LNT BCR Illinois Valley Weddings_012823

Weddings

THE DAY OF YOUR DREAMS

JANUARY 2023

Also:

• Girlfriends…The Bra Specialists offering support for wedding days and more

• Seattle Sutton provides a tasty way to look and feel great during wedding planning

• Find a gorgeous black wedding gown and more at Sean Philip Bridals

4 SUPPORTING YOU ON YOUR WEDDING DAY Girlfriends…The Bra Specialists will help brides find a suitable bra.

9 BEING IN THE MOMENT A Putnam County bride ditched the idea of perfect to have an unforgettable wedding day.

16 SAY YES TO THE DRESS AT SEAN PHILIP BRIDALS Zepha Gerber combined all her passions into one store.

22 LOOKING AND FEELING GOOD ON YOUR WEDDING DAY Seattle Sutton’s meals help with convenience, nutrition.

Illinois Valley Weddings 426 Second Street La Salle, Illinois 61301 (815) 223-3200 (800) 892-6452

www.newstrib.com

Publisher Dan Goetz

Niche Editor Shannon Serpette sserpette@shawmedia.com

Regional Advertising Director Jeanette Smith jmsmith@shawmedia.com

Writers Brandon LaChance Shannon Serpette

Photographer Shannon Serpette

Designer Liz Klein

Published by:

The staff at Girlfriends…The Bra Specialists is ready to help brides find the right bra for their big day. Kathy Immel (from left), Christa Foster, and owner Kathy Glascock can provide expert fittings and advice for every special occasion.

Supporting You on Your Wedding Day

Girlfriends…The Bra Specialists will help brides find a suitable bra

Saying yes to the dress is one of the milestones in wedding planning that every bride can’t wait to reach. Having that dress locked in is a big relief, but brides also have to consider what will go under that dress on their big day.

That’s where Kathy Glascock and her staff come in. Glascock created and opened her shop called Girlfriends…

The Bra Specialists in Peru in 2008 to help people find the bra support solutions they need on the biggest days of their lives.

During her years of experience, Glascock has noticed

that while buying a bra for a wedding dress is often lower on the list of a bride’s concerns, it can be surprisingly challenging. With today’s trends of backless and strapless dresses, bra options can be limited. With the way many of today’s gowns are constructed, traditional bras will not work for some of them – and sometimes, no bra will work. When that happens, women might have to rely on tape, which can be disconcerting for women to hear.

“Almost all women prefer to have a bra, and a bra may not work,” Glascock said.

“It drives me nuts how the designers are designing these dresses.”

In the past, when traditional bras wouldn’t work, women could generally rely on a bridal bustier, but now some of these won’t even work with today’s modern dresses.

“We go to stick-ons and tape a lot,” Glascock said.

Because of the variance in styles and the fact that bras won’t always work with a dress, Glascock said it’s best for her to see the dress in person so she can figure out what

See BRAS page 6

Story and photos by Shannon Serpette

For brides who want to appear as thin and shapely as possible on their big day, Girlfriends…The Bra Specialists carries one of the most popular and well-known brands of shapewear – Spanx.

With the backless and strapless styles of so many wedding gowns, traditional bras may not work for a bride on her wedding day. If that’s the case, Girlfriends…The Bra Specialists offers a wide assortment of tapes and stick-ons.

For those who are going away on a tropical honeymoon or just want a swimsuit that makes them look great while lounging by a pool, Girlfriends…The Bra Specialists shop carries swimsuits that offer superior lift and support.

will work and what won’t.

“It’s best to bring your dress in,” Glascock said.

Christa Foster, store manager at Girlfriends, agreed that it’s easiest for the bride to bring the dress in so they can see what works.

“It takes the stress off of her,” she said.

No matter what body type you have, Girlfriends will have bras that will work for brides.

“All our brands are focused on different body types,” Foster said. “Elomi is the one I like, and they have extended cup sizes. They just came out with a great strapless.”

Foster said women who visit the store for the first time are always impressed with how many choices there are and how much lift and support the right, high-quality bra can provide.

“You want to put money into good quality garments,”

Christa said, adding that they will hold up well over time.

Handwashing and airdrying the shapewear and bras will help them retain their elasticity and ensure they last as long as possible.

While Girlfriends is a bra shop, it also carries other items a bride might need, such as shapewear, including Spanx, which is popular with Glascock’s customers. The

Now Booking for 2023 & 2024

shop also carries pajamas, and if you’re heading out for your honeymoon and want to look fabulous on the beach or lounging around by the pool, there is an assortment of swimsuits that feature superior lift, support, and shaping.

Brides should plan to spend a while in the shop to find a bra that fits well and works with their gowns.

“It lasts at least half an

hour,” Glascock said. “It’s definitely an involved customer service experience.”

One of Glascock’s favorite things about owning her shop is that she loves being a part of her customers’ lives, seeing their milestones, and being updated about what they’ve been up to between visits.

“We get to see wedding dresses. We get to see brand new babies,” she said.

Girlfriends…The Bra Specialists store offers bras in many different colors.

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B e i ng in the Mome n t

A Putnam County bride ditched the idea of perfect to have an unforgettable wedding day

When Ashley Bohne began planning her wedding to Zach Mennie, she knew she didn’t want a tightly-scheduled event that would leave her stressed out and unable to enjoy her day.

“I have been a bridesmaid in a lot of weddings where your schedule starts bright and early, and there is all this tension and things to do. I learned quickly that was exactly what I did not want for my own day,” she said.

To help achieve the goal of a more relaxed wedding day, the Putnam County couple did not have a traditional wedding party when they got married on Jan. 22, 2022, and they didn’t have photographers around them all day long.

“My favorite thing was that we did make it

such a relaxing, enjoyable day. There was no schedule or list of activities to do. We really just woke up and spent the day with our family and friends,” Ashley said. “There was no stress or pressure for it to be this ‘perfect’ day because we just let it naturally be a perfect day.”

Approximately 100 guests attended the wedding, and the couple opted to have it at Mennie Machine Company in Mark. Since they were using their own venue, they had to do the work that would normally be handled by the staff at the venue itself.

“I was surprised at how many small details there were to plan. You think of wedding planning and the big details and vendors, but it’s easy to forget about the small things. Using our own venue made that especially hard, since we

See MENNIE page 12

PHOTO BY LAUREN MAGGI

Story by Shannon Serpette

Since Zach and Ashley Mennie used their own venue, they had to plan all the details the venue would generally supply, like seating.

PHOTOS BY LAUREN MAGGI

Ashley Bohne and Zach Mennie of Putnam County were married on Jan. 22, 2022, at Mennie Machine Company in Mark.

Ashley Mennie intentionally planned her wedding so it wouldn’t be a stress-filled day. As a result, she was able to enjoy each moment as it happened instead of worrying about it being “perfect.”

Mennie

FROM PAGE 9

had to provide tables and chairs, a full bar, all the decorations,” Ashley said. “When you rent a venue, you just expect the tables and chairs to be there. There’s a lot to think about.”

Ashley said while the wedding planning was easier than she thought it would be, it was tedious at times.

“We did a Christmas type theme, so putting up and decorating all of the trees and lights was a lot. However, planning the big things like florist, photographer, band, and caterer were much easier than I had originally thought,” she said. “Overall, I enjoyed it. I am the kind of person, though, that likes to plan and decorate and host events. I planned very quickly, in like two months. Getting it done quickly probably helped with not making it a miserable experience. I don’t think I could plan a wedding for a year or longer.”

Ashley ended up learning something valuable about herself in the midst of her wedding planning.

“I learned I’m much more laid back than I thought I was. All my friends and family thought I was going to be this bridezilla, especially since I had less than a year to plan everything, but I was pretty chill the entire time,” she said. “It does help that we had a lot of help and great vendors.”

Part of the reason why she felt pretty relaxed about the whole thing, even on her wedding day, is that she decided early on to ditch some of the modern-day and traditional practices.

“I did not do the big song and dance. We did

not have a bridal party, and I had no photographer or videographer during the day before the ceremony,” she said. “I really believe in a more traditional wedding day, not this new, trendy thing where you take a bunch of pictures getting ready and have this perfectly scheduled day starting at 7 a.m. even if your ceremony isn’t until 5 at night. We truly enjoyed the day, which is exactly what we wanted.”

To help other brides avoid some of the stress and enjoy their special day more, Ashley offered the following advice.

“My advice would be to only worry about you, and make your day how you want it. At times, I felt like my wedding was about everyone but us. There are a lot of opinions from family and friends to deal with while planning,” she said. “Don’t let your day become someone else’s day. It is about nobody but you and your spouse.”

Being true to your vision and preferences is the key to a happy, enjoyable wedding day, she said, even if your wedding isn’t typical or what someone else thinks you should be doing.

“If you are planning a wedding, never feel like you have to do the big, traditional party. Eloping is underrated. We had a wonderful day, surrounded by our wonderful family and friends. However, I’d love to renew our vows someday by ourselves with our kids, on some tropical island. No big performance,” Ashley said.

“The true meaning of a marriage I feel is lost sometimes in the craziness that are weddings today,” she added. “Marriage is about two people being in love. If you want to get married in a backyard with 10 people, do it. It doesn’t make the marriage any more or less than anyone else’s.”

PHOTO BY LAUREN MAGGI

Say yes to the dress at Sean Philip Bridals

Story and photos

by Shannon Serpette

When Zepha Gerber opened Sean Philip Bridals in Princeton in March 2020, she combined all her passions into her new store – her love of fashion, family, and helping others.

“You can say this was my childhood dream. I have always loved dressing up Barbies in the latest fashions, sometimes making my own,” she said.

She knows firsthand how intense the search for the right wedding dress can be.

“Wedding dress shopping is overwhelming. I remember the numerous stores I went to before I settled on a gown, ironically, the first gown I tried on. I wanted to share my love and appreciation of wedding gowns with the community.”

The inspiration for the name Sean Philip Bridals came from a special influence in her life – her husband.

“The store was named after my husband, who is the pillar of our family. He is an incredible man with a big heart. He is humble and patient, which also reflects the atmosphere of our store,” she said.

Gerber, who was born in Thailand and immigrated

See SPB page 19

Right: Sean Philip Bridals offers a wide range of gorgeous wedding dresses for every season.

Non-traditional Option

Sean Philip Bridals employees Emma Nicoli (left) and Renae Ramey (right) show off one of the shop’s non-traditional bridal gowns, a stunning black option that they say is an excellent fall or winter wedding dress. Nicoli encourages brides to keep an open mind and to try out multiple styles so they can see what works best for them.

If you’re looking for jewelry and accessories for your wedding, Sean Philip Bridals has a growing collection.

Sean Philip Bridals in Princeton also offers tuxedos and ties for men.

Sean Philip Bridals offers a wide range of gorgeous wedding dresses for every season.

SPB

FROM PAGE 16

with her parents to the United States, has lived in Princeton for the past 17 years.

“Princeton has so many specialty stores. It is a town that needs to be filmed and made well-known for its hospitality. All of the business owners are passionate about the community they serve,” she said.

When choosing a location for her shop, she knew she wanted it to be in Princeton to repay the community and all the businesses that helped her through a rough period in her life when her children were diagnosed with devastating diseases.

“We never thought for a moment a child would be struck with cancer, but it touched our family when my youngest son was diagnosed with a Wilms’ tumor resulting in losing both kidneys. Two years later, my oldest son was diagnosed with ALL, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia,” she said.

“When my boys were sick, the entire community and businesses came together to support us financially and emotionally. We wanted to repay the area with investing back into the community. Princeton and the surrounding communities will always have a very special place in my heart,” Gerber said.

Through her shop, Gerber wanted to help other children and families who were fighting cancer, so she donates a portion of all wedding dress sales to support childhood cancer foundations.

“Pediatric cancer tested our family on so many levels. We

believe that every child struck with cancer should have a chance to survive. St. Jude’s is one of these organizations which continually battle pediatric cancer, so we donate most of the funds towards them,” she said.

“In addition, we have plans to donate to Ronald McDonald House as this is also a very important organization for families who are forced to live away from home. We also hope to create a scholarship for high school seniors who are survivors of pediatric cancer and donate prom gowns and tuxes to girls and boys who are currently going through chemotherapy,” Gerber said.

When setting up her shop, Gerber also wanted to create a welcoming environment for brides and grooms to help take some of the stress out of wedding planning.

“Our brides become part of the SPB family the moment they walk in. We make the dress shopping fun, lighthearted, and stress-free. We understand this is a large investment, so we make sure the dress is what their vision is. We love straightening their crowns when they walk in, but isn’t this what women are supposed to do for one another?” she said.

“We hope brides know when they walk out the door with their gowns, we are still willing to help past the shopping experience. For example, I had a bride come back who was crying because she was just stressed out about the wedding itself. We laughed and ate chocolate together because that’s who SPB is,” Gerber said.

The store also carries tux-

edos for grooms, and both brides and grooms will also find bolder styles rather than only traditional gowns and tuxedos, including black wedding gown choices for brides.

“Out with the boring and in with multiple options,” she said. “We love styling the guys as much as the girls.”

Gerber encourages brides to have an open mind when dress shopping.

“Sometimes the gown you think you love isn’t what ends up being “the” dress. Photos don’t reflect the beauty and details of the gowns. Make a Pinterest board of your perfect dress. We’ve had brides come in and say they don’t want a ball gown but end up walking out with one.”

She urges brides-to-be to try on any dress they’re considering.

“The dress never looks the same on compared to it hanging on a hanger,” Gerber said.

For a full-fashion experience, brides who need accessories will find some to choose from at Sean Philip Bridals.

“We have a growing selection of accessories such as veils and hair pieces,” Gerber said.

The shop offers more than wedding outfits. With a wide variety of prom wear, including attention-grabbing light-up prom dresses, it’s a great spot for high school girls to check out the latest fashions too. High school boys will also find a lot of unique designs that might help make their prom photos unforgettable.

“Men should be fashionable as well. We encourage dress to impress. You’d be surprised how many of our prom boys go all out because they deserve to be recognized just as much as the girls,” Gerber said.

“Our brides become part of the SPB family the moment they walk in. We make the dress shopping fun, light-hearted, and stress-free. We understand this is a large investment, so we make sure the dress is what their vision is. We love straightening their crowns when they walk in, but isn’t this what women are supposed to do for one another?”

Zepha Gerber

Owner, Sean Philip Bridals

Looking and Feeling Good on Your Wedding Day

Seattle Sutton’s meals help with convenience, nutrition

By Brandon LaChance

The ups and downs of weight loss and weight gain are a never-ending battle for just about all of us. But the pressure to look and feel good can feel more intense for brides and grooms as they approach their big day.

Hitting the weights or the treadmill may not be in the schedule because of work, children, civic engagements, or planning the wedding. When you don’t have much time for exercise, food becomes the number one component of being healthy and looking fabulous.

Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating is here to help with their prepackaged meals.

“As a dietician myself and I’m constantly helping people improve their lives, this is actually a product I recommended to many people before I started working here,” said Rene Ficek, the president and owner of Seattle Sutton. “The idea of putting these recommendations in practice, that people can use it as a teaching tool to educate themselves of what healthy eating is and what healthy eating looks like, and what portion sizes should be, can be a really powerful thing once you understand it a little bit better.”

It can be easier to get onboard with a new healthy eating plan when you’re not doing it alone, so Seattle Sutton meals are a good option for brides and grooms.

“We do have a lot of couples that do it together. It makes it easier for them. We have plenty of people that come to us prior to their wed-

“We do have a lot of couples that do it together. It makes it easier for them. We have plenty of people that come to us prior to their wedding to help them look good.”

Rene Ficek President & Owner, Seattle

ding to help them look good,” she said. “We have plenty of people that come for the convenience. We have plenty of people who really don’t want the hassle, but they want convenient, flavorful, and delicious food.”

“We have an executive chef who takes our nutrition recommendations, and he can add a lot of flavor and creativity to them. It’s certainly not boring healthy food,” she said. “A lot of people are looking to lose weight for their weddings,

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

Ray Anderes (left, CEO), Rene Ficek (president and owner), and Mike Ficek (owner) are the three executives at Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating. Seattle Sutton was built in 1985 by Seattle Sutton before the Ficeks bought the prepackaged meal company in 2018.

Sutton

and unfortunately, they tend to go to fad diets that only work temporarily but are not consistent.”

Rene, who is a registered dietician and nutritionist, began working for Seattle Sutton in 2013 under the original owner, Seattle Sutton. Later on, Sutton, who started her company in 1985 after being a nurse for 22 years, was looking to sell the company. Ficek and her husband, Michael, purchased the healthy prepackaged meal company in 2018. Rene’s father, Ray Anderes, who was the previous owner of Uptown Grill in LaSalle, was brought on as the CEO.

Rene, Michael, and Ray are the three executives who make all final decisions for healthy meal options at Seattle Sutton.

“Being able to see it firsthand in customer testimonials and to hear their stories has been remarkable,” said Rene. “It’s a place to work that actually has a true mission and vision. At the end of the day, you’re helping people. It’s definitely a rewarding job, career, and business.”

With its commitment to fresh foods, Seattle Sutton is different from other prepackaged meal companies.

“There are fresh fruits and vegetables, which makes us stand out from our competitors. Our product is fresh; it isn’t frozen. A lot of other meal companies, a vast majority of them, are frozen, prepackaged food. That’s not what we do. The fresh produce brings nutrition and vol-

ume to the meals rather than something that is sodium laced,” she said.

Seattle Sutton’s headquarters is in Ottawa, just off Rt. 80, where clients can pick up meals. There are four other local meal pickup locations – Peru, Mendota, and Streator YMCAs, and the Bureau County Metro Center – as well as 30 Chicagoland locations. Seattle Sutton also delivers meals nationwide in one-day shipping, refrigerated boxes.

The meals can be ordered in different ways. There isn’t a contract forcing you to stick with the program for six months, a year, or more. Instead, the client is able to tailor the meals around their schedule and finances.

The full program consists of 21 meals a week for five weeks (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), which includes 105 different meals to avoid any repeat items for the entire five-week menu cycle. There are three different calorie packages – 1,200, 1,500, and 2,00 calories.

“The meals range from some of your comfort food favorites to Mexican dishes and other cultural flavors. It’s not just salads,” said Dan Rosier, marketing director at Seattle Sutton. “There are meals that come across as being heartier. Breakfast is included, and there is everything from savory to sweet. It really makes you feel like you have your own executive chef preparing meals for you as opposed to just trying to find something in the frozen food section.”

“My daughter just got married, and she was running around with no time to eat right. She was eating a lot of fast food rather than making meals,” he said. “When I had the opportunity to bring Seattle Sutton meals home, she was overjoyed because she knew she had something tasty, fresh, and filling without being junk.”

Clients can also do partial weeks where they can get Seattle Sutton packages on Monday for the week or pick up on Thursday for weekend meals.

Whether you’re running around planning a wedding and don’t want to eat fast food, you’re being watchful of your health, or you want to look amazing in your dress or tuxedo, Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating has an option for you.

“Others may not want to lose weight, but because of the stress and the craziness of getting ready for a wedding, they still want to make sure they’re maintaining their good health,” Rosier said. “It’s very convenient. The way the meals are packaged, you can literally throw one in your lunch bag and take it to work. Or you can bring a breakfast meal with you and eat it when you’re done at the gym.”

“The meals conform to a busy lifestyle really well. Couples getting ready to be married are being pulled in 17 different directions,” he said. “This can be one thing they’re doing that they know they’re taking care of themselves.”