West Georgia Woman Magazine 2021 Bridal Guide

Woman Complimentary

2021

West Georgia TM

Bridal Guide

Putting a Ring on it!

FairyTaleWeddings The Castle at Wildwood Gardens

This Year's Makeup Challenge

Trending Wedding Cake Styles 1

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Fairy Tale Wedding Dreams Come True at The Castle at Wildwood Gardens Page 18 Photo by Zachary Dailey, Dailey Life Photography Models: Lily Welter and Kirby Cargal Venue: The Castle at Wildwood Gardens Wedding Gown: Downtown Gowns Hair and Makeup: Indulge Salon and Day Spa Bouquet: Clementines

What’s Inside...

8 Putting a Ring on It

24 This Year’s Makeup Challenge

13 Go Big or Go Home? Not Anymore! 29 Is Wedding Insurance a Thing?

16 Small Venues for Your Big Day

32 Trending Wedding Cake Styles

18 Fairy Tale Weddings Close to Home 34 Stress-free Seating 4

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New Ways to Say "I Do"

This year, couples are discovering new and innovative ways to tie the knot. When it comes to saying, "I do," they have proven that where there's a will, there's a way – even if weddings may look a little different now. It seems that love will always prevail, in spite of the pandemic.

Did you know that we offer a free digital subscription to West Georgia Woman Magazine and all of our special issues, including our Bridal Guide?

Become a West Georgia Woman insider and sign up for your free digital subscription today at www.westgeorgiawoman.com.

Isn't wonderful that our beautiful Bridal Guide is absolutely free for you to take home with you? The reason we can give you this fabulous publication at no cost is because of our community partners' advertisements that are included in this guide.

Please shop locally for your wedding, support our advertising partners as much as you can and let them know you saw their advertisements in our lovely magazine. Without them, there would be no annual Bridal Guide.

These advertisers are experts in their fields, so take advantage Photo by Zachary Dailey of their knowledge and skills. There are so many details involved in planning a wedding, and it can be exhausting and stressful for brides. I hope you have a wonderful support system of family and friends to help you manage the, sometimes overwhelming, details involved in planning your big day.

In This Special Issue We are so excited to provide you with our third annual West Georgia Woman Magazine Bridal Guide! I hope you enjoy our beautiful guide as much as we enjoyed creating it for you.

Planning a spectacular wedding takes time, money and plenty of inspirational ideas. This issue is full of fabulous articles from trending wedding cake styles and intentional seating during COVID-19 to picking out the right engagement ring, microweddings, wedding insurance and much more!

We've also included a special article about The Castle at A Match Made in Heaven Wildwood Gardens in Waco, Ga. A little off the beaten path but close to everything, the Castle at Wildwood Gardens offers an exquisite castle in a peaceful, wooded setting, giving brides multiple options for their fairy-tale weddings.

Beginning on page 18, check out the fabulous photos that Zachary took of the Castle and learn more about how you can experience the feel of a destination wedding at this beautiful venue without leaving West Georgia.

Very special thanks to Shala Hainer for writing the wonderful articles included in our 2021 Bridal Guide.

She is an amazing writer, and we are so grateful for her monthly contribution as our copy editor and for her valued contributions to our special issues.

Best wishes for a bright future, Become a West Georgia Woman insider.

Subscribe to our free digital issue and have it sent to your inbox each month. www.westgeorgiawoman.com

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Publisher

Finding our voice. Knowing our value. Making a difference.

TM

West Georgia Woman is a voice for and about the women who live and work in West Georgia.

Our mission is to engage, inspire, and cultivate a cohesive community for all women in West Georgia by sharing our hopes, our dreams and our lives.

This magazine would not be possible without the inclusion of our advertisers. Please be sure to show your support by doing business with these VIP’s (very important partners) so we will be able to continue to share with you our stories about amazing West Georgia women!

Please be sure to tell them we sent you!

We welcome your comments and suggestions.

Contact us: (404) 502-0251 Online: www.westgeorgiawoman.com

Follow us! @WestGaWoman

Publisher/Editor

Angela Dailey angela@westgeorgiawoman.com

Need a copy?

Get yours from our racks at Kroger, Publix, Smith Brothers Supply Company, Southern Home and Ranch Center, Food Depot (Maple Street) and the Tanner Health System Medical Pavilion Inspiring women wanted. in Carrollton; Piggly Wiggly in Bowdon, Do you know an interesting woman Franklin and Tallapoosa; Thriftown in who should be on the cover of West Bremen; Kroger in Cedartown; The Georgia Woman? Is there a special Little Giant Grocery in Sargent; Food project or organization you would Depot (Temple Ave.) in Newnan; Tanner like us to feature in our magazine?

Health System's Villa Med and Villa Let us know! Email your suggestions West Office Buildings in Villa Rica; The to features@westgeorgiawoman.com.

Marathon in New Georgia; Kroger on Fairburn Road (Hospital Drive) in DougShare your special events. lasville; and WM Grocery in Roanoke Send your upcoming events to: and Wedowee, Al. We have them in calendar@westgeorgiawoman.com larger quantities at Publix (Bullsborough Drive), Lee-King and Thompson Need to advertise? Email: pharmacy in Newnan, the Apothecary Shoppe in Douglasville and the Vitamin Sales@westgeorgiawoman.com Call 404.444.9072 or 404.502.0251 Shoppe in Hiram, Publix at Mirror Lake, CVS in Bowdon as well as hundreds of other retail locations and medical offices The views, opinions, positions or strat- in 17 cities covering eight counties in egies expressed by the contributing West Georgia and East Alabama. authors are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, positions or strategies of Angel Media, LLC., West Georgia Woman magazine or any employee thereof. Angel Media, LLC. makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, correctness, suitability, or validity of any information in this publication and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use.

Mail correspondence to:

West Georgia Woman Magazine P.O. Box 2782 Carrollton, GA 30112

Volume 3 2021 Bridal Guide

This publication is dedicated in loving memory of Tristan Alexander Brooks May 15, 1993 – September 17, 2015

Copy Editor

Shala Hainer shala@westgeorgiawoman.com

Photographer for Cover Zachary Dailey Dailey Life Photography

Bridal Guide Editorial Shala Hainer

Cover

Model: Sara Heide Venue: The Castle at Wildwood Gardens Hair and makeup: Indulge Salon and Day Spa Wedding Gown: Simple Elegance Bridal Bouquet: Clementines

Advertising Sales

Sales@westgeorgiawoman.com West Georgia Woman is a monthly publication of Angel Media, LLC. All contents of this issue are copyright 2021. West Georgia Woman magazine, its logo and “Finding our voice. Knowing our value. Making a difference.” are trademarks of Angel Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.

All submissions will be included as space is available. West Georgia Woman reserves the right to reject or edit any submissions that are not in compliance with our editorial policy. If you wish to have your submission returned, please include a self addressed stamped envelope along with your submission.

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Putting a Ring

Newly engaged West Georgia Woman Magazine Editorial Contributor, Jordan Coffman, admires her engagement ring.

Photo by her fiancé Zachary Dailey, Dailey 8 Life Photography

n it

Engagement Ring Rules are Changing

T

he perfect engagement ring doesn’t happen by chance. The modern, independent woman takes a much more active role in the engagement ring selection than previous generations.

Whether it’s dropping notso-subtle hints, enlisting the aid of friends or just flat out picking out the ring you want, being involved in the process helps you get an engagement ring you will love for decades to come.

If you'd rather be involved in the ring selection process, tell him that. You can still be surprised by the actual proposal when it happens – but at least you know you'll get a ring you love.

Surprising Lack of Surprise Traditionally, the man picks a ring he thinks his bride will like, then he surprises her with it down on one knee. While this is a romantic gesture, it often results in a ring the woman doesn’t like, or one that doesn’t fit properly.

Relationships today often look different than they did back when true surprise proposals were most common. These days, many couples live together

before they get married, or they at least discuss the prospect of marriage before getting engaged.

While the exact moment of the proposal might be a surprise, the fact that he’s asking his girlfriend to marry him is usually expected.

If you prefer to know nothing about the ring or the proposal, communicate that to your significant other, and perhaps ask your friends to show him your Pinterest page of rings you love. But if you’d rather be involved in the ring selection process, tell him that. Show him pictures of what you like, making

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Some women prefer to pick out the ring, sometimes having it custom designed.

They often create complete sets, where the wedding band fits in the design with the engagement ring.

While this takes away some of the surprise, it ensures you get exactly the ring you want.

Cost

West Georgia Woman Magazine Photographer Zachary Dailey gets down on one knee for his girlfriend Jordan Coffman. Inset: The happy couple share a kiss. Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Nov. 9, 2020. Photos by Zachary Dailey, Dailey Life Photography.

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During the Great Depression, De Beers created a marketing campaign that said men should spend at least one month’s salary on an engagement ring. Over time, this mantra grew to be three months’ salary.

But the grooms-tobe shouldn’t let a

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marketing ploy determine how much to spend on an engagement ring.

While the average engagement ring purchase was around $5,000 in 2020, according to Wedding Wire, there’s no need to spend that much money if you prefer a smaller budget. For around $1,500, you can find a classy ring with a decent-sized stone you will love.

There are ways to make the most of your significant other’s budget.

Choosing a brilliant cut means you can compromise on the color and clarity because the large number of Sapphires work well, especially because they come in a facets reflects light and makes the diamond sparkle. variety of colors, including blue, pink, teal and yellow.

Stay away from platinum settings, which tends to be the most expensive metal. Another option is to buy just below Searching online or at local vintage shops might take some time, but it’s worth it for the perfect ring. the carat mark – for example, a 0.9 carat diamond often runs 20 percent cheaper than a 1-carat stone, Are Diamonds Still A Girl’s Best and no one will ever notice the size difference.

Another option is to go vintage – many Friend? modern brides prefer an antique ring, or one with sentimental value, such as a grandmother’s ring.

While diamonds are, by far, the most common stone in engagement rings, colored stones are gaining popularity. Not just any stone will do, though. When choosing a color that’s meaningful to you, pick a stone that is hard enough to withstand the beating it will receive over decades of wear.

Sapphires work well, especially because they come in a variety of colors, including blue, pink, teal and yellow. The red of rubies traditionally symbolizes love, and emeralds have long been considered the preferred stone of royalty.

Some brides like to mix the stones, such as a three-stone ring with a diamond in the middle, and the birthstones of the bride and groom on either side.

Not every stone works, though, scratching and chipping easily. Some stones that are too soft to work well as engagement rings include opal, pearl and amethyst. Look for harder alternatives, such as a white or star sapphire, or a purple sapphire.

The most important thing about an engagement ring is that it represents your love and commitment to your soon-to-be spouse.

Whether you prefer a traditional round diamond or a custom setting with a colored stone, your engagement ring should reflect your personality in a way that’s unique to your relationship – even if that means ruining just a bit of the surprise. WGW

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Go Big or Go Home?

wedding surrounded by too many people for the bride and groom to interact with, many couples are opting for smaller, more intimate ceremonies.

These microweddings, usually defined as weddings with 50 guests or less, open the door to a multitude of options not available with larger groups.

Microweddings are Not Elopements Microweddings shouldn’t be confused with eloping. When you elope, it’s typically just you and your significant other. You might go to the courthouse in secret, or you could plan a trip together, planning to be married while you’re there, with just the two of you present without guests.

Microweddings are actual weddings, often with the two standard distinct events – the ceremony and the reception. The main difference is the size. You still invite guests, although the number is completely up to you.

Maybe you just want your parents there, or a tiny gathering of your closest friends.

Not Anymore!

The power of micro weddings

T

elevision leads us to believe large, extravagant weddings with guest lists topping 150 people are the norm – and, let’s be honest, they usually look amazing. But is that realistic and practical for most brides?

This past year, microweddings saw a giant uptick in popularity. Although this increase was spearheaded by the pandemic, this trend appears to be here to stay. Instead of a lavish, expensive

The Money Side of Microweddings

Smaller doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t have what you want – it’s often quite the opposite.

Keeping the guest list at 50 people or less can mean you have more money to spend on an unforgettable experience for everyone.

So there are two ways to look at the costs involved with microweddings. One is that a smaller number of people equals less money out of your pocket. You don’t need an expensive, giant wedding

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cake if you’re only feeding 20 people, for example.

Instead, you’re free to be creative, perhaps choosing indulgent, lavishly decorated cupcakes.

Some grocery stores even offer expertly decorated wedding cakes – usually only one to two tiers – for an extremely affordable price.

You can rent a smaller venue, or opt for your free backyard, renting or borrowing chairs and tables – which is much easier if you’re only seating a few people. You save on decorations, flowers and invitation costs.

The other way to look at it is that you can spend the same amount of money, but create an enhanced experience for you and your guests. If you invited 150 people, for example, maybe you can offer a cash bar and a standard buffet, with no music until the dancing starts.

For the same budget and a guest list of 50, however, perhaps it’s an open bar and a high-end sit-down dinner, complete with a four-piece string band playing gently in the background. You might even want to treat your guests by paying for their lodging, or bringing them all to the ceremony in limousines.

Unique Experiences Microweddings give you the option of choosing adventures, not just a traditional wedding. Many destinations offer packages for small groups. This could be simple, like a trip to the mountains that includes lodging and food for your entire guest list as well as the cost of the ceremony and reception, or something more adventurous.

You could rent hot-air balloons for your ceremony, for example, or choose a package that includes the sport of your choice, such as rock climbing or scuba diving. These packages usually include a certain number of guests as well. Having a smaller number of guests means you can celebrate your way, making it memorable and exciting.

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Making It Personal By far, the biggest advantage of a microwedding is the ways you can make it personal. With a smaller number of guests, you can interact with each and every one without stress or having to rush. You can remember everyone who came, and they feel happy that they were able to spend quality time with you on your special day.

With fewer guests, you might have the time to create something personal for each one. Maybe you

place a hand-written note, specific to each person, on their place setting for dinner. Or, you can buy different wedding favors for each person, depending on what you know about them. Perhaps it’s a framed photo of you or the groom with that person, or it could be a wine glass etched with their initials.

If you or the groom has a hobby that creates something, such as painting, woodworking or crafting, making a gift by hand for each guest is much easier with 10 guests than with 150.

Including Others If the idea of a microwedding resonates with you, but you know it will exclude some important guests, consider live-streaming the ceremony. You could also stream a portion of the reception, especially any portion where you or the groom is addressing the guests, or any traditional moments, such as your first dance.

This idea works well if you’re considering a destination wedding where you know members of your family – think grandparents or siblings with several children – aren’t likely to attend. Instead of pressuring them to travel when they aren’t comfortable with it, or if they don’t want to absorb

the expense, send them a virtual invitation with a link to the live stream event.

Tell them how important it is to you that they be included, and ask them to please sign in when it’s time for your ceremony. If time allows at your reception, consider a video call with them, either individually or as a group, where they have a chance to share their excitement with you on your big day.

This gives you the best of both worlds – a dream wedding with an intimate group of family and friends, and the ability to share your wedding with as many people as you like without the added expense and stress of a large gathering. WGW

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Small Venues for Your Big Day Thinking Outside of the Box Gives You the Perfect Fit

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ith smaller guest lists trending for weddings this year, your options for where you have your ceremony become nearly unlimited.

Instead of sticking to a church or other traditional venue that is designed to hold hundreds of guests, think outside of the box for places that are smaller, more creative, more intimate and more meaningful.

Be Sentimental Talk with your significant other about places that are meaningful to both of you. Did you have your first date at the local wine bar, perhaps? Call the business to see if you can rent the entire facility for a few hours to have your wedding there. Especially during the pandemic when many small businesses are hurting from reduced patronage, you might be surprised by how affordable and accommodating those businesses are.

Or, did your groom propose to you beside the lake in the park? Check with the county or parks service to see what permits or permission you might

need to hold a small wedding there. This can range from somewhat elaborate, where you bring in an arbor, chairs, and an outdoor catering set up, to simple and easy, where your guests stand for your short ceremony by the lake, and you all hit the nearby food truck to finish your celebration.

Get Away Where have you and your groom always wanted to go? Destination weddings are so much easier when you only have a few guests to invite. When you’ve picked the resort or hotel where you’d like to stay, ask them for ideas for interesting wedding locations. Instead of a standard beach wedding, for example, maybe they have a hidden location with dramatic rock formations to use as your backdrop, or they have glass submarines that allow you to tie the knot under the water. Those submarines usually hold just a handful of people, so they only work for small weddings.

It doesn’t have to be somewhere warm. If you

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love snow sports, perhaps the Swedish Ice Hotel, which is open from around the end of December through April, would create your unforgettable backdrop. The hotel, made of ice and snow, only fits 35 to 40 guests for a wedding, so small is your only option for that destination. If you’re an animal lover, try getting married on safari in Africa.

One of the best things about a destination wedding is that you can stay and enjoy your honeymoon in the same place you were married – making sure your guests understand your honeymoon is strictly for the two of you, in case they decide to extend their time at your destination as their own personal vacations.

offer interesting tours or tasting flights to make your reception as unique and memorable for your guests as the ceremony is for you.

Many museums have small reception spaces, and they might have a list of regular vendors you can use to keep the planning simple and quick. If you love the lake, don’t limit yourself to the edge – rent a boat for the day, and take your family and best friends out on the lake for a day of fun and celebration after you say, “I do.”

To reflect the season of your wedding, consider an apple orchard in the fall, or a Christmas tree farm in the winter – snow is unlikely in Georgia, of course, but some simple decorations can help bring the small venue to life for your ceremony.

Creative Local Venues

Timing

Start looking at your hometown with a different eye, thinking of everything you see as a possible wedding location. That beautiful wildflower field you pass on your way to work? It could be one of the most idyllic locations to tie the knot.

The art gallery on the square might provide you with a wedding full of color and unique decorations. The microbrewery on the corner can

Another benefit to small venues is the ability to pick different times of day for your event. Dinner might be overpriced for a small number of guests, but a killer brunch with a mimosa fountain, a stacked pancake “cake” and a donut tower could totally rock their world.

So let your creativity shine through, knowing you can have the wedding of your dreams in a venue that fits your not-so-traditional personality. WGW

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The luxurious bridal suite inside The Castle at Wildwood Gardens in Waco, Ga. Photo by Zachary Dailey, Dailey Life Photography Model: Sara Heide Dress: Simple Elegance Bridal 18 and makeup: Indulge Salon and Day Spa Hair

Fairy Tale Weddings Close to Home

Experience the Feel of a Destination Wedding Without Leaving West Georgia

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M

ost little girls dream of being a princess. The castle, the elegant dresses, the handsome prince – but most women let go of that dream as they grow up. The Castle at Wildwood Gardens helps make that dream come true, at least for a day.

The Castle at Wildwood Gardens is an exclusive, family-owned wedding venue in Waco, Ga. A little off the beaten path but close to everything, the Castle at Wildwood Gardens offers an exquisite castle in a peaceful, wooded setting, giving brides multiple options for their fairy-tale weddings.

Once Upon a Time The owner, John Stogner, says the idea started with the ladies close to him. “My daughter-in-law, Jessy, and my daughter, Rachel, always wanted a wedding venue, and their vision was to have something unique and different for brides and grooms,” he explains.

“They drew inspiration from their favorite TV shows and books, and they found that most of those involved princesses, fairy tales and dreams coming true. Once they realized that building a castle was their dream, they scoured Pinterest and Google, saving every image that inspired them. They took all of their favorite images and studied and researched

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Building the facility was a labor of love that helped

The Castle at Wildwood Gardens Photo by Zachary Dailey, Dailey Life Photography Models: Kirby Cargal and Sara Heide Dress: Simple Elegance Bridal Bridal hair and makeup: Indulge Salon and Day Spa Bridal bouquet: Clementines

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draw the family closer together, enlisting the help of builder Jeremy Walton. “We did so much of the labor together as a family, with my wife, Elaine, son, Gabe and my son-in-law, Destyn,” John relates.

“My brother, Rance, even helped as well. We spent almost two years together building every day, and it was a wonderful experience, bonding as a family.”

The family didn’t necessarily have building experience, but they didn’t let that stop them.

“The moats and the courtyard were the last parts we built. The girls learned how to build both from YouTube videos. They ordered molds so we could cast the cement for the courtyard ourselves, and if there wasn't a mold for what they wanted to do, they would invent and design one themselves,” John says. “Jessy, Gabe and I spent a whole summer casting cement every day to make the parts for the courtyard while Rachel drove the tractor. She and Elaine moved rocks and dirt around to create our ceremony area and the waterfall in the parking lot.”

The venue hosted its first wedding in October 2019, and they’ve been making couples’ wedding dreams come true ever since.

The Unique Experience The family built the castle thinking about not only functionality, but photo opportunities and wedding backgrounds as well. The property includes the elegant front castle towers, cascading water features, a chandelier-filled Great Hall, majestic columns in the courtyard, a balustrade bridge, a cobblestone aisle and a well-landscaped front lawn.

“At the Castle at Wildwood Gardens, we strive to make every bride feel special,” Jessy relates.

“Most of our couples have unique visions for their wedding day, and we love to see all of their different personalities shining through. We can quickly adapt to customize each event and help make it completely unique to each couple. There are many unique features at the castle, like the moats and towers, but my favorite is our old-world courtyard, not only for its stunning look, but also for the group effort that went into creating such a unique space.”

Both the bride and groom deserve to feel pampered and special on their big day. The castle suite provides a luxurious area for the bride and bridal party to use to get ready, and the attached secret garden offers a private area for bridal party photos. The groom and his groomsmen can enjoy the castle lounge, complete with comfy seating facing a TV. It also offers outdoor space, as well as a surprise secret door.

Dailey Life Photography Zachary Dailey, Photographer for West Georgia Woman Magazine

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the courtyard surrounded by old-world columns and “We wanted all of our spaces to feel authentic to railings.” a castle, so we found beautiful Victorian furniture The castle’s front and mirrors to adorn lawn accommodates the castle suite,” the largest groups in Rachel explains. “The a stunning outdoor castle lounge offers Is the Castle pet friendly? ceremony area wrap-around seating, We love for our couples to include their fur babies on complete with a a large television their special day! handcrafted wooden and a unique hidden arbor. The courtyard bathroom behind a Is the Castle climate controlled? works well for rolling bookcase door.”

The Castle features lots of climate-controlled space outdoor ceremonies for your comfort. The large ballroom, the castle suite, or receptions, where the castle lounge, bathrooms and prep kitchen are guests can enjoy some all climate controlled. shade from the pergolas Because the or twinkling lights in the venue was built with How long do I get to use the Castle? evenings. weddings in mind, The Castle at You get to use the Castle from 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. couples have multiple Wildwood Gardens also on the day of your wedding. You will also get a oneoptions for weddings has an indoor great hour use on a day prior for a ceremony run-through. up to 200 guests. “We hall, which features offer two ceremony a dramatic fireplace What do we do if it rains? options for our brides,” and balcony seating in Rachel relates. “They In the event of rain or inclement weather on your big addition to the lowercan get married on the day, the Castle has plenty of covered space to host level options. front lawn surrounded both your ceremony and reception. The ballroom The owners and by white roses and and the courtyard both provide protection from rain. staff offer full support crepe myrtle trees, or in

Frequently Asked Questions

What They Offer

Photo by Zachary Dailey, Dailey Life Photography Models: Kirby Cargal and Lily Welter Dress, veil and wrap: Downtown Gowns Hair and makeup: Indulge Salon and Day Spa Floral Table Centerpiece: Mountain Oak Florist and Design The Castle at Wildwood Gardens courtyard. Couples can get married on the front lawn of the Castle surrounded by white roses and crepe myrtle trees, or in the courtyard surrounded by old-world columns and railings.

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The courtyard works well for outdoor ceremonies or receptions, where guests can enjoy some shade from the pergolas or twinkling lights in the evenings. Inset left and right: The Castle at Wildwood Gardens has an indoor great hall, which features a dramatic fireplace and balcony seating in addition to the lower-level options. Photos by Zachary Dailey, Dailey Life Photography. Models: Kirby Cargal and Lily Welter. Dress, wrap and veil: Downtown Gowns. Hair and makeup: Indulge Salon and Day Spa. Bridal bouquet: Clementines.

to ensure each wedding is as stress-free as possible. “Our castle provides the perfect backdrop for any couple's vision,” Jessy says. “Some like to use our large inventory of decor, while others prefer to hire a full planning company to transform the space into their unique vision. We set up and tear down the ceremony and reception areas before and after each wedding. We provide tables, chairs and linens for each event. On wedding days, the castle team includes two staff members to help coordinate vendors and assist in any space flips, plus a parking attendant and security guard.”

John explains that the average wedding they host has around 100 guests, and the venue rental fee runs between $4,000 and $5,000.

“Brides often mention our wonderful customer service and our attention to detail,” Rachel adds. “They also mention how hard our team works to make sure that their day goes perfectly. We love getting feedback like that from happy couples.” WGW

The castle suite provides a luxurious area for the bride and bridal party to use to get ready. Inset: The groom and his groomsmen can enjoy the castle lounge, complete with comfy seating facing a TV. It also offers outdoor space, as well as a surprise secret door. Photo by Zachary Dailey, Dailey Life Photography. Bride model: Sara Heide. Dress: Simple Elegance Bridal. Hair and makeup: Indulge Salon and Day Spa. Bridal bouquet: Clementines. Groom model: Kirby Cargal.

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This Year's Makeup Challenge

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Lasting Under a Mask

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our big day accessory list likely has a new addition this year: a mask.

Most brides don’t wear masks for the actual ceremony, for photos and for times when they are eating and drinking, but many try to use them when in close quarters with guests and the wedding party.

Some venues are requiring masks, so please check ahead on your venue’s rules.

Your wedding day is an exciting, but long and exhausting, day, so pick your mask carefully to ensure your makeup has the best chance to stay fresh all day.

Using the right makeup also is essential – laying the proper foundation helps you focus on enjoying your day instead of stressing about constant touchups.

Your wedding mask can be simple and white, or it can be filled with bling, or act as your something blue.

Prep Your Skin

Pick Your Mask Your wedding mask can be simple and white, or

Look Amazing On Your Big Day!

it can be filled with bling, or act as your something blue. Before deciding on your wedding day mask, try on several styles. Avoid masks with metal pieces that pinch across your nose, as these can rub roughly against your makeup and leave indentations.

Pick a fabric that helps remove the moisture from your breath, such as cotton, and choose a fit that is snug without being so tight or heavy that it constantly produces friction across your face as you talk and move.

Nothing makes your skin look more radiant than being properly hydrated. In the month prior to your wedding, drink lots of water – think a gallon a day. Some foods have higher moisture contents, especially fruits such as watermelons.

Also use a primer for your wedding day. Pick a strong, matte primer that has a somewhat sticky

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consistency to help hold your foundation tightly to your skin.

The Right Foundation Foundations can be tricky – it needs to be robust enough to last the day, but not so thick that it looks caked on. One idea is to use two different types of foundation. Start with a liquid foundation on top of your primer, then brush on a layer of a powder foundation. Both should be matte if possible – it’s better for photos by causing less glare than shimmery foundations, and it tends to stay on longer.

Set the foundations by using a gentle amount of translucent finishing powder. The powder helps absorb oil and give a photo-ready finish to your skin.

Double Your Blush While you don’t want to overdo the look of your blush, using a technique similar to the foundation helps keep your blush in place under a mask.

Start with a cream blush – apply just a tiny bit of a relatively neutral color, such as a taupe, and blend it well in your desired cheek areas.

Finish the blush by brushing on a powder version of the same color, remembering that less is often more. It’s easier to add more powder blush to fill out your look than it is to try to remove the color once you’ve layered it on too heavily.

Love Your Lips This is one of the easiest pieces of your makeup – pretty much any long-lasting lipstick will work. Some is likely to rub off inside your mask, but the longlasting styles tend to avoid smudging as they rub off.

Lip stains work well, too.

Picking a matte lipstick helps it last longer – shinier lipsticks tend to transfer to your mask quicker, just like they do to cups when you take a drink.

Adding a lip liner gives a border to help hold the lipstick in place, and dusting your lips before and after applying the lipstick gives it even more staying power.

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Your Eyes This is the day for your eyes to really shine. Even when your mask is covering most of your face, your friends and family can see the love in your eyes when you look at your new spouse. Take extra care on your eye makeup.

Use brow gel to add long-lasting shape to your brows, and accentuate your lids with light and dark shades of eyeshadow. Use a thickening or lengthening mascara, especially on your top lashes.

Consider a waterproof version if you might get emotional throughout the day.

Setting Your Look Setting spray, sometimes called finishing spray, is a newer product, but it’s one that extends the durability of your makeup. Setting spray is designed to keep your makeup from creasing and smudging – essential functions when you’re wearing a mask.

Choose the right one for your skin type – if you choose a dry-skin version that tends to add moisture and your skin is actually naturally oily, it can cause more problems than it fixes.

Remember that less is more. It's easier to add more powder blush to fill out your look than Even the best laid plans it is to try to remove can’t keep some of your the color once you’ve layered it on too heavily. makeup from transferring to your mask.

Arrange your schedule so you have at least a few minutes in your dressing room as your ceremony is starting where you can be socially distanced enough to add a final brush of powder or lipstick right before you walk down the aisle.

Between the ceremony and reception, make a pit stop to the dressing room to touch up your makeup again if necessary.

Your family and friends can be your biggest helpers at your reception as well. Have a couple of people designated as your makeup helpers – they should have at least the powder foundation, finishing powder, lipstick and a mirror available for you throughout the reception so you can fix your makeup on the fly during the times you remove your mask. WGW

Touching It Up

makeup

hair STYLING

trials

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Is Wedding Insurance a Thing?

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he big day is almost here! You’ve spent countless months meeting with vendors, tasting cakes, trying on dresses and visiting venues. Your event deposit checks have been cashed, and all that’s left to do now is show up on time.

At the last minute, you find out disaster has struck.

The venue was damaged by a fire, or perhaps a rare Georgia ice storm hits in the night at the most unfortunate time. Now what?

Wedding insurance might be the right answer for you. While the best outcome is that you pay for wedding insurance and never have to use it, it can be worth its weight in gold wedding rings if an unexpected catastrophe occurs.

What It Covers There are two types of wedding insurance: liability and cancellation. Liability covers accidents, such

as someone breaking a chair, or injuries, like if a bridesmaid trips on her dress and breaks her wrist when she falls, during your wedding and reception. It’s required by some venues. It might be a good idea to invest in if you’re having a wedding at your house, especially if you’re serving alcohol – check with your homeowner’s insurance first to see if your current policy will cover event liability.

Cancellation insurance is just what it sounds like – it covers you if your wedding is cancelled for reasons outside your control. There are caveats to that, however. Most wedding insurance doesn’t cover change of heart by the bride or the groom, and many have specifically excluded COVID-19-related cancellations, so read the fine print carefully.

What the insurance does cover might make it worth it for your peace of mind. This might include: • Vendor cancellations, including the venue, caterer and photographer. The cancellations could be for various reasons, including vendor bankruptcy, vendor no-show, bad weather or natural disaster.

• Illness or injury. This is sometimes limited to the wedding party and immediate family of the bride and groom, and it’s typically meant for situations like the bride’s father getting injured in a car accident the day before the wedding or the groom catching the flu.

• Military deployment. This sometimes happens with little warning, and the insurance could help you reschedule the wedding before or after the deployment, covering any lost

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deposits or change fees.

• Wedding attire. This coverage usually includes just the wedding party – it would help if you were trying on your wedding dress and accidentally ripped the lace train.

• Gifts. This is usually an add-on, but this often covers theft or damage of gifts, not including cash and gift cards.

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What It Doesn’t Cover Every policy is different, so read each quote carefully to ensure your needs are met. But in general, most policies don’t automatically cover: • Change of heart – if the bride or groom gets cold feet.

• Pandemics in general, specifically COVID-19 currently. Some exclude “known events” in general. For example, if you book a wedding 60 days from now in the wine country in California, but there are wildfires raging when you purchase the insurance, you won’t be covered if your venue closes due to the nearby fires.

• Mistakes by vendors. If your florist shows up

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with red roses instead of yellow daisies, your wedding insurance won’t get involved.

• Outside rentals. Liability coverage insures damage to equipment owned by the facility where you’re holding your wedding, but it doesn’t necessarily cover rented equipment, like tables or chairs, brought in by an outside company. Check your policy carefully – you may be able to add that coverage if necessary.

• Hazardous sports. If the groom is injured skydiving or axe throwing for his bachelor party, any wedding cancellations or delays might not be covered.

• Job loss. If you have to cancel the wedding because you or the groom lost a job and you can no longer afford to pay for the event, it might not be covered. Some wedding insurance policies will cover it if you qualify for unemployment.

Costs and Alternatives

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As with any insurance policy, the cost varies depending on the company and your needs. Policies typically range from around $150 to $1500.

The policies often have time limits as well. Some let you purchase as late as 15 days before the wedding, and as early as two years before the event.

Check with your vendors before purchasing wedding insurance. Your venue might have liability insurance already, for example, that can save you money by allowing you to buy only cancellation insurance. Some credit cards offer cancellation or liability coverage as well.

If you’re having a small, intimate gathering, wedding insurance might not make sense. But it’s definitely worth researching, regardless of your wedding size, just to have the peace of mind that any money you spend prior to the wedding isn’t lost if the unexpected happens. WGW

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Trending Wedding Cake Styles

Taking the Cake and Making it Your Own

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his new wedding season looks like it will have its fill of punchy colors, including lilac, soft orange, green and fuchsia. With bolder colors in play, it’s not a surprise that many couples are opting for simpler wedding cake designs. Although the styles lean toward the more neutral side, they tend to be more thoughtful and personal to the bride and groom.

Florals Florals certainly aren’t new to wedding cakes, but in 2021, brides are changing them up a bit. Many choose edible flowers, either mixed in with the top layer of frosting or placed on the top of each tier.

Delicate sugar flowers are back, but this time with a twist. Couples often seek to bring something meaningful to the cake, so they choose the flower styles carefully. Maybe the groom gave the bride yellow daisies when he asked her to marry him, for example, so the cake is adorned by daisies. Or, the couple might have their own flower garden, and they choose to portray flowers they grow together.

Hand painting is more popular this year, where the cakes are decorated with edible paint. Many brides choose the watercolor style because of the softness and delicate look, but others go for a more realistic paint design.

Tall and Skinny This year sees the return of dramatic flair when it comes to wedding cakes. Instead of several flat, 32round tiers, some couples select fewer but taller,

skinnier tiers. This new trend lends itself to the creative, artsy couples, as the shape and style of the tiers is limited only by the couple’s imagination.

Some prefer traditional round shapes, but as tall, narrow cylinders instead of the flatter tiers. Others go for rectangles, creating cakes that look almost like skyscrapers. Other couples choose to mix shapes

and sizes – perhaps the cake has a cylinder base, and flatter octagon layer, then a tall rectangle to finish the design.

Simple is In

Hand painting is more popular this year, where the cakes are decorated with edible paint.

While wedding colors are vibrant this year, the trend is to keep the cakes more neutral and softer with their colors. All-white cakes are popular, most with little or no decoration in the frosting.

Aromatics are trending, as well.

Some couple drape lavender and eucalyptus, for example, around each tier, for a beautiful yet simple style. Others use live flowers, such as white roses, cushioned by simple greenery.

Small and Individual Cakes Since many couples are sticking with smaller ceremonies and receptions this year, there’s not as much need for a large wedding cake. For those still wanting the fun and memory of cutting the cake together, bakeries have begun offering smaller versions of the traditional cake. This might be one large tier, or possibly two small tiers. This also allows

couples to try different cake flavors and enjoy the planning process without going overboard on the price.

With the lingering virus issues, another trend is to serve individual desserts instead of a wedding cake.

Cupcakes and donuts have been at weddings for a while, but this year, couples are stepping it up a bit. Instead of a traditional cupcake, they opt for exquisite tiny versions of a wedding cake. These can be hard on the wallet, though.

For sanitary reasons, some couples choose individually packaged desserts, such as macaroons or cookies that match the wedding color scheme. Often less expensive than custom cupcakes decorated as wedding cakes, individually packaged desserts offer additional options for couples.

Small jars filled with s’more fixings, for example, might also serve as the guests’ favors, or the couple can select a variety of choices to meet dietary needs, such as gluten-free or vegan options.

This ability to personalize the desserts helps the couples show their guests how much their presence is appreciated without breaking the bank. WGW

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Stress-free Seating

How to Stay Socially Distanced

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lanning where your guests sit for the reception is a necessity for most brides. A seating chart keeps people apart who need to stay apart and ensures there’s room for social distancing.

The important thing to consider is making your guests comfortable, physically and emotionally.

Spacing Traditionally, tables have narrow aisles in between.

To meet social distancing guidelines, put at least 10 feet between tables – six feet of space in between when two people are seated, as a pulled-out chair usually takes up about two feet. Any waiters who are helping will thank you, but it might reduce the number of people your venue can accommodate.

Ask for a floor plan drawn to scale to ensure all tables are distanced properly.

Grouping Guests Here’s where the situation gets a little trickier. If you’re trying to adhere to social distancing guidelines, the seating puzzle suddenly becomes a 5,000-piece jigsaw.

Try grouping guests by family units

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first. People who live together can sit together. This can also apply to people who commonly spend time together but don’t live together, such as unmarried couples or people in the same friend group. While there is no rule about how many people can sit at a table, most experts recommend a maximum of six people per 72-inch round table. To put that in perspective, those tables usually hold 10 to 12 people.

Once you have the large family and close-friend group tables filled, experts advise putting no more than four people at the 72-inch round tables, if those people don’t typically spend time together. For couples who aren’t comfortable sitting with others, have a few smaller tables for two scattered through the reception.

Communicating Table Assignments It’s a great idea to do placecards for the individual seats, but to keep people from picking them up to read them, communicate the seating charts in multiple ways.

Using digital seating charts sent to each guest prior to the wedding gives them the ability to see the room’s layout on their phones and find their seats without having to walk around each table.

Large seating chart signs help, as well. List each guest alphabetically on the signs, instead of listing them by table grouping, to help them find their seats faster and discourage gathering around the signs.

Color coding also helps – on the digital and inperson signs, highlight each person’s name in a color. Put that same color on the sign on each table so the guests can easily spot it from across the room.

Use a simple, easy-to-read font to keep people from grouping at the signs. WGW

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From The Moment She Was Born You’ve Wanted The Best For Her.

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