HAPPY VALENTINES DAY TO ALL!! The Love Celebration Continues :-)

Happy VALENTINES Day Beautiful People!!

I am LOVING the atmosphere today everybody is wearing their red and pink, fresh flowers on everyone's desk and chocolate GALORE scattered throughout the office! Love is one of THE most powerful emotions in my opinion. So it is such a blessing to have a day dedicated to celebrating all things LOVE!

So with that I introduce to you our 2nd couple in the Celebration of Love series :-)

Ms. Ogechi Ekeocha and Mr. Emeka Opara!

Ms. Ogechi (or as her family and close friends affectionately call her "Ogee") is a medical student, raised in Baltimore, MD, who has a passion for treating and healing people. She is known for her outgoing and friendly spirit that radiates through the room as soon as she walks in!

Mr. Emeka is a Masters student at Howard University working on his M.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He also works with Transtecs Corporation as a part of the Engineering and Corporate Business Development team. His friends and family describe him as loyal, fun, lively, respectable and one who is ALWAYS willing to give a helping hand to those that are in need.

Enjoy their love story :-D

HOW DID YOU MEET THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE?

Emeka Says:

It all began with my father. He sat with me and told me stories about his life. Then he talked about my future and how he would love for me to start thinking about settling down. In fact, he said there was a person he wanted me to meet the following day so, wear a suit and tie. “What!!,” was my first reaction. I was very content with the way my life was going. However, what he said that day really stuck with me. So the next morning, with no suit and tie, I drove my parents to Baltimore where I met Ogechi for the first time. We ate and then talked for a while and found out that we had some things in common but, it was because Ogee was intriguing that made me want to get to know her more. “Fathers know what’s best for their sons,” is what I truly believe. My father knew what was best for me and I felt that Ogee may have been what’s best for me so I gave it a shot.

Ogechi says:

My fiance and I took it back to the old tradition where your parents arrange who they want you to marry. It wasn't how I imagined meeting the man of my dreams but it works too:) I had been consumed with school for over 2 years and never really had time to date. So when the situation presented itself I wasn't opposed to it, I also didn't really take it seriously but my parents did. My mom forced me to get up and cook for them before they arrived. She told me how to fix my hair and gave me the jewelry to put on. Looking back, I kind of think that she knew Emi was meant for me. I guess mommy knows best, but I know that no matter which way I wore my hair or whatever earrings I wore, he still would have still taken me out on that first date.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT EACH OTHER?

Emeka Says:

Where should I start? Ogechi is the most loving person on earth. I have never met anyone like her before. It’s inspiring and has begun to even change me. I love that she challenges me, pushing me to be a better and more caring person. I love the fact that Ogee makes me laugh at the most unexpected time, even when I've had a bad day. That is why, during those days, I must listen to her voice as soon as I come home. I love that Ogee keeps me on my toes and makes me try new things, even though I fight it ALL THE TIME. I love how unconventional she is, not following others but being followed by others. I cannot stop now! I love Ogee because she always forgives me for my goofy ways. She also has a way of making me feel like I can really accomplish all of my dreams; it is what pushes me through those tough moments. I would not trade Ogee for the world. Oh yea, I also love her eye brows, they are so sexy with that perfect arch. Well arch or not, her brows complement those amazing eyes. I love Ogee because she has an awesome ....… okay I’ll stop now. There are just too many reasons to count. However, no matter where we are or what situation we are in, I can always feel her love.

Ogechi says:

Emi mu!!! I love everything about him. I love when he smiles, because it makes my heart smile. I love when he's angry cause he shows his true soul and thoughts. I love his drive. The same drive he has for his school work and his work is the same he has for me. I love the fact that when I cook he cleans or at least offers too (BONUS POINTS). I love him for loving me through good and bad and accepting me raw. I can go on for pages.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO ABOUT SPENDING THE REST OF YOUR LIVES TOGETHER?

Emeka Says:

We currently live in two different states so we talk on the phone till we both go to sleep. The phone bill is a killer. Therefore, I look forward to talking to Ogechi in person and falling asleep next to her for the rest of my life. I also look forward to sharing warm times with family and friends, and starting traditions as husband and wife. I look forward to seeing the world and there is no better person to do that with than with Ogee.

Ogechi says:

As we are now, I fall asleep with him on the phone or at least have to hear his voice before I can go to bed comfortably. So, I look forward to waking up to him every day and going to bed with him every night until we grow old and wrinkly.

WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO K NOW ABOUT YOUR LOVE?

Emeka Says:

Well I want people to know that our love is filled with laughter, kindness, care, and, most of all, with Faith. It feels like we are a perfect pair. God has blessed Ogee and I in so many ways; He has given us a love that is too strong for words. A love that is too great to be explained.

Ogechi says:

My grandma always tells me that there is only one person meant for me, and if I marry the wrong person I will live unhappily ever after. I believe her because I have never felt love the way I have with Emi and I have never been this happy with anyone in my life. I basically just want people to know that love is real and it feels great when you are with that one person for you. Every aspect of life just comes together like a puzzle piece. All the trivial issues of life are forgotten. We're happy, our families are happy and our future looks promising.

There you have it!!
Maybe you SHOULD give that man/woman your parents have lined up for you a chance! You never know what God may have in store for you! I hope you all enjoyed their story it gives hope that our parents really do know what's best at times! Go out and enjoy your Valentines Day! Single or taken, know that God loves you first :-D

Stay Beautiful My Loves,

Memi

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How to Thursdays: What is Your Wedding Style? Part 1

So, he gave you the proposal of your dreams and the ring you've been drooling over for months now. What more could a girl ask for? Life is AH!Mazing! Mixed in with all the "Congratulations", "I'm so Happy for YOU!" and the "You guys are such a cute couple" You get the reality check question..."When is the wedding" or like our people will say "When are we coming to eat rice?" Some people get so wrapped up in the beauty of the proposal and the transition from girlfriend to fiancee' that they forget "fiancee-dom" (yes I made that word up, lol) is something like a blissful purgatory. It is a limbo between courtship and marriage.

For many people this period is coupled with the daunting task of actually PLANNING a wedding! There are some girls who've dreamt about this their whole lives (like me) then there are some who have never heard the name "Vera Wang" let alone the difference between an empire waist gown and a drop waist gown. So I plan on having a series labeled "How-To Thursdays" every Thursday you can come here and see some tips or helpful tidbits to make wedding planning just a LITTLE bit easier for our planning readers.


Today I want to talk about choosing your wedding style. A wedding should reflect the bride and groom's styles and preferences. This can be done in a number of ways. Through colors, venues, wedding dress, grooms suit, reception decor, etc. My focus today will be on how to select colors and what different colors represent. I will talk about details such as attire, cake, flowers, and lighting that can all showcase your wedding style on future posts.


How do I choose my colors? What do these colors even represent?
Some people go the route of their "favorite colors" which is not a bad idea because your favorite color is a part of you and can say a lot about your personality. Some go with what they THINK will look nice together, while others go with what seems to be the color of the season (Side Bar: Purple was so in last year).  Really, there is no wrong way to choose your wedding colors because I totally believe that any group of colors can be fused together in an event design IF DONE CORRECTLY (Key Word). I've seen so many different color schemes come together beautifully!


Here is a little insight on what different colors represent and some pics to give you an idea of how it could be done :-)







RED

 
Red is the color of fire and blood, so it is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love.
Red is a very emotionally intense color. It enhances human metabolism, increases respiration rate, and raises blood pressure. It has very high visibility, which is why stop signs, stoplights, and fire equipment are usually painted red. In heraldry, red is used to indicate courage. It is a color found in many national flags.



  

ORANGE

Orange combines the energy of red and the happiness of yellow. It is associated with joy, sunshine, and the tropics. Orange represents enthusiasm, fascination, happiness, creativity, determination, attraction, success, encouragement, and stimulation.


YELLOW

 













Yellow is the color of sunshine. It's associated with joy, happiness, intellect, and energy. Yellow produces a warming effect, arouses cheerfulness, stimulates mental activity, and generates muscle energy. Use yellow to evoke pleasant, cheerful feelings.


GREEN



Green is the color of nature. It symbolizes growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility. Green has strong emotional correspondence with safety. Dark green is also commonly associated with money. Green has great healing power. It is the most restful color for the human eye; it can improve vision. Green suggests stability and endurance. In heraldry, green indicates growth and hope.



BLUE














Blue is the color of the sky and sea. It is often associated with depth and stability. It symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth, and heaven.
Blue is considered beneficial to the mind and body. It slows human metabolism and produces a calming effect. Blue is strongly associated with tranquility and calmness. In heraldry, blue is used to symbolize piety and sincerity.
 

PURPLE













Purple combines the stability of blue and the energy of red. Purple is associated with royalty. It symbolizes power, nobility, luxury, and ambition. It conveys wealth and extravagance. Purple is associated with wisdom, dignity, independence, creativity, mystery, and magic.


WHITE

 









White is associated with light, goodness, innocence, purity, and virginity. It is considered to be the color of perfection.
White means safety, purity, and cleanliness. White can represent a successful beginning.
















 When choosing your colors remember that the colors above are the most basic colors that people use, but there are a range of hues and shades in each color category. For example there is a significant difference between sky blue and navy blue, so do some color research and select what you think will work best for you and the wedding style you are trying to achieve.  When selecting your colors think about what these colors represent, what they mean to you and your fiancee' and most importantly how will they blend together! Below are some unusual color blends that you don't see often and most people wouldn't think to pair together, but they work when DESIGNED right!  









Blue & Red (www.bronzebudgetbride.com)

 


Pink & Grey (seeing aLOT of grey this year-TREND ALERT!)
(www.storkie.com)

 

 

Red & Purple (www.weddingbycolor.com)



Black, Yellow, and White (http://www.wetv.com/)

 

Can you think of any other interesting/uinque color combinations that you've seen?

What do you want your wedding colors to be? What made you choose those colors?

Talk to me! I want to hear from all of you :-D

Stay Beautiful My Loves,

Memi


(The color definitions courtesy of  http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-meaning.html)
(Click the color names for photo credits)

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Its February and Love is Beautiful so Let's Celebrate It!

Hello Readers!!

February is a special month for so many different reasons, but one of the reasons is because of Valentine's Day , the Lovers holiday, that falls on February 14th. So for me and many others, this month translates into the month of love. Everywhere you go, you see red heart balloons, heart felt cards, lovely floral arrangements and Chocolate! Chocolate!!  and more Chocolate!!!  Love is just all over the place! 

So to go along with this theme, we will feature couples who represent what TRUE LOVE really is. Couples who epitomize what love should look and feel like. There seems to be many negative messages about love being spread through the media, how hard it is to find, how scarce good men are, how scarce good women are, etc. But these couples give hope to the many out there still searching for their soul-mate, they make it clear that all hope is not lost and BEAUTIFUL LOVE still exists out here!


With great pleasure I introduce to you our first couple: Blessing and Frank

"Sometimes I envision myself on the edge of the titanic, in that one famous scene with the wind in my hair screaming at the top of my lungs; “I have found my ONE true love” but that would be way over the top don’t you think? Instead, I have chosen to announce my love for Francis to the world by spending the rest of my life with him and he with me. What better way to announce my love and commitment to my sweetheart than to exchange vows  before God and our family and friends.

I have chosen to spend the rest of my life with Francis because he completes me. His personality and mine are as diverse as we are individually, you only have to listen to our music choices and watch our movie choices to see that, but somehow it works. He loves me and I love him in the true sense of the word. He is my biggest critic and my biggest fan. and even when he is critical, he is always gentle, and kind. He understands me, to put it simply; he just gets me.

I want to be with him all the time, even after 8 years of dating, he still gives me butterflies, and when we are apart for even a moment, I miss him. I love the way he looks at me, the way he touches me, I love his smile and the way he appreciates me. When asked, I always say; his heart is his best feature.  He is responsible, his morals and values match mine, he prays with me, he is everything I have asked God for in a life partner, and above all, he makes me laugh; which definitely helped seal the deal.

Who would have thought I would find the love of my life on a blind date 8 years ago. God definitely has a sense of humor. Above all, I thank God for leading me to Francis whom he made so perfectly for me."

More pics of the beautiful couple below:

For more on Blessing and Frank, check out their wedding on Dotuns Blog.


Stay Beautiful My Loves,
Memi

P.S. THE WINNER OF OUR MAGAZINE GIVEAWAY WAS PRECIOUS!!!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS PRECIOUS!!! PLZ EMAIL YOUR INFO TO BCGBLOGGER@GMAIL.COM SO THAT WE CAN MAIL THE MAGAZINES OFF TO YOU!! YOU WILL LOVE THEM!

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Sade's 21st Birthday

Hi everyone,
So last year we had those  curazeeeeeeeee snow storms and we were just itching for spring already.  Then came Sade and we were so glad it was her birthday!!!! Sade was turning 21 and wanted something fun, youthful, fresh and springy!!!!!!    And when we saw her location; Hook Restaurant, we knew we had to bring in some color.  The inspiration for her decor was obviously a longing for spring, birthdays and girly stuff.    The color scheme of hot pink and yellow was decided so that it would pop against the white background of the restaurant, besides it reminded us of spring; yellow daisies and pink blossoms.

We utilized oversized paper lanterns and adorned them with beautiful lush spring floral, and hung them over the guest tables.  The centerpieces were reminiscent of gift boxes, wrapped with ribbon and tulle and filled the entire length of the guests tables, they were also adorned with spring flowers to tie in with the lanterns. 

To finish off the look we scattered pretty sparkling  jewels on the tables.  Needless to say if this look did not usher in spring and celebrate Sade's birthday, then we don't know what else could have.  LOL!!!! 

Enjoy the images (courtesy of Tunji Sarumi)

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The Woman on the Front of that Bridal Mag Looks Like Me!!

A question that I get a lot when I talk about my dream wedding with my friends is "What makes a Nigerian wedding so different than an American wedding" and I never really know how to explain it in detail. I just say "don’t worry you'll come with me to the next one I go to, so you can see for yourself". From the vibrant, color-coordinated geles (headwraps), to the breaking of the kola nuts and the famous MONEY dance!!!! It is an event that is distinctly unique to our people. There is just something about the culture, traditions, attire, atmosphere and the people, that just make it a truly unparalleled experience.

There are a lot of bridal magazines at the grocery store and newsstands that have so many good ideas and filled with so much wedding inspiration but NOTHING ever targeted towards US. I am so happy that this is changing now and would like to introduce two bridal magazines that are bringing all of that to the limelight.




African Brides will be launched in March 2011 . Their slogan is "Elegant Weddings with an African Touch". They are really focusing on that African bride that has spent many years in America and wants a traditional event that will remind all their guests of how it's done back home BUT at the same time, she wants to mix in some Western world flare. It is an excellent resource for that cultural bride who just got engaged and needs help on figuring out what is next!

There is an extensive vendor directory in their magazine and on their website and this is a benefit for the African bride who is looking for those African vendors that understand the ins and outs of having a wedding full of tradition, as well as all the beautiful things that make African weddings a one-of-a-kind experience! My FAVORITE part about this magazine is the humanitarian efforts that come along with it. 10% of the profits from each issue go to a charity organization in Africa that helps to fight hunger, disease, abuse, and illiteracy. A different charity will be spotlighted in every issue. Not only is it a great resource for the planning bride, it is also ALL for an amazing cause! Go to their website at http://www.africanweddingsus.com/ to pre-order your copy RIGHT NOW! They are including a FREE Victoria Secret's "must-have" with each pre-ordered copy! I have my copy, what are you waiting for :-)

 

Munaluchi Bridal on the other hand, was launched in 2010 by Jaqueline Nwobu and features numerous pages of REAL weddings with people that look like US. Their motto is "For the Bride Who Craves Culture and Style". Looking through this magazine you will see many different wedding dress styles and actual fashion show spreads from top African designers. This magazine is geared towards the fashion forward, haute couture bride looking for inspiration and trying to find her specific wedding style. Consider it the style guide to a fabulous wedding rich with culture. This magazine can be purchased from their website http://www.munaluchibridal.com/ and is sold at major bookstores and some Targets.

 Both of these magazines are definitely must haves for the African bride that is in the midst of planning that special day. Whether you are searching for some beautiful wedding inspiration , that perfect African vendor that can flawlessly execute your vision, or the gorgeous wedding dress that will hug your coke-bottle curves and illuminate your glow, whatever you are looking for can be found in these two magazines tailor-made for US!

And, we'll help you get started!!!! Yes this would be our first give away for the year.  So show some blog love and our very 1st commentor would get the most recent copy of each magazine sent their way, courtesy of BCG Events. 

 

Stay Beautiful My Loves,

Memi

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Hi, I'm Memi

Hello Everyone!!!

My name is Memi Daniyan and I am the new blogger for BCG Events! I am sooo excited about this opportunity, if you ask ANYone close to me what do I love the most after God and my loved ones they will definitely tell you WEDDINGS. All of my friends and family are aware of this "obsession" that consumes my extra time! Just a couple of weeks ago I was thinking to myself like there HAS to be a way I can channel this passion and lo and behold I came across a tweet from @bcgevents (Follow us on Twitter!!) mentioning they were looking for a new blogger. I immediately inquired about the opportunity and here I am! I am ready to share my passion AND be a liason between you guys and the entire BCG team to keep everyone up-to-date on what is going on with us! What can you expect from me you ask? Well we have SOO many beautiful and wonderful things in store for you, everything from beautiful real weddings, how-to guides, love stories and features on superior African vendors! I hope you all will enjoy reading as much as I will enjoy writing!

I have posted below some pretty little things that inspire me and keep this passion burning.



http://www.tacori.com/ Style #2580RD8




http://www.lovelylopez.net/




http://www.essence.com/




Annie Hosfield Photography via http://www.theknot.com/




http://waterforchocolate.tumblr.com/




http://www.digitallighting.com/




http://hauteavenueparis.tumblr.com/




http://www.digitallighting.com/





theweddingdiaries.tumblr.com

 I could go on and on with pictures of beautiful things that make my heart pitter-patter but that's why I'm here!! LOL! So every now and then I'll have posts called "Beauty Sightings" just little details whether it's a dress, a floral arrangment, a ring...just ANYthing gorgeous that I happen to stumble across that I feel you all will enjoy.

This is the part where you guys leave comments and tell me what YOU would like to see. I want this to be as interactive as possible, so let me know what YOU want to know about in regards to wedding planning, event decor, photo inspirations, etc. I'm open to ALL comments, suggestions, and even constructive criticism :-) So buckle your seatbelts as we embark upon this journey of all things BEAUTIFUL and all things LOVE!

Stay Beautiful My Loves,

Memi

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