1. Real Weddings

Katie & Rob: A Southern Wedding in Bettendorf, IA

With their sights on a southern plantation, Katie Berthel and Rob Knowles set out to create a simple yet elegant wedding that would showcase both thei

With their sights on a southern plantation, Katie Berthel and Rob Knowles set out to create a simple yet elegant wedding that would showcase both their personalities. A palette of purple, blue, and grey, plenty of jazz, and a few appearances by one darling goldfish set the tone for their hometown celebration. The Bride Katie Berthel, 27, real estate agent The Groom Rob Knowles, 31, senior account executive The Date September 24 Rob used to drive a motorized Pepperidge Farm Goldfish across the country while setting up promotional events. He met Katie at one of those events while driving through Minneapolis, where she also happened to be helping out with an event. After a courtship that brought the couple together (as he traveled and she was on tour with her dance company) in New York, North Carolina, and Kansas City, Katie and Rob were engaged in Rhode Island, and soon started planning a wedding in the bride’s hometown.

The Hair
Katie and Rob introduced the south (Rob hails from North Carolina) to the Midwest, recreating a southern plantation feel at their reception site, with caterers dressed as butlers to boot.
Katie and Rob wed in the bride's family church, where 240 guests clamored up the cathedral's elegant cobblestone footpath to watch the ceremony.
The First Dance
Katie walked down the aisle in a couture Peter Langner gown made of dupioni silk. In spite of rows of intricate beading and a long veil, the fitted shape of the gown allowed Katie to show off her dancing expertise. She found her gown at a New York sample sale.
For the reception, small orchid bundles in blue-tone vases decorated the tables.
Each of the cake's three tiers featured a different flavor: marble, carrot (his favorite), or coconut (her favorite). The cake was covered in white frosting with yellow-tinted white-chocolate Pepperidge Farm Goldfish swimming upward. Two white-chocolate kissing goldfish topped off the confection. The topper was made by Rose Mohr of Country Manor Chocolates in Bettendorf.
Katie carried a bouquet of tinted pink & white roses with purple heather. Katie was ecstatic to incorporate her favorite flower -- purple orchids -- into the bridesmaid bouquets. The groomsmen also wore the flower in their boutonnieres.