Wednesday, July 29, 2009
New bouquet finished
Finished a new bouquet for a September wedding this morning. Love it, why is it each one is my favorite until I make the next one. Then that one is.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Etiquette and Weddings during the recession
Great tips from Emily Post's great, great granddaughter.
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerindex?id=8172257
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerindex?id=8172257
Friday, July 24, 2009
July 24, 2009 A New Day Has Come
Greetings! A New Day Has Come. The curtain is just about to go up on Events, Occasions and Celebrations.
People have asked "why would you start a new business in this economy?" Easy question. One day I woke up, literally and figuratively.
My other business, Joyce Steele and Associates, that was hugely successful, for over 15 years, was disappearing. It was obvious much of it wasn't going to come back any time soon, if ever. At first it felt like what happened after 9/11 in the meetings' industry, but within a short time, it was obvious the scope of this was unprecedented.
I had several choices - 1. Do something new. 2. Sit and wait to see if my business bounced back. If it didn't, move in with the kids. I never told them that part. :) At that time, I asked my sons if they were interested in being a part of the plan. Fortunately for me, and for customers, they said yes.
This new business had to be rooted around what I had spent over 25 years learning. My "professors" include the best meeting planners in the country, the best-of-the-best hoteliers, vendors, peers and just plain long hours, hard work.
The last remaining option was to write a book about the past 25 years in the hotel and meeting industries. Clearly, it would have been a best seller.
It was critical that I maintained the flexibility to continue working with the customers who have been so amazingly wonderful and loyal to me over the years, should they have meetings for me in the future. It was also important for this new company, as it grows, to offer job opportunities for others, too.
One other big requirement... I wanted to continue working from home. After 16 years, am totally spoiled, proud of it. Caution, it's not always for the faint-of-heart.
I love taking certain kinds of risks, challenges, learning new things, then sharing, helping others by using what I've learned. Some may think I'm obsessive when it comes to details. To me it feels much better than being disorganized.
It wasn't hard to decide what the new business would be. I'm a firm believer that doing what you are passionate about makes life so, so much better.
It's true not everyone can work at a job they are in love with, and can't wait to get to in the morning...I'm one of the fortunate ones. It's one of the advantages of having your own business, doing what you love. Along with being able to do the laundry any time you like. More on that some other day.
Much of my adult life has been spent learning and loving the hospitality industry and meeting planning profession. A dear friend of mine, from The Sagamore days, recently told me he considered me the person who wrote the book on networking. It is all about who you know, more importantly, how you treat them once you meet them. Life has taught me that lesson over and over.
So.... with fewer corporate meetings taking place, some of my wonderful clients losing their jobs, we talked about planning events, occasions, celebrations, name sound familiar?
As a gift, I had made a wedding rehearsal bouquet for my oldest daughter a few years ago. The next one was for my son's "bride". I gave it to her at her wedding shower. My son said "you should make them and sell them." Then one day a resort sales manager called on me at my home office, and saw one I was making. She loved it, I offered to make one for her wedding. Before purchasing more flowers and ribbon, I called my mentors, hotels, resorts and asked them what they thought of the idea. Everyone thought it was fabulous. Just what we were hoping to hear.
Enter Keepsake Bouquets.
Our first bouquet traveled to Aruba, we now have brides in Philadelphia and California who want to carry one. After researching, we feel it's safe to say there probably are no other companies who make "wedding rehearsal bouquets." Remember the hats made from paper plates stuffed with the bows and ribbons from the wedding shower? There are not a lot of them around anymore.
A dear, special friend and client of mine, who will be getting married in September, just got her "hat". It was beautiful and funny, all at the same time. But who says she cannot carry a bouquet, too, at her rehearsal? She's going to. It will be on the way to her in New York City, soon.
Recently, there was an interesting article about wedding rehearsals, how they get very little attention. We all know there has to be one, everyone shows up, amidst laughter, hugs, they practice, find out where they will stand, who will go first, how fast they should walk, then are off to the rehearsal dinner.
We're convinced our bouquets are a simple, affordable way to make the wedding rehearsal even more special and fun. The photos of the rehearsal will look even better with one of our bouquets in it! They can be whatever you want them to be.
Over the past 8 months, putting our company together, there's been so much to learn. We could not use Celine Dion's "A New Day Has Come" on our website's flash. That set me back for a few hours, and is part of the reason it is the title of our first blog.
It took me days to find a replacement song that was perfect, we could purchase. That song is "Alice in Wonderland". We hope you find it as enchanting and uplifting as we do.
Time is flying by faster than ever. Take time to make memories. They don't have to be extravagant. Get lots of pictures, your grandchildren and great-grandchildren will thank you.
Use simple things to make life a bit fancier. It's good for your spirit.
Thank you to everyone who has supported us, taken the time to listen to our plans, answer questions and encouraged us to move forward.
Here's to YOU, YOUR events, YOUR occasions, and YOUR celebrations! A New Day Has Come.
With warm regards,
Joyce
People have asked "why would you start a new business in this economy?" Easy question. One day I woke up, literally and figuratively.
My other business, Joyce Steele and Associates, that was hugely successful, for over 15 years, was disappearing. It was obvious much of it wasn't going to come back any time soon, if ever. At first it felt like what happened after 9/11 in the meetings' industry, but within a short time, it was obvious the scope of this was unprecedented.
I had several choices - 1. Do something new. 2. Sit and wait to see if my business bounced back. If it didn't, move in with the kids. I never told them that part. :) At that time, I asked my sons if they were interested in being a part of the plan. Fortunately for me, and for customers, they said yes.
This new business had to be rooted around what I had spent over 25 years learning. My "professors" include the best meeting planners in the country, the best-of-the-best hoteliers, vendors, peers and just plain long hours, hard work.
The last remaining option was to write a book about the past 25 years in the hotel and meeting industries. Clearly, it would have been a best seller.
It was critical that I maintained the flexibility to continue working with the customers who have been so amazingly wonderful and loyal to me over the years, should they have meetings for me in the future. It was also important for this new company, as it grows, to offer job opportunities for others, too.
One other big requirement... I wanted to continue working from home. After 16 years, am totally spoiled, proud of it. Caution, it's not always for the faint-of-heart.
I love taking certain kinds of risks, challenges, learning new things, then sharing, helping others by using what I've learned. Some may think I'm obsessive when it comes to details. To me it feels much better than being disorganized.
It wasn't hard to decide what the new business would be. I'm a firm believer that doing what you are passionate about makes life so, so much better.
It's true not everyone can work at a job they are in love with, and can't wait to get to in the morning...I'm one of the fortunate ones. It's one of the advantages of having your own business, doing what you love. Along with being able to do the laundry any time you like. More on that some other day.
Much of my adult life has been spent learning and loving the hospitality industry and meeting planning profession. A dear friend of mine, from The Sagamore days, recently told me he considered me the person who wrote the book on networking. It is all about who you know, more importantly, how you treat them once you meet them. Life has taught me that lesson over and over.
So.... with fewer corporate meetings taking place, some of my wonderful clients losing their jobs, we talked about planning events, occasions, celebrations, name sound familiar?
As a gift, I had made a wedding rehearsal bouquet for my oldest daughter a few years ago. The next one was for my son's "bride". I gave it to her at her wedding shower. My son said "you should make them and sell them." Then one day a resort sales manager called on me at my home office, and saw one I was making. She loved it, I offered to make one for her wedding. Before purchasing more flowers and ribbon, I called my mentors, hotels, resorts and asked them what they thought of the idea. Everyone thought it was fabulous. Just what we were hoping to hear.
Enter Keepsake Bouquets.
Our first bouquet traveled to Aruba, we now have brides in Philadelphia and California who want to carry one. After researching, we feel it's safe to say there probably are no other companies who make "wedding rehearsal bouquets." Remember the hats made from paper plates stuffed with the bows and ribbons from the wedding shower? There are not a lot of them around anymore.
A dear, special friend and client of mine, who will be getting married in September, just got her "hat". It was beautiful and funny, all at the same time. But who says she cannot carry a bouquet, too, at her rehearsal? She's going to. It will be on the way to her in New York City, soon.
Recently, there was an interesting article about wedding rehearsals, how they get very little attention. We all know there has to be one, everyone shows up, amidst laughter, hugs, they practice, find out where they will stand, who will go first, how fast they should walk, then are off to the rehearsal dinner.
We're convinced our bouquets are a simple, affordable way to make the wedding rehearsal even more special and fun. The photos of the rehearsal will look even better with one of our bouquets in it! They can be whatever you want them to be.
Over the past 8 months, putting our company together, there's been so much to learn. We could not use Celine Dion's "A New Day Has Come" on our website's flash. That set me back for a few hours, and is part of the reason it is the title of our first blog.
It took me days to find a replacement song that was perfect, we could purchase. That song is "Alice in Wonderland". We hope you find it as enchanting and uplifting as we do.
Time is flying by faster than ever. Take time to make memories. They don't have to be extravagant. Get lots of pictures, your grandchildren and great-grandchildren will thank you.
Use simple things to make life a bit fancier. It's good for your spirit.
Thank you to everyone who has supported us, taken the time to listen to our plans, answer questions and encouraged us to move forward.
Here's to YOU, YOUR events, YOUR occasions, and YOUR celebrations! A New Day Has Come.
With warm regards,
Joyce
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