What should Mom Wear?

Recently one of my brides asked about the protocol of selecting dresses for the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom. There is an old adage that says the groom's mother should wear biege and keep her mouth shut. It isn't really that harsh but there are traditional guidelines to follow. First of all the bride is to be consulted. If she has color preferences they should be considered. The bride's mother is always the first to select her gown for the wedding. She sets the tone and the grooms mother should not upstage her. If the brides mother selects a short dress, it is not proper for the groom's mother to wear long. Usually the two mothers wear different shades in the same color family. Again, the brides mother has first choice in color and the grooms mother should wear something that will coordinate. Always keep in mind the pictures that will be taken and cherished in family albums. No gown should be the first place the eye is drawn to in a picture.
Kathy Gilmore
Director of weddings

Reggie and Shauntara Love Story Part 3

Our first meeting came when during one phone conversation I told him that I was coming down there again and I wanted to meet him. I had never dated anyone before and I had never even kissed anyone before so I asked him to be my first kiss. He immediately agreed and but had also never kissed anyone before so he was just as nervous. I asked him if he wanted to go to my cousin’s housewarming party first then we would head over to the movies after. He agreed. So that very nerve racking day came. I couldn’t calm down and relax. I was full of nervous energy. Reggie had gotten all dressed up and his whole outfit was brand new. He had just got a fresh hair cut and put on expensive cologne and felt good about meeting me but still very nervous. Reggie later expressed in the car how nervous he was also and that he had listened to some Jimi Hendrix to loosen up and put him in the right mind set. I thought that was cute as well. The 15 minute drive from Mamou to Ville Platte didn’t take very long. So finally there was a knock at the door and I felt like I was about to faint as I opened the door. I am so glad that I opened it because standing outside was the most gorgeous man I had ever seen. The first thing I had noticed was his gorgeous smile, then his eyes, and how muscular he was. His lips were the perfect shade of pink and his skin was so clear He was beautiful. when he had finally arrived at my aunts house he was nervous and his heart was beating out of his chest. When he had walked up to the door and I had opened it his first reaction was at how beautiful I was. He told me I was the most beautiful girl he had have ever seen. He gave me a hug and said hi and walked in the house. He almost fell down when he walked in. It was awkward at first because everyone was staring and smiling at us. We talked a little but he did not start really talking until we were alone in the car on the way to my cousin’s house warming party. That is when we started feeling really comfortable around each other and we were really relaxed. He kept telling me how good I looked and I continued to blush and tell him how sexy he looked.

Here are some photos from Reggie and Shauntara's Engagement portrait.

Reggie & Shauntara: Love Story Part Two

Reggie and I talked for hours on the phone. This was weird for me because I didn’t have any guy friends and I was standoffish towards all guys. However with Reggie it was so different. I felt like I was talking to my other half. We were practically the same person. I knew that this was my soul mate instantly. Reggie on the other hand knew that I was special and liked me a lot but he made it clear that he was waiting on a sign form God.

In the beginning we would call each other from time to time but we e-mailed each other every day. I did not think that Reggie liked me in a romantic way in the beginning. He was so nice and friendly but he was very subtle with his flirting. What made it so funny was that he felt the same way about me. He didn’t think I liked him either which made him shy but we would have those moments where we would tell each other how we felt about each other. The first time Reggie told me he loved me was hilarious but very cute. We were talking on the phone and we had just said our good nights. Just before I was about to hang up he told me very quickly, “I love you!” I had blushed and was glad that he was not there to see me in person. Just as I was about to say, “I love you,” back he had added, “…but I tell all my friends that.” I laughed to myself because I knew he was lying. After we had established that we loved each other he told me through an e-mail that he thought that I was his soul mate. One day Reggie had sent me an e-mail telling me that he thought I was his soul mate. He expressed that he was scared of sending the e-mail because he did not know what I would say. Little did he know I had knew that we were soul mates from the moment we had our first conversation. I eagerly replied back letting him know that I thought we were too. That was the happiest I had ever been over an e-mail because I had wanted to tell him that since our first conversation. We had fallen in love with each other over the phone before we had even met in person. Reggie still had no idea how I looked at all. He still tells me to this day that he did not care what I looked like he had already given his heart to me.

Reggie & Shauntara: Love Story Part One

Reggie and Shauntara: Soul Mates

Reggie and I had been praying and looking for our soul mate from as early as we could both remember. All he ever wanted was the right girl and I wanted the right man. God has definitely brought us together.

During the summer my family had decided to drive down to a small town in Louisiana named Ville Platte to visit my Aunt Belle. Well while we were down there we decided to attend church with her on Sunday morning. I later found out that my Auntie Belle had set up a meeting between Reggie and I long in advance. Little did I know that this would be the beginning of a very blessed and beautiful relationship? Reggie’s mom, Lula was at the church and first spotted me. She immediately got on the phone and called Reggie and told him to get down to the church so that he could meet me. Reggie was late to Sunday school and missed me. Then for some reason he could not see me during the service and we missed each other completely. I was still oblivious as to what was going on. However, later my Auntie Belle ended up giving him my phone number and e-mail address.

Reggie e-mailed me some pictures of himself and asked if it would be okay to call me sometime. As soon as I seen those pictures I got flustered and remember commenting on how sexy he looked. Of course I replied yes and he gave me a call the next day. We hit it off instantly.

Hi, let me introduce myself, I am Kathy Gilmore Director of weddings at Heaven on Earth, for more than 20 years. Several years ago we made a decision that we would no longer do weddings on Sunday. That decision was made so our staff could have Sunday with their families and to go to church. Since that decision was made we have made very few exceptions. It has to be a really good reason.

I submit to you: What better reason than Valentine’s Day, and what better bride and groom than Reggie and Shauntara? This couple was caught up in the magic of Heaven on Earth from their first trip to visit the estate. They are so happy in love and so excited about having their wedding at Heaven on Earth; I thought you might enjoy watching how they put together this dream wedding on the most romantic day of the year.

We will begin with the contract. On Saturday June 13^th they came by our office to sign their contract and put the magic in motion. Their wedding planner is put together just for them with all the vendors they will be working with and a “countdown to the wedding day” to make it even more easy. They are going to love meeting our vendors who are among the best in Houston. After the formalities, Reggie and Shauntara let us take a few pictures to record the event. I know you will want to know how it all works out so we will be keeping up with them as they make their selections of cakes, flowers, and many other things. And now… meet Reggie and Shauntara our Valentine Day couple