The Personal Touch

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Your wedding day. You’ve been dreaming about it since you were old enough to parade around the living room in your mother’s cast-off party dresses, wilted blooms from the garden in your sweaty palms and tiara crooked over one eye. Indeed, it’s been a long time coming, and so you want this day to be one that stands out from all the rest. How to go about accomplishing that? It’s really quite simple: by highlighting the details of your life. The places you’ve been, the objects you hold dear, the people you love—each is a reflection of who you are.

“It’s wonderful when you incorporate things into your day that tell a story,” says wedding planner Michelle Neff of Dreaming Tree Events in Stafford Springs. “This gets guests talking about your experience, your story, and, in turn, their own experiences. Personalization creates interaction—and that’s always a good thing!”

We asked Neff and other wedding planners around the state for ways to personalize your day. We’re excited about the ideas they’ve come up with—and know you will be, too. So, what are you waiting for? You’ve got a wedding to plan. See you at the altar.
 

Photo finish. “Adding photos of memories past is a fun and easy way to add a personal touch to your reception,” says Beth Ann Sweeney of Beth Ann Sweeney Events in Westport. One idea to think outside the picture frame: Slip a black-and-white picture into a quart-sized mason jar filled with vegetable oil and dried lavender—really. “The oil will suspend the picture and cause it to look aged and slightly transparent,” explains Sweeney—a vintage look that’s très au courant.

Flower power. “Add personal flair to your bouquet with pieces of your mother’s, future mother-in-law’s or grandmother’s wedding dress or veil,” suggests Laura Curry Kasowitz of Curry Kay Events in West Hartford.  “Or, if you’re not a traditional flower kind of bride, consider alternatives that speak to your style: feathers, vintage brooches, fabric blooms or seashells,” she suggests. And then there’s one of Michelle Neff’s recent brides who had a penchant for buttons. Her bouquet, as well as the boutonnieres for her groom and his attendants, were made of fabric and buttons—and were gorgeous, we might add.

Introductions all around. “I worked with a bride and groom who, after they were introduced by the master of ceremonies, got on stage themselves and introduced their bridal party to the rest of the guests,” says Corrine Crocker-Luby of Corrine Weddings in Glastonbury. “They included how they’d met, what they were grateful for in each relationship and even some amusing stories. It was a poignant time for everyone.”

Food network. “Consider a signature appetizer for your cocktail hour,” suggests Curry Kasowitz. “Seek inspiration from locations important to you: mini lobster rolls if you spend summers on Cape Cod, mini cheese steaks if your fiancé is from Philadelphia, jerk chicken skewers if you got engaged during a Jamaican vacation.” Christina Morin of Celebrations by Christina in Ellington recalls a bride obsessed with baked potatoes whose reception featured a make-your-own baked-potato bar with all the fixings. “As soon as her guests saw it,” says Morin, “they said, ‘Oh, yeah, that’s her.’”

You’re cordially invited. “Invitations are a great way to infuse who you are and what your love story is into your wedding,” says Candice Coppola of Jubilee Events in Cheshire. Use them to set a tone and let guests know what to expect. “We’ve had clients integrate their love of certain textiles (fabric or specialty papers) as well as bits and pieces special to them, whether the song lyrics from their first dance, a memorable quote or even a cheeky saying.” One couple used a sentimental china pattern throughout their entire paper suite: a blue Spode flower that decorated the china of the bride’s mother, who had passed away. “For my own wedding,” says Coppola, “my husband and I were inspired by my parents’ first dance, ‘The Best is Yet to Come’ by Frank Sinatra. We used that sentiment throughout our wedding-day paper.”

Top things off . . . with the latest trend in cakes: personalized toppers. “Many of my couples are getting custom figurines made of themselves,” says Michelle Neff. “Whether it’s a bobblehead or a wooden sculpture, it’s personalized to each couple.” Just check out the custom polymer-clay “mini-couples” at nicolewong.com, where you can have your outfits, hairstyles, skin tones and flowers made in miniature to sit atop your cake for all to admire. Alternatively, “Consider topping your cake with cake bunting instead of flowers or a figurine,” suggests Sandra Downie of Sandra Downie Event Designs in Bolton. “They’re cute, whimsical, and add a fun element.”