You Are Engaged!

Congratulations!

It’s the moment you’ve been dreaming about, you are ecstatic and can’t wait to tell everyone.

You are so excited because  the wedding you’ve been dreaming and planning in your head all these years is about to become real when you suddenly feel a wave of panic as you realize that you have so much to do and so little time  – what a daunting task!

This is where a savvy event planner comes to the rescue to ensure the process is not such a daunting task but an enjoyable journey. Even if you are a DYI bride, consider hiring a “Month-Of” Planner to assist you in pulling it all together.

Here are a few tips to help you get started:

·        Set your budget

·        Choose your venue

·        Select your vendors

·        Start Planning

Happy Planning!

Animation courtesy of sliderocket

Happy New Year

I know, I know, it’s almost February but this year, I'm thinking New Year's Day is not going to be just that first day in January but view every day as a new day in the year. Maybe this way, we will strive to do the things we planned to do and not feel disheartened about not accomplishing our goals. 

2011 was a busy year, it was a “noisy” year too, and it was also the year where I reflected about many things after celebrating one of my big birthday milestones. 

I realized, I didn’t read enough, I didn’t write enough, my mind was constantly racing and I was trying to accomplish way too much in a short period of time while still giving 200% to my clients and my family. I need to slow down, take a deep breath and remember that I am only human. I need to take some time out for myself and do the things I enjoy doing. This is imperative in maintaining a well-balanced business and personal life. Hmmmm… I think I'm sounding like a life coach? 

 2012 started with a bang! A New Year’s Eve Wedding. We worked very hard, didn’t get home until 4:00 a.m.  After all is said and done, when your client is extremely happy and pleased with your work, that’s all that matters despite all the challenges it took to get the job done.  When you receive that fabulous testimonial, you feel an adrenaline-charged rush, a feeling that preps you for the next challenge. Isn’t that what we all strive to accomplish?

With that said, thank you to all my followers for your loyalty and staying in touch. 2012 is going to be a greater year! I’m excited about my upcoming projects as well as future collaborations with some fabulous people in the industry. So, stay tuned as we bring you up to speed and post many more fabulous articles and finds. 

Happy New Year again! 

Communicating with Clarity

The Management Report Center published a document called 50 Most Misused and Abused Words in Business Writing that used to be available online. I discovered the article a few years ago and have since been unable to find it online again*. Luckily, I saved a copy, and am able to share some of these with you!

If you are a business owner/operator, ensure that your published materials (whether print or online) are free from some of these common errors that spell-check might not catch! This list is helpful to all, and I hope many of you catch these mistakes when you come across them!

I chose to share only 21 of the 50 listed, but please feel free to leave a comment if you would like to see more in a follow-up post!

accept, except
accept - (verb) to agree with, take in, receive. Example: We accept your decision.
except - (preposition) apart from. Example: All committee members are present except for Ms. Brown.

acute, chronic
acute - (adjective) sharp, intense, critical. Example: The company has an acute shortage of skilled workers right now.
chronic - (adjective) constant, habitual, long-lasting. Example: She is unable to work because of a chronic illness.

adverse, averse
adverse - (adjective) unfavorable, opposing one's interest. Example: They found themselves in adverse circumstances.
averse - (adjective) - antipathy, repugnance, having the feeling of being opposed. Example: She is not adverse to increasing her workload.

all right, alright
all right - fine, OK. Example: It's all right to leave early.
alright - incorrect spelling.

assure, ensure, insure
assure - (verb) to state with confidence, pledge or promise. Example: I assure you the check is in the mail.
ensure - (verb) to make certain. Example: Following the instructions ensure you won't get hurt.
insure - (verb) to purchase insurance. Example: insure the package before you mail it.

compliment, complement
compliment - (verb) to give praise. Example: I complimented Steve on his speech.
complement - (verb) to complete something or match it well. Example: Her skills complemented the needs of our department.

disburse, disperse
disburse - (verb) to pay, distribute, scatter. Example: They disbursed name tags to everyone attending the meeting.
disperse - (verb) to drive off, spread widely, cause to vanish. Example: The throng of fans dispersed into the stands.

farther, further
farther - (adverb) at or to a greater distance. Example: We are located farther down the highway.
further - (adverb) more or additional -- but not related to distance. Example: We need to have further discussion on that.

fewer, less
fewer - (adjective) of a small number, only used with countable items. Example: He made fewer mistakes than last time.
less - (adjective or adverb) to a smaller extent, amount or degree -- used with quantities that cannot be individually counted. Example: If the made less noise, we could concentrate.

imply, infer
imply - (verb) to suggest. Example: What are you implying by that accusation?
infer - (verb) to deduce from evidence. Example: From the look on your face, I can infer you're not happy with the decision.

*If this is your article, please let me know by sending me an email or leaving a comment below so that I may credit you.

E-Reader 101

Amazon Kindle, Apple iPad, Barnes and Noble Nook, or Kobo eReader...

Choices, choices and more choices... we are constantly bombarded by the "newer and better" in electronics. So, how do you decide?

According to an article I read in my National Association of Female Executives (NAFE) Magazine, "carrying the new bestseller in your already-too-heavy workbag is so last century. With all the reading you do to keep your competitive edge, consider investing in an e-reader."

But which one should you purchase?

David Carnoy, executive of CNET had the following suggestion to NAFE, who considers him the smartest techie they know.

E-READER: Amazon Kindle (from $139 amazon.com)
PRO: Long battery life: turn the wireless on and read for up to three weeks, turn wireless off and read for a month. 4 GB of memory means you can store 3,500 books.
CON: No expansion slot for adding more memory. Battery is sealed into the device and isn't removable. Not compatible with loaner e-books from libraries that use the EPUB format.
BEST FOR: Someone who has a long reading list, looking for user-friendly device and doesn't usually buy books on the fly.

E-READER: Apple iPad (from $499 store.apple.com)
PRO: Multiple features including Web, email, photos, video and a large screen make it an all-in-one package.
CON: The price tag.
BEST FOR: Someone who is looking to do more than just reading with the device.

E-READER: Barnes and Noble Nook ($149, new Nook Color listed at $249 barnesandnoble.com)
PRO: Large library with more than a million e-books, newspapers and magazines. Wi-Fi connectivity. 2 GB of internal memory as well as an expansion slot for additional memory.
CON: Lacks a text-to-speech feature. Color LCD appears to have a significant impact on battery life. In-store reading and loaning capabilities come with notable limits and caveats.
BEST FOR: Someone who is looking for more bells and whistles and doesn't mind the shorter battery life.

E-READER: Kobo eReader ($139, recent listed price drop at $99 borders.com)
PRO: Now available on Wi-Fi. Users can select more than 2 million e-books.
CON: Text and images are black-and-white only.
BEST FOR: The occasional reader who isn't looking to make a major investment.

Do you own one or more of the above? Which would you recommend and why? Have any other pros/cons to add to the list? Let us know by leaving a comment below!

Tweet Your Way to Better Business

Using Facebook as a marketing tool is almost mandatory. But before you ask clients to friend you or follow you on Twitter, consider the most effective uses of social media. Here are some tips from Giovanni Gallucci, an award-winning new media producer, author and digital media strategist.

Research. Learn how to find your existing and potential customers. Search for groups and buckets of people who share a demographic on the social media sites, then join the groups and start interacting.

Expand, don’t replace. Use social media to amp up current strategies, not replace them. “Some small business owners and entrepreneurs think social media is going to come in and replace their other types of advertising and marketing,” says Gallucci. “We find best success when we use sites like Twitter to compliment other advertising and marketing tactics.”

Build slowly. Start with just one, two, maybe three sites that make sense for your industry. Try tactics like building groups for disseminating information, posting giveaways on Facebook and sharing links about new trends on Twitter.

Protect your reputation. Be mindful about how your brands and products are perceived. Be careful about what you say online and how you respond to a customer’s posted comments and concerns. Address any problems and clearly explain what went wrong.

Keep up the momentum. If you don’t find value initially, don’t give up, Gallucci advises. There’s no magical number for how long it takes to get traction. You need to give yourself enough time so you can build a following.

Source: NAFE Magazine (Smart Talk)

Happy Easter, Happy Spring!

Here's hoping you had a wonderful Easter weekend and that Spring is off to a good start for all! Check out this creative Easter project featured on the Martha Stewart website... The Incredible Egg!

Click here to find out more about the project, as well as other neat, crafty finds!

Washington D.C.’s Top Ten New and Anticipated Venues in 2011

1. The Hay-Adams Hotel Rooftop: with a panoramic view of the White House and downtown Washington, the new space opened in January after undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation. It features floor-to-ceiling windows, a wraparound terrace and has five additional separate rooms to for customized events for groups of 15 to 300.

2. Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel: Less than one mile from Reagan National, this space opened in March in the Arlington section of Crystal City. It features 15 meeting rooms with more than 17,000 square feet of meeting space.

3. Graffiato: A two-level restaurant seating 150 people will be Top Chef Contestant Mike Isabella’s first restaurant coming in the spring and offering an Italian-inspired menu. Groups can reserve the second level for events.

4. Lincoln: Recently opened this spring, this 210-seat space includes private dining, a main dining room and a bar area.

5. Todd Gray’s Watershed: this 6,500-square-foot restaurant space on the second floor of the Hilton garden Inn in Washington, D.C. will feature a seafood menu. Initial plans are for the dining room to sit 80 people including a 20-seat bar, a patio, and several banquet rooms to seat 165 people.

6. Fiola: Slated to open this Spring in the Penn Quarter, the 140-seat restaurant will offer what Chef Fabio Trabocchi calls "gourmet but accessible" menu that will a huge difference from what he offered at his previous restaurant, Maestro.

7. The Virtue Feed and Grain: Coming to the Town of Alexandria in the spring of 2011 will boast a two-level, 316-seat Irish-American pub with views of the Potomac River, Waterfront Park, Wales Ally, and Union Street with an additional 60 seats on the elevated deck on Wales Alley.

8. The Hirshhorn Bubble Museum: Designed by Diller Scofidio & Renfro of New York, is scheduled to open its new space on the mall sometime in 2011 but the 145-foot tall inflatable auditorium is scheduled to be inflated during the summer of 2012. Within the bubble, the courtyard will accommodate 500 to 800 seats for an array of public events.

9. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial: Designed by the Roma Design Group, the new $120 million is scheduled to open on August 28 featuring a 30-foot statue of Dr. King called the "Stone of Hope" created by sculptor Lei Yixin of China.

10. Italian Cinema/Italian Shirt Laundry: Mark Weiss, the restaurateur collaborating with ABDO Development will open two new Italian-themed restaurants in the 14th Street Corridor in late 2011, Italian Cinema and Italian Shirt Laundry. Stay tuned!

Thank you, BizBash Media.