Happy New Year!

"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day."
~ Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Things every bride needs to know before shopping for a wedding cake.

by Earlene Moore

White by Vera Wang Exclusively at David's Bridal February 2011!!

Vera Wang is launching a new wedding dress line with David's Bridal, White by Vera Wang.
The collection features wedding and bridesmaids dresses, veils and headpieces. The items will range between $600 and $1,400. The collection is project to be in David's Bridal stores in February 2011. Here is a sneak peek of ten designs from the White by Vera Wang Spring 2011 collection.

Essential Wedding Tasks For The Newly Engaged

With the holidays only a few weeks away, we are rapidly moving into engagement season. You know that magical time of year when you take that special someone home to your family. When all your loved one are near and he just can't resist popping the question while everyone is assembled.

Organization is the key to entering this new phase of your life. Start your wedding planning with these easy-to-use wedding checklist that will keep you on top of things! I suggest you develop a planning notebook, a 2-3" three ring binder, print out the checklists and put them in your binder for easy reference.

Your Wedding Checklist: Tasks Month by Month

10 to 12 months before your wedding

____Read The First Ten Steps for a Newly Engaged Couple

____Tell your parents, important family members, and close friends the good news! How to Announce Your Engagement

____You might also want to announce your engagement in the newspaper, on a wedding website with an email sent out to all your friends, or in the most traditional way, with mailed engagement announcements

____Have an engagement party, if you'd like

____Envision the tone of your wedding: Formal or casual? Day or evening? Religious or secular?

____Consider having a wedding theme, which will help pull together the style, look, and feel of your wedding

____Choose your wedding colors, which will add visual unity.

____Set your budget, read Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding

____Decide who will pay for the wedding. Will your parents cover it all? Can you contribute? How will expenses be split?

____Start your guest list

____Select date and time. Have backup dates in mind, in case a key element is unavailable.

____Select and reserve your ceremony and reception sites

____Hire a wedding consultant, if you're using one

____Choose and book your wedding officiant

____Choose bridesmaids, groomsmen and ushers

____Meet with florists, caterers, and musicians.

____Arrange for a tasting with your caterer

8 to 10 months before your wedding

____Shop for and order your wedding dress and accessories, including veil, gloves and shoes


____Sign a contract with your wedding caterer

____Book wedding florist and choose arrangements

____Book your musicians and/or DJ for both ceremony and reception

____Select and confirm your wedding photographer (and your videographer, if you're using one.)

____Look into wedding insurance and decide if it's a good option for you

____Plan your honeymoon

____Shop for and order your bridesmaid dresses

____If you're making your own wedding favors, start non food items now.

____Meet with wedding cake designers or bakers and arrange for a tasting.

4 to 6 months before your wedding

____Send save-the-date announcements or call out of town guests to let them know the final date, time, and location of the wedding.

____If you're purchasing wedding favors, do so now

____Start planning your rehearsal dinner. Give the host(s) your guest list

____Examine your beauty regimen. Read Five months to perfect wedding day beauty

____If your caterer isn't doing it for you, reserve any rental equipment you'll need, including dishes, tables, chairs, linens, tents

____Register for gifts

____Select your wedding cake designer, and order your wedding cake

____Arrange wedding transportation

____Order stationery

____Select a calligrapher, if you're using one

____Select the groom's tuxedo or other attire, what the groomsmen will wear, and arrange to purchase or rent

____Purchase your wedding rings

____Book wedding night accommodations and accommodations for out-of-town guests

____Buy gifts for your wedding party, parents, and each other .

2 to 3 months before your wedding

____Give a list of "Must Take" photographs to your wedding photographer

____Discuss your wedding menu with your caterer

____Meet with your officiant to discuss the wedding ceremony

____Write your wedding vows

____Attend any bridal showers

____Mail your wedding invitations

____Think about your wedding hair and makeup - If you're doing your own, try out hairstyles, purchase any extra makeup, think about having a "makeover party" with your girlfriends.

____Book your hairstylist and/or makeup artist, if you're using them. Meet with each of them to experiment with styles and colors.

____Schedule your wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner

____If your state requires you to make an appointment to get your marriage license, so now.

____If you're going to change your name, complete those documents.

____Send wedding announcements to local newspapers.

____Develop your wedding program, get correct spelling of all names and work up a 1st draft.

The month of your wedding

It's finally here! There's just a few more things to do to make sure everything's perfect

____Apply for your marriage license.

____Have your final gown fitting. It's helpful to have a bridesmaid with you to learn how to bustle your train and fasten any tricky buttons (and help you go to the bathroom, if you've got a big wedding dress!)

____Check with your bridesmaids and groomsmen to make sure they've gotten their attire, confirm arrival times, and answer any last minute questions

____Contact your vendors (caterer, officiant, cake baker, photographer, videographer, florist, musicians, transportation, hotels) to confirm arrival and delivery times.

____Finalize and print wedding programs.


____Create welcome baskets or bags for out-of-town guests

____Send change-of-address information to post office

___Write thank you cards as you receive wedding gifts

____Ask your mother or maid of honor to contact any guests who have not RSVP'd

One to Two Weeks Ahead

____Arrange seating plan, and write place cards

____Give your final head count to your caterer, and confirm any last minute details

____Write toasts for the rehearsal dinner and reception

____Try on your wedding shoes, and wear them on carpeted surfaces around the house

____Arrange for a plant waterer/pet sitter/babysitter while you are on your honeymoon

____Pick up your wedding dress

____Attend your bachelor party or bachelorette party, if you're having them

____Send your travel plans and contact information to a family member and your house sitter (in case of emergency)

____Finalize seating chart

Your Wedding Checklist: The Day Before Your Wedding

____Do something to relax and enjoy the company of your out-of-town friends

____Assign responsibilities to your wedding party (handing out corsages and boutonnieres, greeting and seating guests, checking on vendors)

____Confirm wedding day transportation

____Have a manicure and pedicure or other pre-wedding spa pampering.


____Give your wedding party gifts

____Rehearse ceremony

____Hold the rehearsal dinner

Your Wedding Checklist: Day of the Wedding

____Give thank you gifts to your parents

____Enjoy your wedding!

Check list courtesy of

The Perfect Table Plan

The most important thing when planning any event is to be organized; so, if you're planning a seated meal for a large number of people, your guests will appreciate it if they are able to find their seats easily. They will also enjoy dining with compatible and stimulating people.

I was so pleased when I came across The Perfect Table Plan, it takes the guess work out of completing a seating chart and made it super easy. I took advantage of the FREE 14 day trial before purchasing. They offer several step-by-step tutorial to help you get a full understanding of how to use the software.

The Perfect Table Plan can print and export a number of different representations of your table plan. Manage your guest list, track RSVPs and print address labels, seating chart, place cards and much more. It also allows you to choose your own fonts and color schemes.

FINDING AND KEEPING A LIFE PARTNER

"FINDING AND KEEPING A LIFE PARTNER" by Neil Mnemonic

Feel free to tag, comment and share this profound information with any and everyone you think could benefit.

Golden rules for finding your life partner by Dov Heller, M.A. a relationships coach who lays out his 5 golden rules for evaluating the prospects of long term marital success. When it comes to making the decision about choosing a life partner, no one wants to make a mistake. Yet, with a divorce rate of close to 50%, it appears that many are making serious mistakes in their approach to finding Mr/Miss. Right!

If you ask most couples who are engaged why they're getting married,they'll say: "We're in love." I believe this is the #1 mistake people make when they date. Choosing a life partner should never be based on love.Though this may sound "not politically correct", there's a profound truth here. Love is not the basis for getting married. Rather, love isthe result of a good marriage. When the other ingredients

are right, then the love will come. Let me say it again: "You can't build a lifetime relationship on love alone". You need a lot more!!!

Here are five questions you must ask yourself if you're serious about finding and keeping a life partner.

QUESTION #1:

Do we share a common life purpose? Why is this so important? Let me put it this way:

If you're married for 20 or 30 years that's a long time to live with someone. What do you plan to do with each other all that time? Travel,

eat and jog together? You need to share something deeper and more meaningful. You need a common life purpose.

Two things can happen in a marriage. (1) You can grow together,or (2)you can grow apart. 50% of the people out there are growing apart.

To make a marriage work, you need to know what you want out of life! Bottom line; and marry someone who wants the same thing.

QUESTION #2:

Do I feel safe expressing my feelings and thoughts with this person?

This question goes to the core of the quality of your relationship. Feeling safe means you can communicate openly with this person. The

basis of having good communication is trust I.e. trust that I won't get "punished" or hurt for expressing my honest thoughts and feelings.

A colleague of mine defines an abusive person as someone with whom you feel afraid to express your thoughts and feelings. Be honest

with yourself on this one. Make sure you feel emotionally safe with the person you plan to marry.

QUESTION #3:

Is he/she a mensch? (or mensh, somebody good, kind, decent & honorable)

A mensch is someone who is a refined and sensitive person. How can you test? Here are some suggestions. Do they work on personal

growth on a regular basis? Are they serious about improving themselves? A teacher of mine defines a good person as "someone who is

always striving to be good and do the right thing". So ask about your significant other:What do they do with their time? Is this person

materialistic? Usually a materialistic person is not someone whose top priority is character refinement.

There are essentially two types of people in the world:

(1) People who are dedicated to personal growth and

(2) people who are dedicated to seeking comfort. Someone whose goal in life is to be comfortable will put personal comfort

ahead of doing the right thing. You need to know that before walking down the aisle.

QUESTION #4:

How does he/she treat other people?

The one most important thing that makes any relationship work is the ability to give. By giving, we mean the ability to give another person pleasure.

Ask: Is this someone who enjoys giving pleasure to others or are they wrapped up in themselves and self absorbed? To measure this, think about the following: How do they treat people whom they do not have to be nice to, such as waiters, bus boys, taxi drivers, etc..

How do they treat their parents and siblings? Do they have gratitude and appreciation? If they don't have gratitude for the people who have given them everything; can you do nearly as much for them? Do they gossip and speak badly about others? Someone who gossips cannot be someone who loves others! You can be sure that someone who treats others poorly, will eventually treat you poorly as well.

QUESTION #5:

Is there anything I'm hoping to change about this person after we're married?

Too many people make the mistake of marrying someone with the intention of trying to "improve" them after they're married. As a colleague of mine puts it: "You can probably expect someone to change after marriage for the worse"! If you cannot fully accept this person the way they are now, then you are not ready to marry them.

In conclusion, dating doesn't have to be difficult and treacherous. The key is to try leading a little more with your head and less with your heart. It pays to be as objective as possible when you are dating; to be sure to ask questions that will help you get to the key issues.Falling in love is a great feeling, but when you wake up with a ring on your finger, you don't want to find yourself in trouble because you didn't do your homework.

Another perspective...

There are some people in your life that need to be loved from a distance. It's amazing what you can accomplish when you let go of or at least minimize your time with draining, negative, incompatible,not going anywhere relationships. Observe the relationships around you. Pay attention. Which ones lift and which ones lean? Which ones encourage and which ones discourage? Which ones are on a path of growth uphill and which ones are going downhill? When you leave certain people do you feel better or feel worse? Which ones always have drama or don't really understand, know, or appreciate you?

The more you seek quality, respect, growth, peace of mind, love and truth around you...the easier it will become for you to decide who gets to sit in the front row and who should be moved to the balcony of your life.

An African proverb states, "Before you get married, keep both eyes open, and after you marry, close one eye."

Before you get involved and make a commitment to someone, don't let lust, desperation, immaturity, ignorance, pressure from others or a low self esteem make you blind to warning signs. Keep your eyes open, and don't fool yourself that you can change someone or that what you see as faults aren't really that important.

Once you decide to commit to someone, over time, his or her flaws, vulnerabilities, pet peeves, and differences will become more obvious.

If you love your mate and want the relationship to grow and evolve, you've got to learn how to close one eye and not let every little thing bother you. You and your mate have many different expectations, emotional needs, values, dreams, weaknesses and strengths.

You are two unique individual children of God who have decided to share a life together. Neither one of you are perfect, but are you perfect for each other? Do you bring out the best in each other? Do you compliment and compromise with each other, or do you compete, compare and control? What do you bring to the relationship?

Do you bring past relationships, past hurt, past mistrust, past pain? You can't take someone to the altar to alter them. You can't make someone love you or make someone stay. If you develop self esteem, spiritual discernment, and "a life" you won't find yourself making someone else responsible for your happiness or responsible for your pain. Seeking status, sex, and security are the wrong reasons to be in a relationship.

WHAT KEEPS A RELATIONSHIP STRONG IS:

1. TRUST

2. COMMUNICATION

3. INTIMACY

4. A SENSE OF HUMOR

5. SHARING TASKS

6. SOME GETAWAY TIME WITHOUT BUSINESS OR CHILDREN

7. DAILY EXCHANGES (meal, shared activity, hugs, calls, touching, notes, etc.)

8. SHARING COMMON GOALS AND INTERESTS

9. GIVING EACH OTHER SPACE TO GROW WITHOUT FEELING INSECURE

10. GIVING EACH OTHER A SENSE OF BELONGING AND ASSURANCES OF COMMITMENT

If these qualities are missing, the relationship will erode as resentment, withdrawal, abuse, neglect, and dishonesty; and pain will replace the passion.

There it goes . . . Success is nothing without someone to share it with....

PattyCakes Wedding Cake Competition and Live Wedding Ceremony

I has a wonderful time this past Sunday at The Patty Cakes Wedding Cake Competition and Live Wedding Ceremony. I was honored to provide a runner for the beautiful couple that was married at the competition. The groom serenaded the bride and moved everyone to tears, you could feel the love that they shared. I have inserted a link to pictures of the wonderful cakes and pictures of the happy couple. http://www.flickr.com/photos/elitedesignsbydaphne/sets/72157624952249106/

Enjoy