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2013 Bridal Planner - 1

A SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF CARBON COUNTY NEWS & STILLWATER COUNTY NEWS

Its Ti T

Tll YLv StyIn 2013, love stories live online. Justthink about the moment a couplegets engaged. One in 10 just-engagedwomen update their relationship status

on Facebook within minutes o sayingyes; one-third will update their statuswith in a ew hours; and another quarterwill update their status by the next day.

The numbers come rom a irst-ever Social Wed-ding Survey put together by The Knot and Mash-able.com. The survey also showed that brides areembracing new digital habits tightly, we might

add. Across the board, most brides are keeping upon wedding websites and blogs, becoming a an o

wedding brands and ollowing them on their socialnetworks, and relying on wedding-planning apps tohelp them architect their special day.

O course, a majority (78 percent) o brides stillrely on print magazines or inspiration yourereading this on ink and paper, right?

Keep reading, and well show you how to make

the most o the online tools youre already using tohelp plan your wedding. Hal o brides connect withtheir vendors on Facebook, and one in ive are sharetheir Pinterest boards with their vendors. The keyisnt to try to replicate the most-liked or pinnedtrends, though. Its about taking those inspirationsand tweaking them so theyre uniquely your own.

First things irst, though, we invite you to shareyour love story with us in print or online .

G e T T I n G S T a rT e d

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2 - 2013 Bridal Planner


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CTW Features

B u d G e T

my

mgtPlanning and paying for a wedding can be daunting, butcouples can take control by budgeting smart

The 2013 Bridal Planner is a special publication of

The Carbon County News and Stillwater County

News. All Rights Reserved

Publisher: Frank Perea II

Creative Design: Amy Graven

Rob Park

Samantha Nickel

Advertising and business inquiries, Please contact:

Carbon County:

Terri Newby

406-446-2222

Stillwater County

Melany Preece

406-322-5212

Billings & all other areas

Linda Swaggerty

Pam Walter

406-652-2763

"

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Cactus Flats Catering

Cafe Regis

Flashback Photography

Flower Garage

Grizzly Bar

Hilton Gardens Inn

Island at Rock Creek

Le Fete Wedding Planning

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Rock Creek Resort

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List of Advertisers:

See the 2013 Bridal Planner onlinewww.carboncountynews.com &www.stillwatercountynews.com

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P h o t o g R A P h y & V i d e o g R A P h y

ugttbl mts

LindseyOrton

Photgraphy

Gone are the days when

brides had to recount every

detail of their wedding pro-posal to friends and family.

Now they can just whip outtheir mobile devices and

pull up the video. IsaacsLive Lip-Dub Proposal, a

street-musical marriageproposal with more than 60

participants, has more than17 million YouTube views.

Not every bride can have

such a spectacular, viral hit

as a memorable keepsake,but they can incorporatevideo into the big day for

a dazzling effect. Cre-ate a short film about the

couples back story to playon a loop as guests arrive at

the ceremony or reception.

And dont forget the vid-eographer to complement

wedding-day photography.Its great to have both.

Orton says. They both cap-ture different emotions.

What makes a Great Video

ByTanieshaRoBinsonCTW Features

Todays brides are pinning, liking,

sharing, posting (and still lipping

through pages o glossy magazines)

while on the hunt or inspiration as

they plan or the big day. And not

only are they gathering ideas rom

photos on Pinterest, Facebook and

other social media sites, theyre eager

to share their own.

According to a recent survey

conducted by online media compa-

nies The Knot and Mashable, 1 in 3

brides update their relationship status

on Facebook within hours o their

engagement. And an online spread o

engagement photos usually ollows.

I think that peoples style has

improved and their expectations

have heightened because o Pinterest,

blogs and Facebook, says Lindsey

Orton o the Provo, Utah-based

Lindsey Orton Photography. She also

says couples may even eel pressure to

match or outdo photos their engaged

or married riends have published

online.

So what does (and doesnt) make

or great engagement and wedding

photos brides will want to pin, post,

print and share right away?

For us, style means real, authen-

tic, genuine moments, says Kristyn

Hogan, a Nashville, Tenn.-based

photographer. The ability to look

at a photograph and remember what

it elt like to be there, to eel a con-

nection with the moment and the

memory, thats what we always strive

or and thats what our brides come

to us or.

Many o todays brides are turn-

ing to themes and creative story lines

in their engagement and wedding

photography to create memorable,

standout images.

I think i it relates to the couple,

then its a really great thing, Orton

says. But unless it does, its kind o

unnecessary. And, in twenty years

people would look at it and be like,

Whats that?

Hogan loves styled shoots but

echos Ortons precaution that the

theme should have a purpose and

connection to the couple. I the

theme or story connects with the

couple and brings out their personali-

ties and unique relationship, I love

it! Hogan says.

Hogans tips or the best pho-

tos includes hiring a proessional

makeup artist.

[They] understand the dier-

ence between an everyday look and

what youll want and need on your

wedding day rom longevity to how

it shows in photos, she writes on her

blog. Youll have these photos or the

rest o your lie and you want to look

your absolute best!

For photos on the big day, Hogan

tells brides to get ready somewhere

awesome. I brides want to capture

the preparation beore walking down the

aisle, a messy hotel room or bathroom

wont provide the best setting. She also

says that the dierence between pretty

reception photos and breathtaking pho-

tos is lighting: candles, chandeliers,

dance loor lighting, etc.

The most important element or

great photos, however, may be to enjoythe day and let your photographer and

others think about the details.

It doesnt have to be a stressul time,

Orton says. Youre married and in love

and you can just take pictures about you

guys. You dont need to have all these

props. Its just about you.

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F A S H I O N

Coming Up

Glamorous

But the journey to ind what she reallywants may be raught with detours. Ater all,what she sees on the computer screen a sin-ewy number on a 5-oot, 10-inch supermodel may not go over well on her 5-oot, 4-inchcurvy rame. Or, the price o her avorite

online gown may not be in the same league asher budget.Pinterest and social media are a blessing

and a curse or bridal shops, says Ty McBrayer,owner o Twirl Lexington, a bridal boutiquein Lexington, Ky. What they see may be a$10,000 dress, and they have a $1,000 budget.It sets standards that cant be met with certainsubjects.

To navigate the road to her special purchase,bridal experts oer ways to keep the dream incheck.

Bridal stores know that everything is aboutresearch these days when planning a wedding,especially because a typical client is o the socialmedia generation. (One o the irst weddingblogs out there, Style Me Pretty, notes that themedian age o its user is 27.) But, at the end othe research day, the ideas are someone elsesand not yours. Do whats best or you. Pickingthe color purple or your wedding because itlooks pretty online may not be the best idea iits not a color you really like.

Ive had brides say that I hope my real

wedding is as pretty as my Pinterest wed-ding, says Anne Davis, co-owner oBliss Bride in Del Mar, Cali. They may

ind the ultimate-looking wedding online, butit may not work in reality or them.

By all means, buy your dress in person. Feel

ree to canvass designer websites and social mediaplatorms or dress options and to pester them withquestions, including that o the gowns price. Then,gather your ideas on your Pinterest page and emailthe link to the local bridal boutique beore yourappointment, but dont buy online. I you want toget a head start on ittings, try using an iPhone applike The Knots Wedding Dress Look Book, whichedits the dress-browsing process by body type, per-sonality and wedding style.

We wouldnt recommend ordering gownsrom websites because youre never sure i the

quality o the gown is up to par, says LynnAnnatone, marketing director or ModernTrousseau, based in Woodbridge, Conn. You

want to touch and eel it. Its a once in a lie-time purchase so make sure youre getting whatyou want.

One o the biggest beneits o the Internetinormation overload is that you can savemoney. Finding out about sample sales used tobe more o a hush-hush aair. Now, designersand store owners use Facebook and Twitter toalert ollowers about upcoming events, includ-ing trunk shows, which oten involve discountsor extra perks.

Thats how a number o brides shop ortheir gowns at Kleineld Bridal in Manhat-tan, says Jeylan Yolac, social media marketingmanager or the store, noting that many o thestores online ollowers give eedback on gowncollections Kleineld posts.

Their comments provide us with greatinsight into what they want to see when theycome in, Yolac says.

CTW Features

BynolasaRkisian-MilleR| CTW FeaTuRes

BHLDN

Long before she says I do, abride has a pretty good idea of herdream dress. Whether shes justType A or accesses the wealth of

information on Facebook, Twitterand Pinterest boards galore, shespretty much decided if its Vera

Wang or Amsale, strapless or one-shoulder.

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From InStyle and People to The Knotand Pinterest, theres no shortage owebsites with photos to help you or-mulate your idea o big-day beautiul.Austie Eckley, a Portland, Ore.-based hair

and makeup artist, says many o the bridesshe works with nd inspiration in celebrityimages because starlets typically have topstylists creating their picture-perect looks.The key thing, however, is to know your-

sel, says Megan Garmers, ounder o MGHair & Makeup, which provides services

nationwide.Find examples o your desired look (as well

as ones you dont like), ideally on someone

who looks like you.We all want to look like Beyonc, Garm-

ers says, but i your skin tone and hair typeare more like Nicole Kidman, only a smallortune and a really good plastic surgeoncan help you. O course, you also can point

out aspects o pictures that appeal toyou, such as fawless, glowing skin likeBeyoncs, Garmers adds. But i you, say,have short and thin hair, understand thata large bun would require extensions.Print photos or store them on your

phone or tablet and bring them to your

consult, Eckley says. Or you can email a... link to your stylist to help her or himprepare or the trial.Garmers also oers an iPhone/iPad

app called iLook Beauty Book, whichincludes numerous hair and makeupimages that you can lter through orspecic beauty proles, such as red lip,up-do, short hair, hair accessories, etc.It also links through to the artist/stylistswebsite so that you can ask how they didthe look, get product recommendations

or inquire i they provide bridal services inyour area or know o someone who does.

That said, days or even months o onlineresearch and photo accumulation only goso ar. Its important or brides to come inwith an open mind, Eckley says, and takeadvantage o your stylists opinion.

Anna Sachse CTW Features

Picture-

PerectHow to turn yourbeauty inspirationsinto a show-stopping

wedding look

B E A U T Y

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ThePerect

Place

V E N U E

Online and o,

heres how to indyour dream location

ByannasaChseCTW Features

Beore you make an appoint-ment to check out a potential

wedding venue, chances areyoull do a lot o online recon-naissance: Read every word ontheir website, click throughphotos and search or othercouples reviews o the space.

Heres what you should keep inmind when doing your not-in-person rst pass, and the detailsyou cant know outside o anin-person meeting.

Online GoalsA venues website or Face-

book page oten gives a taste othe locations style and vibe, andit should include a lot o practi-cal inormation that can helpnarrow down the search.

Its very important or abride to know exactly what type

o atmosphere and environ-ment she wants or her weddingbeore looking at venues, says

Kimberly Schlegel Whitman, aDallas-based party and liestyleexpert and author o WeddingInspiration: Ideas & Advice or

Your Perect Wedding (GibbsSmith, 2012). Its also impor-tant to know details like howmany guests youre aiming or,and i you want a venue that al-lows outside caterers or i yourehappy with one that takes careo every element o the eventor you. These actors help abride know what to watch outor and what to ignore.

The price and availability alsoare key elements to search or,as theres no point in visiting iits way over your budget or youarent able to adjust your wed-ding date, says Marsha Heck-man, a San Francisco-based

wedding planner and foral de-signer, and author o A BridesBook o Lists: Everything YouNeed to Plan the Perect Wed-ding, Revised and Updated(Welcome Books, 2013). In ad-dition, Heckman advises seeing

what they say about availableparking (do you have to paya valet service?), noise restric-

tions, cleanup and what, i any,urniture, linens, dishes, etc.,are included in the price.

Denitely scan all the photoson the site and eel ree to askthe venue or more, Heckmansays. Its extremely helpulto know what an outdoorspace looks like in the actualmonth you plan to get married(fowers, urnishings, exteriorlighting), she notes, or i anindoor space will have seasonaldecorations that youll eitherlove or hate.

Independent review sites(think Yelp or a local bridalpublication) also may be help-ul, but be sure to read thespecics o any complaints,as they may not apply to you.Even better, ask other wedding

vendors or their insight, Whit-man says. Florists and caterersoten know what works and

what doesnt at each spot.In-Person Particulars

When a venue seems to meetyour wish list, make an appoint-

ment, Heckman says. It will beobvious right away i it doesntlook like it did in pictures, but

you also want to make sure itsclean and well-kept inside andout, that it meets the snitest and that the restrooms areacceptable. And dont minimizethe importance o the venuesta and/or included eventcoordinators personality,

Whitman adds. Youll likely beworking with these people quitea bit throughout the plan-ning process and during your

wedding, so its essential thatyoure compatible and that theyunderstand your vision. Youalso cant get a true sense o thefow o a space until you visit itin-person, Whitman says. Walkthe path that your guests willtake so that you know exactly

what their experience will be.At the end o the visit, ask

yoursel i you can envision thespace as the location or yourbeautiul day, Heckman says,but give yoursel at least a dayto decide i it is.

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F L O W E R S

Fresh

Inspiration

Photo:TrevorDaleyPhotog

raphy/Design:FleursdeFrance

Wedding Planning Checklist

10-12 months before your wedding Mail Save the Dates.

Research forists.

Choose bridal party attire and accessories.

Book ceremony and reception venues.

Book ociant.

Book photographer, videographer, caterer,

musicians, and planner.

Purchase wedding dress and veil.

Establish a tness routine.

Establish a skin care/beauty routine.

8-10 months before your wedding

Research three hotels or out-o-town guests.

Finalize guest list.

Register at three national retailers.

Book forist.

ByMegan PaTsavasCTW Features

The beautiul bouquet opeonies you envisioned carry-ing down the aisle in all thosepost-engagement weddingantasies may not be the mostrealistic foral option on yourinspiration board.

Although that stack obridal magazines and all thosePinterest boards might be ullo fowers rom all over thecountry (the world, even),brides-to-be may need to con-sider whats in-season, whats

available in their location andwhat works with their budgetwhen planning foral arrange-ments.

Theres just so many detailswhen it comes to fowerspeople dont think about asar as the storage is concerned,and ordering, and how ar outyou need to order and whatkind are available its justsuch a complex part o thewedding planning process,says Sarah Chancey, owner oChancey Charm, a weddingplanning and design companybased in Atlanta.

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Chancey, who used to work inforal design, recommends thatbrides research which fowersare available in their location atdierent times o the year andhow much they cost.You dont want them to get

their heart set on peonies, andtheyre getting married in No-vember and we cant get thempeonies, Chancey says. Or,they want these fowers thatall cost an arm and a leg andthey have a really small budget.They need to be realistic about availability and price beoreestablishing which fowers theyare set on using.Jessica Switala, ounder o theSebastopol, Cali.-based Fleursde France, has been in foraldesign or around 30 years.Though she agrees seasonalityis important, she says its not aslimiting as it used to be.What is local and seasonal

really doesnt have the sameparameters as it used to. Peopledont plan their weddings thatway, Switala says.

Instead, some brides are head-ing to websites and gathering

inspiration rom all over canyou say Pinterest? and thenbringing their ideas or theirwedding to their forist.

The tricky part is reallyputting a dollar value on theirexpectations or scaling backthe expectations to meet thedollars, says Switala, whoestimates that 90 percent othe brides she works with bringher ideas theyve gleaned romPinterest, magazines or herwebsite.

Sometimes a foral designerhas to get creative and oeralternatives to t a bridesbudget or compensate or avail-ability.Depending on the fower

and the month, there may bealternatives, Switala says. Forexample, peonies are not alwaysavailable, so the David Austinrose is an alternative. However,theyre not that much lessexpensive, but its that rufedlook.And i its a white hydrangea,

white hydrangeas generally areless expensive than the coloredone, but it depends, Switala

adds. In the summer, they canbe comparable, but some o thedeeper colors, which are get-ting imported, are three timesmore.With so many actors toconsider, when should bridesstart picking the fowers ortheir big day?Rani Hoover, whos had

her own wedding and eventplanning business or six years,Inspired Weddings & Eventsin Santa Barbara, Cali., sayspicking the right fowersdepends on the size and scopeo the event, and the right timeto start planning depends onthe brides tastes, as well as you guessed it the fowersseasonality and availability.

I they have exotic tastes,some things that need to beimported, the earlier the bet-ter, Hoover says. I theyremore into a resh, kind o wildfower, local, seasonal-type oarrangements, then certainlythat time gets dialed waydown, but it really varies ac-cording to the brides taste.

CTW Features

F L O W E R S

FleursdeFrance

We have all your foral needs at thisspecial time...

from the Bridal Shower to the Wedding party - Bouquets.. Corsages..

the Cememony - Arches, Abors and Aisles..

...and to continue onto the Reception -

Center Pieces,Room Decorating.

Phone: 406.446.4007or 406.860.98771405 N Broadway Red Lodge, [email protected]

Delivery is available.

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Guest Alert!I N V I T A T I O N S

The invites, save-the-dates and all the

other essential stationery. Heres howto get your paperwork in order.

ByTiMoThyR. sChulTeCTW Features

Facebook added aWeddings and Celebra-

tions eature to the littlebox at the top-right cornero the site last year, whichput engagement and wed-ding notications alongsidebirthdays and other events.The moment you changeyour relationship status toengaged, every one o yourriends know about it (andsome will probably send youa congratulatory note just asmeaningul as the obligatoryFacebook birthday wish).However, the ability to

mass-communicate instantly with just a ew taps o atouch screen, you can broad-cast anything to every singleperson you know does notmean people should take ane-approach to their weddinginvitations. Ater all, there

still is a sense o decorum tobe had, even in the digitalage.

Getting StartedStill, social networks and

electronic communicationcan be a big help beore you

get to ink-and-paper invites.Your guest list isnt trulynalized until you havemailing addresses or all theguests to whom youll send aninvitation. Facebook, emailand even text messages arequick and easy ways to trackdown ino rom aunts, uncles,cousins and old collegeriends whove job-hoppedaround the country. Just dontmake your request via a statusupdate; you dont want tobroadcast the message to olkswho will not be invited toyour soire.Google also has a suite o

Google Docs-based weddingplanning tools designed tohelp tech-savvy couples

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stay on top o their I Do to-dos, includ-ing a collaborative guest list. Just email thedocument to your guests, and they can llin their inormation. Check out google.com/weddings or more details.

With these ner points out o the way,its time to get into the paper details.Whether youre getting your stationeryproessionally designed or going the DIYroute, take a trip to a local stationery shopto get your hands on some paper andcheck out design styles. Typically, expectto spend around 5 percent o your budgeton your stationery, including postage, butadjust as necessary depending on yourguest list and paper preerences.

Save-the-DateAs soon as your venue is booked, send

all your guests a save-the-date. It doesnt

matter i its a year out rom the wedding the point is, you want your guests toget your wedding on their schedules assoon as possible.

You dont need to go overboard ondetails; just your names and the date to

keep open. I you have a wedding web-site already set up with details about theceremony, reception and accommodations,include the URL. And o course, you canmention that a ormal invitation will ol-

low.Wedding Invitation and EnclosuresEtiquette 101: Do not include registryinormation on the invitation anywhere!Youre inviting your riends and amily tojoin in your wedding celebration; yourenot inviting them to bring you gits. (Butyes, they do want to give you gits, so listregistry inormation on your weddingwebsite.)

The actual wedding invitation is whereyou ocially invite your guests. Plan toput these in the mail around two monthsprior to your wedding. The RSVP card

(sel-addressed and stamped) is whereguests will accept or decline invitationand, i youre having a seated dinner, marktheir dinner selection. List a date by whichyoud appreciate their reply, usually ourweeks beore the wedding date.

Although all the pertinent details may

be on your wedding website, its stillcustomary to include a card separate romthe invitation that lays out the wheres andwhens or the reception venue (i separate)and accommodations.

Day-of PiecesThe invitation might be the main attrac-

tion, but there are still some paper piecesyou need or the big day:Programs:Ifyourehavingacer-

emony in a house o worship, this will listinormation on the ociant, readings, thewedding party, etc.Tablenumbers/namesEscortcardsandPlacecards:Escort

cards tell the guest at which table they areseated. Place cards show them in whichchair they are sitting.Menus:Anoutlineofdinner,setwith

each place card, is a nice touch.Thank-yous:Ifyouwanttogetajump on showing your gratitude, it canbe worthwhile to invest in stationery thateatures your newly married name.

CTW Features

HIS TORIC DOW NTOW N RED LODGE

Booking information:

406.446.3753

Schedule your event todayBull n Bear SaloonBull n Bear Saloon

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PUT A RING ON IT!R I N G S

Today, youRlovesToRylivesonline. Take the engagement, orinstance.Nearly 60 percent o brides-to-be

share their were getting marriednews by posting a picture o theirengagement ring on Facebook(though about one in ve o theirances think doing so is tacky!),according to a proposal surveyrom The Knot and Mens Healthmagazine.But on your big day and every

day thereater your weddingband will have equal billing along-side your engagement ring, eveni it may be less sparkly. Youllwant to make sure it is cohesivewith your engagement ring and, ocourse, that it ts your style.Start with the metal. According

to a study o wedding jewelry byThe Knot, 73 percent o engage-

ment rings are white gold, whichalso makes up 70 percent o wed-ding bands. Whether your ring iswhite or yellow gold or platinumor something else altogether, youd

be in good company sticking withthe same base metal or your wed-ding band.Also keep in mind design ele-ments. Maybe your engagement

ring is a ull or partial eternityband, or maybe it eatures pavdiamonds or accent gemstones.You can carry on these elementsinto your wedding band.White gold also is popular orthe groom, with about one-thirdo grooms picking a blanco band.However, alternative metals liketungsten and titanium (think golclubs!) have grown in popularityin recent years, not just because otheir unique look, but their lowerprice point.Another trend or guys is man-gagement rings. According to theMens Health/The Knot survey, 17percent o men said they would(not necessary that they do) weara ring to let the public know theyare o the market.

Timothy R. Schulte

CTW Features

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2 Steps to aStylish Meal

F O O D & D R I N K S

ByannasaChseCTW Features

The wedding meal andbar typically are your topwedding expenses, and withnever-ending online photos

and magazine editorialseaturing lavish stations,chic small bites and couturecocktails, it can be easy toget ahead o yoursel andyour pocketbook. Here, twowedding-planning expertsoer tips to balance yourdream dinner-and-drinksspread with your budgetrealities.Step 1: E-xploreNot sure i youre eel-

ing macaroni-and-cheese

cupcakes and mugs o spikedcider or a raw bar and saketinis?Do a google search or dierentwedding reception styles and seewhat pops up.

Online resources put tons ooptions at your nger tips, saysWendi Hroncich, ounder o Seat-tle-based Ethereal Events. Youreexposed to so much more than justwhats in your area, allowing youto pull ideas rom experts aroundthe world!Use the images and ideas you

nd to build a dream menu that

you can then share with yourcaterer and bartenders, Hroncichsays. Pinterest is amazing orhelping you clariy your vision.

O course, inspiration shots andmenu requests are one thing, butyou dont want to go too ar, to thepoint where you are directing yourche on how to cook.Thats a no-no! says Andrea Lewis, oundero Memphis-based Andrea LewisEvents. But most caterers will beopen to working with you to cre-ate a special dish or two, or design

a menu in the style you want thatalso plays up their talents.Need help nding the actual ca-

terer? A google search or weddingwebsite may oer leads on caterersin your area. However, the bestcompanies are typically ound viareerrals rom past clients or otherwedding vendors, Lewis says. Putout a request or suggestions onFacebook or Twitter (ask aboutood quality, price and how easythey were to work with) and emaila forist or baker you love to see

who tops their catering list.Step 2: Edit

YourselfCouples can denitely get

carried away trying to doeverything they see online,Hroncich says. The resultcan lack cohesion (sushi andried chicken and a taco barand sangria ) and get veryexpensive.Rein yoursel in by deciding

on your priorities. I yourgoal is a big party, an amplebar will help, Lewis says, buteven ample doesnt have tobreak the bank. She suggestsoering a selection o white

and red wines (Riesling toChardonnay and Zinan-dels to Merlots) and both adomestic and import beer.Kick it up a notch by oer-ing regional products, cavaor prosecco or your bubbly,and one or two avorite cock-tails that you ound duringyour online research. I youreally want it all and dontmind a little DIY, make sureyou pick a venue that doesntcharge you to bring in your

own liquor, Lewis says. Thatcan save a ew thousand dol-lars on your bar tab.

Hroncich advises keepingcosts down by choosing oneor two things you truly ellin love with during yourresearch that also will makea big impact. For example,you could have that gor-geous signature cocktail with

a candied-ruit stir-stick andan elegant dessert table, butskip the 20 cute appetizersthat caught your eye. Or i

youre truly obsessed with smallbites, ocus on options that willsatisy guests aster. Cheese andruit will not ll people up or thenight, but risotto balls and meatskewers will, Hroncich says. Andyou can always ask your catererto suggest unique and memorabledishes that are surprisingly budget-riendly, like gourmet renditions ostews, curries or even a hearty butstunning salad.

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M U S I C

Lets Dance!ByTiMoThy R. sChulTeCTW Features

You can cram into a too-smalllimo, stumble through your vowsand even enjoy a too-well-donesteak at the end o the day,youre going to remember the unyou had at your wedding and nota ew minor details. But whenit comes to the music, you dontwant to make any concessions.Your DJ will be the arbiter oyour party, single-handedly mak-

ing the decisions that bring outthe craziest, unniest and romanticbest in you and your guests at yourreception.You want to ensure a night ogreat music and great memories.So, as with all vendors, ask the

right questions and make sure youare a good match beore you com-

mit. Here are some things to keepin mind when meeting with yourpotential DJ.

The VibeWhen you walk into the oce,

are you at an oce or at some-ones home? How do you eel? Isthe meeting riendly, or transac-tional? Do they take the time toget to know you and your ancas a couple, or just dive into thepackage options? Do they askabout your music tastes? The

dierence between eeling likea client and eeling like anothercustomer is important, and it maybe indicative o the service youllbe provided.

The PlaylistThe DJ may have all the songs

you want to hear in his catalog,but how are you going to conveythat to him? Is there an onlinesong-management system? Formsto ll out? What is the deadline tohave your requests submitted? Idesired songs are not available, will

the DJ obtain them?

The EquipmentTake a listening test. Ask what

grade o speakers and subwoo-ers they have and i they havebackups, i need be. See how theirDJ system works or queuing up

songs, ading them in and out andchanging the song.

The Packages &Paperwork

Be sure to review all sound pack-age options including the ser-vices, number o hours, prices andpayment schedule. When youveound the service that meets yourneeds, like every vendor, be sure tosign the contract and get a copy.All thats let to do is dance.

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Taking the Cake

C A K E

How to make the dessert of your dreams a reality

ByMegan PaTsavasCTW Features

Gorgeous-looking weddingcakes are almost ubiquitous they grace the pages oglossy magazines, are eaturedin reality shows and areespecially present online onwedding blogs and social siteslike Pinterest. But scoringthat divine, delectable cakeor your own wedding mightprove a little more dicult.

Sarah Chancey, owner oChancey Charm, a weddingplanning and design compa-ny based in Atlanta, suggeststhat brides-to-be start think-ing about their wedding cakeas soon as possible. I recom-mend that they start looking

into cakes as ar out as theycan, as ar as choosing a bakerand reserving a date, becausei they want an exceptionalbaker, they want to make surethat theyre on their books inplenty o time, she says.Erica OBrien o Erica

OBrien Cake Design inHamden, Conn., recom-mends securing your venuerst, adding that the bridealso needs to know the ap-proximate number o guests,

which will determine thesize o the tiers, the numbero tiers and the cost o thecake.The brides inspiration is

the next part o the process.OBrien, who has been aproessional in the wedding

cake industry or seven yearsand does about 75 weddingcakes a year, says that it ishelpul or brides to havesome design ideas o cakesthey like as a jumping-opoint. She estimates thatnearly 85 to 90 percent othe brides she works withhave an idea, i not or theircake, at least o a generaltheme or eel or their wed-ding.When I rst started,

brides would come in withtheir older or portolio, andthey clipped photos rommagazines. Now, theyllmore than likely come inwith an iPad and just sort ofip through some pictures,OBrien says.

At Cafe Regis,food is much more than a

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On or off-site Large group or small Formal or informal atmospheres

Our talented staff prides itself in catering to your special needs.A fresh-food Cafe, caterer, and grocery. Placing a strong priority onsustainability - from solar energy, to recycling, to organic producegardens right outside our kitchen door!

CAFE REGIS 501 S WORD RED LODGE, MONTANA

406.446.1941 WWW.CAFEREGIS.COM

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C A K E

Photo:BrookeAllison/Design:E

ricaOBrien

CakeDesign

Photo:BrookeAllison/Design:E

ricaOBrien

CakeDesign

The plethora o onlineinspiration available hasexpanded brides creativityand expectations, OBriensays, and helps uel thetrends. For example,OBrien says that lastsummer, she had manybrides ask or cakes with achevron pattern on them.But bringing your baker

a photo or two o the cake

you love doesnt neces-sarily mean she can orwill copy it or you.Each artist puts their owntouch on it, OBrien says,and bakers have dierentphilosophies on whether ornot they will replicate eachothers cakes.Its also important to

remember that photos ocakes you see in magazinesor online might not be re-alistic or your locationor budget.A lot o what you see

online in photo shootsare oten aux cakes, andsometimes those designsare a bit more challengingto execute on a real cake inthe middle o July with 95percent humidity, OBriensays.

I youre concerned aboutthe cost o the cake, con-sider asking the baker tomake a smaller display cakeand have a sheet cake inthe back (that no one sees)to serve to your guests.Its more economical,

OBrien says, but shecautions brides to makesure the size o the dis-play cake looks propor-tional to the number oguests.Having a smaller cake

or doing multiple cakesor pies, more o a dessertbar kind o thing, is alsoa great option or budgetbrides, Chancey says.Last, but denitely not

least important, is thetaste and favor o thecake.You want to get a cake

people are going to wantto eat, OBrien says.I couples are having

trouble choosing thefavor o the cake, shesuggests going with amore classic choice, such

as vanilla, which will ap-peal to more guests.With the right planningand the help o a greatbaker, brides-to-be canhave the cake o theirdreams.

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EAT

DRINKMARRIED

AND

BE

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Unplug

&Recharge

H O N E Y M O O N

Really?Ater a year o planning andthousands o dollars spenton the wedding and now thehoneymoon, youre going todecompress by checking inon Facebook?According to a joint survey byThe Knot.com and Mashable.com, two-thirds o brides con-sider logging onto their socialsites during their honeymoon.Dont.In act, i you can, curb the

urge altogether by uninstallingyour Facebook, Twitter andPinterest apps rom your phoneand tablet beore you leave oryour moon. You worked hardto get to this point, so take thetime to enjoy the post-nuptialbliss with your new spouse, nota screen.

Ater all, a honeymoon, whilealways deserved, does not comecheap! The average cost o ahoneymoon in 2012 was nearly$5,000, according to Bridesmagazines 2012 AmericanWedding Study: Travel Edition,up rom just over $3,500 in2011. The takeaway? At theend o the wedding journey,couples are investing in them-selves.A honeymoon is something

that a couple can share togetherand look back on 20 or 30years down the road, Bridestravel editor Jacqueline Giordsays. Theyre spending money/investing in creating a memorythat will last a lietime, ratherthan a material object thattheyll be over in two years.

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Nestled in the cozy little town ofRoscoe Montana,

The Grizzly Bar & Grillhas been a staple since the 1930s.Whether its a wedding receptionor rehearsal dinner, the GrizzlyBar & Grill offers both on and

off site food and bar catering.

Let the Grizzly Bar & Grill

take care of the details soyou can enjoy your day!

1 Main St.Roscoe, MT 59071Phone: (406) 328-6789

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