michianaweddings.com » wedding

Wedding Gown Sale At Bernardo’s For The Bride

Amy — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:56:17 +0000

Head’s up brides, if you haven’t found that perfect wedding gown for your wedding, Bernardo’s For The Bride is having a moving sale! Everything is on sale, wedding gowns, evening gowns, shoes, prom dresses, flower girl dresses, etc. Bernardo’s For The Bride is one of the best gown shops in Michiana, so call for an appointment and check out their wedding gown sale!

South Bend Reception Venue, Marriott Leaving

Amy — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 16:36:55 +0000

We have had a few panic emails hit our inbox as news of this spreads through the internet to out of town brides. The South Bend Marriott by the end of the year will not be called a Marriott because the corporation is not renewing their franchise contract with the property owners. That does not mean the hotel property that is now called the Marriott is closing it’s doors, the hotel will still be there.
This isn’t surprising news frankly, the media is apparently trying to sensationalize it a little bit with the feigned ignorance of the previous announcement that permeates their articles. Last December the city of South Bend invested over 6 Million into the buildings there. At the time it was announced that Marriott wasn’t expected to renew the franchise and as part of the investment contract the owners of the property were required to find another upscale hotel franchise to bring in to replace. The media is really just repeating what they already had told us months ago. The one new wrinkle in the story is that the owners have evidently put the property up for sale. However the media is reporting that the contract requirements to stay open, to overhaul the facilities and get a new upscale franchise in place will pass onto the new owners.

So if you have blocked out rooms or reserved the reception venue for your wedding, in my opinion from the information out there, the property will still be there, just not under the name Marriott after the end of the year. There is no reason to panic. However when these things happen you are usually guaranteed a changeover in staff, so don’t be surprised if suddenly the people you have been planning with are suddenly gone.

Father & Daughter First Dance Songs

Amy — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 19:34:18 +0000

One of the most common questions we hear from Michiana Brides is “what do we dance to at the reception”? This always seems to be followed with “what are the popular Father & Daughter songs”? Well at Michiana Weddings we are here to help with your wedding planning, so we have compiled a list of the most popular Father & Daughter Dance songs out there. We have also linked them to, when possible, Amazon.com where you can listen to a short excerpt of the song and also purchase it!

Song	Artist	Category
A Whole New World	Peabo Bryson	Show Tune

A Wink And A Smile	Harry Connick Jr	Adult Contemporary

Beautiful In My Eyes	Joshua Kadison	Pop

Because You Loved Me	Celine Dion	Pop

Butterfly Kisses	Bob Carlisle	Christian

Daddy’s Hands	Holly Dunn	Country

Daddy’s Little Girl	AL Martino	Standards

Dance With My Father	Luther VanDross	R&B / Soul

Have I Told You Lately That I Love You	Van Morrison	Pop

Have I Told You Lately	Rod Stewart	Pop

Hero	Mariah Carey	Pop

I Loved Her First	Heartland	Country

I’ll Stand By You	The Pretenders	Pop / Rock

In My Daughter’s Eyes	Martina McBride	Country

In My Life	The Beatles	Oldies

My Father’s Eyes	Amy Grant	Chrstian

My Girl	The Temptations	Mowtown

My Little Girl	Tim McGraw	Country

My Wish	Rascal Flats	Country

Sunrise, Sunset	Fiddler On The Roof	Showtune

The Way You Look Tonight	Frank Sinatra	Standard

Unforgettable	Nat & Natlie King Cole	Standard

Wind Beneath My Wings	Bette Midler	Pop

You Raise Me Up	Josh Groban	Pop

Wedding Inspiration Gillespie Center

Amy — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 08:16:13 +0000

I was surfing Facebook wedding sites the other day when a picture on a company page had me going… WHAT? Something bothered me about the picture, it was the Gillespie Center, the decorations were obviously poorly styled after another wedding I had seen there but something wasn’t quite right. Well after a few days of looking I finally found the spectacular original wedding, which the picture on FACEBOOK was a poor knock off.

So Michiana brides, what the heck, let’s revisit for some real inspiration the wedding of Christine & Brian. The ceremony was at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Notre Dame with the reception following at the Hilton Garden Inn Gillespie Center, in South Bend.
Wedding planning and atmosphere design by Cynthia Basker of Celebrated Events.
Atmosphere decorations and Floral by Michaelangelos The Event Company.

No I’m not going to point out who is the poor imitator, if you run across the picture you will know. If you are looking for something like this gorgeous decorating of the Gillespie Center, then I recommend contacting the original creators of this spectacular setting. Accept no imitations!

Band Vs DJ

Amy — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:03:48 +0000

Q: My father and I keep going back and forth about having a DJ vs a band. I want a band and he insists a DJ is good enough and that bands are too expensive. Which would you suggest?
Susan

A: Susan, this is a tough decision. We love bands and orchestras! Nothing can beat the energy, excitement or fun that a good band brings to a wedding reception. No disc jockey can beat a good to excellent band in crowd response or energy level, there is something about live music that will always be best. However a bad band will have your guests headed to the doors faster than a bad DJ will.
What you have will depend on your budget. A good disc jockey in the South Bend region will cost between $1000 to $1500+. To find a good band you are going to have to go outside the area to Chicago or Indy and that is going to cost you starting around $8000+. An orchestra has enough members that they don’t need to stop the music and take breaks every 30 minutes will cost you $10,000+. We really recommend finding an orchestra over a band. An orchestra will have enough members that they will be able to rotate out singers and players to take breaks but keep the music playing and the guests energized. When a band takes a break, many guests look at this as an opportunity to leave, so the more the music is going the better.
So it all depends on your budget. Do you have enough room to spend the thousands a good orchestra requires?

Late Night Wedding Treat

Amy — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 15:03:09 +0000

For the last couple of years in South Bend, Michiana the trend has been to server late night snacks to your wedding reception guests around 9 or 10 pm. We have all seen chocolate fountains, hot dogs, sliders, and candy bars as late in the reception treats, for your wedding guests. How about another fantastic and fun treat?! Cotton Candy! So when looking for something to treat your reception guest with, consider cotton candy.

Wedding Inspiration From Celebrated Events

Amy — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 15:24:08 +0000

The beauty of a wedding planned by Cynthia Basker at Celebrated Events is unmatched in the Michiana area! Here are some pictures for wedding inspiration from Celebrated Events blog. Tina & James wedding took place at the Notre Dame Basilica of the Sacred Hear with the reception following at the Palais Royale in downtown South Bend. See more inspiration from Tina & James’ wedding at Celebrated Events!

Ceremony site: Basilica of the Sacred Heart, University of Notre Dame

Reception site: Palais Royale Ballroom, South Bend, IN

Floral/Decor: MichaelAngelos

Photography: Adam Novak Photography

Event Design & Coordination, Specialty Rentals: Celebrated Events

Paperie: Cloud Nine Invitation Design

Readers Some Help Please

Amy — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:38:55 +0000

Got a question from an up coming bride that I am drawing a blank on. Checked around and our contacts aren’t quite sure where to send her, so I’m turning it over to our readers what do you recommend, leave your answers in the comments!

Question: I am looking for a place to get married, preferably within 20 miles of south bend that is non-traditional. I do love the feel of a Copshaholm or Tippecanoe (vintage garden style) but I have been to so many weddings there.

I’m thinking something shabby chic or more of a rustic elegant feel (again vintage garden ok too). Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. We are looking for something for June of 2011. Thank you in advance!

Lyndee

Save the Date Cards

Amy — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:35:51 +0000

Q. When do you suggest sending save the date cards, our wedding is a year away? – Jenny

A. Save the date cards are usually sent out 6 to 8 months in advance of the wedding. However if you are scheduling your wedding during a holiday weekend or are having a destination wedding then it is a good idea to send them out 1 year in advance to give your family and friends time to plan. The most common form of save the date is a photo post card from your enegagement photography. Another idea is send out a magnet which can be placed on the refrigerator reminding your friends and family of the date. If you are having guests from out of the country make sure you send out save the dates with plenty of time to arrange their passports.

Gifts

New Reception Venue by Notre Dame?

Amy — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:52:37 +0000

If you are thinking about getting married during 2012 or after there may be a new reception hall for you to choose from! According to Cynthia Basker of Celebrated Events, (BTW the best wedding coordinator in Michiana) at least 2 hotels opening in the Eddy Steet Commons, next to Notre Dame University. One of those hotels is planned to be a full service Marriott with a grand ballroom! So Michiana will have another new reception venue to host your wedding days at. The added bonus is it is within walking range of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart! So I expect it will be especially popular for the brides planning a Notre Dame Wedding. Read all about the new hotels here.