10.02.09
Toys for Tots + Swann Soirées = HAPPY KIDS
That’s right! Swann Soirées has partnered up with Toys for Tots to help collect toys for families in need for the 2009 Holiday Season.
Cerimone Studio is now an OFFICIAL San Diego drop-off location! Woot!! I am so excited at the opportunity to help bring some happiness into the lives of the benefiting kids & families.
Toys for Tots started in 1947, it originated as an idea from a Marine’s wife named Diane who hand-crafted a doll & wanted to donate it to a child in need- turns out there was no organization that did that sort of thing, so her husband created one. NICE! Just the way I’d do it!
Many of you are probably familiar with the organization, for they really put a countless amount of effort to raise money and collect toys throughout the year. Besides, who can really miss the dashing Marines, dressed in what I think are the best uniforms of the Armed Services, standing tall at the drop-off locations these last three months of the year? Lures me into going to buy a toy just so I have an excuse for my staring! Don’t worry, Dayton already knows I love the Marine uniforms more than the Navy ones… no need to gasp…hee hee. Nothing beats a man (or woman) in uniform! Toys collected will be distributed to families & non-profit organizations throughout the country in December just in time for Christmas morning (hence why efforts & collection drives start “early”).
Alright, so the details: I’ll be collecting new, unwrapped toys AND checks (made out to the Toys for Tots Foundation) starting October 2nd, between 5-8pm at the Cerimone Studio during “Friday Night Liberty”- a monthly Open House event at NTC Liberty Station. You can also drop off any toy or check donations at Cerimone between 9:00a – 4:30p M-Th, Friday, Saturday & Sunday hours will vary, but I will be updating Facebook & Twitter with those times. You can also mail donation checks to the Cerimone Studio.
Please know that this may be the ONLY toy a child could get on Christmas morning, your love & attention at selecting a gift is very much appreciated, in other words… Make it good! Also, due to potential health risks from allergens, no stuffed toys.
XXO!! THANK YOU SOOOO VERY VERY MUCH!!!
Cerimone Toy Drop Off Info:
M-Th 9:00a-4:30pm
Friday Night Liberty Dates are as follows:
Nov. 6 & Dec. 4 5:00-8:00 pm.
Toys will be collected until December 10th.
P.S. Fellow Wedding Pros… if you want to get involved with Toys for Tots by donating your services, please contact me! All kinds of help is needed & greatly appreciated! xxo!!
09.04.09
Hear the thunder from down under part deux (II)
Before we continue through the rest of the adventure that was Oz. I am going to share more pictures of our morning frolic with the roos. The two pictures I posted previously were really unimpressive, plus I didn’t tell you that we saw them at Lysterfield National Park. Although some of you may run among the wild roos often, I certainly do not and I think a few more amateur pictures will be sorta fun for you to look at, and perhaps better illustrate how TOTALLY COOL it was to say good morning to Oz that day.
Roos say: Peek-a-boo who foreigner??
We're outta here!
The trail wa actually pretty cool too...
How many roos do you count?
Ok so back where to where the first post left off… I had fun hanging out with the koala, en-route to Phillip Island, where Janey spent many a summer living it up. We however, were going there to try
Janey & I on the pier at Phillip Island
and catch the penguin parade. Sadly, we didn’t get a chance to see the penguins for tickets sell out quite quickly and we really lagged on getting to the box office. Oh well… guess we’ll just have to go back to Oz! We did manage to have some fun though, which included eating fish & chips… one of my favorite indulgences when I travel. Have you ever noticed that everywhere you go, they always have fish & chips?? I am determined to eat fish & chips… everywhere I go. I know, glamorous right?!
NOM NOM!! Fish & Chips!!!
As I mentioned in the first post, I normally travel alone, and without a set agenda. Usually I like to see, do, & eat the quintessential things that are to be seen, done & had at the specific location, the rest is just adventures. However, being that a) I was not traveling alone, and b) I actually had purpose in my destination- visiting Janey. I got to spend time doing just “regular things” like having Sunday lunch with her family, and going for a night out on the town.
Our Top Chef! Jane's dad 
Janey's dad pointing out the veggie patty's he made for Jane & I.
By the way, if you want some very refreshing Victoria wine… get some of this:
yeah, this was delicisouly refreshing!
Our night out on the town, in St. Kilda, where Dayton was hit-on by a French Man, grown men played silly drinking games, and where I discovered the drink I now call the “Ideas” (or the “Brenda” if you try to get it at the PL Bar & Grill across from the Cerimone studio!):
Doing shots of tequila through a straw... this obvisouly wasn't the first drink of the night!
The "Ideas": Vodka Tonic with Raspberry syrup & lime! YUM! Credit goes to Janey for this one!
Man I miss Oz!
to be continued…
09.03.09
Hear the thunder from the land down under… Part I
I know this is a very late Trip Report, for it’s been almost six months since my trip to the Land Down Under… But I am going to tell you about it and show you a few pictures anyway. We all like pictures right?!
Going to Australia was a very late 30th Birthday present to myself. Not that I needed an excuse to go abroad, but it all seems so much more justified when there is a reason to go overseas in the name of celebration. Truth is that I really just wanted to see my beautiful friend Jane, who I met in 2006 while traveling through Greece, and who had not seen since our wedding in 2007.
Jane lives in Melbourne; The visit took place during the Easter Holidays (yes Easter and not Spring because it was actually Fall in the southern hemisphere during our Spring but it is still Easter none-the-less), with a tail-end trip out to Sydney for a few days before returning to the States. Originally I was going out there alone, but some last minute changes allowed Dayton to join me for a week, making Oz our first official trip (abroad) together…and boy was I nervous! Outside of our honeymoon & a small cruise we took back in 2005, we had never really traveled together, and I have always been sort of a “loner” when it comes to going places afar… That is just how I enjoy traveling, adventuring it through like a grown-up version of Dora the explorer, on my own with no agendas or worries, much less a person to be mindful of. As it turned out, we actually had a lot of fun! Due to his schedule, he was only there for a week, but then I was joined by my friend Melissa, who captured some of the images you will see on this post.
I tell ya, D & I loved Australia SO much, we are actually considering retiring to Melbourne, that city is the best combination of suburbia, countryside, and big city living all in one. Not to mention that the people are wonderful and the dogs even seem happier there. As it stands now, when we finally make it out there, I can apparently clean house with a Mexican Food restaurant (the Aussies love them some real Mex food) or doing what I do best… Weddings, for there really isn’t a whole lotta wedding planners/coordinators around out there. Whatever the case, Melbourne officially beat out Istanbul as my choice city to retire to (which is probably a good thing since I don’t think I would have EVER convinced Dayton to move to Turkey-LOL!)
So here folks begins our photographic journey through of our trip:
Approaching Landing in Melbourne!
Upon landing & showering, the first thing Janey did was take us to a pie shop… but not a bakery, an Australian Meat Pie Shop.
Dayton enjoying his Meat Pie!
After having our meat pies, we went for a long walk (one of many long, on-foot excursions) to Brighton to see the Beach Boxes.
Visiting the Beach Boxes in Brighton... these fancy sheds are own by the rich & almost famous of Melbourne
Photo by Melissa McClure
In the following days we explored Melbourne. What a magnificent city!! There was just enough of everything and its all accessible! Safe & calm suburbia is just a short, reliable, train ride away from the big city. Your back yard is the lush outback, beautiful nature surrounds every part of Melbourne There is enough culture & sports to balance out a fun yet intellectual lifestyle…and yes, there is even a fair amount of Bogans to keep things interesting. One of my favorite aspects of Melbourne was that it is uber dog friendly, I am not kidding when I tell you that the dogs out there just looked happier, and were pretty much allowed everywhere, on many occasions I noticed doggie water bowls outside establishments & restaurants, as well as a few places that even had leash racks, picture bike racks, but shorter, where you could just leash up your doggie while you went inside…and yes, they were dog racks, I asked! Did I mention the people were fantastic? They were! So dang friendly! Everyone greets you on the streets, when you go into their shop, on the bus, it’s so refreshing! Fellow runners & walkers cheer you on when they pass you, yes, they say “Keep at it!” “Good job!” “Almost there!”- so encouraging! For the first few days I was running with Jane I thought all the people we were passing by on the trails knew her… but then she told me that they didn’t, that’s just how fellow sportsmen are there. Nice! I know it may sound odd, but I tell ya, it makes your exercise routine that much more enjoyable!
Here are some of my favorite things in Melbourne :
The market in Downtown Melbourne.. I just LOVE street markets!! This one is like the perfect mix of a Mexican street market & an organized, clean grocery store. And NO, Farmer's Markets are not the same...
The Melbourne Gaol (Jail)- Australia was founded by convicts you know...
On the Southbank Promenade of the Yarra River Bank with Janey, downtown Melbourne in the background. I just LOOOOVED it here!
The Square at Downtown Melbourne - love cities with "Squares!
Janey’s boyfriend Ben is a trainer for the Western Bulldogs, an Australian Rules Football team, which is my NEW favorite sport to watch! We went to a couple of games while we were there, and I LOVED it… so much fun, and the fans are for real (so hardcore- ALL of them) … I loved getting official gear from Ben too, I was totally decked out at the games!
It was a FULL HOUSE for this game... and apparently it's like that at every home game, for each team in is respective city (except for Sydney).
All decked out in my official Bulldogs gear!
Trying out the stadium food...I think that was a sausage roll. Just like out here...totally overpriced and overcooked.
As mentioned earlier, we did a lot of on-foot exploration… Jane is a marathon runner, who exercises extensively, every single day, at the crack of dawn… as it seemed MANY Aussies did… So every single day while there, we took an excursion or two on foot to run or hike in the “Bush” or National Preserves ALL over the place (did I mention I actually lost a few pounds while out there?). It was magnificent- I saw SOO MUCH wildlife that way, granted half the time I couldn’t stop long enough to take a picture (and no I didn’t have my iphone with me)- but it was an absolutely genious way to see the country in all its natural splendor. One of the days, Janey made sure I took my camera so that I could snap pictures to my hearts content of all the wild kangaroos at this particular park. We had to wake up at 6am to get to see them, but it didn’t take more than a second to spot them, and they were all within arms length… it was WILD!
Well good morning Mr. Wild Roo!!
Brekky time Aussie style!
Look Ma!!! Looky how close I am!
Then of course we visited a wild life sanctuary where we got to feed “tame” roos & koalas too!
Dayton's new BFF
Actually D has a bunch of new BFFs, it took me a while not to be scared of feeding them too... them suckers are STRONG!
I preferred the uber sleepy Koalas! Who have claws & jaws of steel, but are yet so fluffy!!
Ok ok… I think this is a good place to “be continued”…
09.02.09
Maiden Name, Married Name…
There are many things that every single couple should talk about and have a clear understanding of before they get married…NO, I am not talking about the type of cable service you should have, or who will take out the trash, or even the never ending debate of whether or not ordering take-out counts as “prepping dinner.” Although all of the above are important, none is near as serious as a bride’s name change.
Yes, yes, this is quite the sensitive subject, yet the one at fault for many pre-wedding fights these days. Do note that when I say pre-wedding, I mean within the 30 days before an exchange of vows is to happen… In the midst of paying off vendors, finalizing menu items, and kindly attempting to let your bff know that she/he cannot bring their new fling to the wedding, couples will get in horrendous fights over the (seemingly) ever-so-antiquated tradition. I, unfortunately have bared witness to many of these fights… talk about awkward, escape is near impossible when caught in the middle, especially when the fight literally sparks out of nowhere. Ugh. Often things get so heated that all rationality is lost beyond even sonar detection… “I really think this is a private matter… I am going to let myself out or maybe we can re-schedule our final consultation…” No pretty folks, not pretty.
Perhaps in our modern times, a bride changing her name to her husband’s after marriage has become unexpected to some, yet it is something that happens without question for others. Neither of you will ever know until you discuss it together. While I do not intend to provide any sort of historical evidence, interpretation or professional pre-marital advice, I will simply share my opinion: TALK IT OUT!
It is imperative that you & your spouse-to-be talk about this subject (and ideally agree) early in your engagement. Don’t just touch on the subject either. Share with each other what your feelings and expectations are, why it means so much to you to change/not change names. You have to find a balance between practicality & emotions, family history, perceptions of independent, etc, etc. Whatever importance you have placed on your name (as the person holding it or the person who is changing it)… talk about it. Agree to find resolution BEFORE the wedding, and the moment you get stubborn and irrational and you feel anger taking over the discussion quickly turning into an argument… take a break, agree to talk about it again when you’ve both cooled of. Additionally, try not to have this conversation with everyone else first– everyone has an opinion (right, like me…) but with a sensitive topic such as this one, one less co-worker’s or friend’s outlook, may actually help you discuss this with your fiancée in clarity, rather than built-up angst.
Personally, I could NOT WAIT to get rid of my maiden name; Dantes, which is now my middle name solely for the purpose of having a middle initial and preventing my initials from being “BS”- ha ha, yes, go ahead and giggle.
Done laughing?
Ok good…
As I was saying… For the most part, I had grown quite tired of telling people that I didn’t know the origin of “Dantes”, that I was not Italian, or that there was no apostrophe between the “e” and the “s” like Dante’s Inferno. I had also grown quite tired of correcting people who pronounced my name “Daintees” “Dohnte” “Danes” or any other ludicrous butchery of a simple name- not that Swann has fixed that actually… people still butcher my name unnecessarily; “Swain” “Sean” “Swanson” and “Shaw” are the top… and my personal favorite, the lady a Vons who said “Thank you Miss Sanchez” as she handed me my receipt just the other day… I tell ya there is no winning. BUT THE POINT is that without second though, I planned on changing my name after getting married, for I had no desire to hyphenate it. I never talked to Dayton about it and it really was a non-issue. BUT At no point did I feel like I was losing my identity or any part of my independence as a woman. I also do not feel like “property” or that I have disrespected my family or heritage in any way. I guess it just worked out for us, and I am glad it did, because, swans are a lot cuter than fiery pits of hell, and I would have been one of those people fighting with my fincée just a month before our wedding if things would have been different.
08.19.09
I heart Photobooths!
It began at the young age of 13…At the Aquarius Roller Skate rink in La Mesa (native San Diegan’s might remember the place now looong gone). It was the place to be on Friday nights… But it was not because the Milli-Vanilli/NKOTB/Boyz to Men, slow-song sets where you could scandalously hold the hand of your crush in the dark, nor was it because the DJ always played my requests… it was because of the PHOTOBOOTH! That’s right, I liked going to the roller rink so I could get into the photo booth with my girlfriends, boys, and just about anyone that happened to be walking by…. (like the guy working at the snack bar or the guy who worked at the skate shop inside the rink).
Every single Friday night I spent there, I made sure to have 5-10 dollars, in one-dollar bills, so that I could squeeze-into the booth with my friends. Back then, it was the only way to have instant gratification of silly moments…although not quite as instant, because there was no digital screen to show your pictures as they were taken, there was just the mirror that you stared into with the camera lens above it… and hopefully the pictures would be cute. I am laughing right now as I remember the tiny little box, no really, it was a TINY space, that we packed in! I think it was harder to manage our roller-skate bound feet as we were getting in there than anything else… then once we were settled in, we still had to get the money in the dollar-eater, which often would not take our wrinkly bills… The teeny booth had an orange stool that could be adjusted by spinning it, yet it never seemed to get taller or shorter… the “backdrops” changed too; this one had an Orange, Blue, or White curtain. If we were feeling “craaazy” then more than two of us girls would giggle through the entire set of shots, which were very fast, snapped without warning, and often found us sticking more dollar bills in that machine so we could have do-overs or copies. Man… I need to dig up all those old shots!! I even remember that the only other place that had photo booths back then was the Del Mar fair… but those shots were THREE DOLLARS per strip… total rip-off to the 13-year-old me who made $3.50 an hour babysitting.
As you may all know, Photo booths have come a very very long way since then, and they are by far one of my favorite Wedding Favor ideas around…yes even more than the “Peas in a Pod” salt & pepper shaker and the personalized shot glass… Hard to believe I know… LOL ☺
Most of the photo booths that provide printed photos on the spot will put your monogram or names & wedding date on it, or you can even submit the artwork from your other stationery so that everything matches all the way around.
There are a ton of options these days for photo booths too, at every price level; from the classic booth with the strip that prints outside the booth (in color or black & white), the digital photo booth which allows you to email the images (like this) directly from the wedding (this one is from Keshot Photo Booths), to the photo booths set up by photographers (see shots below from Anika London Media), and one of my newest booths of interest, the “Photo Lounge,” by Mint Photo Lounge where you can fit up to eight people, or perhaps even more depending on the level fun you are having at a wedding.
Ultimately, the end result is the same… an opportunity for your guests to have fun & be silly (whether alcohol induced or with the aid of props)- making your wedding that much more memorable & enjoyable. I often walk by guests who are planning out the series of shots while waiting in line… it’s hilarious! Heck, I’ve done the same thing when given the opportunity. So much fun!!! Picking out the props to use is also entertaining, and no need to buy fancy stuff, hit up your local thrift store or clearance rack at any party store and look for cheap, silly things, like hats, puppets, face masks, stuffed animals, silly glasses, feather boas- or better yet, your dad’s closet for a cheesy old Hawaiian shirt & hat, or mom’s jewelry box for her old Mardi Gras beads… hee hee!
If you get a photo booth that prints double copies of the photos are not only good favors, but also it is another way to have a very creative and interactive guest book that people might actually sign. You can set up a table next to the booth with craft supplies & a scrap book, then let people have fun with it… Talk about a great coffee table book for your house! I tell ya, I have to find a reason to have a party and have a photo booth!
Below are some fun shots & examples of different photo booths I’ve had the chance to sneak into at some of my weddings:
Classy Photo Booth- El Cortez 2008
Love it when we I get in there with the family & bridal party!
Working hard! Melissa McClure, Susan Yee, & myself at The Sheraton Harbor Island
Celebrating with Mark & Christine + Groomsmen!
Light*Ink*Ideas... Bringing Cerimone into the photobooth!!
This one is by Foto Cabina, at Ocean View Villas
By Anika London Media
By Anika London Media
08.07.09
Failures, epiphanies & a birthday…
I know I am a bit behind on blogging, and for that I apologize…This is my attempt at trying to catch-up with a tri-topic blog, better get your “ relaxin’ ” on, this is gonna be a long one!
Let’s start with Fitness Endeavors: Week 3 & 4
Well, there have been no endeavors really…. It’s been established that I have challenges with my eating habits. I can continue to make excuse after excuse on all the reasons why I’ve been completely incapable of conquering what is really a simple issue of effort. I have put forth very little effort to establishing & committing to any sort of eating habits. I try, I really do, but not long enough to make a difference, and I think I am actually starting to put my trainers’ patience on trial now. I mean I am sure that they don’t feel good about the fact I’ve lost zero weight in the amount of time I’ve been working with them. I see them three days a week, been doing it for a little over a month now, and while I feel great, have noticed a significant change on my strength, toning & endurance…no weight has been lost.
And now… just weeks before the Disney Half Marathon, I’ve had to make the very tough decision to not run it- hell, I am starting to wonder if I’ll even make it walking. For I simply have not spent enough time training… The last time I ran a half marathon, I spent almost 10 months training, and it was well worth it… this time, I’ve had very little structured training, and it’s not as if I can just lace up my Nike’s and do it….run 13.1 miles effortlessly. I’ve had to be quite honest with myself, a tough thing to do when you think you’re supergirl… I am very disappointed, feel like a failure if I stop to think about it too long, yet I’ve quickly gone into the state of accepting it… I’ve got too many other things going-on to dwell on the fact I’ve not prioritized personal time more efficiently to meet my goals. Perhaps the fact that I am happy in my life takes the “feeling like a failure” sentiment down a few notches. But it is, never the less, a failure.
Why do I do, what I do? Do-be do-be do…
Recently I had a potential client ask me the above question (minus the do-bees). While I wanted to answer with “because it makes me happy”- since it does, I found myself pondering the question as if I was trying to answer the never ending-saga of which came first, the chicken or the egg? I was stumped, I didn’t know what to say…my happiness seemed so insufficient and quintessential to be a “real” answer- and in the cynical world that we live, happiness is sometimes just not enough to close a deal. Fortunately for me (or everyone really!), I like to have my Socrates moments and think things out anyway, and I did…
In the midst of “thinking” – that occurred over a span of a few days. I happen to be spending some time with a colleague who posed the same question to me in a totally different context… then suddenly, VIOLA! At that moment I had to stop and get to a computer, so that I could type out to this potential client, why it was that I do-be do-be dooed… what I do. Running the risk of sounding even loonier than saying “because it makes me happy”- I realized what it is that makes me happy and why I do-bee the way I do…. Are you ready for it? Wait…wait for it… wait…
I do it because I have always wanted to be part of a BIG OL’ family, and planning weddings sometimes gives me the great privilege to become a part of a couple’s family, be it for 18 months or maybe just 18 weeks… we share so many moments along the way and build such amazing friendships that there is no way to avoid being happy. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve got my “own” family… but most of them I’ve not seen since I was 10 years old, at home in Mexico. I have loads of family; they just aren’t here and worse… I don’t know them at all 
My immediate family, sans husband, was five people until my dad passed two years ago, since then it’s been just Mom, Brother, Brother, certainly not what you expect out of a Mexican right? I mean we’re supposed to have big ol’ familias with so many tias, tios, primos, padrinos, etc. etc. (aunts, uncles, cousins, god parents)… so many of them that you can’t even remember who’s blood going through who’s veins got you to a spot in the family name. Counting the husband, I have a bigger family, brothers, sisters, grandparents, and even nieces & nephews… but they too are all far away, spread between Iowa & Florida…uugh!
So alas, I am left with all of these beautiful brides & handsome grooms, their parents, best men, maids of honor, silly aunts & crazy uncles, overbearing grandmas, pervy grandpas, and all the in-between… I am left with happiness, and often, with everlasting friendships & bonds…. That is why I do what I do. Because as I said in the email I wrote to my now client: “I really enjoy helping build the memories you will hold on to for many many moons, and while i realize you aren’t going to remember me specifically down the road.. you are going to remember the planning, your day, you’ll see the pictures… and that’s really what excites me, that you can have those stories to pass on to your kids, grandkids… etc. I love what I do because it’s like the huge family I always wanted, it might sound cheese-ball, but I am ok with that… one giant cliche of a cheese ball I’ve got no shame!”
Happy Birthday to me!!
I love my birthday! In case you didn’t know, August is “Brenda Month”- I call it that because I pretty much spend all month “catching up” with all kinds of friends who are so kindly wanting to help me celebrate my birthday, but with busy schedules all the way around, there is no avoiding celebrating all month long… Oh and I just LOVE it… This year, I kicked off Brenda Month on my actual date of birth (the 3rd) by spending a day at the Hotel Del Coronado Spa… Oh was it ever so glorious!! My husband so kindly arranged (all the way from Afghanistan!) a day full of pampering and relaxation. At first I was completely against it… only a crazy person takes a WHOLE day off in the middle of wedding season, I mean really, who’s got the time?! R & R come in the off season; December never looked so sweet!! LOL. Anyway, the pampering started off with a mimosa brunch, and was followed by a sugar body scrub treatment, hot stone massage, facial & eye treatment, paraffin mani & pedi- and capped off with a little poolside cocktail. It was amazing… I can’t believe he doesn’t send me to do that every day! All kidding aside though, “Brenda Month” started off great, it’s moving along marvelously, and I am so excited for what’s ahead!
Birthday Mimosa?? Why yes, yes please!!
Aaahhh... can this be my everyday??
07.24.09
Happy 5-Year Anniversary: Sophie & Tyler
“When you are in love you can’t fall asleep because reality is better than your dreams.”
~ Dr. Seuss
How time flies! I cannot believe it! Today is the FIVE YEAR anniversary of my dear friends Sophie & Tyler. Who coincidentally happen to be the very first couple whose wedding I was DOC for. Their wedding day was start of what I’ve grown to be today… Sophie’s trust, encouragement, referrals, (and French grammar skills) has been a huge contribution to the existence of Swann Soirées (not to mention her patience & forgiveness for all the mistakes I KNOW I made that day!). The feeling I got after being such a big part of Sophie & Tyler’s day is the same feeling I experience every single weekend when exchanging the same “Thank-yous, love-yous, and talk-to-you-soons” with my couples at the end of their night. I will never forget that day outside the Holiday Inn on the Bay, exhausted, sweaty, and totally thrilled…consumed with the possibilities and hopes… I vividly remember calling a friend of mine and telling him how incredible I was feeling after such a long day. Amazing!! It was a magical night… in so many ways! Granted, it took me a while to really get it all together, but they were the inspiration, start, and the accelerant.
Today, Sophie continues to provide me French grammar & spelling help (she speaks it fluently, and teaches it at a local high school). She and Tyler are parents to two of the most beautiful little girls you’ve ever seen, and to one of the coolest dogs ever, Miller (who was Flash’s class mate in puppy school, where Sophie, Tyler & I met!). They are amazing friends, the kind you thank your lucky stars for… LOVE YOU GUYS!
Félicitations Sophie & Tyler… Cheers to many, many, many more happy years together!!!
Miller & Flash at puppy School
07.23.09
Feeding the (vendor) Bellies
I know what you are thinking right now… there is an irony about writing a blog on feeding bellies when I have such a challenge making time to eat on a daily basis.
However, on wedding days, it is like I am a different person. Not only do I get plenty of sleep the night before, but I also make sure that I eat & stay hydrated throughout the day… Running around for weddings is no cake walk! But before we go on to question my reasoning on eating habits… Lets focus on the subject matter; Feeding Vendors at weddings/events.
Most people who are planning a wedding for the first time, might find it odd that many of the vendors who will be servicing their event for the majority of the day, request to be provided a meal as a condition on their contract. But its not uncommon for this sort of thing to be either implied or be part of the contract, I have it as a part of mine, and it even specifies that it be a vegetarian mean (not because I am vegetarian but because I have so many random allergies, it’s usually the safest choice!) The alternative to not providing a meal is that the vendor leaves your event to find their own food… posing a slight little problem to the service being provided, especially if they are a photographer, videographer or DJ. Additionally, if you happen to be at a venue that is not in a centralized location for a quick bite to eat… we face a few more challenges… timeline nightmare!
While I do not think it is necessary to feed us the same meal as the guests, or seat us among them. I do think it’s important to get us re-energized for all the fun still left in the night (nothing is worse than a passed out vendor!). Usually, when all the vendors have an opportunity to sit down together for a quick break, we are also “task planning” or reviewing for the remainder of your event. It is when we cover important items such as the correct pronunciation of names (for toasts or speeches) for the DJ, or strategic placing of you during the bouquet & garter toss, with the photo/video team or maybe we are running early/late and need to adjust the timeline a bit. There are so many elements important to us a team, that a quick second to review (and eat!) really allow us to do what we do best.
Obviously, all of this has to happen before the rest of the wedding starts to get on its way. Which brings me to a second point about feeding the vendors… it is usually best for us to get our break when “nothing” is happening. Which is usually during dinner, when everyone is just enjoying meal and conversation- there are no moments that will be missed on photo & video, and no music that needs to be changed in response to the crowd. Customarily, I advice my clients to feed the vendors right after they (the couple) and wedding party & families have been served or excused to the buffet. Back to the team effort, often times, between me & the DJ or the caterers, we come up with a plan (before your wedding) on how your tables will be served or excused for dinner- that way people in a buffet style wedding, aren’t left to try and figure out when they are going to eat because the DJ or the coordinator are MIA. Ultimately, feeding your vendors at the top of the dinner hour allows them to get back to work quicker!
I have in the past worked at 5-Star venues that have had issue with feeding the vendors early for some reason. When it’s happened, I encourage couples that instead of arguing it through with the catering sales-person who refuses to add it to the BEO timeline, just go along with it (and don’t forget to order the meal!), for I will normally deal with the kitchen staff on the day of the wedding anyway; they totally get it! 9.9 times out of 10, we’ve all been taken care of just fine regardless of what the BEO timeline says… ☺ Nothing a little Sweet Brenda Talk can’t accomplish!
Ok no, but seriously, it goes back to being that “Team” effort for your wedding, and catering teams usually understand what it takes to have a successful event too, so we all do our best not just for ourselves, but for everyone we want to work with in the future!
Thank you for feeding our bellies!!!
07.21.09
Fitness Endeavours: Week 2
I said it before, and I will say it again… I am not afraid of exercise, sweat, or any type of physical exertion for the benefit of my health, for fun or just because I can…I’ve got functional limbs & I’m gonna use them! Week #2 of training was fruitful on the strength building part, so-so on the athleticism, but a near failure on the nutrition part. Put it all together and I feel as if I am setting myself up for failure or perhaps just a really bad physical burn out!
I must point out that a few years ago I completely overhauled my eating habits; I truly don’t believe that I eat poorly or make bad choices, I also don’t stop myself from eating whatever I want, it’s a matter of portion & frequency control really, bottom line is that choices or nutritional value is not what I struggle with… It’s the actual consumption. BUT I am not sure why I am having an incredibly hard time eating with any sort of consistency- I don’t even know when I began to not require any sort of sustenance to make it through the day, nor how it is I don’t stop what ever it is I am doing long enough to have a bite… shoot I stop to update my facebook & twitter status, why not feed the belly??? Everyone knows, calories = energy. If you don’t eat, whatever eventually goes into the body, no matter how good for you it is, WILL turn to fat. >>SIGH<< So what is my deal??
I can tell you that I try to at least have one meal a day… and that’s usually breakfast. There is no grumpier Ogre than a Brenda without brekky. My norm is yogurt, banana, apple, some sort of carb (toast or bagel) with fatty happiness, ie: peanut butter or cream cheese…oh and sometimes I like to have me a BIG FAT scoop of cottage cheese… yuum!! I also looove OJ, or even some naked juice happiness…it’s like my coffee. But after brekky… it’s as if I forget or don’t make time, perhaps through the day, if it’s handy, I will have an apple or crackers or as of late, hard boiled eggs as a snack, but that’s it. No more food unless I have a lunch or dinner meeting…where I devour my entire plate of food like some sort of cannibal. LOL. It’s actually quite the sight, reminds me of the friends episode: “Joey doesn’t share food!“
But moving away from the struggles in the eating world, after week two, I am already noticing changes in my body from the work outs. This is when I am happy about the fact that I have been active most of my life… I can pretty much gage if and when my body is responding to a program (not to mention it helps me decide whether my money is being well spent or not). As of now, one of the most noticeable changes are in my core strength & posture (which are also the hardest exercises I think!). Being that I spend a lot time either sitting in front a computer or on my feet for 10+ hours a day, my core strength is incredibly important. There is nothing worse than back problems… I’ve seen people suffer immensely from having weak backs & bad posture. I do not want to be that hunched over person who can’t walk extended periods of time at 60, 40 or heck even at near 31! Not to mention that when you are 5’ 4” you want to add height anyway you can! Good posture helps give the illusion of a much taller & trimmer body ☺ When I first started seeing Greg we discussed this as being one of my fitness goals and he’s really been working me on it, as well as giving me simple tips to remember on days I’m up and about all day (such as wedding days), it makes such a difference! No more having to hide behind the DJ booth so I can do some quick yoga stretches! I have also noticed that my running endurance has improved, what a difference it makes to run with a strong core! Whoa! Loving it!!
Alright, so for week three of my twelve-week program, the goal to be tackled is the food…. Man, will I conquer it??!! Thanks for checking-in and for cheering me on!
xxo!
07.19.09
Disgruntled Midnight “Bride”
I had an amazing wedding Saturday evening at El Cortez Downtown… just amazing & beautiful. As usual, I am the last person person out the door, I had finished loading up my car with the centerpieces & cake that were to be donated to the SD Hospice, when some really big car blocks me in the space where I was parked, I could hardly tell what kind of car it was, silver, big, with big ol’ blinding lights… then a woman begins to nearly scream out the window at me:
Crazie: “Do you know if there are vacancies in there?!!?”
Me: “This isn’t a real hotel”
Crazie: “Well I just called and the foreigners are answering tonight…they could not tell me if I could book, who do I talk to??!!”
Me: “Uhm, I am not sure, I don’t work here… “
Crazie: “Well what were you doing there?!!!”
Me (a lil scared): “I was the wedding coordinator for this wedding, you can try to call on Monday morning…”
Crazie: “Well I really need a room… I spent $12,000 at somewhere in Coronado and they f’d up my wedding…”
Me: “Do you need help? Do you need me to call someone for you?”
Crazie: “Does it look like I need help?? I am a LAWYER for Blah & Blah!! I just want to have my wedding by the beach!? IS there a problem with that?!”
Me: “No, but this is not the beac…..”
Crazie: “Who is your boss???!!! Who do I need to call… I don’t understand why I can’t get an English option… these banks are ridiculous…I got stuck in the vestibule in San Ysidro today and its $#@^% ridiculous I can’t get a room!”
Me (as I am frantically trying to find the non-emergency police #): “I am not sure, but if you have the number, call Monday, ask for sales”
Simultaneously, I am trying to post on twitter or FB because I was starting to get a bit nervous… I mean everyone was gone, incuding the El Cortez staff and here I was trapped in my car by a crazy lawyer bride with a $12,000 credit at some hotel in Coronado…. I just wasn’t sure what to do… clearly she was on drugs or something… Then she decided to start yelling about the children of today…. going on fancy summer camps instead of delivering books to the kids without… and that Father Joe Carrroll was too demanding, and it is ridiculous that her wedding that NEVER HAPENNED cannot be turned into a New Year’s party. She wanted to have a new years party at the horrible hotel, which was now in Santa Barbara, where she could not have her wedding in the first place because her assistant screwed it up…
Crazie: “I answer my own damn phone you know!!! I don’t know why she answered it.. she ruined EVERYTHING!!!”
Then she continues to tell me about her fat bridal party who can’t fit into a Navy Blue dress she found at JCrew for nearly a steal…
Ok do note that my car is running, I’m in reverse…I am dialing everyone and their mother hoping someone can pick-up the phone at midnight (sorry if called you), and this crazie wont budge… I was officially scared.
I continued with the same song and dance for about 45 minutes, telling her I didn’t work there, El Cortez is not a real hotel and agreeing with her that the children of today are spoiled rotten…need to read more books… the whole bit…
Then… as quickly as she had cornered me into the parking space I was at.. she takes her big fat SUV and pulls out and is nowhere… she was dense …hooting & hollering loudly… and I finish backing up my car…
The whole ordeal was quite strange yet funny, yet none of the above…
I am so never leaving a any venue ALONE ever!!!
