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305-296-6767 126 Simonton • Key West www.infinityhairkeywest.com 329504 BT Look Your Best For Your Dream Wedding in Paradise • Bridal Hair & Makeup Specialists • Finest Airbrush Makeup Artist with Years of Experience • Advanced Level Stylists & Artists OPEN 7 DAYS • FREE CUSTOMER PARKING GREAT LOCAL RATES References include: Southernmost Hotel, Pier House, Hyatt, Westin, La Concha, Casa Marina, The Reach, Ocean Key House

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Page 1: References include: Southernmost Hotel, Pier …static.keysnews.com/specialsections/bridaltab/bridal.pdfReferences include: Southernmost Hotel, Pier House, Hyatt, Westin, La Concha,

305-296-6767126 Simonton • Key Westwww.infi nityhairkeywest.com

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TLook Your Best For Your Dream Wedding in Paradise• Bridal Hair & Makeup Specialists• Finest Airbrush Makeup Artist with Years of Experience• Advanced Level Stylists & Artists

OPEN 7 DAYS • FREE CUSTOMER PARKINGGREAT LOCAL RATES

References include: Southernmost Hotel, Pier House, Hyatt, Westin, La Concha, Casa Marina, The Reach, Ocean Key House

Page 2: References include: Southernmost Hotel, Pier …static.keysnews.com/specialsections/bridaltab/bridal.pdfReferences include: Southernmost Hotel, Pier House, Hyatt, Westin, La Concha,

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7index The food doesn’t have to be formal — think tacos and mac’n’cheese.

Fun Food

14SimplyBeautiful 18Live music is

coming back in fashion for today’s Keys weddings.The Band is Back

Choose a photographer that fits your style.

Super Shooters

15 Local expertsgive Keys-specific advice for looking your best.

an introduction

There’s nothing like a Keys wedding

Paul Clarin Publ isher Tom Tuel l EditorSara Matthis Special Sect ions Edi tor Toni Cicalese Pre-Press Design David Singleton Adver t is ing Di rectorRandy Erickson V.P. of Operat ions

a publication of Cooke Communications

BY SARA MATTHISSpecial Sections Editor

Arlene “Marrying Sam” Klein — a popular officiant in the Keys with 25 years of experience — says she sees Florida Keys wedding trends and fashions seesaw back and forth. One year all the bridesmaids are wear-ing matching dresses and the next year not. One year all the couples are speaking traditional vows and the next year not. Here’s the best part: Key West is a destination wedding spot for a reason — it loves variety.

One of the zigs in the zag is the idea that all Key West

weddings are informal or casual beach weddings.

“I’ve seen more formal weddings — suit and tuxedo weddings,” said local pho-tographer Julie Ambos. “If it’s done right, it’s very nice.”

And with today’s wedding, detail is everything. Most brides feel pressured to come up with new and brilliant ideas to make their nuptials stand out. Local coordinators can help.

“At the moment, I’m designing an ‘Irish Wedding’ complete with a green color palette and hanging chan-deliers at the Little White House. It’s going to be mar-velous,” said local wedding

coordinator Kate Bentley. “What brides are coming to understand is that coordi-nators can help them save money because we have con-nections within the industry. More important, still, is the idea of handing over the worries so that the bride can enjoy her day. That’s espe-cially important for a destina-tion bride that is out of her element, so to speak.”

Another trend is for the destination wedding is that size shrinks to accommodate the four-and five-day event. The plus is that attending guest are treated like rock stars — presented with a wel-come bag, treated to a sunset sail and squired all around town.

“Some of our recent weddings have featured welcome bags stuffed with

hand-drawn maps that not only detail the wedding par-ticulars, but also the couple’s favorite spots around town,” said Kristin Artz of Swankey Events in Key West. “Brides and grooms host scavenger hunts, sunset sails and other activities.”

Nadene Grossman of We’ve Got the Keys planning coor-dinators said searching out the special venues adds to the flavor of a Key West desti-nation wedding.

“We recently hosted a cocktail hour at Grunts, a perfect hidden Key West gem. The guests had a fabulous time and really felt that they experienced a piece of the ‘real’ Key West,” she said.

The wedding business professionals in the Keys all know each other. And they are eager to point brides in the direction of another trusted professional.

Finally, for the sake of sim-plicity we’ve used the terms bride, groom and wedding ceremony throughout this guide. However, there are almost as many commitment ceremonies between same-sex couples as there are tradi-tional weddings in Key West. And the two have much in common — receptions, flow-ers, cakes, tuxedos and bridal gowns. Local wedding plan-ners, and the entire town for that matter, welcome these couples with open arms and acceptance.

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The weather and environment make the Keys wedding a spectacular event. Here, chairs are lined up before a beachside ceremony in Key West.

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BY SARA MATTHISSpecial Sections Editor

Reverend Steve Torrence is sensitive to the needs of the two-language bridal party. In the past, he’s partnered with Spanish, Italian and Filipino translators. The translation is very fluid and the service is broken into pieces with pauses for the translator to speak portions of the cer-emony.

“Every time we’ve done a bilingual service, I see the mom’s eyes well up with tears because I think, on some level, they were afraid that they wouldn’t understand what was going on. To be able to hear the words of the service in your own language is extremely powerful when you are watching a son or a daughter get married,” he said.

Couples mar-ried by Arlene “Marrying Sam” Klein appreciate

her easy ways. She special-izes in the Keys style and can provide a script or work with couples to personalize the vows.

“I’ll be doing this forever,” she said, “because it’s the perfect job for me.”

She also gives a dis-count for pregnant brides and military per-

sonnel. Ah, only in the Keys.

“And if you renew your vows with me, it’s always free,” she

said with a laugh.Klein said that personal-

ized vows are very big right now. Sometimes they are even incorporated into a top-10 style list.

“Original vows are a chance for the couple to tell a personal story about their courtship and relation-ship,” said photographer Julie Ambos of Studio Julie. “I

think it’s sweet.”Sue Hyde, better known as

Marrying Sue, said she still gets goose bumps after 15 years in the business ever time the bride starts down the aisle. Hyde works with many long-distance couples and often doesn’t meet the bride or groom until the rehearsal dinner or the day of the ceremony.

“It’s a revelation every sin-gle time I meet a new couple. I adore seeing the happiness on the couple’s face,” she said.

For more information about officiants in the Keys, call Marrying Sam at 305-296-3640, Marrying Sue at 305-766-3141 or Rev. Steve Torrence at 305-797- 8178.

Bilingual ceremonies meet the needs of both families

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When couples write their own vows, humor usually comes into play.

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BY SARA MATTHISSpecial Sections Editor

Part of what makes the Keys so popular for destination weddings is, of course, all the beautiful places that brides can choose from for the cer-emony and reception. Up the Keys, brides take advantage of beautiful waterside loca-tions at restaurants, parks or resorts. In the Middle Keys, Sombrero Beach is a popular site as is the Country Club. In Key West, couples have similar opportunities with the added bonus of the many his-torical museums and gardens.

In the gardenHosting a reception in the

garden of a historic home or museum is a good choice for medium-size wedding par-ties. Some of the most popu-lar spots include the Ernest Hemingway Home Museum, the Oldest House Museum, the Audubon House, or in the gardens at the West Martello Tower. The lush, tropical gardens are beau-tifully maintained and perfectly private spots to celebrate a couple’s union.

It’s all about location, location, location“We do weddings here all

the time,” said Ron Zemlicka of the Key West Garden Club, referring to the locale at West Martello Tower, an historic landmark.

The events can be intimate — for just a handful of guests — or large events of up to 150 people.

“We have an acre and half, so there’s room,” Zemlicka said. “And so many different locales, too. Smaller parties usually choose the gazebo up on the bluff that faces south. Larger parties like the site under our tropical almond tree. It also has an oceanview, but it faces more west.”

Zemlicka’s own daughter, Amie, was married at West Martello not too long ago. She stayed at Casa Marina and walked barefoot down the beach for the occasion.

“Jay and I could not have asked for a more perfect wedding location. The combination of incredible natural beauty, history and views made it a truly one of a kind event — for us and our guests. And the intimate set-ting made it a quintessential Key West experience,” said Amie, a San Francisco archi-tect.

The Key West Garden Club has policies and procedures in place for third-party vendors such as caterers. However, not all locales are as

flexible. For example, some venues have stringent rules about vendor insurance or have limited hours. Couples should check about changing facilities and indoor spaces in case of inclement weather.

Another option is the Key West Nature and Butterfly Conservancy in Key West. It has a one-hour opening for guests after the museum closes at 5 p.m. It includes a champagne toast and keep-sake flutes for the bride and groom. Oh, and a butterfly release, of course.

At the resortsBeing married at a Keys

resort is a popular choice for couples because it combines the convenience of a beauti-ful setting for a ceremony and accommodations for the bridal party. Couples can choose to gather the guests under one roof by reserving a block of rooms at a large resort. And small guest-houses, with enough advance planning, can accommodate a medium or small party in an intimate setting that lends itself to a week-long private party. A nice feature of the resort wedding is that it can accommodate the ceremony and reception at the same locale.

B.G. Carter, owner of

blueyeimages.com

Many historic venues in the Keys have room to host a ceremony or reception or both. Some museums will only rent the space after regular business hours, while others are more flexible. Couples should enquire about rules concerning third-party vendors among other things.

See LOCATION, page 6

JEWELRY IMPOSTERSJEWELRY IMPOSTERSKey West’s newest jewelry store specializes in designer-inspired ladies’

fashion jewelry, handbags, sunglasses and hats. The goods look like designer goods, but don’t cost nearly as much. Jewelry Imposters offers locals and brides a 5o percent discount everyday and an additional 20 percent discount for cash payments. We extend an additional discount to bridal parties, knowing how quickly weddings add up.

Jewelry Imposters carries all the top licensed imitators of such brands as David Yurman, Versace, Prada, MikiMoto and Tiffany. It also offers personal shopping-type services. We encourage anyone to bring in an outfi t, color swatches etc. and let Carl Stewart and his partner Ron Paras help choose accessories.

“There are no bad questions at our store,” Stewart said. For example, one bridal party fl ew into town only to realize all the bridal party accessories were neatly packed in a carry case – still on the bed back home in Indiana! We took 2 necklaces and reworked them into six to save the day!

Jewelry Imposters is located in the Searstown shopping plaza next to Outback Steakhouse.

The phone number is 305-294-6444Store hours: Tuesday Thru Saturday 10AM to 5PM. 32

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Many brides are adding vintage elements to the big day. Some seek out antique gowns while others choose to do it with jewelry.

“We just recently had a bride in the shop with her grandmother’s brooch,” said Carl Stewart of Jewelry Imposters in Key West. “Her two sis-ters had worn it, and her mother had worn it, and her grandmother wore it — all on their wedding day.”

The bride was distraught because the jewelry piece was broken in tran-sit to Key West. Stewart and his part-ner, Ron Paras, were able to repair it and clean it in time for the wedding.

“We fixed it and it’s all set for future generations. While we were at

it, we cleaned it up, too. Now she has something blue and borrowed for her wedding day,” he said.

Stewart said many brides bring in pieces of antique jewelry to be refit-ted for another purpose such as a hair ornament.

Whether it’s vintage or new, jewelry is the most popular choice for bridesmaid’s gifts. At Jewelry Imposters, which specializes in selling designer-inspired pieces, brides have a huge choice. Versace and Prada have the big and colorful “statement” pieces. More under-stated jewelry is available that replicate the collections of David Yurman or pearls by Mikimoto. Because the inventory is so vast, brides have enough choices to get something different for each brides-maid and the maid of honor.

Local photographer Julie Ambos of Studio Julie said some brides — those with a creative knack — make their own jewelry.

“One bride made necklaces for each of her bridesmaids in a dif-ferent color — blue, green, pink. Paired with the cream colored dresses, the bridesmaid’s individual personality really stood out,” she said. — S.M.

Today’s weddings have many

different dessert options — milk and

cookies, brownies and even make-your-own sundae stations. Regardless, very few

couples forgo the traditional wedding

cake. In the Keys, brides tend to favor the square, layered cake like this one

from Key West Cakes.— S.M.

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Westwinds Inn, has the per-fect spot.

“We have one of the largest gardens in Key West,” he said, “and have the ability to stage small, intimate weddings with access to the pool area and a gazebo setting for the cere-mony. We set that space aside for the wedding party and it’s completely private.”

Westwinds Inn, located in the historic seaport, has 22 suites and rooms in five buildings. In the past, the hotel has rented the entire guesthouse to a single wed-ding party.

“We’ve rented all 28 rooms to the same group,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun because they take over the whole place and don’t have to worry about dis-turbing anyone.”

Gilbert’s Resort has an old-

Florida ambiance that’s ideal for low-key and casual nup-tials without sacrificing the tropical note.

“We have a very nice beach and large tiki hut that is very popular for weddings,” said Susi Schu of Gilbert’s Resort. The property is located almost in the middle of the 18 Mile Stretch at the northern-most edge of the Florida Keys. The resort has 35 rooms.

“We had one rehearsal party where all the guests — about 200 — arrived by boat,” Schu said. “They had the entire beach area for them-selves and they feasted on fresh seafood, shrimp ceviche and whole pigs roasted on the beach.”

At seaAllison Diange is an events

coordinator with We Got the Keys. Part of her job descrip-tion is booking special par-

ties, including weddings or wedding celebration, aboard the Fury catamarans in Key West. The fleet has four boats and each can hold 127 pas-sengers.

“Many couples like to include a sunset sail in their celebration. And, we have some couples that are mar-ried at sea by our captains,” she said.

The parties can be simple affairs featuring complimen-tary champagne, wine or beer or elaborate, catered affairs with a full band and flowers.

She recently helped a couple plan a last-minute wedding when the cruise ship they were traveling on was diverted from Mexico to Key West. Arranged in a matter of days, 50 guests arrived to find everything in order.

“They just had to show up and have a good time. It’s stress free,” she said. “We did a three-hour charter on what happened to be a very warm day. The guests started jumping off the boat into the water.”

Typically, guests take a three- or four-hour cruise that ranges around Key West harbor, out to Fort Zachary Taylor state park and back around Sunset Key.

LocationContinued from page 4

Here’s the thing. Today’s weddings need some tech savvy because it doesn’t end with sending out e-vites or registering online.

Key West’s Scott Gerke’s most recognizable hat is that

of DJ — He’s the guy that’s spinning the tunes. But he also brings a projector to the event, and that’s more useful than you might think:

• Ceremonies in huge spaces mean

not every guest has a good view of the nuptials. Gerke can set up a live feed and project it on to a screen, dis-cretely placed, for alternate viewing.

• Upgrade a static visual display — pictures of the

bride and groom when they were little, for example — to something dynamic. Gerke can play a slideshow or a full-blown video on the pro-jector while guests are await-ing the bride and groom’s grand entrance at the recep-tion. Gerke can also plug the photographer’s memory stick into the projector and show the photos snapped only moments before.

• Make the “Thriller” tune better by playing the Michael Jackson music video simultaneously. What do you want to bet everyone sud-denly remembers the dance moves?

For more details about Visualize Entertainment, call 305-791-4375.

— S.M.

Get your tech on

contributed

Scott Gerke of Visualize Entertainment travels with a large screen projector (right). It has a myriad of uses at the wedding ceremony and reception.

somethingNEW

The procession:Florida Keys weddings

sometimes have more than one element of entertain-ment. In recent months we’ve seen highly original “processions” moving the bridal party from the cer-emony site to the reception. The Key West Junkanoos

— performers enacting a typi-cal Bahamian musical street parade — lead the bride and groom on a jubilant march. Other wedding parties have featured “surprise” visits by notorious drag queens. Key West is full of fabulous char-acters. Make one a part of your special day. — S.M.

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Live bands rock out the receptionBY SARA MATTHISSpecial Sections Editor

One of the nicest things about wedding trends in recent years is the re-emer-gence of the live band for wedding ceremonies and receptions.

If you’ve got the bucks, it’s a good way to spend it.

“It’s expen-sive, but if you have the budget booking live entertainment it’s great,” said Nadene Grossman of We’ve Got the Keys, a Keys event planning service. “Not that a DJ isn’t fabulous and fun, but if they can loosen up the bud-get it’s going to be great.”

Locals experts say expect to pay between $3,000 and $10,000. If that’s a frighten-ing prospect, don’t despair. Almost every band in the Keys has an accordion element — it can expand up to 10 mem-bers or retract to just one.

“That works in the Florida Keys because we’re such a small place and we’re friendly and connected to the rest of the musicians in this town,” said Brian Roberts, solo art-ist and founding member of the Prime Movers. “It can be me and my guitar or we can have a four piece band with a vocalist and guitar player, bass player, keyboard player and drummer. We can also add a trumpet and saxo-phone. If there’s a Latin theme we can hire a conga player and this town has many tal-ented female vocalists that can also lend a presence.”

Not any band will do. Performing on stage at a local

watering hole is not the same thing as being the shepherd of a celebrating flock. Good musicians will be versed in what the couple wants to hear, keep it quiet during the dinner hour, make the appro-priate announcements and

fire up the crowd when it’s time to dance.

“The Prime Movers has a huge range of musical styles. A lot of bar bands can play great blues or great reggae, but they can’t play Sinatra tunes for the first set during

dinner,” Roberts said. Robert deBourg and the

Flats can play “brickhouse” with the best of them, but they specialize in more recent music.

“We can play the Black Eyed Peas, the Fray, Kings of Leon, Dave Matthews and Lady Gaga. Whatever the bride wants, the answer is yes,” deBourg said, adding that the band rehearses religiously ever week. “We take the time to learn the music and play it well.”

DeBourg’s band can also accommodate requests for Latin songs.

“We play Santana all the time and we do a pretty good ‘Guantanamera,’” he said.

Regardless of the playlist, the energy generated by a live band is inimitable, Roberts said.

For more information about Brian Roberts visit www.brianrobertsmusic.com or call 305-395-0672. To reach Roberto deBourg and the Flats, call 813-299-9863.

studiojulie.com

Robert deBourg urges the bride to play the guitar at her own wedding. Keys wedding coordinators say that the popularity of the live band is on the rise.

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BY SARA MATTHISSpecial Sections Editor

Brides, add one more ven-dor to the list — the lighting coordinator.

“Lighting is so important,” said local coordinator Kate Bentley. “If it’s dark, nobody can see all of the details you worked so hard to make hap-pen.”

Almost every evening wedding will include some type of candle on the table centerpiece, but that isn’t all. Chandeliers and café lights strung overhead are also popular. But fabulous events include uplighting.

Scott Gerke of Visualize Entertainment has experience light-ing weddings. For outdoor events, he likes to high-light the dramatic impact of tall trees by shooting green lights up the trunk to highlight the leaves or palm fronds. And with an intelligent lighting design, other lights can change color or even keep the music’s beat.

Dreaming Tree Entertainment also provides lighting services for weddings and receptions. At a recent Casa Marina event, all the uplighting was amber — cast-ing a flattering glow over all the guests.

“We can customize any arrangement,” said Roberto deBourg of Dreaming Tree Entertainment. “If you want a green light centered on the cake while it’s being cut, we can do that.”

Ask a wedding coordinator or the music band to recom-mend a lighting professional.

To reach Visualize Entertainment, 305-791-4375. To reach Dreaming Tree Entertainment, call 813-299-9863.

Uplightingis brilliant

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Traditional dress gets a little unstructuredBY SARA MATTHISSpecial Sections Editor

Today’s brides often change dresses between the ceremony and the reception. Some also change again, before going heading out to an after-party to celebrate with their guests.

“Absolutely, I hear about it all the time,” said Carl Stewart. “I think that’s been going on for four or five years now.”

For the brides that are doing the outfit changes, it’s usually because they wore an elaborate or heavy dress for the cer-emony that won’t hold up to the rigors of the reception hall boogie.

“After the ceremony I had one bride that changed into a 1950s vintage dress, short to the knees, with adorable blue shoes. She looked so pre-cious,” said photographer Julie Ambos of Studio Julie.

Regardless of what the bride actually wears, it has to be suitable to the location. Keys receptions can be at restaurants, in ballrooms, or on the beach. Jasmine Sky of Sky Studios specializes in the latter.

“A beach wedding requires a completely different style of dress. It has to move. It has to be soft,” she said.

Her custom designs have a soft construction without los-ing any element of elegance. For example, Sky’s Butterfly Dress features an empire sil-houette with a bodice made of silk gauze and tied in the back.

“It’s very functional, very comfortable and supportive at the same time,” she said. “More importantly, the silks and organzas have movement and set the right mood. The woman is wearing a dressy dress, but it’s a relaxed look.”

Sky’s designs also fea-ture custom artwork. She’s extremely interested in choos-

ing the right fabric, the right color and enhancing the work with beautifully painted flow-ers or designs.

“I recently did a dress for a woman who was renewing her vows in Fiji. She wanted the silk charmeuse sarong in a peachy pink color with a border of frangipani flow-ers,” Sky said. “I also designed two sarongs for her pre-teen daughters that were a little more understated. They loved them.”

Sky often works with long-distance clients — women living in England that will be married on a beach in Greece or living in Canada and plan-ning a wedding in Mexico.

“The Internet connects us all,” she said with a laugh.

Angelika, a boutique in the Upper Keys, often outfits wed-ding guests with the proper attire. Younger women come in looking for the perfect sundress and often choose an outfit that is also a souvenir of their stay in the Keys.

“They get something that will remind themselves of this vacation,” said Lauren Sax.

Sax said the popularity of maxi dresses — the ankle length sundress — is on the wane because it’s not as flex-ible as a shorter dress. Many younger women are choosing tea-length dresses that are elegant with a pair of heels or casual with a set of sandals. They cover up with a shawl while older women prefer the modesty of an unstructured blazer or bolero jacket.

Angelika has a variety of clothing styles, plus accesso-ries like scarves and handbags. The staff is knowledgeable and helpful.

“We help them choose a pair of pants that will match a blouse that’s been hanging in their closet. Or we show them different ways to tie the scarf,” Sax said. “We pride ourselves on customer service.”

The groom and grooms-men in the Florida Keys rarely

roboneal.com

Traditional wedding dresses, albeit a tad informal, are still the norm in the Florida Keys. Grooms and groomsmen favor the light, tan suit or loose linen shirts over a pair of khakis. Local designer Jasmine Sky said Keys brides must pay special attention to how the dress moves. “The dress should respond to the slightest breeze — it should interact with the outdoors, the setting of the nuptials,” she said. At right, a bride’s undies spell out “I Do” in rhinestones. Adorable.

floridakeysphotographer.com See DRESS, page 12

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We’ve Got It All!”We’ve Got It All!”

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The monogram:It’s very common for the

bride and groom to design their own wedding mono-gram. The “logo” can be incorporated into almost any aspect of the celebration — printed on the invitations and welcome bags, projected on the dance floor or even displayed on the bar front.

The tables:Forget the six-top. Many

recent weddings in the Florida Keys have featured the long, family-style table. It’s an inti-mate option for smaller wed-ding parties. Larger wedding parties are also mis-matching the tables, different shapes and sizes, for that same inti-mate feeling.

The icebreaker:The fun games provided

at the kid’s table always make there way over to the adults, sooner or later. Now some brides are putting out “ice breakers” for everyone — board games like Scrabble, Hungry Hippo and Operation are popular. Other couples make a personalized cross-word puzzle with details about their love story. It’s passed out with a tiny pencil tied to the puzzle and is a perfect way to pass the time while sitting in the pew, wait-ing for the bride to make her entrance. — S.M.

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E4 favors1. Celebrate the Florida Keys rich artistic community by giv-

ing guests a gift of literature or graphic art. Ernest Hemingway is certainly the Keys most famous author, but many have spent some time in the islands including such offbeat authors as western writer Zane Grey. The Keys also have many talented artists. Many have small and inexpensive lithographs of their work available. The art would make a lovely momento.

2. Personalized, temporary tattoos. Need we say more?3. Why not give an actual favor? Print a coupon with a prom-

ise such as a flat tire rescue; or volunteering for a friend’s favor-ite cause.

4. Whirly lights make great party favors. Similar to the bat-tery-operated wands sold at carnivals, they can add great drama to the photographs.

— S.M.

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wear dark colors, according to Timmy Tuxedo in Key

West. The guayabera-style ensemble not as popular as it once was, either.

“I would say that 99 percent of my busi-ness is the tan suit,” he said.

Made of a super-fine wool, it is extremely

lightweight and breathable. The wool suit also holds up better than wrinkly linen, Timmy said.

“The tan suits are usually paired with a microfiber shirt in egg shell white,” he said. “With a nice tie and little pocket square, it looks very classy.”

Timmy Tuxedo can also outfit the groomsmen in Perry Ellis tuxedos, always a classic choice.

“And there’s so many new colors this year. We have ‘watermelon’ cummerbunds and ties and vests,” he said.

For details about Studio Jasmine Sky, visit www.islandbridedesigns.com. Visit Angelika at Mile Marker 81 in Islamorada and call Timmy Tuxedo in Key West at 305- 294-8897.

DressContinued from page 9

contributed

Jasmine Sky’s butterfly dress features custom hand-painted designs.

Contest winners to marry on 11-11-11BY SARA MATTHISSpecial Sections Editor

Kristin Valva, 23, and Billy Katsourakis, 26, are the win-ners of an all-expenses paid Key West wedding on the aus-picious date of 11-11-11.

“We’re excited! We really can’t believe it yet,” Kristin said from her home in Ohio after the announcement. “Every where we went, people were congratulating us.”

The young couple was the clear winner of We’ve Got the Keys wedding contest. Event planner Nadene Grossman dreamed up the contest in July and used Facebook to advertise it and collect votes to select a winner from a field of 11 candidates on Feb. 11 — just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Kristin said she and her fianceé relied on social media and their extended Greek family to garner the votes.

“We sent out tons of mes-sages to all our friends. I’m

fortunate that I have 30 first cousins and they all helped, too. And my aunt is a teacher and she had all her students vote. We even made up busi-ness cards and flyers and passed them out,” she said.

The photos and stories of the ten other finalists were featured on the We’ve Got the Keys’ Facebook page, and votes were cast by pressing the “like” button. About 2,000 voted for Kristin and Billy, and that, she said, makes narrow-ing the guest list extremely hard.

“Did I mention that I have a big family?” Kristin said, adding that if the couple were to marry in their hometown the guest list would approach 600 people. “I’m sure there are so many people that want to come. But we’ll figure it out.”

The young couple from Ohio are high school sweet-hearts and like to travel. Billy proposed in Bermuda and it was Kristin’s idea to enter the contest. (She found it online by Googling for just such an opportunity.) She said she was amazed to learn she had made the final cut.

Kristin is pursuing a degree in education and Billy works for the family painting busi-ness.

“We’re really not sure what we’re going to do after we’re married. I still have to gradu-ate, but I’m not even sure where we’re going to live,” she said. “But in ten years I have yet to ever have one thought of my future that didn’t

include Billy and I know he feels the same.”

Kristin and Billy will receive a wedding package for 50 guests that includes the services of the follow-ing local businesses: We’ve Got the Keys (planning); Southernmost House (recep-tion site); Great Events Catering; Florida Keys Party Rental; Mile Zero Entertainment (music); Alicia Earle Renner (photography); A Simple Wedding (offici-ant); Diamond International (rings); Southernmost Scavenger Hunt (welcome event); Fury Water Adventures (activity); Conch Republic Seafood Company (rehearsal hor d’oeuvres); Key West Cakes; Linens in Paradise; Key West Limo; Beauty Boutique; and Cloud Nine (nails).

“This was a very successful promotion,” Grossman said. “It’s been so good to get everyone talking about Key West and all the other local busi-nesses involved in this project during these cold winter months up north.”

— Citizen report-er Mandy Miles contributed to this report.

contributed

Kristin Valva and Billy Katsourakis of Ohio were the lucky winners of the 11-11-11 wedding contest. The couple will be married in November at the Southernmost House and enjoy a slew of other donated services for 50 guests.

The paper:Today’s brides make a state-

ment with paper pom poms. The tissue flowers can be small or large, are easy to make and extremely inexpensive to pro-duce or buy.

somethingNEW

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linenThere’s a new company in

Key West that’s helping brides “dress” the table. Linens in Paradise is owned by Sheila Tillman, a wedding profes-sional with years of experience in the wedding arena ranging from catering to coordinating experience.

“This is the least expensive way to make an important event beautiful,” she said. “Our accessories such as textured table runners add a splash of color to make things festive. It’s also a way to add polish, such as matching chair ties, to make things look more pulled together.”

Linens in Paradise can pro-vide the bride and groom with everything from tablecloths to overlays to chair ties and many other table decorations. It works in conjunction with area rental companies that provide the tables, chairs and tents. It also provides special on-site services such as creating the swagging for the cake table or the bridal table.

“We also have a showroom where brides can meet with their wedding coordinators and florists. Everyone is in the same room and gets to see exactly what the table is going to look like with the linens and the centerpieces and the chair ties,” Tillman said.

For more information about Linens in Paradise, call 305-

somethingNEW

The pillows:

Wedding decorations now have an element of home fur-nishing. Brides are choosing to spice up rented furniture — especially low banquets — with personalized pillows that reflect the wedding’s theme or colors.

Renting sumptuous tablecloths and table runners is an inexpensive way to add drama.

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4Eat, drink and be married in the Keys

BY SARA MATTHISSpecial Sections Editor

Serving “comfort food” at weddings is red-hot trend in 2011. All over the coun-try, brides and grooms are serving maca-roni and cheese, or mashed potatoes or ice cream sundaes.

Great Events Catering in Key West takes it up a notch. It cre-ates interactive food stations where guests can further cus-tomize their food with a par-ticular cheese or some other topping.

“We did a mac’n’cheese station not too long ago where guests could choose from different cheeses and then we used blow torches to melt it right there,” said Alice Weingarten, general manager and executive chef of Great

Events. “The guests loved it.”Stations are hugely popular

right now. Recent Keys wed-dings have featured dinner sta-tions where guests construct their own tacos or Asian stir fry

or dessert bars where guests construct their own Balboa bars — frozen bananas dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with toppings such as peanut shavings or crushed Oreo bits.

The cupcake craze that has gripped the nation has also slipped into the wedding arena. Guests are noshing on miniaturized versions of tra-ditional savory foods. Think cupcake lasagna. Or cup-cake meatloaf topped with a mashed potato “frosting” and garnished with spinach.

“That’s been a favorite concept of mine for years,”

Weingarten said, with a laugh. “I do this amazing pastry wrap of a meatloaf medallion, mashed potatoes and gravy. It’s about an inch and half big and it’s awesome. It’s a bite of home.”

Weingarten said locals tend to choose more global cuisines — Indian and Spanish, while the Caribbean-Island-Cuban cuisine still appeals to desti-nation brides. She said they adore dishes with the local seafood, conch fritters or chowder, Cuban pork and, of course, Key lime pie.

Many restaurants in the

Keys are eager to host wedding receptions. In the Upper Keys, Kaiyo specializes in Japanese cuisine with island flair. Guests can serve themselves, buffet style, from a gigantic wooden boat stuffed with dif-ferent styles of sushi. Or the restaurant can pass delicacies such as tuna tartar on wonton crisps, all the while keeping the Japanese sake or Sapporo flowing.

The historic Green Turtle Inn in Key Largo has space for a small buffet, but most guests take advantage of the beautiful courtyard for a relaxing sit-down dinner under the stars where they are served mini-crab cakes with Key lime garlic aioli at the table.

“We also have a very popu-lar option where guests can construct their own surf and turf meal with any type of local seafood and a choice between beef, lamb, fowl or pork,” said Liz Seligman.

Another popular trend at wedding receptions is the signature cocktail. It could be spiked lemonade or a mojito or a margarita or a “Dark and Stormy” blend of rum and gin-ger beer. A specialty station for cocktails saves wear and tear (and maybe a few dollars) at the bar and also gives the cou-ple yet another opportunity to make the day special for their guests.

Roboneal.com

Guests nosh on everything from tropical salads to comfort food such as macaroni and cheese.

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6Add life to the photographs

BY KARRIE PORTER BONDSpecial to The Citizen

We’ve all seen them — the static poses in our grandpar-ents’ wedding album, nan’ and pops standing about a foot apart, backs stiff, eyes fixed straight ahead, sur-rounded by a firing lineup of relatives, each maintaining some awkward stance, moth-ers placing what appear to be affectionate fingertips on their children in front of them (but really using the heavy weight of a hand to say “move and you’re dead”). Ahhhh ... such were the pleasures of wed-ding photographers and their patrons of a bygone era!

It’s tempting to say that the shift to a more relaxed, care-free style has been a swift and welcome change to modern wedding photography, but we still see its remnants in even the most modern of wed-dings. Even the most liberal and anti-traditional brides (in terms of photography anyway) will still succumb to the lamenting of a beloved family elder who insists they “simply must have” a slew of family portraits including friends-of-friends you barely know, long-lost cousins you forgot existed, and brothers-of-in-laws you’re never going to see again. Surely the desire to be photographed on one of the few days in a lifetime that everyone is actually showered, shaven, and well-dressed at the same time is a respect-able one, but for the bride and groom wanting to make the

most of their event, it can be a big waste of time consider-ing the fact that only maybe half a dozen will be printed as Christmas gifts for grandpar-ents and the rest shoved in a box never to be seen again.

For years the fuss over photographers being “jour-nalistic” was the hot topic. Indeed, very few contempo-rary photographers can count themselves as successful if their portfolios aren’t built on a foundation with strong ties in the style. But gradually we are seeing further evolu-tion into a hybrid style that takes the best of both worlds: traditional portraiture for it’s element of direction and modern photojournalism for it’s candid approach to events as they occur. And the amaz-ing part is that for you on your wedding day, the alternative to yesterday’s wedding photo drudgery means nothing more than being ready to get moving!

This method works so well because very few of us have a natural abil-ity in front of a camera; we seem to have something ingrained into our very DNA that screams “freeze and cheese” (or for some, “freeze and blank stare!”) as soon as a camera is pointed at us. The trick for your photographer, then, is their ability to think past the shutter, setting up the boring cookie-cutter shot, then waiting a split second

thepackage

The range of services today’s wedding photog-raphers offer is truly out-standing. From the initial consultation to the delivery of the final album, couples spend months getting to know their photographer and the ease that develops

makes the pictures better. The entire package can

include:• Engagement pho-

tos.• Boudoir or pin up

photos of the bride (as a gift to the groom).

• Rehearsal photos.• Photographers make

the most of the big day, starting with photos of the bride getting dressed and then a “first look” session of just the bride and groom before the ceremony. (This requires privacy said pho-tographer Julie Ambos. “No one else is around when we take the ‘first look,’ photos — there’s no members of the bridal party standing around hootin’ and hol-lerin’” she said. “It’s can be a very special and intimate moment caught on film.”) And, of course, photos of the ceremony, reception and after party.

• Day After photos can include sessions of “trash the dress” where the bride and groom romp through the ocean.

• Photo albums and framed portraits.

— S.M.

www.kporterphotography.com

See PHOTOS, page 19

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BY SARA MATTHISSpecial Sections Editor

Local Donna Nelson decid-ed she had to own a photo booth after attending a wed-ding out West.

“This niece came up to her 70-something uncle, put her arms around his neck and said, ‘Uncle Joe, would you please come and get a picture with me in the photo booth.’ He was so delighted. It made his night,” Donna said.

There’s so many fabulous things about the photo booth at a wedding reception, it’s hard to know where to begin. For one, guests who want to have a picture taken, get one — immediately. They get to hold the strip of photos in their hands and take it home with them. Furthermore, they don’t have to tap the busy photographer on the shoulder and say, “Excuse me, would you mind …” Guests don’t want to do that because they know it detracts from what the professional is trying to accomplish. And who knows if and when they would get an actual photograph.

And then there’s the fun factor.

The Key West Foto Fun booth also brings a box of props to the scene of the crime (wedding). Guests get dolled up in sunglasses and hats and boas and try to cram

as many of their friends into the camera’s focus as possible. Just like at the mall.

“They grab different acces-sories are are silly and have more fun than they should,” Donna said.

Key West Foto has differ-ent packages for prospective brides and grooms. It rents the device — staffed — by the hour. The machine can be set to print two strips from each session. One goes to the guest and the other is inserted into the bride and groom’s guest book, a visual keepsake the couple will treasure forever.

“I can create a photo CD, too,” Donna said.

The photo strips can be customized — top and bot-tom — with the event and date or any other information.

Key West Foto Fun charges an hourly rate, not by the picture. For more information about the ser-vice, please call 305-294-1852.

The photo booth is fun for guests

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With or without room accommodations.Plan yourself or use Westwinds' own event coordinator.We can arrange caterers, excursions, florists, officiants, and photographers.

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8 Aesthetics matter for Florida Keys brides-to-beBY SARA MATTHISSpecial Sections Editor

Out-of-town brides are often caught off guard by the special considerations Keys

weather can bring to bear on the important day. For exam-ple, Keys humidity equals frizzy hair and a poolside nap can leave the bride with silly strap marks that ruin the

décolletage of her wedding dress. The right makeup is equally important.

• The tan. “Lots of my brides were arriving at the studio burned to death. They

were red, they were peeling, they looked terrible. Or they arrived with an orange spray tan and that looks bad, too,” said noted beauty consultant and stylist Marie Pierre. She researched dozens of spray tan options before finally set-tling on a Hollywood-grade formula. It is applied one or two days before in a simple ten-minute session followed by the application of a bronzer. Marie Pierre explained that the bronzer is washed off in the shower 12 hours later and the underlying formula reveals the true tan.

“The product reacts with the client’s own melanin for a very natural look,” she said, “and lasts for about 10 days. My brides look and feel beau-tiful.”

Marie Pierre also has the ability to customize the tan’s shade. She usually recom-mends the bride move no more than two shades darker than her current color for a natural look.

It’s fast, it’s safe and it’s rel-atively inexpensive — about $50.

Another option is a “shim-mer” spray. Lighter than glit-ter, it gives the woman a glow suitable for an evening out. That costs about $15.

• The makeup. The first thing makeup artist Ana Baidet warns her clients about is the danger of “wash-ing out” in the Keys’ harsh light. That happens when the bride opts for a look that is

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It’s important for brides to have enough color to stand up to the bright light reflecting off the water and white sand.

See BEAUTY, page 19

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too natural.“Between the glare

reflecting off the ocean’s surface, the direct sunlight and light reflecting off the white sand or pea rock, a bride can get lost in the photo,” she said.

At the very least, the eyes need to be defined with makeup, false lashes and the correct eyebrow arch.

“You need some type of a ‘pop’ — whether it’s the lashes, or a red lip or dra-matic eyes. But it’s impor-tant to balance the details because if you do all of it, you look like you stepped out of a 1980s music video,” she said.

Baidet also takes pains to study the client’s face and work with her bone structure and skin tone. Contouring, too, is extreme-ly important to highlight a bride’s best features and conceal the less flattering ones.

Finally, a bride should have at least one consulta-tion prior to the wedding and spend the months leading up to the big day by taking care of her skin.

• The hair. Keys brides should arrive at the salon with clean and dry hair.

“With our environment it is important for hair to have a little tact,” said Julia Jabour, owner of Infinity salon in Key West. “This helps it hold twice as long. If you have to wash your hair the morning of the wedding, use a little dry shampoo to give it the same ‘day before’ feel.”

The half-up and half-down hairstyles are still in vogue in the Keys. And many brides are using hair extensions, either semi-permanent or temporary. It’s needed, beauty experts say, to achieve the right heft and balance for particular styles.

BeautyContinued from page 18

later after you think she’s fin-ished. That’s when the magic happens. You look over at your buddy to nod a ‘hello’, and suddenly you’re cracking a genuine smile, looking over at your honey to involve them in the greeting, all the while

your photographer never stopped shooting.

The other way the best wedding images come about is from just being willing to let your true personality shine

through. A good photog-rapher is a keen observer,

able to predict situations, and lead you into scenarios that will invoke a natural response. They might make sugges-tions such as “walk toward me and tell each other your favorite part of the wedding ceremony,” or “practice your first dance now while no one’s

PhotoContinued from page 16

looking.” Depending on your personality, either one of those might elicit expressions of laughter, solemnity, or joy. But whatever the result, that’s you she is now able to capture, and all you had to do was move your feet.

Beautiful wedding images have life, energy, and genuine emotion. Your photographer can check the camera’s set-tings and adjust their lighting and position all day long, but they can’t manufacture those three elements for you. So be ready to embrace one anoth-er, take a walk, stroll around the location, or race each other down the beach. If you have a more lively personality naturally, don’t be afraid to jump up and down, give your new bride a piggy-back ride, hop onto a moped and drive circles around your groom, or even dance in the middle of the street with the rest of your bridal party! For those

unavoidable group photos, trust your photographer when they suggest something dif-ferent. Perhaps they stagger sets of family members in a wide panoramic shot using a row of pylons as posing stools, or make use of a cool tree with members dispersed among the branches or seated

in front. The unusual setting alone will usually elicit a more candid facial expression, and that beats the old way any day!

The trick to amazing wed-ding photography isn’t the most expensive location, or the coolest favors, or the tall-est cake. The secret is stop worrying about “pictures” and focus on moving through the day’s events, enjoying yourself, having a stout laugh, a good cry, and a warm hug with those around you. The best wedding photographers will be paying attention to those moments when you are really ... you.

Karrie Bond is a photogra-pher with 10 years of experi-ence and an active member of Professional Photographers of America. For details, visit www.kporterphotography.com.

www.kporterphotography.com

Beautiful wedding images have life, energy, and genuine emotion. Your photographer can check the camera’s settings and adjust their lighting and position all day long, but they can’t manufacture those three elements for you.

Ana BaidetA Makeup Artist

Personal services provided at your location.

Traditional & Airbrush makeup

Hairstyling & extensions

www.amakeupartist.biz

[email protected]

305-522-1821332129

329465 BT 329472

Page 20: References include: Southernmost Hotel, Pier …static.keysnews.com/specialsections/bridaltab/bridal.pdfReferences include: Southernmost Hotel, Pier House, Hyatt, Westin, La Concha,

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