Say "I do" to the dog: Chicago-style dogs are hot at Chicago weddings, notes Ali Phillips, head of Engaging Events by Ali. Photo by Becky Hill.

Every bride wants a beautiful wedding that guests will never forget. But for a bride in New York, that might require a drop-dead gorgeous venue, while the Chicago bride might demand drop-dead delicious Chicago hot dogs.

Even in an age of mass communication, regional trends stay strong. And the latest installment of "On Trend," the new department in Special Events, looks at regional wedding tastes in three big markets: New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Big Apple brides are "splurging on their venue," notes Sarah Pease, owner of Brilliant Event Planning, "looking for a place that has the personality they want without having to dress it up a lot." The one add-on: top-of-the-line lighting. “If we want to make a big impact in a room, lighting does it” better than anything else, she says.

PUTTING ON THE HOT DOG

Chicago brides lean toward the traditional, including seated dinners, explains Ali Phillips, president of Engaging Events by Ali. But that doesn't mean the food is stuffy. Her brides love authentic local foods like Chicago-style hot dogs and Garrett Gourmet Popcorn, an Oprah “favorite," Phillips notes.

One tradition on the way out in Chicago: "Long toasts," Phillips adds.

Despite L.A.'s reputation for glamour and glitz, brides in her market are asking for weddings that instead exude “warmth, relaxation and comfort," says Sharon Sacks, owner and president of Sacks Productions.

Sacks notes a trend toward smaller, more intimate ceremonies, followed by fun, not-too-formal “parties” rather than traditional receptions. Her recent weddings have featured open-air dining, linen-less wood tables, and “an abundance of floral,” but with a “natural feeling instead of a pavé look.”

See the full story in the May-June issue of Special Events.