Happy Memorial Day-- A Love Story

The war was in full force and Arnold Lopez Gray had enlisted in the Army.  After graduating from the Air Forces Navigation School in Texas on April 22, 1943, he married Hazel on July 26th 1943.  It was shortly after their marriage he was sent overseas to fly combat missions against the Germans.  Little did he know on his 10th mission he would have a story worth repeating for the rest of his life…
His plane was shot down over the North Sea by the Germans, and although he survived the attack he was plucked out of the icy waters by a German U-boat.  He had become a P.O.W. in December 1943.
Hazel, a new bride received news of his failed mission, but nothing more.  The telegram she received simply said, “Lt. Arnold L. Gray is reported missing in action.”
She had to wait until March 15, 1944, to hear that he was indeed a prisoner of war in a German camp.  Actually this ended up being quite a blessing, as the German camp took excellent care of the prisoners, unlike the Concentration Camps.  Unknown to the Nazis, Arnold had taken German in high school for three years.  He was able to listen each day to the communiques broadcast in German over the loudspeakers.  He would in turn, translate the current war updates for his fellow inmates keeping them well informed of the progression of the war.  He was aptly given the name “Scoop” for his service.
After 18 months living life at a snail’s pace somewhere in Germany, the camp was liberated as the war came to a victorious end for the American prisoners of war.  Arnold had survived his long captivity, and would soon be reunited with his bride.
This is his letter from Barth, Germany, dated May 10, 1945:

Sweetheart,
At last I can write you and say just what I please.  I don’t know whether this will reach you before I get home, but it’s worth taking the chance.  You cannot realize the joy I have experienced at being liberated, and the prospects of being with you soon.  The Germans pulled out of here on April 30th, and we took over.  The Russians arrived on May 2.  Since then we have been impatiently waiting to get out of here…
…It has been a long time and you have not been out of my thoughts for one minute.  I’ll close now, sweetheart, hoping and praying that we will be together very soon for all time.  I love you with all my heart.
Your loving husband,
Arnold

They were reunited and lived a long, happy life together.  Their final years were lived in Florida – a state they grew to love as much as their native Rhode Island.  Although separated by death in 2001 – they have been reunited together in their final resting place at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida.
http://theromanticvineyard.com/2010/05/27/a-memorial-day-love-story/

Happy Memorial Day from Grand Volute Ballrooms. 

Photography Albums

You've spent hundreds of dollars on wedding photography, but what will you do with it all now that you've settled in? Don't stuff your gorgeous pictures in a box!! Find a great frame and keep your favorite wedding picture in a prominent location, and find a really great album for the rest of your pictures. Keep them on display on a coffeetable, or somewhere that they'll be looked at! Be proud of your pictures! Show them off!! 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/61122628/ooak-lace-wedding-memory-book-tree

We love this handmade lace photo album! 

Find a beautiful album, and a beautiful frame, for your beautiful pictures! It just makes sense!

We love the unique "knot" aspect of this wedding invitation. The pictures below make it fairly self-explanatory. The text on the card reads,
"KNOT:
LOOP THAT IS FASTENED AND LOCKED SO IT IS DIFFICULT TO RELEASE, AND THE MORE ITS ENDS ARE PULLED APART THE MORE IT TIES TOGETHER."


This would be a great DIY invitation that your guests would be sure to remember. Check out the pictures below.

 

http://bridalmusings.com

Make Your own Banner!

Wanted to quickly share this awesome link with all of our friends! This link will bring you straight to a lovely blog, that has downloadable links to THE cutest banners. The best part about this deal-- it's such a cute banner, and will work with baby showers, wedding showers, bachelorette parties, graduation parties, weddings--- you name it! It's colorful, and fully customizable. Simply download the letters that you need (the most common letters have duplicates!), string them together (we suggest simply putting two slits in each corner, and threading some cute ribbon through) and hang! Voila! A cheap and cute banner!

http://ruffledblog.com/printable-alphabet-bunting/

Cupcake Week!

Mirabella Confections, one of our favorite bakeries, does cupcakes, and they do them well! Take a quick gander at these beautiful cupcakes from Mirabella! They are super cute, super fun, easy, and great for large and small parties, alike! 

Cupcake Week!

http://pinkcherrymama.emmalinebride.com/

Looking to save a few bucks when it comes to wedding desserts? Go to a wholesale store, such as Costco or Sam's Club, and order your cupcakes there! Then, look into having custom cupcake toppers made, and top each one with a topper! You'll save hundreds of dollars-- possibly more!

It's Cupcake Week!

This week, we will be posting about cupcakes, because, well... who doesn't love cupcakes? 

emmalinebride.com

Cupcakes have been all the rage lately-- they are an individually portioned, delicious, and cute alternative to the more traditional wedding cake. 

Initially, many brides are turned off to the idea of a cupcake alternative to the traditional cake, but think again-- they can be absolutely stunning-- possibly even more stunning than the traditional cake.

Cupcakes are, also, more customizable, because of their size. they can be strewn throughout a decorated table, or, as seen here, placed on pedestals, on beautiful vintage plates.

Cake Pops!

We love these Cake Pops! Not into the whole fancy wedding cake idea? Maybe you're having a candy buffet, and want to incorporate your wedding cake into that theme? Consider cake pops! They're individually portioned lollipops of cake on a stick for easy eating... and they're super cute!

Alternative to Wedding Rings: Tattoos!

Many young married couples are opting to skip the traditional wedding bands, and go for something a little more unique-- tattoos! It definitely takes a special couple to be able to pull this one off, but if you can do it, by all means-- do it! Very unique and eye catching! Would you do it? Let us know!

Herbal Centerpieces

A few weeks ago we posted about including herbs in wedding floral arrangements-- check out these herbal centerpieces! Super cute! I'm sure they smell wonderful, as well! 

Here at Grand Volute Ballrooms, we are super excited for summer. We are trying something new this year: growing our own herbs! Next time you visit, be sure to check out our raised beds in the back! We will be growing lots of different herbs, and if you check them out, pick a weed or  two for us! :) 

For more about incorporating herbs into your wedding, check out: 

http://www.sparkleandhay.com/rustic-chic-wedding-accent-herbs

Flower of the Month: Lilly of the Valley

Welcome to May! Feels nice doesn't it? The official flower of May is the Lilly of the Valley. We love it because it is so strongly scented. It is a classic, and be used to create either a more contemporary or traditional feel. It is very delicate, so, if used fresh, it may be used best for centerpieces, rather than for bouquets. Either way, it is gorgeous!