The question has been popped; the affirmation dropped. Now wedding planning begins in earnest. Although you may not think so, it is possible to have a fun-filled, stress-free weekend of wedding planning, especially when shared with your girlfriends.
Shelbyville has the perfect place to set the tone for such a weekend: I-Do bridal boutique, a 2018 pick by The Knot for “best of weddings.” Pop the cork on a bottle of champagne and toast the bride’s future in a place that puts all the focus fully on the bride and helping her fulfill her wedding dreams. (Bridal parties must bring in their own champagne and glasses.)
Say yes to the dress
Slip into something a little more sumptuous, like the fitting rooms at I Do, to try on gorgeous gowns by such designers as Stella York, Enchanting, Martin Thornburg, Sophia Tolli and WTOO by Watters. The bride can strut her stuff before floor-to-ceiling mirrors and beneath crystal chandeliers while girlfriends lounge in the inviting sitting/preview area. Bridesmaids can take their turn, too, trying on designer dresses by Christina Wu Celebration and Allure Bridesmaids.
Shop owners, mother-in-law/daughter-in-law duo Susan Herrick and Amber Smith, keep things low-key and unrushed. They also help make the bride’s life easier by offering up a network area wedding vendors – venues, caterers, florist, etc. – everything she needs to make planning easy.
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Where to wedding
Scouting out the perfect place to hold the wedding can be as leisurely as “Sunday driving” along country roads to some of Shelby County’s 13 distinct wedding venues. Farms and rustic barns, intimate spaces, a picturesque winery, an equally stunning distillery – no matter what your vision, you’ll find it in Shelbyville or Simpsonville, and be treated to beautiful landscapes of parks and pastureland along the way.
One such venue is the Red Orchard Barn at Red Orchard Park, selected two years in a row as a “Best Wedding Spot” by online wedding venue database, Wedding Spot. The barn sits amidst 130-plus acres of gently rolling hills and gorgeous stands of walnut, blue ash and sycamore trees and may be decorated as the bride wishes. Rental includes a dozen picnic tables, tobacco canvas (white draping), lighting and onsite restrooms.
Bridal browsing
Planning the honeymoon means choosing the perfect going-away outfits, so build in a morning or afternoon of browsing and buying at the 100 choice shops at the Outlet Shoppes of the Bluegrass, Kentucky’s only designer outlet mall.
Whether the wedding couple is heading to the beach, big city, mountains or lake, the bride will find everything she needs to look her most beautiful on her honeymoon. Apparel, handbags and accessories at Gucci, Kate Spade, White House Black Market, Ann Taylor Factory, Loft Outlet, New York & Company and others . . . Shoes at Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH, Tory Burch, Skechers and Famous Footwear . . . Fragrances at the Fragrance Outlet, Bath & Body Works or Crabtree & Evelyn.
Girls just wanna have fun
This is a weekend you won’t want to forget, so make a keepsake to remember it by at Gogh Crazy art studio. Book a private party, choose your painting and then relax. The price includes setup and cleanup plus all the art supplies you need. Best of all, you can bring in your snacks and a bottle of wine to enjoy while you chat and chill.
Another option is a Gogh Crazy mobile event for offsite parties – like at your weekend overnight lodgings. Gogh Crazy takes care of the setup and clean up and musical entertainment, as well as bringing an experienced painter, necessary art supplies and aprons, tablecloths and drop cloths.
Time for a sleep-over
Order in and make it a slumber party. Chandler Ridge is just the place, with cozy yet spacious cabin accommodations on three levels, including multiple bedrooms, three full baths and a recreation room with air hockey, foosball and pool and poker table.
Open a bottle of wine, lounge before one of two gas fireplaces and share memories of the bride. Raid the video library and binge-watch movie faves on the plasma TV or take a scenic hike. The cabin sits on the edge of the creek bank and is surrounded by pine trees.
The ShelbyKY Tourism Commission & Visitors Bureau has a wedding resource page at www.visitshelbyky.com/weddings. It includes descriptions and contact information for wedding venues and for I Do bridal boutique. Couple may also find information about wedding-related vendors on the website by clicking “Things to See & Do.”
Did You Know? Because bourbon is made in Kentucky, it is said that if the bride and groom bury a bourbon bottle at the wedding site it prevents rain from coming on their big day. See the stipulations here: “Wedding traditions, Kentucky-style.”