Rubber ducky you're the one

I've been under the weather lately. So far under that there were moments when I thought I wouldn't get over. Last weekend, I flew to Montreal and caught a nasty head cold during my visit, which turned into a nasty sinus infection. But today my rubber ducky arrived and lifted my spirits. You see, I'm planning a baby shower with a rubber ducky theme (I know, I know, but that's what the honoree wants and what she wants is what she gets). I had this vision of a large rubber ducky as a part of the centerpiece and have been really unhappy with all of the rubber duckies I've sourced thus far. Then, earlier this week, while on hold waiting for my doctor's receptionist to see if she could "fit me in", I started going through my bookmarks. I have this fear (maybe unfounded) that someday I will lose my 600+ bookmarks, so I regularly check them to make sure they're there and safe and that I remember them all, and it was during this neurotic moment that I found what I thought was the perfect rubber ducky, and today it's been confirmed: Rubber ducky you're the one!

A day in the life

Quite often I'm asked: "What is your typical day like?" Try waking up to a handful of these each morning:
--
Hello,

I am David Roy, from London England. I am writing to get information on wedding/reception venues and also so in need of the services of a wedding planner.

Daisy and I are planning to have a wedding in October 2009 (any date in October will be fine) and will require more information on this as we plan also to have the wedding in your region. We are looking for a venue and planner to help us plan our wedding/reception.

40 to 50 guests are expected to attend. Please advice on weather conditions and the possibilities of rain.

Please note that you (wedding planner) is to arrange for a food,Videography, Music Entertainment, Photography, Officiant, cake and flowers, decoration etc.

Please do confirm this date and get back to me.

Thanks for your anticipated response

Best regards,
David Roy

--
Hello ,

My Name is Mr. Glenn Upson,

I'm on an island vacation presently, I am looking for an experienced wedding planner who will handle my wedding and arrange the reception dinner for a group of people who will be attending the wedding ceremony.

The wedding is expected to hold on the 8th of August. 2009 and 25 to 45 guests are expected to attend. As i do not know what the guests might choose for their meals and drinks, i will make a prepayment as initial deposit for this booking via credit card once availability is confirmed by you.

You are to arrange for a venue for the wedding (its a civil wedding), a place for the reception ,Videography, Music Entertainment,Photography,cake and flowers.

If there is any these items that is beyond your capability,you let us know so that another company can handle it.

Get back to me with your response as we don't have much time with us so that we can process our accommodation within the region more convenient for you and us.

Best Regards,
Mr. Upson

--

UPDATE: Okay, hold the phone calls, I know these are scams. Clearly, my humor needs some work.

I'm over Bridezillas

Last night, I tuned in to watch the season premiere of Bridezillas, you know, "the unforgettable season". I had spent the hours leading up to it watching a marathon of the forgettable season. A few minutes into the new episode, however, I had to ask: "What's up with the already married couples on Bridezillas?" the groom was wearing his wedding band, and the drama was, well, drama. As in Theater 101. One of the brides reminded me of a college friend who was always acting in some off, off, off, off, way off, Broadway production, and who was always "counting on me" to show up and watch her overact.

Okay, we all know reality TV isn't real. My five seconds of fame taught me that producers create their own timelines. However, I do expect the show to be just a tad bit plausible if they want me to give up an hour of my life each week to tune in.

Also, the use of flash-forward scenes on these wedding shows where they try to create suspense with the snarky voice-over lady who asks, pre-commercial break, "Would Dawn and Michael ever make it down the aisle?" Well, yes, at the start of the episode you flashed-forward to them at the altar exchanging rings. Sheesh!

If these wedding shows keep it up, I'll have my life back before you can say "WE Go Bridal".

Are you living in "the monkey house"?

I have been waiting, patiently, to use Tim Gunn's monkey house analogy on some clueless body and last week someone used it on me. And I must now reluctantly admit that they were right.

In Season IV of Project Runway, Tim Gunn said to Chris March (about his hairy collection):

“I have this refrain about the monkey house at the zoo. When you first enter into the monkey house at the zoo, you think, ‘Oh my G-d this place stinks!’ And then after you’re there for 20 minutes you think, ‘it’s not so bad’ and after you’re there for an hour it doesn’t smell at all. And anyone entering the monkey house freshly thinks, ‘this stinks!’ you've been living in the monkey house.” (quote found on the blog of Bottles of Joules)

Folks, for the past three years I have been living in the monkey house. But here's the trouble with living in the monkey house, those closest to you don't want to tell you that it stinks. I have a good friend who says she never asks her husband how she looks when she gets dressed to go out. Instead, she asks her young son. He has no bias: "Mom, you look ridiculous."

This was my experience last week. Sharing a story with a complete stranger, who responded (figuratively): "this stinks!"

It was a hard pill to swallow, but boy do I feel better now. So how do you avoid living in the monkey house? here's my tip: talk to a stranger. Spill it. Without abandon. Tell them about your plans, your life, your work. They don't know you. And then listen. Are they telling you that your "house" stinks? Take it from me. The less time you spend living in the monkey house, the easier it is for you to make changes.

What I'm loving today

One Kings Lane pop-up sales.

I've been secretly shopping for high-end home bargains from One Kings Lane ever since I learned about it on the blog of Notes From a Party, and today's sale is the Mindy Weiss Bridal Collection. If you can't get enough of the turquoise blue and the love birds, but you've always gasped at the prices, then you don't want to miss this sale. You have to register, but it's free, so don't miss out the sale ends this Saturday, June 6th.

Leslie-Manning Events in Bridal Guide May/June 2009

This issue has been circulating for some weeks now and I've been giving them out as gifts to potential clients, but now it's online at Bridal Guide.com for those who would think twice about shelling out $5.00 for a magazine. I had fun with this assignment: planning a wedding reception for $5,000. I had two color schemes. The one featured in the article and another that was chocolate, emerald green and royal blue - the colors of a peacock, which they mentioned, but had to cut. I guess I did get a little carried away. Read the article here.

A pleasant surprise

Last May, I had the honor of coordinating Ducie and Stephen's wedding. This was the shortest lead time I've ever had for a wedding. I came into the process two weeks before the big day. Fortunately, I was working with an extremely organized couple, so picking up where they left off was relatively easy. It's been almost a year since this wedding and while cleaning up my inbox today (because I'm sorely behind on emails) I found this photo.

Happy Anniversary Ducie & Stephen!

Photo credit: @imagesbycathy

Fold outside the crane

With the Girligami book by Cindy Ng which features twenty adorable designs perfect for anyone who loves fashion, friends, and folding. Create shoes, purses, clothing, chocolate-covered strawberries, Valentine hearts, baby Pandas, laptops, phones, and much more. Each project comes with step-by-step directions plus preprinted origami papers to tear out and fold. There is even a chapter that shows great ways to use the origami crafts, like turning them into earrings and necklaces or adding them to cards and gifts.

Girligami is what I’m loving today, because it's got my head spinning with ideas for an upcoming bridal shower.

The Daughter-in-Law Rules

In honor of Mother's Day I thought I'd share the book I've been reading lately: The Daughter-in-Law Rules: 101 Surefire Ways to Manage (and Make Friends with) Your Mother-in-Law! by Sally Shields.

This book was recommended to me by someone who obviously didn't know that my mother-in-law and my mother are good friends, and she (my MIL) knew me even before I knew myself, but I bought it anyway. I thought maybe it would help me understand my husband's connection to his mother, so I can sever it (kidding). SMH...men and their mothers.

Anyhow, 97 rules later, and Rule #3 is still resonating with me:

"Tell MIL what a great job she did as a mother, and truly mean it! Afterall, you chose to marry her son! This will most likely bring her to tears."

Happy Mother's Day!

Love: What It Is

“Love is not an absolute, not a limited commodity that you're in of or out of. It's a feeling that ebbs and flows depending on how you treat each other. If you learn new ways to interact, the feelings can come flowing back, often stronger than before.”

From Psychology Today’s Relationship Rules