Motivation

Received a card from my previous client Gwen & Perry in mail. Not only it's good to hear from them, it also is a good reward and great motivation as Amy's Wedding & Events growth. :)

Dear Amy,

Perry and I want to thank you for the great job you did with our wedding. It was a comfort knowing you were there and you took care of all of our needs - even the ones we didn't know we needed. Thank you for all your help.

Sincerely,
Perry & Gwen

What's your favor?

I was talking to my friend few weeks ago when he was fixing my computer. He is a married guy but all the sudden he asked do I have any recommendation on wedding favor. That moment, I was like, aren't you married? Why do you need idea on wedding favor?? But it turns out, he was asking for his friends who will be getting married later this year...

Anyway, as an IT guy, one of the ideas he popped out was giving out an USB drive as a wedding favor. (1GB can be a good size plus it's not expensive anymore) It's actually a pretty good idea of giving out something that is useful for sure and at the same time memorable for you guests as well. You can print your name, date, or even an icon on top of the stick to make it unique and your style. Inside the stick, you can save your e-photos or any message that you want to give to your guests. I actually saw this in one of the wedding store in Hong Kong last year when I visited. It can be a new idea instead of giving out all the ordinary items you've seen.

BUT a wedding favor should be something personal and meaningful from you to your guests. :) What's your ideas on wedding favor?

Couple, married 83 years, share their secret

Photo by Augie Chang Photography
Minnesota duo’s longevity earns them a place in ‘Guinness World Records’

By Mike Celizic
TODAYShow.com contributor
updated 10:52 a.m. PT, Mon., March. 17, 2008

The year was 1925. Calvin Coolidge was president, Adolf Hitler released the first part of his book, “Mein Kampf,” Charlie Chaplin’s big movie was “The Gold Rush,” flappers were singing and dancing to “Sweet Georgia Brown” and “I’m Sitting on Top of the World,” the Scopes Trial played out in Tennessee, the first television images were broadcast, Al Capone ruled the streets of Chicago, flagpole sitters were all the rage, Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington were the newest recording artists, the price of a first-class stamp hit 2 cents.

And in Hugo, Minn., an 18-year-old man named Clarence Vail married his 16-year-old sweetheart, Mayme. They had met in the eighth grade, and marriages at such young ages were more the norm than the exception back then. Unremarkable at the time, that union, now 83 years old and still as strong as ever, has finally claimed a place among the historic events of the year.

NBC’s Kevin Tibbles reported for TODAY on Monday that Clarence and Mayme Vail are going into “Guinness World Records” for being married longer than any other living couple on earth.

They don’t have a magic formula to explain the success of their marriage. They just took seriously what they said to each other when they stood at the altar.
“You take your vows, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer,” Mayme said. “I guess you just stick to it, come what may.”

They say they haven’t had an argument since 1946, something that Mayme attributes to the fact that her husband, who is 101, is the strong, silent type who isn’t given to argument. “That’s why we got along so well,” joked the 99-year-old Mayme. “He never spoke out of turn. I didn’t give him a chance.”

The 1920s were in full roar when they were married and moved into their first home — a one-room house. They survived the Great Depression and World War II, raising six children along the way. But their biggest challenge came in 1948, when Clarence was diagnosed with tuberculosis.

‘Look to the future’
According to “The Catholic Spirit,” the newspaper of the archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Mayme promised that if her husband survived, she would attend Mass every day for the rest of her life.

She kept it up for nearly 60 years, until the couple moved into a retirement home within the last year. Now, she’s down to two Masses a week, but she still says the rosary regularly — another daily ritual for nearly her entire life. She offered few secrets to long life and a long marriage, other than to say they never smoke or drank — both seemed a waste of money.

Their faith told them to stay faithful through thick and thin, and they did that. It also told them to be fruitful and multiply, and they did that, too.

Their six children — three have been married for 50 years or longer — begat 39 grandchildren, who begat 101 great-grandchildren, who have so far begotten 40 great-great-grandchildren. If you’re keeping score at home, that’s 186 descendants.

One of those great-great-grandchildren, David, has been married for two years to Christine. He was asked if he was shooting for the record.

“Two down, 81 to go,” he said. “Yes, yes, absolutely we’re working on it. Look to the future — no matter how old you are.”

Clarence and Mayme are still doing just that. He’s slowed down considerably and spends much of his time napping, but Mayme, who looks a decade or more younger than her age, continues to make quilts as she has all her life. And she takes care of her husband.

Just as she vowed to do 83 years ago.

Congratulation!!

This time, I have to congratulation myself and am proud to announce that I have achieved the PWC, Professional Wedding Consultant Title from ACPWC (Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultant). I'm now not only a professionally trained but also a professional in this fabulous industry. I look forward to achieve a higher level in my profession and of course, provide my best to all of you!

Please join me for the happiness! :)

New Banner

Yeah!! I finally created my blog a new banner :D Hope you all will like it.

Photo credit: a big thanks to Augie Chang Photography for taking the awesome photos!

Napa Getaway~

Yup! I got escaped from my desk to the Napa Valley this past Friday. :) The weather was funny that it's been sparkling on and off the drive. BUT....it's good to get away, see some new things, and of course to meet some new people and places.

Well, Napa is not new to me; however, my first stop - Calistoga is. Drove all the way down highway 29 to Calistoga and visit a new place (to me :P) "Calistoga Ranch". This estate gave me a very comfortable and peace once I stepped out of my car. A very out in the nature, quiet, and beautiful places. Not to mention that it's a great location for wedding, it's really a good place for vacation just to stay on this estate. All guests rooms are individual buildings where people can have 100% of privacy. Here is a photo for one of their wedding locations:


Since the weather wasn't too good to show in photo, I decided to use some of my shoot from my last visit....and here's one....great clear sky~

Tra Vigne....the restaurant we went for lunch. This is my second time to the restaurant. I love their food!! I think this will be one of the must go restaurants that I will return whenever I visit Napa. :P

grilled Flat Iron Steak, five peppercorn sauce, arugula, fingerling potatoes, chanterelle mushrooms. Very juicy and tender! I love the sauce which is not too strong to cover the original taste of the steak! Sorry I only took a picture of one of the entree that we order.....because they were too good! Can't wait to taste the first bite...heh~

This is actually taken at my last visit. Since we didn't order any dessert this time...here you go for this delicious vanilla bean gelato :)

Copia--the last stop of our Napa Getaway. This is the American Center For Wine Food & the Arts. Inside you can have numbers of different wine tasting, history of the wine making in different States, and of course, the food history not to forget. They have a decent garden where you can see different plants and different vegetables they growth. I'm guessing they use it in the restaurant.....

Oh..o...if you are a chocolate lover, there's a homemade chocolate store that you must go if you ever go to Napa!!! It's the called the "Woodhouse Chocolate". I think it's a good idea for wedding favor if you are thinking of having chocolate as your favor. It's something special that you can't find it elsewhere.

Haha...all the sudden, this became a travel blog....
Hope you all have a wonderful week!

The Spring is here!!

Don't forget the Daylight Saving begins tomorrow, Sunday--March 9, 2008.

Have a wonderful weekend and Enjoy the Sun!!

Photos Time

As promised, here is the slide show of my client last weekend. Good memories and am always impress when I see the work from Marc and Phoebe (Photographers from Memory Stations)

Click here to the slide show ~ Gwen & Perry
Enjoy! :)