The By No Means Comprehensive But Nonetheless Quite Useful AnyWay Weddings Step-by-Step Name Change Guide

A note before we begin: when I was changing my name, the hubby and I were living in London so I had to change my work visa in addition to my passport. Therefore this guide applies to both US-based and expat brides. I've tried to make it clear which info applies to whom - please get in touch if you have any questions!

First and foremost: make sure you have several certified copies of your marriage license as you will need a lot of them! And pay close attention - for some name changes you can just send a photocopy, others you need to send a certified copy.

It is also useful to have your birth certificate available, so pick up a few certified copies of this as well (which you should already have in order to get your marriage license).

Now then, let's get started with The Three Biggies (four if you are an expat). Here is the order I recommend:

1. US Passport

• Click here and here for info
• Of course there are a couple different forms depending on your situation (they can't make it that easy!) but I used form DS-82 
• You also need to provide two passport photos (if you are not in the US make sure you get the US size - who knew passport photos come in different sizes depending on the country?!) and a certified copy of your marriage certificate (don't count on getting it back, as I don't think I did)
• Depending on your whereabouts and travel plans, it might be worth paying for an expedited service - otherwise these things can take a long time. Check with your local US Embassy for more information.

1a. Visa - for expats only!

• Look up your local US Embassy online for info. This step has to happen after you change your passport since your embassy will likely require your new passport - but check on the web to make sure!

2. Social security card

• Click here for info - you will need to provide proof of your name change (i.e. marriage certificate), citizenship (i.e. birth certificate or new passport), and identity (i.e. new passport or drivers license)
• All of these must be either certified copies or originals!
• Fill out Form SS-5 and follow the additional instructions

3. Drivers License

• If you are in the US: Go to your state's DMV website and follow the instructions
• If you are an expat: Do a web search for the authority who has granted you your license and follow the instructions

So those are The Three/Four Biggies in that they take the most time and require immediate and focused attention. While you're working on those, other items you can check off your list are below. For each of these (except those which only required a phone call) I included a cover letter with my old name and old signature, new name and new signature, and also any associated account number(s).

Bank accounts

• You can change your name by going to your bank in person with your marriage certificate. Relatively painless.
• If you are an expat with US accounts, you can call your bank and have them send you a form - but I would recommend waiting until your next trip to the US and following the instruction above. Much easier and less room for error.

Insurance

• Call your insurance company. For me, all it took was a simple phone call and the company changed my name in their records and sent me a new card. Totally painless. (Thank you Cigna!)
• Once you have your new insurance card, the next time you see your doctor make sure to change your name in their office records as well

Credit cards

• This varies widely. Call each of your credit card companies. Some you can do over the phone, others you have to send a letter and/or marriage certificate.

Cell phone

• Call your provider. Mine needed a marriage certificate sent to them, which I attached with the cover letter I describe above.

Frequent flyer programs

• Note: this must be done after you get your new passport!
• As I mentioned yesterday, this was surprisingly annoying. Call each program to see what they need. Some require a photocopy of your new passport and a marriage certificate, others just require the marriage certificate. While both of my programs got the name change WRONG, they did correct it over the phone (so I did not have to resend the forms). I wish you better luck than I had!

And don't forget...

• Any other financial accounts (savings, retirement, etc.)
• Student or other loans
• Gym membership
• Professional affiliations
• Business cards
• Email addresses
• Utilities, mortgages, and all that grown up stuff

PHEW! If you've read this far down the post, I hope you are not hyperventilating. As I've said, this is a process that can be fraught with complexities and annoyances big and small - but it is well worth going through!

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I am here to help!

Cheers,

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changin' Your Name: It's Worth the Pain!

I had a big moment yesterday, courtesy of Facebook. I changed my personal profile name from Jennifer Beckmann Butler to... drum roll please... Jennifer Butler (Beckmann). Yes indeedy. My maiden name has been subjugated to parentheses and my married name has taken center stage.

Call me old fashioned, but I love that I changed my name as soon as I got married. I love sharing my husband's name. It makes us feel like an invincible little family unit of two, and that makes me rather insanely happy.

How I became a Butler

The name change process, however, was rather fraught with loads of paperwork and surprising levels of incompetence. The biggest pain for me was not my passport or UK visa (we were living in London at the time) or social security or anything that you might think would be bad - but my two frequent flier programs!

I completed all the required paperwork, submitted all the info they needed... and yet both Virgin and Delta got it wrong. Instead of Jennifer Beckmann Butler, Virgin decided I was changing my name to - wait for it - Jennifer Beckmannbutler. Delta preferred verbosity over preposterosity: Jennifer Beckmann Beckmann Butler. Uy yuy yuy. SO not hot.

Of course you don't have to slog your way through it alone, as I did. There are services out there that can automate much of the process for you. Chief among these is MissNowMrs.com, one of the best known (and cutest-named) web services out there. For only $29.95, they alert everyone from the passport office to the post office, submitting all the necessary forms for you. They will also draw up a number of letters you can send to various other folks such as your insurance and utility companies. See below or click here for their full list of services.

Ok, yeah, so this looks a little neater than my list...

I think it's great that a well-priced service like this exists. And yet I will freely admit that I was WAY too Type-A to let anyone else do this for me. I liked knowing that it was all in my hands. Either way, it's important to know that any automated service is not going to cover ALL of your name change needs. And just when you think you've thought of every place your maiden name was lurking, you will remember something else ("Ah! My gym membership! Eureka!").

Just keep in mind that this is a process. It's not foolproof, and it won't be painless (Beckmannbutler?! REALLY???). But try not to get bogged down in the paper. After all, if you choose to change your name, then from the moment you say "I do" you are a Mrs. Woohoo!

At least Facebook makes it easy.

AnyWay Weddings Step-by-Step Name Change Guide is comin' atcha tomorrow! Keep your eyes peeled!

Cheers,

Embracing the Big 3-0

Well, I've done all the pampering, primping, and exercising I can. The hubby and I have gone out for celebratory meals with great friends. And I bought myself an uberfab Michael Kors watch.

Today is my 30th birthday. Nothing left to do but EMBRACE my new decade (and the fine lines around my eyes and on my forehead that come with it).

If you'd asked me one, or five, or ten years ago what I'd be doing at 30, I would never have guessed I'd be the founder of AnyWay Weddings. Life takes unexpected turns, and the best thing you can do is enjoy the ride.

 Happy birthday to me, and cheers to all of you!

Gorgeous Gowns for Brides with Bumps

At AnyWay Weddings, we specialize in working with brides (and grooms!) who are in a time crunch. There are many reasons why a couple might not have all the time in the world to plan their nuptials, but I suspect that chief among them is having a bun in the oven.

It used to be that pregnant brides didn't have much of a choice when picking a wedding gown. Fortunately, as more brides decide to commence baby-makin' before walking down the aisle, wedding dress designers are starting to catch on and create gorgeous options for the glowing bumping bride.

In researching various maternity wedding dress options, I stumbled upon this lovely website: Jessica Iverson Maternity - a woman who not only designs gorgeous dresses but was also smart enough to buy the domain name "maternitybride.com" (I say, with my business hat on)! Jessica (is it me or does she have a striking resemblance to Naomi Watts?) was a pregnant bride herself, and clearly her experience shaped her vision for her gorgeous, affordable and eco-minded collection.

Here are my top three favorites from Jessica's stunning maternity collection:

1. The Astrea - I love the sheer straps here. Check out the beaded detail! It's difficult to see in these sun-drenched photos but the entire gown is beaded. Lovely.

The Astrea (this and all images via Maternity Bride by Jessica Iverson Couture)

The Astrea

2. The Felicia - The unexpected one-shoulder sheer strap makes this classic draped chiffon silhouette quite chic! I love how the trail of pearl-beading creates what Jessica calls a "floating bodice" effect (check out the detail shot). So unique!

The Felicia

The Felicia

3. The Julia - Fit for a princess! Who says that just because you're pregnant you can't feel like a princess on your wedding day? The details on this gown are exceptional. Check out the floral pickups, pleated organza hem, and the lace-up corset back.

The Julia

The Julia

Perhaps the best thing about gorgeous wedding dresses like these is that they are helping break down the stigma that has been attached to pregnant brides. Considering that brides with bumps are comprise a mayjah part of AnyWay Weddings' clientele, we are so excited to be seeing designers like Jessica rise in prominence.

Which gown is your favorite? 

Are you pregnant and planning a wedding? Contact us today!

Cheers,

The Decision to Go Sponsor-less: Are We Nuts?

Those of you are particularly astute blog-stalkers (I know you're out there... right?) will have noticed a little note I left in the right column last Friday. It reads:

As much as we could use the cash, we have decided that this blog will not seek sponsorship support. Any products or vendors that are mentioned on this blog are here because AWW ♥'s 'em. Are you nuts, you ask? Nope, we just like spotlighting things we love with no strings attached. Cheers!

Let us ponder the question contained therein (sans royal "we") for a moment. Am. I. NUTS?!

Back in the bygone days of my bridal blogging, a whole 23 months ago, there were a handful of beautiful wedding blogs out there. I mean, this was the era when Brooklyn Bride was still on Blogger. I feel so old!

Ahem. AnyWay, so there used to be a mere gaggle of wedding bloggers, and now - well, even the New York Times has recognized the wedding blog explosion! Wedding blogs have not only become an influential part of the multi-billion dollar wedding industry, they have become an industry all unto their own.

When I re-entered the wonderful world of wedding weblogs, I couldn't believe how professional everyone looked! The spun-sugary layouts. The jaw-dropping graphic design. The awe-inspiring photos. The oodles of sponsors. Holy moley, the $pon$or$! Ka. Ching.

Surely I am insane for not getting in on this action. After all, AWW is a budding business and, at least until time-crunched brides come knocking down our apartment office doors, I could use all the moolah I can get!

Here's the thing, the difference: I am not building my business around my blog. Kudos to those who are (check 'em out on my blogroll), because y'all are doing a fabulous job and I am inspired every day by the gorgeous presentation and fun content of your posts.

I am building a bridal advisory company, and the purpose of this blog is to compliment that. This blog is a marketing tool - another way to reach the masses, increase my web presence, and connect me with my future clients. Most importantly, this blog is a way for me to show my personality, share personal and professional tips, and post about things I like. I am making so many fun discoveries along my entrepreneurial journey, and I want to be able to share them genuinely, with no strings attached.

So whether I'm posting about Hanky Pankies or Google Kool-Aid, you can trust that I'm just being me. Even if it puts me in the poor house.

Would love to hear your thoughts - am I insane? Or does this actually make sense? Leave a comment!

Cheers,

Business Tip: Gulp the Google Kool-Aid

Starting a business on one of these? Join the club!

There have been some big changes at AWW lately, and it's been awhile since I've written about the business side of things, so here I am.

A week ago, I launched the new AnyWay Weddings website - including designing my own logo! Hotness! - and created an AWW Facebook page. I also updated my LinkedIn profile to reflect my new entrepreneurial venture and created a business page for AWW there too. Three VERY big and critical steps in cementing my budding business and making things official. 

The new AWW logos, designed by yours truly. What do you think?

 

Ah yes, I love being my own web developer, social media manager, graphic designer, marketeer, and CEO. (Actually, I kind of do love it. Because I am learning so much! Is that crazy?)

One lesson learned: putting one's business on Facebook is actually rather intimidating. I totally underestimated how official it would feel. After all, you can launch a website under the radar - but going on Facebook means putting yourself out there for all your friends to see and critique. Eek!

While I'm sure my new career is not a surprise to anyone - after all, my MBA classmates always teased me for browsing bridal bouquets during our three-hour international business lectures - it is rather nerve-wracking to have publicly declared myself a bride adviser. I received universally positive feedback on my business idea, my website, everything. Yet self-doubt still lingers: what if I never get another client? I want to be one of my MBA program's entrepreneurial success stories. More importantly, I want to be successful for myself, because I know I am great at this. But what if I never reach the tipping point?

Hold your horses! Take your own advice: stay present, stay positive. (And stop blog-talking to yourself. It's a little embarrassing.) Right-o.

AnyWay, while creating a Facebook page and LinkedIn business page were straightforward tasks that should be on every entrepreneur's to do list, revamping my website was not. Second lesson learned.

I liked my original AWW site. It had a cute pink floral design and offered all the features I needed. Only problem: I was using a free trial of a web-hosting service that would otherwise cost $19.95 per month. I am determined to do as much as I can for free and so was not going to pay to host my website. Not when there are so many different free services out there. But whom to choose?

Lucky for me, I have a brilliant friend who works at Google in London, who invited me to lunch a couple weeks ago. We had a great conversation about my budding biz, and my friend convinced me to gulp the Google Kool-Aid and take advantage of all the free services they offer to small businesses. He then went above and beyond and sent me an email that was approximately twelve pages long (or at least it felt that way) detailing every step to set up everything - email, website, advertising, you name it - through Google.

I won't bore you with every step (though please do contact me if you have questions!), but I will say this: moving each of the various parts of my business into Google's entrepreneurial zone was intricate and tricky. It was also an emotional rollercoaster. I was so afraid of making one wrong click that would have screwed everything up. And at first I was disappointed in the website templates, which actually turned out to be more flexible than I initially thought. In the end, it all worked out. I learned a ton about the way websites work - lessons that will surely be valuable to me in the future. And I am really happy with the new AWW. I think it looks about as good as any free website could. Check it out and see for yourself!

So I've gulped the Google-Aid and am all hooked up with a website, AWW email address, analytics, and advertising. Now I just have to connect with my target clientele: time-crunched brides.

I know you ladies are out there and I know you need my help. So get ready, AWW is coming soon to an Internet search near you!

Cheers and happy weekend,

NYC Wedding Vendors! Get Your Schmooze On...

NYC Wedding Connection is only two weeks away! If you are a wedding vendor in New York City, please join us for a casual lunch and chance to network with wedding professionals who share your passion for "everything weddings."

Thursday, October 14, 2010, 12:00pm at The Long Room, 120 W. 44th St. (between 6th Ave and Broadway)

Please RSVP to yours truly (jen{at}anywayweddings.com) if you would like to attend. There is *no cost* to attend ~ but please pay for your own lunch if you'd like to order off The Long Room's yummy menu.

NYC Wedding Connection is the brainchild of Mary Hines of Chandelier Productions. Mary is a fabulous wedding and event planner, designer, and consultant (yes, she does it all!) who recently relocated to New York City from Southwest Florida. Mary has been coordinating weddings for 12 years. In addition, she started Wedding Connection in Southwest Florida to give local vendors a chance to meet each other in a casual, fun way - no forced networking here, people! Some of her Wedding Connection events drew over 50 attendees!  

NYC Wedding Connection is sure to grow into something great - and we hope you will be a part of our inaugural event. A fantastic, diverse group of vendors has already RSVPed. Don't miss your chance to join us!

NYC Wedding Connection:

Connecting people into personal and working relationships to strengthen the wedding industry in New York City.

Organized by:

Jennifer Butler, AnyWay Weddings (646) 217-9814 ~ jen{at}anywayweddings.com

Mary Hines, Chandelier Productions (239) 293-3996 ~ mary{at}chandelierproductions.net

 

Best First Wedding Anni Gift Ever. Seriously.

As I discussed in my Friday blog post, the hubby and I recently celebrated our first wedding anniversary. Now, as momentous an occasion as this was for us, I really didn't expect anyone but our parents to remember and celebrate the date. I never remember any of my friends' wedding anniversaries - except a very dear friend of mine who got married on the 4th of July (a date that is, you know, fairly memorable).

So it was a HUGE surprise that brought a smile to my face and tears to my eyes when I received a Royal Mail packet from London today, and inside was this:

(I won't go into detail about why I am lifting my right leg at the entrance of Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge, where I received my MBA - and where you'll see me on the homepage if you click the link, by the way - that's a story for another blog.)

The humble piece of posterboard pictured above is actually one of the table cards from our wedding! The hubby and I decided to name tables for places that are special to us, and include a photo of one or both of us in each place. My very thoughtful friend Alex swiped the table card from the wedding so that she could send it to us to mark our first - or "paper" - anniversary.

In the card accompanying the gift, Alex explains that she has started a "little tradition" of sending "a surprise item from the wedding on the first anniversary" to her newlywed girlfriends. Needless to say, as both a bride adviser and a gift recipient, I think this is a FABULOUS idea!

Opening a package to find an item from one's wedding is akin to eating the top tier of the wedding cake - you are instantly brought back to the best day of your life. And that is a wonderful, wonderful feeling.

A table card in situ (Photo by Snap!)

What's more, our photographers took detail shots of a mere handful of table cards (lesson learned: if you're going to obsess about not having it for the next year of your life, put it on your shot list!), and I somehow got just three of them back. I have no idea what happened to the others, and a year later it still makes me a wee bit sad to have no record of them. But now I can add one more to the scrapbook, courtesy of a very thoughtful and inspiring friend.

A friend who I'm sure wouldn't mind if we all mooched off of her fantastic idea. Right, Alex?

Cheers,

 

NYFW Fashionspiration #1: Best Could-Be Wedding Gowns

New York Fashion Week is always too fabulous for words, and last week's Spring 2011 collections certainly did not disappoint. There is simply too much fabulosity to contain in one blog post, so herein I present favorite Spring '11 gowns in which it would be A to the Mazing to walk (float?) down the aisle.

Just to clarify: these gowns are from the Spring 2011 collections, not bridal collections! I always love when a bride finds the perfect white dress to use as her wedding gown. Straying from bridal collections keeps your look unique and (not so much with the gowns below but usually) saves considerate dough.

Ahem. Drum roll please...

Marchesa Spring 2011 (This and all images via NYMag.com)

I mean. Are you kidding me with this gorgeousness? Somehow the Marchesa gals' designs get better and better with each season that passes. I love the vintage luxe feel of this dress. And one shoulder is always classic and sexy!

Also reliably classic? Oscar de la Renta. I love this champagne confection:

Oscar de la Renta Spring 2011

Ooh! Ooh! But I A to the Dore this one too! Perfect for a girly bride who loves pink:

Oscar de la Renta Spring 2011

I'm not sure what fabrics make up this dress, but I love the look of the texture and the modern neckline to boot:

Prabal Gurung Spring 2011

Speaking of lovely necklines:

Tadashi Shoji Spring 2011

And I always love me a good boat neck:

Carmen Marc Valvo Spring 2011

This dress even comes with its own train! A friend of mine got married in a gorgeous Oscar de la Renta boat neck gown and since then I have been a big fan of this look for brides. The high neck is conservative, yet classic and very flattering to a variety of body types.

And finally, because I have a hunch (named Vera Wang) that wedding dresses of color will be making more and more of a splash, a beautiful gray number also from Carmen Marc Valvo:

Carmen Marc Valvo Spring 2011

Plus, the bow belt doubles as "something blue"! Now, this may not seem bridal to you... but remember Vera Wang's lavender dress from Fall 2010? Purples, greens, and grays are regularly popping up on bridal runways. Gray is our personal favorite alternate wedding gown hue. Just FYI.

Which of the above dresses is your favorite?

More to come tomorrow!

Cheers,

Bridal AND Biz Tip: Keep Calm and Carry On

As I mentioned yesterday, now that I have officially outed myself to my friends and colleagues as a wedding planner specializing in advising time-crunched brides, it is time to follow some British wisdom:

I am a huge fan of the Brits and their kitsch. I own many a piece of "Keep Calm and Carry On" paraphernalia - a framed poster, tin mug, keychain, tote bag, tea towel, and stationery set. (Did I really just admit that?)

But it's not purely the kitsch factor that draws me to this stuff. "Keep Calm and Carry On" is an important message - for brides and budding business owners alike!

Brides, listen up. Weddings are as fabulous as they are complicated. Logistics can confound NASA scientists in their complexity. Gathering families together can be an outright nightmare. Keeping calm in the midst of the madness is vital - both for your sanity, and for the sake of your wedding. Your day will be infinitely more enjoyable if you can stay focused, avoid drama, and tick off your to do's.

For my fellow wedding planners and budding business owners, I think we should all have this poster framed on the walls of our offices. It is so easy to become overwhelmed by building a business that is 100% reliant on YOU. The task list is infinite. There is always more you could be doing. But instead of drowning in self-doubt under a pile of unwritten emails and untweeted tweets, we just need to get on with it. Right?

But enough business talk. More fun stuff:

One of my many pieces of paraphernalia. I heart John Lewis.

This little nugget of wisdom happens to have some interesting history: In 1939, Britain was on the brink of war. The government commissioned the red "Keep Calm and Carry On" poster as reassuring propaganda - but the poster was never officially issued! Instead, a crumpled copy was found years later in a bookshop in Northumberland. Today, the "Keep Calm and Carry On" message is as relevant as ever. In the UK, "Keep Calm" paraphernalia is ubiquitous and has spawned some pretty adorably kitschy and sometimes hilarious alternatives:

I have one of these too. Image via The Gifted Penguin.

I mean, irresistable right? Via Peter Pauper.

Hilare. I love the inverted crown. Via Amazon.

My personal favorite. Via allofmyheart.co.uk.

Someone, please hire me to plan a British Kitsch wedding. I am already brainstorming the WCP, bridesmaid gifts, welcome bags, and wedding favors...

Cheers,

Business Tip: Grin and Bare It

As my loyal Twitter followers know, I spent this past weekend in the UK - London and Cambridge, to be exact. The hubby and I lived in London for two and a half years, and he flies back once a month for an executive MBA program. I tag along as often as I can (thank you, honeymoon frequent flier miles!). It is such a treat to be able to catch up with fantastic friends and hit up some favorite haunts.

This trip was particularly mayjah for me, as it was my first time since becoming a budding business owner of AnyWay Weddings that I've seen friends from my MBA program as well as former colleagues from my London Olympics gig. I was nervous to divulge my new vocation. I mean, I got this fancy (and pricey!) business degree, worked at a high-profile company tasked with the insanely critical job of ensuring a legacy for the London 2012 Olympics... and now I am a bride adviser? WTF?

At least I thought that would be the common reaction. But instead of WTF, what I received from my friends and colleagues in return for baring my budding business was excitement, encouragement, business tips, and even a few leads!

I am a perfectionist. While I am so proud to be starting my own business, and eager to get the word out there so my clients come a-flockin'... it was nerve-wracking to debut my company to my friends and colleagues. Ideally, I would have wanted to have a nicer-looking website up and running. A deeper blog archive. More Twitter followers. More testimonials and photos from clients' weddings. Basically: I wanted to be able to demonstrate proven success, instead of a nascent business.

But a nascent business is what I have. And now that I have bared it all to my friends and colleagues, I don't feel the embarrassment that I was afraid I'd feel. Instead, I feel reinvigorated by their support, enthusiasm, constructive criticism, and ideas.

The cat is out of the bag: I am a wedding planner specializing in advising time-crunched brides.

Keep calm and carry on. (More on that tomorrow!)

Cheers,

Bridal Tip: Don't Lose Sight of the Scale

NO, not this kind of scale! In fact I think if you are a bride you need to throw this kind of scale away! But that is a post for another day...

Today, we're talking about scale in design.

I was inspired to write about scale when our new Restoration Hardware TV stand arrived this morning (per my tweet)...

... and is way too big for our apartment. I mean. The thing comes almost up to our doorknob. It doesn't look that big in their photo, does it?

Seriously that TV must be like 100 inches. Our dinky little 46-incher is going to disappear on top of this thing!

But herein lies the lesson for brides. Scale is very, very important when planning your wedding. If you are getting married in a cute little white chapel or a quaint little red barn, there is no need to channel Melania Trump (whose vintage Dior was astounding) or Katie Price (a.k.a. Jordan, whose pink puffball was atrocious).

Other scale issues that are important to keep in mind are the following:

1. Accessories - it is a thrill to be a princess for a day, but keep the focus on your radiant smile instead of blinding your guests with a teetering tiara or Heart of the Ocean.

This, however? Is awesome.

2. Centerpieces - do you need a whole tree sitting atop a table when a few callas would suffice?

Peter Silvia Photography, via Stoneblossom

3. Bridal party - this is a tricky one, but personally I believe a smaller bridal party puts more focus on the bride and groom. Plus, fewer folks = less stress!

At AnyWay Weddings, we believe that you deserve to see your wedding day vision realized, even when planning in a pinch. However, bigger and blingier aren't always better. So don't lose sight of the scale when envisioning your dream day!

Cheers,

Business Tip: Staying Present, Staying Positive

Ok, so this whole starting a company thing? It's tough when you are attempting to do it properly, professionally, and successfully! The last week or so that I have been working on my AWW business plan has been a real rollercoaster for me. I have enjoyed the peaks and endured the valleys, all the while trying to stay both present and positive. I think this is the key to successful business planning:

Staying in the present moment and not getting overwhelmed by all there is to do along the uphill climb that is entrepreneurship; and staying positive, believing in myself and continuing to deepen my professional self-confidence.

Let's embrace the inherent catharsis of this post and explore these two key attitudes a bit further, shall we?

Staying present. To me, this means if I worry too much about the future, about booking my next client, about using my MBA degree for which I paid a boatload of money, about failure (which can be defined in many very defeating ways)... then I will never get to where I want to be. But if I choose to stay present and focus on the tasks at hand, I know I'll tackle 'em and continue to grow my business.

Staying positive. Fairly self-evident yet undeniably difficult. There are oodles of ridiculously talented planners out there... and yet I must continue to believe that I deserve to be among them. I may not have years of experience or dozens of brides under my belt, but I have the skill set and genuine passion I need to get started along this path. In my heart I know that I am good at this - so why can it be such a challenge to convince my head? There will always be moments of self-doubt. The important thing is to nip these in the hiney before they get the better of you - I mean, me. Right.

I have made some great headway over the past week. While the business planning process is more of a marathon than a sprint, I am well on my way to creating the AnyWay Weddings I envision.

Fellow planners and entrepreneurs! I'd love to hear from you. How have you conquered your fears to build your business? What advice do you have for me and other budding business owners?

Stay present, stay positive.

Cheers,

Business Tip: Embrace the Schmooze

As a budding business owner, the importance of networking - or schmoozing, as I prefer to think of it - is rather apparent. You hear it everywhere: "Network, network, network!" There is no stronger referral than word of mouth, and no one will know how fabulous you are until they know you and trust in the quality of your work!

I consider myself a people person; I love meeting and getting to know people, and I am an avid and loyal friend. So why is it so easy to balk at the idea of networking?

In business school, representatives of companies would come and present to our class a couple times a week. Those who hadn't been totally decimated by the market crash (which conveniently occurred the September I started my program) would host receptions afterwards, and my friends and I would always grab a free glass of wine and watch the wolves descend: classmates of ours, starving for job interviews, would jostle to be front and center schmoozing with the corporate recruiters.

I never engaged in any of that, and yet I ended up with my MBA and a dream job - working as an events manager for the London 2012 Olympic Park. What I realize is that I can schmooze with the best of 'em, but I just won't force it.

Now that I'm starting my own bridal advisory business, I know in my brain that meeting vendors and other planners is absolutely critical to get to know the industry and spread the word about AnyWay Weddings. But I've had a hard time getting the schmooze ball rolling. Thus I was delighted when Mary Hines of Chandelier Productions contacted me through Twitter and suggested we meet up.

Mary is fabulous and has tons of experience planning gorgeous weddings in southwest Florida. She has recently relocated to NYC and is looking to build her network here. I certainly have my fair share of work to do in that department as well... hence NYC Wedding Connection!

NYC Wedding Connection is the New York incarnation of an event Mary created for wedding vendors in southwest Florida. By gathering for a casual lunch, there is no pressure, no forced schmoozing. Just good food and great company! Attendance is open to any NYC vendor, and there is no financial or membership commitment.

If you are an NYC wedding vendor, we certainly hope you will join us! If you're a vendor elsewhere, consider starting an event like this in your area. After all, we can never have enough quality schmoozing in our lives, can we?

Cheers,

Registry Necessity #1: The Magic Bullet

Every couple is different, but let's face it: there are certain necessities for which all nearlyweds should register before they walk down life's aisle of marital bliss.

Today, we honor The Magic Bullet.

Behold, The Bullet! (Yes, this Magic Bullet - mind out of the gutter, please.)

I must admit I'm a bit behind the times on this one. Apparently the Bullet has been making quite the splash for the last couple of years. I blame the fact that the hubby and I have been living in merry olde England, whilst the Bullet has yet to cross the pond. So imagine my utter A to the Mazement and De to the Light when I arrived back on this side of the pond, went to a friend's house for dinner, and was served Gazpacho a la Bullet!

My life has never been the same.

What makes the Bullet so great and why should every nearlywed couple register for one?

Too many reasons to name on a somewhat sleepy, post-Emmys Monday morning. (By the way, if you have not seen last night's Emmy opener, watch it now. It is BRILL.) But here are my top five:

1. Load in, cap, blend, enjoy. I mean, could this thing be easier to use?

2. Fun attachments in pretty fashion colors and a free cookbook!

3. The Bullet packs a punch yet takes up very little space. Very helpful when dealing with 150 wedding gifts crammed into your 800 square foot newlywed apartment.

4. I am not exactly known for my culinary talents. So if I can make pesto with The Bullet, anyone can! The possibilities are truly endless.

5. For all of you pregnant and mom brides out there, channel your inner Klum and use the Bullet to make healthy baby food. Heidi does!

Toasting with my newly blended smoothie,

Cheers,