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Perfect Wedding Guide Bridal Show

This past Sunday, February 22, 2009, Ron Ruth Wedding Entertainment participated in the Perfect Wedding Guide Bridal Show at the Overland Park Convention Center. Over 240 wedding vendors were there to answer the questions of the estimated 1200 Brides and Grooms that attended. It was so busy that it was virtually impossible to speak with everyone that stopped by our booth. If you're one of those we missed, I'm so sorry and hope you'll call or email me for the information you need.

My opinion may be a bit slanted, but I also believe we had one of the best looking booths at the show and it would not have been possible without the assistance of my good friends, Aaron and Heather, with Hawes Photography. The urban look and absolutely amazing photos on the piping were, of course, captured by Aaron & Heather at a wedding celebration that we worked together last June. They are amazing photographic artists and I consider it an honor to be allowed to incorporate their work into my display. You can also view a number of those same photos on my web site. Just click to the "friends" page.The couple featured in the photos are Kyle & Laura Branson. They were married on June 28, 2008 and their reception was at the National Golf Club. Laura gave up her Sunday (while Kyle stayed at home to study for the Kansas bar exam) to join my associate, Carrie, and me and help answer the many questions that Brides had about weddings, wedding celebrations and our entertainment services. Laura even shared her experiences of working with us in helping her and Kyle design and create their very own version of "Kansas City's Best Wedding Reception...Ever!"

Kyle and Laura also performed a very romantic first dance during their celebration that can be viewed on the "video" page of my web site.

I am very fortunate to have clients that think of me as their friend long after their reception has ended. Thank you Laura.

Craig & Kelli MorfordValentine's Day, 2009!

“Once in awhile, right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairytale.”

So read the invitation to Craig & Kelli Morford’s wedding ceremony and wedding celebration on Valentine’s Day, 2009, at the Sheraton Overland Park Hotel.

With 100 of their closest friends and family in attendance, Craig & Kelli lovingly exchanged vows at 2:00 p.m. in the Leatherwood Ballroom with Greg Coles as officiate. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the guests gathered in the foyer outside the ballroom for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while the hotel staff transformed the ceremony area into a beautiful reception venue. The ambient lighting added splashes of pink on the walls and included a gobo that projected their theme of “Happily Ever After.”
Craig and Kelli’s parents and attendants were introduced to the theme from “Father of the Bride” while the newlyweds entered to Natalie Cole’s “(This Will Be) An Everlasting Love.”
One of many personal touches included an acknowledgement of Kelli’s love for the theatre as both an actress and director by naming each table for a familiar song from one of her favorite Broadway musicals. The place cards on the tables invited the guests to sing and dance their way to the buffet when their song was played.

It was an opportunity to get the fun started early as their family and friends put on quite a show for the bride and groom with impromptu, laugh out loud, improvisational performances of those popular show tunes.

Throughout the evening, Craig and Kelli provided their guests with a signature drink, aptly named the “Valentini” in honor of the holiday. They also set up a special, fresh baked, pretzel bar that represented their “tying of the knot.” I had never seen that done before but found it to be a very clever addition that could actually be used as a substitution for the traditional wedding cake.

Once the happy couple had cut their cake, toasts were delivered by Craig’s Best Man, long time friend and coworker, and Kelli’s mom, who also stood as her Matron of Honor.
The guests enjoyed an enchanting, fairy tale telling of the Bride and Groom’s “Love Story,” complete with a “Once upon a time” beginning and a “happily ever after” ending.

You can listen in to the end of the story below and hear how Craig proposed.

Craig and Kelli then surprised and mesmerized their guests with an exceptionally well choreographed and beautifully performed First Dance to Michael Bublé’s “That’s All.” It was a very romantic, extremely memorable performance created by local choreographer, Jake Fisher, of Blue Martini Entertainment in Overland Park. (I’ve actually had several of my couples use him over the years and highly recommend his service. He also choreographed Scott & Kristen Smith’s First Dance which you can see on the video page of my web site.)

The party began with an Anniversary Dance that filled the dance floor with every married and engaged couple in the room including Craig’s parents who were the longest, happily married couple in attendance, exchanging vows 40 years ago this July. Congratulations to them!

There is no doubt that everyone had a great time as the dance floor was “moving” the rest of the night until the final, personally selected last dance, “Save the Last Dance for Me” as sung by Michael Bublé. Craig & Kelli definitely enjoyed a wedding celebration unlike all others.

I’d be totally remiss if I did not acknowledge Craig and Kelli’s photographers, Morgan Miller, her associate, Jeff, and videographer Steve, all of Cornerstone Photography. Valentine’s Day was our first experience working together and they were absolutely wonderful and went out of their way to spend time with me, weeks in advance of the reception to discuss every detail of the evening, allowing us to combine our creative talents and produce unexpected magic for Craig & Kelli. I can’t wait to see what wonderful moments they captured and look forward to working with her group, again.

Morgan is also the photographic artist responsible for the gorgeous cover shot on the spring, 2009, Perfect Wedding Guide.

And, what can I say about Bree Atkins, Catering Sales Manager at the Sheraton Overland Park Hotel? I’ve known Bree for several years and have had the pleasure of working with her on a number of occasions. She is one of the nicest, most generously accomodating wedding professionals I know and I’ve never seen her without a smile on her face. She is a consummate professional and a Bride’s best friend! I encourage every couple to arrange a time to discuss their wedding reception needs with her. You won’t be disappointed!

FREE Tickets to thePWG Bridal Show!

I've got 5 pairs of FREE TICKETS to the Perfect Wedding Guide's annual, Spring Bridal Show on Sunday, February 22, 2009, from 11:00-5:00 at the Overland Park Convention Center. You'll be able to visit with hundreds of Kansas City's top wedding professionals! Additional info here!

Want to save $20 at the door? Simply send an email to Ron@ronruthweddings.com with your name and address and I will drop 2 tickets in the mail to you. These FREE TICKETS* will not last long, so don't delay.

While you're at the show, be sure stop by my booth and say "Hi!".

*Do not post your personal information here! Only one pair (2 tickets) per request and address. No purchase necessary. They're FREE! Really!

Win An Apple® iPod® nano 8GB MP3 Player, "Best Kiss...Ever!" Photo Contest

Imagine cuddling with your honey while listening to your personally selected, extremely romantic play list on your brand new Apple® - iPod® nano 8GB MP3 Player. What? You don’t have a brand new Apple® - iPod® nano 8GB MP3 Player? No problem. You can win one right here!

Celebrate your love of Valentine’s Day and each other by entering the "Best Kiss...Ever!" contest. Simply enter a photo of you and your special someone or significant other engaged in a warm, romantic kiss. Submit your own, unique pose or enter a photo of a memorable kiss exchanged at a romantic locale...like a beach or a mountain top.
Email your photo, along with your mailing address* and the names of the lucky participants, to ron@ronruthweddings.com, Include any descriptions you’d like to enhance your photo (i.e.: “This photo was taken immediately after I proposed.”). All entries will be posted right here for everyone to enjoy. Don’t worry! Your names will not be used on-line...unless you win.**

Here’s the best part. The photo of the most creatively romantic kiss (as selected by our group of impartial judges) will win the Ipod®. I should mention that the judges not only want to "feel the love," they can also be swayed by the overwhelming support of your friends and family. So, invite them to stop by and leave a “comment” on your behalf.

The winning entry will be announced on my blog on Sunday, February 15th at 3:00 p.m.

So, what are you waiting for? Pucker up! Don't kiss-off this opportunity to win an Apple® - iPod® nano 8GB MP3 Player!

*Contest open to Kansas and Missouri residents that live within a 200 mile radius of downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

**Your privacy is respected and your information will not be shared. All entries become the sole property of Ron Ruth Wedding Entertainment. Only photos from valid, confirmed email addresses will be entered.

My Son, Sean, A Volunteer In This Week's "Extreme Home Makeover."

On June 11, 2008, a twister six blocks wide did, an estimated, $70 million damage to Chapman, Kansas, population about 1,400. It wiped out the city and left a great number of its residents devastated.

In November, 2008, Ty Pennington and the gang from ABC’s “Extreme Makeover -Home Edition” went to Chapman to help one family rebuild…choosing an injured, Iraqi war hero who had given to his country only to come back to his hometown and find his house destroyed. That 2 hour episode will air this Sunday, January 25, 2009.

I’m very proud that my son, Sean, and his employee's were among the countless volunteers that went to Chapman to assist in the rebuilding. Sean owns Redi Systems, Inc. a company in Manhattan, KS that sells, installs and services home theatres, home security systems, distributed audio systems, lighting controls, conference systems and just about anything related to wireless technology.

Sean's company was responsible for wiring the new home with cable/satellite hookups, data lines and a security system. Sean is humbled knowing that his expertise will contribute to a better life for years to come for someone so deserving.

Happy Anniversary TJ & Stacy Hackler

Happy one year anniversary, TJ & Stacy Hackler!

Stacy is a nurse and TJ is a chiropractor, having just past his boards at the time of their wedding. They, both, received their bachelor degrees from KU where they also participated in track and where Stacy still holds the school record in a number of distance running events.

On January 19, 2008, their family and friends packed, what was then, the brand new ballroom at the Hampton Inn on the Plaza with theirs being the first reception to take place in that venue. As a matter of fact, I could swear I saw a ladder going out the back door as we were coming in the front!

The ballroom was decorated in the richest color of red that I've ever seen, producing a warm and romantic ambiance for what was an amazing evening of laughter and fun.

But, no doubt, the biggest surprise and memory of the evening came when Stacy & TJ surprised their family and friends with an incredibly well choreographed and rehearsed first dance that began with "All My Life" by KCi & JoJo before abruptly breaking into "Zoot Suit Riot" by Cherry Poppin' Daddies (one of TJ's favorites) and ending with "Lovestoned" by Justin Timberlake (a favorite of Stacy's).Congratulations to TJ & Stacy on your one year anniversary. May you have a hundred more!

It was my first opportunity to work their extremely talented photographers, Tyffany & Jeff, from T&J Studios and their equally talented videographers, Barry & Stephanie, with Fat Cat Productions. Both companies headquarter in Wichita, KS. If you'd like to visit, or perhaps relive some of the fun and magic of TJ & Stacy's wedding celebration, Fat Cat still has a really cool, short video recap of TJ & Stacy's wedding day and reception on their blog. You can also view a few of the amazingly beautiful and emotionally charged photos still available on the T&J Studios blog.

Ron Ruth Wedding Entertainment Interview Featured on PWG!

Who doesn't love seeing their name in print?

The Perfect Wedding Guide has just posted an interview they recently did with me on their web site and within their "Tips" section.

Check it out.

"Know Your Audience!"

In my business there is a saying that goes, “Know your audience.” These are valuable words that are embedded in the brain of any seasoned, professional entertainer that has ever held an “open mic” in their hand. Their meaning is simple. The words chosen to say aloud for, let’s say, a Shriner’s convention with a primarily male audience are probably not the same words that would be best selected for a local PTA meeting.

I think it safe to say that we’ve all allowed words to come out of our mouths that, immediately after they moved beyond our lips, we wish we could suck right back in, hoping that that the intended target wouldn’t notice. Fat chance, right? Imagine that happening while it is being amplified through a 1500 watt sound system in front of 300 people.

Unfortunately, those that are less experienced at public speaking and have not heeded the words, “know you audience,” are more prone to saying something inappropriate, embarrassing or just plain stupid on a microphone. I’ve heard novice DJs joke over a microphone about, among other things, the weight of a guest and say extremely crude words during a garter removal, all for the sake of a laugh that will never come. I’ve experienced Best Man toasts that are so riddled with drunken, embarrassing comments that the Bride and Groom and their family and friends are all made to feel uncomfortable. It’s not easy to get up and walk out of your own party.

In my workshop for Grooms only, “The Best Groom…Ever!”, I remind Grooms of the importance of discussing the Best Man’s toast with him in advance of the wedding reception. In short, it is suggested that they lay the ground rules of what is and what is not appropriate. In most cases, the Best Man is enough of a friend to the Groom to understand the importance of “knowing the audience,” and would never place him or the Bride, or the parents and grandparents, or any of the guests in an awkward situation. But it never hurts to have that discussion in advance of the reception, just in case.

With that said, I stumbled across a video of a Best Man’s toast that either confirms that this guy knew his audience or that he did not. You decide. You’ll have to go to the web site http://www.freakybestmanspeech.com/ to view the video. It’s about 4 minutes long and I suggest that you do not jump to the end. Instead, watch the whole thing and leave a comment of your thoughts.

It should be noted that I have no idea as to when or where that wedding reception took place.

I'm back!

Admittedly, I’ve been absent from blogging for some time, primarily so I could devote more time to my family over the holidays and to the few corporations that kept my services in their holiday party plans, even in this tough economy.

But, I’m embarrassed to say, those reasons were also an excuse to walk away from, what has been for me, a difficult task. What I’ve learned in my short time as a blogger is that blogging is hard...at least for me. Those that are good at it make it look easy. And I should have known that if it looks that easy, those writers must have devoted some time to learning how to effectively convey a message with the written word. That’s something I’m not so great at. And, as is human nature, who wants to struggle with difficult tasks when the easy ones are much more fun?

So, I was left with 2 choices. I could either let my blog vanish into the deep abyss of cyberspace or take some additional time to research other blogs authored by incredibly talented individuals and maybe read a few books on the art of blogging (more on these at another time) in an effort to, at the very least, try to make a marked improvement in my message, have more fun doing it and provide a blog with information, thoughts and ideas that doesn’t bore you. Since I’m not one to quit so easily, although it was tempting, I chose the latter.

I was also reminded of Thomas Edison. From medleague.com, “After Edison’s seven-hundredth unsuccessful attempt to invent electric light, he was asked by a New York Times reporter, “How does it feel to have failed seven hundred times?” The great inventor responded, “I have not failed seven hundred times. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that those seven hundred ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work.”

OK, so I’ve not tried 700 times to write a successful blog. But his point is still valid. With a committed effort, I will get better at it…preferably sooner than later. And, hopefully, my readers will provide enough constructive criticism along the way to help me expedite the process.

In short (another one of those things I need to get better at), I’m back!