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March 2012
E UID AG & OD FO TO N FU
BRIDE GUIDE
‘I DO’ A
WEDDING PLAN FOR HAPPILY EVER AFTER
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PUBLISHER’SDESK SOME DAYS YOU CAN’T FIGURE OUT WHICH END IS UP and if you’re having that feeling reading this month’s issue of INSITE, well, sorry about that. It’s just that sometimes you shouldn’t have to choose between two really great cover features. So we didn’t. The Bride Guide is the romantic story of how one bride-to-be kept dozens of wedding planning details – and her happiness – on track to create the wedding of her dreams. Her secret weapon? The
BRIDAL
ASSOCIATION of the
Brazos Valley’s annual show at the Expo Center. This year’s SPRING SHOW is February 19 and it’s a don’t miss opportunity to meet the vendors that specialize in happily ever after. Not a bride-to-be? No worries. You can still go to the dance … the NCAA MARCH
MADNESS
dance, that is. Having a
bid accepted to host the first and second rounds of the Women’s Basketball NCAA tournament is quite the honor for TEXAS
A&M
ATHLETICS and if the Lady Aggies make it to the party, the home court advantage will be something to CELEBRATE. If you’re a visitor – WELCOME to Aggieland! In this issue of INSITE, we’ve given you a FRONT ROW SEAT to all the charms Bryan/ College Station has to offer for shopping, dining and attractions. Enjoy your stay and come back soon! – Angelique Gammon
Get in Touch Sign Up! Wednesday’s Wake Up to
the Weekend Possibilities e-Newsletter www.insitebrazosvalley.com Angelique Gammon, Publisher agammon@insitegroup.com Insite Magazine
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CONTENTS 6
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WEDDINGPLANS
A Bride’s Story
From ‘I Do’ to Happily Ever After by Margaret Ann Thurmond
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YOURSOURCE
Bride Guide
Wedding Planning Resources Special Advertising Section
INSITE Magazine is published monthly by Insite Printing & Graphic Services, 123 E. Wm. J. Bryan Pkwy., Bryan, Texas 77803. (979) 8235567 www.insitebrazosvalley. com Volume 28, Number 10. Publisher/Editor: Angelique Gammon; Account Executive: Myron King; Graphic Designer: Karen Green. Editorial Interns: Cheyanne Baker, Margaret Ann Thurmond; INSITE Magazine is a division of The Insite Group, LP. Reproduction of any part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Insite Printing & Graphic Services Managing Partners: Kyle DeWitt, Angelique Gammon, Greg Gammon. General Manager: Carl Dixon; Pre-Press Manager: Mari Brown; Office Manager: Wendy Seward; Sales & Customer Service: Molly Barton; Candi Burling; Manda Jackson; Marie Lindley; Kim Quinney; Barbara Wyss; Production: Stephen Beatty; Norris Carnes; Marilyn Carey; Don Coburn; Jaimie Colwell; Ricky Conchola; Byron Lee; Margie Lowry; Arthur Maldonado; Richard Pearce; Brandon Prouse; Frank Ramirez; Mike Seward; Ruben Torres; Stephen Woodruff.
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‘I Do’
A Bride’s Story Story by Margaret Ann Thurmond / Photos by Fernando Weberich Photography
“We all went to Chuy’s for lunch. We were sitting over there,” she says, pointing to a table in the corner. “I knew something was going on because he started getting nervous, and then he turned to me and looked me in my eyes and told me how much he loves me and how much he cares and how he wants to be with me forever. And then he got down on one knee and proposed.” Surprisingly, not many people noticed.
“I was surprised,” she muses. “He had to be really bold to do that.” click www.insitebrazosvalley.com
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Get a Step Ahead on Your Family Break!
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“The Proposal” launches a married couple-to-be into the whirl of decision making known as “Planning Your Wedding.”
Each step
along the path helps create a wedding that will reflect two lifetime journeys that become one at the alter. Whether it’s a small, intimate affair or an epic adventure for family and friends, all wedding plans share some traits: excitement, research, a touch of nerves, details, lists and a catch of breath as the day finally unfolds.
This is the story of LaDoris Beckworth’s path to becoming Mrs. Jamal Bowers, a journey that began their senior year of high school and culminated in happily ever after at an elegant, traditional wedding celebration in January. Pre-Wedding Plans LaDoris Beckworth has just entered into the blissful and draining world of engagement. Her race to plan out the last detail before The Big Day arrives has begun on an intimate double date at Chuy’s. After saying, “Yes,” LaDoris can only think, “What’s next?” LaDoris is the first child in her family to marry, so planning a modern wedding is a new phenomenon for the Beckworths. Luckily, LaDoris has the love and support of both her family
and her fiancé’s family to make the journey a little easier. A Bryan/College-Station native, she first met her fiancé Jamal Bowers during their senior year of high school. Fast forward five years and the Beckworths and Bowers have formed a united front to make LaDoris’ dream wedding happen. Everyone was able
to show their support, in ways both large and small. “It makes you feel good that so many people love your child,” the mother-of-thebride says. LaDoris has dived into the planning process with The Knot, an online website that has everything from color scheme ideas to advice on how to find the perfect honeymoon destination. LaDoris also has used local resources to research vendors in the local bridal market. “I attended a bridal show at the Expo Center here,”
“Yes,” LaDoris can only think, “What’s next?”
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she says. “They had all the local vendors.” She stresses how vital the Bridal Show & Benefit has been to her success, a show that is held in spring and again in the fall at the Brazos County Expo Center. Vendors from the area and surrounding cities are on hand to answer every bride’s questions and concerns. A advantage of attending the show is the forms a bride-to-be fills out so that emails updates with the latest bridal events and special discounts on services can be sent during the planning phase. LaDoris has decided to use all local vendors for her wedding and she emphasizes the need for experience. Using a vendor with knowledge of the latest wedding trends also is helpful. Flower decisions, for instance: LaDoris says she and her mother had no idea where to begin or what was traditional and the flowers prove to be a huge undertaking. Debbie Brooks at Post Oak Florists takes care of both the ceremony and reception. “I would recommend her to anyone,” Beckworth gushes. “She was very helpful.”
LaDoris also stresses the need to consider the small details that many people don’t think about when planning a wedding: the unity candle, the groomsmen’s boutonnieres, the party favors and table settings. Using local vendors as resources has kept the small mountain of details from becoming overwhelming. As the big day draws near, it’s all coming together just the way LaDoris has wanted it to be since she was young – with a few changes sprinkled here and there. “I wanted a turquoise dress, but that changed,” she says. Her idea of a mermaid-style dress transformed into an elegant ball gown when she discovered one at a trunk show in the Woodlands. “When you’re shopping
for the dress and she puts on ‘the one,’ you know immediately,” LaDoris’ mother says. “We knew.” There’s no doubt that planning a wedding can be stressful, and part of the reason is that opinions helpfully offered from every direction can become overwhelming. “Dealing with people who don’t do what they say they’re going to do is frustrating,” LaDoris says, while explaining wedding planning woes. What she isn’t struggling with is pressure from family members to have her wedding a certain way. “A lot of people wanted to give suggestions to save money,” she says. LaDoris offers a lesson for other brides: the planning process is ongoing, right up until you say, “I do.” “It’s all the little details,” she says. “There are still a lot of things where you think, ‘Oh, I haven’t thought about that.’” LaDoris advises future brides
“I attended a bridal show at the Expo Center here,” she says. “They had all the local vendors.”
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to deal with the stress by staying organized. It’s important to keep everything in line so you won’t become overwhelmed. She adds, “Think about the end result.” “Everyone wants to give their ideas, but you just want her to be happy,” LaDoris’ mother says. The best news for the stressed bride-to-be: “We’ve never had a moment where we felt like we didn’t want to do this again.”
The Big Day After almost a year of planning her dream wedding, the finish line is in sight for LaDoris Beckworth. The easy part will simply be saying, “I do.” LaDoris says that she isn’t at all nervous before the ceremony begins. In fact, her quiet calm radiates to those around her as she waits for the ceremony to commence. “Everybody else was nervous, [but] it was just what I always wanted,” she recalls afterwards. “I knew he was who I wanted to be with; I had no doubts.” The Day starts early at Christ United Methodist Church in College Station with the wedding day coordinator helping things run smoothly. LaDoris and her wedding party set up tables and chairs, and everything else is left to the vendors. Her organization and planning is paying off. “Everything came together perfectly,” she
will say after. “It was pretty amazing how everything fell into place.” LaDoris has used her local resources to find the perfect setting for her wedding as well as a day coordinator. “When I was looking for a nice church I asked for information about wedding packages,” she says. “They had a coordinator, music; a lot was included in the price.” Two words come to mind during the ceremony: traditional and elegant. The guests are holding custom-made, tiffany blue programs and are waiting patiently for the bride to walk through the doors. Light from the afternoon sun is streaming into the sanctuary, and the groom is standing at attention, looking for his bride. There is a barely audible gasp when LaDoris walks through the church doors. Her beauty is radiant as she
makes eye contact with her groom. The traditional feel is continuous throughout the ceremony as the pastor brings a message of true love from the Bible. On a day that creates a new union, familial love and support fill the sanctuary and continue into the reception. Again, it’s the small details LaDoris has attended to that add to the moment, from the lavish candy bar with custom-made “LaDoris and Jamal” labels for the sweets to the tiny silver bows wrapped around the dinnerware. Guests
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are seated at tables adorned with intricate centerpieces and individually wrapped party favors, all with a hint of tiffany blue. After the children visit the candy bar, those who were part of the ceremony take seats at their own table where wedding coloring books and placemats await them. LaDoris and her mother had found a wedding coloring book online that sparked the idea. The bride and groom are seated at their own table at the head of the room, an oasis
of intimacy for the newlyweds surrounded by family and guests. The reception proves to be the fun celebration LaDoris and Jamal have been dreaming of, a time to celebrate and share. Soon they will be off on their honeymoon adventure, but for now they are content to savor the moments that will become cherished memories for all the years to come.
Happily Ever After The wedding and honeymoon have now come and gone, and it’s the rare bride who looks back with few to no regrets about plans that have gone awry. “A lot of people said it was the most beautiful wedding they had ever seen,” LaDoris says. “It was elegant and classy.” When asked if there was anything at all she 14
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would have done differently, she has only has a few suggestions. “Yes,” she says with a laugh. “I would have given the photographer more direction.” She encourages future brides not to assume that every vendor knows what you want. “Vendor’s aren’t perfect; there’s a whole lot going on, but sometimes [things] can slip your mind.” Above all, LaDoris stresses the need to stay organized because things can become overwhelming once the day gets close. “Stay calm, and if anybody asks to help, take advantage of it,” she says. “It really helps that people are supportive.” From her new viewpoint on the other side of The Day, this bride returns to how important the Bridal Show at the Expo Center proved to be during the planning process: it’s not only an opportunity to get to know different vendors but also to see their work. LaDoris has one final piece of advice: “Don’t let the vendors take advantage of you. They see stars in your eyes, and some people can use it the wrong way,” she says. “Stick with what you want.” i
YOURSOURCE
THE BRIDE GUIDE Besco Custom Jewelers Custom Designed Jewelry 3rd Floor Compass Bank Building 2405 Texas Ave. S, College Station (979) 764-8558 BescoJewelers.com
The Brazos Cotton Exchange Special Event Venue Howell Building 200 South Main, Third Floor, Bryan (979) 575-4181 BrazosCottonExchange.com
Briarcrest Country Club Special Event Venue & Catering 1929 Country Club Drive, Bryan (979) 776-0133 BriarcrestCC.org
Charli Clothes, Jewelry, Gifts 505 University Dr. East, College Station (979) 268-9626 CharliOnlin.com
Cricket Cruise & Travel Honeymoon Packages & Travel cricketcruiseandtravel@gmail.com (979) 836-6600 / (713) 446-4990 CricketCruiseAndTravel.com
Christopher’s World Grille Special Event Venue & Catering 5001 Boonville Rd, Bryan (979) 776-0802 Christophersworldgrille.com
David Gardner’s Jewelers Jewelers, Gemologists 911 University Dr. East, College Station (979) 268-0800 DavidGardnersJewelers.com click www.insitebrazosvalley.com
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Dermataloge Medical Spa
Post Oak Florist
Specialties Photography
Make-Up for Special Occasions
Wedding & Special Occasion Flowers
Bridal, Engagement & Wedding Day
1707 Broadmoor Dr. #101, Bryan (979) 776-7546 Dermataloge.com
Mad Hatter’s Tea Room & Boutique Special Event Venue & Catering 212 S. Echols, Caldwell (979) 567-3504 MadHattersTeaRoom.com
900 Harvey Road, Suite 12, College Station (979) 764-0091 Weddings.PostOakFlorist.com
524 University Dr. East, College Station (979) 696-9898 SpecialPhoto.com
Royalty Pecan Farms
Texas A&M Rec Center
Special Event Venue & Catering
Special Event Venue & Services
10600 State Hwy. 21 East, Caldwell (979) 272-3904 RoyaltyPecans.com
West Campus, College Station (979) 845-0838 RecSports.tamu.edu
The University Club & Texas A&M University Catering Special Event Venue & Catering 12th Floor, Rudder Tower Texas A&M University (979) 845-2582 UniversityClub.tamu.edu
For more vendor information, visit InsiteBrazosValley.com/BrideGuide
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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION