John and Ann Betar of Fairfield, Conn., said “I do” on Nov. 25, 1932, and have been happily married for 80 years. Together they have five children, 14 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
The couple was selected for the 2013 award by Worldwide Marriage Encounter, based in San Bernardino, CA. An award ceremony will take place this month at the Fairfield, Conn., home of one of the Betars’ granddaughters, Heather Mitchell.
Though the couple is hesitant to give out marriage advice, their secret to so many happy years together is simple: compromise and don’t hold a grudge.
John, 101, met Ann, now 97, while growing up in the same Syrian community in Bridgeport, Conn. Breaking with tradition, Ann defied her parents when they set up an arranged marriage for her. She ran off to Harrison, N.Y. to elope with John. Now, she says she knows she made the right choice.
The Betars were chosen out of hundreds of couples nominated during the project’s submission period, which ran from October of last year to January. There may be other couples who have been married longer in the U.S., but none was formally nominated, according to the group.
Member Geranium Lakes own Kim Foren, www.geraniumlake.com, was featured in a casual, informative editorial clip.
Kim coordinates with host David Musial from Fusion NW – “Backyard Bouquets” Channel 6 to demonstrate the use of flowers from your own garden to create one-of-a kind arrangements for your dinner table!
Succulents are all the rage among eco-chic trendsetters. For your home, garden, or wedding, these hearty plants are beautifully shaped and come in a dazzling array of colors. Many succulent plants even grow flowers! Combined with stones, moss, and local blossoms, succulents make modern and elegant centerpieces.
Because they’re hearty and easy to care for, succulents make great wedding favors and souvenirs for you and your guests. Any succulent can be taken home and replanted, and will live for years with minimal care.
The wedding couple wanted an event full of Southern charm and grace utilizing traditional and native flowers choices such as peonies and camellias. As featured in
Flower Magazine Summer 2009 James Clawson and his team of talented and hard-working designers from Urban Earth www.urbanearthstudios.com in New Orleans, LA met this request aptly and flavored it with a modern touch as well.
The bridal party flowers and church interior featured an elegant, traditional mix of white and pink peonies, hydrangea, Vendela roses, grape hyacinth, parrot tulips, ranunculas, gardenias and camellia.
The reception was set in a grand old home owned by the bride’s parents. This location provided ample room for guests to move from garden settings to the inviting environ of a gorgeous interior. To compliment theregal antiquity of the home and its heirloom treasures, Urban Earth created very traditional designs of soft, mounded white hydrangea, pink peonies, roses and tulips, camellia and lily grass for the interior décor such as banister and table dressings.
Afforded the spaciousness of the property grounds, Urban Earth created gorgeous and inventive “traffic-stopping” suspended chandeliers for two areas. Swaying from the branches of the old oak tree on the front lawn were elegantly modern pieces compiled of masses of French Tulips and Bear Grass “planted atop custom-fabricated drum chandeliers softly illuminating an intimate corner of the lawn. Even more impressive were the luminaries of Cherry branches, Curly Willow and long-stemmed French Tulips hung suspended from the glass ceiling of the pool house.
The happy couple and the talented designers of Urban Earth both agree that the wedding was a huge success. In fact, the couple says that people still talking about the beautiful design work to this day.
Long time member Lewis Miller, founder of LMD Floral Events, www.lmdfloral.com was praised along with 24 other event industry trendsetters in North America in the Jun/Jul 2009 issue of Modern Bride. Such chic tastemakers as Carolina Herrera, Jessica Seinfeld, Kristen Davis, Amanda Peet, and Annie Lebovitz have relied on Miller’s modern sensibility.
Miller is equally at home mixing rough with pretty, cheap with expensive or fancy with simple. For a bride with a $500 budget, Miller suggests “keeping it simple and chic.” For example – a simple bundle of white chamomile for the bridal bouquet and using potted herbs to decorate guest tables. Another idea for budget conscience brides is to put the costs into one amazing item and enhance the mood with a multitude of candles. Not one to shy from a more lavish affair, LMD has also custom-built a 20-ft chuppah of roses, clematis and a woven ivy canopy.
Looking for a way to get a unique personal gift for your bridesmaids and still have it relate to your big day, think Gem stones!
The summer 2009 issue of Martha Stewart weddings features a wonderful yellow and green bouquet comprised of Florex Gold Callas, green hydrangea and craspedia created by Studio Artiflora www.studioartiflora.com, which has been tastefully accented with a double face satin ribbon and an exquisite Peridot, the Gemstone for the month of August.
It’s the perfect way to say ‘thank you’. And, it’s chic and simple, skip the jewelry box and put it right on each attendant’s bouquet!
Member Alvin’s Florist celebrated being voted “Best wedding Florist of the Main Line for 2009” by Main Line Today Magazine with a newly designed website www.alvinsflowers.com, the unveiling of their boutique’s “fresh new look” and the anticipation of their new company identity coming in the Fall!
“Good on ya” Alvin’s! Wish we could be there for the party!!
So, your client is planning her wedding flowers, and she’s asking for something way out of her budget. You want her to be pleased with her bouquet, but you can’t do the impossible. What’s a florist to do? Take a tip from bbrooks’ member LMD Floral Events Interiors in New York, www.lmdfloral.com. They were featured in the July/August issue of Brides magazine. Take a look at these 2 wedding bouquets. At first glance they may look very similar, but look a little closer and you’ll see that they’re totally different.
This stunning $275 bouquet is about half the price, but has the same look as the “designer” one. South American hothouse grown roses are less expensive than the garden variety, and ranunculus and tulips give great bang for the buck.
This gorgeous $550 creation contains rare orchids that must be wired, which takes time, and costs money. Garden variety roses have a lovely fragrance, but they also increase the bouquet’s cost. The bow is a French silk ombre picot ribbon, and you guessed it, it’s expensive.
All in all, a great florist can stay within the bride’s budget AND give her the flowers of her dreams. Stay tuned to the bbrooks fine flowers blog spot for more great “happy bride” tips!
John and Ann Betar of Fairfield, Conn., said “I do” on Nov. 25, 1932, and have been happily married for 80 years. Together they have five children, 14 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
The wedding couple wanted an event full of Southern charm and grace utilizing traditional and native flowers choices such as peonies and camellias. As featured in 
Long time member Lewis Miller, founder of LMD Floral Events, 
Looking for a way to get a unique personal gift for your bridesmaids and still have it relate to your big day, think Gem stones!
Member Alvin’s Florist celebrated being voted “Best wedding Florist of the Main Line for 2009” by Main Line Today Magazine with a newly designed website 
This stunning $275 bouquet is about half the price, but has the same look as the “designer” one. South American hothouse grown roses are less expensive than the garden variety, and ranunculus and tulips give great bang for the buck.
