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GOTriJANUARY 2016

My Big Fat Geek Wedding

WeddingTrends

for 2016

MY BIG FAT GEEKWEDDING

MAKE A SECONDWEDDING STAND OUT

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TRENDS FOR 2016

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[email protected] Magazine is published monthly by the Kingsport Times-News and the

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My Big Fat Geek Wedding

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Wedding Trends for 2016

Wedding CakesIn the wedding world, it seems as though everything that

was once “out” comes back around again. Couples are going back to more traditional buttercream wedding cakes and mov-ing away from fondant. Traditional style round cakes decorated with real or sugar flowers are always popular.

Some couples are choosing to embrace their personalities and have cakes made to reflect their hobbies, pop culture or their personal style. For instance, I’ve seen cakes that are tra-ditional down one side and the other side will have comic book hero colors and designs. Never be afraid to embrace who you are and what you love.

gifts for the Bride and groomIt is still a sweet tradition for the bride and groom to exchange gifts before the ceremony. With more and more couples choosing to do “first

looks” this gift exchange can take place then, or the bridesmaids and groomsmen can help with the exchange if the couple is going the traditional route of not seeing each other before the ceremony.

Jewelry for the bride and a watch for the groom are classic gifts, but these tokens don’t have to be pricey, either. I’ve seen a bride give the groom a fun pair of socks to “prevent cold feet” and a groom give a bride her favorite salted caramel chocolates. The sweetest thing is to have a handwritten note or letter with the gift that captures your excitement about your marriage.

By Kelly Story - lead wedding coordinator with Positive Approach Events based in Johnson City.

5JANUARY 2016 | GOTRI MAGAZINE

soCial mediaMany couples are turning to social media to keep guests up to date on

wedding plans and as a means for guests to share snapshots they capture at the wedding events. Many brides and grooms will create a hashtag for their wedding events, from bridal showers to the big day, and they post this hashtag on their programs or a sign at the reception. If guests use the hashtag when they post on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, it makes it easy for the couple to find all of these posts and photographs with one click.

While social media is popular, many couples are attempting to have “unplugged weddings.” Basically an unplugged wedding is one where the couple asks, either verbally by the officiant, on a sign or in the program, for the guests to turn off their cellphones and cameras and be in the moment with the couple instead of trying to take a million pictures of their own.

If you spend the money to hire a great photographer, the last thing you want is well-meaning Aunt Susie to stand up and block the photographer as they are trying to capture the bride coming down the aisle or the cou-ple’s first kiss.

entertainmentA wedding DJ is usually the more affordable reception entertainment

option, but many couples are now budgeting for a fun band to get their guests dancing the night away. Of course, there are good and bad in both categories, so vet your choice well before signing on the dotted line.

Photo booths are another trend for reception entertainment and a fun way for the couple and their guests to have a keepsake of the day. Usually the vendor providing the photobooth equipment will bring along fun props to use and most print out photo strips on the spot for guests to take home.

For warm-weather outdoor weddings, lawn games like cornhole and giant Jenga are popular entertainment options.

Videography and photographyVideography is coming back in a big way. Many couples are especially interested in having at least a highlight video — a creative and beautiful 5-10

minute overview of the wedding day, usually set to a sweet love song or two. I see more and more brides budgeting for video, which is great. At the end of the day, after the wedding is over, your photos and video are the only things you have to remember and relive the day.

With photography, I always recommend couples choose classic, skilled photographers. Yes, the filters and creative editing are fun and they are a trend at the moment, but if you have a great photographer who can shoot timeless photos, you will not regret your decision and your images will never look dated. You can add fun filters to skillfully captured, well-composed photos, but you can’t remove filters and editing that is covering up less-than-stellar snapshots.

Photography and videography is the one area I do not recommend budget-skimping. Hire true professionals so you have lasting cherished me-mentos of this special day.

A “first look” — where the bride and groom see each other before the ceremony — isn’t a new trend, but it is a popular one. Logistically, having most of the photography done before the ceremony is wonderful — you don’t miss getting photos with anyone and you end up with many more great photos of the bride and groom togeth-er without everything being rushed and crammed in during cocktail hour.

It’s also a way to save a little money because you don’t have to open the bar and have cocktail hour food, you can go straight on to dinner and dancing after the ceremony.

That said, it’s almost a trend that couples — grooms especially, lately — are going back to the tradition of not wanting to see each other before the ceremony. A first look can be a very special moment for a couple — I’ve never had a couple say they regret doing a first look, and most say it was their favorite moment of the day — but ev-eryone must make that decision for themselves.

6 GOTRI MAGAZINE | GOTRICITIES.COM6 GOTRI MAGAZINE | GOTRICITIES.COM6 JANUARY 2016 | GOTRI MAGAZINE

Wedding AdvicePlanning a wedding can be a stressful and daunting task. However,

newlywed Morgan Taylor Meade says it doesn’t have to be.Meade, a Gate City, Va. native, and her husband, Tim Meade, were

married in August at the Cokesbury United Methodist Church in Knox-ville. Their reception was held at the World’s Fair Park Amphitheater. The couple was engaged for a little less than six months before saying “I do.”

Meade offers the following tips to make what should be one of the hap-piest times of a bride and groom’s lives together a little more memorable and a lot less stressful.

Include your fiancé

A wedding is not all about the bride; there is a groom that has just as much say so. The best thing that I did was involving my fiancé. He had certain opinions on the way he wanted things to go as well. So, when we were able to plan together, we avoided fighting and stressing about minor details. Including him also helped for the day of the ceremony. He knew every detail and how things would play out and it definitely helped take some of the stress off of me.

Participate in marriage counselingTim and I really took advantage of our marriage counseling experience

with the church. Make sure to discuss everything, including the scary top-ics. Financial plans were a major subject matter for us because we weren’t sure as to how we wanted things to be set up. Our counselor brainstormed ideas with us and made suggestions, but ultimately left the decision mak-ing up to us to carry out. We also learned the best methods for conflict resolution (which we are still working on). Disagreements and arguments are inevitable, but once we learned how to slow things down and debate calmly with one another our relationship grew for the better. Marriage counseling was a huge success for us.

Plan bridal appointments first

I wanted a short engagement, so we planned our wedding in five months. I was so excited to book the church, the reception venue and DJ that I almost forgot to book my appointments. I ended up waiting until the last second to book my hair and makeup because I assumed it wouldn’t be a problem. I was still extremely pleased with the way it turned out, but it could have ended much worse.

Make time for sentiments

Don’t avoid emotional moments, embrace them. This is your wedding day, take everything in. I made sure to set aside a special moment for my mom and mother-in-law the night before by giving them presents, and then my dad had his own special time planned for me that morning. I tried to avoid tears as to not ruin my makeup, but it’s those special times that I enjoyed the most. I wish I could relive mine over and over. On my day, not everything was perfect, but in my head it was a fairy tale dream and I have my prince.

Photos provided courtesy of Maganda Moments – Brittany and Conrad Casem

7NOVEMBER 2015 | GOTRI MAGAZINE 7JANUARY 2016 | GOTRI MAGAZINE

Have a backup plan

Try to plan every worst case scenario possible. The week prior to our wedding day there was absolutely zero percent chance for rain. We were having an indoor ceremony and our reception was covered under an am-phitheater tent. However, I wanted all the pre-wedding pictures taken out-side. Just as soon as we were ready to go, the skies opened up and we had to brainstorm for indoor places.

Also, plan for after the night ends. What will happen when you leave, who cleans up, where are you staying, etc.? We had planned for all of this, but accidents still continued to happen. The groomsmen grabbed my husband’s keys to decorate the car at the church, and they somehow never made it back to him. Thus, we didn’t have a ride to our own reception and everyone’s cars were full. We had to ride with the photographers and then my parents had to bring the car to the hotel at three in the morning, be-cause we were leaving on a plane at four.

Situations arise, and not everything will go smoothly, but make sure to stay calm. It is the imperfect plans that happen that are made into wedding day memories that eventually become laughing matters.

Think outside the box for cost savings

We researched and reviewed almost everything. But, let’s face it, you can add the word wedding to anything and the cost will go up $500. What worked best for us was not going by the traditional wedding book. Instead of renting the groomsmens’ tuxedos for $200 each, it was cheaper for us to buy suits. Joseph A. Banks was a having a sale, and we actually bought 12 men’s suits (regular $600) for right around $200. We also saved money by having my mother make the boutonnieres. They looked great in pic-tures and no one could even tell. Traditionally, wedding favors are given to guests, but in essence of time and money we made a donation to St. Judes Children’s Hospital.

Don’t sweat the small stuff

I would suggest making a list of the expenses that you will have for your wedding day. Then name the top three most important things to you and the three least important, and spend accordingly. Not everything has to be perfect, and you can offset the minor details with elaborate ones otherwise. I ended up spending the least amount of money on my invitations and pro-grams because I wanted elaborate decorations.

Go on an all-inclusive honeymoon

Most people will say that a big vacation is silly, but that is something I cherished so much after the wedding. We left the next morning at 4 a.m. to try to make the most time of our vacation days. I would now say to take one day in between to settle down from everything. However, we spent a lot on our honeymoon to St. Lucia, and I don’t regret one single cent. We were in paradise on our first days as husband and wife. It was such an amazing feeling to have all the planning over, and enjoy each other without work. The best part is that everything is paid for and you don’t have to worry about spending additional money. This was the best way we could truly enjoy our time together on the island.


Wedding Venues – By Rick Wagner

Sometimes less is more, simpler is better.Aptly called The Barn, a tobacco barn in the Stony Point community in eastern Surgoinsville

is a venue for weddings, receptions and other events. Those events in the Hawkins County barn have ranged from Halloween parties to a Halloween-themed wedding, from a charity yard sale to a live, drive-by nativity scene.

Owned by Sharlene Lee Spaulding, the barn is located behind 2991 Highway 11W, near where she grew up in a house that fronted the old two-lane U.S. Highway 11W, now state Route 346 or Main Street. Access is available from either road, and folks there can catch a glimpse of the Holston River winding through Phipps Bend.

Spaulding’s youngest daughter wanted to have a reception there about four years ago following a ceremony in the nearby New Providence Presbyterian Church, and word of mouth through fam-ily and friends spread the word. For instance, a couple originally from Church Hill but transplanted to Nashville were married there.

“The Barn was totally full of junk. We had to haul if off and burn it,” Spaulding said of the struc-ture, used mostly for storage and as a workshop before its rebirth as a wedding and reception venue. Stringed white lights are often used to decorate the inside of the barn, which is about two-and-a-half stories tall.

The structure still has dirt floors, although hay can be used to keep down the dust with hay bales sometimes used for seating. She said the floors are packed hard enough for dancing.

An adjoining area with a concrete floor can be used for food preparation and a staging area. It has a rustic “outhouse” for looks only, but modern portable facilities are brought in for events.

For more information call Spaulding, or her husband, Jerry, at (423) 345-3701

One of the region’s newest “premier” wedding, reception and honey-moon venues is The Lodge at Crooked River, located on the Crooked Road — Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail.

Between Mendota and Hiltons, Va., in Scott County, The Lodge opened June 5 and provides what a co-owner called a premier venue for weddings and other events year round.

The Lodge features circa 1823 hand-hewed, hand-pegged oak beams and multiple fireplaces on a 200-acre estate of Annette and David Temple-ton. It has Clinch Mountain on one side and the Holston River on the other.

“We just started cleaning up the property and realized how beautiful the view down the valley is,” Annette said of the property the couple has owned for 27 years.

Wedding ceremony sites can be in The Lodge, as well as down by the Seventh Shoal with the flow of the river, or over in The Grove with tall white

oaks as a backdrop.The 1890 renovated barn is a place for the wedding party to dress and

also houses a honeymoon suite, while receptions can be in The Lodge, where Texas limestone frames the entry and flanks the indoor, outdoor fireplaces, giving a look not unlike the European countryside.

A hand-forged wrought iron arch towers more than 17 feet above the stone steps into The lodge. A wall of windows facing west show a view of the valley with hay fields and meadows. The barn’s honeymoon suite has a copper soaking tub to view a mountain sunset.

Mostly through word of mouth and the website http://crookedriverevents.com/, the venue has attracted folks from the greater Tri-Cities and as far away as Middle Tennessee, Templeton said.

Call (423) 863-4009 or email [email protected] for more information or to schedule a tour.

The Lodge at Crooked River

The Barn

2824 WEST MARKET ST.JOHNSON CITY, TN • 423-926-7312

1245 VOLUNTEER PKWYBRISTOL, TN • 423-764-6156

903 S. WILCOX DRIVEKINGSPORT, TN • 423-392-4330

3195 E. ANDREW JOHNSON HWYBRISTOL, TN • 423-764-6156

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Welcome to Tuscany, Tenn., and its wedding venue.In the Indian Springs community of Sullivan County is a winery, wedding

venue and vineyard.The grape vines are viewable northward from Interstate 81 between

Kingsport and Blountville.However, Corey Ippolito Vineyard is billed on its website as “a little taste

of Tuscany, Italy tucked away in the beautiful rolling hills of Northeast Ten-nessee.”

“Whether you’re planning a big event or just want to do a little wine tast-ing, we have what you’re looking for,” according to the venue’s website.

Nancy and Kevin Corey wanted five acres of land, and in 1999 they got their wish five times over, she said. They bought 25 acres in Sullivan Coun-ty, with a Blountville mailing address, and turned it into a vineyard. In April of 2007, they opened Corey Ippolito Vineyard to the public and around the same time it became a venue for weddings, receptions and other events.

“I think I had a wedding here before we opened the vineyard,” Nancy said of the business. The wedding venue has been outside since it started, meaning winter weddings were pretty much out of the question.

However, Nancy said a house on site is being converted to an indoor venue to allow weddings to occur in all seasons. It should be available by the early spring if things go as planned, she said.

Nancy is the granddaughter of Incenzo “James” Ippolito, an immigrant from Sonnino, Italy, who settled in Syracuse, N.Y, married an Italian girl and had six children and many grandchildren, according to Nancy and the venue’s website, http://www.civines.com/.

For more information, go to the website, call (423) 323-1241 or email [email protected].

S i n c e 1 9 4 7

BroylesFlorist, Inc.

S i n c e 1 9 4 7

423-753-4211 • www.broylesfl oristinc.com

214 E. Mountcastle Dr. • Johnson City258 East Main Street • Jonesborough

Floral Excellence for that “Special Day”

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Corey Ippolito Winery & Vineyard


Just a few miles outside of Johnson City proper is Maple Lane Farm at 3134 Cherokee Rd. This wedding venue provides an outdoor storybook option for those who want that natural feel-ing, but in case the skies let loose moisture on the dressed-up guests and parties, there are on-site indoor options, too.

A vineyard sits up on the hill behind Maple Lane Farm, which, on its property contains some other breathtaking elements to make the celebration of two lives coming together as special as can be. The driveway, on which guests will travel as they arrive, makes for a natural tunnel of trees that sets up wedding photography well.

The house, owned by the venue’s owner, serves as the place where brides and grooms prepare for their ceremony, and acts as a place to relax as much as the wedding’s main par-ticipants will allow. When the ceremony begins, depending on the weather or preference of those getting married, the event could happen either down at the pond or near a barn where the wedding’s participants will traditionally come through to begin. Near the pond, the wedding will take place at a white altar.

A covered open building near the vineyard is also available for those who want, or need, to get married under the cover of the weather. Parties of up to 250 guests will easily be comfort-able at Maple Lane Farms.

Maple Lane Farm

Downtown Johnson City’s VENUE, owned and operated by Brandi and Travis Woodall through their company Positive Approach Group, is not only a one-stop-shop for wedding ceremonies and reception, but it’s John-son City’s best option for that urban wedding feel.

With one of the area’s largest single level event spaces, Venue, located at the King Centre, has spectacular natural light in the day time and large enough windows for an evening wedding, letting through the light of down-town’s glow.

Travis said the cityscapes and seven-foot windows make for that per-fect urban loft wedding feel that many brides and grooms are going for. Between the Woodall’s ability to provide catering, lighting and licensed bartending packages all in one bill, they find that their clients — often busy and thrifty young college-aged couples — are excited to have the duo do just about everything for them.

“We can do everything in-house,” Travis said. “People like that. Instead of setting up several meetings, people can do it altogether and write one check.”

November, January and February are often considered down months, where the Woodall’s might only have a single wedding booked each of those months, but Travis said it gives them prime time to market their business and

throw on a fresh coat of paint, if it’s needed. Having been in business for about six years, the wedding-planning duo has helped put on more than two hundred weddings, with many more expected.

When not providing the space and resources for weddings, VENUE is also used as a meeting, forum, prom and event space for many other events in the area.

VENUE

Wedding Venues – By Tony Casey

11OCTOBER 2015 | GOTRI MAGAZINE 11JANUARY 2016 | GOTRI MAGAZINE

If you want to get married in a mansion, look no further than Kingsport’s Allandale Mansion, which sits on a 500-acre piece of property originally owned by Harvey Brooks.

Along with the experience of being married in a mansion, participants also get to experience the history that goes along with it. The road where the Allandale Mansion property sits is Old Stage Road, which has served as one of the most trusty historical thoroughfares between Tennessee’s state capital and Washington D.C.

The building was constructed in 1852 and served as a homestead for the Phipps’ 12-child family until 1880 when it was eventually acquired by the Brooks.

Since then, it’s served as one of Kingsport’s premier venues for wed-dings, with massive lawns and the bright white building serving as a back-drop or container of several hundred weddings over the years.

The Ole Barn440 Okolona Road • Johnson City

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The Allandale Mansion


When the big day rolls around, some couples prefer the nostalgic sounds of 8-bit video game themes to wedding bells to welcome them to the altar. From popping the question to the after party, couples are always looking for ways to make their weddings special, and what better way to do that than to incorporate the similar interests that brought them together.

Geek weddings have infiltrated traditional weddings whether it be wed-dings with fully-dressed role play characters or a subtle touch of popular culture at the reception. Either way, geeky couples don’t shy away from in-corporating the video games, books, movies, television shows and comic books that brought them together in the first place.

When Atlanta couple Angela Webster-Musgrove and Eric Musgrove got engaged, they knew they wanted to incorporate the video game series, The Legend of Zelda, into their ceremony and reception.

While many aspects of the wedding were traditional, the dark green and gold colored theme of the wedding is all too familiar for fans of the franchise, and Webster-Musgrove said she worked with her planner to incorporate do-it-yourself projects into the reception to mirror the theme.

“The game has been a huge part of our lives, we played it when we were young and all,” Webster-Musgrove said. “We wanted the wedding to still be traditional but have some subtle elements, that way the people that we invited who knew nothing of the game would still think the wedding was beautiful.”

Couples accepting the challenge of planning a geek wedding can scour the internet for ideas and DIY projects on blogs, such as “When Geeks Wed,” which offers ideas for every aspect in a wedding from just about every piece of pop culture imaginable.

And of course, you can’t go wrong with Pinterest, which is chock full of wedding ideas, geeky or not.

Even elopement can be geeked up for those not wanting the stress of planning a wedding ceremony, like Pensacola couple Lori Williams and Christopher Dunkel. After being together for 12 years and falling in love by cosplaying together, the couple got hitched in New Orleans last month, but not without incorporating some of their favorite characters to cosplay into their wedding attire, X-Men’s Gambit and Rogue.

“Cosplay is really a big part of our relationship,” Williams said. “We go to (conventions) together and make our costumes together, and we usually cosplay as couples who are like us in some way, so we wanted to incorpo-rate it into our wedding.”

And for those who want just the subtlest touch of something geeky in their wedding, the music in the ceremony is always a good way to incor-porate some favorite movie or video game music on the way to or from the altar.

And, of course, there’s nothing wrong with an after party including some of your favorite movies, like Faith Rogers and her bridal party, who plan on heading straight to the movie theater to see Star Wars: The Force Awak-ens in complete wedding attire.

“It’s perfect,” Rogers said. “How many other people get to say they went to see Star Wars in a wedding dress?”

My BigFat GeekWedding – By Jessica Fuller

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14 GOTRI MAGAZINE | GOTRICITIES.COM14 JANUARY 2016 | GOTRI MAGAZINE

Nina York & Michael Marchioni were married on August 8, 1981, at Incarnation Church in Queens Village, New York. Nina was delighted to wear the wedding dress that had been worn by her mother, Frances DiMarco, on her wedding day, August 31, 1946.The dress was made from the silk of a parachute that her father, Stephen York, had sent home be-fore returning from service overseas. Steve served in the Infantry from May 1942 until September 1945. Frances selected the design for the dress; and it was hand made by her sister, Josephine, and other dress makers working in the New York City area.

– Nina Paula Marchioni - Johnson City, TN

We were married June 30, 1985 in Hollywood, Florida. At our recep-tion, John’s Uncle Charlie toasted “Hope you have thirteen young’uns.” Thankfully we had only two children (a son and a daughter). It rained throughout the ceremony. There was a torrential downpour as we left the reception going to our car. We were soaked as we drove away. That was over 30 years ago and we are still happily married and very much in love.In the photo: Left to right: Jesse Padgett (father of the bride), BeatriceHelen Padgett (bride’s mother), Denise (Padgett) Taylor, John Taylor, Linda Taylor, and Jerry Taylor

Throwback Weddings

Ronald and Paula Gore married in Falls Church, Va.on November 4, 1967


I am fortunate to have a photo of my great-grandparents from their wedding day on New Year’s Day 1895. They were Dan-iel Zumbrum and Gertrude Lowe, and they were married in Kentland, Newton County, Indiana. While Gertrude was born in Indiana, her father, James Henderson Lowe, was born in Greene County, TN; he moved to Newton County, Indiana in 1853 with his parents, and ultimately raised his family there. – Debbie Crain - Kingsport, TN

The photo is of the wedding of Shirley A. Starnes and T. Richard Harris, both of Kingsport, TN. The wedding was held at Pleas-ant View Baptist Church on Au-gust 19, 1955. Minister was Rev. Edwin Ketner. We recently cel-ebrated our 60th wedding anni-versary with a gathering at Hotel Roanoke at Roanoke, VA. A por-tion of our honeymoon was spent In Roanoke.– Richard Harris

This is our wedding photo taken on October 25, 1959 in Mineola Park on Long Island,New York. Nancy Fru-goni wed George Miller in St.Aidan’s church in Williston Park, L.I.,on the most perfect, beautiful autumn day. – Nancy Miller

We were married only three months after we met. His family is in the fu-neral business, so it was fitting that he took me to a cemetery to pro-pose…asking me if I’d “like to be buried in the family plot…” (I said, “NOW?!?!?”) We’ve been married and in the ministry 41 years. The wedding took place at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky on May 31, 1974. My father, his brother, and my brother each participated in the marriage ceremony. We are new residents of the area since my husband was appointed in June of this year as Senior Min-ister at First Broad Street United Methodist Church.We love living in the Tri-Cities area! Hoping we can retire here!– Blessings, Beth Green

Corey Ippolito Winery

Kevin and Nancy Corey1980

Incenzo and MaryIppolito

Lodge and Kathleen Evans - Married Corpus Christi Texas


Mr and Mrs Ted Rastall. Hampton Baptist Church June 9th 1961

Carol Lee Hunt and Edward Clark Bowman were married on December 18, 1964 at Boones Creek Church of Christ. My grand-father, Russell Boone Clark was my best man and Carol’s uncle, James Hunt, gave her away because both of our fathers were deceased. We celebrated our fifty first an-niversary in 2015.– Edward Bowman

Kenneth “Pete” & Kathleen Cofer Jones at their wedding in Bal Harbor, Fl on Oct. 8, 1976.

Kathryn Elayne (“Kem”) Moore was united before God in Holy Matrimony to Jeffrey Alan Berry at Munsey Memo-rial United Methodist Church in Johnson City on May 24, 1986, a date which we learned later was, to the exact day, four years after we had met during a produc-tion at Jonesborough Repertory Theatre.During our honeymoon in Hilton Head, we began planning our 25th wedding anni-versary, when we would renew our vows. It was there I even purchased the dress I would wear on that far-away day. Twen-ty-five years later, on May 24, 2011, we celebrated with a simple dinner at a local restaurant. And we made notes about a “renewal of vows” ceremony which would take place later in the summer. Two weeks later, we watched the sunset together on our deck and made more notes. What a perfect evening it was, including time with our children, and more time together later, reminiscing about our wedding and our lives togeth-er. Jeff had, just 3 years earlier, been appointed juvenile court director for Washington County, where he made hundreds of new friends, both coworkers and client families alike. Who would know (except God) that I would lose my sweet “Jeffers”, that my children would lose their dad, that the county would lose a beloved official, only 48 years old, that same night, June 8, 2011, to a massive heart attack, exactly two short weeks after that special Silver An-niversary that we never got the chance to fully celebrate? But he left me with the most cherished of gifts – – two smart, successful, beautiful children -- Elijah, 25, who now makes his living in California, and Marlee, almost 18, a senior in high school. He also left everyone who was blessed to know him a treasure trove of happy, funny, loving memories of our time with this special man, a gift we can always keep with us wherever we go.

Terry & Jane Ann WilliamsMarried March 21, 1970

Keystone Free Will Baptist Church by the couples fathers - Rev. Roy Cooper & Rev. Arvil Williams. Happily married for 90 years, 45 for him and 45 for her. There are too many stories to tell about this special day!

Throwback Weddings


groomsmensgifts – By David Floyd

Naturally, the bride and groom receive the most gifts during a wedding. Some would argue it’s also important to recognize another group of es-sential wedding personnel: the groomsmen.

There are several websites out there that can help you with your search for the perfect groomsman gift, but the most specialized website out there would probably be www.groovygroomsmengifts.com. Here’s some quick suggestions:

CaricaturesLooking for something personalized? Try getting your groomsmen an

item with their caricature printed on the side. You can purchase individual caricatures, which on the Groovy Groomsmen Gifts website usually run for $50; a body template caricature, a $30 gift that dresses up your friends as their favorite characters; a $60 personalized Mug on a Mug, a carica-ture that is pasted on the side of a drinking glass; or you can purchase a Groomsmen Group Caricature, which features all the groomsmen, for $30. Groovy Groomsmen Gifts also offers personalized bobble heads, which usually cost about $100. A customer service representative will get in touch with you once the order is placed and ask for photos and a few other details depending on the nature of the item. Definitely plan on order-ing the gift several weeks ahead of time.

Movie PostersWeddings are a common plot device in movies — think “My Big Fat

Greek Wedding,” “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Bridesmaids.” If your groomsmen happen to be extreme movie buffs, it might be nice to give them personalized movie posters. Groovy Groomsmen Gifts offers multiple themes, including the poster for a raunchy Vince Vaughn-esque comedy to a “Reservoir Dogs” inspired crime drama. Once the order is placed, a customer service representative will call and ask for pictures of the people who will appear in the poster and for details regarding how the poster should look. Again, plan your order several weeks ahead of time.

Beer GrowlerNothing screams gritty, outdoorsman like a beer growler crafted out of

gunmetal. The Gunmetal Beer Growler from Groovy Groomsmen Gifts

holds 64 oz. of beer and can be personalized with a two-line message with up to 15 characters on each line. If your groomsmen’s tastes are a bit less rugged, you could also purchase them a simple glass growler personal-ized with a single letter. The glass growler costs $40 and the gunmetal beer growler runs about $30. Think of it this way: if you buy your grooms-men beer growlers, you’ll definitely have something fun to do while you’re waiting for the wedding ceremony to start. Just remember to buy some beer. And drink responsibly. If your groomsmen are a classy bunch, you could also buy them a classic, Prohibition-era flask. The glass container holds up to 8.5 oz. and can be personalized with up to three initials. Stan-dard shipping time for most beer containers is generally 8 to 12 business days.

Bottle OpenerWeddings harbor a miscellaneous assortment of alcohol, and wouldn’t

it be a shame if you had all of this nice beer but nothing to open it with? (Granted, you could just buy beer in cans, but bottled beverages just taste better.) If you’re planning on putting together a bag of nice items to give to your groomsmen, make sure to include a bottle opener; either a handy portable opener, a wall-mounted one or — if you’re feeling really crazy — both. The Leonardo DeCAPry-off, a wall-mounted bottle opener, runs about $20, and the gift can be personalized with one line of up to 20 char-acters. Standard shipping usually takes 8 to 12 business days for delivery. If you’re looking for something a bit more rustic, the Hand Forged Cap Opener might be your style. They usually cost about $40 and can be per-sonalized with up to 15 characters of text.

Gift CardsSometimes, considering all the hustle and bustle associated with wed-

dings, it’s easy to forget your groomsmen. Sometimes a simple gift must do. What’s the best kind of simple gift? One the recipient can choose. Buy your groomsmen some gift cards! Obviously, it’s best to buy a card from a convenient location — like Wal-Mart or Target — but a Visa Gift card might be your best bet. These can be worth anywhere between $10 to $500, depending on how much you love your friends. Visa Gift cards can be used online and over the phone, making them far more versatile than a common gift card.

Elaine Bennett Overbay and Arnold Overbay, who livein Elizabethton, were married Aug. 25, 1956 in Indiana.

Irene Veda Yarber and Robert Wayne Bennett, parents of Elaine Overbay, the day before they eloped and were married on May 31, 1938 in Indiana.


Many couples find their wedding rehearsal dinners to be relaxing respites from the whirl-wind of wedding planning. Such dinners enable the happy couple to slow down and enjoy them-selves in a relatively casual gathering with their closest friends and family members.

Rehearsal dinners typically take place in the night or two before the wedding. The couple, members of their wedding party, the parents of the bride and groom and others involved in the wedding typically attend this dinner. The couple generally takes the time at the dinner to thank everyone for their contributions to the wedding and to offer some small gifts of appreciation. No rules govern rehearsal dinners, so couples have the freedom to plan the dinners as they see fit.

Rehearsal dinners often come immediately after the ceremony rehearsal, when the wedding party and the officiant go over the timing and details of the wedding. Make arrangements with the ceremony site and officiant prior to making dinner reservations.

Parents of the groom traditionally host the re-hearsal dinner, so they will be integral in plan-ning the event. That means couples should keep an open and gracious mind. Remember, the rehearsal dinner doesn’t have to be a lavish affair, and it can be customized to any budget or preference.

Some couples feel that hosting rehearsal dinners in casual settings can make the dinner more comfortable for members of the wedding, who can use the dinner as an opportunity to mingle and get to know one another before the wedding. This will help to tame nerves and en-able the wedding party to loosen up and enjoy themselves even more. Some people may be more inclined to socialize and have fun when they’re not worried about putting on airs.

Restaurants that have special meaning to the couple often make for great places to hold re-hearsal dinners. The bride and groom can sug-gest their ideas, but ultimately it is the person handling the bill who has the final say. Couples who want greater control over the rehearsal din-ner festivities can suggest hosting it themselves.

Despite its name, the rehearsal dinner doesn’t actually have to be a dinner, as couples can opt for meals at a different time of the day, like brunch or lunch. An earlier occasion gives guests plenty of time to get home and rest up for the festivities of the wedding to come.

Toasts are expected at the rehearsal dinner, but they tend to be spontaneous, off-the-cuff

remarks. A couple with a good sense of humor might not mind being roasted at their rehearsal dinners. The bride and groom should expect to say a few words of thanks to all in attendance, but remarks need not be too formal.

Rehearsal dinners may even feature a little entertainment. Tech-savvy parents may put together a presentation with videos or photo-graphs that chronicles the couple’s lives sepa-rately and their life together.

Rehearsal dinners provide an opportunity for couples and their families to spend time together before the larger festivities of the wedding pull them in multiple directions. Plus, they set a fun tone for the wedding weekend to come.

Rehearsal dinner

how-to

19OCTOBER 2015 | GOTRI MAGAZINE

Couples planning to get married do so with the intention of spending the rest of their lives together. Few couples exchange rings thinking divorce or the loss of a spouse is in their future, but some marriages do end. Hap-pily, that reality does not prevent many people from seeking happily ever after once again.

A recent study from the Pew Research Center found that many people who were married before are deciding to take the plunge a second time. Four in 10 new marriages in the United States now include one partner who was married before. Roughly 42 million American adults have gotten married a second time — up from 22 million in 1980.

The Pew study also discovered that more men than women are likely to get remarried. Around 65 percent of previously married men have a desire to remarry, compared to 43 percent of previously married women.

Men and women about to get married for a second time can consider the following tips to help make the day one to remember forever.

• Recognize that a second wedding is in no way less important than the first. Couples should remember that this is still the first wedding for the two of them as a couple and it should be seen as just as special as any other wedding celebration. It’s easy for men and women marrying for a second time to be hard on themselves, especially when thinking ahead to the gifts that were given and the money spent by guests for their first marriage. But a new relationship and love is worthy of a good party. Friends and family who are supportive of you shouldn’t have reservations about helping you celebrate.

• Don’t feel boxed in by old-school etiquette. Rules have relaxed with re-gard to weddings. Many couples put their personal imprints on their wed-dings and do not feel the need to conform to outdated expectations. You don’t have to skip all of the frills of a first wedding the second time around or head to the local courthouse and pass on another big wedding. Do what feels comfortable to you, whether that means throwing a big party or hosting a smaller affair.

• Let past experience serve as your guide. You’ve been married before and can use that to your advantage. It’s likely you know what worked for the wedding the first time around and which things you probably could have changed or done without. Maybe you were stressed about having everything go perfectly or feeling like you had to put on a show for guests. As a more mature person this time around, you no doubt realize that shar-ing this special time with the ones you love is the most important wedding component of all.

• Be open-minded with your wardrobe. Let the formality of the event and the time of day when you’re getting married influence what you will be wearing instead of perceived etiquette or family notions. It’s acceptable to wear white again if you so desire. Plus, more mature couples have a sense of what makes them look good, rather than opting for trendy outfits.

• Above all, have fun. Couples know what to expect the second time around, so stress usually doesn’t stem from the unknown. You may feel more relaxed at a second wedding, so let that ensure you have a great night.

Make a second wedding stand out

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If a tight budget or demanding work schedule keeps you close to home for your honeymoon, opportuni-ties for a romantic overnight or weekend getaway are here in the Tri-Cities or within an easy drive. And it can make your wedding trip just as memorable.

The money, time and energy you save on travel can be better invested in each other.

Luxurious lodgings for a local lovers’ retreat include Johnson City’s Carnegie Hotel, the Historic Eureka Inn in downtown Jonesborough and Kingsport’s Marriott MeadowView resort.

Romantic offerings at the Carnegie include an over-night stay in the King Suite with rose petals, gourmet chocolates and champagne, farm-to-table dining at the Wellington Restaurant and pampering massage treat-ments for two at the hotel’s Austin Springs Spa.

At the Historic Eureka - a destination featured in Southern Living magazine - each room uniquely cou-ples antique furnishings with discreet modern conve-niences. Historic art and photographs are displayed throughout the inn. Outside are sitting porches and a surprisingly secluded garden courtyard.

And at your doorstep are all the quaint and welcom-ing offerings of the thriving downtown historic district of Tennessee’s oldest town.

The “Honeymoon Bliss” package at Meadowview comes with deluxe accommodations, chocolate cov-ered strawberries and champagne, breakfast for two by room service or in the Meadowview restaurant and a late checkout.

Just an hour away, the Great Smoky Mountains Na-tional Park and the foothills that surround it team with opportunities for a romantic getaway and a near infinite choice of honeymoon cabins, lodges and resorts, sce-nic beauty, outdoor adventure and entertainment.

Luxury cabins nestled in the most popular natural area in the Eastern United States, packages, prices and reservations can be perused at cabinsofthesmo-kymountains.com or details may be obtained by calling 877-23-SMOKY.

Resort and lodge packages often include special discounts to the area’s most popular attractions and can be explored at resortsandlodges.com/lodging/usa/tennessee/gatlinburg-pigeon-forge.

Honeymoonat home

– By Sue Guinn Legg


Destinations– By Nick Shepherd

Planning for a wedding can be tedious and stressful. Sometimes that stress is only relieved after the nuptials are said and the new couple are leaving for their honeymoon. Because no dream wedding is complete with-out the dream honeymoon.

Popular destinations for dream honeymoons include Paris, the Virgin Is-lands and Hawaii. Each destination offers unique things for newlyweds to experience. If flying isn’t in the picture, all three destinations can be reached by cruise ship.

Paris has long been a popular destination for couples. The City of Lights offers honeymooners not only wonderful food and priceless art, but also plenty of music, festivals and museums. Couples can visit famous land-marks such as the Louvre, Notre Dame and of course the Eiffel Tower or take a stroll down the Champs-Elysees.

The U.S. Virgin Islands offers newlyweds a great venue for relaxing on a Caribbean Island. St. Thomas and St. John’s make up the bulk of the islands, with St. John’s offering a glimpse of what island life used to be like since much of the land is undeveloped. Many of the island’s hilltops contain houses for rent while the resorts are located near the bays.

When people think of dream honeymoons, images of Hawaii are immedi-ately conjured up — gorgeous blue waters and beautiful beaches. But the tiny island cluster has more to offer than just sand and surf, although those are enticing enough. Kauai, Hawaii is known as a great adventure island, offering honeymooners the chance to scuba dive, hike through rainforests to hidden waterfalls or to go pig hunting.

Whatever destination is chosen, there is one important thing every new-lywed must bring. Love.

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While some doctors or plastic surgeons are qualifi ed to perform cosmetic eyelid surgery, you’ll probably agree that it’s best to choose an ophthalmic plastic surgeon like Dr. Jeff Carlsen, Johnson City Eye Clinic. The Tri-Cities

only fellowship-trained oculoplastic surgeon specializing in cosmetic eyelid

surgery, Dr. Carlsen has had extensive training and his expertise in eyelid

surgery is second to none. Many types of physicians perform eyelid surgery, including dermatologists, general plastic surgeons, ear nose and throat surgeons, even oral surgeons. When choosing someone to perform surgery on the delicate area around your eyes, fi nding a surgeon with Dr. Carlsen’s unique expertise just makes sense.

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Wedding Day Transportation TipsCouples must make many decisions when planning their weddings, in-

cluding choosing transportation for guests to and from wedding ceremo-nies. Whereas couples once left guests’ transportation up to their guests, nowadays it is customary to provide rides for guests so they can easily get to and from their hotel and the ceremony and reception safe and sound.

Many factors must be considered when choosing transportation for wedding guests, and the following are a handful of tips to make the decision a little easier.

• Speak with your hotel before booking trans-portation. While professional shuttle services are an option, couples whose guests will be staying in a specific hotel or hotels should speak with management of their hotels to de-termine if the hotels offer shuttle services for guests. Many hotels provide airport shuttle service to guests, and couples might be able to use such services to get their guests to and from their weddings and receptions. Hotels may charge a fee to use their shuttles, but they may offer discounts to couples whose guests book an agreed upon number of rooms. An added benefit to using the hotel shuttle ser-vices is that bus drivers won’t get lost looking for the hotel.

• Find an option that won’t bust your budget. Wedding budgets tend to be big, and couples planning their weddings soon realize that budgets can quickly be busted. When choos-ing transportation for your guests, do not feel

pressured to book especially lavish buses. So long as the buses are safe and on time, guests won’t mind if they ride in a school bus or a fancy bus worthy of a touring rock band. If you are concerned about the appearance of a bus, ask if you can decorate the bus before the wedding to make it

more inviting.

• Comparison shop. Many companies cater to couples looking for transportation for their wed-ding guests, and couples should explore all of their options before committing to a particular company. Receive formal estimates from sever-al companies before making your final decision, and speak to companies about matching offers. When comparing companies, try to consider both cost and quality. While the lowest estimate might be the most budget-friendly, you should choose the company that you feel is most trust-worthy and capable of fulfilling your contract.

• Read the contract. Transportation contracts should be gone over with a fine-tooth comb before couples sign on the dotted line. Check for hidden fees, such as mileage or overage charges if the reception runs a little late, and ask how much flexibility you might have with regard to those fees. Make sure any agreements you reach with regard to fees are written into the contract before you sign it.

Transportation for guests is one of many things couples must consider when plan-ning their weddings. Make sure the option you choose is both guest- and budget-friendly.


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