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FALL/WINTER 2026

Your guide to planning a beautiful Lancaster County wedding

An advertising supplement of

CONTENTS 4 8 10 14 18 22 26 28

Choosing your wedding colors

ON THE COVER

FALL/WINTER 2026

Katie and Matt Lane on their wedding day in December 2025 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Lancaster.

Finding the perfect dress Postponing the party Featured wedding: Kate and Karan Rao Traditions and superstitions Featured wedding: Matt and Katie Lane Lancaster’s bridal favorites Reception outﬁt swaps

MEGAN READ PHOTOGRAPHY

See page 22.

Your guide to planning a beautiful Lancaster County wedding

COVER PHOTO BY: MG PHOTOGRAPHY

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A pleasing

palette BY REBECCA LOGAN

It’s a good thing Alyssa and Jared James opted for a fairly neutral wedding palette. Otherwise, their colors may have conﬂicted with the visual cacophony known as the Mummers. “I didn’t think about it too hard,” says Alyssa, who lives in Delaware County. “But if my colors were maybe blue or pink or some hardcore theme, then maybe it would have looked a little weird.” Instead, when the well-known Philadelphia performers surprised guests at the couple’s September reception at Drumore Estate in Pequea, the Mummers’ multicolor costumes popped perfectly against the wedding party’s classic black tuxes and subdued yellow gowns. “That’s a beneﬁt of going with a more neutral palette,” Alyssa says. “If you have things here and there that you want to do that are a little bit different, it’s not going to clash.” Cue one in a long list of things to consider when picking a wedding palette. How much one wants to draw from online inspiration is another. “A staggering 87% of all couples say they have made wedding planning choices based on something they saw on social media,” according to Zola’s 2026 “First Look” report. Zola commissioned a survey of 11,500 couples getting married in 2026.

Trendy or timeless? “I knew I really wanted timeless,” Alyssa says. “I didn’t want to look back

Lily Chow, left, co-owner of Posh Bridal, and Kate Stoltzfus, founder of My Colors Pop, pose in May when Stoltzfus met with brides at the boutique. | Credit: Submitted

4 • I DO • September 2026 - February 2027

Alyssa James chose muted yellow gowns for her bridesmaids, avoiding color clashes when the Mummers showed up for her September wedding reception, below. Briana Carleo | Carleo Images

in two years and think, ‘Why did I do this?’ ” So she resisted some tempting Instagram color trends that had traction right after she got engaged. New ones are now dominating social media feeds, including burgundy and chartreuse. That combo has the potential to be amazing if the bride falls within the correct color season, says Kate Stoltzfus, a Lancaster color analyst, image consultant and founder of My Colors Pop. The season-centered color system that Stoltzfus uses places chartreuse within autumn, with some additional potential for spring. “Chartreuse is a warm-toned green with yellow in it,” she says. “For my individuals who lean a little more cooltoned, like a winter or a summer season? Chartreuse is going to be a difficult color for them.” Brides who have had their colors analyzed are unlikely to select shades that flatter bridesmaids but look bad on themselves. They will, after all, be surrounded in photos by bridesmaid dresses and flowers, Stoltzfus says. Some brides do also factor in besties’ best shades when picking a palette, she says. Others ask friends and family of different seasons to take one for the team when it comes to color. A solid understanding of makeup shades can be helpful for wedding party members who find themselves in the latter situation, Stoltzfus says. “And let’s say the bride has her heart set on chartreuse,” she

says. “A wider neckline can help if the color is not your very best. It gives it a little more space from your face.” These are the types of things couples should think about regardless of the colors they’re contemplating, Stoltzfus says. “Trends are great and fun, but not necessarily the best choice for everybody,” she says. “I encourage ﬁnding the bride’s very best color and not worrying so much about the trends.” Stoltzfus says that was part of her message when she talked in May at Lancaster’s Posh Bridal, at what was the ﬁrst of a series of monthly insider events. Posh co-owner Lily Chow says some brides wait until after securing their gown to pick the wedding palette. But the majority know their colors before trying a single thing on, she says. That can help her determine what style of dresses to steer them toward. “For moody colors, they usually want that kind of romantic elegant. Neutrals they want the timeless classic,” she says. “A pastel wedding? More of a whimsical look.”

Choosing the right color scheme for your wedding isn’t always black and white.

Local color Chow recently attended a bridal show in Barcelona. She was on a mission for bridal gowns and kept her eye largely on those but did give a few glances at designers who also create mother-of-the-bride gowns and the like. She recalls a lot of blue for the latter. That tracks with the colors many are predicting for 2027 — including weddingdecor.com, which is anticipating a starring role for deeper jewel tones, like midnight blue, cobalt and deep mauve. Whether that holds for Lancaster County remains to be seen. Watching closely Imhoff, sales manager and is Dustin Imhoff, designer at Premier Linen Company, which has locations in Marietta and Lancaster. “We’re constantly doing market research. Listening to our clients. Listening to our venue partners. Listening to our vendor partners,” Imhoff says. “Even though we’re told the trends may be X or Y, we may not see that for a long time.” He’s not sure, for example, whether chartreuse and burgundy will hit Lancaster County full force. “I think you’ll see nuances. And I think you’ll see more burgundy come back in,” he says. “Maybe chartreuse a little bit. But I don’t know that you’ll see a lot of it.”

Renee Hunter of Bella Manse in Millersville decorated this cake with touches of burgundy and chartreuse, a popular color combo this year. Credit: Bella Manse Inc.

Burgundy did already make a list of hues that captured the hearts of some couples this year, along with champagne, rust, terra cotta and dusty blue, according to the Zola report. That found blush pink and white to be even more common. And at the top? “Green remains the undisputed wedding color of the year, with 53% of all weddings incorporating the shade,” per the Zola report. “Speciﬁcally, 30% of couples are opting for sage green,

leaning into a sense of softness over high drama.” Renee Hunter of Bella Manse incorporated greens on a cake she made for a recent tasting event at Drumore Estate. She went with shades that she thought would work well for fall. Hunter included subtle touches of burgundy and chartreuse — even though she’d not yet at the time seen all the fuss over those colors online. “When I heard that, I thought, ‘Oh,

gosh. Is burgundy back?’ ” she says. “I remember like 15 years ago I was doing a lot of cakes with color on them. The cake shows were on. And people were into more crazy designs. Every weekend it was burgundy.” That’s a challenging color for icing, she says, but adds she’s happy to work with any colors that her couples request. There is, however, one that goes with most anything, she stresses. “I would be ﬁne if everybody did all white cakes,” she says.

Alyssa James says she opted for a more timeless look for her wedding, rather than some of the trendier color schemes she saw on Instagram. Briana Carleo | Carleo Images

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dress SUCCESS How to ﬁnd the wedding look that’s right for you BY MADDY PONTZ

The official dress code for Alex Fricchione and Matthew Ebersole’s September 2026 wedding at Excelsior in downtown Lancaster is “outdress the bride/funky formal.” And so, Fricchione knew her own wedding day look would have to be extraordinary — and match her “very unique personal style.”

“I love boldness and flash, and so I wanted that to be reflected in my wedding day,” Fricchione says. “I wanted the white dress, but I didn’t want it to be something that just did not feel like me at all. I was really interested in going the custom route because I really wanted something that no one else is going to have.” Even with a vision in mind, the idea of selecting a wedding gown can be equally exciting and nerve-wracking. What style will suit me best? Will my dream dress be in my budget? How will this work in my venue? And is this THE dress? If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by questions or by social media, wedding planning websites and more,

stay open to what you’ll discover during the in-person try-on experience, advises Lily Chow, co-owner and lead stylist at Posh Bridal in Lancaster. “I always start by looking at (a bride’s) photos and see what they liked when they were looking online,” Chow says. “But, especially if it’s the ﬁrst time (they’re trying on dresses), I tell them I’m going to pull a little bit of everything … because once they actually put it on their body, that’s when they’ll be able to tell, ‘Yeah, that feels really good,’ or ‘No, that’s not me at all.’ ”

Christina Clawson & Brandon Jack

8 • I DO • September 2026 - February 2027

Chow also suggests having a clear picture of what she calls the “wedding vibe” to share with your bridal stylist.

Alyssa Bunton Photography

“That’s my ﬁrst question,” Chow says. “Tell me about the vibe of your wedding … Are we going with something very simple, classic, elegant? Are we going more whimsical and fairy-like, or are we doing

something more boho? I want to know the feeling that they’re hoping for.” It can be helpful to have your venue booked before looking at dresses, as the space you’ve chosen tends to impact the overall aesthetic and formality of the wedding. “Sometimes I use little bits and pieces of that (information) when I’m picking the dress,” Chow explains. “I’ll be like, ‘Oh, she wants clean, simple, architectural lines,’ and I’ll pick a dress that has that sort of feel.” But if you’re the kind of bride who wants the day to be designed around your look? Well, that’s ﬁne, too. It’s all helpful information, according to Chow.

Embrace who you are

For some brides, getting married on Friday the 13th might feel like an unlucky omen. For Christina Clawson, it was an excuse to throw the wedding day of her dreams … complete with her princess-style black gown. For their 2023 wedding at Historic Ashland in Wrightsville, Clawson and her husband, Brandon Jack, wanted to celebrate their decade-long friendship and shared love of Halloween. “As soon as I saw that dress, I knew right away. That was the only

dress I tried on,” Clawson says. “Embracing who you guys are as a couple and embracing yourself is a huge (piece of advice). That’s how I knew I was with the right person, too. I don’t have to fake that we like spooky stuff. I don’t have to fake that we love Halloween … I can’t even picture myself in a white dress.” Naomi Miller had a similar philosophy — albeit a very different result — when planning her look for her July 2024 wedding to William Hanna at The Mill at Manor Falls in Millersville. Miller worked with her mother-in-law to sew her own outﬁt — a lavender A-line dress based on a vintage pattern from the 1950s and a sheer overcoat covered in yellow daisies. “I’m an art teacher,” Miller says of her colorful wedding day look. “I like painting and being creative. I like doing things that make me really happy … I knew that if we were going to make a dress, I wanted something I could wear again … I didn’t want people from my life to show up and be like, ‘Wow, I’ve never seen her in a gown before.’ I wanted it to be like, ‘Oh, she totally still looks like herself.’”

alex fricchione & matthew ebersole Alex Fricchione wore her mother’s altered wedding gown for engagement photos with ﬁance Matthew Ebersole, and will reveal her custom two-piece designer wedding gown at her September 2026 wedding. Philter Photography | Stephanie

As for Fricchione? While she can’t reveal the ﬁnished dress before the big day, she will say that Texas-based designer Jimme Huang created a custom two-piece look for her, featuring a beaded, pearl-encrusted bodice, basque waist and ballgown-style skirt. She is working with the designer through Posh Bridal in Lancaster.

Naomi Miller & William Hanna

Debbie Ringle Photography

Huang plans to name the dress after her and include it in his collection moving forward, Fricchione says. Whether you’re making your own wedding dress, choosing something off the rack or opting for a custom design, Chow offers one piece of advice: “At the end of the day, it’s what the bride feels most comfortable in,” she says. “The dress should ultimately be what makes them feel beautiful and feel like themselves.”

September 2026 - February 2027 • I DO •

George and Liberty Grove opted for an elopement and skydiving “ﬁrst dance” in Hawaii. They held a celebration for family and friends a few months later at Bluestone Estate. Jenna Lee Pictures

Pause for celebration BY GAYLE JOHNSON

Skydiving enthusiasts and self-proclaimed free thinkers George and Liberty Grove celebrated their wedding with the groom parachuting into a ﬁeld at Bluestone Estate in Willow Street on Aug. 31, 2019. The Groves, however, wed some four months earlier when an officiant legally married them April 1, 2019, in Hawaii. The newlyweds chose not to include any type of marriage ceremony at the delayed reception, though. “The goal was really to have a more intimate experience with just the two of us,” Liberty says. “I just started to feel like it was going to be a little bit much,” George says about combining a legal ceremony with a celebration. Instead, some 160 reception guests watched a video of the Lancaster couple saying “I do” at the top of Chinaman’s Hat, an islet off the shore of Oahu in Hawaii. The video also included the Groves’ “ﬁrst dance,” a double skydiving event after the ceremony. Then guests at Bluestone enjoyed a cocktail hour, seated dinner, 17-piece band and soft pretzels and cheesesteak rolls for latenight snacks. These kinds of weddings, called elopements, have surged 74%

By choice or by circumstance, some wedding couples put their reception on hold

over the last 10 years, according to the website simplyeloped. com, a Colorado-based company that arranges such marriages throughout the United States and other countries. That percentage fails to include information on whether these brides and grooms hold a delayed reception, but local event planners have created such celebrations for couples who want to qualify for healthcare coverage, seek privacy, need to wed before a military placement or want to avoid hassles that come with marrying in another country. Some may postpone receptions to save money. Erin Vinelli, who owns Bluestone Estate with husband Chad, arranges delayed wedding receptions. “We’ve had some military couples where they’ve had their own private ceremony” ﬁrst so they could be stationed together, she says. Vinelli, who handled the Grove celebration, notes that some brides and grooms opt for privacy. “They just wanted a private moment, the two of them, where all eyes weren’t necessarily on them, and they could just celebrate then have a ceremony and reception with

all the family members,” she says. “We’ve also had couples also where if money was a factor, they’ll do their private ceremony ﬁrst, then save up and then have their big day at a later time.” In Pennsylvania, couples may legally perform their own weddings using a self-uniting ceremony, also known as a Quaker wedding, which requires two witnesses. Chris and Lindsay Sanborn of Lancaster married in a selfuniting ceremony in March 2020 but held a reception at Bluestone Estate in March 2021. The couple helps others plan similar delayed celebrations or same day events through their business, Lancaster Bartending.

frequently,” Lindsay says of delayed celebrations, speaking as a business owner, not a bride. Prospective clients say, ‘ “Hey, we’re already actually married. We’re just doing a party,’ ” she explains. “There’s deﬁnitely people that, whatever the situation is, need to get married earlier,” says Hannah Umburger, who owns Hannah Elizabeth Events in Lancaster. For instance, Umberger is helping a couple who already legally wed but will celebrate in St. Thomas next year. Couples “don’t want to deal with the paperwork, and there’s different laws in different areas,” Umberger says.

“We do come across that

SMJ Photography

Julia Loose and Charlie Good at their elopement in Laurel Summit State Park, southeast of Pittsburgh.

s e s o p r u p l Practica Getting married early paid off for Warwick High School sweethearts Julia Loose and Charlie Good, who went to prom together and graduated in 2012.

The couple eloped with their parents and a few friends Nov. 6, 2021, after hiking to the Wolf Rocks Overlook in Laurel Summit State Park in Westmoreland County.

They began planning a June 4, 2022, wedding on a Delaware beach but wanted a private self-uniting ceremony ﬁrst with family and friends. The pair also realized Julia might need healthcare insurance before the reception, deliberately scheduled for summer so family and friends could attend.

Julia, who earned a doctorate in molecular genetics and developmental biology in February 2022 from the University of Pittsburgh, didn’t qualify for her own employer’s healthcare coverage until she started working in September 2022.

“We kind of knew of this idea of a Quaker wedding, where it was just a very easy process,” Julia says. “We could do it on our own timeline instead of having to coordinate everything with getting insurance coverage and jobs.”

The couple’s parents helped choose the date for the self-uniting wedding. “They were both free that weekend and could come and stay with us in Pittsburgh,” Charlie says. The pair now live and work near Bend, Oregon.

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Submitted When their reception was postponed due to social distancing rules in 2020, Chris and Lindsay Sanborn — who had already married a few weeks earlier in a self-uniting ceremony — exchanged vows before a small group at Pinnacle Overlook instead. A year later, they ﬁnally had their planned reception at Bluestone Estate.

PhotoOle Photography

t n e m e n o p t s o p c i m e d n a P The Sanborns, of Lancaster Bartending, had always planned a self-uniting ceremony and officially married on March 3, 2020, when people began talking about a virus called COVID. Ten days later, however, they learned that their March 28, 2020, reception at Bluestone Estate had to be canceled due to social distancing rules. “It was devastating,” Lindsay says of the news. “We were so upset.” Instead, the couple honored their March 28 celebration date with an outdoor socially distant event for 10 people who hiked to the Pinnacle Overlook in Holtwood. “We deﬁnitely needed to do something to honor that day,”

Chris says. “We had all these feelings building up from being engaged for over a year.” Lindsay wore a white jumpsuit to exchange those vows after the hike but saved her wedding dress for a party at Bluestone about one year after their canceled reception. About 100 of the 175 invited guests attended, because people were still worried about COVID, although social distancing rules had relaxed, Lindsay recalls. “Looking back six years later, (and) looking at the real devastation of COVID, I had to put things into perspective,” she says. “I had to kind of step back and look at the reality of the situation and just count our blessings.”

12 • I DO • September 2026 - February 2027

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I DO Featured Wedding

KATHLEEN ‘KATE’ AND KARAN

14 • I DO • September 2026 - February 2027

How did you meet?

“We met at a game night through mutual friends! What started as a fun game night turned into our own friendship and then into a stronger relationship over time. That humor and joy has stayed the same throughout our relationship (and, of course, many more game nights since)!”

Did you have a theme or vision for your wedding?

“We knew that combining two cultures was going to be a unique task because we did not have a blueprint to follow. However, that's also what made it more fun for us. We spent time exploring what was important to us while also tying in our love for vintage/retro designs to bring our theme together. Fortunately, with support from our families, a little creativity and wonderful vendors, we saw our vision come to life in a way that we felt honored both our cultures and our relationship.”

In what ways did you blend Western and Indian culture?

“We chose to blend many traditions on our wedding day. One example that incorporated our cultures was that we used the Christian tradition of lighting a unity candle in conjunction with walking around the flame for the Hindu tradition, Saptapadi or Seven Steps. The unity candle represents the merging of our lives and the Saptapadi is a traditional element where the husband leads his wife around the flame for the first four steps, and the wife leads the husband the last three steps while making promises to each other. These two essential pieces of our ceremony blended beautifully together, signifying the unity of our lives and our families.

“We were also able to honor the Indian entrance for the groom, called the Baraat. (Karan nervously but also excitedly was able to arrive at our ceremony on a horse.) It was important to Kate to have a musician from her church play the ceremony music as well. “Our blending also showed up in our attire. Kate wore a white wedding dress and was able to wear a traditional red Indian wedding veil and accessories as well as henna (thanks to Karan's family). Karan started out in an Indian outﬁt called a Sherwani during our ceremony and changed into a black suit for the reception. Even our bridal party had blended attire! “With the support of the Inn at Leola Village, Himalayan Curry & Grill, and our talented musicians and DJ, we were also able to blend our food and music for the reception. It did take some extra time and communication to ﬁnd the right people and vendors, but we are so grateful for the people we worked with as they embraced us and our vision.”

Wedding date:

Nov. 15, 2025 Ceremony and reception:

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September 2026 - February 2027 • I DO •

Did you incorporate any personal touches into the wedding or reception that were particularly significant or meaningful?

“It was meaningful to Kate to wear jewelry that was passed down to her from both of her grandmothers and mother, as well as jewelry from Karan’s mother and family. A lot of personal touches also showed up in our décor. Something that was important to us was to honor our loved ones that were no longer with us. We had set up a table with framed photographs of all the people that we wished were still with us, and we were blown away by how much our families appreciated seeing loved ones honored as well. “Something that was a surprise to us were the personal touches that were shared from our loved ones. Karan’s mom performed a solo dance as a way to welcome Kate into their family and honor our day … Many of Karan’s family also prepared dances as a way to celebrate the wedding day! Kate’s dad gave a moving speech sharing love and support to us, which included a warm greeting in Hindi for all our guests. All these personal touches combined made our day beyond special!”

What is the story behind the playing cards and the record-themed seating chart?

“Since we met at a game night, we thought it would be cool if we used custom playing cards as signature cards. It worked out so well. Now anytime we play cards we’ve got memories to go with it! “The seating chart was an idea we ﬂoated for a bit. We wanted to do something unique (and a DIY project seemed like a good ﬁt). Our love of music really drove the idea as well as our retro theme. We’ve spent a lot of time digging through vinyl crates and going to concerts together. Most importantly, it was a way for us to have fun and be creative during the process as well. Karan is also an avid record collector, so anyone that has been to our home knows that records are a big deal for us. Karan had some unplayable records from his early 20s that he never got rid of, so we cleaned them up and decided that we could use adhesive to stick them onto a divider to create our seating chart. We loved how it turned out.”

Did you have a choreographed first dance?

“Yes, we did! We knew what our ﬁrst dance song was going to be fairly quickly. We chose ‘No One But You’ by Justin Nozuka. We were cooking together one day and that song came on, and we both looked at each other and knew that it was the perfect song for us. The choreographed portion was something fun that we do in Indian culture. We surprised everyone (with the help of our DJ) by transitioning our ﬁrst dance song into an upbeat dance featuring Indian music. We practiced every night for two weeks in our living room. Anytime we hit a mental block with planning we would take a dance break, and it helped with both alleviating the stress and brushing up on some dance moves. Karan actually came up with the choreography for the Indian dance that we did, so shout out to him and his dance skills!”

Do you have any advice for engaged couples in general or those who are planning a wedding that blends cultures?

“Be present and try to take each moment as it is. Some of our favorite memories are the small moments along the way of planning our wedding. ... Enjoy the time you have with the person you love. Early on we struggled with living in the moment/staying present because much of the planning process requires you to think about the next day, week or month. “Another piece of advice would be to work together and ask questions of each other. This was very important in the blending of our cultures and in our relationship in general. Lastly, have some fun in the process. Authenticity is what makes your day special, so stay true to who you are as a couple!” September 2026 - February 2027 • I DO •

Traditions and Superstitions Super stitions

Almost anything goes for today’s weddings, but there’s still one no-no BY REBECCA LOGAN

18 • I DO • September 2026 - February 2027

Renee and Alex Mason embraced tradition with a twist for their October 2024 wedding at White Chimneys Estate in Gap. The bride didn’t worry about bad luck wearing black, but she still asked guests not to wear white. And she included something blue in her bouquet. Photo credit: Krista Elaine Garman | Carousel Kollective

It’s a classic image. A bride cheerfully smiles as she playfully tosses a bouquet over her shoulder to polite applause. Here’s the thing about that. She likely wouldn’t be doing so, were it not for the fact that — in another time and place — those people clapping may instead have been chasing her, attempting to rip off pieces of her dress for good luck. The bouquet toss is essentially a symbolic getaway diversion. “Most people don’t know why we do that,” says Annie Ahm Hartley, a certified etiquette consultant and founder of Lancaster Modern Etiquette. “Really, it’s like, ‘Here. Have this!’ ” That’s just one way that old customs, traditions and superstitions still shape — even if just slightly — modern weddings. Some traditions have been around for centuries. Others have more recently reached the collective consciousness. “There’s a superstitious rumor that suggests guests who wear red to a wedding are sending a secret message that they’ve been intimate with one of the people standing at the wedding altar,” reported Fox News in 2023. That was not long after a wedding etiquette podcaster in the United Kingdom suggested as much. A clip from the podcast went viral. Hartley dismisses its assertion. “That one is actually more of a modern internet superstition than an old wives’ tale with deep roots,” she says. Red has long been a celebratory and lucky wedding color in many cultures, she says. Guests should feel free to wear red, unless it conflicts with a specifically requested dress code, she says. Same goes for black. “It’s no longer considered a funeral color or a bad omen. Now it’s considered more of an elegant look,” Hartley says. “Black is OK. Red is OK. White is still the biggest no-no.”

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One of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour dancers heard all about that after posting a video of herself and her husband getting ready for the summer’s most talked about wedding. “Too close to white babe,” wrote one of many of the dancer’s followers who weighed in online on her dress. The dancer’s attire was actually pink champagne, but lighting washed it out, according to the dancer’s husband, who quickly posted a comment to that effect in an attempt to calm discourse down. It didn’t work. “Don’t do it. Unless the bride has requested that guests wear white,” Hartley says. “And even then, I would try to keep it more beigey. We’re still not going to upstage the bride.”

Lucky in love

Renée Mason of Nottingham specifically asked her guests not to wear white. Even though she herself was wearing black, she wanted to reserve white for her mother, grandmother and mother-in-law. Those ladies also wore corsages that matched the bride’s flowers. “My bouquet was my something blue,” she says. She stuck with that tradition, which per The Knot was once meant to deflect the evil eye and to stand for love, purity and fidelity. Mason also asked an Episcopal priest to officiate, in keeping with her upbringing.

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She says tradition is important to her and her husband, Alex. But they like tradition with a twist. “I always kind of joke around and say I’m kind of like the black sheep of the family,” she says. “Everything I do has meaning behind it. I don’t just do it to do it. But my mindset can be a little bit different.” White Chimneys Estate posted pictures of the Masons’ 2024 wedding on Facebook this year. While their wedding actually took place there on Oct. 25, White Chimneys used the photos to accompany a post urging couples not to avoid nuptials on Friday the 13th. “At White Chimneys Estate, we’ve learned that love doesn’t fear a calendar. It embraces and writes its own story,” the post stated. “Because when your love is real, there is no unlucky date. Only unforgettable ones.” That post went live in February, on the ﬁrst of three Friday the 13ths on the 2026 calendar. Another followed in March and there’s still another coming in November. The years 2027 and 2028 will each have one Friday the 13th — in August and October respectively. And 2029 will have two — in April and July. Comedian Nate Bargatze, who performed in Hershey this year, often talks about how he was married on Friday the 13th. “Got a pretty sweet deal on that,” he says in a bit that’s ﬂoating around YouTube. “They were wide open. We’re like, ‘What

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times are available?’ They go, ‘Every one of them. All 24. You can call us that day if you want.’ ” The general online consensus on that subject today is that couples can always ask about a discount but are unlikely to get one on that Friday or any other. Thursdays are statistically the least expensive day of the week to get hitched, per a study by The Knot. A few years ago, Bargatze dedicated a 17th anniversary social media post to his wife, who he met when they were both working at Applebee’s. “Friday the 13th turned out to be OK,” he wrote. Fridays in general are considered lucky for weddings in Scandinavia, according to “The Bride’s Book of Wedding Superstitions” by Hope Springfield. But in Ireland, that was once the day when the fairies were thought to be at their most powerful, Springfield writes. “Therefore, Friday is an unlucky day to have a wedding; for the spirits … will mar and spoil all they can, just out of jealousy of the mortal race,” the book says. The book is stuffed with hundreds more tidbits from across the globe. For instance, according to what Springfield calls a “German Pennsylvania” tradition, brides should put their right arms into their right sleeve first when getting dressed.

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Making the cut

There was a time when giving a knife was considered bad form, reﬂective of cutting ties, Hartley says. Some people will still send along a coin if they give a couple knives as a gift, she says. “When we give the coin with the knife, what we’re saying is, ‘I’ve already paid for that damage. I already took the damage that cut would cause,’ ” Hartley says. There are more practical traditions to keep in mind. Like the fact that cutting the cake has long been the point at which it is acceptable to leave a reception, she says. “There are some people — especially the older generation — who will wait for that cake to be cut,” Hartley says. Given that, some of today’s cake cuttings do tend to happen a bit late in the evening, she says. “There’s a lot of host etiquette that people have to also consider,” she says. “As a bride, it’s really not all about you. It’s about your guests who are here to celebrate your union.” Keeping that concept in mind will help couples and guests navigate their way through plenty of customs and traditions, Hartley says. “Etiquette is all about consideration,” she says. “Everything we do. Consideration to others.”

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I DO Featured Wedding

Katie Banik Matt Lane

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How did you meet? “We met at Elizabethtown College, where we both graduated from.”

Did you have a theme or vision for your wedding? “No theme in particular. We just wanted to celebrate with our family and friends, make sure everyone enjoyed their night, and put a special focus on personal touches. We wanted to honor everyone who made us the people we are today. Also, we both love the holiday season, which was a big part of why we wanted a December wedding! Although Christmas was not the theme, fresh greens, a few wreaths and a few holiday hits mixed into the playlist added to the festive feeling.”

Church weddings have been on the decline. Why was it important for you to get married in a church? “Our faith has always been a part of our lives, growing up and maturing in adulthood. It was always something we pictured for ourselves and with our families.”

Wedding date:

Dec. 5, 2025 Ceremony:

St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Lancaster Reception:

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What were some personal touches you incorporated into your day that made it more meaningful? “Personal touches were on theme for us. We also couldn’t forget to add small details celebrating our pups (including signature drinks). We always honored our grandparents who were such a huge part of our lives but unfortunately are no longer with us. We wanted to make sure their love was felt during the festivity.”

Can you talk specifically about the food? It seemed to be a combination of family traditions. “Yes, we wanted to incorporate some favors and nods to our family tradition. Katie’s parents owned a nut company growing up, and Matt’s family is from Pittsburgh and does the cookie table. Our guests were greatly anticipating both! Plus, we are both Polish, so pierogies were a must.”

Is there a story behind the guest book? “No story, just an idea we saw. All the cards are framed and are displayed in our home on our bar!”

Do you have any advice for engaged couples? “Just slow down and enjoy the process. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Focus on having fun and do whatever is important to you!”

Is there anything you would have changed about your wedding day? “No, it really was perfect to us!”

September 2026 - February 2027 • I DO •

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RECEPTION Victoria Hagan | Photography by Brea

BY MARGARET GATES

Saying “yes” to the ring means you’ve found your one-and-only. Saying “yes” to the dress? Well, sometimes that commitment doesn’t last much past the “I do’s,” or possibly the first dance. Sorry, lace ballgowns, beaded bodices and flowing trains. A reception-worthy alternative could be shrinking your time in the spotlight. Multiple wedding outfit changes are still trending up, according to The Knot Real Weddings Study 2026, an annual survey by the popular wedding website. “I would say it’s fairly common,” says wedding and event planner Hannah Umberger, owner of Lancaster-based Hannah Elizabeth Events. Some brides opt for as many as three different dresses, she says.

28 • I DO • September 2026 - February 2027

Brides have a variety of reasons for switching things up at the reception, she says. They might want to trade a big, bulky gown for something that’s easier to dance in or more suitable for the weather. Or they might just want to wear something more fun. The reception is one big party, after all. Fran Miller, a bridal seamstress, custom veil designer and owner of Conestogabased Sew Glorious, estimates about a third of her brides have a separate reception outﬁt. While some have convertible wedding gowns —with a long overskirt that can be removed after the ceremony to reveal a cute short dress underneath, Miller says many opt for a different look for the reception. And it’s not always the “little white dress.”

“One of my brides wore this amazing jumpsuit. It was gorgeous,” Miller says. “It was all lace. It was almost like a catsuit. … We also made a party veil, which is another thing brides are doing, changing up the headpiece for the party.” Miller has also had a fair share of brides ask her to redesign their mother’s wedding dress into something they can wear for engagement photos, their bridal shower and the reception. Still others prefer to keep their second look top secret, she says. “There was one girl who had feathers,” Miller says. “It was really cute. The feathers were just adorable. I love all of the fashion choices these girls are making.”

The outﬁt change ended up being one of my favorite moments of the day. It gave me a brief pause to breathe, reset and step into the reception with fresh energy. Guests loved the surprise, especially after the choreographed ﬁrst dance, and it made the second half of the night feel like its own special chapter.” - Elizabeth Hivner Knowles

RESET Umberger says reception outﬁts give brides an opportunity to be a little more themselves on their big day. “I think that dresses that really just have the personality of the bride are super fun,” Umberger says. “Wedding dresses are really beautiful, and they do have an element of personality for each bride … but with an outﬁt change it’s very much about what the bride loves and what is fun and special to her versus the opinions of your mom or your in-laws or cultural stuff.” Here’s how three brides changed their look for their fall/winter Lancaster County weddings:

RETRO VIBE Bride and groom: Victoria Hagan and Joshua Kowalczyk

Elizabeth and Josh Knowles | TK Artistry

How 3 brides changed their look to party the night away

Wedding: Nov. 1, 2025, at Drumore Mill, Drumore The wedding gown: Purchased at Curvaceous Couture, an exclusively plussize bridal shop in Columbia, Maryland, and transformed into her dream dress by seamstress Victoria Karr in Columbia, Pennsylvania. The reception outﬁt: A one-of-a-kind dress by designer Madison Chamberlain of Philadelphia. Details included a shoulder-length, powder blue veil with a bow in front and pompoms on the sides and a matching, thigh-length powder blue dress with a high neck, heart cutouts in front and back trimmed in metallic blue, and cutouts in the long sleeves to allow for more arm movement. Lace blue socks

and powder blue wedge heels completed the look. The inspiration: “For the reception, I wanted a campy, 1960s, 1970s vibe that is a huge part of my personality, as well as eras that (my husband and I) appreciate. My wedding gown was classic and romantic. I wanted to evoke more fun with my reception outﬁt.” Why that dress? “From the moment I laid my eyes on Madison's work, I knew I needed her to design my reception dress. Her style is loud, bright, vintageinspired and inherently campy! We spent weeks crafting the dress from silhouette, to fabric, to colors, to designing the perfect ﬁt to my body. One of my main inspirations was Priscilla Presley's wedding dress and veil. The veil was big September 2026 - February 2027 • I DO •

and framed everything so perfectly. Her gown (had a) high neck, long sleeves with scalloping details. I loved everything about it, but I wanted more ’60s-style elements incorporated, especially the iconic powder blue color that was prevalent in mid-’60searly ’70s fashion. … Growing up around Baltimore, Maryland, we have a huge ‘hon’ culture. Think mumus, beehives, thick eyeliner and a touch of sparkle. Hon culture is a part of my personality, and I wanted that to be an element in the dress.”

STYLE AND COMFORT Bride and groom: Samantha Evans and Garrett Kerns Wedding: Sept. 27, 2025, at Historic Acres of Hershey, Elizabethtown The wedding gown: Purchased at Historic Acres of Hershey boutique event with alterations by Rosemarie Baylor of Lebanon.

Sam and Garrett Kerns | Vanessa Martin Photography

The reception outfit: Lulus Adorable Promise white satin sleeveless mini dress paired with custom-ordered all-white Converse sneakers. “I added hearts to the bottoms of the soles, so whenever I kicked up my feet, the hearts would show,” Kerns says. “It was a small detail, but one that felt very personal and fit my style perfectly.” Another favorite detail were the socks from Etsy that read “Bride” across the top. She got matching “Bridesmaid” and “Maid of Honor” socks for her three sisters. The inspiration: “I knew right away that I wanted to do an outfit change and wear something that felt more like me. Since I don’t usually wear dresses, the thought of changing into another big, bulky dress wasn’t really what I wanted. I wanted something I could be comfortable in for the rest of the night and actually enjoy dancing in. The shorter dress with Converse ended up being the perfect choice. It matched my style, was super comfortable and, honestly, made the night even more fun.”

30 • I DO • September 2026 - February 2027

Why that dress? “(I) tried to ﬁnd something that matched the look and feel

of my wedding dress while still being comfortable, breathable and lightweight enough to wear all night. … I wouldn’t say I had a specific mood or look in mind. I was really just trying to find an outfit that felt like me. Throughout the night, so many people came up to me and said, ‘That is so Sam,’ and honestly, that was exactly what I was hoping for. More than anything, I wanted to look and feel like myself on the most important day of my life.”

SPARKLY CHIC Bride and groom: Elizabeth Hivner and Josh Knowles Wedding: Jan. 17, 2026, at Cameron Estate Inn, Mount Joy The wedding gown: Kennedy off-theshoulder A-line satin wedding gown by Jenny Yoo. The reception outfit: A sleek, fitted silhouette from BHLDN with delicate beading throughout and a high neckline with open shoulders, giving it a modern, slightly glamorous feel. Beaded heels echoed the detailing on the dress. The inspiration: “My decision to wear a second dress was actually a little last minute and started as a practical one. I worked with a local professional choreographer, Bethany Joyce (First Dance by Beth), to create a surprise first dance with my husband. I’ve danced my whole life, so it felt like such a fun way to personalize the moment — and the routine included a few lifts and turns that required real mobility. Once we finished choreographing, I realized my ceremony gown would be too structured and heavy for the dance. I needed something I could move in freely, so I quickly ordered a reception dress online and crossed my fingers it would fit. Thankfully it did.” Why that dress? “My ceremony gown had a classic meets modern simplicity that allowed me to wear my mom’s veil, which made it incredibly meaningful. Because it was a snowy winter wedding, I also wore a soft, elevated shawl that kept me warm while still feeling elegant and bridal — it added such a pretty, romantic touch to the look. For the reception, I wanted something that felt like a true shift into celebration — chic, sparkly and a little more playful. The second dress was meant to reflect the energy of the party and the joy of the night. … It was lightweight, comfortable and made me feel instantly ready to dance — exactly what I needed after the formality of the ceremony look.”

HOW TO PULL IT OFF Want to change outﬁts on your wedding day? Here are a few things to consider:

The process: Some brides mistakenly think they can change quickly and be back at the reception in five minutes, Umberger says. Till you get out of your wedding dress, put on a new outfit and shoes, and retouch your hair and makeup, it could take more like 20 minutes, she says. Find out in advance if there is a convenient space to accomplish that at the reception site. The timing: When do you want to make the switch? Umberger recommends before the cake cutting or right before the dancing starts. However, some brides also opt to make a grand second entrance into the reception wearing their new outfit. Whatever you decide, keep in mind how long the change will take and allow enough time to sneak away at a point in the festivities when nothing important is happening. The photographs: If you want photos in your second outfit, make sure your

photographer will still be there to take them, Umberger says. It’s not an issue if you’ve purchased full-day coverage that captures everything from getting ready to a sparkler send-off. But if you’ve purchased a common eight-hour package that may not cover dancing later in the evening, you’ll want to plan your outfit change accordingly. The cost: If your reception dress also requires alterations, understand that you may be charged a separate fitting fee for that dress (in addition to the alteration cost) that covers the time spent pinning, discussing options and redesigning, Miller says. The details: “Make sure if you’re changing your outfit you’re not coming back in with shoes that don’t go,” Umberger says. Length, comfort and functionality are important, too. Really short dresses can get uncomfortable when dancing, she says. And while rhinestones, pearls and glitter are fun, they

Victoria Hagan and Joshua Kowalczyk Photography by Brea

can scratch your arms, so you may want to look into some tailoring remedies in advance. Be yourself: “You do you,” Miller says. Wear what you want, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. “You have to feel absolutely spectacular and comfortable. I’m really big on body positivity. Even if you’re a super curvy girl, wear that short dress. … When the girl is in the dress and loving it, you can just see it on their face. It’s just pure joy for me.”

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