first look
DETAILS
Find more neon inspo at cbuswedmag.com/neon.
Megan and Drew Miletti
Light Up the Night Inspired by everything from social media to ice cream shops to celebrity weddings, Central Ohio couples are jumping on this wedding trend that doubles as home décor after the big day. But it’s not just the couples on these pages; local neon artist Mike Bowersmith is seeing a rise in the popularity of custom neon signs as décor, too. The process is simple, he says: A client provides a design or works with him to make one; Bowersmith then colors the glass tubes (“I can actually do just about any color but brown, gray or black,” he says), bends them into the specified shape, fills it with the appropriate combination of neon and argon, attaches the electrical components and mounts it on acrylic so it can be hung as a display. For an 18-by-30-inch sign, Bowersmith’s pricing runs around $200 or $250, depending on the number of letters in the name or phrase and the complexity of the overall design. That cost goes up if a couple is working with one of the sign companies in and around Ohio—like DaNite Sign Co., Custom Sign Center, Morrison Sign Co. or Advance Sign Group, to name a few—that hire Bowersmith to create neon signage. Bowersmith does not have a website, as he intends to retire in the next five to six years; couples interested in commissioning a piece from him directly can contact him at glassdragon42@hotmail.com. —Emma Frankart Henterly 14
COLUMBUS WEDDINGS SPRING/SUMMER 2022
Megan and Matt Gall Aisle & Co. helped the Galls source their neon sign, which they placed “so that the photos would capture the Columbus skyline,” Megan says.
Olivia and Jeff Lonchor The Lonchors rented their sign from Prema Designs and made it into a selfie station. “I thought it was a fun and trendy way to add a little bit of flair to our day,” Olivia says.
PHOTOS: CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT, JULIA JUSTICE PHOTOGRAPHY (2); KISMET VISUALS & CO.; DERK’S WORKS PHOTOGRAPHY (2)
Megan says her last-name sign, which she ordered from Etsy, “was perfect for an Instagram-worthy spot” that guests took advantage of “more than I could have imagined!”
