Fun Questions

I hope everyone's enjoying this beautiful Labour Day weekend! I've been doing a bit of camping this weekend myself. This morning I'm sitting here with my cup of coffee (courtesy of my mother's Keurig... I love that little machine!) and everyone else is still fast asleep. I thought that I might like to answer some of those questions that Cindy answered last week. I know that there's at least one person out there reading my blog (I'm talking to you Catherine! ha ha) - so why not.



Tim Hortons or Starbucks?
Tim Hortons for me, thanks! I like a good cup of coffee from Starbucks or Bridgehead as a little treat every now and then. But when I'm on the go (and drinking three or four coffees a day) it's Timmies all the way.


What are you known for?
Being the leader, I think. I was the oldest in a family of six kids and I've spent a good portion of my life in leadership roles. I don't know that anyone actually looks at me as a leader, per se, but I'm often the person that my friends and family will go to for advice or guidance (which is fine some of the time... although I'm not sure that I'm always the best person to be offering advice - yikes). And when it comes to planning our big family get-togethers or outings I think people just naturally look to me to make sure it all kinda comes together.

Yup leadership; leadership... and sarcasm (ha! that might actually be a better one). The sarcasm thing I can't help... after a short stint in the military and then working for a British lawyer it's become sort of natural.


What is your favourite word?
Euphemism. I love this word not because of its definition but because it's the word that made me fall in love with words. I learned it in one of my high school English classes and I remember being so amused by the definition because it suddenly gave a name to something that seems to occur so naturally in conversation; both with sarcastic people, like me, and with people who are just genuinely nice. Either way, the word itself amused me and it created a sudden love of learning and an urge to learn more new words every day. Funny how such little things can have such a big impact on our lives, huh?


If the whole world were listening, what would you say?
Nothing. I think I'd have stage fright... the very thought of it makes me anxious. I'd want to say the same thing along the lines of Cindy's answer... but I'm sure I'd never be able to get the words out.


If one song were to describe your life, what song would it be?
"The Climb" Miley Cyrus. I live for one new challenge after another and I love making my way up toward my current goal. But no matter what trail I'm currently working on I've always got my eye on another mountain that I might like to conquer in the future. It keeps life interesting.


If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, which store would it be?
WINNERS!!!


What song best describes you when you first wake up in the morning?
"I'm Walkin' on Sunshine"... whoa! And it's startin' to feel good, hey! (you're singing it too, aren't you?). As soon as the sun peaks through the window I'm up (if I wasn't up already), and that's enough to get me up and going... although, coffee helps too.


What do you love most about weddings?
The speeches! I know, that's the part that so many people dread about weddings. Not me. Whether I'm working for a couple who's only hired me for the wedding day or I'm attending the wedding of a close friend I find that I always learn something special about the couple. I especially love watching a nervous speaker take the podium and, despite their nerves, proceed to make a beautiful toast.




My coffee's done now and people are starting to roll out of their beds so I'm going to finish up. Enjoy the rest of your weekend and have a fantastic week!



Cheers,


Sophie
Coverall Event Coordination

Happy Birthday Cindy!

Tuesday was Cindy's birthday and I thought that this would be a great opportunity to really introduce her to everyone. The first thing you should know, in case you hadn't figured it out already, is that Cindy and I are sisters.

Cindy joined the Coverall Event Coordination team nearly a year ago. Bringing her on board was a bit of a no-brainer for me. Since we were kids Cindy has had a phenomenal way of making friends and really making people feel special. People's first impressions of Cindy have always been that she is warm, friendly, and really fun (While I, on the other hand, was always mistaken for a snob growing up. But that was just because I was REALLY shy! Anyway, we're not talking about me today).


Cindy is also a "super-mom"; she actually made all of her daughter's baby food from scratch! I tried to do that once... and only once.

Since joining the team Cindy has proven herself to be a huge asset and has been such an enormous help to me personally. Over the past year our business has more than tripled and on top of that I had to slow down for a bit after having a baby in June. Cindy's had to take on some extra work along the way and she's been a real pro through it all.

Here are some things you should know about Cindy:


Tim Hortons or Starbucks?
Starbucks because of the complexity of the beverages.


What are you known for?
Loudness! I'm the one you'll always hear over everybody else. (I come from a BIG family; you had to be loud if you wanted to be heard).


What is your favourite word?
Excellent (lately anyway). It's the word of the week - no particular reason, it's the first word that popped out of my mouth; it sounds good and flows well, so let's use it. Next week, who knows...


If the whole world were listening, what would you say?
*I cried at this question??* I'd say: "Let's work together to make this a better place for our future - we seem to be meaner than we used to be, we seem to be less caring of ourselves, our neighbours, and our planet. We need to work together to make this a better place for our children to live."


If one song were to describe your life, what song would it be?
"So Small" Carrie Underwood- the song says it all.

"Don't worry about things that you have no control over, because you have no
control over them. Don't worry about things that you have control over, because
you have control over them."

~ Mickey Rivers ~

If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, which store would it be?
IKEA. Need I say more?


What song best describes you when you first wake up in the morning?
"I don't wanna work, I just wanna stay in my bed all day..."


What do you love most about weddings?
The father to daughter speech and dance. It gives a chance for everyone to see what a wonderful relationship a father and daughter have. Oh, heck, I just like to cry.

The Bridal Expo Cornwall 2009

The Bridal Expo is a unique concept in Cornwall. The show is geared at the modern bride; but who is the "modern bride" anyway?

Well... here are a few tips for recognizing her: The modern bride is the bride who is taking control of her wedding (instead of handing the reigns over to her mother or mother-in-law); the modern bride is a do-it-yourselfer and has her hands in at least one creative project for her wedding; the modern bride is budget-conscious because she works and she's contributing a big chunk of her own money into her wedding; and the modern bride doesn't have time to mess around - she wants the best of everything she can afford and she has little time to find it all.

Do any of these descriptions sound like you?

This show is geared at helping brides set a path for their wedding to create the best possible event that they can with the resources at their disposal. The show boasts a roster of the Cornwall's top wedding vendors who you can interview and book at your leisure (this will cut back on much of the research time you would have spent on your wedding). But this isn't where the show is unique - the show is truly unique in it's presentations and seminars. This is where you'll have a chance to learn a bit of DIY info to really put you in the best possible shape to take on the planning ahead.

So keep your calendar open for Sunday, November 8 and ask a friend to keep her day free as well (or hey, you could take your fiance). Doors open at 12-noon.

For more information check out The Bridal Expo Website and Register today!

Cheers,

Sophie

Coverall Event Coordination

Rental Calculator

Okay... so this is going to seem like a plug but it's really not meant to be.

I'm often asked to calculate the cost of rentals that a couple will need for their wedding; here's a little tip to help you determine how much you should budget for your rental needs. To start off, your wedding venue is going to be a big factor in determining what you need. First, look at what the venue has for your use. Does it have tables? chairs? linen? dishes and flatware? Does it have a podium? a mic? etc. etc.

If you're trying to save money do your best to make use of the items that come with the space. Once you know what you do have it's time start figuring out what you'll have to rent. When it comes to figuring out the cost for everything I often go to the Cody Party Centre website (see... that's where the "plug" comes in). Now, I don't necessarily always use Cody for rentals but the prices they have posted are comparable to other rental companies (although you can get some items for less if you shop around a bit).

The reason I automatically go to the Cody website is because they have a great calculator that you can use to tally up your costs quickly. Simply enter in the units you'll need for each item and click "Add to Rental Cart" at the bottom. Regardless of whether or not you're placing your order with Cody you have a quick tabulation that you can plug into your budget as a guideline.

To calculate your rental items click here to navigate to the Cody Party Centre website. Then click on Party Rentals or Linen Rentals on the left-hand side of the screen.

Cheers!

Sophie
Coverall Event Coordination

Now THAT'S a Dance Party!

Why doesn't anything like this ever happen to me when I'm at the train station?!



Happy Friday!

Sophie
Coverall Event Coordination

Learning "Creative"

I, like most people, developed the belief at some point that "being creative" is a gift that some people have and others don't. I associated creativity with being artistic - being able to paint, draw, or create beautiful things. There are tons of creative people in the wedding industry; just as there are in interior design and in fashion.

I've recently changed the way I look at creativity thanks to the book Thinkertoys by Michael Michalko. The book was written based on the premise that creativity is a skill, and that, like any other skill, it can be learned, developed, and perfected. This book is full of practical techniques that can be used to exercise your own creativity.

I highly recommend this book for anyone working in a creative industry and I recommend it even more highly to anyone who doesn't work in a creative industry. When it comes right down to it, creativity is an ability to generate ideas. The more ideas one can generate in a short amount of time the more creative one could be said to be. What line of work is free from problems that need solving? None. And problems are solved by creative thinkers - the people with the ideas.

Check out some of the Thinkertoys' Tips to Become an Idea Person and start your creative workout!

Cheers,

Sophie

Coverall Event Coordination

Seth Godin's blog is one of my favourites to read. Seth is witty, to the point, and he has a marvelous gift for explaining things that, in the end, appear to be simple common sense. I often find myelf nodding at my computer as I read thinking, "Well, yeah... obviously!".

I love the blog primarily for the wonderful business and marketting advice that it shares; however, many of Seth's "rants" (many of his posts take this form) turn out to be wonderful life lessons too. His recent post titled "Winning on the uphills" is one of my favourites to date. Definetly worth a read.

Cheers,

Sophie

Coverall Event Coordination