Fewer things are more rewarding than being part of a team who are dedicated to a worthy cause. Preserving a past that will enrich the future is the goal of the Jim Thorpe Association (JTA) and Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. As part of an organization that invests in education, charities, and civic responsibility, I am proud to have a hand in it’s recent growth.

I’m Justin Lenhart, Director and Curator of the Jim Thorpe Museum, home of the new Bud Wilkinson Event Center. I grew up in Stillwater and as someone who always enjoyed treasures of the past, I received my BA and MA in history from UCO. After college, I went to work for the Textile Museum in D.C. I enjoyed working in DC’s art community before moving back to Oklahoma. I’ve worked in large, upscale museums and operations like the Oklahoma Historical Society, and smaller high quality museums. With documents and artifacts dating as far back as 1907, the Jim Thorpe collections and Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame galleries are impressive and continue to grow.

When I joined the museum in November 2008 I came on board at a time when the JTA wanted to expand and it’s been fulfilling to see those efforts come to pass. The new Bud Wilkinson Event Center reflects our vision for improvement and growth. The event center is ten thousand square feet on the second floor, seats up to 600 people, and is equipped with the latest technology for specific audio and visual needs. We can display your event and with several screens, you can broadcast a multimedia presentation. We’ve made it so easy, you can show up with nothing more than a CD, DVD, or portable computer drive. You can even program our lights and cue music or video without manning the equipment for a smooth event.

We partnered exclusively with the Petroleum Club to offer patrons high quality catering services and make it convenient and less expensive. Better than that, there is no rental fee for our facility when you utilize the catering services of the Petroleum Club. In case you’re wondering, there is no hidden “rental” fee in the price of the menu. Because the food is stored and prepared here with a full kitchen, the Petroleum Club can offer patrons the same reasonable prices that apply to their other locations. Diverse options allow you to budget your menu without compromising quality. If your event is booked during museum hours, your guests can tour the galleries free of charge.

Our close proximity to Brick Town and other attractions like Remington Park and Cowboy Western Heritage Museum make it even easier to take in the rich culture here in Oklahoma City. Whether you’re planning a wedding reception, corporate luncheon, birthday or anniversary party, we invite you to see what we can offer you. Stop by the Jim Thorpe Museum for a tour of our collections and facility or to book your event, contact the Petroleum Club at 405-232-1184.

The Sky’s the Limit!

Some caters will travel anywhere to provide their clients with the food and service they expect, even if it means boarding the next flight! TW’s-Anything for a Buck Catering happens to specialize in catering to clients who want something far better than airplane food. Tim Williams, Co-Owner and Executive Chef specializes in regional cuisine for his customer’s international clients. When he’s not catering 20,000 feet above ground he and his partner, former employee Terry McDaniel, cater virtually any event. From private jet to black tie weddings, TW’s Anything for a Buck Catering also offers event planning services such as floral arrangements, limo services, entertainment and even invitations. Serving the Tulsa and Oklahoma City area, these caterers aren’t grounded! Check out their new location in Oklahoma City!

Left By Gypsies!

These full service caterers are full of surprises! Catering delicious food started out as a take out restaurant for Co-Owner, Debbie Land and today the take out side is one of their most popular services in catering. This less expensive and convenient option is a great alternative that trims the budget without diminishing unique quality.

Dishes and trays that are as tantalizing as they are lovely, their versatile take out catering menu includes more than hot and cold party platters. From casseroles, soups, and sandwiches to veggies, cheese, meat and fruit this is an easy option for any event. They also offer full service catering for anything from a private party at home to wedding receptions and corporate events. Home made jams, sauces, and more are also perfect gifts for your guests!

High Tea!

Nibbles by Grander Affaires knows how to cater to the ladies. Owner Emeline Bauder has a passion for those special selections that Mid-westerners are hard pressed to find. Nibbles Café in Tulsa is the culmination of her successful catering business where patrons can get a taste of the kind of experience she can give your guests.

Nibbles Café brings delightful customs from the east coast and beyond, High Tea and Venetian Hour of Coffee are two favorites. High Tea originated as an old English custom of tea with scones, clotted cream, puff pastries, tea sandwiches and quiche. Venetian Hour of Coffee and pastries is all the rage in New York and along the east coast.

Catering up to 500 people, Nibbles by Grandeur Affaires provides customized menus that can be modified for special requests. With versatile options like buffet or seated service meals, they will also design your event and offer 10% off when they provide you with floral arrangements, wedding or special occasion cake and catering services.

Get inspired and be refreshed with local contributing author, Lynne Hardin in A Cup of Cappuccino for the Entrepreneur’s Spirit!™ Women Entrepreneurs’ Edition I. Kick off your heels and sit down to a book that will break your ambitions out of the fearful “what if” box and into the open range of “why not!” Real women with real life situations open up in this book about the obstacles they overcame to experience the realization of their dreams. Lynne Hardin, founder and CEO of Integrated Solutions, Inc., is a Certified Professional Facilitator and famous for her “Magic of Why®” book and sessions. She is the creator of a process that provokes organizations, businesses and individuals to find out their ‘why’ and take them from the governing dynamic of fear and selfish ambition to uninhibited collaboration and personal growth.

Lynne exposes the way so many people on the planet have learned to be competitive and motivated by fear and greed rather than embracing the possibilities of moving in love, abundance and meaningful cooperation. In her process, people learn to break out of the beliefs that keep them in the pattern of crippling familiarity. She teaches her audience to learn from the laws of physics and governing dynamic of the universe which clearly shows the power of working together rather than apart.

The “Magic of Why®” emerges in this book to encourage readers to rediscover the forgotten innocence of their own childlike “why,” to become more self aware and to identify their own strengths while embracing the value of others. August 21st, a Magic of Why® process session will be conducted by Lynne Hardin. You can email Lynne for more information or visit www.magicofwhy.com. Purchase a copy of A Cup of Cappuccino for the Entrepreneur’s Spirit™ at Barnes & Nobles or amazon.com

Lynn Hardin

One of the most important vendors a couple will select for their wedding day is the DJ, a sometimes overlooked detail that can mean the difference between a great time and a disaster. The only thing worse than a bad wedding singer is a DJ who lacks the necessary tact and sensitivity to their client’s taste in music and candor to make a reception all it should be.

I’m Jess Barnes and that’s why I created Black Tie, The Wedding DJ’s, a branch of Shake Rattle & Roll designed to offer couples a DJ who specializes in weddings. I discovered this business over twenty years ago when I filled in as a DJ for a friend’s sorority party in college. As a long time music lover, I decided to DJ and eventually started my company.

Today our DJ’s travel all over Oklahoma in varied venues from intimate parties in backyards and barns to large, uptown events in ultra-formal galas. With back up equipment and DJs on call, you never have to worry about a no show DJ or disastrous technical difficulties. Although we’re a large company, our DJs collaborate on each wedding to create an atmosphere that is unique to every reception. We hire DJs based on their ability to connect with clients so they always deliver exactly what our customer ordered.

While couples often hire a wedding coordinator, many do not. That’s why we’re prepared to handle the announcements and juggle the reception events with grace and style, carefully keeping the focus on the bride and groom while engaging their guests. We work with the facility manager to help welcome their guests, with the caterer to announce dining and cutting of the cake and with the photographer to capture those moments they’ll treasure forever. We include lighting to liven up the dance floor and décor lighting such as monogrammed initials for the floor or wall and “up lighting” to accent reception décor.

We listen carefully to our client’s request because we know couples want to play all the songs that celebrate the love and joy they share. No obnoxious jokes, no inappropriate music and no DJ’s “working the room” soliciting for that next event. We know the difference between enthusiastic, professional entertainment and bad taste.

At Shake Rattle & Roll and Black Tie DJ’s we invest our time and emotions into your event so that you get the most intimate and gratifying experience possible. Your wish is our command.

When Grandma prepared Sunday dinner with fresh, natural ingredients, everyone raved about her fabulous food. Now that homemade difference is available for catered events – from simple fare for a few to elegant gourmet meals for up to two hundred appreciative guests.

Hello, my name is Gail Murchison and I’m the owner of “Something To Remember” catering. I’m proud to say I come from a long line of awesome cooks. Raised in Arkansas and the oldest of four children, I learned the art of preparing delicious Southern meals from my mother, aunts and grandmother. Like all the women in our family, I enjoy cooking for others, but received my first big opportunity to cater an event when I was asked to prepare meals all weekend long for our church’s women’s retreat. I received so many referrals from that one opportunity that I eventually decided to convert a hobby I loved into a real business. And, it’s been growing by word-of-mouth ever since.

At Something To Remember, everything we prepare is made from scratch and as close to natural ingredients as possible. No frozen chicken here! The soups, sauces and gravies – even the salad dressings are all homemade! Desserts are all made from scratch with real butter for an out-of- this- world tasting cobbler, chess pie, strawberry or chocolate cake.

Some of our entrees include Grilled Chicken Alfredo, Coq Au Vin, Baked Chicken Salad, Beef Burgundy, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Baked Ziti, Pot Roast, Chicken and Dressing, Pork and Sweet Potatoes, and Parmesan Portobello Chicken. We also provide hot and cold hors d’oeuvres for the simple to simply elegant reception.

Although Something To Remember specializes in buffets set-ups, we are also able to accommodate sit-down meals. All affairs are all inclusive from quality disposable eating ware to fine china. We have you covered for any event… weddings, graduations, retreats, parties and showers of all kinds, appreciation dinners, and anniversaries. In fact, .just about any special occasion you can think of is made even more special when the meal reminds your guests of that great home-made taste Grandma served up with love.

When choosing a caterer for your next event, remember that home-made is simply better. If Grandma is just too busy to help you with her made-from-scratch recipes, call Something To Remember. Even Grandma would approve.

 Someone once said, "If you have a really good idea, plant it, nourish it and watch it grow."  Well, that’s exactly how Bridle Creek Horse Ranch & Resort got started – a simple vision that grew into a 128-acre family business that might just be the perfect setting for your special event or family outing.

 You can search the entire state of Oklahoma and not find a more romantic, relaxing and perfect destination than Indian Creek Village.  Nestled in northern Oklahoma’s cross timbers between Ringwood and Cleo Springs, this is a very special choice for a private, relating destination wedding, romantic get-away, fun agritourism visit or even the perfect "Chick Trip."

 

If you’re searching for an stylish country wedding, Indian Creek Village is a fabulously quaint and romantic setting.  Our restored historic wedding chapel and lovely outdoor reception area will accommodate 150 guests.  Smaller group events can be held inside the main house.  The Bed and Breakfast has four beautifully decorated and comfortable rooms with private baths, including our honeymoon suite complete with a kingsize bed and Jacuzzi.  Children and pets are welcome.

 

This year, Oklahoma Dept. of Tourism and Recreation is making “Chick Trips” one of its hottest promotions. Why? Because girls just want to have fun! So grab your mom, daughters, sisters and friends to spend the day delightfully discovering historic Downtown Shawnee’s many treasures.

Check out the Ritz Theater that once showed silent movies and vaudeville entertainment. Stroll by architecturally significant buildings that span Shawnee’s earliest days through the opulence of oil boom eras. See where bullet-riddled Public Enemy #1 Wilbur Underhill was captured by “the feds.” Everywhere you go, a piece of history awaits!

Denise May, Marketing Director

Hello, my name is Tiffany Stephens, owner of Mood Party Rentals. My husband Lee and I started thinking about renting unique event items when we were planning our wedding. There were plenty of the usual tables, chairs and standard accessories for rent, but the fun and unique items simply weren’t available. We had to beg, borrow and buy what we needed – it took a great deal of time and money.

A couple of years ago, we decided it was the right time to fill the rental niche of unique, yet affordable items We began with renting a rustic line that’s very popular in Oklahoma – big wooden pieces like harvest farm tables. Then we added lounge areas, mostly modern in many different styles and colors, which quickly were in great demand.

At Mood Party Rentals, we also have a large collection of accessory pieces. Our statement pieces include 8’ mirrored chandeliers, spiral topiaries, candle holders, as well as lighted acrylic pieces for bars and bistros and some seasonal items. Every thing we rent is specially selected to give your event that distinctive mood that adds so much to its success.

Lee and I are always adding to our cutting-edge collection, so we always have the latest trends, including some exciting new arrivals hugely popular in Europe. Our goal is to rent only items which are truly unique and that make an event a standout, but at prices the general public can afford.

Please visit our showroom and warehouse all under one roof at 1012 N. W. 69th or visit us on the web at moodpartyrentals.com. After you select your items, we will deliver and pick up anywhere in the state.

Get the basics for your event from any ordinary rental company. For the unique items
that set your event apart from the crowd, choose Mood Party Rentals.
 

Tiffany Stephens, Owner

Mood Party Rentals
1012 N. W. 69th
Oklahoma City, OK 73116

405-840-2081

lee@moodpartyrentals.com
www.moodpartyrentals.com

The word “mansion” brings to mind visions of elegance, spaciousness, and architectural artistry. If this description is your idea of the perfect setting for a wedding, then you’re in luck: Harwelden Mansion reflects the style and glory of early Tulsa.

Hello, my name is Andrea Croasdale. I’m the facilities manager of Harwelden Mansion in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Although not a native Tulsan, I have grown to love the town and have made it my home. I came to work for the Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa, which owns Harwelden, after completing both my bachelors and masters degrees in History from the University of Tulsa.

Constructed between 1923 and 1926, Harwelden was built as the private home by oilman E.P. Harwell and his wife, Mary. Upon Mrs. Harwell’s death in 1967, her majestic home was donated to the Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa, graciously continuing Mrs. Harwell’s legacy of supporting the arts in the community.

The sprawling mansion, with its lovely landscaped grounds, encompasses the size of a city block. The 3,389 square feet mansion is said to be the only Collegiate Gothic-English Tudor Style home in Tulsa. For decades, Harwelden has been the preferred choice for weddings, parties, and other events. Its reputation as the perfect setting for weddings of distinction has spread primarily through word-of-mouth by satisfied brides and impressed guests.

The rental fee, which benefits the Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa, includes your exclusive use of the mansion and its grounds. If you plan to hold your event outside, the mansion’s interior will be available should the weather interrupt your plans. The use of Harwelden’s event furniture, as well as indoor set-up, tear-down, and custodial cleaning, are included. Your choice of caterer is welcome to use the mansion’s large caterer’s kitchen, and we will happily suggest preferred vendors for all of your event’s needs.

If you’re looking for a venue with the spacious elegance of a mansion steeped in Oklahoma’s opulent oil boom history, consider the unique style and charm of Harwelden Mansion in Tulsa. You may come to the conclusion, as numerous others have, that no other decorations are necessary here, as the impressive architectural design speaks for itself.