1. Real Weddings

Cara & Chris: A Summer Wedding in Detroit, MI

When Cara and Chris got married, their wedding came complete with cootie catchers, a disco-era first dance, a Barry Manilow impersonator, and a gaggle

When Cara and Chris got married, their wedding came complete with cootie catchers, a disco-era first dance, a Barry Manilow impersonator, and a gaggle of nieces and nephews cutting the rug. THE BRIDE Cara Drwencke, a teacher THE GROOM Chris Barnum, a marketing representative THE DATE August 10 The couple met at a bar where Cara introduced herself and then tried to set up Chris and one her friends. Cara's friend wasn't interested, but Cara and Chris spent the evening talking, and in the end exchanged phone numbers. After seven months of dating, Chris put an engagement ring on a snowman Christmas ornament and waited for Cara to discover it.

The Couple
A square motif had evolved over the course of the wedding plans, starting with the princess-cut diamond in Cara's engagement ring. Cara requested an ice sculpture in the shape of three dramatic cubes, chose square invitations, ordered a square wedding cake, made square cootie catchers (Chinese fortune tellers) for the tables, used square place cards, and put the centerpiece flowers in square vases.
Like all engaged couples, Cara and Chris wanted a wedding that reflected who they are as a couple. Cara says, We like to have fun -- it's a must when you teach kindergarten -- and we wanted our wedding to have a fun element to it. With that goal in mind, they created an event that took place in the midst of the Mardi-Gras mood during The Venetian Festival at the Detroit Yacht Club. All the boats at the Detroit Yacht Club would be decorated in flags and banners and, when night fell, strung with sparkling lights. Games and treats would be offered on the docks, and there would be music and revelry -- the exact kind of fun Cara and Chris love.
The Couple
The Escort Cards
The Cake
The Guests
The Bridal Bouquet