Holiday Decorating DIY: Indoor and Outdoor
The holidays are a special time of year that is made all the more memorable by decorating. As you think about how you're going to decorate this season, consider making your own holiday decorations. Whether you want to decorate indoors or out (or both), there are DIY options that can save you money and be enjoyable projects. Here are some ideas for DIY holiday decorating indoors and out. Outdoors Outdoors can be fun to decorate. People driving by your home can enjoy looking at your innovative decorations. Try some of these outdoor decorating ideas. 1. Holiday cards for your lawn Raid your storage shed, garage, and basement and dig out the scrap wood! You can make large-scale greeting cards for your lawn or, alternatively, vintage-look signs to hang in your porch entry or on your front door. For greeting cards, you'll need two pieces of same-size scrap wood. Paint them a solid background color using spray paint, and when that is dry, decorate them as you like. You will need to spray the cards with some clear coating after you're finished or cover them with a water-resistant, clear varnish so they can survive the weather. Then put them together with hinges and set them up on the lawn. Some spot lights or other illumination will add to the effect and make them visible after dark. Vintage-look signs can be made with only one board. Paint the board partially, using a dry brush with little paint for a distressed look. Then you can stencil a word like "Joy" or "Peace" down the board. 2. Speaking of doors... Wrap your front door to look like an enormous gift. You can buy these ready-made, but since we're talking about DIY, just use wrapping paper to cover your front door, and criss-cross with wide ribbon. Finish with a large bow. 3. Icy-hot luminaries Once you get the principle behind making these, the possibilities are almost endless. The basic method is to freeze water in the bottom half of an empty 2-liter bottle that you've cut in two. Fill about 2/3 full with water and whatever lovely objects you want to freeze - cranberries, holly sprigs, poinsettia leaves, etc. - and then put a smaller plastic bottle filled with rocks in the center. When you freeze this arrangement, you'll have a hollow center where the rock-filled smaller bottle was. This is where you put the tealight to make the luminary. These are great for frosty nights - blow out the candles and you can keep them outside if it's cold enough. Indoors Don't forget to bring the holiday spirit inside with DIY decorations. Here are some clever DIY decorations. 1. Boughs of holly...and evergreens Bring in branches of greens and hang them on the wall using festive ribbon and a decorative wall hook. Use them as hangers for cards, stockings, or Christmas ornaments. 2. Wall tree Fabric trees make wonderful decorations: they solve the dilemma of what kind of Christmas tree to have, ornament hooks attach to them perfectly, and they take up far less space than a free-standing tree. Ideas for wall trees that you can hang ornaments on include: * Felt tree - use fabric glue to attach a large, felt cut-out of a holiday tree to a white cloth backing and use a dowel and ribbon to hang it. * Embroidery hoops covered with various shades of green fabric can be arranged in a triangle pattern on your wall (a brown fabric-covered hoop can be used for the "stump"). Hang ornaments on the cloth.
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Tips to get through Security Quickly
In this day and age getting thro9ugh security takes longer than ever. Ever since homeland security has become such an issue, moving through airport security has become more difficult. As a seasoned business traveler, this part of your business trip requires some savvy preparation and your knowledge of the system so you can sail through security at the airport as quickly as possible. But the ability to navigate airport security quickly is not something that comes easy or without some significant planning and training. The biggest problem of getting through security is not you, it’s the other people who did not come prepared for this process. If you get stuck behind someone who is completely stumped by what is expected of them, it can take forever to get through the system. So the first priority is to hit airport security when the crowds are low. The easiest way to accomplish this is to take the first flight of the day out of that airline. This will be the time when there are fewer people in the airport than anytime of the day. Usually it is only business travelers who are at the airport at six a.m. so they will be the ones that already know how to handle security and the lines will move much more quickly. Like them, you have already learned the most recent rules about what will pass through security and what will get you stopped. You will need your driver’s license and boarding pass several times as you move through the process. So have that out early on and ready to show it often. Don’t put that information away until you are on the other side of security and ready to go to the gate. That one-step alone moves you along quickly through the different checkpoints of airport security. Usually airport security uses a queuing system to handle the crowds. That means that usually it is one long line moving up to the gates and then that line splits into several gates where various teams work the travelers through the scanning stations. As you are standing in line to go through the gates, keep an eye on the different stations. Some stations will stop more people or their equipment is too sensitive so it is moving slower. You may notice that a new team has arrived and is preparing to open a new station. With a bit of maneuvering in line, you can hit that new station as it opens and move through fast before the lines accumulate there. This is also a place to do a bit of profiling. While it is not ok for police to profile, you can look over the people ahead of you and profile those who will either be detained for scanning or will be a big problem when they are ready to put their stuff on the belts. Certain ethnic groups might get scanned more often. It’s sad but true. We all want racial equality but if you can avoid being behind that person, you might get through security faster. Also, avoid “amateur travelers” who have lots of kids, the elderly, people in wheelchairs or anyone who looks like they are confused by this process. You can be a hero and help someone out if you have plenty of time. But as the lines split up to go to the different stations, you can simply avoid being behind people who will slow up the process and go to the fast lines to get through more efficiently. You can cut down on how much you get scanned before you get to the airport. Wear slip-on shoes that you can get off quickly and back on quickly. Boots and tie shoes just slow you down. Keep the amount of “stuff” you are carrying through security to a minimum. Put your wallet, keys and other pocket material in your briefcase or purse before you even get in line. In that way you are down to shoes and that item to move through security and you can move more quickly. These tricks of the trade can make the beginning of your business trip much less of a problem and get you to the gate more quickly. And, this will reduce the stress of your trip and let your focus on the purpose of your business trip. Take a Walk in New York
Travel for business can be fun as well as productive. The steps you take to assure your meetings are a success are the same you will do back at your home office. But they are made more complex by the act of “taking your show on the road”. But sometimes the challenges of business travel involve how to handle your personal affairs efficiently and safely even as you focus on your business affairs. Business travel can take you to many different destination environments. In the same business travel year, you could find yourself on the beaches of Miami, in the exotic café’s of San Francisco or in a heavy urban center such as Philadelphia or New York. As a business traveler, your goal is to make your stay as uneventful as possible. But businesses travel can be dangerous. Just because you are on the corporate expense account, that doesn’t mean that those who would victimize travelers will pass you over. So it’s important you have a plan to assure your safety on your travels. Probably one of the most vulnerable experiences you may have is finding yourself on foot in an urban setting. Whether you are just taking a walk or you find yourself on foot to return to your hotel, if that short walk occurs after dark or in a setting where you feel there might be a risk, it can be a very disconcerting feeling. So it’s good to have some techniques to take yourself out of a risk category should you find yourself in that situation. In my travels, I found myself in New York quite often. New York is a town where walking from place to place is not that uncommon. So an experienced business traveler gave me some good advice on how to walk about in a town like New York and remove yourself from danger even before it befalls you. These tips can be useful in just about any urban city in the world. And when you have some good ideas about how to navigate such a situation, your confidence level goes up. Some of my friend’s tips included… * Don’t stare up. Don’t look like tourist by staring at the tall buildings. Walk like someone who has been here for years. * Don’t take out your wallet. Get to an indoor location to look at your wallet. Don’t give anyone a signal of where your valuables are on your person. * Walk with intention. Walk as if you are late for an appointment. Be in a hurry and impatient with others on the street. Look slightly irritated and in a hurry. Don’t look like a victim. * Don’t make eye contact. In an urban setting, the others on the street are not people to you. Don’t look at them or give them a chance to get your attention. Look bored. * Keep an escape route. If you are walking on a sidewalk, you can walk very close to the street. Keep an eye on the street itself. If you sense the rush of an assailant, you can dash right into traffic and disrupt moving vehicles. It is guaranteed that no mugger wants to carry out his crime in that situation. * Make a fuss. If you see a situation evolving that could be dangerous, create a stir on the street. Get in the middle of the biggest and noisiest situation you can find or create. Noise and crowds frighten off assailants every time. These are simple rules but they can be used in almost any urban setting you may encounter. So keep these guidelines tucked away. The moment when become useful won’t announce itself. So take a walk safely through the streets of New York and you will be prepared if anything threatens you. It is Easy to stay Healthy while on the Road
It is not hard to tell the difference between a seasoned business traveler and one who is new to the world of business travel. It is easy for someone new to business travel to participate in excesses on the road. As business traveler, you are an adult and you are trusted by your company to conduct yourself in a businesslike fashion during your time out representing the firm. But it is easy to let the idea of an expense account and free time in a far away town get the best of you and to let yourself go as you travel. These kinds of excesses are the types of behavior that you will see an experienced business traveler avoid. If you are setting out on a lengthy business trip perhaps lasting many weeks and traversing many cities, the road itself can take a toll on your health and well being. The disruption to your normal life patterns, the hard work and the stress of making connections and moving from town tot own can introduce levels of fatigue that can take a toll and even lead to illness on the road. And there is no more unpleasant experience than to be ill while traveling for business and to still have to do your duties despite your poor health. It is for this reason that observing some strict rules of good living on the road will pay off over the life of the trip and make the rigors of travel much less serious. Much of the discipline of business travel involves simply introducing a daily routine to your life that includes some healthy activities so you can keep your physical, mental and emotional state in good shape and ready for business each and every day. Some simple but effective rules to live by for a healthy business travel experience include… * Sleep routines. A good nights sleep is something we take for granted. And to get into a rested state takes more than just a bed and an alarm clock. You have routines at home that you use to cycle down toward rest. Adapt those to life on the road and allow yourself that hour before bed to get ready to rest as well as ample time to rest as well as sleep. Both are necessary for good health. * Regular exercise. Most hotels have an exercise room or pool you can use to get some motion into your muscles. Sitting in airplanes or conference rooms can cramp your muscles and keep you from maintaining good flexibility in your muscles. Even if it is nothing more than taking a walk after dinner or doing some simple exercises at night in the hotel, give your body some movement so stretch those muscles and get some fresh oxygen into your blood. * Time not working. For the sake of your mental health, take some time just for you. If you are in a town that has some fun things to see, get away from the business side of business travel and go to the zoo or a museum or see an attraction to give your mind a break from the stress of business. And take a few hours at night to relax in the hotel and read a book or watch your favorite TV show. You need that mental down time to recuperate and process all that is going on during your trip. * Good foods. Don’t cave into the temptation to eat fast food. Look for restaurants that will serve you well-rounded meals and make sure you eat fruits, dairy, vegetables, breads and good healthy proteins each day. * Don’t drink. Alcohol, while fun, is a huge drain on your body’s resources. The time drinking and recovering makes demands on your body that take away from the task of recovering your health each day. So avoid alcohol other than perhaps a glass of wine at night. You will survive the trip so much better if you are careful about your alcohol consumption. Some of these ideas seem almost ridiculously simple. But if you have done any business travel at all, you know that sometimes the simple requirement of a healthy diet and some time to yourself to exercise and rest can be elusive in a busy work schedule. All you have to do is eat the same way you do when at home to keep your life in good balance. How to Handle a Crisis when Traveling for Business
Business traveling can be a hassle relying on the reliability of public transport. That means you are going to have to deal with airports, security procedures, crowds of “non business” travelers around you at all times and the inevitable delay or canceled flight. As a business traveler, you have a mission to complete. This is not necessarily an adventure nor is it something you are doing for fun. Its business and you handle it as business. If you travel frequently on business, you have a standard process you go through to handle waiting for flights and how to store and retrieve travel documents when they are needed. Most of time we had handle the presence of large crowds around us. After all those families on vacation, groups of teenagers on spring break or young couples on honeymoon have as much right to the airways and the airports as you do. But everything changes when flights begin to get canceled, especially if you are in a situation where so many flights are canceled and large amounts of people are going to be stranded in that airport overnight. When such a situation begins to loom, it is easy to sense that feeling of panic rise up as you sense it happening in those around you. Inexperienced travelers may have no idea how to handle this situation. But as a business traveler, you are there doing the bidding of your company. You probably are on an expense account of some sort and you should have good credit that you can use to navigate this situation. So if you see an airport shutdown situation happening around you, you may ask yourself that question, “Is this a good time to panic?” The answer is no. But it is a good time to act fast so your needs are met. It is always a good idea to keep your wits about yourself in an airport situation so you can take action early if you see an airport shutdown situation beginning to happen around you. The thing to remember is that you are the one in control here and you do not have to let yourself be put at the whim of the airlines or the airport. But detecting the crisis coming early is the key and taking quick action. Often as flights begin to get canceled, you may find yourself in long lines to try to rebook flights or find a solution to the problem. Realize that if the airport is stopping all flights due to weather or other reasons, there is no resolution waiting for you when you get to the front of the line. And staying in line will only add to your sense of crisis and panic. So get out of that line! You have resources to make accommodations for yourself. The last thing you want is to have to pass the night in that airport. If you can get another form of transportation, you can still get to your destination albeit a little late. But rental car agencies are going to be flooded with people who, like you, are looking for a solution. So the earlier you can diagnose the situation as not acceptable and get a car, the faster you can leave the airport and head for a hotel or for your destination. Use the same strategy in booking a room at a nearby motel or hotel. If you can get to private accommodations for the night, you can work, make your phone calls and preserve your energies so you are able to conduct business well once the crisis is passed. The key is to stay calm and deal with situation quickly and efficiently using the resources you have on hand. Has the Internet Wiped out Travel Agents?
With the onset of new digital technology, the world has become a smaller place with websites like Travelocity and Orbitz popping up on the Web. These travel web sites have been very successful at facilitating travelers to book their own airline and hotel reservations online. So with this huge push from the internet to take over the travel industry, one has to ask, “Are travel agents obsolete?” If you have browsed some of these travel sites, you have observed that they are amazing in the diversity of travel options that they make available. And it is impossible to deny that many thousands of people have taken advantage of these services. As a business traveler, however, your needs are somewhat different than the typical airline passenger. There are some very specific services that a living and breathing travel agent can provide that simply cannot be replicated by an automated web site like Travelocity or Orbitz. Some of those services that a seasoned business traveler would be hard pressed to live without include… * Focus. You as a business traveler are not arranging this trip for entertainment. You have specific business objectives in mind. So if you must take time away from preparation for your business task to worry about travel itineraries, hotel and rental car reservations and the like, that is time that you are not being productive for your business. If you can call a talented travel agent who knows your travel profile well and delegate those arrangements to that agent, they do their job in finding just the right accommodations for you and you are freed to do what you do best, focus on your business and the upcoming business trip. * Economy. It is difficult to find that balance between finding the accommodations that fit the demanding schedule of a businessperson on the road and is respectful of the companies travel budget as well. If you use an automated online travel service, you may have to sacrifice convenience, schedule or location for economy. A good travel agent will work hard to get you the right itinerary while getting as close the corporate travel cost restrictions as possible. And they will do it without taking up a lot of your time. * Back up. You don’t need help if your trip goes completely as planned. But if you encounter problems on the road, you can find yourself in need or rescheduling flights and finding new accommodations to work around canceled flights, weather issues or other unexpected interruptions to your plans. These travel disasters are not mindful of your tight deadlines to meet your business goals. But if you have a travel agent who is dedicated to providing you service, he or she can find those alternative routes and resources to do all they can to get you to your destination so you can conduct your business on time. * That personal touch. You may have travel preferences that you want to achieve with each trip you take. A travel agent has your profile and your travel history so they can do what they can to accommodate your preferences. But moreover, if you have specific special needs such as a diet limitation or a need for accommodation due to a disability, it will be a travel agent that sees to it that your needs are provided for and you are well taken care of on the road. * Complications. If your travel itinerary involves making connections with other business partners who are traveling from diverse offices, complex travel schedules and itinerary challenges that just cannot be described to the generic screens of an online travel service, you can explain these complications to your travel agent and they can work with other travel agents working to organize the meeting and see to it that your itinerary meets your requirements. While the online travel services do provide a valuable and affordable alternative to the general traveling public, it is easy to notice their limitations if you are trying to book a trip that is tricky or if you have specific needs that the screens do not anticipate. Human travel agents still do have a place in the world of travel and they will help you plan, budget and book the trip that meets your travel needs and purpose. Corporate Travel Policies should Benefit All
It can be untrue that employees are unhappy with company policy for corporate travel. The truth is, employees like to know what is expected of them and how to comply with a corporate policy as long as that policy is fair and give them the ability to what they need to do on the road. So a well thought out corporate travel policy is a benefit to the company and the business traveler alike. If it has been given to you to put together a corporate travel policy, your mission from the stand point of the company is to develop a policy that standardizes business expenses, eliminates waste and excess on the road and puts some controls around that part of the business expense picture. So there are some definite focus areas you should include in the stated corporate policy including… * Reservations. If you utilize a travel agent that is looking for the best deal for the company. The best rates can be identified and taken advantage off but only while making sure the business traveler’s needs to meet the business objective of the trip are satisfied. Requiring that employees utilize the corporate travel agent again is not harsh and it clarifies for the employee how to handle the situation. * Use of credit. It is a bit of effort and expense to set up corporate credit cards that you can require your traveling employees to use. But by trapping expenses to the corporate account, you can get a record of a good percentage of the business expenses that the employee is incurring. Many of the expenses of travel such as airline and hotel can be direct billed back to the company thus taking both the hassle and the opportunity for creativity out of the hands of the business traveler. * Travel rewards. If you have your corporate travel coordinated by an internal or external travel agency, corporate accounts with the major airlines can be established so the frequent flyer miles can be collected by the business. As such the business can redeem those miles and realize those benefits as a significant discount on the travel that must be paid for. * Daily limits. Your corporate travel policy must communicate clearly to the traveling employee what their limits are for hotel, rental car and meals on the road. You want to head off before it starts any tendency by the employee to go to expensive restaurants and see the business trip as some form of all expenses paid vacation. But you also must allow for some leverage for the employee to eat well while traveling. This part of the policy should be reviewed annually to update to current costs. * Reporting. One of the chief complaints employees have about corporate travel policies are that the expense reporting system is cryptic and hard to fill out. You will give the employee a standardized form that each traveler in the company must fill out to get reimbursed for expenses while traveling. But review these forms and even design your own so the format is understandable and you have categories to cover all types of expenses the employee might encounter. Along with these general categories, your corporate travel policies should include some leverage for employees who are faced with exceptional situations. Room and food expenses can vary widely depending on where the employee must travel. So you don’t want to set the hotel limit to $125 per night because it is reasonable to stay in a comfortable hotel for that rate in Lincoln Nebraska but enforce that same limitation for an employee who must do business in New York City. If you create good general policies to cover your employees while they are on the road, there is a win win situation for you and your employees, and there will be a productive outcome that is cost-effective for the company overall. Business Trips are a Company Expense
One of the perks of traveling for business is that your company picks up the tab for almost everything. Since you are on bona fide business, for the sake of your business, being reimbursed for the costs of the trip is routine in the business world. Now we don’t want to abuse the expense account but if you live in a reasonable fashion on the road, you can get reimbursement for most expenses of the trip. But problem about getting reimbursed for your business travel expenses is that you have to file a report when you get back. While it seems like a nuisance, you cannot expect the company to reimburse you for expenses if you don’t know what they are. But this calls for a certain amount of discipline on the road so you have some documentation as you travel that you can use to compile that expense report when you return. There are some things you can do to make this process of managing that expense report less of a headache. For starters, before you leave, make sure you are very aware of the company’s expense policy and what is covered and what is not. Some companies use a per diem system which means that the company may allocate you a set amount each day for room and board and anything you spend above that is an expense you will cover. If your company uses the per diem system, make sure you know it well so you know what you can expense before you run up the charge. Keeping track of businesses expenses on a busy trip may become a nuisance as you travel. But you don’t want to get home and not be able to document the trip. The good news is there are some simple systems you can put in place that don’t take a lot of your time but will make keeping those business expenses tracked and ready to report for reimbursement when you return. They include… * Use Credit. Your credit card statement can be a running “tale of the trip” that can serve as emergency backup should you need it. * Receipt retention. It is easy to lose receipts if you put them in pockets with other documents or let them float loose in your briefcase. Maintain a daily envelope that you religiously put receipts into as soon as you get them. That can ride comfortably in the inside pocket of your jacket or in your briefcase so you know you have that record of your spending. * A running log. Even if you keep receipts, you can get home and find the task of sorting through them and trying to remember details about that expense can be a challenge. Make it a daily practice to sit down at night with a small notebook and go through your receipts and make a ledger of what you spent that day and on what. * For when you don’t get a receipt. Carry a pocket notebook and jot down when you spend cash or don’t get a receipt for an expense. Tips or snacks needed to get through the day should be recorded in this way. * Lock those receipts down. Just as you kept your receipts secure during the day, put them someplace secure at night so they will be locked down until you return. Sealed envelopes work well for this purpose. If you want to take the system to the next level, you can actually bring an expense report form with you and fill it out each day as you go. Then when the trip is over, you just sign it, bundle up the receipts and submit it to accounting. For an even more secure method, you can use Microsoft Excel on your laptop or a digital version of your company expense report to update each night as you move your receipts to storage for the rest of the trip. The important thing is to develop a system that works for you without fail as you travel. Then make your dedication to that system a priority as you travel. It is not that hard to save money while traveling, it is just a matter of planning and good organization.
Where Can I Buy A Wedding Planner Book? Some people, who are only having a small to medium wedding may opt out of hiring a wedding planner and simply use the tools that a bridal consultant utilizes to keep things moving along smoothly. If you are planning wedding yourself, you will need to have a few things in your arsenal in order to be successful. At the top of your list should be; how to stay organized, what and when to prioritize and where to get a wedding planner book, that will show you how to do everything you need to pull off a perfect wedding. Staying organized means that you will need to list out everything that needs to be done, Figure out who you can delegate tasks to, and what vendors you need to contact. You will also want to keep all of your notes, meetings and appointments, vendors, the deejay, photographer and video services all in one book that you can refer to when needed. This falls to the wedding planner book, where you can organize everything for easy access. First, check out your local bookstore or an online bookstore like Amazon. In our local bookstore, Barnes and Noble, there are a wide plethora of wedding planners from which to choose. Simply head to the wedding section of your bookstore, and you should be able to find a wedding planner that works for you. Once you have picked out what you want to work with, look around for a couple of quick reads on how to plan a wedding so that you know where to start and how to proceed. I actually offer a book of my own on this site that you can purchase for $9.99 as an immediate download, by clicking here. This is an eBook that you can print out and put into a binder where you can keep all of your notes and everything together. You will also want to stay very organized as you work out the details of your very special day. Next, you are going to want to organize around your wedding planner. Remember that everything that you need, take note of or scribble should wind up in your wedding planner. Only use one thing, your wedding planner, to work with. You don’t want to be juggling between your day planner, a notebook, post-it notes and cocktail napkins.. Your wedding planner should be your best friend and go with you everywhere. As you talk to people, make appointments and come up with ideas, it should all go into the same place – the wedding planner. You will want to establish and track expenses as the ideas flow about what you can add to your wedding plans. As you work through the various items on your To Do list like cake, flowers, photographer, videographer and the like, you will want track your expenses. All of these things can be kept in your wedding planner so that you know exactly where you are in the process.
Planning Your Own Wedding If you are going to plan your own wedding, here are a few things you need to know in order to be successful. You can plan much of your own wedding by doing some research both online and offline, getting some wedding checklists to keep you on track, and getting the help of your best girlfriends, mom and family. You should have someone help you coordinate everyone’s schedule so that people show up where and when they are supposed to. You will first want to get things organized by buying or building a wedding planner where you keep all of our important notes, budgetary items, appointments and checklists. I happen to have one available for instant download by clicking here! Most people download and print it out, put it into a binder with pockets and keep all their planning swatches and ideas in it. Start your research online where you can find a ton of information for free. These include everything from how to hire vendors including caterers, the photographer or videographer, gathering sample speeches for the wedding and the like. I have several articles available regarding weddings, including, budgeting, planning, and even etiquette . After researching, you will want to build to do lists that you can delegate to the people who are helping you, and with the checklists, this will be much easier to accomplish. You want to stay within your budget which you should share with the people in your inner circle so that people can be mindful as they work with you about what can be done in-house and what you’ll need to spend money on professional services. After researching, pass out the wedding checklists to those helpers you have designated, and work through them so that everyone is on the same page. Be sure and keep a master checklist of who is doing what so that you don’t lose track of details. Make sure that you take the time to go through the wedding checklists prior to handing them out so that you know what each has, who is best for what jobs and what you need to have accomplished in what timeframe. Besides the budget, getting a diverse crowd of people to where they need to be for the various events like wedding rehearsals, dinners and so forth should be left in the hands of someone you trust to do the coordination. While you may think that it’s better to stay in control of everything, you will quickly realize that this is not the case. While you’ll want to have an overview of what’s going on, leave the checklists, appointment coordination and gathering of various vendors to those you delegate that to on the wedding checklists. Be sure and maintain good communication with those you’ve delegated to, but try not to keep control of all of the small details that go into making a wedding a success. Planning a Wedding Without Drama If you are looking to plan a low-stress, drama free wedding here are three things you’ll need to get under control from the beginning: only one person can lead, too many cooks spoil the stew, and dissension and backstabbing are out completely. Unfortunately, when a lot of people get together to plan a large event, there is a tendency to have personalities collide. This is not just two people getting married; it is two families getting together. In order to avoid shouting, name calling and hard feelings, you will need to know what to do from the start. Gaining control and maintaining control can sometimes be a challenge. If you have two sets of contentious relatives, you are going to need to set some ground rules in order for everyone to get along. If you can, pick two of the most neutral people in the bunch to be your second-in-commands. However, make it clear to both of them that this is yours and your husband’s special day, and you don’t want to have it ruined by needless drama. Each of them will communicate with you, and you, as the bride will talk with them first. Ideally, you will already be friendly with one, and you will want to build friendship with the groom’s person. When it comes time to delegate duties, talk over and agree with each of your seconds (helpers) what needs to be done and who you think would be a good person to accomplish it. Ask their opinion and reach as much of a consensus as you can about the choices. While this may take a bit longer in the short run, in the long run you will be decreasing tension when you open it up to the general meeting. You will also have at least two people already in agreement who can present your case to the others who trust them. You keep ultimate control over what needs to be done, delegate to each of your seconds and, in turn, redelegate to others in the group. This may sound like a high-level diplomatic mission, and in a way, it is. Let each side know, as politely as possible, that you want to meld everyone together for this special day, and have your seconds (helpers) let folks know that this is about the bride and groom, and not about the personality conflicts of those helping to celebrate this union. If you follow this advice, you will go a long way towards avoiding personality and cultural conflicts that generally arise when stress levels rise. It is also helpful to purchase a wedding planning guide book, where you can keep all of your info, details, ideas, proposals, guest lists and contracts. We have an awesome ebook available by clicking this link. You can instantly download and print, place it in a binder and keep all of your other planning related ideas and such together.
How to Be a Successful Wedding Planner Not everyone out there is willing to ask for help when it comes to being a successful wedding planner. However, with a little practice and lots of patience, you will easily overcome your problems and fears with the process. You are never too old to figure out the ins-and-outs of how to be a successful wedding planner, but you need to be motivated to start. So, if you want to take on the task, don’t wait any longer before you take action. A lack of information can lead to poor decisions, and so you want to read all you can about wedding planning prior to starting out. There are also courses both online and in neighborhood colleges that can help give you a wealth of information on how to proceed. I have a ton of wedding planner articles on this blog, feel free to read them here. Once you learn the ropes, you can develop a plan of action to be a successful wedding planner. Whether you are planning for a stranger or have been pressed into service by a member of the family, these three quick tips will help you get off on the right foot. Just think—by the time you finish this article, you’ll have a place to start, and you’ll be sharing these tips with others. Since this will be a new venture, you should get the basics together prior to getting in over your head: -Be extremely organized. -Take notes at every meeting with the bride and bride’s family. -Listen carefully to the wants and needs of the bride. Take action: 1.) Look online or call your local college for information on how to become a wedding planner. If you work online, you can get information as you need it. This is especially useful if you are planning the wedding of a close relative. It can be a learning experience for both of you. 2.) If you are going to become a wedding planner as a career move, you will want to look both online and at local colleges to see what they have to offer. 3.) If this is for a family member, sit down and talk with them as soon as possible. Since you are probably new at this, you will want to have as much lead time as possible to take into account any unforeseen problems. While you may think that becoming a wedding planner is beyond you, with some information and encouragement, you will quickly see that it is something that can be both rewarding and fun. Check out the "For Event Planners" section of my blog for more great articles to get ya started! Go get 'em sis! How Much Does A Wedding Planner Cost? When you are looking to hire a wedding planner, there are three things that you need to take into consideration: cost, convenience and experience. You will pay some money, however, if you weigh time and stress savings, you may want to get a wedding planner to oversee your journey to the altar. Ideally many bridal consultants will charge anywhere between 10 and 20 percent of the wedding, and many will work on an hourly basis. There are others who will give you a package rate where everything is included. Most wedding planners have at least three package prices which cover the day of the service, consulting and full –service planning. According to The Association of Bridal Consultants the average costs for a wedding consultant are about $3,636 in the north and $2,635 in the south with the national average around $3,262. In terms of convenience and avoiding stress, you may or many not want to factor this cost into your overall bridal budget. Let’s talk about the convenience you will gain from hiring a wedding consultant. With a bridal consultant or wedding planner, you get a wealth of experience and know-how all in one person. The wedding consultant knows all of the vendors in the area and based upon your wishes can set up meetings for cake tasting, floral arrangements, go over themes, coordinate schedules of all parties involved and the like. This takes the bulk of the day-to-day details off your plate, and you can rest easy knowing that a professional is handling it. Reduction in stress is the next factor. When people plan their weddings, life can become a hectic merry-go-round with everyone trying to get into the act. Everything from racking of expenses, securing wedding locations and executing the themes and wedding designs all fall to the bride’s family. If you are working full-time, have a low tolerance for stress, or are not organized, you might want to consider a wedding planner. Now that you know what a wedding planner can do for you and your wedding bliss, you will probably take a whole new look at cost versus convenience. A wedding planner can take care of the details of your wedding, coordinate schedules of all parties involved and reduce stress overall by dealing with all of the vendors and assorted others involved. So, budget a wedding planner into your wedding budget and take advantage of all they have to offer. If you'd like to know about my wedding planning services, you may contact me by clicking here, or email me at barbara@virgophoenix.com. I'd be delighted to plan your wedding! What the Law Says about Making and Selling Your Own Wine Making your own wine can be much more than a simple hobby. Once you know what you are doing, you may be looking to sell your creations. The question is, is it legal to make and sell your own wine? Here, we’ll look at the legalities of making and selling your own wine, and the things you’ll need to consider. Is It Legal to Sell Homemade Wine? While you can legally make up to 200 gallons of wine per two-person household, unfortunately it is illegal to sell it without formal permission. The quantity also drops to 100 gallons for those living alone. If you do want to sell the wine you create, you’re going to need a number of permits. Firstly, you’ll need to apply to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau to seek their approval. You also need to know how the business will be structured. For example, are you going to create a winery, or will you be selling it in smaller quantities? It’s important to research the legalities before you get started. You’ll need to wait for your permits before you can sell it legally. You may find it best to seek expert advice. That way, you’ll know exactly how the process works and they can help you to apply for any permits you do need. Understanding Your State’s Laws Like with most things, the laws relating to selling your own wine vary from state to state. This means you are going to need to research specific laws in the state where you reside, as well as understand other state laws if you plan on selling it throughout multiple states. Some states have much stricter rules you need to adhere to. However, most require a permit before you can get started. You only don’t need permits if you plan on using the wine for personal use with friends and family. Breaking the law regarding the sale of alcohol can lead to pretty harsh consequences. So, it’s always worth taking the time to familiarize yourself with the rules. Is It Worth Selling Your Own Wine? Due to the fact that you do need to jump through quite a few hoops to sell your own wine, is it worth it? This will depend upon how serious you are about turning it into a business. You’ll need to make sure your wines are high quality and meet all safety standards. There is also bottle labelling to be aware of and a strict set of rules to follow. So, you should only get into this type of business if you are serious about doing it. Setting up an actual winemaking business is expensive and time-consuming. For most people, simply making their own wine to enjoy with friends and family is enough. Therefore, before you decide whether or not to sell it, think about the cost and effort of turning it into a business. Tools and Equipment You Will Need When creating wine, there are a few tools and equipment you’re going to need. The exact things you’ll need will depend upon what type of wine you are making. How much you plan to make, the fruits you are using and how much space you have available will also impact the tools and equipment you’ll need. Below, we’ll look at a general guide of the tools and equipment used during wine making. A Press and Crusher If you’re going to be using fresh fruit, a press and crusher are essential. If you are following this method, the fruit will need to be fermented for a set period of time. This time will differ depending upon the type of fruit you are using. You can purchase one easily and inexpensively on amazon by clicking here. If you are just starting out, many experts recommend starting with fruit juice or concentrate. This will allow you to skip the fermentation process and you won’t need a press or crusher. A Fermenter If you do plan on using fresh fruit, a fermenter is an important piece of equipment you’ll need. It helps to ensure the fruit is safely and correctly fermented. It uses specific microorganisms to help ferment the fruit into wine. You’ll find a lot of different models on the market so be sure to compare them and read consumer reviews prior to purchasing. You can purchase one from amazon by clicking here. Cleaning Agents During the winemaking process, hygiene should be a top priority. There are cleaning agents and tools you can invest in which make cleaning your equipment more efficient. These include jug and carboy brushes. You’ll also want to look at cleaning agents such as potassium metabisulfite and citric acid. Be sure to research everything there is to know about cleaning your equipment before you begin. You can purchase this on amazon by clicking here. Hydrometer and Thermometer If you are following the fermenting process, a hydrometer is a useful tool. It helps to show you the weight of liquid compared to water. They are really inexpensive to purchase, but they are fragile so it’s best to have a spare just in case. A thermometer can also help you to monitor the temperature of the wine. If you want it to taste and look like wine, you’re going to need to make sure the fruit doesn’t spoil. To purchase a hydrometer click here, and for the thermometer, click here. Acid Testing Kits Both before and after the fermentation process, you’re going to need to test the level of acidity. You can do this with acid testing kits. If you want the fermentation to be effective, there needs to be a good balance of sugar and acid. You’ll find these kits are relatively cheap to purchase. Click here to buy on amazon. Bottles and Closures After you’ve made the wine, you’re going to need to store it. So, invest in a good selection of bottles and closures. You’ll be able to find these in abundance online. Here a link to some on amazon, just click here.. As you can see, you need a lot of tools and equipment to start making your own wine. There are wine-making kits you can purchase which come with everything a beginner needs. So, why not invest in one of those first and then add to your collection if you become a more serious winemaker. Here's a link to a kit, just click here. The Best Fruit to Make Wine From When you are creating your own wine, you have full control over what goes into it. There are so many different types of wine you can create, and a lot of different ingredients to choose from. The main ingredient of most wines is fruit. You can use a variety of fruits to create wine, so which ones are best? Here, we’ll take a look at some of the best types of fruits you can use to create your own wine. Grapes The majority of fruit wines on the market today are made with grapes. This is because they are the easiest fruit to use in the winemaking process. They allow for clean, fast fermentation. As well as being able to use them alone to create delicious-tasting wines, grapes can be easily blended with other fruits too. There are a lot of different types of grapes and you can use them to create both red and white varieties. Some of the best grapes to use during home winemaking include Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Malbec. However, you can use whichever variety you prefer. Blackberries If you’re looking to create a delicious red wine, blackberries are a great choice. However, this type of fruit wine will also take the longest to make. It is recommended blackberry wine is aged for at least two years. This creates a bold red wine. You could also add pears or apples for a more unique flavor. Plums Plum-based wines feature a beautiful flavor and color. The plums need to be chopped up in order to ferment. These types of wines are early to mature and they take around a year before they are ready to drink. Pears and Raspberries You can create tasty wine by using just pears or raspberries. However, did you know that if you combine the two you are left with a mouthwatering flavor? The raspberries add a great aroma and they also alter the color of the wine. If you’ve never tried pear- and raspberry-based wine, now is the time to make some. Strawberries Another fruit that makes a beautiful wine is strawberries. However, they are also one of the hardest fruits to work with. This is because they have a very long fermentation period. This means you’ll want to wait a good amount of time before it is bottled up. Like most other wines, it is best if it is aged for at least one year. Rhubarb Not recommended for the beginner, rhubarb wine delivers a unique flavor profile. It takes a staggering four years before it is drinkable, but the wait will most definitely be worthwhile. Once you have experience making wines, you can try out creating your own rhubarb-based variety. So, there you have it – some of the best fruits to make your own wine. Before getting started, it’s worth researching everything there is to know about fermenting the different fruits. There is a lot to learn with winemaking before you get started and how to use the fruit is just one thing you’ll need to know. The Basic Steps for Making Your Own Wine Thinking of making your own wine at home? There are some basic steps you’ll need to follow. The process can be quite complex, depending upon the type of wine you are making. Therefore, it is really important to do your research before you get started. Here, we’ll run through some of the basic steps for making your own wine. Stock Up on Ingredients, Tools and Equipment Before you get started, it’s important to make sure you have everything you need. This includes all ingredients, tools and equipment. In another article we’ve covered the different types of tools and equipment you’ll need. However, ideally you should do your own research based upon the type of wine you want to make. In terms of ingredients, if you’re making your own fruit wine you might want to add some optional ingredients. These include bananas, raisins or white or red grape concentrate. These optional ingredients add sweetness to the wine. I have another article here on the blog with links to all the tools you will need, read it here. Find a Recipe Online You’re going to want to follow a tried-and-tested recipe when you’re just starting out. So, look for some good wine recipes online. You’ll find sites such as Pinterest are fab for discovering easy homemade wine recipes. Remember to look for beginner recipes too. The more advanced recipes tend to require technical steps that you likely won’t be ready for right now. Once you have made some basic beginner wines, you can look at creating your own recipes. Prepare the Fruit Before you make the wine, it’s important to prepare the fruit. This includes removing any stones and seeds from pitted fruit like plums or grapes. This is because the seeds will add a bitter flavor to the wine. Once this has been done, you’ll want to freeze the fruit to help break down the walls of their cell membranes. This makes it much easier to extract the juice. After freezing, thaw the fruit out and place it into a nylon bag ready to extract its juice. Use a press to do this or add sugar and leave it to extract naturally. Ferment the Ingredients Once you have the juice of the fruit, it’s time to ferment it. Different fruits require a different fermentation time, so do your research to see how long the fruit you have chosen should be fermented for. You should also follow specific fermenting advice for the type of wine you are making. Siphon the Wine Regularly As the wine is fermenting, it will need to be siphoned into clean containers regularly. So, if using a carboy, you can siphon the wine into a clean carboy as and when it is required. Again, different wines will need to be siphoned at different rates. These are the basic steps of making your own wine but as mentioned, the process is quite complex. For this reason, it is recommended you learn as much about the winemaking process before you attempt to make it yourself.
Rookie Wine-Making Mistakes to Avoid When you’re creating your own wine, there are a lot of mistakes you can make. Even expert winemakers aren’t immune to making mistakes along the way. It is a learning curve, but luckily you can learn from other people’s mistakes. Here, we’ll look at some of the top rookie mistakes to avoid when creating your own wine at home. Using Poor Quality Ingredients You aren’t going to be able to create a high-quality wine if you’re using poor-quality ingredients. Therefore, it’s important to make sure you choose the best of the best if you want to enjoy the best flavor. If you are growing your own fruit that will be used in the wine, be careful when you pick it. If you pick it too early or late, it’s going to drastically impact the results. Even the yeast you plan to use during fermentation should be of a high quality. Using Inadequate Equipment Alongside using poor quality ingredients, using the wrong equipment is another rookie mistake. Things like carboys and spoons may look similar to common household items. However, you’ll find actual winemaking tools and equipment are made with special materials. So, using standard homemade objects isn’t going to give you the same quality wine. In particular, avoid using utensils from around the home – especially those which have been used for cooking. This is because over time, the food odors seep through into the utensils. This can then be transferred into the wine, impacting its flavor. Not Following Instructions If you are just starting out, you’re going to need to follow instructions to create homemade wine. The trouble is, many people fail to follow the instructions properly. This could be because they don’t know what the instructions mean, or they may simply miss a step along the way. Put simply, if you don’t follow instructions, the wine isn’t going to taste how it should. In fact, you could end up spoiling it completely. Mistakes in the Fermentation Process The fermentation process is the most difficult part of the winemaking process. This is because each type of fruit needs to be fermented for a different period of time. Any mistake you make in the process can have devastating consequences on your wine. It is really important to understand everything there is to know about fermentation before you start making your own wine. Ensure you understand the terminology and how the process should work. If you bottle the wine before it has fermented, the process will carry on in the bottle. This could push the cork out, as well as compromise the quality. There are a lot of mistakes you can make in winemaking but the above are some of the most common. When you are just starting out, you need to follow specific recipes and spend a lot of time learning about the processes you can use. The more knowledgeable you are, the fewer the mistakes you are going to make. Making Sparkling Wine Still wine is the most common to make at home. However, it is possible to make your own sparkling wine too. It takes approximately nine months to create sparkling wine and there are three main stages you’ll need to follow. Here, you’ll learn the basics of making sparkling wine. As with any type of winemaking, it is better to research as much as you can before getting started. This will help you to achieve the best flavor and results. Fermenting It Twice The main differentiating factor between still and sparkling wine is the fermentation process. If you want to make sparkling wine, you’re going to need to ferment it twice. After the initial fermentation process, you’ll need to add yeast and sugar. When mixed in with the wine, it begins the fermentation process again, only the carbon dioxide produced by the yeast has nowhere to escape to. This causes the wine to become bubbly. There are actually different methods you can use to create sparkling wine, and it’s worth understanding what they are. The Traditional Method The traditional, or champagne, method is the most common method used by wineries. However, it can be expensive and extremely time-consuming for homemade wine. You’ll carry out the second fermentation stage in the bottle the wine will be stored in. A temporary cap will need to be used until the process has finished. After the yeast has worked, it dies and turns into lees. This will stay in the wine until it is removed. How long you leave it in will determine the taste and texture of the wine. A process known as riddling is used to remove the lees from the bottle. This is actually quite difficult to do yourself, which is why many people choose to use alternative methods when making their own sparkling wines. The Charmat Method If you are looking for a cheaper alternative, the Charmat method is ideal. Named after the person who invented the method, it involves fermenting the wine in a tank, rather than in bottles. The yeast and sugar are added to the tank and it gets to work much like it does in the traditional method. When it has stopped fermenting, the wine is filtered and then bottled. This method produces a clean, aromatic wine that is easy to drink. This method is easier to use at home and is much less expensive too. Alternatively, you could use the hybrid method. This involves a mixture of both traditional and Charmat techniques. You’ll carry out the secondary fermentation in bottles, then empty them into a pressurized tank. The sediment can then be filtered before the wine is packaged into bottles. It is worth being aware of the different sparkling wine methods so you can ensure you are selecting the right one for you. If budget is a factor and you are just starting out, the Charmat method is the best one to use. Try to research everything you can about the method before you get started. |
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