Wedding Bells 2011

8/8/2019 Wedding Bells 2011

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Ringgold Countys News and Advertising Source Since 1864

January 20, 2011

Mount Ayr

Record News


2/8

2 Wedding Bells A Guide for Planning Your Wedding Thursday, January 20, 2011

BY TRESA ERICKSONAfter all of the showers, parties and

wedding festivities, many couples havehad enough and are ready to get on withthe private celebration of their union attheir honeymoon. You may feel like this iswhere you will be and scoff at your moth-ers suggestion for a post-wedding brunchbefore you dash off on your honeymoon.

Before you put the kibosh on the idea, con-sider the following.A post-wedding brunch offers the bride

Continue the celebration of the unionand groom many opportunities. It givesthem the chance to connect with guests theymissed out on the day before and catch upon all of the details of the event, like littleJimmy breaking hearts on the dance oor.It also gives them the chance to personallythank all of those who assisted with thewedding preparations and those who tooktime off to travel to the wedding.

A post-wedding brunch also offers ben-ets for attendees. It gives someone likeAunt Gladys who may have wanted to be

BY TRESA ERICKSONWhen a couple gets married, they usu-

ally exchange rings as a symbol of theirunion. Wedding ring styles can run thegamut from simple gold bands to customdiamond creations. Whatever the choice,whatever the price, wedding rings havelong been a part of the celebration andthere are many superstitions surroundingthem. Following is a brief description ofsome of them.

Dont drop the ringAccording to superstition, it is bad

luck to drop the ring during the weddingceremony. Whoever does so will be therst to die. If the ring does happen to getdropped, neither the bride nor the groomshould pick it up. Whoever is ofciatingshould. Superstition also has it that a wed-ding ring dropped in a cemetery that rolls

across a grave indicates death-death of thebride if the grave is of a female or death ofthe groom if the grave is of a male.

Wear the ring on the right fngerIn most countries, wedding rings are

worn on the ring nger, or the fourth n-ger, of the left hand. This stems from the

Circle of loveancient belief that the vein of that particu-lar nger on the left hand ran straight to the

heart. In other countries, the ring is wornon the ring nger of the right hand. Thisstems from the belief that the thumb andrst two ngers of the right hand are sacredto the Trinity.

Dont take the ring offTaking the wedding ring off could lead

to loss or damage, a sign the marriage willcome to an end. Lost or damaged weddingrings should be replaced as soon as possi-ble and vows renewed. In some areas, it isacceptable to remove a wedding ring afterthe birth of the rst child. Superstition alsohas it that a wedding ring suspended on alock of hair over the womb of a pregnantwoman can determine the sex of the baby.Spinning clockwise denotes a boy; spin-ning counterclockwise denotes a girl.

Other superstitionsThere are many other superstitions re-garding wedding rings. Rubbing a weddingring over a wart or sty will remove it, whilesleeping with a bite of wedding cake pulledthrough a wedding ring will bring dreamsof the persons future spouse. Some cou-

ples have a faux wedding ring baked insidetheir wedding cake. The guest that nds thering will be married within the year. Pearls

are shaped like tears, and therefore, not agood idea for wedding rings. Sapphires andaquamarines, on the other hand, symbolizemarital bliss and make an excellent choicefor wedding rings.

Of course, all of these are merely su-perstitions. Brides and grooms do lose

their wedding ring from time to time, andwhile it might lead to some tension withtheir partner, it usually does not spell the

end of their marriage. It gives them the op-portunity to get a new ring, perhaps evenone better than before. It is fun to learnwhat superstitions brides and grooms onceobserved. Many seem silly today, but thatwasnt the case at the time.

a part of the wedding festivities the oppor-tunity to do so and provides out-of-townguests with a good breakfast before theyset off for home. It also provides guestswith another opportunity to connect andcatch up with each other.

While some couples choose to end thepublic celebration of their union with theirwedding reception, others choose to con-

tinue the celebration the next morning witha post-wedding brunch. Should you decideto go this route, keep it simple. The wed-

ding is over. There is no need for you to getall gussied up and put on an elaborate af-fair. Most guests will be leaving for homeright afterwards. Restrict invites to out-of-town guests and close family and friendsand select a time for the brunch between 8and 10 oclock. This will give guests plen-ty of time to sleep in. Finally, serve a widerange of breakfast foods to suit all tastes.

A post-wedding brunch can be a funway to unwind before you take off on yourhoneymoon. Give the idea some thought,and if time and budget permit, go for it!

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Thursday, January 20, 2011 Wedding Bells A Guide for Planning Your Wedding 3

BY TRESA ERICKSONYou just got engaged, and already your

mind is whirling with ideas for your wed-ding. Along with setting a date and choos-ing a venue, you will have to select weddingattendants. As the bride, you will probablywant to start the process with your maid ormatron of honor.

For some brides, selecting a maid ofhonor is a no-brainer. There is no one moresuited for the job than their one and onlysister or their best friend since kindergar-ten. For others, the decision is much moredifcult. They have several sisters andclose friends, plus a ton of cousins. In thatcase, the best course of action is to select aperson who can fulll all of the obligationsof the job.

Traditionally, maids of honor have avariety of responsibilities. Some of these

may include: Assisting the bride with much of thewedding planning, including choosing areception venue, decorations and owers

Helping the bride shop for a weddingdress and bridesmaid dresses

Addressing the wedding invitations Making or assembling the wedding

favors Hosting the bridal shower and bach-

elorette party Attending the rehearsal and helping

out at the rehearsal dinner Decorating and cleaning up the recep-

tion site Receiving the owers and handing

out all of the bouquets, corsages and bou-tonnieres

Helping the bride and bridesmaids getdressed and making sure they get wherethey need to be at the appropriate time

Holding the brides bouquet during

the ceremony Witnessing the marriage license

Standing in the receiving line Taking part in the wedding photos Toasting the couple at the reception Dancing with the best man and other

guestsDepending upon your wishes, the maid

of honor may have more or fewer dutiesto perform. Sit down and decide exactlywhat you would like your maid of honor todo. Make a list of their duties and a list ofpotential candidates for the job. Then startcomparing the lists.

Be honest in your assessment of eachcandidate on your list. You need a personwho not only will be willing to carry outthe duties you assign but do them on time.You may love your little sister, but if sheis a procrastinator, she may not be the best

candidate for the job. Your older sister, onthe other hand, might make a better choicebecause she is so timely.

Consider each candidates personal sit-uation as well. What kind of commitmentsdoes she already have? If your older sisteris a wife and mother, works full time andheads several committees, she may be toobusy to serve as your matron of honor. Ifshe is pregnant, she may be too tired andsick to perform the duties required. If sheis going through a difcult divorce, shemay not have the energy to devote to youand your wedding. Choose someone whodoesnt have as much on her plate to beyour maid of honor.

If you plan to lean heavily on your maidof honor, make sure you choose someone

who lives close enough to you to get thejob done. If you live in the Midwest, dontchoose a cousin who lives on the coast tobe your maid of honor. It will be hard for

The right person for the job

her to serve as the center of support fromso far away. Choose that dependable friendwho lives just down the street.

Choosing a maid of honor takes time.Dont rush the process, and once you have afound someone and she has agreed to serveas your maid of honor, make sure you com-

municate your wishes to her. If you wanther to take an active role in the weddingplanning, say so. If you would prefer shesit on the sidelines until the actual wedding

day, let her know that. Give her a list of allof the tasks she will be responsible for andcheck in with her often to see how thingsare going.

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4/8


BY TRESA ERICKSONAfter years of dating, you nally pro-

posed to your girlfriend and she happily

accepted. You are both excited and look-ing forward to the wedding planning in themonths ahead. One of the rst decisionsyou will make as the groom is who willserve as your best man. There are a num-ber of people who could fulll the role;you just have to decide who would makethe best t.

If you have several close family mem-bers and friends, you may nd it difcult toselect a best man. Make a list of candidates,keeping in mind that your best man doesnot have to be a man or a family member.Your sister Rita or best friend Katie mightmake a perfectly good best woman.

Before you begin narrowing your list,you must consider the duties your best manwill have to perform. The responsibilities

of the best man vary from wedding to wed-ding. Traditionally, they include:

Hosting the bachelor party Picking up and returning all tuxedos Helping transport guests Getting the groom where he needs to

go on the big day Assisting the groomsmen on the big

day and keeping them on track Bringing the rings to the ceremony Witnessing the marriage license Paying and tipping service providers

as needed Toasting the bride and groom at the

reception Driving the newlyweds to the airport

after the wedding if neededDepending upon your schedule, you

may have the best man do more or less foryour wedding. If you have a long list ofduties, you will want to select someonewho is dependable and has the time to get

The perfect choiceBY TRESA ERICKSON

Youre getting married again, but this time, it is for keeps. You have found your

soul mate, and the two of you want to express your love for each other and exchangevows in front of everyone you know. Youre denitely going to have a wedding, andas the bride, one of the rst questions you have is what type of dress and accessoriesto wear. This is your second wedding, after all. Youre not supposed to wear white,right? Wrong!

The notion that women getting married again should not wear white is pass. Asymbol of joy and commitment, white makes an excellent choice for a wedding dresscolor the second, third or subsequent time around. Off-white, ivory and pastels are alsopopular. Brides can even disband with light colors altogether and go for bolder, deepercolors, like burgundy, dark green or red.

The dress chosen should reect the time, size and tone of the wedding, as well asthe brides personality, lifestyle and fashion sense. It should also atter her body type,playing up her strengths and downplaying her weaknesses.

As for accessories, brides getting married again may go with almost anything buta blusher. Experts advise against this and suggest brides that want to wear a veil let ittrail down their back. For those who choose not to wear a veil, hats, hair ornaments andfresh owers make excellent substitutes.

When it comes to the dress and accessories for your second wedding, you practi-

cally have free reign. You can go with the traditional or spread your wings and trysomething new. You may wear a gorgeous beaded white dress with a long train or ashort red dress with spaghetti straps. It is entirely up to you. Just make sure you lookstunning!

The second time aroundeverything done.

In order to narrow your list of potentialcandidates, consider their qualications in

relation to the duties you would like themto perform. Be realistic in your assessment.Your younger brother may be very depend-able, but with school and work, he may betoo busy to take on the role of best man, es-pecially if it involves several duties. Yourolder, more-established brother mightmake a better choice. On the other hand, ifall you are looking for is someone to hostthe bachelor party and stand up with youon your big day, then your younger brothermight make a good choice.

Pay attention to the distance factor. Ifyour brothers live in the Pacic Northwestand the wedding is in Miami, they mightbe too far away to be a good best man.Choosing a close friend who lives nearbyand has easy access to everything might be

better, especially if you want them to takean active role in the wedding planning.

Whoever tops your list, make sure theywant to serve as your best man. For onereason or another, some people simply pre-fer being a wedding guest rather an atten-dant. Keep that in mind and make sure yound out what the frontrunners think beforeyou make your nal decision. Should yoube unable to select just one person, donthesitate to divide the duties among two orthree people. Rather than one best man andtwo groomsmen, you could have three bestmen.

Selecting a best man takes time and ef-fort. Be prepared to do the work, or youcould end up being disappointed, and al-ways have a backup choice. You neverknow when illness or some other unfore-seen event might come up and take prece-dence over your wedding.

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5/8


BY TRESA ERICKSONWhile some couples opt not to have children at their wedding, others do. They

take great delight in young children and cant fathom having a celebration withoutthem. If you share in this feeling and would like to have children at your wedding,make sure you plan for them accordingly.

If at all possible, hold your wedding in the morning or afternoon. The later yourwedding is, the more likely your young guests will become tired and act out of sorts.Those accustomed to going to bed around 8 oclock may even fall asleep during thecelebration, forcing parents to leave early.

Look for a venue that is child friendly. Dont select a hotel with a lot of neantiques. Young guests will be too tempted to touch all of the wonderful things sur-rounding them. Select a hotel with modern decor and make sure there are roomsnearby where young guests can nap if needed. Ask your ushers to seat all parents withyoung kids near the back of the room during the ceremony so they can leave quicklyif needed.

Provide ample entertainment. Even the best-behaved children act up when theyget tired and bored. To prevent this at your reception, hand out crayons and coloringbooks to little ones at tables and set up an area where children can play after dinner.If most of your young guests can handle sitting by themselves, you could set up aseparate table for them where they could sit, draw and color together. Just make sureyou have an adult on hand to supervise the action.

If you have the budget, consider bringing in a clown, magician or some other formof entertainment for your young guests. If you are having your reception outdoors,rent a bouncy castle and nd a volunteer to supervise the operation. You might evenarrange for a group of volunteers to serve as babysitters and whisk the kids off toanother room for hours of fun while their parents enjoy the reception.

Finally, make sure you have plenty of food and drink on hand. Provide snacks andbeverages for young guests before dinner to alleviate any hunger pains they might behaving. Then serve them a meal they will eat. Children do like to eat, but that doesntmean they will like what you are serving at your reception. For the best results, con-sult with your caterer and create a child-friendly menu for younger guests. Servechicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese in lieu of lemon chicken and rice. Youryounger guests will appreciate it, and so will their parents.

These are just some of the accommodations you can make for your young gueststo ensure everyone has a good time. Keep in mind you may need to take fewer or ad-ditional measures depending upon the number of young guests at your wedding. Ifyou are planning on ve or six youngsters, then you may be able to have an eveningwedding at an elite hotel. If you are planning on 10 to 20 youngsters, then you mayneed to set your wedding for an earlier time and bring in some entertainment. If yourbudget allows, you could always hire a professional on-site babysitting service andleave the supervising and entertaining to them!

Wee ones welcomeBY TRESA ERICKSON

Although fun, wedding planning can

entail difcult decisions, especially whenit comes to the guest list. Close friends andfamily are usually a given; business asso-ciates, clients and colleagues, on the otherhand, are not. While some couples mightnd the decision a no-brainer and just nixthe idea of mixing business with pleasure,others, especially those higher up the lad-der, might have a much more difcult timemaking the decision.

When you are a high-level execu-tive, leaving people you work with off theguest list might not be such a good idea.You should certainly invite your boss, anddepending upon where you are in your ca-reer and whats going on at work, you mayneed to invite business associates, clientsand colleagues. If a big client is in town the

weekend of your wedding and your bossis entertaining them, you may want to goahead and invite them to your wedding.That way, your boss can attend your wed-ding and bring the client with them.

Before you make any decisions regard-ing the people you work with, you shouldspeak to your beloved rst and nd outwhat they think. They may not be too keenon mixing business with pleasure. On theother hand, they may be in the same posi-tion as you and feel it is essential..

Once you have made the decision, youwill have to determine how many peoplefrom work to invite. If you are having alarge wedding and have the budget, theeasiest solution may be to invite everyone.If you are more restricted, you may have to

make some difcult decisions. You shouldmost denitely invite your boss, as wellas close colleagues. If you work regularlywith a group of associates and clients, you

Mixing business with pleasuremay want to invite them as well.

When inviting clients, you need to be

aware of the products and services they selland accommodate for that at your wedding,if needed. If a client owns a vineyard, forexample, you may want to serve some oftheir offerings at your wedding. Be carefulthat you do not serve offerings from theirbiggest competitor.

To avoid conict, you may want tothrow a separate party before or after yourwedding for those you work with. Thatway, no one will feel left out.

Whatever choices you make, try not toturn your wedding into a day at the ofce.Remember the reason you are there andkeep the mood light and the tone celebra-tory.

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Making sure you have everything youneed to make your wedding day perfect isa lot of work. Following is a check list foryour wedding planning. Keep this list andcheck off each item that pertains to yourwedding.

One year beforewedding day

Announce your engagement.Decide on a budget and hash out who's

contributing. Pick your preferences for wedding

date and time and nalize after okaying withimportant guests, location, or ofciant. Begin interviewing wedding consul-

tants in your area and/or start asking forlocal wedding vendor recommendationsfrom family and friends.

Eleven to nine months Scout out reception sites. Start looking for an ofciant who suits

your style and spirit. Book your reception site as soon as

you see something you love thats availableon your date. If you're having an engagement party,

set a date and purchase your invitations. Get organized! Start a notebook/le

folder to house all your wedding-planningpaperwork in one place.

Begin working on preliminary wed-ding guest list and decide on approximatewedding size. Request lists from parents andcreate your own wish list.

Choose your attendants/groomsmenand ask them to do you the honor. Contact the Mount Ayr Record-News

to announce your engagement. Choose a color scheme, if you so

desire, taking into account the decor of therooms/areas you have reserved for yourceremony and reception. Decide on a caterer. Hash out a rough

price per-head and begin working on amenu.Brides: Begin shopping for your gown.

When you've found some gowns you like,

head out to the stores to try them on. Finalize the guest list. If you choose an outdoor site, look into

tent and lighting rentals. Set up appointments with different

orists to discuss options. Decide on and meet with your ofci-

ant to discuss ceremony structure and anyreligious requirements (counseling, etc.). If you've started sending in vendor

deposits, now is the time to research a wed-ding insurance policy. Brides: Narrow down your gown

choices and make a nal decision. Book reception band or DJ, execute

contract and send deposit.

Eight to six months

Reserve photographer and/or videog-rapher, decide on package, execute contractand send deposit.Choose your orist and send a deposit

to reserve their services. Make sure your honor attendant and

best man are aware of what you expect ofthem -- providing a list of their duties willhelp. Register for your wedding gifts, and

don't forget to include some choices for yourupcoming bridal shower or engagementparty as well. Brides: Decide on the bridesmaid

dresses. Set aside blocks of hotel rooms for

out-of-town guests.

Contact out-of-towners with the nalwedding date and time so they can savethe date. Book a baker, choose your wedding

cake design, and send a deposit. Brides: Collect necessary measure-

ments from attendants or pass off infor-mation so that they can order the dressesthemselves. Book ceremony musicians and send

deposit. Brides: Order your gown. Make sure

you've asked all the critical questions andyour order contains the correct informa-tion. Start planning the rehearsal dinner.

Provide the host with contact informationfor your attendants and any other guests.

Finalize your invitation wording anddesign. Finalize menu and service details with

caterer.

Order your invitations and announce-ments .

Five to four monthsGrooms: Decide what style of formal-

wear you will be wearing. Reserve tables, chairs, and/or other

rental equipment you need. Start planning your honeymoon. Grooms: Start looking to buy or rent

tux, suit or other formal attire. Book rehearsal-dinner site. Grooms: Start to plan your grooms-

men's attire: Tux or suit? Book hotel room for your weddingnight. Start thinking about ower-arrange-

ment styles you like, and gure out whatowers are in season. Book your honeymoon and make

travel reservations. Finalize your wedding insurance

policy, including liability if required byyour site. Grooms: Decide on your grooms-

men's attire. Decide on a oral scheme, choose

owers, and negotiate prices with orist.Be sure to sign a contract outlining whatyou agreed upon.

Three to two months

Grooms: Give all of the groomsmenthe information they need to buy and/orreserve their attire. Brides: Choose accessories (shoes,

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gloves, and so on) for your attendants, andeither hand off information or coordinatewith them.Consider specic ceremony and recep-

tion decorations.

Brides: Curious to try out a beauty rou-tine? Want to experiment with self-tannersor try a facial? Now's the time. Shop for and purchase wedding

rings. Schedule portrait session if you need

one for a wedding announcement on MountAyr Record-News. Brides: Make sure your attendants

have purchased their dresses and acces-sories.Make or buy favors. Allow extra time

for custom-made favors . Talk to your honor attendant and best

man about shower and other party plans. Brides: Buy any special lingerie your

gown requires in time for rst ttings. Grooms: If you are renting a tux, visit

the formalwear shop to get measured. Get anything you need for an interna-

tional honeymoon (passport, birth certi-cate, visas, vaccinations, etc.). Talk to people youd like to do special

performances or readings as part of theceremony. Start addressing invitations you'll

need to send them out at the 2-monthmark. Arrange for all insurance policies to

include you and your future spouse: health,auto, homeowner's and life insurance. Send wedding bands out to be en-

graved. Grooms: Choose and buy any ac-

cessories you will need: shoes, shirt stays,cufinks, and a pocket square.

Brides: Provide guest list to brides-maids for your shower. Brides: Begin your ttings. Arrange wedding-day transportation

for you, your wedding party, and guests(as needed).

Six weeksOrder liquor, wine and/or champagne,

if not included in the catering contract.

Begin writing ceremony program, ifyou are having one. Conrm reservations for out-of-town

guests.As you receive presents, be sure to up-

date and/or add items to your registry list. Submit your wedding announcement

to the Mount Ayr Record-News. Brides: Attend nal wedding-gown

tting. Set aside some time to write thank-

you notes for gifts received at the bridalshower. Buy a guest book and nice pen. Make an appointment to take the veil

to your hairstylist and make sure your cur-rent hairdo and veil work together. Grooms: Attend your bachelor party,

and, afterward, make sure to thank the bestman. Brides: Buy gifts for your maid of

honor and bridesmaids. Grooms: Buy gifts for your best man,

groomsmen, and ushers.

Three to four weeks Send rehearsal-dinner invitations. Do trial runs of hair and makeup and

schedule wedding-day beauty appoint-ments. Finish and print ceremony programs. Work on a list of "must-play" songs

for your DJ or band.Discuss song list with ceremony musi-

cians and agree on nal choices. Pick up wedding rings and check in-

scriptions before you leave the store. Make sure your homeowner's insur-

ance covers your rings and gifts. Wrap all gifts for the wedding party

and write each attendant a nice note. Conrm wedding-night and honey-

moon reservations. Work out wedding day timing and

details (who will get the bride there, where

the wedding party will dress, etc) and drawup a schedule. Brides: Make sure you have your gar-

ter and "something old, new, borrowed, andblue" if you want to include these customsin your wedding. Finalize any special preferences, read-

ings or other ceremony details with yourofciant. Get a head start on those thank-you

notes . Plan a party or go out for cocktails to

thank your attendants for all their help.Conrm head count, delivery time, and

location with the cakemaker. Call guests who haven't RSVP'd for

the wedding and rehearsal dinner (its okayto do this, you need a nal head count!).

If you're having a receiving line,determine the order you want everyone tostand in. Determine any wedding day assign-

ments for members of the wedding partyand make lists/info sheets as needed. Brides: Practice walking in your wed-

ding shoes. Give nal head count to the caterer.

Confirm set-up instructions and menuitems.

One to two weeks Start putting together the seating plan

if there's a seated reception meal. Touch base with your ofciant and

give him/her rehearsal details and weddingday schedule.Conrm delivery locations, times, and

nal arrangement count with orist.Grooms: Pick up your tux and try it on

(dont wait 'til the day of to do this). Shop and pack for honeymoon.

Conrm location, date, and time withphotographer and give them a "must-take"photo list. Conrm location, date, and time with

videographer.

Grooms: Get your nal haircut. Prepare your toasts or thanks to friends

and family. Plan any additional night-before ac-

tivities with friends and/or attendants. Put together an overnight bag for your

wedding night (toothbrush, sexy lingerie,etc.) and designate someone to deliver it tothe hotel for you. Leave a copy of your honeymoon itin-

erary with someone in case of emergency. Confirm date, location, time, and

playlist with band/DJ and/or ceremony orcocktail hour musicians. Brides: Get a manicure and pedicure

and conrm big-day beauty appointments. Designate someone to collect the

wedding gifts (and any cash) brought to

the party.Day before

Brides: Pull together wedding gown,veil, shoes, stockings, and a last-minuteemergency kit (aspirin, makeup, safety pins,mints, etc.). Rehearse the ceremony with ofciant

and wedding party. Drop off favors, guest book, and pen

at the reception site. Have fun and relax at your rehearsal

dinner. If your wedding is in the a.m., set your

alarm and arrange for a backup.

Wedding Day Set aside a private moment together to

exchange gifts and a sweet congratulatorykiss (or two). Take a moment to thank your parents

and tell them you love them.

Relax, smile, and enjoy the day!

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8/8


cluded performances by Sha Rukh Khanand Kylie Minogue.

Next to a multimillion-dollar wedding,a $12 million wedding dress might seemlike nothing. The Diamond Wedding Gownfrom Renee Strausse and Martin Katz Jew-ellers featured 150 carats of diamonds andwas the most expensive in the world. Itwas shown at the Luxury Brands LifestyleBridal Show in 2006, while the second-most expensive wedding dress was shownat Dubais Fashion & Diamonds Show. De-signed by Yumi Katsura, the gown featureda thousand pearls and one of only two ve-carat white gold diamonds in the world. Itwas valued at $8.5 million.

For wedding cakes, nothing can top the$20 million masterpiece of Nahid La Patis-serie Artistique and Mimi So. The cake ap-

BY TRESA ERICKSONMany a young girl dreams of marry-

ing her prince one day in a lavish wed-ding. Planning such a wedding requirestime and money, and lots of it. The moreelaborate the wedding, the higher the pricetag. Experts suggest that the average pricefor a wedding today runs anywhere from$20,000 to $30,000. For many folks, thegure is staggering. For others, it is a merepittance.

There have been many weddings cost-ing in the millions of dollars throughouthistory, but the most expensive to datebelongs to that of Vanish Mittal and AmitBhatia. The six-day affair was held inFrance in 2004 and cost $55 to $60 million.Mittals father, the Indian Steel Maharajah,picked up the tab for the affair, which in-

Over the toppeared in 2006 at the Luxury Bridal Showin Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Deckedwith jewels, it was not intended to be eat-en.

The tab for owers for the average wed-

ding can run in the hundreds of dollars, butthe most expensive wedding bouquet costway more, about $125,000. The red andwhite bouquet features 90 gemstones, ninediamonds and a star-shaped ruby and is on

display on the sixth oor of the Ruby Plazain Hanoi, Vietnam.

Money is not always an object in wed-ding planning. It is hard to imagine some-one spending millions of dollars on a once-

in-a-lifetime event, but it does happen,often with celebrities and the well-to-do.Sometimes the marriage works, and some-times it doesnt, begging the question ifover-the-top weddings are worth it.

Need a DJ?Give us a call

The Disc Jockey

Over 20 years experiencein southwest Iowa and northwest Missouri

Affordable rates No job is too large or too small

References available

Call 641-344-4822

wedding invitationsand wedding accessories.

Order your invitations and get a

15% discounton other wedding accessories includingnapkins, thank you cards, gift books,cake toppers, ring pillows, garters,toast glasses, candles, pens, guest

books, party favors and more.

~ See Us For ~

122 W . Madison, P.O. Box 346, Mount Ayr, Iowa 50854

Email: [email protected] Website: mtayrnews.com

Ph. 641-464-2440

Documents

Wedding Bells 2011