Bridal Guide

2011

Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011

Announcements
The Commercial Dispatch welcomes
wedding, engagement and anniversary
announcements. All announcements need
to be submitted on forms provided by The
Dispatch. Separate forms with guidelines
for submission are available for each type of
announcement.
The charge for an announcement with
Photo by Amber Ruffin/Amber’s Photography
a photograph is $25. The charge for an
announcement without a photograph is $15.
All photographs will be printed in black
and white. (The fee includes a one-month
subscription to The Dispatch; this can be
Alisha and
a new subscription or added to an existing
subscription.)
Matthew
Photos can be returned by mail if a self-
addressed, stamped envelope is included Singley
with the form, or they can be picked up after
the announcement runs in the paper. March 3, 2010
In order for an engagement First Baptist Church
announcement to run on the desired date, in Amory, MS
it must be submitted at least 21 days prior
to that publication date or the date of the
wedding. There will be no exceptions.
Wedding announcements should be
submitted within six months after the date of

About
the wedding.
Anniversary announcements will be
printed for couples who have been married

the
50 years or more. Forms should be
submitted three weeks prior to the event.
Couples submitting a picture may include an

Cover
original wedding picture at no extra cost.
Forms may be hand-delivered to the
office of The Commercial Dispatch, 516
Main St., Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.
to 5 p.m., faxed to 662-329-8937, or mailed
to The Commercial Dispatch, P.O. Box 511,
Columbus, MS 39703. Forms can also be Dustin and Chelsea Barrier
downloaded from The Dispatch web site at were married October 23,
www.cdispatch.com. 2010, at Waverly Waters in
Any questions concerning announcements West Point, MS.
should be directed to Sarah Wilson, the Photography by Amber’s
editorial assistant, at 662-328-2471, or Photography, Caledonia,
editorialassistant@cdispatch.com. MS.
BRIDAL GUIDE
Jamie Elizabeth and
Jonathan Craig Pace
North Park Presbyterian Church in Ridgeland, MS
Details make it memorable
BY CYNTHIA WHITE
White Papyrus
Nothing is more important than
creating a wedding day that
reflects your unique style and per-
sonality. Wedding invitations, pro-
grams, menu cards, signage and
wedding favors communicate the
kind of event your guests can antic-
ipate and remember, but it’s the
small details that make your day
memorable.
While traditional elements are
still popular, more couples are
choosing to create a day tailored to
their individuality and branding
your wedding style doesn’t have to
be complicated or expensive.
If your wedding style is vintage,
incorporate antique lace or old
book papers into your invitations or
favor packaging. For an outdoor
wedding, consider beautifully
embossed fans for your wedding
program that includes a special
message for your guests. Heart
shaped glass ornaments filled with
THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2011 1
REX’S RENTALS
Tents
Tables
Chairs
Linens
Silver
Glassware
China
Flatware
Contributed Photo
Candelabras
Champagne Fountains
Chafing Dishes
Coffee Makers
June 12, 2010
shells and sand might be your sig-
nature favor for a beach wedding
while a “message in bottle” might
be the perfect place card.
Wedding favors are the perfect
opportunity to express your distinc-
tive tastes. Traditionally, small
sweets like cookies, chocolates, or
almonds have graced wedding
favor tables. But today’s couples
are opting for more personalized
favors including ones that repre-
sent them as a couple. Specialty
And
olive oils, honey, coffee, music,
custom flower seed packets or
even snow globes for a winter wed-
Much
ding have emerged as couples
move in a more creative direction.
By asking a few questions, you
More!
can incorporate your personality
into the small details of your wed-
ding. What represents you as a
couple? Do you share a common
interest? Camping? Music or art? Is
there a city or location with special 322 Main Street
significance? Any of these areas
might be worked into your wed- Co l u m bus • 32 8 - 4 416
See DETAILS, 3 © The Dispatch
2 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2011 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com BRIDAL GUIDE

Photo by Amber Ruffin/Amber’s Photography Contributed Photo

Jamie and Kevin McMahon Nathan and Vakesha Allen

September 18, 2010 June 5, 2010
CAFB Chapel in Columbus, MS Third Mount Olive M.B. Church in West Point, MS

Unique Wedding Favors • Wedding Invitations, Programs • Menu Cards, Place Cards
Personalized Jars and Candles • Free Consultation

Cynthia White • 662-574-5546

Email: whitepapyrus@yahoo.com © The Dispatch
BRIDAL GUIDE
Jenny and Justin Hollis
Calhoun City First Baptist Church
Details
Continued from Page 1
ding favors for a distinctively
unique expression of you as a cou-
ple.
Select a wedding favor that will
leave your guests with a lasting
impression but also pay attention to
packaging. Even the simplest gift
can be artistically packaged to
delight your guests. Many favors
can also be incorporated into the
wedding décor as place cards or
table decorations.
If you have plenty of time, DIY
projects might be an option to ease
the budget. But don’t forget that
THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2011 3
The Ritz professional staff is ready to
make your special event or wedding a
showpiece.
The theater and conference room is perfect
for rehearsal dinners, weddings, proms,
reunions, and other social gatherings.
Photo by Amber Ruffin/Amber’s Photography
March 20, 2010
vendors often purchase wholesale
and you may get the finished proj-
ect for what you would spend just
on supplies. Contact
White Papyrus can help you add
those small details that make a
Elizabeth Dichiara
memorable event. Besides wedding Phone:
favors, we create custom wedding
invitations and paper goods. We 662-494-RITZ
also offer vinyl monograms in sev- (7489)
eral styles. Contact us at whitepa-
pyrus@yahoo.com and take a look
Email: edichiara@theritzwestpoint.com
at our new Facebook page for more
information. www.theritzwestpoint.com
4 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2011 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com BRIDAL GUIDE

Couples must balance their expenses, income

BY BONNIE COBLENTZ
MSU Ag Communications
MISSISSIPPI STATE – The real
financial challenges of a marriage
have much less to do with the wed-
ding itself than with learning to
handle money wisely as a couple.
Carla Stanford, Mississippi State
University Extension Service child
and family development area agent
in Pontotoc County, said couples
should know each others’ spending
habits and financial patterns before
they marry.
“Sit down and decide exactly
how finances will be handled and
consider assigning responsibilities,”
Stanford said. “If one partner is the
organizer and is prompt, let that
person be in charge of bill paying
and finance organization.
“That does not mean that person
is in charge of the money, just the
arrangements. Financial decisions
should be joint decisions,” she said.
Even before the expenses and
incomes are blended, couples
“By seeing where your money goes, you
can find leaks in your budget.”
Mary Linda Moore
Extension child and family
development area agent
should shift their thinking about
money away from themselves and
start thinking as a team.
Mary Linda Moore, Extension
child and family development area
agent in Alcorn County, said cou-
ples must talk honestly about their
values and goals and what they
want to accomplish with their
money.
“Compromises may have to be
reached as the couple finds ways to
mesh their individual philosophies
so they move together in the same
direction,” she said.
Moore said singles tend to spend
more money on eating out, enter-
tainment, travel and clothes, but
married couples typically get seri-
ous about finances. Many newly-
weds are young, have lower
incomes and bring debt, such as
student loans, into the relationship.
“Individuals who have not lived
independently may be surprised by
the cost of health insurance, auto
maintenance and insurance, holiday
gift-giving, and home maintenance
and operating costs,” Moore said.
Stanford said even the youngest
couples should pay down debt, file
income taxes, set aside a fund for
emergencies and save for retire-
ment.
“Most young people delay saving
for retirement, and when they do
decide it’s time to save, it takes a lot
of cash to play catch up with where
they should be financially,” Stanford
said.
The sooner a person begins sav-
ing for retirement, the more time
the money has to grow.
“If at age 25, you put aside
$3,000 a year for 10 years in a tax-
deferred retirement account getting
an 8 percent annual return, by the
time you reach 65, that $30,000
investment would have grown to
more than $472,000,” Stanford said.
“But if you put off saving until you
turn 35 and then save $3,000 a year
for 30 years at the same annual
rate, your $90,000 contribution will
have only grown to about $367,000.
That’s a huge difference.”
For couples trying to establish
good spending practices or end bad
ones, Moore recommended track-
ing all spending for at least a
month.
“By seeing where your money
goes, you can find leaks in your
budget,” she said. “If you have diffi-
culty limiting your spending, start
the month by putting a predeter-
mined amount of money in
envelopes designated for certain
activities, such as entertainment or
groceries,” Moore said. “When the
money is gone, spending in that cat-
egory must stop. Do this as long as
it takes for the changes to become
habitual.”
If expenses still exceed income,
make deeper cuts, get another job
or consider a downsized lifestyle, at
least temporarily.

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6 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2011
Communicate when wedding
planning with divorced parents
BY KAREN TEMPLETON
MSU Ag Communications
MISSISSIPPI STATE – Planning a
wedding can be stressful for any cou-
ple, but when the bride or groom has
divorced parents, the process can be
even more challenging.
“Communication is key to suc-
cessful planning when the bride’s or
groom’s parents are divorced,” said
Carla Stanford, Mississippi State
University Extension child and family
development area agent in Pontotoc
County. “The couple needs to sit
down with their parents and look at
ways everyone can participate. This
can be tough when there is animosi-
ty involved. I suggest that couples
develop a script ahead of time so
they make sure they hit all the
important points.”
An unbiased, outside person can
help couples develop and communi-
cate a plan to their divorced parents.
A wedding planner, clergy member
or trusted friend can fill this role.
“As a wedding planner, I’ve been
involved in a lot of these discussions
with couples and their parents,” said
Deborah Simmons, owner of
Signature Occasions in Jackson. “I
always encourage the parents to put
their negative feelings aside and
focus on what the bride and groom
want. In all my years of doing this,
I’ve never once had parents refuse.
They generally take the highroad
and do what is necessary to make
the couple happy.”
Simmons said there is no reason
to forgo tradition just because one or
both sets of parents are divorced.
“It isn’t about changing the way
things are done; it’s just a matter of
making sure everyone is included,”
she said. “If the bride’s family is host-
ing the wedding and her parents are
divorced, it is still possible to include
both of their names even if they have
different last names.”
Couples can help avoid hurt feel-
ings and build stronger relationships
by including stepfamilies in wedding
activities.
“Couples can designate two rows
for family rather than just one.
Parents can sit in the first row, and
their current spouses can sit right
THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com BRIDAL GUIDE
behind them,” Simmons said. “It is
important to include parents’ current
spouses as it helps foster relation-
ships that will last many years.”
Incorporating new family mem-
bers into a traditional wedding cere-
mony and reception can be challeng-
ing, but it can also mean more help
Whitney
for the bride and groom.
“Sometimes, the more the merri-
er,” Stanford said. “Brides and
and
grooms can call on all family mem-
bers to help with planning and get- Michael
ting things accomplished when
preparing for a wedding. By giving
everyone a role, the bride and groom
Clardy
will give each of them a true sense of
belonging.”
Stanford said wedding vendors June 26, 2010
can also help things go more Fairview Baptist
smoothly and take pressure off the
couple.
“Couples can inform the wedding
photographer about their parents’
divorce, new spouses and stepchil-
dren so the photographer can make
Photo by Addie Talley/Talley Images
sure everyone is included in the pho-
tos,” Stanford said. “Brides and
grooms can simply make a list for
the photographer, and he or she can
then make sure
everyone is represented and that
everyone is posed appropriately. For
example, the photographer can
arrange to have the father and step-
mother together in a photo to ensure
that no one is left out.”
The wedding officiant, caterer,
band or disc jockey should also be Lydia
aware of the family’s situation if the
couple is concerned about anyone
feeling left out.
and
“Having everyone on the same
page can help when it is time to Brian
make toasts, give special acknowl-
edgement in the ceremony and
announce the wedding party or spe-
Glyniak
cial dances,” Stanford said. “There is
a place for everyone in the wedding
celebration.” May 5, 2010
Simmons encourages couples not
to fret over planning a wedding with
Shadowlawn
their divorced parents.
“The bottom line is that everyone
wants the couple to be happy,” she
said. “The feelings of joy can easily
overpower any negative feelings from
the past.” Photo by Addie Talley/Talley Images
BRIDAL GUIDE THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2011 7

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New marriages can be tough for couples’ pets

BY CHEREE FRANCO
MSU Ag Communications
MISSISSIPPI STATE – In the
chaos of organizing a wedding,
brides and grooms sometimes
overlook how tough the transition
may be for their furry, feathered
and hoofed friends.
Blending pet families can be
stressful for both humans and ani-
mals, but foresight and attention to
detail help ensure a successful
adjustment.
“The biggest mistake pet owners
make is not planning ahead,” said
Dr. Joey Burt, chief of community
veterinary services with
Mississippi State University’s
College of Veterinary Medicine.
“Don’t throw pets together and
hope they’ll work it out; they
won’t.”
While the animals still have sep-
arate residences, Burt recom-
mends a towel exchange.
“Rub your furry pets with a
towel and send it to the other ani-
mal’s home, so they can begin get-
ting used to each other’s scent.
Then switch back, so the scents
are blended. This may neutralize
the actual introduction.”
He also cautions pet owners not
to believe the cartoons.
“It’s not dogs and cats that have
problems with each other. Usually
it’s dogs and dogs and cats and
cats,” he said. “We all have bad
days. If your pet is particularly
grumpy today, don’t push it. You
want everybody in a positive mood
when you start this process.”
For dogs, Burt advised finding a
neutral place--that is, neither home-
-for the initial introduction. At first
they should be leashed and given
simple commands in each other’s
presence, to ensure responsive,
obedient mindsets.
“If things are going smoothly
and the dogs seem curious, bring
them into contact while leashed,”
Burt said. “Then you can take the
dogs off lead and allow them to
play. This may happen in one ses-
sion, or it may take several meet-
ings.”
He recommends removing toys
and food during the introduction
and offering these items only
under supervision for a few weeks.
“Use a barrier during feedings,”
he said. “With a bowl on either
side of the door, dogs can hear and
smell each other and sense each
other’s presence while something
pleasurable is happening. It’s posi-
tive reinforcement. And when
you’re ready for toys, give each
dog a toy at the same time, so they
don’t have anything to be territorial
over.”
Introducing cats is even trickier,
according to Burt.
“Cats have a certain threshold,
and you never know what that
threshold is,” Burt said. “One cat
may want to be the only cat in the
house, while another may tolerate
five cats but gets upset with the
sixth.”
Burt encouraged owners to give
each cat time to explore.
“Bring the new cat in while the
old cat is put away,” he said. “After
the new cat has explored, put it
away and bring the old cat out, so
that it can wander around and
smell the new cat in its home.”
Until the cats grow comfortable
with each other, pet owners should
provide extra litter-boxes. In gener-
al, a good number of litter boxes is
the number of cats plus one.
“If you have two cats, you need
three litter-boxes, so that there is
neutral area,” said Burt. “Cats are
territorial with smells and mark-
ing.”
Synthetic pheromones are safe
and may help calm cats, but Burt
advised using them only if neces-
sary.
“Consult with a veterinary
behaviorist so that you know how
to use them appropriately,” he said.
Burt often encounters pet own-
ers who don’t get professional help
soon enough.
See PETS, 11

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BRIDAL GUIDE
Pets
Continued from Page 9
“If a couple of months have
passed and you’re still having prob-
lems, you should contact a veteri-
narian or a behaviorist,” he said. “I
might forgive the first fight, but the
second time animals attack each
other, it’s time to try other reme-
dies. These may be specially
designed antianxiety toys or in
extreme cases, antianxiety medica-
tion.”
When pets have a natural preda-
tor/prey relationship, such as the
one between dogs and rabbits, own-
ers should be extremely cautious
with introductions and may not
ever be able to leave their pets
alone together.
New spouses must also be cau-
tious when introducing large ani-
mals.
“Horses need to meet with a stall
or fence between them,” said Dr.
Heath King, a reproduction special-
ist at MSU’s College of Veterinary
Medicine.
A few months ago, King and his
new wife, Dr. Cathleen Mochal,
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A Bride Idea
blended their own horses.
“Horses need to be supervised
for their first few hours in the pas-
ture to make sure no one gets
chased through the fence,” he said.
“This should happen early in the Weddings
day, because horses can’t see
fences well near dusk. And avoid
Receptions
bringing food into the mix. Food Bridesmaid Luncheons
could instigate aggression.”
Although displays of aggression
Rehearsal Dinners
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“It depends on who a horse was
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Burt emphasized that owners with over 50 years Combined
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12 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2011 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com BRIDAL GUIDE

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 Contributed Photos

Frances and
Photo by Amber Ruffin/Amber’s Photography
Mike Smith Photo by Addie Talley/Talley Images

Katie and November 26, 2010 Carly and

Harrell Family Chapel
John David Horn in West Point, MS Todd Dear
June 12, 2010 April 3, 2010
The Magnolias in Home of the
Aberdeen, MS bride’s aunt