ENCHANGED GARDENS OFFERS ONE-STOP WEDDING CATERING

Planning weddings and other special events usually brings to mind anything BUT a peaceful, relaxed atmosphere.

Phyllis Lukefahr and Joyce Ross and their partners, however, see no reason why such potentially happy occasions should be proceeded by overwhelming stress and worry.

Enchanted Gardens, located on Highway 25, just north of the 25 Hall, offers such stress-free planning of weddings, catering of events and a spot for portraits to be taken. The "one-stop service" provides catering, a banquet hall, photography, video production, cakes, sound system and more.

"By being a one-stop service, most brides will be able to make just one down payment and meet with us no more than three times and walk away and feel everything is taken care, of, not in a world of stress," Ross said. "We want to make a wedding enjoyable for a bride and her family, instead of a nightmare."

Located on just over five acres of rolling land, Enchanted Gardens includes trees, a pond a gazebo (currently under construction), an indoor full-service floral shop and -- yes -- gardens.

The flower shop opened in May. A grand opening is planned for the first weekend in August. The opening was delayed two weeks, cleaning up damage from the massive wind storm earlier this summer.

Enchanted Gardens is more than just a catering service, though. The owners hope locals will feel free to stop in for a relaxing soft drink int he cool of the shade.

"Our goal is to bring to our community something that's never been here before," said Ross, a Jackson resident for 38 years and long-time co-owner of The Word Christian bookstore, "and make it an enchanted place, where people from all over the county came come, see us a, have some tea or soda with us, and browse the garden."

The business is a family affair, as well as a project among old friends. Ross' son Michael will oversee the banquet hall and will hold down the master chef's duties. His wife, the former Rhonda Clark, will be coordinator, while old friend Katherine Lange is head floral designer.

Ross and Lukefahr have been close friends since 1962, when Lukefahr's son Rick and Ross' son Randy were born at the same hospital on the same day.

"We met in the hospital and we've been friends ever since," Lukefahr said.

They also feel that Enchanted Gardens is a divine calling for them.

Lukefahr, a Bollinger County farm wife, had been widowed more than five years and had moved to Cape Girardeau when she received the inspiration for the business.

"I had four children and 10 grandchildren. All the kids were married and busy. I wanted something for myself. I had never had any personal goals. I began praying for something to do."

Ross and her partner Judy Liest sold the bookstore after their husbands both retired. Retirement did not prove to be what Ross had had in mind.

"It was boring, so I prayed that God would give us something to keep us alive and keep us going," she said.

Between the experienced staff members, Enchanted Gardens expects to meet every potential need.

Rhonda Ross, former activities director at a large St. Louis nursing home, will walk brides-to-be through the traditionally stressful planning process.

"I sit down with brides and families and help them coordinate their wedding. I walk them through everything and make sure it's worry-free. I find out what kind of wedding they want."

The Enchanted Gardens banquet hall is available for any special occasion and will also cater events.

"A lot of people come for a banquet, expecting to see a menu with a few items to choose from," said Michael Ross, a veteran of 25 years of corporate food experience and former manager of The Terrace Room and Jer's. "Here they don't have to look at a menu. Any thing they choose, we can do -- European, Italian, Southern, Southwestern. I also want to start introducing California cooking to the area. It has little or no fried food, for the healthier choice of eating."

Lange, meanwhile, a floral designer for nearly 20 years, is available to design silk and fresh floral arrangements for weddings or other events.

Ross and Lukefahr hope to implement a "five-year plan" of continued growth and expanded services.

"It's a never-ending situation, Ross said. "We're not what we want to be yet, but I think people will see something never seen around here before."

Aside from one-step event-planning, the partners hope Enchanted Gardens will be a spot that will draw friends and neighbors.

The garden will be open and lighted at night, with soothing music playing. Lukefahr and Ross expect it to live up to its name.

"We want it to be a little bit of Heaven down on Earth and let them see a little bit of the beauty God has made and let them see some of His wonders," Ross said.