Man Steals Money to Pay for Sister's Wedding
May 2, 2008
I cannot believe some of the things that people will do or will say to get out of something. I have to share this story with you.
Jason J. Steffen, a 24-year-old man in Wausau, Wisconsin, robbed two businesses in a short period of time and told the judge that he did it to help pay for his sister’s wedding. According to the Wausau Daily Herald, he committed armed robbery at the Northside Citgo one night and at the Sunset Country Store the next morning.
After the second robbery, he fled the store, but his car stalled not far from the scene of the crime. The cops were able to arrest him with ease. Oh, come on. Your car stalls during a robbery? How laughable is that?
Mr. Steffen was charged with armed robbery, fraudulent use of a credit card and possession of drug paraphernalia. Knowing that he was facing up to 80 years behind bars, he then tells the judge that he robbed a country store and a Citgo in order to help pay for his sister’s wedding. Okay, so is that why you committed credit card fraud as well? Did you use one of those cards to pay for the wedding dress? And, how does the drug paraphernalia help your sister? Is that to ease the pain of not having enough money to pay those wedding expenses?
Unbelievable. I hope the guy gets help. It’s sad that he had to bring his sister’s upcoming wedding celebration into his madness, but he obviously has a few things to work out.
Have a great one!
Alison
Wedding Chicago
Bride, Groom and Daughter Behaving Badly
May 2, 2008
This is rich. Sometimes I am shocked when I hear of an entire family behaving badly at a wedding.
A bride, a groom and their daughter caused a ruckus during their wedding and proceeded to interfere with police who were called to calm down the excited bunch. According to the Lincoln Daily News, the bride was displeased with the music during the reception and damaged one of the band’s speakers and a set of congo drums as a result.
When the cops arrived to break up the brouhaha, the groom and their 21-year old daughter naturally flew to the bride’s rescue and interfered with her arrest.
Yeah, it’s never okay to behave badly. I’m sure alcohol was involved and the bride probably had high expectations for what she wanted the music to sound like at her beloved wedding. She flew off the handle, in front of family and friends, when her expectations were not met and acted out like a two-year old child. Nice. What a great role model for her daughter.
To top it all off, The couple actually got married in 1986, but decided to have a church wedding 22 years later. Maybe they should have done us all a favor and kept things the way they were.
***Update***
I just read in Yahoo News that police had to use stun guns on these people. Stun guns! Were they so much out of control that they needed to use something so extreme? You mean the crazy family didn’t just calm down when the police officers arrive? How crazy is that?
Have a great one!
Alison
Wedding Chicago
So, Who is Picking up the Wedding Tab Anyway?
May 1, 2008
It’s so hard to keep up with who is supposed to pay for what part of the wedding ceremony. The responsibility no longer lies with the bride’s family alone.
Nowadays, the couple will pay most of their wedding expenses and the groom’s family will pay for more than just the rehearsal dinner. As I always say, it takes a family to wed a couple.
If you’d like to get a sense of the traditional breakdown of financial responsibilities, take a look at this article from Bridal Guide.
When it comes down to it, it doesn’t matter. Just as long as the couple gets married in front of family and friends with the support of their loved ones.
Have a great one!
Alison
Wedding Chicago
Mariah Carey Reportedly Marries Nick Cannon
May 1, 2008
And now time for some wedding gossip.
I cannot guarantee that this is true, but I wanted to report it anyway. According to a number of blogs and websites, Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon reportedly wed in a secret ceremony yesterday. Isn’t he about 10 years younger than she is?
I know it doesn’t really matter, but it’s a bit shocking to hear. More power to her!
Check out the article from CW 15:
Click here to check out the article from CW 15!
Have a great one!
Alison
Wedding Chicago
Disney Workers Find Lost Treasure
April 22, 2008
Whatever you think about the Disney empire, you have to admire their commitment to their customers.
This is an unbelievable story from KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh. A Disney couple lost three platinum wedding rings while on vacation only to be miraculously retrieved by the Disney housekeeping staff. The husband unwittingly threw away a cardboard box with his wife’s engagement ring, wedding band and anniversary ring and desperately tried to get them back before they were gone forever.
Wedding Chicago Bridal Brunch & Fashion Show--Success!
March 5, 2008
The 2008 Wedding Chicago Bridal Brunch & Fashion Show at the River East Art Center near Navy Pier was a complete success! Brides & Fashionistas from all around the Midwest gathered to check out the latest wedding dress and bridesmaid trends from Mira Couture & the Jenny Yoo Collection and Chicago wedding makeup tips from the artists of MAC Cosmetics.
Busy brides received mini-massages from Escape 2 Fitness as they nibbled on brunch hors d’oeuvres from Phil Stefani Catering and desserts from Le Royale Icing. They sipped on cocktail specialty drinks from LUSH Wine and Spirits and listened to flamenco music from the Bryan Lubeck Trio, while they picked up wedding planning tips from Chicagoland wedding experts.
Pamela S.,was the lucky winner of the 7-night Honeymoon at Anse Chastanet, a Four Diamond Resort on the beautiful island of St. Lucia. Personalized Honeymoons of Personalized Travel Service and the St. Lucia Tourism Board sponsored this fabulous gift.
Chicago Wedding Cakes & Wedding Favors: Vosges Haut-Chocolat
October 3, 2007
Vosges Haut-Chocolat, an upscale chocolatier company, bakes the most scrumptious Chicago wedding cakes you’ll find in the Chicagoland area. It always amazes me that some people haven’t heard of Vosges Haut-Chocolat. They create some of the most amazing truffles, candy bars and hot chocolate that I have ever had in my life.
Vosges combines includes unusual ingredients and exotic spices in their chocolate recipes to come up with complex and bold flavors for their products. It’s amazing.
I remember trying their Black Pearl truffle, which includes Ginger, Wasabi, Sesame Seeds and Dark Chocolate, all in one tiny little truffle. The mixture of the flavors just takes my breath away because it’s so unexpected. Vosges provides truffles to Chicago brides for wedding favors that will blow your guests’ minds.
Now, they only create mini-party cakes for their customers, but these cakes would be perfect for a Groom’s cake or a cake at your Chicago bridal shower or bachelorette party. They’re not cheap - this is Vosges we’re talking about - but these cakes are unforgettable. You could always buy a few of their mini-cakes to act as centerpieces at your rehearsal dinner party, too.
Top Chicago Wedding Florist: Phillips Flowers
October 3, 2007
Chicago wedding florist, Phillips Flowers, is an Illinois floral design company that provides affordable and trendy floral arrangements to Chicago brides. I did an event with Phillips Flowers last year and they created some of the most elaborate floral designs I have ever seen. A lot of their arrangements included cascading flowers with roses, orchids, calla lilies (my personal favorite), ivy and so much more.
The floral design is an important element of any wedding. You don’t need to spend an outrageous amount of money, but it’s a good idea to spend some thought into the style of your wedding and the different ways you can express yourself with your wedding flowers.
Feel free to share with your Chicago wedding florist your actual budget for the wedding. There is no shame in any amount of money that you have to spend on your wedding flowers. Your florist wants to have an idea what money they really have to work with to create your vision when they’re writing up a proposal for you. They want your business and most florists I know are willing to work with their customers.
If you are on a budget as I was when I was planning my wedding, ask your floral designer to possibly use fruit in your centerpieces. Since I got married in October, that totally worked for my wedding. Also, you can use branches, seasonal flowers, or candles to keep the budget down as well. When there’s a will, there’s a way and a good floral designer like Phillips Flowers will create something amazing for you that’s within your budget.
Have a great one!
Alison
WeddingChicago.com
The Oprah Show and Halle Berry - Part 2
October 3, 2007
Hi Everyone!
I hope you had a chance to check out yesterday’s episode of the Oprah Show with Halle Berry and Benicio del Toro. It was such a blast to take in the show. I didn’t get any on-air time, but it was cool to see out how much of the taping was edited out for the show.
What I didn’t share in last week’s blog was that all of the audience members received $200.00 gift certificates to Allen Brothers, which is a catalog company similar to Omaha Steaks. We also got a chance to taste Art Smith’s famous parmesan biscuits. Yum. I hope we’ll get a chance to go to his restaurant, Table 52 on Elm Street downtown, but I know that it’s hard to get a reservation. We’ll see.
One other thing that came up during the show is that Halle Berry stated that she has absolutely no intention to marry her baby’s father, Gabriel Aubry. Halle is twice-married and twice-divorced and doesn’t want to “jump the broom” any time in the near future. She said that she feels more married to her boyfriend that she ever felt in her previous marriages. She also said that she doesn’t want the pomp and circumstance involved in a wedding.
Hmmm… Well, that’s interesting, but for many people marriage is a spiritual contract that they’re making before God and their loved ones. The ritual of having a wedding is not just an excuse to engage in pomp and circumstance. Sure, some people spend an extravagant amount of money to declare their love in front of friends and family members, but for the most part they believe in the institution of marriage and want to declare their love, commitment and dedication to each other publicly.
The Oprah Show and Halle Berry
September 25, 2007
Hi Everyone!
I had the wonderful opportunity to sit in the audience during a taping of the Oprah Show last Thursday, thanks to my good friend Crystal McDonell. It was my second Oprah show taping, but it was even more exciting this time around.
The show was to promote the upcoming movie “Things We Lost in the Fire”, starring Ms. Halle Berry and the wonderfully talented Benicio del Toro. The guests of the show were treated to a complimentary screening of the movie at River East the night before the taping. I don’t know if you know this, but Oprah even treats you to free pop and popcorn. How cool is that?
You arrive at the studio between 6:30AM - 7:00AM to get checked in for the 9AM taping. One of the producers, Sally Lou (sp?), seated me right on the main floor behind Ms. Oprah because I was wearing a bright red top. Note to self: Color is a good thing!
I’ll share more details after the episode airs on Tuesday, October 2nd. I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone. I will tell you that the audience did not go home empty handed (smile).
All in all, it was an amazing event. If you can get tickets to the show during the week of your wedding, I highly recommend it. There’s a fun, giddy, energetic atmosphere before, during and after the taping. The audience was primarily made up of women who went to great lengths to see one of the most influential women in media of all time. A group of 7 women seated next to me travelled all the way from California and Oregon to see Oprah live. It’s truly an unforgettable experience to share with your closest girlfriends and/or mom.
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