Hot Shots: Advance Business Systems Scores The Winning Touchdown

1. Since 1991 Advance Business Systems has raised over $200,000 for various local organizations through generous donations from its annual “American Thanksgiving Football Classic”. This time around, Sparky`s Toy Drive was the lucky recipient of $16,500. The cheque presentation was held after the main event at the Windsor Fire Hall, 815 Goyeau Street on December 18, 2019 with Captain Sean Costello (Coordinator of Sparky’s Toy Drive); Nancy Christ, Public Education Officer, Windsor

November 28, 2019 at the Windsor Yacht Club, 9000 Riverside Drive East, Windsor. Photos by Rod Denis. All people in photos listed from the left. Advance Business Systems 28th Annual “American Thanksgiving Football Classic”

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Fire & Rescue Services; Fire Chief Stephen Laforet; Sparky; President and CEO of Advance Business Systems, Jack Jorgensen and Jake Jorgensen.

2. The whole event was the perfect tailgate party — but inside, nice and warm! Many individuals from all kinds of businesses were engaged in conversations like the table of: Jennifer Brooks, RE/MAX Preferred Realty Ltd.; Dawn Falkner, RE/MAX Preferred Realty Ltd.; Lindsey Hughes,

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The Benefits Company/HUB International (event sponsor); Larry Pickle, Pinnacle Plus Realty Ltd; Peter Vitale; Greg Klein, The Benefits Company and Patrick Ouellette, RE/MAX Preferred Realty Ltd.

3. Once again the event was sold out with over 500 taking time out of their busy schedules to attend, including Elias Galanopoulos, Supervisor of Provider Services at Green Shield Canada and Lazaros Dimitriou, Owner/Operator of The Suit Shop Co. Ltd.

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4. There were plenty of great business connections to make, but also a football game to watch on TV as the Detroit Lions played the Chicago Bears. Even though the lions lost — Derek Bavetta, Ramstar Carbide Tool, Inc.; Frank Moceri, Frank Moceri Holdings, Inc. and Sonia Lenhardt, Motor City Community Credit Union — still felt like winners with the opportunity to chat with each other.

5. Ground Effects was one of the event sponsors and represented byJunior Findlay, Joshua Green and Darryl Thibert.

6. Stephanie Martinson, St. Clair Insurance Brokers, Inc. is shown here with Cara Particelli, Windsor Spitfires and Selena Ujj, Freedom 55 Financial.

7.In attendance from Summit Windsor Floor & Wall Coverings, Ltd. were: Rick Masaro, Russ Britton and Butch Laframboise.

8. Over the years Jack Jorgensen (right), President and CEO of Advance Business Systems, has turned this event into the largest “Customer Appreciation” networking get together in southwestern Ontario. It is a not

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only a chance for local business people to connect, but also to meet those who provides sales and service of office equipment to Advance Business Systems, such as Rick Baird from Toshiba of Canada.

9. Football type stadium food was served by the Windsor Yacht Club. John Deciantis, Ricoh Canada, and from RE/MAX Preferred Realty Ltd. Garey Muir (son of owner Glen Muir) along with Larry Couture, appreciated getting a bite to eat of tasty hotdogs, sliders, nachos and more.

10. Three’s company for Patrick Ouellette, Jennifer Brooks and Glen Muir (Broker of Record/Owner) of RE/MAX Preferred Realty Ltd. who enjoyed the afternoon together and promoting their real estate firm to guests.

11. It’s also about mixing business with pleasure! Jack Jorgensen, President and CEO of Advance Business Systems posed with a close friend, Grant Higginbottom, Owner of Syles Mechanical Services. Find out more about Jorgensen’s company and how you can become an event sponsor for 2020 on: AdvanceBusiness.net.

A Year of Dazzle, Elegance and Romance

With an eye on 2020, we’ve ushered in a new decade. Millennials have overtaken the baby boomer generation with fresh attitudes and a new vision when it comes to planning; and they’re getting married!

They are very socially conscious and look at life differently from the generations that preceded them. It’s all about statementmaking and highlighting their personality as a couple, whether when planning for, or celebrating their special day.

Be it traditionalist or hip-and-trendy, this season offers ample choice when it comes to planning an exhilarating wedding day.

Meaningful ceremonies and saying “I do” with romantic imagination is all a part of creating memories to last a lifetime and prove timeless for any generation.

From photography to beauty, event planners to videography, it’s the most intimate details that provide the canvas for perfect wedding planning. The trends for 2020 will be innovative and inspiring with the emphasis on fashion, menus, décor and flowers.

This season, 2020 brides-to-be will be shopping for gorgeous and ultra-feminine styles of wedding gowns, with gorgeous details and intricate designs. It will be easy to make a fashion statement with so many styles of tulle and lace to choose from. Cathedral veils that fall gently to the floor shout modern romance, while stunning sleeves are stealing the show this year. Photo courtesy of Chalet Studio Photography and Gardens.

White ink is the perfect accent for this classic blue invitation, Pantone’s Colour of the Year, locally designed by See You There Invitations. It’s a stylish, fresh and elegant look that sets the stage for any occasion. First impressions count and this one sets the tone for a grand wedding day. Photo courtesy of Blush Photography.

Weddings will be hosted in both lavish locations that are perfect for large guest lists, to micro-gatherings for close friends and family. Couples today are tying the knot with customized personalization and detailed and intricate planning like no generation before them.

This upcoming season, you’ll find a world of inspiration with unparalleled choices, complete with fabulous wedding professionals, all at the ready to make the couple’s vision come true.

Every couple wants a memorable day and Windsor/Essex County is the ideal place to throw a party! It’s going to be a year of dazzle, elegance and romance.

Wedding style isn’t just about what you’re wearing, it extends to every aspect of your day, starting with your engagement and ending with the favours your guests take home.

Wedding vows continue to be spoken and written by the couples, with the help of their celebrant, to create more meaningful readings that they value as a couple.

If you’re planning a 2020 wedding, expect to see outstanding feminine fashion with big

skirts, trains, and romantic cathedral veils that fall to the floor. This season’s shoulders come with amazing details. Gowns will sport embroidery, ruffled collars and lots of lace and tulle. It’s all about making a fashion statement and today’s gowns have brides talking. The Pantone Color Institute (see: Pantone.com) — the word on everything fashionable, trend setting and current — has chosen classic blue, as their 2020 “Colour of the Year”. It’s the new black and it’s calming, flexible and elegant. It’s the perfect complement for wedding party attire, as well as an inviting hue for décor. Expect to see the rise of the Man-shower or bro-dal showers that celebrate the groom-tobe. These are not bachelor parties and happen as a traditional shower would.

The guest list can include family, co-workers and friends, and may include a catered meal, perhaps a whisky tasting, axe throwing, a round of golf, a visit to a gaming arcade, shooting pool or an evening of poker. It’s meant to be a fun event, where the groom now gets the opportunity to also receive gifts that are relevant to his likes and lifestyle.

Sustainable weddings will definitely be a “thing” this season. No plastics, organic produce, locally sourced food, less travel for guests and charitable giving, continue to be on the rise. If a couple has no need for bridal registry items, they can ask their guests to donate to a charity that has meaning to them. Again, for many millennials, it’s all about community and social consciousness.

Wedding food will offer more vegan and gluten-free choices. The days of plated dinners of chicken, beef and fish dishes are slowly declining. Even couples who aren’t vegetarian are more sensitive to their guests, some of whom have dietary requests.

Couples are opting for craft food and beverages that are relevant to today’s lifestyles and environmental concerns.

Plan to see grazing and dessert tables, replete with savoury cheese towers, cheese boards and artisan breads. From fanciful hors d’oeuvres to charcuterie boards laden

Charcuterie boards make a large impact and a fantastic food spread at 2020 celebrations. Today’s guests will be nibbling their way through delicious food presentations at engagement parties, bridal showers and special occasions. For guests with special dietary requests, cheese towers, trays and artisan breads will be laden with stunning assortments of tempting and delicious treats! Photo courtesy of Trevor Booth Photography.

with menu items to tempt, it’s all about the presentation. Menus are less formal and more inviting, always ready to please the guest list and available for nibbling throughout the celebration.

The management of Other Place Catering (OtherPlaceCatering.com) expects 2020 to be eye-catching and sophisticated as they’re prepared to cater to your each and every need. “Smaller-sized weddings with higherend menus and signature drinks allow the bride and groom to dazzle guests by making the expected, unexpected, ” says the Other Place Catering management team, adding that whether menu items are favourites of the newlyweds or traditional fare, they are prepared to accommodate all requests, with the style and service they are known for. “Whether menu items are favourites of the newlyweds or traditional fare, Other Place Catering is able to customize your menu, from serving styles, to the number of courses, dietary restrictions or mini-food stations all while staying within a budget that works for you.”

Menus may showcase brunch at dinnertime, tempting buffets and multiple food stations. Signature drinks and custom cocktails continue to rise in popularity and may even match the overall colour scheme of the day. Tavern seating continues to grow in popularity.

Couples will have fun showcasing the sweet treats of their youth. Popsicles are making a comeback, prepared with no additives but sometimes featuring champagne. A snack of chocolate truffles filled with spirits like whisky, brandy or Kahlua will add a novel twist to the sweet table assortment.

2020 décor is big, bold and moody. There will be groom’s rooms to converse in and spaces for the littlest of guests to play in. Expect to see walls covered in balloons, twinkling lights, and art murals that will make great backdrops for photo-ops and social media. There will also be plenty of candlelight, chandeliers and monogrammed dance floors. This season, lighting is the big hit of the party, as it highlights and accentuates specific areas of the venue for dramatic effects. The attention to detail is outstanding and the allure of the venue will definitely be inviting. Diane Spencler Glover, Event Planner, Certified Décor Specialist and Owner of Designs by Diane, a company that she founded over 30 years ago, explains that weddings this year will boast an exotic feel with “bold and fabulous décor and plenty of colour. Watch for lots of greens or florals. It’s the year of details with modern, elegant and timeless designs, dotted with unusual flowers. 2020 will be visually beautiful with lots of impact.”

With a knack for what today’s couples want, Wed in style with perfect décor. From an intimate brunch to a luxurious and lavish reception, brides are bringing the outdoors in with lots of greenery, flair and class. Nature and simplicity will play a big part in eventplanning, this upcoming season. Photo courtesy of Designs by Diane.

Spencler Glover is meticulous at delivering breathtaking and inspiring occasions with style and flair, always going beyond expectations with her amazing colour palettes and genteel touches. (Read more at: DesignsByDiane.org). For first impressions, opulent wedding stationery with a regal feeling is in this season. You’ll see family crests and personal monograms printed with white ink, and classic wax seals. Custom-designed invitations with illustrations are trending with images that have personal meaning to the couple. Count on seeing invitations sporting Pantone’s classic blue with gold or silver accents.

Seating charts continue to be highly sophisticated and ceremony programs and menus will match the overall theme.

Florals today are making big statements. Bouquets are less structured and more natural with lots of leafy greens and unusual flowers.

YOUR WEDDING AT PELEE ISLAND WINERY

Interested in booking an event? Visit www.peleeisland.com for more info!

@daniellemeredithphoto

#mypeleewedding

This year, a groom can be as fashionable as his bride, while complementing her bridal attire. Always in style, classic blue is the new black in suits and formal wear. The gentlemen in the wedding party can also sport this tranquil colour, making it a perfect look, that’s sure to impress. Photo courtesy of Trevor Booth Photography.

Watch for pops of hot pink and fuchsia. You’ll also find edible flowers in salads, ice cubes and in cakes, as well as on top of desserts. Flowers are the perfect accent when it comes to festive celebrations.

Videography is finally part of the big picture in 2020. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth 1,000 pictures. Don’t be the couple who regret not having a video taken when the day is over!

Budget for it and relive your day for years to come. There’s nothing like re-watching your day unfold in real time. There will be so many moments that you’ll see for the first time. You’ll be able to share and cherish these memories with future generations for years to come.

Anything goes in wedding planning. Essex County brides can plan an unforgettable event in idyllic venues that speak to their style and personality.

Whether hosting your special day at a historic mansion or local winery, a craft brewery or a traditional hall or golf course, Windsor Essex has it all. And don’t forget the beautiful waterfront and beachfront locations! With a wedding season that extends into fall, it’s an ideal region for getting married.

The details and the couple’s distinct personality set one nuptial apart from another. Couples want to WOW their guests as they host their wedding day, and our area has the professionals who can make the day as unique as they are, with expertise and personalized style and customization.

From large gatherings to small intimate celebrations, your special day is one of sentiment and love. With exceptional style, and lavish and memorable reception settings, today’s couples are planning unforgettable, beautiful and heartfelt celebrations filled with lots of love and laughter.

Congratulations to all who are tying the knot in 2020. It’s going to be a perfect year to marry!

Sheryl Davies is the Publisher and Owner of The Wedding Guide Windsor/Essex County, now in its 28th year (website: TheWeddingGuide.ca). She is President of DMS Communications, a creative marketing company and also serves as a Social Media Commentator for selected, area businesses. Davies was a 2015 Biz X nominee for “Social Media Leader Who’s A Tough Act To Follow” and in 2016 for “Leader Of The Franchise World”. As a proud supporter and advocate for the Arts, Sheryl is a founding member of The Canada South Festival Network, The Canada South Blues Society and a Past President of the Arts Council Windsor Region. She spent 18 years as one of the original organizers and publicist of Bluesfest International. Davies also sits on a board of wedding experts based in the U.S., as the only Canadian member.