Recipe For An A+ Relationship

Recipe Overview: Recipe takes 2 individuals and turns them into 1 couple
Recipe Background: Gather ingredients over time, and practice cooking for twenty to fifty years.

Ingredients:
1 cup attraction
1 cup compatibility
2 nuts
1 quart honesty
1 pint each of faith, hope & love

Combine and mix vigorously
1 dash thoughtfulness
1 pinch ;-)
2 pints cooperation, combined with 2 pints compromise
2 quarts forgiveness
2 gallons sense of humor
Plus an endless supply of love and romance

Preparation
Combine all ingredients and stir like crazy. Leave medium lumps (if too smooth, days will be boring; but if lumps are too big, problems will be too big to swallow).

Heat with passion but never bring to a boil
Spice to your personal taste

And there you have a Recipe for and A+ Relationship!

Bon Appetite!!!!

You May Now Kiss The Bride

A lot of thought and consideration goes into planning your wedding day. The food that will be served, the music that will be played, the venue for the reception, the guest list, and so on. But have you given much thought to "the kiss"? You are probably thinking, we are engaged to be married for goodness sake, we know how to kiss. Of course you do, but this will be your first kiss as husband and wife. You want it to be special for the two of you, and keep in mind that it will also leave an impression on your guests, and will forever be captured in your pictures, so you want to make it perfect, right? Well my first bit of advice is one you should like….Practice, practice, practice…you know what they say about practice. Next, classy should be the call of the day! Please no tongue action, that's just tasteless (pun intended). Of course timing is everything…too short communicates no passion, too long is just plain tacky and will make everyone uncomfortable. A 3 – 4 second kiss is just enough. Leave everything else for the honeymoon. End your kiss with a smile, and just enjoy it. It will be the last of your first kiss as husband and wife. Smooches!

What's On The Menu?

When it comes to selecting those finishing touches for your wedding, menu cards are a creative way to bring your theme together. Practically speaking, they will also inform your guests of what to expect. I coordinated a wedding for a client whose reception consisted of an hors d'oeuves hour, a five course meal followed by a breakfast buffet and sweets table. Each course was better than the last, and because we used menu cards guests were aware of what to expect. They were able to pace themselves and fully enjoy all that was prepared for them (pun intended). And as an added bonus, they were able to leave with a lovely memento of the event. So, rather than leaving guests wondering, why not add this design element to your tablescape and let them know what's on the menu…Bon Appétit!

Bridal Survival Tip #2 Discuss Your Priorities

Okay, so you've taken some time to enjoy your engagement and to allow it all to sink in. You've told family and friends, picked the date, purchased every wedding magazine on the stand and now you're ready to start planning the wedding! Pump the breaks…not so fast!

When it comes to planning a wedding, there are over a dozen different components that come together to make your dream day come true: flowers, cake, invitations, decorations, music, what you will wear, the venue, food, transportation, and on and on.

For both you and your fiancé the importance of any one or all of these things differ significantly. It has been my experience that women tend to be concerned about their gown, flowers and decorations, while the future hubby to be has his focus fixed on the food, the bar, and the music.

Before you meet with any vendors or share your plans with anyone, it is critical to your planning sanity to come together to discuss your priorities. This is important because:

1. Priorities provide you with a focal point, a target if you will. You and your honey should begin with the top three items on your wedding wish list. By knowing what each of you feel strongly about, you won't spend time, money and energy on the things that are not that important to you.

2. You need to have your plan in place before meeting with vendors or enlisting the help of opinionated friends and parents. Once everyone else starts to chime in with their opinions and suggestions (as well meaning as they are), it can cause angst if you are not clear about what you want.

3. As a couple you need to sit down and determine how things are going to be at "your wedding". You want the day to have meaning for both of you, not just one or the other. In the years to follow, you will both be able to look back with fond memories because the day was a reflection of you both.

4. By identifying your priorities and having a plan in place to protect your vision, you will avoid the "feeling obligated to be nice and please everyone else" trap. If after you have established your top priorities, and others have thoughts on an element that's not that important to you, then you won't mind getting a little input from your friends and not feel put upon by their suggestions.

Here's the thing, you have your vision and surprisingly he has a vision too of how the wedding should be. The tricky part is marrying the two visions so that you both can live happily ever after. The key to solving this dilemma is to establish your priorities before you get started on the planning.

Short And Sassy And Oh So Classy!

Traditionally, when you think of a wedding dress, long and flowing comes to mind. But today there are just as many style options as there are brides to wear them. One such option is a short wedding dress. Not only are they elegant, soft and romantic, they are simple and practical. Short dresses, worn for the ceremony, make a great transition into the reception, where they allow freedom and ease to dance in. They are perfect for showing off long legs and sexy shoes. This pretty and feminine style option is a no brainer for a beach or outdoor wedding, and is ideal for a summer wedding. Here are just a few styles that I think are stunning, sophisticated, stylish, and sleek.

Bridal Survival Tip #1 - Don't Rush Right Into Planning The Wedding

The holiday season is upon us, which also means engagement season is here as well. Now through February is prime time for proposals and engagements. Not only is this a time for spending with family and friends celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year, and let's not forget Valentines Day, it's also the time when the love of your life has decided to make this the best holiday ever by popping the question…"Will You Marry Me".

So in preparation for all the new bubbling and blushing brides to come I would like to dedicate this series to you…Bridal Survival – Tips To Help You Have A Perfect Wedding

Survival Tip #1 - Do Not Rush Right Into Planning the Wedding

Allow yourself time to enjoy being engaged without the pressure of jumping right into the planning. There will be plenty of time for planning, but for now just bask in the glow that he loves you enough to want to spend the rest of his life with you and has now made it official.

Use this time to get reacquainted with your fiancé as you work together on cultivating your relationship and making plans for your future. Make it all about your relationship and not about the wedding.

Allow some down time for your fiancé. Believe me he has worked hard on selecting a ring, planning the proposal, getting up the nerve to ask you to marry him and keeping his plans to do so from your ever suspecting eyes and ears.

Take this time to really think about your wedding day and how you would like to remember it. What do you want this day to mean to you and your honey in the years to follow? Who do you really want there to share in the day? Really put some thought into it before you start making plans.

Make the decision now, during this quiet time to enjoy the process. There will be thousands of decisions to make, and everyone will have an opinion on what you should be doing for "your big day". Resolve now to follow your heart and to do what's best for you and your honey.

Maintain your focus, which should be "I'm marrying my best friend and we are going to have a wonderful life together" rather than "I'm going to be a bride and finally have my dream wedding". Remember to keep the proper perspective.

Now I know you're excited, and you've been waiting for this all your life…but a word of caution….take this time to enjoy the engagement and to let it all sink in. Don't turn into Polly Planner mode and scare your poor fiancé away.

What's In A Name?

I must admit, up until last year, my thoughts and feelings about changing my last name if I were ever to get married caused me much angst. I mean, this is my name. I've had it all my life. It's a part of who I am, and besides it's a pretty cool name…Stacey Strickler….has a nice ring to it…don't you think? Of course I considered hyphenating, but after talking to a friend she helped me to understand that when you say "I do", the two become one and you agree to take it all (including the name). I've embraced it and am looking forward to becoming a Mrs. and taking his last name as my own.

Following is a name change checklist that will help you (and me) in making the transition from Miss to Mrs.

Social Security
Drivers License
Passport
Voter Registration
Auto Registration
401K accounts
Car insurance/registration
Billing accounts (credit cards, cell phone, electric, water, gas)
Club memberships
Dentist's and Doctor's office
Employment records
Email addresses
Homeowners's/renter's insurance
IRA accounts
Leases
Life insurance
Loans
Medical insurance
Other insurance
Pension plan records
Post office
Property titles
Safe-deposit box
School records
Social security
Stocks and bonds
Subscriptions
Wills/trusts

Congratulations To The Murray's

I love my job…and here's why...just look at this beautiful couple! Congratulations to Ronnie and Rinaldo, the new Mr. and Mrs. Murray. I had the pleasure of working with this wonderful couple for a year leading up to their October, 10, 2009 Wedding.


The inspiration for this wedding was apples…oh how sweet it is…and the theme was carried throughout from the first impression of the invitations to the placecards, which were real apples.

The cake was beautifully designed to incorporate the apple theme, and each table was "tastefully" decorated with a single red rose inside an elegant bud vase surrounded by four votive candle holders with tealights, and red and green wax apples sprinkled on top of a mirror to add color, apple scent, and a little "spice".

And lastly to add a touch of "flavor", the couple sent their guests off with yummy candy from their Candy Buffet display.

In a word from their planner...this wedding was simply scrumptous! Ronnie and Rinaldo, I wish you all the best, and many years of Sweet Love!

"The Conscious Bride", A Must Read For Every Newly Engaged Bride-To-Be

One of the most exciting times in a woman's life is when she becomes engaged. Once the news of the engagement reaches family and friends, she is thrust into a series of parties and the world-wind experience of planning a wedding.

This journey, albeit exciting, does not come without its frustrations. Because so much emphasis is placed on planning for the wedding day, many brides (including myself) find themselves experiencing conflicting emotions.

This time of emotional transition is something nobody seems to talk about. The one thing on everyone's mind is planning the perfect wedding, but these emotions, which include anxieties about separating from girlfriends, separating from mom, and the loss of identity as a single woman, just to name a few, are real and need to be talked about and addressed before the bride takes her sacred journey.

This book recognizes that as one phase of life is ending, and a new phase is beginning, it is imperative that a bride take notice of what's going on inside of her, emotionally, and take the time to really understand and address why she's on cloud nine one moment and stricken with fear the next.

I have to tell you that after reading the book, I realized that I was not crazy. As excited as I am about becoming a "Mrs.", my excitement does not come without my own fears and anxieties as I move into this next phase of my life. I've gone through the gamut of emotions, from stressing about who will take care of my mom, to will I be a good wife or ruin this man's life. The emotions are scary, and I'm glad there is a book that walks you through the process of not just planning for the wedding, but helping you to understand that what you are feeling is normal, as it helps to prepare you, and take you through the process so that you will not only have a serene and joyful wedding day, but a healthy and thriving marriage - all without losing your mind!

These Take The Cake!

If you're looking for something different to do at your wedding reception that's not totally over the top, why not consider cupcakes in place of a traditional wedding cake?
Of course this idea is nothing new. Cupcakes have been the trend over the past few years, and I think it's a trend that's here to stay.

Keep in mind that they are not for every bride, but they are a fun way to add personality to your day.

They are an unexpected detail, which offers a wonderful surprise for your guests, especially the more traditional ones.

Because of their versatility, a variety of flavors can be offered.

Not only are they fun and unexpected, but they are also economical, especially if you prepare them yourself, however I do caution against this for the bride…unless you have a lot of help!

They make for a great photo opportunity, as they are a wonderful way to enhance your décor.

As you can see they serve a multi-purpose…fun, décor enhancement, economical, and let's not forget to add that they are certainly a favor option, one that is sure to be used…or shall I say eaten!

So why not let these delicious treats, serve you and your guests well, and take you back to your childhood?