Happy Independence Day!
All of us at Howerton+Wooten Events are hanging out at the park today and enjoying some hamburgers and fireworks. We will be back on Monday to show more event planning love!
Enjoy the holiday!
Love & Soul Always, Kay
Now that we are in the throes of the dog days of summer, I have an excuse to prepare anything lemon for the guys in my house.
This lemon poppy seed pound cake would be a favorite in my house if my guys could get past the poppy seeds. Ha! So I save this recipe for my girlfriends when I have my twice yearly Girlfriends’ brunch.
Ingredients
1. One (1) cup of butter, softened
2. Two and three-fourth cups of sugar
3. Six (6) eggs, separated
4. One-fourth (¼) teaspoon baking soda
5. One-half (½) teaspoon salt
6. Three (3) cups of sifted flour
7. One (1) cup of sour cream
8. Two (2) tablespoons of poppy seeds**
9. Two (2) teaspoons of lemon extract
10. Confectioners’ (powdered) sugar (optional)
Recipe
1. Pre-heat the oven to 350° F.
2. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg yolks, one at a time.
3. Combine soda and salt with flour and sift twice more.
4. Add flour mixture and sour cream alternately to butter and sugar mixture.
5. Beat egg whites until they are stiff. Fold them into the batter with the poppy seeds and the lemon extract.
6. Bake in a greased flour tube or Bundt pan for 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours – make sure that the tester comes out clean.
7. Serve warm or, when cool, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.
Enjoy!
Love & Soul Always, Kay
**According to the Snopes web site, the myth about Poppy Seeds and drug tests is true. If your school or job requires you to participate in regular drug testings, you might want to check this out before you try the cake.
I wish that I could get married again just so I could wear these gorgeous sandals under my wedding gown.
The purple satin makes the shoes fitting for a formal affair, but the off-center bow reminds you that the woman in the shoe marches to the beat of her own drum.
Love & Soul Always, Kay
(Photo: KateSpade.com)
As beautiful as 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 is, you are not required to select this scripture as the reading for your wedding ceremony.
Consider selecting a ceremony reading that is a true reflection of the two of you -- Somethng the guests will say, "that reading had the bride and groom written all over it!"
One of my NYC brides selected the reading below because she and her groom were passionate about their dogs. I am not a dog owner, but I fell in love with this reading and thought it was worth sharing.
Falling in love is like owning a dog
an epithalamion by Taylor Mali
www.taylormali.com
First of all, it’s a big responsibility,
especially in a city like New York.
So think long and hard before deciding on love.
On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security:
when you’re walking down the street late at night
and you have a leash on love
ain’t no one going to mess with you.
Because crooks and muggers think love is unpredictable.
Who knows what love could do in its own defense?
On cold winter nights, love is warm.
It lies between you and lives and breathes
and makes funny noises.
Love wakes you up all hours of the night with its needs.
It needs to be fed so it will grow and stay healthy.
Love doesn’t like being left alone for long.
But come home and love is always happy to see you.
It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life,
but you can never be mad at love for long.
Is love good all the time? No! No!
Love can be bad. Bad, love, bad! Very bad love.
Love makes messes.
Love leaves you little surprises here and there.
Love needs lots of cleaning up after.
Sometimes you just want to get love fixed.
Sometimes you want to roll up a piece of newspaper
and swat love on the nose,
not so much to cause pain,
just to let love know Don’t you ever do that again!
Sometimes love just wants to go for a nice long walk.
Because love loves exercise.
It runs you around the block and leaves you panting.
It pulls you in several different directions at once,
or winds around and around you
until you’re all wound up and can’t move.
But love makes you meet people wherever you go.
People who have nothing in common but love
stop and talk to each other on the street.
Throw things away and love will bring them back,
again, and again, and again.
But most of all, love needs love, lots of it.
And in return, love loves you and never stops.
Not a dog lover? Not an issue. There are numerous places to find unique wedding readings -- a love letter, poetry, literature (Shakespeare offers plenty options), songs, wedding web sites (such as the Knot), and of course the Bible.
Where did you find something unique for your wedding?
Love & Soul Always, Kay
(Photo: www.vivapet.com)
Last month, I had the pleasure of visiting the Punk Rock Bride design studio in Georgetown, Washington DC. The founder and designer, Stephanie Ward and her business partner, Meredith Vey were such gracious hostesses. I had a great time visiting with them, and checking out their 2008 and 2009 collections.
And I must say that their dresses were purely divine -- They were soft to the touch, very romantic and quite hip. But there wasn't a hint of pouf in site.
This off-white wedding gown is one of my favorites. Honestly, these photos don't give this gown justice.
This gown was so soft! I couldn't help but touch it over and over. It was made of silk charmeuse with a French chantilly lace overlay.
And the gown's A-line gown design would flatter just about any body type.
And I really liked the back detail.
When you have a chance, check out their collections, and let me know what you think.
Love & Soul Always, Kay
(Photo: Punk Rock Bride)
If you love good food as much as I do, hiring a caterer for your wedding reception can be a fun and exciting task. If done well, your caterer can help relieve some of your reception planning angst AND they can set a good tone of the entire evening. If you make a poor choice, it could disastrous.
So, here are six questions that I find key when hiring a caterer for your reception.
1. Is the quoted “per person” price the final price? Sometimes the quoted “per person” price is based on the number of wedding guests that you provide the caterer. If the number of your wedding guests drops dramatically, the “per person” price may increase to accommodate for the loss of expected revenue.
Also, the “per person” price may not include the following –
· Gratuity and/or service charge
· Tax
· The price for the staffing (especially supervisors, station attendants and/or bartenders)
· The price for the table linens, napkins, china, stemware and/or glassware
Ask about the items above beforehand to ensure that you are aware of additional fees prior to the contract signature (or better yet, prior to your wedding day).
2. Do you have all of the proper licenses and insurance? Your caterer (actually all of your wedding vendors) should have the proper insurance coverage required by your wedding reception venue. This insurance coverage should cover the service of their staff too.
Your caterer should also be licensed by the state. Make sure that they are licensed to serve alcohol in the state of your reception venue. If they aren’t, you may have to apply for a one-day banquet/event liquor license yourself.
3. Are you a full service caterer or a limited service caterer? The price for limited service caterers may be substantially less than cost of a full service caterer, but there are various services that may not be included (and you WILL need 99% of those services for your wedding). Services such as staffing, tear down, and/or the rental of dining equipment.
4. What is your ratio of wait staff to our wedding guests? Again, this is another question that could affect your budget and/or your overall wedding experience. To maintain a suitable level of customer service, the common rule of thumb is below:
· Plated Dinners: One server for every twelve (12) wedding guests
· Buffets: One server for every twenty-five (25) wedding guests
5. Do you use fresh ingredients? Everything tastes better if it is made from scratch, so this is a question worth asking. A friend of mine told me a story about the hors d’oeuvres coming from one of the “big box” stores. She recognized them because we eat them all of the time at my house!
6. Will I be able to taste the menu beforehand? I would venture to guess that 99% of professional caterers provide their clients with a menu tasting prior to their special day – but there is a 1% that does not. Here is my take – If you are shelling out a major chunk of your wedding budget for your wedding food, you should feel comfortable with your menu choices, the amount of sauce used on your entrée, and the amount of salt used on a side dish.
Bonus Questions –
1. When is the final guarantee (or final head count) due? You want to schedule your invitation RSVPs at least ten days prior to this due date to ensure that your actual guest count is as close to your final guarantee as possible.
2. What is the attire for your wait staff? Most wait staff wear will be dressed in the white shirt/black pants attire, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. You never know!
3. May I contact your past clients? If you are unfamiliar with your caterer's work, ask for a couple of references. Or better yet, check some of the reviews on-line too. The comments in the reviews are not “gospel” but you will get a sense of the caterer’s style and work ethic if you read enough of them.
4. What is going to happen with the leftover food? Most caterers are more than happy to provide you with the leftovers from a buffet or food station. Just give them the heads up so that they can have the “to go” containers available. If you are headed out to your honeymoon immediately after your wedding, consider asking the caterer to donate the leftovers to the local homeless shelter.
Am I missing anything? Let me know.
Love & Soul Always, Kay
I love butterflies. So this place card (found on Etsy) really makes me happy. It is so feminine, so I think it would be a perfect touch to a dinner with your girlfriends.
Godiva’s “Couture” wedding chocolates are an elegant wedding favor. These little candies come in the shape of miniature three-tiered wedding cakes. According to the Bride's Guide, you can attach a nametag and put one at each seat for a favor that doubles as a place card.
I love it when escort cards multi-task! These champagne flutes hold the wedding escort cards and they will hold the champagne at "toast time!"
Enjoy!
Love & Soul Always, Kay
When it comes to dads, I have always felt as if I hit the lottery.
My dad, affectionately known as "Fat Daddy," is one of the most wise, sweetest, funniest, and most patient men I have ever known (hands down).
Fat Daddy is not much of a dancer, so we didn't have a father/daughter dance at my wedding. But, if we did, I would have picked one of the songs below. <Please forgive me. This gets a little mushy>
This Michael Jackson hit would be my first choice because no one "has my back" more than my dad. Wait! Allow me to clarify -- No one had my back more BEFORE I met my husband (sorry baby!)
When I was a kid, my mother was my biggest (and loudest) cheerleader, but Fat Daddy was the quite force that fueled my self esteem. So, I have always found this song to be appropriate for a Father/Daughter dance.
Just The Way You Are. Because he always makes me feel as if his love is 100% unconditional.
Honor your dad and remember to tell him that you love him today and every day. Happy Fathers Day to all of the cool dads out there! Your impact reaches much further than you will ever know.
Love & Soul Always, Kay
At the end of my junior year of college, I gave my dad (affectionately known as Fat Daddy) a father's day card that read,
"Give me a D"
"Give me an A"
"Give me a D"
"What does that spell?"
"Give me, give me, give me!"
Sound familiar?
If your dad is bankrolling your wedding day, remember to take a moment this weekend to show him how much you appreciate his love and generosity!
Have a great weekend!
Love & Soul Always, Kay
After spending a year listening to stories about wedding gowns, guest lists and the cost of a wedding cake, your dad probably deserves a cocktail. Here is one that I am sure he will enjoy.
Ingredients:
Two (2) ounces of gin
A dash of dry vermouth
One-half (½) ounce of olive juice
Olives
Preparation Steps:
Fill a shaker half full of ice.
Pour in gin and olive juice.
Stir for 20 seconds and strain into a cocktail glass coated with a few dashes of dry vermouth.
Garnish with olives.
Happy Father's Day Weekend!
Love & Soul Always, Kay
(Photo and Recipe: Fine Living Network )
