Theme Weddings 2007

When The Wedding Guys® present The Wedding Fair™ on behalf of Twin City Bridal Association, they develop a new theme for each show. If you ask them what it’s like, they will tell you it’s like planning three weddings in one year with over 5,000 guests at each event. When it comes to theme weddings, The Wedding Guys ask people to think outside the box. Your wedding can be so much more than a “tropical” theme, “Vegas” theme, or “An Evening in Paris.” According to The Wedding Guys, today’s theme weddings have taken a 360-degree turn.

“It’s not so much about having an Eiffel Tower in the room, but rather having more subtle details of Paris represented in the wedding,” explains Wedding Guy Bruce Vassar.

And what, exactly, would The Wedding Guys do to create a Paris-themed wedding?

“For the ceremony, I would suggest a wedding party with just a best man, maid of honor, and younger children as the other attendants. This isn’t so much a Parisian-specific tradition but more of a European one,” says Wedding Guy Matthew Trettel. “To entertain your guests, there could be a caricature artist with a waxed curly mustache wearing a beret, black and white horizontal striped shirt, and a pair of black trousers. We could set the guest tables in French bistro-style with white tablecloths and white paper overlays. And when the entertainment begins, there could be a dance troupe performing a Can-Can complete with high-kicking above their heads.”

The Wedding Guys encourage couples to be creative while planning a theme wedding.

“You don’t have to bring in the streets of Paris with flower carts, perhaps you don’t do a Paris theme at all. Maybe you and your guests travel to the Palace of Versailles instead,” Vassar comments. “Now instead of dripping with gold gilding you can work from the Hall of Mirrors and bring glass, crystal, and mirrors into the theme. Perhaps you use mirrors to pass hors d’oeuvres during the cocktail reception and have mirror tiles as chargers at each place setting.”

He points out that it’s all about working with the environment rather than changing it.

For a cute touch, the couple could have the pastry chef decorate each cake plate with the words, “Let Them Eat Cake,” then sit back and watch the guests laugh.

When all is said and done, guess where the couple would go on a honeymoon? Naturally it would have to be Paris, the “City of Love.”

After helping thousands of couples plan their big day, what types of memorable theme weddings have The Wedding Guys seen in the Twin Cities?

“We’ve seen a lot of great weddings with people who just take on a color as a theme or a favorite piece of candy and incorporate it throughout,” Trettel says. “But there is one wedding we really enjoyed, not only because it was creative and the bride and groom really got into the details, but because the guests dove in as well.”

It was the November wedding of Windy Merrill and Chris Bowlsby at the Heights Theater in Columbia Heights. Their story will inspire you to create a lasting impression.

Wendy Woods, Wendy Woods Photography

QUIET ON THE SET - TAKE ONE - ROLL ‘EM

WINDY MERRILL TO CHRIS BOWLSBY
Heights Theater, Columbia Heights, MN

Act One

Scene 1: The Meeting!
Surrounded by all the hustle and bustle backstage during a theatrical rehearsal, Chris Bowlsby stopped in his tracks after noticing a very cute redhead playing the title character in the theatrical production of “Funny Girl.”

Her name was Windy, and Chris remembers that she wasn’t always at rehearsal.

“I guess you don’t need to practice all the time when you’re the lead character, but I thought—since she was playing the title role—she should be there,” Chris comments. Not to be outdone, Windy interjects playfully, “perhaps Chris needed to remember he was a chorus boy.”

Through many productions and cast parties, Windy and Chris began to see each other on a somewhat regular basis. Chris was pleasantly surprised to discover the reason that Windy had missed rehearsals was because she had started a sci-fi convention in Minneapolis. People were attending from all over the U.S., Canada, and England.

“You know, Star Trek,” Chris says. “I really like sci-fi and comic book heroes, so I thought that was great.”

Scene 2: The First Date!
Khan’s Mongolian BBQ was the setting for Chris and Windy’s first date.

“When the date ended at about 3 or 4 a.m., we both thought we still had so much to talk about,” Windy says.

Early the next morning Chris decided to call Windy at 10 a.m., waking her up to continue the conversation (much to Windy’s surprise, since she admits she’s not a morning person). They happily dated for two and a half years before Chris thought the time had come to propose.

Act Two

Scene 1: The Proposal!
Secretly disguised as part of Windy’s birthday celebration, Chris decided to pop the question when Windy would least expect it—on her birthday, surrounded by around 30 people who would join them to play board games. Throughout the evening, Chris knew he was going to propose but it just had to be at the right time. At one point in the night, the group stopping playing games to sing “Happy Birthday” (Chris scored major points by getting cheesecake, Windy’s favorite dessert) and Chris decided now was the perfect time. He waited patiently during the gift opening, then approached Windy with one final present. Chris gave Windy this very special gift and accidentally opened the box upside down. Much to his surprise and everyone else’s, the ring fell out. As surprising and comical as this was to Windy and Chris, it was a sign of ring mysteries to come.

Wendy Woods
Wendy Woods Photography

Scene 2: The Planning!
Windy and Chris knew they wanted their wedding to be fun and full of laughter, joy, and unique characteristics that reflected “Windy and Chris.” Inspired by the theater, the overall atmosphere of the wedding was reminiscent of classic old holiday movies, set during a white Minnesota winter. With both Windy and Chris sharing the spotlight and a passion for theater, they thought what better place to hold their wedding than in a renovated old-fashioned movie theater, all woven together with a Dickens’ holiday theme?

They chose the Heights Theater in Columbia Heights, for what they would soon be calling their wedding: “One Wedding and No Funeral.” Within a short time, plans started to unfold from the attire to the flowers, the theater marquee to the farewells at the end of the evening. Their guests would soon experience the creative energy of this couple. Not one detail was overlooked.

Act Three

Scene 1: The Prelude!
Guests were invited to the wedding by special invitations with a quote from the movie “When Harry Met Sally,” which would sum up how Windy and Chris felt about each other and their future life together: ”When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”
Since many of their guests were creative and fun, Windy and Chris encouraged them to dress up, asking the ladies to wear hats.

Scene 2: The Procession!
Old-fashioned movie theater ushers dressed in red jackets, black trousers, red caps, and cream-colored gloves greeted guests in the lobby at the wedding ceremony. Using flashlights to light the aisles, guests were ushered to their seats. The renovated organ was played to sound like a calliope. Proceeding down the aisle to “Bring A Torch,” by Jeannette Isabella, the bridesmaids wore nineteen-century Victorian inspired attire, with hats created by Windy. The groomsmen wore black frock coats by Savvi Formalwear with cream gloves, cream and gold vests, and gold spats made by Windy. As the guests stood, Windy made an entrance to the song “Ding Dong Marilee on High.” The blushing bride looked stunning in her ivory velvet gown, pillbox hat, and faux fur collared coat and muff, designed and created by Windy and her mother Eve Kramer.

Wendy Woods
Wendy Woods Photography

Scene 3: The Ceremony!
Taking center stage in the beautifully ornate theater, Decant Charles Piehl greeted Windy and Chris as they joined hands to commit their love to one another. The ceremony included unique vows, with each being asked, “Will you make mistakes, or will you indulge in chocolate?” along with the traditional “I Dos.” The vows were as unique as the songs, with guests asked to join in while singing traditional Christmas carols in lieu of tradition wedding hymns, such as “The Holly and the Ivy.” Guests also enjoyed nontraditional songs like “Ice Cream” by Sarah McLachlan and “Who Are You Now?” from the musical “Funny Girl.” After the couple was blessed and pronounced husband and wife, Windy and Chris walked down the aisle to the theme of “The Muppet Show.”

Act Four

Scene 1: The Reception!
An entertaining evening was in store for the guests as they entered the McNamara Alumni Center for a cocktail hour. While a video montage of Chris and Windy’s favorite classic movies played, the newlyweds mingled and greeted their friends and family. As dinner approached, individual place cards directed everyone to their seats. Table names were developed to coincide with famous movie titles, and each table was decorated with a centerpiece made from actual movie reels and fresh flowers. Windy remembers how funny it was to see the reaction of the guests seated at “The Grinch” table.

Scene 2: The Fun!
As the guests dined on wonderful food prepared by University Catering, the meal was topped off with Windy’s absolute favorite dessert—cheesecake from Muddy Paws Cheesecake. As traditional and classic as the movies that inspired Windy and Chris, so must there be a traditional wedding cake with a unique twist. Who better to top the cake, but none other than Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and Clarice, the reindeer who accepts Rudolph’s red nose and helps him to fly at the reindeer games by telling him he’s cute. Remember how excited Rudolph was? “I’m cuuuute. She said I’m cuuuute.”

To get everyone up on their feet dancing the night away, the music was provided by a friend of Windy’s, the infamous Club DJ, Skaht Hansen.

As the late evening stars in the sky matched the stars of the silver screen, guests gathered outside to wish the couple happiness as Windy and Chris departed through a shower of popcorn.

THE END – It’s a wrap!

Visit Real Weddings at www.twincitybridal.com to see more pictures of Windy and Chris’ wedding and to preview other unique themed real weddings.

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Theme Weddings 2007