The MAC Makers program is a group of creative and connected thought leaders who our Club annually to elevate our Members’ experience by curating programming and further connecting with our community. These forward-thinkers deserve an introduction:
Name: Jenna Kashou
Also goes by: Jenna Renno, Jen-Jen, JKash$, Cash and Ruby’s mom
Titles: Writer, author, event planner, business owner, mother, wife
First Love: Books
Hidden talent: DJing/Curating playlists, speaking Spanish fluently
Superpower: Enthusiasm, organizing
Favorite spot to go out in Milwaukee: Balzac (back then), anything new (now)
Ideal vacation: Skiing in the Rocky Mountains or discovering a hidden beach in Spain
Drink of choice: Cappuccino, extra foamy with a dusting of cinnamon
Dream job: Anything that involves getting loads of free clothing to keep, without having to model it
Real job: Aside from being a writer, she and her husband Ramsey also own three event spaces: The Ivy House, Filament, and The Starling, along with DJ/Sound/Lighting company Milwaukee Airwaves
Favorite MAC memory: I got married at the MAC in 2014 and my parents got married there in 1976. To be totally honest, I didn’t want to get married at the MAC simply because my parents already had, and I wanted a unique experience. But the staff was top-notch, the venue was beautiful, and there weren’t a ton of other places in the city that could accommodate our extensive guest list.
Because Ramsey’s (my husband) DJ business was taking off, we couldn’t get married between April-October, which is when everyone else gets married. So the prospect of having this glamorous, art-deco gem of a private club all to ourselves for our big day in December was what really sealed the deal. Also, because we chose the week before Christmas, we knew the place would be decked out for the holidays and the festive spirit was in full swing.
It was December 20, 2014, and there was a sprinkle of snow dancing through the chill in the air. We had the ceremony, cocktail hour, reception, and whiskey tasting in four separate spaces for the celebration. The day was long, but a blur, just like everyone said it would be. I remember the food stations being incredible, running out of vodka and having a Valentine Coffee pour-over station (because we love coffee). Santa also made an appearance and threw out goodie bags to guests on the dance floor. A lot of the older guests were confused that didn’t have assigned seating or a plated meal. We opted for a more casual flow with a mix of seating options and food throughout the night.
But my most enduring wedding memory was when a lady tried to cut our cake with an antique, ornamental sword that belonged to my grandfather. I don’t even remember her name – she is the cousin of my cousin’s mother. I didn’t want her at my wedding and I definitely wasn’t going to let her cut my cake with the one family heirloom that I cared about, since my grandfather had passed several years before my big day.
The photographer escorted Ramsey and me over to the cake table for a photo op before the dessert was going to be served and to our surprise, this short, elderly lady was eyeing up the cake and searching around for a way to serve herself a piece. We were confused at what we were witnessing and she was equally confused that Ramsey had swiftly inserted himself between her and the sword she was fumbling to unsheathe. He delicately put his arm around her and explained that it was our job to make the first cut and taste the first piece of cake as the bride and groom. This was a custom lost on her – possibly from her foreign upbringing? We didn’t know and weren’t about to try and explain it any further. We politely asked her to step aside so we could indulge in one of the few traditional moments during our wedding reception.
To this day, we laugh about the situation and tease my dad for inviting her. I don’t think I ever saw her again. And now being able to look at that beautifully renovated ballroom every week when I come to the MAC to write, I think about all of the moments that did or didn’t go according to plan that day and smile. It was just the beginning of our journey as a married couple and a preview that marriage requires a lot of patience, understanding, and grace.