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From invitations to flowers, soon-to-be-marrieds
are saying 'I do' to several new proposals this season
BY LAUREN BISHOP |
ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER
The holidays may be over, but a new season has begun -
wedding-planning season.
November and December account for 26 percent of all marriage
proposals, according to a 2005 survey of 1,131 brides by the Condé
Nast Bridal Group, publisher of Brides, Modern Bride and Elegant
Bride magazines. So come January, couples begin planning their
nuptials in force.
To find out this year's big trends, we turned to some of the
merchants in the Covington Wedding District - the newest spot where
brides and grooms-to-be can browse for bridal gowns, tuxedos, cakes,
flowers, invitations, photographers, jewelry and more.
Anchored by Jim and Donna Salyers' banquet hall, the Madison, and
the four-story, 10,000-square-foot Fabulous-Bridal Boutique, which
opened on Madison Avenue in November, the district includes a
growing number of merchants who cater to soon-to-be-marrieds. About
16more businesses are planning to open Feb. 3 in the
4,000-square-foot Madison Avenue Wedding Mall, developed by the
Salyerses.
"Covington is looking pretty promising right now," says Nemar
Maize, owner of Maize Music, a wedding mall tenant who now works out
of his home. "If we're going to have an office for the first time,
we might as well put it where the brides are coming."
BRIDAL GOWNS
The fabric of choice for 2006 brides is silk, namely dupioni, or
raw, silk - a high-end fabric made from two silkworms that has an
unusual texture, says Tricia Schweitzer, general manager of the
Fabulous-Bridal Boutique.
Gowns with color accents are big this year, as are dresses with
pickup skirts, where the fabric is picked up at different points and
attached to the skirt to give a fuller look, Schweitzer says.
Strapless gowns, once the rage, are giving way to
off-the-shoulder, halter and tank styles, says sales and merchandise
manager Holly Clark.
Fabulous-Bridal carries styles by 12 wedding dress designers
exclusive to Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, and all of
them have shorter and more creative dress styles this year to appeal
to brides planning nontraditional or destination weddings,
Schweitzer says.
BRIDESMAIDS' DRESSES
Color is back in a big way, and shades such as peony, orange and
green are hot, Clark says.
She and Schweitzer say brides are back to being unafraid of
telling their bridesmaids what to wear, after many recent brides
tried to find something that their bridesmaids could wear again.
GROOMS' ATTIRE
Most grooms are choosing vests and ties - particularly long ties,
as opposed to bow ties - that complement the bride's dress, says
Dave Brogan, owner of Brogan/Hesketh Formal Wear and Bridal House in
Price Hill, which is opening a satellite store in Covington's
wedding mall.
Many opt for jackets with three or four buttons, while outfitting
their groomsmen in one- or two-button jackets, he says.
"If the bride's going to distinguish herself, the groom should
too," Brogan says.
INVITATIONS
Forget lots of small envelopes packed inside one big envelope.
The big trend is "envelopment" - tying everything together with a
bow or grommet, says Kristen Folzenlogen, owner and designer of
Letter Heads Inc., which is relocating from the Reading bridal
district to the Madison Avenue Wedding Mall.
Another big trend?
"Color," she says. "No one'safraid to try color now."
Many of Folzenlogen's clients also are asking her to
custom-design menus for their reception.
FLOWERS
Pinks and reds rule when it comes to flower arrangements, says
Courtenay Lambert, owner of Courtenay Lambert Florals, Weddings
& Events, which will have a storefront in the wedding mall.
Couples are picking Gerber daisies, hydrangeas and ever-popular
roses for their big days, she says.
Irene Hyatt, designer and manager at Jackson Florist in Latonia,
which just opened a second, smaller store on Madison Avenue, is
seeing both bridal and bridesmaids' bouquets in strong colors -
brilliant yellows, hot pinks and fuchsias.
Another trend: Brides and bridesmaids are carrying bouquets with
rhinestones or pearls tucked into the blossoms.
For centerpieces, "the trend seems to be more of a few flowers
naturally arranged in a vase, as opposed to the old stiff, round
bouquet in floral foam," she says.
WEDDING CAKES
Stacked cakes tower over those separated by pillars, says Peggy
Mullenger, co-owner of Affordable Wedding Creations. Most couples
still opt for white or chocolate cakes, but are also being tempted
by cakes with fillings, such as raspberry, she says. And cheesecakes
are popular, too.
Most couples opt for live flower arrangements - namely calla
lilies or roses - to crown the cake instead of a bride-and-groom
topper, she says.
Couples aren't as sweet on groom's cakes as they once were, but
the ones who do order them are getting increasingly creative,
Mullenger says. One recent confection looked like the cap of a
bottle of Miller Lite, with two beer bottle-like cakes on either
side in a nod to the bridegroom's beverage preference.
E-mail lbishop@enquirer.com
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