Chandelier Cupcake Tower

Experience a taste of “the sweet life” at Dolce Vita!  Dolce Vita Desserts is locally owned and operated by Penn State Alumna, Mary Hilliard (’88).  Mary has always had a passion for baking from scratch and decorating, which she learned from her mother. Using fresh, high quality ingredients is her secret to making her cakes, cookies and other desserts taste so good.   Dolce Vita is committed to providing you with high quality desserts and exceptional service.  We pride ourselves on making your wedding cake everything you’ve ever dreamed of.   We are excited to work with you to make your wedding cake uniquely yours.

We provide everything from traditional wedding cakes to the latest dessert trends.  From multi-tiered wedding cakes and personalized grooms’ cakes to unique creations such as cannoli towers, cupcake towers, personalized cookie favors and brownie pops, our desserts can add that special touch to make your wedding day unique and memorable.  We invite you stop by the quaint little shop in Lemont and ‘experience a taste of the sweet life.’

Call Mary today to schedule a free consultation and tasting.

812 Pike St.
Lemont, PA 16851

Contact: Mary Hilliard
Telephone: (814) 470-6046
Email:
Website: www.dvdesserts.com
Visit us on:

When it comes to the memorable events in life, wouldn’t it be nice to enjoy them rather than being overwhelmed by them? H&K stands for Holly and Kacy, two longtime friends who are passionate about helping others have a joyous occasion. We offer a variety of wedding planning packages from day of coordination to full service. Just as no two brides are alike; our packages are custom tailored to suit your needs.

State College, PA

Contact: Holly Wagner or Kacy Smith
Telephone: Holly (State College Area):   717-437-3741
.                    Kacy   (Lewistown Area):     717-437-4302
Email:
Website: www.eventsbyhk.com

When you compile your bridal gift registry, you have a lot of decisions to make (all at once!) about what home goods you hope to acquire for your new life together.  What follows are some guidelines that should help make your selection of wine glasses a little easier.

Ideally, you’ll want to check out glassware in person before you add it to your list.  While you can fine good deals on stemware on the internet, nothing beats seeing glasses first hand to appreciate their clarity, size, and how they feel in your hand. Glassware is extremely important to wine appreciation because it influences how you perceive the taste, color, and aromas of wine.

As a general rule, chose clear, crystal glasses (not colored or decoratively chiseled) with thin “cut” as opposed to “rolled-over” rims with large bowls that hold 10 to 18 ounces, taper slightly inward at the top, and balance well in the hand. 

A large bowl and a narrower opening help magnify the wine’s aromas, providing plenty of space for them to expand but little room for them to escape.  A narrower opening also allows you to swirl the wine (without spilling!) which helps release aromas. Hand-blown glass is generally thinner, especially at the rim, and balances better than machine-made glass. These days you’ll find quite a few “combination” wineglasses with hand-blown bowls and machine-made stems and bases. They can be a good compromise between beauty and cost.

If you are only going to chose one type of wine glass, chose stemmed wine glasses as opposed to stemless glassware. 

Wineglasses traditionally have stems so that your hand doesn’t touch the bowl, obscuring the glass with fingerprints or warming the wine above proper serving temperature. However, these days, stemless glasses have become popular because they are easier to store if you have limited space, are dishwasher-friendly and less prone to breakage without the fragile stems.  Although they are inexpensive and more casual, you may want to list the more expensive stemmed wine glasses on your gift registery!

Although many wine lovers find that an all-purpose, everyday wineglass does the trick for them, if you care about having the “correct” wineglass for the occasion, there are three general categories of wine glass – red wine, white wine, and sparkling wine.

Red and White wine glasses

To preserve a crisp, clean flavor, white wine glasses will have a smaller mouth and a narrower bowl.  This reduces surface area (reducing the rate of oxidation) and the smaller capacity helps keep the temperature cool longer. Generally, red-wine glasses have larger bowls and wider openings than those for white. Glasses for red wine are characterized by a rounder, wider bowl which increases the rate of oxidation. As oxygen from the air chemically interacts with the wine, flavor and aroma are subtly altered. This process of oxidation is generally more compatible with red wines, whose complex flavors are smoothed out after being exposed to air.  This is why red wine is often decanted from the bottle before serving.

In the case of sparkling wine, such as Champagne or Asti, an even smaller mouth at the rim is used to keep the wine sparkling longer in the glass. Choose fluted or tulip-shaped glasses for sparkling wines and champagne which will help keep the bubbles intact for longer and ensure the best flavor and aroma. If you drink dessert wines, glasses for Sherry and Port traditionally are small because those fortified wines are usually consumed in small quantities.

A Couple Tips on Cleaning and Storing Your New Wine Glasses

I recommend washing your wine glasses in hot water only. Soap can build up inside the glass and affect a wine’s flavor.  If you prefer to wash your glasses in the dishwasher (make sure they are dishwasher-proof!) wash them on the shortest cycle without detergent or rinsing aid and open the door at the end of the cycle to let the glasses air dry without humidity.  Do not store glasses upside down as it traps stale air.  Stand them upright in a closed cupboard.

Whether you are looking for that perfect wine to accompany your wedding meal, a unique and memorable wedding favor or gift, or simply advice on how to buy, taste, store, or serve your wine, look no further than Mount Nittany Vineyard & Winery. Their friendly wine pros will point you in the right direction for all of your wine needs, all in your own backyard!

Mount Nittany Vineyard & Winery
300 Houser Street
Centre Hall, PA 16828
Telephone: (814) 466-6373
Email:
Website: www.mtnittanywinery.com

It’s a once in a lifetime event with a bigger environmental impact than most couples create in a entire year. Scary, isn’t it? The good news is, you can make changes to prevent this.

Reduce Travel
The biggest impact of the average wedding comes from travel. If your family is spread all over, you might think you don’t have any options – you do. Several of my clients have celebrated their wedding in two places. If you have a lot of relatives in another state or country, it makes more sense for the two of you to travel to them than for all of them to travel to you.

Rent It All
You can rent a lot more than tents & chairs. Make a list of everything you want for your wedding before you contact rental companies. You might be surprised by what they have!

Eliminate Waste
Another huge area of impact is trash. Weddings create a ridiculous amount of waste, and it doesn’t have to go into the trash bin. After the trash truck comes, our garbage seems to magically disappear and we never think about it again. Your wedding is a great place to start to change this attitude. Not only can you start your married life with healthier disposal habits, your guests can learn as well.
My family doesn’t put anything out for the garbage man. It’s actually easier than you think! Here’s our system:

• Recycle: Anything we don’t want that can be recycled, is – except for paper. There are recycling bins everywhere.
• Freecycle: If someone else might want it, we post it on Freecycle (freecycle.org). This is also a great place to ask for wedding stuff.
• Compost: We have a compost bin outside, but I prefer the worm bin. Even if you live in an apartment, you can put a worm bin in your kitchen.
• Shred: If it’s regular paper, we shred it and feed our worm bin. If it’s newspaper, we use it to start the woodstove. If you don’t have a worm bin or a woodstove, you can recycle it.
• Burn: Random trash is burned – that includes things like snotty tissues & cardboard boxes. We use the ashes in our garden. Obviously some places don’t allow burning, but what we burn could easily be recycled.

Sorting your wedding waste is easy. It just comes down to putting out bins and labeling them. Ask your venue if they recycle. Ask your caterer if they compost.

Localize Your Menu
Speaking of caterers, your dinner probably has ingredients that are trucked in from all over the world. Three quarters of our garlic comes from China, even though it grows just fine here. Talk to your caterer about using local ingredients. We have an abundance of farms here, so there is no shortage of fresh food. That includes meat, veggies, spices, the whole shebang!

Localize Your Flowers
Ask your florist to use local flowers, and then compost them. There are several flower farms here and at least one local florist grows their own.

Dress
You have a lot of options when it comes to your dress. If you want a custom dress, you can have it made with sustainable materials. We have a great dressmaker in town that uses bamboo, hemp, and organic cotton. She also works with reclaimed materials. When you are done with your dress, you can resell or donate it.

Green Your Photos
Photo prints are not eco-friendly, but some professional labs are green-certified. Ask your photographer if they use a green-certified lab. Some photographers offer eco-friendly products in addition to photo prints. (My offerings include albums made of hemp, organic fibers, and recycled materials (including plastic bottles). I offer prints on bamboo, sugar cane and other eco-friendly materials. Obviously, you should use a local photographer if possible.)

Use Recycled Materials
Everything from invitations to favors can be made from recycled materials. Your place cards can double as favors if you use seeded paper.

Get Inspired
Pinterest is a great source of wedding inspiration. I also highly recommend taking the Recycling Tour offered by Penn State. (Recycling Tour: http://green.psu.edu/psuDoing/recycling/recyclingtour.asp)

I hope this article gave you some great ideas! If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

Redheaded Ninja (aka Michelle) is a local photographer that specializes in wedding photojournalism and natural light portraiture. When she’s not creating images, you can find her in her vegetable garden or on Freecycle. She is in the Greener Photography Leadership Circle.

Listed as number 38 out of 50 on Time Magazine’s “The 50 Top Websites” (MCCRACKEN, 2011) in August 2011, Pinterest has become the latest in wedding planning through social media. Pinterest has perfected the concept of a virtual bulletin board allowing members to “organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web (What is Pinterest webpage, 2012)”.

Think of Pinterest as that folder where you store all the magazine clippings of bouquets, cakes, alter ideas, color swatches, centerpieces and so on and so forth. Now let’s be honest. How many couples have started out with a folder, upgraded to a binder, then added divider tabs to the binder and ultimately traded the binder for a photo box or portable filing box? Now I am not knocking the folder method, but it becomes another thing to spend precious time organizing. Forget hauling that thing around a bridal expo, and you can never find the picture you want when you need it. Many couples have moved this method to their computer and mobile devices by creating bookmarks and organizing them in folders. This method works too, but is not always accessible when you need to show it to a vendor.

Pinterest has found the secret sauce that combines the virtual world with real time and in a way that you can share your inspiration to the world at any moment. How you ask? Signing up for a Pinterest account allows you to create individual pin boards, much like folders on your computer. By installing a “pin it” button on your preferred web browser, you are able to pin images from a web site or download pictures from a device (mobile or stationary). Sharing these pin boards is easy. Facebook and Twitter integration will notify friends of your pinning, but privacy settings can keep things more discrete. You can also invite friends and family to follow your pin boards. Although you can choose not to post your pins to Facebook or Twitter, you are unable to make a pin board private. This might be something to keep in mind if you do not want the groom-to-be to see your dress before the wedding. Another nice feature of pinning is that followers can like, re- pin your pin or comment. Ask vendors to follow your account and you follow theirs to help communicate.

Always practice proper pinning etiquette. A full list of rules procedures can be found on the Pinterest website as you create your account. Businesses can also find ways of keeping their intellectual property and copyrighted material protected by adding html codes to their websites.

Inspiration for weddings can be found anywhere and this high tech world makes it easier than ever to keep that inspiration right at our finger tips. Please check out our Pinterest account at http://pinterest.com/cbartonmccann/ and happy pinning! (And you can even Pin this article!)

Alan V. Schaffranek Jr. is the Director of C. Barton McCann School of Art, and has studied event leadership through Temple University.    Contact him  at or 814-667-2358

One of the greatest gifts we can give to another is the gift of our presence and attention.  One of the best ways to give our attention is to learn to listen in a different way.  We can listen not only with our ears, but with our sense of touch as well.  Through touch, we can listen to the physical needs of others.  Our muscles speak to our habits and comfort level.  One of the common signs of generalized stress is tension in the upper shoulders.  If we are working on a computer or other activity that requires our hands to be held out in front of us for any length of time, you will typically find tension in the neck and between the shoulder blades.  Men tend to carry heavy loads that cause tension in the lower back.

One excellent way to alleviate this tension is through massage. We all know going to get a massage can be relaxing and beneficial to our overall health, but wouldn’t it be a much different experience to be able to get this much needed relief from someone you know, or even better someone you are in a relationship with? Massage isn’t this mystical science whose skills are only available to certain people. We can learn to help each other feel more comfortable in our day to day lives, as well as prevent stress build up.  The answer is learning how to give a better massage to another person.  Not only do others benefit from you learning how to give better massages, but you also learn how to listen to your body better.  By listening to your body better, you can alleviate a lot of muscle stress through stretching and basic movement.

A wonderful option is to take Couples Massage Classes where you can learn how to give your partner a better massage.  Couples massage classes are a great way to gain confidence in your ability to give a good massage.  Giving a good massage is a great way to show your partner love by helping them feel better and relaxing their muscles.  It also helps couples to learn how to communicate their needs and desires of how they want to be touched.  In addition to being hands on, you may also get materials such as diagrams to help you remember the direction of the strokes you will be learning for the various areas of the body.  Classes are also a good way to learn how to get better pressure in your massage without hurting your hands, a regular complaint for women, since men typically require more pressure in a massage.  Also included in classes are how to get better blood circulation to help flush away lactic acid build up that causes restriction of movement.

When looking into classes, be sure to ask if they can be changed to fit the needs and desires you are looking for.  Perhaps one couple uses the class time to learn how to do facilitated stretching techniques for one another.  Another couple may use their class time for just one person to work on their massage skills, allowing more education in the allotted time, since they do not swap places half way through the class.  Maybe you and your partner would like to use the class time to learn the basics of Reflexology, so you can give each other treatments throughout the week as needed.  Or a bridesmaid could take the class with the bride-to-be, so she could help the bride relax prior to the wedding and the bride will surprise her husband-to-be on their wedding night, with her new knowledge and skills in giving massage.

Even better, the classes can provide you with a location with many times the company that offers the classes may also offer wedding packages available for bridal showers or wedding parties, so everyone gets in on the relaxing fun.  So when looking for a nice gift for your spouse-to-be, a bride-to-be, or even yourself, consider giving a gift that is also a skill that can be used forever.

A Step Beyond Massage Therapy offers Couples Massage Classes. These classes have been a very popular addition to the regular massages already offered. If you are interested in learning more about the couples massage classes, wedding packages, or the types of massages offered at A Step Beyond Massage Therapy, you can talk to the therapist directly by calling: 814-441-9331, or emailing her at: .  You can also check out our website: www.astepbeyondmassagetherapy.com for a full list of the types of massages we offer, including a full description of those massages, as well as prices for all of our services.

A Step Beyond Massage Therapy

Moriah Gilmore LMT
PA License #MSG005139

814-441-9331

www.astepbeyondmassagetherapy.com

One of the questions I am asked repeatedly by my brides and grooms is ‘how much time do we need for pictures’?  Unfortunately, there is no set number of hours that will be perfect for everyone, or a timeline that fits every wedding scenario.  However, there are some general rules of thumb that can help you create your perfect wedding day timeline.

First, and most importantly, talk to you photographer BEFORE finalizing your exact reception/cocktail hour start time.  Wedding guests hate just sitting around waiting, and waiting, and waiting for the bride and groom to arrive from their formal portrait session so that they can finally eat, especially if the invitation states that dinner starts at 6pm and it is already almost 7pm.  Usually these scenarios occur because of lack of communication in the planning stages.

I recommend that my couples reserve at least  90 minutes between the end of the ceremony and the beginning of the reception (don’t  forget to add 15-30 minutes to the ceremony time if you are having a receiving line).  This allows for 30 minutes for family formals, and an hour for bridal party and bride and groom portraits.  If you want pictures at different locations or have a very large bridal party, that time will need to extend!

*Note that there is no travel time accounted for here.  If your ceremony and reception are at the same location, or five minutes down the road from one another this works fine, but if your ceremony is downtown State College and your reception is at General Potter’s Farm, you have to add in at least 30 minutes for travel time.

Here is a basic timeline for an 8 hour wedding day at ONE location:

1pm                                    Photographers arrive (detail shots/dress/rings, etc…)

1:30pm                              Girls Getting Ready

2:30                                    Pictures of Girls (outdoors weather permitting)

3pm                                    Pictures of Guys (outdoors weather permitting)

3:30pm                              Boys in place for ceremony

4pm                                    Ceremony (with receiving line)

4:45pm                              Family Formals

5:15pm                               Cocktail hour starts

5:15pm                               Bridal Party Pictures/Bride & Groom pictures

6:15pm                               Guests Seated

6:30pm                              Grand Entrance

6:30pm                              Toasts/Dinner

7:30(ish)                            Cake cutting/First dances

8pm                                    Dancing and Fun!

9pm                                    Photographers say goodbye

There are tons of ways to tweak this timeline to fit your day exactly!  Never think that you are locked into one plan of action – this is YOUR wedding day.  By talking to your photographer early, you can plan out exactly what your needs are and make sure that your hopes and dreams are feasible in your timeline.

Here are some tips for stretching a tight timeline:

1) Consider doing a ‘First Look’ – where the bride and groom see each other privately prior to the ceremony.  First Looks can be done in very romantic ways and can make for some amazing images.  This also allows you to fit in all your bride and groom portraits and even bridal party shots prior to the ceremony.  This is a great option to consider if you have a long distance to travel between the ceremony and reception or if your wedding is late in the day and there will be no daylight after the ceremony is concluded.

2) Simplify your family formals.  Do you really need an image with all 97 second and third cousins?  If you keep the family formals to immediate family only (mom, dad, siblings, and grandparents), you can save time – not to mention you won’t have a gazillion family members waiting around for their 2 seconds in front of the camera lens.  You can always do fun group set ups at the reception to make sure you have a photo of everyone without sacrificing the flow of your timeline.

3) Cut the reception coverage – well not completely of course!  It is possible to arrange your main reception events in a way that makes sure all ‘photo ops’ occur within the first hour.  Think about doing your grand entrance straight into your first dances – all eyes are on you anyway!  You can then go straight over to cut your cake (allowing it to be elegantly cut by the staff during dinner service).  Toasts and speeches can take place during the salad or first course – don’t worry, your guests can eat and listen to people talk at the same time!

4) Add extra time – you will only have this wedding once and the last thing you want is to feel rushed, or to look through your photos and feel like you missed something.  Most photographers allow for extra hours of coverage to be added to their packages.  Talk with them and figure out exactly what you need!

So go out, plan your perfect timeline, and enjoy your wedding knowing that you and your guests are getting everything they want!

“Professional Photography for the Discerning Bride.” Suzanne Winter Photography specializes in Wedding, Engagement, and Event Photography in State College and throughout Central Pennsylvania. Additional services include: Bridal Portraits, Trash the Dress, Boudoir, Rehearsal Dinner Coverage, and more!

Suzanne Winter Photography
State College, PA 16801

Contact: Suzanne Winter
Telephone: (814) 404-9816
Email:
Website: http://www.suzannewinterphotography.com/

Because diamonds are so valuable, it’s essential for industry professionals to have a universal grading system when comparing diamond quality. In the mid-twentieth century, GIA developed the International Diamond Grading System™ and the 4Cs as a way to objectively compare and evaluate diamonds.

The Four Cs of diamond quality will give you a multitude of information about a diamond’s characteristics and value, but they can’t begin to describe one elusive quality – beauty. To do that, you’ll need to experience the diamond with your own eyes. Here is a brief explanation of each of the 4Cs.

Carat weight is the most intuitive of the 4Cs – you expect a larger diamond to be worth more when assigning diamond values.

Diamonds and other gemstones are weighed using metric carats with one carat weighing about the same as a small paper clip, or 0.2 grams. Just as a dollar is divided into 100 pennies, a carat is divided into 100 points which means that a diamond of 50 points weighs 0.50 carats. But two diamonds of equal weight can have very different values depending on the other three characteristics of a diamond’s 4Cs: clarity, color, and cut. The majority of diamonds used in fine jewelry weigh one carat or less.

Because even a fraction of a carat can represent a considerable difference in cost when purchasing diamonds, exact precision is crucial. In the diamond industry, weight is measured to a thousandth of a carat and rounded to the nearest hundredth. Each hundredth is called a point (a 0.25 ct. diamond would be called a “twenty-five pointer”). Diamond weights greater than one carat are expressed in carats and decimals. (For instance, a 1.08 ct. stone would be described as “one point oh eight carats,” or “one oh eight.”)

Diamond Clarity refers to the absence of internal inclusions or external blemishes.

Because they are created deep within the earth, most diamonds contain unique birthmarks called inclusions (internal) and blemishes (external). Diamonds with very few birthmarks are rare and, of course, rarity affects a diamond’s value. Using the International Diamond Grading System™, created by GIA, diamonds are given a clarity grade that ranges from flawless (FL) to diamonds with more prominent inclusions (I3).

Every diamond is unique. But none are absolutely perfect even though some come close, even under 10x magnification. Known as flawless diamonds, they are exceptionally rare. Most jewelers have never even see one.

The GIA Clarity Scale contains 11 grades, with most readily available diamonds falling into the VS or SI categories. In determining a clarity grade, GIA considers the size, nature, position, color or relief, and quantity of clarity characteristics visible under 10x magnification.

• Flawless (FL)
  No inclusions or blemishes are visible to a skilled grader using 10× magnification
• Internally Flawless (IF)
  No inclusions and only minor blemishes are visible to a skilled grader using 10× magnification
• Very, Very Slightly Included (VVS1 and VVS2)
  Inclusions are difficult for a skilled grader to see under 10× magnification
• Very Slightly Included (VS1 and VS2)
  Inclusions are clearly visible under 10× magnification but can be characterized as minor
• Slightly Included (SI1 and SI2)
  Inclusions are noticeable to a skilled grader using 10× magnification
• Imperfect (I1, I2, and I3)
  Inclusions are obvious under 10× magnification and may affect transparency and brilliance

The Color of the diamond is all about what you can’t see.

Diamonds are valued by how closely they approach colorlessness – the less color, the higher the value. Most diamonds found in jewelry stores run from colorless to near-colorless with slight hints of yellow or brown. The only exceptions are the fancy-color diamonds that lie outside of this range.

GIA’s diamond color-grading scale is the industry’s most widely accepted grading system. The scale begins with the letter D, representing colorless, and continues, with increasing presence of color, to the letter Z. Diamonds are color-graded by comparing them to stones of known color under controlled lighting and precise viewing conditions.

Many of these color distinctions are so subtle that they are invisible to the untrained eye. But these slight color differences make a very big difference in diamond quality and price.

Cut fuels the diamond’s fire, sparkle, and brilliance.

It seems miraculous that the traditional 58 tiny facets in a diamond, each precisely cut and sharply defined, may be only two millimeters in diameter. But without this precision, a diamond wouldn’t be near as beautiful as it is. Without a doubt, the allure of a particular diamond depends more on cut than anything else.

Though extremely difficult to analyze, the cut of a diamond has three attributes: brightness (the total light reflected from a diamond), fire (the dispersion of light into the colors of the spectrum), and scintillation (the light flashes – or sparkle – when a diamond moves).

An understanding of diamond cut begins with the shape of a diamond, with the standard round brilliant dominating the majority of diamond jewelry. All other diamond shapes are known as fancy shapes or fancy cuts and include the marquise, pear, oval, and emerald cuts. Hearts, cushions, triangles, and a variety of other new shapes are also gaining popularity in many forms of diamond jewelry.

As a value factor, though, cut refers to a diamond’s proportions, symmetry, and polish. For example, look at a side view of the standard round brilliant. The major components, from top to bottom, are the crown, the girdle, and the pavilion. A round brilliant cut diamond can have either 57 or 58 facets, the 58th being a tiny flat facet at the bottom of the pavilion, known as the culet. The large, flat facet on the top is the table. The proportions of a diamond refer to the relationships between table size, crown angle, and pavilion depth. A wide range of proportion combinations are possible, and these ultimately affect the stone’s synchronicity with light.

In early 2005, GIA unveiled a diamond cut grading system for standard round brilliants in the D-to-Z color range. This system, the product of more than 15 years of intensive research and testing, assigns an overall diamond cut grade ranging from Excellent to Poor.

The Confer family would be pleased to help you profess your love with a dazzling diamond that sparkles with the promise of eternity.

For over 35 years, we have made it our tradition to provide extraordinary customer service.  As members of the Independent Jewelers Organization, the world’s largest buying group, we can offer variety and exceptional quality. We annually travel to Antwerp Belgium, The Diamond Capitol of the world. We buy directly from the cutters, allowing us to hand select exquisite diamonds at significant savings.

We have a Master Graduate Gemologist and a jeweler on staff to help with the selection and preservation of your precious purchase. We offer free cleaning and inspection of your jewelry for life.

Confer’s Jewelers

100 North Allegheny Street
Bellefonte, PA 16823

Telephone: (814) 355-8836
Email:
Website: http://www.confersjewelers.com/

Choosing the wine for your special day is an important detail.  You taste and choose the wedding food and cake ahead of time, so why not taste and choose the wine in advance, too? In addition to sampling the wine ahead of time, there are many other things to consider when choosing the wine for your wedding reception.

Selecting Your Wine

If you are obliged to buy wine from your caterer/wedding venue, then they may be able to assist you in selecting wines appropriate to go with your menu, whether it be appetizers or a meal.  If you are able to bring the wine yourself, you have a lot of choices.  You may already have a favorite wine or two you would like to serve at the wedding. Your choices can make your special day all the more enchanting and allow you to personalize your wedding by sharing your favorite wines with your guests.

Basic Rule of Thumb for Wine and Food Pairing

Most food and wine experts believe that the most basic element of food and wine pairing is understanding the balance between the “weight” of the food and the weight (or body) of the wine.  In matching the body of the wine with that of the food, you should pair a delicate dish with a light white (Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc).  On the other hand, a hearty dish will be enhanced by a full-bodied red (Cabernet Sauvignon) or full-bodied white (Oaky Chardonnay).  The time-honored adage of “White wine with fish; red wine with meat” has become somewhat outdated due to the variety of wine styles prevalent in modern winemaking, but is still useful as a starting point.

Consider the Particulars of Your Wedding

• You and Your Guests – What kind of wine do you like? How about your friends and family?  Would your guests enjoy one or two really nice glasses of wine to sip as they socialize? Or, is wine not that important to your guests?

• Time of Year – Is your reception scheduled for the middle of summer or the dead of winter? The season could make a difference in what wine you decide to serve your guests–are you trying to warm them up or cool them off? If you are hosting an outdoor reception and the weather is expected to be warm, plan accordingly and serve a refreshing, lighter wine like a Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc. Winter is a good time to consider a Cabernet, Merlot, or Shiraz.

• Time of Day – Are you having a day or evening wedding? People may drink a little less at an afternoon wedding than at an evening affair.

• Your Budget – If you have the option to bring your own, determine whether it makes more sense to order off the wine list at your wedding venue or pay the corkage fee, which can be between $5 and $25 a bottle. The fee covers staff service to open and pour the wines, and makes up for some of the income lost since you didn’t buy the wine from them. There may be room for negotiation on corkage; it never hurts to ask. Remember that it’s standard practice for hotels and restaurants to mark up the price of their wines to two or three times the wholesale price.  Also, check ahead to see whether the wedding venue charges a service fee on top of the corkage.

Best to Have a Couple Choices –  Red, White (or Rose . . )

Although sparkling wine is a wedding fixture (for the toast especially) consider serving one red and one white wine if the reception includes a meal or hors d’oeuvres. Professional wedding planners advise serving equal amounts of red and white wine.  For those who want to pour just one wine with the meal, there is a happy compromise –  dry rosé, a wine that’s refreshing and also substantial enough to drink with sturdy foods.

Some White Wine Top Picks

As far as you choice of white wine goes, look to Sauvignon Blanc, a versatile white that goes well with seafood, chicken, eggs, vegetables, and salads. Or select the crowd-pleasing, easy-to-drink Pinot Gris.  An unoaked or lightly oaked Chardonnays would be great to sip alone and be a better match with a wider range of dishes than the toasty, buttery type of Chardonnay.

Some Red Wine Top Picks

Cabernet Sauvignon is the most popular red wine in America, and it’s best suited to serving with hearty beef and lamb dishes. Merlot is a lighter style and very versatile, as is the earthy Pinot Noir, both of which pair well with light red meats, pork, and poultry.

The Middle Ground – Rose

Dry rosé is crisp and fruity and does not have the sweetness of white Zinfandel and other blush wines. It pairs beautifully with salads, poultry, pork, tuna, salmon, and even sirloin. Rosé also hits the spot in both warm and cool weather, day and night.

How Much to Buy

• It’s better to have too much wine than not enough. Guests complain when the wine runs out and they still have prime rib on their plate, or if they have an empty glass for the toast.

•The standard 750-ml wine bottle holds 25 ounces; count on five servings of wine, at five ounces each, from one bottle. For sparkling wines served in flutes, allow for four ounces per serving (plus foam), which equals six servings per bottle.

• Most caterers count on each guest consuming one-half bottle of wine—roughly two glasses—every two hours. If the party lasts four hours, count on one 25-ounce bottle per person. These calculations allow for the fact that some folks will drink more, some less, and some not at all. One bottle each might seem like a lot of wine, but consider that your guest may want to sample everything, even though they don’t drain their glasses.  Most retailers will take back unopened bottles of the wines they sell to you as long as the labels and cork area haven’t been damaged or stained.

Last but not Least –  the Wedding Cake

If champagne will be served with the wedding cake—perhaps during the toast—pour one that has a sweetness that can stand up to the cake or whatever other dessert is served. Most sparkling wines are labeled “brut,” meaning they’re quite dry and contain less than 1.5 percent sugar. That dryness will make the wine taste metallic and bitter with sweet desserts.  Look for a “demi-sec” bubbly, with 3.3 to 5 percent sugar because it has the sweetness that will complement the cake.

If you are a wine lover and are hoping to incorporate your passion for the vine into your big day there are plenty of unique and creative options to do just that!  One such option would be to order wine with custom labels from a local winery.  At Mount Nittany Vineyard & Winery we offer custom wine labels to commemorate your occasion, as well as wine and food pairing advice and free tasting.

Wedding photos are one of the most important investments of your big day.  They will remind you of your special day for years to come.  You want to look your very best. 

Important elements include the wedding dress, a great photographer and the perfect look. 

During the stresses of the day, and there will be some, you want to make sure your makeup stays fresh and is picture appropriate.  Things you do not want include a shiny face, running mascara or unseen lipstick.  Consulting a professional beauty consultant/makeup expert makes it easier to get the desired look.  If you are intending not to put on any makeup, reconsider.  At least use some powder on your face to give you a softer appearance and avoid shine.  If you are a girl who usually doesn’t wear much makeup or has a natural look, don’t go the complete opposite direction and wear a ton.  You still want to make sure it looks like you and that you are comfortable with what you have on.  If you are uncomfortable it will show in pictures. 

A professional should sit down with you; ask questions about colors, time of day and what you are comfortable with wearing.  One of the most important things to remember about makeup is that you need to have clean skin underneath it.  If you have clean skin, you don’t have to use makeup to cover up skin problems.  Starting at least a few months before your wedding is a good idea so if there are issues they can be taken care of. 

Trying a few different looks and taking pictures of each is a good idea.  This way you can compare looks and find your favorite.  A matte, rather then a shimmery finish is best for eye and cheek makeup.  It looks more natural and photographs better, while shimmer can look greasy under flash. Under foundation you can use a primer to fill in any scars or large pores.  It gives a flawless finish and helps foundation to stay put longer.  Apply eye and cheek color a little heavier than normal but neatly and precisely. Fake lashes and a few coats of mascara will make your natural lashes stand out so they will be seen in photographs.  You may want to use waterproof mascara for any of those emotional moments.

Many brides want to coordinate their bridesmaids’ looks.  You will want to start this process early so that everyone is comfortable and has what they need to look their best.  This can be a great time to get the girls together and have fun trying new looks.

Don’t forget the groom!  If his face is red or he has a shiny head a little powder can help.  Also have him carry Chap Stick to keep lips moisturized so they do not appear dry.

Things to carry with you on the wedding day include pressed powder to touch up during the day and combat shine and lipstick or lip gloss to freshen your lips. 

Be confident, know you look amazing and strike a pose!

Kelly Yost is an Independent Beauty Consultant with Mary Kay Cosmetics.  For over two years she has been helping women look and feel their best.  She loves her business and aspires to become a Mary Kay Director.  She resides in State College with her husband Ryan and two cats, Achilles & Isis.