This is more of a personal post as oppose to most of our bridal posts, however I felt it was very important to share.
*Brides, the post at the bottom is mainly to share with you.

A year ago today the world lost an amazing person and heaven gained a very courageous man!  My best friends father, Dwight, fought a hard battle against ALS (also known as Lou Gehrigs Disease).   You can read more about his story:  http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/djohnson/mystory

This is a photo taken of the Johnson family at the Courage Walk in 2009 to raise money and awareness about ALS

Ryan and his dad posing with the sign for “Strength”

Courage Walk and Dwight’s Fight against ALS team members!  I will forever remember that day!

The story I want to share for my brides and grooms is about the love for your spouse.
The things I will remember most about Dwight are these:
1. His love for others and the Lord
2. His words of wisdom regarding family: “Spend 8 hours working, 8 hours sleeping and 8 hours with your family, every day”
3. The way he lived his life and shared with everyone he knew
4. His strength and courage and the way he continued to tell ‘others’ to be strong when he was physically the most weak
5. Remember the songs we all sang with him a week ago this year (Listening to Sister Hazel will never be the same)
6. His work ethic and will for life
7. In the last hours of his life he was telling everyone around him to take care of each other and not once mentioned his pain.

Learning that life is so precious through a person who was the definition of Strength and Courage was not only proven by Dwight but by his wife, Debbie.  She stood out the most to me.  She was the perfect example of how to love your spouse.  From the moment they discovered they needed to go to the Doctor, through appointments, later hospital visits, to home care and then to Hospice- she was by his side completely.
When you get married to the love of your life, you think about what vows you are saying so you can have the perfect Ceremony.  But are you thinking about how to ‘live out those vows’?

I can only imagine what kind of strength Debbie had in her to get through each day, but any time I spent with her she showed how grateful she was to have an amazing life with her husband.  She cherished the memories they were able to share together.  She crafted albums to cherish of their many adventures they had with their beautiful family.  As I’m sure each day brought it’s own challenges, Debbie did not complain.  She took care of her husband in “sickness and in health.”

The details of a beautiful wedding are the most special when they are represented in a celebration of the love you have between you and your significant other.  My hope for each one of my clients is that you continue to share the Joy you have on your wedding day through the good times and the hard times in your marriage.

“Be strong. Be Courageous.”

-Amy

Whether you are recently engaged or already married, this engagement video is just too cute not to share!!

What a fun and unique way to propose!

In the past couple of weeks, ADORE has moved office locations, build walls for a new office, painted the new office, moved furniture over…. AND attended two bridal Expo’s.  One Expo was held at the Phillips Center and produced by Jay’s Bridal!   What a great show it was.  So many of you came to see us and we are super excited about working on your 2012 weddings with you!!

We also drove to Lake City to be a part of an expo with some sweet vendors.   What a fun time we had being a part of it and getting to meet some of our new out of town brides!!

Here’s a look at our setups from the last two shows.   Also, we will be announcing the winner of the swarovski crystal necklace soon!!  If you booked a consultation at the show are were eligible!

Jay’s Bridal Expo at The Phillips Center:   Photos by Verve Studio

Lake City Expo:

With  new Year brings new adventures!   If you read my “Newsletter” you learned about some of the adventures ADORE Events took part in for 2011.  We can say HAPPY New Year, since it’s still January right?!?

Within the next few weeks I will be in transition out of my current location in the Village Center in Haile and moving to the Creekside Mall.  Our new neighbors will be The Grande Event and Jays Bridal!

In addition to the new location I will be opening a STORE where you can purchase items for your wedding day.  Some of the items will be custom and some you can get right away.  Our goal for you, as my clients, is to create an experience that allows you to look at the items in person without having to guess what you are buying online.

For Planning, if you have a meeting with me this week or next it will be in the current location unless I inform you otherwise.   Once the store is officially open, all meetings and consultations will be in our meeting area in the new store.  In an effort to make sure my clients I plan for are completely taken care of, as this is always the most important to me, you may see my husband Matt in the store from time to time.   He is super sweet and will be mostly in the purchasing department.  I’m excited to have him more a part of ADORE this year!

I WILL continue to be a FULL TIME Planner/Coordinator but after 13 years in the industry I’m excited about this new adventure to add on to what ADORE has already been established as.    I can’t wait to share more with you!!

Thank you all for being a part of the ADORE family and I look forward to offering more services to you!!!

Opening party to be announced in the near future!!  Stay tuned!

Source

What a better way to spend New Years Eve than with some amazing Gainesville Wedding Vendors!!

As Gainesville’s Premiere wedding planning company, ADORE Events truly values the professionals we work with!!  It is key to true success for an amazing day for our clients.  I can’t stress enough how important it is to hire professionals who truly know the industry!    This wedding was flawless because of each vendor involved!!

December 31, 2011 Vendors:
ADORE Events- Amy Keene- Wedding Planner
Sweetwater Inn – For Rooms, Ceremony and Reception Location and catering.  Lauren is my hero!!
Kara Winslow- Make up artist extraordinaire!
Graceful Strands- Lisa is a hair genius!
Officiant- Chad Reed – Most heartfelt award for the clients he marries!
Ceremony and Reception Design- Keith Watson Productions – Making each event more beautiful!
Powers Photography-  Susan and Stewart- Amazing energy, easy to work with and true works of art!
Videography- Platinum Digital Video- Shena is the sweetest and her work is Hollywood worthy! (See video below)
Cake- Ms Debbie’s Sugar Art- Always beautiful ‘and’ tasty!
Our two musicians for the night-  The Impostors and Nicole on piano!- Absolutely beautiful and fantastic way to party!
A huge thank you to our Barista- Zach!!  A life saver!

Check out the video below of Gladys and Dan’s beautiful day!   I was so happy to see Gladys smiling ALL day!!   My favorite thing to see after all the work we do with our clients.  Congratulations Gladys and Dan!!!