The adventures of my weekend did not really begin until Saturday morning when Dori, my best friend and I headed out in the morning to Warehouse Row.  I grew up going to Warehouse Row as a child and remember all the fun shops and the way they would decorate for the seasons.  Just like the seasons change, Warehouse Row has changed as well.  You can still find wonderful shops, great décor items and take in the history, yet the best part I could see was all the amazing event space they have today.

Here are a few more pictures for your Rustic Indoor or Outdoor Event.

(Picture taken inside Warehouse Row)

(Picture taken inside Warehouse Row)

(Picture taken inside Warehouse Row)

The afternoon continued with a walk to lunch at Urban Stack.  They have the best burgers of all types.  Bread made fresh from the local bakery and an environment that you just want to come back to again and again.  Casual and Relaxed!  This was a perfect way to end the afternoon before getting ready for the main reason I came to Chattanooga for the weekend.  It was time to get ready for an evening charity event called Wine Over Water.

(Picture taken of Walnut Street Pedestrian Bridge)

(Evening picture of Walnut Street Pedestrian Bridge)

Erected in 1891, the Walnut St. Bridge is the world’s longest pedestrian bridge. It connects downtown Chattanooga to the north shore. It is a favorite of residents and visitors alike. Now dog friendly!  The event Wine Over Water benefiting Cornerstones for Historic Preservation was AMAZING and FUN!!  Wine Over Water is Tennessee’s premier wine-tasting festival.  Dori and I had a wonderful time tasting the wines from different vendors and wine makers along with making new friends.  The event was from 5 to 8, so afterward we walked back across the bridge to a wonderful Italian Bistro, Marco’s.  We closed out the night relaxing and reflecting on the day.

Chattanooga is a wonderful town to visit or live.  Over the next few weeks I will be sharing more about my hometown, so stay tuned.

Warmly,
Suzanne Jeffers, owner
Belle Events – Creating events with elegance in Franklin, TN and beyond…

Brides, if you’re like me, you’ve been thinking about your perfect wedding for years. Your friends have probably been thinking about who you’ll choose to be your bridesmaids since you and your groom made it official.

(Disclaimer about the infographic: I think this graphic is estimating the high end of the cost scale.)

Here are my thoughts on bridesmaids:

1. Don’t choose bridesmaids too far in advice. Asking your closest friends to be your bridesmaids a year before the wedding is plenty of time. I knew one bride who was going to be engaged for two years before she and her groom said “I do.” She asked her roommate to be in the wedding shortly after the proposal. A few weeks into living together, the bride realized she would have rather not asked her roommate. Relationships between friends change. In college, it can only take a few weeks to create a void between girls who bonded quickly initially.

When choosing your bridesmaids, I recommend choosing those friends who have stood the test of time. I’ve found that the best friends are ones who can pick up where you left off no matter how long it’s been since you’ve seen each other.

2. Bridesmaids are meant to frame you as the bride.  Letting bridesmaids pick there own dresses seems to be fashionable lately. Personally, I want my ladies to look consistent. Having the same dress for everyone draws the congregation attention to the bride. Dresses that don’t harmonize takes longer for eye to absorb and is more distracting to look at.

3. The Diva. People ask about bridezillas but Suzanne chooses to leave those clients for someone else. It’s been my experience that there is usually one bridesmaid Diva in every wedding. No matter where her need for attention comes from,  no one who is a true friend will act selfish on your special day.

“You become like the 5 people you spend the most time with.
Choose carefully.” 

4. Gifts to the bridesmaids. No matter your budget, you should let your bridesmaids know how much they mean to you. Buying the the jewelry you want them to wear on your wedding day is a win-win, as long as it is something they will wear again. It also helps pull their outfits together so you can remain the main event.

If you have the budget for it, buying their dresses for your big day is a very nice present. Chances are, you will all be in multiple weddings within just a few years. Asking your most special friends to be in your wedding is a huge honor. Easing the financial burden is just really nice–if you can swing it.

5. Your Maid of Honor. (Oh, the MOH.) This is the woman knows all of your forms, quirks, and your true heart. She has seen you through everything from  wardrobe disaster to emotional turmoil. She gets you. If you’re as lucky as I am, she will be something more appropriately titled “mind-reading sidekick.” The beautiful thing about choosing your maid of honor is that you’ll know the relationship when you see it. That kind of friendship only happens once.

As always, contact Suzanne if you are looking for guidance with planning your wedding.

Fondly,

]]> http://www.suzannejeffers.com/bridesmaids-belle-events-edition/feed/ 0 http://www.suzannejeffers.com/whos-wedding-is-it/ http://www.suzannejeffers.com/whos-wedding-is-it/#comments Tue, 28 Aug 2012 20:14:21 +0000 katie http://www.suzannejeffers.com/?p=722 I was talking to a friend about this blog post yesterday and she said, “Oh, please tell new brides (if they don’t already know) that it’s 80% their wedding, and 20% their mother’s wedding… or the other way around. Whatever, somehow you’re getting screwed.”

I literally laughed out loud. The bride wants a fairly small guest list, but her mom is having trouble keeping a cap on numbers. The bride’s initial system for choosing the guest lists is that if she hasn’t spoken to a person (or couple) in a year, they aren’t coming. I would add to that, if they don’t know you as a couple, they can be left off the list.

With engagement parties and bridal showers a plenty, there is enough celebrating to include everyone. Edicate says that if someone is invited to pre-wedding festivities, they should also be invited to the wedding also. Ultimately it is your decision. If a friend throws an engagement party and invites more than the guests that you requested, I think it’s ok for only people invited to your showers (a.k.a. the people who bring gifts to celebrate) to be invited to the wedding.

Below is a chart from http://me-you-just-us-two.tumblr.com/ that provides another great system for deciding who to invite.

Ladies, remember that your mom has been dreaming about this day since she knew you were a girl. Maybe cut her some slack in a particular area– like the flowers or hors d’oeuvres–  that you know will mean a lot to her.

Moms, remember that you had your wedding a few decades ago. Don’t compromise your daughter’s very special day by inserting elements that will be out of place. I strongly encourage vow renewals, especially to moms whose creative juices get flowing planning a daughter’s wedding. Let the sting of the finances settle,  then throw your own bash! After all, you will meet amazing wedding vendors that you’ll want to use again.

Hiring a wedding planner can be helpful for both Bride and Mom to consult as a mediator. As a professional, Suzanne is able to take a bride’s vision and implement it without inserting personal sway. Click here for the testimonies from pleased past customers.

Have a wonderful week everyone!

Fondly,

While pondering my pending research, I figured that getting on one knee is a way for men to show their gentle, romantic- even submissive- side. In that moment of kneeling, a man demonstrates him willingness to not use his power, but to respect the woman he loves.

So how did men know to knee in order to make us swoon in the first place? Genuflection, bending at least one knee to the ground, is a custom that dates back to the 3rd century B.C. as a gesture of deep respect for a superior. The Latin word genuflectio, from which the English word is derived, originally meant fully kneeling rather than the rapid dropping to one knee and immediately rising that became the practice Western Europe in the Middle Ages. Such kneeling is common in many Christian denominations as well as other religions.

Alexander the Great introduced into his court etiquette some form of genuflection already in use in Persia. The custom spread to medieval Britain, when knights dipped their knees in a show of servitude to his mistress and his master. In the Roman Empire even senators were required to genuflect to the emperor.

In the same manner, asking for your bride’s father’s permission or blessing is old fashioned but still very well respected. Being vulnerable offers the opportunity for your relationship to grow and by including her parents in the process, you start off on the right foot.

When Art of Manliness.com chimed into the conversation, Brett said, “I think it’s just respectful to ask your future bride’s father for his blessing as you start down the path towards matrimony. It lets your girlfriend’s father know that you’re sincere in your intentions and a true gentleman. It’s an important tradition, a rite of passage, and a bonding experience between you and your future father-in-law. Plus, most women we asked think it’s a sweet gesture.”

Bonus: Our medieval knight would kneel before a tournament and wait for “his” lady to toss him her ribbon or colors, as an indication of her favor.” Sounds like the origin for a bride tossing her bouquet.

Have a great week everyone!

August. For parents it’s back to school. For businesses, it’s the “beginning of the end” push to meet their end-of-year sale goals as the months left in the year tick down. For brides, it’s the month of panic.

Brides with Fall Weddings get overwhelmed because you, dear Brides, have your own jobs that come with responsibilities that are enough. Suzanne and I have the experience and contacts that can solve your wedding hiccup, whether it is the day of or weeks before. Belle Events packages range from a lot of “hand-holding” to simply supportive. Every bride has different needs so we customize each package to accommodate those needs.

If you are beginning to feel the grips of panic take over the feelings you have about your wedding, please call Suzanne. You should feel excited, nervous, pangs of anticipation for change but most of all joy. You have found the person who hears your heart and who you complete. What a modern miracle! Don’t let the day that unites the two of you be tarnished with stress.

Don’t work extra hard. Work smarter and let us do the work for you. To speak directly with Suzanne, call (615) 714-1715. If email is easier, start with events@suzannejeffers.com and you will reach both of us.

We would be honored to be part of your very special day. Let today be the day you empower yourself and ask for help.

Always fondly,

I was surfing Pinterest the other day (typical) when this sparkly something caught my eye.
Unusual design, right?

Struck by its beauty, I clicked on the pin and read in the caption, “3 crossing wedding bands. Ecc. 4:12 states “a cord of 3 strands is not quickly broken” God, Husband and wife.” That’s when my heart melted.

If you’ve been reading this blog for the last few months, you’ve probably caught on to the fact that I am a sappy romantic. I love biblical symbolism entwined (ha, ha) in concrete marriage articles. I’m a visual learner; God knows that. What a beautiful reminder of the strength that comes from the joined efforts of God, husband and wife. The problem is that I’d probably never take my eyes off of it…

Have a lovely weekend!!

Note 1: Because of the size and design, this ring doesn’t need a wedding band. It’s already woven in
Note 2: The cost only reflects the price of the band, NOT including the center stone.

For your viewing pleasure there are variations of this ring from designer Mark Silverstein. To see all of his designs (that I could find) visit http://www.arthursjewelers.com/Mark-Silverstein/Mark-Silverstein-Engagement-Rings/

Also, here is a testimony from Tyler, a satisfied customer.

“A Truly Imaginative Piece of Art
Mark Silverstein is a jewelry designer that was recently discovered by my girlfriend on Pinterest. She came across the photo(right) on someone else’s pinterest board. I began exploring the Mark Silverstein website, msimagines.com, because I was interested in finding jewelers in my area that carried his hand-designed rings. To my surprise, there are relatively few retailers that actually carry his jewelry, but you can order directly from the Mark Silverstein Imagines website.

As I was perusing the website, I decided to send an inquiry just to see if there were jewelers close by my location. Rather than an email back, I received a phone call within minutes from Mark Silverstein himself! I was astonished that the designer himself took the time to discuss a simple ring inquiry with a customer. We had a very genuine conservation where I found out that the company began in 1978, and Mark has now sold over 39,000 rings. As you will definitely notice if you visit the website, Mark Silverstein prides himself in creating unique and quality rings from the finest materials that are different from any other designs currently available in the engagement ring market.”

Fondly,

1. Marriage is made up of two good forgivers. Because every marriage is made up of two sinners. (Romans 3:23)

2. At some point, you will have to learn that life isn’t all about you. (Philippians 2:3)

The other day I was in line to pay for something-or-other. The cashier told me that I owed a dollar amount and 19 cents. If you are like me, the change purse in your wallet is perpetually full of pennies. No, I did not hand the woman 19 pennies, but I did take the extra time to scoop out a dime, a nickel and 4 pennies. Score. Giving away that many pennies made me feel victorious, so smugly I did an inner happy-dance.

An authentic picture of the contents of my change purse

But in the process, I was flustered. While searching for the coins, I was aware of one of my friends waiting for me since she had paid for her items. Customers in line behind me seemed puzzled by my enthusiasm about making exact change. The constant drive of our “don’t stop” society is quite sad to me.

Plastic payment society forgets the poetic- even romantic- nature of coins. Without pennies, there would be no “take a penny” cups. Being from a small town, I love the good neighbor sense of camaraderie of sharing coins.

Credit cards represent an accumulation of dollars and cents, without which they wouldn’t exist. But let’s go a step further, without gold and silver initially, coins wouldn’t have had worth. Whoa! All of a sudden, coins seem a lot more like gold.

My hope for you is that this week is that you will slow down and make exact change and understand when others do the same. Keeping up with such a fast-paced society can be exhausting. Have grace. Appreciate the accumulated worth in people. Remember the importance of authentic relationships and coins.

Always fondly,

Changing your name: We recommend that all brides take care of changing their names by prioritizing the legal stuff first, most specifically, your driver’s license. As soon as your marriage license has been approved, take it to the DMV to have your driver’s license changed. Everything else will need identification with your new last name on it. You will probably need to take your marriage license to have the other legal identification changed, but driver’s license is the best place to start.

Legal Stuff:

Denise Bann owner of Greenfinch Floral Design can be contacted by calling 615-268-1581 or by email at greenfinchfloraldesign@gmail.com. She was a delight!