Create your own monograms and logos

Forget the trend reports that say monograms are out -- they're still in, particularly when the right site offers such gorgeous artistic renditions. And do I have a site for you! Visit PashWeddings.com monograms collection at http://www.blissweddingsmarket.com/store/000333.htm and choose from their classic, contemporary, casual, symbolic and other styles. I'm definitely bookmarking this page for upcoming use. And yes, that's a not so subtle sign that Joe and I will be making a big announcement soon. :) Bless this man for his amusement at my chomping at the bit, and his gentle holding back of my reins. I joke that the floodgates are open, and especially with the house purchase going on, stress is in no short supply. But it thrills me to think about the little things like the tulips I'd like for my bouquet, just as it's thrilling us to imagine where we're going to hang our artwork in our new house, or picking out a new living room couch. They say that looking forward to something produces happy hormones in the body, so my advice to all of you wedding planning couples is to not stress about the details but get cozy with them. They're the fun part, so don't freak out over invitation fonts or napkin colors. These little details are your mind's eye painting a picture that makes you happy and maybe balances out all those other stressful things in your life.

Stay tuned...we have some fun stuff coming soon....

And thank you to everyone who wrote with excitement and compliments about my segment on Good Morning America! That was a big thrill for me.

Our new house!

The ink isn't 100% dry yet, but I'm an optimist and I trust all will be well. :) Joe and I found THE most amazing house right here close to us, and after months of exploring crappy little huts with no room to stand on the top floor or kitchens that were 3 feet wide, it was like something out of a movie. We knew as we were driving through the neighborhood to see the house for the first time. You know when you're 'home.' We adore the prior owner and could feel how much that house was loved by her and her family. It all just came together perfectly...there's a bike trail right down the street, a nice big yard, big kitchen, and just the little painting jobs and minor remodels that we are so looking forward to doing. Of course, it has been strange to go from, "So what do you want to do tonight?" to "So what's in your savings account?" but the full disclosure is easy when you trust each other so much. Sure, it's a little scary, but I'm just thinking about how nice it's going to be to have Thanksgiving in our place, to have our office with the cherrywood floor and blue paint we picked out, to have no noisy neighbors upstairs...
If and when we do get buyer's remorse, as happens with everyone, we'll only have to look around and see where we are to feel a lot better about that.

Today was one of those challenging ones. I took my Mom to the hospital for a procedure, and it was really tough to be back in that hospital environment. But the post-traumatic stuff is fading, so that works for me. When I went into recovery, my Mom was sitting there in her little hospital gown and she had just done her makeup, sipped on her coffee, looking positively radiant to be on her way home. On MY way home, I counted blessings...we're all moving into a happy time, even if we have to walk through a scary cloud of what-if's to get to it.

Changing names on Good Morning America

It has long been a wish of mine to appear on Good Morning America, and now that wish has come true. In an evening flurry of phone calls and e-mails (which I would have MISSED if Joe's haircut appointment had not been re-scheduled to last night -- how wild is that?!), GMA sent a camera crew out here to my house to tape a segment on men who take their *brides'* last names. The segment aired this morning, and you can view it here:

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=2972558

And thank you, Joe, for checking on the link. I am floored every day by how lucky I am to have you.

Newsday's Book of the Week!

My book 'Renewing Your Wedding Vows' was just announced as Newsday's How-To Book of the Week! http://www.newsday.com/features/consumer/ny-lsread5136046mar19,0,7759831.story

That takes the sting out of not winning the HGTV Dream House. Joe and I had big plans for that one ;)

1000 Best Wedding Bargains

Well, this warms up my snowed-in day...

A review for my book 1000 BEST WEDDING BARGAINS:
"A must for brides on a budget...a veritable volume of super-chic for super-cheap."--Copley News Service

I am savoring this happy end to my hectic workweek....

It's all about the relationship

Don't forget....the wedding has come about because you're in a wonderful relationship! Take the time to nurture it, and make a vow to nurture it in the future. Prepare for the marriage ahead.

My good friend and colleague Tina Tessina, PhD has a terrific blog for you to check out (and make sure you pick up her amazing books!). She's been a phenomenal 'find' as a source for my wedding prep articles, quotes in my books, and she and her husband Richard are even featured in my book Renewing Your Wedding Vows.

Tina writes with true authority on the most important issues facing engaged couples who DON'T want to drag old baggage into their relationships. Her books are Must-Reads! You can find her blog at http://drromance.typepad.com/dr_romance_blog/ Redbook.com says: "Blog of the month: DR. Romance: 'If anyone can call herself "DR. Romance," it's REDBOOK Love Expert Tina Tessina. With a Ph.D., eight books and 30 years counseling experiencing under her belt, Tina has a lot to say about the everydays of life and love. Get to know the Doc. "

Eco-friendly weddings

Many thanks to my publicist Julie Berry for bringing this great magazine to my attention~

If you'd like to plan an environmentally-friendly wedding, and check into eco-tourism for your honeymoon, visit www.portovert.com (pronounced porto-vair). I'm thrilled to know this new resource is out there, providing realistic ways to choose products, foods, services and gifts that are kind to the environment...without everything being made out of hemp and wood pulp! You'll get a great education here, and you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you 'gave a little back.'

In other news, I taped the next two installments of my Wedding Podcast Network show 'Here Come the Moms' (www.weddingpodcastnetwork.com), so check the site to see when our segments on 1.) Working as a Team and 2.) Mom wedding fashion are launched!

And when I find a great wedding registry, I love to share it with my readers. When I can also support a relative's entrepreneurial vision, I'm there! So check out my cousin Renee's bridal registry program with Pampered Chef at www.pamperedchef.biz/reneesgroi.

That's it for today...it's time for a walk by the lake and then finalizing my wardrobe for the taping of 'Naomi's New Morning' for the Hallmark Channel on Thursday. I'm bringing along the VERY FIRST handbag from my new bridal line with www.zbeckybrown.com, and I'll be wearing the gorgeous eternity earrings and necklace from celebrity designer Kristy Nuttall at www.mylittlepretty.com.

"Renewing Your Wedding Vows" in USA Weekend!

Thank you, Linda, for sending me the link! Here's my mention in Judy Mandell's latest for USA Weekend:

http://www.usaweekend.com/07_issues/070311/070311family.html

What a perfect night... a cozy night in with Joe and our favorite Chinese take-out food, good news in college basketball, a blueberry for Tigger, and now getting to see the USA Weekend piece early! I thought I'd have to go to 7-11 early in the morning to get my copy ;)

Thank you, Linda and Judy, for this thrilling news tonight....

Our anniversary

Joe and I celebrated our anniversary at Shanghai Jazz (www.shanghaijazz.com, named one of the top jazz clubs in the world), with crispy crab dumplings, General Tsao's chicken, and a tilapia dish called 'prosperity fish.' Prosperity is definitely the right word when it comes to our relationship, and I don't mean the financial aspect of the word. The true definition of prosperity is having a deep sense of comfort and contentment with what you have. Those who have money and no peace don't have prosperity. They have money and no peace. They're unable to enjoy all they have. So prosperity is one of the perfect words for the great gift I enjoy every day, of being joined with this wonderful man. Shanghai Jazz was where we had our first date, actually. So how fun to return to the scene, see those two bar stools where we sat and talked, and remember how very impressive it was that Joe -- on our first date -- took a moment to watch the musical performer before looking around for me. I still get butterflies thinking back to that...

Right now, I'm editing 'What's Your Bridal Style,' which I wrote with Casey Cooper of Botanicals in Chicago (www.botanicalschicago.com) and it's always a kick to revisit material from so many months ago. We have to cut a lot, since we're almost at 2x the word count allowed, so it's a painful thing to see my birthmonth flower chart go, and whittle down some really great work. I'm chunking out some sections as articles we'll use to promote the book, so at least they'll have a second life! It's windy outside and chilly in here (old Victorian house), so I'm off for a Dunkin Donuts hazelnut decaf and a cozy corner in the library where my frozen little fingers can defrost and work some magic on the edit.

Where to get Wedding Vow Renewal invitations

For the absolute BEST line of wedding vow renewal invitations -- at the best prices and the best customer service I've ever experienced (Linda, you're incredible!), PLUS the option to have a % of your order donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, shop at http://www.invitations4sale.cceasy.com/order/CasPage1.cfm?prev=1&TempPrev=0&blnPreviewRequestSubmitted=0&recordsperpage=12&CompletedOrder=0&sBasketID=0&alogo=1&menu=none&morethanonepage=YES&HostDomain=0&FirstTimeThrough=1&option=CasPage1.cfm&format=AAGCasEnsDT26&CFID=18366714&CFTOKEN=70920376

I've featured Linda's company in several of my books, and I can't emphasize enough how terrific this woman is! I consider her a dear friend and a sister in the fight against blood cancers, so I've chosen her line as my officially-endorsed Wedding Vow Renewal invitation source.

Enjoy!

The annual Mother's Day Tea Party to benefit LLS

As you know, my family has gotten double-barreled by blood cancers in the past few years, and it has become my honor and privilege to help the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of North Jersey to raise funds for research and patient/family support. I know firsthand how a new drug can take away a patient's suffering, how much the caregiver benefits from knowing that there are lots of people out there helping on every level.

So please do consider participating in the annual Mother's Day Tea party. No need to get out the teapot and teacups, make crumpets or invite friends to tea. It's simply a 'make-believe' tea party that asks you to take a moment on Mother's Day to think about all those Moms who fight the fight...and all the families who support them. Details are here: http://view.lls-email.org/?ffcb10-fe6e1570756d067c7114-fdf61076746d0c7e76167070-feff15707c6402 and please do e-mail me through my website www.sharonnaylor.net if you would like to receive one of my donation invitations or host your own 'party.'

Thank you so much!

Dressing up your invitation envelopes

The new trend in invitation design is going more traditional and subtle with the invitation itself, and then adding a 'pop' with an unexpected design element. It might be a shiny colored monogram on the response card, bright jewel colors for the reception card, shaped cut-outs...and I love the new envelope liners at www.mountaincow.com. These colored and graphic liners slide easily into outer or inner envelopes, seal on securely, and give an added visual when the guest opens the invitation. Check them out as a great way to express your personalities and use the blank canvas of your envelopes as a place to 'paint' your favorite colors.

Today is all about articles....I'm working on a honeymoon registry piece for Resorts and Lodges, a trio of profiles for Bridal Guide, 7 pieces for PashWeddings.com, and I just pitched InStyle Weddings with a fun new topic I'm very excited about. Something's in the air right now... a kind of stall, or a breather. Seems like everything's on hold, a sort of getting-ready for what's certain to be a big flow of exciting new things. But it's quite amazing how so many of my friends are having the same kind of 'what's going on?' vibe in their worlds as well. Having just watched 'The Secret' as recommended on Oprah, I prefer to think of it as a sense of quiet preceding something good. Think I'll just make some hot chocolate and focus on the articles....

A wonderful weekend away

Joe has done it again! We've just gotten back from a wonderful weekend getaway to Atlantic City, and I'm walking around here smiling, thinking about how great it was to hop in the car full of excitement, enjoy a great meal at Tun's, then dress up in my little red dress to hit the casino floor. I've discovered I'm a total spaz with Roulette, but I'll chalk some of that up to the fact that we *might* have been sitting next to Clay Aiken. Now, I'm no Clay-mate, giddy with AI fever and spastic with celebrity worship...it was more of a distraction: "Hmmmmm...Clay-like guy sitting at a roulette table wearing sunglasses....don't they only do that for poker? And he's wearing full face and neck makeup, has the new brown 'do, seems to be sitting there waiting for people to notice him....hmmmm...." So my functioning at the roulette table was not quite up to speed. I didn't know what 'betting inside' and 'betting outside' meant, since I'm not a big gambler. So I lost and walked away, noticing a few bachelorette parties in the room with women wearing truly baffling printed tee shirts to identify themselves as such. When you're a writer and you're in a big room filled with so many different 'characters' to observe, it's like a goldmine. So I'm sure those tee shirts will show up in a future novel someday...just with different wording. I did enjoy hearing Joe say that such crassness would be a dealbreaker...he shows his fine character and values every minute.

It was a terrific getaway, much-needed for both of us, and I'm so grateful that my guy plans such fun things for us. Oh, and I LOVED seeing the displays of Miss America shoes --- particularly Heather Whitestone's ballet shoes. I remember watching that year when she won and being completely floored by her performance. Brava.

So Clay, if that was you, know that you were in the presence of greatness for those few minutes. And I'm talking about Joe.

SO much fun! Create your wedding maps!

I spent hours checking this one out, and it's a lot of fun for the bride and groom to work on together.

Create terrific maps for your wedding day, or wedding weekend, at www.weddingmapper.com. I love the little icons, the notes you can write about each location, how ridiculously easy it is to enter each location, the tool that allows you to feature your map on your wedding Web site....this one is a find!

Iced-in for Valentine's Day

A Nor'easter blew through town, so my wonderful Joe -- knowing that travel would be virtually impossible on Valentine's Day -- surprised me by showing up with a dozen red roses, my favorite chocolate truffles, and an adorable card the night before. I had just finished up with a yoga workout, so I looked a mess when I answered the door. But his is the face I love to see when I open any door...

So we'll do Valentine's Day dinner by the fireplace tonight instead. I'm just trying to decide between the red dress and the black dress. If the heat doesn't kick on in this ol' Victorian house pretty soon, it's going to be thermal pajamas ;) Just kidding...this is the man who offered to WALK through the ice storm to get to me last night, so I'm putting together the ultra romance package, improved edition, just for him.

Until then, it's all about edits to the handbags story, making arrangements for a TV taping on March 15, finally getting to some articles for the beauty site www.carefair.com (thanks for your patience, Nathalie!), arranging for the podcast to be recorded at a bridal show in a few weeks, and crossing all fingers and toes for some acquisitions meetings that are taking place this week. Trying to get the plate clear for our weekend getaway.... I read that the national average of vacations that people take is 6 per year. My jaw hit the floor on that one. ;)

Finding your venues with a great new Web resource

Wow, this one is amazing...

www.Eventective.com is your one-stop resource for more than 85,000 venues, 292,000 meetings spaces, and 28,000 related services providers throughout the U.S. – making Eventective the largest such resource available on the Internet.
“No other venue resource – including the major travel sites like Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity, or TripAdvisor – comes close,” said Steve Robertson, Eventective's Chief Technical Officer. “More listings mean more choices and only on Eventective can wedding planners and future brides and grooms be assured of seeing the complete universe of available local sites.”

This site speeds your ability to find, evaluate, and select venues for a bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, wedding and reception. You'll find the following features: Comprehensive search functionality that allows venue search by state, city, venue type, and/or capacity; Detailed profiles of venues, including descriptions of meeting facilities, amenities, and features, plus venue photographs and directions.

You'll get direct emails to query the venue, the tool to save favorite venues and vendors, track and organize multiple events, and invite attendees. You'll also see reviews from users who have used venues or vendors for their events.

“Now, Eventective offers listings that range from traditional hotel and restaurant-based venues to unique and special-interest venues, such as museums, boat cruises, and sports arenas that are often not presented elsewhere,” said Robertson.

"[You] can also send invitations to attendees, track responses, and provide travel directions,” said Robertson. “Eventective now is truly a one-stop experience for anyone desiring fast, easy venue and vendor selection while planning a wedding and reception.”

So for anyone who's ever written me looking for a great location, here's your ultimate resource. Keep it in mind for rehearsal dinners, bachelor and bachelorette parties, after-parties, morning-after breakfasts, and especially wedding vow renewal celebrations.

Working on SuperBowl Sunday?

My, how things change. Literally, every year since I was born, my family always had a big blowout Superbowl party [er, 'big game' party, since the S-word is trademarked] -- a big buffet table covered with ribs, chicken wings, Korean meat sticks (Insoon Rim's recipe!), deviled eggs, antipasto, pigs in blankets, Mexican dip, shrimp cocktail, fruit platters, garlic bread knots, a football shaped cake...you name it. Sometimes it was just the five of us, sometimes we had a packed house. I remember when the Giants were in the Superbowl and it came down to that last field goal kick....we all got up off the couch, held hands, and were general spazzes until the kick was made. It was the best time you could ever imagine. People crashed our party once...yammering teenage girls who wanted to be near my brother's friends, which drove my parents out of the room to watch the game on a separate TV. It was a staple of my family's traditions.

This year, though, we're all exhausted from cancer world (4 years now!) and with my brother not coming and Dad's back hurting, there's not going to be a party. No Korean meat sticks. It's only for this year, but I'm a little weepy about it. Why in this challenging time for our family would tradition mean LESS? I just don't get it, but I can't fight the tide. Both of my parents just want quiet this year, so that's what we will do. But next year.....next year brings out the big gourmet spread again.

Joe and I are going to his friend's Big Game party, and I had one of those blissfully domestic days baking four batches of my chocolate chip cookies (laughing because the doilies I put on the bottom of the tray are SO not football-party-appropriate). The house smells like chocolate right now. So while it's surreal that both Joe and I are spending most of the day working until the party later, there's a bittersweet flow of how life changes shape and new things emerge. I'm caught between the nostalgia of wanting to hold on to family tradition and the excitement of watching the game at Jim & Joanie's party with my favorite person.

We celebrated our anniversary last night with a great dinner out, and then we hung out by the fireplace to watch a bunch of home flipping shows -- we'll be looking at a house that could be a contender, so my entire house value education comes from HGTV and TLC. I just learned to bring a marble along when you look at a house to see if the floor sags or slopes. Good to know. I'm curbing my looking ahead at the inevitable day when we find our place...but I do know that I'd like a great entryway with a table and mirror, a coat closet with new hangers, and a big, leafy plant. The rest hasn't taken imaginary form in my mind yet, which is all willpower for me. The writer's imagination can create amazing things. Right now, it's all about if the rooms are big enough and if there's mold in the basement. ;)

My procrastination is getting evident, so it's back to the handbags article. Check out the amazing clutches and zigzag bags at www.cleoandpatek.com if you're shopping for your spring bags like I am....

The hottest gift trend -- gift certificates to Bed & Breakfasts!

Brides and grooms want them in order to de-stress and re-connect during the wedding planning phase. Parents LOVE them as thank-you gifts after the wedding. Bridal party members love them for planning their own romantic getaways. They're the hottest new gifts: gift certificates for the recipient's CHOICE of bed and breakfast listed on www.BnBFinder.com.

I think it's BRILLIANT! Joe and I stayed at a gorgeous B&B on Long Beach Island (www.amberstreetinn.com) last summer, and the cozy Victorian was pure bliss. So I'm very happy to recommend this as the perfect gift for before or after the wedding...and keep it in mind for anniversary or engagement gifts for others, as well!

And there's another attraction here: a B&B is the perfect place to hold your wedding vow renewal celebration. If you're not having the big wedding of your dreams right now, perhaps you can renew later. Or, your parents might be enjoying the party-planning so much, they may want to renew their vows and throw their own celebration. My new book Renewing Your Wedding Vows is out right now, so visit my site www.sharonnaylor.net for more on that title, and think about the fact that B&Bs are creating wonderful, new vow renewal packages!

If you'd like to find out more about the gift certificates and vow renewal packages, here's their latest release:

Contact: Allison DeCongelio FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BnBFinder.com
Phone: (212) 432-7693
allison@bnbfinder.com


Reaffirm Your Love, Renew Your Wedding Vows

Say “I do” all over again. Renewing your wedding vows is a wonderful way to celebrate your marriage after 10, 20, 50 or even just 5 years and vow renewal packages will take care of the planning for you.

New York, NY - More and more married couples are choosing to renew their wedding vows – either in small, intimate, family-only celebrations, or as bigger-than-the-original-wedding extravaganzas. Regardless of the style and size, bed and breakfast inns are a wonderful choice for vow renewal ceremonies. The intimate personalization that B&Bs offer is just the thing to make your wedding dreams come true…again!

Vow renewal ceremonies are surprisingly easy and simple to plan with the help of bed and breakfast packages from BnBFinder.com and books like Renewing Your Wedding Vows by Sharon Naylor. Packages offered by bed and breakfast inns take away the stress of planning a ceremony and reception. Here are a few bed and breakfasts that offer vow renewal packages.

Design Your Dream Renewal Ceremony
The Inn at Schoolhouse Creek, Little River, CA
www.BnBFinder.com/SchoolhouseCreek
This North coast California inn specializes in creating magical moments that will be joyful memories to cherish for a lifetime. Eight acres of extensive Cypress groves, lush meadows and beautiful flower gardens provide the perfect setting for your ceremony. The Inn at Schoolhouse Creek hosts formal and casual events for up to 150 people and will design your dream ceremony to renew your love.

Renew Your Vows
Lit Et Cheval Farm Bed & Breakfast, Frankford, DE
www.BnBFinder.com/LitEtCheval Surround yourselves with nostalgia of days gone by and recite your vows next to a garden of azaleas and rhododendrons or on the dock of the pond. Your package includes accommodations for up to 6 people in private rooms, officiate, ceremony, a bounded photo album, champagne, hors d'oeuvres and refreshments, wedding cake and breakfast the next morning.

Sweetheart Vow Renewal Package
Brewster By the Sea, Brewster, MA
www.BnBFinder.com/Brewster Cape Cod is a perfect setting for this magic day. Whether barefoot on the beach, surrounded by blooming flowers in the perennial garden, or inside next to a crackling fire, your ceremony will be a dream come true. Brewster By the Sea is perfect for small groups and packages might includes an intimate ceremony, flowers, chocolate covered strawberries, champagne, wedding cake, hors d'oeuvres, digital photos, accommodations, and breakfast served to the love birds on a private patio or bedside in the winter.

Renew Your Love
Inn on Crescent Lake, Excelsior Springs, MO
www.BnBFinder.com/CrescentLake
If your vision of the perfect vow renewal ceremony includes an incredible setting, a beautiful mansion and the ultimate in privacy, then you have found the ideal place. With many packages to choose from, you can design your ideal ceremony. Let the Inn on Crescent Lake take care of everything, from the champagne to cake and even the accommodations.

The Perfect Outer Banks Vow Renewal
The Saltaire, Duck, NC
www.BnBFinder.com/Saltaire
If you’re dreaming of a beach wedding, The Saltaire can provide you with unique accommodations that will create cherished memories. Choose between a ceremony on the beach or an intimate renewal of vows in the formal gardens. The Saltaire features five bedrooms for accommodations of up to 10 people, expansive living, dining, and bar areas, lovely gardens, a wrap-around porch, and a pool area ideal for outdoor receptions, where tents and tables can accommodate up to 125 guests.

Reconfirm Your Love!
Coastal Dreams Bed & Breakfast, Galveston, TX
www.BnBFinder.com/CoastalDreams Whether you are celebrating your 5th or your 25th anniversary, vow renewal is a great way to express your love and devotion to your spouse. Let Coastal Dreams Bed & Breakfast provide the beautiful setting for this special day. An exceptional package for just the two of you includes officiate, champagne toast, chocolate covered strawberries and a discounted room rate at the inn.

Promise to Love Each Other Again
White Fence Bed and Breakfast, Stanley, VA
www.BnBFinder.com/WhiteFence Experience the romantic setting of White Fence Bed and Breakfast for your Vow Renewal Ceremony. Tall oak, maple and magnolia trees, flowering gardens and a quaint 1890 Victorian B&B create a picturesque backdrop for your special day. Packages includes digital photos, officiate, accommodations in Jacuzzi and fireplace suites, refreshments, wedding cake and flowers.

Wedding Vow Renewals
Villa Victorian, Gros Islet Village, St. Lucia
www.BnBFinder.com/VillaVictorian Renew your wedding vows in St. Lucia; one of the best wedding destination spots in the world. Villa Victorian's Vow Renewal Special includes a bottle of champagne, the bride's floral bouquet and groom's corsage (of course made with tropical and exotic flowers) and a discounted rate for accommodations. Renew your vows and reaffirm your love in “a little piece of paradise.”

These and other bed and breakfast vow renewal packages can be found at www.BnBFinder.com/Weddings.

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BnBFinder.com is an established, 5 STAR rated bed and breakfast directory with thousands of bed and breakfasts, inns and small hotel listings worldwide. Millions of B&B guests find the perfect inn by searching more than 130 categories such as price, location and local activities and attractions.

Sharon Naylor is the author of over 30 wedding books, including 1000 Best Wedding Bargains, 1000 Best Secrets For Your Perfect Wedding, Your Special Wedding Vows, Renewing Your Wedding Vows, Mother of the Groom, The Mother of the Bride Book, The Complete Outdoor Wedding Planner, and others as listed at www.sharonnaylor.net.

How many bottles of wine?

For your wedding, engagement parties, after-parties, showers, one of the biggest questions in planning mode is 'how many bottles of wine do we need?' And 'how much beer, hard liquor, etc.?' Evite.com offers a terrific 'drink calculator' to help you estimate your shopping list. Visit it here: http://www.evite.com/pages/party/drink-calculator.jsp, and check out their helpful 'how much food willwe need?' chart, too.

Jack Canfield's Unfinished Circles

I'm reading Jack Canfield's book "The Success Principles," and I wanted to share a very profound piece of advice from that book that applies so greatly to what you're going through in wedding-planning world.

When you start something new, it's like starting to draw a circle as you progress, like the hands on a clock making their way back around to the top. When the task is complete, the circle is closed, and you get (say it with me...) closure. Your mind can put the issue away with a nice sigh of satisfaction. But when you start something new -- or LOTS of something news -- and you're in-process, those circles stall at the 1/2 mark or the 3/4 mark, catching air like a parachute being pulled behind you. Now, when you are in wedding-planning zone, you have a million things on your To-Do list, and thus a million little half-circle parachutes behind you, slowing you down, making you tired. So lighten your load by seeking completion on as many tasks as you currently have open on your To-Do list. If you've addressed only half of your Save the Dates, close the circle by getting the rest of them done. That cuts the parachute free from you, and stops sucking away at all your energy. Grab a day and dedicate it to getting as many small tasks done as possible, and don't take on another big one until you've closed some of those circles.

It's amazing the way Canfield illustrates this concept, talking about the emotional energy of unfinished business -- even the smallest things like a pile of magazines waiting to be read, or calls you have to return to friends, checkbook balancing, errands to run, even clutter in your car. Following the book's example, I made a big list of all the little unfinished circles dragging behind me, and it's amazing to see how much I'm lugging around! Lots of little things to complete, like thank you notes, press mailings, confirmations of receiving press kits and samples for the handbag story, putting in my catering order for book club at my place next month, buying birthday cards for all my friends with February birthdays, returning a dress that's too big, checking in with my friend Katie in Utah to whom I'm woefully late in responding, etc.

Where to find the time to do all this? When I discover the book that reveals the secret to getting an extra two hours in every day, I'll share that one with you. But right now, I have a few things to get done before bed.