Tie The Knot 2020

TIE THE KNOT ISSUE ESTABLISHED 1899 | KANSAS CITY’S JOURNAL OF SOCIETY | KCINDEPENDENT.COM | AUGUST 8, 2020 | $3.00

ESTABLISHED 1899 | KANSAS CITY’S JOURNAL OF SOCIETY | KCINDEPENDENT.COM

Bailey Pianalto Photography

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lden Elizabeth Haugh and Brad Alan Harris were joined in matrimony on March 23rd at Harris Farms in Saint Paul, Kansas. The bride is the daughter of Jay and Dan Haugh of Lawrence, Kansas. Alden is the granddaughter of the late Elizabeth and Gene McLaughlin and the late Rita and Oscar Haugh. Her groom is the son of Sondra and R. Joseph Harris of Saint Paul, Kansas. Emily Haugh, sister of the bride, served as maid of honor, and Brett Rousselle was the officiant. The happy couple is at home in Saint Paul, Kansas. Alden careers with Bartlett, a Savage Company, and Brad is with Harris Land Management and Commercial Bank.

THE INDEPENDENT (USPS 260-700) is a magazine of distinguished society, chronicling clubs, sports, and the cultural events scene with complete coverage in Kansas City’s preferred buyer’s market. Published bi-weekly except for December 2020 when we publish the second and third Saturdays. Published by The Independent Magazine L.L.C., Kansas City, Missouri, and Periodicals Postage Paid at Kansas City, Missouri. The Publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising material submitted for publication, including photographs. The publisher expressly prohibits the mutilation of this publication and the sale of individual clippings, articles or photographs there from whether or not item is sold in its original form or in combination with any other product, process or article. Unsolicited manuscripts will not be returned. Copyright by The Independent Magazine L.L.C. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher. The Independent POSTMASTER: please send address changes to The Independent, 2400 West 75th Street, Suite 120, Prairie Village, KS. 66208.

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TIE THE KNOT Please enjoy The Independent’s annual salute to saying “I do.” This signature issue will celebrate more than a century of weddings and all of the special details that go into tying the knot.

The Robinson-Wright Wedding Party on the lawn of The Walnuts. Reprinted from the July 3, 1920 issue of The Independent.

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Bride’s Book The wedding cake was made by the groom’s mother and featured the cake topper that also adorned the bride’s maternal grandparents’ wedding cake in 1958. Alec and Sarah Dunn

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arah Marie Ingram and Alexander Robert Dunn were joined in matrimony on June 13th in Greenwood, Mississippi. The bride is the daughter of Laurie and Chip Ingram of Our Town. Sarah is the granddaughter of William Maher of Prairie Village, Kansas, and the late Carolyn Jean Maher, and Beth Ingram of Kansas City, Missouri, and the late Robert Ingram, Jr. Her groom is the son of Julie and William Dunn III of Greenwood, Mississippi. Alec is the grandson of Jean Jondahl of Greenwood, and the late Gerald Jondahl, and Louise and William Dunn, Jr. of Yuma, Arizona. The evening prior, a rehearsal dinner was hosted by Penny and Dwight Dunn at their lovely home. Following the ceremony at the beautiful home of the groom’s parents, the couple was fêted with a poolside dinner and a sparkler sendoff. Attending the bride and groom were Maggie Ingram, sister of the bride and maid of honor; Anne Clair Dunn, sister of the groom and bridesmaid; Jon Floyd Dunn, brother of the groom and best man; and Charlie Ingram, brother of the bride and groomsman. (Also, serving as “Dog of Honor” was new family member Delta!) Sarah and Alec are at home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where Sarah careers with the School District of Lancaster, and Alec is employed with CNH Industrial.

The Bride’s Family: Charlie Ingram, groomsman; Laurie Ingram, the groom and bride, Chip Ingram, and Maggie Ingram, maid of honor

The Groom’s Family: Jon Floyd Dunn, best man; Julie Dunn, the newlyweds, William Dunn, and Anne Clair Dunn, bridesmaid Photo Credit: David Riffel

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Love Is Everywhere

humbing through our archives from the past 121 years, we can’t help but smile at the happy faces of wonderful people who have graced our pages. Join us as we spotlight special couples who are celebrating anniversaries this year. Read on to see their engagement and wedding announcements from yesteryear, accompanied by a photo of the couples today. Congratulations to all! Cassandra Castaneda

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60 YEARS

r. and Mrs. Robert Hartley West mount the stairs at The Carriage Club, over which the former Sarah Ann Steele, exquisitely gowned in candlelight peau de soie and veiled in heirloom Brussels lace, had just tossed her bouquet. Following the October 1 ceremony at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church and the ensuing club reception given by the bride’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Walton Wall Steele, the newlyweds left for a brief honeymoon. The son of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Lee West and the new Mrs. West will live temporarily in Lawton, Oklahoma, where Lt. West is stationed at Fort Sill. Reprinted from the October 15, 1960 issue of The Independent.

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50 YEARS

r. and Mrs. Richard Moffett Orr (she was Sharon Louise Wood) share a toast at the reception at the Kansas City Country Club following their wedding on January 2nd at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. Hundreds of friends, including the college crowd home on holiday, crowded the club and the dance floor where Bill Brewer’s Nogales Brass held forth. The newlyweds are S.M.U. seniors. Reprinted from the January 10, 1970 issue of The Independent.

“We always advise couples to set a budget up-front to avoid spending too much early in the planning process. Couples sometimes overspend on the venue and the dress. This means you might have to sacrifice on other things later, like the florist and the caterer, areas where you can really tell your story. Also, don’t wait too long to hire vendors you like. If you feel a connection with a vendor, hire them. Finally, don’t worry about keeping up with Pinterest and your friends. Weddings are a couple’s opportunity to share their unique story. Don’t do what everyone else is doing, plan the day only you can have.” - Sarah Quinlivan, Quintessential Events

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LOVE IS A MADNESS: Actors find Kansas City ideal for career and for ‘happily ever after’

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ife doesn’t always imitate art, but it usually imitates Shakespeare. When Hillary Clemens and Matt Schwader first met in 2000 in Wisconsin, performing Rosalind and Orlando in the American Players Theatre’s As You Like It, they could hardly have known it would be the first of many such collaborations. “We got along really well, and had great

chemistry in the show,” said Hillary, a Liberty native who lived in Chicago at the time. In real life, the actors were both in relationships with other people, so it was important that they establish a professional standing. “We loved the experience, and we became friends,” Matt said. The three of us were chatting in the “sylvan glade” known as Southmoreland Park, where the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival would have been playing if not for COVID-19, and where last year Hillary and Matt played lovers (again) in HASF’s brilliant Shakespeare in Love. But back to Wisconsin: As fate would have it, As You Like It was just the right play for the moment. Shakespeare’s Rosalind (strongminded, shrewd, wittily playful) disguises herself as the boy Ganymede to “counsel” Orlando on the vicissitudes of romantic attachments. “Love is merely a madness and, I tell you, deserves as well a dark house and a whip as madmen do,” she tells Orlando. For much of the play the characters keep their distance, as did the actors. But eventually Rosalind and Orlando realize they are quite fond of each other, “Ganymede’s” warnings notwithstanding. By 10 | August 8, 2020 |

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Hillary said, adding that the theater scene (and the chance for both of them to join the artistic team of Kansas City Actors Theatre) were critical in the decision to relocate. “Knowing that there are these extraordinary talents here, and getting to work with them at this phase in my life, is a real gift.” Matt took some convincing. A veteran of the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and a core member of American Players Theatre, he couldn’t grasp that Kansas City had become a theater hot spot. His experiences in HASF’s Hamlet and KCAT’s And Then There Were None changed him. “I had no idea how great of a city this is. … And it’s so great being around Hillary’s family, which is my family.” Then, in 2018, he became director of performance studies at Avila University. “We’ve been very lucky,” he said. Someday, when the kids are older, maybe they’ll resume the TV work they’d begun in Chicago. For now, with KCAT and Avila and a stream of great engagements, (Hillary’s Nora in KCAT’s A Doll’s House was a sensation), they’re right where they want to be. And they’re so compatible that they often finish each other’s sentences. Matt: “I never wanted to be a movie star, I just wanted to be in a company …” Hillary: “… doing great work with great people at a great theater, as steadily as possible.” Bailey Pianalto Photography

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the end they’ve joined hearts. And within a couple of years after the production, so had Hillary and Matt. Since marrying in 2014, they have become inseparable. And the productions they’ve shared continue to reflect and refract their real-life experiences: not just Romeo and Juliet (Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival) and Will and Viola (HASF), but even Daisy and Gatsby (Indiana Repertory Theatre). And don’t be surprised if some day you see them portraying the combative-butsecretly-in-love lead couple in Much Ado About Nothing. When spouses perform together, a sort of theatrical shorthand can come into play, as Kansas Citians saw at last year’s Shakespeare Festival. “There’s a built-in level of trust,” Hillary said. “You have a sense of the other person’s timing. I can anticipate when I shouldn’t move, for example, because if I do it will step on the funny thing that he’s about to do.” What’s it like when two strongwilled actors live under the same roof? For Hillary and Matt, who in 2015 chose Kansas City over Seattle, it works partly because they are, in some respects, temperamental opposites. “Her ‘happy place’ is to be curled up, with a cat at her feet, reading a book in a window seat,” said Matt with a laugh, “and mine’s hiking on a mountainside.” Sometimes they have to carve out personal space. “I say, I’m taking the kids to a state park,” Matt said. “She gets her alone time, and I get to be out in the woods with the kids.” But most of the time, with a four-year-old and an almost-two-year-old underfoot, their life is like an indie domestic farce. Hillary might see herself as something of an introvert, but she is as inventively strong-willed as Rosalind. Her résumé is impressive: She remains a company member of Chicago’s Gift Theatre, and she has worked at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, the Court Theatre, the Steppenwolf Theatre, Writers’ Theatre, Seattle Shakespeare Company, and many others. Even as a student at St. Paul’s Episcopal School and Notre Dame de Sion High School, Hillary was a fixture of Kansas City theater. She performed at The Coterie, at Kansas City Repertory Theatre, and at HASF, where as a teenager she played Hero in the 1999 Much Ado About Nothing with John Rensenhouse, the late Elizabeth Robbins, and many others who were critical to her formative years. “It feels so good to come back here, as someone who grew up working with these actors … idolizing and looking up to them,”

By Paul Horsley

Created With Careful Flourishes

By Ann Slegman

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alligraphy, which is essentially decorative handwriting or handwritten lettering, is a special art form that has an enduring appeal. It can be used to express your personal style on your wedding day. Many brides, who want nothing but the best, have cherished the handwritten quality of their invitations and envelopes, as well as place cards, programs, and signage. Here are two invitation experts, Michael Sull and Susie Azorsky, who can be your guides and help you pick calligraphy that matches your individual taste. Michael Sull is an IAMPETH master penman, along with being one of America’s foremost living Spencerian penman, who has conducted hundreds of handwriting, calligraphy, and engrossing programs, seminars, and workshops in 40 states and in 20 countries. Michael has created hundreds of wedding invitations, including the one for Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw. His journey to become a master penman started with his mother. “As a boy, I was interested in my mother’s handwriting. SEE MORE PHOTOS ONLINE She was born in 1919 and was AT KCINDEPENDENT.COM. trained to be a secretary.” After graduating from Syracuse First Impression University and serving in The United States she met her husband, Greg, who is from Kansas City, and they have Navy, Michael went to work for the Boy two adult children. “I originally worked in advertising but knew Scouts of America, where his fascination with I wanted to do something on my own. My mom grew up with a calligraphy and penmanship grew. Michael calligrapher in Philadelphia, who inspired me, and in 1988, there met Paul O’Hara, who had been a student of weren’t a lot of cool, sophisticated stationery stores in Kansas City.” Charles P. Zaner, the founder of the Zanerian Susie’s specialty is to brainstorm with couples and help them College of Penmanship in Columbus, Ohio. custom make their invitation. “I guide them through the process, and “It’s considered the Harvard of penmanship,” I am very picky about vendors. I know where to take people for said Michael. “During that time, I absolutely ideas. I only use quality vendors such as Kramer Drive, Designers fell in love with it, and after a lot of practice, Fine Press, William Arthur, Bella Figura, and Luscious Verde. First I got pretty good at it.” In 1981, Michael Impression also can do day-of wedding items, such as custom submitted a portfolio to Hallmark and napkins, place cards, menus, and programs. We can get a lettering worked for the company until 1986. type style that makes everything look hand rendered.” Michael Sull Michael will do the calligraphy for your Said Susie: “First Impression invitations are not cookie cutter. invitations, and will write out the place cards, your marriage certificate, We make everything you want your own.” headings for the programs, and can even design a special Spencerian monogram. Susie Azorsky has owned First Impression for 31 years, which offers digital Michael Sull penmanmichaelsull@gmail.com • 913-219-1819 calligraphy that can match the ink and font of your invitation. Susie also has done the addressing for hundreds of wedding invitations, wedding showers, Susie Azorsky susie@firstimpression-kc.com • 913-345-8231 and save the date cards. “There is a program I use called Inscribe. People send me their list of guests in an Excel spread sheet.” Susie is from Dallas and graduated from the University of Texas, where

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lizabeth Crellin Leek and Tyler Christian Murray were married on February 8th at Mission Hills Country Club. The bride is the daughter of Mary Brown Leek of Prairie Village, Kansas. Elizabeth is the granddaughter of the late MaryAnn and Joseph Brown and the late Carolee and Louis Leek. Her groom is the son of Christine and Tim Murray of Kansas City, Missouri. Tyler is the grandson of Eleanor Murray of Our Town, and the late James Murray, and the late Elena and Neil Kelly. The evening prior, the groom’s parents hosted a rehearsal dinner at their home. The couple was fêted with a beautiful wedding reception at Mission Hills Country Club. Anna Ludington and Lanie Leek McCoy, sisters of the bride, served as matrons of honor, and Jack Winter was the best man. The couple is at home in Fairway, Kansas. Elizabeth is careering with Lockton Companies, and Tyler is employed with Ignite Partners.

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THE REGISTRY - Wedding Presence By Anne Potter Russ

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edding registries are pure, unadulterated fun: tire swing in the summer fun, kid in a candy shop fun, sticking your toes in the sand fun, pick out what you like and have other people buy it fun! And, believe it or not, registries have only been around for about 100 years. Marshall Fields department store formalized the concept of bridal parties selecting gifts for wedding guests to purchase, starting with china, crystal, and silverware patterns. Since then, the theory and practice has multiplied and magnified into a phenomenon of a business model. Target stores pioneered the electronic self-service registry, and now in the 21st century, there are honeymoon registries, baby registries, house registries, and charity registries, among others. Today, couples can find almost anything to place on a registry, and that often makes for confusion for the well-intended purchasers. So, what follows is a guide based, honestly, on some of our favorites. The traditional registry can include dishes, flatware, glassware, cookware, service ware, utensils for the kitchen, linens for dining, baths and bedrooms, and decorative items. If you are looking locally for the most selection, the most personal attention, and the most traditional setting for starting a registry or shopping for one, please avail yourself of Pryde’s in Westport. This family-owned, chocked to the rafters, adorable, wooden floor haven is almost too much fun for one visit! Pryde’s own motto is “The Hardware Store for Cooks,” but it is so much more, and Louise Meyers, proprietor, is happy to show you around and make recommendations. Let’s start with Pryde’s tableware. Their selection of Fiestaware is the largest in the Midwest with every color under the sun. There are also abundant selections of Spode – Blue Room, Woodland, Christmas, and more; plus Sophie Conran, and the Portmeirion botanicals. The flatware selection is sleek and classic, and the Wusthof knives are a must-have. The glassware is stunning, many coming with gold accents, (because metallics are in!), and we fell in love with an unmatched set of bar glasses. The cookware recommendations are: All Clad (made in the USA), Cuisinart, and Le Creuset. Any of these make durable, timeless pieces for any kitchen. Add in the decorative items, now. The incredible selection of linens will leave you drooling and needing that perfect napkin! Placemats, tablecloths, table runners, aprons, and tea towels complete the look. Finally, don’t forget fun gadgets like the French Press coffee maker, or the ceramic pizza stone. There is no way to do this wrong when the selection is so vast. Once you have taken a gander at the abundant array of planning tools, registries, and retail options, it’s probably a good idea to make some notes – as a couple. Some couples are starting to build a home from scratch and need to register for quite a few items. Some couples have been in the process of starting a home, and don’t need or want as much “stuff.” This is where one can really look off the beaten path for registry ideas. One of the most interesting and popular sites is vebo.com. VEBO is a registry for engaged couples and SEE MORE PHOTOS ONLINE individuals to register for memorable AT KCINDEPENDENT.COM. experiences. VEBO partners with great experience providers in the Western United States, major Eastern cities in the United States, and Latin America. So, instead of asking for wedding guests to buy things, this concept is registering for experiences, tickets, and even charity. This means couples can ask guests to contribute to off-roading in Aruba, trekking in Guatemala, viewing the northern lights in Alaska, brew tasting in Austin, or taking a Crescent bike tour in New Orleans. How about tickets to the Blue Man Group, or the viewing deck at the Eiffel Tower, or the opera in San Francisco?

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@The Independent: Kansas City’s Journal of Society

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The experience of giving has also found a place in the hearts and minds of couples in love. Charity registries are broken into categories on VEBO. To choose from are: animal, arts and culture, children and youth, education, environmental, faith and spiritual, human services, and medical. Once in a category and making selections, the choices are plentiful. This a beautiful way to honor the wishes of the couple and make a difference in the world at the same time. Of course, there are other sites offering these same ideas, including Amazon, Zola, and sokindregistry.org, which features handmade gifts, experiences, charity, and gifts of skill and time (think cooking lessons or personal training).

No matter the taste, budget, time, or desire, anyone can register for something that will make couples’ hearts sing, and gift-buyers can be just as excited with their purchases as the recipients are with the gifts. Photo Credit: Bailey Pianalto Photography

I Wonder – who wrought the miracle when the cake hit the floor a few hours before the wedding reception?

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Toast To Olde Tymes I

By Heather N. Paxton Strauss Peyton

t was a wedding announcement in this magazine from about 50 years for potential fashion models. The 10-week course featured lessons in ago that got us thinking about the role of the bridegroom. The photo grooming, posture, and voice. In 1944, newspapers around the country featured a traditionally clad bride happily dancing with her new husband. printed an article spotlighting her comments that there was nothing He was dressed more like the front man for a rock group than a groom. attractive about being bored and blasé. In her view, maintaining intellectual A close reading of the caption revealed that, yes, he had a band. A-ha! curiosity and showing interest and enthusiasm were essential. The Independent in those days didn’t divulge details about employment Perhaps Howard took some pointers from his bride. The expressions on in its nuptial news. No doubt Martha Gaylord, the longtime owner of the their faces show their delight in each other’s company. Then, too, as a magazine, and the editorial staff, which included Pat Patzer, gave serious man who had seen war, he may have recognized that there was no need thought to this. They probably took into account the fact that some to approach the wedding day with apprehension. He knew to hire a subscribers would call to ask good barber and a good tailor, and to questions about the long-haired get a good night’s sleep before the young man. (What became of the festivities. newlyweds? We don’t know. We wish The Snow-Austin ceremony took them all the best.) place in the morning. Judging from The wedding day is a milestone in the photo, what Howard was the life of both members of the wearing might have been the formal couple. Throughout the history of outfit called a morning coat, (also The Independent, though, the bride known as a cutaway), possibly has generally been the focal point. similar to what a June 1934 article The gown she chooses, the flowers in Esquire magazine advocated: “The she carries – these are featured in Groom wears a black or Oxford grey the announcements for eager readers cutaway, one button peaked lapel who may not even be acquainted model, with trousers of grey with with the couple. This is also true at black and white stripes; double the ceremony itself. All eyes are on breasted waistcoat of white linen; her as she walks down the aisle. No white shirt with starched bosom and one could mistake the bride for one cuffs, and a bold wing collar; black of her bridesmaids – her outfit sets polished calf shoes with linen her apart. The groom, meanwhile, spats to match the waistcoat.” (The often is amid a group of similarly tie isn’t mentioned here, perhaps dressed men. (Comedian Jerry because there were many options. Seinfeld has a theory about this: in We think Howard made a handsome Mary Virginia Snow Austin and case the groom bolts, one of the selection.) Howard Albert Austin, Jr. on their wedding day other fellows can just take his place. Men’s fashion, especially for Reprinted from the May 4, 1946 issue of The Independent. He’s kidding, of course. He raises a formal occasions, has generally been good point when he asks why, if less subject to radical change than there is a “best man,” the bride marries someone else? Yes, it does seem as women’s clothes. In addition, World War II had ended just months earlier. though the bride’s choice should be the best.) The coming years would see changes in styles, (for example, Christian Pictured here is a man who appears to be an ideal groom. His name is Dior’s introduction of “The New Look” for women in 1947), but that hadn’t Howard Albert Austin, Jr. He married Mary Virginia Snow on April 27, 1946. happened yet. He was 30, older than the average first-time groom of the period. (What’s Morning coats remain a classic for daytime weddings. The tuxedo, that? How old was the bride? Oh, we’ll never tell.) Howard was a Yale invented in 1886, has been popular for evening ceremonies for generations. graduate who had served as a lieutenant in the United States Navy. His The 1960s and 1970s saw more self-expression, with couples writing their military experiences included the Normandy invasion and the Okinawa own vows and choosing less traditional attire. The 1980s prompted a return campaign. In later life, Howard was an executive with the Prudential to formality. Later, there was a rise in destination weddings, often with the Insurance Company of America. Alas, he would die at 55, only months after wedding party and guests barefoot on sandy beaches. his 25th wedding anniversary. The New York Times noted in his obituary: According to a 2019 New York Times article, there has been a shift in “While a student at Yale, he won the Aurelian Medal of Honor for recent years. Grooms are wearing suits. They’re also selecting a wider range scholarship, leadership and character. In 1941, he was graduated at the of colors, ranging from conservative grays and blues to jewel tones, such top of a class of 739 at the Great Lakes Midshipmen’s School in Chicago.” as emerald and ruby. These days, there is an added emphasis on fit, as (He certainly sounds like the sort of man anyone would be happy to have opposed to the boxier or baggier menswear of earlier times. Accessories as a son-in-law.) matter, too – but what we most like is the look of absolute bliss on a We must pause to applaud Howard’s choice of a bride. Mary Virginia groom’s face as he sees his beloved. Snow, (who was known as Dinny), was a career girl. While living in New York, she was the director of John Powers’ School, which offered training Ed Clark

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ictoria Elizabeth Miller and Patrick Bryan Melland, Jr. were married on May 22nd at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Kansas City, Missouri. The bride is the daughter of John Miller of Kansas City, and the late Lee Ann Miller. Victoria is the granddaughter of the late Earlana and Gerald Hamilton, the late Margaret May Haskins, and the late John Miller. Her groom is the son of Wendy and Patrick Melland of Kansas City. Bryan is the grandson of Dr. John Melland of Hutchinson, Kansas, and the late Darlene Melland, the late Patricia Cramer Judd, and the late Dr. Peter Boylan. The bride and groom had a lovely, small cake which featured a porcelain dove cake topper that was used by the groom’s parents at their wedding in 1992. The happy couple lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where Victoria is studying for a master’s degree in business administration from Rockhurst University, and Bryan is employed with Fast Enterprises. They are planning a wedding reception at Mission Hills Country Club next year on the evening of their first anniversary.

“From an architectural standpoint, we recommend creating different areas within the venue to transition your guests. These transitions help utilize the production components already rented, including drapery, staging, dance floors, and lighting. Transitioning your guests creates a journey from the ceremony to the cocktail hour, dinner, first dance, and more. The ‘wedding journey’ is intimate for the couple and their guests. A simple changeover creates a new ‘Wow!’ factor that will live on in the couple’s memory forever.” - John Collins Landers, Landers Visions

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TO HAVE AND TO HOST By Kelsey Potts

Bubbly Bridal Brunch

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ubbles and brunch go together like eggs and bacon, the perfect pairing for the perfect celebration. Gathering the bride’s favorite gals or wedding party for an intimate brunch filled with laughter and love is truly what wedding celebrations are made for. A morning that fills the blushing bride’s cup (or champagne flute!) to the top – cheers! A venue suited to host a Bubbly Bridal Brunch is The Vintage House, located in Downtown Overland Park. The cute and cozy restored home was built in 1906, and was one of the first homes in the area. Owner Lauri Meyers shared, “My mother lived here for 18 years, and when she passed away I wasn’t ready to part with the home. So, over time, The Vintage House grew from a place we’d gather with our friends into a full event venue that hosts all of life’s celebrations.” The Vintage House is filled with beautiful, vintage, shabby chic decor that can comfortably hold 30 people inside, and even more guests in the charming courtyard outside. The venue offers all the essentials I need to make an event effortless and beautifully on-brand with its vintage ambiance. Whether I choose to cater-in the bride’s favorite breakfast spot or bring in Grandma’s famous egg casserole and cinnamon rolls, there is plenty of space for the spread. To give my guests a cheerful experience and to surprise the bride, I like to treat everyone to bubbly served directly from The Bubble Tap Trailer. The Bubble Tap Trailer can pull up in front of The Vintage House to greet guests upon their arrival. Guests can choose from a darling mimosa bar, Kombucha, or rosé before conversing around the courtyard. Owner Tami Jennings said, “The trailer’s decor is an extension of The Vintage House’s look. We can tailor each experience

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to a specific event.” Inside the darling trailer is a photo booth that fits four to six people, and provides a fun experience for guests to snap smiles with the bride-to-be. The layout of The Vintage House has a fantastic flow, with lots of open space and plenty of seating inside for my guests to ooh and aah as the bride opens her gifts. The Bubbly Bridal Brunch is a guaranteed good time and provides the perfect way to raise a glass and celebrate the bride.

“The venue offers all the essentials I need to make an event effortless and beautifully on-brand with its vintage ambiance.”

Photo Credit: Bailey Pianalto Photography

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LoveIs Everywhere

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mily Atha and Richard T. Boeshaar were in Town for a few hours to make plans for their August 23rd wedding at Country Club Christian Church. The daughter of Mrs. Gordon Eastlake Atha and the late Mr. Atha is a graduate of The Barstow School, has her B.A. in education and sociology from Franklin and Marshall and will earn her Master’s in education and counseling at Tufts in May. The son of Mrs. Patsy Tucker Boeshaar (her parents were the late Mr. and Mrs. R. Carter Tucker) and Robert Boeshaar is a June candidate for a Master’s in business administration from Harvard Graduate School of Business in 1981. Reprinted from the April 12, 1980 issue of The Independent.

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r. and Mrs. John Kennedy Goodwin, the former Kristin Clawson Colt, prepare to cut their gorgeous wedding cake at Mission Hills Country Club. Mr. and Mrs. Goodwin honeymooned in Scotland where they toured the countryside by car and got a glimpse of Glenfiddich Distillery. The couple then set their sights on Paris, where they watched the Tour de France from their balcony window. Day trips to the Loire Valley and Epernay were highlights for these travelers. John and Kristin are now at home in Town. Reprinted from the September 15, 1990 issue of The Independent.

“Guest counts are becoming the key factor for planning a wedding during this time. Make sure and sit down with each other and your families to begin reviewing your Cassandra Castaneda

guest list before you start

searching for a venue. This will save time and unnecessary friction later on for everyone, I promise!” - Kindra Browne, Simple Elegance

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lizabeth Word Moody and David Churchill Shelton were married on November 23rd at Church of the Nativity, Episcopal in Huntsville, Alabama. The bride is the daughter of Emily and Dr. Jon Moody of Huntsville. Elizabeth is the granddaughter of Elizabeth and Robert Word, Jr., of Scottsboro, Alabama, and Glenda Moody of Scottsboro, and the late Jeptha Moody, Jr. Her groom is the son of Lucy and John Shelton of Prairie Village, Kansas. David is the grandson of the late Evelyn and William Burch III and the late Ruth and James Shelton, Jr. The evening prior, a rehearsal dinner was hosted by the groom’s parents at the home of Leslie and Henry “Moss” Crosby, Jr. Following the ceremony, the bride’s parents hosted abeautiful wedding reception at Moody Farm in Athens, Alabama. The happy couple enjoyed a honeymoon in Turks and Caicos. They are at home in Atlanta, Georgia, where Elizabeth is employed with The Westminster Schools, and David is employed with Stephens.

“There are a variety of wedding venue options. Some offer everything you need all in one place, while others require hiring a team of vendors to piece everything together. Only you know how much time and energy you have to plan and manage the various details of your wedding day. It is important to ask for a detailed list of what each venue includes, such as tables, chairs, linens, china, flatware, stemware, a dressing room, access to hotel rooms, service staff, and bartenders. This list will help you determine the best venue to meet your needs so you can look forward to an unforgettable wedding day.” - Kellie Lacey, Hilton President

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Flowers, Garlic, and Evil Spirits? - Oh My! By Anne Potter Russ

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ow fortunate brides are today to have luxurious bathtubs and exotic shower heads imitating rainfall in the forest to ensure wedding day cleanliness at its best! Because back in the day, dear friends, brides carried garlic, herbs, and spices in bouquets to cover up, shall we say, the lack of a clawfoot tub. Oh, and those smelly lovelies also warded off evil spirits who might be planning terrible things for the happily wedded couple in ancient Greece and Rome. Fast forward to Victorian times, when Queen Victoria married Prince Albert, the herbs had been replaced by fresh flowers, and even edible flowers, particularly marigolds. Other pieces of history worth noting are that a full bouquet carried by the bride symbolized fertility; and the tradition of tossing the bouquet started in the late 1500s, as brides were considered to be extremely lucky, and the ladies at the wedding wanted to grab some of that luck. (Better than tearing off pieces of the bridal gown, yes?) Today, brides choose the flowers to complement their wedding plans by using ideas from other weddings, the Internet, and sometimes by a mother’s carefully worded guidance. The most popular wedding flowers are roses, tulips, calla lilies, dahlias, and hydrangeas. Since many varieties of flowers come in many varieties of colors, we have sought assistance from some of our local experts as to trends in wedding florals. Here is what we found:

Craig Sole Designs Asymmetry – it’s hip to be • asymmetrical. Don’t make the swags and the florals match perfectly. Craig Sole of Craig Sole Designs suggests maybe an arch for the location of the vows that is draped more to one side with an array of colors of flowers. Also, the bouquets do not have to be symmetrical. Loose, flowing gatherings of greenery and florals are in. Use patterns in fabrics to combine with florals. Be brave – add plaid, add paisley, put some pattern into the overall look of the wedding venue, put patterned ribbons on your flowers (bouquets or decorating the chairs, etc.). The monochromatic look is quite popular right now. From wedding websites to Pinterest to local florists to experienced floral-genetic-counselors (yes, it’s a thing), these are the most utilized colors right now:

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Blush Coral Beige Silver Sage Dusty Rose White/off-white

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Metals are all the rage. Accent with • the shimmer of golds, silvers, rose golds, copper, platinum, and titanium. These fun pieces do not have to cost a fortune! Do-it-yourself stores and sites have all manner of accents with metal tones. Flowers displayed in metal containers bring shine and glamour to any setting. Greenery – don’t forget to be generous with the greenery. It is less expensive than flowers, adds bulk, and it gives a splash of color, even if the monochromatic look is chosen. Greenery adds depth and breadth to any display, whether it is a whole table or one rose pinned to a groomsman. Tip from the pros: greenery will add so much visual interest to photographs. Remember to think about how the visuals will all look in 10 or 20 years.

Heather Brulez Photography

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SEE MORE PHOTOS ONLINE AT KCINDEPENDENT.COM.

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Julianna Noelle Jumper

Sonya Dreiling

In the category of “we couldn’t resist,” here are a few former trends that seem to be finding their way out of our collective conscience. Generic themes for weddings, such as country, rustic, Gatsby Overdone tablescapes – less is more… no clutter for clutter’s sake Mason jars and burlap; let it go Tossing anything not biodegradable at the happy couple

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Speaking of not throwing confetti, local experts advise to keep the celebration as sustainable as possible. Use locally-sourced, organic flowers Use potted plants for decorations that can then be taken home and put in-ground. Take large floral displays to nursing homes, hospice, schools, and children’s centers the day after the wedding. Beautiful and sustainable – edible florals on the cake Research websites promoting “zero waste” or “reduced carbon footprint.” The bottom line in wedding planning, and specifically as it relates to floral planning is: be intentional, be true to what moves the couple being celebrated. Sarah Sahli, Bergamot & Ivy, said, “Embrace the intimate, smaller wedding. As the downsizing of weddings was born out of necessity recently, it has become an opportunity to really enjoy every detail of the special event.” Immerse yourself in the details of making it your favorite, gorgeous day.

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Sonya and Joel Dreiling

Bergamot & Ivy

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TO HAVE AND TO HOST By Kelsey Potts

Picnic At The Park

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eep calm and marry on! If the guest of honor leans more towards a bridechilla than a bridezilla, then a Picnic At The Park with a yoga flow session is a breath of fresh air for all. Celebrate the bride-to-be with a little Zen and a lot of love. The beauty of this type of gathering is that just about any open and green space fits the form. My favorite spot to soak up sunshine and capture Kansas City love is the south lawn and terrace at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. I like to invite my guests to enjoy a yoga class on the lawn, followed by a simple and sweet picnic. Many local yoga studios offer private sessions, so whether the vibe is upbeat or low key, I am sure to pick a teacher who aligns with the bride’s personality. SEE MORE PHOTOS ONLINE Monogrammed yoga mats or colorful beach towels make AT KCINDEPENDENT.COM. fun party favors for the guests. Prior to start time, I like to line the mats up and set up a customized party favor bag for each guest. A few sweating and sipping essential ideas include a personalized water bottle to be used as a place card, hair coils, a towel, and an energy bar. To creatively cater to the bride, I build a playlist of her favorite tracks to keep the party going and flowing. After the yoga session is finished, a mimosa or coffee bar can keep guests busy while I set up a picnic area by simply swapping the scene from yoga mats to darling (and, of course, Instagrammable) picnic blankets. To keep the hosting easy, I include a menu of catered picnic boxes from Rozzelle Court, located conveniently inside The Nelson. Guests can casually gather around the bride to enjoy a picnic while they namaste good juju her way. Bailey Pianalto Photography

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atherine Blair Dudenhoeffer and Stephen James Holman were united in matrimony on June 20th at the bride’s parents’ farm in Rich Hill, Missouri. The bride is the daughter of Denise and Mark Dudenhoeffer of Kansas City, Missouri. Catherine is the granddaughter of Margaret and Donald Austin of Our Town and Patricia Dudenhoeffer of St. Louis, Missouri, and the late August Dudenhoeffer. Her groom is the son of Charles Holman of Branson, Missouri, and the late Rhonda Holman. Stephen is the grandson of the late Mary Jean Russell, the late Edmon Russell, and the late Lois and Minard Holman. The bride’s parents hosted a beautiful wedding reception at their farm. Anna Simpson, sister of the bride, and Elizabeth Rollings were the matrons of honor, and Caffrey Dudenhoeffer, sister-in-law of the bride, served as a bridesmaid. Jack Dudenhoeffer, brother of the bride; and Christopher Simpson, brother-in-law of the bride, were groomsmen. Sarah-Allen Preston was the officiant. The happy couple enjoyed a honeymoon at the Big Cedar Lodge in Branson, Missouri. They are at home in Kansas City, where Catherine careers with Sharyn Blond Linens, and Stephen is employed with XPO Logistics.

“When choosing food for your rehearsal dinner, pick a menu that represents you as a couple, your hometown, or just your favorite food. Consider keeping it casual so it can complement your wedding and not overshadow it. Relieve some of the pre-wedding stress by working with our dedicated catering team. They are here to provide personalized service to ensure your event runs smoothly, so that you can focus on your guests.” - Shannon Burchett, Q39

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I Wonder – what overlong bachelor has just discovered that life has a big IF in the middle of it?

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To Smile Down The Aisle

Ring Bearer Cole Shondell and Flower Girl Maria DeAngelis walked down the aisle at the beautiful wedding of Allie and Reid Robson. Ashley Wills

Flower Girl Landyn Riffel at the wedding of Emily Sinovic and Trevor Senseman

Lady ILG Photography

Caroline Strate was the flower girl at the wedding of Abigail and Mark Silverwood. Aaron Phelps

Ring Bearer James Foster and Flower Girl Millie Foster were all smiles at the wedding of Katherine and Cameron Foster. SEE MORE PHOTOS ONLINE AT KCINDEPENDENT.COM.

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John Nestor with his mom, Meg Nestor, helped celebrate the wedding of Ellie and Jack Logan.

Nicki Griffith Photography

Heather Durham Photography

Flower Girl Eleanor Smith with Ring Bearers Isaac and Hudson Steele at the wedding of Maggie McLiney Stiverson and Boston Stiverson

Laura Foote Photography

Flower Girls Rose Wyatt Crenshaw and Mary Evelyn Wyatt Crenshaw anked Bride Elizabeth Shelton. Saturdays KC

Ring Bearer Mason Stark and Flower Girl Ellie Stark had a wonderful time at Cassie and Cory Bittner’s wedding.

Lauren and Eric Racki posed with Ring Bearer Colin Koenigsdorf, godson of the bride. (out of camera range) Ring Bearer Brayden Strathman, nephew of the groom

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TO HAVE AND TO HOST By Kelsey Potts

Blooms For The Bride

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Blooms for the Bride shower is my absolute favorite bridal party to host and to attend! Flowers play an integral role in all of life’s celebrations and meaningful moments. From a romantic gesture on the first date to designing a dream bridal bouquet, flowers are riding the love train alongside a couple. Hosting a Blooms For The Bride shower honors the bride, while mixing in a build-your-own arrangement activity for guests. The activity of designing florals is the shining star in this soiree. I like to keep the focus on the flowers and simplify the venue, food, and drink. A perfect event space to host is McLain’s Bakery. Each of their locations around Kansas City can be transformed into a space that is homey and welcoming. An afternoon shower allows for private, exclusive access to the event space, and gives me flexibility in creating a simple menu for my guests.

Sarah Pickert, KC Flower Truck SEE MORE PHOTOS ONLINE AT KCINDEPENDENT.COM.

By offering tasty treats from the bakery, small bites, and an afternoon pick-me-up coffee or mimosa, my guests are able to mix, mingle, and dabble in the floral DIY. I recommend Sarah Pickert, of KC Flower Truck, to create the experience and lead the floral fun. Her restored vintage Ford Truck, The Petaler, is a mobile flower truck full of stunning florals that she can park directly in front of McLain’s. Sarah launched KC Flower Truck on Mother’s Day of 2019, and her business continues to bloom with various event experiences. “I first saw a similar concept in my hometown outside of St. Petersburg, Florida, and decided to leave my web development career to follow a petal passion,” shared Sarah. Sarah’s charming character and love for design will help guide guests to build their own beauty. Prior to the party, Sarah will work with hosts to pick a color palette preferred by the bride. A three-stem or five-stem bouquet will range from $9-$18 per arrangement. The KC Flower Truck provides all of the materials, including greenery and blooms to give the celebration a little something extra.

I Wonder – if you know the bride and groom who are taking full credit for three romances that blossomed at their wedding?

Photo Credit: Bailey Pianalto Photography

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Love Is Everywhere

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n July 15th, Mary Lynn Stephens became the bride of Michael Robert Thiessen, Jr. in a ceremony at Our Lady of Sorrows in Kansas City, Missouri. Mary is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Joseph Stephens of Mission Hills, Kansas. Rob is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Robert Thiessen, also of Mission Hills. A rehearsal dinner was held at The River Club and hosted by the groom’s parents. Following the ceremony, a reception was given in the couple’s honor by the bride’s parents at The Kansas City Country Club. After a honeymoon trip to The British Open in Scotland and to Key West, Florida, the couple is at home in Kansas City, Kansas. Reprinted from the December 9, 2000 issue of The Independent.

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r. and Mrs. Robert Abbott Fowler of Lodi, California, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Arley Ann Fowler, to Brian Christopher Ward, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Scott Hardman Ward of Our Town. The bride-to-be is the granddaughter of Jane Giltner McCoun of Lodi, California, and Mrs. James Cole Abbott of McAllen, Texas, and the late Mr. Abbott. Her groom-elect is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Theodore August Wiedeman and Mrs. Louis Larrick Ward, all of Our Town, and the late Mr. Ward. Theirs will be a June 26th wedding at University Christian Church in Fort Worth, Texas. Reprinted from the June 12, 2010 issue of The Independent.

“Surprises can be wonderful when it comes to wedding planning, but no one wants the overall cost to be a surprise! Our estimates at Loose Mansion include all of the costs. Some wedding vendors give estimates that do not include gratuities or taxes, which can be substantial costs. To avoid surprises, ask up-front for typical gratuities that are expected and request taxes to be fully calculated and included in your totals.” - Abbey Chingren, Loose Mansion

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A Few Of My Favorite Things

By Heather N. Paxton

In fourth grade, one of our assignments was to write a poem about a month. I chose June. The exact version is lost, but here’s what I remember: In June, girls become wives And start all new lives But I shall stay the same And not change my name. (Yes, I was a curmudgeon even then. I never did change my name, although New York state records show that I was married once.) Years later, I briefly taught a creative writing workshop. I sometimes showed photos to my students and then asked them to write about the people and the situation. I encouraged them to look at facial expressions, posture, clothing, and decor. What they wrote was fiction, but it was based on their interpretations of the pictures.

A great deal of creativity went into this photo: the giant palms, the painted backdrop, the artful styling of the bride’s train, and the bridesmaid at far right, who looks wholesome enough to be an advertisement for something such as raisins, oranges, oatmeal, or soap.

When I first saw the 17 people in the Asian-American wedding photo in an antique mall near the Kansas City International Airport, I thought of that writing exercise. The picture was by May’s, which was located at 770 Sacramento Street in San Francisco’s Chinatown. I always assumed the photo was from the 1920s, but the photography studio moved there in 1931, according to the Online Archive of California. The lanterns, the painted backdrop, and the rug add an air of festivity to this photo. The bride is at the center of the back row. Her bouquet is barely visible. Much of her gown is obscured. As for her groom, I suspect that he is the young man wearing glasses and standing next to her. He seems to be leaning slightly toward her. She is holding her flowers closer to him than to the other man by her side, who is looking directly at the camera. Both the bride and the groom have serious expressions. Perhaps they are thinking of the night ahead, when they will finally be alone. It’s difficult to guess how everyone is related, but the lady in the dark outfit is undoubtedly a grandmother, with perhaps a greatgrandchild on her lap. Possibly the two ladies in light-colored dresses in the front row are newly minted mothers-in-law. One has chosen a dress with a fashionably short skirt; the other one appears quite

Outside, the bride and groom looked confident, while the members of the wedding party were more pensive. Indoors, everyone seemed excited as one bridesmaid signed the register.

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A stately quartet

At the time I was collecting, I rarely saw Black wedding photos from this era. Some members of the wedding party are very serious, while others are on the verge of smiling. The different expressions make it fun to imagine what they might be thinking.

elegant in a long dress. The man sitting with his hands on his knees looks impatient. The young woman, likely a bridesmaid, in the back row, appears to be pouting. The man on the end of that row is a head taller than the others. Is he perhaps the groom’s boss or a colleague? What about the man in the lighter-colored suit, who looks older than the others in the back row. Might he be a beloved professor? As for the man in front of the bride, is he her father or her grandfather? Or is he someone else entirely? Then, too, there are the children. The little girl at the far left appears tired, while the little boy on the right is still standing at attention. The baby is awake and taking everything in, though too young to later have memories of the event. The tiny girl with the long dress and the ribbon in her hair is being held in place; if she were turned loose, she would probably be dancing. I date my interest in wedding photos to the moment I saw that picture. A few years later, it dawned on me that if I wanted to collect them, I no longer needed to wait for serendipity. I could search for them online, often at Etsy or similar websites. For a time, that was a popular late night pursuit for me. Some may wonder: shouldn’t these photos be returned to the descendants of the couples or other relatives? In my case, most of these photos arrived at my house with little or no information. Someone might have written something on the back, but an inscription such as “Helen and George’s wedding” isn’t helpful to a stranger reading it decades later. For those who have photos they wish to This couple appears to be reunite with family members, there are Facebook groups, (such as Lost and Found picturing the future. Vintage Photos), that strive to make that possible. Were they envisioning the My collection isn’t limited by decade or theme; I’ve simply chosen what I liked. same type of life? If I can look at the photo and imagine a story, that’s reason enough for me to Were their dreams in add it to the set. sync with reality?

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This is a thoroughly modern couple of the 1920s. Perhaps they told each other, “I feel married to you already.” Later, they would be glad they had a ceremony, even if when the photo was taken, they thought they were only getting engaged to assuage her parents and his Aunt Min.

SEE MORE PHOTOS ONLINE AT KCINDEPENDENT.COM.

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By Ann Slegman

Abbey Leigh Photography

o matter what size or style your upcoming rehearsal dinner and wedding reception is, everyone has to eat. Right? So what are some of the food trends wedding planners, restaurants, and caterers are seeing? Wedding Planner Sarah Quinlivan of Quintessential breakfast pizzas for a late night snack, and the guests went out of their Events said, “People want food that matters to them, whether it’s an minds,” Kindra said. homage to their childhood In its stylishly-designed urban rustic space, or as a couple. At our first Q39 offers an intimate private room and a meeting, I will interview the semi-private setting to host a rehearsal dinner. couple and ask them where It offers award-winning barbeque with a chef they grew up and what they driven menu. From the tender slow-smoked like to do as a couple or meats to the sweet cole slaw, baked beans, and separately. For instance, one desserts made with love, there’s just something groom was from St. Louis and special about a hometown meal. Some of Q39’s we served fried ravioli. Then most popular items you can’t miss are the we brought in Ted Drewes hickory-smoked brisket and burnt ends. Its frozen custard as a snack. delightful, herb-smoked turkey is something you It not only provided an can only get from its catering menu. Q39 is experience for the wedding perfect for couples looking to flaunt hometown guests, but it helped to tell the pride or give their guests a taste of true Kansas couple’s story. In 2021, one City barbeque. bride is Lebanese, and we are Loose Mansion provides an ambiance and going to have a food station history for weddings from an era of romance Loose Mansion with Lebanese food. At and sophistication, unmatched by another wedding, we had key other venues in Kansas City, according lime flavored cotton candy because the to Abbey Chingren, director of sales bride went to school in Miami.” and marketing. “We have an in-house Plated meals are becoming more culinary team of experienced chefs popular. “People like the formality of a who create exceptional cuisine on-site plated dinner and how it looks. And, for wedding receptions, using the honestly, a plated dinner works better freshest ingredients,” said Abbey. “A with the time line of a wedding in terms few examples of favorites include a of toasts and dancing. A buffet line takes funnel cake station, house made up a lot of time.” bacon maple donuts, bacon wrapped A trend that Wedding Planner Kindra burnt ends, a flambé station featuring Browne of Simple Elegance is seeing are cherries Jubilee, bananas foster or small rehearsal dinners at local venues Georgia peaches, and chicken and such as J. Rieger, Boulevard Brewery, and waffles. A popular trend that our chef Tom’s Town. “The most popular food enjoys doing is to help couples that is served at rehearsal dinners is share food items unique barbeque, without a doubt,” said to their own history Q39 Kindra. But after the rehearsal dinner, together or representative she is seeing a Welcome Party for local and/or of their family’s favorite out-of-towners that lasts from about 8:30 to or culture.” 10:30 p.m. “Sometimes it will be at the same venue Abbey loves it when or at a hotel rooftop. We will serve a few savory and couples personalize their sweet bites, cocktails, and coffee.” event, and food is a great The majority of weddings Kindra is doing are way to do this. “We’ve sit-down dinners. “Grazing tables are going away, but tailored appetizers, dinner, I think we can still do stations, as long as a chef or menus, desserts, and someone is serving the food. Last year, we had a taco late-night surprises to station, an American station with sliders and tater specific themes and tots, and an Italian station with pasta served with red family traditions. Some of or white sauce and cups of Caesar salad.” them have been based on Kindra said that passing food and self-serve buffets world traveling, the Clue are not going to trend in 2021. “I am seeing the guest game, various Disney and count going down at weddings, but the food budgets popular television shows, are going up. For instance, a plated meal might be movies, books and Quintessential Events surf and turf instead of chicken. People are enjoying historical themes such as dinner and talking to people more. There is more importance placed on The Roaring Twenties or the Victorian age. Recently, we helped a couple food, and the weddings tend to have a more intimate feel.” recreate the ambiance of Paris where they got engaged, and it included Many weddings are being held outside now. “They have had a more a meal of beef Bourguignon, ratatouille, and assorted macarons.” laid-back feel with more casual food. We have had champagne trailers Plated meals at Loose Mansion have always been popular, and a few and a Betty Rae’s ice cream truck. At one wedding, we served Casey’s favorites include Mansion Steak Oscar, spice rubbed barbeque short ribs, Annie Austen

Waldron Photography

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Paul Versluis

Simple Elegance

Boursin stuffed chicken breast, molasses and honey sage grilled center cut pork chops, and potato crusted salmon. Michael Wyatt of Wyatt Catering likes to serve dinners in a glass. He said, “I have been preparing menu items like this from gumbo to shots of gazpacho. In a martini glass, I’ll first put in roasted garlic mashed potatoes, then either smoked salmon with dill sauce or grilled tenderloin with horseradish sauce and top it off with roasted vegetables. For dessert, I’ll do a white chocolate lemon mousse with a raspberry sauce in a glass. Another option is skewers, such as a Mediterranean one with marinated artichoke, zucchini, kalamata olives, summer sausage, and diced cheese. I can do lamb, chicken, vegetarian, and fruit kabobs, too.” There are lots of creative and delicious ways for families and friends to eat at rehearsal dinners and receptions and for brides and grooms to have the weddings of their dreams.

Wyatt Catering SEE MORE PHOTOS ONLINE AT KCINDEPENDENT.COM.

I Wonder – if the modern best man always carries a “spare” wedding ring – just in case?

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AND BEYOND BY PAUL HORSLEY

GET ON YOUR FEET: A top-notch live band can make your reception into the party of a lifetime

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The Patrick Lentz Band

Hudson Drive

In Good Company

A Day to Adore Photography

trategy, creativity, and a playbook drawn from years of observation: recognize the song,” Jeff said. “Once they’re there, they are a captive audience, and we know how to keep them there.” At this point, rhythm The success of a wedding band is more akin to Andy Reid’s kicks in, as a strategic mix of up-tempo and down-tempo keeps things playbook than you might think. A band throws out songs the way moving. “You’re watching the crowd,” Jeff said, toward building an Andy tries crazy plays early in a game, just to gauge responses: adjusting organic flow that has to be sustained for three hours. Almost as important, the game plan as he goes. A band ensures a “win” by learning how to he said, is lighting: “If it’s too light, people aren’t going to dance. If it’s read a crowd, riding its ebb and flow toward building a winning too dark, they don’t know what’s going on.” touchdown the wedding party will remember for the rest of their lives. Whatever KOKOMO is doing, it’s working: Since its formation in 1981, Though some might prefer DJs, those who hire a band of skilled and especially since its first big event (the 1984 Kansas City Ballet Ball, musicians for their reception almost never regret it. Just as you attend a where people “went bananas” when they started to play), KOKOMO concert at Helzberg Hall to hear real people play, at such a critical event remains one of the most durable wedding-and-party bands around. as your wedding, don’t you want live interaction with human beings? “I count success as when other people hire you,” Jeff said. “Or when, “We’re hired to drive the dance floor, and most of the time I work after an event, they hire you back.” directly with the bride and groom, because they want that kind of Contact: kokomoband.com or jeff@thebandstoreonline.com. personal service,” said Jeff Wright of KOKOMO, arguably the gold standard of Kansas City wedding bands for nearly 40 years. “To make sure that Other notable options: everybody’s dancing and having a good time: That’s the directive.” The Patrick Lentz Band: This well-established group features the This doesn’t just happen by itself, according to Jeff, the band’s impressive talents of Patrick himself, a sophisticated singer who can get drummer, who together with Bassist Jeff Moffet formed KOKOMO in 1981 down-low when he needs to, and several other fine musicians as well in Lawrence. It is crafted to a T. “We map it out in advance,” Jeff said. (patricklentzmusic.com). “And as the tactician, I will get us where we need to go.” Just as Private Stock: Known for a broad range of events, this band features Andy reaps rewards, for some of his quirky early plays, later in the game, a wide-ranging playlist. “We’ve seen it all, done most of it, and we KOKOMO has strategies for doing something quite similar. absolutely love what we do,” reads the website (privatestockkc.com). “My biggest challenge is figuring out how to get them onto the dance The KC All Stars: A large and varied playlist (the website touts “new floor,” said Jeff, who by day is a professor at Rockhurst University’s songs added weekly”), a highly professional lineup, and a prestigious College of Business. “And that’s where we kind of ‘go fishing,’ we profile characterize this local favorite throw a song out that’s not going to (kcallstars.com). offend. … Then we can kind of take the In Good Company: Top-scale temperature of the room. From there, performers and operations make this a we can go in this direction, or fall back sure-fire choice, and like some other in another direction.” organizations in town, they can also As part of the mapping-out stage, Jeff provide music for your wedding solicits from the wedding party “five ceremony (ingoodcompany.band). songs you definitely want for sure, The Magnetics: Versatile, contemporary, five you don’t want … and let me pick and youthful, this group covers a range the rest.” Overmanaging a playlist can of events and styles. “From Johnny Cash kill spontaneity, so Jeff and the band to Justin Timberlake,” reads to the (including vocalists Kirsten Paludan and website, “Buffalo Springfield to Black Emmett Lee, keyboardist Alex Cordero, Keys” (themagneticsmusic.com). and guitarist Andy Launder) draw upon KOKOMO Musivo Live: The group that calls a repertoire of some 90 “group-fresh” itself a “Kansas City Wedding Band” is not exclusive to weddings but songs, any of which they can start with the prompt of a bass riff or a certainly favors them. Professionally trained and diverse in musical gifts, drumbeat. its members have garnered a following (musivolive.com). “My Girl” is a good example: Emmett’s soulful voice can almost make Hudson Drive: For a country-flavored reception, this band you think the Temptations are in the house, “and if people come out to offers a highly professional choice (if you can catch them). It has dance, then we’ve got to go for the throat,” Jeff said. “If they don’t, then opened for such major acts as Maren Morris and Thompson Square let’s kick it to a ballad.” The goal is to get everyone on that floor. (hudsondriveband.com). “A wedding is a bi-generational party, and you’ve got to have songs that bridge both groups.” There are three driving forces that get people to dance (setting aside, if we may, alcohol consumption): melody, rhythm, and lighting. “People come out to the dance floor because of the melody, because they 36 | August 8, 2020 |

@theindependentkc

To reach Paul Horsley, performing arts editor; send an email to paul@kcindependent.com or find him on Facebook (paul.horsley.501) or Twitter (@phorsleycritic).

TO HAVE AND TO HOST By Kelsey Potts

The Happiest Of Hours

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ewly-engaged couples are some of the happiest humans out there. When you’re living the in-love life, every hour is happy! One of my favorite parties to host is a Happiest Of Hours couple’s shower. I have always been a fan of attending and throwing a party that celebrates the marriage of a couple and includes both the bride and the groom. It’s a little more relaxed and holds a stronger party vibe that allows for all sorts of creativity. With a couple’s shower, both the bride and the groom invite guests from their wedding guest list. This may lead to a large guest list, but the more the merrier for this bash. The Happiest Of Hours theme is a perfect fit for large groups – so keep it simple and sweet. I suggest hosting your event for just a couple of hours, 5 to 7 p.m. is an ideal time to keep your guests fueled up on heavy appetizers and cocktails. The second floor at The Reserve, located above The Rockhill Grille in downtown Kansas City, is a fantastic fit for a happy hour venue. The space can comfortably hold 75 people and has a good layout with SEE MORE PHOTOS ONLINE AT KCINDEPENDENT.COM. both seating and high-top tables. This set-up encourages conversation The Reserve to flow easily. The Reserve offers in-house catering directly from The Rockhill Grille. I can customize a menu filled with heavy appetizers that pair well with the libations. Pro Tip: for a personal touch, offer a signature cocktail that is a favorite drink of both the bride and groom. Since this gathering is a celebration about the couple, I suggest playing an informal, fun game to keep the guests entertained. A favorite one of mine is “The Shoe Game,” where the bride and groom sit back-to-back and they each hold a shoe of their own and a shoe of the other’s. Prior to the party, I like to prepare funny questions to ask the couple, such as “Who is the better driver?” or “Who is the better cook?” After a question is asked, the bride and groom each hold up the appropriate shoe to answer. The Happiest Of Hours couple’s shower is as easy for hosts to throw as it is for guests to attend and enjoy. A simple concoction of delicious food, festive drinks, and laughter will create a wonderful party for the happy couple to always remember.

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@The Independent: Kansas City’s Journal of Society

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Art Insider The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

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arion and Henry Bloch bought their first Impressionist picture in 1976: Auguste Renoir’s Study for “Young Girls Playing Volant,” painted around 1887. This painting launched a love story of sorts, as the Blochs began to build one of the great

Marion and Henry Bloch

private collections of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist pictures, now part of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. The young woman in the Renoir study is lost in thought, with her cheeks in full blush, perhaps thinking of someone special. Julián Zugazagoitia

When Aimee Marcereau DeGalan, our Senior Curator of European Arts, looks at

the woman’s face, she is reminded of this photograph of Marion, looking at her husband. It is a universal expression – the excitement of young love and the sense of possibilities. Pierre-Auguste Renoir, French (1841-1919). Study for “Young Girls Playing Volant,” ca. 1875-1887. Oil on canvas, 5 1/2 x 9 inches. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Gift of Henry W. and Marion H. Bloch, 2015.13.21.

Love Is Everywhere

5 YEARS

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r. and Mrs. James Bryant Hebenstreit of Mission Hills are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Alison Hebenstreit, to Hunter Westwood Armistead, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Corson Armistead of Nashville, Tennessee. The brideto-be is the granddaughter of Mrs. Paul Dana Bartlett, Jr., of Our Town and the late Mr. Bartlett and the late Mr. and Mrs. William Joseph Hebenstreit. Her groom-elect is the grandson of Mrs. Hunter Armistead of Nashville and the late Mr. Armistead and the late Dr. and Mrs. William Bryant Crenshaw. Theirs will be a September 19th wedding at Keswick Hall at Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia. Reprinted from the June 27, 2015 issue of The Independent.

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2018

TO HAVE AND TO HOST By Kelsey Potts

Around The World Wedding Shower

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ove makes the world go around. Every couple has a love story and a journey that is uniquely them. I am no marriage pro, but I can say that making the leap to marriage was the start of my greatest adventure. The Around The World wedding shower, hosted within a cozy and open home, is a thoughtful theme that takes guests on the honored couple’s crafted love story around the world. From food stations inspired by the couple’s personal stories and travels, to cocktail pairings and party favors, guests will feel honored to be part of this celebration. I believe in sending and receiving traditional, printed, and well-designed invitations. I suggest setting the tone of the celebration with a darling card inviting guests to travel around the world to celebrate the couple. I use fun wording on the invitation, including “Love is a Journey,” “The Adventure Begins,” or “Traveling from Miss to Mrs.,” and pair it with a design of a map or suitcase to plant the soiree seed in my guests’ minds for what’s to come. When guests arrive, a fun idea is to greet them with a styled entryway that displays a printed passport or plane ticket for guests to pick up that outlines the travel ahead. A welcome drink inspired by where the couple met sets the tone for the flow of the evening. For example, my husband and I met in Dallas, Texas, so a Ranch Water (tequila, lime, and Topo Chico) is the perfect creative cocktail for the cowboy state. Guests can move around to food stations that are spread out to encourage a nice flow of food, cocktails, and conversation. As a host, I take the time to learn everything about the couple’s love story so I can include cuisine from all around the world, including: their hometown, where they met, vacation spots, location of the wedding, honeymoon, or dream vacation spot. By having the event catered by a professional, such as the talented chefs at Lon Lane’s Inspired Occasions, I ensure that my guests will tastefully travel around the world in style. “We are seeing a trend in highlighting authentic, global cuisine similar to a street vendor, which gives guests smaller bites yet bigger experiences,” said Executive Chef Stewart Lane. Inspired Occasions’ team, including Owner Jaime ODE TO MOROCCO Steinman, prioritizes being part of the AND INDIA celebration from idea to event execution to ensure every detail is unique to the couple. TRADITIONAL MOROCCAN TAGINES I love this theme for a shower because the • Chicken, apricot, and olive tagine whole evening is full of flavor and flare. To garnished with preserved lemon add in a final fun touch, set up a “baggage • Beef and butternut squash tagine claim” area with goodie bags filled with a few garnished with chopped cilantro of the couple’s favorite snacks or treats that guests can take home as they leave. TRADITIONAL INDIAN CURRIES While the overall celebration is about • East Indian chicken curry with tender the bride and groom, the Around The World chunks of chicken in a rich, low-fat wedding shower celebrates my guests by curry sauce with mango chutney including them in an unforgettable experience that helps the honored couple arrive at their and Asian pears. happily-ever-after destination. Enjoy these • Yam and squash vegetable korma themed menu items for an Around The World • Curry condiments: diced tomato, Shower provided by Lon Lane’s Inspired cashews, currants, green onions, Occassions.

crisp chopped turkey bacon pieces, and mango chutney • Cinnamon Rice and Saffron Rice

SEE MORE MENU IDEAS ONLINE AT KCINDEPENDENT.COM.

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GYRO STATION

red and Lamb, beef gyro meat sea a, served with falafel, fresh pit eroncini, shredded tomatoes, cucumbers, pepp spicy chili sauce. lettuce, tzatziki sauce, and

AMERICAN

SOUTHWES

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PLEASER

Go easy and beautiful wit ha southwest p epper cheese cake dip! A savory che esecake of ch eddar, cream cheese , red peppe r, green chiles, Southwest seasonings, and sour cre am. The cheeseca ke is baked, topped with a sour cr eam and chu nky salsa topping, chill ed, frosted w ith fresh guacam ole, and serv ed with blue, white, and chile co rn tortilla chips.

DLES YAKISOBA NOO E AND FRIED RIC STATION

Fair marinated Japanese Street ba or shrimp skirt steak Yakiso with Asian slaw, Yakisoba tossed ed with onions fried rice season gs. Flash fried and scrambled eg e oil, and tossed in woks in sesam en peas, bean with carrots, gard yellow peppers, sprouts, red and chicken, and a scallions, grilled e. splash of soy sauc

ACAPULCO CH WRAPS

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in cilantro and

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lime, grilled un til then wrapped in a tomato tortilla with a cilantro and black bean spre ad, lettuce, roasted red pe pper, and jack cheese. golden brown

LovAe

Romantic Getaway

Molly Kuplen

Abigail and Mark Silverwood traveled to Hawaii for their honeymoon.

After their wedding, Ellie and Jack Logan honeymooned in Riviera Maya, Mexico.

Painting Petunias Art on a Towel embraces the fun side of life. All towels are 100 percent cotton machine washable. Each towel is hand painted to order with a touch of love. Painting Petunias is a creative company that loves to work up custom orders for bridal showers gifts, weddings, or any special occasion in addition to standard designs. The ever-popular, Kansas City-inspired towels are a great sentiment to give out-of-town guests.

Maggie McLiney Stiverson and Boston Stiverson honeymooned in Puerto Vallarta.

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@theindependentkc

Rachel’s Reads

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eep breath – it’s over. Between the vows, cake, and dancing, you got married. Now, it’s time for the romance and relaxation of the honeymoon. The best part of packing for the honeymoon (even if it’s currently a staycation) is picking out what to read. Here are some fun and fabulous honeymoon reads:

Alissa and Noah Eisemann traveled to Chiang Mai, Thailand, for their honeymoon.

• • • • • • • • • • • • Lauren and Eric Racki celebrated a fabulous honeymoon in Costa Rica.

Cory and Cassie Bittner were picture perfect in front of the Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica.

• • • • • • • •

Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier The Guest List by Lucy Foley Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century by Nancy Schoenberger and Sam Kashner A Good Marriage by Kimberly McCreight Why Fish Don’t Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life by Lulu Miller The Hidden Girl and Other Stories by Ken Liu Qualityland by Marc-Uwe Kling Blue Flowers by Carola Saavedra Loves You: Poems by Sarah Gambito The Language of Baklava by Diana Abu-Jaber The Mistress of Paris: The 19th-Century Courtesan Who Built an Empire on a Secret by Catherine Hewitt One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon

SEE MORE PHOTOS ONLINE AT KCINDEPENDENT.COM.

I Wonder – when she intends to let her mother in on the secret pertaining to her romance, now that she has told most everybody else? Happy Reading!

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• Calendar

Of

Events •

New Date! Heartstrings Community Foundation; Heartstrings AUGUST 22 in Bloom Gala; This is our major event of the year and includes food, drinks, dancing, and an auction; Olathe Embassy Suites; 6 p.m.; Virtual Event! Lyric Opera Circle; 33rd Lyric Opera Ball Contact Anne Hull: 11599 South Ridgeview Road, Olathe, KS 66061 12-28 Premier Online Auction Event; Everyone is invited to join $150. or 816-536-6364 or anne@heartstringscf.org or heartstringscf.org. the bidding on items from the most exquisite vendors in Town featuring beautiful baubles, a fabulous coat, gift certificates, and creative toys for children of all ages. Bidding begins at noon on August 12th and continues through 9 p.m. on August 28th. Contact Nancy McGuire: 913-912-1083 or nancemcguire@gmail.com or kcopera.org/support.

Jewish Community Center; KC SuperStar; An American 23 Idol-style high school singing competition open to students in the Kansas City metro area, including a performance from the evening’s emcee; Yardley Hall at Johnson County Community College; 5:15 p.m.; $250. Contact Felice Azorsky: 5801 West 115th Street, Overland Park, KS 66211 or 913-981-8895 or felicea@thejkc.org or thejkc.org.

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Virtual Event! National Kidney Foundation; Magic of Giving Gala; Celebrate virtually with a silent auction from the 14th to the 20th, and a mission story via Zoom on the evening of the 20th. Contact Tori Snowden: 6405 Metcalf Avenue, Suite 204, Overland Park, KS 66202 or 913-262-1551 or tori.snowden@kidney.org or kidney.org.

New Date! Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas; The 39th 24 Annual Ben & Betty Zarda Family Golf Classic; Golfers enjoy lunch, a round of golf at Lake Quivira, and a dinner reception. Non-golfers take part in a wine cruise and join golfers for dinner; Lake Quivira Country Club; 11 a.m.; $500. Contact Theresa Gaul: 9720 West 87th Street, Overland Park, KS 66212 or 913-433-2068 or tgaul@catholiccharitiesks.org or catholiccharitiesks.org.

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Virtual Event! Cristo Rey Kansas City; 14th Annual Dancing With The Kansas City Stars!; Join Cristo Rey for an out-of-thisworld, foot tapping, virtual event; Contact Meghan Tallman: 211 West Linwood Boulevard, Kansas City, MO 64111 or 816-595-2826 or mtallman@cristoreykc.org or cristoreykc.org.

HopeKids Kansas City; Charity Golf Classic; Registration 24 includes breakfast, lunch, drinks, a golfer gift, and the opportunity to meet HopeKids Kansas City families. The event raises funds to

New Date! KidsTLC; KidsTLC Open; Golfers enjoy a high-end day 17 on the links at Shadow Glen while indulging in decadent food and drinks. Interactive games, exclusive gifts, and the presentation of

provide free events to Kansas City families who have a child with a life-threatening medical condition; Shoal Creek Golf Course; 8 a.m.; $250. Contact Kristin Castle: P.O. Box 11947, Kansas City, MO 64138 or 816-372-0311 or kristin@hopekids.org or hopekids.org/kcgolf.

the coveted green jackets during the awards ceremony will complete the day; Shadow Glen Golf Course; 9 a.m. Contact Rojanae Williams: 480 South Rogers Road, Olathe, KS 66062 or 913-324-3610 or rwilliams@kidstlc.org or kidstlc.org.

Safehome; Tee It Up for Safehome; This tournament features 24 18 holes of golf, cart, box lunch, buffet dinner, refreshments, golfer gifts, prizes, and numerous hole games. Mobile bidding on silent auction

Virtual Event! Wayside Waifs; Fur Ball Gala, Caturday Night 21 Live; Purr-pare for a tail waggin’ time at this virtual event! You’ll have fun, laugh, see some dogs and cats, and enjoy a silent auction;

items and raffle items; Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate. Contact Brielle Kratz: P.O. Box 4563, Overland Park, KS 66204 or 913-378-1551 or brielle.kratz@safehome-ks.org or safehome-ks.org.

7 p.m. Contact Molly Moody: 3901 Martha Truman Road, Kansas City, MO 64137 or 816-986-4409 or mmoody@waysidewaifs.org or furballkc.org.

Virtual Event! Nonprofit Connect; 36th Annual Virtual 25 Philanthropy Awards Luncheon; With more than 1,000 members of the non-profit and business community attending every year, the Luncheon is Kansas City’s oldest and largest celebration of giving. The Philanthropy Awards honor individuals and organizations for their outstanding commitment to impact through philanthropy; 11:45 a.m. Contact Jen Newell: 125 East 31st Street, Suite 100, Kansas City, MO 64108 or 816-888-5600 or events@npconnect.org or npconnect.org.

Tails Of Our Town David Riffel

Virtual Event! Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual 28 Assault; Night Out with MOCSA; Guests will enjoy an at-home evening with a party basket, live program, and the chance to bid on silent and live auction items. The event helps support MOCSA’s art and play therapy programs. Contact Kassie Sands: 4100 Broadway Boulevard, Suite 400, Kansas City, MO 64111 or 816-285-1353 or ksands@mocsa.org or mocsa.org. New Date! Children’s Mercy; Rock the Parkway; Participants 29 will enjoy running down one of the most historic and beautiful parkways in the Midwest in either the half marathon or the 5K; Ward Parkway in front of Burns & McDonnell; 7:30 a.m. Contact Erica Logan: 2401 Gillham Road, Kansas City, MO 64108 or 816-302-0298 or ealogan3@cmh.edu or rocktheparkway.com.

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Delta with Alec and Sarah Dunn

elta is a mini goldendoodle. She’s still a puppy, but don’t let her youth fool you. Already, she has her own Instagram account: @delta_the_goldendoodle. She loves posing for pictures. Recently, she was “Dog of Honor” at the wedding of her humans, Sarah Ingram and Alec Dunn. Delta enjoys playing with other dogs, but when she does, she doesn’t always want to listen to her parents. 44 | August 8, 2020 |

@The Independent: Kansas City’s Journal of Society

I Wonder – if you know the couple who are having so much fun being the talk of the Town that they’ve decided to put off wedding plans for another few months?

Virtual Event! Head for the Cure Foundation; 18th Annual New Date! Kansas City Museum; The Derby Party 2020 - A Gatsby 30 Metro KC Virtual 5K; Join us virtually for a 5K that raises 5 Affair; Patrons will enjoy live music, Southern food bites by Brown funds, awareness, and hope for the brain tumor community. Our event & Loe, cocktails created with KC distillery labels, dessert by Poppy’s will take place on Facebook and YouTube. Funds will benefit The University of Kansas Cancer Center, Solace House, Children’s Brain Tumor Project, and the Brain Tumor Trials Collaborative; 8 a.m. Contact Kelsi Pile: 1607 Oak Street, Kansas City, MO 64108 or 816-218-6871 or kelsi@headforthecure.org or headforthecure.org/metro-kc.

Ice Cream Truck, on-the-spot photo booth by Picwood, yard games, best-dressed and best-hat competitions, and much more; Kansas City Museum Historic Grounds; 3 p.m.; $75. Contact Paul Gutierrez: 800 Broadway Boulevard, Kansas City, MO 64105 or 816-513-0726 or paul.gutierrez@kcmo.org or kansascitymuseum.org.

KVC Health Systems; KVC Kids Classic Golf Tournament; New Dates! First Hand; Jeanne & Neal Patterson Legacy & 23 Golf Tournament; Join First Hand at the beautiful National 31 Experience Tom Watson’s signature course, the exclusive members8 only National Golf Club in Parkville, Missouri. Golfers will receive Golf Club of Kansas City. Play 18 holes and mingle with colleagues VIP treatment as they enjoy all 18 holes including a golf cart, gifts and prizes, complimentary beverages, meals before and after flights, and deluxe golf swag; The National Golf Club; 7 a.m.; $500. Contact Kim Madden: 21350 West 153rd Street, Olathe, KS 66061 or 913-322-4942 or kmadden@kvc.org or kvc.org.

and Cerner leadership. The most rewarding part of the day will be hearing from several children who have benefited from your generosity; The National Golf Club of Kansas City. Contact Ashley Osborn: 2800 Rock Creek Parkway, Kansas City, MO 64117 or 816-201-6385 or ashley.osborn@cerner.com or firsthand.org.

Virtual Event! Johnson County Library Foundation; Library Lets 12 Loose; Library lovers everywhere can enjoy this free, festive, familySEPTEMBER friendly, online event. Guests will enjoy a live program and then choose from a variety of virtual rooms for a fun, interactive experience; Event! Health Partnership Clinic; Opening Doors Benefit; 6:30 p.m. Contact Steph Neu: 9875 West 87th Street, Overland Park, KS 3ourVirtual Grab your lunch, relax, and hear the latest on racial health disparities, 66212 or 816-419-9812 or neus@jocolibrary.org or libraryletsloose.org. COVID-19 response, and one of our evolving patient success stories; noon. Contact Catherine Rice: 405 South Claiborne Road, Suite 2, Olathe, KS 66062 or 913-730-3680 or crice@hpcjc.org or hpcks.org.

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New Date! TMC Foundation; Golf Baby Golf; Now in its 14th year, Golf Baby Golf benefits TMC Lakewood. Hosted on the award-winning WinterStone Golf Course, this tournament sells out fast, with great food, delicious beverage stands, on-course contests, and the signature Helicopter Golf Ball Drop. Tee up to save lives!; WinterStone Golf Course; 8 a.m. Contact Kelsie Fell: 2310 Holmes Street, Suite 735, Kansas City, MO 64108 or 816-404-3440 or kelsie.fell@tmcmed.org or tmcgiving.org.

OurTown

by Charlie Podrebarac

Date! Brain Injury Association of Kansas 5Run;New and Greater Kansas City; Going the Distance 10K, 5K, 1.5 mile walk, kids’ activities, entertainment, and great food will be featured at the annual event; Corporate Woods Office Park; 7:30 a.m. Contact Bev Jacobson: 6701 West 64th Street, Suite 120, Overland Park, KS 66202 or 913-754-8883 or bjacobson@biaks.org or biaks.org.

I Wonder – if you saw the crest-fallen faces of the bridesmaids when the much-touted groomsmen from out-of-town arrived? Alas! They were accompanied by wives and babies.

“Show your guests a commitment to their health and safety by choosing a hotel with a history of superior service, now with enhanced safety and cleanliness protocols to meet the challenges of these times. We are also committed to ensuring your guests’ comfort. We offer beautiful, unique spaces for everything from the rehearsal dinner, ceremony, reception, and next-day brunch, all in one place, to avoid the need for public transportation or multiple venues.” - Gretchen Gilmore-Rizzo, Marriott Hotel

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ON THE COVER

National WWI Museum and Memorial; Night at the Tower; 12 A departure from the traditional gala, guests are invited to mingle, bid on auction items, and celebrate a night like no other to raise funds to allow for the preservation of this natural treasure; National World War I Museum and Memorial. Contact Veronica Weesner: 2 Memorial Drive, Kansas City, MO 64108 or 816-888-8100 or vweesner@theworldwar.org or theworldwar.org. New Date! Folly Theater; Eat, Drink, and Be Jolly for the 13 Folly - Garden Party; Hosted in the historic Hyde Park Garden of Brian Williams, guests arrive in the best summer party wear and enjoy a Sunday afternoon of live jazz music, capped off with picnic-style fare such as fried chicken and refreshing cocktails; 4 p.m.; $125. Contact Brian Williams: 1020 Central Street, Suite 200, Kansas City, MO 64105 or 816-768-6886 or brian@follytheater.org or follytheater.org. Jackson County CASA; CARnival for CASA Parade; The event 13 will feature many of the kid-friendly activities of a traditional carnival, but will wind through the Unity Village campus. All of the fun, none of the crowds! A chance to see exotic animals and arts and crafts activities. A boxed lunch, fun treats, and much more will be provided to all participants; Unity Village Campus; 11 a.m.; $35. Contact Lara Klover: 2544 Holmes, Kansas City, MO 64108 or 816-785-4097 or lklover@jacksoncountycasa-mo.org or jacksoncountycasa-mo.org. Saint Luke’s Foundation; Plaza 10K to benefit Saint Luke’s 13 Home Care and Hospice; The 10K race participants will have the choice to participate virtually or join the race that starts and ends on the Country Club Plaza. Runners will receive a t-shirt and premium finisher’s medal; The Country Club Plaza; 7:30 a.m. Contact: 901 East 104th Street, Kansas City, MO 64131 or 816-932-2252 or slhf@saint-lukes.org or saintlukeskc.org/saint-lukes-foundation. Suicide Awareness Survivor Support MO and KS; 17th Annual 13 Remembrance Walk; The Walk is for anyone who has lost a loved one by suicide, fire, or homicide, and those supporting them; Loose Park; 9 a.m.; $25. Contact Bonnie Swade: 913-221-4749 or bonswade@gmail.com or sass-mokan.com. Virtual Event! Reach Out and Read Kansas City; Virtual 13-16 Books On Tap; Celebrate in the comfort of your own home! Tune in for the silent auction, interactive program, and raffle prizes. Contact

“Choosing a venue that can provide everything you will need helps lead to a stressfree, special event. Having an assigned event planner managing everything during your event, an experienced Meaghan Lopez Photography event service staff overseeing food and beverage needs; ordering needed tables, chairs, linens, and glassware; and making sure everything comes together as scheduled means you can focus on what matters most.” - Natasha Olinetchouk, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art

Jenny Horsley: 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, MS 1051, Kansas City, KS 66160 or 913-945-6577 or jhorsley@kumc.edu or reachoutandreadkc.org. Down Syndrome Guild; Tee Up for Down Syndrome Golf 14 Classic; The 18th annual event will take place at the prestigious and beautiful Shadow Glen Golf Club. All golfers will enjoy a great day of golf and will receive VIP treatment; Shadow Glen Golf Club; 9 a.m. Contact Amy Stoll: 5960 Dearborn, Suite 100, Mission, KS 66202 or 913-384-4848 or stoll@kcdsg.org or kcdsg.org. Virtual Event! Saint Luke’s Foundation; Books and Boutiques: 14 A Benefit for Saint Luke’s South Hospital; Guests will be treated to a program and a signed book by Rebecca Alexander, author of the best-selling book, Not Fade Away, soon to be a major motion picture starring Emily Blunt; $100. Contact: 901 East 104th Street, Kansas City, MO 64131 or 816-932-2252 or slhf@saint-lukes.org or saintlukeskc.org/saint-lukes-foundation. Virtual Event! Wayside Waifs; Strutt With Your Mutt; 14-20 While we won’t be having the big event in Brookside this fall, we encourage participants to have their own mini strutt around the

E S TA B L I S H E D 1 8 9 9 | K A N S A S C I T Y ’ S J O U R N A L O F S O C I E T Y | K C I N D E P E N D E N T. C O M

Publisher • Rachel Lewis Falcon Associate Publisher • Jenny Owens Hughes Art Director • Lisa M. Shea Editor • Nancy Sachse Web Editor • Annie England Account Executives • Christin Painter, Allie Robson Contributing Writers • Heather N. Paxton, Kelsey Potts, Anne Potter Russ, Ann Slegman Performing Arts Editor • Paul Horsley Cartoonist • Charlie Podrebarac Office Manager • Laura Gabriel Our office is located at: 2400 West 75th Street, Suite 120 Prairie Village, KS 66208 • 816.471.2800 The Independent is on newsstands at Barnes & Noble and Dolce Bakery. Subscription Rate: $50.00 • Vol. CXXI August 8, 2020 No. 15 All editorial photos were submitted by the event’s sponsoring organization, unless otherwise stated.

KCINDEPENDENT.COM 46 | August 8, 2020 |

@KCIndependent

block or at a neighborhood park with their furry friend - really any activity you can do with your pets! Then join us on Facebook for a social campaign celebrating 30 years of strutting! Contact Molly Moody: 3901 Martha Truman Road, Kansas City, MO 64137 or 816-986-4409 or mmoody@waysidewaifs.org or waysidewaifs.org. Sunflower House; Circle of Safety Breakfast - An Event of Hope; 15 Join Sunflower House for the 14th annual breakfast, featuring an inspiring program highlighting Sunflower House’s mission and story of hope; 7 a.m. Contact Shannon Moriarty: 15440 West 65th Street, Shawnee, KS 66217 or 913-631-5800 or smoriarty@sunflowerhouse.org or sunflowerhouse.org.

I Wonder – if a certain charming widow contemplates matrimony herself close on the heels of her eldest daughter’s nuptials?

t Leaping For Love

The on Society

It was celebration time for Jacob Luna, Terrance Lessard, Taylor FloydMews, Groom Keegan Lessard, Blake Cornwell, Andrew White, and Brandon Drawhon at the wedding of Stormy Luna and Keegan Lessard.

Iasdkfjlhiefjkat isdfjloHI Bailey Pianalto Photography

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