tops december 2012

164

Upload: tops-magazine

Post on 29-Mar-2016

225 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

DESCRIPTION

'Tis the Season! Check out our gifts galore and festive fashion shoot, along with all the great things you love about TOPS.

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: TOPS December 2012
Page 2: TOPS December 2012
Page 3: TOPS December 2012
Page 4: TOPS December 2012
Page 5: TOPS December 2012
Page 6: TOPS December 2012
Page 7: TOPS December 2012
Page 8: TOPS December 2012
Page 9: TOPS December 2012
Page 10: TOPS December 2012
Page 11: TOPS December 2012
Page 12: TOPS December 2012
Page 13: TOPS December 2012
Page 14: TOPS December 2012
Page 15: TOPS December 2012
Page 16: TOPS December 2012
Page 17: TOPS December 2012
Page 18: TOPS December 2012
Page 19: TOPS December 2012
Page 20: TOPS December 2012
Page 21: TOPS December 2012
Page 22: TOPS December 2012
Page 23: TOPS December 2012
Page 24: TOPS December 2012
Page 25: TOPS December 2012
Page 26: TOPS December 2012
Page 27: TOPS December 2012
Page 28: TOPS December 2012
Page 29: TOPS December 2012
Page 30: TOPS December 2012
Page 31: TOPS December 2012
Page 32: TOPS December 2012
Page 33: TOPS December 2012
Page 34: TOPS December 2012
Page 35: TOPS December 2012
Page 36: TOPS December 2012
Page 37: TOPS December 2012
Page 38: TOPS December 2012
Page 39: TOPS December 2012
Page 40: TOPS December 2012

40 www.topsinlex.com

What To Do

by Tom Dupree The Money Man

FINANCE: WhAt Is A stoCk? Not thE lIvE kINd, thE FINANCIAl kINd.

Listen to “The Tom Dupree Show” Saturdays from 6-9 a.m. at News Radio 630WLAP or wlap.com.

Stock represents ownership in a business, called a share. It entitles the owner to a share of the earn-ings and assets of the business in

proportion to the amount of ownership represented by the stock. If the business conducts annual meetings, share own-ers are allowed to attend the meeting and vote on the affairs of the business. They are also allowed to speak at the annual meeting.The affairs of shareholder owned businesses are highly demo-cratic in that they allow the shareholders to decide who runs the business and what should be done. Shareholders have elected representatives that govern the company. These are called the board of directors and the company executives. Who owns stock? Our politicians would have us believe that it is “The Rich”, the 1% of people who inhabit a different world from the rest of us. Actually, most of the stock in this country is owned by the other 99% of people that are not rich. If they don’t own stock directly, there are a couple of ways they own it indirectly.Many people own mutual funds, and mutual funds own stocks. People own mutual funds directly, through IRAs, through 401-k and 403-b accounts. Mu-tual funds own a very large percentage of stocks outstanding.Pension plans are another large holder of stocks. These plans provide income for average people in retirement. They own a very large part of all outstanding stocks on behalf of their participants. These are workers in government, education, and industry.In the first couple of articles I spoke about money and financing. These are currency related things. They represent the world of money. Companies represent the world of “stuff ”. Stuff is things like food, oil, bulldozers, cars, clothes, tissues, electronics, bricks, garden equipment…you get the picture. Companies produce things we use every day. Money is what we use to buy it. They are two very different worlds.

Money can be compromised. Stuff cannot. Food has to be food. Oil has to be oil. Garden equipment has to work.As long as the government is in charge of the money supply, it can and will be endlessly devalued. As long as Heinz is in charge of ketchup, it will be the same no matter what it costs. So stocks, more than any other financial instrument, represent the world of things. Through the stock market the ownership of a major oil and gas field can be divided among thousands of different owners. The same can be said of a large search engine, or the most popular mobile phone manufacturer in the world, or the most famous entertainment company. The stock market gives you the ability to own a piece of all this, and more.Makes money and bonds sound kind of boring, doesn’t it?

Page 41: TOPS December 2012
Page 42: TOPS December 2012
Page 43: TOPS December 2012
Page 44: TOPS December 2012

Who’s Who

44 www.topsinlex.com

MEET THE MEDIADIA DAVIDSON: DEVOTION IN EVERYTHING SHE DOES

by Michelle RauchPhotos courtesy of Dia Davidson

Having found something that sparked her creativ-ity, Dia enrolled at Temple University to earn a masters degree in print journalism. “I’m old school. I believe in the art of writing. I think, un-

fortunately, that the younger people who come into our indus-try look at the visual, glamour, entertainment part of televi-sion news. I really believe in telling people’s stories. Everyone has a story to tell.”

STARTING OUT IN RADIO

Dia started telling those stories while she was working on her masters degree. She worked at the university’s public radio station. She attended classes by day, did news, weather, and sports in the evening. “I guess I made an impression on them because they offered me a scholarship through the radio sta-tion that turned into a full-time job.” For the next two years,

Dia worked in fundraising for the public radio station respon-sible for raising the operational budget.

That’s when smooth jazz 106.1 FM WJZZ came to town. The experience she already had in town got Dia noticed. She was recruited to launch the new station in town. The timing was good for a change and the experience was rewarding. She en-joyed meeting new age jazz musicians and was having fun, but “It was not something I could do as a 30-40 year career.”

NEXT UP–EDUCATION

Dia had another meeting of the minds with her mom who was the chair of the music department at South Carolina State University. “She says, ‘Dia, why don’t you come down here and get into academia?’” she recalls. That was that. Dia was hired by Morris Collegeto begin a career in education. “I taught all their print journalism classes. That was the most exciting thing

Page 45: TOPS December 2012

Who’s Who

www.topsinlex.com 45

to see a young person go from an interest in writing and telling people’s stories, to full fledged mastery of it.”

While she was teaching, Dia “moonlighted” on the radio. The extra hours benefited her instruction since her students could actually hear her doing what she was teaching in the classroom. In time it became clear, the one constant in life is change.

ON TO TELEVISION

A friend of her mother who worked for South Carolina Edu-cational TV told Dia she needed to walk away from the chalk-board and step into TV. She was preparing to enroll in the Ph.D program at the University of South Carolina. “I was con-tent to be with my books and newspapers. I read a newspaper as if it were a piece of gold,” Dia says. So, the idea of TV wasn’t too appealing, or at least that’s what she thought at first. A pro-gram was being launched called Brainwaves which focused on education stories across the state. “I thought about it. It was really intriguing. I said why not?”

The program was a hit, winning recognition from the National Education Association. Dia’s NEA award is still displayed on top of her mom’s TV. “I think she is very proud of that,” Dia says.

From there it was on to commercial TV and the anchor desk in Columbia, South Carolina, then the anchor desk in Winston Salem, North Carolina (Piedmont Triad), and ultimately the anchor desk here in Lexington.

Landing the job at LEX18 was all about timing. Through the years, Dia had been in touch with the former News Direc-tor at LEX 18. When Chris McDaniel left the station, he left Dia’s audition tape for current News Director, Bruce Carter. “I had already been offered a job in Winston-Salem when Bruce called me, the first time.” But, even though she did not take his initial offer, she stayed in touch. “I finally came to Lexington to interview for a position, but didn’t take it in September of 2000.”

When her station in Winston-Salem downsized just a few months later, Dia lost her job. It was a week before Thanks-giving, 2000. She called Carter again and asked if he was still interested. He said yes and express mailed her a contract. “I was literally unemployed for a weekend. I am a woman of faith. I believe God is in everything. We sometimes have to stand still and listen to the voice inside and not do what WE want – just what God wants.” When Dia first moved to Lex-ington she thought it would be just another stop in her career. She thought, “It’s a nice place, but I don’t think it’s home.” She laughs now about the sticking point that didn’t make Lexing-ton feel like home at first. She never saw a Sally’s Beauty Sup-ply! “It’s definitely home now and I found that Sally Beauty Supply,” she says.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, FAMILY

Dia also found love in Lexington. She married Raymond H. Smith, Jr. in June of 2006. They have a two year old daughter, Rania DeVane. Her name is a mix of both Dia’s and Raymond’s names and means pleasant, gazing, war-like queen. “She is ev-ery bit of it. She is the love of my life.” Rania’s middle name honors my maternal side of the family.

Being a parent has changed Dia’s life for the better. “It has giv-en me a joy I could never have imagined. There is a peace and joy in my heart that my daughter fills,” says Dia.

Rania is an only child – just like her mom. Because she was an only child, Dia says she was even closer to her family. When her grandfather passed away thirty years ago he had a final wish that Dia, her mom, and grandmother would stick togeth-er. They did – they have!

“We’ve always been three little peas in a pod. Where one is the other two aren’t too far away,” she says. It wasn’t until Dia got married that she moved out of the house she shared with her mom and grandma. “We are each others best friend.”

Dia is instilling the importance of family in her daughter. Ra-nia loved her 97 year old great-grandmother very much. Al-though she is just a toddler, Rania already has a tenderness about her. When her great-grandmother walked down the

Dia and Raymond at American Heart Association Heart Ball 2012

Page 46: TOPS December 2012
Page 47: TOPS December 2012

Who’s Who

www.topsinlex.com 47

hall, Rania would be right by her side and say, “Gladys, slowly, slowly.” Rania also brought her great grandmother Gladys her meals.

Sadly, Dia’s grandmother passed away September of this year. “We were ALL by her side when she slipped from this world to be with God and dance with my grandfather in heaven!” Dia’s grandmother made many promises to her throughout her life and Dia says she kept each one – even being in the delivery room when Rania was born. “I remember looking at Raymond with tears in my eyes from the pain and squeezing my grandmother’s hand so tight! My mother was at the foot of the bed telling me to relax and let go or I was going to break Gran’s hand! But as usual, Gran didn’t complain – she was there to support me and love me!”

Dia is passing her passion for travel to her daughter. Rania got her passport when she was 8 months old. She was traveling on her first international trip at 11 months! And, that’s not all. Rania will be prepared to speak several foreign languages, as Dia’s mom (a retired university professor with a Ph.D in music /African Studies) is already teaching Rania French and Span-ish. “I don’t know what I would do without my mother. She is outstanding,” says Dia, Her mother takes care of Rania while Dia is at work every day which takes a lot of stress off of the working mom. “We are there for each other. We are each oth-ers advocate, best friend.”

Dia is taking her role of working mom and us-ing it as a means to share information with oth-ers. After returning from maternity leave, Dia says she was able to recreate herself in her ca-reer again. She started writing a parenting blog on lex18.com as an avenue to share her journey with others. “I am appreciative. People seem to like my little tips. They are born out of my ex-periences.” She and other moms exchange in-formation. Dads and grandparents have joined the conversation too! “It’s a healthy response we get.” I sometimes put questions out there and I wonder if it’s too personal, but people respond,” she says.

A lot has happened during the last twelve years. Dia came in as the 5pm anchor/Educa-tion reporter. After six months she moved to mornings and anchored sunrise for ten years. Additionally, she anchored noon and hosted the 12:30 afternoon show. “I am very grateful. I was warmly received by the Lexington com-munity.” Additionally she found love in Lex-ington, got married, has a beautiful daughter and is surrounded by the family she loves so dearly. Dia beams brightly as she reflects on her life, “I get to be a mom, a wife, a daughter,

a granddaughter and an employee who really enjoys what she does. That’s the story of me.”

You can see Dia weekdays at 12:00, 12:30, 4pm, 5:30pm and 7pm. Look

for her parenting blog at Lex18.com - Dia’s Parenting Day

Dia, Rania, Mom and Gran at Rania’s Dedication Service 2010

Rania DeVane Smith

Page 48: TOPS December 2012
Page 49: TOPS December 2012

www.topsinlex.com 49

What To Do

Other than the mound of leaves that continue to pile up in my yard and warrant raking, there is little to tend to outdoors. I have been putting off raking the

leaves for a couple of reasons. One, I always get really bad callouses on my hands after heavy duty raking. Solu-tion, wear one of my handful of garden gloves. Secondly, I don’t enjoy bagging the leaves/or filling my Lenny with the yard waste. It’s time to put the excuses to rest and get to work. As I continue to educate myself, I am learning more each year. Needless to say I am excited to know I no longer have to rake and bag. Even better, less work for me is good news for my garden.

Perennial beds, vegetable gardens, and the bases of trees will benefit from adding fallen leaves. Consider it home grown mulch. To maximize the benefits, shred the leaves. This can be done simply by running your lawn mower over them. The all natural mulch will pro-tect tender plants from the biting winter wind and freez-ing temperatures. Introducing fallen leaves to your veggie gar-den will bring valuable organic matter that will be ready to be tilled in the Spring. Instead of placing any leftovers curbside, add them to a compost pile. The source of carbon will bal-ance the nitrogen and by Spring there should be an abundance of earthworms and other ben-eficial organisms that will make your garden very happy. For the environmentally conscious, there is the added pleasure knowing you are reducing the amount of waste left for pickup by the city which, in the big pic-ture, is saving time, money, and space in the landfills.

There is more housekeeping to tend to before we hit the dead of winter. I learned the hard way how important it is to empty and store clay and ceramic pots. Leaving them in the elements all winter can cause them to break. I was lucky my first winter after I started gardening and didn’t have any problems with the few I left outside. Last year my luck ran out. A lovely Smith & Hawken clay pot and a ceramic planter I’ve had since college (that’s one old planter) cracked and broke. I was also very careless and left a glass hummingbird feeder with nectar outdoors. All winter I kept thinking I should bring that in. I didn’t. It froze and shattered. As they say, common sense is not so common. Guilty as charged on that one.

Once the outdoor housekeeping is done, it will be time to settle in for a long winter and plan for next year.

GARDENING: sEAsoNAl outDooR housEkEEpING

by Michelle Rauch,Gardening Enthusiast

Page 50: TOPS December 2012

50 www.topsinlex.com

What To Do

POSH PAWS

by Amanda Harper,Pet Aficionado

THE WINTER SLUMP

Even though the winter won’t really hit us until next month, the chilly nights are enough to keep anyone on the couch with a blanket. And while snuggling up might be nice, if

your pet is used to heading outdoors in warmer months, things may get hairy if she’s kept inside for too long with nothing fun to do. Even pets who are normally inside all year long can feel the effects of longer nights.

How can you keep a restless pet occupied when the weather outside is frightful?

The quickest solution is to load up on toys. Active pets will want highly interactive toys while more mellow pets will be content with simple playthings. Think about your pet’s health, level of interest and ability when picking out a toy.

Dog owners should look for toys that let their pooch move about without tearing down the house. For dogs that fetch, a simple tennis ball can be a great tool. Dogs that aren’t so keen to retrieve may enjoy a tug o’war toy.

Cat parents who don’t already have one should pick up a laser pointer. For some reason, that little red dot is every cat’s favorite obsession. Just take a seat on the couch and dart the laser all across the floor. Your cat will chase that thing for hours. If you spend a lot of time away from home, they make laser pointer machines that do all the work for you. Just set it in the middle of the floor and enjoy.

Rodents, cavies, bunnies and other small furry friends may enjoy new ramps, hidey holes and tunnels. While roll-around balls may seem to be a perfect solution, they’re actually advised against for most small animals. Do your research before you invest in a product, even if the packaging has your pet animal on it. Reptiles, fish and amphibians may like a new piece of terrain to enjoy. Birds will love new mirrors or bells to play with.

Try adding new activities to your daily routine. Taking a few very short walks can be much more comfortable for you both than one long one—be sure your pet has appropriate winter gear, though. Lead your pet around the house before mealtimes to get in a little walking time. Head upstairs or down a few extra times a day with your pet for extra exercise.

You may also want to try adding games to your day! Hide and seek can be a great game with dogs and cats. Hide somewhere in your house and call your pet. When he finds you, give him a treat. Sometimes, getting your pet into this game requires a little creativity. My cat doesn’t respond at all to her name, but she sure knows the sound of her food container!

If your pet is really antsy, consider setting up a play date. Pets usually enjoy playing with pets of comparable size, but if your pet has a best friend, let them enjoy each other’s company! They can expend their excess energy together while you and your friend bake cookies and catch up.

As always, pay attention to the behavioral cues your pet is giving. A listless, lethargic pet should be watched closely any time of the year. Ask your vet if this activity is a concern. If your pet begins to eat less or acts strangely, it may be time for a checkup. You shouldn’t write this behavior off as the “winter blues”.

Cold weather can be a challenge for a pet owner, but you shouldn’t have to slog through the winter slump with a frown.

With a little imagination, you and your pet will have a fun, active and happy winter this year!

Page 51: TOPS December 2012
Page 52: TOPS December 2012
Page 53: TOPS December 2012

www.topsinlex.com 53

What To Do

IN THE ‘BUF’: GOURMET CHEF?by Bu� y LawsonRelationship Veteran

I was standing in line at Whole Foods looking at the fabulous pre-cooked gourmet meals trying to decide what I might bring home for dinner. A lovely lady, impeccably dressed, was standing beside me at the counter.

“� e rosemary infused, stu� ed chicken is to die for” she said pointing to the display rack. “And the roasted garlic potatoes are a perfect compliment,” she added while grinning from ear to ear. It looked to be an excellent option so I took her suggestion and asked that it be packed up to take home to Mister Man for dinner.

� e woman continued waiting for her items to be wrapped by the chef when she leaned down to me and whispered, “It’s my naughty li� le secret.” Puzzled, I asked what she meant. She replied, “I don’t know the � rst thing about boiling an egg, much less how to make rosemary infused, stu� ed chicken. You see, each day I come here, pick out dinner, take it home, heat it up and bury the packaging in the bo� om of the trash. I am even infamous for my fabulous Christmas dinner spread… My darling husband (and his mother) think I am the greatest cook since Julia Child!”

She proceeded to explain to me that she and her sweet love had been happily married for forty something years, but that as a young woman she was a tragic cook. But his mother was not. So apparently, one day she bought a pre-made meal with no intentions of hiding the packaging from him. But the way that he raved about the meal made her feel compelled to slip the box right into the trash; from that moment on, she would be known as a fabulous cook!

I drove home thinking about the woman and how she was able to get away with this for so long. Was she cuckoo for coco-coco pu� s or just a playful wealthy woman who was on to something! I wondered what would happen if her husband actually found out about her naughty li� le secret a� er so many years of innocent delicious deception. Would he laugh? Would he be furious? Or perhaps he had known all along, le� ing her believe that she had a naughty li� le secret. It was very bold of her either way. I could never imagine doing something like that to Mister Man in a million years. I am entirely too guilt ridden and a terrible liar, too.

I got home and placed the chicken and potatoes in the oven, lit some candles and poured a glass of wine. I heard Mister Man pull into the driveway, which pleased me

very much as I was anticipating our lovely dinner together. “Wow, it smells incredible in here Buf!” Mister Man said from the front doorway. “What are you making in there?” “Rosemary infused stu� ed chicken and roasted garlic potatoes,” I casually replied. He went and changed clothes for dinner. I looked forward to sharing with him the story about the lovely lady and her secret, knowing he would get a chuckle out of it. It was going to be a nice evening.

� e food was ready so, I loaded up our plates and we sat down to embark upon our feast. Honestly, it was the best chicken I had ever tasted and based upon the look on Mister Man’s face, he felt the same. “How in the world did you make this Buf? Seriously, this is really fantastic!” I smiled and sipped on my wine. GULP. “Well, this… nice lady at the grocery store gave me the recipes,” I quietly replied. “Would you like some more wine?” I asked trying to change the subject. “Sure!” he said. I got up and made my way into the kitchen to pour the Chardonnay and started back towards the dining room table. “� ese are the best potatoes I have ever had too! Even be� er than mom’s. She would be impressed!” he said proudly. GULP.

I thanked him, kissed him on the forehead and headed straight to the garbage can. Si� ing right on top was the packaging for the dinners. I dug a nice hole down to the very bo� om and shoved that packaging so far down he would never, ever see it. I sashayed back to the table and � nished my meal. Strangely, I didn’t feel the slightest bit guilty.

� e next day I found myself back at Whole foods. Standing at the counter was the impeccably dressed lady waiting on her marinated orange glazed duck and sweet potato casserole. She saw me approaching the counter. “Why hello there!” she said with smiling eyes; my eyes smiling back. “I thought I might see you here today” she replied with a wink…

Page 54: TOPS December 2012
Page 55: TOPS December 2012
Page 56: TOPS December 2012
Page 57: TOPS December 2012
Page 58: TOPS December 2012
Page 59: TOPS December 2012
Page 60: TOPS December 2012
Page 61: TOPS December 2012
Page 62: TOPS December 2012
Page 63: TOPS December 2012
Page 64: TOPS December 2012
Page 65: TOPS December 2012
Page 66: TOPS December 2012
Page 67: TOPS December 2012
Page 68: TOPS December 2012
Page 69: TOPS December 2012
Page 70: TOPS December 2012
Page 71: TOPS December 2012
Page 72: TOPS December 2012
Page 73: TOPS December 2012
Page 74: TOPS December 2012
Page 75: TOPS December 2012
Page 76: TOPS December 2012
Page 77: TOPS December 2012
Page 78: TOPS December 2012
Page 79: TOPS December 2012
Page 80: TOPS December 2012
Page 81: TOPS December 2012
Page 82: TOPS December 2012
Page 83: TOPS December 2012
Page 84: TOPS December 2012
Page 85: TOPS December 2012
Page 86: TOPS December 2012
Page 87: TOPS December 2012
Page 88: TOPS December 2012
Page 89: TOPS December 2012
Page 90: TOPS December 2012
Page 91: TOPS December 2012
Page 92: TOPS December 2012
Page 93: TOPS December 2012
Page 94: TOPS December 2012
Page 95: TOPS December 2012
Page 96: TOPS December 2012
Page 97: TOPS December 2012
Page 98: TOPS December 2012
Page 99: TOPS December 2012
Page 100: TOPS December 2012
Page 101: TOPS December 2012
Page 102: TOPS December 2012
Page 103: TOPS December 2012
Page 104: TOPS December 2012
Page 105: TOPS December 2012
Page 106: TOPS December 2012
Page 107: TOPS December 2012
Page 108: TOPS December 2012
Page 109: TOPS December 2012
Page 110: TOPS December 2012
Page 111: TOPS December 2012
Page 112: TOPS December 2012
Page 113: TOPS December 2012
Page 114: TOPS December 2012
Page 115: TOPS December 2012
Page 116: TOPS December 2012
Page 117: TOPS December 2012
Page 118: TOPS December 2012
Page 119: TOPS December 2012
Page 120: TOPS December 2012
Page 121: TOPS December 2012
Page 122: TOPS December 2012
Page 123: TOPS December 2012
Page 124: TOPS December 2012
Page 125: TOPS December 2012
Page 126: TOPS December 2012
Page 127: TOPS December 2012
Page 128: TOPS December 2012
Page 129: TOPS December 2012
Page 130: TOPS December 2012
Page 131: TOPS December 2012
Page 132: TOPS December 2012
Page 133: TOPS December 2012
Page 134: TOPS December 2012
Page 135: TOPS December 2012
Page 136: TOPS December 2012
Page 137: TOPS December 2012
Page 138: TOPS December 2012

Top Events

138 www.topsinlex.com

Scan here to see all the photos for this event at topsinlex.com!

Photos by Dr. Michael Huang

UK Basketball

ukathletics.com

The UK Wildcats are at it again with a great start of the season. The Cats lost to Duke for the first time in 11 years, but a series of home wins is getting this young team ready for a tough match against Baylor and the start of conference play. Let’s go CATS!

Page 139: TOPS December 2012
Page 140: TOPS December 2012
Page 141: TOPS December 2012
Page 142: TOPS December 2012
Page 143: TOPS December 2012
Page 144: TOPS December 2012
Page 145: TOPS December 2012
Page 146: TOPS December 2012
Page 147: TOPS December 2012
Page 148: TOPS December 2012
Page 149: TOPS December 2012
Page 150: TOPS December 2012
Page 151: TOPS December 2012
Page 152: TOPS December 2012

What’s New

152 www.topsinlex.com

Sara

h &

Dustin

Ross

WO

W W

edding

Even though Sarah and Dustin had attended the same high school in Cynthiana, they didn’t really know each other until they met through a good friend of the bride’s mother, who set them up on a blind date. Sarah liked Dustin so much that she agreed to go to church with him the next morning in Cynthiana. They both believe that they fell in love at first sight and have been inseparable since; going to concerts, enjoying art and practicing ballroom dancing at Arthur Murray Dance Studio.

Sarah and Dustin went to a UK Basketball Game on New Year’s Eve. After the game, they went back to Dustin’s house, where he prepared two flutes of champagne as Sarah watched the ball drop. They rang in the new year with a toast. After a few sips Sarah was surprised to find a ring at the bottom of her glass. He proposed in the first minutes of 2012.

The couple decided to be married at the bride’s family home, A. Keller Farm in Cynthiana. The ceremony was held beneath a tent, featuring a chandelier and an arbor draped with fabric. Seats were reserved in memory of the bride’s grandmother and grandfather, as well as the groom’s grandfather and great-grandmother. Each seat bore a single rose. The couple asked mutual friends to sing during the ceremony and a friend served as officiant. A string quartet, harpist and pianist played during the ceremony, as well. As they said “I do”, the groom swept the bride up in a big hug, a truly touching moment for all.

The bride wore a Monique Lhullier gown. She had her new initials embroidered in blue inside the dress, as well as a shamrock for luck. The seven bridemaids wore chiffon Amsale dresses. The groom and seven groomsmen wore black tuxedoes with cream shirts and black bow ties. The wedding party also included three flower girls, a ring bearer and two bell ringers who announced the bride’s entrance. Sarah gave Dustin a pocket watch, continuing a family tradition.

by Amanda HarperPhotography by Greer Photography

Marc

h 3, 2

02

An adjoining tent held the reception, featuring two chandeliers, lounge seating and a spacious dance floor. Guests enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and champagne as they entered while a classical quartet entertained. Platinum, a Motown band, played for the rest of the night. Salads and dinner were catered by Seasons Catering.

The wedding cake was an intricately designed 5-tier cake inspired by Marie Antoinette with champagne, raspberry, chocolate and bourbon flavors. It featured gold piping, fresh roses and pink fondant trim. Since the bride’s favorite dessert is cupcakes, they also had a three-tiered display of cupcakes and a small cake with a unique topper. The groom’s cake was a 2-layer chocolate ganache cake that featured chocolate-covered tuxedo strawberries on top.

Guests showered the couple with cream rose petals as they made their way to a white Bentley. Sarah and Dustin drove off to Lexington but would go to Maui, Hawaii for their honeymoon.

Page 153: TOPS December 2012

What’s New

www.topsinlex.com 153

Page 154: TOPS December 2012
Page 155: TOPS December 2012

What’s New

www.topsinlex.com 155

Page 156: TOPS December 2012

What’s New

156 www.topsinlex.com

Details:Wedding Planner: Melissa Buck, Blue SoireeVenue: A. Keller Farm, Cynthiana KY (bride’s family farm)Florist: The Flower BoxCatering: Seasons Caterine & Special OccasionsPhotography: Kelly GreerWedding Gown & Bridesmaid’s dresses: Bridal & Formal, Cincinnati OHHair: Mickey’s Salon/SpaGroom & Groomsmen Attire: Men’s WearhouseMakeup: Donald Blanton, ChanelCakes: Martine’sRentals: All OccasionsEntertainment: Smartchoice EnterprisesTransporation: Gold Shield

Page 157: TOPS December 2012
Page 158: TOPS December 2012
Page 159: TOPS December 2012

www.topsinlex.com 159

What To Do

We all love those pre-Wedding Day salon visits for the wedding party to calm nerves and share some laughs before the big day, but there is more serious pampering to con-

sider the months before a wedding for the Bride-to-Be. Always keeping in mind that those wedding photos will be around for a lifetime, you want to look your very best when you walk down the aisle. Let’s cover the preparations you will need to think about when you are planning for your big day. How you look in your fabu-lous wedding dress will depend on your decisions and prepara-tions for your wedding day look.

Get thee to the GymUnless you are a big time exercise buff, this is number one on your list. It is more than likely that you will be going on a beach honeymoon, and you want your body to be vacation ready. If you have a lot of work to do, now is the time to employ the ser-vices of a personal trainer to get you in perfect shape, and to set the ‘tone’ for a healthy lifestyle during your new marriage.

Choose your hair LenGth, Cut and CoLorIf it will add to your wedding day look, start early to get your hair’s shade and length just right, obvious-ly important if you need to grow the length a bit to gain the desired effect. Don’t change the color or style right before the wedding, it may be a di-saster. Keep in mind that you want your engagement announcement and wedding photos to be ‘color co-ordinated’!

Give tanninG a tryIt’s very important that you don’t overdo this one, and it is especially important to not over spray tanning when wearing a white dress. Of course you will want to get a little color to knock off the chill a little and have a base tan for your vaca-tion, but a deep tan or an orange cast can ruin your look, not to mention your wedding photographs. This day is for softness and elegance, so tread ‘lightly’ in the sun beds.

Choose a hair styLe that Works With your veiLYour veil can make a big difference on your wedding day hair-style choice, especially if you are planning to have an updo on your special day. The style of headpiece and where it sits on your head will dictate if you have a high or low hairstyle, or an updo at all. Many brides who choose to wear their hair long pull it back away from the face, to make sure the brides beauty can shine (and that locks of hair don’t get in the way of your congratulatory kissing and in your photographs).

do a triaL run With your styListIf you are planning to wear your hair in an updo and can’t visu-alize how it will look, don’t wait till your wedding day and be disappointed with your hairstyle. Do a trial run with the hair-stylist that will be doing your hair on your wedding day. It usu-ally costs the amount of a regular visit to the salon; remember to take your veil, headpiece or florals to insure that your vision works with the hardware involved. You will be able to ‘art di-rect’ during this trial run, offering your stylist tweaks that suit your wedding day vision, such as making it a little fuller, a little tighter, add a ringlet, or whatever.

Consider teeth Whiten­inGThis will be a day of big smiles. Most brides say that their face actually hurts after their wedding from all the smiling during meeting, greet-ing and taking all those wedding photographs, so your teeth will be front and center. Think about get-ting your teeth whitened if you drink coffee or tea, and especially if you smoke. If you are on a tight budget, doing at-home whitening is effective and very inexpensive. But again, don’t overdo it here…just say no to blue-white George Hamilton teeth. Nobody wants to be ‘Blinded by the White’!

The rule of thumb here is to think ahead, and don’t change your look at the last minute. Plus the extra wwpampering and working out will be just the thing to give you a chance to relax, think and enjoy this special time in your life.

wedding: pre-wedding pampering makes yoU camera ready

by Marsha KollerWedding Consultant

Page 160: TOPS December 2012
Page 161: TOPS December 2012

What’s New

www.topsinlex.com 161

Want to see your wedding photo published in TOPS? Email [email protected] for more information.

Wed

din

g An

no

un

cem

ents

Keri (Barlow) & Kevin Kallenbach October 20, 2012 Photo by Kentucky Studio

Amy Suzanne (Elkins) & Orrie Stevens Canham

July 15, 2012 Photo by Karen South-Clarke & Megan

Elizabeth (Leet) & Ryan Easterly

October 6, 2012 Photo by John Engelhardt

Ashley (Condon) & Joshua Rupp July 14, 2012 Shaun Ring Photography

Page 162: TOPS December 2012
Page 163: TOPS December 2012
Page 164: TOPS December 2012