Let Them Eat Cake…Or Not!
Brides and Grooms today want to be trendy and unique and make their weddings stand out from the pack. What better way to do this than to mix things up and nix the traditional wedding cake?! Not that there’s anything wrong with cake, we love it, but there are so many great desserts out there and if cake isn’t your fancy, don’t hesitate to go in a whole new direction. It’s your day, have the dessert that makes you the happiest. Some things we’ve seen at Shadowland this season:
Engagement Ring Crash Course
So you found the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. You have a good idea on how you want to pop the question, but now you need the bling. For the stereotypical guy, chances are you don’t have a lot of experience in a high-end jewelry store. Never fear, this article will give you a crash course in how to buy the ring of her dreams and get you started in the direction you need to go.
First and foremost, before you even step into the jewelers, talk to her best friend or sister. It’s not a myth; girls sit around with their girlfriends and talk about what kind of ring they want. Don’t ask why, we just do. The closest girl in your girlfriend’s life will most likely know what shape, band color, and general look of the ring you should be looking for. They can also be utilized to sneak around and get the ring size. Try to take an old ring to the jeweler with you (make sure it’s one that fits her ring finger!), or if she will notice a piece of jewelry missing, trace the outline of the ring on a piece of paper. For sizing, a good rule of thumb is to err on the side of a bigger size; it’s easier to size down than to size up. Also, even before walking into the store, have an idea of what sort of budget you are working with and leave some wiggle room. She may have champagne taste and you may have a beer budget, so you may both have to meet somewhere in the middle to make sure she is happy and you don’t break the bank.
Why Do We Do That?
“Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue,” we’ve all heard that rhyme at some point in time. Wedding celebrations have been around for centuries, with every culture doing things just a bit differently. However, most traditions have the goal of blessings couples with good luck, happiness, fertility, and prosperity. Here are a few examples of some of the modern day traditions and how they got their start way back when…
Best Man and Bridesmaids
Back in the day, it wasn’t just a manner of picking your closest friends to party with and plan the wedding. No, this carefully selected bunch had to be on hand to possibly defend you if kidnappers, scorned exe’s, or disapproving parents tried to ruin the nuptials. The “Best” in Best Man meant that that guy knew his way around a sword and would fight for you and your bride, should the need arise. This is also why the groom and groomsmen stand on the right at the altar, this position kept their right hand, aka sword holding hand, free in case they had to fight at a moment’s notice.
What’s On Tap?
Craft beer and microbreweries are trending throughout the country, and Michigan is right at the center of this trend. Michigan alone has more than 200 breweries in the state, making it the 4th largest producer of beer in the United States. With so many different brews out there, what should you drink at your wedding? Here are some brews that tend to be great crowd pleasers and may introduce your guests to something other than that common yellow fizzy beer
Round Barn Kolsch (Baroda-Year Round):
Maya <3 Paul 3.14.15
Maya and Paul was Shadowland’s first couple wedding of the 2015 season. These lovebirds actually met at a wedding and after a little prodding from Maya, the two danced the night away and led to them having a series of wonderfully awkward moments that brought them to their wedding day. Even though neither one of them grew up in the St. Joseph area and had different visions of what they wanted their wedding to look like (he wanted a converted bank venue with marble and pillars and she envisioned a casual barn feel), Paul found Shadowland online and after a visit, the rest is history.
Mock Wedding 2015
On Saturday, March 21, 2015, Shadowland Ballroom hosted the annual Mock Wedding for the couples booked in the upcoming year. Our Mock Wedding is set up like a real wedding and allows our couples to experience the feel of a Shadowland Wedding and to enjoy the space without all the stress of their actual wedding. Nicole Beltz, Shadowland’s Executive Director, welcomed the lovebirds with a brief
history of the ballroom and introduced the management team including Cheyenne Galbraith (Events Manager), Amy Parnell (Assistant Manager), Samar Badreddine (Serving Staff Coordinator), and Mike Stone (Shadowland Ballroom’s in-house chef). After introductions, Nicole, the team, and the couples toasted to a great wedding season. Chef Mike diligently worked all week preparing 50 menu items. This allowed our couples to taste a wide variety of the menu at one time.
DJ Drew Behringer from “Moments in Time” provided the music for the evening, Val from “Val’s
Custom Cakes” in LaPorte, Indiana brought in delicious cake options for our couples to savor, and Ben Pancoast, Joshua Nowicki, and Jennifer Mayo captured all the great moments in pictures and video for us to remember for years to come. Our tables were spruced up with centerpieces from “Stella Event Design” and favors were provided by the “Soap Sisters & More.” One of the highlights of the evening was the photo booth provided by Ben Pancoast that allowed our couples to show off their wedding dates, dress up in crazy disguises, and take hilarious pictures with their other half. Shadowland also provided a wine tasting station and Watermelon Margaritas and Blueberry Vodka Lemonades were the signature cocktails of the evening. Our couples ended the night with a ride on the Silver Beach Carousel and dancing the night away in the ballroom.
Traditional vs E-Vites
In today’s media frenzied society, most people have a phone, tablet, or laptop close to them throughout the day. Checking email, Facebook statuses, Twitter accounts, and Instagram is turning into an automatic thing for people. This leads many brides to wonder if emailing wedding invitations is the way to go to ensure as many guests as possible can be reached with the information about their big day. There are many reasons to consider going this route. One point to consider is the cost and time savings. Using an internet site to make and distribute the invitations can save hundreds to potentially thousands in product and postage. Also, some sites offer an RSVP service to make it easy and convenient for guests to respond and keep track of the answers for you. E-vites are also more eco-friendly for the couples that are interested in going green for their wedding day festivities.
Lego Brick Big City Build
Bring your family to see the BIG Build at Shadowland Ballroom during the weekend of March 27-29, 2015.
Guests can see the finished model done by professional LEGO® builder Jason Spear and the Western Michigan LEGO® Train Club and talk with the professional building team. All ages are welcome – it is an amazing feat for everyone to witness! The model will be built prior to guests visiting hours.
The BIG Build is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! No pre-registration is required. Parking is free and available in the Silver Beach Center parking lot.
Fire and Ice 2015
Hot and cold elements collided last week for a night to remember in St. Joseph, Michigan. To kick off the 11th Annual Magical Ice Fest, Shadowland Ballroom hosted the 5th Annual Fire & Ice Party on Friday, February 6, 2015. Doors opened at 8 p.m. with a $10 cover, but ladies were free to get in until 9 p.m. Entertainment for the night included live music from Joshua and Jeremy Sprague, fire performers from The Barefoot Hawaiian, Neil Sauter on stilts making balloon hats, Ben Pancoast’s photo booth and a martini ice luge. Two of our sponsors, Silver Beach Pizza and Zick’s Specialty Meats provided delicious snacks for guests to munch on throughout the night.
Liz ♥ Marshall 8.2.14
Marshall and Liz met at Central Michigan University in 2008 during welcome weekend. Although he was very interested in Liz, she did not give him the time of day. For three months Marshall tried to stay in contact to ask her on a date but she ignored his requests. In November of 2008, Liz and Marshall connected again at the same apartment party where they had first met, except this time his efforts did not go unnoticed. That night Marshall and Liz kissed for the first time and the rest is history. In 2011 Marshall moved to Kansas City, MO while Liz stayed in Michigan. They lived apart for almost a year trying to better their careers. Marshall proposed while on vacation in Daytona, Florida in front of several members of Liz’s family.
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