Back In Time

I just returned from "Unity Day" at my alma mater - Western High School in Baltimore, MD. This amazing bastion of academia has the distinction of being the oldest all-girl public high school in the country - 163 years and still going...

A lot of who I am today harkens back to my years spent in the halls of Western High. This was a place where the notion of "girl power" was evident and practiced long before it was popular. We were encouraged, challenged and given the mission to be accomplished, stellar, powerful, educated women who would take on the world and give some back in the process. As I walked the halls today, headed towards the auditorium for the assembly - it was as if I traveled back 28 years to the time when I was a teenager, lugging the heavy history books, prepping for the SAT's, deciding who my date would be for the prom :) And during that moment of "travel", I realized just how far I had come - and what a tremendous influence Western High had been on me.

Many of my classmates have gone on to be successful in the areas of entertainment, business, politics and entrepreneurship. But we all still remember what it was like to be 15, 16, & 17 - with the world out there, waiting for us to make our mark on it. I had a chance - as many of my fellow alumnae did, to speak with the current crop of ladies who make up the student population at Western. I told a few jokes..but what I really wanted to do was inform and empower them with the notion of being the "best". Being the best means you always, without a doubt, do all that's within your power to make things happen - and make them happen at a level of excellence. I encouraged them to be free thinkers, to understand that at this point in their lives - they have the opportunity to begin the manifesto of their existence, to determine the pattern and direction of their own personal destiny.

Today - I took a few steps back in time and I saw the young girl who literally didn't know what her life was going to be like - but she knew that it would be something special. I stood by my old locker on the first floor (yes - I still remember the #1092!) and I touched the handle - at that moment, I was literally flooded with so many memories - good and bad. When I stepped away, I brought myself back into this moment and I smiled. The road traveled from Western High School to where I am now has been an exhilirating, frustrating, amazing, angry, suspenseful, paralyzing - but incredible journey. My years spent in those hallowed halls helped to shape the woman I am now - and I wish my "little sisters" who are just beginning their quest, all of the luck in the world........

As Seen On TV.....

There's a new show on Fox Television called "The Wedding Bells" whose first episode aired this evening. Well, since I am a wedding planner and this series is about wedding planners - I decided to have a "looky-look" to see how my comrades in arms were portrayed...

Can I just say "wow"? Um, first off - and let me make this perfectly clear, that show is fiction. Pure and simple. We (and this applies to most of the professional planners I know) don't exhibit behaviors that were shown tonight. Trust me on this one. We don't (take your pick):

1) Ask men in the bridal party by a "show of hands" who wants to sleep with us
2) We don't sabotage the wedding ceremony for a bribe of...$500
3) You won't catch of us chasing anyone down the street, driveway or road
4) And even though folks can "take us there", we don't:
Tell our clients off. Period. Flat out.

Now, I know that it's just television - but I don't think this is a good case of art imitating life. Do we work hard? Yes, indeedy!! Do we get pulled into our client's lives - the good, the bad and the ugly of it all? More than you will ever know. But at the end of the day - it's about making sure that our brides and grooms have the most amazing, wonderful event ever - which happens to be their wedding. We want to see the smiles, the laughter, the tears - actually, that's about the only part of the show that was "right". There was a part at the end, where the bride and groom were dancing and full of joy........That's also before the Cherries Jubilee "lit" the bride up......and she ended up showing her "private parts"...her words, not mine :)

So...take it all with a grain of salt, and know that in a day's work for a wedding planner - it's safe to say that it ain't like it is on television...................

Channel Magazine

is a new publication available in the Baltimore metro area. And they featured me in an article for the "love issue"! I was tickled for the opportunity - and the story turned out wonderfully. Channel Magazine is an upscale publication that targets African-American families, singles and professionals with up-to-the-minute stories, features and information for our busy lifestyles.

I went to a "magazine distribution" event at Vino 100 last night (see previous post) and was warmly greeted by the publisher, Antoine Friend and the editor-in-chief, Lorna Hanley. They were both present when we did the photo shoot for the story layout and made that process so easy and enjoyable for me - the time literally flew by!

Many thanks to Antoine and Lorna - as well as my stylist, the wonderfully talented Carla Williams of Immaculate Impresssions. who did (and always does) a smokin' job with my hair and makeup! To see the article, visit www.turn2channel.com and download the February issue. I'm on page 37!!!!!!

Marriage - is a lot of work.

I'm in the business of creating wonderful, magical, awe-inspiring wedding events. I am tasked with making everything just so, perfect, flawless, seamless. But, behind all of the beauty that is a nuptial celebration, the core factor remains. You are getting married - saying "I do" to a person, hopefully to be with them for the rest of your lives.

In my travels today - I spotted an elderly couple in the grocery store, they had to be in their 80's (I think). They were in the produce section, picking out apples - and I watched them as they debated red vs. green. There was a certain "flow" to their conversation - I got the feeling that the wife was a feisty something when she was younger and while she may have been up in years, you could still see the "fire" in her eyes. They decided on their fruit, placed it in the basket and started to move down the aisle. And as they did so, I noticed them helping each other manuever the grocery cart and the husband placed his hand over hers as she held on to the handle. There was something about that simple gesture that spoke volumes to me. For when he did that, she looked at him and smiled. That smile said so much...it kinda went through the years. Back to the first time he saw her - and smiled. Rewinding time to the day she laid eyes upon him - and smiled.....

I watched them walk slowly down the aisle and the romantic in me just had to know...so I followed them. They were at the section where eggs and butter are located - I walked up to them and said "Excuse me" - they both turned in unison to look where the voice came from. I smiled and said "I don't mean to be forward or anything like that, but I noticed the two of you in the produce aisle and was wondering - how long have you been married? You seem to be so in tune with each other". The husband looked at me and got the biggest grin on his face - and replied, "we've been married 62 years". That just blew me away!! "Sixty two years?" I said , "Goodness - I couldn't even get through 13!!". He leaned in a bit closer and said, "Honey - marriage is hard work, it can be a chore at times....believe me." I noticed that his wife hadn't said much - actually she hadn't uttered a word. She was looking at me quite intently - and then said, "He's right - it's hard, hard work and not everyone is cut out for it. But we managed to get through the good and the bad, just like the reverend said - for better or for worse".

They were such a handsome couple - and obviously still very much in love. When she talked, he tilted his head towards her, and vice versa. There was something about the way he looked at her that simply transcended the years they've spent together - I could tell that he didn't see the woman with the snow white hair (it was absolutely gorgeous - I hope mine will look like that!!) or the wrinkled fingers..he saw the woman he fell in love with, 60 some-odd years ago. And she didn't hear the slightly shaky voice..she heard that booming baritone that made her heart beat a little faster when he came a-callin'.

I said "I didn't mean to interrupt your shopping, but I was curious. It's really nice to see a couple who've been together for so long...to see love that has lasted a while." I told them what I did for a living..and they both were unanimous in saying that I should tell "those young people" that marriage requires a big effort on both parts - that it takes time and that you have to trust each other, always. And that you have to be able to love - without reservation or hesitation.

I wished them a good day and made my way down the aisle. As I was turning the corner, I looked back and saw them again - deciding what to buy. Watching them brought it all home for me - while all of the "hoopla" that goes into the planning of a wedding is fine, it's not the end all to end all. Being able to live and love together for over a 1/2 century.........is such an awesome
accomplishment. But knowing that you have to hunker down and really, truly "work " at being married...is much more important. So....to all of you who are walking down that path towards matrimonial bliss (and those of you who've already made the journey) - it's about substance, about diligence and it's going to be hard. But so is anything worth having.......................

Vino 100

is my newest "discovery"! I visited this quaint wine emporium on yesterday evening for a wine tasting/magazine distribution event and WOW is all I can say! While Vino 100 is a franchised operation, the owners of this particular establishment - Tim & Sharon Patton, really make you feel at home.

I'll admit it - I know a little, teeny something about wine. But in my profession - knowledge is power, so I'm really trying to up my game when it comes to "everything of the grape". Vino 100 offers at least 100 varieties of wine for $25 or less...which is right up my alley! I know that there are vintages out there which cost an arm, leg and the rights to your firstborn.....but I don't necessarily need all of that :) I want a good wine which tastes great and is appealing to my "baby" tastebuds......

I kinda nailed down last night that I prefer a sweeter wine.....dry flavorings do nothing for me. I sampled a wonderful sparkling wine called "Moscato diAsti" - LOVED it. So much so, that it's now in my fridge, waiting for me to pop it open. The cost? $12. Vino 100 also has a nice selection of wine accessories (saw some cute wine charms that I'm gonna go back and purchase), as well as other gourmet "condiments" like flavored olive oils and mustards. I also bought a lime & roased chile mustard by Olivier Napa Valley..which I plan on experimenting with this weekend. I'm thinking it will be yummy on some grilled chicken or maybe sea bass.........

So - if you are in the Owings Mills area of Baltimore, take a moment out to visit Vino 100. Their website is www.vino100owingsmills.com .....