Planning Soon for a Wedding in June? Part 1

What?! He proposed on Valentine's day, and said he wants to get married in June? How? What? Who cares; let's do this! Now you're about to start stressing to plan a wedding in June - which, by the way, is four months away. How are you going to plan the wedding of your life in just four months?

Let me share with you some quick tips and a guide to help you through the rush. You've been planning this in your head ever since he first uttered those words, 'I love you.' Now, you've got to get a dress, choose a venue, hire a caterer, get Uncle Bob sober before the wedding, and convince your father that he's the one... Let's get started.

Get a Budget Plan

Planning a wedding, even when you plan ahead, can be stressful. But having a guide to help you along the way makes it less stressful. This blog post is going to be divided into two posts, so be sure to follow me and stay tuned for the next part, too.

First things, first. Create a budget. Make sure you know how much money you have before you start ordering Dom Perignon and a fondue fountain. Don't even calculate what you want. Just know how much money you have to plan your wedding. Remember, you still have to live after the big day.

One thing I stress to my clients, is that wedding planning doesn't have to be a bear. You don't have to have thousands of dollars to have a nice wedding, either. You just have to be resourceful, and smart in how you use what you have. Some of the basic parts to creating a budget include how much money you have, what you need, what you want, and then how much you think it's going to cost.

Next, you want to start pricing around and jotting these prices down, and see how they fit into your budget. This is not the end-all of wedding planning, but it gives you a nice picture of where your money is going, and what kind of ceremony you're going to have.

Hitting the Basics

Once you have the basic component, you want to move on to what to put on your budget. Discuss with your fiancé a place, time, date, and officiant. These are very important, and should be discussed together.

Decide on whether you want a large or small party. It's not mandatory; having a few witnesses can be just as classy and nice - it's your wedding, it's your choice. Start working on your guest list and your wedding party. The search is now on for a place for your wedding ceremony and reception. Today, most couples choose the economical approach and find a venue that can host both the ceremony and reception. It's best to do your research and find many options that can best suit what you want.

Check back with me week after next to get more tips on how to plan a wedding on the fly. Don't stress it more than you have to! Planning a quick wedding doesn't have to be chaotic or short-changed of being the event of your dreams. It is possible to create the dream.

Get your budget planner here.

Valentine's Day Quick Last-Minute Gifts

Bills do not take a vacation, neither do helping with the kids’ homework, or chauffeuring them from activity to activity. So when do you get time to just relax and have some adult fun? As a busy mom and entrepreneur, life gets hectic. But this Valentine’s Day, make it happen! Listed below are several ideas for gifts on the fly for Lover’s Day that will be romantic, yet won’t bust your budget.

 

Dinner for Two

Applebee’s is having Valentine’s Day meal special. Make plans to get two great meals in a relaxed atmosphere for under $20. And share appetizer over some much needed conversation time about everything except the kids and the bills. And don't forget they have a $5 off on your online orders if you'd like to chill at home with a little Applebee's www.applebees.com.

 

Love for the Weekend

Can’t seem to squeeze in the time on Tuesday? No worries! Check out Holly Johnson's "Seven Cheap Romantic Getaways." for a nice one-on-one quick trip this weekend. And don't worry if you can't reserve any quick trip on the list! Take a look around your town or city. Book a hotel room and enjoy the museum, picnic at the park, take in your fave movie together that you've both been dying to see, go skating, bowling, or if you both are kids-at-heart, hit the arcade.

Men’s Quick Valentine’s Day Gift Cheat Sheet

Guys has Valentine’s Day snuck on you like a thief in the night, causing you to scratch your head and sweat bullets on what to get for your leading love? Are you one of those guys who loves your girl, but you’re not all that interactive with the love-day idea? Below I’m sharing some cheat sheet gift ideas on how to save your bacon and put a smile on her face, while keeping your comfort of not having to sit through another chick flick at the movies this year.

 

• Candy and flowers are still great quick-n-easy gifts, but how about going a little wild this year! How about surprising her with a spa day package. It’s great, because she can use it when she needs it, and what girl doesn’t like to be pampered?

 

• What is her favorite place to shop, but you just don’t have the money to let her go swipe-card crazy throughout the year? Surprise her with a nice gift card of $50 to her favorite store.

• Tomorrow is one day and you want to still be able to pay the bills for the rest of the month. Stick with your budget and be creative. Come up with many ways to say 'I love you.' Singing telegrams (do people still do these?), have a photo album of your greatest memories created for little or nothing, or frame a picture of one of your greatest memories together. Simple, yet so valuable!

Don't make this day about going broke. Make it memorable. Show your special someone that you love them everyday, but on tomorrow - go the extra mile. Take a 365-day trip back to 'I love you.'

 

Promoting Your Event With Social Media

Social Media has become an intricate part  that is woven into the fabric of  marketing and advertising. If you have a business, event, or ministry it is almost a faux pas if you don't have social media connected to it.

Social media is the marketing snapshot of the technological world we live in, and it is very important that you have it, not only to just have it, but to use it and use it wisely.

I want to share some tips on how to get the most out of social media for your events. First, if you are on Facebook, start an event page. This is an electronic invitation that you can use to reach many by saving dollars and time. The response measurement is also great. Once people accept your invitation, you can gauge how many you will have in attendance and feedback after your event has ended.

With an Facebook event page, you can customize your banner with your brand also, which makes it easier for invitees to recognize it and also share it with others. You can post reminders and also other things such as promo videos to bring awareness and encourage attendance to your event.

Another way you can use social media is with Pinterest. It is also good for promoting your event by designing a Pinterest pin where you can add solutions on how your event will solve problems for your attendees. You already know that pictures are worth a 1,000 words, and Pinterest pins can give wonderful snapshots of your brand to be used to attract people to your event.

And also Instagram is great for picture-perfect promotions of your event. If you aren't a graphic designer, hire one to design awesome pictures and ads to post to your Instagram page that can serve as your personal marketing coordinator to attendees and potential attendees.

Video media platforms such as Periscope and Blab are new to the social media scene that are the next "happening" for TV advertising and marketing. Use them to do one-on-one interviews and promos. These videos can also provide more information about who you are, why you're hosting the event, and what attendees can expect to gain from the event. Your attendees can receive a personal hello and invitation from you via video.

Using social media can do wonders for your event. Just posting the event on social media is not enough to garner a great attendance. You have to "market" the marketing tool. Use social media the same way you would use any other marketing platform. Purchasing ads or promoting your event page or Instagram ads are other ways to build attention to your event. But the whole "skinny" on this is your content. It is key to designing the best-seen pins and posts. Also target market research is necessary to ensure you are producing social media marketing ads that will be successful. You want to attract the right audience with the right content and the right graphics.

Another tip I want to give about using social media, is that posting once is not enough. You have encourage your audience with multiple "reminder" ads and posts. Start your marketing at least four weeks in advance and post "reminders" weekly to keep your brand and event before your audience.

I also suggest to use vibrant and eye-catching colors and legible fonts that will speak volumes to what your event is about and who you want to attend. Social media can help build great attendance by leaps and bounds if used properly. Social media can help you gain better relationships and networking opportunities from it as well. Don't count social media out if you are not a really tech-savvy person, yet you have a great event that you want to share with the world. Select platforms you are most comfortable with and utilize them to draw great attendees to your events, as well as use it to keep great records for your research and recap of your events. Social media can be your event's best friend!

Food to Love

Okay, so I know I said in my last blog post that I was going to do a video cooking something. Welllll, this week has already kicked into high gear, and I haven't had time to do much of anything, much less cook and then video tape it.

So, for those anticipating readers, I'm going to post a Valentine's Day dish that is pretty easy to prepare. Valentine's Day is the day set aside to honor love and all that it encompasses, so you want to show your love something special, even if your budget isn't as special.

Here is a nice recipe that I've dreamed up in my head, and is pretty tasty. Hope you enjoy! Comment on the blog if you try it, and let me know what you think.


Hearty Brunch Pizza

1 can of pizza dough
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup provolone cheese, shredded
4 eggs
1 cup spinach
1 cup Roma stewed or roasted tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup of red onion, diced
1/4 cup of green bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup of red bell pepper, diced
1 cup meat choice (I like turkey sausage crumbles)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Parsley (optional)

How to cook it:

Roll out your dough into a 9x9 pan with the edges slightly up on the sides of the pan. Saute your onions, peppers, and meat in a tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle evenly on top of dough. Whisk your eggs in a bowl with salt and pepper and pour carefully over your mixture (You can add a little milk if you want to stretch your eggs more). Mix your cheeses together (that's how I like it) and sprinkle 1/3 of it over the mixture.Next, add your tomatoes and spinach and top with the remainder of your cheese. Next, bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Once you've got the cheese all brown and bubbly, Let it cool for about 5 minutes and cut a V at the top and triangles on each corners to form the shape of a heart, sprinkle parsley and serve!

Nice brunch sides: Hashbrowns, fruit, or orange juice.

Gifts From the Heart

Our second holiday of 2016 is right around the corner, and the bottles of wine, champagne and sparkling juice are walking off the store shelves at a quick pace. Hearts, red candy bags, cupids, chocolates and perfume sales are not far behind in the race.

These are the norm in gift choices, but what about setting aside the "choice" gifts and giving a gift from the heart? One of my loves is cooking. A nice dinner and good conversation beats a box of chocolates for me any day. Cooking doesn't require a finesse of a chef when it is from the heart. I remember when I was growing up as a little girl, how those dishes that Mama called "thrown together" were some of the best meals to me. Why? Because of the love put into it. It was not just about getting kudos on her culinary skills, but it was about the point of her cooking - that she would do whatever she had to do to make sure we were fed, full, and nourished.

These types of meals are the ones that win hearts even on a holiday like Valentine's Day. Cook something that shows your significant other that you love them enough to give them your best. Put in a dash of understanding, a sprinkle of patience, a cup of hugs, fourth-cup of thank yous, a half cup of chivalry, a cup of laughter, and a cup of love. You will be surprised at how your meal turns out when you think on these things while you're cooking that special Valentine's Day meal.

So, don't stress about having the "perfect" meal of steak, potato, salad and fancy-schmancy dessert. Just put some plain ole love in what you cook, for it's the best gift that comes from the best place - your heart.

(Look out for next week's blog post on an easy-peasy Valentine's Day recipe)

The Power of Words

New Year's resolutions have been somewhat replaced by New Year affirmations. I tend to like affirmations better, because I've realized that words have power. There is something about speaking positive things over yourself, your business, your ventures, your family and your network.

I remember when I was in school, they used to say: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. And for a long time, I believed that. But the older I got, and the more experiences I encountered in life, I found that saying not to be so true after all. Words have a power that is like no other.

I know you're probably wondering what does this have to do with event planning. Well, as you plan your calendar year of great programs, initiatives, and events, set the tone from number one by declaring a positive outcome. And know this, positive outcomes are not always measured in great attendance, large amounts of money, or world-wide recognition. The positive outcome is what you learned from the event experience as a planner and how it will prepare you for the next one. Each experience is a stepping stone that matures you in your niche, and matures your relationship with your target audience.

Affirmations motivate you and can put things into perspective for you. As an event consultant, that is one of my gifts that I offer my clients. When they've had enough and feel they can do no more, it is my responsibility to provide them encouraging words and motivation to see it all to the end. Words are so powerful, and can change the atmosphere from chaotic to order. Seek to find your power in the words you speak.

I'd like to challenge you to start this year off with speaking positively. Find an affirmation word that will describe your year and describe your motivation as you plan, prepare, and promote great events and programs for 2016. My affirmation word this year is: PRESS. And I chose this word, because this will the second year that I will have been in business for myself, and I realize that the closer I get to my "prize," the more tests and lessons I'm going to encounter and learn. So, I'm speaking over my business now that I'm going to press on regardless of what comes ahead, and I'm going to press through for my clients when they feel like they're ready to throw in the towel and give up. What about you? What words are important to you and your success for 2016?

Greets and Eats

Good food and good hostesses go hand-in-hand. I've never been to a place where the food was so great without excellent service. It is important that if you're planning on hosting a New Year's Eve bash or get-together, that you be an exemplary host.

Great hosting tips include setting the atmosphere. Provide a relaxing ambiance and promote your theme well. Don't over-do it, just do enough to set the tone for your party.

Many people don't comment on decorations, but believe me, they matter. Loud colors and over exaggerated props can damper a party quicker than flat soda. Be subtle, but engaging. A nice tablecloth and a few table centerpieces will do just nicely.

Music. Everyone LOVES music. I may be old, but loud music is such a turn-off at a party. You can't hear your conversations, it makes your head hurt, and blaring music is hard to listen to. Make sure your music is in harmony with your decorations - subtle, but engaging.

As a host, be polite. Be well-dressed whether it's a house party or elegant soiree. Have your clothes ironed and neat, and wear a smile. This may seem elementary, but many people don't understand how being a great host is just as important to the success of a party just as much as the food and entertainment. If you have guests that are not familiar with your venue (whether it's your house or the local community center), show them where the restrooms are, politely inform them on certain "house rules" such as no smoking inside, you're welcome to go out on the balcony, (if you're serving alcohol) drinks will be served at whatever time, etc. And take their coats, or inform them where they can hang their coats. If you're doing potluck, show them where they can set their dish. Thank and compliment them on bringing their dish for the party. These small things go a long way in producing a great vibe for your party, and locks in guests for your parties to come.

Now, my favorite part of the party: the food. Finger foods are nice, but if you're doing something a little more upscale, keep up with your theme - subtle, but engaging You don't want to overwhelm your guests palates with fifty million flavors and varieties. You want them to be able to enjoy the food as well as the entertainment. Make sure your menu is colorful. Have some vibrant colors and also various textures. Some people like crunchy stuff, some like soft stuff, some like sweet, sour, etc. You get the point. The purpose of a party is to invite people to have a good time. Give the people what they want. There is no greater party than having good greets and good eats.