{Thursday's Food Tidbit}::Wedding Etiquette Tip #3-Eat, You Should Enjoy It Too!

{Thursday's Food Tidbit}::Wedding Etiquette Tip #3-Eat, You Should Enjoy It Too!

Today's wedding etiquette tip is dedicated to the Bride & Groom! Wedding day is your day and all about you! You've spent months or years planning a beautiful wedding; picking a beautiful location, selecting the best dj, entertainment & caterer, etc. The food portion of the wedding is always a memorable part for the guests and should be memorable for you too!

At every wedding I've found that the Bride & Groom don't really get to enjoy the food that they carefully picked out for their guests to enjoy. I know you want to enjoy the day, dance all night, mingle with your guests, etc; but eating is also important!

Wedding Etiquette Tip To Go:

(( Dear couple, enjoy your dinner! After all you picked these items because they were something that you wanted to have on your special day, so why not take some time to enjoy. I promise your guests won't mind if you take time to enjoy dinner also. :-D ))

<---- {Wednesday's Inspiration}::Wedding Etiquette Tip #2-Listen, We Care!

{Wednesday's Inspiration}::Wedding Etiquette Tip #2- Listen, We Care!

{Wednesday's Inspiration}::Wedding Etiquette Tip #2- Listen, We Care!

A wedding planner is hired by the couple to assure their day goes smoothly. We are there to be the eyes and ears for the Bride & Groom, but also for the bridal party and family members. Today's etiquette tip is for the bridal party. Although we are hired by the couple, we are also are here for you! 

Wedding Planners carry an emergency kit filled with items that are ready for any and every situation. If we suggest or give advice, "Listen because we care about your well being". I understand not taking the spotlight off of the couple, however we are only advising to make sure the unforeseen accidents don't occur. 

Wedding Etiquette Tip To Go:

(((Take advice given, as it is given to assure your well-being and we want to take care of you too.)))

<---- {Tuesday's Insight}::Wedding Etiquette Tip #1- Make No Assumptions

{Tuesday's Insight}::Wedding Etiquette Tip #1-Make No Assumptions!

{Tuesday's Insight}::Wedding Etiquette Tip #1-Make No Assumptions!

For the past three years I have worked and lead many weddings under Beautiful Beyond Dreams, LLC as well as for other local wedding planners in South Jersey and Pennsylvania. I have been hired and have hired others. Over these past couple of years I have truly learned the importance of not calling out when scheduled to work a wedding. It wasn't until I was my own boss and someone called out on me that I felt the real effect of looking for someone trained to cover a wedding. Not only does having adequate staff make great coverage, which is crucial; but your couple is also expecting a certain amount of staff to be present.

As an assistant consultant, intern, etc if you are scheduled to work a wedding don't assume nothing. Ask what time you need to be at the specific location for wedding day, attend the rehearsal so you can be introduced to the couple and the bridal party, and most importantly Do Not Call Out unless it is an Emergency! The lead planner will provide all the important information needed for you, however it is important to be in tune to the wedding at least a week prior.

Wedding Etiquette Tip To Go:

(((Do Not Assume Anything; Ask Questions!)))

<----{Friday's Spotlight}::Bougie Magazine

{Friday's Spotlight}::Bougie Magazine

{Friday's Spotlight}::Bougie Magazine

Today's {Friday Spotlight} features Bougie Magazine! Read below to learn more about what Angela Reed & her team have been up to in the fashion world.

Q: Who is Angela Reed? 

Q: How did Bougie Magazine come about? 

     A: The birth of Bougie...... a friend and fellow event planner told me that her hair stylist needed some promo material printed for a hair show so I went to meet her. Our convo went past promo material to putting together an online directory for the participants in her show. The ideas between my partner and I kept flowing till one day we joked, "this should be a magazine" let's give it a name that people would always remember! And on June 5th 2010 Bougie hit the web that month with over 300,000 page hits!

Q: What are some challenges that you've faced and overcame? 

     A: This question always makes me laugh because it makes me take a look in the mirror! (LOL) I have been my biggest challenge! Thinking that I was taking on a task too big for me and that no one would read a publication that wasn't already a household brand present tremendous doubt in my confidence to achieve. I overcame this by telling myself, "I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me" and really listening/researching my target audience and putting out what they want/need to read about.

Q: Who is Bougie Magazine's customer? 

     A: The Bougie customer is ANY female that strives for EXCELLENCE! She lives each day to the fullest, she's the DOUBLE T trendy and tech savy! I think this describes the epitome of the bougie woman in today's society. Although our target market is the ladies, we also publish a special issue for the guys every June called "The Bougie Male".

Q: Any words of advice for the business professional that is just starting out? 

     A: My advice for the business professional just starting out is to JUST DO IT! You can read all the books, take all the courses to get you ready for the business, but if you don't actually apply it then it's all in vain. Another important factor is to learn to support others by learning the "barter" system. You don't have to charge for everything. Yes we're not in business to give things away but you have to learn how to give in order to receive. Lastly, but not least NETWORKING IS KEY! Bougie Magazine is growing and moving because we move out of our "four blocks" and connect with people in different area and zip codes.

*Upcoming Events* 

Bougie Events is having their Launch Party on September 29, 2011 which is being held at The Crystal Gardens Navy Pier and they want to see you there! 

Click here for more details or here: http://theevolutionchicago.wordpress.com to find out more about how you can attend & also enter their Designer Competition!! 

Be sure to follow Bougie Magazine and Events by Excellence!  

Happy #FF (#FollowFriday)

<----{Thursday's Food Tidbit}::Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps-Yum!

{Monday's Starter}::Happy 4th of July!---->

{Thursday's Food Tidbit}::Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps-Yum!

{Thursday's Food Tidbit}::Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps-Yum!

Today I want to share with you a recipe from a chef that makes some amazing dishes!! Aaron Mc.Cargo Jr. won season four of The Next Food Network Star in 2008 and aired Big Daddy's House in August of 2008. Since then Aaron Mc.Cargo Jr. has been producing non-stop amazing dishes.

Below is a must try recipe and since your recieving this awesome recipe early in the AM you still have time to run to the market and try it for dinner tonight. What's great about this dish is that it takes less than 30 minutes and it's on the rather healthy side!!

Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps 

(Time Yourself Here!)

~~Ingredients~~

Spicy Salsa:

• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup sweet marinated peppers, chopped (recommended: Peppadew)
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1/4 cup pickled jalapenos, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Blue Cheese Sauce:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup blue cheese
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 lime, zested
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Buffalo Chicken:

• 1/4 cup mild hot sauce
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• Olive oil, for frying
• 16 Bibb lettuce leaves, washed, dried, and separated

~~Directions~~

For the salsa: Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Allow to marinate.

For the blue cheese sauce: In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, blue cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, lime juice, garlic, and salt and pepper, to taste. Mix in the cilantro, chives, and parsley.
For the chicken: Place the hot sauce into a bowl. Dredge the chicken with the hot sauce. In a casserole dish, mix together the flour, salt, paprika, and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture. Shake off any excess flour.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil to about 1/4-inch up the sides of the skillet. 

When the oil is hot (it will bubble around the handle of a wooden spoon), add the chicken to the skillet. 

After 4 minutes, turn the chicken over and cook until the chicken is browned and cooked through, about 4 more minutes. Place the lettuce leaves on a platter and spoon the chicken into the lettuce. 

Top the chicken with 1 tablespoon of the blue cheese sauce and salsa. Serve immediately.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I too will be experimenting with this great recipe and posting my experience and would love to share your experiences too. If you don't get to this yummy recipe tonight, try it out this weekend and email your experience with pics to info@beautifulbeyonddreams.com. Would love to share your experience on the blog!!

<---- {Wednesday's Inspiration}::Texture's Talk

{Friday's Spotlight}:: ---->