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Bridal 2013
The News February 15, 2013
The News
Bridal 2013
February 15, 2013
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From t he Edi tor Weddings are definitely not my thing. It’s not like I don’t like a good wedding – the flowers, the happy family, the ... yeah, no, I just do not like weddings. But I’d be foolish to say that you don’t. Every year, The Murray State News publishes this special section, and students across the campus use it to help make plans for what many consider the “next big step” after graduation.
And admittedly, as I reach the latter half of my undergraduate career, I won’t pretend as though my girlfriend and I haven’t discussed bigger plans for our future together (as scary as it seems). I’m sure there are plenty of guys on campus who share my sentiment. It is, however, a reality with getting older. I remind myself of that as I watch my childhood friends
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may hate it (as, it seems, I’m only genetically inclined to do), wedding bells are a reality about getting older, and I’m just going to have to be willing to accept that. As a point of respect, congratulations to those who met their lifelong mates here in Murray. I hope all of you – not only those we featured in Racer Engagements – enjoy a lifetime of happiness.
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tie the knot one by one. So, that’s where “Bridal Tabloid” comes in. Every year, we use this section to help students ailed by debt and study stress take on the huge responsibility of organizing everything about a wedding. With that, we highlight some engagements on campus, to keep our own record of the next few additions to the Shoe Tree in the Quad. Yes, no matter how much I
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Bridal 2013
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The News February 15, 2013
S t u d e nt s p l an w e d d i n g s o n b u d g e t Meghann Anderson || News Editor manderson22@murraystate.edu
College students have a tight budget. College students planning a wedding have an even smaller one. Many brides-to-be love the idea of do-it-yourself projects, and thanks to Pinterest the ideas for every last detail of a wedding are endless. A tip for cutting back on wedding expenses is to prioritize what you think is important. Meredith Bodgas from theknot.com listed several tips on how to cut expenses such as: shortening the guest list, making the cake and emailing your savethe-dates. Many students have the task of planning a wedding while taking classes full time and struggle with how to spread the money across the board. Katharine Bivin, junior from Owensboro, Ky., is one of those
students who are having to juggle the expenses of a wedding. “I will honestly tell you that planning a wedding and going to school is a challenge,” Bivin said. “Although it was such a challenge, I was thankful for my family and friends that supported me through the entire process. When it came to the budget, I really wanted to keep it small considering that I was still attending classes and had other expenses.” Many students agreed one of the main things they did to reduce cost was to make their own invitations, RSVP cards and the programs that were to be handed out at the ceremony. Bivin said she and her bridesmaids also did their own makeup to save money. “It wasn't all fun and games and was definitely time consuming,” she said. “But it gave us more money to spend in other aspects of the wedding.” She said she became a bargainshopper when it came to sup-
plies and decorations. “When it came to the details, Pinterest played a large part in decorating,” Bivin said. She said weddings can be costly, but with budgeting and bargain shopping, it doesn’t have to break a college student. A wedding is about the couple and the start of the rest of their lives, not about an extravagant presentation that costs thousands of dollars. Another tip to save money comes after the wedding. Many places such as Walmart and Target give couples discounts for items for which they registered but did not receive. This can help if the couple did not receive everything they need to start their life together. “My wedding was perfect and it didn’t destroy my bank account,” Bivin said. “The things I did without at my wedding don’t matter now and almost one year later they definitely don’t seem as important as they did at the time.”
Photo courtesy of sxc.hu
Many students plan a wedding while still attending college classes full time, but it does not have to cost them a fortune.
Wedding planning creates stress for many couples Haley Russell || Contributing writer hrussell@murraystate.edu
So, you have the ring. And if you happen to be the future groom and you still have the ring – go propose and then come back and then we can talk. Congratulations! You are engaged to be married. But, now what? Where do you go from here? What kind of dress do you want? Do you want a suit or a tuxedo? And what about those favors they hand out at weddings? Deejay or live band? It is nice to believe the beginning of wedding planning is a dream – you already have (or have given) the ring and you are set to marry the love of your life. But oftentimes, wedding planning can be nothing short of absolute insanity. It is your sole job to pull together in-laws, a minister, distant cousins, high school friends, college friends, work friends and your closest family members and ensure a flawless and enjoyable ceremony and reception. Yes, it is a big task. So, how do you swing it? By focusing on two super easy and basic things, your wedding will not only be a success, but a day you can happily remember for the rest of your life. 1.) Set a budget. A budget determines your wedding, plain as that. Wedding Wire cites this as being the most integral part of wedding planning. “Before the fun part can truly begin, it’s important to set up your wedding budget,” Wedding Wire
Photo courtesy of sxc.hu
Many factors go into planning a wedding. While the stress can be overwhelming, having a game plan from the start will help things flow more successfully. states. “With this in place from the beginning you will, hopefully, plan more efficiently throughout your engagement.” Do not be discouraged if you decide your budget is smaller than you had anticipated. The craft world has recently exploded with do-it-yourself options for couples to consider that can save tons of money. If that isn’t enough, budget calculators are offered on major wedding websites like theknot.com. Have a conversation with your fiance and your family
and decide on your budget. 2.) Have fun with it. So Murray does not have a bridal salon? Take a day trip to Nashville and knock out dress shopping and bridesmaids and groomsmen attire as well. Pick out some invitations. Have a nice lunch. Register. Trust me, it is the most fun you can have during your engagement. Take your fiance, or a couple of friends, and check out Anne’s Bridal or David’s Bridal in Paducah, Ky. There are all kinds of options. Recently engaged couple Shannon Russell, junior from Marshall, Mich., and Nolan Mark, senior from Auburn, Ind., have run into a few hiccups while planning their summer 2014 vintage peacock wedding. More and more, couples are choosing outside venues such as parks, backyards and meadows to tie the knot. Not only can these provide an excellent backdrop for pictures, but it can also be cost effective. “We found this amazing barn just a few minutes away from the church where the ceremony was,” she said. “We had planned to get married May 31. It was going to be perfect; that was the day Nolan first kissed me. But, we loved the barn so much that we decided to push it back a week.” And just remember: if you come out of the ceremony with an extra ring and a marriage license, you have done your job. Enjoy it.
The News
Bridal 2013
February 15, 2013
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Global weddings trending Samantha Villanueva || Staff writer
svillanueva@murraystate.edu Most of the general public is familiar with common weddings traditions like the playing of Richard Wagner’s “Bridal Chorus” when the bride walks down the aisle, the bride and groom having a wedding party and rice being thrown at the married couple. Most, though, might not be familiar with the traditions of a tea ceremony, having a dowry for the bride or having a French croquemb o u c h e instead of a cake, unless you live in China, India or France. Internationallythemed weddings have been a growing trend. Although customs and traditions differ greatly within ethnic groups, religions, countries and social classes, all ceremonies share three common traits: an exchanging of a form of wedding vows, a presentation of a gift, such as rings, and a public announcement of marriage by an authority figure. In the year 2012, approximately 115,000 weddings took place every day, with China leading the charts. In the United States alone, more than 2.3 million weddings took place in 2012, averaging 6,200 weddings in one day. Asia, with more than 40 million weddings on record, is in the lead for the most wedding ceremonies. In South Korea, 6.2 thousand weddings took place in 2009, with most ceremonies combining both Confucianist and religious traditions.
Boyoung Moon, a sophomore from Gwang-Ju, South Korea, said although most weddings, which are called honryes, are not religious, they are very respected ceremonies in the Korean society. “The wedding is paid mostly by the groom’s fami-
ly,” she said. “One way the Korean weddings differ from United States weddings is prior to the actual ceremony, couples are not considered responsible for each other; for instance if one gets drunk in public that changes after they are announced married.” Moon said wedding attire is another place where the weddings differ. Men often dress similarly to western customs with a jacket,
trousers and overcoat worn. In more traditional settings, the groom would wear a gwanbok, or robes. Most brides wear the traditional jeogori, which is a sleeved jacket, and a floorlength, high-waist skirt called a chima, with other garments completing the look. Risa Totani, sophomore
from Chiba Japan, said some couples decide to go a more traditional route, rather than something non-traditional. “Our wedding ceremonies depend on the family structure,” she said. “In my family, for instance, the bride’s fami-
ly takes charge of the wedding.” In traditional Japanese ceremonies, are done in Buddhist temples, both the bride and groom wear specially made wedding kimonos. During the celebration side of the ceremonies, which are set in wedding halls or other spaces, the bride and groom usually dress in Americanstyle dresses and suits.
“I think this way of dividing the two distinct aspects of the wedding ceremony does reflect on Japan’s modernized culture and respect for its past,” she said. “The traditional time is awesome. The celebration time is set aside for the family to really
enjoy and celebrate the coming together of both sides.” More than half of married couples agreed that religion is important for a successful marriage in 2012. Hanin Yousef, sophomore from Siblin, Lebanon, said being a Muslim Sunni helps set a form of structure to life. Yousef said all of the wedding arrangements and details are based on the Islamic religion. She said Muslim weddings have a distinct proposal process. “One different aspect might be one of the first steps, which is paying the Mahr or in English, the dowry,” she said. “The Mahr is an amount of money that is paid by the man to his wife. It is paid to the wife, only as an honor and a respect given to her, to show that he has a serious desire to marry her. It is not simply entering into the marriage contract without any sense of responsibility, obligation or effort on his part.” Yousef said it varies with country and group, but mainly the bride wears a white dress and the groom wears a suit. All weddings, though, in the Islamic faith share the common detail of public announcements, vows, marriage contract and the Mahr. Said Yousef: “The Muslim weddings can be different according to the culture but in our weddings, it’s kind of similar to the weddings in the States. After the vows, the marriage contract happens in private with a Sheikh priest and only the bride and groom with their immediate families.”
The News
Bridal 2013
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February 15, 2013
Racer Engagements
Written by Haley Russell
Roderick “Roddy” Tomlin & Ashuah Kerr Planning a proposal can be difficult. Planning a proposal on Senior Night at Roy Stewart Stadium for a football player is even crazier. Roderick “Roddy” Tomlin, senior from Jackson, Ky., had to go to extraordinary lengths to make the proposal to girlfriend Ashuah Kerr, senior from Jackson, Ky., special. Initially, Tomlin had hoped to propose in front of the crowd when Kerr walked him to the field to be recognized for the annual senior day. After talking with his coach, however, Tomlin decided to focus on the game and propose afterward. “All the football players were psyched about it,” Tomlin said. “Because the ring was sitting in my locker the whole time and they were all looking at it and stuff.” Kerr said she had her suspicions about the proposal when her colleagues at Vanderbilt Chemicals had
joked that Tomlin would propose when she walked him out on the field for Senior Night. “They were telling me that I should get ready – that he’s totally going to do it on the field,” Kerr said, laughing. “So then, when we walked out there and he didn’t do it, I’m like, ‘okay, well, I guess he’s not.’” After the game ended, though, Kerr was told she was needed on the field to take pictures with Tomlin. When she got down there, she turned to hand her purse to one of her friends while Tomlin dropped to one knee. “I just lost it,” she said. “But the funny thing is, is he never asked me. He just sat there and smiled. So someone behind me asked if I was saying yes and I just shook my head yes, but he never asked me.” “It didn’t matter then,” Tomlin said, grinning. “You almost died from not breathing.” Kerr said her favorite part
about being engaged so far is the future and knowing she was going to spend the rest of her life with Tomlin. “Paying off the ring is going to be my favorite part,” Tomlin joked. He and his fiance exchanged looks and Kerr laughed before he said his favorite part would be planning the wedding. “On a more serious note, I guess my favorite part would be planning the wedding and getting to spend the rest of my life with Ash,” he said. “Everybody has their ups and downs, but Ash always has more ups than downs. I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t love Ash.” Kerr said her favorite part about planning the wedding was planning the honeymoon. “Actually, I won a free honeymoon,” she said. “We don’t know where we’re going, but we can go wherever we want: Dominican Republic, Hawaii, the Bahamas – we just have to pay for airfare and food.”
Photo courtesy of Tab Brockman
Roderick Tomlin proposed to his fiance Ashuah Kerr at the end of the Homecoming football game in front of a packed crowd. Tomlin said he has been trying to help with the wedding planning. “I’m trying not to be the groomzilla,” he said. “But I think the best part for me is I just want to break the mold of the guy never helping out
Nolan Mark & Shannon Russell When Shannon Russell, junior from Marshall, Mich., met Nolan Mark, senior from Auburn, Ind., she had no idea that she would not only become engaged to him, but also move to Murray to attend school with him. Russell said she and Mark were introduced via a mutual friend one summer. “When he came home one summer, she pretty much made us be at the same place at the same time,” she said. Russell, though, did not attend Murray State at the time she and Mark met. “I didn’t know anything about here,” she said. “I didn’t know this school existed and then when he came back for the summer and we
were introduced, we were talking about school … and he was telling me all about Murray State and I was done with school at my community college. After I got home, I looked it all up and was googling Murray and seeing what it was all about because I didn’t understand why he would go to school so far away.” She said when Mark suggested they move to Murray together for the following semester, she did not believe him. “I thought he was kidding, but I came down when he wanted me to visit and I decided that I would move here with him,” Russell said. After the suggestion, Mark decided he was going to propose. Two weeks later he bought the ring and the next night, he popped the question.
Photo courtesy of Haley Russell
Nolan Mark and Shannon Russell share a smooch on the steps of Pogue Library. “I drove up to her house and we greeted each other like usual, and were just watching TV and talking and having a conversation and then I decided, ‘bam, do you want to marry me?’” he said pretending to hand
so she’s trying to pick her bridesmaids and I’m trying to pick through my groomsmen that will actually act right on the day.” Tomlin and Kerr have tentatively set a date for May 17, 2014.
Russell a ring. “And she said yes and cried and cried and cried.” “Pretty much,” Russell said, laughing. “I didn’t believe him at all, but he asked and there it was.” Mark said that so far, he has been taking a more supportive role when it comes to planning the wedding. “I want to make sure it’s a perfect wedding for my future wife and that she’s happy on our wedding day” he said. Mark and Russell both said they were looking forward to getting spend the day with friends and family. “Seeing his reaction when he first sees me will be interesting,” she said. The couple will tie the knot in South Bend, Ind., in the summer of 2014 at Mark’s home church. The reception will be held in a rustic barn just minutes away from the cathedral.
The News February 15, 2013
Bridal 2013
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Blake Holt & Lauren Hendon
Racer Engagements Lauren Hendon, junior from Paducah, Ky., met Blake Holt, senior from Paducah, Ky., in middle school when she cheered on a competitive team with Holt’s sister. The fall break of Hendon’s sixthgrade year, Holt’s family coincidentally stayed in the same condominium. “I saw him and I had the biggest crush on him but he was in eighth grade,” she said, rolling her eyes, laughing. Holt and Hendon’s friendship sparked during Hendon’s freshman year of high school when Holt asked for her autograph while she was cheering at a basketball game. “He was joking because I had been tumbling and stuff, but then we started texting and talking and I joked around that he’d always promised me he’d take me to school because I was so young I had to ride the bus,” Hendon said. Hendon said when Holt graduated high school two years before she did and attended Murray State, it was hard, but Holt made the trip to Paducah, Ky., nearly every weekend. Currently, Holt works in Paducah, Ky., and said via email that keeping the proposal a surprise was difficult. “Honestly, the hardest part was keeping it a secret,” Holt said. “I knew that the proposal was something Lauren wanted to be a complete surprise, but at the same time, she kept snooping around and pestering me about when I was going to.” Hendon and Holt had taken a trip to Patti’s 1880s Settlement Restaurant for their anniversary celebration – a tradition – and walked around the pier across the street from the restaurant prior to the proposal. “We went and walked around like we always do and then we drove over to the sailboats across the road on the water,” she said. “Usually we just drive over there on our anniversary and exchange gifts, but we never get out.” She said that when Holt pulled over and got out of the car she knew something was different about that anniversary celebration. “I thought, ‘something’s up, we never get out of the car,’” she said. Hendon said Holt had given her a
big box after she had given him his present – a Bible. “Inside the box was this album I’d made him back in high school – it was so janky and it had a whole bunch of pictures of us in it,” she said. “I probably hadn’t updated it since my junior year of high school. He and his mom had updated it and put some recent pictures in it.” While Hendon and Holt were exchanging gifts, Holt said a family came up to skip rocks in the water. He said it was unexpected. “At the time of the proposal, everything was going as planned until a family with two small kids came out onto the pier where I was about to get on one knee,” he said. “To top it off, the kids decided they wanted to skip rocks on the lake about 10 feet from where we were – just my luck. Who goes to the lake to skip rocks at 8 o’clock in the middle of January? Luckily, I think they got the hint and left after a couple of minutes.” Hendon said she noticed the family, as well. “The kids were yelling and screaming and I see Blake’s eyes get big and they’re skipping rocks. Luckily by the time I got to the end of the album, they were gone and he had written a letter,” Hendon said. On the last page of the album, there was a picture of a bride and groom, Hendon said. “I saw it and I was like, ‘oh dang,’” she said, grinning. “I don’t remember much after that, except that I was bawling.” Holt had arranged for their families and friends to meet them after he had popped the question and rows of cars were waiting for, and honking at, the couple as they walked back from the pier. She said he planned everything perfectly and she could not be any happier. “It was perfect,” Hendon said, smiling. “He did a really good job.” Hendon and Holt both said they were looking most forward to the reception. “I’d have to say (I’m looking forward most) to the reception,” Holt said via email. “No, I’m kidding. I’m looking most forward to seeing my beautiful bride for the first time on the day of the wedding walking down the aisle.”
Photo courtesy of Stacy Hendon
Blake Holt and Lauren Hendon share a special moment together, the couple plans to marry soon.
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Bridal 2013
The News February 15, 2013
The News
Bridal 2013
February 15, 2013
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5 tips for less wedding stress Lexy Gross || Assistant News Editor cgross2@murraystate.edu
Studies by the American Psychological Association claim that stress for those between the ages of 18-33 has increased dramatically over the last year. The studies show that when students add event planning to their lives – such as wedding planning – the stress can be immense. Sarah Kerrick, counselor in the Murray State counseling center, said having realistic expectations in a wedding situation is vital to anyone planning a ceremony. “I think it's tricky because at least in our culture, weddings are blown up to be a mag-
ical thing,” Kerrick said. “Each person has their own idea of what it's supposed to look like and it can bring the control freak out in the best of us.” The APA also reports the media places a spotlight on weddings and how they are planned. TV shows such as “Say Yes to the Dress” and “Platinum Weddings” can add to the dreams many have had since childhood. According to The Wedding Report, a market research publication, the average couple spends $29,000 on a wedding. Since many aspects of a wedding revolve around money, it is often the most stressful component.
Here are five tips to help keep the stress low when planning a wedding: Eat and sleep. It sounds simple, but these simple can really make a difference in stress levels. TLC says the best way to avoid falling into bad habits, is to make a sleep schedule and meal plan. Start early, so good habits will form before stress does. Try to give small roles to other people. It is important to keep in mind that the bride and groom should not be in charge of every minute detail. Do something for yourself. Get a massage, exercise frequently or go out with friends to relieve anxiety. Do these more frequently than you normally would, since
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weddings can be high-stress situations. Be organized. Real Simple Magazine suggests the details can overwhelm a bride and groom if they are not well-documented. There are many online wedding organizers including time-tables and spreadsheets for budgets. Focus on what is important. Make sure you do not forget the reason a wedding is being planned. Forget the details if it is necessary to be happy during a rare time in your life. Utilizing these tips and focusing on stress control will help you remember your wedding for all the good moments, not the stressful ones.
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The News
Bridal 2013
February 15, 2013
Racer Engagements
Alonzo Crawford & Lauren Kapfhammer
Lauren Kapfhammer, senior from Louisville, Ky., remembers meeting her fiance at Hardin Baptist Church their freshman year at Murray State, but Alonzo Crawford, senior from Madisonville, Ky., struggles with the memory. “I remember meeting you,” Kapfhammer said, laughing. “And I don’t remember that,” he said. “But officially, we met at a New Year’s Conference in Nashville through Campus Outreach.” Crawford said that was when they really got to know each other. “We were all quoting lines from ‘The Hangover,’” he said laughing. “And that’s when I knew I loved her, because she could quote lines from ‘The Hangover.’” Kapfhammer laughed, and Crawford said their first date was at Winslow Dining Hall. “He came up to me at a CO meeting and ... asked what my lunch schedule looked like,” she said, smiling. “I was like, ‘who asks that? What does that even mean?’” Crawford and Kapfhammer said they got to knoe each other through a strong friendship then began dating. Crawford said he had been planning the proposal for nearly two months. “I went about it like a normal date
Kylie Townsend/The News
Alonzo Crawford and Lauren Kapfhammer met as freshmen at Hardin Baptist Church. night so she wouldn’t be expecting anything,” he said. “We went to Jasmine (Thai Cuisine and Sushi Bar) and got dinner and drove to campus and parked near Pogue (Library) and I asked her if she wanted to take a walk on campus with me, so we did.” The couple had taken several walks on campus before, and Crawford knew Kapfhammer would not be expecting anything. “We stopped at Pogue and I took
her up the steps and I had my backpack on,” Crawford said. “Which was awkward,” Kapfhammer said, interrupting and laughing. The couple laughed together and Crawford said he pulled out an iHome and asked Kapfhammer to dance. At the end of the song, Crawford said he told Kapfhammer he had a gift for her and gave her a book: “The
Adam Prescott & Whitney Wicker
After a year and a half of living in two different states, the word “united” will take a completely different meaning for Murray State alumni Whitney Wicker and Adam Prescott, who have been engaged since Oct. 12, 2012 and are planning to tie the knot in July. The couple completed their undergraduate studies in May of 2010. Wicker went on to complete a master’s degree at Murray State, while Prescott attended the University of Tennessee. Wicker and Prescott met in class at the University, but became friends when a mutual friend asked if they would put on a concert together in Hart Coffee Shop. “She told me I would have to find someone to play guitar. I knew Adam, and I knew he played guitar.” After the concert and a trip to
Orlando with Campus Outreach, Wicker and Prescott began dating on Homecoming weekend in 2009. “The night before (Homecoming 2012), he proposed on the Quad,” Wicker said. “So, the next day, we were at the Homecoming (game), exactly three years after we had started dating.” Because Prescott is currently attending the University of Tennessee, he said via email that he surprised Wicker on the Quad by telling her they were only going to take pictures. “Whitney loves pictures and always complains that we don’t have enough together so I wanted the engagement to involve some photos of us,” he said. “I decided to have some pictures taken of us by one of Whitney’s best friends in the Quad.” Prescott said he also made
Wicker’s best friend believe the occasion was nothing special. “I tricked her best friend into thinking she was taking some pictures for Homecoming,” he said. “After the pictures were done and we parted ways with her friend, I got down on one knee.” Wicker said she had no idea the photo shoot would end with a proposal. “It was exciting; I wasn’t expecting it,” she said, smiling. The hardest part about their engagement has been the distance, Wicker said. “Long distance is hard,” she said. Wicker said she and Prescott often talk about how their engagement does not seem real but their trials have made their relationship stronger, and that July cannot get here fast enough.
Meaning of Marriage.” “I told her how much I loved her and got down on one knee and proposed,” he said. Kapfhammer said she was trying to be a part of the moment as much as she could. “I was trying so hard to be all in the moment, but it was like an out-ofbody experience; I can’t even explain it,” she said. “I felt like I was hovering over myself watching it all happen.” Kapfhammer and Crawford said before they told their friends and family about the new proposal, they celebrated on their own at a friend’s apartment with champagne, rose petals and gluten free brownies. After their private celebration, Crawford arranged for a group of 50 of their closest friends and family to surprise Kapfhammer at her apartment. When planning the wedding, Crawford said he has definitely played a part, but has also been Kapfhammer’s stress reliever. “I think mainly when she gets really overwhelmed, I’m there to say that everything’s going to work out,” he said. “It’s once the ring is on, and we’ve said our vows, we’re good. If stuff messes up after that, it’ll be a cool story to tell.”
Photo courtesy of Melissa Harrell
Adam Prescott picks up his fiance Whitney Wicker after proposing to her on campus.
The News
Bridal 2013
February 15, 2013
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Movies, media play large role in modern weddings
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Savannah Sawyer || Assistant Features Editor ssawyer@murraystate.edu
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Weddings seem to be popping up everywhere and the media is no exception. Over the years there have been a plethora of movies, books and even songs created with wedding themes. The most recent movie is 2013’s “The Big Wedding.” The movie has been released in select theaters. It will be released in other theaters on April 26. The movie stars big name celebrities including Robert De Niro, Katherine Heigl, Diane Keaton, Amanda Seyfried, Topher Grace, Ben Barnes, Susan Sarandon and Robin Williams. In “The Big Wedding,” Don and Ellie were long divorced by the time their son Ben gets married, but their children don’t know this. At the wedding they must pretend to be a happily-married couple in order to convince their children they are still together. “Bridesmaids” is another movie based around a wedding theme. The film, which was released in 2011, stars Kristen Wiig as Annie and Maya Rudolph as Lillian. The movie centers on their friendship during the time of Lillian’s wedding. There is an important lesson to be learned here and that is that friends stick together. No matter what the other person is going through in their life, through thick and thin, friends should always be there for one another. Films aren’t the only form of media that are based around weddings. Music plays a big role in that field as well. But instead of listing which songs to play or whether a band or a deejay should be at the wedding, here is a compilation of songs and types of song to try to avoid when planning a wedding. Shy away from using songs that have the dance moves plastered
into them. Case in point, the “Macarena.” Sure they can be fun at first, but after one too many weddings it can start to get old. Shy away from songs using foreign languages, unless of course your spouse is from a foreign country. Not being able to understand what a song is even about is never fun. “Unless they have some profound significance for you or someone else in the family, pass on musical numbers that are likely to leave the guests scratching their heads,” Sarah Elliot, writer for TLC.com said. Another big blunder is using songs where the lyrics aren’t fitting. Screening songs may be time consuming and you don’t have to do it for every song that plays, but avoid using songs that sound sweet but are really about breaking up with someone. Elliot said a common misconception is Whitney Huston’s “I Will Always Love You,” a song that’s actually about a breakup. “Your wedding day should reflect happy sentiments with inspiring songs about finding your special someone,” Elliot said. “‘I Will Always Love You’ makes it onto a lot of wedding music lists, but it’s not a good fit.” Next to movies and music another medium has recently made its way to the wedding scene and that is social media. In the past few years the social networking website, Pinterest, has been on the rise and a lot of its users, both male and female, are using it to pin wedding tips and tricks for their future nuptials. Said Samantha Murphy on the Mashable website: “Pinterest is an easy way to make planning a wedding more manageable. It’s like ripping the pages out of wedding magazines and taping them to your bulletin board – but digitally. Even better, each picture is typically linked to a site where you can buy the styles you want, learn DIY crafting tips and become informed about the latest trends.”
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Bridal 2013
The News February 15, 2013