Pink Ribbon Bagel

It is hard to find any food item that makes me just as happy as a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks these days, but a close second is the Pink Ribbon Bagel at Panera Bread. If you don't have a Panera Bread in your area, I feel awful for you, but with over 1000 locations in the country you should be close to one. I was meaning to blog about this a couple of weeks ago, but I forgot. For the entire month of October, Panera Bread features their Pink Ribbon Bagel, made with cherry chips, dried cherries and cranberries, vanilla, honey and brown sugar. A portion of the proceeds go to benefit Breast Cancer Awareness. So you have to hurry, because October is almost over! Go over try one of these fabulous bagels with hazelnut cream cheese and a cup of hazelnut coffee!! DELICIOUS! I love it, good food for a great cause! By the way, if you're reading Panera Bread people, I would buy this year round!

Rich Bride, Poor Bride

Tonight I caught a few episodes of the show Rich Bride, Poor Bride on WE. What a breath of fresh air! There are so many wedding shows which give inspiration to many engaged couples out there. Some are good and some not so good, in my opinion, but this show is a great one. It begins with a bride and groom meeting with a wedding planner and revealing all of their aspirations for their wedding day. After the discussion of all the wants and needs the couple gives over the budget amount in an envelope to be revealed at the end of the show. What's so good about this show is that it's all about the budget and it shows that sometimes your dream wedding doesn't tie into your realistic bank account. It was a fun little game for me trying to guess the cost of the wedding and if I can pat myself on the back, I was always relatively close.

So engaged couples out there, check this show out. Unlike the shows with the gazillion dollar budgets, this show, well the few episodes I watched, is pretty much in line with the average cost of a wedding so you may find it more beneficial. Happy planning!

I've Been Green Tagged!

I have been "green tagged" by Rashana who writes the blog After YES, Before I DO & Everything In Between. So, the challenge is for me to share a few ways that I am introducing environmental sustainability in my daily life.

Well, this has been a huge topic of conversation at my house with my husband whose spent time laughing at how I've totally jumped into this. He's not making fun of me, but he just thinks its funny how I've jumped on the bandwagon. Well it's a good bandwagon to jump on, I think! But one thing he has said which definitely has me thinking is, "Just because you're recycling doesn't make you totally eco-friendly". Well, he's right, but it's a start. It's the beginning of a lifestyle change that everyone can take part in. So here are ways that I am making an effort to be more eco-friendly:

1) In Charlotte, NC we are currently in a drought so we have made conscious effort to conserve water.

• We don't run the water when we brush our teeth
• We don't run the dishwasher unless it's completely full
  
• I have lessened the time I'm in the shower in the mornings
• My two year old daughter's bath has a lot less water (luckily she hasn't noticed yet)

2) I recycle everything. I recently posted about recycling and I actually learned that there are a number of things that I can recycle that I haven't been recycling. Soon I'll need another bin.

3) I have spent an astronomical amount of time reading and researching the trends, products and vendors for eco-friendly weddings. I think it is my responsibility to be able to offer sustainable options to my clients if they are interested in green options. If you are planning a wedding or a party for that matter, take time and research the different options available. There are some great vendors out there making amazing products that make your event beautiful and keep our environment healthy.

So now, I have to tag someone else. Hmmm.... this game has been going for a bit so I have to find some folks who haven't been tagged.
1) Randi at Always Fabulous Events
2) Whitney at Brown Sugar Designs
3) Preston at Inspirations and Transformations

Thank You Notes: Yes You Still Need To Send Them

When was the last time you sent someone a Thank You Note? I'm not just talking about a note for your wedding gifts, but a heartfelt thank you to someone who did something or said something to you that you thought was thoughtful and uplifting. We all are so busy with the daily grind, that I think we've forgotten what we learned in 2nd Grade, how to write letters. Well, a thank you note isn't a drawn out letter, but it is a handwritten message sent via mail to someone. So we'll say that's close enough. I know it's so easy to send that person an email and say "Thanks so much for lunch", but to get a nice card in the mail makes a much better impression.

So, if you're stumped, here is a quick little cheat sheet to help you write a thank you note. We'll use my lunch example stated earlier.

1. Give an appropriate greeting: Dear Kristen,
2. Simply say thanks: Thanks so much for lunch today, I had a wonderful time.
   
3. Say something nice about the item or gesture (in this case): The food was wonderful and I really enjoyed your company.
4. Mention the past and hint at the future : It was great to meet you and I look forward to working with you in the future.
5. Say thanks again: Thank you again!
   
6. Give your regards: Sincerely, Shanika
   

See, very simple and I bet it will mean a lot more than just getting an email!

Photo taken from Etsy.

Easy Pumpkin Centerpiece - DIY

I love Martha Stewart Living Magazine. I've been a subscriber for years and it is often my inspiration for my own personal DIY projects. Here is a great one that was listed in this months issue. With all of the parties coming up, this may be a cute addition to your table.

Tools and Materials

A round pumpkin
Cylindrical-shaped container
Knife or pumpkin-carving tool
Pen
Pumpkin scoop or spoon
Flower food
Water
Seasonal flowers

Pumpkin Flower Vase How-To
1. Put the cylindrical-shaped container on top of the pumpkin, to use as tracing guide. Using a pen, trace outside rim of container and score for a perfect fit.

2. Cut off the top of the pumpkin. Be careful not to break the stem when removing the top.

3. Scoop out the pulp on the inside with a pumpkin scoop or spoon. Discard pulp.

4. Place the cylindrical container inside the pumpkin to hold the flowers.

5. Pour water into the container and add flower food.

6. Arrange a variety of seasonal flowers such as dahlias, cockscombs, rose hips, and mini crab apples.

Friendly Competiton for a Great Cause!

On this past Saturday, The Luke Pier Foundation held it's First Annual Softball Tournament. If you are a ball player and you missed it be sure to contact them to be included in the next tournament. It was great! I am so happy to have been apart of this wonderful fundraiser and am extremely grateful for the hands-on experience it gave me in doing some planning for a sports related fundraiser. I had a great time getting to know the Pier Family and hanging out with my partner in crime Kim Marshall (see below)!

By the way, if you are having a wedding coming up and want to make a donation to a nonprofit organization on behalf of your guests instead of buying wedding favors, please consider The Luke Pier Foundation as the beneficiary.

Recycle Please!!!

Today is Blog Action Day and I've had such a busy day that I've almost missed blogging about it. Today tons of bloggers all over are taking time to write about one topic, our precious environment. How does your environment look where you live? Are you doing anything to improve it? I know sometimes you may ask how can I help, but you'd be amazed how much help YOU can give. Well, here is an easy one for you, recycling. No matter how busy you are or how little you know about the state of our environment, you can recycle. Basically, recycling prevents the waste of materials and reduces energy. Yes all from you recycling.

I know in my city of Charlotte, NC we have the CURB IT program which encourages all residents of the city to recycle by just bringing your little red bin to the curb. Now don't bring it to the curb empty. :) Below is the list of all of the items that can be recycled in our local area and I'm sure it's pretty standard nationwide.

• No.1 and No. 2 recyclable plastics (milk jugs, liquid detergent bottles, plastic soft drink bottles, etc.) Please rinse and remove lids. Lids are not recyclable and should be placed in the garbage.
• Glass - Please rinse and remove lids. Lids are not recyclable and should be placed in the garbage.
• Magazines and Shopping Catalogues - Both magazines and home shopping catalogues are recyclable. Place them in your red Curb It recycling bin or with newspapers. A brown paper bag may also be used, NOT a plastic bag.
• Newspapers - Newspapers and inserts are recyclable. Place them under the Curb It bin or on top or beside the glass, aluminum, metal and plastic in your bin. To prevent newspapers from being blown by the wind, you may stack them on top of, beside or underneath the recycling bin or place them in a brown paper bag. Please no plastic grocery bags.
• Cardboard - Please place cardboard at curbside for recycling collection. Cardboard cannot be scheduled for bulky item collection. To ensure collection, please make sure that all cardboard boxes are empty, cut into pieces no larger than 3 feet x 3 feet, flattened and stacked neatly at curbside on your scheduled collection day.
• Plastic Bottles - Please remove the lids and crush the plastic bottles before placing them in the recycling bin for collection. Lids are not recyclable and should be placed in the garbage.
• Spiral Paper Cans - Spiral paper cans, round cans with spiral grooves on the side and metal bottoms, may be recycled. Remove any plastic or metal lids and rinse or wipe out any remaining food stuff.
• Steel Cans - Steel food containers should be rinsed out to remove any remaining food stuff before placing in the red Curb It recycling bin for collection.
• Telephone Books - Each year the City collects out-dated residential telephone books. Place your directory in the red Curb It recycling bin or place underneath with newspapers.
• Aluminum cans - Please rinse and crush cans before placing them in the recycling bin.
• Junk mail - Mail and envelopes can be recycled.
• Mixed paper
• Gift wrap

This is the easiest thing you can do for our environment. Instead of putting the plastic bottle in the trash can, just recycle it. It's just that simple. This is something I'm even teaching my 2 year old to do. Hopefully, tomorrow morning when you finish with that box of cereal you'll place it in the recycling bin instead of the trash can. Mother Nature thanks you!

Why Did I Get Married?

First of all I had no idea this movie existed, because with my 5-6 hours of week of tv I get to watch it's all on the DVR so that means no commercials. But anyway, last night, I went out to the movies and completely enjoyed Why Did I Get Married a great movie written by Tyler Perry. This movie was absolutely great!! Without giving away the movie it really is a simple movie of how after 10 years of married couples can completely allow their own personal needs and wants to get in the way of their marriage. And it got me thinking.

So many couples put so much emphasis on their wedding day that they don't prepare properly for their life long commitment to one another. I think sometimes people get obsessed with the hoopla of the flowers, the cake , the dress that they forget the reason for it all. So for starters, engaged couples out there, I'm recommending you all to see this movie. It can be a great conversation starter between you guys and get you talking about some issues you may not have discussed. I think, well let's say I know, it is important to prepare for your wedding, but it is more important to plan for your marriage.

Elegant and Simple DIY Project

I was perusing my DIY sites tonight, I'm feeling a little crafty, and I ran across a beautiful DIY project on the DIY Network. The project is creating this beautifully decorated Candelabra Garden designed by one of Charlotte's talented floral and event designers Carolyn Shepard. I am not a wedding planner who says you shouldn't do things on your own, I just say you shouldn't do everything on your own. So, here are the supplies and steps needed to make this your own masterpiece. I, of course, am not feeling super ambitious to take on this project tonight, however, when I get started on it I'll be sure to post my pics. Have fun with it.

Materials:

2' length of ivy garland
Roses (mixed shades of red)
Cymbidium orchids
Celosia
Pink spray roses
Pink Gerber Daisies
Red Dahlias
Magenta stock
Floral wire – 24=gauge
2 ¾" red wired satin ribbon
Scissors
Electric skillet and Pan melt glue

Directions:

1. Twist several vines of ivy together and secure with green floral wire.
2. Wind the satin ribbon through the entire garland, gentle tucking portions of the ribbon into the ivy.
3. Heat an electric skillet and add the pan melt glue. Dip stems of largest blooms into the glue, then place the blooms throughout the garland.
4. Dip stems of smaller blooms into the pan melt glue, then cluster those flowers throughout the garland until full.
5. Once the glue is completely dry, wind the garland around the candelabra by securing in place at the top with floral wire. Wind the garland around to the bottom and allow the end to rest on the table.
6. Add candles to candelabra, then place votive candles around the table.

Wedding Budget

Do you have one? Brides often ask what should be done after they've shown off the rock and gotten hugs from the families and friends. Well, my dears, you need to set a budget. Oh, I forgot to to add a very important word, a realistic budget!! I know, I know it's so easy getting caught up with all of the beautiful ideas seen on tv, the bridal mags and the internet. But only you and only you, know what you can afford. So, if you aren't interested in paying for your wedding months after you've come back from your honeymoon, I would suggest a realistic budget and stick to it.

Having a budget not only helps you but helps wedding planners, like myself, who are trying our hardest to make sure we stay within if not under your budget, all while giving you that dream day you've been looking forward to. Your wedding should be done your way and your aim should not be how can impress my guests, but it should be a day planned with you and your darling in mind. So, to start you on your way to happy wedding planning, take a look at this general budget and let that be your starting point. Your wedding planner will be so excited when you walk in for your consultation with a budget worksheet already started.

Here are some general percentages of what your expenses may look like on your wedding day. These percentages of course are subject to change.

• 5% -Ceremony
  
• 48% -Reception
  
• 10%- Attire
  
• 9% -Flowers & Decor
  
• 8% -Music
  
• 12% -Photography
  
• 2% -Transportation
  
• 3%- Stationery
  
• 3% -Gifts
  

Giving Back Feels So Good

On this past Friday, I had the distinct pleasure to participate in a Celebrity Book Reading for a local elementary school. Wait, I of course am not a celebrity, but there were local celebrities there taking time out of their day to read to classes. This event as well as the book drive was organized by high school senior, Arthur Hairston for his senior project. We didn't have those when I went to high school. But anyway, this was a great event and it definitely shows the maturity of some of our youth. The goal of this project was to create more awareness of how poverty and a lack of resources can affect children's ability to learn to read. This was an excellent project and I walked away feeling great about myself and being inspired by those students a read to. Arthur raised over $1100 for the school and collected 1000 books. I'll say that is an A+++ for his project! Great job Arthur!

Here are a couple of pics from the classes I visited and they truly made me feel like a celebrity!! :) By the way, taking pictures of kids is a very hard task to accomplish. : )

Happy 1st Anniversary SJB Weddings & Events

Today, one year ago, SJB Weddings & Events was born! I can't believe it has been a year already. This first year was a great learning experience. I literally learned something from every event we did this first year.

I have set big goals for next year and hopefully these goals can be accomplished. We have a new ad campaign in Carolina Bride Magazine this quarter in order to create more exposure in this area and I am also in the process of revising our website. So, if you are engaged and you're not sure of what to do next or you know you may need a little help, please contact us for a complimentary consultation to discuss what your needs are. Don't forget to ask about our referral program!

Happy Planning!

Sustainable Wedding Favors

I read once that if you're giving a wedding favor to your guests it should be either something edible or useful. First, I must say that I am aware of the state of our environment and I do my part, but I can always do more. So, if you aren't having a "green wedding", but you would still like to do something to help our environment, here are a few ideas that will make an impact on your guests and make you feel great.

The I Do Foundation. Have you heard of it? I'm sure you have, but if you have not, their vision is "in time, charitable giving will become an integral part of the culture of weddings and other life events". I think that is wonderful and they make it really is easy to contribute to any charitable organization. Here is how it works:

1. You can basically support any nonprofit organization with your favor purchase. You select a charity of your choice (you can also recommend one if it isn't listed with the I Do Foundation.
   
2. You decide the amount you'd like to give. You can give a set amount or donate dollars per guests.
3. You order placecards letting your guests know that you have made a donation on their behalf to a particular charitable organization.
4. You make the donation to I Do Foundation and then they will make the donation to the organization on your behalf.

This is such a wonderful idea and it is sure to make your guests feel good and it will make you feel good knowing that you've spent money for a worthy cause.

Did you know that if every American home replaced just one light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb, that there would be enough energy saved to light more than 2.5 million homes per year and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of nearly 800,000 cars? I didn't know that. Hmm.. I need to run out and get some new bulbs! Well this would be an excellent favor for your guests with a beautiful bow and a little note explaining why they should change their bulbs. What a great gift to send each guest home with and it's USEFUL!

Another great idea is to give your guests seeds to plant a tree. This is a wonderful way for them to look back year after year and remember your wedding, but most importantly, it is a great way to help our environment. Plant A Memory is a great site to check out if you are interested in giving a gift that can help fight global warming.

I hope I've given you a few ideas that you can use to make your impact on making our environment a better one, even on your wedding day!

Fall is in the air!

Well, I guess that depends on where you live. In North Carolina it still feels pretty much like summer, but I'm hoping it will get cooler really soon. Although I haven't been able to whip out my sweaters and boots yet, I still like to celebrate the new season with my favorite staple of the fall season...food! One of my favs for this time of year is Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Latte!! Yum, Yum! So if you're thinking about having a little party since it's cooled down a bit, here are some food and decor ideas that will get your guests into the autumn mood.


Photos: Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Latte, pine cone tapers: Candlebay.com, gourmet pretzel sticks: www.popularweddingfavors.com, pumpkin centerpiece: www.thenormandinfamily.com, Molasses Spice Cake and Caramel Apples, www.mslo.com, candy buffet: www.theknot.com