Monica Zibutis, a fabulous photographer in our area, recently posted the wedding of Beth & Joel, and while there were a lot of things to love about this beautiful wedding, the thing that really grabbed me were the bridesmaids dresses! I, like many people, have been told each and every time I donned a bridesmaid dress, “Oh, you can definitely wear it again!” And I really don’t think anyone was intentionally lying to me—I’ve worn some beautiful ‘maids dresses, but I have never, not even once, worn any of them again. There is just always something about the formality, the material, the heaviness or the color—I’m a pretty big believer in the bridesmaid dress being a one-time-use kind of outfit, and why not, it’s your wedding day! It’s worth a $200 one-time dress! But when I saw these dresses I immediately thought, “that would be such a cute New Years Eve outfit!”
I could also see wearing it to a Christmas party or other holiday—it’s beautiful, and the shiny silver polka dots add an extra sparkle that would not lead anyone to think you’re wearing a bridesmaids dress. Love it. So if you’re still searching for the perfect bridesmaid dresses and you would like your girls to get to wear them again, consider looking at cocktail dresses and other non-bridal selections—you could save your ‘maids money and get them a two-time outfit!
Below (left) is a view of the ballroom from its entrance—3 sets of large french doors. On the right, the view of the ballroom, facing the entrance. I really like the colors in the room, which are light shades of blue, creams and light greens—it’s very neutral and natural feeling. On the far right, you’ll see just a glimpse of the Sunset room.
Below right, is another view of the Sunset Room. The Sunset room is attached to the ballroom and connects to an outdoor covered patio area. The Sunset room has a beautiful view of the Compass Fountain park, the lake, and of course, the sunset! As you can see, the ballroom has beautiful light wood floors, and will boast beautiful art-deco style chandeliers, which have yet to be installed. The room has state of the art features including overhead lighting options (you could project your monogram onto the dance floor) and a built-in overhead projector with 2 built-in, drop-down screens.
Across the hall from Shadowland Ballroom is the million dollar working replica of the original Silver Beach Carousel. This project has been ongoing for years now, and I am so excited to see what is promised to be an amazing piece of artwork! The carousel itself will boast 50 different horses, animals, chariots (and even insects) that guests can ride. The carousel portion of the building is open to the public, but if you’d like to reserve it for your guests, you can purchase private time in 30 minute increments. This private time can be used for pictures or rides for your guests, and also includes 50 carousel tokens that can be used at anytime during your wedding reception, or on another day. The silver tokens are actually beautiful art pieces of their own, and would make wonderful favors or keepsakes! The picture on the right shows the view of the lake from the carousel! See that blue sky? That’s the lake below it! The views from this building are going to be amazing during wedding season!
I know there’s nothing fun about bathrooms and dressing rooms, but they’re a must-have if you’ll be needing a spot to get ready on-site. The bathroom is on the right, and will have a beautiful glass-tile back splash lining the long wall of sinks. Plenty of room for you and your bridesmaids to line up and check their makeup before heading into your reception! On the left is the bride’s room, which also has its own private bathroom across the hall!
