Can’t Miss Event: Edison Garden Festival
Don’t miss Southwest Florida’s biggest plant sale: the Edison Garden Festival on February 9 and 10, 2019 at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates. Hundreds of plants will be available from more than 20 plant vendors and as always, there will be some one-of-a-kind garden-related art as well as garden supplies. Come hungry and enjoy lunch from one of the food trucks. We’ll have live music in the Banyan Cafe where you can take a break and enjoy the festive atmosphere of the grounds. You’re welcome to bring your wagons and carts for your purchases. Entrance to the festival and parking are free. Hours are 9 am – 5 pm on Saturday, Feb 9th and 9 am – 4 pm on Feb 10th.
Alex and Scott’s Story
Where did you and your fiancé meet?
Scott and I met in Boston. We were sitting across from each other at a local restaurant in the city and made eye contact several times but never talked to each other that night. Three nights later we ran in to each at a bar. We recognized each other from the other spot. That time we talked and the rest is history!
Who popped the question? How? Where? When?
We moved to Washington D.C. in 2017. At that point, we had been together for almost four years. In December of 2018, Scott popped the question in our apartment. It was a total surprise! We celebrated by going to the sister restaurant in D.C. of the place we first saw each other at in Boston.
Why did you choose Edison and Ford Winter Estates for your wedding location?
My mom and stepdad have a home in Fort Myers. We love it there! We visited the Edison and Ford Winter Estates the Christmas after we got engaged. We thought it would be the perfect place to have a winter wedding in January. We love the history of the venue, and it’s beyond beautiful there. Thanks to Cori, we also landed the perfect wedding date of January 19, 2019.
What are your favorite memories from your wedding day?
We didn’t do a “first look.” I will never forget walking down the aisle and seeing Scott. Seeing him for the first time that day and knowing we were about to be husband and wife was such an incredible moment. It was a beautiful day, the weather was perfect, and the reception was a blast. It was the best day ever!
What is your advice to those planning a wedding?
Enjoy it! Don’t get caught up in all the minor details. Think about what is special to you, what will make the day unique to you and your fiancé. Don’t forget that the day is all about love and family, and that should come first.
Looking Inside Edison’s Contribution to Radiology
During a cold day in January of 1896, inspiration struck Thomas Edison. The prolific inventor had recently read reports about Wilhelm Rontgen’s incredible discovery of X-rays just weeks before. Rontgen, a German mechanical engineer and physicist, had experimented with electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range that eventually become known as X-rays (known contemporaneously as Rontgen rays).
Though Edison was primarily known as an inventor, he was also part of an exceptional scientific community that had made many ground-breaking discoveries during the late 19th century. Unlike some of Edison’s primarily commercial pursuits, this time his inspiration was primarily scientific in nature. In typical Edison fashion, he quickly assembled a team to reproduce Rontgen’s experiments while offering suppositions to the cause and effects of this scientific phenomenon.
Edison had tremendous resources available to him: dedicated staff, specialized equipment and expert scientific literature allowed him to quickly conduct extensive research on the subject. Within the first few months, he had experimented with over 150 different vacuum tube designs, and staff also conducted tests on power generators, photograph plates, and materials designed to affect the ability of an X-ray to penetrate them. Edison’s persistence and hard work paid dividends– he was able to offer inexpensive tubes to researchers who were also experimenting with X-rays.
The March issue of the Electrical Engineer praised Edison’s work by mentioning that his results “cannot fail to be valuable to many a practical workers with Rontgen rays.” He later experimented with several compounds to determine the best fluorescing salt to be used for photographic plates. According to Edison Ford Registrar Matt Andres:
“Edison and his hardworking assistant Clarence Dally’s ultimate contribution in this particular field was the creation of what they called the “fluoroscope”. It was essentially a tapered box with a calcium-tungstate screen and viewing port that in theory could be used by medical professionals in order to view a patient’s hand, foot, or arm when placed in front of an X-ray tube. Unfortunately, his apparatus wasn’t entirely successful because doctors preferred using X-ray photographs due to the fact that they created a permanent record. Edison’s research and experiments did help further scientists knowledge on the subject, however.”
The famous inventor applied for one patent related to his work on X-ray technology in 1896– it was eventually granted in 1907.
Learn Botanical Drawing With Megan Kissinger
Spend the afternoon in our historic gardens learning the basics of botanical drawing from one of Southwest Florida’s best artists, Megan Kissinger. Megan will discuss the geometry and structure of flowers and leaves, demonstrate her techniques, and then lead the small group of artists into the gardens for their own practice. She will visit with each student individually while they are working to offer pointers. Bring your water-soluble colored pencils and paper and by the end of the day, you’ll have 3-5 small pieces of your own art to bring home. If you don’t have your own art supplies, Megan will rent you loaner materials for $10.
This student-oriented class is suited to any skill level! Take a single class or the entire series. The blooms will change each month, so it won’t be the same class twice! Classes available January 12, February 23, and March 23, 2019 from 1 – 4pm. Cost of each class is $40 for Edison Ford Members, $60 for non-members. Registration is required and can be done via our website or by calling 239-334-7419.
Wedding Tip: Why to Choose a Non-Weekend Wedding
A non-weekend wedding? Is that really a thing? Have you ever considered getting married on any other day, except the weekend?
How about Monday, or Tuesday or Thursday? Is it “normal” to get married on any other day of the week? YES!
It’s a no-brainer that the most common time to get married is on a weekend. WHY? Because it’s tradition! It’s what we see in the movies.
What if your mom/friend/fiancé insists it’s the *only* day that will work? Remember, at Edison and Ford Winter Estates we average 60+ weddings a season and most of those are not on a weekend. No matter which day you choose, anyone who wants to be there, will be there. If you are trying to have a wedding on a small budget, our #1 tip for saving money is to have your wedding on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Give your guests an excuse to CELEBRATE during the week!
Do non-weekend events really work? YES! Guests come, couples save money, and it’s a full-day celebration with all the bells and whistles of a weekend, but with PERKS! Choosing a non-weekend day has several benefits.
#1 – Availability – FOR YOUR VENUE – Choose the time of year you want. Then start visiting venues and select the date. You’ll have first “dibs” on the perfect venue you want.
#2 – Availability – FOR YOUR GUESTS – They get a year to make arrangements. Everyone likes an excuse to take off work. If you book it, they’ll be there.
#3 – Availability – FOR YOUR VENDORS – You typically don’t have to worry about a caterer or DJ not being available. You’ll often score great $$ perks with a date that’s less in demand.
#4 – Availability – FOR YOU – You’ll be able to free up thousands of $$ to allocate to the things that matter most to you.
One of the common objections we hear is that more people can come on a Saturday. While some couples plan their wedding in only 3-6 months (which is also the average time frame for invitations to go out), most plan anywhere from 8-14 months in advance. So with enough notice, your guests WILL be there!
