Athens Magazine Spring 2016 by OnlineAthens/Athens Banner-Herald

Editorial staff PUBLISHER Scot Morrissey

VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES Kevin Clark EDITOR Joel Kight DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND ENGAGEMENT Tina Laseter EDITORIAL COORDINATOR April Burkhart CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND DESIGNER Deanna Allen COPY EDITORS Jim Thompson Molly Golderman Deanna Allen

WRITERS Andrew Shearer Chris Starrs Hilary Butschek April Burkhart Deanna Allen

PHOTOGRAPHERS AJ Reynolds Richard Hamm Taylor Craig Sutton Blane Marable ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Joshua Lyon Lucinda Bennett Laura Jackson Tom Bennewitz Christa Murphy David Schleter Leslie Turner Hayley DeBell ADVERTISING SUPPORT Ashley Catoe Claire Artelt Kelsey Foster

Local couple Liz and Derek Smith celebrate their wedding at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. Photo courtesy of Blane Marable Photography

Athens Magazine | Spring 2016

1 Press Place Athens, GA 30601 MAIL TO: P.O. Box 912 Athens, GA 30601 ADVERTISING (706) 208-2282 CUSTOMER SERVICE (706) 208-2378 EDITORIAL (706) 208-2308

VENDOR DIRECTORY | PHOTOGRAPHY

By April Burkhart

aving engagement photos taken of you and your fiancé is a great way to document the start of your life together and share a little piece of your relationship with friends and family. While photo sessions are meant to be fun, they often create stress for a couple. To help those who are newly engaged get ready for their photo session, photographer Jen Schliesttet with Once Like A Spark Photography offers the following advice.

Athens Magazine: Why are engagement photos so important for engaged couples?

more of a fad. I’m uncertain if it may actually date the images. Going theme-free can keep your image looking timeless.

Jen Schliesttet: Essentially, engagement photos are a big practice session where you should feel freed up to be as cheesy and romantic with your spouse as possible. Practicing how to act candid in front of the camera not only will provide great photos but make you enjoy the process. Nobody wants to make a job out of modeling on their wedding day. They want to feel careless and free rather than poised and rigid and that is what you’ll master after an engagement session.

AM: What do you suggest couples wear to an engagement photo session?

AM: What makes most people want to schedule an engagement photo session? JS: People want an engagement session so they have photos to use in their invitations and to have a memory from their everyday casual lives. This is a chance to show off their unity for friends and family. It is also an act of preservation where they can remember a distinct moment of commitment. AM: What should a couple think about when choosing a location for their photo session? JS: A couple should channel whether they are an outdoor nature couple or a city couple. Do they want the soft, airy look or the deep, moody look, do they want to showcase their day-to-day life or an exotic getaway? There is no right or wrong answer. It’s all about choosing what instantly feels right to you. An equally important factor is pairing the time of day with a killer location. I like to call this the “magic hour,” which is about an hour before sunset. When in doubt, you can make any dead grass field look like a pot of gold if you catch this time of day. AM: Should couples plan a theme for the photo session or just go as they are? JS: If themes and props are done correctly they can be incredible, but often I think staying simple brings more to the photo image. It showcases just the bride and groom. A few years ago, people used props nonstop, which could have been

JS: Wearing what makes you feel comfortable is probably the best policy, however it’s OK to snaz it up for such a great occasion. Also, think about the background colors you will be shooting in. If you want a light, airy look, wear more creamy colors and tell the photographer you like overexposed shots. If you like colorful backgrounds and green grass, jazz up the patterns, textures and colors in your outfit. I’ve also seen a cool mix of the two where there is an airy field and the bride wears a stunning colorful long flowy dress that stands out from the background. AM: What advice do you have for people who are not comfortable or who have little experience getting their picture taken? How can they relax and enjoy the photo shoot with their fiancé? JS: Feeling comfortable is as easy as reminding yourself that you are young, hot and in love. When you feel confident you can take great photographs. Even if you feel insecure about your body, you’ll be able to look back years later and realize you were killing it in your engagement photos. Also, you may have some insecurity, but you know how to showcase and highlight your strengths. Just try to relax and have fun. AM: What should a couple think about when looking for a photographer? JS: Make sure they are competent, fun, have a great portfolio and are good at working under pressure. Everyone loves photography these days, but what sets apart a good wedding photographer from a newbie is the ability to be flexible with their schedule. Photographers are in charge of coordinating timelines, modeling, adapting to weather changes and herding 50-plus family members to get in position in crunch time. The best photographers are the ones who make alterations with grace and don’t alarm the serenity of the day.

Engagement photos courtesy of Jen Schliesttet, Once Like A Spark Photography

VENDOR DIRECTORY | PHOTOGRAPHY

Planning your w an essential checklist to keep your planning on track and a Nine to 18 months before your wedding o Set an initial budget and determine how guests you will invite o Select a wedding date and time o Select and book your reception and ceremony locations o Hire a wedding planner/coordinator who can help with decisions and take over many tasks o Select a caterer, florist, photographer/ videographer, ceremony musicians and reception entertainment o Determine who will officiate your ceremony and invite him or her to do so o Set aside blocks of hotel rooms for out-of-town guests o Decide if you want a wedding party and, if so, how many o Decide on a color scheme and select a bridal gown, bridesmaids’ dresses, groom’s and groomsmen’s wear o Select invitations and save-the-date cards o Determine if you want a website and, if so, you should update it weekly Six to 12 months before your wedding Complete a wedding gift registry Compile the guest list and send save-the54

Athens Magazine | Spring 2016

date cards or email out-of-town guests o Arrange for groomsmen to be measured and reserve tuxedos o Consider planning an engagement party o Select and order a wedding cake Four to eight months before your wedding o Have engagement portraits taken and submit your engagement announcement to your local newspaper o Set the date and time for the ceremony rehearsal and arrange the rehearsal dinner Two to four months before your wedding o Confirm all details with your venue, caterer, florist, musicians and photographer/videographer o Prepare all maps and directions for the ceremony and reception locations o Obtain a wedding license Six to eight weeks before your wedding o Mail invitations, announcements and rehearsal dinner invitations o Set appointments with any hair styl-

ists and/or makeup artists o Hire a limousine service or set up other forms of transportation for the wedding party o Make sure all bridesmaids’ attire has been fitted o But and wrap a gift for your future spouse and parents o Write your own vows, if desired, and finalize ceremony programs Two to six weeks before your wedding o Schedule a final fitting for the wedding gown, bridesmaids’ gowns and formal wear for groom and groomsmen o Pick up your wedding rings o Plan the seating for the reception, as well as any other details for the ceremony and reception o Choose the music for your ceremony and reception (processional, ceremony music, first dance, special dances and party music) o Prepare welcome baskets for hotel guests o Begin planning seating arrangements and start writing reception place cards o Begin writing thank-you notes as you receive gifts o Prepare a wedding announcement to submit to your local newspaper

wedding

Tools to help prepare for that special day

d a budget list to maximize your spending o Reconfirm guest accommodations o Make sure all clothing items for the bride and bridal party are ready and fit o Call any guests who have not yet responded One week before your wedding o Finalize the seating arrangements and finish the place cards for the reception o Review all the final details with your photographer/videographer, florist, entertainers, officiant, caterer, transportation services, ceremony location, reception venue and rehearsal dinner location o Delegate wedding day responsibilities to reliable individuals or a coordinator One day before your wedding o Deliver welcome baskets to the hotel o Get a manicure or massage to relax o Review and rehearse all the details with your participants for the ceremony and hold the rehearsal dinner The day of your wedding o Allow yourself plenty of time to have hair and makeup done and to get dressed o Have juice, water, sodas, fruit, cheese and crackers as the wedding party dresses o Enjoy the day

WEDDING BUDGETING Essentials Budget Actual Rings $ $ Invitations/stationery $ $ Ceremony location fee $ $ Marriage license $ $ Photography $ $ Videography $ $ Wedding gown $ $ Shoes $ $ Purse $ $ Gloves $ $ Jewelry/accessories $ $ Lingerie $ $ Flowers $ $ Wedding music $ $ Transportation $ $ Reception venue fee $ $ Decor $ $ Rental items $ $ Table linens $ $ Food and drink $ $ Cake $ $ Wedding party gifts $ $ Guest favors $ $ Miscellaneous items $ $ Wedding night and honeymoon $ $ Spring 2016 | Athens Magazine

a macabre affair COSPLAY: NOT JUST FOR CONS

Couple forgoes tradition and marries in unconventional and unforgettable style

Given Roxi and Steven Carroll’s interests in the creative world of the macabre, there was no way these two were having a conventional wedding. “Traditional is not even a word in our vocabulary,” laughs Roxi, a seventh-grade language arts teacher at West Hall Middle School in Oakwood. When the couple married around Halloween in 2012, they endeavored to experience what is commonly known as a cosplay (or “costume play”) wedding, a combination of performance art and a matrimonial fashion show. Though not nearly as common as they will no doubt one day be, cosplay weddings offer the opportunity for participants to become their favorite characters, whether the source is a video game, a horror movie, literature, including comic books, or other off-the-wall theme. There’s no lack of inspiration from the photosharing website Pinterest, which offers images from betrothals featuring ninjas, characters from the multiplayer online role-playing game World of Warcraft, superheroes, zombies, vampires, “Shrek” and folks with a goth streak. Roxi and Steven, who works as the business manager for the University of Georgia’s Theatre and Fine Arts building, were connected through mutual friends and rapidly discovered they both shared many of the same interests, which came to include shared ownership of some 1,400 scary movies. When the time came for Steven to pop the question, Roxi says he provided the perfect atmosphere for a positive response. “Our points of common interest are theater, anything artistic and our love for horror, which decided the fate of our wedding,” she says. “When Steven proposed, he knew that my favorite movie in the world is ‘The Crow,’ so he actually had the attic decorated like the scene in ‘The Crow,’ with tons and tons of candles, and he had the ring up there. He had the movie playing in the background and he had a playlist with ‘Crow’ music and the Emerald Rose song ‘Pagan Girl,’ since we’re both pagan.” And when it came time to plan the happy day, Roxi and Steven — who live in Jefferson — were determined to put their own personal stamp on an affair that would be different and fun. “We knew from the get-go that we didn’t want a dry, stuffy wedding,” Roxi says. “We just wanted people to have a whole lot of fun and for it to be a celebration. I think just about everything about

our wedding was non-traditional. We decided our love for horror had to be incorporated and we’re anti-church, so we had to think of a reasonable place to have the ceremony.” At first the two wanted to exchange their vows in a funeral home — and drive off in a hearse — but they were unable to coax any funeral directors to even call them back, much less set a date. But in the end, Roxi and Steven found the most appropriate venue in the area for their intentions. “We thought about the Seney-Stovall Chapel on Milledge Avenue – the irony is that once upon a time, it was a church and was a girls boarding school and now it’s a theatrical stage,” Roxi says. “I’ve always been interested in theater, but I only got involved after meeting Steven, with him being a director at Town & Gown. We also love the Gothic architecture on the outside, which kind of fit our theme.” With the “where” part of the equation secured, Roxi and Steven then set about getting the “wow” part up and running. “Steven has always been a big fan of zombies and George Romero films, so he, along with the groomsmen, did full stage makeup and were zombies,” she says. “I’ve always loved vampires and Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’ is dear to my heart, so my bridesmaids and I went the vampire route — I even wore fangs for my pictures.” Roxi adds that a close friend created her wedding gown in an old-world style that mixed red and black with a splash of white and her husband’s attire. And Steven’s childhood friend, Eddie Akers, officiated the ceremony, which included a hand-fasting element, as described by Roxi: “You cast open a circle using the four elements, and you ask the presence of the god and goddess, you set your purpose of intent and go through the ceremony and read your vows,” she said. “Before

By Chris Starrs

the circle is closed, you take a ribbon or a rope and tie each other’s hands together and say a blessing over it. Then you cross a broom and a sword and you jump over them. That’s good luck in the marriage, similar to the threshold thing. Then you close out the circle.” About 150 turned out for the wedding, which was held a few days before Halloween, and Roxi says just about everybody present was definitely into the spirit the couple had summoned. “Seney-Stovall was pretty packed,” Roxi says. “We urged people to come in costume and there may have been two or three out of all that who didn’t. Most of them are arts and theatrical folks and musicians, so they were totally on board with the theme.” And family members were also on board for the proceedings. “My mom even gave me my grandmother’s pentagram,” Roxi says. “My grandmother was a Wiccan and I kind of followed her path and she left me this huge pentagram and I wore that as part of the ceremony. My mom has grown to accept it over the years, although her religious beliefs are very different from mine. “Steven’s family also accepted it, so aunts and uncles and others who don’t be- lieve like us were very receptive and said it was one of the most beautiful weddings they’d ever seen and they had a really good time. It didn’t make them feel awkward at all.” The couple held their reception in the big back room at Buffalo’s Café in the Beechwood Shopping Center, where there was plenty of food, drink, dancing and karaoke. “This is a group that likes to karaoke,” Roxi says. “There was lots of dancing and an open bar and it was great fun. It was really a party.” And when the reception ended, many of the participants and witnesses whisked themselves downtown to take part in the annual Wild Rumpus, the Classic City’s annual Halloween parade, which attracts thousands of creatures of the night. “Halloween is like Christmas to us,” Roxi says.

Roxi and Steven Photos by Shari Nettles and Trina Burgins Aspasia Photography Spring 2016 | Athens Magazine