It’s in the Details

By OCinSite At-Large on January 10, 2011 12:51 PM

Photo by Kri Sado

By Michelle Garrido | Newport Beach Magazine, March 2010

Just like different accessories can transform a little black dress into a sexy evening ensemble or a sweet daytime frock, a wedding’s details (invitations, décor, food and photography) define the event’s mood and convey a couple’s true spirit. Kevin Covey, a third-generation wedding planner, owner of Kevin Covey Wedding and Event Coordination (kevinsparties.com) and planning veteran of countless Newport weddings, says special elements not only tell the couple’s personal story, but they also help create a welcoming atmosphere for guests.

Invitations: These offer guests the first glimpse of what to expect from your wedding.
Multi-paged invites, Kevin says, are a popular trend for 2010. These clever bundles open like a book and close with a pretty ribbon or interesting tab. Consider this option if you want an invite that’s as functional as it is lovely. “They are very neat and have a lot of order to them,” Kevin says. “These days clients want people to have all the details.” Brides can pack their invites with lists of local accommodations for out-of-town guests, as well as specific driving directions from multiple locations—anything to ensure guests are rested, ready and on time. 

“Sometimes they even fib on the invitation and state the wedding begins 30 minutes before it’s actually due to start,” Kevin admits. “Brides don’t want anyone to be late—especially if they have a limited amount of time at their venue.”

Flowers: There was a time when many Newport Beach residents took a money-is-no-object approach to wedding flowers. But not even the truest love can belie these tough economic times, and Kevin says his clients are opting for unique ways to get maximum impact for minimum green.

This season, Kevin says, clients are choosing flower varieties that resonate with their unique style and combining them with accent pieces, such as glass, to help make fewer flowers go farther.

“You can fill glass with anything—fruit, flowers, birch sticks, candles of different heights,” he says. “You can alternate really beautiful floral arrangements on one table, and maybe do something a little less expensive, like a candlescape, on another.”

Kevin also suggests forgoing expensive extras and spending the money saved on details with maximum impact. “Tablescapes are important,” Kevin says. “Invest money in creating a beautiful table. That’s where your guests spend the most time, and that’s what they’ll remember most.”

Photography: Give your wedding album an ethereal edge with an unorthodox post-wedding photo shoot. The latest trend to “Trash the Dress” has brides hanging from trees, sitting pretty among the flowers and splashing with their mister in ocean waves. The result: earthy, playful images that capture a couple’s personality beyond the wedding-day jitters. Inspired from the pages of fashion magazines, Kevin says this practice has gained momentum with brides who want to buck tradition.

“Most of them feel they’re never going to wear the dress again, and their daughters aren’t going to want to wear that dress down the line,” Kevin says. “Before the ceremony, they want their gown in immaculate condition, but they day after or maybe when they get back from the honeymoon, they’re not afraid to create something unusual for their wedding album.”

While some couples conduct pre-ceremony photo shoots to save time between the wedding and reception. Kevin, usually an advocate of personal style over tradition, urges his clients to reconsider this option.

“I’m still in love with the idea of the bride and groom not seeing each other for the first time at the ceremony, walking down the aisle,” Kevin says. “You can’t recreate that moment ever again, and most brides really do want that moment.”

Dining: “When guests come to a wedding, they assume they’re getting beef, chicken or fish,” Kevin says. “The fact is, they’re probably still getting beef, chicken or fish, but we encourage our brides to do something a little more inviting with those options.”

Hearty foods with a high-end twist are popular wedding fare, as couples try to serve foods that whet and satisfy their guests’ appetites. “They’re choosing options like tasty pasta, comfort foods like lobster ravioli or lobster macaroni and cheese,” says Kevin.

Unexpected combinations, like filet mignon with French fries or gourmet burgers served on fine China, allow the bride and groom to put their own personal spin on the usual wedding feast. “Guests want people to mix it up,” Kevin says, “and it’s OK to be different.”

Wedding Cake: Once exiled to a far corner of the room, today’s wedding cakes are wild, flamboyant displays taking center stage at most receptions. As cake construction continues to defy the laws of physics, couples are seeking greater and grander designs. From beach-scapes to globes to city skylines, wedding cakes have become a signature way couples communicate their personal story with guests.

“You never see white wedding cakes anymore,” Kevin says. “People are getting cakes with as many colors, layers and shapes as they want, and in any design they can imagine.”

Taking a cue from the perennial sunshine of Newport Beach, flavors have taken a turn for the tropical. This year, look for cakes infused with mango and passion fruit. Chocolate—once considered too dark and sinful for wedding cake—is now more commonplace, as are cakes spiked with different liqueurs.

Wedding Splurges & Unexpected Touches

The after-party following the reception. Close off part of the reception area and decorate it like a casino or lounge to make a relaxed, fun space to hang out with just your group of friends.

Fireworks. A fireworks display from an ocean barge makes an amazing statement over the water—something that coastal couples can take advantage of.

Invitations. Many couples splash out on fabulous invitations, designing them as gift packages. Some have done silk boxes with crystal brooches and pretty wooden invitations inside.

Confetti cannon. These cannons that can shoot confetti, streamers or a combination, can be used right as the couple’s first dance ends or at a peak time when guests are dancing.

Decal appliqués for reception dance floors. A very trendy way to personalize the reception space, vinyl floor decals can be custom made to display couple’s names, wedding date, or any special message or design.

Breakaway bouquets. Create a bridal bouquet out of eight or more mini bouquets so that more people can catch a bouquet, and you can even tie little wedding fortunes to them, such as “You’ll marry the boy next door.” This is a great idea for larger weddings.