says there are songs that draw both generationsout to the floor Among them is“Mr. Brightside” by theKillers. “That’s like thenew ‘Sweet Caroline’,” he says
Leonard says her October dding to Pat Higgins was probably a mixofbothGen Z and millennialinfluences.The bride and groom wore DocMartens, considered a Gen Z shoe,but they alsohada doughnut wall attheir reception, a feature oftenassociatedwith millennial weddings.
Uniquegowns
LilyChow, a memberofGenZ,last yearbought well-knownLancaster boutique PoshBridalwithhermother, ren Chow, whohaslong workedon gownalterations ellike withbothGen Z andmillennials, want somethingthat isclassic,elegant andtimeless,” she says. “Those are the words thatI hearmostoften.”
ButGen Z tends to want allthat, plusan extra twist, LilyChow says
“They want somethingthat makesitmore them,” she says. “Somethingthey haven’t seenbefore.”
That might involve toucheslike tassels, feathers, neck scarvesordetachablesleeves orskirts, she says
Wearing mom’s dress kind of
Karen Chow says whenitcomes to usingmothers’ old gowns, millennials typically reached for redesignsandGen Z ismore about repurposing. It’s oftenGen Z brideswho are turning Mom’s dress into a robe, veil, rehearsal dinnerdress andthelike, she says
“Mostofthemnow want to cutitupanduse itthat way,” she says. “They can still wear Mom’s gown. They can still get thatsentimentalpart. Butthey don’t have to wearitdowntheaisle.”
RachelLeonard wore hergrandmother’s wedding dress— with somealterations whenshe got married inOctober2024 at TheBooking House in Manheim. Former Posh owner JanellBerté didthe alterationsbefore sheturnedthe business over to theChows
Bornin1996, Leonard is by many definitionsbarely a millennial. For their wedding,she andherhusband both wore Dr Martens(aka “Docs”),which Forbes recently referred to asthe Gen Z “it”shoe Leonard says they wore blackonesintheirengagement photosand wanted to stickwiththestyle.
Rachel Leonard wore her grandmother’s wedding dress with some alterations whenshe gotmarriedin October 2024 atThe Booking House inManheim. Whilemany Gen Z bridesare having inheriteddresses turned into robesor rehearsaldinnerdresses,millennials are more into redesign,say PoshBridal owners Lilyand Karen Chow Leonard wouldbe referred to as a zillennial by some,since she was born in1996, the last year ofthe millennialgeneration.
Smallerbridal partiesand guestlists
Smaller bridal guest lists
GoogleGen Z weddingtrendsand you’ll a lotoflists. Mostmentionsmaller bridalparties, ornobridalparties at all.Same goes for smallerguestcounts PhotographerEmily Wilkerson, founder Fern & FountaininLancaster, says shenoticesthat.
Google Gen Z wedding trends and nd a lot of lists. Most mention smaller bridal parties, or no bridal parties at all. Same goes for smaller guest counts Photographer Emily founder of Fern & Fountain in Lancaster, says she notices that.
She says she’s seenplenty ofmillennial bridesopt for variationswithin a single theme different cutswiththe samecolor, for example.
GenZ?“They’re actuallymismatched,” she says
The opposite of oversharing
“I see millennials feelingmore beholden to traditions,” she says Often,ifmillennialsinvite onecollege friend,they feellike they need to invite themall, Wilkerson says Gen Z has less of a problemmakingcuts, she says Gen Z isbuckingtraditioninother waystoo.
“I see millennials feeling more to says. friend, they feel like need to invite them all, Wilkerson says. less of a problem making cuts,
Whileinmany ways Gen Z istied to technology more thananyone,there’s also oftenanaspectofprivacy carryinginto their weddingdays
“They’re definitelyhaving a lotmore funwiththeirbridesmaiddresses,” Wilkerson says.
Wilkerson says ifshedoes a postinvolving a millennial wedding,she can expect a ton ofpeople to betaggedimmediately GenZ? Not asmuch.Andwhile a millennialmight tend to share 20photosofonesingleaspect oftheday, Gen Z tends to dropimages muchmore sparingly, she says Wilkerson says her generation,the millennials, madetheinternetwhat it is today.
Here’s what Rachel Leonard’s wedding dress lookedlike whenitdebutedatthe Baltimore marriage of her grandparents,Nick and Terry Russo. Janell Berté, the longtime former owner of PoshBridal,didthe alterations for Leonard’s 2024wedding.
PHOTO SUBMITTED
“We also tookit too far andthey watchedus,” she says “They don’t want that.”
Civil ceremonies
Civilceremonies are also makingitonto a lotofGenZ lists Fashioncoverage is keeping stepand /or settingthepacethere.Last year Vogue rana piece called “Best Courthouse BridalLooks fromthe Vogue Wedding Archive.” In June, the wedding website The Wedoffered“35ChicBridalOutfit Ideas fora Courthouse orCity Hall Wedding.”
Photographer AmandaPickles, Harrisburgbased owner ofImages by AmandaLeigh, was hired to shoot a Lancaster County Courthouse marriage inOctober2024.She followed animpeccablydressed brideandgroom from wooden benches to city streetsand documenteddetailslike theircouple-sized cake withcherries on top. (That’s another trend.Inone“MillennialBride vs. Gen Z Bride” parodyvideosharedonInstagram by
The Knot,a hypotheticalmillennialbride reflectsonher doughnut wallwhiletheGenZ brideplans a cherry-topped cake.)
Walker says. Now bridesare bringingup “Bridgerton,” Walker says
TheOctober weddinginLancaster was Pickles’ first courthouse wedding request. She says she expects toget more asmany couples opt to keepthings intimate andcelebrate later withloved ones in a relaxed way.
“They’rereallyprioritizingpersonal meaning and aesthetic over expectations,” she says “Millennialsdefinitelypaved the way for intentional weddingchoices, butGenZ is takingit a stepfurther by reimaginingwhata weddingday can looklike.”
Dewy glow
“From GenX into millennials fromlike 18 to 6 years ago— it was allbronzerand no blush,” says Lancaster-based makeupartist Theresa Walker. “Ipersonallyhated itbecause everyonelookedlike anemic MalibuBarbie.”
“It’s completelyshiftedback tosomething I personallyprefer, eventhoughI’m border Gen X/millennial,” she says. “Ihonestlylove itbecause it’s what you imaginewith, literally, a blushingbride.Dewy andglowy andfresh. Pinkwhere herskin wouldnaturallybepink. And a nice, soft rosy lip.”
BothmillennialsandGen Z have moved in that direction overall,she says It’s theGen Z brideswhowillonoccasionask for the strawberrygirlstylethat’s beenholdingon sinceitsmassive summerof2023. That looks a littlelike sunburn,or a bitlike smashed strawberrieshave beenapplied,with freckles addedon for goodmeasure.
“It’s cute.Butitistrendy,” Walker says “I thinkthey ’re going to lookbackandbelike, ‘Aaaaaaand, I didthat trend.”
The Kardashians were drivingthat vibe,
2900OregonPike, Lititz, PA 17543 •717-656-2856 OregonDairy.com •weddingcakes@oregondairy.com
orallthe excitement an engagement season brings, it can alsocreate a highstressenvironment. Family dynamics, budgetconstraints, the comparisonpressuresofsocial media,endlessdecisions colliding atonce and everycoupledeals withthisdifferently.
“Thepeoplewho we care about themostare the closesttousand they’re oftentheonesthat we take itallouton,” saysAmandaRuiz, a licensedprofessionalcounselor and ownerofTheCounseling Collective,anorganization providingoutpatient therapy servicesinLancaster, East Petersburg andonline.“If you don’t have a healthy outletto letout those feelingsandthatstress, it’s goingtocomeoutinsome other way.”
Underprolongedstress, intimate relationships can suffer unless we take preventative actionto remainconnectedthroughoutthe tumultuous season.
“We becomemore focused on gettingmarriedmore sothan makingsure we’re startingoff themarriage inlikea quality way, like setting(thecouple) upforlifelonglove,” says DominicGould-Britt,a licensed professionalcounseloratThe CounselingCollective.“Dothe premarital work. You will not regretit.”
How can couplesprotect their mentalhealthandpreservetheir peace? The experts offertheir top tipsformanagingstresswhile planning a wedding.
Defineyourvaluesbefore planning.
Couplesare bombardedwith so much information tosortthroughanddecisions to make during wedding planning.There are personal, familialand societal pressures to navigate Ruiz says it’s crucial toanchor yourselfbefore booking vendors.
“(Be) really crystal clearon ‘What do I want? What are my preferences?What are myvalues?’” Ruiz says. “Then you (can) sortthroughthe variety of informationthat’s there withthosefiltersin mind.”
Carveoutintentionaltime withyourpartner.
Whetherit’sa date night orcooking dinner together, scheduletimeeach week to connect outsideof wedding planning.Establisha weekly check-in routine to process and communicate wellwith yourpartner. Ask yourpartnerwhat nt llinthe ek
“Find somewhere comfortable,quiet— maybe overa mealor a glass ofwine,and open the floor,” Gould-Britt says “We’re nothere to debate, argue, disagreeor evenagree.I’m justhere to hearwhat youhave tosay andthenprovide validation.”
These smallrhythmshelpcouples stay connected, eventhrough astressful season.
Practiceeffective communication.
Communicationisoftenthe first thing to break down when tensions are high,Gould-Britt says Practice sayingwhat you feeland asking for the support you need.
“Yourpartner(is) nota mind reader,” he says Clearandcompassionate communication can reducemisunderstandings and bring a couple togetheras a team.
Create a journalingroutine.
Gettingthoughtsoutof yourheadandonto helpstop a negative thought spiral.Ruiz a braindump, otherwise knownas am-of-consciousness writingormakingan of everything takingupspacein
gratitudejournaling,” Ruiz says “If talkingaboutplanning a wedding,(ask)what telyhopetheday willlooklike? How tely want to feelonthat day?”
Movethebodytoclear themind.
regular exercise into your routines ddingplanning to release unwanted nsionandclear yourmind.
holdingallthis tensionin yourbody, move yourbodyinwhatever way that whetherthat’s workingoutortaking gstretchingwith yoga, moving your tensionoutof yourbody, outof your Ruiz says
Practicedeepbreathing.
yournervous systemwith entionalbreathwork techniques. Numerous differentstrategies for breathwork can calmand regulate thebodyandmind,but Ruiz recommendsbeginning with somethingassimpleas a purposefulinhale and exhale “Ithas to dowithholdingwith inhalingslowly, holding your
breath,andthen exhalingand exhaling for longerthan you were breathinginorholdingit,” Ruiz says “The exhalationisthe mostimportant part tosortof regulate yournervous systemand get yourbody to calmdown.”
Groundyourself inthe present.
Groundingis a practiceof focusingonthepresent by tappinginto the sensesand focusingonwhat you are hearing, seeingandsmellinginany givenmoment.
“Anxiety isfuture-orientedandit’s usually fear-basedandit’s in yourhead,” Ruiz says “It’sa cognitive thingthat’s happening, and so if you can beinthepresent moment throughgrounding, for example,it’s going to help you (putit)inperspective that these are justthoughtsthat my mindis swirlingaroundwith. Thisisn’t reality right now.”
Sethealthyboundarieswithfamily.
Weddingplanningstirs big emotionsincouples andtheir families. Acknowledgingthetransitionhelpsbothparties approachitwithcompassion.
“Whenever you’re coming together, you are leaving your familiesanddeveloping your own,” Gould-Britt says “Your familymembers outof nowhere willtry to maintain the familythey’ve known theirwholelife… It’s positive intentions, eventhoughthe behaviorisnotalways the best.”
Ceremonyand reception: HistoricAcres of Hershey, Elizabethtown
Howdid youmeet?
“We both worked summerjobs at theLancaster Country Club,” Julia says “AfterPreston left for thesummerandheadedback to college wekeptin touch. Oneday heaskedmeifI’d want togo fora rideontheback of hismotorcycle andfromthere kickedoff dates bikingandhiking all over.”
Preston Julia
Peiffer
Whydid you decide to have a microwedding?
“The first reasonmostpeopleprobably thinkofiscost savings, whichdefinitelyis true,but for us a microwedding offeredan intimateatmosphere that ishard to achieve with a larger event. We bothalso have busy careers andappreciated that it took a lotof thestress andcrunchoutoftheplanning, whichallowed us to look forward to thebig day evenmore.”
What wasthesize of the guest list,weddingparty?
“We hadabout30guests.I acted asour unofficial weddingcoordinator. The onlyother attendants were the officiant includedwithour venuebookingand a pair of servers fromour caterer. Someofour family were happy to helpusdecorate and set up too!”
Howdidthe rainaffect your weddingplans,andhowdid youadjust?
“We originallyintended to have anoutdoor ceremony by a scenicpond overlook. Thankfully, the venuehad abackupplan for rain,and wewere able to have the ceremony under a picturesqueentryway to theproperty. We decided to take our photosinthe rain,anditendedupadding a romantic atmosphere!It was nicenot havingshadows oranyone squintinginthe suninthe group photos too.”
Vendors:
What wasthe biggest challengein planning yourwedding?
“Finding vendors to workwith a smaller event size Some vendors wantevent minimumsthat can beunrealistic fora small event. It might takea bitmore searchingaround to findtheright one, butit is definitelypossibleand worthit! Hopefully,if thetrendcontinues, more vendors willshifttheir offeringsto accommodate.”
Isthereanything youwould change?
“Only to commit to what we wanted sooner!It tookusmonths to finallydecideonthemicroweddingbut we feltbetterwhen we made upour minds.”
Do you haveadvice for engaged couples?
“Talkabout your expectations andwhat you each want,find a middlegroundandthenstick togetherandhave eachother’s back. Weddingplanning can be stressfuland expensive,but it doesn’t have to be!”
Surprise!
Howa local weddingplanner and her fiancé shocked ever yone by gettingmarriedattheir engagement party
BY MARGARETGATES
hela North Sweitzerestimatesshe’s planned over 400 weddings. Soitmay come as a surprise that whenit came to her own marriage,the ownerof Lancaster-basedChe & Co Weddings didn’t really want a wedding at all.
“Inever grew upas someonewho was like, ‘Oh my gosh, my perfect wedding,’” she says. “Ienjoy doing that for otherpeople.”
“ Whatever was traditional, wewoulddothe opposite,” she says
Thebest example: After telling everyonethat they were skipping a traditional weddingall togetherand eloping to a resortin Mexico, thecouplesurprised family andfriends by gettingmarried at their New Year’s Eve engagement party.
Why the surprise?
“We both reallylove New Year’s Eve and, ofcourse, everybody wouldhave suchhigh expectations fora weddingplanner doing her own wedding andI just didn’t want allthat pressure,” Sweitzer says Butorchestratinganentire weddingin secret for almost a yearhadits own set ofpressures, even fora professionalplanner.
“In some ways, it feelslike knowingwhat the trendsare andhow weddings work servedmewhen it came to myown,” she says “But also, I couldn’t findanythingonlineaboutsurprise weddings and how to doit, andcertainlyhow to doiton New Year’s Eve.It was reallylike creating a wedding from scratch.There isnoblueprint.”
PHOTOS BY CHRISTIEHEIMBACHPHOTOGRAPHY
How they pulled it off
Thecouplealloweda smallgroupofpeopleinon the secret:theirparents, two friendseachandthe vendors, ofcourse.
“Ifit was genuinelyjustthe two ofus, wewould have gonecrazy,” Sweitzer says
Shortlyafterhatchingtheirplan,they attended anopenhouse at Warehouse435, an event venue indowntownLebanon.Initspast, the restored historicbuildingwithanindustrial-chic vibe housed everythingfrommanufacturingoperations to a distilleryand restaurant.
What the Sweitzers foundmostappealing was the venue’s two-floorlayout, whichallowed them to host a cocktail-style“New Year’s Eve/engagement party” onthe firstfloorwhile keepingthe setup for thesurprise weddingceremony hiddenonthe second floor.
Oncethedate andthe venue were set, it was just a matterofplanningthe event— and keepingup theruse.
“Theliethat we basically told fora year was that wewere going to elope,justthe two ofus,in Mexico, which was going to beourhoneymoonspot,” Chela says “It was thehardestthing. Evenbefore wewere engagedit was like, ‘Yeah,don’t be expecting a weddingfromus It’s justnotourthing.’”
The challenges
Thebiggestchallenge,of course, wasfightingtheurge to spillthebeans, especially to close friends, Sweitzer says. But there were others.
At onepoint, friendsstarted askingaboutthelogisticsof gettingmarriedin Mexico andwhere at the resortthe ceremony wouldtake place. Thecouplehad to callthe resort, explainthesituation and get answers to those hypotheticalquestions so they could respondaccurately
Perhapsthemostdifficult was notbeingable to share theemotionsthat go withthewhole planningprocess.
“Itstarted toget so hard towards theend,” Sweitzer says. “Usuallybefore a weddingpeople know you’re having a weddingandthey understand thelevel ofstress… Peoplejustdidn’t know. So we had to show up for eventsandthings theday before We had a secret rehearsal.It was crazy.”
Favorite moments
The reaction: The eveningbegan at 9 with a cocktail-hourengagement party. “Everybody showed upand everybody was there, so we spent the first hourjusttrying to talk to peopleandbe normal,” Sweitzer says At 10 p.m.,thecouple revealedthey’d be gettingmarriedthat night, promptingcheers fromthecrowd.“The reaction was worth everything,” she says.
Thevibe: “We knew we didn’t want the event as a whole to feelstructuredlike howa traditional wedding would,” Sweitzer says “We’re both very down-to-earthpeople.... We justdidn’t want it to feelproduced. We didn’t want it to feellike thisbig display. We just wantedit to feellike us.”
Insteadof flowers, thecoupleincorporated a lot ofbooks, candlesand familyheirloomsinto their decor to create a homey atmosphere that feltmore likea living roomthan a wedding venue.“The ceremony was at 10:30, so it was niceanddimlylit, anditjust felt really warm,” she says.
Thefriends first look: Prior to theceremony, Sweitzerdid afirst lookwith someofherclosest friendswhohadn’t beeninonthe secret “We were just a weepingmess,” she says
The first dance: Sweitzer, whois alsoa singer andactress, hadan extra surprise uphersleeve for herhusband:She recordedher own versionoftheir chosen first dance song,India. Arie’s “SacredSpace.”
The raffle: Eachguest received a raffle ticketas they arrived.Thecoupledrew two namesafterthe self-unitingceremony to determinewho would signthemarriage license aswitnesses.
Thecomfy clothes: “Once we didallthe festivities, we changedinto matching sweatsuits which I highly recommend.It was amazing.”
Lessons learned
Sweitzer says she’sgrateful for the experiencesshehashadasa weddingplanner.Onethingshe says shehaslearnedishoweasy it canbe toget caughtupinallthe “stuff ”of weddings. Anotheris how wonderfulitiswhencouples addelements to thedaythatmake it totallytheir own.
Forthemostpart,she wasable to avoidthe formerandembracethe latterwithher own wedding. Heradvice to anycoupleis to forgetaboutwhat’s“normal.”
There’snosuchthing,she says “Aslongasthemarriagelicense issigned at theendoftheday, you candoithowever you want.”
“Aslongasthemarr iagelicense issignedattheendoftheda y, youcandoithowever you want.
-ChelaNorthSweitzer
Wanta SurpriseWedding?
Surprise weddingscangive you thefreedom to dowhatever you wantwithoutgetting bombarded by opinions, saysChelaNorth Sweitzer,a Lancaster weddingplannerwho recentlyplannedher own surprise wedding.But they aren’t for the faintofheart,and they may not be right for everyone. If you’re consideringit,she offers thesethoughts:
• Considertheguestcountandhow extravagantan event you want. Thebiggerthe bash,themore challengingitwillbe
• Make sure you’re givingguestsanincentive to show up. Forthe Sweitzers, who had familyand friendscomingfrom outofstate, they had to make sure thatthestakes were high enough that people would want to attend. A New Year’s Eve engagement party fit the bill. Fora much more intimate surprise,a housewarming party could alsobeanoption, shesays.
• Bespecific aboutthetime. You don’t wantlate guests missing theceremony or, worse yet,holdingitupindefinitely That turned out to be a challenge for theSweitzerswhenitcame to the music for their wedding.The friendthey asked to sing alsohappened to beperformingonBroadway thatsameday. Without tellinghimthat he was reallysingingattheir wedding, they had to convince him thatsimplyarrivingat theirparty before thestroke of midnight wasn’t goodenough.
• Don’t goitalone. Gather a small teamofpeoplewho willbe in onthe surprise, offeringhelpand support. For Sweitzer, that included a few friends and familymembers,a plannerfrom herbusinessand her vendors.
