5 easy ways to stay stress free while planning your wedding...

It’s April 28th and we are in full wedding season! For all of the wedding planners at Making ME we’re all excited and eager for our first wedding of the season in a couple of weeks. The final weeks before your wedding can be best described as make it or break it when it comes to all the long months of planning. Collectively along with your fiancé, bridal entourage, and family you’ve spent over 500 hours obsessing, planning, and designing your wedding. This is one of the most important days of your life and to keep you from having a bridal meltdown on your big day. We’ve come up with our 5 most helpful tips one month before your wedding day.


1.) Stop Planning- I know this seems silly for wedding planners to tell you to stop planning, but really STOP PLANNING! Take a night to go out with your fiancé and do anything except plan your wedding, keep in mind that this day is about the two of you celebrating your love.

2.) Hire a Wedding Planner-Yes I said it! If 30 days before you’re wedding you’re really feeling the stress of everything and having “wedding terrors”, hire a day of coordinator to assist you with the final weeks of planning…they don’t call us lifesavers for nothing hunny!

3.) Enlist your girlfriends- This is one of my favorite tips because it really allows your girlfriends to take part in some different aspects of your wedding. Try and think of things that you are not having your Day of Coordinator in charge of and enlist away…trust me they won’t be offended!

4.) Exercise- Ok we had to throw this in simply because it’s something that you can do that will not only work as a de-stressor but you’re going to see fantastic results.

5.) Grab a Massage- This is just another way for you to take a step away from the planning of your wedding and to start focusing on the other amazing things that are going to happen in your life. If you’d like to add a little spice invite your fiancé and enjoy a couples massage too.

Ok Brides and Brides to be I hope you’ve enjoyed these helpful tips, best of luck on your wedding day!

Cheers,

Phebe L.

Proposal Story

The story of us begins with a series of missed connections. We studied at a small liberal arts college and graduated one year apart. For part of our college career, we even shared a small group of mutual friends and acquaintances. A majority of our on-campus work experiences is in the same building with the same people. Yet, our paths never crossed until after college. Fast forwarding a couple of years, Noah and I met at a work event and several months later, we began dating long distance after a fateful phone conversation. 

A year and half later and a move back home to NYC, Noah decides to propose. His mother, a safe deposit box and an heirloom ring were part of the plan. The unsuspecting fiancée to be (that’s me) had no idea what was going on. The night before the proposal, dinner was at our first “date,” Bella Sguardo. We sprang for the Emack’s ice cream we were supposed to have when we first met at Ramaz Upper Day School. Still, I had no idea.

It was August 28^th, 2010, a summery yet nice day outside. Noah was sick with a fever the night before. I tossed and turned in bed mainly from the heat wave that nearly canceled our plans for the day: picnic and check out the Cloisters. After some serious prodding from Noah and a slow start to the day, we drove to the farmers market, filled the cooler with delicious cheeses, fruits and kale (we love fresh kale). Our destination was Fort Tyron Park in the Cloisters. Our picnic was short but a great reprieve. In that moment, where life couldn’t get any calmer, the sun couldn’t shine any brighter and our dog couldn’t be any happier, Noah asked me a series of silly questions. Still, the unsuspecting bride to be has no idea what is going on.

Noah: Would you give me a serious answer to a serious question?

Lia: Depends on the question.

Noah: (leans over to me) Will you Marry me?

Lia: ……….?

Noah:… okayyyy…. Not the reaction I was expecting…

Lia: Are you serious?

Noah:….

Lia: Are you kidding?

Noah:…..

Lia: Are you serious?

Noah: (puts away the ring……)

I must have looked like a starry eyed idiot. Instead of responding to the question at hand, I asked Noah if he was serious and some other variation of that question, a half dozen times. Noah was indeed serious. After a couple of awkward, teary eyed, quiet, touch and go moments, I answered yes and asked to see the ring again.

Picture? yes!! 

And there you have it folks, the story of our proposal and what brought on this entire wedding organization and mania. In hindsight, I am truly oblivious because the signs were ALL THERE!!!

With that I bid you Adieu,

Lia 

Engagement Chicken….say what say huh?!

Falling off your seat already? Well I did too when just a week ago a friend was telling me all about the secret engagement chicken recipe. Call it superstition, call it lucky but whatever you do don’t call it crazy until you’ve tried this on your future hubby. Now I myself (as many of you may know) am not married (please refrain from the ooos and aaaahs lol) but am absolutely smitten with a man I’ve been dating for nearly 3 years.

Ok friends I don’t plan on pulling a chicken, for this gal it’s just good old fashioned waiting (yes ma’am disclaimer successfully inserted..ha!). BUT when is it time to pull a chicken, I mean make the engagement chicken? As a wedding planner I've heard it all and now I've heard even more about how women are gently nudging their future hubbs into engagement season! 

Enjoy and Good luck to anyone trying the recipe!
Pheebes

Engagement Chicken
Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken (approximately 4 pounds)

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, plus 3 whole lemons—including 1 sliced for garnish

1 tablespoon kosher or coarse sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Fresh herbs for garnish (4 rosemary sprigs, 4 sage sprigs, 8 thyme sprigs, and 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley)                                                                                                                                                          

1. Position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the giblets from the chicken, wash the chicken inside and out with cold water, then let the chicken drain, cavity down, in a colander for 2 minutes.

2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place the chicken breast-side down in a medium roasting pan fi tted with a rack and pour the lemon juice all over the chicken, both inside and out. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper inside and out.

3. Prick 2 whole lemons three times each in three different places with a fork and place them deep inside the cavity. Chicken cavity size may vary, so if one lemon is partly sticking out, that’s fine. (Tip: If the lemons are stiff, roll them on the countertop with your palm before pricking to get the juices flowing.)

4. Put the chicken in the oven, lower the oven temperature to 350°F, and roast, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

5. Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Using tongs or two wooden spoons, turn the chicken breast- side up. Insert a meat thermometer in the thigh, and return the chicken to the oven and roast for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the meat thermometer reads 180°F and the juices run clear when the thigh is pricked with a fork. Continue roasting if necessary. Keep in mind that cooking times in different ovens vary; roasting a chicken at 350°F takes approximately 18-20 minutes per pound, plus an additional 15 minutes.

6. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. And here’s the secret: Pour the juices from the roasting pan on top of the sliced chicken— this is the “marry me juice.” Garnish with fresh herbs and lemon slices.

Dear Lovely Readers and Brides-to-be

Dear Lovely Readers and Brides-to-be,

My name is Lia and I am your newly minted social media guru. What this means is that I will share the love, joy and challenges behind my wedding process and planning with Making ME Event Planning Firm.

This whirlwind journey began last summer when my then boyfriend, now fiancé, asked me to marry him in the sweetest and thoughtful of proposals. (Not that I have anything else to compare it to……) Bubbling with excitement, I called my friend and wedding planner, Pheebs, to giggle and live in the moment. Over the course of the next few months, I cherished my engagement heirloom ring, scoped out every single wedding blog and magazine, all the while bouncing off ideas with Pheebs.

One of the most important pieces of advice that Pheebs gave to me was to compile inspiration boards. Surprisingly, a majority of my wedding vision was drawn from the day to day life that my fiancé and I share as a couple. The way the sunlight warms up our apartment and feeds our plants in the mornings inspires me to capture the warmth as part of our wedding. Sharing an impromptu work related wine tasting with my fiancé inspires me to integrate his love of wine. It was the simple things that moved my heart and instantly jumped into my inspiration boards. Still, my main source of inspiration is the joining of our lives, as one big happy family.

In the meantime, I welcome you to stay a while. Browse through the blog. Read about our wedding moments and ultimately watch our wedding plans unfold.

With that I bid you Adieu,

Lia