Celebrations in My Life

Announcement

2009-12-06T18:43:00.000-08:00

It is with great sadness that we announce the closing of Celebrations Bridal & Gifts. We would like to first tell our community and customers how much we have appreciated your business. We have seen many beautiful brides, many last minute gift shoppers, and many of you looking for the perfect gift for special someone. Thank you for you patronage.
As of December 31st, we will close the doors of our store on 1363 Railroad Avenue. From December 7th-December 31st, everything in our store will be 40% off (excluding our Heartstrings line and any special orders). Come early and shop for the best selection! This includes our bridal gowns, bridesmaid dresses and special occasion dresses!
If you have questions about outstanding orders, fixtures for sale, etc. please e-mail celebrationsbridal@gmail.com or call 850.638.3541. Mom and I will continue to plan and coordinate weddings. If you are interested in these services, please send an e-mail to the above address.
On a personal note, this blog was set up to inform our biggest fans about the latest developments of our business. I am humbled by your support and encouragement over the last year and a half. I am going to continue to keep the blog updated with the celebrations of our NEW Chapter, whatever those may be. Thank you for celebrating the beginning and the end with me...here's to a new chapter...

New Styles for 2010

2009-10-10T08:56:00.000-07:00

*Add a splash of color or a hint of sparkle to any Alfred Angelo bridemaid dress! Available in 55 colors.

http://www.alfredangelo.com/shared/images/content/landingPages/Jun09_SashIt_Sash_LandingPg.jpg
*One strap off the shoulder gives a classy look for your bridesmaids. This style works well for most body types. The dress pictured is from the Jasmine B2 line.

*Print--Print--Print! It's true, prints have now officially crossed into the bridesmaid dresses. Are you planning a Spring wedding? You will want to check out this hot new style. (Dresses pictured are Alfred Angelo 2010 styles.)

Come on in and get your girls to start trying these hot styles on. We are open Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-5:30p. Call 850.638.3541 if you have any questions.

Let the shopping begin...

2009-10-08T15:31:00.001-07:00

As of today, we only have 76 shopping days left! What? You haven't even started? We are making it easy for you. Below are some pictures and pricing for some of our gifts. We have new inventory arriving each week. So, if you don't see what you want here, just let me know and hopefully we can get it in before Christmas.

This is a necklace and pendant together. You may have up to three letters engraved on this necklace for free. $60

For the world traveler, this luggage will not be hard to miss in the airport! Large Suitecase: $65, Medium Suitecase: $45, Duffle Bag: $26, Make Up bag: $22

This jade pendant is $52.65. You can have one letter engraved on this piece.

Brown and Blue Make Up case, includes two pieces. $50

$45

$44

Crystal pendant. One letter engraved for free. $38

$36

$30

Crystal pendant. One letter engraved included. $30

Oyster shell round pendant. One letter engraved included. $30

Silver necklance earrings and pendant. Sold separately. Necklace: $30 Earrings: $25

Engraving $4 extra.

Cream shell square necklace and earrings. One letter engraving included. Sold separately. Necklace: $30 Earrings: $21

Cream shell round necklace and earrings. One letter engraving included. Sold Separately.(Necklace not pictured.) Necklace: $30 Earrings: $21

We also have silver chains to wear the beautiful pendants above on.

18in- $20
20in- $21
24in- $23

Add 7% to total for Florida Sales Tax and $5 for shipping. If you are interested in placing an order, just e-mail us at celebrationsbridal@gmail.com. Be sure to include what items you would like, what letters you would like engraved and when you need the gifts.

Happy Shopping!

Bridal Show at the Panama City Mall

2009-09-08T06:54:00.001-07:00

Join us this Sunday at the Panama City Mall for a Bridal Show. From 1p-3p you will have the opportunity to visit with the best of the best in the wedding industry as well as register for great giveaways. We will have several new styles and colors in our showcase.
We hope to see you there!

Never Too Late....

2009-09-05T15:55:00.001-07:00

It's Morgan's sister, LeAnn and I'm taking over this blog posting. I decided it's high time that her readers (and potential customers) see pictures from her gorgeous wedding. No one ever doubted that Morgan would make a beautiful bride or that she would plan the perfect wedding. Here are some of the highlights from the day.

Of course, her dress came from her store, Celebrations Bridal & Gifts and so did mine. Beautiful sisters, wouldn't you agree?

This picture was taken during the last dance when everyone was watching Jared & Morgan. What a fabulous couple!

And I love their expression....

there's no telling what they were saying to each other

Are you trying to plan your wedding? Looking for the perfect dress and wedding party outfits? Look no further! Check out Celebrations Bridal & Gifts!

Our New Designer

2009-06-10T10:39:00.000-07:00

Celebrations Bridal & Gifts is proud to introduce Jasmine Bridal Gowns to our store beginning very soon. Take a look a the beautiful gowns Jasmine has to offer...

http://www.jasminebridal.com/

Let us know if you would like to schedule a private appointment to try on dresses. 850.638.3541

Fun Reception Ideas

2009-06-10T10:05:00.000-07:00

As you plan your reception, you are probably wondering what you could do to make your reception the event to remember. Here are some ideas...

1) Rent a Photobooth.
You can rent a photobooth to take photos of your guests while they are at the reception. Here is an example of a company that rents booths. You can google "photo booth rentals" and find several companies that offer this service. The photos that the guests receive can also act as their party favor!
http://www.photomagicofflorida.com/index.html
2) Hire a Dance Instructor.
This works two ways. You can hire an instructor for your reception to teach your guests easy dances to use for the rest of the evening. You can also hire them for the rehearsal dinner to teach the wedding party a variety of dances. The wedding party can then teach the guests the dances at the reception.
3) Have a Theme.
You can do a lot if you have a theme. A couple examples would be Luau, Fiesta, Hoedown, Beach, Black and White, etc. (http://www.brides.com/planning/receptions/gallery?f=664%3a2023)
4) Candy Table.
Have all of your favorite candy displayed on a table for your guests to take home. Here are some tips: http://www.projectwedding.com/wiki/show/candy-buffet-table-101
Also, here is a Web site to order the candy from: http://www.candywarehouse.com/
5) Think about family traditions.
What family traditions do you like the most? There is no reason that you can't use some of your family traditions in your reception. Is there a flower that your family always had on your dinner table? Was there a prayer recited at each meal? A favorite food? You get the idea!
6) World Travelers
Have you and your sweetie traveled a lot? Pull together a collection of postcards and items you have picked up on your travels and use those to tell your story.
7) Local Flair
Do you have a lot of out of town guests? Provide a party favor that is popular in the local area. Also, don't forget to prepare your out of town guests with directions to local attractions and favorite dining joints.

You get the point. Think outside the BOX! You can still be traditional and have unique, memorable elements to your reception. Send more ideas or pictures of things you have seen in the past.

First Dance

2009-05-05T20:20:00.000-07:00

What song suggestions do you all have for Jared and I's first dance?

Jenks Avenue Women Go All Out!

2009-05-03T20:30:00.000-07:00

The women of Jenks Avenue Church of Christ showered Jared and I with gifts today. Jared was playing a round of golf, while I opened gift after gift. We received many, many wonderful gifts. I had to keep an eye on those walking out the door to make sure they were taking our pretty gifts with them:).

We are so grateful for the many blessings that have been showered on us in the past few weeks. I am so humbled at the generosity of our friends and family. I do have to say, Gina did a great job of spicing up the party with her gift. (If you would like to know how to spice up a party, let me know and I will get you Gina's information!) Let me just say, I was red all over for about an hour after the fact.

The beautiful home in the pictures is that of Kim and Gene Wishum. She and the rest of the girls did an amazing job with the food and decorations. Mrs. Kim created the ice sculptures in the middle of the table. She made them from a mold...they were so beautiful!

I can't wait to have you all over to use my new things!

Another Celebrations Wedding...

2009-05-03T20:22:00.000-07:00

Stacy Edmondson and Adam Walsingham were wed on Saturday May 2nd. Her bridesmaids wore Jasmine dresses in Teal. Kirby Holt from Blossoms designed her flowers. Here are some pictures from the beautiful day...

If you are interested in any of our Jasmine Bridesmaid dresses, visit www.jasminebridal.com.

Another Burleson wedding...

2009-04-20T13:51:00.001-07:00

It is important to record that Ryan and Marta were married on April 11, 2009. They had a beautiful outdoor wedding at Serenbe in Palmetto, GA. The location was wonderful if you are thinking about having a destination wedding. The ceremony was sweet and short, and the party went all night long! Everyone had a wonderful time!

A small plug for Celebrations Bridal & Gifts: Anna Corbin's, the flower girl, dress is from Celebrations! How beautiful is she?

When the Wedding Planner Plans her Wedding...

2009-04-18T14:38:00.000-07:00

We are officially 68 days from the Gunter/Burleson wedding. Every time I flip thru the current clients orders at the store and see the Gunter/Burleson tab, I have to blink twice to remember that is ME! Mom and I have our big weddings over with, so we have officially started planning my wedding. Here are some details I can share with you...(every good planner knows some things have to remain a surprise)

The Bride (that's ME!!) will be wearing a Casablanca gown. It was one of four that I tried on. My Matron of Honor will be wearing a Robin's Egg Blue Alfred Angelo gown. My Junior Bridesmaid will be wearing a two tone Alfred Angelo gown. Flowers will be provided by Kirby Holt of Blossoms. He is one of the best in the industry. Blossoms is located right here in Chipley, around the corner from our store.

Meliss Epps of EppicMoments photography will be taking the beautiful pictures. She and her partner are very talented. Visit her Web site to see a sneak peak...www.eppicmoments.com. She is getting married just days after I am! How cool! Invitations were purchased from Celebrations Bridal & Gifts. They will go out by April 30th. (Lord Willing) Let me know if you particularly love addressing invitations.

Reception food will be provided by Brenda Woodruff of Something Special Catering of Alford. Pro Sound Entertainment will be spinning the tunes for the evening. And the couple will be enjoying a week in the Dominican Republic after the wedding.

We have our second shower this weekend. I have posted some pictures from our first. So much fun!

I can't really tell you anymore, but you know there will be many pictures to share after the wedding. So, here's to 68 more days of having the Gunter name...

A Priceless Tip

2009-03-24T13:46:00.001-07:00

In the process of pulling together the guest list for my wedding, my mother-in-law to be share with me about Google Docs. I have now become addicted to the many wonderful features of the program! If you are pulling together information, this is a great way to organize it so others can work from it too.
I uploaded my excel list into the program and then Mrs. Lori and I could both work from it. At the same time! It automatically updates every time you make a change, therefore eliminating the Gunter/Burleson Guest List_version 14 issue.
Just create a log in for Google and you can take advantage of its benefits, FREE. Also try out their calendar and blog reader functions. Very helpful and user friendly!

I will have my chance in the light...

2009-02-16T07:52:00.000-08:00

For years I just new that I would be the one and only single Bridal Store owner! And, if I did find someone, they would run the other way when they found out what I did for a living. Boy was I wrong!

On Valentine's Day, Jared Burleson proposed to me! And I said yes! Many of you have been asking for the story, so I thought I would write it out for you to read at your leisure.

Saturday, February 14, 2009, Jared picked me up at 7pm. He was holding a beautiful yellow rose. I remember swelling up inside and thinking..."Valentine's Day really isn't THAT bad." Many of you know that Valentine's Day really isn't my favorite, until now. I was surprised to see us driving back to his house. He had redecorated the living room to host a table for two. (This was going to be on the back patio, but it rained all day.) There were lights, candles, flowers, chocolates and Gyro Cafe for dinner! In the background was a soundtrack of beautiful love songs. We talked and laughed and I suspected nothing. He didn't seem nervous at all!

He asked me to dance! I love to dance...so we goofed off and danced in the living room! After Steven Curtis Chapman's famous wedding song ended ("I Will Be There" if you don't know contemporary Christian music.) he asked that we sit on the couch. It wasn't until he looked at me and said my name, that I knew something was different. I didn't want to get too excited, but I thought this might be the night! He said some of the sweetest things...none of which I can remember and got down on one knee. Then I knew for sure what was happening! It takes me a while, huh?

I said "YES, REALLY????, ARE YOU SERIOUS??? DO MY PARENTS KNOW?" He said "YES!" I looked at the ring and was blown away by how beautiful it is and how perfect the proposal was. We called our parents and met mom and dad half way to show off the ring. I didn't sleep much that night!

The next morning we went to Jenks Avenue for church and we were mobbed with congratulations and well wishes. It was fun and awkward at the same time. Guess what the sermon was on? "The Mysteries of Marriage" I took really good notes.

So now it is on to the planning. We don't have a date, location or idea of what we are going to do. I can not wait to marry him and begin our life together. I must say it is a strange feeling to plan my own wedding. I like it!

(FYI: I know I left out some important details and the ring looks SO much better in person.)

New Address

2009-02-03T18:39:00.000-08:00

Our new address is:
1363 Railroad Ave.
Chipley, Florida 32428

Phone: 850.638.3541
Fax: 850.638.3542

celebrationsbridal@gmail.com

Runaway Bridal Store Owner

2009-02-03T18:02:00.000-08:00

We are officially in our new store and happy to be there! Everyone doubted my mom as she set the Feb. 1 goal, but that was certainly the wrong thing to do! She had us working around the clock to make it happen.

Here's a recap...

Painter's finished Wednesday, Flooring "professionals" (more on that later) finished Saturday morning and "moving crew" arrived at 11am on Saturday. When mom and I arrived at the store after the "professionals" were done, it was a disaster. Of course my Grandmother and Aunts saved the day by coming to help clean up the store. We had to get it cleaned up in just two hours before the movers arrived. The floor looks like it was installed by 4 year olds. I think I saw steam coming from my mom's head. Our landlord was smart for not answering his phone right away.

Our movers arrived on time. I am going to list out all those that helped and hope I don't miss anyone...

Uncle Benny

Mark and Aunt Sharon

Uncle Bill and Gail

Jared

Tim and Lauren

Chris and Kayla

Coy

Tiffane

Uncle Joe and Aunt Andi

Martin and Blane

Steve, Gina and Lindsey Joy Cobb

We could not have completed the move without them!

Saturday night, Sunday and Monday were full of putting up, organizing and decorating. Do you remember the story of the Runaway Bride? At one point Monday night, I thought we were going to have a new version of the story...Runaway Bridal Store Owner. And how funny would that have been when my dad's picture popped up on Fox News? Dad has been so good about fixing up and reconnecting wires, but I really didn't want to let him out of our sight for fear he wouldn't come back. Dad, I think the worst is over.

Here are some pictures...

Updates...

2009-01-21T15:21:00.001-08:00

I just realized that it has been well over a month since I have written! There is a lot to update you on, so I will have to do a better job of posting.

So, here's the BIG news...

We are MOVING! As of February 1 (hopefully), we will be at 1363 South Railroad, Chipley, Florida. We have been working on preparing the space and will start painting this weekend. My Uncle Joe has been a life saver, once again. He has done the majority of the work so far. I will upload pictures soon so you can see the before and after.

If you are interested in helping paint or move, just let me know. We will need a lot of hands!

Also, we are participating in the Treasured Memories Extravaganza this coming Sunday. It will be at Edgewater Beach Resort from 12p-4p. If you are just starting the planning process, this is a great venue to get ideas and contacts.

And last, but certainly not least, we have our new line of Mother of the Bride/Groom dresses. We also have several styles of special occasion dresses for the mature age group. You can view the dresses at www.jasmine.com.

I promise to do a better job at keeping the updates coming. Just keep praying for us. God has been so good and continues to bless us daily.

Chipley Christmas Festival was a hit!

2008-12-10T15:55:00.000-08:00

The Christmas Festival was a huge success. Thanks to my mom and the Historic Chipley Merchants Association, everyone had a wonderful time. Our parade was one of the best parades I have seen. Now, let's be honest, I've never experienced the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in person, but for the parades around here...we have them all beat. I will show you a couple of my favorite floats.The Library pushed book carts and at the blow of a whistle they would move in coordinated movements! It was just like the Shriners and their little cars. It was so cute!

This was the local nursing home and they actually had some of their residents riding on the float! I hope all of their wheelchairs were locked.
Here are the children that were sitting next to me. They were anxiously awaiting Santa's arrival. Trent, the youngest in the red jacket proceeded to yell, "You're not real!" when Santa rode by. He just happens to be my cousin's little boy.

This was the float for Falling Waters State Park. That is a local park that, in days past, had beautiful waterfalls. Now, there was more water on this float than there is in Falling Waters. I guess they are holding out hope that the water will fall again.

For more pictures go to www.downtownchipley.com.

It hit me this morning.

2008-11-27T07:12:00.000-08:00

I have been anticipating Thanksgiving Day for a couple of weeks now, but it just hit me this morning when I woke up. Smelling the roast that is in the oven, seeing the goodies spread about the kitchen counter and dad pulling off his hunting camo woke me up to Thanksgiving Day! This just happens to be my favorite holiday with Christmas a close second.

As I watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (a tradition in my family), I remember the lump I had in my throat last year this very same day. It was then the previous owner of Celebrations called to tell me that they had accepted my offer for the business. I remember thinking, I can't do this. I'm only 25, I can't run a business, I can't live in Chipley!

Exactly one year later, I still know that I can't do it. But God. He wakes us up with the strength only He can give us, the knowledge only He can impart on us and the love to carry us through. I know I have mentioned people in posts before that I am thankful for, but in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I feel I need to honor them again. And, I have a few people to add to the list.

I am thankful for, My Parents. Without them, hands down, this would not be possible. My mom handles the affairs day in and day out, learning, selling and praying. Her ministry in this business glorifies God over and over again. My dad lovingly cuts the lawn, fixes what needs to be fixed and gives valuable advice on how to run the store. And why are they doing this? Because their youngest daughter had a dream and they don't know what else to do but everything in their power to fulfill it.

I am thankful for, my sister. She is our West Coast presence for Celebrations. But most importantly she is our biggest cheerleader and encourager. I can't wait until she can be more involved in the store, but I am thankful I know she is waiting to hear of our next success.

I am thankful for, my prayer warriors. You know who you are. It has been your honesty, diligence, faith and belief that have lifted us up and sought wisdom on our behalf. I can feel your prayers as I get out of bed every morning and during the day when I feel I can't go on.

I am thankful for, my family. The support of my family has been beyond what I could have ever imagined. From building, advertising, working in the store, purchasing gifts, and the list goes on...you have made this process more enjoyable and reasonable.

I am thankful for, my friends. I have not been the easiest person to stay in touch with, but I truly appreciate the phone calls, texts and e-mails. I am thankful you haven't stopped the invitations, even though I can rarely accept them. I could not walk through this time without knowing you are there.

I am thankful for, Jared. He keeps me level-headed and balanced in these crazy times. He encourages and reminds me who is really in control, and I need this reminder often!

I am thankful for, our customers. This is an obvious group of people that we could not be Celebrations Bridal & Gifts without. We have had customers from as far as north Illinois, and as south as Orlando, Florida. Thank you!

Thank you for allowing me to share with you the people in my life that I am appreciative for. Feel free to post comments on people you are thankful for.

Downtown Chipley Christmas Festival

2008-11-24T20:03:00.000-08:00

December 6th, 10am- 4:30pm

Christmas Festival from 10am-3:30pm and Christmas Parade beginning at 3:30pm.

Go to www.downtownchipley.com for more information.

It's Your Turn...

2008-11-24T19:44:00.000-08:00

Your best friend has gotten engaged and it's your turn to throw her a shower. I don't know about you, but after the string of friends I have had get married recently, the idea of another shower makes me crazy. You show up, eat the typical shower food (hope you love chicken salad), drink the typical punch (perfectly matched to one of the colors in the wedding, of course) and ooooing and ahhing over kitchen utensils, pots and pans and the third crock pot that she has opened this afternoon. Sound familiar?

In this day and time of unconventional, why not throw an unconventional shower? Here is an idea...

Host a friend's shower at a local place like "My Best Friend's Kitchen." For those of you in Panama City, you will recognize the name from seeing it on Highway 390 in Lynn Haven. If you aren't in Panama City, you are sure to have a place like this in your town. They are called "Prep Kitchens." Here is how the shower works. Get the girls together at your local Prep Kitchen and choose your menu. Make the meals just as the instruct you to do and package them to go straight into your freezer. Your gift to the Bride would be how ever many prepared meals you would want to give her, and you can take some home too. How great would it be to come home from the honeymoon with a freezer full of delicious meals that just needed to be heated and served?

I have heard that this works well for baby showers as well. I am just getting all my friends married off, so I haven't had to start throwing those yet.

If you have any ideas of unconventional showers, feel free to post comments! If you need tips or help planning a shower, let me know. Check out My Best Friend's Kitchen at www.mybfk.com

Final Christmas Decorations...

2008-11-09T20:26:00.001-08:00

All of our Christmas decorations are done! And just in time for the Open House this past weekend. We had many guest visit the store during our Open House. We are so appreciative of everyone who came by. If your weekend was packed with other activities, you still have 45 days to come shop with us! We are open Tuesday - Saturday, 10am - 5:30pm.

Many of our customers have asked, and yes, Mom can come to your house and decorate it for Christmas. All of our Christmas decorations are for sale. You can buy the tree, ornaments and all, or just the individual ornaments. If you are interested in Mom decorating your tree for the Holidays, call or stop by and talk to her about pricing. (Our number is 850.638.3541.)

See you very soon!

Chipley High School Homecoming

2008-11-09T19:32:00.000-08:00

All the merchants downtown were asked to decorate for Homecoming. The community really supports the local schools, especially the High School.

This is the float for the Merchants of Historic Chipley. Greg Baxley of Baxley Dry Cleaners designed and constructed the float. You will see it in many more parades to come!

Here is my flashback to hallway 7 at Mosley High School! These are a couple more banners that we made for the festivities. If you think it is easy drawing paw prints, think again!

The game was Friday night and even though it rained, the entire community went to the game. There were also many guest from out of town in for their class reunions. Each class has a reunion every five years! And, they actually have their homecoming festivities during Homecoming week. This is the way it should be! My first Chipley High School Homecoming was so much fun. I can't wait for next year, I hope they let me throw candy from the float again. Who knew that could be so much fun?

Christmas Open House

2008-10-28T18:49:00.000-07:00

I am in denial...but it's true, Christmas is right around the corner. Thanks to my extremely talented mom, Celebrations Bridal & Gifts is ready! Everything is decorated, except for the outside. We really think it is a sin to decorate before the day after Thanksgiving, but given that every other store in America already has all their decorations out (and has had them out since September), we decided that we needed to follow the leaders. Here are some pictures of our Christmas trees. All ornaments are for sale.

We are having our Christmas Open House, November 7th and 8th. We are offering 10% off everything in the store for friends and family.

November 7, 10am-5:30pm

November 8, 9am-6pm

Come see us and bring your friends!

Lemonade Anyone?

2008-10-18T18:55:00.000-07:00

What did you miss by not shopping at Celebrations Bridal and Gifts today? The best lemonade you will ever taste, served by the two sweetest children you will ever meet. And a full cup for only $.50!

Kalli and Trent made $10 with their lemonade stand. They set the price, made the sign and made the lemonade. It makes me sad that they are old enough to do all that, but they had the idea and took the responsibility to make it happen. I see future partners in Celebrations Bridal and Gifts...what do you think?

I will give you notice so you can be sure to come by and enjoy a cup next time.

Brides Against Breast Cancer Bridal Show Pictures

2008-10-18T16:32:00.000-07:00

We actually had two tables at our booth, this is one of them.
Kayla modeled a selection of our wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses.

Jordan also modeled for us. This was our first fashion show. I learned a lot!
Jennie is a cancer survivor. She has modeled for these events many times before and did a great job for us.

April and Libby also helped us at the show. They were lifesavers! I realize now that it takes a lot to pull off a fashion show and have a booth as well. We are much more prepared now!

Brides Against Breast Cancer Bridal Show This Sunday

2008-10-08T20:56:00.000-07:00

Brides Against Breast Cancer
Date: Sunday, October 12, 2008
Place: Boardwalk Beach Resort
Time: 1:00 - 4:00
Price: FREE
Location: 9450 Thomas Drive Panama City Beach, FL 32408
Contact: Tom Mixon
Phone: 850 249.7941
Fax: 850 234.5275
Email: perfectweddingdj@aol.com
Website: www.perfectweddingguide.com

Join us for this very special bridal event... this show will be raising awareness of and offering information about breast cancer as well as celebrating cancer survivors, some of whom will be modeling the latest fashions. There will be many other surprises and prizes including a self defense demonstration for women and our PWG Honeymoon Giveaway.New this year will be a sale of bridal gowns donated for the show. If you know someone who would like to donate a dress for the show, please call Tom Mixon at 850 814-0616. All proceeds from the gown sales will be donated to The Fan Club, a local cancer patient and survivor support group. There will also be special room rates available at the Boardwalk Beach Resort so make a weekend on the beach out of it!! Call Susan Padgett at 850 230-4682 for information and reservations.

Tracy and Shane's Wedding

2008-10-08T20:12:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, Tracy and Shane tied the knot in Waynesboro, Georgia and I was fortunate enough to be there. It was a sweet outside wedding with a rocking reception at a nearby reception hall. The planners, Sherrell (MOB), Michelle (MOH) and Tracy, did an amazing job with EVERY detail. The executors, Tony (FOB), Jeremy (Brother), April (Sister-in-Law), Noel (Friend who didn't know what he was getting into) and myself made sure that every "I" was dotted and every "T" was crossed. We decided we are going to start a production crew to add to Celebrations Bridal and Gifts' list of services.

She took advantage of the beautiful fall color scheme. Her flowers were perfectly made by the ladies at Waynesboro Florist.

They took pictures at a church members house. They have a beautiful backyard with bridges and a small pond. The weather was perfect the entire weekend.

Tracy's precious grandmothers baked the cake and someone else decorated it. It was delicious.

True Trust!

Homecoming

2008-10-05T19:12:00.000-07:00

I reported early on that we had one dress in Mosley High School's Homecoming festivities. By Homecoming week we ended up with four girls wearing our dresses! Two of them made it to the top ten. Hopefully I will be able to get some pictures from them to post. We are very proud of our customers, I know they showed our dresses well.

With all the Homecoming festivities going on around here, I got a little sentimental and began looking back at the one million photos we took of Homecoming in 2000. Every formal dress that I bought was some shade of blue. Our customers appreciate the fact that I have broken that habit! Why did I insist on having bangs for so long?

Webkinz Parties at Celebrations!

2008-09-18T20:12:00.001-07:00

Book Now! Your very own Webkinz Birthday Party!

Each child gets their own Webkinz, we play the real life version of the Webkinz games and of course enjoy birthday cake!

For those of you that don't know about Webkinz, here is your education:
These are stuffed animals that have an on-line code attached to them. The child goes on-line and plays games with their Webkinz and other Webkinz. It is truly THE latest thing among the children.

Our new Webkinz are in, so come check them out.

Alive and Well

2008-09-18T20:12:00.000-07:00

Dear readers: I am so sorry that it has taken me so long to post updates. I had a small dose of food poisoning or a stomach bug that landed me a trip to the ER and that has put me WAY behind. I had my first and hopefully last trip to the Chipley Hospital. I will say that they were extremely attentive and diligent with my sickness. But, considering I was their only patient, the alternative would have been boredom. I am glad they chose to take care of me. I am back to 100%, so you can take me off your prayer list...

Mom has been very busy in the store. She is doing such a great job. We will have three dresses in the Mosley Homecoming festivities. I will post pictures once Homecoming is over. This is especially cool for me since Mosley is my Alma matter. Good luck Mallory and Ashley!

Also, we had our first bridal show this past weekend. Time will only tell how well it went, but we talked to over 40 brides. Most of them did not have their dress or anything else we sell! No offense to my FHSG friends, but selling wedding stuff is SO much better than selling Human Resources Consulting. Was there any doubt?

Pictures from the Open House

2008-08-29T14:47:00.001-07:00

Aunt Andi cutting our beautiful cake that my cousin, April, made for us. Greer Padr (of Destin), Christy Howell (my cousin, of New York City) and LeAnn Johns.
I don't think LeAnn is buying my story...what do you think?
The Gunter Family (minus one, Barry was there in spirit)
The new owners of Celebrations Bridal & Gifts

April Patterson, my cousin, made this wonderful cake.
Celebrations Bridal & Gifts
This beautiful dress could be yours!

Our first dollar of pure profit.

Our First Newspaper Ad

2008-08-24T16:22:00.000-07:00

This ad appeared in the Wednesday edition of the Washington County News. This is the bi-weekly newspaper of Washington and Holmes Counties. You can visit them on the Web at www.chipleypaper.com

Round of applause goes to...

2008-08-23T14:36:00.000-07:00

Tropical Storm Fay and the media for making her seem worse than she really is!

Today's grand opening celebration was a little quiet because of Tropical Storm Fay. Each hour of the day the weather was supposed to "worsen and the rain and high winds will continue through the night." The reality is, it has just been a lot of rain. We spent most of the day sitting on the porch watching the Main Street traffic turn in to the neighboring Piggly Wiggly for the typical emergency supplies. I took a pick of our view from the front porch (see above).

Side note...Dad and I went to "The Pig" yesterday to beat the rush for emergency supplies. It is so convenient to be able to walk next door and pick up the essentials. We loaded our buggy with water, dog food (big bag), charcoal, bread...more water, etc., only to remember we walked across! We should have paid the bag boy a little extra for wheeling the buggy to the property line and waiting for me to get the truck! Oh geez...

Back to the storm. It really has dropped a good bit of rain on us. We have named the lake that is beginning to form in the back lot "Lake Celebrations." We may be having a lake party next weekend. (Lake pictured above.)

Thank You Thank You

2008-08-23T13:19:00.001-07:00

We could not have done this venture without the support and help of family & friends! We appreciate all of the encouragement that you all have provided. We are grateful for the gifts we received too...

Peace lily from Mark, Sharon, & Ashley Urquhart

(Donna's sister & her family)

Anthurium lily from Jack & Barbara Johns in Rincon, GA

(Barry's parents)

Pink tulip arrangement from Jay & Melodie Tilley

(friends of Morgan's from Orlando, FL)

Our first mention in the news!

2008-08-22T14:16:00.000-07:00

Our Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening was very successful today, despite looming threats of Tropical Storm Fay. Who knows what tomorrow will hold, but we will be open rain or shine. Over the next couple of days I will post any publicity we receive, so here are our first mentions...
http://www.chipleybugle.com/localnewsaug08/celebrations.aspx
http://www.fosterfollynews.com/news/2008Aug22Celebrations.php

Also, our first ad ran in the Wednesday edition of the Washington County and Holmes County News. I will scan it in and add it to the blog. I made my first official sale and won the purse contest against my mom. I can't remember if I mentioned the contest, but we both chose purses at market and had a contest on which purses would sell first. The score as of today: Morgan: 3, Donna: 0!!!

I would like to give a shout out to the Washington County Chamber of Commerce for the wonderful showing and support they provided us. Also, once again, my family showed out in force to lend a helping hand for the event. How blessed I am.

I will post pictures and more news as it comes!

Apparel Market: New Designers

2008-08-20T15:08:00.000-07:00

Apparel Market went well. Again, extremely exhausting, but fun at the same time. Think about this...you are buying "the dress" for all your customers, except that you don't know their size, the color that looks good on them, the style that would flatter them...and so on... You pretty much have to be a mind reader, and we are praying we have read the minds of young girls properly!

If you want to check out some of the dresses you can go to each designers Web site. Keep in mind that the dresses we bought are not up yet because the Market ends tomorrow. They will be on their Web sites in the coming weeks.

Prom:
Bella
Jovani (new designer)
Night Moves
Alfred Angelo
Eternity

Bridal (Bridal, Bridesmaids and Mothers):
Jasmine (new designer)
Alfred Angelo
Casablanca
Eternity

Just a reminder that we also rent tuxedos as well.

Our Cali-Girl is coming home!

2008-08-15T09:57:00.000-07:00

LeAnn is going to come home for our Grand Opening prep and celebration. She will fly in August 19 and decide not to go back. Hehe...Just kidding...she will go back the following Tuesday. We are going to take her back to her American Eagle and Toys R Us days with pricing, stocking and counting money! She strategically timed this trip so that all the painting is done. Hmmm...some things never change.

The details are set for the Grand Opening. We are going to open Friday morning at 9am and have the ribbon cutting at 9:30am. We will close at 5:30pm. On Saturday, we will be open 10am- 5:30pm. We would love to have you join us in celebrating this new chapter!

If nothing else, come see the Cali-girl working retail again.

Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting Set

2008-08-08T20:41:00.000-07:00

Our Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting will be August 22nd at 9:30am. Everyone is welcome to attend the ribbon cutting, and of course do a little shopping afterwards! More details to come...

The day I've been waiting for...

2008-08-08T20:24:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess I should say, one of the days I have been waiting for. Today was my first day actually working in the store, without a paintbrush in my hand. It was a wonderful day with many shoppers, mostly coming in to see what changes we have made. I got to help my first bride-to-be look at dresses and try on her favorites. She didn't buy today, but I think she will come back when she starts planning her wedding.

Now, the next day I am waiting for is the day we start selling dresses! :)

Bye Bye Red...

2008-08-02T20:00:00.000-07:00

I will never paint anything red, yellow or beige in my entire life...ever. Ok, never say never, but seriously, I am so over painting it is ridiculous. And, I have spilled so much paint on the floor we are probably going to have to paint the floor.

We are finished painting, for now. I am a little dumber for all the time I have spent sniffing paint fumes. Now we need to hang some shelving and rearrange a couple things and we will be done with the updates for now. Next stop: finding customers!

On a serious note, I would like to ask you to pray for my mom, dad and myself. We have spent every waking moment (outside our jobs that make money) at the store marking projects off our list. We are exhausted and ready for a break. I know that it will be more than worth it, eventually. Good news, August 19-23, we will have a special guest in town to share in some of the fun. LeAnn has decided to fly out for a few days. LeAnn, don't worry, I will find SOMETHING for you to paint. Hehe.

Thank you Walt and Vikki!

2008-08-02T19:56:00.000-07:00

Our dear friends, Walt and Vikki, sent us this plant as a congratulations on our new business. Also, Michelle Gay sent me a beautiful arrangement the day of our closing. (I wasn't blogging then, so I don't have a picture.) These gifts remind us how blessed we are to have such wonderful people surrounding our venture. Thank you!

More from our gift line...

2008-08-01T19:48:00.000-07:00

Our First Trip to Market

2008-07-30T19:28:00.000-07:00

Mom and I had a successful first trip to Market, give or take a few moments. We quickly learned a couple things AmericasMart doesn't explain on their Web site. Not all of the stores are open Monday thru Thursday as their "Open Daily" advertisements say. The bathrooms don't unlock until after 10am. The stores open before 10am, even though they say the hours are 10am-4pm. (They don't close at 4pm either.)

Before Mom and I left on Sunday, my Mom, Dad and I prayed for our trip. Dad mostly pleaded with God to help Mom and I both return alive. My mom and I are a lot alike, and he was a little worried that one of us might leave the other one at the top of the 19th floor or better yet push the other one off one of the bridges that connect the buildings. I am happy to report that we are both alive and well today. Thank you for your prayers Dad.

Let me first say that while you may think it is all fun and games to shop for two days straight, it's not as glamorous as you think. The morning of the first day we were bright eyed and bushy tailed. We had a strategy and began shopping. At this point you carefully inspect every piece of merchandise in each showroom. You begin learning about minimums, ship to, shipping dates, the dreadful "backorder" word, and more. Around lunch, I began picking up the pace...It was after the 4th hour of looking at Christmas stuff alone that I began asking the question "What do we need from this showroom..." Dreading Mom's response of "I don't know, let's just see what they have." Towards the end of the day you spend less and less time in each showroom and quickly learn how to maximize window shopping. Mom had the bright idea that we would just pack snacks and shop through the day. I don't suggest it. Take breaks, ones that include food. You will see that at the end of day two, she learned how important this is. By the end of day one, we purchased all of our Christmas and some gift lines. We were tired and worn slap out. Praise God for no issues on MARTA or GA 400 on the way back to Michelle's house. (Thank you again for allowing us to stay at Casa de Michelle!)

Day two: Every muscle in my legs hurt. How is it possible for your hips to be sore just from a day of shopping? We were ready to finish up our shopping for the Celebrations Gift line. Our goal today was handbags, jewelry and luggage. Here is another tip: DO NOT and I repeat, DO NOT buy anything from Lilly at TTI in building 3. Most of you know that I get a little cranky when I get hungry. I was at that point (again) in the afternoon of day 2. We had a pile of merchandise at the register to purchase from Lilly. She was trying to pull a quick one on us by charging us more than she quoted for some luggage. When we questioned her about it, she pretended she didn't understand our English. Mom tried to explain it and then I tried to explain it...and then I think she understood perfectly when we walked out of her store leaving a $1500 order at the register. No translation needed. We told everyone we passed not to shop with her.

After a full day of shopping and no eating, it was time to hit the road back to Chipley. Needless to say, all odds were against me. I needed to go to the bathroom, I was beyond hungry and the GPS in the car was sending us in circles in downtown Atlanta...at rush hour. Every time my mother would open her mouth I would remind her that it was not a good time to talk. Dad, please pray that mom let's me eat next time.

We returned home about 8:30 Tuesday night and unloaded a bunch of our new items at the store. Many of the items are being shipped to us. So, if you need a gift, we do have a better selection now and we will be getting items in for the next couple of weeks. I will try to add pictures of some of our gift lines.

Izzy's First Trip to Celebrations

2008-07-26T18:19:00.001-07:00

My best friend Erin came to the store for a visit on Friday and brought her new puppy Chloe. Izzy couldn't wait to meet Chloe, so she had her first visit to Celebrations. Chloe and Izzy loved playing with each other and when Chloe was resting, Izzy insisted that she try on a veil. Dax, (her boyfriend in Atlanta) watch out...she looked beautiful!

Eventually, I hope that Izzy can stay at the store during the day all the time. Right now there is so much going on that I would worry about her licking paint or eating a screw.

Progress...

2008-07-23T20:26:00.000-07:00

Each day we are getting a little closer to our ideal look for the store. The dressing room is almost finished. A BIG thank you goes out to my Uncle Joe and cousin, Jeremy. He built and installed the new wall in the dressing room. We also had a few helpers painting today! Thank you to Bailey and Stacy for all your hard work. I hope he is able to build onto the back of the house when we need additional dressing rooms to service our clients:).

Not only did Stacy help paint, but she wanted to try on a couple dresses as well. We narrowed down her options, but you will have to be surprised at the final choices. (No, she's not engaged just yet.)

Store E-Mail Address

2008-07-23T20:22:00.000-07:00

I forgot to mention that our new e-mail address is CelebrationsBridal@gmail.com.

Getting to work...

2008-07-19T22:03:00.000-07:00

Today was our first work day on the store. I have attached some pictures so you can see the progress we are making. Our entire family is pitching in. My grandmother, "Ma," was preparing the windows to be painted. My Uncle Joe was working on some outlets and writing down all the other things my mom wants him to do. My cousin, Ashley, helped by modeling some of the dresses and creating business cards for us. My Aunt Andi and cousins stopped in for a peek at the progress. Mom, Dad and I painted, pressure washed and cleaned. It was a days work and there is still more to do! Later this week we will have pictures of our new dressing room...stay tuned!

The Store

2008-07-19T21:57:00.001-07:00

Many of you have been asking, so here are pictures of the store. It is in beautiful downtown Chipley, Florida, 781 Main Street to be exact. Eventually, we are going to get a new logo and sign.

Don't drive by without stopping in!

What would you say...?

2008-07-15T21:34:00.000-07:00

It all started on October 2, 2007. I was on my way to Spanish class when my mom called and started the conversation with, "what would you say if I said your wildest dreams could come true...?" I replied, "What would you be referring to?" If you know me very well, you know that I have a lot of wild dreams! Because I needed to move into class, I asked her to get to right to the point. She began. You know that store on Main Street...Celebrations? Well, the owner called today and she wants to sell the business. And she remembered you telling her that was your dream. So, what do you think?

Ummm. I need to go to Spanish class. I didn't learn much that night because I began dreaming of what it would be like for my dream to come true so early in life. I mentioned it to my dear friend Michelle, who is used to my wild dreaming and probably added it to the crazy things I have dreamed up.

In the weeks following, I had wonderful prayer warriors and information gatherers on my side. We came up with a plan and presented it to the owner. THEY ACCEPTED! I was speechless. As the days and weeks moved along, more discussions were made about the specifics and the owner decided she wasn't ready to sell.

I was heartbroken, but a little relieved. I had realized that this purchase would require that I move to Chipley, Florida. From Atlanta, Georgia. Big difference.

God was still at work. In March I decided to move to Florida and find a job. As God would work it out, my position at Chick-fil-A was open again. Walt took me back and I thought that would be it. Stay with me, this gets really cool! The day I gave my notice, 3 and 1/2 months after the purchase fell thru, the owner e-mailed me to inform me they were ready to sell again. Several days later my mom found out that her grant may not get renewed!

That brings us to July 15, 2008. We signed all the papers and became the official owners of Celebrations Bridal and Gifts. My mom will run the store day to day and I will work at Chick-fil-A to pay the bills. I will assist mom for special fittings, weekend appointments and of course the marketing. Now you are up to date...I can not wait to share with you the many milestones that will come our way...the first dress sold, the first open house, the first million dollars we make. Ok, I am dreaming big now.