bcgevents

Beautiful Weddings: Temi and Jide

2012-02-01T21:27:00.000-05:00

Hello lovelies, of course we are back, and back to blogging beautiful weddings. This week we feature a wedding from our archives; Temi and Jide. When they came to us to design their event, we were excited with their theme of Modern Elegant Simplicity, and when we saw their venue, we ABSOLUTELY fell in love. The setting at Addison Park is absolutely divine. The Modern vintage appeal to this space provided enough inspirasi for their wedding event and it is with absolute joy as we present these photos. Thanks to Brooke Fitts of Brookelyn Photography for capturing the details.
Enjoy!

Be Inspired: Blush Heavenly Dream

2012-01-30T23:27:00.002-05:00

Hello Readers!!

Today I want to share with you some color-spirations!! I know one of the biggest things for a bride to select are her wedding colors. So I'm here to help! If you have any requests on color ideas you would like to see together, send me an email or leave a comment and I'll post an inspiration board to give you a jump start on things you can do to make your wedding look amazing!!

Here, we have a very soft, wispy, romantic palette! You should be able to pick up on hints of blush pink, ivory, mauve, and antique gold. I predict we will be seeing a lot of these light, soft colors this wedding season.

Borrowed from The Perfect Palette

Here are some other things you could add to complement your colors:

Trend Alert: Lace Sleeves

2012-01-25T22:20:00.005-05:00

Princess Kate's long sleeved wedding dress of course became the most popular dress of the year, she singlehandedly brought sleeved dresses back in style! Some even call it the, "Kate Middleton Effect". Many style experts and wedding dress designers are predicting that this wedding season we will see a return to a classic, clean and more refined, demure look. Long sleeves on a wedding gown were once MANDATORY when getting married in certain religions. Now it is completely optional and a beautiful fashion statement! Sleeves can be worn in many different styles and fabrics. Right now the most popular is lace. I found a couple of pics of some long sleeved gowns that I think are stunning!

Click highlighted words under photo for Photo Source

What do you all think of the long sleeved trend?? Would you wear it?

Stay Beautiful My Loves,
Memi

Happy New Year and Welcome Back!!!!

2012-01-19T19:11:00.000-05:00

Hello Readers!!!

Bye-Bye 2011!!!! Welcome New Year, welcome new heights!!

Welcome back to our blog!! We took a break to let the holidays pass and let all of you settle in but we are back! We are ready to have an exciting and fun-filled year with you all!

Could be you!!

This is such a busy year for BCG! We have so many amazing weddings coming up including MINE! Loll! We are so eager to see how this year will unfold. We will be doing some new things with our blog this year. We will still have our Ah! Mazing Vendor and Beautiful Wedding features but we will now be sharing trends, inspiration boards, and the most EXCITING thing we are doing this year will be a FREE wedding giveaway! Yes that is right, we will be planning and designing a wedding for a deserving couple with a compelling love story to share with us!! I will have more details about that as time goes on, so stay tuned with us!

We are ALSO looking for more wedding bloggers!! If you have a passion for weddings and love to write and blog! Please contact me at bcgblogger[at]gmail[dot]com. We want you!

Stay Beautiful My Loves,
Memi

What Are We Watching? Diann Valentine's I DO OVER!

2011-12-20T21:04:00.003-05:00

Anybody that knows me, knows I am a wedding show fanatic. You name it I watch it...everything from, David Tutera's My Fair Wedding, Four Weddings, My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding (pretty interesting show) to my FAVORITE Say Yes to the Dress. A show that I have been really into and excited about lately is I Do Over, starring THE Diann Valentine. When I discovered this lady and read about her work I was so confused as to why she did not have her own show. So when I learned of this show I was SO excited. This show introduces us to a couple that is already married but had a disaster or unfortunate event ruin their wedding the first time around. Diann surprises them and takes on the role of a Fairy Godmother and promises the chosen couple a second chance to have the wedding of their dreams! So right after the couple's excitement subsides, Diann explains to them she will plan their wedding in FIVE days! Yes FIVE days!

So this takes the couple up in a wedding planning whirlwind where they select linens, choose florals, cake tastings, and pick out a dress. Diann takes care of the rest and keeps the wedding location a secret from the couple. Anybody that is familiar with Diann's work knows that these weddings are TRULY fabulous and something that I'm sure most people couldnt even imagine if they tried! Here are some photos of some of Diann's weddings.

Photo by Mike Colon

Photo by Gavin Wade

This is SO different I love!! Photo by Mike Colon

I wanted to blog about this show because it is great to see a beautiful, successful black woman on television doing something she loves and is wonderful at!! Not to mention her fashion sense DEFINITELY keeps viewers on their toes! Her hair and shoes ALWAYS brings me joy, hahaa! Support the show and watch! Make sure we keep the seasons coming! New episodes are aired on WE TV on Sunday evenings at 10pm. Check your listings because the show re-runs alot!

Check out her website and her blog HERE!!

You can also check out a clip of her show below!

Stay Beautiful My Loves,
Memi

We've BEEN BLOGGED!!

2011-12-12T09:25:00.002-05:00

Hello Guys!!

We had an AWESOME wedding season and now some of our favorite photographers are getting around to blog some of the gorgeous weddings we were blessed to take part in!

You may remember Lola & Dolamu from a few posts back, we did a mini feature on them and they had a little chat with us here on the blog.

You can find even MORE pictures on Dotun's Photo Lounge .

We also have a couple of pictures from Eddie & Wendy's wedding! You may remember them from their engagement session we blogged a few months back. We are so proud to say we were responsible for the planning, coordination, and decor for this beautiful event!

Here are a few pics from their AMAZING wedding and you can find WAYY more pictures on K.Bobb's Photography Blog! Go there now!

Make sure you leave some comments on our blog and the photographer blogs to let us all know what you think!!

Stay Beautiful My Loves,
Memi

Ah!Mazing Vendor Feature: Ink Hearts

2011-12-01T20:02:00.004-05:00

Hello Readers!!!

It has been quite a while since we've had a vendor feature so I'm really excited to introduce you to Ata, the founder of InkHearts! InkHearts specializes in couture invitations and stationary. When I came across InkHearts I immediately fell in love with the beautiful color combinations and the various paper textures she uses to make her invitations stand out amongst the rest. Read on for the interview I had with her! Thanks Ata for taking time out of your schedule and chatting with us!

BCG: Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into the stationary business?

Ata: As a teenager, I always found myself dabbling into things that involved using my hands. My interests spanned from sewing, baking, hairstyling and the like, until I found my niche with creating invitations. In 2008, I designed a masked theme invitation for my 30th Birthday Party and the feedback and inquiries I received from folks gave me the extra push I needed to start off the business officially.

BCG: What is behind the name "Ink Hearts"?

Ata: The way the name, "Ink Hearts" came about is sort of off the wall. My siblings and I were hanging out one day and I brought up the topic of wanting to register my stationery company but could not come up with a name. They went to work and within thirty minutes,the name Ink Hearts was borne. In simplest terms, the name Ink hearts signifies putting pen to paper to create designs borne out of love.

BCG: What motivates you every day? As a female entrepreneur I am sure you are busy with so many things and have a lot on your plate, what keeps you going?

Ata: I am pretty sure that we all have several things going on in our daily lives and the truth is sometimes, we all need that extra push to keep going. That is where my family comes into play. I am motivated every day by my family, particularly my children. They make me want to do better, strive for more in life.

BCG: Where do you seek inspiration for your designs?

Ata: Inspiration could pretty much come from anywhere. Sometimes, it could be my clients, functions I have attended or more recently, I was absolutely inspired by a recent trip I took with my girlfriends to Marbella, Spain. There were streams of complementary patterns and bright colors everywhere. It got my mind working overtime so much so that I could not wait to get back and put it all together!

BCG: How do you manage to stay competitive? In an industry like the wedding industry there are sooo many people doing EXACTLY what you do? How does Ink Hearts stand out?

Ata: There is so much talent out there, it' ridiculous and I mean that in a very good way.However, I still think that there is always room for improvement and innovation. We (Inkhearts) pride ourselves on excellent customer service and that personal touch. Which ill not only make us have repeat clients but also rope in referrals. Without advertising that much, I' say 90% of our clients have been through referrals. In fact, we have worked with several clients indifferent parts of the world without meeting them face-to-face. I think that says a lot about what we do and what we are about.

BCG: What kind of couple is an "Ink Heart" couple?? How would you describe the market you cater to?

Ata: Our clientele, typically are generation x and millennial folks, who want to do away with cookie cutter stationery and are ready for something new and different. We also create event stationery as well and do not limit our work to just wedding stationery.

BCG: What do you love the MOST about what you do?

Ata: I feel blessed to be able to do what I do, sometimes putting in long hours but still loving every minute of it. A week ago, we received rave reviews from a ouple that were so overjoyed with their invitation suites. That always puts aWIDE smile on my face.

BCG: Do you have a piece that is your favorite? If so what is it and why?

Ata: You know, I havent really identified one as my favorite but lately, the gate card and pocket card designs are becoming client faves.

BCG: Who is your dream client? Who would you loveee to work with? Could be celebrity, public figure, friend or family, whoever! And why?

Ata: We strive to treat all our clients the same and provide that personalized experience. However, I will know I am going places when we serve our first celebrity client.

BCG: Where do you see Ink Hearts in the next 5 years? 10 years?

Ata: I am so optimistic about the future of Inkhearts and God willing, our dreams shall come to pass. In the next few months, we will be opening our studio/paperie store in Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria, which I am overly happy about. To be honest, it is a bit scary but like the saying goes, you never know til you try? We are taking that leap to see where the road leads us.

A 10% discount will be offered to anyone who places an order of 200 or more invitation suites by JANUARY 31st

A 15% discount will be offered to anyone who places their order of 200 or more invitation suites by DECEMBER 31th

To get your hands on some InkHeart invitations you can contact them thru:

p: +234 807.478.3309 (Nigeria)

p: +1 678.467.1911 (USA)

e: ata@inkhearts.com

w: http://www.inkhearts.com/

Beauty Sightings: Beautiful Bridesmaid Photos

2011-11-23T13:42:00.002-05:00

Speaking from someone who is having a huge bridal party I love looking at bridesmaid pictures and gaining inspiration from poses to overall looks. I've come across some pictures that make my mouth drop and some that have me scratching my head like...okay that's interesting, lol! So I'm just sharing some pics with you that I've collected so far!

all photos taken from my fave wedding TUMBLR

My jaw dropped at these dresses.

Really HOT pic!

They MUST be fans of Sex & The City! Tres chic :-)

This reminds me of the Disney princesses! I love it!

THISSSSS is my vision! I LOVE chiffon!

Can YOU tell which one is the bride?? I'm not sure why it looks like they all have on the same dress, lol.

Whew!! I thought my bridal party was large, lol they look beautiful though!

So many different shades but strangely...it works!

That would be me all the way on the left throwing up gang signs to the camera, loll!

Country girls!

I think I'm gonna try this pose...what do you guys think? Need a few cheesy ones in there!

Tell me what you think about these looks?? DO you think you could go the mismatch dress route? Did your bridesmaids wear matching looks? What are your opinions on it? Talk to me!!

Stay Beautiful My Loves,
Memi

BEAUTIFUL BCG Wedding: Dupe & Yanju

2011-11-16T23:44:00.003-05:00

I am excited to share with you another beautiful wedding the BCG design team was blessed to be a part of this past year. Now before I say anything else PURPLE is my FAVORITE color...if that wasn't already obvious lol! So needless to say I am in LOVEEE with this decor! I love the flowers, the washed in purple lighting effects, and the venue just looks gorgeous! I'm presenting you with Dupe and Yanju Cole of Bowie, MD! Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful day with us and even being kind enough to answer a couple of questions for our readers :-)

How did you meet the love of your life?

We met at a mutual friends baby shower - The daddy to be was his friend and the mommy to be my friend

What do you love about your spouse?

Almost everything! Lol, His love and sense of family is at the top of the list; followed by his sense of humor

What was the most stressful part of wedding planning? And how did you deal with it?

The most stressful part was probably the budget. There were times when we had no choice but to alter the budget, some of it took a toll on us…In the end we came to a lot of compromise

What's the best part of wedding planning?

There were a couple of them but it all comes down to the fact that

We got to spend a lot of extra time together making decisions, imagining what the day would be like, talking about it and planning what we thought we would do in certain situations. ..lol…We also got to meet a lot of great people including our vendors and have since formed wonderful relationships with them.

Would you do anything different?

I can’t think of anything I would have done differently

Favorite part of your wedding?

Funny, I enjoyed every single minute of the day. There were too many special moments to particular pick a favorite. One of them was when we were saying our vows…It just felt really deep. There was also the surprise recording that was showed of some of our closest friends and family members saying something nice about us and it ended with my husband making “eternal promises”

Any advice for planning brides?

Start planning as early as possible. At least speak to vendors and secure them early if possible. They’ll accommodate the changes later. Please, please and please, ask for contracts and actually read them. If it’s a family member doing you a favor, confirm with them via email or text messages with exactly the plan or agreement is. Finally, determine in your heart that regardless of what is done or not done on the day off, you’ll enjoy your day…and of-course enjoy it! Focus on you and your man!

Bride’s Makeup: Segun Gele

Photographer: Wale Photos

Flowers &Event Decorator: BCG Events

Wedding Planners: Master Plan, LLC

Location & Date: Laurel, MD - June 11, 2011

More Detail Shots Below:

Stay Beautiful My Loves,

Memi

Back to Beautiful Events - Part 2: Natalie's Breakfast At Tiffany's Bridal Shower

2011-11-10T19:53:00.000-05:00

Hello beautifuls,
last week we featured Natalie's Breakfast at Tiffany's bridal shower. Well this week we have more eye candy from the uber fab bridal shower. This event is what I would call "cohesive", from beginning to end, everything was thought out; the color scheme, the event theme, the favors, the linens, decor. No detail was left out.

Enough said, enjoy the pictures and stay beautiful,
Happy Blogging, AJ

Style Files: Vera Wang 2012

2011-11-10T00:25:00.002-05:00

I dont normally do this but uhhhmmm....I caught a glimpse of one of Vera's Fall 2012 gowns and my mouth hit the floor. I went to her site and grabbed some photos of her Spring 2012 collection AND her Fall 2012 collection. Take a look and tell me what you love and what you dont love!

Spring 2012

I LOVE this color :-)

Fall 2012

Yeah those are some really bold colors in the Fall line! Definitely made for the daring and bold bride!

Stay Beautiful My Loves,

Memi

How To Thursday: Destination Weddings

2011-11-03T23:12:00.000-04:00

Hello Guys,

I know destination weddings are not for everybody...but there are some couples who would actually prefer to say their vows on an island. Some couples do it alone or with a small group of friends who are willing to travel! Here are some tips for those couples who are interested or are planning a destination wedding!

justweddings.org

1. Residency Requirements

Many countries have lengthy residency requirements for couples who want to marry on their soil. European countries are notoriously tricky for this, while many Caribbean and Southeast Asian nations, which trade on their reputations as romantic vacation destinations, are more lenient. Always check with the embassy or tourism bureau of your chosen country beforehand. A simple way to get around these laws can be to have the symbolic wedding ceremony in the country of your choice, while having the civil ceremony at a courthouse or registrar’s office back home.

2. Documentation

You’ve packed the gown, the tux, the print-outs of your vows. But…you’ve neglected to bring your birth certificate! Some – though not all – countries require special documentation like original birth certificates, documentation of previous divorce, etc. Sometimes those documents need to be certified by your embassy, sometimes they need to be translated into the country’s own language. Again, check with your embassy or with the local tourism bureau, and plan accordingly – those wishing to marry in Thailand, for example, should budget for a week in-country before the wedding.

3. Wedding Planner, a necessity

Planning a wedding is difficult enough in your hometown. Trying to do so via email and Skype across thousands of miles and a language barrier is a train wreck waiting to happen. That’s why almost all experts recommend hiring a LOCAL wedding planner to navigate the murky seas of florists, caterers, officiants, etc. Plan to dedicate about 10 percent of your total budget for hiring a planner.

4. Etiquette...be Considerate

Unfortunately, destination weddings all too often create financial tension for friends and family. While you might not mind plunking down a year’s salary for one magical day, your future in-laws and potential bridesmaids and groomsmen may not be in a position to splash out thousands on plane tickets and hotel rooms. But they’ll no doubt be hurt if not invited.

What to do? Well, you could elope, of course. (Just kidding…sort of.) Seriously, there’s no universal solution to this one other than a) announce your plans well in advance so guests have time to save and plan, b) pay for hotel rooms and other expenses for members of the wedding party, and c) consider having a very small wedding, followed by an at-home reception for your larger circle.

chocolatebrides.com

5. Pick your location

Decide on a place. Think of a place that is romantic and meaningful to your relationship, or be impetuous and spin the globe and plunk your finger down anywhere. Let your imagination run wild for now and eliminate unrealistic destinations later in the process. Choose a first, second and third choice.

6. Money, Money, Money!

Set your budget. Factor in how many guests you want, how much money you'll need for travel and how much money you'll need to start your new life afterwards. Set a realistic price range, one with some wiggle room either way. This will narrow down your choices while "shopping."

7. Who would want to come?

Make a guest list. This is important for destination weddings. Figure out each guest's probable schedule and location. You want to plan your wedding to accommodate your high priority guests.

8. How can I make it cheaper and more convenient for my guests?

Shop for packages. Look for all inclusive destination wedding packages in that area. To avoid headaches look for a package that helps you with transportation, marriage licenses, reception venues, bridal consultants, accommodations for guests and group discounts for guests. Compare prices and inclusiveness, as well as recommendations, ratings and references.

tumblr.com

9. Test the Waters

Get a feel for the place. Do this in order to guide your guests once they get down there. Go down a bit ahead of time and walk through what the guests will have to do, including checking in to the hotel, finding a place to eat, getting to and from the airport and the hotel and where the wedding is held.

10. Stay Informed!!

Keep updated. In the months leading up to your wedding after everything is sorted out, be sure to double-check all reservations and services. Send thank you notes to everyone that has helped you and ask any question you can think of.

Helpful resources:

The Knot: US-based wedding info clearinghouse, with dozens of extremely useful articles on the planning, etiquette and logistics of destination weddings.
US State Department: Helpful info for American citizens regarding foreign wedding requirements (some info will be helpful for non-US-citizens as well).

Stay Beautiful My Loves,

Memi

Wedding Planning Diary: THE DRESS!

2011-11-02T09:41:00.005-04:00

Hey guys! I'm back!

So it is about that time for me to find my dream dress...this is hands down the MOST nerve-wrecking part about wedding planning (next to the guestlist) especially for a bride who takes pride in her style, like me. I'm the girl who likes to plan out outfits months in advance for special events. I prefer to buy new clothes for events but thanks to wedding planning I've gotten a LOT better at mixing and matching, LOL! I'm try to coordinate the entire outfit from the shoes, earrings, to makeup look. 99.5% of the time I take my appearance very seriously, everyone has those lazy days, lolll. So that brings me to why finding my wedding dress is nerve-wrecking. The crazy thing is...I've actually FOUND my dream wedding dress...numerous times. They are just WAY out of my budget, for instance.

Dream Dress #1 Pnina Tornai $14,000 (ahahhahhaa, not happening...like EVER)

Dream Dress #2 Kenneth Pool $7500 (a LITTLE more affordable, but Dapo would probably LOSE it if he found out the cost, lmaoooo!)

Sooo this leaves me with the task of trying to recreate these dresses and find something more affordable and perfect for my style. My 1st attempt in doing this was going to the Running of The Brides on October 14th at Filene's Basement in DC. I got 5 of my "Beautiful Bridesmaids" (that's what I call them, haha!) to gather at 3 AM in the morning...yes 3AM....to get in line outside of the Filene's store and wait till 8AM for the doors to open. When 8AM finally came we all bunched up by the door and when they cut the ropes everyone CHARGES for the racks and grabs as MANY dresses as possible. That was the best part for me!

So we had a HUGE pile of dresses and got rid of dresses that weren't my taste or my size. I tried on the ones I liked and out of like 20 dresses I tried on, only two were possibles. We held on to really beautiful ones and tried to trade with other people that had dresses that were more style. My friends were pirahnas out there, lmboo! I had to beg them to release some of our "barter dresses" to people that were literally FOLLOWING us around the whole store, LOLL! It was truly hilarious! One of the possible gowns had a gorgeous top half but the bottom half wasnt enough "drama" and the second one fit me like a glove but had NO sparkle, and as you can see from my dream dresses....I need BLING. So we left empty handed but it was a wonderful experience and a LOT of fun! A lot of girls did find their dress and I was happy for them!

Sidenote: Please excuse my appearance...it was 3AM...next time you see me on the blog I'll look better I promise, hahaha!

And the wait begins....that's Nikki in the MSU hoodie...GO BEARS!!

One of my MOHs, Ashleigh...the pirahna!

Presh & I (the author on the POST about Igbo marriage)

Nife, the photographer of the day being anti social and hiding from the camera. She did the post on Spring Wedding Guest Fashions

Hahhaha! My sign that got MAULED during the actual "running" we should've got an after picture, smh

The actual line

People camping out, some people were there from the South and were waiting from 7pm the night before!

LMAO! The shirts I made for them...my favorite things PURPLE and LEOPARD print! hahaa! My friend Nichole went by the name "Megatron" lmaoo! Because she was determined to stomp over anyone that got in her way! Hahaa, simply hilarious!

Us foolin around...the shirt was SUPPOSED to have words on the front but uhmmm...yeah...

This dress was okayyy...but def not the one...

This is kind of why, lmaoo!

The young lady who's Mom followed us around the store for like 25 minutes, for this dreess! Looked great on her and she got it!! Yayy for her ;-)

One of the possibles...looked cute...but it had a chiffon bottom half with a thigh-high split. So this is me holding a dress with a tulle bottom up to it to see how it would look if we got it altered...not worth the wahala (hassle) at the end of the day, lol!

The back of the dress...with me holding up the tulle bottom

The front of the one that fit nice, but NOT enough bling and I really really didnt want a satin or shiny looking dress...but one of the VERY few mermaid sillohuettes we found in the store so were just excited to see a mermaid gown, lol! Our photographer didnt want to stand...excuse the floor view shots, lol!

The back of the mermaid gown (some call it fit and flare or trumpet, slight differences but I call them all mermaid, lol)

Awww...sad faces for not finding the dress!

But happy faces cuz we had an AMAZING time! It was so much fun and I'd go again in a heartbeat!

Here is some video of the pandemonium, lol!

After we left Filene's we drove to Upper Marlboro and visited a bridal boutique that I've been to by myself before. I visited 4 or 5 bridal salons by myself because to me picking your dress is such a personal decision and although you want friends and fam to sign on and agree with you it is important to narrow down the choices to things YOU like. So I had 4 or 5 gowns in mind at this particular shop, took my friends there and I saved the one I loved the most to be the last one I tried on and they all LOVEDDDD it. Soooooo I think I did end up finding my dress. I havent fully committed yet but I seriously dont see anything topping that dress. When I put it on I was overcome with emotions and I could NOT stop smiling and twirling. I didnt boo-hoo like the girls on TV but I DEFINITELY felt that connection and gut reaction to the dress, so I'm telling you...DONT settle!!! That feeling is REAL! I really really want to show you guys pics but that would break like EVERY single rule in the book, loll! So you'll have to wait but I will DEF let you know when I DO finally commit and choose the dress!

BIGGGGG THANKS to my AMAZING friends that came with me and made the experience super fun and special! We are going to have a GREAT time the next few months!! Let's do it!

Stay Beautiful My Loves,
Memi

Back to Beautiful Events - Part 1: Natalie's Breakfast At Tiffany's Bridal Shower

2011-11-01T13:30:00.002-04:00

Hello Everyone!!!! So I am back to blogging (YES!!!!!) This has been an amazing year as I knew it would be. We welcomed a precious little one in summer and boy!!!!!! has it been busy with baby and events. Memi has been doing a fabulous job on the blog and we are definitely blesssed to have her. She will definitely still be blogging as she has soooooooo many exciting things to share, including her wedding planning diary. In the meantime, since the season has slowed down a bit, it gives me time to pop in on the blog and share a few things.

So today I would like to share an amazing event that we planned and designed last year. The inspiration for this event was a classic movie "Breakfast at Tiffany's" because that is just the kinda girl Natalie is; very classy and ladylike. The goal was to put on a soiree celebrating Natalie, as well as the ladies invited to the shower.

Again thanks to Timi of Skratchaus Studio for the beautifully themed invitations. We found Tiffany colored boxes to hold the invitations and wrapped it up like a gift and presented it to each invited guest. Yes! each invited guest got a "Friends & Co" Invitation gift box; personalized with their names, that gave them details to the event as well as as a brooch favor which they were asked to wear to the event in honor of the beautiful bride to be.

From the invitation to the signature drinks to the centerpieces this event was planned out with the theme in mind as you would see. By the way some of you may have already seen pictures from the event taken by the absolutely incredible Dotun, however here are a few more images that remind me again of what an absolutely beautiful event this was.

Next week we'll feature more pictures from the event, so stay tuned.

Thanks for stopping by and happy blogging folks and stay beautiful folks,
AJ

Beauty Sightings: Statement Necklaces

2011-10-25T21:46:00.002-04:00

Hey Guys!!

I have a beauty sightings today for you all!! A trend I've been noticing lately are brides wearing statement necklaces! I personally LOVE this look because I think it adds some flair and personality to the entire bridal look. I am not a fashion stylist or anything like that...BUT I would suggest that if you are a bride who wants to incorporate a statement necklace it is important to make sure it will complement your dress and the rest of your bridal look. You dont want to wear a statement necklace with a blinged out ball gown...it will be a little overwhelming in my opinion! But in the mean time let's just drool over gorgeous jewelry!!

MY FAVORITE!!!!!! GAWSH!

Sorry I took most of these pics from my Pinterest account...many of them didnt have sources :-(

Stay Beautiful My Loves,
Memi

ETSY!!!!!!!!! Wedding Planning HEAVEN

2011-10-19T19:21:00.001-04:00

Hey Everyone!!!

So today I just wanted to let other planning brides in on a little secret that brides are using lately to cut costs! Every bride wants to make sure that their wedding is filled with adorable little details! Details are EVERything in my opinion, when it comes to making your wedding unique and different from others. Weddings are filled with so many traditions that it is easy for a wedding to just blend in with everyone elses's. This leaves brides all over wanting to have that special little "uumph" that will make her wedding stand out. My answer to that is ETSY! Etsy is a site where people can sell and buy things they make themselves. There is everything from jewelry and clothes to accessories and paper goods! There is a WHOLE section for ALL things wedding related and this is where I go nutssss...lol!! I will post some cute little things I think are so unique and will really help you insert as much of your personality as possible into your special day!

My 1st Etsy purchase were some Bridesmaid invitation cards. I didn't buy these particular ones but I like these b/c you can select different dresses that fit your friend's styles.

Shop Name: PaintedbyRenee

I always love to see these little customized hangers for the dress photos. Have you always wondered where people get them from??? Well, there are NUMEROUS sellers with them on Etsy! You can get them customized to your future last name.

Seller: twobroadsdesign

Blingy cake toppers? Etsy has those too! Customized to any letter or color you want!

Seller: panachebride

I fell in love with this BEAUTIFUL hair pin!

Seller: jurgitahandmade

A new common trend nowadays is to have your flower girls in cute little ballerina tutus! I found a seller that will customize and work with you to make your tutu into ANY color or theme you can think of! She also does birthdays and custom orders for little girls!

Seller: TheTutuTailor

This is a must-have for all the Daddy's girls out there! I LOVE this!

Seller: thesugaredplum

Stay Beautiful My Loves,

Memi

My Wedding Planning Diary: Entry #2 - Venue Battle

2011-10-12T20:10:00.003-04:00

So where am I with planning now you ask? Well a few weekends ago, on a Sunday my wonderful planner/event designer made her way to our venue and took a look around, got a feel for the space and what can be done there. She assured me that our venue has LOADS of potential and it is NOT impossible for my vision to be realized in that space. Now when I say I literally jumped up with joy and squealed with happiness, I was TOO ELATED! To understand WHY I was so happy I have to give you a backstory, haha!

Sooo my Mom found my venue about a month or two before I got engaged (she knew it was coming, I had no idea, just thought she was being proactive, since she's been planning my wedding since I was 10, lmaoo). When I saw the venue it did ABSOLUTELY nothing for me....it didnt have the humongous crystal chandeliers, the tray ceilings throughout, the beautiful crown molding with gold paint accents, the marble/wooden floors, with a grand staircase and huge beautiful doors....yes...that is what I had ALWAYS envisioned, that is what my dream venue looked like in my mind. Needless to say this venue was almost EXACTLY the opposite...it had ugly carpet, ugly walls, ugly chandeliers, the only thing on my dream venue list I could check off was a huge parking lot and enough space to contain my guests. I was NOT impressed. I put this hall to the back of my mind and hit Google, WeddingWire, Project Wedding EVERYwhere trying to find this "dream venue".

Nowwww my dream venue DEFINITELY exists BUT they all had dealbreakers...major ones being: the room could not seat over 200 people and we all know that is not happening and/or outside caterers were not allowed. Those were two things I could NOT negotiate on...simply because I want total peace on my wedding day lol! Dont want ppl complaining because they dont see jollof rice and goat meat nor do I want people my fiancee' & I love to be excluded from my wedding day due to limited guest seating. So after much research it seemed like I was slowly losing the battle of venues. My Mom used EVERY resource possible to get me to budge, my future mother and sister in law, my aunts, my Dad, my brothers, etc. She pulled out all the stops but I still refused to budge until I attended another wedding in that venue. I saw how the wedding looked very nice and all the things I was worried about were not even noticeable once the hall was decorated. It wasnt until then, that my mind was at rest. I then allowed my Mom to go ahead and book the hall for my wedding date. When my event designer looked at it and told me it would be beautiful once she was done with it...that was ALL I needed to hear, to make me TOTALLY comfortable with my venue choice and put my mind at ease! Later on that evening she sent me a few decor inspiration pictures and those photos completely NAILED like every possible idea I've played with in my mind as far as tablescapes go. I'll share the inspiration pictures with you once I get them on my computer!

Stay Beautiful My Loves,
Memi

Beautiful BCG Wedding!! Chinedu & Linda's Gorgeous Wedding!

2011-10-10T11:39:00.001-04:00

Hello Everyone,

Today I have some amazing photographs from Chinedu and Linda's gorgeous August wedding! I was lucky enough to attend the wedding and I'm not going to lie my mouth dropped when we walked in! BCG did it again! LOL! Take a peek at some of the details and let me know what you think!

Event Design and Planning: BCG Event Decor
Photographer: Dotun's Photo Lounge
Cake: Charlie's Butter Cream Cakes
Venue: Scottish Rite Masonic Temple

Stay Beautiful My Loves,
Memi

Beauty Sightings: Beautiful Celebrity Wedding - Tamera Mowry

2011-10-04T23:02:00.001-04:00

Today I just want to share with you some pictures from one of my favorite celebs! She had the CUTEST engagement photos, I loved EVERYTHING about them! From the outdoorsy feel of the wheat fields to her cute outfits!

Her wedding was so crisp, clean, and pretty! I loved how happy and radiant she looked. She was glowing from inside out, every bride dreams to look this happy! Those that watched her reality show saw that she experienced the normal hang-ups that every planning bride goes through, temper tantrums, messed up plans (it rained on the day of her OUTDOOR wedding), and some family drama. She hired the famed Jose Villa as her photographer and her wedding was in the hands of, wedding planner extraordinaire, Mindy Weiss. At the end of the day she had nothing to worry about because she was in good hands!

Wedding Photos:

All photos courtesy Jose Villa

Stay Beautiful My Loves,

Memi

From Groom to Groom, How to Get Involved

2011-09-30T11:09:00.002-04:00

Hello Everybody!

Today I have a wonderful surprise for you!! My amazing fiancee offered to be a guest blogger for us!! He wanted to do his OWN version on how future grooms could get involved in the planning process. I was pleasantly surprised on what he came up with! He did a great job if I do say so myself & trust me he is speaking from experience, loll :-) Leave comments to let him know how he did!!

Tips on Being an Involved Groom

I want the men to picture themselves in the wedding planning process. If you are like most guys (99.9%) the first thing that snaps into your head is seeing your fiancée (with her mother, sister, friend, etc.) picking out the wedding dress, floral arrangements, table cloth color, centerpieces, caterer, DJ, (I can go on for days) while you show up alive and ticking on the wedding day. In the past, grooms were typically uninvolved in the wedding planning process. Having the bride and the bride’s family do the planning was the norm. But times are a changing, as are the roles and responsibilities. The groom can do more than just help out here and there. Being involved can alleviate the stress that the bride may go through.

Guys, we must understand that most women dream about their weddings since they were in their mother’s womb. A vivid picture is set and they want to ensure every single detail is done to achieve that “perfect wedding.” But it must be understood that it is not a one person show. Planning this day would probably be the first major project as a couple, so why not accomplish it together?

Here are some tips for grooms on how to become more involved in their wedding process:

Talk about it/ Ask for help – I believe the first thing you must do is share the ideas you
have. Some guys may be hesitant to help with planning because they don’t have a clue
of what is expected of them. Do not brush aside or shoot down any ideas. That is bad for
business on both ends. Always encourage each other during the planning process to lessen
any outside stress that may come by. Develop a plan that can adhere to both your needs
and stick to it.
Every guy may not have the most aesthetic eye in the world and that’s OK. You can leave
such things as the flowers, décor, and invitations to her. There are other areas that the
groom can take on.

Honeymoon: You’ve wanted to travel to an island with the bluest water for a while now
for vacation. Why not plan the honeymoon? A great way to plan that special getaway
with your new partner.

Limo/Transportation: You love cars. You love everything about cars. You have all
the Fast and Furious DVDs and even the special edition of Disney’s Cars. This would
be the perfect opportunity to get involved in the search for the limo and the mode of
transportation for the bridal party.

Groom and groomsmen attire: Hey, why not have a say in what you and your
groomsmen are going to wear? This is a great way to show your own style (of course
that the both of you can agree on.)

Entertainment: Choosing the entertainment for the reception is a great way to get
involved in the wedding planning. You can have auditions of the bands or DJs that you
both have in mind. If the band/DJ play somewhere regularly, take a night out and go
listen to them with your bride to be. This would be a great way to spend time together
while ticking off the “Need DJ/Band” on the checklist.

Organizer: If you are a good in keeping things organized, you can help by taking
care of all the paper work that you may obtain such as contracts and receipts. This is
a great way to use your skills as a natural organizer and put your excel spreadsheet
awesomeness to work.

Include something special in the wedding for you: This can change your mindset of
a wedding being a boring formalized ritual to something personal, unique, and fun. If you
are a musician, you can play a song for your bride during the reception. Wouldn’t that be
nice… performing a song for your bride at your wedding.

Get involved! With these suggestions, I’m sure the planning process would be a lot easier and even more exciting for the both of you. It is not easy being the groom now-a-days. There's a lot expected of you, and a multitude of tasks to check off the list. But no matter how crazy things get, never forget that you love her and that the frenzied preparation period is just one hurdle on the road to a beautiful life together.

Be Easy,
Dapo

Have You Always Wondered?? Igbo Traditional Wedding

2011-09-23T21:06:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago I did a post on Yoruba traditional weddings and as I said I would explore marriage traditions from ALL over! Today I am presenting you with Igbo marriage traditions. I was blessed enough to have help from my most FAVORITE Igbo friend, Precious Obua! THANKS PRESHHH!! So here is what Precious had to share with me about the beautiful traditions of Igbo weddings.

Bedazzled Photography

In Igbo traditional wedding starts with the groom's family approaching the bride's family and they welcome them. They sit down and tell the bride's family what they have come there for. They ask the bride if she approves of the request, she then says yes. The groom's family will present everything they bring from the bride price list. Palm wine is served. If the bride's parents drink the palm wine, she is permitting of the wedding. They pour it in the cup for her to go find the man she wants to marry. She finds him, kneels down and gives him the wine to drink and he saves some for her to drink. He puts some money in the cup to "dash" her, once she is finished drinking. They are now husband and wife. She brings her new husband to the families. The oldest man in that family will bless the two. If not the oldest, the mother and father will bless the two of them. Now the ceremony can begin! After the ceremony is over the bride changes into married woman's traditional Igbo attire and follows her husband. It signifies she is now traditionally married.

Pictures borrowed from www.yeswewed,com. Photos taken by Ellie M. Photography

What does Kola nut and palm wine signify?
The kola nut means peace and unity. An acceptance and welcome. The palm wine is tradition, and any traditional marriage without palm wine is not complete.

Why does she look for the man?
When she looks for the man, it shows that not everybody sitting there witnessing the marriage knows the man. We assume that she is the only person that knows the man. If she finds him and brings him out that means she is making it known to everybody that he is the man that she wants to marry.

Same photo credit as above

What do you love about Igbo Traditions & how does it blend with American traditions?
I love the igbo attire and the traditional drink. I love my language because I was born with it and its easy and simple to me. Igbo people are very gentle and kind. I love the respect that young people have for the elders. In Igbo tradition we don’t typically kiss at weddings but now due to western influence the phrase “you may kiss your bride” is acceptable. American music is more acceptable in ceremonies now and throwing the bouquet is also a favorite of mines.

www.mywedding.com

Stay Beautiful My Loves,
Memi

Wedding Planning Diary Introduction!!!

2011-09-21T12:38:00.007-04:00

Hey Guys!!

So I promised everyone that I would journal my wedding planning process. Anyone that has planned a wedding or knows someone that has planned a wedding, can tell you it has it's really good times and it has not so good times. I've only been engaged for about 5 months now and I can testify to that, lol! Planning something that means soooo much to you with so many different opinions, suggestions, and thoughts can very well be one of the hardest things a person will ever plan. I have MAD respect for those who do it all without a wedding planner, but as for me...I am lucky enough to have BCG Events (yes we plan & coordinate TOO!!) with me EVERY step of the way!

My main purpose of doing this is not to brag or "show-off" but mainly for my entries to serve as a support system for myself and other planning brides out here. I want other African brides planning African weddings using African vendors to reach out to me and let me know that I am not alone with the frustrations that come along with planning. I also want planning and future brides to use me and this blog as a resource for inspiration, advice, or just a place to vent! I'm here to listen and I hope you guys will be there for me as well!

So on that note, I will just tell you a little bit about my personal wedding style.

If you remember a post I did some time ago on How to Select Your Wedding Style. If you refer back to that post I thought I was slick by posting some of MY inspiration photos in a blog post, loll! But those first four photos actually describe my wedding style almost perfectly. I plan on adding a little more of a wispy, light, airy feel to it by using really soft colors that will set an ETHEREAL ambiance...and that is my theme! Ethereal, heavenly, soft, billowy....I basically want my guests to feel like they are being enveloped in a cloud of lavishness! If you don't get it, don't worry my duty over the next couple of months is to tell you how I plan on executing that and take you with me through the highs and lows of wedding planning. Here are more pics that kind of inspire me and made me fall in love with my theme...you may have seen me post some of these pics before because I'm obsessed but whatever, here they are again, haha! Sorry about the lack of credits...I've totally lost track due to plenty of emailing, cut and pasting...but I found MOST of them on Google.

Sidenote: The color palette that we'll be working with are a range of peaches, blush pinks, soft oranges, ivory, and gold accents :-)

Stay Beautiful My Loves,

Memi

Beautiful Proposal Stories

2011-09-16T01:19:00.000-04:00

Hey Guys!

I have been collecting some videos I've found on the web of super cute and romantic proposal stories! Some people get very serious and intricate with marriage proposals and some keep it light hearted but sweet. I have posted a few youtube videos of some of my favorites!

This proposal is the definition of OVER the top!! Most people were wondering who paid for all of this? I figured maybe the TV producers did because this was very extravagant!!

Okay so I just thought this was so super sweet! He totally caught her off guard and he made it sooo special!

This one is actually a save the date video but it's so cute I had to add it, lol!

This one is cute and fun! I love how theatrical he made it!

Who wouldnt LOVE a proposal at Disneyland!!! "Where dreams come true"! Love this

This is hands down MY favorite proposal, so simple yet sooo sweet & romantic! This one made me sniffle a little, loll :-)

I hope you all enjoyed them! Which one is your favorite? Have you ever dreamed of your proposal? If you are already engaged/married was your proposal everything you hoped for? Was it low-key and you still loved it? Talk to me!!

Stay Beautiful My Loves,
Memi

Beauty Sightings: Photo Ops

2011-09-12T23:48:00.000-04:00

Hey Guys!!

Have you ever seen a wedding photo and think like"OMG I would love to do something like that"?? Well that happens to me VERY often! So I began collecting pictures from engagement shoots AND weddings that I just think are soooo cute! I love pictures that just really make you FEEL the love that the couple have for one another. Or pictures that are just so creative that really show how important it is to have a skilled photographer that can capture AND actually create amazing moments. Some of these photos LITERALLY make me choke up JUST a little bit b/c they just evoke sooo much love and that is truly my FAVORITE emotion...such a beautiful thing :-) I hope you enjoy! Let us know what you think!

BEAUTIFUL ENGAGEMENT SESSION INSPIRATION:

Really cool idea for an "urban" shoot (500px.com)

One of the ones that bring a tear. You can FEEL their connection (Amelia Lyon Photography)

I just think this is too adorable! Would make a cute Save The Date (bluebirdvintage.typepad.com)

DRAMA!! This is actually a fashion editorial but I still think its hot, lol! (google.com)

This is also adorable, shows how love grows! (imgfave.com)

One of my FAVES (megaborders.com)

So passionate! (rocktheshotforum.com)

LOL! Really cute and playful! (shannoneileenblog.typepad.com)

I love this one! It gives off that sense of how safe she feels when in his arms! (afternoonsunrise.tumblr.com)

Just thought this was fun and cute (stylemepretty.com)

Another really cute Save The Date (thedreamsareripped.tumblr.com)

I like this one b/c it just screams BOSS! (utterlyengaged,com)

So loving :-) (yolo115.tumblr.com)

BEAUTIFUL WEDDING PHOTO INSPIRATION:

hudsonphotos.com

I am obsessed with veil blowing in the wind photos, lol! (Elizabeth Messina Photographs)

Perfect! (hudsonphotos.com)

Now THIS church is stunning! (hudsonphotos.com)

So beautiful (Jose Villa Photography)

Storybook Ending "Walk into the sunset" (soundtracktoido.com)

stylemepretty.com

She looks SOO happy! I LOVE (stylemepretty.com)

Walking on water, loll! (stylemepretty.com)

Love the dress, bouquet, hair, everything (stylemepretty.com)

Dance Like Nobody is Watching (stylemepretty.com)

Her skin tone against the color of the dress...just LOVELY (stylemepretty.com)

Caliente! (stylemepretty.com)

This is ART to me! (stylemepretty.com)

Itchingggg to know what you guys think of these photos!! Will you be stealing any of these and putting it on your photography list??? I have about 90% of them on mine, LOLL! Which ones are your favorite? Least favorites?

What do you think makes for amazing couple photographs?? The location, the couple themselves, the photographer?? Talk to us!!

Stay Beautiful My Loves,

Memi

Beautiful BCG Wedding: Lola & Dolamu!!

2011-09-06T22:56:00.002-04:00

Hey Everyone!!

Today I am showing off our beautiful couple Lola and Dolamu!! If I must say so myself, their wedding was absolutely BEAUTIFUL! I love the pink and blue and the lighting is my FAVORITE part! I hope you all enjoy the pictures along with a little bit of advice from our lovely bride!

Names & Ages: Dolamu, 31 and Lola Solanke, 31

How'd You Meet?

We met during the summer of 2001 while my two bff's from London came to NJ on vacation. During that time we all use to hang out and I always use to think to myself that I hope Dolamu would come out too (smiling while remembering) just so I could see him again. Towards the end of the summer he asked me for my number and from then we have been together for 8 years.

How'd he propose:

Funny Sept 3rd is our 2nd yr anniversary of when he proposed to me. We were in London on our summer vacation and I still remember it was raining in the city that evening and we were on our way to meet up with our friends to go for a ride on the London eye. We were so lucky we got our own private capsule that evening, and as we started moving I went and stood by the railing looking out over the river Thames, the Big Ben and the House of Parliment and Dolamu came up behind me talking about how pretty everything looked and that this was the prefect moment and him to ask me....at that point he took my hand and turned me around and he got on one knee and he asked me "Will you marry me" the same time the capsule reached the very top of its rotation :-). The next day we went to Paris for three days.

What was your favorite part of wedding planning?

The favorite of planning the wedding for me was picking out our invitations because the lady we were working with was so easy to work with it was the least stressful thing to do.

What was the most stressful part of wedding planning?

The most stressful part of the planning was doing the seating chart. We were trying to make sure that everyone sat with people they knew and making sure that our parent's friends had a good location in the ballroom. At the end of the day, it worked out perfectly because all of our guests knew which table they were sitting on when the doors to the ballroom opened up.

Would you change anything if you could go back? If so, what?

We both agreed that if we could change anything at all it would be the weather. It rained the entire day so we where unable to take pictures at the park we chose. But our photographer made it happen with the pictures we took at the venue which came out perfect.

What is your most memorable moment from your wedding day?

The most memorable part of our wedding was the dance we both shared with our mothers

Is there any advice you would give planning brides?

I would say plan and get has much done and not leave anything to the last minute. We booked our venue the same year we got engaged and I found my dress the same year; so as the wedding day got closer we did not have anything left to do but relex. Also, make sure you have a budget you can stick to and be realistic about what you want your wedding day to be like and remember that it is your day and you have the final say on what you want.

Photographer - Dotun of Dotun Photo's Lounge!

Makeup - Crystal Eyez Makeup Artistry

Personal Flowers and Decor - BCG Event Decor

Venue - Ariana's Grand Woodbridge, NJ
Cake - Design Cakes
Invitations - Nuage Mulberry

Stay Beautiful My Loves,
Memi

Ah! Mazing Vendor: Sorrela Jewelry and Accessories

2011-08-30T19:48:00.003-04:00

Hello!!!

Yesss it is vendor time again! Today I am bringing you the lovely Yuwa Sorrela of Sorrela Jewelry and Accessories. It was truly a pleasure working with her on this post because she was so responsive and a genuinely kind soul! I have been seeing her pieces on African fashion show runways for the past couple of years now but never knew who was the master mind behind all of it, until recently! I personally am a fan of her styling and i know you guys will love it! The pieces she finds and puts together are INCREDIBLY affordable and very chic! Be sure to check her out! Enjoy readers!

Memi: How did you get into the accessory business and what keeps you in it, what do you love about it?

Yuwa: Sorrela is Italian for Sisters. And me starting my company actually started as a joke. Whenever my friends and I would hang out, they would always ask me to sell them my jewelry on the spot. I thought it was quite ridiculous. So I said to myself that I would buy two of every piece of jewelry I had in the case that if someone wants it I can sell it to them but still be safe and have another pair handy at home. That was three years ago and Sorrela is still going strong.

What I love about the business is that Sorrela is for the fashion forward woman who seeks to express her individuality through simple, sophisticated pieces, while celebrating her bond with her natural born sisters and those amazing friends who have inevitably become sisters.

Memi:What inspires you?

Yuwa: The art of fashion. Fashion is a way of creating and mixing pieces that work together. Fashion is an expression of everything that makes us human.

Memi: So let's say I have the perfect LBD (little black dress) and I'm headed to a wedding as a guest, what are 3 accessories you would add to transform your dress from plain to HOTT?

Yuwa: It depends on what kind of LBD it is. Is it strapless? If it is then I would definitely add a nice big and bold necklace that will accentuate the neck. Hand accessories are a staple in fashion now, so I’d definitely wear a ring or a bracelet. Lastly, a cute clutch will complete the look.

Memi: What is your accessory pet peeve, like what do you hate to see people do, fashion wise?

Yuwa: Lol, that’s a good question. The truth is I try not to judge because I believe that if a person looks in the mirror before they leave their house then they certainly do not see anything wrong with the way they look. So I usually say, 'it looks good on them “ALONE”' lol.

Memi: What is YOUR personal favorite accessory?

Yuwa: My favorite pair of accessories would be a pair of earrings. I cannot leave the house without a pair of earrings whether studs or hoops.

Memi: What is the next move for you and Sorrela? Where do you want to see it go?

Yuwa: The next move for Sorrela is to provide, personal accessory consulting services for brides as well as fashion styling.

Memi: What are some accessory trends you've noticed with brides and bridesmaids this summer? Do you foresee any trends for next season?

Yuwa: I don’t think this is a trend, or at least I hope it isn’t becoming one, but recently at Kim K’s wedding, her guests were allowed to wear white. The color white is a sign of purity and should only be worn on the wedding day by the bride. Kate Middleton’s sister and bridesmaid Pippa also wore white at the royal wedding. We saw the same thing at Kim Kardashian's wedding.

As for accessories I am against brides wearing necklaces with their dress. I am not sure I get it yet. A pair of earrings and a bracelet I believe is enough. Except of course the necklace is a statement piece then that’s an exception --which is rare.

Memi: What is some advice you would give a planning bride who is totally confused about what jewelry to wear for her wedding?

I would ask her to paint a picture of how she would like both her and her bridesmaids to look. I also find that a lot of brides aren't exactly sure of what they want. They have the idea but they need an expert to guide them. I would advise her to take it easy and let her know that accessories should be the least of her worries.

Memi: What services do you offer? How can our readers contact you?

Yuwa: I offer bridal services to brides who are looking for accessories for their bridal party. I sell jewelry and other staple accessories such as brooches, necklaces and clutches.

Readers can contact me on my website www.sorrela.com. There’s a contact form that they can fill out to ask me any questions.

**SORRELA IS OFFERING ALL BCG READERS A 10% DISCOUNT ON EVENING BAGS AND CLUTCHES**

Contact them and let them know you heard about Sorrela HERE!

Stay Beautiful My Loves,

Memi

How to Thursday: How to Select Your Caterer

2011-08-25T22:31:00.001-04:00

Here are a few tips for those planning brides who need just a little bit of help in selecting a caterer for their wedding reception! Food can literally MAKE or BREAK your event it is the EASIEST things for your guests to complain about so your goal should be to get it as close to perfect as possible! That will only come from having a reliable, skilled, insured caterer! Keep reading for more information!

There are many methods on how you can start looking for a wedding catering company, however many people starts with asking for friends and family’s referral that they had good experiences with. Other methods like local advertising and internet research are also good methods to broaden your choices. The most popular way to find the suitable caterer is thru the location of wedding couple’s reception site. It’s much less headache and trouble for the wedding couple to simply go along with the reception site’s catering service. They usually provide the inclusive services including venue, catering, decoration, and even more. After making the choice of wherever the reception will be held at, it is time to see which catering company is best to suit your price range and needs.

If you are holding your reception in a hall, privateresidence or where meals will not be supplied, you should contact caterers in your neighborhood who specialise in on-site catering.
After narrowing down a few of catering company for your wedding, it is time to spend some time to gather as much information as you can about these companies so you can make a good decision on hiring which one for your big day.

Once you first contact your prospects, the very first thing you should confirm is whether or not that caterer is available on your wedding day.
If they are available, it is time to start asking them some of the most popular questions on hiring catering company. It is recommended to write it down and organize all the information, because after a while it will be difficult to remember which company gave you what information.

Some of the questions you may want to ask your catering company are:

Menu Style

There is so many food varieties to choose from when it comes to menu selection. Ask if your caterer will do a “tasting” and when. This is where the bride and groom can go sample and taste some of the caterer’s dishes. You can have a traditional sit down dinner, buffet, food stations or a cocktail reception. It all depends on your personal preference and budget.

Decorations

Ask to see pictures of their table displays. Some caterers that do buffets or food stations will include floral arrangements and other decorations. As your wedding plans progress, talk to your caterer about your color theme so that all decorations and floral arrangements will coordinate. Also, find out what type of decorating they might do for you. Will they swag your head and cake tables? Will they set out your favors and seating cards?

Tableware and Linens

Does the price include table linens, napkins, dishes, and glassware? Ask to see samples. If you don’t like the tableware or linens they offer, most everything can be rented at an additional price. Also, ask if there are extra charges for china and linen service.

Wedding Cakes

Do they offer wedding cakes in their package? Can they make you a wedding cake? Will the caterer cut up the cake for you and will they do this for free or charge a fee? Some caterers charge a per slice fee, so be aware!! Will the wedding cake be served and/or boxed? Is there an extra charge? Will cookies be displayed? Is there an extra charge?

Liquor

Do you need to get a Special Occasions Permit from the liquor board? Is there bar service and bartenders included? What about Cups and supplies?

Licenses and Payments

Find out if your caterer is licensed by the province. Most display their license in their office, but if you’re not sure, ask and find out.
Let your caterer know your budget up front. Don’t assume that a buffet or food station is less expensive than a sit down dinner. It all depends on the type of food served, not how it’s served. Is there a deposit required to hold wedding date? Are they included in the price or will they be added later? Find out how soon in advance does caterer need menu and final count of guests what the final price is and when is full payment required.
Do not choose your caterer primarily based solely on their price per person, but consider what is included in the per person price before making your last decision. You do not want to be shocked on your wedding day when your expectations of exceptional service aren’t met. After you’ve gotten above questions answered, you should have the ability to make a good decision as to which caterer will fill your needs. The presentation of that food is a part of their image and yours. Be sure the wedding caterer you are thinking about hiring is one who will work with you and not tell you what you want.

Information taken from LaRock Photography Blog

Stay Beautiful My Loves,
Memi

Our TUM 2011 Showcase!

2011-08-22T23:13:00.001-04:00

Hey guys!

Today, I have the last post in our TUM 2011 series! Today we are FINALLY going to show you what OUR showcase had to offer! We were quite popular if I do say so myself, LOL! We did two completely different looks but used the same exact color scheme. One display used a LOT of florals, had a very romantic feel, and was just what some may say "over the top". This was an example of a higher end table arrangement. The other display was for the bride who may not have a large budget, or the bride who is not a big fan of floral arrangements but still wanted something glamourous and beautiful! Tell us what you think!

This is how it looked when we FIRST started setting up, loll!

Our Logo and Card Table

The Floral Filled table

Yesss our chairs had on dresses! Loll!

The blinged out table!

I am personally a huge fan of the lampshades!!

Which arrangement did you like the best?? Are you a big floral person?? Talk to us, lemme know what you think!

Stay Beautiful My Loves,
Memi

TUM 2011 Highlights and Reviews!

2011-08-18T13:44:00.003-04:00

Happy Hump Day!!

I'm excited to give you all a recap of all that went down at TUM 2011! Keep reading for all the great details!

So when I arrived at the Civic Center in Silver Spring it was just an empty room that in a matter of hours, was transformed into a buzzing marketplace filled with vendors from all categories! There were vendors for literally EVERYthing from skin care, hair extensions, wedding planners, photographers, clothing, jewelry, headpieces, and event designers! From what I witnessed it was such an unique event, I've not been to anything like that within the African community. I was just happy to be a part of it and I pray that it gets bigger and better each time because from what I saw everyone that was there was LOVING it! I could not keep my eyes in one place I had to get my shop on!

Here are some of the pics we took!

AfriPride T-shirts! I had to yell at him for not having any Edo girl shirts!! EDO REPRESENTA!

Simply Beautiful Beautiful Hairpieces

Sorrela Accessories representative looking great!

DJ Universe!! A previous Ah! Mazing Vendor

Ours by Juliada Skin Care line

Blessing of Buxom Diva Glam Makeup

Guests enjoying!! JayCube with Bimbo!

Bisi with Feyi Kuyoki of FTK Konnect

I thought these shirts were sooo cute! Tshirts mixed with ankara!

Happy Guest!

Bola Odegbami of Threads

Guests checking out our booth

Lovely Guest!

Keke Olisemeka of Glam Hair Factory

Lola (middle) of Lola Ro Jewelry, one of our Ah!Mazing Vendors

Co-Founder of TUM, Dee Dee George and her brother Banky W.

Banky W. and I

IDIA FASHIONS

Ifueko Igiehon, Head Designer of IDIA FASHIONS

TEAM BCG!!

This is a really good video of the event done by Femi Sonde of Femster Images!

TUM 2011 from femster on Vimeo.

Raves and Reviews from Vendors and Guests:

"Absolutely worth it! Fantastic event and definitely worth it. Sorrela is all smilesssss" -Sorella (Vendor)

"It was my very first event and I had a blast even though I wished we had more time. The vendors were amazing as well. It was great" -Simply Beautiful Creations (Vendor)

"I think the concept of TUM was edgy, creative, but most of all classic. A lot of time and hardwork was put into the showcase and that was evident in the final product. Definitely excited about the next event" -Lara Akinrinade (Guest)

"TUM DC was a great platform for vendors and service providers to network and showcase thier services. BuxomDivaGlam was glad to be a part of it, and we look forward to next year" -BuxomDivaGlam (Vendor)

Hope to see you all there next year!!!

Stay Beautiful My Loves,

Memi

TUM 2011 WEEK SPECIAL!!

2011-08-15T22:44:00.001-04:00

Hey Guys!!

A few weeks ago I did a blog post featuring the founders of The Urban Marketplace (TUM) 2011. Well the event occurred a few weekends ago and it was a GREAT success!! The music was on POINT! The vendors were truly Ah! Mazing, beautiful people were all around and the vibes in there were just awesome! I was truly happy to be there, it was so inspiring seeing so many female entrepreneurs all in one room supporting each other and just having a good time! This week I will bring you some of the vendors that were there, what they had to say and also show you what WE showcased! Here are just a few pics to whet your appetites for what else I have in store for this week :-D

Great Music from DJ Universe

Vendors setting up

A small sneak peek of our showcase!

Fashion Shows from talented designers

Performances

Guest Appearances

Make sure you come back to see what else we have to say!

Stay Beautiful My Loves!
Memi

Let's TALK ABOUT IT: Bridezilla Much??

2011-08-11T22:49:00.001-04:00

Hey guys!!

So todayyyy I want to hear from all of my wonderful readers!! My question today is what makes somebody a BRIDEZILLA?? This term is thrown around alot nowadays, especially with the growing popularity of the reality show with the same name! So as I jump into wedding planning I MUST admit...I do find myself having some bridezilla moments, despite my efforts to keep my cool, which is hard to do when you deal with SOOO many different personalities and so many different opinions going into something that is supposed to just reflect a husband and a wife. (I plan on journaling my wedding planning process as time goes on so STAY TUNED!)

So this is why I'm just reaching out to you all today and wanted to know what do you think makes a bride turn into a bridezilla?? Is it always a bad thing? Can it be avoided? If you are already married were you considered a bridezilla? Why or Why Not?

To the wedding professionals out there, how do YOU deal with Bridezillas? What is your take on them? Would you say it is a thin line between knowing what you want and being a brat?

So talk to me ya'll! I wanna know what the people have to say! :-D

Stay Beautiful My Loves,
Memi