I Do

June 2011

I DoHow did he pop THE Question?!?

Happily Ever AfterGet to know one of Etown’s cutest couples

Say YES to the

DRESS

Find your Skinny

Summer Wedding Season

I Do 1

ENTERTAINMENT

DO IT YOURSELF

2: Top 10 location marriage spots3: Theme Weddings: Ideas & More4-5: Honeymoon Steals

6: Royal Wedding- Kate & William8-9: Say YES to the Dress10-11: How did he pop THE question?!13-14: The Younger the Better

GETTING TO KNOW

16-17: A Day in the life of a BRIDE18-19: Happily Ever AfterThe fairytale of a college loves21: What’s HOT & What’s NOTSeason Do’s & Don’t

DO IT YOURSELF

Top 10 Destination Wedding Spots

I Do 2

1. Walt Disney World- Grand Floridian Resort, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Land California, Hawaii

2. Hawaii3. Las Vegas

4. California-Napa Valley

5. Florida-Key West & St. Petersburg

6. Mexico-Cabo,Cancun & Riviera Maya

7. Carribean-Dominican Republic& Jamica

8. Cruise Lines

9. Paris, France

10. Italy-Naples & Florence

DO IT YOURSELF THE EM STHE EM SGive your guest a day they will never forget.

Theme weddinds are a rare but special time

fothe bride and groom to allow their guests to

learn a little more about themselves. Sports,

Disney,music, beach, holidays and under the

sear are just a few different themes people use

for their wedding. Think of your likes, hobbies

and passions and try to create atheme that will

make your wedding day extra special for you

and your guests. Below are two ideas on how

to create different theme weddings.

I Do 3

SPORTSHockey, football, baseball or basketball, what’s your forte? Give your guests the ultimate experience by showing them how much of a sports fanatic you really are.

Sports Tickets- they give the date, time, venue, etc. They will give your guests the slightest hint about the fun they are about to indulge in.

Invitations

ReceptionVenue- Divide room into different sports and make each table your favorite teams. Decorate in colors of the teams, equipment, cards and jerseys. Place sports trivia on each table to allow guests to get to know eachother.Arrival of Wedding Party- The DJ talks like a sports announcer when announcing each coup;e and place sports songs such as, “Take me out to the ball game.” While the couple walks out they can toss plush sports equipment iike, baseballs or footballs. This allows the gues to feel more involved in the event.Food- Stay away from classic entrees and try something new like hot dogs, chicken fingers, crabby fries or food you would find at a sporting event. Layer the cake with different teams and just be creative and think of how your guests would best get the feeling of attending a sporting event.

DISNEYYou thrive to have the fairytale wedding, with a prince and a princess and everything to make your day as magical as possible. Disney, where all your dreams come true, is the root of all fairytales.

InvitationsScrolls & Disney Mania- If you are focusing on a Princess themed wedding send a scroll which correlates with royalty. If you are focusing on all of the types of Disney movies, you could send invites focusing on your favorite Disney movies with different quotes from the movies for example, “Dreams come true” or “Enjoy the magic carpet ride.”

ReceptionVenue- A Princess wedding can have each table being a specific Disney Princess movie such as “Aladdin” and “Cin-derella”. If its all Disney movies each table can be a different movie so the area is focused on all of Disney with the head table being the Castle. The table cards will have the charac-ters photo and guests will have to match it up with the movie to find the table.Arrival of Wedding Party- The DJ introduces the wedding party as different Prince and Princesses while they walk out to the main song from the movie such as “Beauty and the Beast” the song would be “Tale as old as time”. For a wedding focusing on all the movies the wedding party can walk out as famous Disney couples such as Donald Duck and Daisy Duck and you and your hubby can be the famous Mickey and Minnie Mouse.Favors- The wedding favors can also focus around Disney. The favors for either a Disney Princess themed wedding or Disney themed wedding you can have figurines from differ-ent Disney movies or you could pick a specific item that makes a movie stand out, such as the apple from “Snow White” or the glass slipper from “Cinderella.”

Don’t let the LOVE stop.. Let US keep it going on your honeymoon.

DO IT YOURSELF Honeymoons Honeymoons 1) Work with a travel

Agent- By working with a

travel agent they will be

able to help you find the

best deals for what you are

looking for. A travel agent

has connections with

hotels, airlines, different

excursions, etc.

3) Travel in the Off Season-

Ex. Caribbean(Spring- July)

/ Hawaii(May-June/Sept-

Dec)/ Mexico (April/Oct-

Nov) When people think off

season they may think bad

weather but places such as

the Caribbean, Mexico and

Hawaii have fairly great

weather all year round.

4) All Inclusive- Look for all

inclusive trips that may seem more expensive but will allow you to

save in the long run, with room, food and alcohol plus more

2) Stay Close to Home-

Resorts, Bed & Breakfasts,

Driving cuts cost by staying

closer to home one of the

largest cost which is usually

the airfare is cut from the

equation. There are plenty

of resorts, bed & break-fasts and camping sites.

Make it

Magical

Walt Disney World

Honeymoons

on a Budgeton a Budget

7) Cruise- Cruises are a

great inexpensive trip that

is sometimes all inclusive

or everything is included

but alcohol. A cruise it

can take you to more than

one place, Caribbean,

Alaska or Mexico

5) Honeymoon Registry Gifts-

Think of a honeymoon you and

your husband want to go on

and figure out all the details.

A family member or friend

could buy the honeymoon as

the wedding present or split it

between a group of people as

a honeymoon registry.

6) Pull your Resources- Get

together your frequent flyer

miles if you have any or have

someone give them to you as

a gift. Also, get close with

benefits from credit cards,

insurance companies, dining

cards or club memberships.

For example you can get

deals through AAA or BJ‛S

Wholesale membership.

8) Camping Trips- Cabins,

beach camping sites and

the mountain are all desti-

nations where you can enjoy

horseback riding, fishing

and many other activites

that are cost effective.

The Royal Wedding

William & kate

Over 2 billion people tuned in

to watch the wedding of the

century on April 29th, 2011.

Elton John, David Beckham and wife Victo-ria, Ian Thorpe and Guy Richie were among the 1,900 guests to attend the ceremony at Westminster Abbey. Following the ceremony a royal procession took the newly intro-duced Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to the Buckingham Palace where the Queen was hosting an afternoon reception for nearly 700 close family and friends.

The couple, in an attempt to “modernize” the royal traditions broke a few traditions as well as created some of their own. Princess Diana as well as other royal brides chose to ride in a glass coach to the wedding and then take the royal couple to the reception site after the ceremony. Kate and Wills decided to ride in an antique 1902 State Landau, a horse drawn carriage. Their back up plan if it were to rain was the glass coach. Something borrowed, was an antique tiara borrowed from the queen, something new were diamond earrings with an acorn inside the teardrop shaped hoop to rep-resent the new families crust and something blue was a blue ribbon sewn into her lace wed-ding dress. The Duchess slipped into another dress designed by Sarah Burton, which was elegantly simple complimenting her petite figure, in which she wore to the dinner dance for 300 guests hosted by Prince Charles. Prince William wore a simple black and white tuxedo.

The way the couple gazed into each other’s eyes during the ceremony proved their everlasting love. As Kate waltzed down the aisle on the arm of her father, Prince Harry whispered to his brother who was looking opposite his bride, “here she is.” This was one of the moments seen but not heard throughout the world. As the couple were united on the alter Wills whispered “you look beautiful,” to his glowing college sweetheart. After the couples were wed they cuddled up in the carriage and Kate told her husband how happy she was. As the world awaited the couple’s first official kiss, they were surprised to watch not only one but also two kisses between the royal couple. Some were disappointed with the deemed small peck between the two love-birds but traditions were kept in place for this aspect. All will hope that this true life fairy tale will leaving the couple living happily ever after!

By: Kit Mellott

What does the little blue box say to you?

Tiffany & Co.

I Do. 8

ENTERTAINMENT Wedding The day was finally here. She has been waiting with intense anticipation for the past two months. Would she find what she was looking for? Would the options be endless like all of the countless stories she heard? Would the experience be just as magical and tear jerking as all of the episodes she saw on television? The thoughts swarmed her head as she rounded the corner to the store. She stood in awe and took a deep breath in. She walked through the big glass doors and onto the spotless plush white carpet. She breathed out and smiled. Surrounded by infinite possibilities and options that she could wear on the very day that would begin the next chapter in her life. She was finally there, she was at Kleinfelds. Within seconds she was swept off to a pale green and pastel purple patterned couch with her mother, sister, and mother-in-law to be. After meeting the consultant she was taken to a dressing room and anxiously waited to see what dresses she would get to try on. The first was a sweetheart top covered with silver beading that led down the bodice and straight into the full bottom of the dress that exploded with tulle. She liked the dress, but knew it wasn’t “the one.” The second and third dresses weren’t the right fit for her either. She was getting discouraged quickly, and the consultant knew time was fleeting. She made one last trip to the stock room and pulled the dress that she had been holding onto for very last. As the bride to be pulled the dress over he head and turned to look at her refection in the mirror a single tear began to form in her eye. The consultant caught the glimpse of the bride to be in the mirror and smiled. She finished lacing up the back and opened the door to the hallway where her family sat waiting to see the next option. Chins dropped and squeals of happiness came from the bride-to-be’s mother. They all knew it was “the dress.” While this may sound like an average every-day experience of a bride to be searching for her wedding dress, it is actually a one of the stories portrayed in an episode of Say Yes to the Dress on the TLC channel. Shows like this that give the public an insider view into world of weddings are quickly taking over prime time television. The rave over weddings television shows has grown from a small mostly female fan base into a large following includ-ing males. Senior Benjamin Davisson from Elizabeth-town College describes his interest in the trending shows. “I was never interested in weddings before I began watching Engaged and Underage on MTV. I thought it was interesting how young couples struggled to get married because of their families and money issues.

Engaged and Underage on MTV first aired in the beginning of January of 2007 beginning the wedding craze. This reality show featured couples between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two who were engaged and planning their weddings. The show highlighted the ups and downs of getting married at a young age. Many of their issues on the show revolved around the approval or disapproval of their engagement from their families and how the wedding would be funded, among others. This show sparked the interest of viewers of all ages and continued for three full seasons. Engaged and Underage paved the way for all the wedding shows to come. The next show to hit the scene was TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress, which first aired in October of 2007. This show is also a reality show that takes place in Kleinfelds on New York. Kleinfelds is the premier wedding dress store carrying gowns that cost anywhere from $1,500 to $40,000. The show highlights different brides’ search for the perfect dress while sometimes tackling very opinion-ated family members and falling in love with a costly dress. Witnessing other brides struggle to find the perfect dress and getting the chance to see the cream of the crop wedding dresses on the market are what makes this show so such a hit. With six seasons already under its belt it seems that this show is here to stay. TLC stayed with the wedding theme introduc-ing Four Weddings in 2009. Four Weddings is also a reality show that follows four brides on each of their wedding days. Each bride also attends the other girls’ weddings and then rates them at the end of the show. The bride that has the highest score at the end wins a dream honeymoon to an exotic destination. The viewer gets an insider look into four completely different kinds of weddings with a hint of competition involved giving the show some appeal to a larger audience. After the premier of Four Weddings the rest of the networks on television began to catch onto the wedding trend and began producing shows similar to those produced by MTV and TLC. Bravo decided to launch a spin-off series about one of the stars of their hit show Housewives of New York City. This new reality show was called Bethenny Getting Married? and showcased Bethenny Frankel’s journey from planning her wedding, to getting married, and having her first child. This show was very relatable to viewers because Bethenny was not shy towards the camera. Her emotions, both happy and sad, were displayed in the show and kept viewers coming back every week to faithfully watch Bethenny accomplish all of her dreams.

By: Hope Salisbury

I Do. 9

CRASHERS The trend didn’t just stop with those few shows. Weddings could be found all over different networks, and many of them chose to incorporate a wedding theme into their primetime weight-loss series. The CW produced a show called Shedding for the Wedding, which was a competition style reality show with twelve couples fighting to lose the most weight. The couple that ended up shedding the most weight would win an extravagant dream wedding. E! also joined the other networks by producing Bridalplasty. However, E! took it even further than the CW did with Shedding for the Wedding. Bridalplasty was not a typical weight loss show that helped achieve a healthy body. This show was a competition for the perfect wedding and plastic surgery. Each week competitions would be held and the winner was granted the opportu-nity to choose a procedure that she thought would enhance her appearance for her wedding. Every Proce-dure from an eyebrow lift, to liposuction and Botox were featured on the show. The overall winner of the competi-tion was rewarded with the wedding of her dreams and a few plastic surgeries of her choice. The winner’s fiancée could not see her, however, until the day of the wedding where her new body would be revealed. This show brought up the question for some viewers about the networks producing these shows. Has television gone too far? Has the plastic surgery induced bridezilla taken over young and innocent wedding tales about love and purity? The pioneer network of this wedding themed trend, MTV, introduced an innocent look into the world of young weddings, offering a sympathetic and charming appeal to viewers. It highlighted weddings as important and sacred ceremonies that are meaningful to both of the partners involved. Next was TLC who materialized weddings by making Say Yes to the Dress entirely about the bride’s gown. This show, however, still held the charm of weddings and displayed true love stories in all o the episodes. Bravo’s show Bethenny Getting Married? was very popular and viewers had a positive response. Bethenny gave a brace face and allowed cameras into her most vulnerable part of her life, and viewers really respected her for that. She gave a face to the “crazy bride” that all women know they were or will become in the journey to their wedding day, thus exemplifying the ultimate relatable wedding show.

TLC’s other series, Four Weddings, was where competition was first introduced. This show captures the love between the female contestants and their partners during their own wedding day but kicked it up a notch with having the other brides critique every aspect of the other women’s special days. Each wedding is special in its own way and unique in its own way to the couple getting married. Rating other people’s special days took some of the love out of the show. Shedding for the Wedding, captivated an entirely different side of wedding shows and began a controver-sial new genre of television. Body image was introduced in this series, and while the contestants struggled with their weight in the start of the competition, they eventu-ally became more and more comfortable with them-selves. Professional trainers and nutritionists were readily available to contestants, but viewers had to ask, what about the wedding? It seemed that body image and looking thin on the wedding day consumed the entire storyline of the show and completely missed the sanctity of marriage. Senior Katherine Mellott of Elizabethtown College expressed her feelings about the show, “I absolutely love shows about weddings and have watched them since they first started coming on TV. I was really disappointed in this show though because it was all about losing weight and it lost all the glitz and glamour about weddings! I think from now on I’ll stick to Say Yes to the Dress.” Lastly, controversy was aroused even more around Bridalplasty. Experts on body image feared that the women on the show suffered from body dysmorphic disorder. This disorder leads people to believe that their bodies will never look appealing and that having continu-ous surgeries is the only way to fix the problem. Viewers were turned off by how this obsession with plastic surgery was mixed in with such a precious topic like marriage. Viewers seem to agree that wedding TV is a trend that the want to see for some time to come. Say Yes to the Dress is already in its sixth season; Four Weddings is in its third season, and Bethenny Getting Married? has a sequel about her life after marriage. The question that remains is not if weddings will stick around on television, but if issues such as weight-loss and plastic surgery will still be incorporated into shows about weddings. Keeping the theme about affection, wedding planning, choosing the perfect gown and even some friendly competition all keep marriage in perspective and highlight what everyone really enjoys about weddings in the first place, love, plain and simple.

ENTERTAINMENT

I Do. 10

How Did he POP It was coming up on Halloween and Bryn told me he had received this cool o�er from his Mom. His family belongs to the Disney Vacation Club where they have this point system. So his mom "told him" that she would pay for our �ight down to Disney and put us up in a hotel and pay for our park passes if we just sat through this one meeting down there so we could get points for them- so of course I said sure!So we le� Sunday morning, and got to Disney early. When we were driving from the airport Bryn said he somehow made reservations at Cinderella's Castle for lunch. So when we get to Magic Kingdom, we literally run to Cinderella's Castle to get there on time. When you check in you wait in line to get your picture with Cinderella, then go up to eat. �e whole time Bryn keeps saying "I just have to go to the bathroom." So I say "Okay..? Go then?" But then we get to our table, which of course is looking over the entire park, sit down and order our food. �en he once again said " I have to go to the back" So he goes, comes back and we are just talking, waiting for our food. �en the waiter comes over, but only brings a silver plate with a silver cover just to me. He pulls it o� and there is a glass slipper on top of rose petals with a ring in the middle! �en of course the music changes, everyone gets silent and looks at us. �en he gets down on one knee and ya know asks the question. Ha! �en bring you champagne glasses with sparkling cider, and each princess comes over to your table to congratulate you! It is so amazing. And the best part is that the glass slipper is engraved with your names and the date. And then they give you pins to wear around the park for the rest of the day saying "Just Engaged!" �e whole thing is magical!By: Tina Bucci

We got engaged on December 22, 2010 in NYC at Rockefeller Center. At that point we had been together for over a year and a half. I had NO idea that he had purchased a ring. Whenever we had discussed ge�ing engaged/married, he told me I had to �nish school and then we would talk about it. So I was expecting nothing until a�er May. He kept saying he wanted to take me to the city so that we could go ice-skating at night. We spent the whole day there. We walked around Times Square, went into some stores, and ate a late lunch/early dinner at a pub because we were waiting for it to get dark. When we got done eating we made our way over to Rockefeller Center. We had to wait in line for an hour to get on the ice. I have to add in here that I was terri�ed about ice-skating because I am the most ungraceful person in the world, and I was afraid that I was going to fall and break something. Anyway, we �nally got on the ice, and we went around a couple times. Frank told me that his feet were hurting him and he needed to take a break so we stopped in front of the Prometheus statue. Next thing I knew, he was down on one knee with a ring in front of me. I asked him if he was being serious. All I could think when I saw the ring is that is the most beautiful ring I have ever seen in my life, and I can't believe this is happening right now. He had to ask me again because I wasn't answering because I was in SUCH shock, but of course I �nally said yes!By: Niki Ha�

I Do. 11

THE Question?! Jarret surprised me with a weekend to Atlantic City one weekend in August of 2009. I thought we were going to just have a brief vacation before school started, so it was a total surprise that he decided to propose there. We spent the whole day at the beach, went out to dinner, and decided to spend the last few minutes of the day watching the sun set on the boardwalk. �ere happened to be a playground nearby, so Jarret pulled me over there to go swinging (we always went on playground dates during our college years at Etown). As the sun was se�ing, Jarret knelt down in the sand and pulled out a beautiful diamond ring. i was so exhilarated i didn't believe him at �rst - I kept saying, "Are you serious?" But a�er hearing all the beautiful things he said, of course I said yes when he asked me to marry him! We were together for about 2 1/2 years when he proposed, and we're planning on ge�ing married this July. It was the best moment of my life, and it will de�nitely be one that i cherish forever!By: Katie Bonnar

A�er enjoying �anksgiving dinner with my family, we headed down to Stone Harbor, New Jersey to spend the weekend with Nick's family during our holiday vacation. Similar to last year, the weather was a bit chilly (okay...it was frigid) but fortunately for Nick, I had begun to adapt to the extreme weather and was able to go with Nick on his (o�en crazy) photo excursions and nothing seemed out of the ordinary when he brought me down to the same stretch of beach we had �rst walked on together the previous year. As we walked down the shoreline, Nick snapped a number of pictures while I watched the seagulls and the men �shing at the end of the island. In recent months, Nick had begun to pose a picture of us, calling it "proof of love" so, despite the wind and rain, I wasn't surprised when he insisted that we pose for a picture on the beach. Clueless of his intentions, I continued to watch the people �shing as he set up his tripod. With the self-timer on the camera set, Nick posed with me and - just in time to capture the moment (and my priceless look) - got down on one knee and proposed.By: Katie Bornholdt

Gabe and I had been together for six years before we got engaged. We were going away for the weekend to see his family in Rhode Island for his cousin's wedding. We went out on a date night the night before the wedding and he took me for a walk on a beach he and his family used to go to each year when he was li�le. We were just walking and talking when all of the sudden he got down on one knee and pulled out this ring. I was totally shocked. �e �rst thing I said was "where the hell did you get the money to buy that?!?," then I cried, and cried, and cried, haha. But I said yes of course and we are planning on ge�ing married October 6, 2012!By: Emily Kni�er

Say YEStto the Dress

Fridays @ 9/8 C.

ENTERTAINMENT The Younger the Better ...The Benefits

of Getting Married Young

By: Kelly McCormick

The phone rang; Cassie was relieved to see it was her best friend calling. She desper-ately needed to talk to someone. The big day was one week away and Cassie was beginning to have cold feet. After an hour long talk on the phone, Cassie received the reassurance she needed. She was doing what she wanted. After being together for six years, Cassie knew that this is what she wanted. It was time to get married, and she was ready to be the bride. The next week flew by. The August heat was beginning to subside, which made Cassie happy knowing she would be wearing a large, white dress today. Waking up early was the least of her concerns when there was so much to be done, and so little time to do it. As she sat in the chair at her hair dresser’s, Cassie began to spark a conversation with the lady next to her. “How come you are getting your hair all done up?” Cassie replied excitedly, “It’s my wedding day.” The woman replied, “How old are you, you seem so young!” “I’m only 23,” Cassie responded quietly. It was in that moment Cassie’s nerves came rushing back leaving her with a huge knot in her stomach. Was it too early? Am I too young? Will this marriage fail because we are both so young? Are we ready for this? Thoughts were running through Cassie’s head… about 100 at a time. It was a half hour until the wedding was to start. Cassie peaked out into the church and saw how many people were there, a sweat broke out on her forehead. “Can I honestly go through with this?” Cassie said to herself. As she placed her veil on her head she knew she needed to tell someone how nervous she was that, because of her age, her marriage would fail. Her mom came to check on her and let her know it was about time to get things started. She quickly blurted out the words to her mom, “Am I too young?” Her mom looked at her with that same concerned look she gives Cassie every time she knows Cassie is freaking out about something. “Cassandra,” her mom spoke lowly, “You are more than ready for this. You two have dated for six years. You both have graduated college, and it is time to start your life. Starting your life early will only give you that many more years of happiness to enjoy each other’s company as husband and wife, rather than boyfriend and girlfriend.” Those words removed every ounce of nerves out of Cassie’s system, and now more confident than ever, Cassie was beyond ready to start her life with six year boyfriend, Joe. The wedding flew by, and the reception went even faster. Time was moving quicker than happier. Enjoying each other’s company as husband and wife, rather than boyfriend and girlfriend, was so exciting. Just as Cassie’s mom told her. Since their wedding in August, Joe and Cassie Cummings, both 23, have had no regrets in deciding to get married at such a young age. Both have established jobs and incomes. The topic of children has been discussed but no definite plans as to how soon have been established. Cassie spoke of the pluses in getting married early in life rather than waiting. “There are many advantages in getting married at such a young age. The tax cut is a definite benefit,” Cassie laughed. “Being able to start my life with someone I love, and allow ourselves time to establish ourselves before starting a family is something we both agree is a huge advantage. In the long run, we can start a family sooner as well. Creating a lifestyle and being able to make plans together every day is something we look forward to, and in our opinion, allows our relationship to be more concrete in knowing we are already married.”

Joe seems to have the same positive feelings on the choice he made to get married at age 23, but he think many people today may disagree with their decision. Joe said, “My mom got married to my dad very young as well. I feel like years ago it was the thing to do to get married early. In today’s day and age I feel like more and more people feel as though you should wait until a little later in life to get mar-ried, but if you find the person you want to spend your life with, why not go through with it.” Getting married is a huge step, but if you feel strongly enough about someone, why not get a jump-start on your life. Life is short indeed, and holding off marriage when you know you have met the right person only takes away from the time you can spend being their husband or wife. While it is in fact one of the biggest decisions you will have to make in life, many people, like Joe, agree that is the right choice to marry at a younger age. Joe said, “It is a huge step, but I strongly believe that Cassie and I have made the right decisions in choosing to marry this young. We are both adults, and are both mature enough to know that our choice was one of the biggest decisions we have had to make. We feel confident in being married, and know it was right for us. Having the undying support from both our families and friends is a huge help in knowing what we did was right.” While getting married at a young age was clearly the right decision for Joe and Cassie Cummings, many people disagree in their choice to do so. Getting married is a huge leap. Referring to someone as your “husband or wife” rather than your “boyfriend or girlfriend” is a drastic difference. Marriage is giving your life to someone. Marriage is making the decision to spend your life with someone. Marriage is the ultimate way of sharing love. Marriage is wanting to become a family rather than a couple. Marriage is the real deal. The fear of commitment at a young age holds many people back from getting married. Making such a promise to someone for the rest of your life seems like too big of a step for many people in their early 20s, but what about even younger than early 20s? The MTV show Engaged and Underage was a reality series based on different couples who are choosing to get married at a very early age. In some of the situations the parents were supportive, but in others the parents were adamant about their bitter feelings towards their son or daughter choosing to wed at age 18.

22 year old Shelby Miske recalls the 2009 show. She said, “It was a good way to show real life situations in which the peoples’ ages were relatable to mine. It was an eye-opener, and allowed me to see the many different responsibilities marriage brings. You have to take many different things into perspective before you get married.” Miske went on to talk about the effects marriage can have on such young people. The stress of wedding at a young age can affect the couple dramatically and begin to cause fighting, and in turn, harm the relationship between the married couple. There are many different ways to look at getting married, but in the end it varies among the situation between different couples if getting married is right for them. Angie Schuster, 38, said, “I myself didn’t get married until later, but I definitely see the benefits in getting mar-ried at a younger age. If you know that person is right for you, why not tie the knot and make the ultimate step towards maturity and responsibility. Marriage is a good way to show yourself you are ready for the next chapter in your life.” Turning the page to the next chapter in your life can be a challenge, but after you do so can have so many rewards in doing so, you will not regret it. So like Cassie and Joe from the story, if you have someone you love uncondi-tionally and cannot go a day without, why not move onto the next part of your life with the one you love rather than by yourself. If you truly believe someone is right for you then make a pros and cons list, chances are the pros will outweigh the cons. Take a risk, and prepare yourself for hardships, but know that the good times will definitely outshine the bad times. When you make it through the bad times, the good times will only seem even better than. So, getting married young can be a positive thing, but remember a few simple things that Cassie and Joe considered before they jumped into marriage. Have you both established decent jobs? Do you have support from friends and family? How long have you been together? Lastly, ask yourself: Can I see myself fully devoted to this person for the rest of my life? After you consider several different things, remember in the end life is short so do what your heart is telling you. It is inevitable that person to person will have their own opinion on if getting married is a positive situation, or if it is just asking for future trouble between the newly married husband and wife. At the end of the day, whether the couple is 23 or 33 they have to ask themselves one thing. Do you take your significant other to be your to be lawful wife or husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health for as long as you both shall live?

I Do. 14

DO IT YOURSELF

I Do 16

A Day in the Life of a...By: Jordan Howe BRIDE

Church bells are ringing and it’s almost time to take a walk down the aisle. It is the day that will change the rest of your life. A day so special, that you’ve spent months or even years preparing for it. Soon you will be married to the man of your dreams and your new life will begin. Weddings are a time for new beginnings and happily ever after. For most brides, the wedding day is just as, if not more important than the marriage. The day in the life of a bride can be nerve racking and yet serene. Kelsey Fitzwater and Devon Weed were married on June 5, 2010. Kelsey has given us a personal interview entailing her wedding day, down to every last detail. Devon Weed and Kelsey Fitzwater were high school sweethearts and had been dating for five and a half years before they tied the knot. The young couple of 21 had begun dating while Kelsey was a junior in high school and Devon was a sophomore. They were engaged for two years before they got married. The two have been very much in love since their high school days and their love carried through into later years. Devon proposed to Kelsey while they were on vacation with her family. Kelsey remembers her dad waking her up that morning to go to breakfast with him. When they returned to the hotel room, Kelsey’s younger sister, Haley, told her to look at a large boat that was outside on the ocean. When she walked out onto the balcony, she saw a message in the sand and Devon standing on the beach below. The message read, in huge letters, “KELSEY WILL YOU MARRY ME?” At that point, Kelsey was located on the sixth floor of the hotel. “I was in total shock!” states Kelsey. She remembers running into the elevator and “freaking out” the whole way down. Once she was outside, she jumped over the barrier wall that lead to the beach, landed on the cool sand below, and ran straight into the arms of her fiancée. Kelsey commented, “He later said that he wanted to actually ask me but I never gave him the chance!” As a crowd of people gathered on the balconies of the hotel, the newly engaged couple could hear cheering and clapping from the happy spectators. “It was amazing!” she exclaimed. From that moment on, Kelsey could not wait to get married.

Upon waking up on her wedding day, Kelsey remembers laying in bed and smiling. She said, “It seemed like the day would never come and now it was here. My first thought was probably “…I’m getting married today!” Fill with excitement, happiness, relief, nervousness, and a slight case of butterflies, Kelsey got out of bed and began to prepare for her wedding. After planning for two years, the day had finally come. “We got engaged during the summer before my junior year of college. Between working, going to school, student teaching, and other activities, I needed the two years to plan my wedding! I felt like it was just enough time that I didn’t feel rushed at all, but I was definitely ready when it came!” said Kelsey. Kelsey remembers her wedding day as being relatively calm and stated that as the bride; all she was responsible for was showing up. Her mother’s best friend was in charge of picking up the flowers and ensuring that the reception hall was properly decorated. Her fiancée, Devon, also had a relaxing experience on the day of the wedding. He had spent the night at his parents’ house. He woke up on the morning of the wedding to hang out with his friends until it was time to arrive at the church at 12:30. Kelsey woke up at 8:00 a.m. and left her home by 9:00 a.m. for her hair appointment. While on the way to her appoint-ment, Kelsey made her cousin take a quit pit stop to the local McDonald’s for a mocha frappe (Kelsey’s comfort food for that morning.) After the pit stop, the bride, bridal party, mother, mother-in-law, and flower girls all met at the salon to get their hair done for the wedding. Once the last head of hair had been curled, the group left for the United Methodist Church in their hometown of Troy, Pa. and arrived there at roughly 12:00. At this point, Kelsey stepped into her striking wedding dress and performed the last finishing touches before her it was time for the wedding photos. The couple chose to keep with tradition and stay hidden from one another until the ceremony. This meant that the wedding photos that could be taken without the two of them together were snapped before the ceremony took place. These pictures included the couple’s bridal party, which consisted of close friends and family. Kelsey’s maid of honor was her younger sister Haley and her three brides maids were lifelong friends, Beth and Rachel and cousin Miranda. Devon’s best man was best friend, Jacob and close friends Tyler, Ian, and Mark. The flower girls consisted of Hannah Kendall, Elexis Bastion, and Lydia Wolfe. As the ceremony grew nearer, Kelsey’s nerves began to grow. Kelsey was not nervous about marrying Devon, but was nervous about the possibility of messing up her vows in front of roughly 200 people. A gesture from her adoring fiancée calmed her nerves. She commented, “Around 2:00 my bridesmaids handed me flowers that were from my fiancé with a note saying, “I cannot wait to marry you. I’m the luckiest man in the world. I love you”… that really calmed my nerves!”

I Do 17

At shortly before 4 p.m., as guests flowed into the small town church, a sense of family and love filled the room. Everyone in the room knew that this couple was destined to be together and that great happiness was in their future. Having been a guest at the wedding and a friend of both the bride and groom, I knew that what I was about to witness would be a significant moment in time. The ceremony was beautiful, but Kelsey said “…it was so hot in the church. I had sweat running down my legs during the entire ceremony because my dress was so heavy! It made it really hard to stand still up in front of everyone.” There was one other aspect of the wedding that was unfortunate, which did not include the temperature of the church. Just five and a half months before Devon and Kelsey’s wedding was to take place, Devon’s younger brother Logan, who was to be one of the groomsmen in the wedding, was killed unexpectedly in a tragic car accident. This changed everything for the young couple and their families. Logan was a cherished member of both Kelsey and Devon’s family as well as a cherished member of the community. Kelsey stated, “It was hard to go on planning such a happy event, when we weren’t happy at all. We knew how excited Logan was about the wedding, and we hindered that excitement to push ourselves forward.” Although Logan could not physically be a part of the wedding, the couple kept him there in spirit and left a special space among the groomsmen when they were standing at the altar where Logan would have stood. Kelsey said, “We also lit a candle in the back and put pictures of my both my brother [who had also passed unexpectedly while in high school in an unfortunate ATV accident] and Logan.” There was also an empty seat left at the reception where Logan would have sat. “He may not have been able to be there physically, but he was still a part of the wedding!” said Kelsey.

The music began to play as the bridesmaids and grooms-men made their way down the aisles. Next came the adorable flower girls and then it was time for the bride to make her appear-ance. The doors opened and their stood the glowing bride, holding to bouquet of blue hydrangeas and white lilies, and her proud father; each of them beaming with joy. Once they walked down the aisle, Kelsey and Devon stood side by side. The couple read their vows and as I looked about the room, I could see tears of joy streaming down the faces of some of the guests. It was truly a special event to witness.

After the wedding ceremony was over and the couple could officially call themselves husband and wife, Kelsey said, “I was so happy to be married, but sad that [the ceremony] was over. It was so special, and it was such a special moment between Devon and I that I wanted to go and do it over again.” She also commented, “ I thought I’d feel sad, like I was leaving a part of my life behind, but all I felt was happiness and excitement at moving forward into this new chapter of my life.” Immediately following the ceremony, it was the time that Kelsey had been looking forward to the most, the reception. Kelsey loves to dance and in true Kelsey fashion; the bridal party and the newly weds danced into the reception venue, that being the town fire hall, to a cheering group of friends and family. The rest of the night was spent dancing and enjoying a fabulous dinner and wedding cake. Kelsey’s cake featured a tier of chocolate cake with raspberry filling, as well as a tier of vanilla cake with raspberry filling. The cake was decked out with fresh blue hydrangeas that complimented the blue and purple color scheme of the wedding. The couple left the reception that night and the following morning, they boarded the plane for their honeymoon in Ocean City, MD. It has been almost 10 months since Kelsey and Devon tied the knot and they have loved every single day of their marriage. The couple is currently living in their hometown of Troy, Pa. Kelsey is currently out of college and a full time math at Canton Elementary and a reading tutor W.R. Croman Elementary. Devon is currently attending Mansfield University and is majoring in elementary and special education. The couple loves to spend their summers playing on co-ed slow pitch softball teams. Kelsey said, “My favorite part about being married is the security. I know that Devon wants to be with me, and he’s devoted himself to me for the rest of our lives. I feel like our relationship has grown so much stronger and deeper since we got married.” Kelsey is hopeful for the future and would love to get her career in motion and start a family someday. She commented, “I can easily see ourselves 20 years down the road, growing older and having a family.”

GETTING TO KNOW

I Do. 18

And they lived...Happily Ever After

By: Amanda Calabrese

Here comes the bride all dressed in white. On August 1, 2009 a beautiful wedding ceremony took place in Le�er Chapel at Elizabethtown College. �e birds were chirping on that beautiful summer day, a day �lled with love, family and friends. �e chapel was �lled with the light colors of pink and green giving a warm feeling to everyone who a�ended. �e bridesmaids were in short green summer dresses with pink bouquets while the groomsmen wore light tan suits with matching green ties to keep the feeling of summer and warmth together. Friends and family watched in awe as the six bridesmaids and six groomsmen shared the stage with the soon to be man and wife. �e vowels were exchanged in the most touching of ways while the “I do’s” were said in a way to bring a tear to your eye. �e words “You’re now pronounced husband and wife. You may kiss the bride,” brought a smile to every guests face while the couple embraced themselves in each other’s arms for the �rst time as man and wife. �ey glided down the aisle in all smiles and exited the chapel doors into a plethora bubbles. Kelly Heich from Morrisville, PA and Carl Marrara from Danville, PA met freshman year when their respective high schools competed at a speech and debate meet. Carl and Kelly were both extremely competitive and at that speci�c debate in Scranton, PA Kelly received her �rst loss ever. Carl had beaten her and it was safe to say she absolutely hated him and they were enemies until later that year when they competed again and Kelly took the title at the State Tournament and went on to win the rest of the tournament. Carl said, “A�er that, I guess it was okay to talk to me. �at �rst debate is the last argument I've ever won.”

Kelly and Carl started dating about a year a�er they �rst met each other and quickly realized that becom-ing a couple would be best for the both of them. Although they did not go to the same high school, as a couple they went through the process of �nding a college together and came to the conclusion that Elizabethtown College was the best �t for each of them. �e location, feel, amount of scholarship money and the look of the campus reeled in the couple. Etown became their home and where they felt most comfortable for the next four years. College is a place where you grow as a person and Carl explained his favorite thing about his relation-ship with Kelly was, “It's time tested. We have both been through a lot together and have "grown-up" while we've been dating. I feel like we have both molded each other into the people we are today. Most of the time I know what she's thinking, she knows what I am thinking and we can help each other through anything.” Going to the same college has helped them as a couple and has molded them into the individuals they are today. Not only have they realized the impact they have had on each other’s lives but they have also impacted the lives of their close friends. Andrea Beard a 2009 Elizabethtown College graduate said, “From a close friend standpoint, I love Kelly and Carl’s hospitality and family. �ey always open their hearts and home from a holiday gathering to a simple dinner. Each never fails to bring comfort and humor to any conversation.”

I Do. 19

Every li�le girl dreams of her prince charming proposing to her in the most wonderful of ways and having that fairy tale wedding. Well, for Kelly and Carl the proposal was a dream in its own. Marrara said, “I knew Kelly was ‘the one’ pre�y early on in our relation-ship.” Kelly explained that she and Carl had talked about ge�ing engaged being as they were together for �ve years, but she had no idea when or where he was going to propose. In January 2008 they went on a school trip to Italy, one of the most romantic countries in the world, and that was the place that Carl proposed. �e se�ing was like a scene directly from a movie. �ey took a gondola ride in Venice on the last day of the trip and that was when and where Carl got down on one knee, confessed his everlasting love to Kelly and asked, “Will you marry me?” Kelly said “I didn’t expect him to bring a ring to Italy, but I couldn’t have been happier. �e wedding plans began quickly and were extremely stressful for the both of them. Senior year, student teaching, house hunting, graduation and job hunting were all mixed in with the wedding plans. �e wedding planning experience was a joy for the couple and it was de�nitely fun but they wanted to make sure to focus on the marriage itself and not necessarily only the process of the wedding.

Etown seemed to be the perfect place for the ceremony for many reasons. It was a neutral location for both families since Carl was from north central Pennsyl-vania and Kelly was from southwest Pennsylvania. Etown was their home and it was a place that had a deep meaning to each individual. �e reception took place at the Eden Resort in Lancaster and was a dream come for the couple. Marrara said this favorite part about the wedding and reception was, “How personalized it was. We had such a great time with all our best friends and family. Our band played, people had good food, good drinks, and it was a true celebration with the people we love the most.”

�e fairy tale wedding was shared with their closest family and friends. Beard said, “My favorite part of August 1, 2009 was seeing the newlyweds �nd joy in each of their a�endees and surroundings. With the band playing college favorites and seeing fellow fresh graduates it was truly a day of celebration and delight as we witnessed Kelly and Carl begin their life journey.” �e wedding was only chapter one of the rest of their lives together. Kelly and Carl both said that transitioning into the married life was not as di�cult as many would expect. Kelly said, “We’ve been together since 2002 and we were already functioning together as a married couple. But now I have a last name my students can’t pronounce and a big Italian family.” �e couple couldn’t be happier living together in a house in Mechanicsburg, PA with their rescued dog Teddy. Kelly is a middle school math teacher and learning support teacher at Commonwealth Connections Academy and Carl works for the Pennsylvania Business Council as a Legislative Issue Manager where he plans meetings, hold educational events, write articles, tracks legislation and meet with legislators and sta�. A happily ever a�er beginning in high school and making it through some of the hardest times people go through in their lives de�nes the relationship of Kelly and Carl. Kevin Smith a 2010 graduate from Elizabethtown College said, “It’s great to see two people who have known each other for years be able to learn more about each other day a�er day and love spending time with each other. �eir wedding was a time when all of their friends came together to celebrate their o�cial union. It was great to see so much support from their friends and loved ones on a momentous occasion.”

L O V E

Spice up your life.Eat local produce

Sponsored by NFU National Farmers Union

I Do 3

Wh

at’s

&W

hat’s

NOT2011 Wedding Seasons Dos & Dont’s

I Do 21

InvitationsGoing green with soy ink and recycled paper, and

online ’save the date’ with your engagement photo

ColorsRed, yellow, teal and

classic black and white

Dessert

Reception

Sit down reception dinners, family style. Or provide more substantial hors

d’oeuvres to pass around

Cupcakes and candy stations

Invitations

Boring white invitations

Colors

Any color palette with brown

Reception

Buffet lines and light hors d’oeuvres stations

Dessert

Classic three-tiered cakes

Brides MaidsBrides Maids

Same color different style dresses for the wedding party

Same exact dress for each member of the wedding party

Shine with uswe dare you.