–– Greta Weiderman

This freshwater button pearl necklace was designed to hang perfectly around the neck and costs only $30.
“It’s kind of your choker look,” Haworth said. “I sell a lot of these for weddings.”

These Japanese Akoya saltwater pearls retail at Pearls and More for $1,950. They are a traditional strand of pearls in a princess length that falls below the hollow of the throat, a great length for any bride.
“These are a quality that you would see in Tiffany’s, Mikimoto, Cartier, any of those places,” Haworth said.
“This would be the perfect piece you would pass on to your daughter or even farther on down the line. These are classic. They will never, ever, go out of style. It’s not just your wedding jewelry. It’s something you can pass on,” he said.
For a bride on a budget, he also sells a similar length of cultured pearls for $89.

Jackie O. was known for wearing the three strands of pearls – a beautiful, classic look.
This Akoya salt water pearl choker-length necklace from China costs $175, and the enhancement with a gold South Sea pearl and three small diamonds costs $620.

“These would be beautiful for a sleeveless look where these would be a featured part of the outfit,” Haworth said.
These Keshi pearls are from Shanghai, China. A large type of oyster makes them as a byproduct of making a pearl. They are actually more rare than circular pearls.
“Every oyster will make regular pearls, but not all of them will make these,” Haworth said.
This Keshi pearl and crystal necklace sells for $55.

This necklace is made out of freshwater stick pearls and crystals. The earrings, necklace and bracelet together are sold for $75. The white pearls are naturally colored and the gray ones are dyed.

––– Kyle Harrington

All centerpieces need not be the same, and both Frost and Philpott encourage using a variety of arrangements to add visual interest.
“It’s nice to have two heights,” Frost said. To achieve this, Frost suggests using compact, low to the table arrangements and towering, slim vases.
“Not having the same thing on every table is good because you can stretch your budget, it’s more interesting and causes mingling because people want to see what’s on every table,” Philpott said.
Flora is not the only component being incorporated into modern, sophisticated centerpieces. Frost and Philpott have both seen an upswing in using other natural elements like sticks, stones, leaf wraps and feathers, including peacock and pheasant, to complement fall arrangements. Hanging crystals and candle arrangements are a nice way to to create a romantic atmosphere.

Obtaining a modern and sophisticated look doesn’t have to mean breaking the bank, and Frost and Philpott suggest simple ways to stretch your budget. Frost recommends containing flowers in a vase. Orchids, calla lilies and gerber daises are excellent choices for this, she said.
“Use a small amount of flowers to their best advantage,” Philpott said of budget conscious arrangements.
Add visual interest, and what Philpott calls “perceived value” by purchasing accessories to compliment smaller arrangements, like lanterns, which can be used as decorative accents in a home long after the vows have been recited.
Philpott also designs arrangements to be used throughout a wedding’s weekend long festivities for cost-saving efficiency.

––– Meg Thilmony

Justin Bond, president of Star Talent Events, LLC, an entertainment and event company, chatted with Wedding Vow magazine about what to expect from a DJ.

The DJ is among the most critical elements of your wedding reception. The entertainment is often the determining factor in whether your reception is remembered as a booming success or a maddening disappointment. Despite the importance of the entertainment, it’s on average only 4 percent of the cost of the entire reception.

A quality entertainment company will provide more than just music – they’ll serve as your reception director. We sit down with you weeks before the wedding and meticulously plan the evening’s itinerary. We coordinate with all involved vendors to make sure everything is happening how and when you want it to.
The DJ uses professional grade equipment and is skilled at keeping the party going and your guests engaged in it. An iPod simply can’t offer that.

Your entertainment company should firm up music details, typically during your final consultation before the big day. You’ll be asked questions about genres and specific song titles.
Many times, couples tell us “You guys are the pros, so we’ll defer to you on the music.” It’s a fair assumption on their part, but since we want to give the couples exactly what they want, the entertainment shouldn’t be guess work.
A reception has four hours of actual party time, excluding things like traditional dances and the bouquet toss. If the average song is three and a half minutes long, that would be roughly 70 songs throughout the evening.
When you think about the countless songs that are available, 70 songs isn’t that many. So it’s imperative that we fit all the songs important to you into that four-hour window.
We have couples sit through a music sampling and listen to about 10 seconds of many titles to gauge their responses. This is particularly helpful when taking requests.
If somebody requests a song that, based on information you have provided, you’d hate, we wouldn’t want to play it without your approval. We will be as accommodating to your guests as you’d want us to be.

• Guests can bring the celebration home with mini bottles of bubbly; personalcreations.com, $149.95 for a case of 24.

• Send guests home in style with a sterling silver tag; weddingfavordiscount.com; $1.39 to $1.85 each, depending on quantity.

• Who can’t use an extra set of measuring spoons? And these are also adorable; weddingfavordiscount.com, $2.14 to $2.56 each, depending on quantity.

• A treat everyone is sure to enjoy... mini, personalized cookies; rollingpinproductions.com, $3.50 each.

• Stop your wine in style with decorative bronze; efavors.com, $1.79 to $3.39 each, depending on quantity.

• Glass photo coasters are pretty and functional; favorfavor.com, $1.15 each.

• Chocolate? Need we say more? Hershey's chocolate bars with personalized wrappers; exclusivelyweddings.com, $2.50 each, plus shipping.

• Perfect for autumn, fall in love leaf-shaped soaps come in their own gift box; charmingweddings.com, $1.95 to $2.50 each, depending on quantity.

• Each personalized fortune cookie comes with a custom-printed fortune inside, www.exclusivelyweddings.com, $1.49 each, depending on quantity.

–––Story by Erin Lippitz-Gelsthorpe

Scratch the vanilla cake with white frosting and opt for rich, decadent chocolate. Pairing a moist chocolate cake with a chocolate fudge or ganache frosting is a trend that is growing in popularity. If you’re worried about a double chocolate overload, serve fruit such as fresh strawberries, raspberries or kiwi on the side, which also makes for a beautiful garnish.

Many couples are opting for simple designs for their weddings, bringing in just one or two colors to decorate the cake. Black and white cakes are elegant and classy and can accent just about any color. Intricate lace-like designs are especially popular for black and white cakes.

Incorporating the design of the bride’s gown into the cake is a newer trend that’s gaining popularity, Williams said. Choosing an aspect or two from the wedding gown, such as the lace work or ruffles, is a beautiful look that can make the cake more personal.

Whimsical cakes can have bright colors, mix unusual shapes or even stack cake layers off-kilter. These designs are catching on fast, thanks to cable television cake shows. Round tiers may still be the most traditional way to go, but square, hexagon and even heart-shaped cakes are coming into fashion. These shapes can lend an air of easy sophistication and beauty to your cake without the use of fussy decorations.
“The crooked cake is in this year, and bright, bright colors,” said the sugar artist Colette Peters, who invented the ‘topsy turvy’ cake and is a regular on the Food Network.

Custom-made cake toppers help bring the bride and groom’s personality into the cake. A couple can show off their sense of humor or style with this adornment.
Buffy Vance, of Madeline’s Confectionary in Urbana, makes toppers in her studio in downtown Urbana and views them as a keepsake for the couple to enjoy after the wedding. She makes them out of Styrofoam and covers them in fondant.
These toppers vary from the popular monogram and sugar flowers to the more unusual toppers depicting a hobby or a family pet.
“It dresses the whole cake up,” she said.
For example, she has made toppers including a long-haired Chihuahua in a Louis Vuitton luggage carrier to top a Louis Vuitton wedding cake, a sugar crafted coy fish and sugar flowers to match the bouquet.
“You can pretty much get your cake wherever you want, and I’ll make your custom cake topper,” she said.
Even if the topper chosen is of the groom’s favorite cartoon robot, “I still make them pretty,” Vance said.

• Schedule several cake tastings with different cake artists. Don’t be afraid to choose imaginative flavor combinations.

• Pay close attention to the icing, as not all buttercreams are created equal. Vance said buttercreams taste different according to how they are made. An icing made with Crisco tastes different than one made with real butter or egg whites. Look for a smooth, subtly sweet icing that complements the flavor of your cake.

• Bring inspiration from books or magazines to your consultation with your cake artist, Williams said. She encourages clients to bring some element of their wedding to the consultation, such as an invitation, a picture of the gown or a centerpiece. The couple can incorporate these into the design of their cake to make it truly their own.