Home Sweet Home

The house I grew up in, on King's Court in Waukesha, Wisconsin

I took a little "break" from wedding planning this month to take on one of my most daunting projects to date, my childhood home.  My parents house, our home where I grew up has been vacant since February when my dad moved in to his new apartment. Though our 70's house has good bones, sits on a beautiful property, in a perfect subdivision convenient to almost everything, it was over stuffed, cosmetically in need of a serious makeover (facelift?) and the yard which was once a source of great pride for my dad, had been sadly neglected. Our "castle" on Kings Court needed royal treatment urgently. Since I only had three weeks in between events, I had to work feverishly to clear their house of the stuff, selling what I could, finding new homes for lots, (thanks Linda!) preserving, packing & sending what I wanted to keep then shred, recycle and dispose of what was left. A garage sale, an overflowing twenty yard dumpster and two pick ups from 1-800 Got Junk later the house was ready for transformation. I was originally motivated to "flip" the house, but given my schedule and frankly my skill set, I compromised and decided to get it as good as possible given the time frame and budget that was allotted.  We were tasked with ripping down wallpaper and we pulled up carpeting. Fresh paint and well preserved hardwood floors did wonders for the tired house's first impression and after more interior cosmetic updates: hardware, light fixtures, mirrors, faucets, light switch plates and vents;  a little landscaping and a bit of curb appeal, voila! The house is nearly market ready.

My days were filled with trips to Home Depot and dealing with crazies from craigslist.  Everyone understood the urgency of our task at hand except for the robin who made her nest and laid her newly hatched eggs in the shrub in front of the house. We were able to take down the other shrubs and add mulch without disturbing her babies, but are waiting to complete the last one until the four baby robins fly away. Checking in on them and noting their progress became a welcome daily ritual.
This week a new water heater will be installed, a basement inspector will be checking out the crack in our concrete wall and now that the paper work has been submitted our listing is live!

Word of our impending sale had been spreading naturally, and there had been much, maybe that's common, I know many were curious but it was rewarding to show people the house and it's improvements.  No offers yet but hoping a new family will take over where we are leaving off, soon.  Growing up, it was just home, as a kid you don't-- or at least I didn't really analyze where I lived or why I lived there it just was, but now that I am a little more real estate savvy, I have a new appreciation for the house and the space it sits on.

This project was a labor of love and what kept me going, as the pulling up of nail strips and removing of staples seemed endless, was that I was honoring my parents, their investment and a home that houses so many fond and forever memories of my first family. I love that in a matter of a few hours the night before I left,  I was able to fill the house one last time with 17 members of my extended family for one last hurrah!

While being away from my husband, our life, my business and routine is difficult, I am blessed to have so much support and love in Wisconsin it makes trips like these bittersweet. I worked hard, was productive, learned a lot and truly feel like this was an important piece of the process of grieving the loss of my mother, my dad's independence, my old life as I move on to my next chapter and my forever family.

I am writing this in first person but there were so many people that helped me through this process. I hope I don't forget to mention anyone.

The first week I walked around the house a lot being overwhelmed, dabbling here and there but not really accomplishing any one thing. Then, because I was in the Midwest-- I got to escape for a few days and see my godson make his first communion. Upon returning, I brought in the big guns. My dear--dear friend Liz was on it, like white on rice. Because she is currently a free agent, she was able to come from Florida and help me go through everything! Save, Garbage, Donate.  Just cube it.  I would have been there until Christmas without her. True story. Her generosity, kindness, hard work, selflessness and moral support were invaluable. Happy I got to show her a few of my favorite hometown haunts but happier she is newly engaged and I can repay her with wedding planning!

Liz, Linda, Eddie, Martin, Sergio, John, Rob, Denise, Rob, Judy, Erik, Cricket, Serena, Isabella, Reeba, Callen, Hattie and Dan seriously you were all so vital to the success of this emotional and overwhelming operation. The help, work, strength, time, meals, cheese, cider, advice, encouragement, love and support kept me focused and on task. 

Lastly, I am grateful for my equally sentimental mate who encouraged me to bring home whatever I wanted. It's going to take me a while, to find space in our home for 14 large plastic tubs of sentiment,  but in time, I look forward to incorporating my parents' treasures into our lives and traditions.
  
In case you're curious or know someone looking, the listing is here.

xo,
Tammy

Spring Update

Hello,

 
With regular trips to New York and lots of quality time in Massachusetts, it's great to have many new clients on board in both places!  While I'm busy getting to know our new couples and planning some fantastic events, I've also carved out some time in my schedule for other special projects and opportunities that have come my way.

We are bringing a farmers market back to my community, my involvement on this board has been a great way to connect with new neighbors while getting acquainted with the local farms and vendors. I've also had a chance to hone my website designing skills.  While I'm not interested in marketing myself as a web designer, I am happy to be able to offer this service to my clients, thanks to our friends at WIX.

Earlier this month I was invited to be the New England Volunteer Chair on the New York City Chapter of Wish Upon a Wedding. The most recent wish granted in New England is here.  I am looking forward to attending another wish on Monday at The Boston Harbor Hotel. 

I am excited to introduce a new service. No one should have to go it alone, but sometimes wedding budgets and locations get in the way of enabling couples to hire a wedding planner or a professional month of coordinator.  I've created a virtual wedding planning and coordination service. This is a service I've already been providing to some clients, but think it's time more couples benefit from what is available.  The concept is simple, all of the support and services will be provided by video chat, email and scheduled phone calls. This structure allows for a price point many will find more affordable. This will also extend our reach and make our services more attainable to couples planning weddings anywhere.  If you haven't checked our our new website, please do and if you know anyone who might be interested in a service of this nature, please share the good news!

Late next week my family and I are heading to North Carolina, we'll be with our in-laws for Easter, then the guys will be heading on to Georgia for The Masters. I'm happy for my husband, this is something he's really looking forward to.

As the gigantic piles of snow finally begin to melt, I look forward to lilac and peony season!

Happy Spring!

xo,

Tammy



Photo credit: Front Room Photography 

My Mom and Our Wedding Decisions

While I like to think I am the best of both of my parents, my mom and I were very close and watching her health decline while Rick and I  were falling in love, celebrating our engagement and planning our wedding was difficult. Fortunately, she made no secret of her happiness for me, she adored Rick and was thrilled I had finally found my one. The photograph above is and will likely always be one of my most cherished pictures from our original wedding. We planned this hometown wedding in Waukesha, where I was born and grew up, so it would be easy for my parents to attend.  My mom had dementia and her short-term memory was declining thus why we chose to hurry up and get married.

Rick and I had many heartfelt conversations about how, where and when to have our wedding, many that ended in my tears. Being a wedding planner most certainly did not exempt us from the stress, emotion and challenges of planning a wedding or two, in fact, it actually just complicated the situation. The goal and the only real non-negotiable was to have all our parents in attendance. Easy? Not so much, but happy to report: mission accomplished.  Thanks to my wonderful husband and my amazing and accommodating in-laws for making it happen. Having my mom at our wedding offered me so much comfort in her final days. She passed away peacefully two months after our wedding.

Our other ask was that our nieces and nephews and siblings were in attendance. That's all we really needed. Of course, we wanted our friends, aunts, uncles and cousins, but given the situation, an intimate immediate family wedding in Wisconsin sooner, followed by an encore celebration in Boston with extended family and dear friends, later was the decision we landed on. Turns out, it was an excellent decision! If anyone was offended for not being included in our original wedding, hopefully after my mom passed they were more understanding to what motivated our difficult decision.  Neither wedding was perfect, life happens and is unavoidable, but we did have two beautiful, wonderful and very memorable wedding weekends with those we love.

I will attempt to share much of our back story, the planning and of course the fruits of our labor in the weeks and months to come. First I want to talk about my mom briefly, because she was superb, deserves to be honored and will be remembered always. She was a passionate, lively, courageous, strong willed, big-hearted woman. She loved her family and children most. In her prime, milestones, birthdays and holidays never went unacknowledged. She was thoughtful, generous, festive and loving. I am a better woman, friend and event planner because of her and I plan to honor her memory by being a loving wife and devoted mother, cherishing my family the way she treasured hers.  My husband read the eulogy I wrote at her funeral. We played songs from Elvis and The Beatles and filled the room with old photographs, mum plants, dear friends and our extended family.  It was a sentimental and appropriate tribute to my life long friend, companion and mother.

Thank you for indulging me as I get personal-- it feels necessary in order to be authentic-- something I pride myself in personally and professionally. 

My mom on our wedding day.

My mom's eulogy:

Donna had a huge heart and was one of the most generous souls. Her commitment to family was unmatched and she spoiled her loved ones with thoughtfulness and affection. She was a devoted daughter to Vi and Joe Graf, wife to Tom, but lived for her kids Tammy and Dan and made sacrifices so that they wanted for nothing growing up. From Tammy’s twirling of a baton to Dan’s first day of t- ball practice when the coach had to tell Donna that Dan probably shouldn’t wear cowboy boots on the field. Donna made sure they had ever opportunity available to them and never missed a lesson, practice or activity. She and Tom were at every school conference and in the front row at all events -- be it a play, a concert or a game. 

Donna lived her entire life in Wisconsin. Meeting Tom at the age of fourteen, HE was her first and last love. She has a collection of amazing and loyal life long friends some who are waiting for her in heaven, others who are here with us today. Raised as an only child, she left this world surrounded by the love of the four sisters she inherited when she married Tom almost 45 years ago, after their 10 years of crushing, flirtation and eventual courtship. Tom said that he couldn’t have asked for a better partner in life. As a protective and extremely proud mother to Tammy and Dan, both who adore her and will treasure the memories of their loving mom always. She was so happy to see them in loving relationships with wonderful partners. One of her greatest joys in life was her grandchildren. Callen and Hattley were her little sweetie pies. They made her life complete and brought much happiness to her final years. 
  
Donna enjoyed family trips to Wisconsin Dells and Great American each summer, and their big vacation to Florida. Donna and Tom also enjoyed bus trips, gambling outings

and using their timeshare in various locations. Some of her most memorable trips included gambling and shows in Las Vegas, a horse drawn carriage ride in New York City, and touring Scotland, Ireland and England with Tammy and Linda.

Donna was burdened by many health complications throughout her adult years, but they only encouraged her to live life to it’s fullest. 

Once her nest was empty she started to ease up on her overprotective acts of parenthood and focus on having fun. She loved live music, followed many musicians, and invited her friends to discover new bands. She liked to listen, dance and socialize with her old friends, and the new ones she made along the way. There wasn’t a festival she didn’t like, but the state fair may have been her favorite summertime activity.

Donna enjoyed going out to eat, she loved a good steak and Friday’s were made for Tallengers and a fish fry. She loved visiting the puppy bins on her frequent trips to the local humane society.

She was the master of making birthdays and holidays magical for her family.

Donna is at peace knowing that her kids are happy and loved. Hattie and Rick (her favorite son-in-law) made it just under the wire as her vascular dementia compromised her short-term memory. She was thrilled to see her family grow with the addition of grandchildren and in-laws.

Her final days were filled with visits from family and friends—she was able to express her gratitude to her visitors, reciprocate their love and make jokes until the end.

So next time you drink an ice cold bottle of water, enjoy a steak, plan a night out with live music or see a puppy, think of Donna, she’ll be looking down at you and smiling.

Thanks to all those who loved her and to those who have been loved by her, may you find comfort in the memories and think of her happily often.

Here is my mom's obituary and a tribute to her life.

xo, 
Tammy 

Two Weddings and a Funeral

Greetings from Mrs. Fallon:

After planning my our two weddings and experiencing the unexpected death of my beloved mom, I look forward to getting back to planning clients' weddings in New York, as I continue to build my business in beautiful Boston.  Thank you to those who offered us an abundance of congratulations and comfort from their condolences.

Do you have friends or professional connections in Boston and throughout New England? Know cool couples who were recently or are about to be engaged? Planning a hometown or destination wedding? Interested in hiring a wedding planner or someone to coordinate wedding day activities? If so,  I'd welcome and sincerely appreciate you putting us in touch.

I hope you've had a good summer and your autumn is filled with pumpkins, apples and candy corn.

xo,
Tammy Golson Fallon 







Photo Credit: Front Room Photography

Real Wedding: Best Autumn Wedding 2009

Reeba and Dan's rustic autumn wedding last October at Olbrich Botanical Gardens near Madison, Wisconsin was truly a highlight of my year.



Having your first look before the ceremony is an opportunity to get really great photos and enjoy some time together before your guests arrive. Carving out this time relaxes couples and it is evident in the photographs. It's a personal choice, but if you're going this route make it meaningful. Dan and Reeba planned their first look at the local restaurant they met at for the first time.

The bride's sister in-law worked in a flower shop and arranged all the flowers.


The bride's grandmother wrote this quote on her grandchildren's wedding cards. Reeba originally wanted to incorporate the quote into the programs, but then they opted not to have printed programs as a nod to the environment. Her grandmother's words were still positioned prominently at the ceremony.


Surrounded by so many friends that love them, they decided not to have a traditional bridal party. This is not uncommon, it's an opportunity to keep a ceremony intimate. However, Reeba did want to include her closest friends in the ceremony. She asked each friend to contribute to a special flower arrangement as they have all contributed to her beautiful life. There was a time designated in the ceremony for each women to bring her flower to the vase that was close to the bride as she prepared to say her vows.

The couple honored the memory of their grandparents with a special table designated to their photos, that guests saw as they entered the ceremony.


When asked if she took this man to be her husband, Reeba loudly, proudly, adamantly and enthusiastically proclaimed, "Yes, I DO!!!" It was awesome. After the couple was introduced as husband and wife, their family and friends erupted into applause. Applause that lasted for several minutes. It was so beautiful to hear and see how happy everyone was for this very special couple.

The couple wanted their décor to reflect the treasures of the season in a tasteful and subtle way, while keeping the overall aesthetic casual, sophisticated, yet festive. The candles rested on a platform that was created by the bride's father. He cut down a tree and had it sliced for this purpose. The groom plans to re-purpose the trunk slices in their backyard as a foot path.

The pie table was one of the most anticipated details of the day. Ana Dolan's signage for the pie table and the graphics she designed for the wedding over all were so lovely and tied the details together perfectly. Thank you Ana! xo

The pies were as delicious as they were beautiful, baked by Hubbard Avenue Diner.

Alternating pies rested on stacked wine crates which created height for the dessert table.



Guests young and young at heart had a blast in the photo booth all evening long.

With many small children in attendance, the personalized coloring books were a hit.

Reeba and Dan did an outstanding job of remaining true to themselves and having the wedding they really wanted while still honoring their family and friends in a thoughtful, generous, creative and original way. This wedding is a beautiful example of how couples can introduce sentimental, fun, meaningful and interesting elements into a wedding while remaining fiscally responsible.

Blue Plate Catering provided delicious hors d'oeuvres.



Photo credit: Andrea Paradowski of Andrea Paradowski Photography and Larry Chua of Iloomin Images

A Very Merry Christmas!

This year I am reminded of the true spirit of the season in many ways.

I am overjoyed to welcome Alessandra to the world. My dear friend's daughter is already a girl after my own heart. Determined not to miss the holiday festivities, she arrived very early in the morning on December 24th. Congratulations to her family. She is certainly the best present ever.

Big brother Andrew wishes she could talk and insisted on wearing a tie to meet his baby sister.
Dressed and ready to go leave the hospital and enjoy her first Christmas, she's lucky her extended family is in town to welcome her home.

Seeing Santa in action was as exciting for the adults as it was for the kids. I believe!

My brother and sister in-law have been delayed due to weather and while postponing our immediate family fun was disappointing, it allowed for a lovely celebration with my aunts, uncles, cousins and cousin-ettes. My aunt hosted her traditional Christmas Eve open house serving chicken wings, chips, dips, cookies, grasshoppers and more. Relatives hovered around the oven waiting for Nina Pitcl's *Cupa, Cupa, Cupa, Wisconsin cuisine at it's finest! Nina gets a shout out for being a faithful follower of my blog, thanks cuz! Remember: I want your cranberry, cream cheese jello recipe, please!



I hope your holiday included delicious food, quality time with loved ones and special treasures far beyond the gifts under your tree.

Warmest Christmas wishes to you and your family

With my love,

Tammy
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*Cup of grated swiss cheese, cup of chopped onions, cup of Hellman's mayo: mix and put into hollowed out sourdough loaf, bake until golden brown and serve with the sour dough center that has been ripped into bite size pieces.

Wedding Week

It's wedding week in Wisconsin! I had hopes to live blog through the festivities leading up to my brother's wedding on Friday, but plan to focus on having fun with my family and friends, so twitter updates are seeming more realistic.

I arrived in Milwaukee last night and spent the evening with my parents. What did we do? We caught up, there was show and tell. I had a photo book from a wedding I planned in August to show them and I gave them a quick tutorial of the iPhone.

Today, I helped my mom and dad pack for the wedding, I ran errands and then rode to Madison with my brother. He and I enjoyed delicious and interesting Nepali cuisine for dinner on State Street, while the bride-to-be had girl time with her college friend in town from Boston. Temperatures are great, my future sister in-law is ready and excited. Her parents will be here at 10:30am tomorrow. We are meeting with the officiant and having lunch. In the evening, I have plans to see a college friend for an early dinner. It's an exciting week for me personally, I hope you will follow my tweets and enjoy what I share.