Fabulous Groomsmen Gift… March 31, 2009

How many of you are sick of giving the same ol’ groomsmen gifts?  the infamous flask … the tried and true personalized money clip … etc.

And, I’m sure that some of you have thought about getting nice cuff links for your gents …. BUT – have you thought about getting them cuff links that they will actually wear?  what about these …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                     

 

 

 and last but not least … for the gent who is always nervous …

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

 all of these fabulous cuff links can be found at www.cufflinks.com and prices range from $50 – $150 (for the pair).

i had a blast looking at all the options … hope you enjoy!

celebrate your life …

Facebook and the such…. March 28, 2009

Most, if not all of you that follow this blog are most likely members of Facebook!  We would love to be your friend on facebook…. we have three pages – Kentucky Bride Ltd – Jacki Allen – Jaimeson Gann … come check us out!

The same individuals that are members of Facebook, probably also use twitter.  I’ll be honest with you – Jacki and I are not sure about the whole “twitter” phenomenon …. so we would like to hear what you think….

* How many of you “twitter” yourself?

* How many of you follow other “twitters”?

* Would you be interested in following Jacki and I?

* How often would you like to hear from us on “twitter”? once a day – twice a day – more, etc.

 

Jacki and I want to make sure that we are offering YOU (wheather you are a bride, mother of a bride, other wedding professional, or just anyone who LOVES weddings) the best of the best …. which we’ve tried to do through jacki, wedding planner - Kentucky Bride Magazine - Kentucky Bride Bridal Show and our blog….

so please leave your comments here or contact me directly at jaime@jackiallen.com …. we’d love to hear from you!

celebrate your life …

Taboo Topics … Week Nine March 27, 2009

This is the last week and we have saved the most taboo topic for the end! Why not go out with a bang?  As mentioned in last week’s post … we will be discussing RELIGION!  No matter what “everyone” says …. please discuss religion. Even if this topic is hard for you to bring up, this is a subject that plays an important role to some and a not-so-important to others – either way, your future spouse should know where you stand on this topic. 

Without further ado…..

RELIGION

1. Do you believe in God?  Heaven and hell?

2. How large of a role does religion play in your life?  Do you attend religious ceremonies regularly?   

3. Does your partner understand your beliefs?

4. Do you respect each others beliefs?

5. Do you expect your fiance’ to convert to your religion?

6. Will you be disappointing anyone if you change your religious practices?

7. Do you think religion should be practiced as a family or as an individual?

8. If you have children, will you raise them religiously? In which faith?

9. Are your families going to respect your religious decisions?

10. How do you feel about circumcision?

YOU HAVE MADE IT!  The taboo topics are over! No matter how hard these last nine weeks have been…we hope you feel that you know your fiance’ better than ever. These are very difficult questions that we have asked you to bring up but we feel that these questions over the past nine weeks will bring you closer as a couple. These are topics that are not easily brought up and we commend you for doing this. We wish you and your fiance’ nothing but the best and hope the Taboo Topics were helpful (and not to “taboo”)!

And remember, to read the full article, please pick up your copy of Jacki Allen’s Kentucky Bride Magazine online – at Joseph-Beth – at Barnes & Nobles – at Wedding Wonderland - at Bluegrass Bride and many other fabulous wedding professionals throughout central Kentucky.

Celebrate your love (and the fact that you know your fiance’ better than you did 9 weeks ago!) ….

Don’t forget the TIP … March 26, 2009

As the wedding season is approaching fast, and you are making the endless last minute purchases and final payments on your contracts, we just want to make sure that you remember your tips in your budget…

Now, some of you will automatically say, “I signed a contract and that’s what they are getting paid – no tips” and others will say, “Oh my goodness, I didn’t realize that tipping on weddings was customary”.  Well, we (at jacki, wedding planner) feel that tipping certain members of your wedding team is customary and warranted. 

Please take the following information as suggestions….

WHO – Hair/make up artist day of

HOW MUCH – 15 – 20% (depending on if they come to your location)

DIST BY – Wedding Planner (if you don’t have a wedding planner, I would recommend you ask one person to be responsible for distributing your “appreciation”)

 

WHO – Musicians for ceremony

HOW MUCH – 10% of fee

DIST BY – Wedding Planner

 

WHO – Musicians/DJ for reception

HOW MUCH – $25 – $50 per member

DIST BY – Wedding Planner

 

WHO – Wait Staff and Bartenders for your event

HOW MUCH – $20 per person (FYI – we recommend that you check with your caterer/venue to double check the “18% service fee” that is on your contract – this is NOT always given to the wait staff as a tip and simply just an added fee – so you will want to make sure that your servers are taken care of)

DIST BY – Wedding Planner will give all envelopes to Head Chef or Maitre de at end of evening

 

WHO – Head Chef or Maitre de

HOW MUCH – Flat Fee …. we recommend $100 or more

DIST BY – Wedding Planner at end of evening

 

WHO – Limousine or Specialty Vehicle

HOW MUCH – 15-20% of total bill

DIST BY – Wedding Planner

 

WHO – Parking atendants for Valet Parking

HOW MUCH – $1.50 – $2.00 per car

DIST BY – Wedding Planner at end of evening

 

 

TIPS on TIPPING:

* Have all Tips in seperate envelopes that are clearly marked with which vendor they go to.

* Have ONE person responsible for distributing all of your tips…. (i.e. wedding planner, maid of honor, someone that needs a “job” for your wedding because you can’t leave them out, etc.)

* Have all Tips and Envelopes ready at least THREE DAYS before your wedding … we recommend a minimum of three days because this is when your out of town guest start to arrive – you start “stressing” over every little detail (unless you have a planner!) – you are putting your final touches on any projects that you are doing yourself – you have the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner – and we want you to be as prepared as possible so you don’t stress over the small stuff…

Side note – these are just recommendations that Jacki and I would make to our bride – please feel free to use this information as you please.

We would love to hear your thoughts on this topic…. please feel free to leave your comments.

celebrate your love …

Snippet & Ink … blog March 25, 2009

Love – Love – Love – this fabulous little blog: Snippet & Ink

Snippet & Ink is a daily wedding inspiration blog that I have come to Love!

You will see color combos – inspiration boards – fabulous quotes – and so much more….. check them out!

celebrate your love …

Acres of Land Winery March 22, 2009

Jacki and I just found out this morning that Acres of Land Winery’s Restaurant had a FIRE early Saturday morning.  We certainly want to extend our sympathy and well wishes to Tina Orr, Lowell & Katherine Land!

This fire DID NOT affect their wedding location, but none the less…. the Restaurant was gorgeous (converted tobacco barn) and will be a huge loss for the winery.  As mentioned in the Herald-Leader, “the Land’s will rebuild in some form, but in the meantime, sales and tastings will move into the wine production building. There will continue to be vineyard tours and wagon rides and even weddings, though he might have to hire an outside caterer.”

If you are having a wedding/reception at Acres of Land Winery, PLEASE do not stress, as Tina Orr and the Land’s have everything under control and will ensure that this does not effect your special day.  If you are thinking of having your wedding at this beautiful location, please do not hesitate to go out and visit them….. they are wonderful to work with and have such fabulous views for your Kentucky wedding! (see photos on their website here)

We wish the best for Lowell and Katherine Land and the whole Acres of Land Winery….

Taboo Topics … Week Eight March 20, 2009

So, how did you do with the topic of children (and step children?)….. hopefully all went well and now you have a better understanding of how your marriage will work once children become a part of your life (or if you choose not to have children).

As you know, these are TABOO TOPICS and what are the three subjects that cause fights and most people avoid until they absolutely have to talk about them…. money; religion and her (the ex)!  Well, lucky for you, we will NEVER have you discuss an EX with your fiance – they are EX’s for a reason – right?

BUT, we will ask you to discuss money and religion…. in fact, we’ve kept the best for last!  This week, we will discuss money and next week (our final week) will be discussing the oh so touchy subject of religions.  So, sit down, grab of glass of your favorite drink and let’s get started.

MONEY! With the way our economy is…it needs to be discussed! No question about that! This could be a tough week to get through with these questions because money is on everyone’s mind right now. Either if you need it, don’t know what to do with it, save it, spend it or hate the topic…it’s money and it’s a part of daily life! These are some questions that may take a while to get through so save time for this taboo topic…

SHOW ME THE MONEY

1. What’s your philosophy about money?
2. Who will decide where it is spent?
3. Who will pay the bills?
4. Will each of you have discretionary cash?
5. How much of your income will you save?
6. Where will you invest your money?
7. Do either of you have outstanding debt?
8. How do you feel about credit cards?
9. Do you view money as ‘yours and mine’ or ‘ours’?
10. Do you feel your value in the relationship is tied to how much money you earn?
11. If one of you doesn’t have an income, do they still have a day in financial decisions?
12. Will household responsibilites be balanced despite how much money each of you earns?
13. If one of you takes time off work, is the other comfortable being the sole financial provider for the family?
14. Are you comfortable in a relationship where the woman earns more money than the man?
15. Do you consider yourself a saver or a spender?
16. Will there be a prenuptial agreement?
17. Will you discuss major purchases with each other before making them?
18. Will you reserve part of your income for charitable contributions?
19. Would you be willing to accept help from your parents if you were in financial trouble?
20. If your parents or other family members wer having finacnial difficulty, would you help them financially?

Whew! That will bring a lot of disscussion! Once more, it is important to discuss money because its hard for two people to have the same feelings about each purchase that is made…talking to your fiance’ now about the subject will be more benefical then waiting!! (and you can get it over with!)
To read the full article, please pick up your copy of Jacki Allen’s Kentucky Bride Magazine online – at Joseph-Beth – at Barnes & Nobles – at Wedding Wonderland - at Bluegrass Bride and many other fabulous wedding professionals throughout central Kentucky.

please leave your comments or feel free to email us anytime to jaime@jackiallen.com with Taboo Topics as the subject

celebrate your love…..

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day…. March 17, 2009

In honor of Saint Patrick’s Day, we at Kentucky Bride, are wearing GREEN and looking at fabulous IRISH weddings…. since we (jacki and jaimeson) are part Irish, we absolutely adore hearing about Irish weddings – Irish wedding traditions – seeing Irish wedding bands (see fabulous ring below) and so much more…..

some of our favorite photos of the day are below….. (photography by Deirdre Langan Photography)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

celebrate your love…..

Style Me Pretty ….. Little Black Book March 16, 2009

If you’re a BRIDE (or even a wedding professional) reading this BLOG, then you also (or should) read Style Me Pretty’s BLOG ….. fabulous! 

Abby Larson, the very talented creator of Style Me Pretty, states…. “I started Style Me Pretty….a chic blog for the style obsessed bride. As a blogger, I am forever in search of inspiration…whether it’s my grandfather’s sketches or my niece’s paintings, the perfect pair of ballet flats or a blush colored peony. There are no boundaries for inspiration just as there are no boundaries when it comes to Style Me Pretty.

Simply put, I write about all things beautiful. All things wedding. Everyday, I post my favorite finds, my latest loves…I try to create a place where creativity and ideas thrive, where you can find weddings that eliminate the walls of tradition and focus instead on the unique personalities of brides and grooms everywhere. And in the midst of all the beautiful pictures and the beautiful weddings, my only hope is that I will inspire you in some small way, to translate that perfect picture in your head into a day that will make you smile for years to come.”

Who wouldn’t want to be a part of Style Me Pretty …. even if only as a reader.

Well, Abby has a section on Style Me Pretty called “Little Black Book” which are her TOP PICKS from across the United States.  She only picks three companies in each category in each state (or their city)…. AND Kentucky was just added to this fabulous Little Black Book!!! 

The best news….. they have asked jacki, wedding planner to be a member ….. and we are *oh so honored*!

 

 

 

 

 

So, go check out Style Me Pretty and all the fabulous Little Black Book vendors and let us know what you think!

celebrating our company…..

Taboo Topic…Week Seven March 13, 2009

With only two more weeks (after today) of taboo topics left, it seems that things are getting “deeper” but if you want a fabulous marriage….you need to know these things, right?

Last week, we discussed children (unborn, between you and your new hubby) BUT what if one of you already has a child from another marriage? This is a “taboo topic” that needs to be discussed…and here are the questions that need to be asked…

CHILDREN FROM ANOTHER MARRIAGE

1. Will you include the children in your wedding ceremony?

2. Where will the children live?  How much time will you spend with them?

3. Who will establish the rules for the stepchildren?   Who will discipline them?

4. How will you financially support the stepchildren?

5. Do you expect the stepchildren to call you mom or dad?  How do you want them to address you?  How will you address them to other friends and family in your life?

6. Will the stepchildren change your feelings about having children of your own?

7. To what extent should the stepchildren be included in your family?   Will they go on holidays with you? Church? Vacation?

8. What concerns do you have about stepchildren?

9. Will you make decisions concerning the stepchildren jointly or will the decisions be made by their blood relative?

We hope these questions will help start this VERY important conversation…. I know it will be tough, but it will be so worth it in the end. 

To read the full article, please pick up your copy of Jacki Allen’s Kentucky Bride Magazine online – at Joseph-Beth – at Barnes & Nobles – at Wedding Wonderland - at Bluegrass Bride and many other fabulous wedding professionals throughout central Kentucky.

please leave your comments or feel free to email us anytime to jaime@jackiallen.com with Taboo Topics as the subject

celebrate your love…..

$100 it’s so pretty! Giveaway March 12, 2009

Jacki and I just want to say THANK YOU for all of the fabulous comments for the it’s so pretty! $100 giveaway!

To see the post and all the comments, click here.

…… and the winner is ……

“My fiance and i are a young couple with a beautiful son and are in the process of finishing up college. That being said, we’ve definatly stretched out our budget as far as it possibly could go so favors weren’t even an option for us until i recieved your e-mail today !! With a glimmer of hope in my eyes i went to the website immediatly and did some ‘ dream shopping’ as i call it.. what i would think would be the perfect favor if we had the option. the perfect favor for our wedding i feel would be the Love grows plantable wildflower favors’ heart. Kevin and i have been saving up to make a donation to JDF foundation in everyone’s name for the wedding ( i have been a type 1 diabetic for 10 yrs now). so attatching a note to these favors just seems like a really sweet and elegent touch to let ppl know they contributed to a hope for the cure when they plant their flowers and watch them bloom . the link for the favor is http://itssopretty.0.kateaspenshops.com/product/growing-up-wildflower-seeds.html
.. i couldn’t quite figure out how to post a picture… thank you ! * erin young”

We liked all the comments…. and so to all you fabulous brides that chose an it’s so pretty! favor and didn’t win, please check your emails later today, as we will be sending you a special message!

stay posted as we had so much FUN with this giveaway that we are thinking of doing another ….

celebrate your love ….