The something old, new, borrowed and blue. The white dress. The vows. The rings. The kiss. Wedding ceremonies are full of tradition, and the reception is no exception.

From the speeches and cake-cutting to the tosses and dances, the after-ceremony celebration offers plenty of elements for couples to include, tweak — or drop altogether.

During his 30 years in the DJ business, Jim Lieber, owner of Sounds of Music in Maumee, said he’s watched many traditions remain while others have fallen out of favor.

The “Chicken Dance” is one tradition in decline, Lieber said.

“I’ve noticed if you play the ‘Chicken Dance,’ you probably won’t make it out of the building,” Lieber said, laughing. “It used to be, years ago, everybody played that; nowadays, you might get shot before you get to the next song.”

Other songs commonly found on couples’ do-not-play lists include”Y.M.C.A.”, the “Hokey Pokey” and the “Macarena”, said Doug Bermick, president of Professional Sounds in Toledo and Temperance, also a 30-year veteran of the DJ business.

“A professional DJ can entertain an audience, if they are good, without those songs,” Bermick said.

Lieber said he always respects the wishes of his clients, but sometimes reminds them songs are classics for a reason.

“Brides and grooms today, I think maybe because they’ve seen it over and over again at weddings, they want to do something different,” Lieber said. “They might be tired of hearing some of the songs, but it’s also my job to tell them more people will dance to something they’re familiar with. Weddings have a wide variety of guests and you’re not going to dance to something you’ve never heard.”

Photo by Grand Lubell www.grandlubell.com

Bouquet, garter toss

The bouquet toss — in which the bride tosses her flowers to a group of single ladies — is still done at a majority of receptions, Lieber said. But letting their grooms remove their garters in front of grandma and the gathered guests is a source of nervousness for many brides.

“I’ve noticed people are getting more conservative, which is weird because you see a lot more on television these days, but they just don’t feel comfortable,” Lieber said. “Sometimes the bride is embarrassed of their leg or just the guy going under her dress.”

The bouquet toss, which today marks the one who catches it as the next to marry, started centuries ago to appease and divert wedding guests who would try and tear off pieces of the bride’s dress for good luck. The garter toss stems from when the groom needed to prove the marriage had been consummated.

Toledoans Justin and Stephanie Longacre were married in 2003. They did the bouquet toss, but not the garter toss.

“We were too embarrassed to do it,” Stephanie said.

Megan Fowler of Toledo, who will be married this fall, said she and her fiancée, Joe Lindsey, are not planning to do either toss.

“Some of our friends are gay and can’t get married, many are already married and others have no intention of ever getting married for whatever reason,” Fowler said. “There are very few who would actually want to catch them. Also, we’re both kind of icked out about the whole garter thing. We’re pretty affectionate people, but that just seems like a gross PDA extreme. It always makes me uncomfortable to see when I’m a guest at weddings.”

Suggested alternatives posted to a message board on popular wedding blog Wedding Bee include splitting the bouquet into individual flowers and handing them out to female guests — or giving them to male guests to hand to their sweethearts.

Anniversary dance

Other couples give the bouquet to the longest-married guest couple as determined by a relatively recent reception tradition — the anniversary dance, in which married couples leave the floor as milestone anniversaries are announced until the longest-married couple remains, Lieber said.

“That has become very popular,” he said. “Years ago, that wasn’t even on the map.”

The bridal party dance is one now being done less frequently, Lieber said.

“I’ve noticed people have gotten away from that in the last few years,” Lieber said. “I think a lot of the reason is the bridal party has spouses or boyfriends or girlfriends.”

The father/daughter, mother/son and couple’s first dance are other wedding dance traditions. Fowler said the first dance is the wedding tradition she is most excited about.

“Not because we’re into dancing, but it just seems like it will be a nice moment to soak in the whole enormity of the occasion while listening to a song we love and sway-dancing like seventh-graders,” Fowler said.

Dollar dance or dash

The dollar dance, where guests pay a dollar for the opportunity to slow dance with the bride or groom, is popular because it offers one-on-one face time with guests, both DJs said.

“Weddings go by really fast,” Bermick said. “I would suspect some brides like that because they can talk and converse with their guests for a few minutes.”

A more fast-paced variation is the dollar dash. Upbeat music is played while the bride and groom run around the room collecting cash from guests in a competition to see who can get the most.

The song is usually money-themed, said Bermick, who frequently uses “Take the Money and Run” by Steve Miller Band, “If I Had $1,000,000” by Barenaked Ladies, “Money” by Pink Floyd,” or The O’Jays’ “For the Love of Money,” the theme song from “The Apprentice.”

Another option is a 50-50 raffle, where the bride and groom sell raffle tickets, with the couple taking half the pot and the winning guest the other half, Bermick said.

Bermick estimates about 40 percent of couples do the dollar dance, 40 percent do the dollar dash and 20 percent do the raffle.

“It just depends on their family tree and what they think they’re going to like the best,” Bermick said. “The bride and groom know whether they will have a good result with whatever they pick.”

Katie Huffman of Fostoria, who married her husband, Gene, in 2007, said she was hesitant to do a dollar dance, but family and friends encouraged her.

“I thought it was rather tacky, but everyone assured me I was wrong,” Huffman said.

The Longacres decided against any of the cash-collecting options.

“We felt it looked a tad gimme-gimme,” Stephanie said.

Holly Ellerbush of Toledo said she had no qualms — and no regrets — about partaking in all the traditional elements at her wedding to husband, Larry.

“We did every tacky wedding event from the garter to the grand march and we loved every minute of it!” Ellerbush said. “We even did the ‘Chicken Dance’ and the ‘Hokey Pokey’!”

While only the couple can decide what feels right for their event and what they are comfortable with, Lieber said he personally feels some wedding fun is lost by leaving out traditional elements.

“Some of this stuff can be an icebreaker and bring two families together and get group participation involved,” Lieber said. “Some of the brides and grooms are stiffer than they used to be. When I think about it, it’s because we’ve gotten away from the hoedown-type reception. When I first got into this business in 1978, it was very common for people to go to a banquet hall and have kielbasa, a cold sandwich and a keg of beer at the end of the line. People are more relaxed when they’re just building their own sandwiches. Receptions are a lot more elegant than they used to be and elegance can make it a little more stiff.”

To smash or not to smash?

Lieber said fancier receptions might explain why he notices fewer couples smearing cake on each other’s faces during the cake-cutting.

“There was a lot more of that back years ago,” Lieber said. “A lot of times the bride has her makeup. It really depends on the mood. My theory is if it’s a high-class wedding, you’re not going to see that, but if it’s more low-key and casual, you’ll see more of that.”

Huffman said she and her husband were in agreement about the cake feeding.

“One thing that was never up for debate by Gene or I was the smashing of the cake in each other’s face,” Huffman said. “It seemed terrible to spend $1,000 on a cake and smush it on our faces and possibly get it on our clothes.”

Fowler said she isn’t planning on a face full of cake, but is prepared for it anyway.

“Knowing Joe, I’m guessing it will happen,” Fowler said. “I don’t mind, because it’s all in fun.”

How to obtain a marriage license in Lucas County

In Lucas County, both the bride and groom must be present when filling out an application for a marriage license.

A marriage license is valid for 60 days after it has been issued. An ordained or licensed minister of any religion within the state who is licensed with the secretary of state or a judge in municipal or county court may solemnize marriages.

Marriage licenses can be obtained at the Lucas County Probate Court, 700 Adams St., Suite 200, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost of a marriage license is $50 and must be paid in cash.

What you need:

• Government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, passport or military ID)
• Social Security number (requested but not mandatory)
• Birth certificate for those younger than 21
• Copy of final Decree of Divorce, Dissolution or Annulment for those previously married
• Copy of previous spouse’s death certificate for widows/widowers

Ohio residents must obtain a marriage license in the county where either the bride or groom resides. There is no waiting period on marriage licenses and weddings may take place the same day.

For more information, visit the website www.lucas-co-probate-ct.org.

Source: Lucas County Probate Court

Tags: Bridal Guide, Chicken Dance, dollar dash, weddings

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 16th, 2011 at 1:27 pm and is filed under Brides and Weddings, Featured, Star.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

There has been a fury in royal weddings over the past year, with William and Kate’s April nuptials taking the cake. From last June, when Swedish Crown Princess Victoria wed Daniel Westling, to last weekend’s celebration of Monaco’s Prince Albert II to Charlene Wittstock, royal weddings are setting new trends.

Every girl wants to get married in style. And when you are a Princess, or about to become one, the dress you choose will go down in history. If you recall, Princess Grace and Princess Diana’s dresses are iconic and set the fashion for their day. Today’s Princesses have had a few things in common; from their sleek satin fabrics, to crystal embellishments and lace details, look for these trends in Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 bridal lines.

Following tradition and respect, neither of the Princesses chose strapless for their ceremonies. Both Princesses Charlene and Victoria had off the shoulder, rounded necklines, and Princess Catherine chose a high, v-neck lace bodice and sleeves.

Embellished details sparkled on Princesses Catherine and Charlene’s gowns. Both showed embroidery depicting flowers, with shamrocks for Princess Catherine. Princess Catherine’s dress featured a lace appliqués on the bodice, skirt and veil, while Princess Charlene’s embroidery, adorned with teardrop pearls and Swarovski crystals, gradually increased down the front of her gown to the trim and center of her train.

Princess Victoria’s satin dress was simpler and did not include embroidery on the front, but that only highlighted her heirlooms: a lace veil and beautiful Cameo gold crown, both which were worn by her mother, Queen Silvia. The veil dates back to the 1962 wedding of her grandmother Queen Sofia of Spain.

Princess Charlene also wore “something borrowed” with a 19th century diamond hair piece on loan from her sister-in-law, Princess Caroline of Hanover. The sophisticated and intricate accessory was nestled in a low bun, offset underneath her right ear. Princess Catherine “borrowed” a diamond sparkler, too, with a 1936 Cartier ‘Halo’ tiara, given to Queen Elizabeth on her 18th birthday from her mother.

All three Princesses carried tiered flowering bouquets, breaking the trend of the more rounded shape. The tiered shape is more flattering to the silhouette of the wedding gown and its delicate details. While Princess Victoria’s was more abundant, Princesses Charlene and Catherine were more petit and delicate.

In all the glory and the grandeur of the day, these three Princesses featured sleek fabrics with streamlined silhouettes to allow graceful, intimate details to shine through. As you choose your wedding day attire, remember that less can be more. Let your love radiate, not your attire.

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

Tags: Brittany Craig, Eventista, weddings

This entry was posted on Friday, July 15th, 2011 at 10:34 am and is filed under Arts and Life, Eventista.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

The Gown Shop, a chic and classy bridal gown boutique has opened in Ann Arbor. Former Perrysburg resident, Stacy Fork, is bringing her passion for the finding the perfect dress to northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan brides.

The salon is a chic, modern boutique highlighted by it’s pink and black décor. It’s the perfect color pallet for the subject of honor, a.k.a. the bride, to stand out in her bridal white.

In the midst of receiving all the new Spring 2011 lines, I was able to ask Ms. Fork a few questions about her fabulous new boutique.

Toledo Free Press: What inspired you to open a Bridal Gown Store?

Stacy Fork: My inspiration comes from years of loving fashion and growing up loving all things with frills & sparkles!  As a young girl and teenager, I danced for a Toledo dance company. My passion has transitioned into helping women finding their dream gown in the last ‘dress rehearsal’ before one of the most special days of their life.

TPF: What advice do you give brides when choosing a dress?

SF: If a dress is telling you “Y.E.S!” I have three things I want all brides to remember during their appointments: (1) The dress has to be ‘You’. While this is a very special day of your life, this is no time to be in a costume. (2) ‘Expense’ – it is always important to know your budget before heading to your first appointment. (Also) know what you feel comfortable spending and if need be, where you can cut corners.  (3) The last bit of advice is to pick the best ‘silhouette’ for your body, which sometimes takes trying on a few before you find “the one!”

TPF:What bridal lines are you carrying?

SF: The Gown Shop is starting with a collection of four different designers from across the country: Modern Trousseau, Amy Kuschel, Carol-Hannah and Fancy NY. The Gown Shop’s range begins at $1000 with the nontraditional gowns, short or tea length styles, and can reach up to $4500 with the more traditional silhouettes.

TFP: What should brides bring to an appointment?

SF: When it comes to wardrobe, it is best to wear nude undergarments on the day of your appointment. If one feels more comfortable wearing a body shaper, more power to you! Remember an associate will be in the fitting room with you to assist you into the gowns, so leave the flowered granny panties and neon pink bra at home for the day.

Only a few of your closest family & friends, those who respect your vision for your big day look!

TFP: What is your most favorite trend for 2011?

SF: A lot of the gowns carried in the shop are slightly more simple in the design aesthetics, therefore my favorite thing to really make a gown your own is to jazz it up with an awesome accessory piece. My personal favorites: bedazzled belts, antique broaches and over-the-top jewelry!

TFP: Other than dresses, what other items are you caring?’

SF: The Gown Shop carries accessories for your big day. The best place to find fabulous 100% silk shoes that can be dyed any color of the rainbow is at The Gown Shop by Benjamin Adams. The shop also has veiling & headpiece designs by Sara Gabriel and jewelry by Haute Bride.

TFP: What’s the favorite thing about helping brides find their gown?

SF: Honestly, the pure excitement and joy of styling a woman’s dream wedding look. When they have that “Y.E.S!” moment – it’s pure bliss for me too! I become attached to my clients and their happiness is really what matters most to me.

The Gown Shop is located at 122 S. Main Street, Ann Arbor.  Call 724.834.GOWN or visit www.thegownshopannarbor.com for more info.

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.

Tags: Brittany Craig, Eventista, weddings

This entry was posted on Monday, February 14th, 2011 at 2:16 pm and is filed under Arts and Life, Eventista.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

One year after opening, the Hilton Garden Inn is so popular that brides need to book the facility 18 months in advance.

“We’re already booking into 2010 and 2011,” said Betsy Gavin, director of sales.

The Garden Inn in Levis Commons typically hosts two weddings per weekend, but has hosted four because of demand.

“We do all of our own catering from breakfast to lunch, dinner and reception menus,” Gavin said. “Our chef can even customize a menu for you and for the larger parties we’ll do tastings beforehand where the chef prepares the food and walks you through it.”

The ballroom is 10,000 square feet and, depending on the style of seating, can accommodate from 600 up to 1,000 people. The ballroom also can be broken down into thirds for smaller events and seminars, such as corporate meetings, conventions, social events and fundraisers, while the facility also has smaller break-off rooms for more intimate functions.

A patio off of the ballroom serves as an area for cocktails and appetizers, for use before the reception begins. A separate entrance allows guests to enter directly into the hall rather than walking through the hotel. Parking is free and plentiful because of proximity to Levis Commons.

When designing the ballroom, the Hilton took into account the history of Toledo and the culture it represented.

“When you walk into the ballroom, there’s a lot of glass art since we’re in the Glass City,” Gavin said. “Our designer commissioned work from a lot of local artists.”

The all-inclusive wedding package includes a champagne toast, four hours of an open bar, a cheese and vegetable display, a choice of entrée, a complimentary wedding cake (courtesy of Wixey Bakery), after-dinner coffee services (courtesy of Starbucks), over-night accommodations for the bride and groom, special guest rates for out-of-town guests and free parking.

Plated dinners range from $53.95 to $68.95 per plate, depending on the choice of entrée.

“We have 184 guest rooms here at the Hilton, and typically, the party stays here,” Gavin said.

It doesn’t end after the wedding night, though — the Hilton Garden Inn follows up a year later with their brides and grooms and provides them with a complimentary one-year anniversary overnight stay with breakfast.

Tags: Hilton Garden Inn, weddings

This entry was posted on Friday, August 14th, 2009 at 12:00 am and is filed under Dining Out, Special Section.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.