Lionscrest Journal

Letter from Pastor Weber

A wedding officiant can make or break your ceremony. An uncaring or unprofessional officiant can sometimes spoil the whole day. Even so, when it comes to finding an officiant, many couples simply focus on two things:
– Are you available on our date?
– How much is your fee?

So, if I may, I would like to suggest an approach to choosing an officiant.

Spend some time talking with your prospective officiant. Does she/he sound nice? Easy to work with? Does she/he have a pleasant speaking voice? Is there a photo of the person that you can view – perhaps online? Is the officiant focused on pleasing you, or will you be expected to “do as you’re told?” Does the officiant have any objections to your location, music plans, plans for pictures or video, etc. What experience does this person have, and can you get references if you want them? Some officiants are basically traditional Christian ministers – others like myself are interfaith ministers, that perform the ceremony of your choosing. It’s not a matter of one being better than the other – but only of matching where you’re coming from with your officiant’s style, and the ceremony offered.

Regardless of background the words she/he will speak over you are lifetime words and need to fit for the two of you. The ceremonies she/he offers should be words you want spoken over you. The ceremony fitting your life style, having freedom to add things that make this day special for the two of you.

I hope this helps. Choosing the officiant is a big decision with important consequences.
Your officiant and your ceremony are the two key components in your entire day, and the least expensive of all.

I’d like to say one thing about the issue of price. Keep your perspective. Think about the total cost of your wedding ... if you save $100. on your officiant by shopping around, how significant will that be in five or ten years? Remember, it’s not like renting a car. You need to invest some time in the interview process – but in the end, you’ll be glad you did. Not all officiants are created equal. Good luck and best wishes for your big day! If I can help you, please call me.

Here's an example of part of my ceremony:

Real love is something beyond the warmth and glow, the excitement and romance of being deeply in love. It is caring as much about the welfare
and happiness of your marriage partner as about your own. But real love is not total absorption in each other; it is looking outward in the same direction – together. Love makes burdens lighter, because you divide them. It makes joys more intense because you share them. It makes you stronger so you can reach out and become involved with life in ways you dared not risk alone.
When we speak of love we are not speaking of love, as this world knows it, that love is selfish and often subject to change. The love we want in this union is not based on feelings but rather on a decision to see one another and treat one another as valuable and precious all the days of your lives. May this love be the law by which your marriage is conducted and fulfilled.

About Pastor Weber

I am an ordained, licensed, non-denominational minister, pastor, chaplain and officiant, who specializes in beautiful wedding ceremonies. As your officiant It is my commitment to help create the ceremony of your dreams. Often times the wedding is less formal. I travel to parks in the Loveland, Colorado area. I have been known to climb a mountain, and ride a horse, motorcycle, ATV, or aerial tram to get to my weddings. Lots of lovely weddings have taken place by the fireplace in a home and in a back yard. I will travel to surrounding areas, from my hometown of Loveland, to perform your wedding at your honeymoon location.

I have been in Ministry starting 1979. I started performing weddings in 1998 as a favor to my daughter. It turned out to be so enjoyable, being part of uniting couples, that I continued doing more and more weddings. I am licensed and ordained with Happy Feet Ministries Inc. I attended two years of Chaplain School and one year of Ministers Training school. I worked as a Chaplain for Hospice for nearly 3 years.

Please visit my website at www.happyfeetweddings.com to learn more about my services. I will also be at the Lionscrest Manor's Spring Bridal Showcase on March 22nd from Noon to 3 pm. I hope to see you there!

Shannon & Huey's Engagement Party 1.18.09

That's right, even we have parties at Lionscrest! It is not all work, we know how to cut loose and have fun too!

Shannon (2nd oldest Forsberg daughter) is getting married to Brian in Hawaii this Spring. Now not everyone is able to make the trip for the big day so Shannon and "Huey" wanted to make sure they had a chance to celebrate locally with all of their family and friends. With around 200 guests coming from all over the US, Shannon and Huey set out to make sure that their engagement party would be one to remember.

Shannon when she is not working events at Lionscrest is also a 2nd grade teacher. Needless to say her "inner-child" spoke up when she set to planning this party with Huey (who is also a teacher). We give them A+ for fun, creativity, and design.

 

The evening started out with Shannon and Huey greeting everyone before they headed in for Photos with Kammi, Ross and Photo Booth Pics. Appetizers and drinks were served in the cocktail area and featured a few signature drinks like the Snappy Huey!

For the meal Shannon and Huey choose to have the tables served family style. Greens Point staff brought around amazing platters of Ginger Salmon, Beef Tenderloin, Risotto Cakes, and Thai Curry Pasta to name a few. The food was absolutely amazing! Family style was great as everyone was able to sample a bit of everything and even have seconds if they wanted.

After dinner much like a normal wedding there was toasting, a photo slide show, and dazzling dancing. We can not forget to mention the amazing wedding cake provided by Colorado Rose Cake Co. As if cake was not enough they also had the Dad's favorite desserts, a choice of Root Beer Floats and Apple Crisp. I am drooling just thinking about all of this! It is a good thing we don't have smell-o-vision for these photos or you would be drooling too!

We are all so happy for Shannon and Huey and look forward to their wedding in Maui!

All of the amazing photos shot that night were taken by Elegant Images and Booth 66.

Thank You, Thank You , Thank You to all of the fabulous vendors who helped to make this dream come true!

Lionscrest Manor Recommended Vendors from this event

Caterer- Greens Point Catering, Longmont CO

Cake- Colorado Rose Cake Co, Berthoud CO

Photography- Elegant Images & Photographs, Firestone CO
  
Photo Booth- Booth 66, Loveland CO

Florist- Reale Decorating, Loveland CO

DJ- Pure Sounds Productions, Loveland CO

Liquor- 9th Ave Liquors, Longmont CO

Spring Showcase Invites Coming Soon

It's time for our annual Spring Bridal Showcase of vendors. We have just sent the invitations off to the printer and will be mailing them to our couples shortly.

For each show we put on we always try to give you ideas about new trends, hot colors and ways to personalize your event. For this years Spring Show we are going with a "Royal Ball" Theme. The show will incorporate rich purples, burgundy, ivory and gold. We will also tie in a jeweled/diamond look with the decor. After all you can't have a royal ball with out some jewels!

To RSVP for the Spring Show just go to http://www.lionscrestmanor.com/rsvp.php and complete the registration form.

A Spice of Life Tasting 2.17.09 POSTPONED

We wanted to let everyone know that the Spice of Life Tasting has been postponed. For more information on tasting opportunities contact Kathy Vaughan at A Spice of Life, 303-443-4049 or by email kvaughan@aspiceoflife.com

About A Spice of Life
A Spice of Life Catering was established in 1987 with a goal of providing exceptional food and service to the Boulder area. David Rubin and Dan Bruckner, two veterans of the service industry, subsequently joined forces with the common goal of reinventing the catering experience. By infusing their own standards of quality and service into a company dedicated to serving the community, A Spice of Life has grown and flourished into the largest catering company in Boulder County now serving Boulder, Denver and beyond.    At A Spice of Life, we take a complete team approach when planning and executing everything we do.  We currently have 127 employees who work together and take great pride ensuring that each event is a success.  Our long history of surpassing our clients' expectations through our 'whatever it takes' philosophy has lead us to develop a loyal and growing following.  We are truly a "Spice Family" and care deeply about our employees, customers and community.  We have been honored with the Boulder Daily Camera's People's Choice Gold Award in consecutive years since 2000.

Bio on Kathy Vaughan

Kathy Vaughan has been part of the wedding planning industry for over a decade. When she started her very own business in 1994, she began exclusively planning weddings for many brides. Kathy is a well renowned bridal consultant who creates unforgettable weddings. Some of Kathy’s weddings have featured performances by the famous, Kenny Loggins and Tony Bennett. Although Kathy continues to expand her personal company, she is excited to contribute her talents to A Spice of Life.

Kathy was predisposed to understand the love and romance that goes into a wonderful wedding because she found it at an early age. In her freshmen year of college at the University of Colorado, Kathy met her husband of 41 years, B. Wray. The two have established their lives in Boulder and have four biological children, one adopted child with special needs, and six grandchildren. Kathy is excited to bring her level of expertise and creativity into Spice and learn from the experienced event specialists.

For More information on A Spice of Life Catering  please visit their website at http://www.aspiceoflife.com/index.php

Greens Point Inclusive Tasting was a Success!

January 27, 2009

 

Thank you to all of our clients who attended this Inclusive Event. The final count ended up at 190 for the evening and we have heard nothing but rave reviews from everyone.

This year Greens Point Catering under the direction of owner Bridget Nannen, decided to go with a different format from their normal Tasting event. Greens Point proposed that instead of having a tasting where couples only had the chance to taste a few select Inclusive menu items, why not have an event where couples could come and try them all! So with that in mind Greens Point and Lionscrest set to the task of creating a two-seating tasting where couples were able to sample many delights. The menu included...

Appetizers:
- Green Olive and Citrus Tapenade Crostini with Goat Cheese
- Stuffed Mushrooms Florentine
- Meatballs with Wild Mushroom Bordelaise
- Crab Salad on a Wonton Crisp with Fresh Mango
- Smoked Trout on an Everything Cracker with Red Onion Caper Relish
- Asparagus and Goat Cheese Wrapped in Phyllo
- Mushroom Risotto Cake Topped with Crème Fraiche and Chives
- Chicken Sate with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Salads:
- Classic Caesar Salad with Romaine, Parmesan Cheese, Croutons and Caesar Dressing
- Baby Greens with Tomato, Cucumber, Carrots, and Homemade Croutons, One Dressing of  Choice Included: White Balsamic Vinaigrette, Ranch, Greek Vinaigrette, or Creamy Gorgonzola
- Romaine and Spinach with Spiced Almonds, Sun-dried Cherries, Bleu Stilton Cheese  and White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Entrée:
- Grilled Chicken Breast Stuffed with Pears and Gorgonzola with a Light White Wine Sauce
- Grilled Chicken Breast with White Wine, Basil, Plum Tomatoes, Topped with Fresh Mozzarella
- Jerk Spiced Grilled Chicken Breast with Diced Mango and Mint

Second Entrée: (optional upgrade for the wedding)
- Carved Top Round of Beef with Creamy Horseradish Sauce
- Sesame Lime Salmon with Ginger Soy Glaze
- Grilled Pork Medallions Topped with Braised Leeks and Fennel in a Light Jus

Vegetables:
- Asparagus Roasted with Butter and Herbs
- Julienned Tri-Colored Carrots
- Green Bean Almondine

Starches:
- Red Skinned Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Oven-Roasted Baby Red Potatoes
- Wild Rice Pilaf
- Tuscan Orzo with Artichoke Hearts, Olives, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Dessert:
Wedding Cake Served by Colorado Rose Cake Co- (Flavors were as follows)
- Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cake with a Mocha Mousse Filling
- Amaretto Cake with a Raspberry Filling
- Butter Pecan Cake with a Bavarian Cream Filling
- Strawberry Cream Cake with a Strawberry Gel and Mousse Fillings
- Butter Yellow Cake with an Apricot Mango Filling

Photos provided by Elegant Images & Photographs

Lionscrest Manor and Greens Point have teamed up to offer our clients a Rehearsal Dinner Option at the facility. Download Rehearsal Dinner Flyer to learn more. To reserve your dinner please call Greens Point at 303-772-2247.

Lionscrest Manor Recommended Vendors from this event

Caterer- Greens Point Catering, Longmont CO
Cake- Colorado Rose Cake Co, Berthoud CO
Florist- Flowers Elite, Firestone CO
DJ- Pure Sounds Productions, Loveland CO
Liquor- 9th Ave Liquors, Longmont CO

Julie & Jared's Lionscrest Winter Wedding 12.19.08

No one said it better than Howard Weinstein in the Movie-Father of the Bride, "It's a good thing snow is white, it works." We could not agree more! We just love it when the estate is covered in a fresh blanket of snow. It is even better when you have an adventurous couple like Julie and Jared who wanted to get out there and have fun with it.

Julie and Jared were a great couple to get to work with through out the planning process. Actually it was Mom Peggy who worked tirelessly as their own personal "Franc" to make sure that everything was just like they envisioned it.

Many clients often ask us if we host weddings year round? The simple and obvious answer after looking at these photos is yes! Just because the typical wedding takes place May thru October, don't get locked into the idea that you have to do the same. Having a wedding during our Off-Season is a great way to save on the budget and seperate your event from the rest!

Special thanks to Kammi and Ross Bothwell with Elegant Images for all of the amazing photos. To view Kammi & Ross' blog for this event and many others go to http://www.xanga.com/Elegantimages

Lionscrest Manor Recommended Vendors from this event

Caterer- Greens Point Catering, Longmont CO
Cake- Colorado Rose Cake Co, Berthoud CO
Chocolate Fountain- Sweet Temptations, Loveland CO
Coffee Vendor- Espresso Affair Denver, CO
Photography- Elegant Images & Photographs, Firestone, CO
Florist- Flowers Elite, Firestone CO

LCM... Hot of the Press, 15 years and Blogging!

Hello to everyone who is visiting our new Blog Journal for Lionscrest Manor!

We are so excited to have an outlet to share, learn and laugh with you all through your special event. With 15 years of experience in the Colorado wedding market we have many stories we can tell. We want to provide information that you may find helpful like spotlight stories on our recommended wedding vendors or real wedding stories about some of our past Brides and Grooms. Some stories will help you to personalize your event, while other entries we hope will shed light on how we do all that we do and of course highlight upcoming events you can attend at the facility.

Now I admit that being new to the blog scene there will be a learning curve through this process but be patient and hopefully we will get the hang of things fairly quickly.

FYI... No two Lionscrest Event Supervisors are the same (even though we may sound alike).
Being a family business all of our couples get to work with the whole family. That's right we have Mom (Leona), Grandmas (Darlene and Vera), Aunt (Wendy), and Sisters (Tana, Shannon Tati and Lauren). Sometimes even Dad (Bob), makes a special appearance. Like Punxsutawney Phil, if Bob sees a shadow of one of us ladies at the Manor, he will return to his cave for 6 more weeks of hibernation. Believe me we don't wake the sleeping Bob! I digress... We invite you to come to one of our open showings to take a tour and get to know who's who of the LCM crew.

 

2008 Family Photos at Lionscrest- Leona and Bob's 30th Anniversary. We wanted to give a special thanks to Susan and Nancy with Armitage Photography for the wonderful photos they took. We have had the pleasure of working with Susan for over 10 years now and consider her a member of our extended "Vendor Family".

Tana's Tip of the Day

Do's and Don'ts for the week of the wedding...

Do take the time to visit with your family and friends. Remember that this is a big event for you, your fiancee, family and friends. Many couples get so caught up in their plans that they forget to spend quality time with their loved ones. Plan a fun activity with everyone that has nothing to do with the wedding. Go hiking in one of our wonderful Colorado State Parks, have a game night, or treat everyone to a round of golf (putt-putt works too). I promise you they will have a blast and you will enjoy the down time!
Don't go paint balling! True story... Many years ago we had a Bride who planned a paint ball outing for all of the family... sounds like fun right! Everyone chasing each other, hiding, laughing, blowing off steam, what could be better than that. You know it is all fun and games until the Bride gets hit in the face and has double black eyes for the big day. No amount of make-up could conceal this mishap. On the bright side the Bride had built in sun-reflectors, so no squinting in her photos!

We hope you enjoyed our first blog and keep checking in for updates, tips, stories and more!