You’ve always invisioned your wedding or event going off without a hitch and one way to curb disasters is to be prepared for the worst. We totally recommend putting together a small kit for the “just in case” moments you might have at your wedding. You never know if Aunt Linda just might spill her third glass of wine on you when she’s giving you that 10th hug of the night…so here is a complied list of items you might want to bring to the church and reception hall, just in case…

The Essentials:

• Extra copy of directions to reception
• Cell phone
• Numbers of all participants in wedding
• Numbers of all vendors
• Driver’s License
• Cash

Beauty:

• Nail polish (2 shades)
  • Clear for runs
  • Shade being worn
• Nail file
• Nail polish remover
• Cloth headband (for pulling back hair while applying makeup)
• Compact mirror
• Makeup (for touch ups)
• Curling iron (humid or outside weddings)
• Hairdryer (rainy weddings)
• Hairspray
• Bobby pins and barrettes
• Brush and comb
• Perfume

Hygiene:

• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Mouthwash
• Floss
• Deodorant (roll on or spray)
• Feminine hygiene products (tampons, sanitary pads, etc)
• Breath mints

First Aid/Medicine:

• Bandages
• Neosporin
• Allergy medicine (Claritin, Benadryl, etc)
• Aspirin and pain relievers
• Pepto Bismol, Alka Seltzer or Tums

For the “What ifs”:

• Wine Remover (Satin Devil Fruit and Red Wine Remover)
• Small hand towl (for stain removal on dress)
• Wet wipes and tissues (for tears and spills)
• Lint brush
• Extra earring backs
• Travel size sewing kit (with small scissors)
• Extra buttons
• Double-sided hem tape
• Extra pantyhose
• Flat shoes for the reception
• Foot cushions
• Crochet hook (for bustling)
• Umbrella
• Mini flashlight
• Swiss army knife
• Smelling salts
• Static guard
• Febreze (the small bottle)
• Tide Pen
• White chalk (for covering up stains on dress)
• Q-tips
• Super glue
• Visine
• Purelle
• Bottle water
• Snacks
• Hand Lotion
• Straw (so that you don’t spill your drinks on you as you are getting ready)
• Baby powder
• Safty pins

With all of these items, you’re sure to curtail the the typical wedding day debacles!

One of the first caterers to be on our approved vendors list was True Flavors Culinary Concepts. We knew from the start that San Antonio’s brides and corporate clients would love their food and services, so to have them on our list was a must!

True Flavors really had a truly unique start. Chef and owner Johnny Hernandez had a passion for cooking that eventually lead him to New York City at the mere age of 16 to study at the world-renowned Culinary Institute of America. After graduating, he spent time sharpening his skills as a chef in four-star hotels and resorts across the country.

Just five years later, in 1994, True Flavors began their catering services here in San Antonio.  They have notably grown to be one of San Antonio’s most regarded caterers in the past 16 years, collecting covenant awards along the way. When you hire True Flavors as your caterer, you will be choosing the 2006 Restaurateur of the Year and NACE’s (National Association of Catering Executives) Caterer of the Year (twice mind you!).  

What we love about True Flavors is their outside-the-box thinking when it comes to décor and their fabulously fresh food, not to mention impeccable service. They have the ability to serve intimate groups of 5 people to lavish parties of up to 5000 guests. Their experienced team is dedicated to making sure that all guests will have a great culinary experience. True Flavors is always committed to providing the highest quality of artistic and sustainable cuisine, excellent service, and stylish décor.

With all that said, on average, True Flavors executes approximately 1000 events every year, so you most likely have had their food at one of the many events they have done in San Antonio. In addition to all of those stellar events, True Flavors has found time to diversify their business to include a traditional Latin-inspired restaurant, La Gloria that will open next month on the banks of the San Antonio River Expansion at the Pearl Brewery.

Back to their catering side, True Flavors has a distinction of creating culturally inspired dishes. Chef Johnny has travelled the world to learn about different types of cuisines so that their food has the right preparation and ingredients to make authentic versions of the originals. Some of their more popular dishes include their fresh fish ceviche,  tequila shrimp shooter, mole verde and Mantachie grapes (we had to look it up–goat cheese coated with fresh herbs and pistachios, doesn’t that sound wonderful?). Breakfast pricing starts out at $7.95 per person, lunch from $11.95 per person and dinner at $14.95 per person. They customize their menus as well to suit your budget and taste.

Our partnership with True Flavors has really worked out for the betterment of our facility as well as for True Flavors. Knowing that a professional and helpful staff will be onsite for your next event is crucial for a good working relationship.            

Here are the essentials: Website: www.trueflavors.com; Phone: 210.226.3670; Email: areyes@trueflavors.com or dlopez@trueflavors.com. Call or email them today!

We get this question all of the time, so we thought we’d share some information on how to obtain your marriage license here in San Antonio.

Where you need to go:

Bexar County Clerk’s Office, 1st floor 

300 Dolorosa, San Antonio, TX 78205

Phone: (210) 335-2221

When you can get it:

Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

What you’ll need to bring:

• Proof of age and identity (i.e. Driver’s License, Miltary ID, Passport)
• Social Security card
• $36 cash (they do not accept checks or credit cards)
• If you have been married previously, a copy of your divorce decree

Important things to remember:

• 72 hour waiting period after you obtain license before you can get married
• Only good for 30 days
• Must have present at your ceremony (this might sound like a no-brainer, but it’s happened before!)

A recommendation from a corporate client in 2008 is what brought Heavenly Gourmet to Plaza Lecea’s doorstep. Our client insisted that we had to have them on our list so we did a little research and thought they might be a good addition to our list of approved vendors. Owner Loretta Ortiz personally promised to make sure that they would serve our clients with affordable, hearty and “heavenly” food and they have  surely exceeded our expectations! What we really love about Heavenly Gourmet is that they are genuine people who want to make sure that their customers are extremely satisfied with their services and cuisine. Loretta is one of the most humble people we have come across, consistently striving to make sure all of her customers get the best value possible.

We have had Heavenly Gourmet out here for numerous luncheons, offering our clients a variety of menu options and also creating a completely custom menu to fit their needs. Box lunches start out at $7.50, which include a hot or cold sandwich kettle fried potato chips, your choice of pasta or fresh fruit and a homemade cookie.  Hot lunches are around $12 and include nine different options.

If you are looking for an evening event, they have you covered as well. Dinner options start at on $10 a person and are inclusive of a choice of salad, protein, starch, veggie and a dinner roll. Our personal favorite is their Penne a la Vodka w/Chicken and we think it’s actually heavenly (pictured above). Some of their other popular dishes include their Heavenly Chicken (signature dish: Breast of chicken, stuffed with goat cheese, cream cheese, and black forest ham, then breaded and sauteed and topped with a poblano cream sauce-a gourmet take of chicken cordon blue), Pecan Chicken with a Honey Chipotle sauce, and a Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Chicken with Lemony White Wine sauce. Are you drooling yet? We are! Budget savvy brides also love Heavenly Gourmet because of the quality of their food is amazing, while being completely affordable.

Loretta says that what really started her uber successful company was a dollar and a dream. With fresh food, old fashion customer service, humble hearts and a lot of gratitude, they continue to succeed in a competitive market. They are strickly focused on catering services so that they can direct all their attention to providing brides, corporate clients and social clients with tasty food and unbeatable prices. Last year alone, they did over 320 events (17 of which were at our venue)! Can you say busy? They continue to work to surpass that this year and they would love to caterer your next event.

If you are looking for a caterer with reasonable pricing, impressive service and down-right good food, Heavenly Gourmet is perfect for your next event. Here are the essentials: Website: www.heavenlyg.com; Phone: 210.496.9090; Email: heavenly.gourmet@scbglobal.net. Call or email them today about doing a taster at their office.