Panache Points

After 27 Years...

2012-02-21T18:01:00.003-06:00

I first touched base w/ Curt & Mark (the handsome & rather debonaire grooms) last summer, mid-June, after them contacting me to plan their dream wedding & reception.
In these nine months since, we've finally put together a very thought-out plan & built a solid foundation for the event that will leave their friends & families, along w/ Burlington, Iowa (the Grooms' hometown) breathless & in awe of these two gentlemen for a VERY long time.
The guys met in college, finished their education, renovated a 1870's farmhouse, always keeping the relationship THE priority, and finally after what seemingly has already been a life-time together, went to Peru, hiking Machu Picchu, where Mark proposed to Curt.
In the weeks & months that are about to follow, I so look forward to getting to know these two better, as I consider them pioneers & have the utmost respect for their relationship; the kind I hope to find for myself someday......

Look foward to the updates & posts as we share their journey!!!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

2012-02-14T08:21:00.001-06:00

WEDDINGS 101

2012-02-11T12:40:00.002-06:00

Spending a weekend literally planning 2 engagements (both on Valentine's Day) AND 3 weddings for this Spring & Summer!
I also just found this helpful info from Martha Stewart Weddings on-line.

Alot of my younger friends are D.I.Y. Brides & Grooms, and this is an excellent starting point.
Just remember kids, a realistic & well-defined wedding budget is the foundation of a great & successful marriage!!!
Best wishes & XXXOOO,
me

Martha Stewart Weddings -- Darcy's Weddings Idea of the Day

SUPERBOWL XLVI Engagement Menu

2012-02-04T04:41:00.003-06:00

Ahi Tuna "Poke" Platter (Ahi,w/ ginger, sesame oil and garlic chili paste, on wasabi-rice cracker)
Charcuterie Plates
Mini Beef Tenderloin Cheese Burgers
Mini "Peeky Toe Crab" Cakes w/ Remoulade
Charlie Trotter's Chicken Wings
Pulled Pork Quesadillas
Purple Potato Salad w/ Sage Aioli
Napa Cabbage Slaw
Cavitappi Pesto Pasta w/ Pecorino and Sun-dried Tomato
Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
Triple Chocolate Brownies
Mango Meringues
Pecan Bourbon Bars
and a
2008 Besserat de Bellefon brut rose
Oh, and a VERY special appearance by MADONNA... @ Halftime!!!

And the "AWARDS" go to...

2012-01-24T20:51:00.005-06:00

"And the AWARDS go to..."

In the non-stop "Awards Shows" month of February, as I begin what might be my final season as "Iowa's Gay-Wedding Planner", I want to give an extremely loud "Shout-Out" to the "Best of the Best", as far as my OWN (and it's been said I'm high-maintenance... really???) personal over-all experience, the flawless attention to detail and the customer service I experienced for my destination couples, from the Gay-Weddings service-providers that our great state of Iowa has to offer:

Best Venue for an All-inclusive/Full-sevice Wedding: HOTEL BLACKHAWK, Davenport, Iowa
Best Officiant: Reverend Kathy Love, The Wedding Chapel, DSM, Iowa
Best Outdoor Ceremony Venue: Des Moines Art Center Rose Garden
Best Outdoor Reception Venue: Two Saints Winery, St. Charles, Iowa
Best Indoor Ceremony Venue: the Atrium Presidential Suites at the Suites of 800 Locust, DSM, Iowa
Best Indoor Reception Venue: Hotel Julien, Dubuque, Iowa
Best Special Event Decor: Stuart Alexander @ One Source Event Production
Best Photographer: Amy Allen Photography, DSM, Iowa
Best Caterer: Taste-to-Go, DSM, Iowa
Best Wedding Cake: Andrew Kopfman @ Tip Top Cakes, Coralville, Iowa
Best Floral provider: J.W. Perry Wholesale, DSM, Iowa
Best Table Linens: Beyond Elegance, DSM, Iowa
Best Wedding attire (women): Sarah "Dornick", DSM, Iowa
Best Wedding attire (men): Badowers on Ingersoll, Des Moines, Iowa
Best Wedding "Rentals": Scott @ Des Moines Rentals, DSM, Iowa
Best Transportation: Majestic Limousine, DSM, Iowa

On a different personal note, these next few months will be spent traveling back & forth from Chicago, as I do special events on a much different level, working w/in & for the 501C communities, along w/ figuring out where to take my past three years experiences next.
I also am SO VERY excited to see the new LGBT CENTER in Des Moines take on a new Board of Directors, and with the new EXPERIENCED leadership, finally become one of the best LGBT Centers in our nation!!!
And in this fight for our very lives as FIRST-CLASS CITIZENS, I beg you to pay close attention to this years' elections... and lift your voices in protest.
PLEASE.
Before it's too late...
Just sayin'...

Neil Patrick Harris And David Burtka's Engagement Story

2012-01-20T11:13:00.002-06:00

Neil Patrick Harris And David Burtka's Engagement Story

Epiphany Dinners... one night only!!!

2012-01-04T19:46:00.010-06:00

Makes about 4 dozen
1/2 cup carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame, thawed
1 large egg white
1 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 scallion, white part only, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce, (optional)
48 dumpling wrappers, cut into 2 3/4-inch rounds
Cornstarch, for baking sheet
2 to 3 napa cabbage leaves or parchment rounds
Ginger Dipping Sauce
Directions
1.Place carrot, edamame, egg white, ginger, sesame oil, scallion, salt, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lemon juice, and Sriracha sauce, if using, in the bowl of a food processor; process until smooth.
2.Place 1 dumpling wrapper on work surface and top with 1 teaspoon filling. Brush edges with water and press to seal, forming a half moon shape. Keep wrappers covered with a damp towel to avoid drying out. Repeat process until all wrappers have been filled. Place dumplings on a baking sheet dusted with cornstarch until ready to steam.
3.Fill a large saucepan or wok with 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Place cabbage leaves or parchment round in bottom of bamboo steamer. Place dumplings in steamer, working in batches if necessary, cover and steam until wrappers have softened and filling is cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Btw, and OMG... I just ate almost two dozen of the "practice" batch for tomorrow's dinner party...

12 Nights of Christmas Dinners - Martha Stewart Holidays

Levi Kreis: From Self-Loathing to Self-Love: How I Cast Out the Real Demon Inside Me

2012-01-03T20:30:00.001-06:00

Levi Kreis: From Self-Loathing to Self-Love: How I Cast Out the Real Demon Inside Me

WHEN SAME-SEX MARRIAGE WAS A CHRISTIAN RITE

2012-01-02T09:48:00.004-06:00

WHEN SAME-SEX MARRIAGE WAS A CHRISTIAN RITE
WHEN SAME-SEX MARRIAGE WAS A CHRISTIAN RITE

By ThosPayne

A Kiev art museum contains a curious icon from St. Catherine's Monastery on Mt. Sinai in Israel. It shows two robed Christian saints. Between them is a traditional Roman ‘pronubus’ (a best man), overseeing a wedding. The pronubus is Christ. The married couple are both men.

Is the icon suggesting that a gay "wedding" is being sanctified by Christ himself? The idea seems shocking. But the full answer comes from other early Christian sources about the two men featured in the icon, St. Sergius and St. Bacchus,2 two Roman soldiers who were Christian martyrs. These two officers in the Roman army incurred the anger of Emperor Maximian when they were exposed as ‘secret Christians’ by refusing to enter a pagan temple. Both were sent to Syria circa 303 CE where Bacchus is thought to have died while being flogged. Sergius survived torture but was later beheaded. Legend says that Bacchus appeared to the dying Sergius as an angel, telling him to be brave because they would soon be reunited in heaven.

While the pairing of saints, particularly in the early Christian church, was not unusual, the association of these two men was regarded as particularly intimate. Severus, the Patriarch of Antioch (512 - 518 CE) explained that, "we should not separate in speech they [Sergius and Bacchus] who were joined in life". This is not a case of simple "adelphopoiia." In the definitive 10th century account of their lives, St. Sergius is openly celebrated as the "sweet companion and lover" of St. Bacchus. Sergius and Bacchus's close relationship has led many modern scholars to believe they were lovers. But the most compelling evidence for this view is that the oldest text of their martyrology, written in New Testament Greek describes them as "erastai,” or "lovers". In other words, they were a male homosexual couple. Their orientation and relationship was not only acknowledged, but it was fully accepted and celebrated by the early Christian church, which was far more tolerant than it is today.

Contrary to myth, Christianity's concept of marriage has not been set in stone since the days of Christ, but has constantly evolved as a concept and ritual.

Prof. John Boswell3, the late Chairman of Yale University’s history department, discovered that in addition to heterosexual marriage ceremonies in ancient Christian church liturgical documents, there were also ceremonies called the "Office of Same-Sex Union" (10th and 11th century), and the "Order for Uniting Two Men" (11th and 12th century).

These church rites had all the symbols of a heterosexual marriage: the whole community gathered in a church, a blessing of the couple before the altar was conducted with their right hands joined, holy vows were exchanged, a priest officiatied in the taking of the Eucharist and a wedding feast for the guests was celebrated afterwards. These elements all appear in contemporary illustrations of the holy union of the Byzantine Warrior-Emperor, Basil the First (867-886 CE) and his companion John.

Such same gender Christian sanctified unions also took place in Ireland in the late 12th and early 13th centuries, as the chronicler Gerald of Wales (‘Geraldus Cambrensis’) recorded.

Same-sex unions in pre-modern Europe list in great detail some same gender ceremonies found in ancient church liturgical documents. One Greek 13th century rite, "Order for Solemn Same-Sex Union", invoked St. Serge and St. Bacchus, and called on God to "vouchsafe unto these, Thy servants [N and N], the grace to love one another and to abide without hate and not be the cause of scandal all the days of their lives, with the help of the Holy Mother of God, and all Thy saints". The ceremony concludes: "And they shall kiss the Holy Gospel and each other, and it shall be concluded".

Another 14th century Serbian Slavonic "Office of the Same Sex Union", uniting two men or two women, had the couple lay their right hands on the Gospel while having a crucifix placed in their left hands. After kissing the Gospel, the couple were then required to kiss each other, after which the priest, having raised up the Eucharist, would give them both communion.

Records of Christian same sex unions have been discovered in such diverse archives as those in the Vatican, in St. Petersburg, in Paris, in Istanbul and in the Sinai, covering a thousand-years from the 8th to the 18th century.

The Dominican missionary and Prior, Jacques Goar (1601-1653), includes such ceremonies in a printed collection of Greek Orthodox prayer books, “Euchologion Sive Rituale Graecorum Complectens Ritus Et Ordines Divinae Liturgiae” (Paris, 1667).

While homosexuality was technically illegal from late Roman times, homophobic writings didn’t appear in Western Europe until the late 14th century. Even then, church-consecrated same sex unions continued to take place.

At St. John Lateran in Rome (traditionally the Pope's parish church) in 1578, as many as thirteen same-gender couples were joined during a high Mass and with the cooperation of the Vatican clergy, "taking communion together, using the same nuptial Scripture, after which they slept and ate together" according to a contemporary report. Another woman to woman union is recorded in Dalmatia in the 18th century.

Prof. Boswell's academic study is so well researched and documented that it poses fundamental questions for both modern church leaders and heterosexual Christians about their own modern attitudes towards homosexuality.

For the Church to ignore the evidence in its own archives would be cowardly and deceptive. The evidence convincingly shows that what the modern church claims has always been its unchanging attitude towards homosexuality is, in fact, nothing of the sort.

It proves that for the last two millennia, in parish churches and cathedrals throughout Christendom, from Ireland to Istanbul and even in the heart of Rome itself, homosexual relationships were accepted as valid expressions of a [Christian] god-given love and commitment to another person, a love that could be celebrated, honored and blessed, through the Eucharist in the name of, and in the presence of, Jesus Christ.

"... in the evening the youth came to him [Jesus], wearing a linen cloth over his naked body. And he remained with him that night, for Jesus taught him the mystery of the Kingdom of God. And thence, arising, he returned to the other side of the Jordan." —The Secret Gospel of Mark, The Other Bible, Willis Barnstone, Editor, Harper & Row, San Francisco, 1984, pp. 339-342.

One last Christmas Present

2011-12-28T01:58:00.008-06:00

During a last minute meeting/consult this morning, I realized I haven't posted this whole month...
It's been a whirlwind, to say the least, from Iowa, to Chicago, to Pennsylvania & my family (who ROCK, btw...), to D.C. & now today in lower Manhattan, well, I'm exhausted, if nothing else...LOL!!!
But SO excited at this point in MY BIG GAY LIFE, and so PROFOUNDLY GRATEFUL.
Things are still alittle "uncertain" in "certain" areas, but, I'm feeling humbled & so incredibly thankful for my faith & the universe providing me EXACTLY what I need, whether I want it or not...
This now three year journey has taught me so much, and I really have grown into an extremely proud Activist and educator, and honestly, I NEVER saw that coming, but now feel it's an "ordination" I must continue with, no matter what it, or where it, takes me.
I'll be back home soon, for a brief stay & then off again to see what's next, but no matter what, I'm so incredibly humbled by and THANKFUL for my life.
Along w/ those friends who came before me as role-models & and those who believed in me (especially when I didn't believe in myself) & whether they had high expectaions of me, or not, made me have those expectations for myself, and TRULY made me who I am today.

Wrapping up another Season...

2011-11-30T13:38:00.003-06:00

.....Buddhist-style!!!
I'll be taking a short hiatus after the Thanksgiving holiday, to head East for Christmas puddings & cookie dough preparations. (LOL... meaning Christmas in the Poconos w/ my parents & New Jersey family!)
Then, as I begin my final wedding season of 2012, the goal is to prepare to study & learn a new language, for a possible trip abroad & finally becoming an "International" Gay Wedding and event planner.
I still have no clear picture of what direction the TV show will take, but as we've continued to film this fall, well, it has been a fabulous roller-coaster ride and I have no regrets about any of it! Hopefully by Spring I'll have a clearer picture of what lies ahead & can fill you in on what's next!!!

Merry EXCESS...

2011-11-29T19:06:00.004-06:00

In the frenzy of holiday preparations, I'm finding myself wondering about where did the "TRUE" meaning of Christmas, (along w/ holiday decorations) go... and how come there is so much "junk" out there.
I know I have no room to talk about going over the top, especially w/ professionally decorating 27 trees already this season, (w/ three dozen or so more to go in Chicago-Land these next two weeks)... BUT I attempt to do it tastefully, I think (and HOPE!). And at least for the past few years, I've tried to do it simply elegantly, botanically & organically, as well.

Some of the pictures & displays below define this concept; except for the last one, which made me think alittle bit different earlier today... Yes, it's startling, and I apologize, in advance... but it really brings up the "TRUE" spirit & meaning of Christmas:

A very THANKFUL couple...

2011-11-25T10:11:00.001-06:00

Deborah Scott & Joan Sophie exchanged vows in one of the MOST beautiful ceremonies I've ever been a part of. The couple are professionals from the Chicago area & spent 2 years planning for their Buddhist ceremony in Des Moines. and made several trips to plan their dream wedding.
In their hand-written "thank you" letter I recieved last month, they expressed their true joy & gratitude to our great state of Iowa, and said the cereomy was so personal & unique that they were forever grateful for the week-long experience & true sense of "community" that they felt.
The ceremony was officiated by Reverend Eido Bruce Espe at the Des Art Center's Rose Garden.
Rev. Eido Bruce Espe is the resident priest at the Des Moines Zen Center. He is also Ino at Ryumonji Zen Monastery in Dorchester, Iowa.
The Reverend was born and raised in a small town in central Iowa. He discovered Zen after serving in the Army and a tour of duty in Vietnam. Married with two grown children and two grandchildren, he resides in Des Moines with his wife Judy, a pediatric intensive care physician. Retired from a career as a hospice nurse, he now devotes his time to his practice as a priest. And he's one of the coolest men I've ever met... just sayin'...
Eido is a Soto Zen priest in the lineage of Dainin Kagagiri Roshi. In 1997, Eido received ordination. In 2010, he received Dharma transmission from his teacher Shoken Winecoff and completed zuise at Eiheiji Monastery and Sojiji Monastery in Japan.
The Schedule at the ZEN Center in Des Moines is as follows:
On the second Sunday morning of each month, meditation will begin at 8:00 AM followed by a ten minute service. From 8:50 AM to 10:00 AM, there will be a dharma talk delivered by Eido Espe or a guest speaker.
On all other Sunday mornings there are two sittings at 7:10 AM and 8:00 AM. Each period is 40 minutes long with ten minutes of walking meditation in between. Additionally, there is a ten minute service after the second sitting. It is perfectly all right to miss the first sitting period and join us only for the second.
On the first Wednesday evening of each month, we sit from 6:00 PM to 6:30 PM, have a vegetarian potluck until 7:00 PM, then hold a discussion or training period until 8:00 PM.
On all other Wednesday evenings, we sit from 6:00 PM to 6:40 PM.
Des Moines
Zen Center
4116 Oak Forest Drive
Des Moines, Iowa. 50312
Get Directions/Map
Eido Espe
Head Priest
(515) 279-2270
eido_espe@msn.com
Vicki Goldsmith
Education Liaison
(515) 255-5282
iowatoy2005@yahoo.com

Festival of Trees

2011-11-15T13:24:00.003-06:00

MY GODSON, JOEY, and below, this years' Holiday collection... LOL!!!

Festival of Trees

Sweet Equality 2011 | One Iowa: Protecting Marriage Equality and Gay Rights

2011-11-11T12:20:00.000-06:00

Sweet Equality 2011 | One Iowa: Protecting Marriage Equality and Gay Rights

WEDDINGS @ Hotel Julien, Dubuque, Iowa

2011-11-09T12:15:00.001-06:00

"To Die For" customer service...
OMG... and the ammenities...just BREATH-TAKING... seriously!!!
(and the "Field of Dreams" is just a few miles away!)

WEDDINGS « Hotel Julien Dubuque

Basu: So much is at stake in elections on Tuesday | The Des Moines Register | DesMoinesRegister.com

2011-11-07T11:34:00.001-06:00

Basu: So much is at stake in elections on Tuesday | The Des Moines Register | DesMoinesRegister.com

Election Day may not carry the same level of campaigning or suspense as next year’s will. But in various states, including our own, key rights as fundamental as marriage and the ability to choose whether to have a baby hang on the outcomes. And since those could help chart a path for where the country is headed, many of us could be indirectly affected.

A special state Senate election in eastern Iowa will determine if Democrats hang on to the majority. That slim margin has so far enabled Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal to fend off attempts to amend the constitution to ban same-sex marriages, keep state-funded preschool for 4-year-olds, and hold out against weakened collective bargaining rights of public employees.

The election became necessary after Gov. Terry Branstad, in a shrewd political move for his Republican Party, plucked the sitting Democratic senator for District 18, Swati Dandekar, to be on the Iowa Utilities Board. If Republican Cindy Golding beats Democrat Liz Mathis for the vacated seat, those issues and more could reappear.

A Golding victory would create a tie in the Senate, with the House still in conservatives’ hands. That would allow Branstad to pursue his pro-business, government-cutting agenda, and threaten future regulations on businesses, adequate funding for education, and workers’ rights.

The future of same-sex marriage, which has drawn national attention to this race, could be the most affected. Opponents are hoping to get a constitutional amendment against it on a future ballot, but it would first have to clear the Legislature. Golding’s campaign is supported by opponent groups, including the National Organization for Marriage. Anti-gay crusader Bob Vander Plaats, who last year engineered the campaign to remove three Iowa Supreme Court justices over their same-sex marriage ruling, gleefully calls the election “a great opportunity to break the handcuffs.” Branstad has long favored subjecting the right to marry to a statewide vote.

If they prevail, what a sad day for Iowa. We have not seen one negative consequence from same-sex marriage, but we’ve received plenty of positive economic activity, and nationwide kudos for our progressivism.

A TRANSGENDERED WEDDING!!!

2011-10-25T11:54:00.007-05:00

As I wrap-up my third wedding "season"... I feel the need to talk about & share my thoughts about the "T" in LGBT... especially when it comes to weddings and all the "issues" now.
These issues are at the root of all transgender advocacy. Many of them reflect the current state of the legal system in America. In working to overturn this legislation, groups like NTAC are committed to not only bettering the lives of gender variant people through less discrimination—they are also focused on changing the status quo of tolerance and acceptance in society as a whole.

Relationship Recognition:
Many people don’t understand what the big deal is with relationship and marriage recognition. Isn’t marriage just a piece of paper anyway? Not so. In America, married couples enjoy many rights and benefits that same-sex couples do not have access to, under the current law. Here are some of the benefits that same-sex couples miss out on: (taskforce.org)
Right to inheritance of a spouse’s property
Joint adoption
Property tax and income tax deductions
Disability payments
Next-of-kin status for emergency medical situations
Shared property, child support, and alimony (after divorce)
Social security payment and veteran’s pensions, for widowed spouses

And that is only a partial list. You can see that, besides less than equal recognition in the eyes of society, limited relationship recognition by the state also robs gay transgender people of many legal benefits.
Unbelievably, many states don’t have laws banning sexual discrimination in everyday life. Just as African-Americans were once discriminated against based on race, many transgender people find it hard to go about their daily lives, due to lack of legal protection. This discrimination doesn’t only manifest in small ways, like worse service at a local restaurant or a tougher time getting hired. Surveys have showed that it massively impacts the quality of life for gender variant people. (taskforce.org)
More than a quarter of transgender people report losing a job because of their gender identity
Harassment and mistreatment on the job because of being transgender is a near-universal occurrence—97% of transgender people report experiencing it
Transgender people are twice as likely to be living below the poverty line
Nearly 1/5 have lost their housing due to being transgender
19% report being denied medical care because of their gender identity
Harassment in medical settings has occurred to 28% of transgender people.
LAST, BUT NOT LEAST....
A Transgender person is MURDERED or killed in the U.S. every three (3) days.

As you can see, sexual discrimination shows up in all sorts of institutions, from healthcare to employment. For many transgender people, simply going about normal daily life can become stressful and needlessly difficult, because of the discrimination they face.
And, in most states, gender variant people have no recourse through the law for dealing with this discrimination. Only thirteen states have banned discrimination based on gender orientation. Most of this legislation has happened in the past ten years, which is hopeful. But, there is still a very long way to go.
We have made huge progress here in Iowa. The Trans couples I have worked w/ & for want the same thing as all couples... The Happily-Ever-After.
My most recent Transgendered couples nuptials were unique & extremely heartfelt; here's a peaek into the ceremony:
The Bride carried a simply elegant white daisy & eucalyptus bouquet.
The officiant read the non-gendered, very consent-orientated ceremony out of a copy of Darwin's Origin of Species. She also did the entire speech from The Princess Bride. The vows included a traditional Celtic prayer which honored their Latino- Irish heritage:

"You cannot possess me for I belong to myself.
But while we both wish it, I give you that which is mine to give.
You cannot command me, for I am a free person.
But I shall serve you in those ways you require,
And the honeycomb will taste sweeter coming from my hand.
…I pledge to you that yours will be the name I cry aloud in the night,
And the eyes into which I smile in the morning.
I pledge to you the first bite of my meat and the first drink from my cup.
I pledge to you my living and my dying, each equally in your care.
I shall be a shield for your back and you for mine.
I shall not slander you, nor you me.
I shall honor you above all others, and when we quarrel we shall do so in
Private and tell no strangers our grievances.
This is my wedding vow to you
This is the marriage of equals."

The couple & their guests dined on Rubbed Pork Loins with a table scaped of white "Lumina" pumpkins and chrysanthemum.

Caldrea fall fragrance launch party

2011-10-05T18:54:00.004-05:00

RUN... do not walk... to Eden, in DSM's East Village, this Friday afternoon, for this one-of-a-kind home fragrance collection... OMG, seriously...
AND.....all three fragrances are available in hand soap, hand lotion, dish soap, counter top cleanser, and a candle.

PINEAPPLE CARDAMOM
is made with essential oils of orange and cardamom. A time-honored symbol of hospitality, the pineapple is adored for its grand beauty and fresh, ripe sweetness. This welcome holiday fragrance features warm, spicy notes of cardamom, anise and black pepper. A twist of citrus brightens the blend. Dark tonka bean adds a touch of modern vanilla for richness.

The clean, cool BALSAM FIR PLUM holiday fragrance brings the exhilarating crispness of freshly cut evergreen boughs indoors. Forest notes of cypress, fir and cedar celebrate the generous nature of the season. Sugared plum and delicate violet form the heart of the fragrance. Subtle amber notes give warmth and balance.

AND... my personal FAVORITE...
A holiday pomander of ripe fruits and treasured spices inspired the sparkling CRIMSON PEAR GINGER fragrance. Juicy pear notes mingle with sweet florals and delicious measures of ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Sensuous sandalwood, precious amber and soft musk linger to ensure this festive fragrance makes a lasting impression.

ACCESSline, Iowa's LGBT+ Newspaper, October 2011 Issue, Volume 25 No 10

2011-09-27T19:15:00.003-05:00

PLEASE check out page 18...
Remembering Jeff Jacox and 150 thirty-six inch paper luminaria lanterns floating up to the sky.....

ACCESSline, Iowa's LGBT+ Newspaper, October 2011 Issue, Volume 25 No 10

A "PROFOUND" BUDDHIST WEDDING

2011-09-27T11:00:00.007-05:00

The "TANGLED" Wedding at Jasper Winery

2011-09-24T22:25:00.005-05:00

"BEAN FIELD TO BALLROOM" nuptials in Burlington

2011-09-14T08:19:00.004-05:00

My stay in Burlington has been unexpectedly fabulous. The Mississippi River is awe-inspiring w/ views to die for... OMG... "majestic" seems like a good word...
ANYWAY, if you don't know by now, "beanfields", blowing in the wind, are my favorite "place-on-earth", EVER, & LOL, now a most fabulous "GREEN" wedding will take place in one next autumn....
Speaking of fabulous weddings, Jake & David, my trophy Iowa Grooms, marry this weekend @ Jasper Winery. And will be THE wedding of 2011... OMG, I'm SO excited for the guys. They, of any couple I've worked with this season, truly deserve the "Happily-Ever-After"... just sayin'...

An afternoon Wedding in Sioux City...

2011-09-02T00:15:00.002-05:00

The BUSIEST season yet...

2011-09-01T05:23:00.003-05:00