LNT_BCR_Illinois Valley Dream Weddings_012922

Weddings ILLINOIS VALLEY

JANUARY 2022

WEDDINGS GALORE IN 2022 Brides say to plan early for a busy wedding year

ALSO: Say yes to the dress at Marien Mae Bridal Boutique Shaping up for the big day Advice from brides The art of being a DJ

Contents 4

Illinois Valley Weddings

HITTING THE GYM FOR A WALK DOWN THE AISLE

Have you ever met a bride who doesn’t want to look good in their dress on their big day?

8

The pandemic can’t stop love, but it does make planning a trip down the aisle harder.

SAY ‘I DO’ TO THIS ADVICE FROM OTHER BRIDES

No one understands what a bride-to-be is going through quite like another bride.

17

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

Marien Mae Bridal Boutique has wedding outfits for everyone.

21

DJs help pull together the whole reception, ensuring everyone has a great, memorable time.

On the cover: Lexie (Leach) Sickley of Spring Valley was married to Tony Sickley on Oct. 9, 2021, at Cedar Creek Ranch in Cedar Point.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/TAYLOR KATINA PHOTOGRAPHY

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2 January 2022 | Illinois Valley Weddings | A Shaw Media Publication

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Hitting the Gym for a Walk Down the Aisle Story by Brandon LaChance

H

ave you ever met a bride who doesn’t want to look good in their dress on their big day? For some women, that journey begins with a weight loss goal.

After initially resisting the idea of weight loss, Deanna Munson of LaSalle changed her mind and decided to lose some weight before she married Adam Matos on Oct. 2, 2021, after being together for 13 years.

“He started losing weight before the wedding. I was the one who was like, ‘I’m not doing anything. I’m fine,’”

said Deanna Matos, who met Adam in LaSalle when she was 15. “But then I started dress shopping and decided I wanted to look fantastic in my wedding dress because after it’s all said and done, all you have left is a photo. I like photos, but I don’t like being in them. I’m one of those who are hypercritical about myself in photos, so I don’t like to be photographed often.”

With Adam working out and her desire to look and feel good on her wedding day, Deanna committed to making an effort too.

“Adam was doing it, and I knew I had to do it, too. He helped me find videos because we mainly worked out at home because it was during Covid19. We have a bunch of equipment here like an elliptical, a treadmill, and weights.”

Munson, 32, who works at a fast-food restaurant, had to change her mindset toward exercise and her diet.

“I started hardcore working out in January of 2020,” Deanna said. “It started with a few videos here and there working out at home. Then I started working out constantly.

Above: By the time she walked down the aisle, Deanna Matos of LaSalle had lost 60 pounds. With two kids and the Covid pandemic to deal with, she did her workouts at her home.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/MELISSA MATA PHOTOGRAPHY

4 January 2022 | Illinois Valley Weddings | A Shaw Media Publication

I stopped drinking soda and started drinking a ton of water.

We don’t keep any junk food in the house.

Overhauling her diet wasn’t easy for her.

“I’m a foodie and love it all.

I love Mexican food and rice and beans. I had a problem with portions when I’d eat. I didn’t eat often enough, and then when I did eat, I overindulged because my body was starving. I started bringing snacks to work, so I didn’t snack on French fries. I would bring a water bottle, so I’d make sure I stayed away from soda,” she said.

Before she started working out, she weighed 276 pounds.

When it was time to walk down the aisle and change her last name from Munson to Matos, Deanna weighed 216.

“Honestly, I felt better. For me, it’s more of a self-esteem thing with the weight loss. My weight has always been up and down over the years. I’ve also had two children, including my son in 2018. My mindset was a lot healthier when I started seeing results than when I first

started. When I first started, I was depressed, I wasn’t in the mood, everything bothered me, and I didn’t like taking photos,” she said.

“When I slipped on my wedding dress, it fit perfectly, and I looked great. I knew I needed to stay away from junk food and it paid off. I was so happy that my dress fit perfectly on my wedding day,” she said. It made me feel amazing. It was a fantastic feeling to look in the mirror and know I looked great in my dress.”

Her husband, Adam, assisted her from the moment she decided she wanted to lose weight.

“I had started my fitness journey first, so it felt great to watch her get inspired by my efforts and results,” Adam said. “I also really enjoy helping people, so I also had that gratification.

We kept each other on track and were able to depend on each other over time. The most important things were probably staying consistent and doing everything with an intelligent purpose and planning.”

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ful videos, show her different routines, and preached about the importance of consistency.

But he also helped her mentally as he had her take progression photos to show her the changes she was making.

“Throughout the process, Adam convinced me to start taking progression photos,” Deanna said. “My thing was I’d get discouraged with the scale. I was fixated on the numbers. When I’d gain a pound from day to day, I would freak out and think I needed to work out and cut calories.

“The progression photos actually helped me out more than anything because it’s harder to see it on yourself in real time than it is in photos.

I’d take a photo in Week 2 and then look at a new photo three or four weeks later, and I could see the difference.

From January to December, there was a drastic difference because I lost a bulk of my weight in the first year,” she said. “I slowed down working

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out the last four months because I was getting fitted for my wedding dress. At that point until my wedding, I had to maintain my weight because I was getting fitted. I couldn’t go up and I couldn’t go down because that’s where my seamstress had measured me at.”

Kelly Campbell, who has taught group exercise classes at the YMCA in Peru since 2009 and became a trainer in 2018, has seen brides, grooms, members of the wedding party, and wedding guests in her classes as they’re trying to cut weight before the big day. She has a few tips for anyone trying to lose weight.

One of them is to drink a lot of water because staying hydrated is essential as it helps with health, weight loss, blood circulation, and good skin.

“The number one thing I’d say to a bride, since they are sometimes stressed with all of the different facets that go along with a wedding, is to take small but consistent steps to make change.

Anything quick and over-the-top is not going to be good for their sanity,” Campbell said.

“I look at health and fitness as an all-encompassing thing, not just a number on a scale. A lot of it has to do with your good mental health, too.

Since wedding planning can be stressful, the best thing to do is keep it simple,” she said.

Campbell also recommends a balanced diet and plenty of movement.

“Meal preparation can be the difference between staying on track or sabotaging your diet,” she said. “Things like prepping fruits, vegetables, and healthy snacks such as hard boiled eggs, string cheese and nuts and stashing them in a small cooler to tote with you can help with nutritional success.”

A variety of movement is also a key component to weight loss.

“Movement is medicine. You need to move your body every day. That movement is different for everyone because everyone’s fitness level is different, but movement is key,” she said.

She also recommends adding weights to your fitness routine.

“The muscle that you can build through strength training is going to keep your metabolism burning like a furnace,” Campbell said. “And remember, the scale is only one measurement. You can’t just be concerned about dropping weight – lifting weights firms and tightens and adds to looking better and healthy fitness.”

With her newfound consistency, Deanna Matos fought long and hard for her 60-pound weight loss. It also reinforced what she and Adam already knew – they could accomplish shared goals and lean on each other for support.

“Adam was my rock through most of it. Without him, I would have given up numerous times,” she said. “Adam used to box when he was younger, so he knew what I needed to do. It was easy for him to coach me without making me feel bad about myself.

He helped me a lot with losing the weight, staying positive, not stressing, and staying consistent.”

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6 January 2022 | Illinois Valley Weddings | A Shaw Media Publication

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Six Things You Should Do at a Medical Spa Before Your Wedding

When we think of wedding planning, we think of securing the place, the photographer, and the dress, but what about your appearance? Brides, grooms and wedding party participants are increasingly also visiting a medical spa as part of their pre-wedding agenda. A medical spa is a doctor’s office that specializes in non-surgical cosmetic procedures.

When you come in for your wedding day consultation, your aesthetic provider, often a physician, will likely take pictures of your face and discuss your goals for your appearance.

We asked Dr. Norris of Nicole Norris MD Medical Spa in Peru, Illinois to give us a list of the 5 most common prewedding services that her medical spa performs and a brief explanation of each.

Dr. Norris begins: 1 - Botox or Dysport (both brands of cosmetic botulinum toxin): Everyone wants to look refreshed and the best version of themselves on their wedding day. A few injections of Botox or Dysport in the upper face can smooth expression lines and makes the eyes appear more rested. Men and women of any age can benefit from this safe procedure with no downtime. Your results can take up to a month to notice so it is important to have this procedure done well in advance of the wedding date.

2 - Hydrafacial: A Hydrafacial is a combination of a facial and an anti-aging procedure. Hydrafacial is a machine operated by a specially trained esthetician that includes hydra-dermabrasion, a chemical peel, vacuum extraction, hyaluronic acid infusion and red-light therapy. Hydrafacials are the perfect event treatment to do the week of the wedding but may also be done as a monthly series to improve skin long term.

3 - Dermaplaning: Dermaplaning is best done in a medical spa because if done right it not only removes the fuzzy hair on the face, but it also is a micro injury to the skin stimulating skin turnover and collagen induction. In our office, we offer dermaplaning just prior to all our facials, Hydrafacials and most chemical peels. There is typically no down-time from dermaplaning and is perfect to do right before the wedding as your professional make-up application will look even better.

4 - Teeth Whitening: We offer in-office teeth whitening which utilizes carbamide peroxide and LED light for a quick 30-minute refresh of your natural enamel. There is little risk for gum sensitivity due to the use of Vitamin E oil on the gums prior to the procedure. Patients may do it the week of the wedding or do a series of monthly treatments if they need significant whitening due to long-

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5 - Radiofrequency Skin Tightening: Radiofrequency energy is heat energy which can tighten skin short-term with one treatment or long-term with a series of treatments.

There is no pain or downtime with radiofrequency energy treatments. The most common areas that we treat is the face, arms, abdomen and legs. We can add on radiofrequency eye treatments for tightening and lifting the thin skin around the eyes to any facial or Hydrafacial.

6 - Biorevitalization: These treatments are typically requested the month before the wedding and can significantly improve acne, texture, pores and tighten skin. After the application of our Biorevitalization treatment, there is little risk of peeling or downtime and no concern of being in the sun post-procedure. Best results are appreciated when a series of four weekly treatments is performed on the face, neck and décolleté’ for women and the face and neck for men.

Dr. Norris concludes, “Weddings are such a happy event but planning them is stressful which can take a toll on our appearance. It is important to include some self-care in your planning to look and feel your absolute best on one of the most important days of your life!”

If you want to schedule your wedding day consultation with Dr. Norris or learn more, visit NicoleNorrisMD.com, follow them on Facebook or Instagram, or call 815-780-8264.

A Shaw Media Publication | Illinois Valley Weddings | January 2022 7

Abigail Smith married Gregory Goodman on June 12, 2021, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in LaSalle. They both grew up in the Illinois Valley area and now live in Champaign.

“My favorite part (of the wedding) was being able to bring our friends and family together after the pandemic had kept us all apart for so long,” Abigail Goodman said.

“Everyone kept saying how it was the first event since Covid had started that they attended. It almost felt like a celebration of not only our marriage, but also a glimmer of hope that we were finally getting back to some ‘normalcy’ since March of 2020.”

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/ LEX POULAKOS PHOTOGRAPHY

2022 is the Year of the Weddings The pandemic can’t stop love, but it does make planning a trip down the aisle harder

R

By Shannon Serpette

W

When Lexie Leach of Spring Valley began planning her Oct. 9, 2021, wedding to fiancé Tony Sickley, she was surprised to learn that finding vendors wasn’t going to be easy. Couples had put off their weddings for so long in 2020 and early 2021 that there was a backlog of people wanting to get married.

“When we first started wedding planning, we didn’t take into consideration the amount of people who had to resched-

ule their wedding due to the pandemic,” she said. “A lot of vendors were already booked so it was challenging trying to find some of them.”

They were able to secure Cedar Creek Ranch in Cedar Point for their wedding venue.

“We’ve known the family for years, and I have seen the different wedding styles they have had out there, and there wasn’t one that I didn’t think looked beautiful. It was a very laid-back wedding and

8 January 2022 | Illinois Valley Weddings | A Shaw Media Publication

it was perfect for us,” Lexie Sickley said.

Despite the difficulty in finding vendors, the wedding went off without a hitch, with approximately 150 people in attendance, despite a few not making it because of the pandemic.

Racheal Robertson of Spring Valley also ran into a few scheduling issues because of the pandemic when planning her April 2021 wedding at Grand Bear Lodge to

“I actually liked planning the wedding, I had been dreaming of my wedding for so long and was so excited to plan it and see my dream become a reality.”

Racheal Cook

Christopher Cook.

“The most challenging thing about planning the wedding was making sure that my bridesmaids would get their dresses on time – due to the pandemic, dates were pushed back – and also getting a time for the groomsmen to get their attire for the wedding, and finding the right place for them to get their attire that was affordable for all their budgets,” she said.

Since her wedding venue was all-inclusive, it took a

lot of the planning off of her shoulders.

“The only thing I had to worry about was finding a DJ and my photographer.

My flowers were silk, so no florist,” Racheal Cook said.

“I actually liked planning the wedding, I had been dreaming of my wedding for so long and was so excited to plan it and see my dream become a reality.”

The effects of the pandemic could still be felt, even with their small group of 50 guests.

“We had some guests choose not to come since they would have to wear a mask, otherwise we just had to keep the guest list small due to the pandemic,” she said.

Bridgette (Baysingar) Vowels of Cherry encourages brides-to-be to work ahead as much as possible. Her wedding to Dan Vowels on Oct. 9, 2021, at Ironwood on the Vermilion went relatively smoothly because of all the See WEDDINGS page 10

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/SETH MORRIS PHOTOGRAPHY

Elizabeth Blanchard married Andrew Goy on Aug. 13, 2021, at Starved Rock. The Saint Charles couple said planning during a pandemic was difficult, but it was made much easier by finding such great vendors in the Illinois Valley. “We had such amazing vendors, all of whom were so flexible with planning during COVID and did an amazing job,” she said.

A Shaw Media Publication | Illinois Valley Weddings | January 2022 9

Weddings FROM PAGE 9

planning they put in.

“We started our wedding planning more than a year before our big day, which helped alleviate stress,” she said. “We had a few bumps in the road much closer to the day of, but nothing we couldn’t correct in a timely manner. It all worked out.

Plan ahead if you can.”

Elizabeth Blanchard married Andrew Goy on Aug. 13, 2021, at Starved Rock, where the groom had visited many times as a child. The Saint Charles couple said planning during a pandemic was difficult, but it was made easier by using local vendors.

“As I’m sure every couple would say during Covid, the uncertainty of Covid was hard. We were so incredibly lucky that when we got engaged in August 2019, we decided to plan the wedding two years out for August 2021,” Elizabeth said. “I See WEDDINGS page 12

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/SHANNON LYNN PHOTOGRAPHY

Racheal Robertson of Spring Valley ran into a few scheduling issues because of the pandemic, when planning her April 2021 wedding at Grand Bear Lodge to Christopher Cook.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/SHANNON LYNN PHOTOGRAPHY

Erica Warren, who was formerly of Spring Valley and now lives in Newark, and Jeremey Storey were married on Oct. 2, 2021, at The Queen of the Holy Rosary Shrine Catholic Church in LaSalle.

10 January 2022 | Illinois Valley Weddings | A Shaw Media Publication

When Kristin (Foster) Stewart of Peru married William “Bill” Stewart on Sept. 11, 2021, at Kendall County Fairgrounds, tradition was out the window. “We were very nontraditional – no cake or dinner, only Bud Light and other drinks,” she said.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/ A2Z MEMORIES PHOTOGRAPHY

A Shaw Media Publication | Illinois Valley Weddings | January 2022 11

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CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/BREANNA HUFF OF KB PHOTOGRAPHY

Bridgette (Baysingar) Vowels of Cherry married Dan Vowels on Oct. 9, 2021, at Ironwood on the Vermilion. “We’ve built a good life for ourselves already and only hope to make it even better throughout our years together,” she said.

Weddings

specifically decline because of Covid,” Elizabeth said.

Abigail Smith married FROM PAGE 10 Gregory Goodman on June 12, 2021, at St. Patrick’s have so much admiration for Catholic Church in LaSalle. couples who have managed They both grew up in the Illito plan new dates, sometimes nois Valley area and now live two or three times. While we in Champaign. Abigail agreed were so lucky to end up with with many other recent the perfect date, there was still brides by saying the biggest a lot of uncertainty in Februwedding planning challenge ary/March 2021 as to how was Covid. many guests we’d be able to “It was the biggest chalhave, which just adds an extra lenge for thousands of wedelement of stress to the plandings in 2020, 2021, and even ning process.” into 2022. Every decision was Fortunately, the pandemic either met with limitations didn’t affect how many of the or unknown challenges that guests were able to attend were never an issue before their wedding. the pandemic,” Abigail Good“We fell in the sweet spot in man said. “There was a point August before Delta really took in our planning period where we could only have 50 peooff, so we didn’t have anyone

12 January 2022 | Illinois Valley Weddings | A Shaw Media Publication

ple at our reception. It was March 2021, three months before our wedding, and we had no idea how many invitations to send out. We had sent our Save the Dates to everyone on our guest list in October of 2020 because we assumed things would be better by June 2021, but they were not by spring of 2021.”

In the end, more than 100 people attended their wedding, and approximately 170 went to their reception at the Mendota Civic Center.

In 2021, some couples preferred to ditch a traditional wedding in favor of something more relaxed and easier to plan. Kristin (Foster) Stewart and William “Bill” Stewart of Peru decided to skip having a dinner and cake at

“My favorite part of the day was saying ‘I do’ in front of all our closest friends and family in our favorite environment.”

Kristin Stewart

their wedding, but kept the drinks flowing.

“I’m 39 and wanted simple and easy,” Kristin said. “I’m most looking forward to so many more adventures in life with my husband.”

Even the couple’s venue was non-traditional. They were married on Sept. 11, 2021, at Kendall County Fairgrounds.

“We felt it was the best place for us. We collect vintage cars, and we were married during Jalopy Fest, which they have every year,” Kristin said. “My favorite part of the day was saying ‘I do’ in front of all our closest friends and family in our fa-

vorite environment.”

Despite the busy vendors and an ever-changing pandemic, some brides, like Erica Storey, formerly of Spring Valley, who married Jeremey Storey on Oct. 2, 2021, still enjoyed all the wedding planning.

“I actually enjoyed planning my wedding. Maybe it’s because I’ve known for a long time a lot of the details or maybe it was because Jeremey and I both said from the beginning that planning this wedding was preparing us for the sacrament of marriage in our faith,” Erica said. “We chose not to let ‘party details’ stress us because we knew

in the long run that wouldn’t matter. What matters is that he and I put in the effort to learn all that we can about what marriage really is.”

They decided not to sweat the small details, remaining grateful to be able to enter into marriage with their friends and family watching.

“I think my favorite was when my brothers opened the church doors, my dad squeezed my hand and said, “Let’s do this,” and as I looked up, all I saw was my husband at the end of that aisle, and I was instantly calmed,” she said. “Jeremey is the calm to my chaos, and he is my absolute best friend.”

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Say ‘I do’ to this advice from other brides

By Shannon Serpette No one understands what a bride-to-be is going through quite like another bride who recently walked down the aisle. Once a wedding is over, a bride has time to contemplate the whole experience and learn something from what she’s been through.

Several brides who were married in the Illinois Valley in 2021 or who live here and were married elsewhere have agreed to share their hard-earned advice with the area’s brides-to-be.

“Everything will work out perfectly.

Take a moment for just you and future husband/wife to just take everything in.

It’s about you and them, but also take a moment to really look out into the crowd before you and see who is here supporting you. I did that, and it seriously brought tears to my eyes seeing how lucky we truly are.” – Lexie Sickley of Spring Valley “The advice I’d give to brides is to not sweat the small stuff. Don’t let anyone influence what you want. It is your day so do things how you want.” – Katelyn Cates of El Paso “My advice for any bride planning their wedding is don’t stress over the small stuff, have fun with planning the wedding. Also, something will go wrong on the day of the wedding or leading up to it – just accept that it happened and move on from it.

What is the most important thing about your wedding day is that you are marrying your best friend and true love – nothing else matters. Enjoy the wedding day, and remember to breathe and eat something small throughout the day. This is your day, and you call the shots, don’t forget that.” – Racheal Cook of Spring Valley

“Plan ahead as much as you can. Don’t spend money on unnecessary things.

Spend where it matters to you both. Work together as much as you can to accomplish all tasks pertaining to your big day. It helps alleviate stress.” – Bridgette Vowels of Cherry “First, hire vendors who know the area/ venue. Our whole team (starting with Hannah Cook at Starved Rock) was such a well-oiled machine; it made the whole day run smoothly and took away the day-of stress that a lot of brides/couples feel. Second, accept help where you can from friends/family. My mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law offered to make the centerpieces. They did an amazing job with them, and it took an item off of my to-do list.” – Elizabeth Blanchard of St. Charles

“The best advice that I could give brides, after planning a wedding for over two years, would be to enjoy being engaged, have fun planning the best day of your life, do not be afraid to reach out to those who are asking to help you, and stay organized. I struggled to stay positive during the planning process mostly because Covid brought a lot of unwanted and unplanned stress, but also, I worried so much about pleasing each guest at the wedding, which “Figure out what is most important to is next to impossible, that I did not get you and your fiancé, and don’t let anyone to experience the joy in planning a wedtell you otherwise. You and your fiancé are the two most important people on that ding. Secondly, I know most things on a bride’s to-do list need to be completed by day, and if, at the end of the day, the officiant declares you husband and wife, then the bride or groom, but do not feel bad for assigning a task to a family member, everything else doesn’t matter.” – Erica Storey of Newark, formerly of Spring Valley bridesmaid, or friend. Lastly, staying organized will ensure that you do not forget anything during the planning process and “My advice is don’t become someone wedding. I kept an Excel sheet of every you aren’t during the planning. If it’s single vendor, price, items they included, meant to be, it will be, no matter if you the total for each category, when the payspend $200 or $20,000. Love doesn’t cost ment was due, and when I paid. – Abigail a thing.” – Kristin Stewart of Peru Goodman of Champaign, formerly of the Illinois Valley CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/SETH MORRIS PHOTOGRAPHY

Elizabeth Blanchard married Andrew Goy on Aug. 13, 2021, at Starved Rock.

14 January 2022 | Illinois Valley Weddings | A Shaw Media Publication

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16 January 2022 | Illinois Valley Weddings | A Shaw Media Publication

Love at first sight Marien Mae Bridal Boutique has wedding outfits for everyone Story by Shannon Serpette Whether she’s planning a formal or casual wedding, every bride stresses over finding the dress of her dreams. Finding a dress shop that has your back can make the process so much easier.

When Katelyn Miller was planning her 2021 wedding to Bryce Cates and their reception in Streator, where Bryce is from, she turned to Marien Mae Bridal Boutique in La-

Salle to help her land the perfect dress.

“My experience with them was great,” Katelyn Cates, who now lives in El Paso, said.

“Everyone was so kind and helpful. My dress was missing buttons since it was a sample dress, and they quickly ordered those for me. When my dress arrived back at the store See MARIEN MAE page 18

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/TAYLOR BEAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Katelyn (Miller) Cates married Bryce Cates on Sept. 18, 2021, in Farmer City and had their reception in Streator, where Bryce is from. Katelyn ordered her wedding dress through Marien Mae in LaSalle and had a wonderful experience there.

A Shaw Media Publication | Illinois Valley Weddings | January 2022 17

The top floor at Marien Mae Bridal Boutique in LaSalle is a bride’s paradise. With many wedding dresses to look at for every size of lady, brides will have an intimate and cozy space to try on as many as they want.

Marien Mae FROM PAGE 17

from being cleaned, they let me try it on along with veils and jewelry. I bought my veil there as well.”

Holly Hoover, the owner of Marien Mae, said the boutique also offers wedding attire for moms, guests, men, grooms, and brides.

“We’re a one-stop shop for bridal attire,” Hoover said.

When asked what her bridal boutique offers that makes them stand out, Hoover said it’s the attention to detail, no-pressure atmosphere, and customer service each bride receives.

“They get a more personalized experience. We really listen to what our customers want,” she said. “We treat every customer like we’re going to their wedding,” she said.

They try to think of every

PHOTOS/SHANNON SERPETTE

Grooms, fathers of the bride or groom, and ring bearers can all find an outfit for the wedding day at Marien Mae.

detail to make things easier for couples. Although they don’t directly sell and print invitations, they do have a graphic designer, Kristin Shapiro, who works out of the boutique.

While the first floor of the building showcases bridal attire for guests, parents, and wedding parties, the upstairs of the building is reserved for the brides. It includes two fitting rooms for brides, allowing them and their co-shoppers a private room experience to find the wedding dress of their dreams.

A bride and five guests can utilize the top floor to weigh in on the dress decision.

If brides are looking for accessories, Marien Mae can help with that too – they sell everything from jewelry to tiaras to veils. For brides who don’t relish the idea of getting ready on their wedding day in a small makeshift changing room in a church,

18 January 2022 | Illinois Valley Weddings | A Shaw Media Publication

Brides should begin shopping for their wedding dress about 12 months before their wedding to allow themselves enough time to find the right dress and get alterations.

Marien Mae also offers a bridal suite from June through December in a separate building just a few doors down from the shop. Brides can get ready and have pictures taken right in there.

“It’s a beautiful spot,” Hoover said.

The staff at Marien Mae is respectful that not every bride has a huge budget to work with, so they offer a wide range of price points for dresses.

“We’re very accommodating when it comes to your budget,” Hoover said. “And we cater to brides of all sizes.”

For ladies hoping to lose a lot of weight before the big day, Hoover offers this advice.

“Generally, a dress can be taken in two full sizes,” she said. “We see what their (weight loss) expectations are and go from there.”

Those who want to get married in 2022 need to plan

ahead, she said.

“2022 is going to be the biggest wedding year since 1984,” Hoover said. “Almost a year out is the perfect time to shop for your dress.”

She recommends finding the dress eight months before your wedding. Gowns take anywhere from four to six months to arrive, and you’ll want to start alterations from two to three months before.

For brides wanting to follow the biggest trend in wedding dresses right now, Hoover said the most popular dress seems to be simple, with clean lines.

“We started seeing it really grow in popularity last year,” she said.

It fit the more intimate, smaller ceremonies that were happening in 2020.

“It’s timeless,” she said.

“You’re going to look back on that dress in 30 or 50 years, and you’re still going to love that dress.”

Saying YES to the Dress

PHOTO/SHANNON SERPETTE

Marien Mae Bridal Boutique owner Holly Hoover looks over the selection of veils at her store.

MARIEN MAE OWNER HOLLY HOOVER GIVES DRESS SHOPPING TIPS Brides who aren’t sure what to expect when dress shopping can learn a lot from Holly Hoover, owner of Marien Mae Bridal Boutique in LaSalle. She shared some of her best dress shopping and wedding day advice to help brides at any stage of wedding planning.

• “Come with an open mind,” she said. “We find a lot of brides will come in with a vision, and they leave with the complete opposite, and they’re very surprised by that.”

• “You’ll know when you find the one,” Hoover said. “You’ll have that feeling. You’ll keep thinking about that dress.”

• “When you’re dress shopping, bring a small group of people you value the opinion of the most,” she said.

• “I always tell just about every bride, at the end of the day, you two are married, so everything turned out just as it should have.

Have fun with it. Celebrate each decision. It all comes together.”

A Shaw Media Publication | Illinois Valley Weddings | January 2022 19

The Cider Mill is our beautiful country setting for an outdoor wedding venue and banquet facility.

Our outdoor wedding venue offers picturesque views for a calm and relaxing wedding you have always dreamt about. Our designated wedding area features a brick patio with a brick aisle up to “the altar,” with pink and red roses, dappled willow and a wooded area as a back drop.

Engaged couples have the opportunity to celebrate their wedding and reception at the same venue making their day a pleasure for both their guests and themselves.

We have expanded our banquet facility to accommodate up to 400 guests and added an indoor wedding venue with a rustic barn door and barn wood as a back drop for your wedding. Our engaged couples will now be able to have their wedding and reception at the same venue during the winter months.

The Cider Mill is a beautiful setting for your wedding, reception, gathering, meeting or luncheon.

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20 January 2022 | Illinois Valley Weddings | A Shaw Media Publication

DJs serve as the big day’s maestro

By Brandon LaChance

T

here are a lot of puzzle pieces to work with when planning a wedding. But the major components of a wedding include the bride, the groom, the wedding party, the venue, and, of course, the DJ. DJs help pull together the whole reception, ensuring everyone has a great, memorable time.

“We have a lot of passion for weddings. We do a few corporate events and school dances, but primarily weddings are our business,” said JC Heerdt, owner of Guys On The Radio, an Illinois Valley business. “When you look at a wedding, especially with having our other services now, they look at it as an event and not just music. Music is a huge part of what we do and making sure a dance floor works. I can’t say it is not. I believe there is a science to a dance floor, so asking the right questions and helping them with timelines is a huge part of what we do.

“There are a lot of moving parts to a wedding, and when you’re the DJ and the entertainment, you have to make sure that all of those things are going to flow throughout the day. Planning and working with the couple to prepare for their big day and being part of that process helps us be very successful and makes sure a wedding goes extremely smooth,” he said.

Heerdt, 43, is originally from Rock Falls but has lived in Spring Valley so long it has become the town he tells people he is from. He was a co-owner of Guys on the Radio with John Shapiro when the duo played their first wedding in 2001.

After Shapiro stepped down in 2020, Heerdt took over as the sole overseer of not only the music part of Guys on the Radio but of coordinating with Sisters Stress Free Planning and capturing special moments with Flash Photo Booth.

As Heerdt will tell you, it’s not only the music, it’s about making every moment magical for the couple and their guests.

“We’ve kind of expanded. We started primarily as a DJ business, but over the years, we found there is a need for different services besides just DJs services,” said Heerdt. “About four or five years ago, we created Sisters Stress Free Planning where we offer a day of coordinating with fantastic people who will handle all the little details of your day.

“We found there wasn’t a whole lot of day-of coordinators in the area. Especially during Covid-19, we were doing a lot of background, smaller, private events that when we would go to people’s houses, it helped out tremendously

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/LEANNE PALMIERI

Cody Guynn, 32, who resides in LaSalle, has averaged eight weddings a year and currently has more than eight booked for 2022. Guynn has been a DJ since he was 13 but didn’t take on a wedding until 2015. to have almost a venue coordinator who could take care of all the little details from running rehearsals to making sure there was enough toilet paper in the Porta Potties to making sure the caterers knew where to set up,” he said.

Guys On The Radio has a full staff.

Peggy Pappas runs the coordinating, local musician Kevin Kramer is the live music director, and Tyler and Amelia Kern are contracted for videography services.

With the help of his team, Heerdt is able to spend more time focusing on checking the online portal, which puts wedding day timelines together and has Spotify integration to load playlists. Wel-

come emails are sent when brides and grooms sign up for Guys On The Radio services. They’ll also get reminders of the planning process as well as guides and videos to help with the proceedings and scheduling sit-downs, whether virtually or in-person, to make sure everyone involved is on the same page.

“Connecting with the client and the guests is it – that’s the biggest part.

Music in itself provides an emotion,” Heerdt said. “We all have connections to music one way or another. If you’ve ever watched a movie without the sound See DJ page 22

A Shaw Media Publication | Illinois Valley Weddings | January 2022 21

DJ

bles back in the day. I would DJ for my friends at their houses,” he continued.

“Then my best friend’s older brother, FROM PAGE 21 who was a senior when I was in eighth grade, would ask me to DJ house paron or just the dialogue and stripped ties. So, I was DJing for seniors when all of the music out, that movie would play so much different than with sound. I was 13 and in junior high. I thought it was so cool. When I got into high If you go back and watch it with the sound, with the music the orchestra has school, people knew me because I was the DJ at these high school parties. It provided, that music in the background became something I fell in love with.” creates emotion.

Guynn didn’t DJ a wedding until 2015 “When you’re DJing a wedding, you’re when he was in his mid-20s. After a few creating a soundtrack for the wedding, weddings, he wondered why he didn’t and it needs to convey emotion,” he start expanding from bars, clubs, and continued. “When we’re guiding clients parties a little sooner. through their day, we’re also asking, ‘Is With motivation from his father, Rick this the right song to convey the emotion that you want at that particular mo- Guynn, he took out a loan to start Good Vibe Music Productions. ment of your day?’”

“My dad has always supported me With 20 years of experience, Heerdt being a singer/songwriter,” said Guynn, has learned how to predict what type who has averaged eight weddings a year, of crowd he will have at a wedding by talking to the soon-to-be-married couple, but already has more than eight booked for 2022. “DJing kind of goes hand in the first 30 to 45 minutes of an open hand with it. When I got a little older, dance floor, and by song requests. probably about 20, he said, ‘You can According to him, there are three types of reception goers: sitters, dancers, make a business out of this or you can do it as a hobby, but I think you should and skeptics. take it to the next level because you’re The sitters are going to sit but are talented.’ After I DJed my first gig, the important to the energy of the crowd. word got out, and I started DJing in Dancers are going to dance no matter Mendota, Peru, and LaSalle. Every time what is coming through the speakers.

I did a gig, I took that money and inA DJ can tell if the night is going to be slow because there are only a few danc- vested it into the business.”

He realized early on how lucrative ers or amazing because ants can’t even weddings could be for his business. find room on the dance floor.

“I made my first real payday DJing The skeptic may dance or may not, a wedding. I thought, ‘I could DJ a but the defining elements of whether wedding and make triple of what I they dance is the number of others made at a bar gig.’ Then I started takdancing and if alcohol is consumed. ing weddings more seriously. I made a Cody Guynn of LaSalle, known as lot of mistakes at my first wedding and DJ Famous, also knows how to read a learned a lot from it. I didn’t really uncrowd. derstand how the routines of weddings “For me, music started when I was 13 went, and I butchered people’s names. and about to go into high school,” said “I learned the routine, and now I can Guynn, who is now 32. “I’ve always had be the organizer for a wedding (recepa passion to DJ at parties and be the guy who supplies the music. I was always kind tion). A lot of people have to hire a coordinator to organize from step to step of of shy, so I felt like music was my outlet. a wedding. I’m starting to take over that When I was around my friends or other part. Now I can be the DJ, the guy that people, I used music as my getaway. runs the sound and the lighting, and the “I remember buying some CD turnta-

ONE-STOP

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coordinator because now I know how a wedding should run from the beginning to the end. I feel the DJ plays a huge role in a wedding because we create the atmosphere from the beginning of the day all the way until the end.”

Music Machine owner Jay Roach has said for the last few years that he is winding down.

A DJ with a 20-year resume who has served as the Music Machine’s main man for the last 15 after taking over for Mike Sabatini, Roach still did seven or eight weddings in 2021 and will probably do the same amount in 2022.

Roach will DJ any kind of event and knows the difference between each one.

“When you do bars, you want to be the focus and have the focus on you,” Roach said. “When I’m doing a wedding, I don’t want them to remember me. I want people to go to the bride or the groom and ask, ‘Hey, who was your DJ?’ To me, when you do a wedding, the bride is the star.

It’s my job to cast the shine on her.

The groom is nice, but he doesn’t care.

It’s pretty rare when the groom is the one who is into it.”

Roach learned about weddings by working from the ground up. Before actually DJing a wedding, he was paid by his buddy Dustin Siekierka to load and unload his equipment. While being the muscle, Roach picked up on the importance of a wedding and how a DJ truly sets the scene.

He’s been around long enough to remember when the first hour of a reception cranked out popular tunes from the 1960s. Now, classics from the 1980s own the first hour while the ‘60s hits are not played.

“I’m pretty much playing my high school prom for the first hour now. Everyone evolves, and we get older,” said Roach.

There are different styles and various DJ companies you can hire in the Illinois Valley. The similarity is that each DJ wants your wedding reception to depict your childhood, your future, and your relationship in the best way possible.

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DJ • Wedding Planner • Photo Booth • Live Music • Videographer 22 January 2022 | Illinois Valley Weddings | A Shaw Media Publication

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