Episode One: Liz Stotz - Owner of Parsonage Events

1. When was your wedding? July 12, 1997 - Saturday

2. Where was your wedding? Ceremony - St. John Fisher Chapel in Rochester/Canterbury Castle in Lake Orion

3. What was your theme? colors? style?  I didn't have a theme.  I really wanted blush pink dresses for my attendants, but I couldn't find "that" color pink.  Everything was hot pink or bubblegum pink back then.  I decided on blue because I loved the blue hydrangea and hoped I could use them for my flowers.  My colors ended up being pink, light blue and ivory.

4. What was in your bouquet? Pink and ivory roses, queen ann's lace and agapanthus blossoms.  I wanted blue hydrangea but my florist said they would die.  She also told me that she couldn't make a hand tied bouquet because it would die if the flowers weren't in water (or a bouquet holder).  I had seen hand tied bouquets in the Martha Stewart magazine, but they were a "new" trend at the time and my florist wasn't familiar with this style bouquet.  Back then, there weren't nearly the amount of choices for brides as there are today.

Liz, and her sister, Allison

5. Where did you go on your honeymoon?  Cruise to the Bahamas!

6. Who were your bridesmaids? Sister - maid of honor (Allison), Cousin (Stephanie), Cousin (Angela), Sister in law (Julie), Friend (Christine). 

7. Did you have a signature drink? Not back then...I drank a lot of vodka and cranberry drinks though, so I guess that was my "signature drink" for the day!

8. How many guests? 200

9. What is your favorite moment from that day?  Waiting in the church lobby to go into sanctuary with my dad - and then seeing Bill at the end of the aisle crying.  He had a microphone attached to his lapel and he snorted as he tried to keep from crying.  When he snorted, I was put at ease and kind of chuckled.  It relaxed the mood and I was able to calm down and completely enjoy the ceremony.

Liz's husband, Bill

10. Any crazy happen that day? (that you can share now that it's over? :p)  My sister spilled champagne on her dress right after the ceremony which was pretty funny.  My photographer got mad at me because I was 30 minutes late to the church.  The air wasn't working well at the reception hall and it was 90 degrees that day...very hot!  We also took over the entire King's Court Castle, not just our ballroom at Canterbury.  My friends and family still say they haven't been to a wedding quite as fun as mine.

11. If you were getting married this weekend what style flowers would you chose?   I think my girls would wear dark grey.  I would chose flowers like last one of last year's Parsonage brides, Nasseem Ramin.   I like romantic, big flowers and I loved her colors.  I also liked that it wasn't too matchy but it all coordinated.  I can definitely appreciate other styles, but her wedding is closet to what I would chose if I could do it over again (with Bill of course!).

Photo by Heather Saunders Photography

12. Any words of advice for new brides?  Remember what the day is really about - the union between you and your husband.  Don't sweat the small stuff!  If something doesn't go just as planned, put it in the "you'll never guess what happened at my wedding" group of stories.

13. Most difficult part of planning your wedding?  Money!  It would have been easy if I had endless amounts of money.  It's always difficult working with a budget.

Cheesy formal pose by the carousel