bride and groom 2012

Peninsula Daily news BRIDE & GROOM I February 2012 1

&GROOM

Bride

A publication of the Peninsula Daily News

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Peninsula Daily news Peninsula Daily news2 BRIDE & GROOM I February 2012

table of contents

Bride & Groom 2012

Published by the Peninsula Daily News

Main office: 305 W. First St.

Port Angeles, WA 98362

John C. BrewerEditor and Publisher

Steve PerryAdvertising Director

Brenda Hanrahan Special Sections Editor

On the cover:Emily Nightin-gale and Jeffrey Courts were married last August in Port Gamble.

The couple selected Hood Canal Vista Pavil-ion for their wedding

and reception. Emily, formerly of Port Angeles, and

her husband are both in the U.S. Air Force. The Courts now live in Oklahoma City.

Julie Lawrence captured this image of the newlyweds leaning against one of the quaint build-ings in Port Gamble. For more information about Julie’s photography, visit www.JulieLawrenceStudios.com.

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8 5

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4 — Learn about Fern Hollow, a new kind of wedding venue.

5 — Find out when a local bridal shop will host a trunk show.

8 — Find out what inspires a self-taught cake designer.

10 — Local couples share their wedding stories and advice for having the perfect North Olympic Peninsula wedding.

There is a wonderous place

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Angel Crest Gardens is not your average wedding florist. The family owned and operated nursery features fields of flowers planted and cared for by owner Linda Moffitt and her mother, Doris Pimm, and friends and neighbors.

“Our motto is ‘Simple. Serene. Something different,’” explains Linda. “We do not have the slick retail look of other florists. We are a farm, we are farmers, but the

flowers come out looking fresh, beautiful and luxurious. Bridal flowers can be as simple or as complicated as the bride wants them to be.”

Linda moved to Washington in 1992 and purchased the property that would later become Angel Crest Gardens with her husband, Dave, in 1997. She planted the farm’s first flower field in 1998 and started selling bouquets of dahlias on a small table beside the farm’s mailbox.

“In 2003, I was able to resign from my ‘real’ job as a counselor for the Port Angeles School District and focus my efforts on Angel Crest Gardens,” Linda says.

“We still offer roadside fresh-cut flowers and now offer a full line of floral services for wed-dings, school dances and funerals in addition to potted patio plants and hanging baskets.”

Along with an assistant, Doris and various friends, neighbors and volunteers, Linda gathers blossoms from fields for bouquets. If the farm doesn’t grow a particular flower a bride wants, Linda will special-order it from a trusted vendor.

The nursery and fields are open to the public from May to September, and Linda encourages brides to contact her well in advance of the wedding date to discuss bouquets, boutonnieres and other wedding flowers.

“The more notice the better, but we have pulled off a wedding with only a few hours’ notice when a couple forgot to order flowers,” Linda says with a laugh.

“We can work with almost any budget. I like the idea that the average person can have beautiful flowers on their wedding day and any other day.”

Angel Crest Gardens is located at 58424 U.S. Highway 112. For more information, phone Linda at 360-457-8222, email [email protected] or visit www.angelcrestgardens.com.


Flowers and endless ideas flourish in fields west of Port Angeles.

Creativity in bloom

photos and flower arrangements by Angel Crest Gardens

Bridal flowers designed by Angel Crest Gardens feature seasonal fresh-from-the-field flowers such as tulips, roses, freesia, lilies, dahlias, chrysanthemums, ferns, salal and sweet peas. Arrangements from the farm, located west of Port Angeles, can also feature specially ordered orchids, birds of paradise and other exotic varieties.

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Look your best on your special day

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Restored Dungeness Valley farmhouse and barn experience new life as a place to gather for weddings, reunions and more.

A new rural venueFinding the right location for a wedding is sometimes more difficult than selecting the

perfect wedding dress.The location often serves as a place for family to gather to celebrate the couple during a

rehearsal dinner, to prepare for the ceremony, to say vows, to celebrate during a reception and to take photographs to remember the day forever.

This wedding season couples will have a new venue — Fern Hollow — to consider. Fern Hollow, located at 1195 Taylor Cutoff Road, is situated near the Dungeness River at

the foothills of the Olympic Mountains. The venue features a fully restored 1943 farmhouse and barn, landscaped gardens and a creek running through the property.

The story of Fern Hollow stretches back to the fall of 2007 when Bill and Patti Kimler purchased the farmhouse and crumbling barn from longtime friends and neighbors Ruth and Jack Fechter.

After deciding to restore the barn, the family began to consider the idea of creating a gathering site for weddings, reunions and other joyous occasions.

Bill worked with Brett Schafe and various subcontractors to restore the barn. Patti, along with landscape designer and architect, Francis Spillane, renovated the house

and highlighted the natural beauty of the grounds. The Kimlers, who were born and raised in Sequim, sought to retain the beauty of the

property as a tribute to the former owners while creating a place family and friends could gather for a variety of celebrations.

Following years of hard work, Fern Hollow has opened its doors to couples looking for a destination wedding venue.

“We call Fern Hollow the gathering spot because it is a beautiful natural setting to gather with family and friends,” Patti says.

“The landscaping exemplifies the beauty of the Peninsula and reminds us of the things that we love about the area. Having a wedding at Fern Hollow is like having a wedding at home but with a lot of the details taken care of for you.”

Fern Hollow offers accommodations for 10 people in five fully furnished suites, all with private bathrooms. The house also boasts a commercial kitchen with a gas range, subzero freezers, two beverage refrigerators, a 4,000-square-foot patio perfect for rehearsal dinners and a sound system you can hear inside and while outdoors on the patio and in the gardens.

The barn has radiant floor heating, fabulous mood lighting and a staging area for a band. Chairs and tables for wedding guests are included in the rental price. Parking for guests

is located across the road so automobiles do not become part of the wedding scenery.“When someone rents Fern Hollow for an event they have complete access to the 2.5-

acre property,” Patti says. “They can use the barn for the wedding, the patio for a rehearsal dinner, the grounds for

photos by Jessica Young/Copper Moments Photography

^ Kristin Moore poses for a photo in Fern Hollow’s restored barn.

> Fern Hollow, nestled near the Dungeness River in the foothills of the Olympic Mountains, features a restored farmhouse and barn, landscaped grounds, off-site parking and more.

photos and the house for catering needs and accommodations for close family and friends.”Patti and her daughters, Jessica Young and Kristin Moore, did a lot of research, visited

a variety of wedding venues across the Northwest and recalled their personal wedding experiences when creating Fern Hollow.

“We really put a lot of effort into planning what we could do with the space and what would make it great for clients,” says Jessica, who serves as Fern Hollow’s venue coordinator.

“We want people to focus on enjoying their wedding, not worrying about when the chairs will arrive or how to haul off the trash.”

A grand opening celebration will be held at Fern Hollow from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 28.

The public is invited to tour the venue, sample foods from local catering companies and enjoy live music from Ranger and the Re-Arrangers.

The winner of a wedding giveaway package that in-cludes access to Fern Hollow, flowers and catering services will also be announced.

For more information about Fern Hollow and to enter the wedding giveaway, visit www.fernhollowvenue.com or phone 360-504-2323.

— Brenda Hanrahan

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Dozens of wedding dresses created by well-known designers will be brought to Port Angeles for Black Diamond Bridal’s Moonlight Trunk Show in March.

The show will be held at Black Diamond Bridal, 109 E. First St., between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. Friday, March 2, and from 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday, March 3.

“It’s the first trunk show ever held in Port Angeles and the biggest bridal event to ever happen here on the Olympic Peninsula,” says Belva Bodey, owner of Black Diamond Bridal.

“Brides will have a chance to view and try on dresses and even have a chance to meet the family of Val Stefani designers.

“Whether you’re planning your wedding this year or next year, this is something no bride, bridesmaid, mother or guest going to a wedding will want to miss.”

The shop offers the full line of Moonlight Bridal gowns, which are known for top notch designs at reasonable prices.

Belva says the line features the highest quality satins, laces, gossamer tulles and organza.

“Each gown is simply a stunning example of the finest crafts-manship and design,” she says.

During the trunk show, the shop will be transformed into a “mini bridal show” featuring local caterers, cake designers and others who offer wedding products and services on the North Olympic Peninsula.

The downtown shop has one of Moonlight Bridals’ most popular dresses — the Kate Middleton gown — on display.

“We studied every bridal designer’s version and found this one to be an exacting replica,” Belva says of the now famous gown the Duchess of Cambridge wore during her April 29, 2011, wedding to England’s Prince William. “You will definitely feel like a prin-cess in this glorious gown.”

Port Angeles shop prepares for a trunk show that will bring hundreds of designer dresses to the Peninsula for brides to try on.

A dress fit for a princess

photo by Brenda Hanrahan

^ Belva Bodey, owner of Black Diamond Bridal in Port Angeles, adjusts a Moonlight Bridal replica of the Kate Middleton gown. >>> CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

Moonlight Bridal Trunk Show

at Black Diamond Bridal, 109 E. First St. in Port Angeles,10 a.m. to 8 p.m. onFriday, March 2 & 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.Saturday, March 3

Cameron’s Cafe and Custom Catering will add another layer of elegance to your wedding.

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22577459Peninsula Daily news Peninsula Daily news6 BRIDE & GROOM I February 2012

to detailAttention

Photo by Julie Lawrence/JulieLawrenceStudios.com A heart-shaped piece of sea glass with Lauren and Jim Peterson’s wedding rings create a unique keepsake photo.

Photo by Jan Kepley/Natural Light Photography

< Sail and wooden boats gliding through the waters off Port Townsend help create this quiet image of Brookann and Brett Payseno following their wedding.

Photo by Julie Lawrence/JulieLawrenceStudios.com > A charming schedule of events greets guests to the Sequim wedding

of Elizabeth Jackson and Jason Hirst.

Photo by Brenda Hanrahan/Peninsula Daily News< A bridal bouquet resting on the train of Shelley Robertson’s dress showcases the delicate details of both the dress and the flowers.

^

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Custom wedding cakes.Amazing grooms cakes.

Amy Matney, Owner of Dream Cakes, loves the process and artistry of

designing the perfect wedding and grooms cake.

Amy is committed to making yourwedding cake experience exceptional in every way.Dream Cakes looks forward to making your

wedding cake dreams come true.Visit our website at www.amydreamcakes.vpweb.com

Call for yourcomplimentary cake consultation at 360-457-9386 - By appointment

See us at the Moonlight Bridal Trunk Show

at Black Diamond BridalMarch 2~3rd


Creating delicious showpieces

Creating a wedding cake that will be remembered long after the vows are said takes more than just mixing ingredients such as flour, eggs, butter and sugar together.

A truly spectacular cake takes a skilled designer who isn’t afraid to take a few chances.“I ask couples to think outside the box when it comes to what they envision for their wedding cake,” says Amy

Matney, owner of Dream Cakes in Port Angeles.“While traditional cakes are always beautiful, I make sure couples know they have plenty of options to make

their cake something truly special and unique.”Making a wedding cake memorable for the couple and their guests can be as simple as using fresh flowers to

make a cake look larger or as complicated as hand-piping dozens of three-dimentional flowers, Amy says.“I am never afraid of the phrase ‘Can we try this?’ I love a challenge and encourage couples to ask me to create

their dream wedding cake,” Amy says. “If a couple doesn’t know exactly what they want, I tell them to bring in photos of cakes they like, outline the

theme of their wedding and then I make a few suggestions.”Whenever possible, Amy uses fresh ingredients including berries and flowers grown at local farms. In addition to creating one-of-a-kind wedding cakes, Amy makes show-stopping cakes for Peninsula grooms.“I love watching a groom’s face light up when I unveil his cake,” Amy says. “It is like watching a child on

Christmas morning. They are so excited to have something at their wedding that represents their interests.” Wedding cake design and photo by Amy Matney of Dream Cakes in Port Angeles.

Self-taught cake designer specializes in three-dimensional cakes and offers modern, fun options for Peninsula brides.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 >>>

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22577474Peninsula Daily news BRIDE & GROOM I February 2012 9

Amy has designed cakes that look like cameras and base-ball hats and has created hunting and casino-inspired cakes for grooms.

She has been decorating cakes since she was 15 years old. “I am self-taught and made my first cake for a family bar-

becue when my family said they needed a dessert,” Amy says. “I spent hours making stars for an American flag design

and everyone, myself included, was really excited about how well the cake turned out.”

Amy has always had an interest in art and taught arts and crafts classes at Ben Franklin Crafts in Sequim during her 20s.

“My interest in cake design grew as my children started requesting cakes for birthdays and other special occasions,” Amy says.

“When the kids were old enough to go to school, I started asking myself why I wasn’t making cakes for money.”

With encouragement from her family and great word-of-mouth reviews from clients, Amy opened Dream Cakes.

“I do client consulations out of my home, design cakes in my “cake room” and do all of the baking in a commercial kitchen I rent,” Amy says.

“A lot of people have no idea what it takes to make a wed-ding cake. It is not as simple as making a cake and throwing a little frosting on it. You have to make the cake, freeze the cake, frost the cake, which can entail hours of piping, cutting fondant and adding embellishments, then you have to deliver and assemble the cake.”

Amy has built her clientele over the years and often finds herself booked solid during the spring and summer.

Since she only does one wedding per weekend, scheduling well in advance of the wedding is preferred.

“The earlier you schedule the better it is for everyone, but if I have an open date I will fit you in,” Amy says.

Amy says she could not have started Dream Cakes without the support of her husband, Brian, and children, Jacob, 15, and Jayden, 13.

“The kids know when I enter the cake room it could be hours before they see me again,” she says laughing.

“My daughter is very interested in learning about cake design and is a tremendous help. My son doesn’t have a great interest in what I do, but he is supportive and I can always count on him and his friends for feedback.”

Amy says her husband readily rolls up his sleeves to help deliver cakes and even carries photographs of some of his favorite cakes in his lunch box to help promote the business when the chance arises.

“Dream Cakes is my business, but it is a family affair,” she says. “My daughter is becoming my assistant as she develops her cake decorating and designing skills.”

For more information about Dream Cakes, phone Amy at 360-457-9386, email [email protected] or visit www.amydreamcakes.vpweb.com.

— Brenda Hanrahan Wedding cake designs and photos by Amy Matney of Dream Cakes in Port Angeles.

>>> CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

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Tamara & Daniel FischerCharm of historic Dungeness Schoolhouse provides perfect backdrop for vows.

Saying ‘I do’

Couples recently married on the North Olympic Peninsula share their wedding stories and provide a little advice on how to create a wonderful wedding experience for everyone in attendance.

Tamara Coultas and Daniel Fischer found their wedding venue during a bike ride on the backroads of Sequim.

The Poulsbo couple fell in love with the timeless charm of the Dungeness Schoolhouse and finally set a date.

“We had been looking for the right spot to get married for a while and when we saw the schoolhouse, we both knew we had found exactly the right spot,” Tamara recalls.

“Daniel grew up in Centralia and has lived in Sequim and Port Angeles. We absolutely love Sequim. In fact, we are planning to relocate to Sequim within a year or so.”

An unexpected restaurant closure three weeks before the May 21, 2011, wedding left the couple without a place to hold the reception.

“That was stressful, but it all worked out for the best,” Tamara says. “We found Purple Haze Lavender Farm and it provided a very intimate setting for the reception.”

Tamara and Daniel say they still receive comments about how spectacular their wedding was by those who attended.

“Every single person who attended the wedding from our family to the caterer said it was the best wedding they have ever been to,” she says.

“I really believe that the location and timelessness of the schoolhouse contributed to how special our wedding was to us and our guests.”


photo by Julie Lawrence/JulieLawrenceStudios.com Tamara Coultas and Daniel Fischer pose for a photo following their wedding at Dungeness Schoolhouse.

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Elizabeth & Brandon MossOrganization pays off for Neah Bay couple

Elizabeth Parker knew her wedding to Brandon Moss would be picture perfect because she invested so much time planning and organizing for the Sept. 24, 2011, event.

“I read magazines, watched episodes of ‘Platinum Wed-dings’ and really thought about what I actually wanted for our wedding,” she says.

“Planning it was stressful, but the payoff was that we had the most amazing wedding.”

Brandon and Elizabeth, both of Neah Bay, wanted the wedding to be a celebration for their large families and selected The Cutting Garden in Sequim as their wedding venue and the Red Lion Hotel in Port Angeles for the recep-tion because both offered plenty of space for their guests.

“The most memorable part of the wedding for me was walking down the beautiful path at The Cutting Garden and seeing Brandon waiting for me,” Elizabeth says. “It was a beautiful moment.”

After the ceremony, they were ready to hit the dance floor and reflect on the ceremony over dinner.

“The best advice I can give brides is to have someone help you with organization and to remember all of those small details you are stressing about will go unnoticed by everyone but you,” she says.

“So let go of obsessing and just enjoy your day.”

photo by Julie Lawrence/JulieLawrenceStudios.com Brandon and Elizabeth Moss pose for a picture at Hollywood

Beach following their wedding at The Cutting Garden.


photo by Jan Kepley of Natural Light PhotographyChris and Kristi Niclas share a kiss during a horse-drawn carriage ride to their reception.

Chris & Kristi NiclasCarriage ride memorable part of wedding.

When planning their wedding, Sequim residents Chris Niclas and Kristi Roe knew they wanted to ride in a horse-drawn carriage following the ceremony.

Chris, a farrier by trade, had a client give the couple a car-riage ride as a wedding present.

“The 30 minutes it took to ride from the ceremony on Chicken Coop Road to the reception at the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Center in Blyn was the most memorable part of the wedding day for me,” Chris says.

“It was just us and we had time to talk about the wedding and relax before the reception.”

Another special touch at the Sept. 15, wedding included the groom and groomsmen wearing kilts.

Kristi said planning a wedding in seven months was a chal-lenge, but said it was doable because she was flexible.

“Don’t forget to have fun, it is so easy to let the stress take over,” she says.

“Just remember it is about spending time with your family and friends. Knowing what you want is great, but you have to be flexible.”

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Heidi & Jeff HamptonPort Angeles waterfront venue provides perfect location for large wedding.

When Heidi Hockaday said “yes” to Jeff Hampton’s 2010 Christmas wedding proposal, the couple knew they would need a large venue so their big families and many friends could share their day with them.

“We chose the Red Lion Hotel for our wedding and reception because it is in our hometown and is such a great indoor location overlooking the water,” she says.

“I knew I wanted my wedding photos taken outside with the water in the back-ground, and the Red Lion is just a few steps away from Port Angeles Harbor.”

With a Sept. 10, 2011, wedding date set and a location in mind, the Port Angeles couple started making plans.

“I didn’t over-think things, I knew what I wanted and really stuck to what I wanted,” Heidi says noting that Jeff followed her lead.

“He pretty much said whatever you want, but we talked about details and agreed on everything,” she says.

The couple built several family tradi-tions in to their wedding and were very pleased at the outcome.

“What was most important to us was having our family and friends share our day with us,” Heidi says.

“A family friend made our cake, I wore my grandma’s diamond earrings and some of my sister’s jewelry, and Jeff did the gator dance, which is sort of a silly initiation dance in my family.

“Kindryn Domning of The Cutting Garden arranged our gorgeous flowers.

“It was a perfect day,” Heidi says.

photo by Sweetest Things PhotographyJeff and Heidi Hampton share a moment on the Olympic Discovery Trail in Port Angeles following their Sept. 10, 2011 wedding at the Red Lion Hotel.

Saying ‘I do’ Emily & Jeffrey CourtsQuaint charm of Port Gamble provides convenient and beautiful location.

When Jeffrey Courts and Emily Nightingale began to consider where they wanted to get married, Port Gamble quickly rose to the top of their list.

Emily was born in Port Angeles and wanted to get married close to home.

“Port Gamble is right on the water and it provided a breath-taking view for our wedding,” she says.

“We loved that it was a quick ferry ride to and from Seattle so out-of-town family had easy access to the wedding location.

“We loved having the amazing scenery that is only found in the Pacific Northwest — the trees, mountains and water all in one location. Port Gamble also has a historical feel to it.”

The Aug. 21, 2011, wedding and reception took place at Hood Canal Vista Pavilion, both indoors and outdoors to take advantage of the perfect summer weather.

“We knew we wanted to get married outside in the summer. Washington provided the perfect temperature to do that. I didn’t want all of our guests to be too hot or too cold.”

One of the more memorable parts of the wedding was when Emily’s family hit the dance floor in flash mob style to boogie to the song “Celebration.”

“My dad had planned the whole thing,” Emily recalls.Emily and Jeffrey are both in the U.S. Air Force and now live

in Oklahoma City, but have strong ties to Port Angeles because a lot of Emily’s large family lives in town.

“The most important advice I can give to a couple planning a wedding on or near the North Olympic Peninsula is to take full advantage of the beauty that is only found in the area,” Emily says.

“Find a location that offers a great view of the water or moun-tains. Have flowers at your wedding that are indigenous to Wash-ington.

“No matter what season you decide to have your wedding in, the North Olympic Peninsula has the best backdrop for your wedding.”

photo by Julie Lawrence/JulieLawrenceStudios.com

Emily and Jeffrey Courts returned to the area to have their wedding

at Hood Canal Vista Pavilion in Port Gamble.

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V• enue – The Cutting GardenGown & accessories – Black Diamond Bridal•

Hair – Jade’s Hair House• Flowers – The Cutting Garden Florist•

In these photos:

22577377Peninsula Daily news BRIDE & GROOM I February 2012 13

Almost everyone has walked away from a wedding with a champagne flute etched with newlyweds’ initials and wedding date or a slice of soon-to-be stale cake in a fancy monogrammed box.

Wedding favors are intended to thank guests for sharing the joyous day the bride and groom said ‘I do,’ but often these kind gestures are forgotten on tables or are left to collect dust after finding a home in the back of a kitchen cabinet.

One of the latest wedding favor trends is to give guests a digital gift they can access from their home computers well after they’ve kicked off their party shoes.

Guests find a small envelope or informa-tion on their seating card with a website and access code or a gift card with instructions on how to claim their downloadable favor.

Favor ideas include a few songs, an album or app from iTunes.com or Amazon.com, a book from Audible.com, a month of free movies from Netflix.com or a cell phone ring

tone from Ringtones.com.To dress up the gift card packaging,

consider placing it in an attractive envelope hand-stamped with a flower or other graphic that is relevant to the wedding.

— Peninsula Daily News

A high-tech favorWedding favors come in all shapes and sizes. Consider the latest trend — a downloadable favor.

When Brookann Howat and Brett Payseno of Sequim became engaged Aug. 15, 2010, she was preparing to leave for Spain to study abroad for five months.

“I would suggest people not travel overseas while plan-ning a wedding, but it all came out beautifully for us,” she recalls of her Sept. 10, 2011, wedding at John Wayne Marina in Sequim.

“We secured the marina for the wedding and reception before I left in January and I found my dress, but the rest we did when I returned at the end of May.”

Brookann says Brett was very supportive and they discussed a lot of what they envisioned for their wedding over the phone and through emails when she was in Spain.

“We discussed what we wanted and what we didn’t want,” she says.

“We really hit planning hard once I returned to Sequim. I had the invitations mailed out within a week of coming home and everything began to fall into place.”

When asked if there was anything she would do differently, Brookann offers one piece of advice to couples planning their wedding: “Take the help that people offer you when you are planning a wedding.”

“Near the end I was so stressed out because I didn’t feel comfortable accepting or asking for help. I should have taken people up on their offers to help out sooner; it would have prevented a lot of stress. Our family and friends really came through for me when I needed them; I just wish I would have accepted their help before the stress really hit.”

Brookann said their wedding day was perfect in every way imaginable. “We chose John Wayne Marina because it was close to home. We love being near the water

and enjoy being outdoors,” she says. “The weather on our wedding day was amazing — it was the best day of the whole year.”Following the reception, Brett and Brookann traveled to the Space Needle for a special dinner

by themselves; the same place where Brett had proposed 13 months before.Photographer Jan Kepley of Natural Light Photography, who photographed the wedding,

offered to follow the couple to Port Townsend before dinner to snap a few photographs of them at a variety of locations.

“I love how quaint and picturesque Port Townsend is and the opportunities it provides for wedding photos,” she says.

Saying ‘I do’ Brett & Brookann PaysenoMarina a great spot for a wedding, Port Townsend perfect for photographs.

photo by Jan Kepley of Natural Light PhotographyBrett and Brookann Payseno pose for a photograph on a stairwell near the old newspaper office in Port Townsend..

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In addition to the “Kate” gown created by Sarah Burton, head designer at the House of Alexander McQueen, the trunk show will highlight “the Pippa,” a bridesmaid dress made famous when Pippa Middleton served as maid of honor at her sister’s wedding.

“Every one of Moonlight Bridals’ gowns will be brought to the shop for people to try on,” Belva says. “ You’ll be able to order your gowns and dresses right at the show.”

Black Diamond Bridal also has a collection of high-quality gown sashes adorned with Swarovski crystals.

“These sashes add that ‘wow factor’ to most dresses and are affordable for every budget,” Belva says.

Black Diamond Bridal car-ries a full line of bridesmaid, junior bridesmaid, flower girl, mother-of-the-bride and mother-in-law dresses, rents tuxedoes and features a variety of quality gowns for proms and other formal events.

The shop features gowns by designers including Eden Bridals, Casablanca Bridals and several other private labels.

Shoes, undergarments, jewelry, veils, birdcages and other glitter-ing hairpieces are also available.

“The 2012 lines are arriving daily, including a lace jacket that will give most any bridal gown that lovely Kate Middleton look,” Belva says. “New in the store now is the latest for plus size or small sizes to make it easier to see how that gown will look on you.”

For more information about the Moonlight Bridal Trunk Show and Black Diamond Bridal, visit www.blackdiamondbridal.com or phone 360-452-2354. — Brenda Hanrahan

photo by Brenda HanrahanBelva Bodey of Black Diamond Bridal adjusts a sash adorned with Swarovski crystals on a dress. The bridal boutique carries a full line of high-quality sashes, which are in high demand this season.

>>> CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

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The Gathering Place

Although the latest Brides American Wedding Study shows the average cost of a wedding in 2010 was $26,501, a decrease of 5 percent from 2009, weddings continue to be big business.

Many couples are opting to cut the guest list instead of big items like wedding gowns.

In fact, the average wedding gown cost $1,289 in 2010, a 20 percent increase over 2009, according to the study.

This is no surprise to the millions who were glued to their television sets last April during the most talked about wedding since the 1981 royal wedding of Lady Diana to Prince Charles.

Many brides are emulating the elegant lace gown worn by Catherine Middleton, now the Duchess of Cambridge.

In addition to lace, the newest trends in wedding gowns include color, soft sleeves, short hemlines and eco-friendly materials.

“Designers at all price points have debuted collec-tions featuring full frothy skirts, wildflowers and lace used in both traditional and modern ways,” says Kate Campbell, department chair of Fashion & Retail Management at The Art Institute of Tampa, a branch of Miami International University of Art & Design.

“This particular trend paral-lels the more feminine, elegant trends we see in fashion every-where — including more fitted and ladylike styles reminiscent of Grace Kelly and Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy.”

While not for everyone, the use of color in wedding gowns has been growing in popularity.

Some brides choose soft pastel colors, such as blush, rose or skin-tone. Others opt to wear vibrant hues of laven-der, green and deep pink.

Less bold brides are likely to use hints of accent color on sashes, bows, embroidery, hems, necklines or beading.

“The bride who chooses to add color to her dress is fash-ion forward and confident — it’s not for the faint of heart,” says Amber Chatelain, lead fac-ulty for the Fashion & Retail

Management program at The Art Institute of Tennessee.

A trend in bridal wear is short gowns, especially for des-tination and beach weddings.

While they may be short in length, these dresses are not

short on style. Some offer sophisticated laces, chic feath-ers or multilayered organza mini-skirts.

Designers have debuted soft, romantic sleeves, includ-ing traditional cap sleeves in

florals and tulle, modern sil-houettes using vintage ele-ments, sequin fringe and flut-ter sleeves, and romantic off-the-shoulder versions.

Eco-friendly options have also increased in popularity.

“There are now numerous eco-friendly designers whose sole business is to create wed-ding dresses made with earth-friendly fabrics and materials, using techniques that are in harmony with the earth,” says

Crystal Shamblee, department chair of Fashion Design for The Art Institute of Philadelphia.

Secondhand and vintage wedding dresses are another eco-friendly choice.

— Article by ARA Content


How the royal wedding influenced the latest bridal trends

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109 E. First St., Port Angeles • 452-2354

Bridal Gowns • Bridemaids • Flower Girls • Men’s Formal Wear • Evening Wear • Prom & Pageant • Veils • Shoes • Custom Couture

Join us March 2nd and 3rd for our in-store

Moonlight BridalTrunk Show.

See the full line of these exquisite gowns up close

and create your ownroyal wedding!

On her wedding day, every brideshould look and feel like a princess

Introducing the

MOONLIGHTBRIDAL LINE

Stylish, Elegant, Affordable

Book your time now for a personal consultation with

the dress designer from

Moonlight BridalFriday 10am – 8pm

Saturday 10am – 12 Noon(Trunk Show will run through 5pm Sat.)

Black Diamond Bridal

also offers a full line of tuxedos and men’s formal wear rentals to make your

prince look handsome and dashing!

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