Saturday, April 25, 2009

Wedding Nightmare, The Continuing Saga

Locked out Millionaire in You owner also runs closed Jakobstettel Inn

The Waterloo headquarters for the Millionaire in You Wealth Institute, owned and run by Daniel P. Reeve, has been taken back by the landlord for nonpayment of rent.

Mat Wolf, a principal in Solowave Investments, the landlord for the property at 423 King St. N., said his company changed the locks and took back the premises on April 16, 2009.

Wolf said Solowave tried for weeks to meet with Reeve in an effort to make arrangements to get back rent owed, but each meeting was deferred by Reeve.

"We have had no success in actually meeting with him and we went through a process of making a formal demand for the rent arrears," Wolf said.

Reeve is also the president of Jakobstettel Properties Inc., which ran Jakobstettel Inn in St. Jacobs until its sudden closing in early April.

The inn property on Isabella Street is in power of sale proceedings because of defaults on the mortgage.

Reeve said on an April 17 the Record interview that he hopes to meet with the landlord of the Millionaire in You office to work out an arrangement to reopen the office.

He also said that he is "in the middle of refinancing" the business.

Reeve also used to head Daniel P. Reeve and Associates Financial Services Inc. and was the "chief visionary officer," for DPR Financial Inc. Now, both websites, www.dpr-financial.com. and www.themillionaire-inyou.com, are no longer functioning.

Another site, www.corporateangel.ca, was still functioning as of April 17. It advertises Reeve's books such as The Millionaire Mortgage, which claims to show people how to "turn your mortgage from being a burden of debt into a high-earning investment vehicle," and do so "without even changing your cash flow."

The Millionaire in You Wealth Institute offices in the 5,000-square-foot building opened in November 2007.

The office was to be a state-of-the-art "command centre" for the Millionaire Group and its affiliated businesses that encompassed Millionaire Travel, Millionaire Executive Services, Millionaire Mortgages and other businesses.

Waterloo Regional Police are now "reviewing" 35 complaints about products offered by various businesses headed by Reeve, Staff Sgt. Wally Hogg said in mid-April to the Record.

In an interview on April 8 with the Record, Reeve said his companies have done nothing wrong and he is confident that nothing further will come from the review.

Reeve also said at the time that the Jakobstettel Inn was closed because he was training new staff. He said he planned to reopen it on April 21.

Former suppliers to Reeve's businesses say they also are owed money. Daniel Tuka of The Essential Image in Waterloo said he is owed $5,000, plus material costs, on a project completed about eight months ago to produce promotional DVD discs for The Millionaire in You Wealth Institute.

People who paid deposits for weddings that were booked at the Jakobstettel Inn are also trying to get their money back.

The Wedding Nightmare Continues

Jakobstettel Inn can operate despite power-of-sale process.

The Jakobstettel Inn property in St. Jacobs is in the midst of a power-of-sale process because of defaults on mortgage payments, according to court documents.

The inn, located in an old mansion on Isabella Street in St. Jacobs, had been booked by couples who put down deposits for upcoming weddings. Those couples have been scrambling to make other arrangements since the inn suddenly closed down.

In a statement of claim served to Jakobstettel Properties Inc. on Jan. 22, the mortgage holder, Brunen Holdings Inc. of Kitchener, claimed it is owed almost $350,000 in principal and interest on a mortgage of $655,461 that was registered last June in the Waterloo Region land registry office.

Last month, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice granted Brunen Holdings the authority to issue a writ for possession of the property when it is sold, so that it can be turned over to a new owner.

Bruce Lackenbauer, a Brunen Holdings representative, said the court order basically allows the power-of-sale process to proceed. That process is now underway, but the writ of possession has not been taken out yet, he said.

"We don't want to get into possession until we have to, and the power-of-sale process requires appraisals and that sort of thing, so we are just in the process of that now," he said.

Lackenbauer said the power-of-sale process does not prevent the inn from operating. "We are not in any way preventing it from being open. That is up to the business, which is Jakobstettel Properties Inc.," he said.

The president of Jakobstettel Properties Inc., Daniel P. Reeve, has not returned calls since last week. His lawyer also has not returned calls.

Reeve said in an interview with the Record on April 8 that he was training staff and would reopen the inn on April 21, but couples who have weddings booked at the inn are still in a state of confusion about whether the property will be available to them. As of April 14, there was still no answering machine or voice mail system to pick up calls to the inn.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Wedding News: Strange But True, Part 1



April 16, 2009
Slice of 1871 wedding cake up for grabs
By LAURA NICHOLS - THE ASSOCIATED PRESS




LONDON (AP) — A slice of cake from one of Britain’s most controversial royal weddings was placed on sale at an antiques fair in Birmingham on Thursday.



The cake is thought to be the only surviving item from the 1871 wedding of Queen Victoria’s fourth daughter, Princess Louise, to the Marquis of Lorne.



It went on sale for 145 pounds ($215) Thursday at the Antiques for Everyone fair in Birmingham. The seller is antiques dealer John Shepherd. He bought the slice from a private seller who is a descendant of a noble family from Kent.



“I like unusual objects with history,” said Shepherd. “This was obviously treasured by the Royal Family, and I believe things should be treasured and looked after.”



The slice, which is one-inch thick and protected by parchment, is a tiny portion of the towering 5-foot (1.5 meter) cake served at Princess Louise’s wedding. The entire cake originally weighed over 225 pounds (102 kilograms) and took three months to create.



The wedding caused an uproar when Princess Louise angered the Prince of Wales by becoming the first British princess to marry a commoner. She was determined not to be burdened by the ritual of marrying another royal.



The cake slice is still wrapped in its original parchment, and it was kept for generations in a gentlemen’s “cabinet of curiosity” where men kept treasures to show off, such as fossils and pieces of Egyptian art.



The purchaser will be able to do whatever he wants with the slice. But event organizers suggest it would not be wise to gobble it up, given how firm it is.



“We advise them not to eat a 138-year-old piece of cake,” said Amy Kiernan, a spokeswoman for the fair.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Bridal Gown Definitions

I can well imagine that some of you brides-to-be may be confused by mass of bridal terminology used when you go to the bridal salon or just looking through a bridal magazine. Here are some definitions to assist you:

SILHOUETTES
A-line - Originated by Christian Dior, skirt flares away from body from under arms to hem; fitting through shoulders; similar to the princess-line.
Ball gown - Narrow-waisted shape with a full, bell-shaped skirt supported by petticoats or hoops.
Empire - High waisted, with the skirt falling directly under the bust-line.
Fishtail - See mermaid.
Mermaid - Body-hugging style with a skirt that flares at or just below the knee; also called fishtail.
Princess-line - Fitted through shoulders and bodice, skirt flares gently outward; no waistline.
Sheath - Svelte, narrow-fitting shape that contours the body; no waistline.
Suit - Modern shape finished with a jacket or coat.

LENGTHS
Ballerina - Falls to or slightly below the center of the calf.
Floor - Most traditional length, rests about an inch from the floor.
Hi-lo - See intermission
Intermission - Hemline falls to the mid-calf in front, floor-length in back; also called hi-lo.
Knee - Hemline just covers the knee; non-traditional length; also called street.
Mini - Above the knee; often chosen by second-time brides.
Street - See knee.
Tea - Hemline falls to the lower part of the calf.

WAISTLINES
Assymetrical - Begins at the natural waistline and angles down to one side.
Basque - Sits at the natural waistline in the back ad dips lower to form a V-shape in the front.
Blouson - Fabric is gathered just below or at the waist, creating a soft fullness.
Dropped - Falls below the natural waistline in classic flapper style.
Empire - Begins just below the bust line.
Natural - Sits at the waist.

NECKLINES
Assymetrical - Begins at the shoulder and angles down to opposite side.
Bateau - Shallow curve cut the same in front and back; also called boat.
Bertha collar - A wide, deep collar that covers the shoulders of a low-neckline dress.
Boat - See bateau.
Halter - Fastens at the back of the neck, leaving the bare back.
Illusion - High collar made of a sheer fabric such as net, point d'esprit, or chiffon; appears almost invisible.
Jewel - High, rounded neckline with no collar or binding.
Off-the-shoulder - Falls just below the shoulder, with a collar or sleeve on the arm.
Portrait - Open neckline with a high back, gathered in front above the bust-line; leaves shoulders completely bare.
Queen Anne - High at nape of neck; sweeps low in front.
Sabrina - Extends from shoulder to shoulder, curving slightly down below the collarbone.
Square - Half-square or a rectangular neckline.
Scoop - Low, curved sweep extending to the shoulders; may be cut deep in front, back or both.
Strapless - No neckline, straight across the upper bust bodice.
Sweetheart - Low-cut, resembling the rounded curves of a heart.
V - Shaped like a V; cut deep or shallow in front, back or both.
Wedding band collar - High, fitted collar, popular in the 1890s.

SLEEVES
Bishop - Full sleeve gathered into a band at the wrist.
Cap - Short sleeve that just covers the top of the arm.
Gigot - See leg o'mutton.
Juliet - Long, fitted sleeve with short puff at the shoulder.
Leg-o'mutton - Wide and rounded at shoulder, fitting snugly on the lower arm; also called gigot.
Puff - Short, rounded sleeve; gathered at armhole or cuff.
Three-quarter - Ends just below the elbow; often finished with small cuff or band.
Wedding point - V-shaped extension of a long, fitted sleeve that comes to a point over the bride's hand.

TRAINS
Cathedral - Longer than one yard; reserved for the most formal weddings.
Chapel - Formal; extends about one yard.
Court - Separate piece of fabric that falls from the shoulders.
Detachable - Normally attached at back of waist, but may attach to the shoulders or wrap around the waist.
Sweep - Just brushes the floor.
Watteau - Cascades from the shoulders.

SKIRT DETAILS
American handkerchief - When the train is pulled up, it makes a triangle which points to the zipper on the back of the skirt.
Bustle - A gathering of fabric (may include the train) at the back waistline of the gown.
Carriage back - See pannier.
Carriage front - See pannier.
Flounce - A wide piece of fabric or lace gathered and attached at the hem.
French - Inverted inside the skirt.
Pannier - Gathered fabric draped over the sides of the hips; also called carriage front or carriage back.
Tiered - Layers panels of fabric that fall from the waist to the hem in varying lengths

VEILS
Ballet - Comes to just an inch above the floor, also called waltz.
Bird cage - Stiff; cover the face, falls just below the chin.
Blusher - Loose, worn forward over the bride's face or lifted back over the headpiece.
Cathedral - Falls 3 1/2 yards from the headpiece; ultra-formal.
Chapel - Falls 2 1/2 yards from the headpiece; formal.
Fingertip - Most popular style, reaches to the fingertips; suitable for all but ultra-formal gowns.
Flyaway - Multiple layers that just brush the shoulders.
Illusion - Transparent fabric panel or yoke.
Waltz - See Ballet.

HEADPIECES
Floral wreath - Worn over the forehead or nestled in the hair.
Juliet cap - Fits tightly to crown of head; may be made entirely of pearls or jewels.
Mantilla - Lace veil worn surrounding face.
Profile - Decorative comb worn on one side of head silhouetting the face.
Tiara - Crown or half-crown that rests on top of the head.

LACE
Alenćon - A delicate floral or leaf design on a fine-net background, outlined with heavy threads to define the pattern and add more dimension.
Battenberg - A heavy lace made with patterns of linen braid and tape connected with decorative linen stitching.
Chantilly - A web-like floral pattern outlined with silk threads on a lace background; soft to the touch.
Guipure - A heavy lace designed to show large patterns over a coarse-mesh background.
Lyon - An intricate, ornamental design delicately stitched over a net background; the pattern is outlined in silk or cotton.
Point d’esprit - Oval dots woven in a pattern on net fabric.
Schiffli - Intricate floral pattern (similar to Alenćon lace but lighter) embroidered directly onto the gown.
Venice - Heavy floral or leaf pattern in needlepoint, with motifs connected in lines.

OTHER TERMS...
Corset - A lace-up bodice that comes in a two-piece or one-piece style of gown; left and right sides of gown are laced up in the middle with a ribbon or tie.
Embroidered - Stitching onto the dress that is the same color of the gown or an accent color; usually a design of flowers, leaves, scrolling, lines, or initials.
Appliqué - a cutout decoration fastened to a larger piece of material.
Bust belt - Elastic that is sewn to the inside front of the gown that is fastened in the back of the gown; keeps a strapless dress from slipping down; also called a seat belt.
Seat belt - See bust belt.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Wedding Nightmare, North of Waterloo

No answer at the inn! Horror of horrors! What's going on north of Waterloo, Ontario?


Couples who had wedding plans at the Jakobstettel Inn in St. Jacobs, Ontario, Canada are suddenly scrambling to find other venues after the inn located in an old mansion closed.


Meanwhile, Waterloo Regional Police are reviewing 22 complaints about investment products offered by various businesses headed by Jakobstettel Inn's owner, Daniel P. Reeve, who also runs DPR Financial Inc. and The Millionaire in You Wealth Institute on King Street in Waterloo.


Staff Sgt. Wally Hogg of the Waterloo Regional Police fraud squad said the review is taking place to see whether a full investigation is warranted.


In a telephone interview with The Record, Reeve denied that there were any problems.


"We have hid nothing . . . we have done nothing wrong," he said.


Reeve said he fully intends to reopen the Jakobstettel Inn for business on April 21 and is training new staff.


He promised to refund money owed couples who booked weddings, but are now worried and want to cancel the bookings.


"If anybody wants to cancel, they will get their deposit back. If they want to continue on, great . . . we will honour any commitment," Reeve said.


Some couples haven't heard anything from Reeve or anyone else from Jakobstettel Inn. Others have started a Facebook group in an effort to find out what is going on.


The inn was found locked with no information on its door. The phone was unanswered and there was no answering machine picking up messages.


Reeve said if anyone has any problems or questions, they should call his assistant at 519-883-8414 or 1-866-240-6737.