Looking for less Bacchanal at your Bachelorette Party??

Bachelorette parties are traditionally a time for the Bride to let go of her inhibitions and get wild. But not all brides are interested in bar hopping and confessing that they dated their bridesmaid's boyfriend before she met him! Or maybe your afraid of how your cousins Cee-Cee and Lo-Lo are going to behave if there is "fire water" around.

Well there seems to be a new trend with Bachelorette parties- THE GYM!
Yup you read right, the bridal party meets at the gym for a work out (aerobic, pilates, yoga, whatever) then head out for mani/pedi's and a late lunch or early dinner. Don't believe me? NY Times wrote about it:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/20/fashion/bachelorette-parties-move-to-the-barre-from-the-bar.html?_r=1&ref=weddings

It sounds like alot of fun to me. Imagine the jokes during the yoga poses or the aerobic dancing to 80's songs. (That reminds me I have to order that TIME LIFE Magazine Easy 80's CD Collection I saw on late night TV. Ya'll know how I love my old school!!!)  But I digress.. it sounds really cool. Forget the "SHOTS! SHOTS! SHOTS! SHOTS!" and that slimy stripper. Uuggh!

A MUST READ!

I learned a long time ago that if you want to change your life, reading motivational books are the best way to start. I would have never had the courage to leave my desk job if it wasn't for books like "Do What You Love, The Money Will Follow" or "Listen to Your Life". But taking that first step is only the beginning. Staying motivated is a whole other animal! So I keep increasing my library with books and I hope to inspire you to do the same- if you haven't already started.

My latest fave is "7 Strategies for Wealth & Happiness" by Jim Rohn. He is a leader in personal development and was a mentor to countless others (he passed away in 2009). He breaks down in simple terms the most important principles to follow in order to succeed in business and in life. I know the title sounds corny but he's the real deal guys! There are alot of wanna bees out there but if you do your research and cross reference authors against who they recommend, you'll find some really AH-MAY-ZEN books out there! My first suggestion though would be to hit up Amazon or B&N - not Tyrone on Fulton and Nevins Street LOL.

Check it out, its only $10.00 boo-boo...

http://www.amazon.com/Strategies-Wealth-Happiness-Americas-Philosopher/dp/0761506160

The Conclusion of the Matter

I struggled with what to say on my blog today. I wanted to say something inspirational so was trying to pull from my experiences this weekend, but some unsettling things happened in church that I can't seem to get off my mind.

It's not the first, nor will it be the last time that I question God re: his church, doctrines etc.  I thank him for creating the Bible as our manual because if we were left up to our own opinions we'd be in real trouble.  BUT even though we all read from the same book we don't agree on everything. What is truth? Is it relative? I'm not ashamed to say that at times I feel confused but I love those times because they catapult me into deeper Bible Study.

"You know.. life is really something else", as my mother would say. I've always been a seeker of knowledge. I've always believed there is an answer for every question and a solution for every problem. All of my deepest conversations with God have been centered around the question WHY? WHEN? HOW? Sometimes I get so frustrated I'm tempted to buck it all and let indifference set in. But then I think of Solomon. The wisest man in the world. He asked God for a discerning heart to govern his people and to distinguish right from wrong and God gave it to him. I live by Solomon's Proverbs. But today I am reminded of his last thought in Ecclesiastes:

Now that all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter:

Fear (revere and worship) God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

(Eccelesiastes 12:13-14)

NUFF SAID.

As promised Part II

I just love candlelight!! If you're on a tight event decor budget candles will always give you the most bang for your buck. All you need is an outdoor event or a room with light dimmers. We surrounded all the centerpieces with votive candles for this event and I used hanging votives for the buffet table arrangements. It was a nice to see the candles glow as the sun set in the evening. Enjoy!

As promised... Part I

..here are additional pics of the East Indian, West Indian, Casual, Fun, Outdoor Wedding. These are the adjectives we discussed with the couple during our first meeting. A mix of their heritage and personalities with an all out rockin` dance party to end the night and that's exactly what it was!  They even surprised their guests with a Bridal Party Bollywood-esqe dance routine! They are the cutest couple and I wish them many years of wedded bliss! 

The wedding transitioned beautifully from day to night. Here are some daytime pics, I'll post the evening ones tomorrow. Enjoy!

Have I lost my mind?

Entrepreneurs are a special kind. You must be in order to take on this daunting task.  As you can probably tell I'm not having a good day. I'm not having one of those "You can do it, just believe Rochelle!" kind of days.  Today I began the process of writing my business plan and I dozed off twice, got frustrated three times, and only have 1 page written!  My floral design business was home based and basically a side hustle so it didn't require much.  But a LEGAL catering establishment is a whole different ball game.  It's almost like opening a restaurant which usually takes a team of people, which makes me ask the question: WHY THE HELLO KITTY AM I DOING THIS???!!!

- because this assignment is bigger than me and my wants and desires
- because I want to assist my husband with his entrepreneurial dreams
- because I'd like to give others permission to be successful by obtaining success myself
- because with God all things are possible

I'll continue to meditate on this... but for now it's time to close the laptop and rest so I can try again tomorrow. Goodnight.

P.S As promised, here are a couple of pics from the Labor Day weekend wedding.  I'll add more in a later post.

Why I love my job.

The wedding we had this past Sunday was awesome! Not because it went perfectly ( I was tempted to spazz when a mishap occurred) but because during this entire process we gained two new friends- the Bride & Groom.

This event challenged us from the very beginning.  It was an outdoor event with less than ideal circumstances but we were intent on making this the best it could be for the couple. Then to top it off... one week before the wedding.... Hurricane Irene decides to wreck the wedding location!  This change seemed to put Murphy's law into effect because after that, whatever could go wrong- went wrong! But we all remained optimistic and prayerful.  Our frantic conversations about the newest "SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!" occurrence, always ended with positive thoughts and a plan of action. And with God's favor, it all worked out.  An expression of love, fun and faith is what I would call this wedding. 

Check out the text I received from the groom today:

Thanks so much for everything! We love you both so very much and could not have asked for a better wedding! You two are truly blessed and an incredible team and amazing partners. We pray the Lord continues to bless you always!

I'm getting choked up again reading it...

Congratulations Sean & Pai!!!  Love you!

My new obsession

I am super excited about the wedding we have this weekend!  It blends two cultures; he's West Indian and she's East Indian. We're doing a menu of traditional Indian and Caribbean dishes which are both quite flavorful, so I hope none of the guests are spice shy.  The venue is a campground in the Catskill Mountains and it's a LONG ride back to Brooklyn if you've got to make a deposit LOL!  But seriously, the dishes have been tapered a bit in the spice category to avoid such situations. 

And it's so good....when doing our research Ted and I found an excellent Indian spot called Urban Spice in Iselin, NJ.  If you're like me and you can eat just gravy over rice (when the gravy is that good) and haven't tried Indian fare, you don't know what your missing! My fave is Fish Malabar, filets of white fish prepared with curry, onions, tomatoes, green chilies and coconut milk....yummy :)

Working on the wedding decor has inspired me big time! I have a new found love for Taj (Mahal) lanterns, Indian Sarees, ethnic prints and the rich colors of magenta and marigold.

Indian decor is big in Interior Design as well.  I walked into the Home Goods the other day and purchased these HAWT lanterns for $17.00 each that I plan to use on the wedding's cocktail buffet table.  I'll post pics of the wedding as soon as I can.  Let me know what you guys think when I do.

In the meantime, I think I'll straighten my hair and wear a sari for a wedding I have to attend in October...... look out for those pics too :)

One of the things I miss about Corporate America..... NOT!!!

Its been eight + years since I left the office job that tried to suck the life out of me (like the mosquitos that would attack on my visits to the West Indies as a child).  Since then I've been working for boutique florists; designing, running the shop etc.  I had no idea how far behind I was in technology until recently.  You see when you're in corporate America you gain computer knowledge by force.  Systems are replaced and programs are updated, so that even the most technophobic employee learns new skills.  This is usually not the case when your employed by boutique establishments. 

I knew that updating my laptop was necessary in order to embark on my entrepreneurial journey, but WHAT I needed? I had no idea.  I couldn't tell my I3 from my 4GB, my driver from my flash drive, or my DVD+R from my DVD-RW. Thank God for return policies and kind salespersons who explained among other things, that I didn't have to purchase a brand new printer after all.

Now let's hope this blog posts correctly...