Do you ever wonder why certain people have the ability to influence the world? Ghandi, Gandalf the Grey, Steve Jobs, Oprah and Enstein? We still feel their presence and their energy in the world even long after they’re gone. I am fascinated with people and more importantly the greatness that lies untapped in so many extraordinary individuals. Inside each one of us lives this innate and intrinsic ability to contribute and shape our universe. We all have it inside of us, this. This ability to become more intentional with how we want to push the human race forward. When we start to know that we have this ability and tap into it on a daily basis we are essentially contributing to change in this world by giving others permission to see and experience our inner light. Is this not what we are all born to be? To create to strive to reach to stretch to evolve into the best possible version of ourselves? What if greatness is no longer an option but rather a daily ritual like exercise, or meditating. Your ability to influence starts with a commitment now in this moment not when the bills are paid or the kids have left home or when the mortgage is paid off. Imagine if we all strive to share that incredible extraordinary greatness that lives in each one of us on a daily basis. This is a world worth creating worth contributing to. As I continue stepping into my greatness by inspiring others to do the same, I know that I am elevating everyone around me. The power to influence connects us all in that the reader shapes the author and the author is shaped by the reader. Influence becomes a force and an energy that inspires the world. Recognize your ability to influence others in a positive way. Focus on your intention and the outcome that you want to see in others. Your influence shapes others and contributes to their growth when it is fueled by your passion and your purpose to serve and benefit...
read moreWe are thrilled to announce that Milena Santoro has been nominated in the Industry Mentor category for Meeting + Incentive Travel’s 2014 Hall of Fame. Industry Mentors The Industry Mentor category honors an individual planner or supplier who through his or her expertise, professional influence or academic position has provided others with the opportunity, inspiration or ability to pursue excellence. Awards Presentation 2014 Tuesday August 19 10:30 am, immediately precedes the Keynote Presentations John Bassett Theatre, Metro Toronto Convention Centre Launched in 2009, Meetings + Incentive Travel inducts 6 individuals each year into the Hall of Fame. These individuals have made tremendous contributions to our industry. The mandate of the Hall of Fame is to recognize and celebrate individuals who have distinguished themselves in the Canadian meetings and incentive travel industry. It is the only independent awards program for event professionals and suppliers in the country....
read moreWe are now in an age where reinvention is necessary and equally celebrated. Long gone are the days where we can maintain the status quo and continue being spectators. A city reinvents itself every 10 years. It is time to show the world how much you’ve grown. As a race we have been given an extraordinary gift to create our desired lives. Many of us hold ourselves back from moving forward and embracing the new. We continue to define ourselves by the past and by our titles. We have conditioned ourselves to become comfortable with the known. The key to unlocking a new level of untapped potential is to become uncomfortable with the comfortable. Recognize that comfort suppresses the passion for the soul. Now is your time to stretch and grow into who you NOW want to be in this moment. Leap forward, stand up, raise your hand, engage others and define yourself in this moment, its all you have. The past is no longer relevant and the future has not arrived. Use the power of WHY as your fuel and driver for your...
read moreThe term “tying the knot” comes from India! The phrase ‘tying the knot’ derives from a longstanding Hindu wedding tradition in India. Instead of a wedding ring, a Hindu groom will give his bride a “mangala sutra” or “mangalsutra”, also referred to as a Thaali—a sacred thread of love and goodwill made of black and gold beads. He will loop the thread around his bride’s neck, tying the cord in three knots to symbolize the unity of their two souls for 100 years. The act of tying the knots concludes the ceremony, officiating the couple’s marriage. Much like a wedding ring, once a Hindu woman has wed, she will always wear her mangala sutra, as it signifies to others that she is...
read moreWedding insurance may not seem like a necessity, or fit well into your budget, but it could save you from financial catastrophe. Follow this checklist to help you ensure your big day is protected: Items that could get lost, stolen, or damaged You invest so much in your engagement and wedding day, so protect the big-ticket items, such as wedding and engagement rings, the wedding gown, bridal party gowns, gifts, and other valuables. No-show guests You organize your seating arrangement and dinner menu according to the number of attendees, so you’ll need to prepare yourself for guests, whole families, or out-of-towners who can’t make it last minute. Wedding vendors If you hire certain vendors—such as caterers, florists, a DJ, a band, or anyone else—you expect them to show up, and show up on time. Make sure to ask your wedding vendors if they have insurance of their own, and if they are affiliated with any associations that may be more reliable, such as the Association of Bridal Consultants or the International Service Events Society. Many times, vendors have to adhere to the standards of their industry associations to stay in good standing, so they won’t risk unprofessional conduct. Choose vendors that you feel are reliable, flexible and willing to accommodate your needs. Contracts When it comes to vendors and venues, get a contract. Make sure that your contract includes back-up plan items. Sometimes venues will say that they have coverage and so you do not need it – that’s not always true. Just because they have liability insurance doesn’t mean that it covers you and your wedding. Ask to see their liability insurance plan. Ask if the venue has backup generators. Ask about the refund policy. Ask as many questions as possible. The more you know, the more you can protect yourself. You should also have someone review your contract, such as a lawyer. If you’ve hired a wedding planner, they can assist you in your contract as well, plus they’ll know to ask plenty of questions you might not have considered. Liquor license If you plan on serving alcohol at your wedding, it is absolutely necessary that you get a liquor license. Ask your bartenders, servers, caterers, and the venue if they already have liquor licenses. Ask your lawyer or wedding planner to review their licenses. If you need to get a liquor license of your own, get one. Make sure the bartenders card everyone who looks underage. Make sure no one is over-served. Take every precaution you can. That way, if Aunt Linda’s boozy new boyfriend drives over someone’s mailbox after your reception, you won’t get sued. And even if you do, everyone will be covered. Cancellations or postponements Whether it’s due to bad weather, health complications, or any other detrimental obstacles that might present themselves, cancelling or postponing an entire wedding could be extremely costly if you don’t have right type of event insurance. The standard wedding insurance package covers around $125,000, which aims to cover everything in the case that your wedding can’t take place due to un-forseen circumstances on its set date. There are plenty of companies that cover wedding-day insurance, so you should be able to find one that’s right for...
read moreLiterary Centerpieces In place of traditional centerpieces, spice up your reception tables with quirky, and partially non-living centerpieces-try books! A short stack or an arrangement of books topped by a seasonal fruit, vegetable or a small vase of flowers would create an interesting and eccentric décor. Guests can take a book home as a souvenir of the evening and perhaps even catch up on some of the classics and it will take care of your decorations and favors in one swoop. If giving away classic books to each of your guests is not in your budget; consider making a donation of classic books to a local charity in need. If you’ve designed a seating chart, select each table’s books to reflect the interests of the people seated there. You can even name your tables after your favorite literary pieces and create table names instead of the traditional table numbers using titles such as The Great Gatsby, Sense & Sensibility and Wuthering...
read morePhoto Courtsey of http://www.nygeekcast.com Your home should be a place where you and your partner want to spend time, a place where loved ones and friends will want to visit, a place where anyone could feel at home. Studies show that laughter and socializing enhances resilience, lowers stress hormones, strengthens relationships and creates a space to let go and start living more fully. Setting aside special times to have co-workers, friends, family or neighbors over may seem overwhelming at first but it doesn’t have to be a time intensive, fancy or complicated affair. It could be as simple as ordering take out, or asking friends over for a game night where everyone brings an appetizer. Most importantly it’s a time for you and your guests to take a break from the all of the other day to day responsibilities of work deadlines, wedding planning and home projects and just.. relax.. Getting your home ready for guests doesn’t have to be complicated or time intensive either. Try these easy decorating tips to create a welcoming atmosphere. 1. Focus on your entryway You want guests to feel immediately comfortable entering your home, so the entryway or foyer should be the most inviting part of your house. Keep the flow open, and well lit. Add a table with a bouquet of flowers or a plant in view of the front door. You could even put a small cozy bench near the entrance. 2. Feng shui your living room Arrange your living room furniture in a square or circular pattern so that guests can see each other. If people can sit together and easily converse without having to move chairs across the room or twisting around to hear each other, the energy of the room will circulate in a positive way. 3. Personalize your hallways Decorate the walls of your hallways and stairway with photos of family and friends and your favorite paintings and other artwork. Bare walls have no personality, and they don’t reflect the people who live there—so don’t waste that blank space. 4. Warm your kitchen Even if you and your partner aren’t big on cooking in your kitchen, fake it. Nothing says, “welcome home” like a warm kitchen with freshly baked cookies on the counter. The kitchen is the area that brings the family together, and it tends to remind people of their own family home. Hang your pots and pans on a rack above your kitchen island or over your oven instead of hiding them in cabinets. Put out a spice rack. Store flour, sugar and other ingredients in antique jars on the counter. Give the illusion that your kitchen is well used, even if it isn’t. 5. Don’t forget the bathroom The bathroom is the one area of your home where guests will be completely alone, which means they’ll make the most observations. Make sure it’s clean, organized and fully stocked with the essentials. Hang paintings and other decorations. Trade that disposable soap for a classy soap dispenser or place little handmade soaps in a decorative dish. Lose the kitchen rags for more intricate hand towels. Details make a difference. 6. Clear Clutter Clutter gives a spotless home a messy appearance and a space that is clutter-free gives a clean, fresh feel to a room (even if you haven’t...
read moreIf the standard house of worship or hotel combo doesn’t quite suit the type of wedding that you and your partner hope to have, you may be entertaining ideas for some less traditional sites for your ceremony and reception. An off-beat venue is great way for couples to express their personalities in ways that are unique to them as a couple, plus the more unusual the location, the more likely the venue will be available for your chosen date. Keep in mind that if you choose a venue that does not typically rent its space forweddings and receptions, it may require or advise you to seriously consider hiring a wedding planner to assist you in coordinating the many elements that need to be brought together to create your dream day. This may or may not include your caterers, seating, lighting, flooring, bars, sound system, generators, portable bathrooms, as well as the handling of permits and city allowances for parking, noise, fire safety and handicap accessibility. A wedding planner who specializes in planning unique and off-site occasions can recommend the most reputable service providers for your particular occasion and work in tandem with your caterers, rental companies and the venue’s on-site manager to ensure that it all comes together as easily and as smoothly as possible for you and your partner. Before you finalize your venue choice, consider, at the least, hiring a third-party wedding planner (one that doesn’t work for the venue) because he or she may be able to advise on any additional costs that you and your partner may incur and need to budget for, the estimated amount of time you will need to allow for planning, and any items to consider changing or negotiating before signing your contract. Consider one of these interesting alternative locales for the wedding that suits you best. A Conservatory Designed to house, grow, study and protect exotic plants, tropical trees, flowers from around the world, endangered types of greenery needed to sustain forest life, a conservatory is overflowing with natural beauty. You would hardly need to haul in your own floral arrangements, and most conservatories are free to the public, which means you may be able to negotiate a sweet deal (perhaps even a free deal) to privately reserve it for your big day. So long as you respect the inhabitants of the facility, your WeddingDay will feel like a trip to the Garden of Eden within the greenhouse walls of a conservatory. A Concert Hall Look for old concert halls in your area. If your town or city has an opera house, a specific venue for the symphony, the ballet or the theatre—or if there are any historical-landmarks-turned-venues for bands to perform shows—talk to the owner or the booking agent to see about renting the space for your wedding. Many concert halls date back further than the automobile, so the interiors (like the gold ceilings and even the seats) may be part of the original foundation, making for an exceptionally beautiful, nostalgic setting for your wedding. An Old Movie Theater If you and your partner are film buffs or theatre-lovers, look for an old movie theatre with the original organ from the days of silent films and check with the owner or manager about renting it out for yourwedding. You can walk down the theatre aisle and hold your ceremony on stage, in...
read moreGreece to host the only global platform where leading wedding planners meet luxury suppliers Top Wedding Planners brilliance meet Luxury Hotel chains hospitality: Destination wedding planners congress set to inaugurate in Greece April 7, 2014: Some of the finest wedding planners from around the world are coming together in Greece this April to attend the Destination Wedding Planners Congress, the first of its kind, an avant-garde initiative designed to highlight the importance of wedding tourism and provide a unique platform to build strategic partnerships with premium wedding suppliers. Organised by Dubai based QnA International, the congress will take place from April 23rd to 25th at the luxurious Grand Resort Lagonissi. Destination weddings have increased in popularity with 10% annual growth in the number of destination weddings taking place globally. “The destination wedding market is larger than ever and always growing.New suppliers are taking advantage of this industry boom and this congress makes it easier to meet people from around the world” says America’s leading destination wedding planner, Michelle Rago. “This congress will put planners face-to-face with the venue managers with whom they may be working someday. This type of forum creates a wonderful transparency and it will be immediately evident the professionals with whom we’ll be comfortable working and which ones may be hiding only behind a well-constructed website or PR campaign.” – Added the internationally renowned wedding planner David Beahm, known for the likes of the Catherine Zeta Jones wedding and is also the guest decorator for the White House. Connecting the world of wedding planners from every continent the congress is gearing up to bring the best destination wedding planners from around the world together. “This is very important in our current days because it eases the communication between different people and cultures all around the globe. Such a congress can help shorten the distances between countries, ease the communication process and open up opportunities in front of all people within the same industries to work together and benefit the audience always waiting for new and one of a kind products. “Lebanon based top wedding planner who is known for his artistic genius, Paul Nasr added. According to Milena Santoro, Canada’s renowned destination wedding planner “It’s really refreshing to experience a congress with a different program, layout and interactive activities that are not typical. The importance of attending this event is to connect with pre-qualified strategic partners in the defined destination. This is an opportunity to meet face-to-face, exchange ideas, compare markets and walk away with concrete concepts is fundamental. I’m looking to create strategic partnership with stakeholders such as: luxury brand venues, stellar vendors/suppliers as well as other supporter such as CVB, Economic Development organization, Tourism Boards, Media representation and the like.” Mohammed Mohomed Morani, the force behind one of the most successful event management companies in India, Cineyug Production which is also a key contributor in the ‘world’s most expensive wedding- the Mittal wedding’ ,believes “We as wedding planners needed this much-deserved amalgamation of various cultures. Weddings maybe conducted in various places across the globe but what remains common and what binds us all wedding planners into one thread is the fact that the entire experience for the client to be one of pure bliss and a memory to treasure” Sponsored by some of...
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