grand rapids weddings Archives - Page 27 of 46

A Weekend In The Windy City

January 6, 2013/in Events, Weddings /by CurlyHost

The beautiful city of Chicago is one of my most beloved cities, especially at Christmas time. From the twinkling lights that line the street of Michigan Ave, to the warm smells of the Christkindlmarket, to the laughter and shouting in Millennium park, Chicago is vibrant at Christmas.

This December, I was lucky enough to be able to visit Chicago for business, but also for pleasure. While I was able to tour the sites of the MagMile, Millennium Park, Navy Pier, and The Art Museum, I did get to tour some amazing venues. The Drake Hotel, one of Chicago’s oldest and most esteemed hotels has many luxurious and dazzling ballrooms. The Palm Room is a perfect place for sipping on tea or hosting a bridal shower while the harpist plays quietly, the fountain bubbles, and the tinkle of silverware against china is intermittent with soft laughter.

Some other glorious places for a wedding are The Art Institute of Chicago, The Four Seasons, Loyola University, Millennium Park and The Oak Tree.

So, if you ever find yourself in need of some Christmas cheer, the windy city is only a short train ride away.

Quite Contrary

December 27, 2012/in Events, Flowers, Weddings /by CurlyHost

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.
– Norman Vincent Peale

Quite Contrary

December 27, 2012/in Flowers /by CurlyHost

A Christmas candle is a lovely thing;
It makes no noise at all,
But softly gives itself away;
While quite unselfish, it grows small.
– Eva K. Logue

A Tassell Estate

December 21, 2012/2 Comments/in Decoration, Home /by CurlyHost

As a wedding planner, I find myself buying treasured items that I find on my adventures of thrifting and antiquing. My theory is I wont be able to come back and buy it and I’ll be able to use it for an event. Luckily, for Jason and my parents, these items are small, so they don’t take up much room.

A few weeks ago, my mom took me to an estate sale like no other. This estate sale was the home of Grand rapids Philanthropist, Leslie Tassell and concert pianist, Krystyna Cotter. I have been ‘neighbors” with Leslie Tassell since he moved into the neighborhood around 1997. Leslie built his home on land that my family used to play in; everything from bog jumping during the spring, picnics during the summer, hikes during the fall, and cross country skiing during the winter. I remember the day he started building his home and when we could no longer use the woods as our backyard. We got to watch the house being built, the zebras come in, and the fence go up. His estate occupied 95 acres that were adjacent to my parents yard. After he passed away, the fence came down, some of the land became a park, and his mistress, Krystyna Cotter remained living there until she passed away in September. For my mom and I, we went not to buy, but to see. Since we got to see this house being built, it was a chance to see the inside of his home. Below are some pictures of this magnificent estate and the treasures it held.