Bering’s Bridal Feature- Katelin McRae & Adam Pollock

Ms. Katelin McRae and Mr. Adam Pollock

With an estimated 7 billion people in the world, the odds of finding your true love make actually finding YOUR TRUE LOVE even that much more amazing. Certainly, hanging around in the same circles, and having mutual friends, who are brother and sister, are bound to up the odds of meeting- just a little! That was the case for Katelin and Adam. The couple commented that, “We both had an eye on each other for some time, though it took a while before we were both single at the same time. But, once we started dating, we certainly wondered what took us so long!” …And isn’t that the amazing part- recognizing what is right in front of you and realizing you’ve found your love?!

Once the couple started dating, there was no question they had found forever. And oh my goodness, the couple have such an incredible engagement story! (I looked up the word ‘romantic’ in the dictionary and saw their proposal!) …Katelin and Adam were engaged in Sonoma, California over a long weekend in the wine country.  (Katelin admitted to suspecting the proposal that weekend, but wasn’t sure when it would happen!)

…You might be thinking Adam proposed to Katelin over an amazing glass of wine with a rolling vineyard set as the backdrop. Um, hello- that would have been a little obvious the question was about to be popped! Plus, Katelin told me that she gets very self-conscious when she is the center of attention, so Adam talked her into going on a hike with him the first morning of their trip.

With beautiful weather outside, the couple had the whole park to themselves.  On a bluff overlooking the ocean, Adam proposed and she said YES!  And as you can see below, Adam even managed to get a picture of the actual proposal, which the couple used for their save the date cards.  This should go without saying, but with a kick-off to a long weekend like that; of course the couple spent the rest of the weekend celebrating!!! …Bubbly anyone?! Cheers!!!

These Houstonians are headed to the alter June, 23, 2012, at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in downtown Houston! The couple happen to be fortunate enough to have Reverend William Petron, a longtime family friend of the Pollocks who have known Adam for most of his life, to officiate their ceremony.

Their wedding should be simply amazing with the reception to follow at The Parador, and wedding colors of navy blue, shades of white and purple accents- LOVELY! (Just a little tidbit, Adam actually grew up a few blocks from where Katelin’s father grew up. This might seem like small beans, but given that Houston is the third largest city in America- I would say you can chalk that up to “very cool”!)

If you are familiar with Bering’s bridal blogs, then you know we always ask why the couple decided to register at Bering’s. It should be of no surprise we asked this glowing couple as well! Katelin said, “We like Bering’s range of gifts and the convenience of being able to purchase them online. Our friends and family members attending from out of town will definitely appreciate that. We also love that Bering’s always has a coupon available, which we hope will help our guests out a little too.” That is very thoughtful of the couple! …And speaking of “thoughtful”- Katelin plans on thanking her guests on beautiful stationery from Bering’s!

Now you’ve heard “The rest of the story!” lets dish about their dishes!!! The duo prefers traditional designs that are classic and neutral, so it makes perfect sense that they picked out timeless formal dinnerware of Mottahedeh Turquoise Lace Charger Plate, paired with the classic gorgeous Herend Princess Victoria Light Blue Dinner, salad and bread plates. Mixing and matching is such a great way to infuse your personal style!

Mottahedeh Turquoise Lace Charger Plate:

Herend Princess Victoria Light Blue:

And don’t you love the classic serving pieces they selected?!

Vietri Incanto Baroque Small Cake Stand

Juliska Berry and Thread Footed Compote

I don’t know what is more beautiful, their formal china or their casual china! The couple opted for Juliska’s Jardins for their everyday china, and are placing it with the also machine washable Juliska Pewter Stoneware charger.

We can’t forget to mention the absolutely sparkling crystal that Katelin and Adam selected!

LISMORE 12OZ TUMBLER

William Yeoward Olympia Red Wine Glass

In closing, this amazing couple wanted me to include that they are extremely appreciative of all of their friends and family who have supported them throughout their relationship and who so willingly and generously continue to be a source of joy and great comfort to them.

To view Katelin & Adam’s wedding registry online click on the link below.

http://www.berings.com/GiftRegistry/1459-2302116-wedding.aspx

Katelin and Adam are such a lovely couple! Everyone at Bering’s wishes the couple a warm congratulations and an amazing life together!

Until the next Bering’s BRIDAL Buzz!

Wedding fun,

Julie

www.berings.com

Bering’s Bridal Feature – Jacqueline Tabbah & Jack P. Turano III

Jacqueline Tabbah & Jack P. Turano III

One of our nation’s worst natural disasters is what brought these two Houstonians together! There is always a silver lining, and for Jacqueline and Jack, it was life changing. While the two met briefly in high school, a forced evacuation, due to Hurricane Katrina, from Loyola University, in New Orleans, brought Jacqueline back home to Houston for the semester. It was during that time that she was reintroduced to her now fiancé, Jack.

After a period of dating, the two were strolling around Jackson Square in New Orleans. When they arrived at the fountain in front of St. Louis Cathedral, Jack got on one knee and proposed. Suddenly, a jazz band appeared and started playing. Then cheers and screams emerged in the background. When Jacqueline turned around both of their families and friends were running towards them! The jazz band started walking to the French Quarter and Jacqueline soon realized Jack had organized a second-line parade with the band, their families and friends were escorted with a parade through the Quarter, (with a police escort) all the way to Antoine’s Restaurant. …Aww, so very sweet and romantic- nice job Jack!!!

…Wait for it, wait for it…! The two are set to be married April 15, 2012!! It sounds absolutely amazing too. Jacqueline and Jack have chosen Naples, Florida for their destination wedding. Their ceremony will take place on the beach with the reception to follow at The Ritz-Carlton.  With a wedding color palette of white, light blues and light pinks- it is sure to be absolutely divine!

When Jacqueline was asked why she registered at Bering’s, her answer was too kind! She said, “Registering at Bering’s Hardware was a no brainer for me! I’ve grown up with Bering’s: my family business, International Stoneworks, Inc. is a vendor at Bering’s. Even as a little girl, my father, Rawi Tabbah, would take me on the weekends to check on our stone restoration products and I would sneak off and see the famed Bering’s parrot! Bering’s has everything from fine china to cooling racks, so I always knew I would register at Bering’s for my wedding. “…Thanks Jacqueline, we couldn’t have said it better! (And by the way, we are big International Stoneworks’ fans too!)

It GETS EVEN BETTER. Jacqueline and Jack have also decided to do their wedding invitations at Bering’s! Jacqueline said, “Bering’s generously offers 20% off invitations as long as you register there as well. I really love the Vera Wang wedding invitation collection. I’ve picked out these gorgeous light blue ones that go with my destination beach wedding theme.” She also plans on incorporating the same color theme into their thank you cards, as well as their post-wedding announcements they plan on sending to friends that they were unable to invite to their wedding.

Are you dying to hear and see what the cute couple has selected for their registry?! I know I am. …It is always both special and exciting when brides select family patterns, and this is the case for Jacqueline. She said, “I am fortunate that my grandmother let me have her fine china and silverware. However, since she only has silverware for 8 settings, I am going to Bering’s to try to match them, so I can have enough for 12 settings.”

Silver Serveware: Reed & Barton Oval Gallery Tray

“Jac” and Jack have decided to opt for a beautiful more casual china service. While the two have somewhat different tastes, both agreed on the classic Castelo Branco. Both liked the blue and white patterns with “pops” of yellow.

China Setting: Castelo Branco

These two are absolutely delightful and are exemplary Bering’s customers as well as vendor(s)! Bering’s is honored the two decided to register with us, thanks you two! Jacqueline also wanted to mention that as a Bering’s vendor, she is at Bering’s quite often checking on International Stoneworks products. She added, “I enjoy talking to the Bering’s employees to see how we can improve and meet the Bering’s customers’ standards. I registered at the Westheimer location, and when I told Trudy and Angela I was registering, they were full of advice and really pointed me in the right direction!”  …That is good to hear!

In closing, everyone at Bering’s wishes this lovely couple nothing but wedded bliss and blessings to come. Have a beautiful wedding and enjoy your amazing Disney World and Hawaii honeymoon!

To view Jacqueline and Jack’s full registry, please click here:

http://www.berings.com/GiftRegistry/1662-1739299-wedding.aspx

Until the next Bering’s Bridal Buzz!

Wedding fun,

Julie

www.berings.com

A Double Congratulations!!!

Everyone at Bering’s would like to wish a big CONGRATS to twin sisters Kelly Kilgore Ramirez & Katherine Kilgore Pitzinger! Kelly and Katherine were featured in our very first bridal blog titled, Here Come the Brides! Katherine was married on May 7, 2011, and Kelly was married on November 19, 2011. We wish you two the best!

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Bering’s Bridal Feature – Ms. Julia Atnipp & Mr. Adam Stellar

This is such an amazing couple!! Julia and Adam are a very dynamic duo with a wonderful life ahead. I am excited about introducing you to this pair. When trying to decide how to “re-tell” how the couple met, I decided it would be best to credit the groom-to-be, Mr. Adam Stellar. Here is his version (It is very funny!):

Julia and Adam met on a dark and stormy night in Fort Worth, April 17, 2008. Adam left work late, because he is a hard working, dedicated member of Jetta Operating Company’s land department. After leaving the office, Adam headed to “Chimy’s”, a newly opened bar in Fort Worth. Dark clouds were quickly rolling in over 7^th Street, but he figured it was just a typical Texas thunderstorm. He parked his car and went inside to meet one of his buddies, Jonathan. He took a seat at a booth and waited for his friend.

Unbeknownst to Adam, his future wife was sitting in the booth across from him, having some chips and salsa and a few too many margaritas. Julia had turned twenty-one a week earlier and was making sure everyone was aware. Normally soft spoken and reserved (*cough), Julia was taking the small, sparsely populated bar by hostage. She had arrived with a gaggle of friends, which piqued the interest of Adam, who was unattached. Before approaching the group of young ladies, Adam had to build up some courage. After several drinks, he had almost mustered up the nerve to face the group. However, he became distracted when he received a YouTube video is his Inbox from one Bo Hannis.

This video was not up to Kinkaid’s fine standards, so when Adam began laughing and discussing the video with this friend, Julia turned around from her booth and gave both an annoyed look and her patented “Really…Really?” She turned back around in a huff and Adam ignored her. He had already retrained his sights on the handful of blonde girls in her entourage and had written her off as “the mean one”. With drink in hand Adam approached the group and sparked conversations with several of her friends. They weren’t interested. Ashley had some big shot TCU baseball player boyfriend, and Adam knew Candice and Laura wouldn’t fall for his charm so he had to start talking to “the mean one” again.

She wasn’t that bad, but he was still wary of her. As neither of them seemed very interested in the other, Adam went to go close his tab and head to another bar with more courteous young women. Before he reached the register an announcement was made, “NO ONE IS LEAVING!! HAIL AND TORNADOS ARE COMING, NO ONE LEAVES THIS BAR!!”  So there he was, stuck in an empty bar with one friend and a group of girls that didn’t like him, so he tried to make the best of the situation. He bought some drinks for the girls and began talking to Julia again. She started to lighten up a little.

The bar was pelted by rain, hail and wind for over two hours. Around 9:30 the storm began to blow over. Adam and Julia had talked most of the night and buried the hatchet. Around 10:00 Julia’s friends decided to go to the Aardvark, a TCU underage spot. Adam felt he was way too cool for this so told her to go on without him. Julia was crushed. She had just met the man of her dreams and he denied her invitation to accompany her to the Aardvark. She felt she would never recover. At least that’s how Adam remembers it.

As they were getting up to leave, Adam asked for her number. Julia gave it to him, of course, and also asked if he would drive her and Laura to their car because “it was parked far away”. Adam took a swig of his drink and responded, “I’ve got golf clubs in the back, looks like you’re walking.” Julia wasn’t nearly as amused as Adam.

That night they went their separate ways, but they continued to talk and see each other regularly over the next few weeks. Since then they have pretty much been inseparable – and sometimes insufferable. Adam and Julia have traveled the world together (thanks Doug and Roni!), been to family occasions and events, countless Rangers games, work dinners, graduations and hundreds of nights of just staying in doing nothing.

…I KNOW, I KNOW, let’s hear about the proposal!!! Here it goes… Adam proposed on Sunday, January 9, 2011! He proposed the weekend of Julia’s brother’s bar mitzvah, in Houston, so Adam came to Houston as well as his parents and the rest of Julia’s family. After the festivities on Friday and Saturday Julia’s mother had breakfast “planned” for Sunday morning. All of the family was at the house along with Adam’s parents when Julia walked into her brother’s room, where Adam was packing up to tell him she was going downstairs to eat. Since he was “packing” he was already down on one knee and as she walked into the room he took her hand and said some really sweet things and pulled the ring box out of his pocket!! Of course she said yes, and we went downstairs to a planned (unknown to her) celebration! It was extra special because her granddad was there who is 86.

The couple will be married on January 7, 2012 at Congregation Beth Israel, with a beautiful reception to follow at Hotel ZaZa. From what I hear, their guests are in for a treat! …With beautiful colors of navy blue, white and purple and lots of mirrors and candles- sounds amazing!!

You might be asking where the couple is from. Julia is from Houston. She went to Kinkaid for 12 years, and Adam is from Fort Worth. True Texans!!

When I asked the couple why they decided to register at Bering’s, Julia had a very nice reply. She said, “I’ve always known I was going to register at Berings. It’s the only place I thought of when I started picking out my china. My mom has shopped there for as long as I can remember!”

Oh the anticipation of their registry! …But first, we need the history lesson. It is so interesting to know if the pattern the bride and groom selected is a family one, or if it is a personal preference. …In this case, it is a personal one! Julia said she made around four trips to Bering’s and could not decide which pattern to pick out. She said she finally decided on Bernardaud China and was so excited to show Adam. She said they were in town one weekend when she and her mother brought him to Bering’s to register for some more items. Upon walking into the gift shop with Adam, he made a b-line for the gold script monogram pattern by Pickard and said he liked it. Julia placed it with Bernardaud’s Elysee pattern and realized that they looked great together! …So they registered for both of them! Mixing and matching is always a clever option! Also gorgeous is the couple’s selection of Francis I sterling setting and Waterford Lismore crystal!

Stemware Pattern: Waterford’s Lismore is sure to add a huge sparkle to any tabletop, cocktail party or family get-together. Cheers!

Sterling Flatware: The two selected a gorgeous 5 piece silver setting by Reed & Barton Francis I. …Absolutely regal!

Formal Place Setting: As previously mentioned, there are not any rules that say you have to select one pattern. Often times mixing and matching more than one pattern is not only a way to find your unique style, but it breaks up the monotony of all one look. Mixing these two patterns also provides for a few more place settings for family dinners the two are sure to host in years to come!!

Pickard’s Golden Monogram & Bernardaud’s Elysee = Traditional Brilliance!

Julia and Adam wrapped up their wedding registry, with a stop or two to look at kitchen appliances and fun everyday china.

To see all of Julia and Adam’s registry please click here: http://www.berings.com/GiftRegistry/1419-1640633-wedding.aspx

In closing, we at Bering’s wish Julia and Adam a beautiful wedding and a lifetime of love and happiness!

Until the next Bering’s BRIDAL Buzz!

Wedding fun,

Julie

Bridal Registry 411

You may or may not have heard of Bering’s Bridal Registry. …And you may or may not have heard exactly why registering at Bering’s is such a fun experience! With all of the decisions newly engaged couples face, your registry should be one of the most enjoyable experiences. At Bering’s each registrant is greeted by a seasoned bridal consultant who guides you through all of your tabletop registry questions.

Here is a picture of some of the bridal consultants at the Westheimer store:

Julia Clark, Kyle Story and Terry Price

With such a broad range of price points and styles, it can be a bit overwhelming deciding on a place setting. Bering’s bridal consultants go over your options with you, from how to care for your china, to mixing and matching and much more! The options are many, and the occasions you will use your china for are even greater!

Here are a some tips our consultants suggest when deciding on where to register, as well as which pattern to make your own!

1. Do you plan on adding to an existing relative’s china pattern? If so, you can always select a few pieces to go with the pattern, or select a complimentary pattern to personalize it.

2. What is your style? …What is your fiancé’s style?

3. Do you tend to lean toward casual, or slightly more formal? Many patterns are dishwasher safe, while others require hand washing.

4. Do you plan on decorating with your china? Many registrants like to hang plates and platters, as well as keeping their table set year round. This might help determine which colors go with your home décor.

5. If mixing your china with other patterns; it is best to keep the color of the china the same, but to build on accent pieces.

6. While some consider sterling silver flatware fit for formal occasions only, there is no reason why you should store it away only to be seen twice a year. Bering’s bridal consultant, Kyle Story, suggests incorporating silver into your everyday use. …Isn’t everyday worth celebrating?!!!

7. It is helpful to keep an Excel spreadsheet of gifts you and your fiancé have received, along with thank you cards that you have or have not written. Keeping an organized list of gifts also helps to determine exactly what you still need to close out your registry.

8. Some newly engaged couples are of the mindset that if nobody buys the pieces they’ve selected, what is the point? We suggest going with what you really like (regardless of the price point). This is suggested because your china is something you can build on and add to over your lifetime. Often time, even passing it down through generations.

9. While walk-ins are always welcome, it is a bit more efficient for you and your fiancé to call ahead of time to schedule a bridal registry appointment. This is best when initially registering, as well as after your wedding- when exchanging and/or returning gifts!

10. Don’t be afraid to think long term when deciding if registering for your china is really important to you. It might not be now, but it most likely will be in 20 years! …When the entire family comes to your house for holiday gatherings, a pretty presentation is a sure way to brighten the holiday!

11. Try to be mindful of your wedding guests! We suggest registering for a range of items with varying price points. This is pretty simple to do when you add in placemats, napkins, etc.

Until the next Bering’s BRIDAL Buzz!

Wedding fun,

Julie

www.berings.com

Fall Wedding Inspiration!

Happy Fall! We couldn’t resist sharing some warm hues to inspire family gatherings and holidays on the horizon. …Not to mention your WEDDING!!  We’ve selected pieces with a heavy focus on warm Fall colors that can be paired with alternate options for chargers and
napkins to help you transition into Winter, Spring and Summer. We hope you are as inspired as we are with these elegant timeless options. For more options, don’t forget to visit one of our stores or online at www.berings.com.