Paradise Park was the site for Jackson County CASA’s 14th annual Carnival for CASA. Melissa and Dan Martin served as honorary chairmen for the event, which was held on June 9th. The festivities included pony rides, a petting zoo, hair and face painting, lunch with live music by the Jack Snaps, and all of the […]

May 24th was the date for The Bolender Society of Kansas City Ballet’s cocktail reception to celebrate the end of a wonderful performance season. The festive event was held at the offices of Lathrop Gage. Guests reminisced about Kansas City Ballet’s 2018-2019 season, which featured the world premiere of Septime Weber’s The Wizard of Oz, […]

June 6th was the date for ArtsKC’s fourth annual Summer Arts Party, which was held at the Crossroads Hotel. Community leaders, artists, and ArtsKC staff members enjoyed a summer evening benefiting the local arts community in the heart of the Crossroads. Israel Alejandro Garcia Garcia   Melanie Sherman, Katrina Revenaugh, Marissa Starke, Ada Koch, Cheryl […]

Reprinted from the May 9, 1942 issue of The Independent: Unheralded was Mr. and Mrs. Pasquale Di Cicco’s bow into Town’s social life last week-end. Guests at the Hotel Bellerive, the erstwhile Gloria Vanderbilt and her husband were initiated into Kansas City’s Saturday night merriment by Carol Hagerman and her Fort Riley house guests, Lieutenant […]

Glad tidings from London, England: Willa Linnea Porter was born on January 21st. Her parents are Anna Freedenfeld Porter and Troy Porter. The beautiful baby girl was born with blue eyes and brown hair. Willa weighed seven pounds, six ounces, and was 21 inches long. Her grandparents are Linnea Borg, Kevin McLaughlin, and Drs. Susan […]

Kathleen Johansen is a senior communications strategist at The University of Kansas Health System. Her love of philanthropy began more than 30 years ago when she became a Brownie in South Carolina. Fundraising clearly made an impact on her because she was consistently her troop’s top Girl Scout cookie seller. Kathleen volunteered at retirement homes […]

June 9th was the date for The Jewel Ball Debutante Tea, which was held at The Kansas City Country Club. Ellen Hockaday and Laura Hall were the co-chairmen.     (Seated) Tiffany Lynch and Annie Lynch (standing) Anne Russ, debutante chairman; and Jewel Ball Vice Chairman Susie Heddens   Reagan Mitchell and Gabby Hendren   […]

So lovely! The proposal, the ring, the wedding…  Oh, dear! The 10,000 details that go into planning the wedding…   Of course, you could always elope… In the early days of World War II, many young people were dealing with new and unpleasant realities. “’Til death do us part,” always a solemn statement, took on […]

The stress before the big day is done and finally the relaxing can begin! Your vacation packing checklist should include clothes, sunscreen, chargers, power adapters, and, of course, a great book. Here are a few of my recommendations for fun honeymoon reads: Southern Lady Code by Helen Ellis Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin My […]

Executive Chef Linda Duerr with The Restaurant at 1900 and Lon Lane with Lon Lane’s Inspired Occasions give many couples options for memorable, festive dinners. Within the restaurant, Linda can create a spectacular dinner for a newly engaged couple or can provide delectable menu choices for a celebratory event. Lon can cater engagement parties, wedding […]

Cortney Leigh Patterson and Christopher Downey Barton were united in matrimony on March 1st at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Kansas City, Missouri. The bride is the daughter of the late Jeanne Lillig-Patterson and the late Neal Patterson. Cortney is the granddaughter of Frances and Paul Lillig of Kansas City, Missouri, and the […]

Molly Elizabeth O’Laughlin and Nicolas Thornton Kemper were married on January 19th at The Church of the Transfiguration in New York, New York. They chose the church, also known as The Little Church Around the Corner, because it was where Nicolas’ great-great-grandparents, Julia Stone Wood and Arthur Grissom, were married in 1895. Arthur Grissom would, […]

Justine Ann Uryasz and Ryan Patrick Richard were married on May 4th at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Redemptorist Catholic Church in Kansas City, Missouri. The bride is the daughter of Ann and Frank Uryasz of Kansas City. She is the granddaughter of Ann and Frank Uryasz of Omaha, Nebraska, and the late Justine and […]

Jamie Ruth Sloman and Scott Jared Frank were married on Coronado Island in Coronado, California, on May 9th. The bride is the daughter of Susan and Neil Sloman of Coronado, formerly of Our Town. Jamie is the granddaughter of the late Rosine and Dr. James Helzberg and the late Bernice and Norman Sloman. Her groom […]

Mallory Anna McCurry and Jack Lambert Wellner were married on May 4th at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Andale, Kansas. The bride is the daughter of Lucy and Geoffrey McCurry of Mount Hope, Kansas. She is the granddaughter of Sandra McCurry of Mount Hope, and the late Walter Cecil McCurry, and the late Mae and […]

Alysa Martyn Spicer and Philip Grant Wilkerson were united in matrimony on March 29th at Don Pedro’s Palapa in Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico. The bride is the daughter of Jennifer and Peter Spicer of Martin, Georgia. Her groom is the son of Patti and Dwight Tawney of Leawood, Kansas, and the late William Ralph “Bill” Wilkerson. […]

Sarah Quinlivan of Quintessential Events and Kindra Browne of Simple Elegance are two of Our Town’s premier wedding planners. These days, weddings have many moving parts, and a bride and groom and their families may need assistance with vendors, venues, hotels, contracts, transportation, and the multitude of ‘day of’ arrangements. These two capable, professional women […]

Steve McDowell, director of design for architectural firm BNIM and renowned leader in sustainable and integrative design, has worked on iconic buildings in Our Town such as the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and the Bloch Building at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. He also has designed embassies in Africa and South America and […]

Weddings are full of big decisions, including the food, the venue, the dress, the music, and the photographer. A great florist is incredibly important, but there seem to be a few design elements that are sometimes overlooked until later in the planning process. One element is the table linens. Table linens can tie everything together […]

It’s wedding season, and what’s the wardrobe piece that every woman wants and needs, whether it’s for the rehearsal dinner or for the wedding itself? You’ve got it right—the little black dress or “LBD.” Rightfully Sewn can be the spot where wedding guests or family members can find that unique piece that everyone will notice […]

Mr. and Mrs. Dan A. Haugh of Lawrence, Kansas, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Alden Elizabeth Haugh, to Brad Alan Harris, the son of Mr. and Mrs. R. Joseph Harris of Saint Paul, Kansas. The bride-to-be is the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Gene R. McLaughlin and the late […]