We're up to 500 Subscribers in 5 weeks! WOW! Thank you so much for using us to plan your wedding and for using our vendors in that process! We thank you and truly appreciate it..
Be sure to tell your Vendors you saw them on IowaBride.com!
IowaBride.com Dream Series: Wedding
Our Wedding Shows are a Dream! They are unlike any Bridal event you've attended and IowaBride.com developed the idea!
We've got several wonderful Bridal Shows lined up for 2006.
Our Bridal Shows are a unique experience. We have the Dream Series shows at one of our vendors facilities so you are able to see what they offer. We feature 25 to 30 vendors in a casual, elegant atmosphere.
We also have our shows for 2 to 3 hours after 5:00 at night. They are designed so you and a friend can take your time to visit with the vendors in a relaxed atmosphere. You can actually take some time to learn what the vendor offers.
Join us at our next IowaBride.com Dream Series show. You'll see the difference.
Come preview some of the season’s best wedding ideas as well as visiting with area premier wedding vendors. The Cedar Falls Woman’s Club House, 304 Clay Street, Cedar Falls, Iowa
Free Admission, Door Prizes, Tasty treats and Cash Bar. Bring a friend and enjoy a great afternoon planning your wedding! _____________________________________________
Our grandest and most spectacular Bridal Event ever. You don't want to miss this beautiful show featuring the elegant Temple for Performing Arts Building in downtown Des Moines!
Visit with our professional Wedding Vendors while pplanning your wedding. See the latest in summer fashions. Sample a beautiful wedding cake. Tour an historic 1883 Church & gardens. Tickets for this unique event are limited! Reservations are required RSVP by May 31, 2006
What does a small store in a small city where you can find BIG NAMES add up to? Check out Maggie Sottero, Alfred Angelo, Alexa Claire, J.L. Johnson and more. It all adds up to a great Big City Resource for the modern bride right here in Central Iowa!
Mary Katherine's will help you plan the perfect wedding. They pride themselves in being a one-stop, full-service bridal shop including: bridal gowns, veils, bridesmaids dresses, mother of the bride & groom apparel, invitations, shoes, jewelry, and more!
They can assist you with your selections of many accessories such as engraved champagne glasses or gifts for your attendants.
Take a day trip to central Iowa's Marshalltown and visit today!
Hi Mary Katherine. What a beautiful store and so many elegant dresses! What is the name of your store? Mary Katherine’s Bridal and Dressy Attire Shop.
How long have you been in the Bridal industry? 5 1/2 years in the retail business, but we have been in the event planning business for 20 years.
Who are the principals of the company? Mary K. and Tom Curley
What is your background that led you into this business? Mary has a long background in event planning for a previous employer. We have also had two daughters get married, so we know what brides, moms, and mom-in laws are facing in the planning issue. We will help you as much or as little as you need, just ask.
Mary Katherine’s is a small shop, 4000 square feet. Myself, along with two part time employees handle the business. We have a lot of fun with our brides and feel it’s important for them to enjoy this “once in a lifetime experience”! At the same time we don’t lose focus of the bride and her expectations. We all love what we do and feel that we give the best customer service around.
Mary, what is the favorite part of your job? The brides! We take a lot of time with our brides and get to know them, their likes, their expectations and help them find the perfect gown for both their body shape and the stature of the wedding. We do our best to make our brides, bridesmaids, and moms look their very best on this special day. We are very honest people and our customers expect and respect that.
What is your companies specialty? We have a high degree of personal attention to detail and customer satisfaction.
What is Mary Katherine's best "hidden secret" people would be surprised your company offers? We will service every wedding, whether merchandise is purchased from us or not. That means, alterations, steaming, pressing, floral rentals we will be of service to any bride that needs help at any time.
What sets Mary Katherine's apart from your competition? Again SERVICE, we are not a big box store nor do we want to be. Our small, full service shop is keen on customer service and working to provide “every little detail”.
What expert advice do you have for a couple planning their wedding? Remember stay focused on the ceremony and its importance,everything else is “fluff”. We have lots of “fluff” and can help you plan effectively, efficiently, economically, and elegantly.
Any other thoughts about your company we didn't ask or should know? We’re easy to find, downtown Marshalltown, just ½ block east of our court house on Main Street. We have set hours, but will always see customers outside of those hours by appointment.
Kevin and the Team at Foxboro have been with IowaBride.com since their beginning and for a good reason! They provide a very high level of service and dedication to making your reception wonderful and it shows year after year!
Finding a great place to hold your reception can be a tough task. Finding a great place that is affordable can be an even bigger challenge.
The Foxboro Conference Center in Johnston handles both of those requests and tops it all off with elegance! Read how they do it!
Meet Kevin Harris, Director of the Foxboro Conference Center. Hi Kevin. How long have you been in the industry? Personally, I have been in the hospitality industry for 25 years, the conference center is 5 years old.
Who are the principals of the company? Randy Walters is the owner, Lori Bosley is our President, and myself, Kevin Harris. I am the Director of Sales.
Any background you want to share with our audience about yourself? I have a hotel background and have held the positions of Banquet Manager, Director of Catering, and Director of Food and Beverage.
You've got lots of experience to help a couple ease through the reception challenges! What is the favorite part of your job? Helping people and seeing them satisfied that they chose us!
Kevin, what is the Foxboro Conference Center's specialty? We are a wonderful facility for banquets, meetings and social events like wedding receptions! We do about 35 receptions a year.
What is the best "hidden secret" people would be surprised your company offers? It is not really a secret but with us you have the option of using an outside caterer. Although we highly recommend our catering partner Mojos on 86th and Chef Robert Beasley, we do allow people to use another caterer at least for now. There are only a couple of facilities in central Iowa that allow this and we are probably the nicest available!
That is a huge factor for a couple deciding on facilities! Any other factors that set you apart from your competition? Our competition is primarily the hotels and other event facilities. Most of them have minimums either in total food and beverage revenue, or per person. We don’t.
Also since weddings are such a large part of our business they are our specialty and we offer a one on one personal touch to the brides and their families. I believe we give people more access to us and the facility than a lot of other places do.
We do everything we can to make hosting their reception as painless and stress free as it can be.
What expert advice do you have for a couple planning their wedding? Book the church first and the reception facility second. You have more time available to shop for your other vendors. Compare apples to apples, make sure of what you are getting for the money.
Any other thoughts about your company we didn't ask or should know? We are locally owned and operated. When you book with us you are dealing with people who live in the community and care deeply about our reputation.
How can someone reach you? Call at my office anytime. Kevin D. Harris, Director of Sales and Conference Services, at the Foxboro Conference Center, Johnston, Iowa 50131 Phone 515- 727-1613 Fax 515-727-1614
kevin@foxborbusiness.com
Thanks Kevin! We've been to many weddings at Foxoboro and they have always been top notch! A wonderful facility, excellent parking, and the proximity to several area hotels make for an excellent visit for out of town guests!
Brides if you're in the process of looking at facilities, the Foxboro fills up fast. Call today to find out if your date is available! Be sure to visit Foxboro Conference Center's website and call Kevin today for a personal tour!
Get Cool Stuff ONLY YOU will have like this "Getting Hitched" Shirt.
The IowaBride.com Fun Shop features quality apparel and fun items that make great gifts for your wedding party or just a neat way to say "Hey I'm the Bride"
Check out our exclusive "Gettin' Hitched" line.
These quality shirts and gifts are a fun way to let the world know that
"Hey I'm the Bride! Yes, I am incredibly good looking and talented! but sorry, I'm "Getting Hitched"!
Did you know that Nicole from Nik Nak Designs has created some of the coolest designs exclusively for our brides? It's true and you should snap up a couple of goodies today!
LeeAnn Rimes, Yorkies and Rose Petals. Does this sounds like a recipe for love? Find out if Gabe pulls it off!
Hey There Happy Couple! What are your names? Heather Iburg & Nick (Gabe) Gabriel
Where are you from? Originally, Williamsburg (home of Tanger Outlet Mall) but we currently live in Ankeny.
How did you meet? We went to the same high school and had some of the same friends and hung out a lot. We were friends for 6 ½ years before we finally started dating.
After more than 6 1/2 years just being friends how did the question finally get popped? It was the day after my birthday, (August 23, 2005) and I had just gotten home from getting groceries. I found the house very quiet and our little yorkie was downstairs by himself which wasn’t normal. I started to put away the groceries when Gabe yelled for me to come upstairs.
I made my way upstairs but still didn’t see him and asked him where he was and he yelled from our bedroom. I walked into our bedroom to find candles lit throughout the whole entire room, rose pedals sprinkled on the bed and he was playing our song, How Can I Live Without You” by LeeAnn Rimes. He held me and told me he felt bad because he hadn’t gotten me anything exciting for my birthday and kept telling me how much he loved me.
I had tears because it was the most romantic thing he had done for me in a long time. He kept telling me over and over again how much he loved me and when I told him how much I loved him he got down on one knee and opened up a box with the most beautiful ring and asked me to marry him!
When is your wedding? Because Gabe's best friend is in Iraq and won’t be back till later this year, we wanted to make sure he was here for everything and finally decided on October 6, 2007.
What is the craziest part of planning your wedding? I’m a very organized, detailed person and with so much time to plan till the big day, it drives me crazy to not just be able to do it all now, but I know that I’ll be glad that I had that time.
Any secret wedding tips to pass along to other gals planning their weddings? Make sure you do what you and your FH want to do and don’t let others influence your decisions.
It also helps to keep everything you get or see in the mail or from bridal shows in a binder, that way you have everything at your finger tips and helps to keep you organized.
Very good Idea! Any vendors you've been working with that have provided exceptional service so far? I am a very “picky” person and most of the time I know what I want but have a hard time finding it or making a final decision. I’ve been working with Mary Katherines Bridal out of Marshalltown and they have done nothing but treat me with complete respect, given me their honest opinion and helped me with so many things that they have honestly made things a lot easier for me!
Well Thanks for using one of our great vendors for you wedding dress! Are you planning on going on a honeymoon?Yes we are, not really sure where but an all-inclusive resort most likely.
Tell us where you each work? I am the Marketing Coordinator for Manpower Inc. of Des Moines full-time and part-time (wedding money), I work at Planet Beach in Ankeny as a Tanning Consultant. Nick works at Firestone as a tire builder and also works for his parents gun company.
When you started your wedding did you have a budget in mind? We didn’t really set a budget for ourselves. But we sat down with our parents and we figured out who was going to pay for what which helps out a lot and takes a bit of stress off of you.
Tell us about your Dream wedding! Everything will be Fall themed. My bridesmaids will be in short chocolate brown dresses, groomsmen in chocolate brown vests and ivory shirts. Usher guys, Groom and Dad’s in all black tux’s, and the girl ushers in short black dresses.
Flowers will be the bright beautiful fall colors and lastly the bride anything BUT white. Options right now are Champagne, Light Gold, and/or Oyster. I am different and my wedding will be different from any and all weddings I’ve been too.
I would love to somehow get our 9 month old Yorkie in the wedding as he is a HUGE part of our lives, but he’s such an attention getter it would be hard to get him to come down the aisle.
Who is going to walk you down the aisle? My dad for sure, but I’m also thinking about having my mom as well.
Thanks so much Heather and Gabe! You two sound like you make a great couple! We're excited to be able to help you plan your special day! Thank you for visiting with our vendors and best of luck with the rest of your planning!
Brides: If you would like to have your story featured, send an e-mail to Dan@IowaBride.com. We will pop a note back with the questions and other info!
Looking for a unique gift for your Bridal Party? Check out the stuff at GolfBalls.com!! Cool Stuff!
IowaBride.com - Ask the Expert
Colors? Time of Year? Weird Cousin Eddie? We've got the answers
Got a pressing dilemma? We'll pass it along to one of our IowaBride.com experts and send you an e-mail. We'll also publish the question in a future newsletter! Just go to our ask an expert page on IowaBride.com with your dilemma or question!
Dear IowaBride.com I'm horrified at the thought of what my fiance's friends may say at the reception toasts? They are, should I say, "wild" and Lew and I each have a "past" within our friends circle. How do I ask them to be nice? It will probably only fuel the fire!
10.14.06 Grinnell Bride
Hello Horrified. We've been to weddings where indeed the Toasts become Roasts. Friends are usually well meaning but mix a little libations with not being public speakers, and they feel that they have to entertain.
After your wedding party is selected send out cards with a structure lined out for a nice story and the time frame it happened. Have them return them and then give those cards to the best man and maid of honor to hand back during the reception. Have them remind the wedding party that during the toast, please follow what they have written arlier.
The "toaster's" actually will be relieved to have something to read instead of winging it!
Our advice is Watch Out for the videographer! That is where the stories get wild! Luckily there is always editing.
Here was last week's brain tickler for those monetarily challenged and even those who are fiscally gifted!
Last week we asked The Big Question:
"If you could only afford to have one service or vendor for the day what would be your choice"? Would you take photographs to remember it? Would you wine and dine your guests so they appreciate it and have a great time? Would you sneak off to Honolulu and just send a postcard? Over 100 of our subscribers took a moment to respond to this apparently "hitting right at home" question! Here are some of those choice responses.
"Hi Dan We've been planning for almost 8 months. The Honolulu and the postcard route sounds excellent at this point".
"Dan we would want the DJ as we could take our own photos of the reception".
Then
"Dan, We would want the photos as We are having friends bring their music to play at the reception".
"We were about 3 months into the planning when we decided to forgo it all, took my Dad's $3000 offer and now are going to Las Vegas"!
"We would probably wait until we could afford to get it all. I have waited for this all my life"!
Another I have waited.
"Dan My fiance and I were in a car accident on vacation in Denver, Colorado last summer". "Only a month before our wedding". "I was able to come home but Monte had to stay in Denver for almost 3 weeks". "We put our wedding off until this summer". "If I could only have one service it would be the minister to make it official"!
Gee, thanks for making us cry!
Hungry? "Dan, we went to a friends wedding last summer and we stopped at the Burger King on the way home. The meal was horrid! We're paying for a good meal"! "This is anonymous isn't it"?
Not Hungry? "Is not feeding the guests bad"? "We're only having drinks and light snacks anyway"? "We intend the party to end fairly early".
More sneaking off? Wow! A lot of you are going to, Maztalan, Vegas, Mexico, Carribean, Little Brown Church, several parks in the state.
And one of the more creative answers we got! No Kidding!! One of our subscribers e-mailed and asked how she could find a "sponsor" to pay for it all. She would put banners, posters everywhere, deliver a speech, give credit in the program and whatever it takes! Very Creative K.L. in Iowa City.
Sponsors feel free to contact us to get in touch with K.L.
Thanks much Brides. We adore your creativity and so much admire you for having some fun in your wedding plannning!
IowaBride.com surveys and ask fun questions to our members all the time. Take a moment to answer some of our polls and fun surveys. If you would like to participate, just send a note to Dan@iowabride.com!
IowaBride.com knows that planning your wedding consumes A LOT of your time, you also have a life outside the planning. This business can help you make the next transition in life! This company's product really "Turned our Heads" when we spotted them! Check this out for a great gift idea!
IN 2004, Tom Beshara established turnyour head.
IN 1977, Tom Beshara's first daughter was born followed by his second in 1979. He had Baby Foot prints and Handprints of his two babies but wanted something different to remember their early years by. Tom spent many hours working on the notion that there must be a different way to capture the likeness of their daughters. While looking through pictures, he found one of his wife Lorie getting an ultrasound. He remembered the profile of his daughter being relayed on the screen. It was that image that sparked the conception of this idea!
At Turn Your Head, they fill the space between two opposing profiles of your face. By spinning that space into a three dimensional “visage” that follows the outlined silhouettes of your two profiles, they create the "Pirolette".
Place the “Pirolette” to your face and it will match your profile. Locate it near a wall and the shadow of the "Pirolette” will be your silhouette. Your profile captured forever in an object of art. An optical illusion of shadow and light, each one unique because it’s you! The “Pirolette” is hand crafted from American Black Walnut, Cherry or Maple and is hand polished to a natural luster.
Visit his website and enter the prize giveaway. Just send an e-mail with Week 6 Prize in the subject. You'll be entered!
We'll randomly draw from all the entries received in our e-mail box by Midnight Friday 3.10.06. Then, watch next weeks Bouquet for the winner! There is no purchase necessary. Please only enter once so our mailbox doesn't get overloaded! Good luck!
Send an e-mail to Dan@IowaBride.com please put WEEK 6 PRIZE DRAWING in the subject line
