CAKES AND SWEETS Corner Village Bakery 1100 W Garfield Bartonville, IL 309-966-2305 See Our Ad LeBakery 4700 N University St Peoria, IL 309-693-9190 See Our Ad Sweet Moments by Sophia 309-676-5086 See Our Ad Email CATERING Barrack's Cater Inn 309-692-3990 Website Catering By Kate 309-251-7061 See Our Ad The Catering Company 309-678-9000 Website DRESSES & TUXEDOS Country Bride 7320 N University Peoria, IL 309-691-5151 See Our Ad Dejure Formalwear and Bridal Palace Peoria 309-685-0313 Morton 309-263-8155 Website Ducky’s Formalwear Metro Centre 4700 N University Peoria, IL 309-692-6050 Website Savvi Formalwear and Bobbie’s Bridal Peoria 309-688-1411 Bloomington 309-664-0354 Website Seno Formalwear 5201 W War Memorial Dr #532 Peoria, IL 309-692-0031 website Hayloft Dress Shop Mossville Rte 29 309-579-3141 Website FLOWERS Sterling Flowers 3020 N Sterling Ave Peoria, IL 309-682-2320 Website FURNITURE Martin Furniture 1965 E Washington St East Peoria, IL 309 694-4381 See Our Ad HORSE & BUGGY RIDES Carriage Classics Peoria, IL 309-579-2833 Website INVITATIONS The Bronze Frog 7724 N Grand Prairie Dr Peoria, IL 309-692-4707 See Our Ad INSURANCE Pekin Insurance 2505 Court St. Pekin, IL Website JEWELRY Potter & Anderson 24927 N Sherian Peoria, IL 309-691-6575 Website LIMOUSINE Cassano Limousine 309-369-2655 See Our Ad Deluxe Limousine 309-637-5466 Website PHOTOGRAPHY Elizabeth Rowe Photography 309-241-5015 Website Event Pro Photography 309-689-0299 Website Gregory Horne Photography 218 Tamarack Ave Morton, IL 309-521-1810 Website

You're Invited... Maximizing Your Message There are infinite opportunities for uniqueness with wedding invitations, which is why selecting the right invitation is often one of the most confusing aspects of planning a wedding. Invitations are usually your first line of communication regarding the upcoming celebration, and they typically set the tone of the affair and what guests should expect. Wedding etiquette experts also say that gift-giving is subject to influence by the type of invitation received. Guests also tend to determine what they will wear to the wedding depending upon the invitation. All of these perceptions about the wedding are made even before guests read the first line of sentiment on the invitation itself. With so much inferred meaning placed on invitations, it's no wonder you may be nervous about choosing and sending out invitations. Here are some pointers so you'll make the right decisions. There are many personalization options at your disposal with wedding invitations. You'll be able to choose the texture, color and shape of the paper, as well as the font and ink color in many cases. These selections can be combined with other embellishments, such as envelope linings, extra layers of paper, vellum accents, ribbons, and calligraphy styles. You may also be able to select a monogram or artwork to further embellish the invitation. If your wedding will be a formal affair, choose a classic style invitation that will reflect the formalness of the affair. If your wedding will be casual, choose a design and font that expresses that feeling. Here are some other tips to consider: * Wait until you have definite times and locations for the ceremony and reception before submitting any wording to the invitation company. * Type out the wording you prefer with a word-processing program on your computer. Run a spell-check and print it out and read it over several times. This will cut down on the chances for error once the wording is sent for printing. * To know how many invitations to order, take the forecasted number of guests and divide that number by two. Then add 25 to 30 additional invitations for any single guests you may be inviting as well as to have extras on hand in case you make a mistake addressing the invitation. So if you are inviting 150 people (assuming most will come as couples), order 100 invitations. * Many people opt to print out addresses on the invitation envelope themselves. While home printers and software packages have certainly advanced, it may be difficult to match the font and style of your invitation. Furthermore, while hand-addressing invitations is more time-consuming, it adds a personalized touch and shows you care about those invited. * Make sure you bring an invitation to the post office to be weighed so you can determine how much postage you will need. Mail them 4 to 6 weeks before the wedding to allow for response time. It's customary to enclose a response card with postage already applied so guests can simply drop their RSVP in the mail.

RECEPTION SITES & HOTELS AmericInn 9106 N. Lindbergh Dr. Peoria, IL 309-692-9200 Website Country Inn & Suites 309-589-0044 5309 W. Landens Way Peoria, IL See Our Ad Countryside Banquet Center 659 School Street Washington, IL 309-694-0900 See Our Ad Embassy Suites 100 Conference Center Drive East Peoria, IL 309-694-0200 Website Itoo Hall 4909 W. Farmington Rd. Peoria, IL 309-676-9725 Website Knights of Columbus 7403 N. Radnor Road Peoria, IL 309-692-9696 Website Knights of Columbus Pekin, IL 309-353-4000 See Our Ad Landmark Banquet Facilities 3225 N. Dries Lane 309-685-8200 Website Luthy Botanical Gardens 2218 N. Prospect (in Glen Oak Park) Peoria, IL 309-686-3362 Website Monte Cristo Room 605 Ten Mile Creek Rd Germantown Hills, IL 309-383-4417 See Our Ad Par-a-dice 21 Blackjack Blvd East Peoria, IL 309-699-7711 Website Pekin Country Club 310 Country Club Dr Pekin, IL 309-347-3144 ext 3 See Our Ad Pere Marquette 501 Main Street Peoria, IL 309-637-6500 Website Sommer Park Peoria, IL 309-691-8423 Website Spirit of Peoria 225 NE Adams Peoria, IL 309-363-6169 Website Spring Hill Suites by Marriott 2701 W Lake Ave Peoria, IL 309-681-2700 Website Weaver Ridge Golf Club 5100 Weaver Ridge Blvd. Peoria, IL 309-690-4044 Website Wingate by Wyndham 309-589-0033 7708 N. Rt. 91 Peoria, IL See Our Ad WEDDING SUPPLIES American Rental 921 E War Memorial Dr. Peoria, IL 309-688-1412 Website WEDDING VEILS Bridal Veils by Nancy Shefts 6006 N. Big Hollow Rd Peoria, IL 309-691-7227 Website