Sandals La Source Grenada!

Sandals has a new resort, Sandals La Source Grenada, which will be opening for arrivals on December 12, 2013; bookings commence on March 23, 2013.

This will be the penultimate resort in their collection, with rooms and suites never seen before!

A few of the highlights:
o    231 rooms and suites
o    3 villages: Pink Gin Village, Tahiti Village, and Italian Village
o    Just minutes from the airport
o    9 restaurants including a world class steakhouse restaurant – Butch’s Chophouse
o    3 pools plus 2 river pools
o    State of the art fitness center and spa
o    Meeting facilities
o    75 butler suites including millionaires suites, rondovals and skypool suites
o    Romantic soaking tubs in all rooms and suites in the Tahiti and Italian villages

I absolutely cannot wait!!!! Be sure to contact your "Go to Girl" to book your vacation - arlene@designsbycornelia.com or call (407) 674-7921.

Feeding Your Vendors

Per my contract, I do require that my clients provide a vendor meal for all vendors that will be working for at least four hours during the wedding reception.

Many of your vendors will also require this in their contracts. Now mind you, your vendors do not have to receive the same plated meal as your guests.

Be sure to discuss vendor meal options with your caterer or hotel banquet manager, they will go over options with you that are typically at a significantly lower cost than your guest meals.

Another thing to consider is where your vendors will dine. When I coordinate wedding receptions, under no circumstance do the vendors dine with the guests. Find out if there is a small adjacent room equipped with a table and chairs for your vendors to eat. If you have a wedding planner they will coordinate eating times for the vendors to make sure they have adequate time to eat and perform their respective duties.

Happy Planning!!!

Sandals is for Lovers!!!

For couples wanting to experience the Caribbean, Sandals is the way to go. What impresses me most about Sandals properties is how friendly and accommodating the staff is and the fact that everything is ALL INCLUSIVE. And when I say ALL INCLUSIVE, I mean ALL INCLUSIVE. All of your alcoholic beverages are included and all fine dining as well. I ate lobster, and that was included. Even your room comes stocked with champagne, wine, and a few different other cordials. If you finish off a bottle, they replace it!

What a great way to spend your honeymoon! And guess what... all of the honeymoon add-on's are complimentary, you don't even have to be a Designs by Cornelia client. Call me at (407) 674-7921 or e-mail me at arlene@designsbycornelia.com so we can get started.

P.S. You don't have to be married to experience a Sandals vacation. If you and your sweetie want to take a getaway, I have you covered. You can even grab a few friends and have them bring their significant others and plan a group trip to one of the Beaches properties. Designs by Cornelia will take care of all details for you...complimentary.

How to Pee In Your Wedding Dress

Recently I came across the cutest blog post on the Style By Design blog... Enjoy!!!

How to Pee in Your Wedding Dress........Yes. I. Did.

I would say that this is a pretty relevant blog topic.  Especially if you plan on drinking or eating anything within the 8-10 hours that you will be in your dress....

The below directions were taken directly from Project Wedding.  The whole sitting backwards on the toilet thing works...and if you have personal space issues like me, it's definitely a winner because you don't need friends around helping you pee.  So, read and take notes. Don't forget to wash your hands.

On arrival at your venue

• Open the door of the ladies' room and look in. If the floor is not clean, call the venue staff and ask to have it cleaned.
• If the floor is clean, walk into the ladies' room and open the door of the handicapped stall. If the floor of the handicapped stall is not clean, call the venue staff and ask to have it cleaned.

This ensures that you will not later get the train/back of the dress dirty just by having it touch the floor.

When you need to go

• Walk into the handicapped stall. Remove (don't just pull down) your underpants.
• Facing the toilet, pull up the front of your dress to your waist.
• Walk straight forward, so you are straddling the toilet, and sit down that way. The train/back of your dress will now be away from the toilet, so you won't get them wet or dirty.
• Lean forward before peeing. That way, even if you drop the front of the dress onto the seat, you will not pee in its direction.

Special tips for hoop skirts/crinolines

• When lifting your skirt, make sure that you grab all of the hoops together. this can be done by reaching under the bottom flounce and pulling straight up. If you are wearing an under-petticoat, don't forget to grab it too. This can be, and has been, a very bad thing to forget.
• Once you have a good handle on the hoops, swing the whole thing to the rear, as if you are preparing to hula-hoop with your dress. This will move the whole contraption behind you and out of the 'danger zone'. It will also slightly lift a shorter train off the floor which is a plus
• When you are done, drop the hoop straight to the floor and give a little circular hip-shimmy. This will help you to get your dress hem back over the bottom hoop. It is always a good idea to have a friend do a 360 of the hem to make sure nothing is showing that shouldn't be.

And in case no one has told you this yet, never ever under any circumstances step straight backward while in a hoop. You will step on it, and you will fall over, and this will give a free show to anyone standing in front of you. Not directly related, but one of the top tips for wearing a hoop.

 

Preparing For Your Engagement Shoot

Recently I had an opportunity to ask Victoria Angela from Victoria Angela Photography what she considered to be the three most important items to consider when preparing for your engagement photo session... hair/makeup, props and clothes she stated.

VictoriaAngela.com

Victoria Advises:

 When it comes to selecting outfits, stay away from anything with writing on it (Old Navy, Abercrombie) so it doesn't look like an advertisement. White sneakers and thick stripes (not pinstripes) stick out like a sore thumb and tend to be a distraction in your photos. Try to keep your outfit changes to one dressy and one casual so you make the most out of your engagement session.

When it comes to makeup, don't be afraid of fake eyelashes or lash extensions. The long eyelashes will make your eyes pop and it is important to have them done professionally so you won't have to worry about them falling off or applying the wrong kind. Keep clear lip gloss and blotting papers handy for touch-ups. Unless you are planning a themed engagement session, have your hair lightly styled as if you and your fiance are going out for dinner and a movie. You don't want to have an up-do or style that you wouldn't normally have everyday.

VictoriaAngela.com

VictoriaAngela.com

If you are interested in including props such as signs, banners, chalk or even your pet(s), you must inform your photographer ahead of time so you can prep for these photos. Some of the props will take time to set up and others must be watched. If you are including your pet in some photos, it is important to have a friend or family member watch them while you finish the rest of your engagement session.

VictoriaAngela.com

Happy Planning!!!

Gratitude Journal

I recently discovered this wonderful blog called the Dating Divas, and I must say it is a must read for anyone in a relationship. Please enjoy!

"Several years ago, I was watching an episode of Oprah (BTW…I really miss her). The entire episode was on having gratitude in our daily lives. Oprah talked about keeping a regular journal solely about “being grateful.”  I immediately tried this idea and soon found that I LOVED it. Each week (about 2- 3 times), I would take 5 minutes and quickly jot down ten things I was thankful for. At first, I had to stop and really think. However, after doing this for a few weeks my lists got bigger and more detailed. I soon found myself counting my blessings and having an overall better attitude.

So, in my gratitude journal,  I make sure I list at least two things or more about my husband that I am thankful for each week. I find when I focus more on the things I LOVE and appreciate about him, I am less likely to focus on the little things that may arise.

I bought a journal in the $1 section at Michaels. This is a quick and easy thing I do a few times each week, but I have found has a great impact on my attitude and outlook about my marriage and life.

What are you most thankful for about your spouse? - Corie"

"What Happens to Love After the Marriage?"

I have noticed over the years that couples are getting divorced and separating left and right and it makes me wonder what happened to people staying together until death do them part, like the long lasting marriages of our grandparents. Perhaps it is a lack of communication or an unwillingness to view things from their spouses viewpoint.

Author, Gary Chapman, says it best in his New York Times Best Seller, The Five Love Languages:  "There are five love languages or five ways that people speak and understand emoptional love, and not until one learns to speak their spouse's primary love language will they discover the key to a long lasting, loving marriage."

This wonderfully written book is commonly used in marriage counseling classes of which I highly encourage each of my couples to take as it is one of the greatest investments you will ever invest in...Forever Love!