August | 2014 | Blog | LK Events & Design Blog

crafty cocktails

August 29, 2014

What a perfect way to kick off this Holiday weekend–cocktails! And not just any cocktail, these three delicious recipes all feature Richmond’s own Belle Isle Moonshine, a locally made 100% organic corn moonshine, distilled in copper stills. But that is not all! One of my September Groom’s, Alex Wotring, is the co-founder and managing partner of this incredible local company! He so graciously shared his top three most favorite drinks with me and we’re featuring them today. Go grab some Belle Isle Moonshine and make your self a refreshing cocktail this Holiday weekend!

Monk on Moonshine

38oz of Belle Isle Premium Moonshine
19 1/2oz of Punt e Mes Sweet Vermouth
4oz of Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
4oz of Green Chartreuse
Aged in a new, charred oak 2 liter barrel

Most people don’t want to wait 5 to 6 weeks for a drink or buy a barrel, but if you have patience, it is totally worth the wait! Because all of the ingredients are aged together, the cocktail takes on a silky smooth texture that is on a different level.

oldfashioned

Shiny Old Fashioned

2oz Belle Isle Premium Moonshine
1/2oz simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
1/4oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
Bourbon soaked sun dried cherries
Fresh orange wedge

Might be my favorite! The sweetness from the muddled orange and maraschino liqueur works perfectly with the bitters and the pepper finish of the Premium Moonshine. If you take the time to make the bourbon soaked sun dried cherries, it’s a great snack when you get to bottom of your drink!

Moonshine Mule

2oz. Belle Isle Premium Moonshine
1 oz. fresh lime or lemon juice
Ginger beer
Lime wheel for garnish

It is a play on a very popular cocktail right now, the Moscow Mule. Our spirit is similar to a vodka, which is traditionally used in Mules, but the sweetness from the organic corn blends even better with a good ginger beer than even the best premium vodka. I prefer lemon juice in my mules and will sometimes use Crabbies Alcoholic Ginger Beer when we need an added kick!

index We just love supporting local business, especially if they allow for cool, creative cocktails at a party or event. Consider incorporating local foods and beverages into your wedding and adding signage so that you’re guests, especially the out-of-town ones, get to know Richmond and our incredible resources. I also encourage you to read up on Belle Isle Craft Spirits on their website and their book that just launched. They’ve teamed up with renown restaurants in the area to create some super yummy recipes for every palate.

Thank you, Alex, for sharing some recipes and feedback with us! We are thrilled for your wedding in just two short weeks!

Make sure to follow Belle Isle Moonshine on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!

an artful wedding

August 22, 2014

Back in June we had the privilege of showcasing at Richmond Bride‘s an Artful Wedding at The John Marshall Ballrooms. It’s been awhile since either Windy or I were behind a bridal show booth, but it was tons of fun and we met wonderful brides, moms and friends. It also helped that we set up shop right next to the delicious Cakes by Graham! Enjoy a few of our instagram photos we snapped throughout the day. Leave it to us to be so busy chatting with brides we forgot to snap a picture of the whole table. Don’t you ever feel like you need a photographer to follow you wherever you go just to remember to capture memories?

We designed our booth with our brand in mind, of course. So LK blue was everywhere! We provided ideas for brides for favors, signature drinks and stationery with a watercolor motif. We popped the centerpiece with our favorite coral charm peonies and other gorgeous blooms by the talented Mary Henry with M Henry Design. Our vendor friends were incredibly generous to provide wonderful things for us to display. The cake was supplied by Sweet Fix, the stationery and signage was Design Corral and the linen was Connie Duglin. You folks made us look good!Bonus! We also got to meet and greet with Monte Durham from “Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta“!

Thanks again, Richmond Bride, for having us! It was a ball!

lauren + casey, a very richmond wedding

August 15, 2014

Hi y’all! I’m bouncing off the walls excited to share Lauren and Casey’s absolutely incredible wedding with you! It is packed full of bright flowers, a touch of gold sparkle, and very Richmond details, of course.

Lauren and I began planning this luxurious affair almost exactly one year prior to her wedding date, April 12, 2014. She came to our first meeting equipped with one wedding she had seen in a magazine. It was her only inspiration and truly what we centered our initial design palette on. About half way through the process, things started evolving with our design. I got to know the couple better and better and was able to develop a design that was just them, no one else–romantic, hospitable, colorful and, of course, very Richmond.

Lauren and Casey met while both attending the University of Richmond. Their first date was the Ring Dance at The Jefferson Hotel. So naturally, our two venues were picked! Two venues that are quintessential Richmond. Most of their guests were coming from out of town, so what a perfect opportunity to showcase the city they love. We started off by designing the Save The Dates with a city skyline outline. We welcomed guests to the hotels with goodie bags stuffed with local Hardywood Beer, Route 11 chips, Virginia peanuts and more! Food was at the top of the priority list, so their four course meal surely impressed. For cocktail hour and dinner, we pulled in Cuban influences as well as perfectly Southern dishes. Lauren and Casey both love Greek food, so you can bet that was on the menu as well. In addition to two flavors of cake served to each guest, we had an absolutely incredible dessert bar crafted by SweetFix.

Lauren loved gold and she loved bright color. No traditional, spring wedding here! We played up the opulence and elegance of The Jefferson Hotel with her overall design–a mix of different, colorful centerpieces, custom sparkle walls, a stage facade and gorgeous linens and china. It was truly breathtaking! This wedding was perfectly captured by White Box Photo! And we aren’t the only ones who thought this. Lauren and Casey’s wedding was featured on Southern Weddings Blog recently and we are thrilled! Go check out their feature!

I also encourage you to watch the lovely Ginger Topham’s film from their wedding day.

I truly enjoyed working so closely with Lauren and Casey for the last year. They are wonderful people and the cutest couple! Not only were they just darling, I feel like I got to work with a “dream team” of vendors. If I can offer anyone a piece of advice for weddings–hire the good people. Hire the people you trust and connect with. They make your life and my job easier.

Cheers and thanks for letting me be a part of your planning experience and wedding day!

better together

August 8, 2014

Better Together, a great song by Jack Johnson, is coincidentally used for weddings quite a bit. But for Lindsay and I, it’s one of the many reasons we teamed up this year. Truly, we are better together.

Richmond Bride magazine may agree too, they titled an article about us “Better Together” that came out in June and we are thrilled!

Let’s back up. In March, Lindsay and I were meeting with a linen vendor for an event when Lindsay received a voice mail from the editor of Richmond Bride magazine. She had heard about our new business partnership and wanted to interview us about it for a feature. On speaker phone, outside of The Jefferson in my Mom minivan, we were divulging our newest business endeavor to Anne!

So here it is! No link, unfortunately, but we encourage you to head to your nearest Barnes and Noble to pick up your copy. Note we’re on page 16!

Thanks Richmond Bride!

Enjoy everyone!

jessica + nate, a spring, southern wedding

August 4, 2014

Hello! It’s Windy and this is my first official blog post with LK, so hooray!

After planning and directing weddings for almost 10 years, you learn a lot about, well, people. It’s one of my favorite aspects of the job. Don’t get me wrong, I love my sparkly linen, delicious stationery and clever favors, but the couple, the families and the friends of these great couples are why I love being a wedding planner.

My first wedding with LK–my first wedding “back” in the wedding world–was Jessica and Nathan, an adorable North Carolina couple who’s April wedding was packed full of southern charm. They could not have been a more gracious and sweet pair. Jessica’s “thank you’s” were served warm with a sweet tang of her Southern accent and she was just so excited to work with LK!

During our final walk through of the venue, Jessica mentioned having friends and family in town during the wedding weekend ready to help at the drop of a hat. This is a pretty typical conversation with couples, so I thought nothing of these helpers–boy was I wrong! I’m a firm believer that weddings bring out the best and worst in people. In Jessica and Nate’s case she had the good stuff. Good people. Good feelings. Great support.

Upon arrival at her venue, I was met with a caravan of vehicles. The Calvary had arrived, as we joked that day. I have never seen so much welcomed support for a particular couple. Boxes upon boxes were unloaded in just minutes. Not only did they unload their cars, but they jumped into mine as well. I was met with endless “What can we help you with next?” That is sweet, Southern charm right there. You can get a good sense of the couple when you get to experience the people they surround themselves with and call friends. These people were good people.

As always, the wedding ran so smoothly, the food was perfectly delicious and Southern, of course, and the dance floor was packed all night. You can see the details below in all the lovely eye candy from Kristin Partin Photography.