Cozy Crochet

Johnna Frierson a native of Rockhill, South Carolina is the owner and lead creator for Cozy Crochet, which specialize in hand-made crocheted items and accessories for everyone, their most popular item are the crochet hats. The variety of items and accessories expanded from hats to blankets,baby sweaters, baby booties, scarves, head bands and so much more. Each item is custom made order to uniquely suit each individual. Johnna was recently inspired to pick back up her hobby of crocheting, when she was inspired by her husband's grandmother (Mrs. Ruth)  With each custom Cozy Crochet item that is made for customers, a large portion of Johnna's passion, patience, and love goes into each item. Prices for items vary according to the type of materials used and any additional embellishements (buttons, broaches etc.), and each item is made with high quality material.  Cozy Crochet is currently featured at the Lonnelle Marie Boutique @ Semaj Beauty Salon at 121 21st Ave. N Suite #104 in Nashville Tennessee, but you can contact Johnna at cozycrochetbyj@gmail.com and call to place your order at 864-386-0658

How to be a Good Wedding Guest

There is an etiquette associated with being a wedding guest. If you are attending a wedding in the near future, here are some tips and etiquette rules so you can be the kind of wedding guest that couples appreciate and love.

When invitations to weddings arrive in the mail, do you find yourself glancing telling yourself you will RSVP later when you have more time? If you want to be a fantastic wedding guest, check your schedule as soon as you get your invitation and send it back immediately. Many couples rely solely on the RSVPs to get a head count for catering and seating so always send in the RSVP. If a situation arises where you will no longer be able to attend, call so they can take you off the final headcount and save money.

Be sure to dress appropriately for the wedding. Wearing t-shirts, jeans,sweat pants, hoodies or sneakers is never acceptable and  you may say "who would wear that" well I have seen it, and just because your son is 16 it is not acceptable for him to come dress in that manner also. If you are attending a religious ceremony that is different from your own, you may want to research what is deemed appropriate. For example, at a Muslim wedding, you would probably not want to wear a short skirt and sleeveless shirt, out of respect for the Muslim culture.


Never bring uninvited guests. Someone's wedding is not a hang out event, or a community workshop. If the invitation says your name only, that means only you are invited. If the invitation states that you and one guest are invited, bring only one guest. Across the universe one plus one equals two not four and five!  Do not call up the bride and groom and ask if you can bring an extra guest with you. If the invitation also includes your children, then if they start to get noisy or begin crying in the middle of the ceremony, immediately take them outside.

Be sure to get to the wedding on time. There is nothing more distracting than listening to the bride and groom reciting their vows and having somebody walk in during the middle of this interchange and you clickety-clack all the way down the aisle to find a seat. If you are unable to get to the wedding on time, then proceed to the reception site.

When taking pictures during the ceremony and reception, always be mindful of the professional photographer that is on hand taking pictures for the couple. Sure, you want to get great shots, but the couple is paying for the photographer to be there, so stay out of the way.

Stay at the reception until the very end. I have attended way too many reception where more than half of the guests leave after eating, leaving the room half empty. Keep in mind how you would feel if half of your friends or relatives left right after they ate. Have fun and be available to send the couple off at the end of the night!

Sure, there may be an open bar, but that is not an open invitation to get drunk. Drink in moderation so you can avoid embarrassing yourself and the couple, and so you can get home safely afterwards.

If you follow these tips you are on your way to being a good wedding guest, and people would enjoy inviting you in the future, to other events

Save - the - Date

What is a Save-the-Date? A Save-the-Date notice is an item stating the date of a wedding or any other formal event. It typically states the date when a couple plans to marry, or when a special event will occur. I highly reccomend using them if your eent is going to take place on a holiday, weekday, or will be a grand destination to those you are inviting.A destination wedding do not always mean that your wedding is out of the country, on a beautiful island. A destination wedding can be that for your guest who may live in New York but your wedding is in California, thetn hey would need as much notice to prepare if it was on an island.

When do you send them? you can send them out as early as 12 months in advance especially if it is a destination wedding, but usually 6 to 8 months befor e the wedding is fine.

Do I send one to everybody? No, you are not required to send a Save the Date to everyone on your guest list. Many brides cut costs here by sending Save the Dates only to those guests who will be traveling or who will likely need to make arrangements far in advance.

Do not send a Save the Date to anyone who will not be receiving a wedding invitation.
I am a big fan of the magnet Save-the-Date, so that way they are not lost in a cluttered draw, they usually will be on the person fridge, and you can laways add magnets to the Save-the-Date yourself.

Debbie's Lil Darling

Deborah Haigler is a native of Orangeburg, South Carolina, and the owner and lead seamstress for Debbie's Lil Darling, which is a children's boutique that specialize in custom made garments for children, that you will not find in a department store. They offer a variety of styles to choose from and especially children that are hard to fit average sizes. They will custom make school uniforms, choir robes, mini - bride gowns, cheerleader uniforms and the list goes on and on. you will also be able to find accessories, selected gifts and the prices are affordable.                  
Debbie's Lil Darlings is located at.
411 Clarendon Street Orangeburg South Carolina

Worthy Workshops

Sherika V. Washington is a native of Columbia, South Carolina. She has enjoyed public speaking and creative writing since childhood. Presently, she has over one hundred completed poems and fifty short stories in progress.

In 2005, Sherika published her first collection of poems, in a book titled "Speak Life".Sherika has had several opportunities to share her poetry and speak life to the community.

Worthy Workshops is a variety of workshops facilitated by Sherika, with a goal to encourage, inspire, and catapult all to greatness, she will speak wisdom from a heart filled with love. The workshops available at this time include: Ladies “L” is for Love (promotes TRUE self-love), No More Baby Mama Drama (strategies and tips to maintain a healthy relationship with your children’s mother), Aspiring Creative Writers (exposure to traditional and non-traditional venues open to aspiring writers), Express Yourself Youth (techniques for young people to express their opinions and emotions positively in order to avoid being misunderstood), and finally Speak Life (exposes the dangers of negative speaking and the urgency of speaking positively in all situations).

 If you would like to request  Sherika as a keynote speaker or present these workshops to your organizations, or would like to register and attend any upcoming events, please log onto:  http://www.worthyworkshops.vpweb.com/

Friday and Sunday is Cheaper $$$

Getting married on a Saturday is the most popular day all over the world, for so many reasons, one it gives your guest time to come in town that Friday, and get some rest and leave out on that Sunday and make it to work on Monday morning. With that date being so popular it is not hard for a venue to fill that date. If you still feel strong about getting married on a weekend, then I reccomend a Friday or Sunday wedding, which can save you a lot of money, and out of those two days, a Sunday wedding can save you much more. For example if there is a venue that charges $2,100 to rent on a Saturday but $1,000 on a Friday and $700.00 on a Sunday. WOW what a differene a day can make. If your wedding is filled with close family and friends, and you send them a Save-the-Date so that they can prepare in advance, I say why not aim for a Friday or Sunday.  Also keep in mind that a  lot of the wedding vendors will offer you a discount as well, but be advised you have to ask for these discounts, they are not going to volunter.

ARTofficial

Craig Wolley a native of Orangeburg South Carolina is the owner and creative artist for ARTofficial Custom Apparel, which is a company that offers hand painted custom apparel with unique one of a kind designs. If you have a special T-shirt, jacket, shoes, hat and etc. that you would like to have customize just for you, that may feature a favorite slogan, company logo, fraternity, football team, college and so much more.ARTofficial can create a one of a kind design to paint on your apparel, and no designs are done be a machine, each item is painted by hand. Their work is for everyone and all age groups. Their T-shirts are machine washable, and 100% pre shrunk cotton, and the sizes go up to an 6x.

Customer Satisfaction is the foundation of ARTofficial Custom Apparel, so if you have any questions, or would like to place an order for your customize garment, contact information is:

ARTofficialurbanbrand@yahoo.com (Email)  (803) 536-5388 , or become a fan on Facebook

Fingerprints

Quanita McFarlan was reared in Columbia South Carolina and is the founder and CEO of Fingerprints, which is a unique concept of custom jewelry designs. Fingerprints offers exclusive one-of-a-kind pieces, comprised of Natural Stone, Bone and/or Wood. Each piece is designed to optionally coordinate with a specific ensemble, or for any desired purpose. The inspiration for the concept of Fingerprints was derived from our Heavenly Father. When He created our individual fingerprints, He custom crafted them, without replication. Thus, no two human beings in the world have the same fingerprints. Each piece of jewelry affiliated with Fingerprints is custom crafted, and not duplicated! Therefore, every recipient will have their own special piece that no one else has! Fingerprints produces wearable art. When it comes to custom jewelry design, the possibilities are endless and exclusivity is priceless!

For more information or to make an appointment for an consultation : log on to http://www.fingerprintscustomjewelry.com/

Vintage Wedding Pictures

Just a few Vintage Wedding Pictures, to let you see the progression that things have made over the years!

Black Business Week

As a nod to Black History Month, next week (February 22 thru February 26) I will be featuring Black business owners, that are within our community or state. These will be small business owners that bring a unique and different service to the community, that some may not have been expose to. So please stay posted, to see what unique service that they offer.

Preserving your Wedding Gown

Every bride should protect her investment by having her wedding gown professionally cleaned and stored. An expert dry cleaner or gown preservationist can make certain that your heirloom dress is protected from soil and age so it looks as new in 20 years as it did the day you wore it.

1.Find a dry cleaner that advertises expert cleaning of wedding gowns. Ask the cleaner if he/she uses different solvents on gowns than on regular clothing.

2.Ask if you can see the dress before it is packed. That way, you can see for yourself if all visible stains have been removed prior to storage.

3.Wedding gowns should be stuffed with clean, acid free tissue. Acid-free tissue placed between the folds of the dress and stuffed in the bodice will prevent permanent wrinkles and folds as well as help stabilize the environment of the box. .Don't put the gown in a hot attic or a cold basement. Extreme temperature changes can also damage your gown.

4.The cost of professionally cleaning and storing your dress can range from $75 - $600, depending on its size, fabric and detailing..

5.To cut down on cost, you can pack away your gown yourself, but only after it has been professionally dry-cleaned. To do this, you will need a large box, tissue paper, and a cotton liner. Cedar chests can also be used instead of a box. Carefully arrange the bodice and skirt to avoid wrinkling, and crumple tissue paper in major folds to prevent hard creasing. Never use plastic or brown boxes. They contain materials that are harmful to the fabric.

Colors can Cost $$$

There are so many beautiful colors out there that have been fused and blended together to create a brand new color, like for example a new color called Lemon Sprinkle, in which the first thing you think is "yellow" but it has a yellow tone, but yet have like a pink hue, so it's like really hard to figure out which is which, then a color called Coral of Craze which is hints of orange, pinks, and some peach, all mixed into one.  Having these unique colors is a very good thing and out of the box thing to do, BUT just keep in mind that sometimes these new colors can cost you extra bucks. You may have to get your linen custom order or custom made, a lot of things for your decor will have to be either dyed or tinted, sometimes it is difficult to find accesories for your bridesmaids and the list can go on.  If the new color is something that you really love, I would suggest 1. Let it be your accent color, so that way it is complimenting another color that is not difficult to work with, or 2. If it is your dominate color then try to make everything else around it stay in the neutral tones, far as linens and decor, and decide on what things that you would be willing to put the cost into getting customized in your unique colors. you can have a neutral table, with creams, and ivory and a centerpiece that reflect a neutral tone and maybe greenery, and let your menu card, and or napkins be in the unique color which will pop off of the neutral background, because custom napkins are cheaper than custom linens.

Happy Valentines Day

Exchange of Kola Nuts

In Africa the Kola Nut is most often used for medicinal purposes in Africa. It is also essential in most African weddings. The Kola Nut symbolizes the couple's willingness to always help heal each other. In Nigeria, the ceremony is not complete until a Kola Nut is shared between the couple and their parents. Many African-American couples incorporate the sharing of a Kola Nut into their ceremonies, and then keep the nut in their home afterwards as a reminder to always work at healing any problems they encounter.

African Wedding Attire

Wedding Attire
Depending on where they are from, the African bride's attire will represent the area with exciting colors and meaningful designs. Some African-American couples choose to convey their heritage through clothing. The possibilities are endless. It can be as simple as bridesmaids wrapped in African shawls and groomsmen with Kente cloth cummerbunds and bowties, or as elaborate as the groom and groomsmen in traditional Nigerian garb called agbada. In Ghana, Kente is used as wedding attire for the bridal party. Nigerian brides and bridesmaids typically don a bubah, an elegant four piece ensemble that includes a long outer wrap and matching headpiece. Today's brides may also choose to wear an African-inspired gown with African Adinkra symbols included in the fabric. The brides may wear their hair in braids with ornaments on their wrists and necks bejeweled.

Cowrie Shells

Cowrie Shells are small shells that you have seen people wear as a necklace,on clothing, and on the ends of briads and dreadlock Cowrie shells, indigenous to West Africa represent fertility and prosperity. Cowrie shells are a significant favorite used in bridal attire. Use of the shell design in favors, food serving, cakes and decoration or table centerpieces express the tradition of African inspired weddings. 

12 Earthly Symbols for a Traditional African Wedding

There are 12 Meaningful Earthly Symbols for Traditional African Weddings.  You will need a table, and  a person that is responsible for handing the items to the bride and groom, during the ceremony. Here are the items and it's meaning...

1. Wine : The mixing of blood of 2 Families

2. Wheat: Fertility & the giving of life & land

3. Pepper: In Heated Times That Families May Experience & Avert

4. Sea Salt: Fresh Healing and Preservation of Marriage

5. Bitter Herbs: Growing Pains of Married Life

6. Rain Water: Cool Roads, Purification, Dissolution of Any Problems

7. Iron Pot & Spoon: Healthy food that build strong Marriage & Family


8. Broom: Cleanliness' of Health, Living as-one happy beings, sweeping away the old and beginning married life together

9. Honey & Cinnamon: Sweet Love Always between the couples & blessing from the ( "Love Goddess of Honey "Oshun)

10. Warrior Machete: Protection of the Sanctity of home and worldwide communities

11. Queens Shield & Crown: Honor & Pride of Home

12. Four Cowry Shells: Truthfulness, Prophecy, Lifetime Divination in the Marriage & Fertility

Dr. Carter G. Woodson

Americans have recognized Black History annually since 1926, first as "Negro History Week" and later as "Black History Month." What you might not know is that Black History had barely begun to be studied-or even documented-when the tradition originated. Although blacks have been in America at least as far back as colonial times, it was not until the 20th century that they gained a respectable presence in the history books

We owe the celebration of Black History Month, and more importantly, the study of black history, to Dr. Carter G. Woodson. Born to parents who were former slaves, he spent his childhood working in the Kentucky coal mines and enrolled in high school at age twenty. He graduated within two years and later went on to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard. The scholar was disturbed to find in his studies that history books largely ignored the black American population-and when blacks did figure into the picture, most representation of blacks in history books was only in reference to the low social position they held as slaves and their descendants.

Black History Month is a remembrance of important people and events in the history of the African diaspora. It is celebrated annually in the United States (US),Canada and the United Kingdomin February in the month of February.

Woodson chose the second week of February because it marked the birthdays of two Americans who greatly influenced the lives and social condition of African Americans: former President Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist and former slave Frederick Douglass.

Celebrating Black History Month !

This week will be dedicated to Black History Month.

OneWed Announces "Best of 2009" Awards

OneWed Announces "Best of 2009" Awards Recipients and  Honors Rocquil's Special Moments

Top Wedding Planning Website Awards Leading Wedding Professionals with Annual Distinction
(January 13, 2010) -- OneWed.com, the ultimate online resource for wedding planning and home of WeddingPreParty.com, today announced the recipients of their "Best of 2009" awards. The program celebrates the best wedding planning and service professionals in the wedding business, and OneWed is please to honor Rocquil's Special Moments with this distinction.

The wedding professionals selected for this prestigious acknowledgement are an elite group of vendors who have received the most positive reviews based upon OneWed's 5-Star rating system. Each year, the coveted award is only given to the most highly-rated OneWed wedding vendors as voted by couples themselves. "We are thrilled to award Rocquil's Special Moments with this prestigious annual honor," says Jennifer Napier, VP of Marketing. "At OneWed, we believe in sharing the love, and we're so excited to celebrate the wedding specialists who work every day to make couple's wedding days as memorable as possible."

2010 Choice Award Wedding Wire

South Carolina – February 1, 2010 - WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, just announced Rocquil's Special Moments has been selected to receive the WeddingWire 2010 Bride’s Choice Awards™ for Wedding / Eent Planner!
The annual Bride’s Choice Awards recognizes and celebrates excellence in quality and service within the wedding industry, as determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 500,000 newlyweds.

Rocquil's Special Moments is among the top five percent of all vendors in the WeddingWire community, which includes over 100,000 wedding professionals across the US and Canada. Awards were given to winners across 19 different service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers.

“We are excited to recognize and honor the success of the top wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Community” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “The annual Bride’s Choice Awards program has given us the unique opportunity to highlight the best wedding professionals in each region as reviewed by brides and grooms who have utilized their services in the past year.”

We are happy to announce that Rocquil's Special Moments is among the very best Wedding / Event Planner within the WeddingWire Network, which includes WeddingWire and Martha Stewart Weddings.

Color Combo for February

Color combo choice for February is Red Apple and Green Apple. With this color combo your wedding can be the apple of their eyes. Just like in a produce display, these two colors complement each other so well, with leaving so many options to choose which will be the dominate color. This is a very refreshing combo for an outside wedding, especially on an orchard farm, or just in an open field. Your decor can even include real apples in the centerpieces, and candy apples for the wedding favors. This combo screams, fun, carefree, and rustic.

Bustle for your Wedding Gown?

What is a  Bustle ?? If your wedding dress have a long, chapel length train or is it just a small brush/sweep train? Regardless of how long it is, your train will add elegance as you walk down the aisle and give you the enchanting vision. But that enchanting look is not a good idea, for your reception, as you will have so many people, stepping, tripping, and even tugging on the train of your gown, and the first to usually do so is the groom! Adding a Bustle to your gown will make walking, mingling, sitting and dancing easier.

The Bustle is in use today primarily to lift the long, elegant trains of wedding gowns off the floor. The long train is lifted with buttons or ties to create a lovely bouffant style that is also very practical. Trust me you do not want to use the little lop that is under your dress that goes over your wrist, 1. Your dress is not a bracelet.  2. Your dress is heavy.  3.You are then only using one hand and arm the entire night. 4. The next day that arm and wrist will feel like it has been at the gym all night.
Although almost all brides utilize Bustles for their wedding gowns, you may be surprised to discover that the dresses do not come with bustles in place.They are added during alterations. This makes sense since all brides are not the same height and your bustle should lift the back of your gown to your hem length. So your bustle must be custom made.

Bustle Options
You have several choices in bustles: The Over Bustle and the Under Bustle (also known as the French or Victorian bustle) are the most common.

Over Bustle
The Over Bustle consists of several hooks lifting your train off the floor. The “hooks” are sewn in about 14 – 20” down the back skirt. Lace appliqués, rosettes or bows may be needed to cover the hooks. Covered buttons also work well, and may look nicer, especially if you have buttons down the back of your gown.The longer your train is, the more hooks or buttons you will need.

Under Bustle
This method works especially well for gowns without a waistline and gowns that are especially decorative in the back area, as it doesn’t cover up any lace or details in the gown right below the waist. The gown is lifted from the bottom area. The Under Bustle is also more secure than the Over Bustle. For the Under Bustle, ribbons are sewn under the gown securing the outer fabric to the lining. Use different colors of ribbon to make the task of tying easier.

Below are some before and after pictures with bustles and without.