Fall/Winter 2022

town bride

bride

tb

Welcome to town bride , Anderson’s premiere bridal magazine featuring all things wedding. This semiannual magazine focuses on everything the bride and groom need to know to help make their wedding day one of a kind. Enjoy gorgeous pictures, informative articles, engagement and wedding announcements, tips and trends, as well as the top local wedding vendors. The magazine is published in the spring/summer and fall/winter. Issues are available in all vendor locations plus key distribution spots in Anderson, Easley, Starr/Iva, Greenville, and surrounding areas.

So here comes the bride ... town bride . Because there’s a bride in every town.

PUBLISHER

Julie Bailes Johnson townbridemag@gmail.com (864) 221-9269

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Bride: Kensleigh Simmons

Gown: The Dressing Room

South Hair/Makeup: Jessica Bagwell

Flowers: Electric City Blooms

Venue: Heyward Manor Photographer: Noveli Wedding Photography

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Kim von Keller, Editor Kristine March

Alexandria Stathakis

Allie Walker

Jarred Fenske

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Pamela Brownstein

Southpaw Media pamelauhles@hotmail.com

Nate Thomason

Signal 43 Design signal43@live.com

wedding registry

giftsLOVE of

HOW TO BUILD A WEDDING GIFT REGISTRY YOUR GUESTS WILL THANK YOU FOR

By Kim von Keller

After you’ve said yes and your engagement has been announced, friends and family will begin to plan showers and parties in your honor, and everyone will want to know, “What kind of gifts would they like?” With some thought and discussion between you and your fiancé, you can build a wedding gift registry your guests will thank you for, including items that are practical and fanciful, modest and generous, to use now and for years to come.

ASSESS YOUR CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS

Begin building your wedding gift registry immediately after you become engaged. This gives you time to think about what you need now and what you might need in the future. Start by walking through the home you will share room by room, inside and out. Do you want a true cook’s

kitchen, or are you better at takeout? How could you make your living or family room both cozy and cohesive? When guests stay overnight, will you need extra sets of sheets and towels? What do you need to take care of your lawn or garden, and what could make your outdoor space more liv able? Be sure to think of things you might need later as you become older and your home becomes larger. When the holiday hosting passes to you, what will you need to enter tain in a way that reflects your style? Even if it stays boxed up for a time, consider adding fine china and tableware to your registry, and be sure to request multiple place settings to serve the new friends and family members you’ll make along the way.

wedding registry

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CONSIDER THE COST

Your shower and wedding guests will choose gifts with different bud gets in mind, especially if they’re invited to more than one event, so be sure to choose registry items that reflect a spectrum of price points. For your kitchen, you might include more modest items, such as a set of mixing bowls, and more generous items, such as a stand mixer. For your out door space, include less expensive items, like garden shears or party lights, and more expensive items, such as patio furniture or power tools. And don’t forget the little things, like trash bins, desk orga nizers, candles, or picture frames that can make your home more functional AND beautiful.

ALLOW FOR CROWD FUNDING

If your home is well supplied, your guests might enjoy helping you with your honeymoon costs. On wedding website platforms like Zola, The Knot, or Joy, you can create a honeymoon fund that will list tangible experiences to con tribute to, such as airfare, a meal at an exclusive restaurant, or a oncein-a-lifetime snorkeling excur sion. If you’ve undertaken a big project, such as a home renova tion, your guests could make con tributions toward floor refinishing, a bathroom remodel, or landscape design.

BE CHARITABLE

If you’re a couple who has every thing, be sure to keep charity in mind. Choose the organizations that best reflect your values, and to make sure that your guests’ dona tions end up in responsible hands, visit charitynavigator.org to learn which groups spend less on admin istrative and fundraising costs and more on fulfilling their missions.

wedding registry

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MIND YOUR MANNERS

Your wedding is not a merchan dise demand; therefore, you should never include your registry details on your wedding invitation. In their book “Wedding Etiquette, 6th Edition,” Anna Post and Lizzie Post suggest that the best way to share your registries is by word of mouth. Be sure your close friends and family members know where to find them. It is also perfectly acceptable to list your wedding regis tries on your shower invitations and on your wedding website.

By taking time at the beginning of your engagement to build a wed ding gift registry, you ensure that the gifts you receive meet your partic ular needs. A thoughtful registry will also make it easier for your guests to choose gifts within their budgets, leaving them with the knowledge that they’ve helped you on your journey as a married couple!

accessories

hand-in-hand

HOW TO MATCH YOUR WEDDING GLOVES TO FLATTER YOUR DRESS STYLE

SHEATH

Sleeveless or Spaghetti Straps

A long glove, either elbow- or opera-length, lends itself to a slim, bare dress. For a less formal look, per haps for an outdoor summer wed ding, shorties or classic-length gloves can be worn.

Long Sleeves

With a covered arm, wrist-length gloves are an option, although you may find that bare hands look better. If the sleeves have bead embroidery or wide cuffs, omit the gloves; they will only detract from the dress.

Be Consistent

To give the wedding party a uni fied look, your bridesmaids should all wear gloves of the same length, but they needn’t match yours. If you choose opera-length gloves, your attendants should wear elbow-length ones or a shorter style, depending on the length of the dress sleeve.

BALL GOWN Off-the-Shoulder or Strapless

Long gloves give an elegant, formal look to a ball gown and draw atten tion to your arms, especially with bare shoulders. For a more subtle effect, wear shorties, as Jacqueline Kennedy did at her outdoor wedding in New port, Rhode Island.

Long-Illusion Sleeves

It’s better to keep hands bare than to weigh down sheer sleeves with gloves.

Mix Modes

If your gown is elaborately detailed with beads or embroidery, stick to simple kid gloves. If it’s a pure froth of tulle or satin, you can wear more elab orate gloves, perhaps in lace or with a bit of decoration, such as a silk flower or a crystal trim.

EMPIRE Sleeveless or Small Puffed Sleeves

This classic high-waisted style, introduced by Empress Josephine in the early nineteenth century, looks elegant with elbow- or opera-length gloves. For a formal winter wedding, opera-length gloves provide warmth and flair. For a summer garden wed ding, shorties are fresh and light, and will give an empire gown a daintier, less formal look.

Take Ideas From Film Period films like “Emma” and

“Sense and Sensibility” offer ideas for pairing empire gowns with gloves. Sarah Bernhardt and Lillian Russell, who greatly influenced fashion during the 1880s, were among the famous glove wearers of their day.

A-LINE Sleeveless

If the dress is short and the wed ding is informal, classic six-button gloves or shorties are appropriate. For a longer, more formal dress, elbowlength gloves can be worn. A

accessories

fashion-forward bride can pair her gown with a colored glove, perhaps an ice-blue or a lilac that coordinates with her bridesmaids’ dresses.

Three-Quarter Sleeves

Wear a wrist-length glove or leave your hands bare to avoid detracting from the sleeve.

Flatter Your Arms

If you have short arms but love the look of a long glove, choose an elbow-length pair rather than opera-length. If you have heavy arms, gloves will call attention to them, rather than camouflage them. Stay away from gloves that cut your upper arm at its heaviest point.

Suit Jacket with Skirt

Gloves should be classic and simple. Forget wide cuffs and embellished trim.

Long Sleeves

Either shorties or clas sic-length gloves are appro priate. If your suit is long and tailored, gloves make the ensemble more formal. If the suit is short and the wedding is informal, a pair of short white kid gloves looks lovely. Or you can skip gloves entirely.

Three-Quarter Sleeves and Shorter

Classic-length gloves look best.

Color Counts

If you are wearing gloves, match them to your suit or choose a complementary color. If you are wearing a white suit and white kid gloves, it isn’t necessary for them to match, but they should harmonize. Leather can be worn yearround, but save velvet gloves for winter.

fashion etiquette

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What not to wear

By Kristine March

Q: Is it ever acceptable for a wedding guest to wear white to a wedding?

A: The answer is absolutely not. The only exception to the rule is if the bridesmaids are asked to do so by the bride. Some bridal trends lately are having the entire wedding party all wear white, but when it comes to the guest and a plus one, that’s a big no no and in very poor taste. The wedding invitation generally gives you the core palettes of what the brides colors are and, for the record, it’s most certainly the brides time to shine.

There’s no rule against groomsmen wearing funky socks. Photo by Novelli Photography

Q: Is it acceptable for a wedding guest take pictures with their smartphone as the bride walks down the aisle?

A: The answer is no. It takes away from the aesthetic, especially while the professional photographer is taking pictures and guests are having their cell phones visible in hand. It’s rude. It ruins the authenticity. It’s also a per sonal moment in a bride and groom’s life that they may want kept private. People posting grainy, messy or blurry pictures and possibly already having them prematurely put up on to social media accounts before the wedding is even over is a big no.

Q: Is it OK for men to wear jeans to a wedding?

A: The short answer is no. It’s not appropriate. The man should always wear dress pants and dress shoes, even if it’s a beach wedding. No flipflops. Men should wear loafers at least. No clothing with holes or tattered material either. Shorts are also a big no-no. Even if it’s hot outside and sum mertime. Most weddings are cocktail party style or either black tie and all of these options would be inappropriate.

Q: Is it okay to wear black to a wedding?

A: The answer is yes. Black is elegant and posh, especially if it’s black tie or an evening wedding. Black basically compli ments everyone and is flattering. You can never go wrong with a little black dress or a black suit for the gen tleman.

Thinking of adestination wedding?

A bride and her mom share their experience

By Kim von Keller

When Katherine Wallace and Daniel Wood of Charleston, South Carolina, became engaged, their thoughts imme diately turned to their wedding weekend. With friends and family spread across the U.S. and Canada, they knew that they wanted a venue that would allow them to spend as much time with their guests as possible. Once the couple’s vision was combined with her mom’s research, they found a destination that ticked every box on their list.

START WITH BRAINSTORMING

To begin the planning process, Katherine and Daniel sat down with her parents, Debi and David Wallace of Blythewood, South Carolina, and described what was important to them in a wed ding.

“I asked them to give me the words that described their vision,” Debi says. “We stayed away from discussing a budget at this point; in terms of costs, we didn’t know what we didn’t know, and we wanted to explore without bound aries. Their answers were ‘fun, to truly be able to spend time with friends and family who have traveled, live music, relaxing, good food, wed ding party together, mountains, love, good DJ, and informal.’  David and I added our thoughts to the list as well. For us, it mattered that God be included – and that we pay respect to their different religious backgrounds, Christian and Jewish. That was also important to Daniel’s par ents, David and Lianne Wood of Spartanburg, South Carolina.”

For Katherine, a sense of togetherness was key.

“On-site accommodations were the biggest thing for us,” she says. “We really wanted to be able to spend as much time with our family, close friends, and the wedding party as possible.”

destination wedding

RESEARCH WAS KEY

As busy professionals — she is a social worker with MUSC, and he is a MD/PhD student at MUSC — Katherine and Daniel were happy to turn the research over to her mom.

“I agreed to identify venues to visit because of Katherine and Daniel’s work and school schedule,” Debi says.  “They were overwhelmed, and they knew I enjoy research. As I started it seemed very little was the same as when we had planned our wedding 35 years earlier.  I literally started with an internet search for ‘planning a wedding,’ then got more specific with everything I learned.  I created a One Note notebook and began pasting info there that would be helpful, things like how to pick a wedding planner and potential venues and vendors. I shared

it with Katherine and Daniel and David and Lianne so we could all review and edit as we planned together. Sites like Zola and The Knot were extremely helpful for identifying a potential list of venues based on their criteria.”

LOCATING THE VENUE

Debi created a list of venues to explore, with The Vineyard at 37 High Holly in Scaly Mountain, North Carolina, at the top. After a visit that included Katherine and Daniel and both sets of parents, it was the only one they needed to see.

“It had been the lead contender all along based on the location, the accommodations, the generally relaxing vibe, and the sophisticated simplicity of the property,” Debi says.

“When we went to visit, Daniel and Katherine just kept looking up in the sky or out over the beautiful landscape of the vineyard, and it felt really good.

It was one of the only locations that could actually accommodate our fami lies and their wedding party, which by the time we visited we knew was going to be 10 groomsmen and 10 brides maids, plus their significant others. It also had a ‘big house’ that not only accommodated the parents but served as a rehearsal party, after-party, and going-away breakfast site for 100 people in a beautiful, covered out door space that allowed us to have live music and plenty of tables and chairs without worrying about the weather.”

Katherine agreed that they had found the perfect venue.

“Once we visited,” she says, “it had everything we wanted: It was gor geous, it had on-site accommodations, and it was the right size for everyone we invited.”

destination wedding

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THE VERDICT?

All that research and collaboration led to a perfect wedding as well.

“When I look back on the wedding and consider the words Katherine and Daniel used to describe their vision,” Debi says,” I think we nailed it!”

In addition to being able to host the rehearsal party, wedding, reception, after party, and breakfast on one prop erty, 68 guests were able to stay on-site, and the rest stayed at accommoda tions, suggested by the Wallaces and the Woods, within five minutes of the festivities.  A fleet of golf carts trans ported guests across the venue’s rolling hills.  And there was no pressure for the hosts to leave until the last guest left on Sunday.

LESSONS LEARNED

There were things that the fami lies learned about hosting a wedding

so far from home. The Vineyard at 37 High Holly is three and a half hours from Blythewood and five hours from Charleston, so they had no leads on vendors.

“Thankfully, we hired a local wed ding planner who remedied those issues,” Debi says. “That was a criti cally important decision!”

“We also offered valet parking,” Katherine says.  “Without it, parking for off-site guests would have been a mess.”

There were also things they wish they had done differently. Debi, a skilled gardener, agreed to grow all the flowers for the weekend at her daugh ter’s request, a decision she has had time to rethink.

“I had never really grown flowers, so our back-up plan was literally scooting to a local grocery store to get handfuls of flowers for the bridal party,” she says. “While I hired a flo rist for the wedding day to prepare the flowers for the bridal party and

the ceremony, I still created bouquets for all of the lodgings and the recep tion tables. It created stress on a day that I wish had been more relaxed for me. As parents of the bride or groom, I strongly suggest working as hard as you want and can before the wedding weekend, but then turn the reins over to professionals who can execute the vision.”

The topography of the venue also created challenges. The rehearsal dinner was catered by Southern Crust, and its owner was sure it could get their giant pizza truck with its woodburning oven up the mountain to the big house.

“It turns out that they couldn’t make it up the last hill,” Debi says.  “But thanks to the physical muscle of some of the wedding guests and on-site staff, the truck made it. While it cre ated some pretty intense stress in the moment, the end result was fabulous!”

THEWILHITEHOUSE.COM

CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

In the year since her daughter’s wedding, Debi has developed a list of tips for a destination wedding: Begin the planning process with a no-holdsbarred vision. Hire a local wedding planner. Develop rapport with the property manager. Engage and foster frequent communication between the bride and groom and their parents. Schedule time to meet with potential vendors so that you can taste the food and see the way they deliver their ser vice. Establish a reasonable budget with some padding to ensure it’s suffi cient with everyone’s agreement. Rely on your wedding planner.

Even with the lessons they learned, the bride and groom declared it a per fect destination wedding weekend.

“For Daniel and me,” Katherine says, “the best parts were having so many people we love on site the entire time, having a lot of outdoor space to hang out in, the scenery and layout of the property, and how relaxed it felt. I also liked that we had to go some where new for the wedding. Trav eling somewhere new made it feel more special in terms of there being a place that was ‘ours’ and where our

only memories were of our wedding weekend. We’ve even talked about

destination wedding

going back and staying there for a future anniversary!”

WEDDING PLANNING TIPS

By Allie Walker

ENJOY THE MOMENT

It’s very on-trend right now to post all over social media the moment you get engaged. And you should as soon as you want to, but we want to encourage you to take 24 hours to just enjoy this time. As soon as you hit publish, you will not only get all the well-wishes but all the questions about when, where, what colors, who will be your bridesmaids, and that’s when overwhelm (and people’s unsolicited opinions) can start to creep in. We suggest calling or FaceTiming your loved ones who will want (or need) to hear it straight from you and just live in the moment. That will look differently for each couple; go get your nails done or get dressed up for a fancy dinner. Most of the time the guy plans it all, so after is the time to add in your own celebration. You can even spoil him with a little gift or “pamper” him in a way you know he will love. You’ll never get these first days of engagement and elation back. Whether you know it is coming or are hoping to be completely surprised, those first few hours will be so surreal!

SPEND TIME WITH YOUR FIANCÉ

Whether or not your new fiancé and loved ones plan a surprise get-together for you, I want you to plan a day right after for the two of you to spend alone time planning and dreaming of your wedding (as if you haven’t already, wink!) and your future past the wedding day too. Reminisce on your whole relationship, from when you met all the way through this moment. Talk about your wedding day and what you both want to feel at the end of it. Ask what is most important to him? You will need to go back to this conversation time and time again during the planning process. Remember you two are now a team. You are fighting for each other and for your future family. Continue to intentionally date each other through the wedding planning process (and marriage). Just a heads up, he may not want to talk about wedding planning every time you see each other. We suggest planning

“wedding dates” and “regular dates” so he will be more attentive to the details when you need him to be.

GET OUT YOUR CALENDARS

Think about the time of the year you get engaged and what season you’d like your wedding to take place. Do you want a fall, spring, summer, or winter wedding? Take into consideration what else is on your calendar or your work schedule; for example, accountants are really busy in March and April, insurance agents are busy in November and December, and teachers have more time to plan (or honeymoon) in the summer. I recommend giving yourself at least 6-9 months to plan the wedding. Right now, vendors are booking up further and further out. The way weddings are right now, people are booking venues further and further out. Picking several dates that could possibly work will give you more room to work with the venues and vendors you love. Need some vendor recommendations? You’re in the right place with TOWN BRIDE in your hands, but you can email us at hello@kmweds.com for our list too!

SET A BUDGET & PRIORITIES

More than likely, you’ve never planned a wedding before, so you probably have zero clue what a wedding will cost. And that’s totally normal. If you feel comfortable asking your friends in your area for an average, definitely ask them! You’ll need to have a starting point for your budget, so if you or your fiancé or parents have a number saved, start there, but know that you may need to be a bit flexible as you learn what things will cost. We are seeing averages around $15,000-$25,000 at this current time.

We wish all vendors put starting prices on their websites, but unfortunately most don’t. Here’s what we ask our couples — what are your top two or three priorities for your wedding? This can be a certain venue or photographer, do you want to spend money on an open bar or a full band. Maybe your priority is the dress and venue

but his is the food (or vice versa!). Then go from there and tweak as you need to. All of my couples get a spreadsheet that they can put estimated numbers and final numbers so they can adjust as needed.

The number one thing that will affect your budget is your guest count. That doesn’t mean you need more money for more guests, but your money is spread out over more rentals, more food, a bigger venue, etc. If someone other than you and your fiancé are helping to pay, talk to them about what their priorities might be and be very appreciative of their support. This doesn’t mean they get the final say on everything (or anything), but you should be respectful in your acceptance or deferral of their suggestions. And our number one tip for engaged couples is...

HIRE A WEDDING PLANNER

Maybe we’re a little biased, but there’s a lot of chatter out there about day-of coordinators, monthof planners, or full planners and whether or not they are worth it. Well, if this is the only thing you get from this post — please hire someone who will work with you more than just showing up at your rehearsal who doesn’t have a clue what’s going on and expect to be stress free on your wedding day. We have worked with many vendors who told us that they worked weddings where there was not a planner and the days ran way off schedule, which led to a lot of stress for everyone involved.

A QUICK BREAK DOWN OF PLANNER TERMS

The term “Day-of coordinators”

is still used, however the industry is trying to change that because we can’t do our best work when we don’t know what is going on. Newer planners may offer this service where they literally show up only on the rehearsal and tell you when and where to stand, but there is so much more to wedding planning/ coordinating than that. Most of our brides opt for the “Wedding Day Management” package. If you’re a bride-to-be who knows what you want for your wedding, but need help organizing it all, we’ve got you! From day 1, you get all my planning tools, access to my favorite vendors, and support throughout the process. We’ll have in person meetings, phone calls and we’ll do a venue walkthrough 6-8 weeks out from your wedding. We’ll handle the final timelines and vendor communications and still be there for the rehearsal and all day on your wedding.

We offer Design + Management services for brides who know what they want and have booked all their vendors, but need help bringing their pinterest dreams to reality. We work closely with them and their florist to source rentals and designs for their wedding day!

Full Service Planning is for brides who either have very little time or don’t want to stress over all the details and don’t know where to begin. They still receive all of our planning tools, but we do most of the leg work for them in regards to finding vendors, design options, and booking the vendors. While Management is more bride-led with guidance from the planner, this package is more planner-led with final approval from the bride.

Do you hear what I hear? wedding music

By Jerrad Fenske

W hat hap pens after the guests have gone home and you begin your new life together? Don’t forget that along with setting up a new home or combining house holds into one existing home, your plans for a selfcare regime for your life together is essen tial for your relationship to grow and prosper.

Dear friends of mine had a daily practice that included music that set the stage for their daily time together. They had a beautiful view of the mountains out their back door and the sunset was something of an event to watch. One of

them made a soundtrack of some of their favorite music which included songs from their life together. The music was soulful and reflec tive and inspiring. I can still name a few of the pieces and it wasn’t even my relation ship, but they were memorable and the music still reminds me of them whenever I hear it. Their music would start as the sun started to descend over the mountains. They would sit have a beverage of choice and listen to the music together and watch the sun. After or sometimes during the sunset the music would spur conver sation of their day’s occur rences, of their future plans or purely quality time together, a

reset of sorts.

Selfcare for ourselves and for our relationship is essential in the success and future of any endeavor. Music can play a sort of silent presence in that care. It sets the stage to connect with each other so that you are both hearing and thinking in the same direction. If you are not on the same path, you can’t hear what the other is thinking, so that a possible turn in the path may occur with under standing and care.

Music is everywhere we go. Sometimes we need silence and sometimes we need the help of a good friend that moves us to a mutual spot where we can deepen or reset our relation ship. Music is a place to hear what we ourselves are saying

and what our spouse is saying. Music is our friend and sup port. It helps us and brings us to common ground. As the years pass, hearts and minds deepen to grow together and new music will find its way into your listening. Let it help you on your path. Even if you do not create your own play list there are many apps that will do it for you. Search for the mood and let the music carry you to a place together.

If, at some point, you need a conversation starter, ask the question, Do you hear what I hear?

Jerrad Fenske is a freelance musician and teacher with 40 years of experience in wedding ceremonies. Visit his website at www.jerradfenske.com.

groom’s attire

A guy’s guide to choosing the RIGHT TUXEDO

CLASSIC NOTCH LAPEL TUXEDO

This classic style will withstand the test of time and has for the better part of 150 years. When we talk about the lapel of the tux coat, we are referring to the folded flaps framing the neck and chest. This style is called the ‘notch lapel’ it is called that due to the small notch cut out of near the neck of the suit. This style is typically paired with a bow tie and patent leather shoes. But if you want to spice it up there are lots of neckwear options such as velvet or patterned bow tie collections. This style is not only classic but it gives you the mobility to cut a rug on the dance floor.

JAMES BOND SHAWL TUXEDO

You can shake or stir in the sleek and sophisticated classic shawl lapel tuxedo. The way the lapel wraps all around the neck in one fluid motion is what makes it the fashion icon it is. Known mostly for its James Bond appeal in many of the notorious films, this style of tuxedo will make a pop at any occasion. A fun accessory to pair with this tuxedo is a new double-breasted vest for an uber chic look. Either way, you’ll be as smooth and classic as the martini.

FRAMED LAPEL

The framed lapel style allows the look to teeter between casual and fancy. Instead of the entire lapel in a satin, it is just the outer edge that is adorned with that little extra something, allowing it to be the perfect tuxedo for those upscale beach or winery weddings, and can be paired with a bow tie or long tie.

THE WHITE TUXEDO & DINNER JACKET

When deciding to go with a classic white tuxedo look, there are two options: the white with a black shawl lapel or the traditional white dinner jacket look. The dinner jacket means the lapel is made from the same material as the body of the garment, and typically has a shawl lapel. We love to pair either of these looks with black pants, and a black bow tie. This look is always a

THE TRENDY PATTERNED TUXEDO

We love a patterned tuxedo. From small details to over the top style, we are always on board when it comes to patterns. Patterns can be used for any wedding theme you are going for by using specific fun accessories.

Whether the groom opts for a tuxedo or a suit, if he focuses on cut, color and a nice pair of shoes, he will be dressed appropriately for the wedding day. Novelli Photography

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IVORY PAISLEY

The ivory paisley coat is pure perfection! This look is very versatile. It can be styled for a bohemian wedding with a deep burgundy vest and bolo tie or a much more classic look with a pop of flair. Keeping the look fun can be paired with cream pants and a bright colored boutonniere for some real POP!

BLACK PAISLEY TUXEDO

Now the black paisley tuxedo is rich in style and design. This tuxedo deserves attention, and rightfully so. It really stands out when paired with a double breasted vest and a chic velvet bow tie. This look is a great way to really spice up any black tie event

VELVET TUXEDO PERFECTION

Numerous fashion icons have sported the ever favorite velvet tuxedo and embraced the glory of it. Velvet tuxedos come in gold, black, royal blue, burgundy and more, each one more

luxurious than the other. Velvet is always in good taste.

There are a multitude of ways to style a tuxedo to fit your personality, wedding design and style. Inspiration is all around us with endless ideas. Find the one that’s perfect for you.

groom’s attire

Treat your guests to the ‘hottest’ trend in reception treats

By Kim von Keller

It’s become common at the end of many wedding receptions to offer guests a little something extra after the meal has been served and the party is in full force. This little treat is often referred to as “midnight snack,” regardless of when it appears. More casual than the meal, it’s meant to surprise and delight the wedding guests, whether it’s a sampling of sliders, party-length sub sandwiches, or a cooler of grownup popsicles. But if you’re planning a fall or winter wedding, you should turn to one of the “hottest” trends in weddings today: the coffee truck.

Think of it as your own personal Starbucks. Just as your guests need a little pick-me-up to keep up with the action on the dance floor, baristas will be right outside to make their favorite expresso drinks, tea drinks, or hot chocolates to order. During the cooler months of the year, these drinks serve as hand warmers if your wedding is outdoors. They also give your guests a break from the bar if you’re serving alcohol.

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Instead of offering their full menu, coffee trucks often build menus designed by the bride and groom to match their tastes and the flavors of the season. While the pumpkin spice latte is always a favorite, coffees flavored with cinnamon, maple, or salted caramel are perfect for the fall. Snickerdoodle, peppermint, white chocolate, and gingerbread flavored coffees are good if your wedding is nearer the Christmas season.

You also don’t have to limit your offerings to coffee. Many coffee trucks offer flavored hot chocolates; lattes made with chai, the spiced Indian tea; and even horchata, a Latin American milk-based drink flavored with rice and cinnamon.

As you work with your coffee truck owner, try to limit your menu to three or four choices. This will make it easier for your baristas to keep up with the crowd so that no one has to wait too long for their drink. Include a decaf feinated option for those who are caffeine sensitive. And be sure that your truck can offer alternatives to dairy milk, such as soy or almond milk, so that no one is left out due to allergies.

The arrival of the coffee truck is a sure way to delight

your guests and reenergize your party. So as you plan your reception, think about featuring this truly “hot” wedding trend!

drink

PHOTO COURTESY OF BRI HINES PHOTOGRAPHY

wedding album

wedding album

Beautiful brides

“At last ... my love has come along. My lonely days are over. And life is like a song.”

— ETTA JAMES

NOVELI PHOTOGRAPHY

wedding album

CRYSTAL COFIE PHOTOGRAPHY

ZACH BRADLEY

ZACH BRADLEY

wedding album

NOVELLI PHOTOGRAPHY

wedding album

— JAMES TAYLOR

ALL PHOTOS BY ZACH BRADLEY

wedding album

— BRUNO MARS

CRYSTAL COFIE PHOTOGRAPHY

ZACH BRADLEY

FORD - CROMER

Mr. Robert and Tish Ford are pleased to announce the engage ment of their daughter, Taylor Ford, to Mr. Brady Cromer of Anderson, South Carolina. Brady is the son of Dr. Carl and Michelle Cromer of Anderson. A wedding is planned for January 7, 2023, at Heyward Manor in Iva, South Carolina.

The bridal party will consist of the maid of honor, Ashley Ford, sister of the bride; and bridesmaids will be Grace Cromer, sister of the groom; Madeline Cromer, sister in law of the groom; Jessica Phillips, Megan Colburn, Anna Jameson, Kath erine Famuliner, Jordan Lindler and Harper Grace Donahue as the flower girl.

The best man will be the groom’s brother, Austin Cromer, and groomsmen will be Austin Gardner, Cole Reynolds, Laurence Rauschnabel, Bray Friar and Cobi Ford.

Taylor is a graduate of Clemson University and is pursuing her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Brenau University in Gainesville, Georgia.

Brady is a graduate of the Wyatt Real Estate Institute and Pin nacle Real Estate Group. He is the vice president and Broker in Charge of Cromer and Company Real Estate in Anderson.

The couple will honeymoon at Royal Caribbean in Jamaica and will make their home in Anderson.

STODDARD - LEHMAN WED

It is with great pride that Mr. and Mrs. Craig Alan Lehman of Beaufort, South Carolina, and Mr. and Mrs. David Frank Stoddard of Anderson, South Carolina, announce the wed ding of their children, Jeffrey David Lehman (JD) and Margaret Haley Stoddard (Meg).

The bride’s grandparents are the late Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stoddard and Mr. and Mrs. Truman Story. The groom’s grandparents are Mr. Bill Nolting and the late Mrs. Janet Nolting and Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Lehman.

The bride and groom were mar ried on September 10, 2022, at First Baptist Church in Anderson. They celebrated with a reception at the Bleckley Inn Carriage House.

The bridal party consisted of the bride’s sister, Courtney Stoddard, as maid of honor and bridesmaids Jessie Bunting, Anna Erskine, Jess

Hadley-Goggin, Jess Howell, Katie Meller, Pinckney O’Connell, Hannah Osborne and Sydney Smith.

The best man was Matt Lehman, brother of the groom, and groomsmen were David Edwards, Ben Roberts, Hector Mendoza, Antoine Le Saux, Gus Lundquist and Ryan Gillespie

JD was born and raised in Bluffton, South Carolina. He played golf for the University of Louisville while earning a degree in finance. He cur rently works at Aline Capital as a commercial mortgage broker.

Meg was born and raised in Anderson, South Carolina. She attended Clemson University earning a degree in Health Science. She currently works at Bon Secours as a project manager.

The couple honeymooned in Kauai and will make their home in Greenville, South Carolina.

WILSON - BLACK WED

Katelyn Wilson of Gaffney, South Carolina, and John Black of Anderson, South Carolina, were married on April 23, 2022. The wedding was held at Evergreen Plantation in Starr.

The bride wore a dress from Poinsett Bride of Green ville and it was designed by Lillian West. Makeup was done by Brooke Gurley and hair by Tiah Cash of Bella Beauty.

Maid of honor was Brently Norman and bridesmaids were Alicia Thornton, Sarah Woodfin and Micaela Parker.

The best man was Billy Black, father of the groom, and the groomsmen were Will Black, brother of the groom; Grayson Horton; and Jacob Hammett.

Florals were by Aimee Cromer and the festivities were catered by Foster’s Main Events of Anderson. Entertainment was by DJ Davis Bannister and photog raphy was by Katie Jaynes Photography.

After a honeymoon trip to Charleston, South Caro lina, the couple has made their home in Anderson.

Photography by Shalon Beusse Shalon Black well Photography

travel

NASHVILLE Spend four fun-filled days in The skyline of Nashville, Tennessee, at night. Adobe stock

By Alexandria Stathakis

Last February I had an opportunity to spend four days in Nashville. I had been on short, one-day visits before, but this was the first trip where I feel like I knew Nashville when I left.

It is a perfect destination for a long honeymoon weekend, and

obviously a very popular destina tion for the “bachelorette party,” as we saw them everywhere.

Our four days were designed for a little older girls weekend, but the options are endless for all ages.

We rented from AirBNB and there are many similar rental options in Nashville. Many are designed with baths for each bed room and ours even had a karaoke setup and a rooftop patio. How ever, the hotels are popping up all over Nashville with many different

cost points. We went to the roof tops of The Bobby, the “W” and Graduate Nashville (great karaoke bar too) ... all were super fun in different ways.

“Won’t take nothing but a memory from the house that built me” — Miranda Lambert

You will need to do some advance planning for entertain ment. Despite several attempts

“Shake off ‘the where you came from’ dust” — Jason Aldean

travel

we were never able to get “Blue bird Café “tickets but someone else I know had no trouble working through what I consider a very unfriendly system. Good luck. We also booked early tickets to the Ryman Auditorium, Grand Old Opry Backstage Tour and Country Music Hall of Fame and enjoyed them all. I would not recommend the Johnny Cash Museum unless you are huge fan. Expensive and not great.

“Livin’ on ketchup soup, home made crackers and Kool-Aid”

— Waylon Jennings

As more seasoned travelers, our dining choices were of the upmost importance and Nashville certainly has a variety of very good restau rants. You have to try Hot Chicken, and we waited in line at one of the

Hattie B’s to get our fix.

For breakfast on the last day, we happened upon Nashville Jam and were very impressed with its choices. This breakfast place is located on a street of houses, so don’t think you are in the wrong

spot. My favorite lunch was the restaurant in The Restoration Hardware store. You must book reservations there early, but it was an excellent choice. Who knew

The Country Music Hall of Fame is located in downtown Nashville. Adobe stock

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travel that some Restoration Hard ware stores have fine dining halls?

We were also pleased with all our dinner choices: The Optimist, Rolf and Daughter, and Fifth and Taylor. These were all rec ommendations of locals, and they did not disap point.

Shopping is also another highlight. The museum gift shops are always fun. On 12th South you have: Draper James (Reese With erspoon’s), White’s Mer cantile (the daughter of Hank Williams Jr.), Emerson Grace, Judith Bright, Savant Vintage, Serendipity, and other boutique-type stores. The Mall at Greene Hills and

the surrounding area has great options.

While in the neighbor hood, a visit to Parnassus Book Store (Anne Patchett’s

Bookstore) is a must for readers.

Of course, the bars on Broadway are endless and are popular all day and night. Tootsies Orchid Bar and Grill, Robert’s Western Bar, Blake Shelton’s — all are good choices with some great music. You can always join a party wagon and ride up and down the street drinking, but we passed on that. Assembly Food Hall at Broadway Place is a food court that will not limit you to bar food if you spend a lot of time in the area.

“There’s room for you and your cowboy boots.” — Bobby Bare, Jr I would highly recom mend Nashville as a desti nation. It has something for everyone and is only a short drive away from Anderson.

“Down on Music Row” — Dolly Parton

Robert’s is a popular bar in Nashville. Adobe stock

Bridal notes