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REVIEW TIMES
BRIDE &
GROOM
E N T E RTA I N M E N T • DECORATIONS
ENTERTAINMENT
D E C O R AT I O N S
FOOD
F O OD • FASHION
FA S H ION • PLANNING
PL A N N I NG
SPRING 2012
Simplify your
best-laid plans
Wedding planners can be
a blessing on the big day
Inside
Check this out: Many couples get
loans to cover wedding costs | T3
When planning your wedding, it all
comes down to timing | T6
T2
BRIDES 2012
FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2012
Simplify your best-laid plans
so they don’t go to waste
Wedding planners can be a
blessing to brides on the big day
Lauber-Cobb said.
The “bees” also remind family
members where they need to be and
when they need to be there, for examWhen you’re planning your ple, getting ready when pictures are
special day, how do you know about to be taken.
if you need a wedding planner?
“We can make sure that that next
Those who work as wedding planners person’s ready for the pictures,” Lauin northwest Ohio say it can relieve a ber-Cobb said.
lot of the stress knowing that someone
Lauber-Cobb’s advice for picking a
else is making sure that every detail wedding planner is to meet the person
is just right.
and get a sense of whether you have
Brooke Lauber- Cobb, owner, a good connection with them. It’s
founder and “Queen Bee” at Bee for also important to know whether the
a Day in Perrysburg, said she usually planner is billed by the hour, by the
has a wedding in the Fostoria area percentage of the wedding cost or by
about once every couple months.
a package price (such as for a specific
Lauber-Cobb said her business spe- dollar amount you get specific sercifically offers wedding planning and vices), she said.
coordinating.
Lauber-Cobb said it’s important to
“ We t a k e t h e p r e s s u r e find someone with experience. Just
of f of the bride,” she said. because someone has planned her own
This means the bride doesn’t have to wedding or a friend’s doesn’t make
make so many decithem a qualified wedsions the day of the
ding coordinator, she
event, she said. In
said. A professional
“We take the
addition, as a wedresponds differently
pressure off of the
ding planner she has
“when it’s a strangcontacts among all
er’s wedding and the
bride.”
types of vendors such
whole day lays on
as photographers or
your shoulders,” she
BROOKE LAUBER-COBB,
bakers, which means
said.
OWNER AND FOUNDER OF
the bride doesn’t have
Having a skilled
BEE FOR A DAY
to spend as much time
professional, rather
searching for a vendor
than a friend or family
because Bee for a Day
member, may help if
can make the referral.
there are sticky situations, such as a
In addition, a Bee for the Day brother-in-law who gets drunk and
employee, known as a “bee,” will be needs to be dealt with. In addition, a
present at the wedding and will serve professional wedding coordinator will
as “a second set of eyes” making sure have many phone numbers available
the flowers are set and the errands are if the DJ doesn’t show up so they can
run on time, she said. This frees up quickly call in a replacement.
other professionals such as the florist
It’s fast-paced work but Lauberto do their job without having to, for Cobb, for one, enjoys it.
example, wait for one aunt to arrive
“I love the feeling of seeing everyto get her flowers.
thing come together, watching the
The “bees” also serve as liaisons bride walk down the aisle and knowbetween the bride and the other pro- ing that they have that comfort level...
fessionals. For example, one of the We’ve got their back,” she said.
other professionals involved in the
April Gladieux, owner of Your Perwedding might call and say they can’t fect Day in Perrysburg, has planned
remember the color of sashes for the several weddings in the Fostoria area.
chair.
“I think the best thing about being a
“We can kind of just go over the wedding planner is the faces of the coudetails without having to involve the ples at the end of the night,” she said.
bride and bother the bride with that,” Those faces are relieved, and not
By SARA ARTHURS
STAFF WRITER
File photo
USING A WEDDING PLANNER can be beneﬁcial to a bride in numerous ways. In addition to relieving the stress
of organizing such a big event, a wedding planner has several contacts across an array of vendors that a bride can
choose from, simplifying choices for things such as ﬂowers, caterers, photographers and bakers.
stressed, she said.
She tells couples that when they
get engaged, “They need to contact
me as soon as they can. That way I
can help them from the start.”
And, she said, although it can be
stressful the idea is to make it a day
that will be fun.
“The first thing I tell them is it’s
your wedding,” she said. “It’s your
day. You guys do exactly what you
want and don’t worry about pleasing people... I mean you can’t please
everybody.”
A wedding planner will help keep
the bride on task and keep her from
going over her budget, she said. The
planner also helps the bride pick vendors from among her contacts.
“In my eyes, I think that every
couple needs some sort of planning
help,” Gladieux said.
Gladieux, who studied marketing, was the second-to-last of her
girlfriends to get married. So as her
friends prepared to walk down the
aisle, they knew Gladieux was orga-
nized and would ask her for help.
Eventually this grew into people she
didn’t know calling and asking for help
planning their weddings, and so she
created a business.
When deciding how to choose a
wedding planner, Gladieux said “It’s
all about referrals.” Ask your friends
and family members who they have
used or who they know, she said. In
addition, wedding websites such as
theknot.com and weddingwire.com
may have reviews.
Gladieux also offers decorations.
Her company owns about 3,000 chair
covers and offers backdrops and
custom centerpieces.
“I like to be a one-stop shop,” she
said.
Heather Zeller is owner of La
Boutique Nostalgie, a relatively new
wedding-planner business.
“There’s so many facets to planning the wedding that it becomes a
very overwhelming process,” Zeller
said.
So being a wedding planner
involves a “fine attention to detail”
such as making sure the flowers
and linens are the way they are supposed to be. Then there is thinking
about when the caterer should arrive
and the cake should be delivered.
The wedding planner’s role includes
“just taking that stress off of somebody who’s already going through a
life-changing event,” Zeller said.
Zeller encourages brides to contact
her at least six months in advance, and
ideally closer to a year. Occasionally
she has a bride contact her three
months in advance and it is much
more difficult to plan the wedding,
she said.
Zeller specializes in vintage-style
weddings and has an interest in
French design from the 1920s through
1940s, but she said not every wedding
has to be vintage.
FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2012
BRIDES 2012
T3
FINANCIAL STRAIN
Check, please
any of a number of things.
Cassin said Fifth Third offers loans for a variety of causes and weddings are not always the
most common, but certain times of year they see
more wedding loans.
When a customer comes in, the bankers will
By SARA ARTHURS
sit down with them and ask a series of questions
STAFF WRITER
to get a sense of what their needs are, Cassin
said. The idea is to get to know the customer and
With the typical wedding costing about get a sense of what they are trying to accomplish.
$27,800, according to TheKnot.com, it can After that, they will give recommendations.
strain some couple’s budgets. So, many couples
“Each situation is going to be different,”
choose to take out a loan to pay for the expenses. Cassin said.
Like any type of loan, what will be available
Options include a home equity loan, a credit
to you will depend on how good your credit score card or a personal unsecured loan, Cassin said.
is. Other things to consider are whether you
A home equity loan is secured by equity in
want a secured or unsecured loan and whether your home. Cassin said this may be a good place
one or both of you will apply for the loan.
to start if the couple owns a home. But if not,
A secured loan is backed by collateral, such as
“We’ve got a host of different
a house or a car. This means if
credit card options that they
you fail to pay back the loan, the
“Your credit
may explore,” he said.
lender can seize this asset. An
How much the couple can
history is extremely
unsecured loan is not backed by
borrow will depend on their
collateral. Most credit cards,
credit history and ability to
important, and it’s
for instance, would be an examrepay the loan. So you’ll need
ple of an unsecured loan.
something that
to have information about your
“Because they’re just taking
income available as well as your
you want to pay
your word for it, you have to
name, address and Social Secuhave decent credit to get an
constant attention
rity number. And you may need
unsecured loan,” states Justin
to supply information such as a
to. That’s what
Pritchard in an article on bankpay stub or tax return, depending.about.com.
ing on the situation.
we‘re
going
to
focus
The bank cannot seize your
“We’re going to look at their
assets, but if you fail to pay the
on.”
credit history and their ability
loan back you will be reported
to repay,” Cassin said. “It’s in
to credit reporting agencies.
MARK CASSIN,
most cases very simple.”
“For people who don’t have
FIFTH THIRD BANK
As a married couple, you
any collateral to pledge, an
will be paying the debt back
unsecured loan can be attractogether. But you can apply for
tive,” Pritchard states. “Be aware that there is the loan either jointly or separately.
more risk to the bank, so the interest rates on
“Really it’s up to them... Legally they can be
unsecured loans are typically higher.”
co-borrowers before they’re married,” Cassin
Mark Cassin, senior vice president and said.
regional manager for Fifth Third Bank, said
As is probably no surprise, having an unblemmany types of loans can be used to pay for wed- ished credit record makes a difference.
dings. So while you might walk in and say you
“Your credit history is extremely important,
need a “wedding loan,” this could actually mean
Many couples seek loans
to cover wedding costs
J&J
Limo, LLC
For All Occasions
For Rates and
Reservations Call
419-422-6871
1-800-589-8274
24 Hour Answering
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File photo
WITH THE TYPICAL wedding costing about $27,800, many couples choose to take out a loan
to cover the expense.
and it’s something that you want to pay constant
attention to,” Cassin said. “And that’s what we’re
going to focus on.”
Cassin said the goal is to get the person the
best type of loan based on their needs.
An article on ehow.com notes that taking out
a loan can be a chance to discuss financial matters together, a good preparation for building a
financial future together. This article also recommends asking family and friends for referrals for
lenders but notes that you may have to look for
a loan on the Internet.
Another factor to consider is how long it will
take you to pay back the loan. It is important
to make sure that money is available in your
monthly budget after you are married.
T4
BRIDES 2012
FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2012
I do! Take two
Vow renewals growing in popularity
By ALICIA RANCILIO
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — When Letty Abraham of Sylvan Lake, Mich., married
her husband, Mark, almost 22 years
ago, she was determined not to make
a fuss.
It was her second marriage and she
didn’t want to go overboard.
“I had a big wedding the first time
... My second wedding I was over that,
and I wanted it more small and intimate. We got married in Las Vegas.
We had family and friends there but
it wasn’t a really big deal,” she said.
Still, it was important to the couple
to make their union special, so they
made a plan early on to renew their
vows.
Fast forward 10 years, and they
were saying “I still do” on a trip to
Maui, Hawaii. At that ceremony,
Abraham let herself cry. She and her
husband were so happy with their
second wedding to each other that
they decided to do it again at the
15-year mark as well.
“We’ll probably do it again at 25,”
she laughed.
Recommitting to a relationship
through vow renewals is becoming
more popular, said Susan Southerland, president of Just Marry!, Inc.
wedding planners in Orlando, Fla.
“In the last three to five years
they’ve become extremely popular. We’ve always done one or two
throughout the year, but all of a
sudden it’s become a huge request.”
For one thing, it’s a great way to
reconnect.
Kathryn Quinn of East Lansing,
Mich., is approaching her 11-year
anniversary. She and her husband
THE MASTERS’
BUILDING
recently renewed their vows on a trip
to the Virgin Islands. They traveled
with three other couples and all four
renewed their vows on the beach on
Valentine’s Day.
“I’m so glad we did it,” she said.
“This was our first trip away from our
children. It was at a beautiful location.
The vow renewal was meaningful,
and gave us a chance away from our
daily life to really celebrate our time
together and be grateful for our relationship.”
Sometimes, a vow renewal is not
only a reminder of how far a couple
has come but a memory to cherish.
Winifred “Wini” Brunston of Lancaster, Calif., lost her husband last
year. She enjoys looking back to their
35th anniversary, in 2004, when they
renewed their vows in the same small
church where they got married. The
same couple who stood up with them
back then resumed their duties.
Brunston feels marriage vows
mean more over the years because
“after being together after all that
time you really know each other,” and
“it lets the spouse know you still love
them enough to marry them again.”
Anja Winikka, editor of the wedding website TheKnot.com, believes
one reason for the spike of interest in
vow renewals is that some celebrity
couples have done it.
Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott filmed their vow renewal for
their reality TV show. Holly Robin-
son Peete tweeted photos after she
and former NFL quarterback Rodney
Peete recently celebrated their 17-year
anniversary by renewing their vows
on top of the Empire State Building
in New York. Mariah Carey and Nick
Cannon are the most consistent; they
renew their vows every year.
“You hear about it, and just like
any trends in the wedding industry
and in decor and fashion, celebrities
certainly do influence us in that way,”
says Winikka.
Southerland says she recently
helped a couple who renew their vows
every year. “It’s always a surprise, and
the husband plans it,” she said.
Whether you renew your vows
annually or just once, in a small ceremony or as part of a vacation, the
cost of saying “I do — again” can vary.
“You can do something that’s very
simple, that’s just the husband and
wife standing up with a photographer,
and that can be less than $1,000. Or
you can do something where you’ve
invited a bunch of people. I’ve had
people spend upwards of 50 or 60
thousand,” Southerland said.
And even a do-over bride can turn
into a Bridezilla, she says.
“That still is personality-driven,
which kind of makes me chuckle,”
she said. “I’m thinking, ‘Wow, you’ve
known this guy for a long time. What’s
there to be nervous about? So what
if a flower falls off an arch?’ Others
are more laid-back. But you still have
some very nervous brides.”
The Associated Press
IN THIS FEB. 14 photo, released courtesy of Kathryn Quinn, Brian Quinn
kisses his wife Kathryn Quinn, of East Lansing, Mich., on the shore of
Trunk Bay, St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The couple renewed their
vows on Valentine’s Day after eleven years of marriage.
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BRIDES 2012
FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2012
T5
Creative and classy dresses for less
Customized bridesmaid dress makes a practical, affordable gown
By EMILY FREDRIX
ASSOCIATED PRESS
I’m practical. Never dreamed of
having a lavish gown. Didn’t want
to endure a long hunt for bargains.
So four little words from the
saleswoman spoke to me: “Bridesmaid dress. In white.”
Yes, I’m wearing a bridesmaid
dress to my own wedding. It’s
simple, elegant, relatively cheap and
easy. Talk about putting the “bride”
in bridesmaid.
When I showed up at my local
Macy’s bridal salon on my first day
of dress shopping, I explained that
I wanted something elegant, good
for an outdoor summer wedding,
at a price that wouldn’t rival the
liquor bill.
What the saleswoman suggested
is a little-known trick that can save
hundreds of dollars or more on a
wedding dress. Perhaps even better,
you can customize your wedding
dress however you like it; bridesmaid dresses are usually basic —
satin or silk, without the beads, lace
and other frills on many traditional
gowns.
See DRESS, Page T11
Wedding Receptions
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Bridal Showers
Spacious Banquet Rooms
The Associated Press
AP LIFESTYLES WRITER Emily Fredrix poses for a portrait in her
wedding dress and homemade sash April 2, in New York. For those
looking for a practical and economical wedding gown, consider wearing a
bridesmaid’s dress, in white, and glam it up with accessories and have a
unique — and cost-effective — look.
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T6
BRIDES 2012
FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2012
Timeline: Not just for Facebook
Ideally, planning for
the wedding starts
immediately after
getting engaged
By SARA ARTHURS
STAFF WRITER
As you plan your wedding there will be many
tasks you’ll need to do ahead of time. Earlier tends
to be better, but how far in advance to do each task
is something you will need to keep track of.
“A typical engagement lasts anywhere from six
months to a year and a half or more,” states the
wedding website TheKnot.com. “If you got engaged
during the holidays but always wanted a summer
wedding, make sure you’ve got enough time to plan
without making yourselves wedding-crazy, and keep
in mind that many of the best vendors and reception
sites book a year or more in advance.”
Determining where you are going to have the
ceremony and reception should come relatively early
in the process, states the website.
“One of the first things you’ll think about after
you’ve gotten engaged (beyond the dress of course)
is find your wedding venue,” states theknot.com,
File Photo
after which “all the rest of those wedding day details WHEN IT COMES to planning a wedding the one thing to remember when booking anything from ﬂorists to venues: The sooner, the better.
(color, style, decor etc.) should fall into place.”
Area florists and pastors say it’s also important you will need to decide whether they get a flower,
“It’s not practical,” Payne said.
“Get the Total Package at
to contact them early in the process.
Other flowers may droop or bruise easily, so you
such as the organist and the singer, in addition to
Browning Payne, owner of Payne Brothers the bridal party.
TUXEDO JUNCTION”
need to pay attention to these things, he said.
Flower Shop, said it’s best to contact the florist
The Rev. Matt Rader, associate pastor at St.
At least two or three weeks before
you want to work with as soon as you
the wedding, contact the florist again to Wendelin Catholic Church, said a couple must conDARE
decide your wedding date. Ask the flo“Many of the
make sure there are no changes, Payne tact the church at least six months before the wedrist to save the date for your wedding,
TO
said. That way if you have added some- ding, but his suggestion is to contact them as soon
best vendors
he advised, otherwise there may be
one who is doing a reading, or if your ill as you get engaged.
COMPARE
another wedding the same day. Plus,
“The sooner the better,” he said.
grandmother won’t be able to make the
and recpetion
a florist can only do one or two wedA couple planning to get married in a Catholic
wedding, the florist will know.
“The Ultimate in Personal
dings each weekend, he said.
sites book a
If the plan is to take pictures before- church should contact their priest prior to booking
Care... In Formal Wear”
After choosing a florist, you should
hand, the florist should know that too, a reception hall to ensure that the date works for
We Fit Your Needs
year or more
talk to him or her again two or three
the church as well.
Payne said.
months before the wedding, once you
in advance.”
TUXEDO
Rader said he usually meets with couples once
Payne said he used to work on wedCHECK
have decided on bridesmaids and weddings mainly in May or June, but now a month to every six weeks, meeting privately with
OUT OUR
ding colors, Payne said. If you want
JUNCTION
they are “throughout the year.” What the couple a total of six to eight times before the
special flowers, such as mini calla lilies, it’s best to time of year your wedding will be held may affect wedding as well as at least once each with the groom
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let the florist know at least a few months beforehand. what flowers you should get. People may see photos and the bride by themselves. Catholic couples must
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Most florists will furnish a list of people who of tulips in bridal books but they are fragile. In sum- go through a pre-Cana retreat, a day-long event held
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FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2012
BRIDES 2012
T7
CAKES
&
MORE!
Accommodating guests
WEDDING CAKES
Blocks of rooms should be booked weeks or months in advance
By SARA ARTHURS
STAFF WRITER
As the wedding day approaches,
so do the RSVPs from your outof- tow n fa m i ly a nd f r iends .
But where will they all stay?
Fostoria hotels offer accommodations for wedding guests and you can
reserve a block of rooms — but it is
best to do so ahead of time in case
rooms fill up.
Best Western Fostoria Inn and
Suites has 52 rooms available. All
the rooms have either queen-sized or
king-sized beds, said manager Marti
Frederick. Some rooms have two
queen-sized beds and others have a
king-sized bed and a pull-out sofa.
Some rooms also have whirlpool tubs,
including some two-room suites.
Prices range from $81.99 plus tax
for a standard room with two queensized beds to $128.99 for the tworoom suites, she said.
If you are going to reserve a block
of rooms, you need to do it ahead of
time, Frederick said. The hotel will set
the block aside for your guests. One
month prior to the wedding date, any
rooms in the block that have not sold
will be released back into the hotel’s
pool of available rooms so they can
sell them to other guests. But anyone
making a reservation before that onemonth deadline will get the group
rate, she said.
Frederick said the hotel frequently makes wedding blocks.
Some families have a lot of out-oftown guests coming in for a wedding.
Others just need one or two rooms.
And often, the bride and groom themselves will reserve one of the tworoom suites for their wedding night,
since their plane for the honeymoon
likely isn’t leaving until the next day,
she said.
Best Western has an indoor pool
and spa and offers a complimentary
breakfast. There is high-speed Internet access in all the rooms.
Frederick said the hotel often gets
other groups on the weekends such as
sports groups or class reunions so if
you are planning a wedding it’s best
to reserve your block sooner rather
than later.
In addition, Best Western will
create inserts to be sent with
the wedding invitations with
all the information on the hotel.
“We love to have the bridal groups
here,” Frederick said.
The Fostoria Country Club Inn and
Suites has 38 rooms available. Most
have one king-sized bed while others
have two full-sized beds.
The rooms include cable television
and wireless Internet access.
Narendra Patel, the manager of
the privately-owned hotel, said people
wishing to reserve a block of rooms
need to do so at least a week or two
in advance.
There is no limit to how
many rooms you can reserve.
“ W hatever we have available we can g ive,” he said.
Reservations may be made online on
the hotel’s website or at expedia.com.
“Or they can call in and reserve the
rooms, too,” Patel said.
To reserve the rooms, you must
give your credit card, which will be
charged to hold the rooms. You must
cancel the registration for any rooms
you are not using at least 48 hours in
advance, Patel said.
Patel said they do not often host
large groups of wedding guests but are
happy to do so. The hotel has a steady
business seven days a week, he said.
Rooms are $39.45 for a single
and $45 for a double plus tax. Patel
said prices may go up in the near
Brady’s Delicate Creations
future, although this is not certain. Rising gas prices mean that
many of the hotel’s supplies cost
more now than they once did. For
example, soap costs more per carton
because of the cost to ship it, he said.
Check-in and check-out are at 11 a.m.
Anyone wishing to check into the
motel in the early morning hours must
pay $10 extra.
Staff at the Fostoria Motel declined
to be interviewed.
While weddings in general can
bring in hotel guests from all over,
and are good for the hotel industry,
even the biggest wedding in the world
didn’t draw as many guests as might
be expected.
An article on hotelnewsnow.com
about hotels in London, England
during last spring’s royal wedding of
Prince William and the former Kate
Middleton found that hotel occupancy
in Greater London was 56.3 percent
the day prior to the wedding and 61
the day of the wedding, April 29,
2011. The previous week had seen
occupancy of 84.2 percent, the article
reports.
Fostoria
419-435-7831
[email protected]
Patricia Brady
(2mi south of Fostoria on 23)
Let Us Help
L
p
Make Your Wedding
Day Special...For All
Your Floral Needs Call
Payne Brothers
825 S. Union St.
419-435-4324
Fostoria’s Oldest
Established Florist!
A Moment to Remember...
• Choice of Two Halls
• Charming Deck & Garden Area
• Accommodations for 40-400
• Beautiful View of Swim &
Tennis Club
• Full Catering Services
• Full Liquor License
• Off Site Catering
• Off Street Parking
• Close Proximity to I-75 & Motels
Our thoroughness and attention to detail
guarantee great results...
Free Evaluation: Free consultation and estimate for the care of any fabric, new or old.
Environmentally-Pure, Lasting Protection: We use only acid free materials. Your
gown will be nestled in acid free tissue paper then placed in our Museum quality-wedding
chest that features an acid free window for viewing.
Anti-Sugar Stain Treatment: Our unique anti-sugar treatment featured in Modern
Bride and Bride’s ensures that all sugar and acid stains seen and unseen are removed.
Personal Inspection Available: Our brides are encouraged to inspect their gown before
the preservation process is completed.
Hand cleaning: We hand treat and clean each gown individually~Never in combination
with other dresses. We take every precaution to protect delicate beads, embroidery and lace
during the cleaning process.
by:
#"/26&5)"--4$"5&3*/(
900 W. Melrose, Findlay
www.northridgeclub.com
419-422-7287
T8
BRIDES 2012
FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2012
BANKquet Hall
125 S. Main St. Fostoria, Ohio
The Associated Press
ARTIST STEPHANIE CAPLAN
creates a ﬁne art ketubah, a
traditional Jewish marriage
contract in her studio in New York
in March. More non-Jewish couples
have embraced Jewish marriage
rituals over the last decade. Some
stomp a glass — or a lightbulb
as a popular substitute. Others
recite vows under a canopy, called
a chuppah. But it’s the ketubah,
or a less Jewish cousin called a
“Statement of Our Love,” that often
catches the eye of couples with no
family or cultural ties to Judaism.
Available for your wedding
reception, bridal shower, or
any special occasion.
Seating for up to 100 guests
See our website at:
www.bankquethall.com
or call: 419-894-6393
Customized
Wedding Cakes
Call for Consultation 419-308-1170
Love isn’t bound by
religious beliefs
Non-Jewish couples
embrace faith
for weddings
By LEANNE ITALIE
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — Jessie Engelman
and her fiance plan to wed later this
year in Jamaica, where they’ll sign a
ketubah, the traditional Jewish marriage contract.
Soon after, they’ll host a pig roast
in her tiny Iowa hometown.
Neither bride nor groom is Jewish,
nor are they evangelical Christians
looking to honor their biblical connections to the faith.
“My mom and my grandparents
had never heard of a ketubah. ...
After we explained it they thought it
was really cool,” said the 31-year-old
Engelman, a quality assurance manager from Nyack, N.Y. “We love the
spirit of it.”
More non-Jewish couples have
embraced Jewish marriage rituals
over the last decade. Some stomp a
glass — or a lightbulb as a popular
substitute. Others recite vows under
a canopy, called a chuppah.
But it’s the ketubah, or a less
Jewish cousin called a “Statement of
Our Love,” that often catches the eye
of couples with no familial or cultural
ties to Judaism.
The demand for “non-Jewish”
ketubot (the plural) increases every
year at the sites JudaicConnection
and ShopKetubah, both run by Cindy
Michael in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The
number of ketubah artists setting up
shop online has exploded in recent
years, making it that much easier for
non-Jewish couples to embrace the
practice.
The ketubah is more than just
fancy calligraphy. It’s often postersize and ornate, suitable for framing
later with artwork either as backdrop
or accompaniment. “Interestingly
enough, some of the non-Jewish couples choose very traditional Jewish
texts,” Michael said.
She works with many ketubah artists who offer words of love and loyalty
See KETUBAH, Page T9
Reception Hall Rental
we offer:
Seating for 40-400We will set the hall up to fit your
needsWe can cover tables (paper or cloth) for a minimal
chargeKitchen area available
www.stacysplacefostoria.com
419-435-6118
625 Plaza Dr.
Fostoria
Downtown Wayne
BRIDES 2012
FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2012
Ketubah
Continued from page T8
specifically for non-Jewish couples.
One offers an Apache wedding blessing and another uses inspirational text
from New Age guru Kahlil Gibran.
“Many times they contact us after
having attended Jewish friends’ weddings,” Michael said. “Previously, they
often had to order a custom text but
now there are many designs they can
choose from with standard wording
for all faith couples.”
Jannine Medrana Malave and her
husband, Nelson, had a traditional
Catholic wedding with a Mass in
their childhood parish church in Philadelphia. Their ceremony included
touches reflecting her Filipino roots
and his Puerto Rican ones, but they
also had a ketubah in a round design
with English and Hebrew — signed
by, among others, the priest who mar-
Timeline
Continued from page T6
twice a year in Fostoria.
If the groom or the bride has been
married before, a declaration of nullity must be performed, and this is a
time-consuming process and can take
up to two years, Rader said.
Invitations should go out six weeks
ried them.
The ketubah was a gift from two
close friends they consider their
“Jewish mothers,” but it was Nelson’s
idea after he noticed the ketubot in
the shop of the National Museum of
American Jewish History, where Jannine works as director of donor relations and special events.
“We like to learn about other cultures and other traditions,” said Jannine, 34. “It’s hanging in our living
room, next to our crucifix no less.”
Stephanie Caplan is a ketubah
artist on Manhattan’s Lower East
Side. She’s been doing custom work
for non-Jewish clients who found
her offline and through her website,
TheKetubah.com, for several years.
She recently added more affordable
prints suitable for couples who want
to celebrate but not practice the faith.
“I always felt it was something
that everybody could have,” she said.
“I didn’t see why it should just be for
Jews. It can be the thing that reflects
the spirit of the day, more than those
50,000 photographs you took at your
wedding. It’s just a nice energy.”
That’s what New York native
Edward Cleveland Jr. and his wife,
Maki, thought when they hired a
ketubah maker.
Cleveland, 37, was raised Catholic
in New York. His wife is from Tokyo.
They wanted their 2008 wedding to
be unique and hired a certified civil
celebrant, Gerald Fierst, to officiate
and help plan the ceremony. Fierst
suggested a leather-bound “Statement
of Our Love” in both English and Japanese, signed by the couple’s parents
and other guests. The ceremony also
included a sweet sake ceremony and
presentation of orchids to honor his
wife’s native Japan.
With friends “from all different
walks of life and ethnic backgrounds
and religions, we didn’t want anything that was religious but wanted
everybody to feel something familiar,”
Nelson said.
before the wedding, so out-of-towners
can make travel arrangements, states
TheKnot.com.
“It also lets you make the RSVP
date a little earlier — say three weeks
before the wedding date — so you
can get a final head count and start
making a seating chart (if you’ll have
one) before the final-week-before-thewedding crunch begins,” the website
states.
Websites of bakeries that make
wedding cakes offer a variety of recommendations on how far in advance.
Generally, at least several weeks to a
few months is recommended and, as
with everything, the sooner the better.
Smaller bakeries can only make so
many cakes on any given weekend,
so it’s best to book early.
And when it comes to shopping for
that gown?
“It’s never too early,” states TheKnot.com.
is one of the
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in
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your life.
in
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gether with
to
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daily
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to
p
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with the m
rmation.
fo
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a
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w
sports and
The Associated Press
IN THIS 2010 image released by Ryan DeVera Photography, Father Kevin
Moley, C.Ss.R., left, signs the wedding ketubah of Jannine and Nelson
Malavé at St. Peter the Apostle Church in Philadelphia. More non-Jewish
couples have embraced Jewish marriage rituals over the last decade. Some
stomp a glass — or a lightbulb as a popular substitute.
Hall for Rent
Seating up to 300
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T10
BRIDES 2012
FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2012
Give your day a
personal touch
Brides personalize weddings with
handmade bouquets and brooches
By EMILY FREDRIX
ASSOCIATED PRESS
When Carol Ann Vivrette was
planning her wedding four years ago,
her fiance encouraged her to bring her
crafty nature to the day. Hundreds of
hours and yards of yarn later, she had
knit and felted flowers for her wedding party, from her own calla lily
bouquet to the corsages of her two
grandmothers.
Why toss the bouquet when you
can keep it forever?
Instead of fresh-cut flowers, many
brides like Vivrette are making or
buying alternatives out of fabric, paper
and even old brooches. The results can
be stunning — colorful paper hydrangeas, sparkling brooches, even quirky
buttons, hundreds of them, forming
a bouquet.
It’s a way to personalize a wedding, and turn what can be a costly,
one-time expenditure into a family
keepsake.
It also can mean a lot of work.
Vivrette, of Oakland, Calif., began
working seriously on her project six
weeks out and finished the day before
her wedding.
Part of the fun was that the process
became a family affair: One friend
helped knit; two helped assemble the
pieces into boutonnieres and corsages;
and Vivrette’s mother inserted and
sewed wire into the flower stems so
the bouquet could hold its shape.
In all, they made 26 full flowers
and 11 boutonnieres or corsages.
“I definitely feel more loved and
connected to them in my wedding
memories than I might have if I had
just ordered flowers from a florist,”
Vivrette said.
Some brides choose an alternative
bouquet to save money. Flowers for
the average wedding can cost more
than $2,000, according to The Wedding Report, which tracks industry
spending. Of that, the bridal bouquet
runs on average $132; it and the other
bouquets, boutonnieres and corsages
often add up to more than $400.
Beyond cost, however, brides
might choose an alternative to the
traditional bouquet to express their
individuality, go lighter on the environment, or continue or establish a
family tradition.
All of those factors influenced
Karyn Thurston’s decision to crochet
flowers for her wedding in Portland,
Ore., in February 2011. Thurston
grew up seeing the fabric flowers her
mother had made for her own wedding and displayed at home. An avid
knitter, Thurston also wanted to avoid
having flowers shipped to her winter
wedding.
Over four months, she crocheted
flowers for her wedding party of 12
people, including her own bouquet —
a mix of golden yellow, rusty orange
and a deep gray blue. The time she
devoted to the project gave her a
chance to reflect.
“As I was going through the process of making flowers, thinking
about my hopes for the wedding and
our marriage, I was crocheting all that
intention into these flowers,” she said.
The Internet is awash in patterns, tutorials and how-to videos for
making bouquets out of things besides
fresh flowers. And if crafting’s not for
you, you can find handmade wares on
sites such as Etsy.com, where prices
range from $50 for simple silk bouquets to well over $600 for custom
brooch bouquets.
Some popular bouquet options:
The Associated Press
IN THIS Oct. 25, 2008 image released courtesy of Carol Ann Vivrette, a homemade calla lily bouquet made by
knitting and felting ﬂowers is shown in the wedding of Carol Ann and Jason Vivrette in Oakland, Calif. Many
brides these days are asking themselves, ‘Why toss the bouquet when you can keep it forever?’ Instead of ﬂowers,
they’re making or buying alternatives made from fabric, paper, even old brooches.
• Knit/Crochet — Tiny stitches,
an assortment of colors and easy-tofollow patterns can turn yarn into
gorgeous keepsakes. Novices to experienced knitters can find patterns to
suit their skills. Because the flowers
are small, you can make a lot out of
just a few skeins of yarn. Thurston
spent under $100 for yarn for the
flowers for her entire wedding party,
including wrist corsages and flower
headbands, bouquets and boutonnieres. Yarn stores also have patterns,
and knitters to help guide you. Many
patterns online are free. On Ravelry.
com — a networking site for knitters
and crocheters — there are more than
2,600 free flower patterns.
Fondant & Traditional
Wedding Cakes
A Winning Combination!
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Hall Fee only $650
FREE Room Rental for any Friday Wedding Reception (Offer Expires 2012)
FREE Taste Testing to Camden Falls Brides/Grooms
FREE Rehersal, Bridal Shower/Dinner Room Rentals
Champagne Toast for Head Table
FREE Room Blocks at the Tiffin Hampton Inn (Offer Expires 2012)
$150 off any standard buffet menu
for Friday bookings of Wedding Reception 2013 Season
Remember at Camden Falls “It’s Your Day!”
hot water. That process, called “felting,” creates a thicker, tighter fabric,
akin to what happens when you shrink
a sweater.
• Paper — Often, all that’s required
is the paper, a pair of good scissors
and glue. Use recycled books, crumple
up tissue paper or fold paper with origami techniques. Online, ready-made
paper bouquets are among the less
expensive options — sometimes as
little as $30 — because paper is relatively cheap. Want to make your own?
Martha Stewart has a gallery of 20
different types of paper flowers, with
directions, from peonies and dahlias
See BOUQUETS, Page T11
Let your Guest be
our Guest!
Fostoria Inn
& Suites
419-448-7699
2460 S. SR 231 • Tiffin
www.tiffincamdenfalls.com
• Fabric/Felt — Like wedding
dresses, fabric flowers can keep for
years. And they can be made in many
ways. Make flowers out of silk and
burn the edges slightly to curl them for
a natural look. Have a favorite fabric
designer? Take the vibrant floral patterns found on, say, Liberty of London
fabrics and incorporate that into your
wedding. A bonus: Many of the patterns for fabric flowers online don’t
even require sewing. Felt — a thicker
form of fabric — works well too for
flowers because it holds its shape. You
can buy felt in dozens of shades and
thicknesses. Or, like Vivrette, you can
essentially make your own felt by knitting flowers and then washing them in
& Cakes for all Occasions
Specialty Fondant &
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Design Your Own Wedding Cake!
CAROLYN PRUDEN
419-587-3738
[email protected]
Reserve a block of rooms:
And receive a special rate plus
an information insert to include
in your invitations.
1690 N. Countyline St. • Fostoria, OH
419-436-3600 • 877-284-3600
BRIDES 2012
Dress
Continued from page T5
The Associated Press
A BRIDESMAID HOLDS a homemade bouquet, made by knitting and
felting ﬂowers, for the wedding of Carol Ann and Jason Vivrette in
Oakland, Calif., in 2008.
Bouquets
Continued from page T10
to roses made out of coffee filters and accented with water color paint.
• Brooches/Buttons — To get “something old” into your ceremony and
add some sparkle too, try incorporating family heirloom brooches or old buttons. Scour thrift stores or ask relatives for contributions. Some brides even
assemble a brooch bouquet as they walk down the aisle, having family members
reach out and contribute pieces. Or buy online: The Blue Petyl website, for
example, has dozens of combinations of brooches, buttons, pearls and more,
from about $100 to $500.
• Buy a kit — Bridal designer Princess Lasertron sells a felted flower kit
for bridal bouquets for $140. To outfit bridesmaids too, a larger kit is available
for $420. Paper Source has kits for roses, daffodils, magnolias and more; you
can make nine red roses for less than $20.
Online:
http://www.etsy.com
http://www.marthastewart.com/274777/paper-flowers(hash)/241880
http://www.bluepetyl.com/
http://www.princesslasertron.com
http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/kits/flower-kits.html
For The Perfect
Wedding Reception
• From Hors d’euvres to Full Course Meals
• Elegant • Air Conditioned • Seats 50-375
• Banquets • Class Reunions
• Business & Company Parties
COMMUNITY CIVIC CENTER
151 S. Washington Street
Tiﬃn • 419-447-1150
And at anywhere from $100 to
$300, there’s no traditional price
tag either. Get a bridesmaid dress
in white, ivory or whatever color
you want. Wear it as is.
Or glam it up with accessories
and have a unique — and cost-effective — look.
It’s called a wedding dress hack,
I’d later find out.
Happy with my plan, I couldn’t
help looking at the women sorting
through the expensive gowns at the
store.
Why would they want to spend
thousands on a dress for one day?
They could spend far less, still look
amazing and save the rest for their
honeymoon or a house. Why didn’t
I feel their urge to splurge? Was
something wrong with me?
Not at all, says Meg Keene,
author of “A Practical Wedding:
Creative Ideas for Planning a Beautiful, Affordable, and Meaningful
Celebration.” I simply hadn’t bought
into the wedding myth, she says.
The myth is why so many weddings keep getting bigger (hello
Kardashians) and prices keep going
up.
Women see the glamour and
feel they are supposed to have it,
regardless of cost, says Keene, who
started the blog “A Practical Wed-
T11
ding” when planning her own nuptials in 2008.
Dresses are among the biggest
costs of a wedding, averaging nearly
$1,200, according to The Wedding
Report, Inc., which tracks industry
spending. And don’t forget accessories, headpieces and veils. An extra
$250, please.
The average U.S. wedding now
costs more than $26,000.
“ T here’s now this industr y
around weddings,” Keene says. “If
the word ‘wedding’ is attached,
people will pay.”
It doesn’t have to be that way,
especially for dresses. There are
so many other options: bridesmaid
dresses, prom dresses, vintage,
renting, borrowing and making.
Women like me who seek out
alternatives sometimes wonder if
they’ll look like a bride. But, says
Keene, there’s no one way to look.
“You remember how your wedding felt, not how it looked,” says
Keene, who wore a $250 vintage
dress to her wedding.
After deciding that I would
customize a bridesmaid dress, I
allowed myself one indulgent experience at a designer wedding-gown
studio so I could get ideas. After
trying on half a dozen pouffy, fancy
gowns, I knew that ivory looks just
fine on me, a sweetheart neckline
works well, and an A-line cut and
strapless are both flattering.
I took all that knowledge back
to my original salon, to my saleswoman friend. In minutes, I found
the dress.
The sample was white with a
black floral print, but in the mirror
I envisioned myself in ivory. With a
deep purple sash, maybe some silk
flowers stitched onto it. And maybe
some tulle underneath to give me
some pouf. It’s all up to me.
Final price? The tag said $205,
but after a bridal salon-wide sale
of 15 percent off, it was $174.25,
before tax.
Bam.
Now I’m planning my accessories. And talking glowingly about
my wedding dress rebellion.
The question I get is always the
same: “What about your bridesmaids? What are they wearing? ”
Bridesmaids? I’m not having any.
We’ve decided to elope.
FOR
YOUR
d
ay
D
g
din
We
FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2012
v full menu
catering
v400 seat banquet hall
v rehearsal dinners
Also availabe for anniversaries,
meetings/seminars, class reunions
and company/plant parties!
Call Kathy Tiell at 419-396-3007
Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation
Shrine Cafeteria
315 Clay Street v Carey, Ohio vwww.olcshrine.com
LOOK LIKE A MILLION BUCKS
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FINDLAY 419-422-3438
1433 E. Sandusky St., Findlay, OH
Hours: Mon., Wed. & Thurs. 8:30-6:30, Tues. & Fri. 8:30-1:00
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Required nutritional
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(Not Valid With Any Other Offer)
T12
BRIDES 2012
FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2012