Fancy Church-Going Hats

I received a call from my friend Addy who is marrying later this year. She is a very British girl from London marrying a Southern Baptist minister from Mississippi. The wedding is taking place in London and they are wanting to find a ways to incorporate shared customs into the celebration.

So we talked at length about the wedding ceremony and reception and realized that a great shared custom was staring us both in the face we just didn't notice it. HATS!! FANCY, CHURCH-GOING HATS!! The older female members of both their families would be wearing them. Why do British and African American women wear hats for church and special occasions? Research time!

Both traditions can be traced back to the bible "Every woman who prays or prophecies with her head unveiled dishonors her head" (I Cor. 11:5). According to Addy, wearing hats at weddings is a dying tradition in England but her family is very traditional and most of the women "would rather be caught dead" than not wearing a hat at a wedding and I know that Justin's mother and grandmother are "the hat ladies" at his church in Mississippi!

To understand the hats concept for African American women I suggested to Addy that she read "Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats" by Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry. Growing up I remember my grandmother and her sisters wearing hats to church, weddings and any special church occasion. An outfit was not complete without the perfect hat.

Addy also mentioned fascinators for the younger girls and those not comfortable with wearing a hat. I had to ask what is a fascinator? Evidentally, it is hair jewelry. Check these out from www.tiarasandfascinators.com:


Are they not way too cute. So now we have a central idea and I can't wait to begin exploring more options and putting together an entire wedding. More to come as we continue our journey down the aisle.

The Architect Bride

Congratulations to Marketa and Juan! My first wedding of the New Year. So what happens when you cross a DIY bride and an architect? MARKETA THE WONDER BRIDE!!




She came complete with a distinct vision, a storyboard... and even bridesmaid dresses and shoes to match.
The only thing she didn't have was a wedding gown.



Marketa and Juan chose the Winter Park Civic Center for their ceremony and reception. However with 200 guests and bride who was not going to walk in the grass this was going to call for a bit of creativity. Marketa had that covered as well. She would have a wedding "in the round"! In other words, she and Juan would be married under the towering arch with guests on both the upper and lower terrace. She would put my directing prowess to the test. The bridal party entered from both sides of the arch at alternate times!

Here are few "non-professional" pictures from the day:

She found a beautiful ivory strapless gown from Demetrios (thank you Tameka for getting her on the "find that gown" track)!

Daddy Clark decided to "gift" the horse drawn carriage in which Marketa rode around the park, to the spot where her he would escort her down the aisle. The carriage then waited to carry Juan and Marketa off as the guests looked on from the lawn.

By the way Juan held his own in a matching ivory tuxedo.




The bridesmaids and groomsmen looked great in their attire. You can just see the upper and lower terrace seating.



Marketa's keen sense of design, professional skills and unwillingness to take no for an answer lead to a truly unique peek into her world and her style. I can't wait for her professional photos!!

Kwanzaa and The Bridal Community

Harambee (let's all pull together)! I was just driving in my car listening to the Kwanzaa principle for the day on the radio. After listening to the radio for awhile, I started thinking how does this apply to my business and my business practices. After all Kwanzaa is about family and community and my lively hood depends on the community of wedding vendors in this area. At it's essence the celebration of Kwanzaa means the awareness of seven principles:


UMOJA (oo-MOH-ja)
Meaning: unity
Action: building a community that holds together

KUJICHAGULIA (koo-jee-cha-goo-LEE-yah)
Meaning: self-determination
Action: speaking for yourself and making choices that benefit the community

UJIMA (oo-JEE-mah)
Meaning: collective work and responsibility
Action: helping others within the community

UJAMAA (oo-JAH-ma)
Meaning: cooperative economics
Action: supporting businesses that care about the community

NIA (nee-AH)
Meaning: a sense of purpose
Action: setting goals that benefit the community

KUUMBA (koo-OOM-bah)
Meaning: creativity
Action: making the community better and more beautiful

IMANI (ee-MAH-nee)
Meaning: faith
Action: believing that a better world can be created for communities now and in the future.

As industry professionals we all have a circle of vendors that we work well with and that work well for our clients. My circle may not include the same businesses as your circle but that is the beauty of it all. There are enough markets, niches, etc. to sustain us all. We should promote our circle of vendors to each other and our clients to build up our business and in turn their business and keep us all going this upcoming year. So....

Habari Gani?
Meaning: What's the news?
Action: Talk up your circle, promote you circle and network with your circle!

'tis the season to Support Your Favorite Cause

This year my family and I have been collecting soda can tops to give to the Ronald McDonald house this Christmas. Yes, they really do take them "tops only no cans". We succeed in collecting about a gallon of them. I couldn't believe how diligent we had to be to collect that many.

It has been a very tough year for a huge amount of people. What better way to enjoy the holidays than to give the gift of love. Imagine, if each family we know would take one $20 stocking stuffer and pass it along to a worthy cause. There are so many causes to choose from. Some of my favorites:

Ronald McDonald House Charities http://www.rmhc.com
We help families address their problems regarding health care.
Whether those problems involve how to stay near and support a hospitalized child, how to afford staying together in another city while a child is undergoing treatment, or even getting basic medical and dental care in an under served community.

Brides Against Breast Cancer www.makingmemories.org“
Brides Against Breast Cancer”, a fundraising wing of Making Memories, holds charity wedding gown sales in dozens of cities across the nation every year. Shopping at a “Brides Against Breast Cancer”event is a great way to find a fabulous gown and save hundreds, maybe even thousands of dollars, while making wishes and dreams come true for terminal patients. Gowns whose original value is up to $4,000 are sold between $89 and $899. Gowns originally priced between $4,000 and $10,000 sell for up
to 80% off.

DeShawn Snow Foundation, Inc. www.deshawnsnowfoundation.org
I established the DeShawn Snow Foundation to assist teenage girls who face challenges and roadblocks like I did. I believe that together we can make a difference and have a substantial impact in steering our teenage girls toward successful life paths. I want to be part of making a difference, so I have dedicated my life to empowering and enriching the lives of girls.

"Together we can create stepping stones that create success and opportunities for every girl." - DeShawn Snow

This year has taught us many lessons on getting involved in our communities and taking the time to be a part of the solution. Let's continue the trend.

Wall of....

Today my pumps are kicking it up for Mary Garlick at Kirby's Rentals, www.kirbytent.com, who kicked it up for one of our couples! Hours before the rehearsal the bride called me in a panic saying that she received a call from Kirby rental to change her reception linens. Mind you the linens were a major source of stress for this bride from day one. I would bet we looked at more than 20 linen combinations before price won out in making the brides decision.

After calling and talking to Mary I found out she was offering a free upgrade of ALL the tablecloths from poly to satin to enhance the look of the copper pintuck napkins and swagging that was being used. Why was Mary doing this? "The linens are available and it is the brides special day. Everything should look perfect". Yes those were Mary's words! Needless to say the bride was over the moon with joy.

Mary truly went above and beyond to help create a beautiful moment and unforgettable memory for the happy couple. I couldn't help but brag about Mary's commitment to excellence.

Way to go Mary!

CONGRATULATIONS DAWN & IGNACE!

There is no greater compliment than being asked to help plan a wedding for a bridesmaid from a previous wedding! I first met Dawn when I planned her friend's wedding 4 years ago. I can still remember driving around with Dawn and Ruth trying to find the perfect location for Ruth's ceremony and reception Imagine my surprise when I received the call from Dawn that she was now engaged and wanted to use our services as well. Dawn and Ignace were married this September at The Cathedral of the Incarnation and held their reception at Holy Trinity Reception Center. Here a few pictures of their day courtesy of Derek Smith at Sunshine Photographics.

Dawn chose a chocolate and pink palette and masterfully carried the colors throughout her day. Everything looked absolutely stunning thanks to the artistry of Lee Forrest Design. That's Ruth on the end in front of the floral arrangement.

At our personal wedding analysis meeting Dawn said she wanted her celebration to be "simple but elegant; good food and a good time....and oh by the way Ignace is a very active member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity." Levan's Catering provided the good food, DJ Louis Lubin of Imantrey Services helped to provide the good time and .......

the brothers of Phi Beta Sigma provided the "something special" with their traditional serenade to the happy couple. Sometimes dreams really do come true!

Shopping For Your Perfect Gown!

When clients learn that I used to work in a bridal salon, they immediately ask for advice on the gown selection process and why are those girls so mean! Here are my top 10 take it from someone who knows tips:

1. First and foremost remember it is YOUR gown and YOU should make the decision. Not the salesperson....not your bestfriend....not your mother or mother-inlaw to be....etc. Advice is great but YOU have to love it!
   
   
2. What type of shopping experience are you expecting? Weekend service can be different from week day service just as early morning can be different from late evening. Not all shops will give you one on one service. Call the shop ask them if you need an appointment, is the store kid friendly, can you take pictures, will your salesperson be dedicated solely to you.
   
   
3. Remember your "consultant" is a salesperson after all is said and done. She/He (yes, men do work in bridal salons) more than likely works on commission and time is money. The goal is to sell you a gown and eveything that goes along with it. Yes, she/he should be nice, polite and eager to serve you. That is called good Customer Service. However don't expect the salesperson to be overjoyed when you spend two or more hours trying on gowns only to say "I am not buying today. I am just here to get ideas."
   
   
4. Do your homework. Walk into that salon armed with knowledge and ideas. What type of wedding are you having? Do you have any special rules you must follow? What is your dream style ballgown, sheath, mermaid, a-line? What designers do you like? The more knowledgeable you sound the better service you will receive. Trust me.
   
   
5. What is your magic number? Gowns prices are all over the place $99 and up WAY UP!! Do you really want to risk trying on a $3000 gown and falling in love with it knowing your budget calls for a $1500 gown? Unless you are willing to find the extra $$ try on styles within your budget. Allow some room in your budget for all the extras (bra, slip, shoes, headpiece). Also, realize that sometimes higher price really does equate to higher quality.
   
   
6. When you find the gown of your dreams buy it. If you are out shopping you need to be prepared to buy. Sometimes the salesperson isn't kidding when they say "If you don't buy it now, I can't guarantee you can get it later". There is nothing worse on both sides of the coin than a bride coming back to the store only to find her dream gown is no longer available. It is hard for the bride to hear and hard for the salesperson to explain.
   
   
7. Know the terms of the sale and get them in writing before making the purchase.
   - Who is the designer of the dress and is the store an authorized reseller?
   - Are your purchasing off the rack or ordering.
   - What size are your ordering
   - What is the delivery date.
   - If you are purchasing off the rack will the store clean, press, alter, or fix any imperfections and if so is there a charge.
   - Is there a payment plan and what is the payment schedule and when is the final payment due.
   
   
8. If you buy your gown, stop shopping for gowns. All sales are final at most salons and very rarely will you get your money back. You have plenty of other tasks to complete once your gown is purchased. Move on don't second guess yourself.
   
   
9. GET THE ALTERATIONS!! I can't express this one enough. Fit is everything. A properly fitted gown looks better and feels better. Ladies, don't think you can "kick the front of the dress out" as you walk down the aisle to prevent getting a hem. Hem it up, take it in, let it out but get the fit right. You don't have to have the work done where you purchased the gown but for heaven's sake get it done.
   
   
10. Have fun. Buying your gown should not become a chore. Don't worry if you don't find it your first time out. It may take 3 or 4 shopping excursions. If you find yourself trying on gown after gown and comparing them to one particular gown. Then you have found the one. If it is not out of your price range girl, go get your gown. If it is not in the budget either find a way to make it work or get it out of your mind and move on.