Bridal Guide - Bristol Press - 01-22-12

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016366

2 | Sunday, January 22, 2012 The Herald PressWEDDINGS

By ADAM STUHLMANCORRESPONDENT

NEWINGTON — IndianHill Country Club has a long his-tory in Newington, having beenfirst established in 1890, and it’sundergoing some changes as itmoves into the new year.The club was recently pur-

chased by Lessings, a cateringcompany with roots dating backmore than a 100 years, and execu-tives say the new ownership willmake wedding preparations easierfor couples.According to Arnie Fink, din-

ing director for Lessings, theyare in the process of doing somerenovations of Indian Hill.

“We have added new Frenchdoors and a gazebo,” Fink said.“Our goal is to build Indian Hillinto something prestigious thatcomplements the golf course.”Fink said Indian Hill has

become an “all-inclusive desti-nation catering hall,” and thatLessings is going to be redoingthe road in front of the gazebo,changing it to brick pavement inan effort to make it look moreattractive.Michael Nesdale, general man-

ager of Indian Hill, said that therewill be some additional renova-tions in the restaurant and someof the reception rooms.“We are updating the 19th hole

lounge, as well as the banquet

space upstairs,” Nesdale said. “Weare doing a lot of landscaping andthings to incorporate the out-door space leading to the indoorspace.”One feature Indian Hill has is

an 18-hole golf course.In addition to all the style-

based changes, Lessings has alsochanged the food. In Americanweddings, the food plays a huge

part in the type and style ofwedding.Nesdale said a lot of work has

been done with the food thatIndian Hill serves, especially withthe quality and quantity.“The quality of the food and

the quantity of it has changeddramatically since Lessings tookover Indian Hill, we have a lotof very established recipes and

programs in place from our otheroperations,” Nesdale said, “and itwas just a matter of translatingthem to here and finding out whatthe local needs are.”According to Nesdale, the vari-

ety of foods has changed in thatthere are more choices of grilledfoods, banquet-style foods andhors d’oeuvres.

Lessings cateringbrings good tasteto InidanHillCC

Rob Heyl | Staff

Above left, Chip Loree and Tracy Cusano from Lessings prepare some hors d�oeuvres. RIght, The main room atIndian HIlls Country Club.

See INDIAN, Page 4

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Customer service is a majorpoint for any businesses, and it’sno different for Fink or Nesdale.Nesdale said that one of the

goals of Lessings is to make a“personal connection with folks,

getting them to think of us as partof the community, create a desirein them to be here.Once that is inplace, I think everything else willfall into place more easily.”Fink said Indian Hill has the

intention of becoming a primary

destination for banquet needs —with a strong focus on “qualityand service.”With the goal of having 25

to 30 weddings a year, Fink andNesdale hope the new operationswill bring in additional customers,in the hope of giving everyone agreat experience.For information,call IndianHill

at (860) 665-7817 or go to www.ihccgolf.com. The club is locatedat 111 Golf St. in Newington.

Rob Heyl | Staff

Arnie Fink who is the Director of Operations for Lessings is in charge offood service at Indian Hill Country Club.

IndianHill puts focus onpersonalconnections,quality and serviceContinued from Page 2

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METRO CREATIVE GRAPHICS

One aspect of wedding plan-ning that tends to send peopleinto panic is wedding receptionseating arrangements.Here are some useful guide-

lines for setting up seatingarrangements that can helpprevent family or friends fromfeuding or feeling jilted at yourreception. Place yourselves, as well

as the bridal party, at a separatetable that is in a prime locationin the room. Be sure to allow thespouses or dates of bridal partymembers at the same table socouples remain together. Some couples choose to

seat both sets of parents at onetable together — the parents’table. Grandparents may also beseated at this table, dependingon the number of people eachtable can accommodate. If children under the age

of 7 are invited, they shouldbe seated with their parents.Children between ages 7 and14 can be seated at a separatekids’ table. Be mindful of guests with

disabilities or mobility issues.Seat them close to the door,bathrooms or food station. Instead of separating the

bride and the groom’s family toseparate sides, intermingle thetables to promote conversation. Consider arranging guests

by common interests at eachtable, seating business associatesor parents’ friends together. Take into consideration

people who have relationshiprifts and try to seat them sepa-rately. But don’t stress about thistoo much because it won’t bepossible to accommodate every-one. You’ll have to hope that atyour wedding a certain level ofdecorum will preside amongstall of your guests. It’s not unheard of to

let guests seat themselves. Thistakes the pressure of finding aseat for everyone off of you as acouple and enables you to thinkabout the other tasks at hand.This can take place at a buffetwedding or a smaller affair.

Howtomakethe seatingwork for yourwedding

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By ADAM STUHLMANCORRESPONDENT

BRISTOL — With the wed-ding season arriving, and theholidays behind them, couples arelooking toward getting marriedlater this year. With spring onthe horizon, this time of year is abusy one for couples and banquetfacilities. Some facilities may belooking to add new features andexpand into hosting weddings,while some may be looking to

just continue what they have donein the past, and look to build onthat.Nuchies restaurant in Bristol

has been in business since 1976and has made the goal of provid-ing strong service and a goodtime as the cornerstone for itssuccess. With weddings being bigbusiness, it has various styles ofreception packages available fordifferent banquets, along withthree separate rooms: the Hollis,the Josef and the Cameo. The

Hollis and Josef are the biggestand can hold up to 300 people,while the Cameo holds up to110. In addition, there is a smallerroom for parties of 25 to 75people.There are three separate wed-

ding packages, the New Englandpackage, the Classic and theStandard.The New England package

requires a minimum of 125 guestsat $90 a person, and each persongets a choice of three entrees

consisting mainly of various typesof fish or chicken, vegetables,potatoes, ana p p e t i z e r ,salad, pasta,and des-sert. It alsoincludes useof the entirefacility, cock-tails, a DJ, aswell as a five-hour top shelfopen bar.The Classic package consists

of various floral decorations, a5½-hour top shelf open bar, and achoice of three entrees consistingmainly of shrimp, beef or chicken,while guests start out with horsd’oeuvres, fresh vegetables and afive-course dinner.

The Standard package givescustomers the chance of having

a four-coursedinner ora buffet,which con-sists of freshfruit, pasta, achicken andveggie buffet,roast primerib of beef,filet mignon,or honey-

glazed ham.With the restaurant recently

celebrating its 37th anniversary,Mike Pasqualiccio, the vice presi-dent of Nuchies, gives credit tostrong customer service and high-quality food.

Bristol classicNuchies offers bridalcouples range of options for any budget

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016643


By CARA DAVIS

Today’s brides and grooms areinfusing creativity, personality,cultural trends and most of all,fun, into wedding planning. Thenew normal is not normal at all.Here’s a look at eight alternativewedding trends that are poppingup in 2012.

MiniWedding Dresses

Whether it’s glammed up,vintage or breezy casual, knee-length wedding dresses are morepractical and more personalizedfor today’s bride. As more storesroll out wedding boutiques likeJ.Crew and White House BlackMarket, brides can pick up awedding dress from their favoriteretail store. And let’s not forgetthat for some, that’s Etsy, wherethey can pick up a custom hand-made gown for as little as $40.

Fun with Color

From black accents to bold

color blocks, color is king thisyear. And it’s not limited tothe bride. Non-matchingbridesmaids are coordinatingin patterns or complementarycolor combinations. In additionto bold color palettes, shades ofgray and stripes continue to be abig color trend.

Alternative Gift Registries

Many couples are registeringfor gifts that will help them in apractical way. Travel agencies arestarting to offer honeymoon giftcertificates and some auto deal-ers are offering gift certificatestoward the purchase of a newvehicle. CardAvenue.com allowscouples to create a gift card reg-istry for national retailers.Couples can get creative as

they want: they can request giftcards to home improvementstores to offset costs of homerenovation, or register for localrestaurants so they can contin-ue dating as newlyweds on abudget.

Punchy Personalization

While the structure of thewedding remains the same, thelook is anything but. The timemay be different (think brunch),the seating may be smarter (seat-ed at tables & staying put forreception), the furniture may befunky (varying size and shapeor non-traditional choices), andforget the wedding favors, today’scouples are giving personalizedtakeaways, like souvenir photobooth picture strips.

Eco-friendly Finds

Outdoor spaces, reclaimedfurniture, flea market finds andeven wooden rings are helpingeco-conscious brides and groomscelebrate in a big way withoutthe environmental impact. Greenweddings can feature local-ly grown food and seed-linedwedding invitations that can beplanted.CarbonFund and Terrapass

offer wedding carbon footprint

calculators, where air travel ismost likely to be the big offend-er. Couples can purchase carbonoffsets to lessen the impact, orrequest contributions as gifts.

The Rustic South

There’s been a rise in rustic wed-dings in the past several years and itmirrors a growing hunger in popu-lar culture for all things Southern(think The Civil Wars, J.Crewfashion, artisan jeans, home-brewedbeer). Today’s vintage and rusticweddings are all about embracingsimplicity and infusing new life intoold things. From location (barns orold warehouses) to furniture anddecor (antiques and flea marketfavorites) to apparel (vintage clothesand even broach bouquets), manycouples are going for the nostalgicfeel of the old South.

CulturalCues

Couples looking to add levityto their big day are incorporatingpop culture trends. Food cart fare is

showing up in pre-wedding cocktailhour and the after-party. Culturallysignificant themes like retro Asianflavors and ethnic icons like sushi,ninjas, geisha girls and Chineselanterns are being used in inven-tive ways. Vintage board games areshowing up as Monopoly pieces inbouquets and Scrabble letter tiles assigns for the buffet.

Death of theWedding Cake

The exorbitant cost of tradi-tional tiered wedding cakes havegiven way to nontraditional des-serts like square mini-cakes andcupcake tiers or a dessert buffetthat might feature pies, maca-roons, Whoopie Pies, cake pops,color-coordinated candy andeven ice cream sundae stations orcookies and milk bars.

Cara Davis is the author of CheapWays to Tie the Knot and blogsfrom her home in Orlando, FL,about cheap ways to spend and saveat CheapWaysTo.com.

Couples put somepizazz intoplanning

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Every couple wants their wedding to bememorable.For some couples, a theme wed-ding is the best way to accomplish just that.The day the wedding takes place may dic-

tate the theme. For example, if the weddingtakes place on Halloween, the ideas for thetheme are easy. Many other couples choosea theme that highlights a specific interest orhobby or something that is dear to them.Here are some popular themes. Holiday: The Christmas season lends

itself well to wedding planning. The colors(red, green, gold) are already established,and most churches and buildings are alreadydecked out in holiday finery, cutting downon the amount of flowers and embellish-ments couples need. Because the holidayseason is so busy and a popular time forsocializing, couples who want to tie the knotduring this time of year should send save-the-date cards well in advance. Vegas: Couples who want to tie the

knot in Las Vegas but want to ensure alltheir loved ones can attend can recreatethe magic of Vegas wherever they may be.Casino-inspired games and big buffet mealscan make guests feel like they have steppedinto a casino on the famed Vegas strip. Inaddition, an Elvis impersonator is essentialto a Vegas wedding.TV show: Some couples elevate certain

television shows to cult status. Whether it’s“Friends” or “Star Trek,” popular televisionshows have been transformed into festive

wedding themes. Whether the idea is togo daring and exchange vows in costumeor simply name reception tables accordingto characters or show locations, couples caninclude a little television fun into the event. Fairytale: Many men and women envi-

sion a fairytale wedding complete withhorse-drawn carriage and the “happily everafter.” This is what makes Disney proper-ties as well as the various castles aroundthe world popular backdrops for weddingevents. Interest or passion: Love to climb

mountains? Avid about scuba diving?Couples who share a particular interest caninclude elements of this sport or hobby intotheir wedding. Invitations and decor canhint at the theme, and then special activi-ties can further enhance it. Fish bowls ascenterpieces underwater adventures, whilesurfboard-shaped invites may set the scenefor a beachside party.


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By LEANNE ITALIEASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK (AP) — Theheck with lovey-dovey Valentine’sDay. Turns out December, withits holiday cheer, romantic winterbackdrops and family gatherings,is among the busiest months forpopping the question.“It’s a pretty time of year,” said

Jake Nyberg, 31, a video pro-ducer in Minneapolis. He choseChristmastime to drop to oneknee in front of his beloved. “Youknow you’re going to be arounda lot of family. You’re going to beseeing all the people you’d liketo see after something like thishappens.”Sarah Pease, a professional

proposal planner in New York,usually gets one or two inquiries aweek, but once Thanksgiving rollsaround, it’s more like one or twoa day, with most guys looking topropose in December. While shespecializes in elaborate surprise

proposals, she says the simpleengagement-ring-under-the-treetrick is still popular.Laurent Landau in New York,

a partner in DiamondIdeals.com,also sees the December bump:“October, November and earlyDecember, we probably see a 50to 60 percent increase in the num-ber of people buying rings withthe purpose of proposing duringthe holiday season.”And it’s not just regular

folks; celebs confirm the trendtoo. Matthew McConaugheyannounced in a tweet that heproposed to his girlfriend,Brazilian model Camila Alves, onChristmas Day this year. And twodays after Christmas, a spokes-man for John Legend revealedthat the singer recently proposedto his girlfriend, model ChrissyTeigen, in the Maldives.Christmas is considered one of

four big proposal days, along withValentine’s Day, Thanksgivingand New Year’s.

’Tis the season forweddingproposals

METRO CREATIVE GRAQPHICS

Engaged couples about to takea trip down the aisle are increas-ingly choosing to pay for thewedding themselves. To meet thefinancial demands of the modernwedding, some may turn to loansfor financing the wedding.One of the most important

things to realize is that a weddingloan will need to be paid backand with interest fees you willhave spent several thousand dol-lars more on the loans than theoriginal principal amount. A loanmay be a good idea for coupleswho anticipate considerable mon-etary gifts from guests that canoffset the cost of the loan. Somecouples might begin their profes-

sional careers after their wedding,which will increase their salaryenough to repay the loan quickly.Others may have the money butwant to use a loan as a way toestablish strong joint credit.However, in a world where

many people already live beyondtheir means, a wedding loan may

just be another shovelful of soil ona financial grave. The consensusamong financial experts is that itis better to scale back the weddingor postpone it until you can savemoney the old-fashioned way.If a loan seems the only option,

here are some tips. Shop around on a wedding

loan to find the best rates. Decide how much you can

afford to pay back within 2 to 3years and stick to that amount. See if options like refinancing

a home or borrowing from familywould be better than a loan. Look at banks, credit unions

and even programs sponsoredthrough your employer to com-pare rates on loans.

Think before you take out a wedding loan

Experts say avoid wedding debt.

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Just as many men and womenmay have visions of what theirwedding will be like, parents, fam-ily members and friends also mayenvision others’ weddings. Parentswho have their hearts set on see-ing their little girl in a white,princess gown or their boy begin-ning to start his own family couldbe disappointed at the prospect ofan elopement.Modern-day weddings have

become costly spectacles, withcouples spending in upwards of$30,000 for the average fete. Insome families the wedding can beabout impressing others. This canmake a wedding seem less enticingfor a couple who wants to keep itsimple.While the prospect of saying

their vows atop a picturesque hill-side in the middle of the Alps mayappeal to some low-key couples,most realize that sharing the newsof eloping with their family andfriends is not nearly as appealing.In some cultures, the wedding ismeant to be a public event. Forother families, parents and siblingsmay almost feel robbed about notgetting to share in an event asmomentous as a wedding, especially

if the couple has already been a partof other family members’ events.Telling people of the elopementdecision could require some finesse.Experts advise that family and

friends should be told of theelopement idea — before it takesplace. Although the conversationcould be awkward,it will be muchless of a blow thansitting down witheveryone and say-ing, “Surprise, weran off and gothitched!”Discussing the

idea with every-one and tellingthem the rea-sons why elopingseems appeal-ing will start adialogue. Thisenables friends and family toshare their opinions and feel partof the decision-making process.If the reasons for elopement areover areas of conflict, such aswhat to do with blended familiesafter a divorce, this might provean easy and convincing defenseof eloping.Some couples may find that

their relatives are supportive of

the idea. After all, the moneyspent on the average wedding canbe put to other uses, includingusing it as a down payment on ahome or student loan payments.Many will feel comfortable withthe idea if there is some way tocelebrate, such as a small dinner

afterward.It’s hard to

please everyone,and few willlikely be pleasedif a couple elopes.There will besome peoplewho feel insultednot to be invitedto the wedding.However, onehas to hold fastto the hope thatif these peoplereally love the

couple they will eventually dis-miss any ill feelings after a coupleelopes.Couples who want to spare

feelings may have a small cer-emony at the courthouse and thenelope and do it all over for justeach other.Ultimately, a marriage is about

finding compromises and whatworks for you as a couple.

Somecouples choose thequiet path to commitment

Experts advisethat family andfriends shouldbe told of theelopement idea— before ittakes place.

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Sunday, January 22, 2012 | 11The Herald Press

“We are very well known for ourItalian food,” said Pasqualiccio,“and we always give 100 percentno matter what may be happen-ing. People can’t be fooled: quality,quantity and good service all builda strong business.”With regards to the food,which

Pasqualiccio describes as a “uniquemulti-purpose food extravaganza,”Nuchies offers a specialty buffet,along with five other buffets all at$26 a person.The specialty buffet is $45 a

person and consists of variouspastas, chicken, vegetables, ormeats and deserts.Pasqualiccio said that while

Nuchies is not concerned aboutfancy decorations, they go out oftheir way to provide a good time.“People mostly look for some-

thing fancy, and we are not bigon fancy,” said Pasqualiccio, “butfor what we do and give for yourdollar, no one will beat us. You getwhat you pay for, good service.”Pasqualiccio also said that peo-

ple are allowed to decorate theirown banquets.He and his brother Dave both

started the business at a young age,19 and 21, respectively. Accordingto Mike Pasqualiccio they bothgot married at Nuchies, have helda lot of family functions, and bothhave kids that work there now.When they started the busi-

ness, Pasqualiccio said the biggeststruggle was that they had a strictfocus on doing just banquets,which took years to recover from.One of the big factors contribut-ing to their success is that theyhave maintained their status asa small company-30 employees,in large part due to the fact thatMike and Dave take care of many

responsibilities themselves.Pasqualiccio spoke about how

necessary it is to keep overheadlow-despite recurring costs-some-thing any business manager canrelate to.You must always be prepared

for something to happen, he said.

Mike Orazzi | Staff

Nuchies in Bristol is a bridal bastion for the wedding planning set.

Bristol bridal bastionContinued from Page 6


Over the course of theirlifetimes, many people will bewedding guests on several occa-sions. During the height ofwedding season, weddings canrun into one another. Here aresome ideas that can make yourwedding reception stand out. Skip the big entrance.Those

who were kind enough to attendthe ceremony have already beenintroduced to the newly mintedhappy couple. Instead of spendingthe cocktail hour in the isola-tion of the wedding suite, minglewith your guests from start tofinish. Being with guests duringthe cocktail hour means you don'thave to make that big entrancefrom behind closed doors. Guestswill have all eyes on you when you

step on the dance floor for yourfirst dance together. Dance to an upbeat number.

Guests are expecting a slow, sappytune.What they may not expect isan upbeat song that shows you arewilling to have a little fun.Choosea tune that shows your excitementand love for each other. Encourage couples to dance

together. It's often customary forthe bridal party to join the brideand groom on the dance floormidway through the first dance.However, that leaves spouses orsignificant others waiting in thewings. Instead, encourage yourbridal party to dance with whom-ever they choose.Swap the garter/bouquet toss

for something more meaningful.If you're part of a couple whofeels the garter and bouquet toss

has become trite. Use this timeto present a small gift or tokenof your affection to someone onthe guest list who has served as amentor or source of inspiration. Choose one special compo-

nent as an extra goodie for guests.Spending more money doesn'tnecessarily mean guests will havea better time. If you want to goabove and beyond the ordinary,find one thing that you absolutelylove and offer that at the party. Hire a live performer. A

live band adds a certain level ofexcitement that a disk jockey maynot be able to provide.Those whoare adding a cultural or ethniccomponent to their wedding maywant to hire a dance troupe oranother type of performer, like abagpiper, as an added measure ofentertainment for guests.

Howtomake your receptionstand apart from the crowd

Free party consultation.

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WEDDINGS

12 | Sunday, January 22, 2012 The Herald Press

By JAN SWEENEYCORRESPONDENT

Creating a stunning weddingcake has now become an ediblework of art.However, the previous wed-

ding cake trends of couturefashion designs and heavy layersupon layers of swag fondant areslowly fading for the season.This year’s bride is seeking an

overall traditional look with adose of modern whimsy that willhelp to create a lively, elegantfeel to her reception.In the upcoming spring and

summer season we will see thatless is more.Cakes will become a baker’s

canvas of white or ivory in colorand butter cream or fondanticing.Allowing much to the imagi-

nation, airbrushed or hand

painted patterns and designsapplied to cakes create what isreally a work of art that is almosta shame to eat.The colors you will find most-

ly will be bright and vibrantcolors such as tangerine, whichis a fresh and fun new color forthe season.Various shades of oranges,

softer shades of whites, pinksand blush will be prominent, yetthe popular and bold jeweledtones such as deep purple andnavy continue to shine for manybridal couples choosing the per-fect wedding cake.The traditional double tiers

and taller tires for dramaticheight is a request of manybrides this season. The taller,the better.Fifty percent of wedding cakes

will be adorned with some typeof flower. Either fresh or a

handmade floral will be decidedon when looking at the actualcake budget.A great new trend this year is

to coordinate a floral arrange-ment to mirror your tablecenterpieces, place it onto yourtop tier, and accent the addi-tional layer with coordinatingflowers.Monograms or unique per-

sonalized designs make up mostof the other fifty percent of caketops.Now that we have the visual,

what are we seeing on the insidefor the 2012 season?Outrageous and creative selec-

tions bursting with flavor.The cake selections are a vari-

ety of vanillas and chocolateflavors to interesting flavorssuch as pink champagne andbutter rum.The most popular trends for

fillings are the fruit selectionssuch as pomegranate, passionfruit and different types of ber-ries with strawberry being astrong favorite.

Jan Sweeney is owner of Day toRemember Events, LLC Wed-ding & Special Events. Visitwww.Day2RememberEvents.com or reacher by phone on(860)614-3658 or email at [email protected]

Wedding cakes createa sweet centerpiece

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WEDDINGS


By BARBARA ORTUTAYASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK (AP) — Fordo-most-of-it-yourself brides,wedding planning means lists,lists and more lists, with somespreadsheets thrown in for goodmeasure. There are also the long,endlessly pored-over documentsof vows, readings, even toasts. DidI mention lists?Enter Google Docs, the search

company’s free, easy-to-useonline document software. Withtemplates for the spreadsheet-challenged and a slew of prettyWeb tools, the service is like theperfect bridesmaid. She’s calm,collected and full of good ideasbut not overly pushy, letting yousteer the ship. She’s there whenyou need her.I started earnestly planning my

April 2011 wedding around thistime last year. After lots of pen-on-paper scribbling, I decided tojoin the 21st century and movemy planning online. Do you havea wedding, civil union or othercommitment ceremony comingup this year? Let good old Googlehelp.I picked Google’s tools over

dedicated wedding-planningwebsites such as The Knot for afew reasons:

� I didn’t want to be bombardedwith girly girl ads, think-inside-the-box advice and expensive“must-have” lists. No flower girls,cutesy favors or bright brides-maids’ dresses for us (though wedid have bridesmens’ suits).

� I didn’t want to join a site thatasked for my full name, addressand other personal information.I didn’t see why I should have toprovide all that. The Knot’s pri-vacy policy had not been updatedsince 2008. It says it participatesin Facebook’s Beacon sharing pro-gram, which was shut down morethan two years ago over privacycomplaints. Time for an update,perhaps?

� Finally, I’ve been using Gmailsince 2004 without a hitch (I’lljust let Buzz slide). I saw no rea-son why I shouldn’t let Googlehelp me get hitched.To start, I armed myself with a

to-do checklist from the popularwedding blog Offbeat Bride —another invaluable Web tool for

independently spirited brides.With my fiance and now hus-

band, I took to Google Docs forour first task. We listed friendsand family members we hopedwould share our special day.Witha set budget and relatively smallfamilies, this wasn’t too difficult.The next step, a bit more so.

Because so few people send cardsand letters through the mail thesedays, one of the more annoyingtasks in planning a wedding ishounding your friends and rela-tives for their mailing addresses.Google Docs has automated

this with a simple email template.Once you’re on Google’s weddingssite at http://www.google.com/w e d d i n g s ,you can click“Plan” in thetop rightcorner. Thiswill takeyou to a setof planningdocuments.S e l e c t“ A d d r e s sBook” fromthat list, then

click on “use this template.”You can use that to send a form

email to your guests, completewith a prettypicture of awedding cakeor whateverelse themeyou pick(“Wall St.”anyone?).The email

has boxesthat yourguests canfill in with

their street, city and other addressinformation, along with theirphone number and any com-ments. When friends and familysend that back, Google automati-cally adds the information to aspreadsheet. You can then tweakthe spreadsheet to add columnsfor meal choices and other suchdetails.Easy-peasy right? Sort of.

Our young, tech-savvy friendsresponded quickly, and soon wehad a spreadsheet with about halfof our guests. But some peopledidn’t seem to know what to do

Review:GoogleDocshelpsAfter lots of pen-on-paper scribbling,I decided to join the21st century andmove my planningonline.

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For Informationor Reservations

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READERS’ CHOICEREADERS’ CHOICE

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WEDDINGS


bride findperfect bridesmaidwith the form. Others thought itwas spam. I had to send regularemails, not pretty forms, to somepeople, saying hey, that form wasnot spam, please fill it out.For many couples, there might

also be those older folks who donot use the Internet at all andneed to be called to get addresses.The spreadsheet, once com-

pleted, proved invaluable. It’ssimple to share documentsthrough Googlwe by enteringrecipients’ email addresses, or torestrict them so only you can seethem. I shared the list with my

fiance and with the people whowere planning our bachelor andbachelorette parties. Over time,we added columns such as “invita-tion sent” and “gift description.”Besides a DJ and a photog-

rapher, we also hired an onlineofficiant to help put together ourceremony. A friend of ours per-formed the actual ceremony aftergetting ordained over the Internet.Cobbling together the ceremonywas much like collaborating on ascript among four people in threelocations.Googlew Docs again proved

invaluable. And because the doc-uments are stored remotely, onGoogle’s servers, there was nodanger of losing them.That’s whathappened to a co-worker who wasplanning her wedding around thesame time. Her computer died,and her carefully curated passageswere gone.Not everyone usesGoogleDocs,

though.Our online officiant didn’t,so she sent us attachments of herdrafts using Microsoft Word. Iconverted those to Google Docsand shared them with my fianceand the friend who’d be perform-ing the ceremony.We all tweakedthe script until it was perfect.Google lets you share docu-

ments with people as “can view”and “can edit.” After the wedding,I shared the final document with

my mom, so she could keep it forposterity — but not edit it, lest

she insert some new vows she’dlike my husband to keep.You can download documents

to store on your computer in vari-ous formats. These include PDF,Word or a text file. For those whodidn’t want to use Google Docs, Isimply downloaded documents asWord and sent them as an attach-ment. No biggie.Besides documents, Google

also offers wedding tools to buildyour wedding website (a must-have these days) and share photos.Although we did not use theseservices, they are worth checkingout.There’s also a budget-planner

template, which we did not use. Ithad too many things that we hadno intention of using. It wouldhave been nice to have a rangeof budget templates for simple,average or lavish weddings. And,this being 2012, it would be niceto see more options for same-sexcouples to plan weddings.Besides the ceremony script and

guest list, we also scanned in andsaved the seating chart, the pas-sages and poem that we had ourfriends read during the ceremony.We kept a detailed schedule

of the day’s events that we gaveto the wedding venue and all thefriends who were helping us.On the big day, we also printed

out a list of important phonenumbers and addresses and extracopies of everything — just incase.The actual wedding could not

have gone more perfectly.ThoughI owe the most thanks to my tire-less friends and family.

AP

The screenshot shows a Google Docs template for couples to solicit mail-ing addresses from guests for wedding invitations.

Quality Is Our Standard!You’ve tried the rest! Now come to the Best!

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260 East St. (Route 10)Cristal Commons

Plainville, CT 06062www.premierportraits.net

860.410.4303

Premier Portraits photographs weddings in amanner and style that captures the events ofthe entire day, showing people in a relaxedand happy environment.

We offer affordable packages with excellentquality. Many of our packages include a DVDslideshow and a proof of your photos.We also create beautiful albums.

Over 30 years of WeddingPhotography and Video experience.

Artificial Flower Shop860-582-0516

www.wix.com/artificialflowers4/artificial-flower-shop-shohhhh p

Stop in to see ourBridal Displays

Largest Selection of Silk Flowers in CT

017507

WEDDINGS


Napoli CafeDeli & Catering

848 South Main StreetPlantsville, CT860-628-4994

www.napoli-catering.com

StonewellRestaurant

354 Colt Highway (Rt. 6)Farmington, CTExit 37 o� I-84860-677-8855

Testa’sBanquet Facilities26 South Center St.Southington, CT860-628-8509www.testas.cnet

Tunxis PlantationCountry Club

87 Town Farm Rd.Farmington, Ct860-678-9523

www.tunxisbanquets.com

BRIDALONE-STOPSHOPPING

Bristol Commons& The Annex

99 Farmington Ave.Rt. 6, Bristol

CAKES & FAVORS

Bolo Bakery32Whiting St.860-410-4292

www.bolobakery.com

Harvest Bakery84 Farmington Ave.

Bristol, CT860-589-8000

www.theharvestbakery.com

CATERING

Angelo’s Market& Catering

349West Main StreetNew Britain, CT860-223-7340

www.angelosmarket.com

Jeske’s Catering, LLC380 Main Street

Kensington, CT 06037860-829-7766

Fax: 860-829-1965www.jeskescatering.com

[email protected] Riverhouse

at Goodpeed Station55 Bridge Road

Haddam, CT 06438860-345-4100

www.theriverhouse.com

The Society Roomof Hartford

31 Pratt StreetHartford, CT 06103

860-524-0796www.hartfordsocietyroom.com

Krause CaterersE. Hartford, CT860-568-5000

fax: 860-568-5322www.krausecaterers.com

CEREMONY &

RECEPTION

Trinity-on-Main69 Main StreetNew Britain, CT860-229-2072

www.trinityonmain.com

DANCE LESSONS

U.S. Dance Club38 New Britain Avenue

Rocky Hill, CT860-529-2888

Http//[email protected]

FLORAL DESIGN

Artificial Flower Shop26 Lake AvenueBristol, CT 06010860-582-0516

The Flower Girl1237 Shuttle Meadow Rd.,Southington/Plainville line

860-793-9424

GIFTS

Patrick Baker& Sons, Inc.

1650West StreetSouthington, CT 06489

860-628-5566

GOWNS

Bridal BellsBoutique, LLC114 Mill StreetBerlin, CT

860-828-8462www.bridalbellsboutique.com

Molly Couture Atelier715 Lakewood Rd.

Waterbury, CT 06704203-617-8593

www.mollycouture.com

JEWELRY

DBK Jewelers41 East St.,

Plainville, CT 06062860-747-3374

Polumbo’s Jewelers438 East StreetNew Britain, CT860-223-8886

Shannon’s Diamondsand Fine Jewelry, Inc.74 Farmington Avenue

Bristol, CT 06010860-582-8858

JUSTICE OF

THE PEACEThomas F. Carey

860-539-6355Realtor/Justice of the Peace

[email protected]

CarolSchweitzer-SchillingJustice of the Peace

Rockfall, CTcarolsschillling@yahoo.

com860-316-7600

“Grow old with me,the best is yet to be”

Karen MowadJustice of The Peace

Custom Ceremonies, Pro-fessional Service,

Low [email protected]

860-582-1678203-233-1216

PHOTOGRAPHY

Premiere Portrait260 East St.Plainville, CT860-410-4303

www.premiereportraits.net

RECEPTION &BANQUET

Indian HillCountry Club

111 Golf St., Newington,CT 06111

[email protected]

Krystal Gardens1146 Spindel Hill Rd.

Wolcott, CT(203) 879-4050

www.krystalgardenscatering.com

RENTALSConnecticut Rental

Center30 Dekoven Drive

Middletown, CT 06457860-347-4688

www.ctrentalcenter.com

TRAVELScully Travel580Wolcott Rd.Wolcott, CT203-879-2593

[email protected]

Wollenberg’s/TLC Limousine436 Main St.Terryville, CT

860-585-LIMO (5466)www.tlclimousine.net

To Be Included In This Directory In The Future PleaseCall 860-225-4601 Ext. 281 Ask For Gary Curran, Manager.

BANQUETSAND CATERING

Aria45 Murphy Rd.Prospect, Ct203-758-0096203-573-8083

www.ariabanquets.com

The CornucopiaBanqueting Hall

371 Pinewoods RoadRt. 8, Torrington

489-5446 &1-800-3 TO BWED

www.cornucopiabanqueting.com

The Gallery141 New London Tpke.Glastonbury, CT 06033

[email protected]

Mahan’s Lakeview& Fine Catering15 Grilley Rd.Wolcott, CT203-879-9363

www.mahanscatering.com

Manor Inn Restaurant1636 MeridenWaterbury

TurnpikeP.O. Box 1636.

Milldale (Southington) CT06467

860-628-9877manorinnrestaurant.com

2012WEDDING DIRECTORY

019290

WEDDINGS


2nd AnnualBridal Show

DJs, Photographers, Limo,Formal Wear,Cakes, Bridal Gowns & more.

Pre-register at www.crsocials.com$5 Admission

Call Enzo for more information at 860-628-8509

Entrees:Choice of:

Dessert

Bar

Cocktail Social Hour

Choose any three HorsD’oeuvres:

Also Includes:

First Course(served individually)

Absolutely Gorgeous!Newly Designed Interior & Exterior!

Two Banque t Rooms and Priva t e Br ida l Su i t e

To view other packages go to our website at www.testas.net

Wedding Package Special*

Complete PackageIncluding DJ,Cake & Flowers

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26 South Center St., Southington (860) 628-8509

Limited time o�er!All of this for just

$5995

Accommodations 30-400 guests

Bridal Shower Packagesstarting at $1995

Rehearsal Dinners$1795

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WEDDINGS

Documents

Bridal Guide - Bristol Press - 01-22-12