There’s no such thing as a good restaurant without a theme. Where would an Italian restaurant be without drippy candles, a fifties diner without the parlor stools, or a Mexican eatery without the romantic sounds of the Spanish guitar? Boring! At Mershon Catering and Event Design we understand the only thing better than the food you love is the way you feel when you’re there. That’s why we make sure your event is designed to compliment your theme, right down to our dining presentation.

Hello, I’m Josh Mershon. As owners, my wife Michelle and I make quite a team. With her background in art, she is the creative mastermind behind Mershon Event Design and I am the passionate chef, whipping up fresh food in a fashionable presentation. Our talents collide to bring our clients the food they love with the atmosphere they want to share with their guests.

At Mershon Catering & Event Design we strive to be on the cutting edge of change in our industry. We are armed with the latest cooking technology that allows us to cook for you and your guests, onsite. We guarantee your cuisine will be never “sit” less than thirty minutes! The days of cooking in the kitchen and trucking in food are over and so are the days of boring presentation.

The way food is served has changed for the better, with action stations that bring excitement to your event. A server dishing out food isn’t our definition of an action station. Imagine an ice cream parlor, an Asian station, or a 1950’s diner with all things Betty Crocker. We prepare an experience, not just a fantastic dinner.

Pulling it all together is Michelle who, as an artist, will literally take your ideas from “sketch” to reality. She will visualize with you and bring out your own creativity so you get exactly what you want. She designs the floor plan, invitations, personal flowers, centerpieces, and helps you select the venue and menu that fits your needs. We custom design your event right here. At Mershon Catering & Event Design we are prepared to handle everything from the largest corporate events and lavish weddings, to the smaller, more intimate gathering of a quiet wedding or home party. Our extensive experience in design and catering allows us to adapt to your preferences, whether modern or traditional décor and cuisine. Let us help you make your next event all it should be!

Mershon Catering & Event Design

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

When most people think of balloon arrangements, they picture a few floating colors attached to a weight. When I imagine them, I see elegant carriages, castles, and Cowboy Pete! I’m Leilani Stendebach , certified balloon artist and owner of Event Planning by Leilani, Inc. where we design and plan weddings, trade shows, parties and supply top quality rentals.

My grandfather always told me, “You’ll have a business of your own someday but learn on someone else’s time. Get all the experience you can working for other people.” He was right. I learned the tricks of the trade working in the hotel business and for a convention decorating company before striking out on my own. I took my experience and contacts in the hotel business and got to work.

What started as a business out of my home and garage fifteen years ago is now my dream job. In 2002 I became a certified balloon artist and soon began winning awards for my ‘out of the box’ creations. As a family business, my daughter Treva also mastered this creative illusion of color, movement, and design and today artistic balloon arrangements are a large part of our business. With certified artists on call, rest assured your event will shine right on schedule.

With over 6,000 square feet of warehouse space, I have everything I need at my finger tips to make my clients the star of the show. We supply rentals and deliver gorgeous décor for events of up to 1,500 people. Whether you need pipe & drape, trade show decor, balloon decor, wedding coordination, wedding rentals or party rentals, we can deliver the kind of event that your guests will remember. Let us bring our expertise and unique creativity to your next special event!

Event Planning by Leilani, Inc.

It’s hard to improve on something as elegant and gracious as Coles Garden Wedding & Event Center. Gorgeous gardens, the beautiful architecture and convenient amenities are the features that have made it a favorite venue for so many different events for years. I’m Jenny Wood and my husband Willie and I are the new owners of Coles Garden.

We’ve updated this breathtaking property that has drawn interest from people all over the world. We were no exception. Our wedding reception was held here in 2004 and made a lasting impression. When I discovered it was on the market and knew I needed larger accommodations for my insurance office, One General Agency, I couldn’t resist the possibilities.

It was almost too good to be true. The rooms were perfect for meetings with clients and the building would offer more space for staff as well as a much more scenic view! But, it was also too beautiful not to share with people who wanted to welcome their guests to a spectacular event. I decided to host events and our agency under the same roof. The journey has been fun and exciting!

It didn’t take much to update a good thing. We added new flooring, crystal, chandeliers, lighting, spacious dressing rooms for bride and groom and little updates that put the icing on the cake. When people step into the enchanted world of Coles Garden and realize how reasonably priced our custom or prepackaged rates are, they can’t walk away!

We partnered with Deep Fork Grill to offer clients high quality and affordable catering services but clients are also permitted to bring in their own. Keeping flexibility, we also have in-house professional wedding coordinators and allow clients to bring in their own. We revived the indoor chapel so that guests can choose between an indoor wedding ceremony that captures the outdoor view or choose to recite their vows on one of our gardens. Either way, cascading waterfalls and vibrant, colorful gardens will catch your eye everywhere you turn!

Coles Garden