Windy Jennings

oooh’s and ahhh’s: valentine’s gifts for guys

February 4, 2015

That’s right. Valentine’s Day. It’s coming up in 10 short days, ya’ll. Love it or hate it, we all participate in it in some way or another, so we’ve decided to do another edition of our:The male edition.

Boyfriend, Fiance, Partner, Husband or just a friend. Sometimes they are hard to buy for aren’t they? Well, I’m here to help. I’ve been married for 15 years, so my list of gifts for my husband, Andy, that have gone over like tickets to the superbowl, is well, short.

My list of gifts that have never seen the light of day–something comparable to the Nile, but I’m willing to share my success!

Personalized Collar Stays

As simple as it sounds, these things were a hit. Andy was constantly losing the collar stays that came with all of his dress shirts. Whether it was the dry cleaner or they just fell out, he could never find them. These babies are silver plated, so a bit heavier than the plastic ones that come with dress shirts, and then you can add personal messages onto each! Notes of encouragement, love or even flirty, these are thoughtful and practical. They arrive in a black velvet box for safe keeping too!

Dollar Shave Club

I have to admit, I really just fell in love with the genius marketing and advertising behind this company, so using Andy as an excuse, I jumped on board. Pick a razor and blades, pick the frequency of shipment, plug in your payment information and finito, done! Depending on your shipment frequency, your guy will receive a nice, manly branded box of brand new razors to last him until the next shipment. Plus, they throw in samples of their cool products. Pre-shave treatment, shave cream, post shave healer–you name it. If he likes something and wants the actual product next time, it’s just a simple click away. The marketing pieces included are always laugh worthy too.

The Fathead

I can’t talk about gifts for men without mentioning Fathead. Even if your guy doesn’t have an official “man cave” this is a great gift. If you don’t know, Fatheads are giant wall decals of just about anything your guy would want. The majority of the products are sports related of course, but there are superheros and other characters too! You can even create a custom one! Bonus–they are removable and transferable!

Love Book Online

Yes, newly married or newly engaged folks, we are still squishy romantic after 15 years of marriage. This is a paperback book that is completely personalized for whatever story or thoughts you want to tell to each other. Cute stick people represent the two of you and you can then tell your guy all the things you love about him. They have messages and sample drawings already created or you can create your own. The end product is always preciously cute! [Insert cheesy love sounds.]

There you go folks! The list is short but sweet and hopefully helpful in your last minute hunt for a gift!

Enjoy your shopping!

richmond wedding expo: behind the scenes

January 20, 2015

For those of you not intimately involved in the wedding industry, wedding and bridal shows are events that happen usually twice a year and are a strong marketing component of a lot of vendors in the wedding world.

Hundreds of brides, grooms, mothers of the bride and maids of honor gather together to get just a sampling (literally) of the vendors in the RVA area and a glimpse into the hot trends in the wedding industry – all under one roof.

LK was lucky enough to snag a booth this year at the Richmond Wedding Expo at the Richmond Marriott Downtown this past Sunday, the 11th. Hours of planning, prepping and actual labor went into our time at the show, and it’s all worth it at the end of the day. Thank goodness for supportive husbands! They were up and out of bed, helping us unload downtown by 7:30am on a Sunday. Good men, these two! [We absolutely loved the extra height and brightness from our white pipe and drape from Rent- E-quip!]

Even my daugher, Edie, was up and in to help!Voila! The finished product! [Fabulous sparkle linen from Classic Party Rentals of Virginia and couch from Ampa Events. The photos featured in our booth came from these incredible photographers: Laura Gordon, Kristin Moore, Joyeuse, Carly Arwine.]
And our favorite addition was the Instagram Photobooth Prop! This was a hit with attendees and vendors alike, and in someone’s hands the entire show. So much fun!

It was incredibly important to us that our booth spoke to who we are as a business and was an open and comfortable area for couples to come and chat with us. We had a great time designing the booth and then meeting so many fantastic couples.

A successful day for sure! Thanks to Richmond Weddings for a great show, the vendors who helped us with our booth, and the lovely folks who came by to chat! We met a ton of prospective clients and are super pumped to bring you all on as official members of the LK family!

All the best,

the ooohs and aaahs: holiday entertaining

December 10, 2014

One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is the decorating and entertaining. I love a house full of people, good food, good wine and noise. Lots and lots of noise. I host Christmas Day with my husband’s family in the morning and then my own family in the evening. There are people in and out all day, and I absolutely love it. It gives me the chance to find new pops of decor to use for every meal and cocktail!

Since Sophia and Aboudi’s wedding this past Fall, I’ve been obsessed with all things GOLD. Naturally, this got me thinking about Holiday decor, of course! It’s so easy to stick with the traditional red, green, silver or white. They are beautiful in their own way, but this year I wanted to spice things up! And give you the same idea! Pairing a warm, sparkly gold with a rich, jewel tone brings a whole new dimension to Holiday decor. Plus you can push this versatile design all the way to New Year’s!

So without further adieu – I give you my favorite colors and things for this season’s entertaining!

{Gold Stemless Wine Glass from World Market, Flag Bunting from Etsy, Cake from Styles Sweet, Mirrored Serving Tray from World Market, Mercury Glass Balls from World Market, Place Setting, Reindeer Pillow from Pier 1}

Trying anything new for your decor or when entertaining your guests this year? Changing out some old holiday decorations for a new and fresh look? We want to see!

Enjoy!

happy thanksgiving y’all!

November 26, 2014

{Holland Arts Photo}

We wanted to just take a moment to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!

We are incredibly thankful for all of our wonderful clients, the heart and soul of our business, and our rock star vendors who make it all happen for us. LK definitely has a lot to be thankful for this year!

We are headed off to be with our extended families for the Thanksgiving weekend. We’re looking forward to turkey, stuffing and wine with some of our favorite people!

Enjoy your turkey day y’all!

Windy + Lindsay

sofia + aboudi: mint, gold and the globe

October 10, 2014

Happy Friday ya’ll! We’ve got a pretty one for you today. Nothing better on a Friday afternoon then scrolling through pretty wedding images right?

I started emailing with Sofia in January of this year. She was living and working in NYC and trying to plan her RVA September 2014 wedding remotely. A tough job to try to do solo right?

That, in and of itself, is quite the task. Add to it, her groom lives in Dubai! Half way around the world people!

Sofia & Aboudi met in Dubai while Sofia was visiting the city on a trip she received as a graduation gift. Several other fate-filled moments brought them together again and they fell in love.

Fast forward though their relationship to this lovely engagement and wedding planning time…

The venue was set thanks to her Dad and brother who scouted the wedding location scene in Richmond for Sofia. Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens Blomendaal House. A beautiful backdrop for an outdoor ceremony in the gardens and then a reception under the tents in front of the house.

But the list of “everything else” was left up to me and Sofia, so we got to work. Without meeting face to face until April, we did a lot over the phone and email. Thank goodness for Pinterest boards!

Mint green and gold was the color scheme Sofia oogled over from the time we began chatting. She toyed with deep purple and gold as well, but for the garden, I thought the mint and gold, with just a touch of peachy blush, would be just gorgeous. The gold was vital as it played a huge role in connecting Sofia & Aboudi’s Lebanese culture. So we made sure we had plenty of sparkle to go around. Glittery table numbers from BHLDN, ornate gold overlays from Connie Duglin specialty linens on the cocktail tables, gold chiavari chairs from Classic Party Rentals of VA and feather tips dipped in rose gold glitter all acted as little “tips of the hat” to their Lebanese roots.

Mary Henry of M Henry Designs worked with us on floral to make sure we were staying honest to the garden we were in, but yet decorating the very blank canvas of a white tent. She hit a home run once again pulling in the whites, greens and touches of blush to pull the look together.

Sofia worked in the film industry in NYC, so a videographer was a no-brainer and she obviously had a list of what type of film she wanted of her big day. I immediately sent her Humanstory Films. Bill Gaff and I have worked together for almost 10 years now and he was the only filmmaker I would recommend for this job! Check out their wedding film here.

[I’m a sucker for a sweet Father/Daughter moment.]
It pays to have talented friends in the wedding industry. Luckily for Sofia & Aboudi they were in good hands with their photographer friend Carly Arnwine who captured the day so beautifully. And Aly Randolph of Randy Cakes who made the custom cake pops and the wedding cake – she was a busy lady! Both friends did an amazing job on every detail they touched.

Eric Cunningham from Choice Entertainment kept the party rockin’ all night and mixed up some fun Arabic and dance music for the crowd. A surprise belly dancer got the dancing started and the floor was packed all night!

Sofia and Aboudi – you were such a sweet and loving couple. I’m so excited for you and your life together in Dubai. Please keep in touch! Sohotkon! (Cheers!)

Warm Regards,

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens Blomendaal House | Catering: Meriwether Godsey| DJ: Eric Cunningham with Choice Entertainment | Photography: Carly Arnwine Photography | Videography: Humanstory Films | Linens & Chaivari Chairs: Classic Party Rentals of VA and Connie Duglin Specialty Linens | Cake: Randy Cakes | Flowers: M. Henry Designs | Ceremony Music: Silverleaf String Duo | Guest & Wedding Party Transportation: Winn Transportation | Planning & Design: LK Events & Design

the “B” word

September 15, 2014

We are tackling a bear today, y’all. Yes, the dreaded subject of the wedding budget (Get it? “B” word?). Regardless of how much money you have to spend, this topic is usually met with a heavy sigh, or just complete avoidance. [Budget? What budget?] We are talking about a few simple tips and tricks to get your started. We’re not diving too deep into this today, but just a few small conversations and evaluations can take a huge load off of this bear.

We’d like to put a different spin on the “moo-lah” conversation. Let’s not talk about percentages of how much should be slated to venue vs. food vs. rentals. You can Google, Bing or Yahoo Search “wedding budget” and literally 8.5 million topics appear. Just trust us. Talk about overwhelming, no? Let’s talk big picture. Let’s start at the beginning and we’ll coach you on how to do this crazy financial thing.

Put First Things First – Who is going to contribute to the overall budget and how much will each party fund? In the 21st century, long standing traditions of the bride’s family footing the entire bill are rare. Add to that, partners, grandparents, relatives and the bride and groom’s contributions and you could potentially have a crowd large enough to be considered a Kickstarter campaign for your wedding! Lucky you! On the other hand, it it’s just the two of you who are hosting this event, have a “sit down” (to use a Soprano’s term) and have a budget discussion. Nope, it’s not fun, but you’ll have 10,000 more of these in the course of your marriage. May as well start with this one!

Prioritize – Sit down and talk about your wedding. What are the items that are most important to the two of you?

Are you foodies, and you absolutely must have that custom farm-to-table, localvore menu?

Plan on wowing your guests from the moment they walk in? They venue will be a priority then. You’ll need something large and opulent enough to hold all those people.

Maybe you’ve envisioned an outdoor wedding with tents and lighting set at a plantation, then the rentals must be a priority for you.

Once you set those priorities, you’ll use this as the central, driving force for all things wedding. From venues, to caterers and rental invoices, if you maintain your priorities throughout the planning process, you will end up with the wedding you wanted from the very beginning.

Spend Smart – Seems obvious doesn’t it? Of course you want to spend smart! But with weddings, emotions are also at play and that can cause some of us to spend with our heard over our brain. [Insert: “We’re only getting married once… we can splurge on just this one thing right?]

What we mean by this is get as much for your money as possible. Love a venue because it’s pretty? That’s great, but that doesn’t help you in your quest to seat 155 of your closest friends and family. If there’s another venue that is comparable in cost, but you get tables and chairs and maybe even linens, that’s a better spend. This potentially frees up funds to be allocated to other items in your budget. Very important.

Don’t try to fit a square peg in a round hole – The message here is: work with what you book. If your reception is in an old historic building, work with that. Don’t fight it and try to make it a W Hotel ballroom. You’ll spend too much money trying to change something that can be fantastic. Trust us, we’ve seen it.

Babysit that Budget – Finally, watch the budget like a puppy loose in your shoe closet. The moment you ignore it, it can go off the radar. Before you know it, you’re over budget in several areas. Manage it. Keep track of it. You can “move the beans” around from bucket to bucket as you spend and save (and honestly, that’s kind of fun!) but keep your eyes on it. Because we know what a puppy can do when left unattended!

Hope you found this helpful!

Until next time…

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.