ANNUAL WEDDING GUIDE WEDDINGS continued from page 20 the bottle down, she said this is our special reserve and rotated the bottle,” explained Shannon. “At first glance, I read just my name, but then I saw more clearly that it was an engraved picture of a man on one knee and a women. I unknowingly read out loud, ‘Shannon will you marry.’ I couldn’t read any more, I was so surprised.” She began to cry while the photographer captured the moment. Nick’s sister took video and the restaurant erupted in cheers. “Even more of a surprise was the fact that Nick had hid this from my parents and only asked for their blessing moments before he proposed, while he claimed he was using the restroom. He really did an amazing job making all my dreams come true and I couldn’t be any happier looking back,” said Shannon. Their spring wedding was in the plans as Nick had picked the date ahead of time. When planning a spring wedding or one in a particular season, there are certain things to keep in mind. “Always keep holidays in mind, and the calendar month,” said Atisha. “Spring time is during Lent, Easter and First Communion season, so it’s a very eventful time of the year for our church along with our community.” In the spring, there are some things you can do that you can’t other times of the year. “Some flowers are available during this season versus later in the year like Peonies,” said Atisha. “Finding a date at a highly desirable location during this time of year is more challenging due to so many other events. The weather is warmer so couples can take outdoor photos and have more flexibility with clothing. Many couples prefer to avoid the snow; snow storms that can be possible during the late fall and winter months.” Despite the time of year, there are many common mistakes couples make. “The biggest mistake is comparing your wedding to other couples and their weddings,” said Atisha. “Seeing photos on social media like Pinterest and Instagram while day dreaming about incorporating the idea/element into their wedding and then finding out they can’t afford it and possibly going over their budget to portray an image to their guests and sometimes put their fiancé’s in debt because they insist on having certain elements at their wedding.” Budgeting is key in all seasons, explains Atisha. “So often couples book vendors based on weddings they walked in, or their friend or cousin hired, without thinking their budget through and then realizing they can’t afford the venue or the photographer,” she said. “Couples really need to think of their future and not just live for the day. They have a full road ahead of them and if they don’t build a solid and stable financial foundation for their new journey, they will surely create problems in their future. If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.” A Summer Sensation Summer time is Melanie and Danny Shaman’s favorite season of the year. “I couldn’t imagine our wedding day without the sun, and considering Michigan’s unpredictable weather, we knew that the summer would be the best season of the year to make our dream of a sunny wedding weather day coming true,” said Melanie. “Aside from summer being our favorite season of the year, a summer wedding worked best around my school schedule.” She is a full-time student studying physical therapy. “A summer wedding enabled us to have enough time to really enjoy our wedding and it was also a great time to go away on our honeymoon to Greece.” They were married on Sunday, July 3 last year on a holiday weekend. “I know that guests tend to leave Sunday weddings earlier because they have to wake up early for work the next day, but the great part about getting married the day before the PHOTO BY HADEER POLISS Melanie and Danny Shaman Fourth of July is that most guests did not have to worry about waking up for work,” Melanie noted. “Our guests were able to stay the entirety of our wedding and truly enjoy themselves as they partied the night away without worrying about an early wakeup the next day.” Traditionally, summer has been known to be the peak of the wedding season. “Although wedding season, especially in the Chaldean community, has expanded into earlier and later months throughout the past few years, summer still continues to be the busiest time of the year for Chaldean weddings,” said Suhair Kallabat of Eventfully Yours. “Couples who want to marry in the summer must book far in advance to get the date that they want, especially if what they want is a weekend. I have a lot of couples who are resorting to picking a weekday wedding date because it is all they can get during the summer season that they want.” Couples planning a summer wedding must also keep in mind that a summer wedding comes at premium. Summer couples pay the full price for their venue if marrying on the weekend, whereas that rate is discounted a bit during the off season. Proper attire in the summer must also be a serious consideration. “It is imperative that everyone is dressed appropriately for the ceremony, not only at a summer wedding, but year round,” said Kallabat. “With summer weddings, with the hotter temperatures, the bride and guests seem to pick ‘hotter’ selections. These dresses maybe absolutely stunning, but not exactly church appropriate.” The Chaldean Diocese requires that the bridal party and guests are covered properly for the church service. Kallabat reminds all her couples of this requirement. “Covering up for the ceremony doesn’t have to mean your bridal style is lost,” she said. “There’s a number of gorgeous pieces that can be added to your dress that still maintain the style of the dress while showing reverence in church.” “I knew that I needed something that would be weather appropriate for a summer wedding,” said Melanie. “A significant part of our wedding day was spent outside taking pictures, and in designing my dress; I knew I wanted something that would work with the hot summer weather.” Melanie worked with a designer who created a lace, strapless ball gown. “The gown was whimsical and elegant, and I felt like royalty in it,” she said. Summer is ideal because of the weather. “Granted, we do live in Michigan, so even our summer weather can be inconsistent and unpredictable, but for the most part, summer is a couple’s best bet if they want a sunny and warm wedding day,” said Kallabat. It’s also ideal for guests with out of state guests. Traveling is easier. “Our décor was also inspired by the summer,” said Melanie. “We choose to mix lighter, summery colors in our flower color scheme. WEDDINGS continued on page 24 22 CHALDEAN NEWS <strong>FEBRUARY</strong> <strong>2017</strong>
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