Simple Steps In Planning Your Wedding

Simple Steps In Wedding Planning

Your boyfriend finally became your fiance, congratulations you now have a ring on your finger! now what?  Below are some steps to ease the stress of where and how to start your wedding planning process.  1. Think about what YOU AND YOUR FIANCE want... A little side note* once you announce your engagement, everyone  in your life will all the sudden have an opinion about how to plan your wedding and what it should be like.  Have an idea of how you want your wedding to be hence.. inside/outside, large/small, local/destination, formal/informal. 2. BUDGET - Set a realistic budget.  Be realistic with yourselves and everyone involved in paying for the wedding - it will help avoid the shock when the bill comes after the wedding. Your budget will help you determine the number of guests as well. 3. Guest List - Start the guest list. This means  you and your fiance should start your own list, then you can follow by asking your parents to put together their list... it is okay to give them some guidelines, if you want them to have 50 people tell them 40, you will be their hero when you let them have extra guests.  4. Wedding Organizer-  Start your wedding organizer - get a binder and make dividers for each section on your budget. Create your own check list and use them as your dividers.  5. Date & Location - You will need to choose these before you can move forward. Make sure you have spent time on #1 on this list - the venue will dictate what your wedding is really like. The time of year will dictate a lot of things on the budget (avoid June-September if you're trying to save money).  Once these steps are completed, you are well on your way to continue planning your special day your dream wedding.  Next step should be choosing your wedding party, the dress etc.. take it step by step this will allow you to enjoy the wedding planning. From your, Event Specialist

Gossip Girl, Queen B. Royal Wedding

Exclusive Sneak Peek: Gossip Girl’s Royal Wedding

On Monday, Gossip Girl‘s ‘Queen B’ Blair Waldorf becomes … a princess. It’s the royal wedding the whole Upper East Side is talking about — and we have an exclusive sneak peek!

In the clip above, costume designer Eric Daman talks about creating TV land’s very own royal wedding, and selecting a stunning Vera Wang gown. “[It's] so couture but has that old-world feeling to it that makes sense for who Blair Waldorf is, becoming the Princess of Monaco,” he explains. “I think what the wedding is going to look like is going to set the bar for what the 100th episode is.”

That’s right — Monday’s wedding episode also happens to be the show’s milestone 100th. And in that time, Daman estimates the cast has gone through a seriously staggering number of costume changes. Click to find out how many — and see Waldorf walk down the aisle. 

courtesy of people

From your,

Event Specialist

Your Wedding & The Weather!

It's your wedding day, and snow is littering the ground outside...  Let's not panic. Allowing stress to take over  will just make everything take longer and this will take away the excitement of your special day.  Bad weather can cause any bride to go into panic. My winter brides face a little more of a challenge when planning their wedding. So, I thought I’d share a few tips:

1. Travel time – Even if your wedding is on a Saturday or Sunday in the winter, we all know what snow can do to the roads. Adding extra time to allot for bad weather can save you much stress on your wedding day. 
2. Vendors - Make a list of possible changes that might need to be made due to the change in weather. Include a list of your vendor numbers and have this list on hand and ready, if need be. i.e limo driver, marriage venue, reception hall, photographer, officiant etc..
3. Roads- Have your maid-of- honor or your wedding planner (if you have one) monitoring the traffic on route to your venue. This will help you to arrive on time or know ahead of time if alternate route is needed.
4. Safety-Call the venue to make sure that the entrance that you will be walking up is clear of any snow or ice. Do not forget to ask them to put appropriate amounts of salt in various areas so that your guests are safe.
5. Photos before sun down –  Many brides that are planning their weddings in the summer... forgetting the sun goes down hours earlier in the winter, so taking photos after the ceremony outside isn't possible.  You might want to see each other before the ceremony. Seeing each other before the ceremony, can help in getting the the fun photos  with the right amount of light needed.
6. Embrace winter – Get matching scarves and hats for all the bridesmaids, those photos can be so much fun! Also, if you get a shawl or cape, get one that isn’t white as it will blend right in with the dress. Instead, choose an accent color. If you get lucky and it snows, the photos will be fantastic – but, make sure to bring an umbrella so you hair doesn't get wet.

From your,

Event Specialist

13 Things To Think And Change In This New Year

1. Honor your health. Make time every day to tend to your body, mind and spirit.

2. Start! Do it now.

3. Thoughts are things. Are you creating the life you want?

4. Speak your word. Mean it.

5. Love is the basis for everything. Love yourself best and first. Then sprinkle freely!

6. We all have choices. Choose what is right for you while respecting others.

7. Show up! Be present.

8. Have fun! Smile. Laugh. Play. Celebrate.

9. Give. Be generous. There is plenty for everyone.

10. Jump. Risk it. Action banishes fear.

11. Release what you don’t need or it will slow you down.

12. Be grateful. Give thanks.

13. Believe in good things. Have faith!



From your,
Event Specialist

Valentines Day

The History On "Valentines Day"

There's a lot of opinions oh how Valentine’s Day was started, and some ideas are nicer than others. One of the most common stories was that Valentine was a priest.  Marriage was outlawed because the Emperor thought that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, Valentine went ahead and kept performing marriages in secrecy because he cared about people who were in love. He was put to death for this, according to the legend.

Whether that’s true or not is really not known, because the origins of the holiday are, for the most part, a mystery. Other legends say that he helped people escape harsh treatment by the Romans or that he fell in love with the jailor’s daughter while in prison and wrote her a letter, which is how the sending of valentines got started.


No matter how the legend began, Valentine’s Day is big business today with cards, flowers, and candies. Some men also buy their girlfriends jewelry. This date is also a  popular time for engagements. This tradition of love will continue well into the future.


I also wanted to share the Valentines Tradition 100 years ago

Hundreds of years ago in England, many children dressed up as adults on Valentine's Day. They went singing from home to home. One verse they sang was:

Good morning to you, valentine;
Curl your locks as I do mine ---
Two before and three behind.
Good morning to you, valentine.

In Wales wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on February 14th. Hearts, keys and keyholes were favourite decorations on the spoons. The decoration meant, "You unlock my heart!"

In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. To wear your heart on your sleeve now means that it is easy for other people to know how you are feeling.

In some countries, a young woman may receive a gift of clothing from a young man. If she keeps the gift, it means she will marry him.

Some people used to believe that if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine's Day, it meant she would marry a sailor. If she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man and be very happy. If she saw a goldfinch, she would marry a millionaire.

A love seat is a wide chair. It was first made to seat one woman and her wide dress. Later, the love seat or courting seat had two sections, often in an S-shape. In this way, a couple could sit together -- but not too closely!

Think of five or six names of boys or girls you might marry, As you twist the stem of an apple, recite the names until the stem comes off. You will marry the person whose name you were saying when the stem fell off.

Pick a dandelion that has gone to seed. Take a deep breath and blow the seeds into the wind. Count the seeds that remain on the stem. That is the number of children you will have.

If you cut an apple in half and count how many seeds are inside, you will also know how many children you will have.


If this is true or not, i don't know, I was just curious to know how Valentines day came about.

From your,

Event Specialists

Latin Wedding Traditions

Today's post: Colombian Wedding Traditions.

After having conversation with numerous Colombian friends, I found very little differences between American customs and Colombian customs. In America, the wedding reception is paid for by the bride's family in most cases. The groom buys a ring. The bride and her family find the dress and make most of the wedding preparations, etc. etc. 

There were a few differences that I found that might be of interest.

1. No Bridesmaids or Best Man

Most of the people I spoke with said that though some people may have adopted this tradition today, typically most ceremonies and receptions will not include them. The wedding is  based on the bride, groom, and the padrinos (best man & maid of honor). 

2. Walking Down The Aisle

Another difference is the way the bride and groom enter the church... in the Colombian tradition, the groom is waiting halfway the aisle (holding her bouquet) with his mother and the bride enters with her father (she brings his label pin), they meet half way, parents say "here is my son, daughter" bride and groom give each other the bouquet/pin and then walk together to the alter. 

3. The Coins

Many Colombian couples will follow the tradition of LasArras. The Arras are little coins that are exchanged during the wedding ceremony. These coins are given by the groom to the bride as a symbol that what is mine (monetarily speaking) is now yours. Some people mentioned that there are actually 13 coins given, others didn't mention a specific number, just that the bride received the coins. Still one other person mentioned that at her wedding both the bride and the groom exchanged coins. So, apparently the way and number of coins is not as important as the actual exchange of the coins.

4. A Dance

Most families will host a dance as part of the celebration. Couples will dance to Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia, Vallenato,just about anything. But, they will dance. And so will most of the guests. Here a dance may be rather hit or miss depending on your family. There, EVERYONE, no matter the age, dances to the same music. No what it is Colombians sure know how to party.

From your,

Event Specialist

Dressing For The Ocassion (Dress Codes)

More often than not, we come a cross people that might need a little help or two in addressing the dress code etiquette, when attending an event. Below is a list of dress codes, next time you are attending an event and it is a black attire affair, then you know what that means and you will know what to wear.

White Tie
A white tie event is more formal than Black tie. The dress code etiquette means men wear full formal attire, with white tie, vest and shirt. Women only wear elegant gowns. Hair is worn up. These type of events are usually charity or society balls. 

Black Tie / Formal

This is a formal event calling for formal attire. Men wear tuxs or dark suits and women wear preferably elegant gowns, though cocktail dresses ( over knee length) are now acceptable. Hair must be styled and be worn up or down. 

"Formal wear" differs from culture and city.

Cocktail

Cocktail dress code etiquette usually means semi-formal short or long for ladies and dark suits for the men. These cocktail dresses can be of different lengths.


Casual
You may wear anything from a cotton dresses, skirts blouses to a T-shirt. Appropriate shoes are part of this etiquette code, Please note* flip-flops or slippers is actually inappropriate, flip-flops are only to be worn at the beach.



Smart Casual
This etiquette dress code varies from countries and even companies. Generally, a safe attire for a smart casual is an office attire with some added accessories - to not make it look like "office wear". Patrons should at least wear a smart jacket and closed shoes. It is acceptable for ladies to turn up in pants. I would recommend both the men and ladies to not wear denim preferably.

From your,
Event Specialist
Elegant Creations Events

Mario Lopez Proposal To Courtney Mazza

Mario Lopez Begins the New Year with a Surprise Proposal to Courtney Mazza

"Extra's" Mario Lopez kicked off 2012 in a very big way by proposing to his girlfriend Courtney Mazza in Mexico. Mario popped the question on the beautiful beach of Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, Mexico surrounded by his family and friends with cameras capturing the special moment.

Said Mario of his decision to propose to Mazza, "I've come to the realization that I'm never going to meet another woman as special and amazing as the one I have and I think she's finally succumb to my pressure and will take me. So we'll see, I hope."

Mario admitted that he did not have a rehearsed speech and worked on the best way to present the ring to Courtney right before he did it. "See that's the ring right there. And I'm debating right now, do I do the box like this like - bam! Like they do in "The Bachelor, " added Mario.

Mario's last words before he asked were, "The sun's almost setting. The family's there and my friends. We're good to go."

Tune in to "Extra" Wednesday to see how the proposal finally went down and how Courtney was in shock before she said yes!

Read more: http://extratv.warnerbros.com/2012/01/mario_lopez_begins_the_new_year_with_a_surprise_proposal_to_girlfriend_courtney_mazza.php#ixzz1iY1zbRhW


courtesy of Extra


From your
Event Specialist.

Thinking Of Proposing

New year means, new beginnings, goals, relationships and for many proposals.  

You are thinking on asking the  BIG question... The question is, how, when, and where should you do it? Getting engaged is a big step in any relationship. The actual marriage proposal is a big deal. It's a moment she will remember, for better or worse, 'til death do you part.

Here is the thing, In some ways, the proposal is bigger than the wedding itself. No pressure, but your life hangs in the balance.

• Agreeing to the constitution of marriage is taking your love to the next level. If both of you are very much in love with each other and are looking forward to spending your life together, marriage is surely on the cards.
• Have you discussed with each other about your personal goals and aspirations? If yes, then the next important question is are you willing to do what it takes to make this relation work? If the answer to the second question is even yes, you can start thinking of tying the knot.
• Marriage brings with it additional responsibilities. Are both of you in the right frame of mind to take up the challenges post marriage? This is a very important question and need a lot of thinking to be done. 
• Before thinking of getting married, both the partners should feel the need to have a family of their own. In case such feelings runs down the spine of both of you, and the two of you are looking forward to spending family time with your beloved, this is it.
• It is very important to be financially stable and sound before thinking of delving into marriage. Taking the present time into consideration, both the partners should be independent and earn a decent amount to sustain a family of your own.
• Apart from being monetarily secure, you need to be emotionally strong. Marriage is not limited to the two of you. It is a union between two families. Both of you should be game to take up the responsibilities and challenges. You should also be emotionally strong to resolve matters and take charge of the new found status.
• Know for sure that marriage is very different from dating. Things which seemed cute and adorable during the dating phase can turn out to be extremely daunting. Both of you should take into account that certain things would definitely change after marriage. If the two of you have already calculated the difference pre-marriage, it would be easier post-marriage.   
• Lastly, the word "Marriage" should no longer gives you goose bumps! In case you have agreed to all the questions listed above, you would definitely not have any!!

Good Luck!

From your,

Event Specialist