Posted on December 18, 2010
Yesterday we woke up and my husband declared: “Today is YOUR day, honey. It is ALL about you.”
Yes, I got gooey eyed and melted. ”OK, dear,” I replied. Inside I did a little dance–no cleaning, no working, no cooking! That’s what MY day would and should be. And so we set out to have a perfect ME day.
After preparing a batch of my healing, organic lotion for someone who wanted to order it as soon as they heard I make it, and taking it to the post office [oh that long line!], we took off to enjoy MY day 
.
First… girl’s gotta eat! We went to Uno’s, where we enjoyed delicious veggie burgers with fries and I stole a few pictures of my love and he of me:
[images taken with my Canon PowerShot point and shoot camera using only available light;)]
We then drove around town, found a new discount bookstore [we are admittedly book worms ], and a Russian Deli Store! Need I say more?! I found a couple of goodies to take home with me for late night tea. We kicked back, relaxed and did a whole bunch of nothing on a Friday! Anytime I wanted anything all I had to do is say: “Darling, since today is all about me, will you… [feel in the blank 
]” and he did everything I asked for.
I have an amazing life with the most amazing man and I am blessed! I do think that ME [Elena] Day should become a National Holiday celebrated at least once a month. I know that in our household it will be instituted from now on.
Posted on December 15, 2010
I don’t ever get tired from creating new things–that’s one of the reasons I love being a photographer. Creating art, creating memories… There is something about being a creator of something–a sense of accomplishment, sense of pride and achievement. It is hard to explain. It can only be felt.
With the wedding season over [not that no one gets married, but there are fewer wedding in the winter], I have more time to express myself though other venues.
1. Developing custom packaging for each client
2. Making my own Skin Care products [I use only organic ingredients and am very picky about what goes on my skin and into my body]
3. Creating new delicious dessert recipes for my hubby [it's a surprise that I have not gained 20 lbs doing it ]
Don’t they look good? They taste amazing!
If you are working from home a lot, like I do, once in a while you do want to make a delicious, yet very healthy treat for yourself. Try making these muffins–your taste buds will love it! I use only organic and all vegan ingredients in my food, unprocessed and whole foods, so there is no guilt .
Here is the recipe:
Pear Banana Muffins [Vegan Recipe]
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegan butter [I used Earth Balance]
- 1/4 cup vegan cream cheese [I used Toffuti brand]
- 1 heaping tbsp vegan mayo [I used Veganaise]
- 1/2 cup apple or pear sauce*
- 2 mashed [or grated] bananas
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup sugar
- dash of sea salt [about 1/8 tsp]
- 1 cup white flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 peeled and thinly sliced pear
Preparation
*Pear Sauce
I had no time to go grocery shopping and had to make do with what was home. I was out of apple sauce, so, for the first time ever, I decided to try making and substituting it with Pear Sauce. To make the sauce:
- Peel and core 1 pear, chop it into large chunks
- Pour 1/2 cup filtered water into a high speed blender
- Add pear chunks
- Blend on high speed until smooth consistency is achieved
- Pour into a pot and bring to boil on high heat; reduce heat to medium and simmer for 2 mins
- Cool to warm temperature before adding to batter
Batter
- Place first 3 ingredients in a pot and place on a stove on low-medium heat to melt butter and cream cheese
- Using whisk keep stirring ingredients
- When butter starts to melt reduce heat to low; keep stirring until ingredients are melted
- Add pear [or apple sauce], mashed bananas, baking soda and vinegar; stir
- Add sugar and salt; fold it in, stirring all contents for about 1 min
- Batter should be slightly warm but NOT hot
- Whisk in flours
- Lastly fold in pear pieces
Baking
The oven should be preheated to 375 F
- Line muffin pan with paper cups
- Fill cups 3/4 of the way with batter
- Bake 20-25 mins or until golden brown [you can test if muffins are ready by inserting a toothpick in the middle of a muffin; if it comes out dry your muffins are done]
- Let muffins cool for 3-5 mins and then place on a cooling rack for another 10 mins before serving
ENJOY the muffins and enjoy creating!
Posted on December 3, 2010
Some days I feel unstoppable. Nothing can hold me back. Nothing can stand in my way. I feel accomplished.
Today I started off by processing 4 clients’s orders ahead of schedule [yeah!], then hashing out issues with my newly acquired desk:
I had to have a part replaced, but at least the manufacturer was easy to work with.
I also finally hung my treasured canvases on our living room wall [you can only imagine how crazy I am about celebrating our life through photography--I prefer a great picture of someone that means a whole lot to me, rather than a painting that has no sentimental value, although there is a place for those too and I have several ]:
I had also found out that I became a great aunt once again. My lovely nephew Slava and his beautiful wife became happy parents of a little baby girl.
[this image was taken at their wedding ]
I feel quiet accomplished and happy for the day. I do have my TO DO list ready for tomorrow as well, but it is short and sweet.
Posted on December 2, 2010
As promised a while ago, I was finally able to ask Emilie Duncan of Emilie Duncan Event Planning, a few burning questions. Emilie is a local wedding and event planner. I was thrilled to have met her in person a few weeks back.
So, without further ado, here is Emilie .
Q: Emilie, why and how did you become a wedding planner?
A: Long story short, I planned my own wedding and realized that I had a lot of background in the field although I didn’t see it until I looked – kind of like seeing the forest from the trees! I was a cake designer/decorator in college and did some floral design as well. Photography has always been a (very side) hobby and I was working in the fashion industry. I started to do some research because I didn’t want to potentially ruin a bride and groom’s wedding day due to my inexperience and lack of knowledge. It took me over a year of just reading, researching, shadowing, learning and growing until I thought about taking my first client. 7 years later, I cannot imagine doing anything else!
Q: What do you like best about your job?
A: The relationships. I love that I get to be part of a family for a day (and often longer). I love that I am able to help couples write the first page of their shared history and that I often hear about the following pages – there are currently 19 “Emilie Duncan Event Planning” babies in the world plus 4 more on the way that I know about! I love the friends I have made along the way – my past clients are some of my greatest supporters which is amazing.
Q: What is your favorite wedding planner memory?
A: That is tough because there are SO MANY! I think one of the highlights in recent memory was when the Father of the Bride of a very special couple thanked me by name in his toast at the reception. That was pretty phenomenal – I was exceptionally close with this bride and her mom – in fact, we are still in touch and I count them among some of my closest friends. That was a really good, tear inducing moment!
Q: What is the most special location that hosted one of your weddings in Columbus OH Metropolitan area?
A: There isn’t one location in particular that was more special than any other – being in the moment of the wedding and seeing the couple celebrating with their friends and family…well, that makes every location the most special one.
Q: What are the major challenges of planning a wedding?
A: The biggest challenge that I see a lot of brides facing is inexperience. They have never planned a wedding and don’t know why vendor A is so much cheaper than vendor B, C or D. They don’t know what pitfalls to watch out for in venue contracts. They don’t know who has a good reputation and who doesn’t. It is like going to a foreign country where they don’t speak or read the language – they need a tour guide to help them in the right direction. Guess who the tour guide is in the wedding world?
Q: Do-It-Yourself brides have become huge in the wedding industry. Do you come across brides that start up as DIY but then change their mind and hire a wedding planner?
A: Sometimes – that is usually what my Wedding Month Coordination couples have done. A lot of planners have what is called “Day of Coordination” packages where the couples plans the wedding and then the planner comes in and works with them in the weeks leading up to the wedding. It is sort of the best of both worlds for DIY brides!
Q: What is your opinion on DIY on your wedding day?
A: As long as the bride and groom are realistic as to what can and can’t be DIY. They also need to have a realistic timeline to get everything done – you can’t do it all in a day! So long as they are realistic and can figure out when to say when (should they need to) and bring in a pro, then I don’t see anything wrong with DIY elements.
Q: Can you tell our readers why couples should consider hiring a wedding planner?
A: A professional wedding planner will serve as a friend, adviser, advocate, shoulder to cry on, tour guide, coordinator, financial planner, mediator and sometimes even referee!
Q: As a wedding planner what do you see as most brides’ biggest misconception about planning a wedding?
A: I think the biggest misconception is that they have to plan the wedding all alone or it isn’t theirs! They absolutely don’t and a planner is a great partner to have on the journey.
Q: What would make you ever turned down a client?
A: I have turned down clients who were unrealistic – one bride told me she expected me to get at least 1/2 off every vendor I recommended because that was my job. Still scratching my head over that one! Clients who were obviously looking for a punching bag and someone to order around. Clients who didn’t appreciate what I could and would do for them.
Q: What changes have you seen in weddings in the last few years?
A: With the explosion of blogs focusing on weddings of all kinds, I think ideas are spreading more quickly and brides aren’t settling for the cookie cutter wedding. They want to incorporate ideas that they might never have considered but are now willing to because they saw the ideas in action. They are also more willing to break some of the old, stodgy rules and have some fun with their weddings!
Q: What do you feel is the most important element that a bride should incorporate into her wedding day?
A. That is actually really simple – love. If a bride and groom incorporate the love they have for each and for their friends and
family, their wedding will be amazing!
Q: How would you rank the importance of professional photography for a wedding and engagement celebration?
A: I love my photographers so I would say right up near the top of the list – it is what remains after the other elements have died or been eaten or tossed out.
Q: What suggestion do you give your couples when it comes to choosing their photographer?
A. If you want to steal the photographer’s sample album of complete stranger’s photos and show it to everyone you know and then hold it for ransom until the photographer goes out to dinner with you because you liked them personally, you are probably in the right place! Find someone who you click with and who you can’t wait to have take your picture because you love their work.
Q: I have photographed many weddings, and all of them experience some kinds of crisis, be it small or big: anything from a broken nail to a veil that started to come apart. If you could come up with a wedding day survival kit, what would it include?
A. Pins, pins and more pins! I carry an absurdly large emergency kit with me on wedding day (proud to say I have only been stumped once in my 7 years) and I use pins more than anything else. Safety pins, hair pins, straight pins, corsage pins – you name it, I have used it! Shout wipes are great in a pinch as well.
Q: How can people contact you for further information?
A. People can email me at emilie {at} emilieduncan.com, visit our website at www.emilieduncan.com or give us a call (we love to chat!) at 614-678-6320.
________________________________________________________
I said it before to many brides–it is important, if your budget would allow you, to transfer the stress of planning and especially any stress associated with the wedding day the day of the wedding, on someone who is qualified to handle it and who is in your corner. Who better than a wedding planner? That way the couple can relax and have a fantastic day, capturing every moment of it in their memories.
Emilie, thank you for insight.
IF you have a question for Emilie, leave a comment and I can see if I can twist her arms to answer it for you.
