20200122 145720

K

ja n ua ry 2 3 , 2 0 2 0

B Br r ii da l i al d

G

K

a S p e c i a l s u p p l e m e n t t o t h e r e n o n e ws & r e vi e w

K

H

Guide 2020

wedding checklist

A wedding overseas pg.5

Tahoe venues

page 15

finding the right dress

vendor app pg.13

Eloping in style pg.8

pg.6

pg.11

2

K

Bridal Guide

|

january 23, 2020

|

a special supplement to the reno news & review

Work out the knots before you tie the knot.

• Cupping • Advanced Deep Tissue Massage • Trigger Point Therapy • Reflexology • Hot Stones • On-Site Table/ Chair Massage • Sports Massage • Lymphatic Drainage • Infrared Sauna

Keisha Curtis

Licensed Massage Therapist/Owner Book Appointments Online

www.SolStateMassage.com

welcome to the

2020

i

’ve heard the winter holiday months referred to as “proposal season.” It’s true, based on all the engagements on my Instagram feed anyway, that more than a few couples take the quiet winter months to reflect on what the next year will bring, and who they’d like by their side—indefinitely. Plus, a diamond ring makes for a great Christmas gift.

Now, a few weeks after the end of the holiday season, this guide is for the couples who said “yes” as they get down to the real work—and there’s plenty to do. For some, the venue might be the most important piece of the planned ceremony. On page 5, writer Ashley Warren describes how getting married abroad is a lasting memory she and her husband still reminisce about, and what to consider before packing your bags—dress and all.

For others, that dress is the thing they’ll remember most about the big day. On page 6, I spoke with the owner of Reno’s newest bridal boutique about

following your gut when it comes to buying the dress, ignoring unhelpful opinions from friends and family, and why she’s hoping prospective brides won’t have to drive to the Bay Area anymore for more modern styles.

Of course, anyone’s who’s ever planned a wedding knows that coordinating between all the different suppliers, keeping the dates straight and coming in under budget is stressful. For some couples, the temptation might be to just fly the coop and get married in a hurry, and on page 8, contributor Julia Moreno profiles a company that helps with just that—custom pop-up wedding ceremonies.

When it comes to local charm, of course everyone wants to get married in Tahoe. As one of the country’s most scenic outdoor spaces, however, it’s reasonable to worry about getting priced out.

Check page 11 for a list of venues that prioritze affordable prices.

If you’ve ever used a dating app, the swipe-right strategy hopefully found you a partner

worth planning a wedding with.

However, a local business owner has released a new app that uses swiping to help couples find vendors to fit their style. You can read about how it works on page 13.

Finally, on page 15, we’ve provided our bridal checklist, which has the most important vendors, dates and reminders to help you stay organized as the big day approaches.

We’ve officially begun the upward climb into wedding season, where every warm weekend presents an opportunity for making memories. While it can be daunting for industry professionals and couples working to meet expectations, hopefully this guide will present some new ideas—or simply help you organize your own—so you can get on with saying “I do.” Thanks for reading.

Best regards, Matt Bieker, Special Projects Editor

a special supplement to the reno news & review

|

january 23, 2020

|

Bridal Guide

K

3

Be Th st an W ky ed ou di fo 19 ng r Re voti ce ng pt u ion s Si te

Elegance in every moment.

Book a tour and see for yourself.

Mark your calendar for our Sapphire Engaged Event April 4th & 5th!

info@theelmestate.com • theelmestate.com • 1401 W 2nd St., Reno NV 89503 4

K

Bridal Guide

|

january 23, 2020

|

a special supplement to the reno news & review

abroad abroad A bride

by Ashley Warren

Ashley Warren and her husband, Andrew, decided that a simple ceremony in a faraway place made for an unforgettable wedding.

W

hen it came time to plan my wedding five years ago, I didn’t have a clear vision of what I wanted that day to be.

Neither my then-fiance (now husband) nor I were raised in religious households, and I certainly didn’t envision myself in a big white dress walking down a church aisle.

Truthfully, I was much more excited about the prospect of the honeymoon, and I kept coming back to “elopement,” which sounded much more romantic to me. We didn’t want to sneak off in the night and not let our friends and families know, so there had to be a compromise. When I asked Andrew, my husband, what he thought about just combining the wedding and the honeymoon by getting married abroad, he was all in.

For us, it came down to these considerations:

Cost According to wedding site The Knot, the average wedding in the United States costs a whopping $33,000. I had just finished graduate school the year prior, and we wanted to buy a house, so spending that much money on a one-day ceremony was unthinkable. Going into debt for a wedding

bridal guide

seemed antithetical to the whole point of our wedding, which was to celebrate the next stage of our lives together.

A desire to travel Andrew and I love to travel internationally and try to make it a priority when it works with our budget, which usually means we go on a big trip every couple of years.

An experience unique to us While we love going to weddings, we couldn’t really picture what ours would look like and how it would be special to us and represent our relationship. We knew that if we went abroad, we’d do something unique and memorable.

Andrew and I both have good relationships with our mothers, who were very supportive of our plans as long as we included them in other aspects of the wedding planning. I went with my mom to a wedding faire, and she planned my bridal shower with my extended family. Although we were serious about making our international wedding ceremony legal in the location we chose, we compromised by deciding to do our legal paper-signing at the Reno courthouse

Getting married overseas We worked with a reputable husbandand-wife wedding planning duo in Prague who specialize in coordinating “symbolic” ceremonies for people who want to get married in the city. They also coordinated our photographer, helped us write our vows, officiated our ceremony, and provided us with a ceremonial license. These services only cost us a couple hundred dollars and it was worth every penny for the romantic and beautiful private ceremony we had on the historic Charles Bridge.

Our whole wedding trip, including the wedding itself and all our travel expenses, cost about $3,500. We had an incredible time and talk about our trip every day, reminiscing about the experience that only the two of us shared.

We plan on returning to Prague on our 10th wedding anniversary to renew our vows. I think next time we’ll bring our moms.

Ultimately, planning our wedding became planning a trip.

with our moms as witnesses after we returned from our wedding trip.

This checked two musthaves off our list: including our moms in our “wedding day” and alleviating the need to manage all of the paperwork required to get married in another country to which neither of us have citizenship.

When it came down to where we wanted to get married, the easy choice for us was Prague, Czechia (which was still called Czech Republic at the time, one of many names that region has had over the years). The magical, mystical atmosphere suited our interests and personality.

Czechia is also much less expensive, but just as beautiful, as some of the other places we considered (including Italy and Scotland).

Once we settled on Prague, we added another week to spend in Budapest, Hungary, for our honeymoon. Our trip lasted two weeks overall, with a week in Prague and a week in Budapest (and a train trip to and from those cities in between).

Ultimately, planning our wedding became planning a trip.

a special sUpplement to the reno news & review

|

Planning Your Wedding Abroad Determine where and when you want to get married. We got married in November, which is off-season for a popular European destination like Prague. It was cold, but saved money on flights, avoided large crowds, and I splurged on a nice trench coat to fend off the cold (which I wore during the ceremony).

Decide if you want your ceremony to be legally binding. It’s very possible to make your international ceremony legal, but you’ll need to research the paperwork required at your destination and plan ahead of time. Most government websites have the documents you can download and fill out to send off for approval from embassies and officials.

Decide if and how you want to include your friends and family. I’m a firm believer that weddings should be about the couple, but there are still ways to involve your loved ones in the planning of your special day. Ω

janUary 23, 2020

|

Bridal GUide

K

5

W

hen Natalie Mills—owner of Reno’s newest bridal boutique, Moonlight Lace, 777 Center St.—got engaged in 2015, she began the search for a dress that reflected her own minimalist, elegant style—and didn’t find it anywhere in Reno. While she traveled for work, she stopped in bridal boutiques all over the West Coast and found inspiration in international designers pioneering the clean lines and unique compositions she was looking for.

After experiences with snooty, high-end boutiques offering gorgeous gowns, or ones with wonderful service but little style, Mills decided to combine her appreciation for modern bridal gowns with her knowledge of the market to open her own boutique a little closer to home. Since opening in November, Moonlight Lace has already served dozens of brides.

Mills remembers her own troubles with opinionated friends and family steering her dress decisions, though, and originally walked away with what she called “the wrong dress” before following her gut— now she wants to help Reno-Tahoe brides do the same.

Natalie Mills is the owner of and lead stylist at Moonlight Lace.

Photo/Matt Bieker

The

H

H

The owner of Moonlight Lace talks about finding dresses for the modern bride

right

by Matt Bieker

6

K

BriDal GuiDe

|

K

mattb@newsreview.com

january 23, 2020

|

fit fiT

a special supplement to the reno news & review

Did your interest in opening a salon come from getting married or was that something that you were always interested in?

No, it came from the bridal experience and just feeling like I wouldn’t be able to find a dress that I liked. You know, I wasn’t into the trending style at that time, and I’m like, there’s got to be stuff out there. And sure enough, I was tipped off to Australian designers. They were kind of paving the way of this like, you know, laid back, cool, beachy bride. And I lived in New Zealand at one point, so that kind of tipped me off into this world. And then from there I just discovered cool designers in Southern California and Portland. And we do have about almost half Australian designers just because that was the initial influence. I just thought this was a phase because I’m engaged and then once I’d get married I’d be over it and onto the next phase. But even after I got married, it was always coming back to bridal dresses.

Your website talks about finding styles for the “modern bride.” Can you explain what that looks like?

Yeah, modern is definitely laid back, but also just like clean lines, simple, timeless—like it doesn’t have all the frills and all these distractions. So that’s what a lot of our dresses are. Like, the clean silk crepe. We literally only have like two or three, kind of fuller skirts, but for the most part they’re kind of sleek and chic and just no extra fluff.

So, not like Grandma’s pre-war ball gown?

Yeah, not that. And, again, not that that’s not beautiful, and there’s definitely a bride for that. I just felt like they could already find what they were looking for in Reno, so I wanted to cater to the brides that couldn’t find this more, like, sleek and modern look.

What does an appointment at Moonlight Lace entail?

So, she’ll be greeted by either myself or [Emily Shore, shop manager] at this point. We let them look

around upfront, and we always offer them either champagne or water or whatever they’d like. And then we bring them to the back, and they can get comfy here because they have the whole space to themselves so they can put their bags down, purses— everything’s safe. We kind of go over what the bride’s interested in verbally. And then usually Emily and myself will have some dresses in mind right away. … Her party will get comfortable here, and we’ll go in the dress room, and we’ll go dress by dress.

We have some accessories, so you can add something fun to your hair and it’s not going to, like, be too much. … Especially if that’s a dress she’s kind of liking, we’ll ask her, ‘Do you want to wear a veil?’ And we’ll throw a veil on her. And sometimes that cues the tears for mom. If mom starts crying, I start crying.

Find out more at moonlightlace.com.

Custom Frames • Shadowboxes Memorabilia • Needlepoint Canvas Stretching • Frame Repair Tues - Fri 9:30am - 5:30pm • Sat 10am - 5pm • 775.857.8821 120 Thoma St. #1, Midtown • www.theframeryreno.com

rnrsweetdeals.newsreview.com

On the site, you talk about your experience feeling pressured by others people’s opinion about the dress. How do you help your clients with that?

That was my personal experience, and then we’ve seen it in here as well. And that’s where I feel there is a magic number of how many people you want to bring. And I feel like it’s one to three. When you have the groups of four, five, six, it’s just a lot of opinions in the room. … We’ve literally had it where the people outside are like, ‘No, I don’t like this part and that part.’ And then the bride will go in the room—and that was an appointment with Emily—and she’s like, I don’t care what they say. I really like this dress. You should be taking

Anything else a prospective bride should do to prepare for an appointment?

When they book their appointment, in the email confirmation and just on the scheduler, there’s a questionnaire that they can fill out, and it has designers they might be interested in, or styles they’re interested in. And for all of the questions, if they don’t know, there is like a ‘Help, I’m still figuring it out.’ So you could be completely clueless and that’s totally fine.

But, that’s where they would put in if they have things that they’ve been looking at Pinterest, or they’ve been on our website and they love this one particular designer, put that in there. … But further prep, we definitely get the question of what to wear.

The best thing to wear is nude colored undergarments … because any color, some of the dresses that are thinner, you’ll see it through so it can be distracting. It just depends on the dress. If they know they’re getting married on a ranch and they’re going to wear cowboy boots, bring your cowboy boots, and, you know, if it’s more with the heel, like that’ll really affect how they feel in the dresses. So, if they know their shoe, bring it in. If not, we have other shoes or we just have a lot of brides that go barefoot, and that is my style. Ω

exclusive deals right to your inbox.

NatalIe MIlls, oWNer of MooNlIght lace

newsletter at rnrsweetdeals.newsreview.com

“I’ll always bring it back to, like, ‘Before we walk out there and everyone sees it, how do you feel in this dress? What is your gut instinct?’”

the cue from the bride. If the bride really likes that dress, you should be supportive. … My first appointment was a small group because it was early morning and people couldn’t make it. This was in the Bay, and I had such a great appointment. It was my sister and my friend, and they were picking up on what I was liking, and I just had the best time. Then the next appointment we added two more people, and it became like a clash of opinions between them. No one was paying attention to how I was feeling other than my friend who was at the first appointment. She could tell I was getting frustrated and then was trying to defend me in my dress. … And so if there is enough pressure there to purchase the dress that day or whatever it may be, you might make the wrong decision, and we don’t want that. …

I’ll always bring it back to, like, ‘Before we walk out there and everyone sees it, how do you feel in this dress? What is your gut instinct?’ And you need to listen to that because when do you do go out there, especially with a bigger group, you’re going to start hearing other people’s opinions and you can talk yourself into things like, ‘Yeah, I do really like this.’ Whereas if you just go with your gut when it was just me and you in there and how you felt in it, then I feel like you’ll make the right decision.

sign up for the

bridal guide

a specIal suppleMeNt to the reNo NeWs & revIeW

|

jaNuary 23, 2020

|

BrIdal guIde

K

7

Hytched

Getting

A local popup wedding company specializes in marriage on the fly

P

lanning the perfect wedding can be challenging with having to “say yes” to the right dress, find the right venue, select the right food and decorations—and find a way to pay for all of it.

That’s what Yeliz Berg and her business partner Juston Berg noticed one summer two years ago before they started their pop-up elopement business called The Hytch.

“We were going to a lot of weddings that year and everything was indoors, like casinos and chapels, and then I was reading a lot about elopements,” Yeliz said. “And we didn’t have anything like that in the RenoTahoe area. I wanted to create something unique, simple, affordable, but at the same time looks really nice—nothing cheesy.”

Yeliz noticed that there were services offered like this elsewhere in the United States but not anywhere nearby. Sometimes referred to as “boutique weddings,” or “tiny weddings,” pop-up elopements are a

8

K

BRIDAL GUIDE

|

JANUARY 23, 2020

|

smaller, more intimate way to get married that’s become trendy in recent years.

“I think that elopements are super popular right now,” Yeliz said. “The customers usually tell me they want to spend the money on a honeymoon or the down payment on a house, and it’s not about spending money or having an event so big that they’re stressed out. This is supposed to be a stress-free celebration, that’s what we call it.”

As for the name “The Hytch,” Juston said it represents both “getting hitched” and a trailer hitch, which is part of their signature calling card: a vintage trailer.

Before Yeliz and Juston opened for business, they purchased a vintage 1955 tear-drop trailer they found on Craigslist that was partially restored. Then, after Juston put in about 30 more hours of work to make sure it was wedding-ready as an occasional backdrop for the ceremony, the name and their business’ theme was born.

“That kind of got a lot of attention and helped us start the business,” Yeliz said. “And I guess we started at the right time, too.”

The Hytch offers three different packages ranging from “the micro wedding,” to “the elopement adventure,” and finally, “boutique pop-up wedding.” The micro wedding is for just the bride and groom, whereas the boutique pop-up wedding is more closely aligned with what a traditional wedding looks like, and the guest list can include up to 25 people.

by Julia Moreno

The prices for these packages range from $400 to $1800, making The Hytch comparably more affordable than the prices of a more traditional Tahoe wedding venue, for example, which can range into the tens of thousands of dollars for a venue space alone.

Affordability, ease and, most importantly, intimacy were all things Yeliz said she wanted to incorporate into a marriage experience with The Hytch. And she wanted to be able to offer that picturesque Tahoe beach wedding or a snowy mountain elopement for a fraction of the cost.

Since couples often suggest their own venues, Yeliz and her team have conducted weddings in some pretty unique places.

She said they have hiked up mountains, traversed over rivers, and even gone to the Black Rock Desert to bring someone’s ideal wedding vision to life.

The Hytch offers a variety of extra services, too. A majority of The Hytch’s client base comes from outside of the area and wants to have a full wedding experience including hair, make-up and photography.

“Some of the customers we talk to are looking for a quick turn-around, and they need more than just a piece of paper that says they’re married,” Juston said. “I think if they call other companies, sometimes the wait list is too long or they won’t work with short lead time, and we do. We can turn things around quickly and [Yeliz] is great at picking the right people for each wedding.”

Yeliz and Juston employ photographers, hair and make-up stylists,

A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE RENO NEWS & REVIEW

The Hytch’s clients often choose outdoor venues for their ceremonies.

COURTESY/THE HYTCH

videographers, bakers, florists and officiants—including Juston himself. Yeliz has a long list of local vendors to help supply the bride and groom with different services, and each wedding has a tailored team Yeliz picks to ensure each request is fulfilled.

Yeliz said she loves being creative with themes, so she usually asks couples for a Pinterest board or any ideas they have in mind. Sometimes it’s even something as simple as a color. Then she gets to work decorating the space to create the perfect look for the ceremony.

“They tell me if they like, like, boho or Western,” Yeliz said. “I did an Elvis [theme] ... It’s very unique and cool.

I work with local vendors and I rent everything, and it’s different every time ... Anything that can inspire them. I create my inspiration board, and that’s how I reach out to my vendors (to decide which ones to use).”

She said her husband, Matt Gould, loves Lake Tahoe and he wanted to get married there. She and her husband also wanted to include their kids in the ceremony, so the Hytch combined a lot of different aspects they wanted to include in their ceremony for a reasonable price.

“It just felt like she was a friend, like she understood me, “Graver said. “And A mutual bond any sort of idea that I had, she helped with. She’s available, and she makes Yeliz is originally from Turkey, everything feel so good, and it’s but moved to Reno 20 years ago. unique and it’s special and it’s She went to the University just us.” of Nevada, Reno, to study In fact, Yeliz seems to English, and then got her make friends with most of business management her customers. Her house degree from the University of has thank-you notes scattered Phoenix. She ended up working around, and the enthusiasm is as a project manager for 13 years evident in her voice when she talks before quitting her job in 2018 to about helping two people say ‘I do.’ devote herself full-time to The Hytch.

YELIZ BERG The Hytch was even named the 2019 Yeliz said one of the best parts “Couples’ Choice” winner by wedding of the job is being able to make strong resource site, Weddingwire.com. connections with the couples who engage “I just love what I do,” she said. “I could her services. never really say that before, but I do now. And you’re One bride, Sally Graver, from San Francisco, said within seeing this true love, especially when you see people elope. her first conversation with Yeliz she wanted to be friends It’s just a different vibe, right? Because you’re seeing just with her. Graver and Yeliz bonded over a mutual love of the two of them and sometimes with their family members Turkey, Turkish design, and the “evil eye,” a popular folk or their kids. There’s so much love going on … and, I don’t custom in the country. know, it’s just so beautiful.” Ω Graver found The Hytch after she called several venues around Lake Tahoe and someone recommended the company to her.

Learn more at thehytch.com

The Hytch is owned by Juston and Yeliz Berg.

BRiDaL GUiDE

COURTESY/THE HYTCH

“I wanted to create something unique, simple, affordable, but at the same time looks really nice— nothing cheesy.”

We can make your special night as great as your special day. . .

Reno’s best adult lingerie store.

Offering a variety of adult products, lingerie, bondage & more for women, couples, and men at great prices.

and on Instagram @thehytch

NAILS & COCKTAILS

HOME OF THE NON–CHIP MANICURE VOTED “BEST MANI/PEDI” 8 TIMES ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE PARTIES OF ALL SIZES

(775) 324–7399

LingeRie SuPeRSToRe

628 W 2ND ST, RENO, NV 89503 75 FOOTHILL, SUITE 2, RENO, NV 89511 WWW.SOAKLOUNGE.COM

7520 LongLey Ln, Reno • (775) 852-1162 • Sun-ThuR 10AM-10PM • FRi-SAT 10AM-11PM 3220 uS-50, CARSon CiTy • (775) 841-6350 • Mon-ThuR 10AM-9PM • FRi-SAT 10AM-11PM • Sun 10AM-9PM A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE RENO NEWS & REVIEW

|

JANUARY 23, 2020

|

BRIDAL GUIDE

K

9

Simply The Bomb.

Over 20 years of experience catering small and large events in the Reno area

Services

Personal Chef

Customized Tastings

Intimate Meals

Event Planning

Menu Planning

Food Allergy Education

Family Dinner Nights

Catering

Weddings | Reunions Picnics | Themed Events Graduations | Kids Birthdays Office Parties/Lunches

www.cherrybombreno.com | 775.287.4121 10

K

Bridal Guide

|

january 23, 2020

|

a special supplement to the reno news & review

A

shore shoRe

by Matt Bieker

thing

A

s the world’s secondlargest alpine lake and one of the most picturesque backdrops on the west coast, lake tahoe is one of the top tourist destinations in the country—and this is especially true during wedding season. year-round

Riva Grill

900 ski run Blvd., south lake tahoe, california (530) 542-2600 www.rivagrill.com On close to the southernmost point of Lake Tahoe is Riva Grill, a lakeside lodge specializing in beach weddings and with space for both extended families if needed. The entire restaurant can be rented to feed and entertain up to 400 people between its two floors and wrap around ground-level deck and secondfloor balcony. Pricing, of course, scales by

level of service, but a ceremony for a couple and 75 guests starts as low as $800.

“That’s pretty much on the low end, and you are able to bring in your own vendors to kind of help make it your own space,” said Kimberly Bjerke, group sales manager at Riva Grill. “Then the reception directly follows inside the restaurant on the second floor, which has beautiful views of the entire lake,

demand for the stunning waters and laid-back charm of the surrounding communities can leave local couples feeling priced out, but the following venues specialize in balancing breathtaking scenery with a modest budget.

and sliding glass doors that open up to a small deck.”

Riva Grill’s rates are broken down into à la carte items with flat rates, like a flat

$600 dance floor setup fee or $16 per guest table preparation, meaning budgeting is simple for prospective couples. There are also nearly a dozen pri fixe menus with pricing per guest.

“One thing to note is that it is a public beach, but I think that’s pretty common around the lake,” Bjerke said. “There’s not very many places that offer a private beachfront, but it’s still beautiful and accessible.”

The place is named for the Riva wooden boats that were once musthaves for the lake’s boating elite. They’re similar to the Gar Woods, both the name of another brand of wooden cruiser and of Riva’s sister restaurant on the North Shore (5000 North Lake Blvd., Carnelian Bay, California)—which is also available for weddings for a comparable price.

BRidaL Guide

It’s possible to find a Lake Tahoe wedding venue without blowing the budget

Lake Tahoe Bleu Wave

2435 venice drive, south lake tahoe, california 588-9283 www.tahoebleuwave.com Plenty of couples want to get married on the shores of Lake Tahoe, but few know that getting married on the actual lake is an option with the Bleu Wave.

“It’s a 70-foot yacht, and it’s a 1966 Burger, so it’s like that classic yacht look,” said owner and wedding coordinator Laura Forvilly.

“She’s beautiful.”

The Bleu Wave has taken passengers on cruises around some of Lake Tahoe’s most scenic waterways for the past 13 years.

It’s also a floating wedding venue, complete with a ceremony on the open deck with the captain as the officiant—in accordance with maritime law, of course. Forvilly offers eight different wedding packages, with the lowest package starting at $999 for an official ceremony during the Bleu Wave’s daily lunchtime cruises.

Tahoe Biltmore 5 nv-28, crystal Bay 833-6724 www.tahoewed.com

The Tahoe Biltmore is a hotel, lodge and casino on the Nevada side of the lake, and has enough venues to provide for pretty much every type of Tahoe wedding—even if guests might want their own private nightclub, for example—broken down into a single à la carte menu containing both winter and summer rates.

“It can be incredibly frustrating because a lot of places say, ‘OK, we want you to inquire first before I give you any rates,’” said Jamie-Lee Jurgensen, events and sales director at the Biltmore. “And then you get back some crazy number that you weren’t expecting.”

a special supplement to the reno news & review

|

“This is also a great one for couples who just kind of want to elope, and they want to have something romantic for just the two of them,” Forvilly said. “We can take up to 47 passengers, and there are usually about 10 to 15 people. So, it’s usually smaller, but it just depends on you group.”

Also offered at $999 is a dock-side wedding with a longer ceremony. It’s also the base pricing for the custom package, where couples can choose specific elements like in-house photography or floral arrangements, or even a full three-hour sunset cruise around Emerald Bay. Forvilly also mentioned that, as operating costs for the boat and vendor prices vary from year to year, and in the absence of seasonal price drops, she offers certain discounts for committed couples.

“If you booked before the New Year, you get last year’s pricing, even if it was booked for the next summer,” she said. “I’m usually do a 20 percent off if paid in full. So, we try to help our brides and grooms out as much as possible.”

Couples can pick and choose amenities like renting the chapel for two hours for $500, or one-hour beach ceremony for $1,600 with a street car-like trolley to transport guests back and forth. Prices are clearly marked in bold wording, and information like payment schedules or liability policies are stated as plainly as possible.

“We can build a wedding to match their budget as well,” Jurgensen said. “Instead of starting at a baseline of how many guests or what type of ceremony are you looking for, we start with that baseline price, and we build from there.”

With a maximum capacity of up to 300 people, a 24-hour bar and on-site casino, guests will have no shortage of things to occupy their time. Ω

january 23, 2020

|

Bridal Guide

K

11

“One Of AmericA’s TOp 10 AuTOmObile museums” Open Daily • Downtown Reno 775.333.9300 • AutoMuseum.org

Thanks for voTing us

Reno’s Best Indian Food!

09

09

09

09

09

10

09

10 09

09

’18

10

11

10

09

10

11

11

12

09

11

09

09

11

13

13

13

13

11

11

11

13

15

15

09

12

12

10

10

10

09

14

12

14

14

14

14

1210 09

1210

1210

1210

16

15

13 10

13 10

16

12 10

09

14

16

16

16

16

14 12

14 12

14 12

14 12

16 14

16 14

16 14

16

16

16

15

16

16 17

17

’16

15

13 10

15 13

14

10

09

’14

15

13 10

17

12

14 15

17

10

12

13 11

’15

10

10 09

09

13

15

12

14

’12

11

13 10

10

12 13

15

’13

10

12

11 13

10

10

10 09

10

17

17

15 13

15 13

16

14 12

17

16 14

15 13

17

’17 17 15

’18

17

15 13

17 15

17 15

17 15

19

17 15

16 14

16

16

1091 S. Virginia Street | Reno | 775-348-6222 | indiakebabcurry.com 17

12

K

Bridal Guide

|

17

17

17

january 23, 2020

17

|

a special supplement to the reno news & review

tch Match Ma made

A new app helps couples swipe their way through planning a wedding

W

hen it comes to dating apps like Tinder and Bumble, the best-case scenario for many users is that a single, fateful swipe to the right could introduce them to someone they’ll spend the rest of their lives with. But local business owner Candi Block thinks that swiping could also serve couples who are long passed the awkward small talk stage and onto taking the big step. To that goal, she released her new app Right Hearted Weddings, on Jan. 1 of this year.

“So the app functions a little bit like Tinder or Bumble, but for wedding planning, so we’re connecting engaged couples with wedding vendors,” Block said. “All they have to do is swipe right if they like it or swipe left if they don’t. And then we keep track of the way that they’re swiping, and we’ll actually match them to the vendors that best fit their style and their wedding location.”

After opening her own wedding planning business in the Seattle area in 2015, Block began

candi Block, Founder and ceo oF riGht hearted weddinGs

Photo/matt Bieker

Photo/matt Bieker

by Matt bieker

“i think within the industry, there’s a sense that we really need to change the way that couples are planning and finding and connecting with vendors.”

Candi Block created Right Hearted Weddings after years as a wedding planner in Seattle.

bridal guide

Right Hearted Weddings is intended to match local vendors with engaged couples.

to assemble a convoluted web of vendor connections she would do her best to explain to engaged couples when she could schedule a time to sit down with them— which is how most wedding planning operates. After moving to Reno last year, and faced with the prospect of rebuilding her

learn more at righthearted.com

connections from scratch, Block decided there had to be a better way to help couples using her services. Not to mention the almost 80 percent of couples who don’t hire a wedding planner at all—according to the yearly Wedding Report from popular online service weddingwire.com.

“For couples, I mean, the wedding directories that are currently available really haven’t changed much since the ’90s and a lot of those are really advertising agencies as well,” Block said. “And so for vendors to be on those platforms, there’s actually a pretty high price tag, and then it can get really overwhelming to look through that many different profiles. You’re reading bios, and after a while what I found is that couples, they just get overwhelmed, and everything starts to blur together.”

With Right Hearted Weddings, couples can make individual profiles with basic information like where they’re located and when they plan to get married. There are 10 different categories like venues, food and photographers, and those vendors upload images for different services they offer. Couples can swipe individually in their down time—helpful for busy schedules, said Block—and see combined results for what they’ve both picked. The app then provides a percentage match with specific vendors whom the couples can then message directly.

“From the vendor perspective, they can actually see the couple’s wedding details—so their date and location—and then they can see which pictures they liked from their portfolio,” Block said. “So let’s say they are a florist, they would kind of get a really good sense of

a special supplement to the reno news & review

|

what that couple might be looking for on their wedding day, which is just a great starting point to have that conversation and get a proposal together for them.”

There’s also a little green progress bar attached to the wedding checklist to keep of track of which contracts have already been booked, and Block said it always feels good to tick a box and after hiring someone. Right Hearted Weddings is free for couples and a flat $30 rate to be hosted as a vendor, of which there are about 80 listed on the app so far. Vendors also can’t outbid each other for more exposure on the app.

“And then they also have coordinators on the platform, too,” Block said. “So, if somebody has started planning a wedding and they’re looking for a coordinator, they can connect with them. Or, if they’re already working with a planner, they can work together.”

The app only serves the Reno-Tahoe and Seattle areas at the moment, but Block hopes to expand all over the country. To Block, it’s a tool she wishes was around when she was planning her own wedding in 2016. Even as a professional, she still felt like the wedding process was ready for a major update.

“I think, within the industry, there’s a sense that we really need to change the way that couples are planning and finding and connecting with vendors,” she said. “I even had some of my own past clients that I’ve told about the platform that we’re creating and they’re like, ‘I wish you would have created this two or three years ago.’” Ω

january 23, 2020

|

Bridal Guide

K

13

TAPSNAP: THE PHOTO BOOTH EXPERIENCE

We’ve got issues.

The world’s best photo booths — fun and interactive, with social media integration and amazing image quality.

“We loved TapSnap! Used them for a second time this year and did not disappoint!

Great team of individuals, and awesome pictures!

Would highly recommend!”

— Yumi Kurijada

reno’s news and entertainment weekly. on stands every thursday.

wedding packages starting at $450

tapsnap.net 775.453.4720

get more, spend less.

rnrsweetdeals.newsreview.com

newsreview.c o m

Reno 5051 S McCarran Blvd, Reno, NV 89502 (775) 827-5151

Mon-Fri: 9:00am - 6:30pm • Sat: 9:00am - 6:00pm • Sun: Closed ORDER ONLINE! WE DELIVER! NothingBundtCakes.com

14

K

Bridal Guide

|

january 23, 2020

|

a special supplement to the reno news & review

bridal guide

out of town or are planning a destination wedding, it’s time to consider lodging. You may want to consider booking a block of hotel rooms.

pre pre-nuptial nup tial use this wedding checklist to stay organized before the big day

18-12

mon ths out

• Nail down your budget. How much are you and your spouse-to-be contributing?

Is anyone else pitching in? (Be prepared— those with a financial stake often want a say in things like the guest list and menu.)

• Select an officiant (minister, justice of the peace, etc.). You can book one, or you can talk a friend into getting licensed and ordained.

• Pick your wedding party. People are going to start wondering about this as soon as they hear you’re engaged. Having your party selected will make it easier to get them outfitted and plan for events like bachelor/ bachelorette parties and the rehearsal dinner.

• Figure out how many people you’re inviting, and start a guest list spreadsheet. You can use it to track names, RSVPs, contact info for thank you letters and the like.

• It’s time to buy or order whatever outfit you want for your wedding. Between ordering and altering, a wedding getup may take upwards of six months to be ready.

• Get your wedding registry up and running.

Maybe you’d like to consider something in lieu of a registry? How about a “honey fund” to help pay for your honeymoon?

• Speaking of which, it’s probably about time to start planning your honeymoon.

7-6

mon ths out

• If that honeymoon you just planned involves a great escape to foreign shores, it’s time to get your passports up-to-date and make sure you’ve got any immunizations you may need.

• It’s time to get your wedding party outfitted.

It’s important not to put this off, because they may need multiple fittings to get their outfits just right.

• Pick your date and book your venue(s). The earlier you decide, the better your chances of getting both the date and location you want.

• If you’re going to hire a wedding planner, this is the time to start shopping around for one. If you don’t want one, that’s your call—just make sure you consider all of the hypotheticals before you decide. For example, you might plan to decorate your venue the night before but find out that there’s been a last-minute booking for that night, and now you can’t decorate until the morning of—can you deal?

12-8

• It’s time to make some decisions concerning the menu for your big day. Does the venue offer catering? If not, this is a good time to start meeting with caterers.

mon ths out

• Book your photographer and/or videographer.

• Will you be booking a band or a DJ? Either way, it’s time to get this done.

3-2

mon ths out

• Check in with your florist and caterer. Make any changes to the menu or floral arrangement based on what’s going to be in season and likely to be available.

• Give a heads-up to anyone you’d like to have speak during the ceremony or reception.

• If you haven’t already, now’s the time to buy your wedding rings. This should leave enough time for them to be sized, if necessary.

• Write a provisional schedule for your ceremony and reception—what will happen when. Give copies of this to the people who will provide food, music and flowers. This will give you plenty of time to make adjustments and answer any questions they have.

• Send out your invitations about two months before the wedding, and ask everyone to RSVP within two or three weeks. If you’re asking people to travel long distances, do this around six months out instead.

1

mon th out

• By this time, you should be sending out as many final payments as you’re able.

• Send out those “save the date” letters, emails, texts, smoke signals or whatever you’re using. If you’re sending invitations, get them ordered.

• It’s time to get your marriage license. If either of you are changing your names, get several copies.

• Meet with your officiant to plan the ceremony. This is especially important if your officiant is a friend or family member who doesn’t have experience in the wedding arena. You’ll want to make sure the person who’s doing you the honor is confident and comfortable with leading the ceremony.

• You should have the number of guests nailed down by now, so—if you’re having booze—go ahead and order it!

• Book your florist. You should know your wedding colors and theme by now.

5-4

mon ths out

• Send out invitations to the rehearsal dinner.

• If you’re assigning seating at the reception, you’ll want to take care of that soon.

• Don’t forget about bridesmaids and groomsmen gifts.

1

week out

• Book the venue for your rehearsal dinner.

• Pick up your outfit(s).

• Choose your cake and order it.

• Call all of your vendors to make sure they’re all set.

• Start making lists of music. Decide what you want playing during key parts of your wedding day. Make sure you also have a list of songs you don’t want to hear. Send this off to your band/DJ. • If you’re having your hair and makeup done, now’s the time to start shopping around for the right person(s) to do it.

• Send your final guest list to the caterer.

• Don’t let little worries stress you now.

This is it. Take a deep breath. Take a nap.

Smoke a joint. Take a Valium. We’re not here to judge. Ω

• Whether you’ve got guests coming from a special supplement to the reno news & review

|

january 23, 2020

|

Bridal Guide

K

15