Flips, Flops, Prison Weddings, Event Services And Texas Twins Treasures Trades…

For the past few months, I’ve been farming out County or Jail Wedding Requests to my father, son, niece and step daughter due to my burdened schedule. 

My staff can address Requests for County or City Jail Wedding if I’m unavailable. You can choose your Jail Officiant from my son, Robert Hafele, to my dad, Jerry Thomas or my niece, Leigh Ann Blais. 

Please note that for Inmate Wedding short notice requests, I’m rarely available to address all Jail Wedding Request as I’m often booked months in advance for Texas Prison Weddings or booked at venues I am on staff at as well as other Event Bookings for Texas Twins Events and The Pawning Planners. 

If you are contacting me regarding a Prison Wedding in any state I’m Authorized and Approved to conduct a Prison Wedding in, currently only I am Approved to Officiate your  Prison Wedding Request. Due to this, my niece, son and father are undergoing the stringent background check  required in order to address new requests for Texas Prison Weddings that I’m unable to squeeze into my existing schedule. 

Expanding my Texas Prison Weddings Officiant Team is necessary due to continued Requests for a Prison Wedding Officiant. I can’t be everywhere all of the time and, Texas is a very large state. 

We have 6 Officiants on staff at Texas Twins Events but only one Texas Department Of Criminal Justice Approved Officiant, me. I Officiate 10-20 TDCJ Weddings every month all year. 

There is no “season” for a Jail or Prison Wedding which is why I don’t have an “off season.” Funeral or Celebrant Bookings as well as Estate Liquidation Services are also booked year round. When you operate four unique businesses that work together to “make Dream Events a Reality one family at a time from Fort Worth, Texas,” scheduling is essential to meeting your obligations. My life is on a schedule.

Delegating creative requests when I’m already “booked out” also falls squarely on my shoulders which is why I created my Texas Twins Events Team of four generations of my family.

Last night while en route to a wedding in Azle, Texas with my niece, Leigh Ann Blais who often accompanies me as a photographer at my Events, and I had a lengthy discussion regarding why I can never call in sick or be late to an Event. It’s more than a “little important” that my entire Team plan to leave far earlier than necessary to an Event. 

I’m from a Military family where “15 minutes early is considered 15 minutes late.” Anyone on my Team is also early on location and check in with me via text to let me know they’ve arrived.

If I’m unavailable, Cindy is second in charge regarding problem solving. Both Cindy and I have seen it all and resolved numerous unexpected “incidents” on location over the years and are quick with solutions and insight. 

Juggling several events on the same day can easily find my son and his wife at one location with Cindy and I or Leigh Ann at another while my dad or stepdaughter, Ann or booked at another. Juggling everyone else’s schedule as well as my own is a delicate “balancing act.” 

Although we were over an hour early (as usual), I explained to Leigh Ann that planning for a flat tire or traffic jam is essential when scheduling an Event. I always leave two hours early for a Texas Prison Wedding because I am often driving 3-8 hours one way and schedule in stopping for gas or rest breaks. 

Traditional service bookings only require me to drive 1-3 hours one way which is why leaving an hour earlier than necessary is only needed. 

Arriving at the park, Leigh Ann and I quickly checked lighting at various angles and loved the gazebo with flowerbeds around it. The couple had declined to provide their own vows which isn’t unusual but, since the Bride’s father was on location, I did invite him to give her away. 

We were invited to the reception following the Wedding but, due to another appointment at 8PM to view a trade in Lake Worth after the Ceremony, we had to press on as Cindy was babysitting Little Maddie for Leigh Ann while she accompanied me to the Wedding and Appraisal Appointment. 

Leigh Ann understood the gravity of responsibility that falls on me and if I hand off an Event to someone else on my team, their responsibility. Editing photos within 24 hours of an Event gives you a far better idea of just how fast our turnaround is to exceed Client expectations. Bonnie will also get a photo cd within 5-7 days of her Event. We know our Clients want their photos quickly and deliver! 

Leigh Ann owns and operates Maddie and Me Photography– Booking Info- Leigh Ann Blais. Leigh Ann is also a licensed Wedding Officiant. 

My son and his wife own and operate Stephanie & RC Photography– Booking- Robert & Stephanie Hafele. My son, Robert is also a Wedding Officiant. Both Leigh Ann and my son “branched out” of Texas Twins Events to start their own photography businesses but are often booked at Events where I’m Officiating, Coordinating or both with Cindy. 

Our photography fees are significantly lower than any others because we know the importance of having photos at Dream Events for our Clients. We also offer Complimentary cds of photos as a courtesy and never Copyright photos from Events. 

There is no such thing as a “sick day” in the Event Business. It’s shocking to others but, I have never let illness or family drama effect my schedule to a few people including my own family. No matter what is going on, I’m able to leave everything behind and get the job done. 

A few months ago at TDCJ Estes Unit, I woke up in incredible pain. Not knowing whether I was suffering with Appendix Issues or a dislocated rib, I knew that whatever the issue was, it would have to wait until Officiating three stacked Prison Weddings for a visit to the hospital. 

Driving to the TDCJ Estes Unit, my pain was immense but I “trudged on.” Knowing that after the three weddings, all brides wanted photos, it would be six hours before I found myself at Harris Hospital with a kidney infection and two kidney stones. 

None of my TDCJ Estes Unit Brides realized that I was in pain that day and, I even posed smiling for photos with Priscilla.

Thankfully, it wasn’t my Appendix but, my sister wondered if I would be able to get on a plane two days later to travel to a Destination Wedding in California? The answer was yes. If I had to drag myself, I would. 

I’m far too old to call in sick at this stage in my life and pride myself on stellar work ethics as does my sister. We had discussed what to do if I had to have surgery on my Appendix and decided that if that was the case, I would still catch my flight regardless of Doctors Orders. 

My Clients count on me because they can and everyone in my family recognizes the importance of showing up early and ready to work at scheduled events whether you feel good or not.

My partner and twin sister, Cindy Daniel is almost always with me because we work as a TwinTeam at Texas Twins Events, Texas Twins Treasures and The Pawning Planners. 

Cindy is often my CoPilot to Texas Prison Weddings and often waits for me at a restaurant or nearby shopping center when I’m Officiating a Wedding in a Texas Prison.

 

I answer a lot of questions regarding why I expanded Texas Twins Events to offer a barter option by merging Texas Twins Events and Texas Twins Treasures to create The Pawning Planners. 

The “back story” is that Texas Twins Treasures was created in 2008. Long before Texas Twins Events, my sister and I were digging through trash to find treasure and effectively, flipping items at Texas Twins Treasures.

In 2010, I became quite ill with Thyroid Cancer and after a lifetime of working as a top salesperson and brand ambassador most of my life, decided to start a low cost event business which is how Texas Twins Events became a Reality. 

Due to my illness and subsequent surgeries, my husband and I decided to sell our oversized five bedroom, four bath home and, downsize. I used my share of the profit to start my first business, Texas Twins Events. 

My concept was to help anyone who couldn’t afford traditional Event Services an opportunity to find affordable options. 

The benefit of my own business was the opportunity to spend more time with my family after a lifetime of working 40-60 hours a week in sales as well as modeling for print ads and commercials. 

I discussed the idea with Cindy who was the first to come on board at Texas Twins Events. Cindy knew as well as I did that affordable Event Options were unheard of and therefore, a huge untapped market existed. 

We have both worked for numerous brands and know how to “market and promote” from years of experience for Cadillac, Black And Decker, Kodak, Proctor & Gamble, Xerox, Whataburger and more. 

Due to our product knowledge, the only difference would be marketing ourselves. Cindy and I are a TwinTeam. We work better with each other than anyone else in the world.Meeting Clients with Cindy’s twin granddaughters Maryssa and Makenna subsequently gave the twins an opportunity to work for tips and flips at our Weddings as flower girls, ring bearers and ushers.The “Little Pawners” are no longer little and were in hundreds of weddings before deciding to branch out and become characters for Princess Parties to save money for their first car.Maryssa and Makenna both enjoy meeting new friends on location and especially entertaining children.Makenna also loves photography while Maryssa enjoys music and would like to try her hand as a DJ in the future at our Events. The twins have a lot of practice with younger children from years of working with their grandmother and I at Events as well as entertaining their new cousin, Madyson our Latest Little Pawner on location.Little “Maddy” is often with us at Client Meetings and Events. My grandniece is a model for numerous small shops and a firecracker of fun! 

A few years ago, I (yet again) expanded by creating Texas Prison Weddings after a unique request for services came through my email.

Misty was trying to find an Officiant willing to undergo the process to become a TDCJ Officiant. After hearing her story, I filed the paperwork to get Approved and Officiate Texas Prison Weddings. 

During the week, I’m often “on the road” traveling across Texas to Officiate at a State or Federal Prison when not picking up a bartered item from a Pawning Planners Client. While my latest expansion to offer Prison Officiant Services surprises a few folks, it shouldn’t. My goal has was to give anyone the gift of a Dream Event. Perhaps their situation was different than others but, that never deterred me. I believe Love Is Love.

A few years ago, I was featured on CW33 at a NOH8 Campaign with my twin sister and twin grandnieces saying on national television, “Love Is Love. I believe everyone should have someone to love who loves them.” I meant it. 

My Clients are all a melting pot of backgrounds, careers, religions and ethnicities. All of my businesses are a rainbow of families and couples. Last year, my family and I returned to Dallas to join Adam Bouska along with my niece, Leigh Ann and her daughter, Madyson Blais.

My family and I are not only LBGT Friendly but also offer year round discounts to our friends in the LBGT Community.

When same sex Marriage was legalized, I was (once again) featured in the Dallas Morning News. The reason? Jeff Mosier knew that when I had started Texas Twins Events, I was LBGT Friendly at the start which back then was unheard of! 

I’m proud to say that 50% of all Client bookings from Texas Twins Events, Texas Prison Weddings and The Pawning Planners are LBGT.I’ve never considered myself to be controversial although a few conservative people may. From Officiating Prison Weddings to Officiating same sex Couples, my affiliation with the LBGT Community raises a few eyebrows but, I don’t care. 

I went in to the Event Industry to open a window to Couples and families who either couldn’t find anyone to help them or, couldn’t afford to pay outrageous fees if they did. 

No one should be charged more for a service because they are different. No one should be turned away because they are different. Every family is different! Many of the families we’ve helped had been turned away by others. My family and I became Friends of the Friendless.

A few years after starting Texas Twins Events, other family members joined me in changing the Events Industry. From my son to my daughter in law, step daughter, grandnieces, and even my father, my family brought their own unique talents to the table. 

We are completely family run and always have been. From Coordinating to Officiating to photography, floral design and more, we work together as a one stop shop event business. Over the past few weeks, Cindy and I have picked up a few unique trades. As usual, items will wait for me to find eclectic fabrics to refurbish them prior to listing them at Texas Twins Treasures.My designs are sought after because many of the items I take in trade are completely stripped prior to listing them and reupholstered. I never sell anything that I wouldn’t buy. 

Exclusive hand loomed tapestries are a Texas Twins Treasures legend. Foam and fill are of the finest quality and all items are stain protected prior to being listed. 

If wood is dried and needs it, oil or a deep varnish are applied. I literally turn trash into treasure! Finished items sell and ship worldwide.Using a contrast welt and band, I often use a coordinating set of fabrics to bring furniture to life with whimsy and fun. 

I recently added a pretty unique piece to my Texas Twins Treasures Inventory, a Bombay trunk table featuring 3 separate suitcases that each open for hidden storage. 

Like all other furniture items, local pick up in Fort Worth, Texas is free but shipping and packaging of furniture items are at the buyers expense. 

I’m happy to meet your freight company but do not offer shipping alternatives on large items.

To fund Pawning Planners Clients who had nothing of value to barter with, my saucy sidekick, Cindy Daniel and I created Pawning Planners Apparel featuring her iconic one liners with Southern Flair aka #Cindyism Quotes. Cindy is regularly quoted on Say Quotable. Cindy and I also sell hand crafted brooch bouquets and enjoy creating unique and memorable Bridal Bouquets by special order. 

Please allow 6-9 weeks delivery in season for custom brooch bouquets. A deposit is also required. Since everyone wonders how Texas Twins Treasures and The Pawning Planners work together, I will explain. 

If you have contacted me through Texas Twins Events, you are often seeking Event Services. If you cannot afford to pay for services, you barter your Event needs. The items you’ve bartered are then refurbished and sold at Texas Twins Treasures to recover Event Expenses.

The Pawning Planners created a window that had never before existed in the Events Industry. Bartering Event Services gave anyone (regardless of their income) an opportunity to enjoy a Dream Event without spending any money.

Over 1,000 families later, my family and I have helped others with not only Religious Services and Ceremonies but also, Rent Parties, Estate Liquidations, Birthday Parties, Memorials, Family Reunions, and more.

My idea and concept sounded like a crazy idea to many who didn’t understand why or how I could make it work. Truthfully, even people in my own family questioned whether or not I could find anyone that wanted or needed our help but, I knew what they didn’t. 

There are far more paycheck to paycheck families than there are rich ones. This enormous market was untapped by traditional Event Vendors. I was one of those families years ago that couldn’t afford a beautiful event as was my twin sister. 

Cindy loved my idea for Texas Twins Events and since I needed to get photos for my blogs, and document our journey, Cindy also accompanied me as a photographer the first few years.

 

It didn’t take long to realize that my sister belonged in front of the camera entertaining guests rather than behind it! My sister is a born comedian. 

We knew what our competition didn’t. We set out to create a window of helping families no on else was willing to and the results were astounding! 

People now come to us and keep us so busy that we often work as consultants by hourly fee with venue owners and others in the Event Industry to generate new Clients. 

Our lifetime of sales experience and marketing gave us insights that helped us and now we help others to expand and rebrand their companies too. 

From Prison Weddings to anything and everything in between, we help anyone regardless of their income and continue to expand and rebrand. 

A family banding together to make Dream Events a Reality is an amazing story that will be coming soon to Kindle titled “The Pawning Planners-Paying It Forward.”

My idea and concept not only gave my family and I time to spend together but also gave us the opportunity to make Dream Events a Reality for the hundreds of families who had nowhere else to turn.Different? You bet! What a boring world this would be if everyone were the same…