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Sunday, June 24, 2012

Goals Revisited

We're just about at the halfway mark of 2012.  That means it's a good time to look back and reflect on your New Year's resolutions. Remember the goals you set out to achieve earlier this year?  How did you fare?  Give yourself credit and congratulations for any goals you completed or a firm pat on the back for others you are still working on.  For many of us, however, New Year's resolutions tend to be short lived. No worries.  All is not lost.  Recognizing where we went wrong along the way is half the battle.  The biggest culprit is generally not creating a goal that is specific enough or time bound.  Giving yourself a detailed description of your goal and a date you expect to complete it by will help you have a clear picture of what you intend to do and when you hope to get it done.  Undefined goals or goals that are too broad leave plenty of room for wavering.   Having a time bound resolution creates a sense of urgency to get it done.  If your boss gives you a deadline for a project, for example, you're much more likely to complete it faster than if you had no time frame at all.
The good news is that you can always revisit goals and tweak them as needed.  Make them more specific, measurable, and time bound and you're more likely to see positive results.  Also make sure your resolutions are realistic for where you are at in life or what you hope to accomplish.  Like all goals, your wedding goals should follow a similar criteria if you want to stay focused and on track.

Monday, June 18, 2012

'Tis the Season

Summer is almost here and that means the wedding season is heating up.  If you're a summer bride, you may be busy taking care of last minute details, going over your wedding checklist, or starting to get anxious about the big day.  Whatever you find yourself doing or feeling, relax, it's likely normal. Your wedding day is going to be one of the most memorable days in your life.  That said, make sure you treat it as such.  Often times, we get so caught up in the details, we forget to enjoy the moment.  If you have a wedding planner, great.  He or she should be the one taking care of all the details or any unexpected situations.  If you don't have an event planner, ask a trusted friend or relative to act as your point person during the wedding.  Explain that you want to be able to enjoy your wedding day and not have to deal with any hiccups along the way.  In most cases,  they would be honored that you trust them and glad to help you out.  Choosing a relative may not be as good an option as a friend because relatives, especially close ones, want to share in the festivities of the day too.  They may not want the responsibility of managing details.  Use your judgment to pick someone you trust will be able to carry out this role and be happy to do so.   Venue managers or coordinators are also very helpful.  They want you to have a positive experience; so enlist their help where appropriate.
The last thing you want to do on your wedding day is worry about a missing centerpiece, the extra guests that showed up, or anything else unexpected.  If you happen to notice something awry, do tell your wedding planner, point person, or some other individual, who can take care of it.   Your job is to be the bride, enjoy your special day, and cherish the beautiful memories you and your groom create.  Leave the details to someone else.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Daddy's Girl

As Father's Day is quickly approaching, let's turn our attention to dad.  While it appears that dad may not be interested in your color scheme or the type of gown you'll be wearing, it doesn't mean he doesn't care or want to be involved in the wedding plans.   After all, many fathers are the primary ones taking care of the financial bill for your special day;  so it's only fair to include him in your planning discussions. Depending on how financially involved your father is in your wedding, you can decide how much you need to confer with him about your choices.  Ask dad what he needs to know and wants to know.  If he needs to know costs, give him all the details.  If he wants to hear about other things as well, like the types of flowers or the music you'll be playing, great!  What a nice way to share in the excitement and strengthen your relationship.
Most father-daughter relationships are special.  If you have a good relationship with your dad, you may notice that this is a bittersweet time for him.  He's happy that you've found someone to love and care for, but a little sad to see his girl all grown up and moving on and possibly moving away.  Since you were a kid, dad has told you that time flies.  Your engagement and wedding is a testament to that.  Instead of rushing it on, stop and enjoy these days with your family, who helped raise you to this point.  Give dad a hug, share with him some favorite memories and let him know that you'll always be daddy's girl!  Happy Father's Day!