April 2023: The Wedding Issue

PHOTOS BY ZOE CRANFILL & MEG REES

30 If The Shoe Fits!

56 Keith Chapman Jeweler

HAUTE ONLINE

Looking for a new internet obsession? Whether you want to listen to podcasts or watch some videos, we’ve got you covered virtually.

JAKE SHANE, @OCTOPUSSLOVER8

My current obsession on TikTok is Jake Shane, better known on the app as Octopusslover8. Shane has blown up on Tiktok over the past month because of his ability to act out literally any situation suggested to him in his comments. All of his popularity is because of his hilarious ability to make anything a bit. Shane started the account in his later years of college. He began by reviewing his favorite food, octopus, but then later realized people actually thought he was funny, so he decided to fully be himself and create his own brand while all still being deeply rooted in his love for octopus. Jake has recently been on

multiple podcasts describing his rise to popularity and has made it clear that he will never stop being his most authentic self no matter the amount of followers he has. He says he will always be grateful for the people who helped him get to where he is, which I think is really rare in creators nowadays. If you need to laugh at something that honestly makes absolutely no sense, I highly recommend doing a deep dive on his videos. Tents up!

- HUNTER GIBSON

PHOTO CREDIT: JAKE SHANE / INSTAGRAM

If you have yet to embrace The Mini, a free daily game from The New York Times, you have to. Playing this game daily and competing with friends and family has become a part of my morning routine, and it has quickly surpassed Wordle as my favorite daily online game. The Mini is the same as a normal crossword but with only a dozen or so clues, making it easy to race against the clock—and against fellow Mini-enthusiasts. In one student organization, I have a Slack channel (like a large, professional group chat somewhat akin to Microsoft Teams, for anyone unfamiliar)

where nine of us compete each day and share our scores. Winning is extremely coveted, and it has also brought us closer together. I love doing The Mini so much I have even begun embracing longer crosswords—although The New York Times does not offer free daily crosswords, The Atlantic and The Washington Post do. The Mini is a fun way to get your brain moving, keep yourself entertained, and bond with friends or family.

- KATIE MILLARD

KELSEA BALLERINI

While my family grew up with country roots, I have never identified as a die hard country music fan. Kelsea Ballerini changed my entire perspective on what the genre is and what it means for young women like me. I definitely caught on to her music late in her career as she made her musical debut in 2014. I had heard some of her music, but I was truly interested in shuffling through her songs after her performance at the Country Music Television, or CMT, Awards. During her performance of “IF YOU GO DOWN (I’M GOIN DOWN TOO),” she invited four drag queens from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” to perform alongside her. This was to protest the Tennessee drag ban that was recently passed in legislation. Not only is

she a wonderful role model, but she expresses emotional intelligence and growth through her music. Her recent EP, “Rolling Up the Welcome Mat,” describes details about her divorce from country singer Morgan Evans. In “Blindsided,” she alludes to how obvious her marital problems were but how her ex-husband was “blind” to the situation. Similar to Taylor Swift, Ballerini uses pop and indie influences to modernize country music in the song. Ballerini certainly is demonstrating her strength both on and off the stage for a new and returning audience.

- HANNAH CAMPBELL

PHOTO CREDIT: CHRISTOPHER POLK/VARIETY VIA GETTY

THE KIBBE BODY TYPE TEST

If you are anything like me and the rest of the human population, you have your moments of insecurity with body image. In a society where the media is historically known for promoting only one body type at a time, looking at your own and not picking it apart or feeling bad is difficult. With the constant comparisons, knowing exactly what your body looks like can be confusing. Knowing your body type is vital to learning how to dress in a style that is best fit for you, however, categorizing your body to a specific name is not easy.

In the 1980s, David Kibbe created a test designed to focus on five main categories: Dramatic, Classic, Natural, Gamine, and Romantic. The test evaluates the balance of yang (sharp, angular) and yin (soft,

rounded) features. The test is picture-based with a brief description explaining what one should be looking for in each category. As one takes the test, they will keep track of their answers, and at the end, calculate to know their Kibbe Body Type. From there, the test explains what styles and cuts of clothing flatter one’s individual body shape best. The Kibbe Body Type Test even gives examples of fits most ideal for a person without labeling the body type after an object like “pear” or “hourglass.”

Taking this test allowed me to objectively look at my body in the mirror and be at ease with what I see. Knowing my exact body type reminds me that there are body types for a reason and the reason is that we are human and look different in beautiful ways.

- ALEXIS KY

DENIM MAXI SKIRTS

I’m a long skirt girly and I have no shame. However, I do hold a little shame with being a long denim skirt girl. Please do not move onto the next page, just hear me out!! Denim maxi skirts are the perfect staple for year round looks; the versatility with how you style the top half of your outfit can easily transfer from season to season. Spring? A short sleeve shirt is so cute, especially the backless ones! Summer? Oh easy, bring out the strappy tanks or even a tube top. Fall and winter is when you can have fun with layering: turtlenecks, t-shirts over long sleeves, oversized sweaters, scarves, the options are truly endless!

I am proud to say that I own three different long denim skirts, all thrifted too (trust me they are SO easy to thrift!!). I understand the negative viewpoints people tend to have on this “outdated” clothing item, but I am begging you to move past the false claims of how you will look. With the ‘90s and 2000s fashion cycling back into everyday wear, denim skirts are the ideal garment for living out your main character rom-com dreams. If I’m stuck on a fit for the day or I’m in a rush and need a cute fit ASAP, I know my denim skirts always have my back.

- GRACE AUBLE

Find out the top five things that our exec board is inspired by right now.

PHOTO CREDIT: FREE PEOPLE

LOVE IS BLIND

After a long day, kicking back, relaxing, and watching an awesome TV show is always nice. For me, “Love is Blind” is perfect for doing just that. “Love is Blind” is a Netflix original series where each season focuses on a group of singles from a selected city and brings them into the ultimate love-oriented social experiment. A group of about 20 men and 20 women all begin dating each other through a wall. They get to know each other with no distractions and also do not get to see each other. As they are doing this, many contestants find a match on the other side of the wall, and if they feel the match is strong enough, after 10 days, they propose. The show covers everything from the pod dating to the reveals of them seeing their fiances for the first time to vacations in tropical paradises and planning weddings together. The entire process for these couples lasts roughly a month and a half from the point of meeting to the wedding day, and it is so entertaining. The show has everything from intense drama to genuinely heartwarming moments. “Love is Blind” is a great show to put on next time you want to watch some carefree reality TV.

- CORRIN SWITZER

LULULEMON BELT BAGS

Any time I leave the house, the only thing that I alway make sure I have is my Lululemon belt bag. These bags can be seen on people across college campuses everywhere. This bag is the perfect size for everyday necessities and has a zipper pocket for easy access. It holds everything I need to leave my house: wallet, keys, Chapstick, AirPods, and car keys. This bag is much more convenient than a purse because the risk of setting it down and losing it is minimized as it has a crossbody fit. It makes for an excellent travel bag because it stays so close to your body. It has smaller pockets on the inside as well as a hidden back pocket for more important items. I also just feel cool wearing it. The black color is classic and goes with every outfit, but it comes in many more colors as well. The Lululemon belt bags are definitely worth all the hype.

- ELLA CALHOUN

PHOTO CREDIT: NETFLIX

PHOTO CREDIT: AMAZON

SOFTEST TOUCH BY KHALID

Khalid dropped his newest single, “Softest Touch,” alongside a lyric video with an insanely appealing set on March 31. He sits in a dark, deeppurple room with velvety-looking fur walls and floors and wears bright yellow pants and a big fur hat. Everything in this room has fur, from the couch to the mirror, table, and lamp. Something about the video is very appealing, and I think it is dynamic and interesting to watch. The set makes sense because everything is soft to the touch. The energy and vibes of the song are very upbeat. His lyrics are about someone he will always want, who

has the softest touch, and who he just cannot get enough of. In particular, Khalid sings about how this person has other guys they call, but he does not have an issue with it. Maybe it is because he wants them so much that he simply does not care, or maybe he does not mind sharing. I also like the lyric “Sweet like candy” that Khalid sings because it takes me back to a song I used to listen to with a similar upbeat vibe tilted, “Candy,” where the artist sings pretty much the same lyric.

- CARMEN SZUKAITIS

PHOTO CREDIT: SPOTIFY

THE NEW BARBIE MOVIE

Five year old me would be so excited if she saw the trailer for Greta Gerwig’s new “Barbie” movie … but not as excited as 21 year old me seeing it now. Not only did the trailer get me hyped up but the posters showing all the actors did as well. I loved that this Barbie movie already has its own branding and unique twist on announcing its cast. It sent a wave of inspiration through me and many others as Barbie generators were used for people to turn themselves into Barbie too. Something that really caught my eye in the trailer that I cannot stop thinking about is the opening shot. We see Barbie walking into frame with pink heels on, and when she steps out of her heels, she lands on the ground with her foot still arched and toe pointed. I love this attention to detail when it comes to comparing the movie to the actual Barbie dolls. As a kid, I remember

all of my dolls had the permanent heel foot and it would make me so angry when she wasn’t wearing heels. I hope that these subtle hints to the Barbie doll will be included throughout the rest of the movie. Throughout the past few decades, Barbie has become more and more inclusive, celebrating different ethnicities and body types, trying to break the beauty standard. I appreciate the diversity within the cast, having actors of color and LGBTQ+ actors portraying multiple Barbies and Kens. I hope this will have a longlasting impression, especially on younger people, regarding the beauty standard. If you need me on July 21, come back another day because I will be in the theater watching and processing the movie all day long.

- MEG REES

PHOTO CREDIT: WARNER BROS. PICTURES

Editor’s Note

Well, Threadies and loyal Thread readers, what a year it has been! Thread has grown over the past year more than I could have ever imagined. We became an award-winning publication this year, earning a “Best of Show Award” from the Associated Collegiate Press and grew significantly in size as an organization. I could not be prouder of my Thread family.

Through everything, there were challenges, but with every challenge there was triumph. Throughout my time at Thread, I learned that if there is one thing I am going to miss from Ohio University, it is this publication and the people in it.

Though I am sad to go, I know the new group of executives (Hannah Campbell, editor-in-chief, Tate Raub, managing editor, Julia Greenwood, creative director, and Hunter Gibson, business manager) will take Thread to new levels of success. Everyone in this publication is passionate and creative, and I cannot wait to cheer them on as a Thread alumna.

I am so thankful for the kindness shown to me throughout my time at Thread . Thank you to our advisor, Dr. Elizabeth Hendrickson, for being such a supportive role model for me to turn to. Thank you to my executive board who helped me through all the craziness, thank you to Dori Gray for being my go-to all year, thank you to the staff who put in endless hours of hard work, and thank you to you, lovely Thread readers, for giving us purpose.

Now, do you hear wedding bells? Because we are ecstatic to introduce our fourth and final issue, “The Wedding Issue.” We wanted to end the year off in the most elaborate way possible, so what is better than a whole issue about weddings?

We cover everything from Oscar De la Renta (P.24), alternative wedding shoe options (P.30), and champagne cocktails (P.48) And, we learned that Athens is a romantic place, so we highlighted places like Galbreath Chapel (P.60) and the Kissing Circle (P.140).

Our Middle of the Book shoots capture all the steps of a wedding, starting with “Just Married” (P.66) capturing the classic car getaway. We also wanted to make room for a different take on a wedding with “Bride and Gloom” (P.76), and its followed by the “The Night of the Wedding” (P.84) displaying the intimate moments shared between newlyweds. At Thread, we usually love a happy ending, but we wanted to bring angst with “Left

at the Altar” (P.94).

We would like to give a special thank you to Gary Kirksey for helping us with a few of our shoots! We could not have done all that we did without his support.

When conceptualizing an issue, it is typical to think about what you can realistically do, but we knew “realism” was not going to be enough. We had to make whatever dreams we had come true. With a staff like the one I was lucky enough to work with, anything is possible.

We truly are married to our work. The thought, time, and commitment put into this issue will show through the beauty of the pages. We hope everyone feels the love we have for Thread while flipping through the pages. Take a walk down the aisle and join us handin-hand for our last issue of the year.

Thank you for an unforgettable 2022-2023 school year. With a full and grateful heart, here’s one last xoxo.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kayla Bennett

MANAGING EDITOR Dori Gray

BUSINESS MANAGER Hunter Gibson

BUSINESS STAFF Karmia Gabriel

EDITORIAL

COPY CHIEF Erin Finan

SEAMS EDITOR Carmen Szukaitis

DIY, WWW, & CAMPUS CASUAL EDITOR Hannah Campbell

FEATURES & BOC EDITOR Katie Millard

EDITORIAL STAFF Olivia Rohling, Sabine Obermoller, Tate Raub, Isabella Coneglio, Morgan Mugwira, Maggie Hackworth, Katy Snodgrass, Kendall Bergeron, Maggie Valentine, Carlie Reese, Riley Peeden, Abbey Menza, Mimi Calhoun, Lucy Riley, Riley Clark, Abby Jenkins, Savannah Dawson, Megan Goss, Dori Gray, Sophie Neilsen, Gabrielle Cabanes, Fiona Slaymaker, Tanner Smith, Ryan Maxin, Hannah Campbell, Kayla Bennett

DESIGN

DESIGN DIRECTOR Grace Sublett

DESIGN STAFF Avery Allison, Hadley Fain, Aliza Dutt, Zoe Cranfill, Julia Greenwood, Kim Langhirt, Zoe Geiss, Carly Hart, George Koloski, Lauren Salter, Maddie James, Lauren Adams, Emily Becker, Maris Cordial

ILLUSTRATION STAFF Avery Allison, Julia Greenwood, Zoe Geiss, Carly Hart, Marissa Giordano, Jocelyn Paxton, Maddie James, Emma McAdams

PHOTO

PHOTO CHIEF Meg Rees

PHOTO EDITOR Corrin Switzer

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ella Calhoun

PHOTOGRAPHY STAFF Aliza Dutt, Sophie Neilsen, Kat Frazier, Zoe Cranfill, Abbey Sucher, Kenta Kato, Amir Phillips, Tora Blamer, Mackenzie Daniels, Anna Parasson, Zennia Lam, Megan Goss, Ambriell Shannon, Sophia Parrillo, Hadley Fain, Kali Knudson, Josh Zielinski, Sydney Britton

MULTIMEDIA

MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR AND WEB EDITOR Julia Greenwood

VIDEO EDITOR Kat Frazier

MULTIMEDIA STAFF Madeline Navratil, Kae Walther, Zoe Cranfill, Kenta Kato, Kim Langhirt, Bryce Auster, Carly Hart, Megan Goss, Audrianna Wilde, Anson Battoclette, Jayla Neal

FASHION

FASHION DIRECTOR Samantha Kruse

HEAD STYLIST Grace Auble

MAKEUP DIRECTOR Alexis Ky

FASHION STAFF Hadley Fain, Olivia Rohling, Lucy Walter, Sabine Obermoller, Serenity Powell, Tate Raub, Dani Bell, Sophie Neilsen, Lucy Curtin, Kandace Shepherd, Kae Walther, Katy Snodgrass, Kendall Bergeron, Emma

Snyder-Lovera, Alexia Ashley, Olivia Trowbridge, Zoe Geiss, Bella Johnson, Mimi Calhoun, Ambriell Shannon, Melanie Geiger, Tanner Smith, Zennia Lam, Molly Florimonte, Megan Goss, Kennedy Hall, Fiona Mack, Julia Germer, Annabelle Sorge, Bella Bolin, Tyler Brooks, J Pressley Mcilwain, Maria Segui, Taylor Jones, Abby Joyner, Anson Battoclette, Harlee Taylor, Bailey Smith, Abigail Kates

PUBLIC RELATIONS

PUBLIC RELATIONS CHIEF Amy Szmik

PUBLIC RELATIONS STAFF Fiona Mack, Sabine Obermoller, Emma Snyder-Lovera, Abby Jenkins, Dori Gray, Sara Wagner, Marissa Giordano, Sophie Neilsen, Molly Griffiths

SEAMS

From the runway to the streets, and everywhere in between, here are this seasons’s most soughtafter trends. LOVE

Runway Realway: Vera Wang

BY SABINE OBERMÖLLER PHOTOS BY PROVIDED

Designer Vera Wang always stands out with her bridal runways that feature diverse dress styles and creative designs. Her 2023 Bridal collection was no different. In Wang’s own words, the collection is “meant to be really Gen Z,” according to Instyle.

One of the most notable things about the collection was its diversity. Wang included dresses in various styles, ranging from traditional ball gowns to more modern, minimalist designs. Each dress was distinct, but they all shared a certain elegance and sophistication that is characteristic of Wang’s work.

This bridal runway featured a lot of visible corsetry and transparency, as well as different textures and fabrics. Some dresses had intricate lace details, and others had beading or embroidery. Wang also experimented with colors different from traditional white and ivory, as the Marion dress had a soft gold shade.

The styling of these dresses on the Vera Wang website included sleek, messy-haired or bold curls models, big headpieces, sunglasses, and sometimes flowers or gloves. This type of styling is certain to appeal to newer generations with a more modern take on marriage and serves as an antithesis to traditional dresses.

One standout piece was a breathtaking, princess-cut dress with a full skirt made of cascading layers of tulle. The dress was paired with a V-neck and crossover back, allowing the dramatic skirt to take center stage.

Vera Wang’s 2023 Bridal runway was a stunning showcase of the designer’s talent and creativity.

From classic ball gowns to modern, edgy designs, there was something for every bride. Wang’s ability to blend tradition with innovation makes her such a revered name in the fashion industry, and this collection only solidifies her status as a true visionary.

PHOTOS CREDIT: VERA WANG BIRDAL

PHOTOS CREDIT: VERA WANG BIRDAL

Runway Realway: Wiederhoeft Bridal

BY SAVANNAH DAWSON PHOTOS BY PROVIDED

When thinking about a bridal collection, one may think of simple white dresses that are occasionally a little boring, with everything looking the same. Jackson Wiederhoeft, on the other hand, is the exact opposite.

This German brand is heavily influenced by ballet and theater, which is evident when looking through this Spring/Summer 2022 Bridal collection. Including lace and tulle corsets and tutus, this collection is something straight out of a ballet company. Wiederhoeft mixes classic and elegant with romance and eccentricism.

The collection is more than just wedding dresses. It has everything from white lace suits to mesh tops to trench coats all made to order. Not only does Wiederhoeft dominate when it comes to the wedding gown and bridesmaid dresses, but they also have bridal showers, bachelorette parties, and rehearsal dinners covered as well.

There is even something for those not looking to get married anytime soon but just looking for a new pre-Labor Day look to add to their collection.

The target audience for this Wiederhoeft collection is people looking for non-traditional wedding dresses or attire. The models throughout this collection are heavily ballerina-inspired, from how they are posed in the lookbook all the way to what they are wearing on their feet, which for many of them, is ballet slippers. This is a common attribute in many of Wiederhoeft’s lookbooks as the ballet has also inspired past collections. In addition to this, Wiederhoeft is no stranger to an aberrant collection. Their past bridal collections, ready-to-wear, and runway collections are a testament to the fact that they are paving their own path like a new-age Vivienne Westwood.

PHOTOS CREDIT: WIEDERHOEFT BRIDAL

PHOTOS CREDIT: WIEDERHOEFT BRIDAL

Celeb Style: Princess Diana

BY OLIVIA ROHLING

PHOTOS BY PROVIDED

Princess Diana, primarily known for her involvement with the British royal family, was also quite the social justice advocate and fashion icon. Paparazzi often photographed her wearing what some could consider a signature look of hers: a crew neck or loose-fitting sweatshirt paired with colorful spandex or biker shorts.

The Princess of Wales often wore crew necks, T-shirts, or sweatshirts that advertised various organizations or charities to help them gain traction in the public eye. Princess Diana was dedicated to social causes and demonstrated her passion through raising millions of dollars for charities that helped those who were sick and poor. Diana also made frequent visits to homeless shelters and, in the 80s, hugged people dying from HIV/AIDS, which many people saw as a compassionate act at the time. Princess Diana also took a special interest in volunteering through the Red Cross in Nepal and Zimbabwe.

Whether wearing a sweatshirt with biker shorts or a ball gown, Princess Diana could pull outfits off with seemingly little or no effort. Her versatile fashion sense made her all the more admirable.

Diana notably refrained from wearing large hats or head garments when she knew she would be around children as it would interfere with her ability to hug them. Additionally, she refrained from following certain royal customs, such as

wearing gloves, because she felt it established a disconnect between herself and those she would be meeting. That is princess behavior.

The princess also made a concerted effort to embrace her surroundings. During a visit to Japan in 1986, she wore a red and white polka-dot dress that resembled the Japanese flag, once again exemplifying princess behavior.

Arguably one of Princess Diana’s most famous outfits would be what the media dubbed her “Revenge Dress.” Princess Diana wore a fitted, black, off-the-shoulder dress to a gala in June 1994, which was the night Prince Charles confessed on television that he was unfaithful to her.

Not only was Princess Diana a fashion icon, she was also a strong and admirable woman who held to her beliefs. One of her most important traits was that she knew her worth. That was an attitude that easily shined through in each outfit she wore. In every sense of the word, Diana was very clearly a princess.

BY NICK PARFJONOV - OWN WORK, PUBLIC DOMAIN, HTTPS://COMMONS.WIKIMEDIA. ORG/W/INDEX.PHP?CURID=7366693

BY UNITED STATES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT - FROM THE RONALD REAGAN LIBRARY:HTTP:// WWW.REAGAN.UTEXAS.EDU/ARCHIVES/PHOTOGRAPHS/VIPS.HTML, PUBLIC DOMAIN, HTTPS://COMMONS.WIKIMEDIA.ORG/W/INDEX.PHP?CURID=1439716CC BY 2.0, HTTPS:// COMMONS.WIKIMEDIA.ORG/W/INDEX.PHP?CURID=2754103

Celeb Style: Oscar de la Renta

BY CARLIE REESE

PHOTOS BY PROVIDED

PHOTOS CREDIT: BRITANNICA

From working under the great Cristobal Balenciaga to dressing some of the world’s biggest celebrities, Óscar Arístides Renta Fiallo, known professionally as Oscar de la Renta, was a staple on the red carpet and in the fashion industry for years even after his death in 2014. De la Renta is most known for his women’s evening wear and red carpet gowns that have attended the Oscars and the Met Gala. De la Renta knew how to make a woman feel confident and beautiful in his feminine and classy style.

De la Renta’s elegant and almost regal style provided him with a wide range of clientele and was a favorite of the former first ladies of the United States. He dressed four, including Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Nancy Reagan, Hillary Clinton, and Michelle Obama.

He began his own label in 1965 and later joined Balmain to do haute couture collections from 1993-2002. De la Renta’s style had a Latin flair as

he was Dominican American but also showed a more European style. His style has always been elegant and sleek, utilizing all types of colors and fabrics, and giving all of his collections distinct looks. Being known for his evening wear, he dressed a wide array of celebrities on all types of red carpets. Some of his clientele include Blake Lively, Jessica Chastain, Sandra Bullock, Drew Barrymore, Oprah Winfrey, Sarah Jessica Parker, and many other A-listers. Celebs can still be seen rocking De la Renta on red carpets even today in 2023.

With his big-name clientele in the ’90s and 2000s, it is obvious that De la Renta knew how to make clothes and how to make them fit a woman. De la Renta continues to make history after his death, and his brand lives on today. With many celebs still wearing his clothing on the red carpet, his feminine fashion and elegant style will continue to be a force in the fashion industry.

PHOTOS CREDIT: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/GETTY IMAGE

PHOTOS CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES

Love Set in Stone

BY TATE RAUB

PHOTOS BY ALIZA DUTT

An engagement ring is the first physical object that signifies a couple’s transition from being partners to being engaged. People take as many photos of their engagements as they do of their weddings, and many of those photos are centered around the engagement ring. Rings are a core part of most marriages and symbolize a couple’s love for one another as long as they both shall live.

The first evidence of the tradition of giving wedding rings dates back to the Ancient Egyptians who made rings using hemp and braided reeds. Today, rings fixed with diamonds are among the most common types of engagement rings, utilizing a variety of stone cuts and band styles. However, there has been a recent increase in wedding bands that differ from the traditional diamond ring.

These alternative types of rings have always been around but have been made famous by celebrities. Nothing could beat Princess Diana’s gorgeous, oval-cut sapphire ring, but over the past year or two, there has been a lot of talk surrounding wedding rings.

January 2022 brought the engagement of Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox, and MGK’s proposal introduced the world to one of the most talked about rings ever. MGK told People that the double bands of the ring are thorns, designed to hurt Fox if she takes it off. Additionally, two pearshaped stones are set in the thorn bands, one being a diamond (MGK’s birthstone) and the other an emerald (Fox’s birthstone).

In August 2022, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck became engaged for the second time. The unveiling of Lopez’s ring revealed Affleck’s choice of a twist on the typical diamond ring with a green diamond, symbolzing Lopez’s lucky color.

Ariana Grande, Emily Ratajkowski, and Katy Perry are also among the celebrities known for their one-of-a-kind wedding rings.

These celebrity trends have possibly created an increase in the amount of rings with typical features but personal touches, which is something that has been observed quite a bit in 2023, according to The Diamond Pro. There has also been an increase in people looking to purchase wedding rings from small businesses like local shops or Etsy stores. This may be because many people want a ring that is vintage or handcrafted as opposed to overly expensive, name-brand alternatives. The options provided by small businesses are often more customizable and affordable, especially when one is not looking for a ring with an expensive, authentic diamond.

While diamond rings do not seem to be going out of style anytime soon, the desire to choose a truly specialized and distinctive ring for one’s partner has decreased the traditional diamond’s popularity. Whether or not this trend sticks around, it has certainly increased people’s awareness of the alternative options available and marks a new era for wedding rings in the fashion world.

BY DORI GRAY

BY HADLEY FAIN

If the Shoe Fits!

PHOTOS

When envisioning the ideal wedding shoe, something predictable typically comes to mind, like a white, highheeled sandal with ankle straps and crystal embellishments. However, wedding shoes did not begin as princessy stilettos, and the concept has evolved even more over time. The easiest way to mix it up via fancy footwear is to choose an unexpected pop of color or even use shoes as a “something blue.” If that simply does not seem adventurous enough, it may be time to look into alternative wedding shoes.

Lace-Up Victorian Boot

According to the House of Elliot Collection, the Regency period popularized booties, or half boots, for wedding outfits. Wedding boots further developed as a footwear style through the Victorian era and the 20th century. The boots gained structure, more elaborate adornments, and higher heels. Pay homage to weddings of the past with a pair of Victorian-era-inspired, lace-up boots.

Sneakers

Before cringing at flashbacks of wearing Converse to prom, remember sneakers have come a long way. Many brands now have luxeleaning designs that are suitable for special occasions, and platform sneakers will provide a lift if desired. However, one should not take this sporty choice as an encouragement to sprint away from their betrothed at the end of the aisle. Leave “Runaway Bride” to Julia Roberts, please.

Loafers

Say “I do” to this adorable scenario: significant others in coordinating loafers. Upon meeting at the altar, the duo can perform a little prenuptial jig because that is just how in sync they are. Loafers are timeless, available in various styles, and can even be paired with frilly, sheer ankle socks to add whimsical flair.

Leather Boots

When it comes to leather boots, the options are plentiful. Classic cowboy boots; reliable Dr. Martens; sleek, suede knee-highs; and winterfriendly Ugg boots all fit the bill. A utilitarianleaning lug sole would be ideal for the edgy

“nearlywed” whose love of emo and pop-punk music was never a phase.

Platform Heels

Transform the wedding march into a runway walk with statement-making platforms. Bold heels can take an outfit from “pretty” to “wow.” Think double platforms and thick, block heels. Squaretoed, chunky Mary Janes and sandals made from silky, velvety, or vibrant materials would also make for a one-of-a-kind look. Wearing the highly sought-after Heaven by Marc Jacobs Multi Buckle Kiki boots, a boot-platform crossover, might just be worthy of a Vogue Weddings feature.

Flats

There is no shame in the wedding shoe game. Sometimes, all that is desired is comfort. If that is the case, flats are the way to go. However, flats do not have to resemble old-school “church shoes.” For example, Betsey Johnson sells wedding shoes in more styles than imaginable, including a glittery blush-colored, pointed-toe flat with an ankle strap and strappy rhinestone detailing. Tory Burch has ballet flats for any occasion and slingback kitten heels for the more daring. If all else fails, Birkenstocks will carry one from ceremony to reception with ease.

modern or contemporary look or maybe even a

vintage style.

Every few years, past decades’ trends have had resurgences, and vintage hairstyles are no exception. Vintage hairstyles can be appealing to many because of their timelessness, elegance, and sophistication. Recently, they can be seen on red carpets, TikTok, and at weddings.

Modern hairstyles will never go out of style, however, because of their simplicity and versatility. Some styles can be low-maintenance and easy to style, making them another potential choice.

One is able to make a statement with bridal hairstyles if that is the goal. The hairstyle can be as bold and dramatic or as simple and practical

as one pleases. Choosing a hairstyle is an amazing way to express individuality and creativity.

For a retro-loving bride, the voluminous waves, and dramatic updos sported by fashion icons like Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn may be the way to go. Or maybe the fabulousness of ’70s hair will speak volumes as it is currently trending in popular culture. This could look like the extra long, pin-straight like many of Cher’s looks, or fluffy and feathered hair like Billie Eilish’s recent hairstyle.

For the more modern bride, think of understated beauty.

The hair is not doing the talking; you and your love are! Updos are an excellent example of vintage made into modern. One could try something similar to Lily Collin’s simple, low, knotted bun. Long loose waves are another option, as seen on the singer Ciara at her wedding to Russel Wilson.

The options are seemingly endless, and ultimately, the choice between vintage, modern, or anything in between comes down to personal preferences and individual style. Whatever your preference may be, there is a hairstyle out there to suit your needs and to express your individuality.

PUNK ON LOVE : VIVIENNE WESTWOOD

BY KENDALL BERGERON ILLUSTRATIONS BY ZOE GEISS PHOTOS BY PROVIDED

The name Vivienne Westwood has been circulating because of her recent death and the resurgence of her iconic pearl necklaces, which are how most young people know the name today. However, the name will forever be sewn into history’s high-end fabric, never to be washed away like a fad. She was the mother of punk with a tender fondness for the regal anarchy of 18th-century France. She was a prominent figure not just in fashion history but in all history, changing the world with a progressive stance on fashion and social and political issues. In short, she was one of those rare and extraordinary individuals who proved that fashion is not frivolity and vanity in their purest forms. Fashion is, among other things, culture and activism. The fashion designer is best known for accomplishments during

the height of her career, but she led a life rich in fashion innovation and hard work even before her surge to fame.

Westwood’s fashion career began in 1971 when she was designing most of the clothing for a store called Let it Rock that she shared with her second husband, Malcolm McLaren. The store catered to an alternative, rebellious subculture called “Teddy Boys,” and Westwood had a thorough understanding of the designs that this group desired. This is part of what made her such an excellent designer. Westwood always had a precise understanding of her audience and could predict what they would want in the future. In the past, she mostly made graphic T-shirts for the store, but her designs stood out because of their provocativeness. However, these pieces were not provocative just for the sake of being provocative. They all had an underlying social commentary to make, and this would go on to be the prelude of Westwood’s signature, activistcentered fashion.

Westwood would continue to design more clothing pieces, such as jackets and dresses, for the store, but her ideologies soon began to evolve. Her fashion sense and the brand Let it Rock grew with them. By 1974, Westwood and McLaren changed the store’s name to Sex, which better suited its provocative, early-punk nature. Her pieces were completely distinctive and unorthodox, attracting an audience of only the “dirtiest,” most extreme punk rockers. In only a few years’ time, Sex became one of the most popular boutiques in all of England, establishing the dress code for what

would become the punk subculture. By 1975, Malcolm McLaren recruited various customers and employees from Sex to form the innovative punk rock band, The Sex Pistols. Westwood designed all the band’s clothes, further defining the look of punk culture. As all subcultures do, the punk scene birthed and inspired many other subcultures and music genres. So, Westwood not only set an incredible precedent for punk fashion, but she is also responsible for various trends circulating throughout many different decades and cultures, many of which we still see today.

By the ‘80s, Westwood took the successful look she had curated while it was still at the height of its popularity and ran in the opposite direction. In 1981, she held her first runway show for her line titled “Pirates.” Following this debut line was another line called “Witches,” which Westwood created in 1983. Both lines were distinct from Westwood’s previous work because they consisted of clothing more similar to costumes than runway fashion. Although both lines consisted of costumes, critics regarded them positively for their individuality. Pieces from these collections even transferred into mainstream fashion, with icons such as Madonna sporting them.

In 1987, Westwood released her Harris Tweed collection. This was a significant point in her career because it was the debut of her iconic orb logo, inspired by the Harris Tweed logo. This was also a notable moment in her career because Harris Tweed was out of style by that point in time, but Westwood sparked its resurgence.

The ’90s proved to be even more successful for the designer than the decades before.

In 1990, Westwood’s first men’s collection debuted, marking the first time since launching her label that she made her clothing available to the general public. One year later, she was named the British designer of the year. Then, in 1992, she was granted the most excellent order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II. This title is only granted to individuals who have made significant contributions to British society. She would eventually advance to becoming a dame in 2006.

By this time, Westwood’s style was distinguished by 18thcentury French royalty.

She adorned her models with quintessential French revolution-era garments such as extravagantly tiered dresses, corsets, powdered wigs, white painted faces, feathers, ruffles, and plenty of flowers. By including pieces that were structurally inspired by 1800s France but that had modern patterns, like plaid, Westwood was able to achieve a historiclooking outfit with a flair of modernity. Fashion history was made during one of these shows when Westwood sent supermodel Kate Moss down the runway eating ice cream while topless. This was likely a nod to the famous Marie Antoinette quote, “Let them eat cake.” This demonstrated Westwood’s

social commentary on the British monarchy and the regard with which society held models.

Westwood maintained her relevance in the early 2000s, ensuring that her brand was not outdated and remained genuine. At this time, she began using her platform to advocate for political and social issues. She was vocal about many issues, but climate change and human rights were the most prominent. She raised large amounts of money for various organizations and even publicly affiliated herself with political parties and leaders. Westwood was not only outspoken about these issues, but she also made sure to protest actively.

So, where do we see Westwood’s influences in today’s fashion? Well, her contributions to fashion were so impactful that we could answer this question in a million different ways. However, the most obvious answer would be 2022-2023 mainstream fashion. We now see Westwood’s runway pieces from the ’90s being worn on every street. Some of the most notable trends inspired by her work are plaid, corsets, and, most importantly, pearls. Not only have pearls come back into style, but specifically, Westwood’s iconic orb necklace can be seen around the necks of many. There has

also been a general affection for this recent hyperfeminine Parisian look, which mirrors Westwood’s work from the ’90s. Even the traditional punk style has made a resurgence in some circles and can be seen in “alt” trends that have been popular for some time now.

Vivienne Westwood’s work changed the fashion industry forever. Her constant evolution, flexibility, and deep understanding of her audience allowed her to remain relevant in a way that maintained her clothing’s ingenuity and quality, which is not easy. Though her style seemed to change drastically over the years, she kept it consistent with one common theme. Think about it, what do pirates, witches, and the French revolution have in common? A common historic theme of antiestablishment and non-compliance with the government. These sentiments are central to the punk subculture and were always important to Westwood. Though Westwood’s brand seemed to change drastically on the outside, it was always punk. Vivienne Westwood proved that sincerity and nonconformity will always prevail. For this reason, her name and work are timeless.

Priyanka Chopra & Nick Jonas

BY SOPHIE NEILSEN

PHOTOS BY PROVIDED

BOLLYWOOD AND HOLLYWOOD: THE STORY OF NICK AND PRIYANKA

PHOTOS CREDIT: JOSEPH RADHIK

Interracial marriage is beautiful because it allows cultures to share their differences and similarities while providing a sense of unity in a divided world. Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra publicly shared their cultural ideals, beliefs, and traditions during their wedding. Chopra and

Jonas had four beautiful wedding receptions showcasing their cultures and religions in multiple countries.

The couple exchanged vows in a Christian wedding officiated by Jonas’ father. Later, they tied the knot in India with three Hindu wedding rituals: the Haldi, Mehendi, and Sangeet

“Although we are of two different faiths, we are spiritually on the same page.”

PHOTOS CREDIT: JOSEPH RADHIK

ceremonies. The purpose of Indian wedding rituals is the physical, spiritual, and emotional union of two people.

India has been labeled a holy land for Spiritualists, Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs. Throughout her life, Chopra was exposed to Hindu, Islamic, Spiritual, and Christian influences as she was raised. Her family was Hindu, and she grew aware of Islamic culture because of her Father’s talented singing in mosques; meanwhile, she found Christian influences throughout her

PHOTOS CREDIT: JOSEPH RADHIK

PHOTOS CREDIT: JOSEPH RADHIK

PHOTOS CREDIT: JOSEPH RADHIK

childhood in school. Chopra’s primary religion is Hinduism, and she prays using a temple in her home.

Despite the cultural differences between the two actors, their openness and adaptivity is incredibly beautiful, and Jonas has respectfully learned how to practice some of the culture and religion with Chopra. In a Victoria’s Secret VS Voices podcast, Chopra opened up about how Nick performs Puja, Hindu praying ceremonies, before major events in their lives.

“Although we are of two different faiths, we are spiritually on the same page,” said Chopra as she believes that religion is a map to get to the same destination.

As of March 2023, Bollywood singer, King, released a song featuring Jonas on March 10 called “Maan Meri Jan.” The song is currently Jonas’s #1 song on Spotify. The most notable lyrics include, “All of the stars align, no one but you and I, from now till the afterlife.” It is evident that Jonas is singing about his love for Chopra.

DIY

Crafting the most intricate of knick-knacks, working out the mind, body, and soul, and making the most delicious treats.

PITTSBURGH PLATING: THE TRADITION OF THE COOKIE TABLE P.50

At every table, I’ll save you a seat

BY KATIE MILLARD PHOTOS BY ABBEY SUCHER

They say the devil is in the details, but that is really where the true experience can be found. At a wedding, even the simplest things matter, so here is a cheat seat to a simple-yet-stunning tablescape.

Step One: Arrange for the plates, glasses, napkins, and silverware. Whether the plan includes entirely thrifted options or rented matching sets, this will help establish a color scheme for the tables.

Step Two: Consider the wedding as a whole. If there is a theme, tablescapes are where that can really come through. If the vibe is classy, the tables’ layouts will need to be more upscale. If the ambiance is rustic, it would not be fitting to place a velvet runner or an ice sculpture.

Step Three: Now that the cutlery, dishes, and general aura are in order, it is time to begin collecting items to use for the centerpieces. While there are a plethora of options from the oh-so-personal photos to the classy bouquets, a cost-efficient and effortlessly lovely option is fake flowers. These are much less expensive than committing to real floral arrangements while still maintaining the beauty of their living counterparts.

Step Four: Consider the lighting. If there are numerous overhead lights at the venue, lighting on the tables may not be necessary. For some situations, particularly outdoor weddings, on-table lighting may be a necessity or at least a welcome addition. Another relatively cheap and sophisticated option is using candles. Light these for a romantic feel and scatter them aesthetically among your tablescape.

Step Five: It is time for name tags and table numbers. People need to know where they are expected to sit, and this is another necessity that can add to the ambiance of the tablescape. Simple calligraphy on paper or a beautiful sign with a list of names detailing which table people should seat themselves at are both great options.

Step Six: Assemble. It is time to combine the candles, dishware, florals, and anything else. Set each table up as best fits the overall vibe, which should not be too difficult with the attention to detail given at each former step. Once things are put together, they will curate an overall vibe to help bring energy and cohesiveness to the wedding. Details matter, but they do not have to be too difficult.

BONDING OVER BUBBLES

BY TATE RAUB | ILLUSTRATIONS BY JULIA GREENWOOD

F. Scott Fitzgerald once said, “Too much of anything is bad, but too much champagne is just right.” The motto absolutely applies to weddings. As shoes are kicked off before guests hit the dance floor and the party gets started, the champagne inevitably starts flowing.

If you have ever wondered how to switch up your champagne, we at Thread have got you covered. Check out these two recipes for champagne cocktails, and experience some fun new ways to enjoy some bubbly:

INGREDIENTS:

- 2 tbsp. of fruit juice

- A bottle of champagne

- Fruit garnish of choice

- Champagne flute or glass of choice

- Optional: 1 tsp. simple syrup or grenadine

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Add fruit juice to champagne flute. a. For extra sweetness, measure out fruit juice and add one teaspoon of simple syrup or grenadine.

2. Fill the remainder of the glass with champagne.

3. Top with garnish and enjoy!

CHAMPAGNE MOJITO

INGREDIENTS:

- 5-6 mint leaves

- 1 oz. lime juice

- 2 oz. rum

- 1 oz. simple syrup

- 2-4 oz. champagne

- Cocktail muddler or a bowl/large cup and a wooden spoon

- Champagne flute or glass of choice

- Optional: Cocktail shaker

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Muddle the mint leaves. Be careful to not turn the leaves into mush.

a. Muddle the leaves by gently crushing them with your cocktail muddler or the end of your wooden spoon three or four times, or until they are visibly mashed but not super ripped and mushy.

2. Measure out the lime juice, simple syrup, and rum and pour into your glass of choice and mix well. Feel free to adjust the measurements of each to personal preference.

a. If using a cocktail shaker, add everything (including the muddled mint leaves) to the shaker, fill with ice, and shake until cold.

3. Add the muddled mint leaves to your glass and mix again.

4. Top off with any extra mint leaves as a garnish and enjoy!

Pittsburgh Plating: The tradition of the cookie table

A guide to designing a cookie table display for your big day.

BY HANNAH CAMPBELL PHOTOS BY HANNAH CAMPBELL

It is time to ditch the traditional wedding cake and dig into the tasty tradition of a cookie table. The cookie table is widely known in Pittsburgh and Youngstown, Ohio with roots from the Great Depression. During this era, wedding cakes were a luxury that few could afford. Instead, wedding guests would bring homemade cookies to contribute to a large table.

The ritual still lives on today and is bigger than

ever. Tables are spread wide with a variety of cookies, including ladylocks, Italian pizzelles, peanut butter blossoms, and nut rolls coming from different family members and local bakeries. The Italian Ricotta Cookie is a Pittsburgh favorite. Whether it be for an upcoming night in or a high class wedding, here is a recipe for Italian Ricotta cookies that will outdo any other cookie:

Bake up some love...

Ingredients for the cookies:

· 2 cups of all-purpose flour

· 1 ½ tsp. of baking powder

· ½ tsp. Kosher salt

· ¼ cup (½ stick) butter, softened

· 1 cup granulated sugar

· 8 oz. ricotta

· 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

· ½ tsp. almond extract (optional)

· 1 egg

Directions for the cookies:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 F° and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 2: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Step 3: In a separate bowl, combine the butter and sugar using a stand or hand mixer. Cream together on medium speed until light and fluffy.

Step 4: Add the ricotta, vanilla, almond extract (if using), and egg. Continue to mix until smooth.

Step 5: Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix to combine.

Step 6: Portion the dough into approximately 1 ½ tablespoon portions and place onto the parchment paper spaced about two inches apart. Bake for 15 minutes or until the tops are pale and the bottoms are golden brown.

Ingredients for the icing:

· 1 cup powdered sugar

· 2 tbsp. of whole milk

· ¼ tsp. almond extract (optional)

· Sprinkles

Directions for the icing:

Step 1: Whisk together the powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Whisk in the almond extract (if using).

Step 2: Drizzle the icing over the cookies with a spoon and top with sprinkles while the icing is still wet.

WHO, WHAT, WEAR

A glimpse into some of Athens’ most captivating people, places, and events.

KEITH CHAPMAN JEWELER

Court Street forges the beginning of forever.

BY RYAN MAXIN | PHOTOS BY SYDNEY BRITTON

On any given day, the diamonds and gemstones in the window at 8 S. Court St. glimmer as the sunlight washes over them. Inside the glass are assortments of gold and silver, twisted and contorted into the shapes of necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings. These are the custom creations of Keith Chapman.

Chapman has operated his eponymous jewelry business out of his studio for nearly 30 years. He studied gemology, the study of gemstones, in California before working for a number of years designing and manufacturing for other stores. From there, he traveled the world—from New York to Europe and beyond—on networking and purchasing trips. In the late ’90s, he officially opened his studio at the location where it is today.

In the time since, Chapman has maintained a thriving jewelry business. He has found success by taking inspiration from his own experiences, which has resonated with his clients.

“I'm influenced by what I see,” Chapman says

as he sits behind a display case in his studio. “By what I see people wearing, buying, showing, but also by what I see in other parts of my life. And then if it works, it works.”

Chapman does not always rely only on his own aesthetic preferences, though. When it comes to engagement rings, he is influenced more by the human connection he establishes with the couple for whom he’s designing.

Over the course of a couple initial meetings, he said, he encourages couples to move past any preconceived ideas they have about how their rings should look—either based on what their friends are wearing or what they see in popular culture—and really start thinking about what they want, not what others have.

“If everybody you know has gotten a new gray car, you're going to think those are great. But you want a red car when you really get down to it,” he said.

In recent years, Chapman said he has noticed a

shift in his consultations with prospective buyers. The meetings used to be with only one person who was looking to buy on the spot with some influence from their partner. Today, more couples are coming in together to talk about custom rings, he said.

After his introduction to a couple’s ideas, his timeline for designing and creating an engagement ring can span anywhere from one to six months. He enjoys diving into ideas and crafting rings soon after getting them approved by the couple he is working with. Actually making the ring is sometimes the quickest part, he said.

Because of that, some of his most difficult projects are those that do not need done right away. If someone hires him to design an engagement ring that they plan to use two years later, he said he will make it as soon as he can and advise the customer to hold on to it until they plan to propose.

Occasionally, Chapman said, Ohio University

students will approach him about buying an engagement ring. Usually, those potential customers are either graduate students or Ohio U alumni who want to incorporate a part of Athens into their wedding.

“I’ll get an email or a text or a phone call from Chicago or wherever and they’ll say, ‘We met on campus and it was fun. It was a great part of our lives … and we’d love to have a ring from Athens,’” he said.

Despite his intermittent involvement with Ohio U grads who have moved away from Athens, Chapman said he has never been invited to a wedding of a couple he has worked with. However, he had a closing message for any future clientele.

“If someone is getting married in Hawaii, put a plug in,” he said. “Or I know there are a lot of Scandinavian countries. If somebody’s getting married there, I haven’t been to that area, so I’d like that.”

A CHAPEL IN HER HEART

The everlasting spirit of Helen Mauck Galbreath.

BY ERIN FINAN PHOTOS BY CORRIN SWITZER

As the pleasantly warm air of early spring blows across campus, students hustle about College Green, rushing to make it to their classes and clubs. Amid the commotion of daily life, the Helen Mauck Galbreath Memorial Chapel stands tall, symbolizing a reposeful refuge and welcoming people of all faiths to find peace under its roof.

The Helen Mauck Galbreath Memorial Chapel, one of the most beautiful and carefully constructed buildings on campus, was built in 1957 with the financial assistance of John W. Galbreath, a WWI veteran and 1920 alumnus of Ohio University. The Chapel gets its name from Helen Mauck Galbreath, a 1919 alumna of Ohio U and John Galbreath’s wife whom he met and courted while the two were attending Ohio U. Rumor has it that the Galbreaths’ first meeting place is the site on which the Chapel currently sits, although there’s no evidence confirming this.

Post-graduation, John Galbreath led an illustrious career, and apart from being a coowner of the Pittsburgh Pirates, a racehorse breeder, and a real estate broker, he also served on the Ohio U Board of Trustees for over 25 years and was named chairman five times. He had been afforded great affluence, and when his alma mater’s former president, John Calhoun Baker, approached him with an idea to fund a construction project on campus, he simply couldn’t refuse.

The task of constructing the Chapel was given to the Boston-based architectural firms of Perry, Shaw, and Hepburn and of Kehoe and Dean. Previous projects of the firm included the restoration of the colonial town of Williamsburg in Virginia and the U.S. Air Force Chapel in England. John Galbreath donated approximately $250,000 to fund the Chapel’s construction. Because of

the shape and size of the plot selected for construction, the Chapel was constructed in an octagonal shape. Early material describing the Chapel’s construction indicates that the design inspiration comes from Greek Revival style with Christian and American touches, which come in the forms of the large, 120-foot spire that towers above the treetops and the weathervane that sits atop. All these features give the building a distinctive interior and exterior look compared to other buildings on campus.

In accordance with the wishes of John Galbreath, the Chapel is open to people of all faiths for worship, prayer, or meditation. In the past, those who have gathered under the chapel include members of the Baptist, Jewish, Christian Scientist, Lutheran, Latter-Day Saints, Eastern Orthodox, and Muslim religious groups. Apart from religious groups, however, the Chapel has also hosted a variety of student and community member-led events. In the past, sororities and fraternities would meet at the Chapel for formal initiation ceremonies due to the Chapel’s stately nature. Other events that have taken place at the Chapel include musical concerts and programs, graduate thesis presentations, poetry readings, lectures, drama productions, and art exhibitions. Renowned, award-winning poets Carolyn Kizer, Stanley Plumly, and Marvin Bell have performed poetry readings at the Chapel.

Since its construction, the Galbreath Chapel has been the site for over one thousand student

weddings. The first of which was between Marie and Jim White. The couple was wed in 1958, only eight days after the Chapel’s dedication. Ohio U’s president at the time, John Calhoun Baker, was the one to walk Marie down the aisle. Marie had served as a member of the president’s office staff since 1952, and held positions as a secretary, receptionist, and administrative assistant for nearly 40 years. She worked under several notable presidents, including Charles J. Ping, Claude R. Sowle, Vernon R. Alden, and Baker himself. In 1992, she was awarded a Medal of Merit for her service to Ohio U and continued to serve the university for years after her retirement.

For many, the Chapel’s presence on campus may be overlooked. But the spirit of the Chapel and the stories of those who have kept that spirit alive permeates the very fiber of Ohio U’s history and identity. From the Chapel’s dedication ceremony in 1958 to today, people have found reprise, joy, and peace within the Chapel’s walls. Helen Mauck Galbreath’s affinity for kindness and compassion will be memorialized forever, both in the Chapel and in the hearts of the students of Ohio U. Said of Helen Mauck Galbreath at the Chapel’s dedication, “Today we re-live the reality of her spirit, we stand back and see clearly her life lived to the everlasting inspiration of us all and know that countless others will worship here in the quiet light of eternity.”

MIDDLE OF THE BOOK

A look into Thread’s creative shoot concepts.

BRIDE AND GLOOM P.76

Just Married

PHOTOS BY ZOE CRANFILL AND MEG REES

Bride and Gloom

PHOTOS BY KALI KNUDSON & HANNAH CAMPBELL

THE NIGHT OF THE WEDDING

PHOTOS BY ZENNIA LAM & CORRIN SWITZER

left at the altar

PHOTOS BY TATI ALSTON & ELLA CALHOUN

Four Looks We Like:

Something Old, Something Something Borrowed Something Blue

PHOTOS BY SYDNEY BRITTON & HADLEY FAIN

Something New, Borrowed,

Old Something

New Something

BlueSomething

CAMPUS CASUAL

Light-hearted reads for the quiztaking, listicle reading, horoscope believin’ spirit in all of us.

ARCH CITY LIGHTS P.120

PHOTO CREDIT: ARCH CITY LIGHTS/FACEBOOK

HOROSCOPES

BY KATIE MILLARD ILLUSTRATIONS BY MADDIE JAMES

Spring is in the air and so is love! Let us see what Taurus season rings in for your love life.

Taurus, April 20 - May 20

It is finally your time to shine, Taurus. With the sun in Taurus this month, you will feel especially energetic. You will lean toward success this month under your sun and will experience a dramatic influx in affection from others. You may experience a surprising number of new admirers, so let the energy you are putting out take you wherever you want to go. Most of all, ensure one of the people falling in love with you this month is you.

Gemini, May 21 - June 20

You will be especially emotionally intelligent this month, Gemini. With the moon and mercury in conjunction, your clarity and quality of thought processes are especially enlightened. As mercury is your ruling planet, this will be particularly helpful for you, and your emotional intelligence and rational intelligence will be in sync. You will be great at communicating with partners, which may lead to a big life event. Tap into this healthy communication, Taurus.

Cancer, June 21 - July 22

You are ruled by the moon, Cancer, which is always changing. Under a stable Taurus, however, you will finally find some peace of mind. You have been bouncing around from love interest to love interest, but this month, someone will step out of the background and become really important to you. Be open to love, Cancer, even from the places you least expect it.

Leo, July 23 - Aug. 22

Ruled by the sun, Leo, you have a tendency to lean into whichever astrological season has a particularly intense glow. For Taurus season, this means you will be particularly decisive, so now is a great time to let yourself use dating apps. A quick swipe right or left will come easily to you, and the usual stress accompanying dating apps will fade. You may become one of those dating site users who finds their future spouse on the app.

Virgo, Aug. 23 - Sept. 22

This is the month where you will find the things you need. Lost keys? That one AirPod? That orange coat you left at El Tenampa? This is the month where they will turn up. This energy will also manifest in finding someone new. April is the month you will meet someone that will have a large impact in your life, likely in creating a long-term relationship.

Libra, Sept. 23 - Oct. 22

Let us relax, Libra. It is time to spend your days outside, finish that book you have been trying to get through, and stop and smell the roses. Taurus season lends itself to pleasure, so embrace that with the simple pleasures life can offer. Go on a picnic date, send loved ones cute notes, or buy flowers for someone. If you allow yourself to relax, like the rest of your concerns, your love life will become low-stress.

Scorpio, Oct. 23 - Nov. 21

Scorpio, adventure awaits. A mysterious new stranger will enter your orbit, so get ready for a fast-paced, high-drama fling. This may not be the person you will marry, but this whirlwind relationship will bring significant character development for you, so let them in. Not every relationship is made for an ever-after. Sometimes, they are just made to help you grow.

Sagittarius, Nov. 22 - Dec. 21

It is time to breathe, Sagittarius. Last month was Aries, your fellow fire sign, and you felt all of the heat that it brought. As the stars turn to earth, however, it is time for you to follow suit. Think realistically about your goals for partnership, and reflect on how you can get to a place where you feel comfortable. That will manifest in how you see potential partners and how you see yourself, so embrace introspection.

Capricorn, Dec. 22 - Jan. 19

As you enter fellow earth sign Taurus’ season, you’ll be especially stubborn, Capricorn. Some may think you are set in your ways, but you just know what you want and are not afraid to seek it out. Stick true to what you want from others, but also take care not to be so stubborn that you miss out on opportunities to grow from new partnerships.

Aquarius, Jan. 20 - Feb. 18

An ex may re-enter your world, Aquarius. Do not panic as this may not be such a bad thing. It is up to your discretion whether or not you think exes can be friends (or more than friends) again, but do not run for the hills without giving it some serious thought. You have a tendency to be mysterious and independent, but make sure when reflecting on what went wrong you consider both sides. There may be a real opportunity here.

Pisces, Feb. 19 - March 20

You will stumble upon an opportunity that will better your life this month, Pisces. A big life event is on the horizon. Your creative side will lead you toward this chance, so do not shine away from your wild ideas. If you hear wedding bells down an unconventional path, follow them. The adventure will be worth the ride.

Aries, March 21 - April 19

As the stars change from your month into Taurus season, it is time for introspection when it comes to love. As you exit your month, you are still feeling everything at a rapid speed, slowing down might make you focus on love right under your nose. Trust your gut, Aries, while ensuring it has enough time to truly speak with you. You may just find your life long partner.

WHAT TYPE OF WEDDING DRESS BEST FITS YOUR STYLE?

BY OLIVIA ROHLING ILLUSTRATIONS BY MADDIE JAMES

1. You’re at a family reunion, where are you hanging out?

a. With your grandmother looking at old pictures

b. With your little cousins playing a game

c. Swimming in the pool of course!

d. Playing with your uncle’s dog

2. Someone just gave you aux, what genre of music will you play?

a. Some classical piano to calm the crowd

b. Totally unique technolofi tunes no one’s ever heard before

c. Acoustic beach tunes all the way!

d. Indie/alternative

3. You would best be described as…

a. Family-oriented

b. Unique

c. Athletic

d. Free-spirited

5. You just got a puppy! What are you naming it?

a. Bella

b. Maggie

c. Kaia

d. Indie

4. When you have a spare few hours, you’d likely be found…

a. Losing yourself in a good book

b. Going on a quick 5 mile run

c. Dying your hair a fun color

d. Crocheting yourself a fun colored cardigan

Did you choose mostly A’s? Your style would best fit a modest and classy dress. You’re the type of person who would likely wear your mom or grandmother’s old wedding dress to pay homage to them.

Did you choose mostly C’s? You would look absolutely darling in a mermaid style dress. You love the beach, ocean, the sand between your toes, and everything beachy!

Did you choose mostly B’s? You would absolutely rock an embellished wedding dress–and it might not even be white. You’re the type of person who would experiment with a soft pink or off-white wedding dress that would totally leave heads turning. You would totally have a floral patterned veil that incorporates colors from your bridal party. You’re not afraid to take a chance and step outside traditional wedding norms.

Did you choose mostly D’s? You are a hippy at heart and would look stunning in a boho style dress. A dress full of lacey detailing and perhaps even some elegant sleeves is totally up your alley. You could totally pull off a boho dress, and nothing more would suit your personality!

ARCH CITY

PHOTO CREDIT: ARCH CITY LIGHTS

LIGHTS

BY GABRIELLE CABANES PHOTOS BY PROVIDED

Arch City Lights, a band created in 2014 and currently residing in Columbus, focuses on creating amazing evenings for clients and guests attending private events such as weddings. The group is known for playing today’s top 40 hits mixed in with R&B songs in order to ensure a successful night for the celebration of the newlyweds.

The band has already performed at over 150 private events and continues to play for weddings around Columbus, according to the Arch City Lights Website.

Emily Syring, the leader of the band, said she created the band after working with another band called “The Tubs” prior to 2014. Syring said the band had asked her to play with them, and after moving to Los Angeles, she decided she wanted to create a band with a similar vibe. Syring did just that and named the band Arch City Lights after the arches that can be found in downtown Columbus in the Short North area.

Syring said the main goal of the evening was to create a memorable time for the clients and guests and to work with the other vendors to help the night run as smoothly as possible. Syring said another big part of the job was keeping people entertained for as much of the night as she could.

“I think another big goal of ours is to make sure the dance floor is full and that people stay out there all night long,” she said.

Syring said guests choose certain songs from a master set list in order to create the vibe that they want. She said that people are also allowed to request two or three songs not on the set list, which they typically reserve for special parts of the evening such as the first dance or the father-daughter and mother-son dances.

She said what she enjoyed most about her job was that she did not need to win over the crowd because they were

PHOTO CREDIT: ARCH CITY LIGHTS

PHOTO CREDIT: ARCH CITY LIGHTS

already there to have a good time and enjoy their evening. She also said, however, that one of the bigger challenges was handling certain bumps in the road that are bound to happen at all events. Being able to handle the stress and work with other vendors can sometimes be frustrating, but over the years she has learned to navigate problems that may arise.

Syring said one of the best memories she has had with the band was on New Year’s Eve when

she let the bride and groom get on stage and sing to their family and friends.

“We’re with people on one of the most special days of their lives,” she said. “Just the energy was just really fun to see. They’re never going to forget that moment when they’re on the stage and their whole family is in the crowd cheering them on. Obviously we helped create that and it’s just cool because I know they’re going to remember that moment for the rest of their lives.”

BACK OF THE CLOSET

Meeting Your Match

The tales of three Bobcat’s love and the advice they have for college students

BY KAYLA BENNETT ILLUSTRATIONS BY ALIZA DUTT

Every love story is different, and every love teaches something different. Through all a relationship’s and ups and downs, forever becomes a bit more clear. The bricks of Athens must be crawling with love bugs, as many Ohio University Bobcats have a kindred memory to share.

An authentic way of meeting calls for an interesting endeavor, and for Erin Bush, it was walking down the hallway in an apartment complex on Court Street. Erin’s future husband was a friend of a friend. It was Quad Night at The Junction, now known as The J Bar, when Erin met her match, Matt.

“I pulled out my license, he grabbed it and looked at it and told me he had the same birthday, which I just thought he was lying and he wouldn’t show me his,” Erin said. “That’s when we really started talking, and [it] turns out he did have the same birthday.”

The rough part of the relationship: it was the end of their senior year when Erin and Matt started seeing each other. When graduation came around, they parted ways. The pair stayed apart for two years until fate struck again.

Erin was working as a flight attendant and was home from a trip visiting her parents when her parent’s home phone rang. It was Matt.

“He just said, ‘I’m back in town, just wondering what you were doing,’” Erin said. “I had to drive back to Cleveland through Columbus, which is where he was living, so he said, ‘My friends and I are going out to dinner, why don’t you stop and have dinner with me?’”

A flame that once burned bright in the comfort

Cindy and James Saunders were married in July 2011.

of Court Street was reignited and there to stay.

There has always been rumor that an Ohio University connection runs deep and one can spot a fellow Bobcat when one sees one. The same remains true online.

Cindy Saunders met her now-husband James on Match. com and it was clear that not only did they share a love for Ohio U but also for each other.

“The fact that we were at OU at the same time and our paths never crossed—like if it weren’t for Match.com, would our paths have ever crossed?” Saunders said. “It’s crazy.”

For others, love can be found right next door. Lauren Marsh was in Cleveland for a concert and had gotten a hotel room with her friend. Little did she know that the music next door and a knock would introduce her to Zachary, her nowhusband.

“When I say I just, with some liquid courage, knocked on a hotel room door and that’s how I met my now–husband, it seems ridiculous, [but] that’s how it happened,” she said.

For these Bobcats love came when they were least expecting it, but that was only the beginning to their love stories. How did they know it was the right time to get married?

“I was one of those people in high school and college, even after college, [who said] ‘I don’t want to get married,’” Lauren said. “I think part of that was because I didn’t see it for myself, but also the other part of it was it looked like I was in control if it didn’t happen for me, like it looked like it was a choice. But after meeting Zach and just how naturally our relationship happened and how comfortable it felt from the start, I could see myself settling down.”

It was the feeling of knowing it was the right person for Lauren, and she said that after they moved in together, she knew that was progress to potential marriage.

Cindy dated her husband for four years before the two got engaged—the more time she spent with him, the more she could not picture her life without him.

“I’m friends with people who have married their high school sweethearts and are still together, and then there are other people who I went to high school with who married their highschool sweethearts that are not together anymore,”

Erin and Matt Bush were married in November 2001.

Lauren and Zachary Marsh were married in November 2022.

“It’s so amazing how when it’s your time, it will be your time.” CINDY SAUNDERS

Cindy said. “It’s so amazing how when it’s your time, it will be your time.”

Cindy and her husband were married in Galbreath Chapel, so their roots of love were planted even deeper in the bricks of Ohio U.

One’s 20s are tumultuous, Erin said. That time of life involves moving from one phase of life to another, like graduating college, leaving the cocoon of Athens, and going into the “real world.” Tying in a relationship with an already strenuous life can be challenging, but Matt was willing to wait until Erin was ready.

“It’s not just being in love, it’s being in love at the right time,” Erin said.

College is a time to experience things one wants to experience. Finding someone that is a good

“It’s not about just being in love, it’s being in love at the right time.”

ERIN BUSH

“Love will come around when it is meant to... let love be stumbled upon, not looked for.”

match is difficult when one has not established their own wants and needs.

“Don’t put too much focus or emphasis on it,” Lauren said. “I know that relationships seem like a big deal and a lot of people put self worth into if they have someone that they’re in a relationship with, but I think your college years and a little after are your selfish years.”

Lauren and her husband Matt prioritized growing individually so they could fall into each other’s pace of life and do the things they enjoy together. College can be a monumental part of life, a time of being alone or of navigating relationships.

“It’s hard when you’re younger, because everybody’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, you’re like 25 now you need to get married and start a family,’” Cindy said. “But I feel like 25 wasn’t my age.”

Cindy believes that one should not rush into

anything and should take time to find the person that life would not be “life” without. Similarly, Erin found herself wanting to explore life before settling down, to which her now-husband Matt responded, “That’s fine, I’ll wait, I’m not going anywhere.” Hearing that, Erin felt comfort and believes it all goes back to the couple’s history at Ohio U.

“It just felt easy,” Erin said. “I didn’t feel any red flags, I didn’t have any gut instinct, which I’ve kind of always just gone off gut when it comes to relationships.”

Erin, Cindy, and Lauren all agree that love will come around when it is meant to and suggest to let love be stumbled upon, not looked for.

“I think when you’re totally happy with you and where you are in your life and you can be happy independently, that’s when you meet somebody,” Erin said.

ATHENS TO THE AISLE

BY HANNAH CAMPBELL | PHOTOS BY PROVIDED

In a world of online dating and late night hookups, meeting a soulmate in college is a common concept for students. Real relationships take work, and college students may be still learning about themselves and who they are as people.

Couples Brett and Stephanie Raub and Steven and Lori Geiger spoke to Thread Magazine about the ups and downs of college relationships. The bricks may not have always been stable, but they never crumbled. Both couples met at Ohio University, got married, and now have children that attend.

BRETT AND STEPHANIE RAUB

Stephanie and Brett Raub initially met one another at an off-campus party through mutual friends. Brett, who was a sophomore at the time, had an apartment on Morris Avenue and was hosting a party that Stephanie attended.

At the party, Stephanie was jokingly warned by friends not to talk to Brett.

“It was really funny because everyone was like, ‘Stay away from Brett,’” Stephanie said.

The two began talking at the party and have

been together ever since. They bonded over shared experiences such as moving around towns during their childhood and hung out with the same friend group in college.

“We’re just kindred spirits, I guess you could say,” Stephanie said.

The couple said their first unofficial date was at an uptown restaurant called Buffalo Wings and Rings, 14 N Court St., where the Red Brick Tavern now stands. Stephanie and Brett spent a casual night at the eatery, though Stephanie only remembers how “horrified” she was to watch him eat wings.

Their first official date, however, was at a buffet at Hocking College. Stephanie said the school’s hospitality program had a buffet restaurant where visitors could sit down and eat.

“Brett’s mom had given him a ‘buy one, get one free’ coupon,” Stephanie said.

While Brett may have gotten a discount on their first date, his relationship with Stephanie was anything but second-rate. The couple continued to date throughout college and got engaged during Stephanie and Brett’s senior year.

Brett proposed on Christmas at his parent’s

“

” We’re just kindred spirits, I guess you could say.

- STEPHANIE RAUB

home in Athens. He asked Stephanie’s mom to reset a family diamond as an engagement ring. He then carved pages out of a book and placed the ring inside. Stephanie opened up the book on Christmas Day and saw the ring.

“It was in front of my family and his family and his grandparents,” Stephanie said. “I was mortified but I think it worked out.”

Stephanie graduated in 1995, while Brett stayed on campus for another year as part of a five year program. She moved back home to Canton and worked as Brett finished school. He graduated one year later in June of 1996.

The couple got married on September 14, 1996, in Canton. They did not incorporate anything specifically Ohio U related into their wedding, but friends from college came from all over to celebrate the happy couple.

“It was really fun because it was the first time that all of us who hung out together in college had all been together again,” Stephanie said. “Everybody always says that our wedding was more fun than anybody else’s wedding.”

Stephanie said the pair were ready to move on from their time in college after Brett graduated, but she still wonders what it would have been like to get married in Athens. She also said she was in a “less is more” phase of her life and held a simple wedding.

Now being married for almost 27 years, the couple is still very involved with the university and frequently visit the campus. This is also, in part, because their daughter Tate is currently attending Ohio U as a student.

Stephanie and Brett visited Athens frequently with Tate during her childhood. Stephanie said Tate loved to run around on campus and watch the Marching 110 band.

“We think the first time she was on campus, she was there for a wedding,” Stephanie said. “We have pictures of her running across College Green chasing squirrels.”

The couple wanted their daughter to explore other options for college but were especially excited when she made the decision to be a Bobcat.

The idea of college sweethearts may be more uncommon, but Stephanie said she believed it was possible for her daughter or other college students to meet their soulmates at Ohio U.

“There’s no other time in your life when you are

around as many people your age with the same interests,” Stephanie said. “People definitely have good chances. The odds are good. If you’re going to meet your soulmate, you’re going to meet your soulmate in college.”

STEVEN AND LORI GEIGER

Steven and Lori Geiger met at Ohio University Hillel, 21 Mill St., in September of Lori’s freshman year.

Steven, who was a sophomore at the time, was visiting the center to please his grandmother’s wishes of him commemorating the upcoming Jewish holidays. Lori was at the center with friends when she met Steven through a mutual friend.

“I thought, ‘Well, she’s really nice but she wears a lot of jeans,’” Steven said. “Jean shirt, jean jacket, jean pants. I thought it might be too ‘jeanie’ for me.”

Three days later, Steven saw Lori as he was walking out of a bar and remembered her. The two

Steven and Lori Geiger at a Phi Kappa Tau event February 3, 1989.

walked to Steven’s fraternity house to get to know each other better. They talked for three hours that night.

During the night, Steven turned to Lori and said, “fate brought us together.”

Steven and Lori bonded over similar experiences, such as being out-of-state students. For one of their first dates, Steven challenged Lori to an uncommon test

“If I could have ice cream in 20 degree weather sitting on the monument, eat that ice cream and handle it … then I passed the Steve Geiger test,” Lori said. They continued to hang out for two months until they both gifted each other with the label of relationship. The two also partook in an old Ohio U tradition and kissed each other at the kissing circle at College Green. Steven joked that Lori “tricked” him to kiss her at the circle while they were coming home from a night out.

“If you kiss in the center of the crosswalks at [College] Green where all of the paths come together, you wind up getting married,” Steven said.

However, it was not always smooth sailing for the happy couple. During Steven’s junior year and Lori’s sophomore year, the two broke up for a few months. The couple then saw each other at a movie theater and had friends convince them that they were meant for each other.

The pair continued to date through graduation, with Steven graduating in 1991 and Lori in 1992. Steven decided to propose on a trip to New York City one year later.

As a romantic gesture, Steven booked an executive suite at the Marriott Marquis. The couple enjoyed the evening going out to dinner and attending a Broadway show.

“It was beautiful,” Lori said. “It was a really nice evening.”

Steven and Lori got married in 1994 at The Mansion at Strathmore in Rockville, Maryland. The couple also did not incorporate any Ohio U themes into their wedding but were able to include college friends into the celebration.

“The most important thing was to have the people that were there from [Ohio University as] a part of our experience,” Lori said. “They were with us when we started out, and now through this next chapter.”

Now married for 29 years, Steven and Lori have expanded their memories at Ohio U with their son, Matt. The couple had visited the campus with Matt before and were thrilled when he decided to attend the school for his undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Matt also lived in Jefferson Hall, where Lori lived during her freshman year. Having taken a photography class when he attended Ohio U, Steven also took a photo of the apartment building that Matt now lives in.

“It’s full circle,” Steven said. “Neither of us lived in Ohio, but we met in Ohio. Then for Matt to go to [Ohio], it’s such a surreal experience.”

The couple did not predict that their son would meet his soulmate in college and do believe that college is a time where students can find who they are as people first before meeting partners.

“I think it’s best to establish yourself and your goals and where you’re going before you take on sharing your life with someone else,” Steven said.

The couple did, however, emphasize that if people work toward a common goal of a relationship, anything is possible. Their biggest advice to current college couples is to have mutual respect for one another.

“When you do come together, that mutual respect and understanding of how that person views things and goes through experiences, [things] will be easier to handle as a team,” Lori said. “So, it’s a true partnership.”

Steven, Lori, and Matt Geiger on Ohio U’s campus.

Weddi-quette

BY OLIVIA RHOLING ILLUSTRATIONS BY CARLY HART

Weddi-quette is the play on the word “etiquette” and is the set of unspoken rules or norms that should be followed when attending a wedding. What are the unspoken, underlying rules that everyone should know and follow when attending a wedding?

Following the Rules on Wearing White

White is the bride’s color for the day, and it should stay that way. Ideally, a person only gets married once in their life, and so it shouldn’t hurt to let the bride have her moment and be the only one wearing a certain color which in most cases is white. Anna Eiser, a sophomore studying child and family studies, is passionate about all things weddings.

“Don’t wear white unless you’re the bride and unless the bride specifies that it’s OK to wear white,” Eiser said. “It’s more of a traditional thing than anything, but I think for most people white is just kind of seen as the main, almost star of the event, like if you are wearing white you are the bride so it’s disrespectful to wear white. It’s almost like disagreeing with the wedding.”

However, it is noteworthy that it is also becoming a trend for brides to request their guests wear white to create a uniform aesthetic for pictures. Whether the bride wants guests to wear white or stay away from it, just make sure to listen and follow the requests of those whose big day it is.

Speeches

“If you’re giving a speech of any sort, it’s really important that you don’t talk about ex-lovers in the speeches,” Eiser said.

Not only would it be totally awkward to talk about the romantic relationship of the bride while her now-husband is right there in the room next to her or vice-versa, it would definitely make the rest of the crowd uncomfortable and potentially ruin the vibe of what could have been a happy day celebrating new love.

“Even if it was a totally amicable breakup, it’s really weird to bring up exes when you’re at a wedding for a new love – (the exes) have nothing

“If you’re giving a speech of any sort, it’s really important that you don’t talk about ex-lovers in the speeches.”

Anna Eiser

to do with the situation,” Eiser said.

A senior studying entrepreneurship, Audrey Bohyer is an aspiring wedding venue owner. Bohyer thinks speeches should be given by the Maid of Honor, the Best Man, and the parents of the newly-weds and thinks they should stray away from personal stories and inside jokes.

“What I’ve researched that (I’d) really like those people to do is write a poem for that person … or (read) a scripture that they feel correlates to love and to that person, just so that everyone can understand and be included,” Bohyer said.

For anyone giving a speech, try to focus on the love and relationship between the new lovers and don’t stray away from listing positive qualities of each – this will ensure a successful speech no doubt.

Proposing

It’s usually best to not propose to a significant other when attending someone else’s wedding. Though it might make sense that weddings are about love, so it seems to be the perfect occasion, it’s really not anyone else’s place to do so. A wedding is to celebrate the love between two people, not a new proposal.

“I think it depends on the (people) hosting the wedding, but typically it is seen as very disrespectful if you get engaged at somebody’s wedding,” Eiser said. “Don’t just spontaneously propose to someone, it takes away the attention from the people who deserve it.”

Bohyer also thinks proposing at another person’s wedding is a big no-no.

“If someone else is proposing at a wedding, it’s taking away that specialness aspect for (the newlyweds),” Bohyer said.

Bringing Guests

Use discretion when choosing whether to bring a plus one if plus ones are allowed. It can be kind of weird for the bride and groom to have strangers at their big celebration, so follow best judgment and give guests careful consideration.

“I think plus ones are acceptable if it’s a romantic

relationship that (could be) considered serious,” Eiser said. “If you have a different partner every month, you shouldn’t bring your partner of the month.”

Gift Registries

It’s not a secret that wedding guests often bring a gift to the wedding, as a celebration as such calls for a gift or two. However, Bohyer thinks wedding hosts should be careful with how they approach this.

“Don’t put your (gift registry) right on the (invitation),” Bohyer said. “People know that they need to get you a gift.”

Putting links to a gift registry right on a wedding invitation can leave the wrong impression and can take away from the happiness that is an invitation to celebrate new love.

A Kiss That Means Forever

BY FIONA SLAYMAKER ILLUSTRATIONS BY AVERY ALLISON

Since Ohio University has been established, it has seen a series of different traditions taking place on campus, adding to the charm of the university. A long standing tradition at Ohio U is the Kissing Circle on College Green. To better understand where the tradition comes from, students can look to its history.

This tradition takes place at the very center of College Green, where all the walking paths lead to one big brick circle, a very active part of campus. Students pass through to get to classes, find a coffee place to study, or to grab some quick food. The Kissing Circle tradition began with two main stages. At first, if two people were to cross the center circle of College Green at the same time, they had to kiss. From there, it transitioned to sororities and fraternities leaving painted messages and symbols for each other. Currently, it is rumored that if you and your partner kiss at the center of the Kissing Circle, your love will last forever.

Kaleigh Blatz, a sophomore studying communication sciences and design, and Keyshawn Long, a senior studying finance, met online and have been dating for a year-and-a-half. The two had similar thoughts about the Kissing Circle tradition.

“I’m going to need to see it to believe it,” Long said. “I need to see the old couples and all the sweethearts.”

Blatz agreed with his perspective of the tradition.

“I think it could be true if you make it true,

but I don’t think it correlates,” Blatz said. “I need proof.”

The two believe that as fun as the Kissing Circle tradition is, love consists of hard work and agreed-upon values in the relationship. It takes more than a tradition to uphold the connection. A partnership is only as healthy and strong as you make it. Love is what holds people together, but its components, like trust, communication, respect, and commitment, are love’s foundations.

The two shared what they think is required in a relationship in order for it to last forever. Their answers go hand in hand.

“Trust and communication [are essential],” Long said.

Blatz added that honesty is essential. The two agreed on the importance and necessity of being able to depend on and have assurance in your partner.

Regardless of whether they believe in the tradition, the couple made plans to kiss there, just in case.

The Kissing Circle is an endearing story of the romance and love that surrounds Athens. Locals continue to see Ohio U alumni coming back to the beautiful campus to reminisce on former days during which their love first began. It seems like a perfectly romantic place to meet someone to spend the rest of your life with.

Silver Screen to Diamond Rings

What students see in marriage movies today.

BY GABRIELLE CABANES ILLUSTRATIONS BY EMMA MCADAMS

Wedding tropes in movies are very common. Almost everyone has encountered the tale of the runaway bride or the disapproving parents. Stories of double weddings where the best friends end up fighting or a certain movie musical where the bride-to-be desperately scrambles to find

her dad in order to make her life feel complete are classic wedding tropes seen in movies across time.

Tal Fox, a content editor for WatchMojo, compiled a list of the funniest wedding tropes seen in movies that make absolutely no sense. Some of these include the fact that weddings in movies never seem to have budgets. A lot of couples save up for months and carefully decide how much they want to spend on the events, but

cinema couples never seem to put a price limit on their big days.

Fox also discussed how common the trope of being left at the altar has been despite it being rather unrealistic. Although this occurrence does happen, it is fairly rare and is used commonly in wedding movies leading the audience to wonder why it has been such a common example in wedding movie watching experiences.

Sydney Cook, a freshman studying middle childhood education, said one of her favorite movies involving a wedding is “27 Dresses.”

“I just like how she showed every dress that she wore to her bridesmaids,” she said. “That’s definitely my favorite one.”

No matter what movie relating to weddings that one can think of, commonalities can be found across the board. Wedding movie tropes that include different kinds of couples, however, are rare.

Though romantic movies involving different sexualities have become slightly more common with the release of “Love, Simon’’ or “Call Me by Your Name,” wedding tropes tend to focus on

heterosexual couples or rarely focus on the wedding traditions of different religions.

Alana Zurowski, a freshman studying retail fashion merchandising, said she hopes to see more movies involving tropes around gay marriage soon.

“I feel like there’s no movies really about that,” she said. “It’s the typical guy and girl, usually.”

Zurowsky said one of her favorite movies is “Bride Wars,” a movie about two best friends who plan their weddings together and end up fighting a lot.

Noa Rabkin, a freshman studying film, said she has noticed a lot of common wedding tropes in movies over the years. She said some of the biggest ones she has found came from the movie “Crazy Rich Asians” and “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.”

She said one of the biggest tropes she recognizes in “Crazy Rich Asians” is the fact that Rachel, one of the main characters in the movie, is not approved of by her boyfriend’s family. His family makes her feel as though she will never be good enough for their son, making it hard for Rachel to feel welcome and feel comfortable continuing a relationship with Nick.

Rabkin said “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” also shows an example of a trope where the family gets involved in wedding affairs.

As a Jewish person, Rabkin said she rarely sees Jewish ceremonies represented on screen, as movies often focus on weddings that mirror Christian traditions.

“The only Jewish wedding that I saw in a movie was ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ but it’s because the movie circles a Jewish family,” she said. “I would really like to see more Jewish representation even in film in general.”

Although tropes are found in the aisles of nearly any wedding movie, these fictional wedding days do not necessarily reflect real life. Ohio University students encourage the film industry to say “I do” to more representative wedding movies.

For Love and Lemons

BY KATIE MILLARD PHOTOS BY PROVIDED

Everyone wants their happily ever after to feel like a fairy tale. This often means less-than-dreamy prices. According to The Knot’s 2022 survey of almost 12,000 couples, the average cost of a wedding dress was $1,900. One designer, however, thinks no one should be dropping over $1000 to feel like a princess on their big day.

For Love & Lemons offers bridal gowns between $400 and $700, which is considered a steal in the wedding dress game. They also offer veils, garters, and wedding tuxedos for women and femininepresenting people who would prefer not to wear a dress down the aisle. They offer a wide variety of styles and even top off their bridal collection with relevant offerings like bridal lingerie, bachelorette, and honeymoon options too.

Style-wise, they have options for most brides. From classy midi dress options like the Colette Bridal Gown to flowing, more traditional options like the Vera Bridal Gown, they cover a variety of styles and patterns even within their more limited collection of around 18 gowns.

For the Bachelorette collection, white is still the move for a bridal feel, featured prominently in a number of mini dresses and lingerie options. The honeymoon selection follows suit with a number of flowy, bridal-looking pieces perfect for a vacation—and with lingerie options ready for the hotel. Each piece is appropriately priced, especially when the word “bridal” typically causes an uptick in prices. These bachelorette and honeymoon options, however, are consistent in pricing with For Love & Lemons’ non-bridal content.

Perhaps the reason for these cost-respectful prices is the entirely women-led team at the company. Their team also lists a dog department, once again proving how in-touch the brand is with the common shopper. For Love & Lemons was founded by Laura Hall and Gillian Rose Kern who have been best friends since age 11 when they would host lemonade stands together. Their business partnership persists today and is “rooted in fearless individuality, unapologetic femininity, and unconditional familiar love.”

ALL PHOTO CEDITS: FOR LOVE AND LEMONS

For Love & Lemons believes in transparency and backs up its commitment to diversity with a breakdown of its hiring, writing, “we are proud that we are a female-run company. Our leadership team is composed entirely of women; however, we recognize that our team can be more diverse in other ways.”

They provide a breakdown of the racial backgrounds of their entire team, which

features 13 white, seven Hispanic, seven Asian, one Pacific Islander, and one African Caribbean employee. They address a hiring freeze due to the pandemic’s impact on their business and back up their commitment with statistics and a plan to increase their diversity with new hires.

They also back up their diversity and community efforts with donations and openly share the contributions they are making. In 2020, the team

donated $45,000 to NAACP Legal Defence, $30,500 to Black Lives Matter, $10,000 to the Bail Project, and $5000 to ACLU.

One of these teammates is a Sustainability Designer who oversees research and development for sustainability goals. They reuse leftover fabric scraps to create samples and proudly promote that 100% of their prototype samples for Spring 2021 came from leftover fabric. They also ensure each fabric vendor they work with provides certification that they use recycled and organic materials. The company even encourages shoppers to select into the “Green Package Protection” option at checkout, which includes packing protection at the same cost while ensuring the shipment is carbon neutral. This way, brides can order online without the guilt of poor environmental impact.

For Love & Lemons creates these affordable options in respectful ways, clearly stating that they

“have never and will never use sweatshops.” They produce all of their clothing in a factory in Suzhou, China, which they say they hold to tight standards to provide a healthy and fair work environment. The brand outsources to China because it found a safe and fulfilling factory with access to more advanced technology options.

Sizes at For Love & Lemons range from XXS to 1X, which leaves opportunities for a few more large sizes but still offers seven size varieties to choose from. For wedding gowns under $600, however, there is still a lot of variety and options for a cheaper wedding dress for many.

For Love & Lemons believes in transparency, diversity, sustainability, and above all, cute, inexpensive wedding outfits. For the bride who wants a whole fairytale wedding, their dresses are certainly contestants for true love’s dress.

GOLD V. SILVER

ILLUSTRATIONS BY AVERY ALLISON

GOLD

BY KENDALL BERGERON

A popular and long-lived debate is the argument of choosing silver or gold. Everyone must face the age-old question at some point in their lives. The choice is a difficult one, but gold clearly holds more benefits than silver. Gold is a timeless metal that is rich in class, history, and elegance.

Gold brought nearly 300,000 people to California from 1848 to 1855. Gold is a rich part of most cultures dating back to the beginning of civilization. Human interaction with and attraction to gold dates back thousands of years, even before gold coins were used as a form of currency.

Silver does have an undeniable appeal. The metal looks sleek and futuristic, but its popularity merely comes and goes in waves because it is a trendy material. Gold is constantly in fashion and has been for thousands of years.

Gold outweighs silver in more ways than one, literally. Gold is more dense than silver, meaning that a volume of gold is worth more than an equal volume of silver. Because of this, silver takes up 128 times more space than gold for the same value, so buyers will need to invest in storage space, making the lower price of silver not worth it.

Silver also tarnishes more easily than gold does. This is yet another example of silver’s fleeting

beauty. This explains how silver can ultimately be more expensive than gold. On a large scale, investors must spend even more money on storage and transportation because silver will tarnish if not stored in a cool, dry place. This is not a problem with gold. On a smaller, more individual scale, buyers of silver jewelry and decorations will have to replace their products because the ephemeral material just does not hold up compared to its golden counterpart.

Gold is a trustworthy material that has defined culture since the beginning of civilization. The material will endow anyone who it adorns with an air of refined charm. Silver does hold its own beauty, but this is only temporary. Take these points into consideration the next time you are shopping for jewelry, especially a wedding ring, and remember what the best investment is in the long run.

BY KATY SNODGRASS SILVER

The pressure to pick out the ideal engagement ring for one’s significant other is incredibly daunting: What size ring to get? What type and color metal should it be made of? How many stones to choose? What kind and cut of stone is best? The list of questions goes on and on. Though each person has their own taste when it comes to jewelry, silver is the superior wedding-ring metal

Although gold is the traditional wedding ring and band color, that does not mean it is automatically the best option for everyone. Gold and all its variations of colors can be incredibly expensive, heavy to wear, and not allergen-friendly. Sterling silver rings are affordable, lightweight, and are safe to wear for those sensitive to nickel.

According to experts at Atkinsons Bullion & Coins, silver is less expensive than gold because it is less rare than gold is, making the cost lower for the lesser demand. This does not mean there is no value in silver as it is still one of the most popular precious metals to this day because of its multifunctionality, making silver’s cheaper price point its most appealing quality.

Another desirable aspect of silver rings is that they are much easier to adjust to wearing for

those not used to wearing rings. Silver is naturally far less dense of an element than gold is, making it much more lightweight and less noticeable to feel while on one’s finger. Silver’s weightless feeling makes it a more suitable and comfortable option for individuals who normally do not wear rings. Lastly, silver works great as a hypoallergenic option for those with sensitive skin. Many countries use plating on both gold and silver rings that contain nickel which can cause an irritating rash for individuals with sensitivities. However, unplated sterling silver rings are extremely sensitive skin friendly because of their use of copper as an alloy. The two hypoallergenic metals combine to make a immensely comfortable, nickel-free ring to wear

While most people already know if they generally prefer the way silver or gold jewelry looks more, when it comes to selecting a wedding ring metal there is much more to consider than just how it looks. Silver’s affordability and comfortability make it the optimal wedding ring metal choice.

RANT/RAVE THEMED WEDDINGS

ILLUSTRATIONS BY EMMA MCADAMS

RANT

BY TATE RAUB

Ah, themed weddings. Establishing a color scheme or a certain aesthetic based on the season one is getting married in, one’s dream venue, or one’s personal preference is one thing. Having an over-the-top, overwhelming theme is entirely another.

Adding some personal touches to a wedding that communicate connections between one and one’s partner is fine. For example, using John Williams’ famous “The Imperial March” from “Star Wars” to walk down the aisle is a great touch for any wannabe Jedi. Tiny Pokémon made of icing on a wedding cake or centerpieces that include a timeline of photos of one and one’s partner are adorable. A drink menu at the bar including a couple’s favorite cocktail is genius.

However, groomsmen wearing Stormtrooper suits, minions from “Despicable Me” acting as cake toppers, or using KFC chicken buckets to hold the wedding party’s flowers all get a big thumbs down. Beyond subtle elements here and there, letting the Disney spirit take over makes any wedding look tacky. One’s partner unveiling a Batman T-shirt under their tux or whipping out a Captain America shield during the wedding photos is cheesy in a bad way.

At the end of the day, deciding what a wedding is going to look like is really up to the people getting married. All that really matters is that they are happy with it on their special day. With that being said, however, I can promise right now that there will be no theme beyond festive vibes and amusing company at my hypothetical wedding.

RAVE

BY RYAN MAXIN

A wedding not only has a party, it is a party, and the best parties have themes.

Themed weddings tend to get a bad rap in popular culture. Though some traditional wedding customs like the bride and groom avoiding contact before the event or the father of the bride “delivering” his daughter to the groom have increasingly fallen by the wayside in recent years, the “traditional wedding” has persevered as a popular choice for many couples.

That should end now because themed weddings are great. They allow a couple to experience their big day exactly how they want it, customized to their specific needs. Themed weddings are exceptionally great choices for when the pair getting married share common interests or aesthetic styles and want something more than a plain, cookie-cutter wedding.

To put it another way, someone would not want their house to be exactly the same as their neighbor’s, right? Of course not. It would feel like they were living

in “Don’t Worry Darling” every day of their life, and nobody wants that. Instead, people customize their house to their needs, adding things along the way that make it feel more like a home.

A wedding, which in some cases may cost the same as a house, should be the same way.

If the class and glamor of the 1920s appeals to someone, say “I dos” at a vintage wedding. If another person wants tying the knot to feel like a vacation, try a tropical wedding. If a couple wants their wedding to be an intimate affair, style it around a romantic wedding theme. Basically, the world is your oyster, and it’s all up to you.

Other popular wedding themes include bohemian, whimsical, rustic, and garden. The beauty of themed weddings is that someone can start with a rough theme and expand based on their preferences. If people aim for the moon and miss, they will still end up among the stars because it is still a day spent marrying the love of one’s life.

When a person is sitting with their partner in 50 years reminiscing over the happiest day of their life, they would want to look at something other than black ties and boring centerpieces. Themed weddings are sure to add a necessary pop of flair into any wedding and make the memories of it all the more enjoyable.

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