For more than 60 years William Frack has been devoted to BGSU Falcons men’s basketball, and now the Findlay native is making sure his beloved Falcons will be in good hands financially for a long time.
On Jan. 19, Bowling Green State University Athletics Director Greg Christopher announced that through several irrevocable trusts, Frack will donate $10 million to the men’s basketball program — the largest private gift in BGSU.
“This donation changes the trajectory of our program for years to come and sets a new bar for leadership at Bowling Green,” Christopher said.
The endowment fund is the culmination of a six-decade love affair for Frack that began in 1948.
“My father was a school teacher at Findlay High School, and when I was in the eighth grade, he took a job with the state department of education and he was stationed in Bowling Green,” Frack said. “My father started bringing me to basketball games in the old men’s gym, and I have never grown out of it.”
Donning an orange blazer with a brown turtleneck underneath, the 75 year-old talked about his hopes for his sizable donation.
“This is going to help the whole university and athletic department,” Frack said. “It is going to attract major attention to the school.”
Christopher and Frack hope this donation means BGSU basketball will be able to compete on the MAC and national levels.
“Over the last 10 to 15 years, the landscape of college basketball has changed,” Christopher said. “We have seen teams like Gonzaga, Butler and George Mason who have had success at the national level.”
Frack echoed that sentiment.
“Sixty years ago, it didn’t take that much to run a Division I basketball program and be successful,” he said.
“Today that is a very different case. If Butler and Gonzaga can do it, Bowling Green can do it.”
BGSU head coach Louis Orr was moved by the donation as well.
“Bill Frack is a seed sower,” Orr said. “He is so passionate and he shows it with his generosity.”
Orr has been the head coach of bigger programs in the past, having coached at Seton Hall of the Big East conference. He said this donation allows BGSU to give their student athletes all of the opportunities necessary to be successful in their college careers.
“Resources are always a blessing, and I am a firm believer that we have to give our guys the best education possible. Anytime you can help a student athlete, it is a great thing. This is going to help bless many generations of basketball players for years to come.”
This is not the first donation Frack has made to BGSU. Christopher said he was instrumental in the building of the new basketball arena, the Stroh Center, which is set to open this fall. Christopher said Frack made a $1 million donation to help the project succeed.
Christopher said Frack’s generous spirit comes with no strings attached, which is what makes him a university favorite.
“This is not about him, and he is not doing it for Bill Frack. He is doing it for BGSU men’s basketball,” he said. “He’s not concerned about where his name is going to be or having any kind of publicity. For Bill, it’s about Bowling Green State University.”

The producers of a Bowling Green-based online television station focusing on arts, activism and multicultural issues in Northwest Ohio are set to launch a spinoff station in South Toledo focusing on Latino issues.WEPAwebTV, which broadcasts free in high-definition via Veetle.com, has attracted nearly 800,000 viewers with its mix of local and national original programming since it started in March 2010, said co-producer Luis Chaluisan.
The station’s new venture, BARRIO SETV, will be housed in a 2,000-square-foot space inside La Galeria de Americas, a gallery on South Broadway Street that promotes cultural awareness and tolerance through art.

Maria Rodriguez-Winter, founder and owner of La Galeria, donated the space, which includes oak wood floors, natural and broadcast lighting, an overhead projection booth, broadcast and recording facilities and a 150-foot antique service counter. The gallery is across the street from the Sofia Quintero Art and Cultural Center, which Rodriguez-Winter co-founded.
“I’m excited to have this opportunity to provide a venue for Latino artists and increase our exposure in terms of size of audience,” Rodriguez-Winter said. “We’ve talked to various leaders in the community and everyone has been very open and supportive.”
An official launch party will be hosted at 8 p.m. Feb. 4 at SamB’s Restaurant, 163 S. Main St., Bowling Green. The event, which will be broadcast live, will feature live music, DJs, poets, dancers, burlesque comedians and more, including Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Rick Gerbeck, Steven Jay Athanas as The White Barry White and His Acts Of Love, poetic art and music by Imani Lateef and Megan Yasu, and artist and sculptor Emanuel Enriquez. Local artists and authors will have work available for sale.
Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students with ID. A $10 pre-sale ticket will include two complimentary drinks. All proceeds will help underwrite programming for BARRIO SETV.
The new station will cover anything related to the Latino community, including new exhibits, local artists, guest speakers from Latino organizations and other topics of local, statewide, nationwide and international interest, Rodriguez-Winter said. Upcoming programming will feature Mexican-American artist Enriquez of Bowling Green and Father Francisco Molina of El Salvador, Chaluisan said.
Chaluisan, a former investigative journalist at Telemundo and CBS, was raised in the Bronx. He started broadcasting online in New York City as a “new media experiment” in the early days of Web streaming. In 2009, when he returned to Northwest Ohio, where he had worked early in his career, he decided to set up a station here.
Chaluisan said he wanted to create an alternative to the mainstream media, so that local voices and concerns could be aired directly.
“The local stations do not pay the attention they should to Latino, African-American, gays, artists and low-income white audiences in Toledo,” Chaluisan said. “They are completely missing the point. They are so enmeshed with and beholden to local advertisers and to whoever is pulling strings up at city hall. They are compromised.”
WEPAwebTV was broadcast from the Ground Level Coffeehouse in Toledo before it closed; it now broadcasts from downtown Bowling Green. Past programming has included PBS documentaries, exclusive films, informational and health shows, local events, poetry readings, Latin music and more, Chaluisan said.
The 54-year-old Chaluisan said he is passionate about the new project, having seen the progress Hispanic culture has made in Northwest Ohio in the past 20 years.
“Being a Puerto Rican who lived here in the 1980s, when I had to have seasoning shipped in from New York City, now I come back and everything is available to me, including programming,” Chaluisan said. “The future of Toledo is not either African-American or white; the future of Toledo is Latino-Americans.”
Chaluisan said he hopes to create what amounts to an online community cultural center.
“We all look for something that sums up our careers and we want something to sum it up positively,” Chaluisan said. “I think that in the long run, this will be my legacy.”
For more information, to browse previous broadcasts or to tune in live, visit www.newedgecabaret.com.

A local woman recently bowled her way to a title that has eluded her for years — an Ohio Queens Tournament champion.
Professional bowler Jodi Woessner of Oregon won the annual singles tournament on Jan. 9 at Roseland Lanes near Cleveland, competing against 123 female bowlers from across Ohio.
“The Queens tourney is the most prestigious, biggest women’s tourney in Ohio,” Woessner said. “I’ve bowled in it close to 20 times and come close to winning an awful lot of times, but this was the first time I won it, so it was a good feeling.”

The victory was even more special because Woessner dedicated it to the memory of her friend, a longtime co-worker at Owens Corning, who had recently died. Her friend’s funeral was held during the qualifying rounds on Jan. 8 and Woessner wasn’t able to go.
“It was just one of those special things,” Woessner said of winning. “I just felt at ease and just knew I was going to win. It was definitely a different feeling than I had had in the past. I just kind of pulled from her strength and remained calm.”
The tournament came down to two undefeated bowlers, Woessner and Lindsey Coulles of Dayton. To win, Woessner had to defeat Coulles twice, which she accomplished with a score of 246-228 in the first match and 248-216 in the second match.
“I thought I was pretty much going to lose it when I realized I had it locked up for the win,” Woessner said. “I kept it together pretty well, although I had tears streaming down my face. It was definitely something special.”
The Lake High School graduate grew up in Millbury and said she has been bowling “pretty much ever since I could walk.”
“My parents were both big-time bowlers and this has always been in my blood,” Woessner said. “It’s something that came naturally to me, not that it’s not a lot of hard work, but I’ve been fortunate to have been very successful and that keeps me motivated.”
Another motivating factor is Woessner’s competitive streak, which came out even more when the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) recently started allowing women to enter tournaments and compete against men.
“That added another dynamic, where not only can you be the best of women, but you can compete against men,” Woessner said.
Woessner has risen to that challenge, as she is one of only six women to have won a PBA regional title against male bowlers. She won hers in 2008, her first year bowling with the PBA, competing against 97 other bowlers, including PBA star Jason Couch. Only one other woman competed in the tournament.
“That kind of kick-started the next couple of years,” Woessner said. “That was a pretty big deal.”

Jillian Michaels Fitness Challenge 2011 (D3 Publisher)
New storyline action combines with the regular exercise element in Jillian Michaels’ latest exercise video game. This version does not include a Nintendo DS version as the 2010 installment did, but gives players the option of using the Wii MotionPlus controller. The controls work well, but there seems to be a response delay in the game, so getting the timing right can be a challenge. Players can still customize their own “resolutions,” which creates a great sense of accomplishment.
These resolutions are quick and relatively easy to set up, but the execution and control response still lacks a bit. Game developers keep the handy camera angle rotation and the difficulty levels are easy, medium and high intensity.
The new mission mode includes added urban environments combining action and exercise fairly well. After the basic training that includes stretches and warm-ups, players can get out and save the world from an evil processed food corporation. The 14 new exercises include side lunges, hip twists and planks. As in the previous installments, players can totally bypass any movements because the game puts players on the “honor system” to complete the exercises.
The overall entertainment value is a bit lacking here. The environments and planned actions lack that driving purpose beyond the basic fitness goals. Competing against Miss Michaels as a fitness standard would add more depth to the festivities, but she can motivate at times — with scolding while offering some guiding information (**, rated E for alcohol reference and mild violence).

Nickelodeon Fit (2K Play)
This Wii exclusive fitness game has all-ages exercise fun with Nickelodeon stars Dora the Explorer, Diego, Kai-Lan and The Backyardigans. Players of all ages can engage in 30 different exercises developed by physical education and exercise science expert Dr. Jackie Goodway. Players can monitor progress and even customize routines. The only catch is it’s a one-player game, so players have to continuously hand off the remote — not ideal especially when little ones struggle with that strap. Still, the graphics are sharp and the playable characters match up with other stars of the corresponding shows. The helpful game text and voice commands provide easy instructions. Players can use the balance board, but make sure young ones do not jump on it.  (***, rated E for everyone).

The House of Representatives passed HR 2 by a vote of 245 to 189 Wednesday evening, to repeal the Health Care Reform Act of 2010.

Republican Bob Latta voted for the repeal and Democrat Marcy Kaptur voted against it.

Only three Democrats voted for HR 2, according to the House records.

The bill would repeal the Health Care Reform Act passed by the Senate in 2009, the House in March 2010, and signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 30.

However, it is unlikely it will pass the Democrat-controlled Senate or be signed by President Obama if the Senate did pass it.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) said before the vote that they will not schedule it in the Senate even if the House passed it.

“The number one way is to repeal it and start all over again,” said Latta in a conference call with the media just prior to the vote.

HR 2 is a two-page bill that begins the process to repeal Obamacare and part of the Pledge to America that House Republicans introduced last year as a governing document, according to Latta.

“We’ll start to work on an alternative health care reform plan that’s going to work. We’ll be open in the process to reform healthcare and hope to work through this process,” he said during the conference call.

Republicans have indicated that the Supreme Court should take up the Health Care Reform Act to determine if it is unconstitutional.

“The Affordable Care Act will improve the health care system for millions of Americans, including senior citizens. It will also reduce the federal budget deficit by almost a quarter of a trillion dollars over the next 10 years. Clearly this is no time to turn back,” Kaptur said in a statement provided to the media.

“No law is perfect, and the health insurance reform law can be improved. But we should improve the law, not repeal it. Reform means lower costs for coverage, a lower budget deficit, and more jobs for the American people. Repeal simply means higher profits for the insurance companies and higher health insurance costs for families and small businesses,” Kaptur stated.

Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio) said the Health Care Reform Act will increase spending and taxes while cutting jobs.

2010 was a good year for many artists and designers in Toledo. Although the economic downturn was unkind to some in our field, others saw their sales and the demand for artwork and art-related services (graphic, Web, and sound design; event promotion) increase beyond expectations. When you reach the point where your hobby or side job becomes a regular form of work for profit, you are required to file a Schedule C with your 1040 tax return.
Many people aren’t comfortable taking on the responsibility of converting their primary form of artistic expression into a “for profit” entity, and are even more uncomfortable keeping business records and filing paperwork with the appropriate government agencies. I felt the same way until I sat down with a certified public accountant who explained how the IRS categorizes types of deductible expenses for sole-proprietors. Most artists are sole-proprietors, and the paperwork required for this type of business is relatively simple. Even if you take in only slightly more money than you spend on art materials and supplies used in art production, you can significantly reduce the amount you owe in taxes or increase your return by keeping accurate records of your expenses and deducting them from the amount of your taxable income.
Each artist and business is different; consult a professional CPA who can assess your situation and help prepare your tax return. The more organized your records, the smaller the fee for preparing your return. Print or download the two-page Form 1040 Schedule C and related instructions at www.irs.gov and familiarize yourself with the documents. Most artists will list their expenses in 10 or fewer categories in Part II: Expenses of Schedule C and itemize large or miscellaneous purchases in Part V: Other Expenses.
For ease of preparing your year-end taxes, keep a running total (which you tally and record at the close of each month) of how much your business spent in the following deductible categories. The number listed next to the expense category title corresponds with numbers found on Schedule C. Assume that all receipts being counted are ordinary, necessary and generally accepted within your business field.

• O 8-Advertising. The cost of print ads, design services, website production, TV and radio commercials, postcards and printing for all promotional materials.
• 9-Car Expenses. Keep a log of all miles driven for business purposes. This does not include the miles driven to and from home to your office or main workplace. It’s usually better to record your mileage and be reimbursed at the set mileage rate than claim itemized car-related costs. Keep a tab of tolls and parking fees incurred because of your work.
• 17-Legal and Professional Services. Fees paid to lawyers and accountants who prepare business documents.
• 18-Office Expenses. Pencils, pens, paper, ink, Post-its, file folders, envelopes, tape, etc. This category also includes money spent on postage and package delivery. It does not include office furniture or computer equipment, which are listed on Form 4562 and depreciate over several years.
• 20-Rent. The amount paid for office/ studio space.
• 22-Supplies. A broad category which includes all merchandise and materials purchased for resale or consumed during one year’s production. It also includes professional equipment with a useful life of one year or less such as paint brushes and dust masks.
• 23-Taxes and Licenses. Keep records of the sales tax paid to the state and government fees related to starting or operating the business.
• 25-Utilities. Total cost of utilities for your workplace. Does not include home phone or cellular lines, unless the phones were added on top of current “base” coverage and used for the business.
• 27-Other Expenses. This is the sum of all business-related expenses that don’t fit into other categories. These expenses are itemized in Part V and can include, but are not limited to: computers and related equipment, credit-card processing fees, tuition for classes/training in your field, selling expenses (juried show and craft fair booth fees), professional photographic services and a plethora of other things. File copies of all miscellaneous or questionable expenses and have your tax professional help you decide where to account for each.

More info on the Schedule C and helpful tips will be continued in the next Star.

Jules Webster is owner of Shine Ceramics and Shine 419, a division of the business created to promote Toledo’s vibrant creative scene. Visit www.shineceramics.com or e-mail julieshinewebster@gmail.com.

While most Democratic lawmakers are staying quiet about the looming threat that congressional redistricting poses to their seats, a few are sounding alarm bells and asking voters for help keeping their jobs.

One Massachusetts lawmaker has already announced his intention to run again, and at least one New York representative is signaling a readiness to fight. But Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich is making the most noise as he enters his eighth term by actively shopping around for a new district.

“I will not wait until a new Ohio map is produced to begin this crucial discussion of the consequences of congressional redistricting,” Kucinich, who was first elected in 1996, wrote in an e-mail to his constituents last month, exhorting them to weigh in with suggestions and advice. “The question will not be: Who is my opponent? The question will be: Where is my district? Seriously.”

Ten states will lose at least one congressional district this year, and speculation is growing over which districts will disappear.

Tim Storey, senior fellow at the National Conference of State Legislatures, cautioned that it’s too early to forecast which seats may be lost. Detailed Census figures that will be rolled out in coming months will be the most crucial factor in determining population shifts, he said.

Kucinich’s public push is unusual for a lawmaker who might be in trouble, though it’s unclear whether either tactic makes much difference in the end, said Justin Buchler, a political science professor at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

“It could be that they hope by staying quiet they will stay off of people’s radars,” Buchler said. “It could also be that they hope that staying quiet will prevent them from alienating the people redrawing district lines. Nobody likes a whiner.”

The actual redistricting process is so messy in part because the rules are different in every state. But it will probably be most rancorous in Ohio and New York, the states that are slated to lose two congressional seats each due to population loss. Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey and Pennsylvania are losing one seat each.

In Ohio, the Republican-controlled Legislature will draw the state’s new map; GOP Gov. John Kasich will need to sign off on it. The state’s Democrats lost five of their 10 U.S. House seats in November, with the remaining districts tightly packed into an area of northern Ohio that stretches from Toledo through Cleveland and farther east into Youngstown.

“I may be more proactive on this question than any other member right now,” Kucinich acknowledged in a telephone interview with The Associated Press last week. “But I’ve got a different situation, because Ohio is losing two seats and the Legislature is Republican.”

The most popular prediction is that his district will be split up between Democratic Reps. Marcia Fudge, who represents parts of downtown Cleveland, and Betty Sutton, who represents the Akron area. Kucinich could then challenge one of them, most likely Sutton, in the 2012 Democratic primary.

Sutton declined to comment on a possible primary challenge by Kucinich, saying in an e-mail to the AP that redistricting will play itself out. Kucinich refused to say whether he would consider a potential run against one of his colleagues in order to keep his political career alive.

In New York, members of the state’s Republican-controlled state Senate and Democratic-controlled Assembly are legally tasked with drawing the new districts. But for members of Congress nervous about saving their seats, lobbying state lawmakers might not do much good this time.

Several legislators, as well as new Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, have endorsed an effort by former New York City Mayor Ed Koch to create an independent redistricting commission. Such efforts have generally flamed out in the past, but widespread public disgust with New York’s dysfunctional state government has given new credibility to Koch’s crusade.

Strategists believe two Buffalo-Rochester area districts are ripe for consolidation this time. The 27th District, held by Democratic Rep. Brian Higgins, and the 28th District, held by Democratic Rep. Louise Slaughter, have bled more residents than other parts of the state.

Slaughter released a statement last month after New York was notified it would lose two seats, hinting she was ready to fight for her district.

“In the same week that we received this bad news, we’ve seen progress in Niagara Falls, new development in the city of Buffalo and a major reshaping of Rochester’s downtown core is in the works,” Slaughter wrote.

The looming loss of one seat in Massachusetts has raised the possibility of intra-party fratricide, as the governor and the majority of legislators tasked with redrawing the map are all Democrats.

The delegation’s oldest member, 74-year-old Rep. John Olver, has already staked out his turf, saying he will seek re-election. He also represents the far-western part of the state, making it hard to construct a district that would eliminate him.

To date, speculation has focused on Rep. Barney Frank, who faced a tougher-than-expected re-election battle. Frank had been chairman of the House Financial Services Committee until this month, but with the Democrats losing the House majority, he has lost his chairmanship.

Perhaps the easiest resolution for Massachusetts Democrats is to turn the tables on Republicans. That would require a Democratic legislator to give up a seat in favor of challenging Republican Sen. Scott Brown for re-election in 2012.

Associated Press writers Meghan Barr and Thomas Sheeran in Cleveland, John Seewer in Toledo, Beth Fouhy in New York and Glen Johnson in Boston contributed to this report.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream. The least you can do is wake up.
The latest trend with Toledo Hip-Hop artists is to emulate the rappers they see on television. Why not? Those guys have everything they want: rented jewelry, sleepless nights and accumulated taxes that equate to more than some people’s salaries.
Oh, wait; that’s the part they don’t see. They think every platinum-selling artist woke up one morning, let all their friends hear their music and somehow got a record deal because everyone in their neighborhood thought they were the best.
Doesn’t that sound stupid?
So imagine how you sound shouting, “I’m the hottest in Toledo!”
This doesn’t apply to every artist here, of course. There are a few artists who are throwing parties to promote themselves, investing in studio time, researching their markets and performing for more than their friends. But the majority of artists here are wasting their time trying to get into a business for which they aren’t ready.
There is no proven formula for “making it” in the music business; however, there are several ways to ensure that this dream never happens. There are entertainment groups in Toledo with an immense amount of talent, but no direction. If your entire group comes out to support an artist at his/her show, but the group leaves right after that artist’s performance, the group will be perceived as stuck-up. Your favorite rapper is Ludacris, but you guys are too good to mingle? Shake hands with your supporters? Watch another artist’s performance? Obviously you don’t know Ludacris very well.
Or are you the rapper who complains about the lack of support in the city? Toledo came together and got B Wills a championship on BET’s “Wild Out Wednesday.” You know why? People support good causes. If you have a mixtape that no one knows about, how can you expect them to support it? You’re telling me your favorite rapper is Talib Kweli, but you expect me to spend $5 on a mixtape that you wrote on in black sharpie? I happen to own every Talib Kweli album and they are all professionally pressed.
Perhaps you’re the rapper who smokes and drinks all day, fornicates with “models” (that’s an article for a different day), and thinks you’ll make it off of talent alone. Of course, your favorite rapper is Lil Wayne. Shocking. Wayne has managed to make drug use cool; he looks like he’s on drugs, yet women still like him; he raps about being high all the time, but he won a Grammy. I guess you forgot that Wayne has been signed to a major record label since he was 14, and at 28, he’s just now getting recognized on a national level. Maybe you didn’t realize that he’s the only artist to stay with Cash Money Records after the original signees left for money issues. Maybe if he spent less time smoking and more time looking over paperwork, he’d be worth more money.
Oh, I know; you’re the socio-conscious rapper, who doesn’t want to be commercial. You don’t care about endorsements. You don’t need a lot of Twitter followers. All you need is a microphone and a group of people to influence. Don’t tell me; your favorite rapper is Nas. You listen to all his albums and think that you’ll get a record deal simply because you’re not begging for one.
Do some research; Nas worked hard to get his record deal and the $55K he pays in monthly alimony/child support should tell you that he’s worth plenty of money.
Instead of “acting” like the people on television, act like you have sense enough to know that no one is an overnight success.
They say if you want to hide something from a black person, put it in a book. Ever heard of Donald Goines? Jimmy Iovine? Kevin Lyles? Guess they were right.

An Ohio Supreme Court justice who helped write the state’s death penalty law three decades ago and has more recently questioned its interpretation called for an end to capital punishment in the state on Jan. 18.

Justice Paul Pfeifer also said Gov. John Kasich and any future governor should consider commuting the sentences of Ohio’s death row inmates to life without parole.

“These are important matters that need all of our thoughtful attention — need the attention of the Legislature to consider seriously whether we’re well-served by this statute any longer,” he said in remarks following his swearing-in ceremony.

“The time has come for us to make that change,” Pfeifer said.

Pfeifer, a moderate Republican, was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee as Ohio debated the capital punishment bill that became law in 1981.

Ohio has 157 men and one woman on death row. Of those, 43 were sentenced to death before a 1996 law gave juries the option of sentencing defendants to life without the possibility of parole.

Death sentences in Ohio began to drop after that law was passed, and they dropped further following a 2005 law that allowed prosecutors to seek life sentences without first pressing death penalty charges.

Ohio courts sentenced three men to death in 2008 and just one in 2009, before a spike in sentences last year brought the number up to seven. That’s still below pre-1996 levels when a dozen or more were sentenced to death each year.

Kasich, a Republican, continues to support capital punishment, spokesman Rob Nicholas said.

Ohioans still support the death penalty and it should still be an option for the worst slayings, said John Murphy, executive director of the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association.

State public defender Tim Young agreed with Pfeifer, saying the law is applied unfairly across Ohio and the state is better served by life without parole.

Pfeifer’s remarks were his strongest to date, but for a decade the justice has questioned the law’s use in Ohio. He has often said prosecutors were using it for cases, such as domestic violence slayings, that didn’t merit a death sentence.

Pfeifer said he didn’t want to be misunderstand when it came to the crimes death row inmates were convicted of.

“There are no nice people on death row. They all committed heinous crimes,” he said. “But every murder is a heinous crime. Every murder is impossible for any sane person to understand what would motivate someone to do something like that.”

When it comes to the top trends of 2011, there are two words you need to know: “Understated Sophistication.”
Color creates ambience and mood and illustrates a couple’s style. As designer John Saladino said, “The most important thing about color is that it cannot be isolated … Every color is only ever seen in juxtaposition with other ones.”
The 2011 color of the year is honeysuckle. It’s a very uplifting color and perfect for 2011 when we are seeing more detail come back into the design spotlight.
But this reddish pink tone is not alone. 2011 brides are pairing colors with a palette of three to four vintage, earthy and sun-washed hues to create their signature look. In the spring and into summer we will see honeysuckle paired with bright blue, navy paired with light pinks and washed pink paired with white and off white.
Late summer into fall we’ll see shades of yellow and green, vintage green with soft pinks and black with pink. These colors will carry into winter as pink will be paired with gold.
Outdoor weddings were big in 2010 and will continue to rise in 2011.
Since destination weddings are out and couples are returning to the comforts of their backyard or family cottage, the party doesn’t have to end. There’s no time limit like there would be on a rented ballroom. Guests can enjoy entertainment into the morning with yummy goodies to satisfy their palette.
And speaking of yummy goodies, cupcake “cakes” are out. Donuts and childhood comfort sweets are in.
We are also saying goodbye to the espresso or cappuccino stations. In are herbal and black tea stations in a variety of herbs, served with natural sugars. Couples are creating their signature tea blend and serving it with their monogram on the tea tag.
As the saying goes, a bride has to have something borrowed, blue, old and new. This year’s something old is trended with Victorian and vintage inspired accessories. Vintage jewelry, pearls and rhinestones are not just worn on the fingers or wrist, but added as accessories to the waistline, dress pick-ups and hair styles.
Making a return from last year are the jeweled-tones, with navy being the most popular. Metallic accessories like gold or silver shoes have been popular for bridesmaids since 2006. We are continuing to see metallic on the feet, but also with over-the-top jewelry, hair accessories, belts and broaches on the bride, bridesmaids and mother-of-the-bride gowns.
And speaking of gowns, the big ball gown is back. When I think of a big ball gown, I think of Princess Diana’s wedding to Prince Charles. Wonder if her future daughter-in-law will follow this year’s trend?
Famous women like Princess Diana were the inspiration for Carolina Herrera’s 2011 spring bridal line. Herrera designed gowns based on famous women of history. Just another way vintage is revived.
In bridal gowns we are seeing the influence of ballet and the movie “Black Swan.” Dresses, even long ones, have tulle skirts and tight bodices.
Grooms are staying within the theme of sophistication with the return of the bow tie and custom cufflinks. Instead of renting the common wedding tux, grooms are treating their groomsmen to custom ties and vests for a signature look. These make great gifts.
Beautiful fabrics are not just for the dress. We are seeing luxurious fabrics on the table from ruffles to custom designs and flourishing trims. With luxurious tablecloths come soft, simple flowers and clean-lined table settings with chic modern glassware. This creates a balanced tablescape.
Still, we will continue to see simple and chic with a lot of DIY (do-it-yourself) projects to create the personal, one-of-a-kind touch.
Another item brides are keeping simple and understated in 2011 is the menu. Instead of heavy gourmet foods, brides and grooms are choosing childhood favorites like mac ‘n’ cheese to complement their filet mignon.
Take a seat. Props aren’t just for fun engagement and couple sessions. Brides and grooms are posed on chic couches with plush fabrics for a more relaxed, comfortable look. This was popular in the ’70s, which makes this trend a bit vintage.
Got royal fever? This year’s brides anxiously await the wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William, but we won’t see those trends take full effect until the fall/winter season and then boom in 2012. With so many details unknown and the constant parallels of Kate’s simple, chic style and Diana’s lavish, opulent gown, there’s no telling what we will see. Whichever style Kate chooses will certainly take off with dress manufacturers copying the dress overnight.
The 2011 theme of “Understated Sophistication” allows today’s bride to have the platinum look without breaking the bank. Over the top opulence is passé. With DIY touches, and simple luxuries, brides are creating a classic look they are sure to look back and enjoy years to come.

Brittany Craig is the principal event designer and coordinator for Crowning Celebrations. She specializes in weddings and social celebrations. Follow her Eventista blog at www.crowningcelebrations.blogspot.com.