Real RJC Couple - Kendall & Albert: The Engagement Story

A part of this blog will go to highlighting the wonderful brides and grooms planning their weddings at the Ruthe Jackson Center.  You will learn about them, their engagements, and in the end, how perfect the weddings turn out.

In this blog entry, we are going to introduce you to Kendall & Albert who are planning their wedding for April 2012 and their engagement story!

Image courtesy of McGowan Images, Styling Courtesy of MegB Designs 

First you need a little back story...
Albert and Kendall first met on July 28, 2007 beside her driver's door.  After casually seeing each other for a month, Albert decided to make it official and asked Kendall to be his girlfriend on August 28, 2007 beside the driver's side door of her car.  Also, any special event in either of their lives, whether it be anniversaries, birthdays, promotions, Valentine's Day, etc, Kendall and Albert love going to iFratelli's in Las Colinas. (And yes, they order the same thing every time!)

So, now that you have the back story...

On Friday, January 28th, Kendall was at home when she got a message from Albert telling her to get all fancied up for a night out on the town.  Oblivious to Albert's plan , Kendall thought it was his way of giving her an excuse to wear an outfit she had bought recently.  Kendall got ready in a brand new dress, bright red heels, and bold jewelry - a definite departure from the norm.  After a delicious dinner at iFratelli's followed by some scrumptious cheesecake, Kendall laughed about how many people - literally more than 3 - commented on how cute bits and pieces of her outfit were.  To Kendall, the night was already awesome! :) After dinner, Albert asked Kendall if she wanted to go shopping - as if he needed to ask!  They strolled through one of her favorite stores, and Albert offered to buy a new outfit for Kendall - again, as if he needed to ask!  Content with the awesome night, Kendall was on cloud nine on the way home until Albert asked her to close her eyes about a mile from home.  Albert quickly drove home and backed up to the garage where Kendall's car was waiting.  With her eyes still closed, Kendall listened as the garage door opened behind her, and Albert got out of the car.  After a couple of seconds, Albert began playing their song "Better Together" by Jack Johnson and asked Kendall to get out of the car.  As she opened her eyes and turned around, her car was covered in tiny white Christmas lights and roses on the roof.  Still oblivious to what was happening, Kendall followed Albert over to her drivers side door.  Albert spoke a few moments about their life together and the future then got down on one knee and the rest is history!

Kendall & Albert have had the pleasure of working with 2 incredible photographers (McGowan Images & Koi Images and Events Photography) to capture the memory of their engagement.  Here are a couple of their favorites!

AllGood Wedding Tips for November!

Welcome to "AllGood" Wedding Tips!  As the wedding planner at the Ruthe Jackson Center, my total docus is to provide you with the support and information that you need to have the perfect wedding!  If your wedding is next year or right around the corner, I know that it is a top priority on your list of things to think and plan about.   The Ruthe Jackson Center staff has handpicked useful ideas and information with he same meticulous care and concern that you would, saving you the hassle of research and the inconvenience of traveling around town.  Our single goal is to help you create your memory of a lifetime!

That's right, there are only 2 months left in 2011!  Many couples our there are starting to plan their 2012-2013 weddings.  Of all the decisions couples must make about their wedding day, the wedding and reception location is one of the most important.  Make sure to consider your unique needs to make the right decision.

Wedding and reception sites range from ballrooms to gardens, with costs from inexpensive to outrageous. Out of all the potential wedding reception venues, how are brides and grooms supposed to choose the right one for them?  According to The Wedding Report, the respected authority on wedding trends, more couples are choosing the same location to have their ceremony and reception, up 10% over last year's survey!

Indoor or Outdoor Weddings

The first thing a bride and groom need to decide is whether they want an indoor or outdoor wedding and/or reception, and then narrow their list of venues from there. If you choose an outdoor wedding and an indoor reception,  make sure to ask about the facility's contingency plan in case of rain.

Number of Wedding Reception Guests

The volume of guests expected will pay a large part in the type of wedding site you need to reserve.  A backyard wedding would be doable with fewer than 50 guests, but a larger party with a hundred or more guests will need to be a more structured affair held at a respected wedding facility.  Just keep in mind that respected facilities are keenly aware of what it takes to host a flawless, pressure-free event.  Your special day is the total staff focus, and you and your guests will feel relaxed and pampered!

After locating venues of interest, be prepared on the tour to ask all of the questions on your list - yes, you must prepare a list of important questions!

• What's the decor like?  When your guests walk into the lobby of the venue, what is the WOW factor?
• Does the venue have adequate parking and s there a cost?
• What are the catering policies?
• What are the cake policies?
• Are there any photography policies?
• Do they have adequate coat check and bathroom facilities?
• Is the wedding venue wheelchair accessible?  If not, are there any stairs to climb?
• How close is the parking to the ceremony and reception sites?
• What's the cancellation policy?
• What is the payment schedule? What kind of deposits are required?
• What are the overtime charges, if any?
• Do they have a liquor license?
• Is there room in the venue for a band/DJ and/or dancing? What are the policies?
• Does the garden or reception space provide A/V for a slideshow or sound for music and mic'ing the officiant.
• Is a rehearsal included and is there a price or time limitation?
• Is there a space for the bride and groom to change?
• Does the venue have a designated person that you work with before the day of your wedding?
• Are there any limitations on decor?
• Are candles or other open flames allowed?
• If it's an outdoor location, do they have any backup plans for inclement weather?
• Is there a preferred vendor list?

It is so very easy to be caught up with excitement and forget that there are lots of questions that need to be answered.  Take notes and realize that no question is out of the question!

Until next time, Happy Planning!

- Cheryl Allgood, Certified Wedding and Event Planner for the Ruthe Jackson Center

Have you heard about Pinterest?

Once you get engaged, most women jump straight to planning magazines, websites, and guides.  These products, while great for inspiration, can add up in the cost department quickly.  As a way to save on inspiration costs and have a place to keep all of your ideas grouped together in one spot online, we highly recommend using Pinterest!

Pinterest is an online community of "pinners" who pin, or save, images and inspiration to their pinboards. Any image, story, or idea you can find online can be pinned.  The best part?  You can share it with your mothers to get their input.  You can share it with your florist so she has a better (and continually updated!) file of your wants, needs, and ideas.  You can even share it with our very own Cheryl so she knows your vision for the big day!

Check out a few of the gorgeous pins RJC has on their pinboard:

If you are going for a vintage inspired wedding, garden roses and soft florals in milk glass

with dusty pink, lilac, and ivory set the pace for a perfect tabletop centerpiece.

Going for a more garden getaway feel?  Try using satin ribbon to tie your favorite

herbs to one of our Chiavari chairs!

Not a fan of flowers?  How about trying our a brooch bouquet DIY project for your wedding?

Not only do you get a chance to infuse your personality into your bouquet, but you can keep it

long after your wedding is over!

These are just a couple of the items RJC has pinned for you on our very own Pinboards.  Make sure to check them out here and create ones for yourself as well!

Real RJC Couples: Christy & David's Wedding Celebration

Welcome to our brand new blog for the Ruthe Jackson Center!  We will be updating things around here periodically to keep you up to date on all of the exciting events and news at RJC.

First up, we wanted to highlight the beautiful wedding reception for Christy and David.   After a gorgeous ceremony at the couple's church, they decided to throw their reception in our ballroom