A little bit of trivia, a little bit of fun

Wedding Trivia Questions

01. In China, it is traditional for brides to wear what color?
A. White
B. Red
C. Gold

02. What is the average cost of an American wedding today?
A. $25,000
B. $9,000
C. $42,000

03. Wearing a white wedding dress was a trend started by what famous bride?
A. Queen Elizabeth
B. Mary Pickford
C. Queen Victoria

04. The song known as “Here Comes The Bride” by Wagner is actually officially titled what?
A. “Wedding March”
B. “Bridal Chorus”
C. “Champagne Trilogy”

05. The mehendi ceremony before an Indian bride’s wedding involves decorating with what?
A. Flowers
B. Silk
C. Henna

06. What is the most popular flower used in American weddings?
A. Rose
B. Carnation
C. Lily

07. What percentage of brides receive a diamond engagement ring?
A. 49%
B. 94%
C. 74%

08. The custom of carrying a bouquet started for what purpose?
A. Decoration
B. Separate bride from bridesmaids
C. Ward off evil spirits

09. Giving almonds as a wedding favor originated from where?
A. Greek legend
B. Egyptian myth
C. British royalty

10. The word “bride” means what in old English?
A. Maid
B. Cook
C. Helper

11. What is the largest diamond mining company in the world?
A. De Beers
B. Zales
C. Tiffany & Co.

12. When she married Donald Trump, supermodel Melania Knauss wore a $100,000 gown by what designer?
A. Vera Wang
B. Monique Lhullier
C. Christian Dior

13. A round, brilliant cut diamond has how many facets?
A. 108
B. 58
C. 76

14. What is the length of an average honeymoon?
A. 7 days
B. 10 days
C. 12 days

15. What is the average age for brides/grooms in the US?
A. 22 brides/25 grooms
B. 25 brides/27 grooms
C. 27 brides/29 grooms

16. What is the most popular month for weddings?
A. July
B. June
C. August

17. Where is the most popular destination wedding for US couples?
A. Hawaii
B. Las Vegas
C. Bahamas

18. About 62% of weddings have a what?
A. Flower girl
B. Buffet reception
C. Wedding cake

19. In Northern Africa, what is thrown at the married couple as a symbol of fertility?
A. Coins
B. Figs
C. Wheat

20. Wedding veils from ancient Rome were what color?
A. White B. Black C. Yellow


WEDDING TRIVIA BONUS QUESTIONS:

1. How many glasses of wine are in one case of wine? Answer

2. Gerbera daisies, lavender, hibiscus, marigold and jasmine are all popular wedding flowers that are in season when? Answer

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Wedding Trivia Answers

01. B. Red / 02. A. $25,000 / 03. C. Queen Victoria / 04. B. “Bridal Chorus” / 05. C. Henna / 06. A. Rose / 07. C. 74% / 08. C. Ward off evil spirits / 09. A. Greek legend / 10. B. Cook / 11. A. De Beers / 12. C. Christian Dior / 13. B. 58 / 14. A. 7 days / 15. C. 27 brides/29 grooms / 16. B. June / 17. B. Las Vegas / 18. A. Flower girl / 19. B. Figs / 20. C. Yellow

Happy Holidays

Milestone Events hopes that everyone had a very happy and healthy holiday and we are wishing much success and happiness for the new year.

During this time we are all looking back to the past, and more importantly, forward to the coming year. It's a time to reflect on the changes we want (or need) to make and resolve to follow through on those changes. What New Years Resolution's did you make?

Some of the resolutions that we think are important and most achievable this year are:

1) Spend more time with family and loved ones - We are all busy during our day to day routines that we sometimes we forget to call family for a quick hello and to make plans to visit one another (Myself included). During this upcoming year we should make a conscious effort to spend more time together because as you know our philosophy at Milestone Events by Kristy, life is short and we never know what tomorrow brings!

2) Enjoy life more - Given the hectic, stressful lives we live, especially us New Yorkers this new years resolution has become popping up on more people's list. We are always wanting bigger and better that we don't look around us and appreciate the things we have. We should all stop wishing for a different life and instead live the life we were given.

3) Get out of Debit - Want to know what causes the most stress in our lives? MONEY and DEBT. Most Americans are still climbing their way out of the debt that they have racked up these past years. As I can attest having this debt is like carrying the weight of a building on your back every day. This new year see a financial planner, or even go online and find a strategy to tackle your debt and set a budget. I plan to try out www.mint.com to start my own plan and set goals

4) Help Others - There is nothing like helping someone in need to make your feel good. A popular New Years resolution can be many forms of volunteerism. Whether you choose to spend time mentoring a child, working in your local library, helping cook in food bank or something as simple as checking in on elderly neighbors during inclement weather

5) Get Organized! - Lastly start the new year off right and organize your life, from schedules, to expenses and receipts. Go through your old mail and start shredding things that are not important. Create new files for 2011. Buy a safe for important documents. Go through your family estate and make sure the proper things are set such life insurance and a will.

Hope these tips and resolutions can bring everyone much joy! Remember, Don't wait to celebrate as life can be short and we should cherish all the milestones we have in life... Contact us today for an upcoming wedding, birthday party, school or corporate event. Milestone Events by Kristy is here to design and plan a most memorable event for you.

646-248-2102

milestoneevents@verizon.net

New Reality TV show starting on WE TV

I was contacting by the producers of a new reality show that is currently in production. The show will highlight the chronicles of a Staten Island Cake Artist. They tell us they’re looking for events such as weddings, bar / bat mitzvahs, showers, birthday parties, anniversaries, openings or any other outrageous party/celebration, in order to showcase unusual and elaborate cakes.

If you are planning an event that requires the most decorative and creative cake or cupcakes ever please contact me for more details. What a great way to be part of an upcoming show and have an amazing cake made for your event!! One more thing have crossed off your list and save some money.

The rules: Participants must be having an event or party on the Island or elsewhere in New York City, New Jersey or the Pennsylvania area, and the event should fall sometime between now and March 2011.

Milestone Events would love to help plan your next event. Call today for a consultation 646-248-2102 or email us at milestoneevents@verizon.net

Dream Big

It was uplifting to read Preston Bailey's blog and see how someone so well talented and a renouned pro in this industry still started out just like us. I thought this post from his blog would be inspirational. Article located at:
http://blog.prestonbailey.com/2010/11/16/faqs-when-did-you-get-your-first-million-dollar-job/

Last week I wrote about being in debt for over a million dollars 15 years ago. Getting a few of these high-end jobs was the only possible way I could have been able to pay back that money and stay in business.

It’s very uncomfortable for me to even write about money because this is a big, dark secret most of us hide for a few reasons:

1. We do not want to be perceived as if we are showing off.
2. We do not want our competitors to know what we are making.
3. Culturally, it’s a no-no.

The only reason I have descided to talk about this is that I have a very strong feeling that we are all in the event industry, but most of us have no clue about the time it takes to grow a business.

In order to do this, I’d like to give you a general history of how my company grew financially.

Before I do, let’s answer the question above: It took me 22 years before I was fortunate enough to do a complete transformation for the cost of 1 million dollars.

However, we all have our own journey, some faster, others slower, but ultimately it is about doing the work and having lots of faith to allow this, to happen organically.

My Time line:

• 1980 My first job doing weekly flowers. $200
• 1983 My first client’s daughter getting married lead to my first wedding for 250 $4000.
• 1985 Another milestone: a wedding for 300 people $10,000
• 1988 A corporate event for Christie’s galleries $15,000
• 1990 Job in tent in Connecticut $22,000
• 1995 Wedding for 500 people in New york $50,000
• 1996 Fashion show event for Mr. John Galliano $100,000 (I thought I died and went to heaven)
• 1997 Wedding for 1000 people $250,000
• 1998 Another wedding transformation $450,000
• 1999 First event overseas $500,000
• 2002 Complete transformation and decor $1 million

When I hit this million dollar job, it was without question a dream come true. However, this dream did not happen over night. There were many up and down prices in between the milestones, including a very bad recession in the early nineties.

Lets all remember when reading this post that businesses take time, effort and constant patience. Hope you are all wishing big and get all that you want accomplished

Summer in Little Italy

This summer I was offered the opportunity to team up with Crown Jewel Events and work with the Little Italy Merchants Associations on all of their summer events they put on for the community of Mulberry Street. The summer kicked off with a ribbon cutting ceremony on May 28th, 2010 to open the Mulberry Street Pedestrian Mall. We were honored to have NY State Senate nominee, Tony Avella and NY City Council member Margaret Chin there to mark this day with us. We had the President of Little Italy Merchants Associations, Ralph Tramontana start with a few words to the public and their supporters. At this time we presented Mr. Avella with the 2010 award for all his dedication and support to Little Italy. Following this we listen to a fun selection played by Little Italy's own Red Mike Festival Band.

Take a look at some of the pictures from the day:

On Memorial Day, May 31st, 2010 we honored to plan the Wreath Laying Ceremony remember all of our fallen Veterans and also to honor our current men and women serving our country. This somber event took place in the court yard of Most Precious Blood Church where guests were greeted with a program and flower for them to place in memory of a special veteran. The American and National Anthems performed by Ms Giadi Valenti, followed by a special performance of color guard by Marine Corps. We then had a mass and the reading of the names. Closing this blessed ceremony was another performance by Italian- American singer and song writer Giada Valenti. She was truly recognized for her amazing voice and great stage presence. On this day we remember what Memorial Day should truly be about.

Its Been Awhile

Spring flew by and now we are deep into the real heat of summer and now it has been 20 months since I have started this journey into event planning world and have been enjoying every minute of it. Ok so some minutes are probably less enjoyable then others.. LOL But all in all this has been a fantastic venture.

I am proud of the accomplishments I have made. Looking back I can see a business that is growing nicely and I have made amazing contacts along the way. In this business a major key to success is networking. In order to get anywhere and to get the next client you must always be networking and getting your name out there. Here are some tips for starting out:

1) Make sure the Internet is your friend. All social networking sites are a tool to create a buzz about your business.

2) Always carry business cards with you. You never know where you will meet your next client. I have actually met people on the train and in elevators.

3) Market yourself in a way you want to be portrayed. Especially in the event planning world, everything is word a mouth so one bridge burned can turn into many more.

4) Create partnerships with other associates or vendors. I have made great partnerships with other event planning companies. Milestone Events has teamed up with Crown Jewel Events with many social and corporate clients. Milestone Events has also worked for Davi Weddings to create many spectacular weddings along side James Tramondo. I have also made great connections with vendors to have a preferred list of people to recommend. From photographers to make up, caters, dj's, lighting and stationary.

I cant wait to share with you some of the past events that I have got to create and truly allow myself to grow with in this business.

Off to bigger and better for the future!! Good Luck to everyone out there.

Milestone Events head to Florida

I got the opportunity to plan a wedding down in Ft Lauderdale, Florida. Traveling for a wedding is a new experience for me but it was great to be able to travel and network with new vendors and now know which people I can turn to in the future for possible weddings I coordinate down south. A good majority of her family and friends were from NY so I felt right at home.

The venue was the Renaissance Ft Lauderdale and I would highly recommend this venue to couples looking for a budget friendly hotel but not comprising the quality at all. This can host your wedding ceremony, reception as well as a great hotel for your out town guests to stay at.

When planning a destination wedding, having your wedding at a hotel is one of the best options you can have. It will save money for all your guests who are coming and put your mind to ease not having to worry about how you will shuttle all your guests to each site. Not to mention you can cut cost by not having to include limos in your budget and instead put that money to good use elsewhere!

Working with Davi Weddings and Crown Jewel Events

This past May I got to work with James Tramondo of Davi weddings. This was a triple threat wedding as there were three event planners at the wedding! For vendors one is usually more then enough...LOL We performed day of coordination for a fellow planner and friend, Carmella Dellaporte of Crown Jewel Events. Over this past year she has worked to plan a multi heritage wedding to incorporate both Italian and Scottish traditions Carmella was so precise on every last detail of the planning and design. Carmella even worked with her florist brought in from Chicago on all the centerpieces. All of the little details such as table names from there favorite NY neighborhoods to favors and programs made this wedding perfect. I felt the it had beautiful fashion. I thought the kilted armor from groomsmen was so eclectic and looked fabulous for pictures. The ladies were just as fashionable color coordinating with the of the groomsmen.

The ceremony was beautiful and I got to learn more about Scottish traditions. One in particular that I really took note of was the ceremonial draping of the wedding sash. This is a sash made from the family's specific tartan and is draped over the bride signifying the acceptance from the family and the desire of the bride to be part of the clan.

Another interesting part of the ceremony was the "Throwing of the Coins" It is a Celtic tradition for the bride and groom to throw coins to wedding guests as they exit the ceremony site so that the couple can be blessed with good luck and prosperity.

The day was filled with fun and entertainment. The family was one of the best I have worked with. It was really great to be able help a fellow planner on her big day.

Best to Carmella and Scott!

Top 10 trends of 2010 wedding planners notice

1. Aisle: Brides are realizing that they dont want any of their guests to have a bad seat. Instead of using your traditional liner aisle, brides are choosing circular or u shaped aisle. When having your ceremony outside or not in the traditional church having an a circular shaped seating allows everyone to have a great view of the bride. Not to mention good photo opt.

2. Comfort foods: With the average couple getting married at the age of 26 years old they are apart of the new generation who wants to enjoy their youth. More couples are choosing upscale presentation of comfort foods such as mini sliders, truffle mac and cheese, chicken pot pie. I have seen these choices more from NYC caterers when preparing cocktail like receptions vs your traditional sit down dinner.. Which leads me to # THREE

3. Venue: During 2010 I think you will see the change from traditional ball room style venues to the loft wedding cocktail style receptions. Couples getting married today are sophisticated and have many friends that they want to share their special day with. I think today's bride is less interested in crystal chandeliers and more interested in seeing amazing views of the city skyline. They are looking a venue with that is hip and modern where they can create their vision exactly as they want.

4. Invitations: Top bridal designer Monique Lhuillier shares inspirations and details from her various collections: “A lot of fabric details from the dresses translate into the invitations. We use techniques of embossing to mimic textures and incorporate the same colors from the gowns into the invitations.” Look for details you would see on the runway on your wedding invitations.

5. Old, new, borrowed and cobalt blue: From hints of blue in bridal fashion to saturated color throughout the wedding décor, “blues will be the most requested color in 2010,” according to Shane Murray of The Wedding Report. Bright cobalt blue is a hot hue for 2010, offering fresh, bold and atmospheric twist on the bluesy tradition.

6. Wear-again bridesmaid dresses: The old ruffled bridesmaid dress is out and now we are seeing bridesmaid dresses that look more like cocktail dresses which can be used to wear at another party. I have had brides who had ordered their dresses from j Crew and even Macy's

7. Three-dimensional save-the-dates: Inform your friends and family of your wedding day with a twist. Three-dimensional elements on the save-the-dates, like a paper umbrella (signifying a destination wedding), adds character, humor and relevance.

8. Old Hollywood glam, for men!: A return to Cary Grant’s sense of style is making a comeback this year for grooms, looking charming and dapper in a white tuxedo with black-rimmed lapels. This cool old-school look brings back the sharp-looking vest and nostalgic pocket watch.

9. Blogger brides abound: Brides enjoy sharing snippets of surprises, ideas and images throughout their wedding planning experience. Personal blogs offer a space for brides to share, gather inspirations and explore.

10 Personalized plus: From the décor designs and inspirational invites to a great gifts and super-fab favors.

ATTN PLANNERS - SCAM ALERT

To all my fellow planners:
I want to inform of you a terrible scam that I am afraid if you find out about too late it can potentially wipe out your bank account and all your hard work.

Here is what happens:
First you will get a wedding inquiry from someone in the UK by the name Floyd Hilbert with a bride by the name of Brooke Becker. The email looks like a legit email from someone looking for your wedding services even though I have to admit the underlying tone of the email does sound a bit shady. This is the body of the email:

Hello,
I am looking for an experienced wedding planner who will handle my wedding and arrange dinner for a group of people who will be attending the wedding ceremony.Seven will arrive few days before the wedding day.The wedding is expected to hold on the 11th September,2010 and about 50guests 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.All checks and balances will be made with you on 5th September which is the final day of the booking.
You are to arrange for a Videography, Music,Entertainment,Photography, Priest & Church,cake,flowers and hall.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 accommodation within the region more convenient for you and us.
Best Regards,Floyd.

Since I assume Mr. Hilbert didnt like my response as "Milestone Events By Kristy does not sign contracts on behalf of clients nor make third party payments to vendors" i never heard from him again.
I did some research on these scams and they are to pay you in full either via check or credit card then cancel their event prior to the date and request a refund from you to gain access to your bank account.

Please be very leery of any emails you may get that sound like this.

Destination Weddings

During these hard economic time we are seeing a trend and pick up in destination weddings. According to destination weddings.com, a properly planned destination wedding can "save you upwards of $20,000 off the cost of a traditional wedding. It can also turn your wedding day into an unforgettable 'mini-vacation' for you and your guests." There are many beautiful places around the world that would be perfect to say your vows. Conde Nast Bridal Group's American Wedding Study reported that 16 percent of couples are now choosing to have a destination wedding. That's a 400% increase over the last 10 years. Since 2.3 million Americans say they plan to walk down the aisle soon, so that's a lot of destination weddings. The study also says that the average wedding costs $27,000 and that couples are finding that they can both reduce the cost of their nuptials when they go to a resort, and ratchet up the glitz and glam factors.

First thing to go when you book a destination wedding, is wedding planner. They can arrange everything from limousines to horse-drawn carriages, as well as flowers, musicians, and a clergyman or judge to perform the ceremony.
At a resort, you can actually cut your costs by inviting more guests. When guests stay at the resort as part of the wedding, you can lower your overall costs by negotiating group rates for rooms and social events.
Encourage your family and friends to see your destination wedding as an extended vacation. If they come in a few days before the main event or stay a few days after, you can get them a better rate than they would normally pay when coming to the resort independently. And they can enjoy all the amenities the resort has to offer.

There are so many destinations that I love for weddings some of my favorite include:
Bahamas
Hawaii
Cancun
Cayman Islands
St. Lucia
Currently, we are working with HelmsBriscoe on planning destination weddings in Cancun. They have amazing contacts there and can get you unbelievable deals for your entire wedding venue, hotel stay and Milestone Events will be there for all your wedding planning needs.

Tax deductions

The new year is here and as we prepare for busy tax season I thought this article I found on "E How" would be helpful to those who wed in 2009 and things for 2010 brides to keep in mind.

Please see below for some information on tax write offs that we may not have thought of.

Tax Write-Off by ContributorBy Wendy Rose Gould

Tax write-offs are usually the last thing a bride and groom think about when planning a wedding. To the surprise of many, however, wedding purchases and/or rentals can actually save mone.
It's time to pay taxes at the end of the year. While there are rules and stipulations to each of these tax write-offs, many newlyweds take advantage of them every year.

1)The Attire.
Brides often wear their wedding dress only once. And while some opt to keep them for whatever reason, others have no idea how to discard them. For a tax write-off, consider donating the wedding gown to a nonprofit organization like Goodwill, MakingMemories.org orCinderellaProject.net. These organizations will take your dress and issue you a donation receipt for your good efforts. While you're at it, consider donating the bridesmaids dresses, flower girl dress, ring bearer's outfit and any nonperishable decorations.

2)The Venue.
Believe it or not, some wedding venues are tax deductible. Choose a ceremony or reception venue located at a museum,public-owned park or even a historic house or building of some sort. These places are usually owned by nonprofit organizations who use the moneythey receive for upkeep purposes only. Speak with the head of the venue sight to make sure that it is a nonprofit organization.

3)Wedding Favors and Gifts.
Charity donations can make thoughtful wedding gifts and favors. They also save you money during tax season. So instead of purchasing a trinket that your guests or attendants may discard later, opt for a donation to your favorite charity on behalf of all those who are a part of your wedding.

4)Flowers and Foods
You can also get a tax write-off for items that have a short life, such as leftover food and all those floral centerpieces. After the wedding is over, ask a friend or family member to bring the items to a local nursing home, homeless shelter or similar. You will get a tax deduction for the cost of the remaining food and flowers and you'll put a few smiles on faces.

5)Documenting.
Whether you have your taxes done by a professional accountant or take care of them yourself, it's important to document each of these wedding tax write-offs. Keep all your receipts for any purchases you make and request a donation sheet (signed by the organization) that states how much you donated, what you donated and when. Save all your contracts for any wedding venues and, if possible, request that the venue organizer provide you with receipts for each of your payments.

Our New Website

I am so proud to see the accomplishments I have made in under a year. It was only a year ago that I started to question my future and where I wanted to be in my life. In May of this year it will mark the one year anniversary of creating Milestone Events by Kristy and I happy to see how far I have come. After making the decision to follow my dream into event planning, I have come across monumental changes to enhance this dream. I have made amazing contacts, finished my marketing plan for the company, planned a variety a weddings, started to work on other social events and now I am successfully launching my website. This website means a great deal to me since it was created and designed by yours truly. I am not web or graphic designer but I am pretty computer savvy. With all of today's technology I proudly bring you www.milestoneeventsbykristy.com

Please check it out and I truly encourage and welcome feedback that anyone may have. You can only truly excel when you can reflect back and except change.
I can't wait to see what else the future holds for me and this company.