Bridal Guide 2014

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February 2014

BRIDAL GUIDE

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Kristie Sotelo & Craig Duff June 22, 2013

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February 2014

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Perfecting the picture of your wedding If a picture is worth a thousand words, a bride and groom’s wedding day is an opportunity to say volumes about one of the most important days of the couple’s new life together.

Choosing the right photographer and having a clear understanding about what the end-product will be are key elements to capturing the event and preserving those special memories of the day.

Pam Burke

Havre Daily News

Why a pro

Photographs are a permanent document of your wedding, but more than that, they are among the first treasures of your lifetime together and in the company of family of friends, celebrating this life-changing event.

“You hear this time and time again: The one thing that people grab on the way out of their house if there’s a fire is photographs because they’re one of things that are most difficult to replace,” said Steve Helmbrecht, longtime owner and photographer at Helmbrecht Photography in Havre.

And, while all treasured photos capture special moments, the quality of wedding pho-

See Photography Page 3

Wedding Date

Choose a

tos should reflect the special nature of this rite of passage, said Jessika Sayler who started JL Bushard Photography in 2010.

“There are a lot of people who have a camera, but you’ve got to know there’s more dynamic to it than just being able to snap a picture,” Sayler said, about a professional’s attention to details in photographing weddings.

“Wedding photography is expensive,” she said, but the end product is worth the added cost.

With a little leg work and some forethought, you can assure that you will get the right photographer at the right price and have beautiful photos that compliment the occasion.

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BRIDAL GUIDE

February 2014

Factors to consider when going over the calendar Metro Creative

Photo by Helmbrecht Photography

dates, it helps to have a place to start. Some couples find it helpful to start with a particular season and then narrow it down from there. Decide if you prefer the lush greenery of summer or the amazing color spectrum of an autumn afternoon. Perhaps you envision arriving at the ceremony with a snow-packed landscape amid twinkling holiday lights.

Think about the season when you feel most happy and then determine if that time of year is doable.

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wisely

ding day to a particular holiday. Valentine’s Day is popular for weddings thanks to the romantic sentiments synonymous with the holiday, while some couples prefer Halloween or Christmas weddings. Holiday weddings can be exciting, but they also produce significant obstacles that couples who choose to get married during other times of year don’t have to worry about. Guests may not want to travel or spend time away from their families to attend a holiday wedding. Having a wedding during a holiday may mean competing for vendors and reception spaces. Prices on everything from food to flowers to airline tickets could be higher as vendors cash in on customer demand.

Many couples find themselves bombarded with questions the moment they become engaged, and perhaps no questions is more common than, “When is the wedding?”

Although a number of couples would prefer to bask in the excitement of their engagement, some couples feel pressured to rush into picking a wedding date. Choosing a wedding date without giving it much consideration may make things more difficult down the road.

Rather than jumping head first into any decisions, couples should give thought to any and all dates and decide if there are certain times of the year they want to tie the knot or avoid.

Certain months may seem perfect, but not for busy professionals or those with limited vacation time at their disposal. For example, early spring may not be good for accountants tallying year-end numbers.

Teachers may feel most comfortable tying the knot in the summer when they already have days off. If you run a pool business or a lawn maintenance company, then the summer might not be so good. Keep these factors in mind.

When thinking about potential wedding

Some people would like to tie their wed-

It’s less expensive for couples to get married on Fridays and Sundays than Saturday afternoons or evenings. Couples may think that the money saved will be well worth it, but they also should think about how this decision may affect their guests. A Friday wedding requires people to take off from work or school. Sunday weddings may be slightly more convenient, but those who have

Megan & Ryan Pennington June 30, 2013

Brandon & Heather Young August 31, 2013

Season

Jesse & Sarah Baldwin August 10, 2013

Month

Holidays

Day of the week

to get back to work on Monday may be tired from late-night festivities. Couples should anticipate some guests not making it to their weddings when those weddings are not on Saturdays.

Religious constraints

Couples having religious ceremonies should consult with their houses of worship as to which dates are acceptable. Some will not have weddings on days of religious observation. It is wise to consult with a church, synagogue or mosque before booking any other components of the wedding so that you are certain your chosen day is acceptable.

Any available dates

Your wedding date may be dictated by your caterer or wedding hall. If you have a particular venue in mind, you may be limited by their availability. This is a concession you will need to make if your heart is set on this particular location.

Planning a wedding can be exciting. But the ball cannot get rolling until couples first choose the day they will tie the knot.

Jen & Jason Metcalf August 17, 2013

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Engagement To-Dos:

Christa Vagnozzi www.theknot.com

Your wedding will no doubt reflect your personality as a couple, but why wait until the big day? The way you reveal your engagement to others should say something about you as a couple. When the newspaper simply won't do, here's how to personalize your engagement announcement.

The Web-Savvy Couple If you don't have one already, now is the time to publish a wedding blog. The hottest form of mass com-

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munication, blog pages get the word out fast and allow for quick feedback — and congratulations. Create a free wedding web page to share every detail of the proposal, and then use it as an easy way to keep your guests updated on wedding plans.

2

The Entertainers If you and your fiance are known far and wide — or at least within your group of friends — for throwing the best parties, announce your upcoming nuptials by hosting a surprise engagement party. Keep the secret long enough to gather your nearest and dearest, and your party promises to be anything but an everyday get-together. Host it at a favorite downtown restaurant, a local art gallery, or at a classy cocktail lounge, and share your good news with a champagne toast.

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The Shy Guys If you're not the type to draw attention to yourselves, consider making your announcement on a holiday.

BRIDAL GUIDE

February 2014

Photography: Book your photographer at least six months in advance

4 Creative Ways to Announce Your Engagement

Ready to announce your engagement? Think outside the wedding ring box and make an announcement in a way that matches your personalities.

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■ From Page 2

What to look for

Think about the advantages: Your family and friends are already together, they're focused on the occasion, and your good news will only add to the festive atmosphere of the day. Announcing your engagement on a holiday will not only make the day more memorable for years to come, but it'll also ensure that you guys aren't all alone in the spotlight.

4

The Snap-Happy Couple Did he propose on vacation? Then you probably have plenty of snapshots from your trip that you want to share with loved ones. If you used a digital camera, create an album on a photosharing website such as Shutterfly.com or Snapfish.com. Put together the story of the marriage proposal — "This is the view of the beach from our hotel," and "Here's a shot of the sunset on our first night" — leading to a picture of the two of you ... engaged! A final shot of you showing off your beautiful new ring will be a fitting way to end your engagement slideshow, and a great way to start a new chapter of your lives together.

Tami & Justin Miller June 29, 2013

Whitney & Luke McKinley July 27, 2013

Helmbrecht and Sayler talked about the following points regarding picking a wedding photographer.

• Research the photographer’s work. Look for a photographer who knows what they’re doing and talk to some of the other brides the photographer has worked with to get a description of their experience with this person.

• Have a budget set prior to meeting with a photographer and know exactly what to expect for number and types of photos.

Helmbrecht emphasized the importance of getting an album of the event.

“They should expect to get some kind of permanent record, and the best permanent record is a photographic picture, so there’s no question the most viable document of their wedding is a wedding album,” he said, adding that if you only have digital images, it’s easy to lose your photos, whether it’s from something happening to the image storing device, or the evolution of technology.

• Look for quality. That means photos are color corrected, with prints on quality paper with industrial inks. Called giclee prints, these photos are fine art quality digital prints made on inkjet printers. The quality of the giclee prints are on par with traditional development processes and commonly found in museums, art galleries and photo galleries.

• Find a photographer whose style matches your own, or your vision for the wedding, anyway.

For example, Helmbrecht said he likes to get traditional photos for the parents and contemporary shots for the couple’s style.

And Sayler said she takes formal photos, but she takes more candid photos to capture the feel of the day.

• Make sure the photographer will be bringing along a second photographer to catch different angles and shots of additional activities.

• Figure out whether or not you have a rapport with photographer.

When talking to references, Sayler said, ask if the photographer helped make the day comfortable.

“Photographers are there to make the wedding day a little bit less stressful,” Sayler said. “And whoever you hire you shouldn’t have to worry about ‘what are my pictures going to turn out like,’ you should already know by looking at their (past work).”

• “Have family and friends stay away for main pictures (of the bride, groom and wedding party),” Sayler said. This may seem rude but, she added, but they can be distracting for the photographer and for those getting their picture taken.

Last thoughts

One of the most important things to remember, the experts said, is to book your photographer at least six months in advance.

“They need to book out at least six months,” said Sayler. “And understand that other people book out that far, and when you can’t get a photographer — you only have one day to catch those photos.”

Helmbrecht said that if your wedding is during a popular time of year, booking a photographer up to one year in advance might be best.

“Obviously, the spring and the fall are the most popular times, and you just never know (when a photographer is going to be busy) because there are people who get married on Valentine’s, too,” he said. But it helps to find and book a photographer early, “especially if they’re in one of those popular times.”

All the work put into finding a wedding photographer pays off not just on the wedding day, but potentially to future generations, Helmbrecht said.

“It truly is one of the most important events of their life. After the cake is eaten, after all the presents are used, years and years down the line, the one thing that perseveres is their photographs. They should just keep that in mind,” he said. “Twenty-four hours after the ceremony, the flowers are gone, the cake is gone. It’s the one element, the one document of their wedding that is, hopefully, going to be with them for the rest of their lives.”

(Helmbrecht Photography is located at 224 4th Ave. and online at www.helmbrecht.com, and JL Bushard can be found online at http:// jlbushard.zenfolio.com.)

Corie Jade Carter (Soper) & Kile Erette Carter June 3, 2013

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How to file for a marriage in Montana Unique wedding proposals, from the locals

Tim Leeds

Havre Daily News One part of the often-lengthy planning in holding a wedding has fairly simple requirements in Montana: to receive a marriage license, people need to fill out an application with a clerk of district court in the state, swear the information is true, pay the $53 fee and either have a blood test completed or sign a waiver of that requirement, then get married within six months.

While people in Montana can have a common-law marriage, going through those steps can save some trouble later on. Common-law

marriages result from actions of a couple — typically living together as husband and wife while of legal age and not being legally married to someone else — holding themselves forth as a married couple and having an agreement to be married, says a brochure by Montana Legal Services Association.

But common-law marriages have been known to cause troubles with applying for or receiving insurance or Social Security benefits and other issues because of a lack of a license to prove a marriage exists.

In Montana, people also can be married without a ceremony by filing a written declaration of marriage with a clerk of court.

Even that could cause problems depending on whether it would be recognized under rules in other states, including by insurance companies.

The requirements in Montana to apply for a marriage license are fairly simple and straightforward. Residents of the state don’t even have to apply for marriage in the county where the ceremony will be performed. A license issued in Hill County, for example, can be used in any Montana county.

If neither party to the marriage is a resident of the state, Montana Code Annotated says that the license may be obtained from the clerk of court in the county where the ceremony will be performed. If one person is a nonresident, that person’s section of the application may be completed before an official authorized to accept such applications in the county and state where the party resides, the law states.

The application is fairly simple, requiring information including the names of the parties, their residence and address, names of the parents and their birthplaces, race, education and information about any previous marriage and its termination.

The participants are required to swear under oath that the information provided is true, and state law specifies that the parties must pay the filing fee.

The law requires that the parties applying provide satisfactory proof that they will be at least 18 years old when the license is issued, or will be 16 and have judicial approval of the marriage, generally with the consent of the parties’ parents. The parties must also be able to provide proof that their marriage is not prohibited under state law, such as a marriage between first cousins or an uncle and a niece.

Montana law does specify that the woman applying for a marriage license

must submit a blood test confirming immunity to rubella, but also allows the parties of the marriage to request a waiver of the requirement after reading information about the need to ensure rubella immunity to protect any children conceived. Infection of a woman with the rubella virus during early pregnancy can lead to complictions with the pregnancy or a variety of congenital defects, the waiver reads.

The marriage must take place within 180 days of the application being completed, though there is no waiting period before the ceremony can take place, a change in former law. That is a change from previous Montana law, which required a three-day waiting period before the marriage could take place.

Once the marriage is completed and the license issued, it is kept on record both in the county where it was filed and on the state level.

Another issue people might need to remember is taken care of after the marriage: making sure any name changes are on record.

If a name is changed due to marriage — such as the woman taking the family name of the husband — it is important that the change is recorded by any agencies or entities that need to know. That would include the Social Security Administration, for recording income and issuing benefits; insurance companies; bank and other financial accounts including mortgages, and making sure names — and addresses — are correct on driver’s licenses, passports and other identification, as well as any other documents or entities that require a name to be on file.

Blake Nelsen and Jordan Wilkinson I had been going on runs for most of the summer, and I always asked Blake to run with me. He rarely did.

One random day he asked me to go for a run the next day. I was surprised but figured he must have felt out of shape and wanted to go for a run to feel better.

The next day it was crazy hot, in the 90s all day long. I kept asking him all day to see if he was sure about running still because I really wasn't feeling it. He told me if I toughed out the heat and ran with him he would buy me dinner from Rod's, which is my favorite food place in town. I finally agreed. We ran at the Baltrusch trail and it was miserable hot. We had made it to the turn around, and ran back to where the bench on the hill is, at that point, Blake took off running from me, sprinting. I figured he was just showing off how he could finish

the course, but yelled at him for being rude and leaving me behind. I jogged through the end and could see him standing at the end of the trail.

As I was jogging I noticed some signs along the trail that weren't there when we passed through the first time. The first sign read, "Keep running baby"; the second read, "because I'm waiting"; the third read, "at the end"; the fourth read "for your answer"; and the last sign read, "Will you marry me?"

When I reached the end, Blake was down on one knee and asked me if I would marry him! I said, "You know I will!" We are getting married Aug. 23 in Great Falls.

Ryan & Cesilee Storkson My name is Ryan Storkson and I have been a resident of Havre since 2000. My wife, Cesilee Noga, is from Medicine Hat, Alberta.

We were engaged March 31, 2012, in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. We were there on a family vacation. After her parents gave me their blessing to ask for her hand in marriage, I began planning a way to make the proposal unique and memorable.

I came up with a message in a bottle idea. I got some paper and wrote a proposal poem on it, burned the edges, rolled it up, tied it with a piece of jute and slipped it into the bottle. Once we got to the beach everyone went searching for beach chairs except me. It was then I buried the message in a bottle in the sand and anxiously stood waiting. The family all returned to me with beach chairs in tow except my soon to be fiancé. We could not find her, but after looking over toward the beach-side bar there she was coming back with multiple drinks! Haha.

Once she arrived back to the place I had buried the message in the bottle, I faked like I stepped on something sharp. She bent down with concern, and came back up ecstatic, screaming with excitement, "I found a message in a bottle!" She opened the bottle and began to read the words silently, and then reread it aloud. It was then I got down on one knee and asked her to be my wife, and she said yes! We were married April 13, 2013, in Medicine Hat, Alberta, and currently reside in Havre.

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February 2014

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John Paul Schmidt Havre Daily News

Cavaliers Men’s Wear has been providing the Hi-Line with tuxedos for decades, and the owners and staff pride themselves on being a quick and easy one-stop-shop for preparing wedding participants’ duds.

Allen “Woody” Woodwick, an employee at Cavaliers, said the process for preparing men for weddings at his shop is fairly simple.

Woodwick said that they first find out the basics: how many people are going to be partaking in the wedding ceremonies, the names of the party and what style the men, or their more fashion-savvy counterparts, are looking for.

One of the most important things is to get the colors of the vests and ties to match those of the bridesmaid’s dresses.

“It’s important to know the colors being used,” Woodwick said. “The men have to match or there will be trouble.”

The tuxedos are pulled out or, if the store does not have enough in stock, are ordered from the store’s distributor.

Orders generally come in a few days early at the latest and then Cavaliers employees will then get the men’s measurements in order to tailor-fit the tuxedos to make the wedding procession look sharp. The fittings

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February 2014

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Tying the knot requires flower power

Tuxedo RENTING pointers take as little as five minutes to complete.

“We like to make it as easy as possible,” Woodwick said. “We want to make sure everything fits right.”

Cavaliers’ location in Havre saves people organizing weddings from traveling greater distances to get ready, like making the fourhour round trip to Great Falls. Woodwick said they get a lot of business from the Hi-Line because of this, from people looking to dress up for weddings, proms and other occasions.

Woodwick said the average tuxedo rental runs at $100, but can range anywhere from $85 to $250 depending on the style desired.

“It all depends on what you want,” Woodwick said.

The rental includes everything needed for a complete tuxedo, from the pants to the cufflinks.

Advice Woodwick has for those preparing for a wedding is that it does not hurt to come into the store a few months early to make sure everything is prepared in time for the wedding. One of the biggest problems people face in the prep-work is rounding up everyone involved in the wedding for the fitting of the tuxedos.

“One of the things we pride ourselves in is making it as easy as possible,” Woodwick said.

5

Whether you have one week or one year before your big day, including the florist in your wedding planning can insure a unique touch of beauty to your wedding.

Floral accents for a wedding ceremony can range from a simple bouquet for her and boutonnière for him to fully decorated venues for the wedding and reception with flowers for the entire wedding party, immediate family, aisles, pews and alter with centerpieces, garlands, bouquets and scattered petals.

Like all decisions for the wedding, those concerning the flowers can be overwhelming, but a few things can make this portion of the planning go easier.

Pam Burke

Havre Daily News

Shelbee & Brian Fritchman July 20, 2013

• Book the florist early The primary thing to remember, said Angela Pratt of Angie’s Wildflowers in Havre, is to book the florist in advance — she recommends six months to a year.

That said, florists can generally do something for a wedding, if they’re not booked up for that weekend, said Pratt.

“We can make anything happen. If a bride has to get it done in a week, we’ll get it done,” she said, adding that it limits options available to the bride, and it’s almost always more expensive.

Local florists have experience to offer the couple, Hanson said, with such things as how long it takes to order in specialty flowers, how different flowers will hold up to the area's heat or cold and which flowers are in season.

• Come to the florist with a budget.

This will affect everything from the type of flowers to buy to the number of bouquets, boutonnieres and other floral arrangements, said Hanson “We as a flower shop, we really try to honor that,” said Pratt about the wedding budget. “Every bride should be able to have the day she wants for what she can afford.”

And even if your budget doesn’t allow for the flowers you had hoped for, all your dreams are not lost, she added.

“We may not be able to do orchids, but we can steer you somewhere that would be more in your budget and help out,” she said, adding that in her experience the budget is important largely because it’s harder on the bride’s emotions to make a great plan for flowers with the florist then have to trim it back after finding that a budget, made later, doesn’t allow for the expense.

It's also important to remember, Hanson said, that "you don't have to have a lot of money to have a pretty wedding.”

• Know the number of people, plac-

es and things that will need flowers, as well as the size of your venues.

Pamela Andersen & Kurt Shulund September 28, 2013

Another reason to book the florist early is to insure that they are available on the big day. The size of the floral shop dictates the number of venues they can cover in a weekend.

Pratt said that she is limited to two weddings in a weekend with her staff and storage capacity.

Lisa Hanson, floral designer at Milam Floral in Havre, said that shop can handle one big wedding or two smaller ones each weekend, and added that the limitation is for the couple's benefit as much as anything.

"We want to be sure to give our full attention to them," she said.

• Start early gathering photo ideas

for bouquets and decorations, but keep an open mind for suggestions from the professionals.

Photos of flowers and floral arrangements you like, said Pratt, are a good place to start, and the florist can advise and personalize from there.

This goes back to the budget, said Hanson.

Take into consideration such things as the number of people in the wedding party, immediate family members, the number of assistants, the number of tables and the size of the wedding and reception venues.

• Know the colors planned for the

wedding and think about which flowers and other details you like.

It goes without saying that wedding colors will affect the flower choices made for the whole occasion, but remember that new flower varieties come out every year, and the florist will be able to tell you if something new is out there to fit your needs and preferences.

It’s your wedding, so be sure to include things you like, things that are unique to you, Pratt said, adding that the personal touches can be photos, trinkets with personally symbolic meaning and mementos which can be incorporated into the bouquet and arrangements.

• Know if you have any flower

restrictions.

Some venues don’t allow flower pedals, and some don’t allow certain scented flowers

because of allergies, said Pratt. And know if any family and friends have specific allergies that can affect flower choice as well.

• Be aware of the time of year

you’re getting married.

Seasons can drastically affect the type of flowers available, and summer heat in an outdoor wedding can be hard on some types of flowers, said Hanson. However, she added, a florist can help steer you in the direction of flowers that will work.

• Keep the florist updated.

Both Hanson and Pratt pointed out that problems can occur if the florist is not kept in the loop about any changes, from wedding location to budget to the number of people in the wedding party to colors.

And if an outdoor wedding has a secondary venue in case of rain, Pratt said with a laugh, tell the florist.

Trends

“One thing about being in Havre,” said Angela Pratt of Angie’s Wildflowers, “is we’re kind of behind the times, and there’s so much out there that people can do and they don’t even know about.”

• Get on the Internet and do some searches, especially Pinterest, she said.

The Internet can offer many new and fresh ideas.

• Allow yourself to think outside the box when consulting with the florist. Pratt said that florists can offer a fresh angle to ideas while also adding personalized touches to bouquets and arrangements.

• Bold colors are in this year, said Pratt, as are unusual plant accents like succulents — used in centerpieces and the bride’s bouquet as well.

• A wide variety of specialty flowers are available, even in Havre, but some require at least three weeks to get shipped in. “The real popular thing is tie-died orchids this year,”Pratt said. “They’re blue and purple, and we have to order so far out for those because they are so in demand — we have to have three weeks lead time.”

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Crystal Robinette & Christopher Tilleman September 28, 2013

Tiffany & Jason Castillon September 14, 2013

Daniel & Jessica Boyer June 7, 2013

MT-0000321725

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February 2014

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Crystal Robinette & Christopher Tilleman September 28, 2013

Tiffany & Jason Castillon September 14, 2013

Daniel & Jessica Boyer June 7, 2013

MT-0000321725

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February 2014

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John Paul Schmidt Havre Daily News

Cavaliers Men’s Wear has been providing the Hi-Line with tuxedos for decades, and the owners and staff pride themselves on being a quick and easy one-stop-shop for preparing wedding participants’ duds.

Allen “Woody” Woodwick, an employee at Cavaliers, said the process for preparing men for weddings at his shop is fairly simple.

Woodwick said that they first find out the basics: how many people are going to be partaking in the wedding ceremonies, the names of the party and what style the men, or their more fashion-savvy counterparts, are looking for.

One of the most important things is to get the colors of the vests and ties to match those of the bridesmaid’s dresses.

“It’s important to know the colors being used,” Woodwick said. “The men have to match or there will be trouble.”

The tuxedos are pulled out or, if the store does not have enough in stock, are ordered from the store’s distributor.

Orders generally come in a few days early at the latest and then Cavaliers employees will then get the men’s measurements in order to tailor-fit the tuxedos to make the wedding procession look sharp. The fittings

BRIDAL GUIDE

February 2014

www.havredailynews.com

Tying the knot requires flower power

Tuxedo RENTING pointers take as little as five minutes to complete.

“We like to make it as easy as possible,” Woodwick said. “We want to make sure everything fits right.”

Cavaliers’ location in Havre saves people organizing weddings from traveling greater distances to get ready, like making the fourhour round trip to Great Falls. Woodwick said they get a lot of business from the Hi-Line because of this, from people looking to dress up for weddings, proms and other occasions.

Woodwick said the average tuxedo rental runs at $100, but can range anywhere from $85 to $250 depending on the style desired.

“It all depends on what you want,” Woodwick said.

The rental includes everything needed for a complete tuxedo, from the pants to the cufflinks.

Advice Woodwick has for those preparing for a wedding is that it does not hurt to come into the store a few months early to make sure everything is prepared in time for the wedding. One of the biggest problems people face in the prep-work is rounding up everyone involved in the wedding for the fitting of the tuxedos.

“One of the things we pride ourselves in is making it as easy as possible,” Woodwick said.

5

Whether you have one week or one year before your big day, including the florist in your wedding planning can insure a unique touch of beauty to your wedding.

Floral accents for a wedding ceremony can range from a simple bouquet for her and boutonnière for him to fully decorated venues for the wedding and reception with flowers for the entire wedding party, immediate family, aisles, pews and alter with centerpieces, garlands, bouquets and scattered petals.

Like all decisions for the wedding, those concerning the flowers can be overwhelming, but a few things can make this portion of the planning go easier.

Pam Burke

Havre Daily News

Shelbee & Brian Fritchman July 20, 2013

• Book the florist early The primary thing to remember, said Angela Pratt of Angie’s Wildflowers in Havre, is to book the florist in advance — she recommends six months to a year.

That said, florists can generally do something for a wedding, if they’re not booked up for that weekend, said Pratt.

“We can make anything happen. If a bride has to get it done in a week, we’ll get it done,” she said, adding that it limits options available to the bride, and it’s almost always more expensive.

Local florists have experience to offer the couple, Hanson said, with such things as how long it takes to order in specialty flowers, how different flowers will hold up to the area's heat or cold and which flowers are in season.

• Come to the florist with a budget.

This will affect everything from the type of flowers to buy to the number of bouquets, boutonnieres and other floral arrangements, said Hanson “We as a flower shop, we really try to honor that,” said Pratt about the wedding budget. “Every bride should be able to have the day she wants for what she can afford.”

And even if your budget doesn’t allow for the flowers you had hoped for, all your dreams are not lost, she added.

“We may not be able to do orchids, but we can steer you somewhere that would be more in your budget and help out,” she said, adding that in her experience the budget is important largely because it’s harder on the bride’s emotions to make a great plan for flowers with the florist then have to trim it back after finding that a budget, made later, doesn’t allow for the expense.

It's also important to remember, Hanson said, that "you don't have to have a lot of money to have a pretty wedding.”

• Know the number of people, plac-

es and things that will need flowers, as well as the size of your venues.

Pamela Andersen & Kurt Shulund September 28, 2013

Another reason to book the florist early is to insure that they are available on the big day. The size of the floral shop dictates the number of venues they can cover in a weekend.

Pratt said that she is limited to two weddings in a weekend with her staff and storage capacity.

Lisa Hanson, floral designer at Milam Floral in Havre, said that shop can handle one big wedding or two smaller ones each weekend, and added that the limitation is for the couple's benefit as much as anything.

"We want to be sure to give our full attention to them," she said.

• Start early gathering photo ideas

for bouquets and decorations, but keep an open mind for suggestions from the professionals.

Photos of flowers and floral arrangements you like, said Pratt, are a good place to start, and the florist can advise and personalize from there.

This goes back to the budget, said Hanson.

Take into consideration such things as the number of people in the wedding party, immediate family members, the number of assistants, the number of tables and the size of the wedding and reception venues.

• Know the colors planned for the

wedding and think about which flowers and other details you like.

It goes without saying that wedding colors will affect the flower choices made for the whole occasion, but remember that new flower varieties come out every year, and the florist will be able to tell you if something new is out there to fit your needs and preferences.

It’s your wedding, so be sure to include things you like, things that are unique to you, Pratt said, adding that the personal touches can be photos, trinkets with personally symbolic meaning and mementos which can be incorporated into the bouquet and arrangements.

• Know if you have any flower

restrictions.

Some venues don’t allow flower pedals, and some don’t allow certain scented flowers

because of allergies, said Pratt. And know if any family and friends have specific allergies that can affect flower choice as well.

• Be aware of the time of year

you’re getting married.

Seasons can drastically affect the type of flowers available, and summer heat in an outdoor wedding can be hard on some types of flowers, said Hanson. However, she added, a florist can help steer you in the direction of flowers that will work.

• Keep the florist updated.

Both Hanson and Pratt pointed out that problems can occur if the florist is not kept in the loop about any changes, from wedding location to budget to the number of people in the wedding party to colors.

And if an outdoor wedding has a secondary venue in case of rain, Pratt said with a laugh, tell the florist.

Trends

“One thing about being in Havre,” said Angela Pratt of Angie’s Wildflowers, “is we’re kind of behind the times, and there’s so much out there that people can do and they don’t even know about.”

• Get on the Internet and do some searches, especially Pinterest, she said.

The Internet can offer many new and fresh ideas.

• Allow yourself to think outside the box when consulting with the florist. Pratt said that florists can offer a fresh angle to ideas while also adding personalized touches to bouquets and arrangements.

• Bold colors are in this year, said Pratt, as are unusual plant accents like succulents — used in centerpieces and the bride’s bouquet as well.

• A wide variety of specialty flowers are available, even in Havre, but some require at least three weeks to get shipped in. “The real popular thing is tie-died orchids this year,”Pratt said. “They’re blue and purple, and we have to order so far out for those because they are so in demand — we have to have three weeks lead time.”

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How to file for a marriage in Montana Unique wedding proposals, from the locals

Tim Leeds

Havre Daily News One part of the often-lengthy planning in holding a wedding has fairly simple requirements in Montana: to receive a marriage license, people need to fill out an application with a clerk of district court in the state, swear the information is true, pay the $53 fee and either have a blood test completed or sign a waiver of that requirement, then get married within six months.

While people in Montana can have a common-law marriage, going through those steps can save some trouble later on. Common-law

marriages result from actions of a couple — typically living together as husband and wife while of legal age and not being legally married to someone else — holding themselves forth as a married couple and having an agreement to be married, says a brochure by Montana Legal Services Association.

But common-law marriages have been known to cause troubles with applying for or receiving insurance or Social Security benefits and other issues because of a lack of a license to prove a marriage exists.

In Montana, people also can be married without a ceremony by filing a written declaration of marriage with a clerk of court.

Even that could cause problems depending on whether it would be recognized under rules in other states, including by insurance companies.

The requirements in Montana to apply for a marriage license are fairly simple and straightforward. Residents of the state don’t even have to apply for marriage in the county where the ceremony will be performed. A license issued in Hill County, for example, can be used in any Montana county.

If neither party to the marriage is a resident of the state, Montana Code Annotated says that the license may be obtained from the clerk of court in the county where the ceremony will be performed. If one person is a nonresident, that person’s section of the application may be completed before an official authorized to accept such applications in the county and state where the party resides, the law states.

The application is fairly simple, requiring information including the names of the parties, their residence and address, names of the parents and their birthplaces, race, education and information about any previous marriage and its termination.

The participants are required to swear under oath that the information provided is true, and state law specifies that the parties must pay the filing fee.

The law requires that the parties applying provide satisfactory proof that they will be at least 18 years old when the license is issued, or will be 16 and have judicial approval of the marriage, generally with the consent of the parties’ parents. The parties must also be able to provide proof that their marriage is not prohibited under state law, such as a marriage between first cousins or an uncle and a niece.

Montana law does specify that the woman applying for a marriage license

must submit a blood test confirming immunity to rubella, but also allows the parties of the marriage to request a waiver of the requirement after reading information about the need to ensure rubella immunity to protect any children conceived. Infection of a woman with the rubella virus during early pregnancy can lead to complictions with the pregnancy or a variety of congenital defects, the waiver reads.

The marriage must take place within 180 days of the application being completed, though there is no waiting period before the ceremony can take place, a change in former law. That is a change from previous Montana law, which required a three-day waiting period before the marriage could take place.

Once the marriage is completed and the license issued, it is kept on record both in the county where it was filed and on the state level.

Another issue people might need to remember is taken care of after the marriage: making sure any name changes are on record.

If a name is changed due to marriage — such as the woman taking the family name of the husband — it is important that the change is recorded by any agencies or entities that need to know. That would include the Social Security Administration, for recording income and issuing benefits; insurance companies; bank and other financial accounts including mortgages, and making sure names — and addresses — are correct on driver’s licenses, passports and other identification, as well as any other documents or entities that require a name to be on file.

Blake Nelsen and Jordan Wilkinson I had been going on runs for most of the summer, and I always asked Blake to run with me. He rarely did.

One random day he asked me to go for a run the next day. I was surprised but figured he must have felt out of shape and wanted to go for a run to feel better.

The next day it was crazy hot, in the 90s all day long. I kept asking him all day to see if he was sure about running still because I really wasn't feeling it. He told me if I toughed out the heat and ran with him he would buy me dinner from Rod's, which is my favorite food place in town. I finally agreed. We ran at the Baltrusch trail and it was miserable hot. We had made it to the turn around, and ran back to where the bench on the hill is, at that point, Blake took off running from me, sprinting. I figured he was just showing off how he could finish

the course, but yelled at him for being rude and leaving me behind. I jogged through the end and could see him standing at the end of the trail.

As I was jogging I noticed some signs along the trail that weren't there when we passed through the first time. The first sign read, "Keep running baby"; the second read, "because I'm waiting"; the third read, "at the end"; the fourth read "for your answer"; and the last sign read, "Will you marry me?"

When I reached the end, Blake was down on one knee and asked me if I would marry him! I said, "You know I will!" We are getting married Aug. 23 in Great Falls.

Ryan & Cesilee Storkson My name is Ryan Storkson and I have been a resident of Havre since 2000. My wife, Cesilee Noga, is from Medicine Hat, Alberta.

We were engaged March 31, 2012, in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. We were there on a family vacation. After her parents gave me their blessing to ask for her hand in marriage, I began planning a way to make the proposal unique and memorable.

I came up with a message in a bottle idea. I got some paper and wrote a proposal poem on it, burned the edges, rolled it up, tied it with a piece of jute and slipped it into the bottle. Once we got to the beach everyone went searching for beach chairs except me. It was then I buried the message in a bottle in the sand and anxiously stood waiting. The family all returned to me with beach chairs in tow except my soon to be fiancé. We could not find her, but after looking over toward the beach-side bar there she was coming back with multiple drinks! Haha.

Once she arrived back to the place I had buried the message in the bottle, I faked like I stepped on something sharp. She bent down with concern, and came back up ecstatic, screaming with excitement, "I found a message in a bottle!" She opened the bottle and began to read the words silently, and then reread it aloud. It was then I got down on one knee and asked her to be my wife, and she said yes! We were married April 13, 2013, in Medicine Hat, Alberta, and currently reside in Havre.

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Engagement To-Dos:

Christa Vagnozzi www.theknot.com

Your wedding will no doubt reflect your personality as a couple, but why wait until the big day? The way you reveal your engagement to others should say something about you as a couple. When the newspaper simply won't do, here's how to personalize your engagement announcement.

The Web-Savvy Couple If you don't have one already, now is the time to publish a wedding blog. The hottest form of mass com-

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munication, blog pages get the word out fast and allow for quick feedback — and congratulations. Create a free wedding web page to share every detail of the proposal, and then use it as an easy way to keep your guests updated on wedding plans.

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The Entertainers If you and your fiance are known far and wide — or at least within your group of friends — for throwing the best parties, announce your upcoming nuptials by hosting a surprise engagement party. Keep the secret long enough to gather your nearest and dearest, and your party promises to be anything but an everyday get-together. Host it at a favorite downtown restaurant, a local art gallery, or at a classy cocktail lounge, and share your good news with a champagne toast.

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The Shy Guys If you're not the type to draw attention to yourselves, consider making your announcement on a holiday.

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Photography: Book your photographer at least six months in advance

4 Creative Ways to Announce Your Engagement

Ready to announce your engagement? Think outside the wedding ring box and make an announcement in a way that matches your personalities.

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What to look for

Think about the advantages: Your family and friends are already together, they're focused on the occasion, and your good news will only add to the festive atmosphere of the day. Announcing your engagement on a holiday will not only make the day more memorable for years to come, but it'll also ensure that you guys aren't all alone in the spotlight.

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The Snap-Happy Couple Did he propose on vacation? Then you probably have plenty of snapshots from your trip that you want to share with loved ones. If you used a digital camera, create an album on a photosharing website such as Shutterfly.com or Snapfish.com. Put together the story of the marriage proposal — "This is the view of the beach from our hotel," and "Here's a shot of the sunset on our first night" — leading to a picture of the two of you ... engaged! A final shot of you showing off your beautiful new ring will be a fitting way to end your engagement slideshow, and a great way to start a new chapter of your lives together.

Tami & Justin Miller June 29, 2013

Whitney & Luke McKinley July 27, 2013

Helmbrecht and Sayler talked about the following points regarding picking a wedding photographer.

• Research the photographer’s work. Look for a photographer who knows what they’re doing and talk to some of the other brides the photographer has worked with to get a description of their experience with this person.

• Have a budget set prior to meeting with a photographer and know exactly what to expect for number and types of photos.

Helmbrecht emphasized the importance of getting an album of the event.

“They should expect to get some kind of permanent record, and the best permanent record is a photographic picture, so there’s no question the most viable document of their wedding is a wedding album,” he said, adding that if you only have digital images, it’s easy to lose your photos, whether it’s from something happening to the image storing device, or the evolution of technology.

• Look for quality. That means photos are color corrected, with prints on quality paper with industrial inks. Called giclee prints, these photos are fine art quality digital prints made on inkjet printers. The quality of the giclee prints are on par with traditional development processes and commonly found in museums, art galleries and photo galleries.

• Find a photographer whose style matches your own, or your vision for the wedding, anyway.

For example, Helmbrecht said he likes to get traditional photos for the parents and contemporary shots for the couple’s style.

And Sayler said she takes formal photos, but she takes more candid photos to capture the feel of the day.

• Make sure the photographer will be bringing along a second photographer to catch different angles and shots of additional activities.

• Figure out whether or not you have a rapport with photographer.

When talking to references, Sayler said, ask if the photographer helped make the day comfortable.

“Photographers are there to make the wedding day a little bit less stressful,” Sayler said. “And whoever you hire you shouldn’t have to worry about ‘what are my pictures going to turn out like,’ you should already know by looking at their (past work).”

• “Have family and friends stay away for main pictures (of the bride, groom and wedding party),” Sayler said. This may seem rude but, she added, but they can be distracting for the photographer and for those getting their picture taken.

Last thoughts

One of the most important things to remember, the experts said, is to book your photographer at least six months in advance.

“They need to book out at least six months,” said Sayler. “And understand that other people book out that far, and when you can’t get a photographer — you only have one day to catch those photos.”

Helmbrecht said that if your wedding is during a popular time of year, booking a photographer up to one year in advance might be best.

“Obviously, the spring and the fall are the most popular times, and you just never know (when a photographer is going to be busy) because there are people who get married on Valentine’s, too,” he said. But it helps to find and book a photographer early, “especially if they’re in one of those popular times.”

All the work put into finding a wedding photographer pays off not just on the wedding day, but potentially to future generations, Helmbrecht said.

“It truly is one of the most important events of their life. After the cake is eaten, after all the presents are used, years and years down the line, the one thing that perseveres is their photographs. They should just keep that in mind,” he said. “Twenty-four hours after the ceremony, the flowers are gone, the cake is gone. It’s the one element, the one document of their wedding that is, hopefully, going to be with them for the rest of their lives.”

(Helmbrecht Photography is located at 224 4th Ave. and online at www.helmbrecht.com, and JL Bushard can be found online at http:// jlbushard.zenfolio.com.)

Corie Jade Carter (Soper) & Kile Erette Carter June 3, 2013

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Perfecting the picture of your wedding If a picture is worth a thousand words, a bride and groom’s wedding day is an opportunity to say volumes about one of the most important days of the couple’s new life together.

Choosing the right photographer and having a clear understanding about what the end-product will be are key elements to capturing the event and preserving those special memories of the day.

Pam Burke

Havre Daily News

Why a pro

Photographs are a permanent document of your wedding, but more than that, they are among the first treasures of your lifetime together and in the company of family of friends, celebrating this life-changing event.

“You hear this time and time again: The one thing that people grab on the way out of their house if there’s a fire is photographs because they’re one of things that are most difficult to replace,” said Steve Helmbrecht, longtime owner and photographer at Helmbrecht Photography in Havre.

And, while all treasured photos capture special moments, the quality of wedding pho-

See Photography Page 3

Wedding Date

Choose a

tos should reflect the special nature of this rite of passage, said Jessika Sayler who started JL Bushard Photography in 2010.

“There are a lot of people who have a camera, but you’ve got to know there’s more dynamic to it than just being able to snap a picture,” Sayler said, about a professional’s attention to details in photographing weddings.

“Wedding photography is expensive,” she said, but the end product is worth the added cost.

With a little leg work and some forethought, you can assure that you will get the right photographer at the right price and have beautiful photos that compliment the occasion.

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Factors to consider when going over the calendar Metro Creative

Photo by Helmbrecht Photography

dates, it helps to have a place to start. Some couples find it helpful to start with a particular season and then narrow it down from there. Decide if you prefer the lush greenery of summer or the amazing color spectrum of an autumn afternoon. Perhaps you envision arriving at the ceremony with a snow-packed landscape amid twinkling holiday lights.

Think about the season when you feel most happy and then determine if that time of year is doable.

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wisely

ding day to a particular holiday. Valentine’s Day is popular for weddings thanks to the romantic sentiments synonymous with the holiday, while some couples prefer Halloween or Christmas weddings. Holiday weddings can be exciting, but they also produce significant obstacles that couples who choose to get married during other times of year don’t have to worry about. Guests may not want to travel or spend time away from their families to attend a holiday wedding. Having a wedding during a holiday may mean competing for vendors and reception spaces. Prices on everything from food to flowers to airline tickets could be higher as vendors cash in on customer demand.

Many couples find themselves bombarded with questions the moment they become engaged, and perhaps no questions is more common than, “When is the wedding?”

Although a number of couples would prefer to bask in the excitement of their engagement, some couples feel pressured to rush into picking a wedding date. Choosing a wedding date without giving it much consideration may make things more difficult down the road.

Rather than jumping head first into any decisions, couples should give thought to any and all dates and decide if there are certain times of the year they want to tie the knot or avoid.

Certain months may seem perfect, but not for busy professionals or those with limited vacation time at their disposal. For example, early spring may not be good for accountants tallying year-end numbers.

Teachers may feel most comfortable tying the knot in the summer when they already have days off. If you run a pool business or a lawn maintenance company, then the summer might not be so good. Keep these factors in mind.

When thinking about potential wedding

Some people would like to tie their wed-

It’s less expensive for couples to get married on Fridays and Sundays than Saturday afternoons or evenings. Couples may think that the money saved will be well worth it, but they also should think about how this decision may affect their guests. A Friday wedding requires people to take off from work or school. Sunday weddings may be slightly more convenient, but those who have

Megan & Ryan Pennington June 30, 2013

Brandon & Heather Young August 31, 2013

Season

Jesse & Sarah Baldwin August 10, 2013

Month

Holidays

Day of the week

to get back to work on Monday may be tired from late-night festivities. Couples should anticipate some guests not making it to their weddings when those weddings are not on Saturdays.

Religious constraints

Couples having religious ceremonies should consult with their houses of worship as to which dates are acceptable. Some will not have weddings on days of religious observation. It is wise to consult with a church, synagogue or mosque before booking any other components of the wedding so that you are certain your chosen day is acceptable.

Any available dates

Your wedding date may be dictated by your caterer or wedding hall. If you have a particular venue in mind, you may be limited by their availability. This is a concession you will need to make if your heart is set on this particular location.

Planning a wedding can be exciting. But the ball cannot get rolling until couples first choose the day they will tie the knot.

Jen & Jason Metcalf August 17, 2013

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Kristie Sotelo & Craig Duff June 22, 2013