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7 Books That Help Alleviate The Stress Around Wedding Planning
Whew, weddings. Whether it's in our heads or on paper, most of us start planning our wedding day long before any "suitors" come into the picture. One of my best friends and I constantly joked about having a wedding binder even though there were no potentials in sight. But when my now-husband popped the question, our efforts didn't seem so crazy. I was ready ready and couldn't wait to bring my plans to life. Still, my Pinterest pages, vision boards, and saved snapshots on Instagram had nothing on what I was in for.
Yes, I had a wedding planner because… weddings are stressful. There are so many little details that are easy to forget (did I order ribbons for the chairs on the end?). But with or without a pro by your side, wedding planning books are game-changers and stress relievers for novices and experts alike. From budget checklists and typically forgotten to-dos to advice from wedding planners to the stars, they remove (most of) the stress and make it as fun of an experience as possible.
Your wedding planning - and maybe even your sanity - isn't complete without these books.
1.'The Wedding Book: An Expert’s Guide to Planning Your Perfect Day--Your Way'
Amazon
If you've looked at any celebrity wedding or event in awe, you've probably seen one planned by Mindy Weiss. She's been the creative mind behind ceremonies and celebrations for some of our faves like Diana Ross. But if you're like most of us who don't have Diana Ross money, you can get as close as possible with Weiss' book (which has been dubbed the ultimate wedding planning bible). It serves as a step-by-step guide to achieving your dream wedding, even with a small budget. It gives tips and advice on all things wedding etiquette and other aspects like selecting a menu, wardrobe choices, and how to get the most bang for your buck.
2.'Bridechilla How to Plan Your Wedding: Survival Guide'
Amazon
We said we wanted to put the fun in wedding planning, right? This book does just that. I'm not saying that there won't be any stress involved in planning a ceremony. It comes with the territory. But it definitely shouldn't outdo the fun involved. That's where this book comes in. It gets rid of the pressure to stick with ceremonial traditions and motivates you to do.your.own.thing. But of course, it doesn't leave you hanging. It offers amazing alternatives and provides inspiration for aesthetics and the not-so-fun specifics.
3.'Wedding Planner: Complete Bridal Planning for African-American Black Brides'
Amazon
It offers much more than just tips for ironing out details of your wedding. It caters to black brides and features motivational quotes for your ceremony. The creators literally thought of everything like a space for reception music playlists. The best part? It can be kept as a keepsake to look back on long after you say "I do."
4.'Celebrate Everything!: Fun Ideas to Bring Your Parties to Life'
Amazon
This book just screams, "Let's plan a party!" It emphasizes the fun and stress-free factors of planning your big day (and other life celebrations), helping you look back on your wedding with a smile instead of a cringe. What I love about this one is that event planner Darcy Miller threw in D.I.Y. projects and recipes to help make your celebration all your own. She also included expert tips and some of her own inspirations to make your party planning experience a less stressful one.
5.Two Crew Design Maid Of Honor Notebook
Etsy
The maid of honor potentially has just as many responsibilities, and sometimes more, than the bride herself. So it only makes sense to have a book with her in mind. It's such a unique way to show love and appreciation to the woman who will stand closest to you on your big day. It includes details of the dress she'll wear, her tasks before, during, and after the wedding, as well as a bridal shower checklist and planner. Your maid of honor is a superhero and will certainly be deserving of a cape in the form of this book.
6.The Gift Studio Personalized Wedding Planner Book
Etsy
For the well-meaning brides who are indecisive at heart, this wedding planning book is for you. The appearance and pages are so inspiring to look at you can't help but want to jump in and execute plans for your big day. It comes with 140 pages of checklists, tips, advice, vision boards, countdowns, and even quizzes to help you make those extra tough choices. You can even personalize it and get your and the groom's name on it to make it extra special. That's what your day is all about, right?
7.'All the Essentials Wedding Planner: The Ultimate Tools for Organizing Your Big Day'
Amazon
Created for the overanalyzing strategic bride (which could be any future wife at any given moment - so don't be ashamed!), this book not only comes with a to-do list but features a calendar to help you stick to deadlines and stay on track. The calendar goes as far as 18 months out for those with longer engagements who are itching to start planning sooner than later. It even includes a detailed budget checklist for expenses like gifts for those in your wedding party and thank-you notes for guests.
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Charmaine Patterson is a journalist, lifestyle blogger, and a lover of all things pop culture. While she has much experience in covering top entertainment news stories, she aims to share her everyday life experiences, old and new, with other women who can relate, laugh, and love along with her. Follow Char on Twitter @charjpatterson, Instagram @charpatterson, and keep up with her journey at CharJPatterson.com .
This article is sponsored by Hulu.
UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
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Mariee Revere On Her History-Making Million-Dollar Sales And The Future Of MoonXCosmetics
If the name Mariee Revere sounds familiar, it's probably because you heard of her beauty and skincare brand, MoonXCosmetics, or you may have heard about her history-making achievement of making $1.8 million in less than eight minutes. But before starting her million-dollar brand, Mariee was just a teenager trying to cure her acne.
While she grew up in the skincare capital of the world, South Korea, Mariee didn't really experience breakouts until her senior year of high school. Like many people who get their first breakout, she didn't know what to do, and there weren't many products out there at that time. So she decided to experiment. What she didn't know was that what she came up with would ultimately be her ticket to success.
"When I graduated high school, I moved back to America, Georgia, and I ended up making, like, the oil, the Rose Galore oil, which is like the staple product of my brand. I don't know what made me make it, but I did, and it literally cleared my face up," she tells xoNecole in an exclusive interview.
"I end up selling it as a body oil first because, obviously, I'm 17, [and] don't have any background as an esthetician or anything like that. I just made a product that worked for me, but people bought it and was using it, and I reformulated it, and then it just stuck like with me."
While MoonXCosmetics is known for its facial products, it wants to expand to body care and home. It just released its new product, Moon-Gel body wash, and it's only up from there. As Mariee continues to grow the brand, it's more than likely that she will see more history-making moments. And so far she has.
Photo courtesy
When asked if she feels pressure to obtain more of those milestones, she says yes and no. "I did $1.8 [million] again, and then I did $2 million but I feel like now, currently, I don't look at that as one of my goals anymore because [of] the headache and just everything that came with it, but I was thankful and blessed to have that milestone, but now I'm looking for more," she says.
"I want to say more reach than more like fast-paced sales. I do want that. Obviously, every girl wants that, but I do want to have a better overall reach for my brand because I did take two years off so I was able to learn, [and] study a lot of different things. See how things have changed from 2020 to now."
"I did $1.8 [million] again, and then I did $2 million but I feel like now, currently, I don't look at that as one of my goals anymore because [of] the headache and just everything that came with it, but I was thankful and blessed to have that milestone, but now I'm looking for more."
Another part of expanding for any company is hiring people. Finding the right person to help you can be a hassle, especially for business owners who are used to doing all the work themselves. Mariee can relate to this, and she touched on this topic in her documentaryThe Million Dollar Story. She recommends having someone be your "right-hand man" who you trust to handle the ins and outs of the company.
"I could say, definitely get, like a right-hand man to help you within the process because that really was what helped me. I never had a job. I literally was 18 now, being like, you know, the boss of over 30+ employees at one point in time, and I didn't know anything. I didn't know anything about no W-2s, no taxes, no clock in, clock out because all I [have] ever known was my brand," she explains.
"So I definitely partner with people who are very skewed and versed in those areas, and they helped me get through it. Even to this day, I still have my same person helping me with hiring, firing, [and] doing everything that I can right now because I'm still learning. But obviously people get jobs young, so they have way more experience than me, but still learning."
And though she is still learning, one thing she makes sure to stay on top of is being consistent. Consistency is what trips many people up when it comes to achieving goals, but Mariee says it's all about scheduling. Whether it's when to post on social media or email marketing, scheduling it out can make a world of difference. That same practice also works when planning out her future goals for the company.
"Right now, future goals would be to drop at least five more products before the end of the year. We always do outreach, where we do drives and all that, but definitely do way more this year, she says. "Then really dive into body [care], and then hopefully open up MoonXBody underneath MoonXCosmetics to let that branch out and be open and definitely get back consistent."
For more information, visit moonxco.com.
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