House of Hope 10th Annual Prayer Breakfast

A couple of weeks ago, we got to step out of our comfort zone a little bit- away from weddings- to do a fundraiser for the House of Hope of Alachua County. Being that this was our second year as planners for the House of Hope Prayer Breakfast, we were thrilled to work with the wonderful board members and directors, as well as all of the generous supporters of the House of Hope yet again. The event was held on an early (specifically at 7:27am) Thursday morning, September 4th, at the Hilton University Hotel and Conference Center.

The House of Hope is a faith-based non-profit organization which strives to rehabilitate criminals upon their release from prison. Many ex-prisoners fall back into their old habits once re-entering society because they are not equipped the handle the transition. The House of Hope is a place where they can come and live for 6 months during their transition into a new, Christ-centered life. This event is their primary fundraiser each year.


Given that the title of the event was "Prayer Breakfast", there was certainly a delicious breakfast enjoyed by all. The Hilton staff is always great about filling our bellies with yummy goodies!

The program was also, of course, full of prayer for the Gainesville community, the residents and graduates of the House of Hope, everyone who was present and those who were unable to be there, and most importantly for those people in the world who do not have a personal relationship with God. The program also included special recognition of several of those who have made a profoud impact on the House of Hope.


After taking care of certain business matters, such as the presentation of the annual status report by House of Hope board president Keith Perry, it was time to recognize one extremely noteworthy guest- the keynote speaker, Secretary Walter McNeil of the Florida Department of Corrections. Secretary McNeil not only spoke about his experience as a police officer for many years, a police chief, and now current Secretary of the Department of Corrections, but also about his upbringing and personal relationship with Jesus Christ. His words were incredibly motivating and inspirational. It was a true honor to have Secretary McNeil present at this event. He is quite an honorable man, not only professionally, but personally.


One of the most adored segments of the program is always the testimonies of the graduates of the House of Hope, as well as current residents. Led by Thomas and Rhonda Johnson- the Executive Directors of the House of Hope- each resident was given the microphone and allowed to share with everyone how the House of Hope changed their life and helped them have a true purpose to live for. Many of the stories were emotional, some were entertaining, but all were extremely touching.

For the first time ever, the House of Hope had a woman go through the entire program and graduate the week before the Prayer Breakfast. The women's program is rapidly growing and has the capacity to hold five women at a time. This program is sure to change lives within women's prisons as well as upon their re-entry to society.



At the end of the program, Pastor Mike Patz- our Master of Ceremonies for the morning- made an appeal for a love offering. This program could not function without the help of sponsors and loyal supporters who come back year after year because they believe in this program and realize the monetary assistance that it needs to continue changing lives. Of course, this event has very little to do with raising money in comparison to the love, hope, prayer, and fellowship that it fosters among the community.

As the lead planner, and on behalf of the A'vie staff, this event is truly one that touches our hearts and reminds us that people in our community always need support. It is such a pleasure to work with Thomas and Rhonda Johnson, as well as the rest of the Board Members and loyal supporters. We also could not have done this event without the wonderful Hilton staff. None of these incredible pictures would exist as everlasting captured memories without the generosity of Rob and Marian Witzel.

We can't wait to start working on next year's event- and look out- there is much more to come from the House of Hope! We will continue to use our abilities to help them raise awareness about their program, their faith, and their ability to change countless lives.

Table Talk

There are many different types of tables at weddings and things to think about when preparing a floor plan for the Reception. Here are some ideas:

Cocktail Tables:

Perfect for those having a cocktail wedding, cocktail or bistro tables allow guests to rest their bags and drinks and provide spots to mingle. The ratio of these, is of course less than guests!A low cocktail table may hold two guests and two chairs, while a tall (often called a highboy) is simply for standing

Head Tables and Family Tables:
You may choose to make your head table the same shape and size as your guests tables and sit the table in amongst your guests.
You may choose to sit with your parents instead of your bridal party
You may want to seat your bridal party with their partners, or if at the same table sit the partners with you
You can even choose to have vacant places at a number of tables and sit at a different table of guests for every course.

Guest Tables:
The most traditional option is to seat guests in numbers of 8-10 at large round tables. Most reception venues offer this option. Round Tables can typically seat between 8-`2 guests

Square tables are a modern take on the round and can creaye a better atmosphere for easy conversation between your guests. They can also look rather elegant and formal with an equal number of guests sitting on all sides. Decorations are made easier too- table runners fit better and centrepieces can take on a different feel, given that they have more space. Square tables typically seat between 2-3 guests on each side (8 or 12).

Long rectangular tables give a wedding an intimate, family like feel. Seating all guests at only two long tables will give a dramatic touch to your reception. Of course you could break them up, or set them up to line the end of the head table.
Caution: Rectangular tables- especially when there are only one or two for 100+ guests- do not promote mingling as well as round or square.

Alternating the table top shape is a great way to provide a different feel to your reception. Mixing it up can give you a variety of options on how you want to seat guests.
Guests who know each other well might be comfortable at a square table, whereas a round table may help conversation for unfamiliar guests.

Buffet Tables:
Nowadays, buffets are not limited to casual weddings. Formal weddings can provide delicious feasts, even breaking up buffets so there is a seafood buffet, salad buffet, cake buffet et. When done well it can be not only a feast for the mouth but also a feast for the eyes!

Cake Tables:
Often displayed in front of the head table, the cake table holds the most delicious part of the wedding reception! The cake table can hold just the cake but is often decorated with rose petals and candles.

Fun tables:
The lolly or candy buffet may be placed on the same table as the cake table. Ensure that this is placed in an area where there won’t be a bottleneck if guests are gathered around it (which they surely will!)

Did you know....? Words of Wisdom Regarding Invites

Invitations
Can Professionals also be Personal and Unique with your Invitations?
Angela interviews Betsy Gardner, the owner of The Plant Shoppe, who takes pride in all that she does. She specializes in Floral Arrangements for Weddings, Events and your day-to-day needs. Something that you might not know is that The Plant Shoppe also offers invitations & personalized stationery. Betsy can order invitations from a multitude of companies for any event. In addition, she has the ability to print them ‘in house’. This is all for your benefit when you are thinking about your next event and you are in need of invitations.
Invitations can be unique, personal, even have personality. What is your style? Whatever it might be she probably has it. Look and see what she had to say about having a ‘Professional’ do your invitations.

Q: Why do people choose to have a professional do their invitations?

A: There are many benefits in using a professional
1. Talking with a professional can remind you of things that you have overlooked.
2. Invitations help set the tone for your event. A handmade invitation adds a sense of casualness to your whole affair, where a professional invitation looks more formal.
3. A professional worries for you, and deals with any hassles…therefore Worry Free.
4. Better quality of paper, more font choices and a better final product.
5. You can only get the raised ink (thermography) from a professional printer.

Q: Can you guide them in invitation etiquette?

A:Yes, we can help with etiquette regarding the proper contents and assembly of the invitations as well as the appropriate wording for the type of event you are having (formal, informal, weddings with divorced or widowed parents, weddings where the Bride and Groom are the hosts, etc.)

Q: Do you work with only one company to print the invitations?

A: We work with multiple companies and are looking for new sources all the time.

Q: How long does it normally take from beginning to end to get your wedding invitations printed?

A: 1. Up to two weeks once the order is place.
If you are going to mail them out 6-8 weeks before hand, 2 weeks to mail, 2 weeks to address them and a few weeks to pick out the specifics. You should have them the invitations ordered about 3 months in before your wedding. This is the least amount of time you should allow for.
If we are in a rush we can get them faster. We can do it a couple of different ways…rush
them in house(faster printing), or rush the shipping…for an additional fee you could have
the invitations in five days.

Q: Can you print ‘in house’?

A: Yes. For a more casual affair we can print invitations here in black or color, in flat ink. Perfect for Bridal Luncheons, Bridal & Baby Showers, Bachelorette, or more casual events. They are called imprintable invitations. We have many types in stock, and can them printed for you in a few days.

Q: Is printing your invitations in color acceptable?

A: 1. It is a great way to personalize your invitations. To compliment the color scheme of your wedding (although, some of the strict traditionalist believe that this adds a sense of casualness to your wedding).
1. Envelopes-should be in black ink to help in the post office in reading them

Q: Are there money saving tips you would be willing to share to our readers?

A: 1. To start early!!! The closer to the deadline you are then you will end up paying extra for delivery or turn around.
2.Order a few extras. If you end up having to order more you have to start at the starting price because it is a ‘New’ order.

Q: Do you have any warnings for those people who want to print their own invitations?

A: Although organization and preparation play a major role in ‘Do It Yourself’ Invitations, some issues that may occur won’t be revealed until the invitation project begins.
· Wrong Date, time, or grammatical errors
· Running out of paper
· Paper you pick may not run through your printer
· Running out of ink
· Ink smudges on the paper before it dries
· Your invitations might not fit in your envelope
· In the end mistakes could make them cost more than professional invitations

Q: What is your favorite invitation?

A: “The one from my daughter’s first birthday party. I picked an imprintable with a cake on top and a border around the invitation. After using it for the invitations I used it for the thank you cards. I placed a picture of her cake covered face inside the border; it looked like a framed picture.”

Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend!

This week we are focusing on something that every girl loves thinking about- diamonds. Not just any diamonds- engagement rings. At some point in life, we have all thought about what shape, what cut, exactly what design we imagine being on our fingers for the rest of our lives. But do we really know all of the options available? Of course we have all heard of the princess cut, the round (brilliant) cut, even the emerald cut. Here is a rundown of the numerous shining possibilities.

Let’s start with the 4 C’s- cut, color, clarity, and carat. The stone’s cut has a large impact on it’s brilliance. A diamond’s color ranges from blue to yellow with even some surprising shades of red, amber, pink, violet, and orange in between. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) labels these colors from D to Z. The clarity of a diamond is determined by the imperfections that may or may not exist within it. These imperfections may exist on the inside and outside of a diamond. Lastly, the carat (the bigger, the better- right ladies?) is the actual weight of a diamond- which can also be measured in points. A one carat diamond equals 100 points.

Now that we know the basics, here a few shapes in which that diamonds are often cut. Other than a standard Round (most common) and Princess (newer square-shape) cut, many girls are choosing the Cushion cut (my personal favorite). This is actually a rectangle-shape with rounded corners- giving it a very antique look. Emerald cut diamonds are those which are a basic rectangle shape. These are often not as brilliant due to having less facets than other diamond shapes. Thus, the Asscher cut was created to resemble the Emerald cut and provide more brilliance. Likewise, the Radiant cut also resembles an Emerald cut and provides more brilliance due to extra facets on the underside. The following non-conventional shapes are recently gaining popularity among brides who are looking for something a little different. The Oval and Pear shape are slight variations of a standard round diamond- maintaining most of the same brilliance. Lastly, the Marquise cut diamond (basically an oval with rounded sides and pointed ends) is often preferred because, when cut properly, it may actually look larger than it actually is.

Have you decided what shape is your favorite yet? This may be a tough decision, but what comes next may be even tougher- how to set your diamond. The most popular setting is still a pronged-solitaire. Pronges can be made into different shapes and a diamond (depending on the shape and size) may require one to three pronges to secure it. Probably the second most well-known ring style is a 3-stone setting. This style is symbolic of the past, present, and future of a relationship. The stones can be all the same size, but typically the center stone is the largest. Next most common may be the bezel or half-bezel setting- basically a solitaire with a metal rim, or group of small diamonds, surrounding the center stone. This is perfect for the traditional bride who prefers a little extra “bling”. A baguette setting contains smaller rectangle stones with very few facets on either side of the center stone- making the larger diamond appear larger. Often seen in wedding bands, the channel and channel-end settings contain a row of stones either sandwiched between two horizontal, or multiple vertical, grooves which hold them in place. Less common are the Pave (raised metal forms into beads that secure flush small diamonds) and tension settings (compression-spring pressure which holds the stone in place- making it look like it’s floating).

Last but not least, it is important to know what metal best suits your skin and your lifestyle. Traditionally, most rings are created from 14k (more durable) or 18k (more pure) gold since it is less expensive and widely available. Recently, platinum’s undeniable strength, purity, and density is gaining popularity (it’s also hypoallergenic for those of us with sensitive skin). Likewise, it is also more expensive so look for a platinum stamp, such as plat, pt 950 or .95 plat to ensure that you’ve got the real thing!

So next time you’re browsing through the mall, “casually” peeking at the diamond counters, you will really know what to look for to best suit your own personal style and vision. Then all you’ll have to worry about is dropping enough hints for your guy to buy the right one!

I Love Cake!

As you can see the ongoing theme for this week on the blog...CAKE! I wonder what has been on my mind lately...
It has been a few weeks since I have done an event so I have been deprived of my favorite sweet..I didn't even get to sample any the past two weekends at the Bridal Shows...
Can someone PLEASE get me some cake!!

BLESSINGS…UPON BLESSINGS TO THE LUCKY COUPLE

Weddings come and go sometimes around here. Not in a bad way but you have done that and seen that. So we always love when things happen that are extra ordinary. Well…that was the case for Jennifer and Kevin. They were ‘SUPER’ blessed with one blessing after another. The first thing of course is meeting each other. (the lovey sappy stuff) Then they won a free DJ (TDC Entertainment) at a Bridal Show. At the same bridal show Jennifer won her bouquet free from Pranges Florist. Yes, now I am thinking what else well come to them. Well it didn’t stop there. The cake was done by a dear friend…guess what it was good. Sometimes as planners we cringe when you want to have friends do things. Typically something happens right before the event and it doesn’t come together. Well it was just what she ordered. Even down to the surprise ‘Dallas Cowboy’ groom’s cake. There were things from every place we turned around that just came about. It was a ‘God Thing’. So with that said, that is why I was saying that weddings come and go but sometimes something extra special just happens. All you can say is it is a ‘God Thing’. Nothing else can explain it.

So now on to the photographers, we had the pleasure of working with Susan and Stewart Powers from Powers Photography. Let me tell you that you haven’t had fun unless you work with Stewart at the crack of dawn. Well, their wedding day started pretty early and they were there to capture it all. We had some AMAZING, ARTISTIC, TRUE pictures I have ever seen. Jennifer and Kevin were great subjects to have. They were willing to do what Stewart and Susan needed. You have to check out the pictures on the golf course of Gainesville Golf and Country Club (where the reception was).

Not to leave this last but they were even blessed to have Jennifer’s pastor marry them from Grace at Fort Clarke Church. Pastor Denny reminded me of my own pastor. I love Pastor’s who enjoy what God has called them to do and they do it so well. His reputation preceded himself and I was not disappointed. I would be honored to go back there to do another wedding. The church was beautiful…if you haven’t seen their original chapel with the stained glass window you haven’t seen anything. In addition, we had the privilege of working with Barbara and Dave on music. What talent we had taking care of us.

I love when it is all falls into the perfect place and you can sit back and see God at work. This was the case with their wedding.

Many Blessings to Jenn and Kevin as their life journey is just beginning with each other. ~Angela

Wedding Expo This Weekend!!

The Real Gainesville Wedding Expo is Sunday September 14, 2008. For Brides planning weddings in 2009, this is a must see! The Curtis M. Phillips Center is the only venue large enough for this extravaganza.

Every vendor you could possibly need for a perfect wedding will be there on this non-football game weekend. A real catwalk runway will be specially installed in the 1,800 seat theater for the best possible view of 2009 styles modeled by Jay’s Bridal & Special Occasions.
**Door Prizes and give-aways from over 60 vendors. $1,000 in cash goes to one lucky winner.**

You dont want to miss this event! If you are familiar with the ladies of A'vie - be sure to stick around for the fashion show as one of our very own will strutting her stuff on the catwalk to show off a new line of fun party dresses!

Matt and Megs Japanese Wedding...One Down - One To Go

Matt and Meg flew over to Japan to make their nuptuals offical in Megs home country. I wanted to share some pictures form their wedding. They will be making it official in the US on New Years Eve at the Plantation Hall in the Haile Village Center. The plans are in motion as we speak and Matt and Meg can't wait to ring in the new year as newlyweds!

Fall is here...and A'vie is going crazy!!

I had to go there...these were some of the pictures from our photoshoot with Powers Photography and with all of the things going on this fall (Bridal Shows, new clients, preparing for the busy fall season, training new interns, and the non-stop ringing of the telephones...) we wanted to share what the A'vie office is up to..

A Wedding so hot even "The Knot" couldn't keep their hands off!

Natalie and Matt tied the knot back in April and we have to give them props as they have been selected to be featured in "The Knot" magazine for their Spring/Summer issue of '09. This wedding was certainly one of kind with so many unique details- it was hard not to fall in love with it! Natalie and Matt got married at Sweetwater Branch Inn and had top of the line vendors including Caroline Johnson Photography, Prange's Florist,
KB Cakes and Wellspring Entertainment provided an unforgettable night of Karaoke! There were so many details that shouted personality down to Natalie's pink converse sneakers she wore after the ceremony and Matt's NY Giants cuff links! It was such a pleasure getting to know Natalie and Matt and both of their families..I can't wait to see it all again in the magazine!

Happy Labor Day!

Take a day to relax! A'vie wishes you all a safe and happy Labor Day!

Calling All Brides-to-Be!!!

Come visit A'vie and your other favorite vendors at one of 2008's most exciting Bridal events!!

Sunday, September 14, 2008
Gainesville's Semi-Annual Wedding Expo hosted by Jay's Bridal

12:00-5:00 PM. Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Don't miss a Gainesville TRADITION. Come early. Twice a year, the best local wedding related vendors gather in ONE PLACE to help you create the wedding of your dreams! Visit them all, and then take a break to see the NEWEST 2009 Wedding Fashions in a fun-filled RUNWAY fashion show by Jay's Bridal. Theater doors open at 1:30 pm. Fashion show at 2:00 pm. Prize drawings at 3:30 PM. Sample catered delights, visualize yourself in a limousine, talk with professional wedding photographers and videographers, taste yummy wedding cakes, check out area florists, DJ's, party and tent rentals, reception sites, wedding consultants and more! Tickets are $10.00;children under 12, $5.00;infants under 2, free.