Bon Appétit

 Bon Appétit is the French for 'Enjoy your meal'. It was also used in many other places such as the name of a magazine. But if you heard this or someone wrote it in an email or a letter, just know that it means enjoy your meal.  Definition by urbandictionary.com

It is a word we always used in my preschool class when the children sat down for lunch.  One of the funniest time children have in school.  The teachers and I would ask them about their meal.  What they enjoyed what they called what they were eating.  Kids come up with the funniest words for foods their parents pack in their lunch box.  One of my student’s mom would bring him a warm meal every day at lunch time.  It was my favorite time in school as a teacher and a director. Listening to the children’s laughter, the teacher’s correction on etiquette and then our laughter as our students tried our corrections.  It is so cute to hear a child say please, thank you, may I, could you please….  They look like little grownups….                                                                                           
                                                                                                                              (Picture compliments of Emily Post website)

I stopped teaching and directing because as my own children grew they had needs and my teaching income did not provide enough to live off of.   Here is a little propaganda.  Vote for more educational funds. 

Event planning is a little like being a teacher and a director.  Only the students are grown up and educating them on etiquette is more like reminding them. One of the funniest part of being a meeting and event planner for my clients is attending the food tasting. Just like lunch time in school adult also enjoy a good time and meal.  I love a good meal just like anyone else.  It is not the meal in and of itself.  It is all the preparation for the day, finding the right combination of dishes that would please them.  Talking with the chefs, clients, finding out their interest and creating a special feast for their banquet is my very favorite thing to do.  It takes hours to put all of these things together.  

If it is a wedding, I get the privilege of speaking with her about her and his favorite foods, and then I have them speak with their parents about their favorite foods.  It is a time for their new families to become one family.  Questions help a client find commend things to agree upon to make the day less stressful.   If there is a match we pick a meal.  In alphabetical order there is a beef, chicken, fish, and vegetarian dish to try out.  The fun part for me is seeing if the chief and I can come up with a combination that will make our clients feel like we know them.  Food feeds our body, minds and our souls.  It helps us spend time we share those we love the most.  At the end of each tasting, sometimes at the beginning, we work some magic with mixology.   We come up with a beverage that has their name on it.  It is a drink the couple or the guest of honor is known for.  It may or may not have alcohol.  Usually it is the main drink that is served throughout the night saving my client money.

Then next time you are looking for an event planner, know that there are hours upon hours it takes to make your event beautiful, to make you feel wonderful to hopefully have your day be as special as the person who hired her.

What Makes Women Beautiful?

Today the top list came out for 100 beautiful women…what does that really mean to the woman?  It really got me thinking about what it means to the woman vs. the man.  Are they the same or different?

As a Christian woman being brought up in a Christian home we were taught beauty is fleeting.  As a business woman I see and speak with so many women who are so amazingly beautiful not just their looks but who they are.  I have to agree with Maxim’s Stephan Colbert’s number one choice. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/22/stephen-colbert-maxim-hot-100_n_1536642.html  There is nothing more beautiful then woman who overcome adversity and become beautiful in and out.  Women who have overcome the past to live again are amazing and should be applauded weather they are young, old or something in between.

Men may look at the outside but God looks at our inside.  How we think, how we treat others and how much grace we show to those who have caused adversity in our lives.  His grace and mercies are abounding.  That is what we are told.  We may be thought of as a “Bitch” dirtyvinylent.com, but the truth is we love our men and can only do so much for him, before we have to get out and not be burned completely.  So right on Stephen Colbert for giving credit to the women who survived!  I too am a survivor!

Knowing when, how to be a beautiful woman is an art in itself.  So thank you to the men that publish the articles of what beautiful women are.  The truth is the beauty is one of those words that can be described in many ways.  It can be looks, money, manner in which she conducts herself in adverse time, or everyday life.  My hope is that I was one of those women that in adverse times I showed the grace, mercy, peace, love and understanding I was given.  Each women has the right to define her beauty within herself and sometimes it’s breaking away from those she love and sometimes is hanging on to those she love with hands as love.  At the end of it all, it is living a life with no regrets even if it turned out different than what was expected.  Like Oprah says “It’s about doing the best we can with what we know”.

OMG! What is under all those wedding dresses???

Weddings, fashion, bridesmaids, mother of the bride (MOB), mother of the groom (MOG) all female attendees.  Okay, women in general, there are things we all love and one of those is to look good.  We love to look and feel beautiful.  From little girls to mature women we all love to feel like we are worth a million dollars.  From our faces to our feet.

This is one of the reasons I love working with brides.  They know that day will be as exciting as a red carpet walk is for a movie star.  All eyes are on her.  Everyone loves and adores her especially the man she is about to marry.  That moment is a moment of perfection and therefore she should feel and look it.  How does this become a reality for any woman?

I always tell my brides it starts with the undergarments.  When her groom takes off the wedding dress on the wedding night she wants to look great.  The lovelier the better.  She can play shy, or sex boom.  Whatever, she wants to be for her man that night is all up to her.  As a wedding planner one of the things I enjoy is gathering the MOB & MOG going up to the room and decorating it for a night of romance.  I will share more on this topic later

The bridesmaids are women who also need to feel imporatant and beautiful. We have all seen the bridesmaid movies out lately describing the horrors of dresses or bridesmaids out there.  In my experience most brides want the best for their bridesmaids and want them to purchase a dress that they will use again.  Very few woman do.  The memories of the night are somehow tied up in the dress.  Bridesmaids need to feel like they are worth a million dollars as well.  Some of them spend a great deal of money just for the honor of becoming a bridesmaid.  It is a way of showing friendship, love and loyalty.  Bethenny Frankel has just launched a like of affordable shapewear for woman.  Here is to the girl who wants it all at affordable prices.

After reading the article by Megan Gustashaw, I thought I would refer it so you too can share with others.  No matter, if you are in a wedding or ever day life the foundation we wear under our garments is what helps us feel like a million dollars.  If we feel like a million dollars we will act like it, if we act like it the possiblities are endless. When everything comes together and you feel, look and act like you are worth it.  Then you are!  So ladies spread the word of what Bethenny Frankel is trying to do.  It is worth sharing. 

Next time you are looking for the perfect item also consider shopping at MK Pure Diamond Events.  Where everything is about you.  www.mkpurediamondevents.com

Thank you to Glamour.com for posting this article. 

Bethenny Frankel Launches Affordable Shapewear Line With Macy's (And Other Shopping News From Across The Web)

by Megan Gustashaw

Bethenny Frankel's affordable shapewear line, called Skinnygirl Solutions, is now available at select Macy's stores across the country and on SkinnygirlShapers.com. Everything is under $50!

Here’s a snap from the ad campaign. Bethenny cast ‘real women’ (i.e. her own friends and employees) as models. The collection has a mix of everyday basics and lacy, racy styles. Chic!

Read More http://www.glamour.com/fashion/blogs/slaves-to-fashion/2012/05/bethenny-frankel-launches-real.html#ixzz1vFb5ueEr

Weddings on a Budget

San Diego is the number one place for destination weddings. For brides on a budget its blue skies and ocean make a perfect backdrop for saying ones vows. When an engaged couple is thinking about their wedding, wedding locations, are a couple of tips.

1. Find the things you both enjoy. Whatever it is earthy types, city types, if you’re a pink girl. It is what you and your fiancé like doing together. Then look for locations. Parks, beaches and historical places tend to be the least expense venue, just the cost of a permit and you on your way to having a beautiful location on a budget; however you will have to add the cost of rentals.
2. One of the things I love doing with the brides on a budget is I take them to the floral mart. This is an early appoint usually between 6:30 or 7:00 to see the greatest solution of flower. Floral vendors start as early as 4 am. Sometimes floral farmers also own florists stores, since they grow the flowers they usually have great ideas to arrange them. I even had one bride who had a lot of friends, we predesigned the table décor and they put the arrangements together the day of the wedding, however this is rare. The cost of the budget went from $10,000 to $300 for all the table décor. Good friends pay off big for weddings when you can get them to help.
3. Photographer is the areas were I do not recommend taking a shortcut or paying less. These are your lifelong memories and they can either make the wedding day fun or a long day, by interrupting the schedule. Just make sure of a couple of things. 1. The photographer must be unobtrusive. 2. He takes as many of the family photos prior to the wedding. All the bride and bridesmaid photos, bride and her family, all the groom and grooms men, groom with his family photos. If the photographer has an assistant it works better. Add in extra time between the ceremony and reception, where you can then take the whole wedding party photos. Let your guest mingle at the reception while you do this part.
4. If at all possible hire an event planner. They have experience in this matter and their goal should be to take the burden off the couple and family and let you enjoy the day.

How to Hire an Event Planner

Posted by Maria Kamon www.mkpurediamondevents.com, www.mariakamon.com, www.meetingnevents.com
From Rob Harb, former About.com Guide

Whether it's your first time hiring an outside event planner to help you with an event or if you only need to occasionally hire someone, it's important to make sure you hire the right person or firm. This doesn't have to seem like a daunting task, but you should make sure you spend time sourcing the best event planners and then screening them carefully. After all, even those who are seasoned pros at this have stories they can share.
Simply follow these steps.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: Biggest Tip: Plan Ahead
Here's How:

1. What is your event objective?

Most people think that hiring an outside event planner or caterer begins by determining the event's budget, but the truth is that it's more important to begin by defining why you want to hold an event in the first place.

Before you reach out to an external or even internal resource who will help you plan that event, you want to be in a position to share the important goals of the event: answer your own relevant questions about who, what, where, when, why and how. There will be plenty of time to make adjustments.

2. Why are you hiring an event planner?

Once you've defined your objectives, a few clear ideas will begin to emerge about what theme and message you want to convey at your event. But most importantly, what activities and services do you need the external resource to handle on your behalf?

Will they help with selecting the venue(s)? Will they build menus and make those recommendations? Are they helping with creating important communication items, such as invitations and other event materials? Do they need to source entertainment and speakers? Will they be needed on site at the event? Will they handle event registration?

3. Okay, now it's time to estimate a budget.

Based on your event objectives, it's possible to create a general sense of how much it will cost for various elements of your program. This will vary based on the type of event you are hosting, and what it includes.

Many people who organize an event for the first time often fall into the trap of wanting to plan a champagne event on a beer budget (no offense intended to beer-themed events - we love those, too). Even that's possible -- not easy, but possible. And that's why many people turn to their event planner for help.

4. Source a qualified event planner.

Oftentimes people think that word of mouth is the best way to hire an event planner for that anniversary party, breakfast business meeting, weekend retreat or other type of event. While it certainly helps, this is probably not the most effective approach.

If you're trying to find the best event planner for your event, then it's best to research someone who is experienced and holds a strong reputation within the community of event planners. Word of mouth provides an opportunity for easy sales for a planner wanting to find new clients, but peer reputation is very effective.

5. Source event planners through professional affiliations.

Regardless of whether it's a social event or a corporate meeting, generally speaking, the rules of hiring an event planner or caterer remain the same. You want to hire someone who has expertise in your type of event.

Consider chapters of professional membership groups. Check with the national or local chapter of Meeting Professionals International, the International Special Events Society, the National Association of Catering Executives, the Association of Wedding Professionals, etc. It's also relevant to find out who is publishing articles in their industry.

6. Source event planners through local CVBs, chambers and hotels.

Perhaps this one is overlooked the most. If you want to know who has a reputation for delivering services or expertise in a particular market, check with the local convention and visitors bureau. Many event planners are active members. They also maintain relationships with local chambers of commerce.

Another way to source experts is to reach out to the hotel convention sales department. While they may want to help you, they understand that many organizations want to consider an outside resource. They'll share with you who they trust.

7. Interview three qualified planners.

Wow, we've only gotten to the point of sourcing and we're just on step 7. It gets easier. Most event planners will be eager to hear about your specific event, but provide them with brief details at first, and focus a bit more about their expertise.

Meeting Clients in Today's World

With our economy being what it is in order to get the client one has to become more creative than the other person. Some business bring in the clients by their advertising or incentives, other use gifts, trinkets or the latest fade Twitter, Facebook and social media.
The most reliable source we can hope for as business people is our client word of mouth. The clients we treasure the most are those clients that take time to get to know us. As a meeting and event planner our clients are priceless. The service we offer is so personal for each individual. It deals with the client’s finances, sometimes personal history or business history; it involves their name and reputation. It is of the utmost importance that we treat each client with care. For we are representing them, we are another voice for them, an extension of business. In some ways meeting and event planners for the sake of that meeting or event we become a part of their branding. It is only with the permission of the client that we can advertise our own business at their event. Usually this is done as a trade for additional service. What I have done in the past when a client allowed me to advertise at their event I would offer an additional service for free. For one client it might be a discount in printing materials, in another it may be an additional follower. Either way, whatever is given should be upfront and part of the contract.
Here are some forms of advertisements that might work. In meeting and event planning referrals are the best. However the next form of advertising that brings in clients is working with the Better Business Bureau, the third is paid advertising. For the corporate meeting planner, traditional advertising always brings in the most clients. Business hire meeting and event planners when their business does not have personnel, time enough to plan their meetings. As a meeting and event planner we strive to offer our clients another way to grow their business. Promotional meetings, thank you dinners, client appreciation socials, are just some of the ways event planners can help your organization.
Next time you are thinking about promoting your business. Consider hiring a meeting and event planner and having a promotional thank you or client appreciation social. This will say thank you to the clients you currently have and a great way to ask for referrals.
Consider hiring MK Pure Diamond Events www.meetingnevents.com

From Brides to Corporations what are the Trends?

After a weekend of talking with brides I needed to balance out my business.  So I went looking to read what are the trends in business for 2012.  For many they are just to keep doing what has made them successful.  It is what Frenches Mustard does.  http://www.frenchs.com   They keep producing what they know best.

Meeting and Event Planners are always looking for a new way to reach today's generation.  A way to help are clients get more clients, for our weddings to better then the weddings of their mom, for the brides to feel more special then their friends did.  Let's face it we are all competitive with each other.  I have found, competition used correctly makes someone better, stronger, more grateful then others.  We can use this competition to better ourselves and others or to hurt others.  It is about the grace we use in those life moments, when change is happening to us.  Sometimes we can control the change but other times we can't.  We just have to accept that change is happening.  This what we are experiencing, when our economy changed so did the event planning business.  When 20th Century Props went out of business, it affected my business.  Did I realize this was going to happen, no.  Who would of thought that entering the 21st Century would affect a company as big as 20th Century.  Many of us in our youth thought we would never live to see the 21st Century...it was too far into the future.

Event planners for the most part try to work with their clients to produce the best product they can for the money the budget size.  In the past few years the trend was to hire an event planner to come in and solve all the problems, that had taken place while the event was being planned by a non-professional.  Corporations and individuals think the less time spent on planning the more money they save.  But when you are cleaning up someone else mess with little time, it makes the cost more, the effectiveness of the individual is more greatly affected and the event/meeting is not looked upon with the respect needed.  Creativity plays a big part in producing a meeting/event to the expectation of the individual.   The relations developed during the planning stages of the meeting/event/wedding should be looked at with more respect then the industry is allowing for currently.  Relationship is what build a branding with the messaged needed for success. 

Mustard is mustard or is it?  Mustard is one ingredient we all grew up with, but what makes it great is we always know what it will taste like, look like, feel like.  It makes it a success.  What makes a meeting/event/wedding a success is putting the branding of the client into it.  This takes time.  Although our economy is growing and meetings/events/weddings continue to grow.  The expectations placed upon event planning still has not regained what it lost during the economy crises.   Educating clients on the importance of an event planner is difficult when you are talking about budget size.  The event planner helps you, your business, your branding better.  Here is hoping corporations and individuals see the importance of allowing time to greatness vs. budget!

Event Planning - Conferences - 11 Meeting Trends That Will Shape 2012 - Successful Meetings