Our Wedding Wands Make A Fabulous Exit

Out with the rice and in with the wedding wands! Wedding wands are fun and add a splash of color as you’re exiting the ceremony or your reception with your Groom in tow. You want to know a little secret? They’re also really easy to make!

What you need to get the job done:

• Wood Dowels (You can purchase a pack of 50 from Wal-Mart or Hobby Lobby for around $9.97)
• Ribbon (Satin looks the best and a medium width works well but if you want to add a bell we recommend getting ribbon that is slim in size to easily secure the bell. We like using several colors that are in the wedding palette for added “pop”)
• Scissors
• Bells (optional)

Those items are easy to gather and they can all be found at Wal-Mart and/or Hobby Lobby right there in the craft section. The ribbon can vary in price depending on the type you decide to go with but can usually be purchased for under $5 per spool.

The process:

• Cut pieces of ribbon to be about 2ft long. (This doesn’t have to be exact but make sure your ribbon is long enough to tie a knot and still have plenty of ribbon to wave around.)
• Tie a piece of ribbon at the top of your wood dowel. (I recommend tying (separately) three pieces of ribbon to each dowel).
• Add a bell! Just slide a piece of ribbon that is already secured to the dowel through the loop of the bell and tie a knot to secure the bell. (Remember to use the slim ribbon to tie the knot!)
• Give that wedding wand a try and wave it around!

Warning: Making wedding wands can be very time consuming so leave yourself plenty of time! Tying wedding wands before the day of your “I do’s” is not recommended and the looks you will receive from your bridal party are not worth it!

Extras:The saying, “Give a wave for the new Mr. and Mrs.” can be printed on cardstock and attached to each wedding wand or displayed by your wedding wands to give your guests a little hint of what to do with these things!

Good luck! Post pictures of your wedding wands to our Facebook page. We love to see your work!

XOXO,

Kathleen

Spring should be here soon.

With Spring sunshine there will be flowers blooming again!  Some of our favorites are the hydrangea, knock out roses, day lilies, zinnias and flox.

It really is fun to grow them, cut the blooms and take them to the office or decorate with.  If you aren’t that ambitious, go to the local floral store and buy a bouquet of your favorites.

Everyone we know loves beautiful flowers. Before you begin cutting, take a little lesson in the art of floral design with Kate Spade’s floral designer, Ashley.

Here are some tips:

Kim 

As ladies we understand the prep time that goes into preparing for a big day. And I’m not talking about the bride- I’m talking about the bridesmaids. Even though the day is all about the bride, and rightfully so, we bridesmaids also have to look our best. The Plum Pretty Sugar bridesmaid’s robes are adorable and will make a great gift from the bride to her best ladies. Plum Pretty Sugar offers robe sets, making it easy to select a style for all bridesmaids.

Having the bridesmaids dressed alike during the prep time makes for adorable pictures. It also allows the bride to be able to stand out in her own special robe. One great thing about the Plum Pretty Sugar robes is the style. These robes can be worn again and again; the style doesn’t limit itself to wearing it for just one day. Take a look for yourself and visit their website for even more styles and apparel! http://store.plumprettysugar.com/

Love, Kathleen

Stress Free Wedding Planning TipsWedding planning can be both exciting and stressful. There are a couple of things to help you through the stresses that come along with planning for your big day; hire a wedding planner (come on, you knew we had to throw that in there!), pour yourself  a large glass of wine, and  follow these simple tips:

1. Get organized from the very beginning.  Create a binder with tabs that organize your favorite ceremony sites, reception venues, floral ideas, color palette, and inspirations.
2. Limit your influencers. Keep your wants as well as your grooms as a priority. Everyone will freely give you their opinion but remember, this day is for you and your groom.
3. Plan! Once you’ve set the date make a To- Do- List for each month; accomplishing a little at a time and not leaving everything for your last few months to plan.
4. Take time to breathe! No doubt wedding planning can be overwhelming but this time will only happen once so take the time to reflect and enjoy it.

Have questions? Tweet @KKSEvents and Facebook us!

XOXO,

Kathleen

photo courtesy of p://weddingparty-boise.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Wedding-Planner1.jpg

Liz+Mark’s wedding was one we will not forget.  Liz +Mark came to us after reading an article Liz’s mom read in The Broadripple Gazette about our company.

Liz’s family was relatively new to the area and Liz+Mark were really busy professionals.  We were thrilled to join in their wedding planning.  Thus began a great friendship and lots of planning time.  I love Liz.  She is pretty, sooo smart and an IU Hoosier.  In fact, unbeknownst to us, Liz’s mom and I attended IU together, lived next door to each other in different sororities and knew the same people.  Liz also was a member of her mom’s sorority and shared in our love of Bloomington.  Mark is a great guy too.  Mark is a FABULOUS baseball player and fan!  A graduate of DePauw, we shared stories about his alma mater and baseball.   We loved helping Liz+Mark with vendor referral, design of their wedding, all of their invitations and coordination.

Their wedding was held at the United Methodist Church on North Meridian on a sunny afternoon. Prior to the wedding, we “trollied” for pictures with my new friends, “Jesse and Gina, Evansville’s renowned photographers” around town.  One of our pictures was at the Eiteljorg under a statue with an umbrella-just for fun.  A few raindrops came right after our pose, but we didn’t think a thing about it.  The sky began to get gray; just before the wedding. Near the end of the  ceremony the weather changed.  With no real warning, we needed that umbrella!  Rain poured hard and it poured fast.

Everyone was onboard the trolley headed for downtown. We arrived at Union Station.  The entire wedding party was dodging the showers to get into the Crowne Plaza/Union Station for the reception.  As soon as we arrived all of the lights went out.  No problem, we had LOTS of beautiful candles burning and were ready for the guests.  Soon the Crowne had the lights were back on, the music was playing and lots of laughter filled the room.  It became a perfe

Later we were looking out the windows at some beautiful downtown city scape with drops of rain glistening like jewels on the windows,thinking about this beautiful couple and their beautiful dayct evening; just like the day had been.

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Pumpkin Spice Latte

It’s that time of year again; cozy socks, warm sweaters, and hot drinks! One of the office favorites this year is the Pumpkin Spice Latte! It is very simple to make and very delicious! It even tastes exactly like the Starbucks version! Make sure you follow the recipe exactly for the best results!

We found this recipe from A Farmgirl’s DabblesThis recipe makes about 7 to 8 homemade lattes, so you may want to scale it down a bit of you’re just trying it out!

Ingredients

Pumpkin Spice Mixture:

• 1  15-oz. can pumpkin puree
• 2 c. whole milk
• ½  c. sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 c. brown sugar
• 2 T. pure vanilla extract
• 1 T. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. ground dried ginger
• ½  tsp. ground cloves
• ¼  tsp. allspice

Assemble the Pumpkin Spice Latte:

• strong coffee
• slightly sweetened whipped cream
• cinnamon
• dark chocolate shavings

Preparation

Pumpkin Spice Mixture:

In a blender, combine all the pumpkin spice mixture ingredients. Puree for about 30 seconds. For a smoother mixture, puree for a couple more minutes, or until the mixture is to your desired consistency.

Assemble the Pumpkin Spice Latte:

Pour 1/2 cup (more or less, depending on your preference) of the pumpkin spice mixture into a large mug. Microwave for about 20 seconds, then add 1 cup of hot strong brewed coffee and stir. Top with a nice lofty pile of sweetened whipped cream. Sprinkle lightly with a bit of cinnamon.

Pour the remaining pumpkin spice mixture into a jar, top with a lid and store in the refrigerator. When ready to make another drink, shake the jar well and repeat the assembly of the pumpkin spice latte. The pumpkin spice mixture will keep pretty well for 1 week in the refrigerator.

By Molly

Thank you, A Farm Girl’s Dabbles!

Romantic Pink Wedding Kim King Smith Events Indianapolis Marriott North

Romantic Pink Wedding in Indianapolis Kim King Smith Events

What’s the best RX prescription for happily ever after?  Two doctors falling in love!

What a great experience to work with Drs. Fred and Yelena Makori on their wedding.  We first met Yelena and her mother a year prior to the wedding.  Yelena and Fred were so busy working on their medical residencies and living apart.  It was trying times, but they had one thing to really look forward to; their marriage.

It was so much fun to partner with Yelena and her mom, working from a distance, on a a big day back here in Indy.  Regular calls and lots of our coordination services were just the right prescription for this busy bride.  We tried to make all of her planning “appointments” easy and get lots done in big “doses”.

We were thrilled to help Yelena not only with  the coordination services, but design too.  Both the ceremony and reception were held at the Marriott North. Yelena had chosen beautiful  white linens  and chair covers accented with black satin.  We added gold chargers, lots of golden mercury glass candlelight and beautiful pale pink posies for a romantic and elegant look.

We were able to incorporate a lot of personalization into the wedding; especially with Fred’s Kenyan (Africa) background.   I so admired Fred and his family.  Leaving Kenya and coming to the USA to live and to work had a lot of challenges; not one challenge that Fred nor his family would not  overcome.  What a story, what a family! <3

We wanted everyone to have a good time.  We added spices and flavors to the food, made sure the music was familiar to the guests and fantastic, plus provided a great venue for all those travelling out-of-state and out of county.  Our guests loved every minute.  The DJ played many unfamiliar tunes to us, but really familiar to our guests.  It was fun to hear and feel  the beat of the drums as the DJ called out the music that everyone loved to dance to and enjoy- a great prescription.  The late night dessert bar was pink and perfect as well.  Tiny bites of pastries and cups of fluff lured guests to enjoy one more moment of this grand and unforgettable day.

We are so happy for Yelena and Fred.  They made us so very proud of them and we hope we made them so very happy!

Coordination and Design:  Kim King Smith Events

Venue:  Marriott North http://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-rooms/indno-indianapolis-marriott-north/

Photography:  Bowersock Photography http://bowersockphoto.com/

Stationery:  Kim King Smith Events/Carlson Craft

Did you ever wish you were brave enough to go pursue your dream? Maybe a dream that wouldn’t be easy and others claimed was not attainable? Did you ever have a best friend that shared the same dream and wanted more for you than they did for themselves?

This is Jordan+Clark. Two dreamers that had fallen in love, long before they knew it, went throughout high school together, off to college- forget college, and off to NYC! Jordan+ Clark are dreamers and what is great is that they live their dreams and share them with those that they love. Jordan + Clark are brave creative and willing to sacrifice for a dream, a dream to work and succeed. They did and they have.

Jordan+ Clark met during the summer of their 8^th grade year.  Jordan’s cousin introduced them, they became friends and Jordan+Clark developed a BIG crush.  A crush that was bigger than church camp, and middle school days. Their crush led to them to dating throughout high school.  Little did Jordan know the second boy she ever kissed would be her husband.

After high school they went on to Purdue University, Lafayette, IN.  Jordan was a communications major and Clark is a construction management major, completing his degree. Jordan+Clark had BIG dreams to live in the Big Apple. They wanted to give it a whirl in NYC and they did.  It wasn’t easy in NYC. Remember, dreams never are. Prices were high, living conditions were small and the two had to struggle. They knew what they wanted, survived and succeeded.

The hills of Indiana kept calling them home and soon they were back at Purdue to complete their degrees and prepare for the biggest day of their lives; their wedding.

Their wedding couldn’t be the norm. That wasn’t them. It had to be beautiful, romantic and memorable like this couple. We chose Laurel Hall for its history, beauty and magic. What a romantic setting what a great story. Jordan wanted all the femininity of lace and flowers plus candles. She loved sheer pinks and pearls. We loved her decision and made sure everything was just as she wanted. An elegant vintage wedding with all of the timeless, classic details. Jordan’s dress was breathtaking and she looked gorgeous in it.  It was designed by Pronovias.  Clark’s tuxedo with black bow tie made for an elegant affair. Guests loved the rich woods, stained and leaded glass, plus private gardens of the estate. We loved the intimacy, character and romance of the day.

Funny, how things all happen at once.  Jordan could have graduated the day of her wedding and walked for her diploma.  She walked for an MRS instead and got the BA in the mail. What a joyous occasion.  Two people who had been in love forever were now walking down the aisle to happily ever after.

The grand opening of The Lodge took place early in August on a very busy weekend for Gosport, the Gosport Lazy Days.  Hundreds of former residents crowd into town to visit and renew friendships.  It is a huge reunion and the perfect time to celebrate!

Gosport is my hometown, so needless to say, I was more than happy to prepare The Lodge for its grand opening.  The Lodge is a renovated historic Masonic building that has now been converted into a community center and event venue by owners, Alyssa and Tom Rice.  We helped Alyssa and Tom with table decor setup, linens, and lighting.  Next, we created posters to promote the opening and its very first event, a live band and dance featuring Harold’s Nightmare.

It was a sell out night and we couldn’t be happier.  Dancing, celebration and the beginning of many more events at The Lodge.