Rings, venues and much more
Story by Linda Long
Submitted photos and information from Griffins Jewelers, Weddings at Cabin Bluff and Pell City Flowers
Weddings look a little different these days as couples and wedding planners work around the challenges of COVID-19 to plan their special day.
To borrow a phrase from the Marines, couples are improvising, adapting and overcoming whatever the pandemic throws at them, seizing their special day.
No longer are we seeing the 200-plus wedding guests and oversized receptions with bands and sit-down dinners. Today, couples are embracing the idea of what is sometimes called the micro wedding. Guest lists number 30 to 50 people, generally family and close friends.
Technology is playing its part in 2021 weddings. Wedding photography and videography are more important than ever before. Couples are livestreaming their wedding ceremonies to folks who can’t attend due to space restrictions.
No one can say when weddings as we’ve always known them will return, but there’s one thing we know for sure – the bride will be beautiful, the groom handsome and at least one mom, maybe both, will shed happy tears.
Engagement and Wedding Rings
As the world emerges from COVID, couples realize just how important relationships are, said Michael Abernathy, vice president of Marketing and Sales for Griffins Jewelers in Pell City and Talladega.
“Couples are cherishing their special moments together more than ever before. They are marking these moments with quality diamond engagement rings that will become heirlooms for future generations. These diamond rings symbolize the heart and commitment of the relationship.”
Trusted jewelers like Abernathy play a critical role in helping make those moments in time last a lifetime. Ring selection traditionally follows trends, but the round brilliant cut diamond is timeless and always the most popular.
Round diamonds or fancy cut, like oval or pear, make beautiful solitaires or can be complemented nicely with diamond accents or halos. “Solitaires are very popular,” Abernathy said. “And composite clusters can often give the ring a bigger look for the money,” but some brides are trending toward vintage styles with colored gemstones like sapphire or ruby. Many Couples choose to design their own custom ring with the aid of (CAD) design. “Every piece of jewelry has a story,” he said. “Let us help you create yours.”
White gold is out. Yellow gold is in. That’s the word from Alisa Hutto at Agnew Jewelers in Trussville. “A year ago, we were selling completely all white. Now I’d say it’s 75 percent gold. That’s what the young people are trending toward, and they’re leaning more toward a solitaire as opposed to a halo style ring,” she said.
“I always say stick with a classic instead of following the trends when it comes to engagement rings because that’s something you’re going to have forever.
“I remember when I was trying to choose between an oval and a round stone. I loved both, but I chose round because it is the all-time classic. When I’m 80 years old, I want to look down at my hand and be just as happy with my stone as I was the day I got it.”
Hutto says there are those people who prefer gold no matter what and others who prefer white.
Ann Mitchell at Elite Jewelers in Trussville is also seeing yellow gold making “a strong comeback.”
Popular diamond shapes, she said, “are round, asscher and cushion but ovals, pear and marquis are beginning to trend. Styles range from a simple solitaire to lots of accent diamonds forming a halo around the center diamond to elaborate mountings with diamonds everywhere and even two stone engagement rings. Custom to heirloom, it’s an individual choice for each couple,” said Mitchell.
Looking at other wedding trends in 2021, Hutto said it seems that the groom is more often picking out the stone by himself, resulting in a choice of smaller, but more perfect stones.
“For a while, there was a tendency for the bride to come in with the groom and pick out her own stone. They would choose the larger stones, like two carats, but the boy, couldn’t afford that in a quality stone, so they had to settle for lesser quality in a larger stone.”
Hutto, who has been in the business of helping brides and grooms make this all-important purchase for 42 years said she works because she loves her job.
“And what woman wouldn’t love being surrounded by diamonds all day,” she laughed.
Diamonds are not trending in men’s wedding bands and gone are the days when men only had two choices – gold or silver.
Elite’s Mitchell said some grooms still prefer the traditional gold, platinum and silver bands, “but a more popular choice these days is an alternate design. There’s titanium, cobalt, meteorite and steel as well as ceramic and silicone and wood. I’ve even seen one carved from deer antlers,” she said.
Explaining that while some of these materials, like silicone, won’t last forever, “they still will withstand things like working on a car or going to the lake. Practicality wins out over sentiment.”
Flowers
Interesting is one word that describes wedding flower choices in 2021. Florists are seeing more of a demand for color, foliage, unusual blooms and even grasses. Bohemian or (boho), a style that’s been called a free-spirited mix of fun and unpredictability, is another way of describing this year’s bridal bouquets.
Cindy Luby at Pell City Flower & Gift shop says she’s seeing a lot of brides choosing bohemian for their wedding theme this year. “It’s the natural look with a lot of greenery and succulents,” she explained. “We’re also seeing blush pink make a big comeback.”
Hydrangeas and eucalyptus are also big this year, she said. “One thing we are seeing that is very different is a sand-colored rose. It’s very pretty in an odd way. But when we mix the sand rose with the blush pink, we have a very beautiful bouquet.”
Destination Weddings & Honeymoons
Due to COVID’s mandated crowd restrictions, many couples are keeping their weddings smaller. That observation came from Kathy Richards at Ash Travel in Springville.
“Because it’s just real difficult to plan a traditional wedding with a huge guest list, many couples are opting for a destination wedding,” she said. “Typically, the couple goes. The bridesmaids go and the parents. Maybe some siblings. So, what we have is about 20 people. The guests have their long weekend at a resort, and the couple stays on for the honeymoon.”
Richards added that many resorts now offer a videographer so they can livestream the wedding. “This way, everybody at home can be together and watch the ceremony. Later, the couple might plan the reception and have all the family and friends there.”
She is booking weddings only for Mexico, Jamaica and St. Lucia. “They are big enough to handle travelers in this pandemic situation, so I’m not sending people to the smaller islands. They’re just not as equipped to take care of it. And I want to absolutely be sure that I have contact with the tourism board and the government to make sure that everything I need taken care of with my people and my families – that they can handle it all.
One bonus to the destination wedding is easier planning and less work, Richards said. “It’s much easier to have a wedding at one of the resorts rather than at home. The bride gets on the phone with the resort’s wedding department. She tells them everything she wants – from flowers to candles to music to food. The resort takes care of it all.”
Some of the higher-priced properties offer these services free of charge. “You must limit your guests to 10 and book your reservation for seven nights. Also, you must pay extra if you’ve chosen music as part of the service.”
Closer to home, Richards said, the beach is always a favorite destination.
