Sweet Little Cookie

We had attended a beautiful wedding in October and found the delicious bagged cookie favors to be homemade locally by a company called Sweet Little Cookie.  So I contacted her a couple weeks later to ask a few basic questions to post on our blog site. 


Photo Courtesy of SweetLittleCookie.com


From baking to a stay at home mom and wife, Doreen Huezo shares her story and advice on how she started her own cookie business. 

When did you first know that baking was not only a hobby for you but a business you wanted to take to a higher level? 

Well, I've been baking for several years and I've always loved it.  I would bake for friends and family and they always thought I should sell them. But I had a 9 to 5 job, had been working at the same title company for 10 years so the thought was never taken seriously, until I was laid off in February of 2008. The real estate market turned on me and I was devastated, not knowing how we were going to pay our bills. But that's when the thought of selling my cookies became a reality and starting my own cookie baking company became my new venture.  What better time to give it a try, right?  I launched SweetLittleCookie.com in May 2008 and couldn't be happier that I did.

What is your favorite cookie?

That's tough...it changes from day to day.  I guess it depends on what mood I'm in.  But lately, it's been the White Chocolate Macadamia....so yummy! :)

What is the biggest order you’ve ever had? 

A Staples Office Supply in Northern California ordered 50 dozen cookies for a grand opening/customer appreciation event they were having.  It took me all day (literally) to complete the order, but it felt great to know I could do it.

What is your most popular cookie? 

My Perfectly Sweet Chocolate Chip, without a doubt. 


Photo Courtesy of SweetLittleCookie.com

Where is the farthest you’ve ever had to mail cookies to?

To Afghanistan, a couple of times actually.  I receive orders from women who have husbands stationed out there and want to send them a little bit of home :)

What do you like to do when you have some free time from baking? 

Spend quality time with my husband and three kids.  We have a 15 year old son, a 4 year old daughter and a baby boy who's turning 1 in December.  Needless to say, there's never a dull moment.  We have a ton of fun together. 

What have you learned about having your own business? 

Honestly, it's tougher than I thought it would be.  It's extremely rewarding, yet very time consuming.  Some times I feel like the business owns me, not the other way around.  I guess it's because I thrive on customer service and the only way I'm going to offer an awesome product with exceptional service is to give it my all, which in turn means giving up much of my personal time.  But again, it's so rewarding and I LOVE what I do.  When I send out cookies to a soldier overseas or to a mother who just had a baby or to an 8 year old who just had knee surgery and is stuck in bed, I feel like my cookies are making that sweet little difference in their lives. And that makes it SO worth it.

What is one advice you can give others who wish to start their own business? 

Do your homework before getting started.  Find out if there's local competition, if your business would thrive in your area and if you're able to commit full time.  Having this knowledge before getting started can save you a tremendous amount of heartache and frustration.  It can also help make you the best business owner ever.

Accessorize Me Part II: Hair Accessories

For my second segment of the "Accessorize Me" posts, I wanted to go further more into the hair piece selection(s) for a wedding.  Since the 1st segment touched up on Veils, here are some wonderful inputs on other hair accessory selections from some of my girlfriends.

As we all know and can agree on, aside from the jewelry that's chosen, a bride's hair piece is one of the finishing touches to add hints of glamour and unique taste to the full ensemble of the wedding day look. There are so many choices, but keep in mind that you also want to make sure your hair accessory will go with your hairstyle.  So usually, selecting the right hair accessory is no easy task. 

You can as bold with your selection

 

Photo Courtesy from www.etsy.com (seller: Pegasusmaiden) 

...or as clean and priceless as a beautiful, fresh flower.

 

Photo Courtesy from Steve Maller Photography

Take my BFF Lileth for instance.  To match her tropical Costa Rican wedding, she went with a white stargazer lily that matched perfectly with  her bird cage veil. Not only is it one of her most loved flowers, but it matched her white color theme they had chosen. She quoted, "The smell of the flower is sweet and dreamy. It's simple but beautiful."  And she's totally right. According to my online resource, the stargazer lilies are young, delicate bold, beautiful and fragrant all at once, bringing a meaning of wealth and prosperity. 

Some people may be allergic to fresh flowers (poor things) and must go the alternate "fake" route.  Thankfully not allergic to flowers, Arvie chose to wear a simple ivory faux flower from a seller on Etsy.

It was hand cut and made with silk dupioni and silk organza, swarovski crystals, coque feathers, and glass beads. It just added such an elegant touch to this already beautiful bride.

Now if you want to save some money and create something straight from the heart, do what my cousin-in-law Myrene did.  She took a pearl button (which matched her jewelry), and bought white silk flowers from Michael's Crafts.   

She wrapped the comb clip using floral tape and glued it on the back of the flower, attached the pearl button and presto, her very own handmade flower hair piece.  And to my surprise she also made the girls' hair piece too but used different buttons.

Perhaps flowers aren't your thing and you'd prefer to leave them as your centerpeice or as your hand bouquet.  Some brides will opt for a hair pin(s) instead. My friend Karen decided to wear these Tinsel Topper Hair Pins she found at Anthropologie as her "something blue".

 

The petals were white while the center was blue crystals. 

Below, Aimee chose the butterfly tiara purchased on Bridal People.  Her tiara definitely tied in the butterfly theme they had going from their wedding invitations, wedding programs and wedding cake.  It was small and simple.

And speaking of tiaras, I can't complete this post without mentioning what I used for my hair accessory.  I always knew I wanted to have a princess look for my special day. So the very first thing I bought soon right after I got engaged was my tiara.  With my MOH's right beside me, I purchased a Rhinestone and Pearl Filigree Bridal Tiara from the Jessica McClintock Outlet store in SF.  It has an open back, featuring a silver frame covered with clear Swarovski rhinestones and pearls. 

 

I'm hoping to pass this down and have it be used as a family heirloom for generations to come. 

One last addition I didn't want to forget were these super incredible Head Vines.

 

Photo Courtesy of Tiger Lilly Jewelry     

Their adaptibility lets you create your own style and can be placed anywhere around your bridal hairstyle. I guess you can say it's a cross between a flexible tiara, headband, and a pin. Check out Tiger Lilly Jewelry's one-of-a-kind selection.  

 

Photo Courtesy of Tiger Lilly Jewelry   

Here are a few other websites I found to be helpful in providing high-quality and modern hair accessories:  

Hair Comes The Bride: Location: Southern California / Providing exceptional service (hair and make-up), while giving brides-to-be different ideas and tips. If you don't want to overwhelm yourself with too many options, definitely visit this site.  

Perfect Details: Location: Burlingame, CA / "From Demure to dramatic, this season's bridal hair accessories add sparkle and shine to any hairstyle and wedding day look."

Etsy:  Anything you find on here is a great find.  The selections can go on and on…                

 

Good luck ladies!

"The Wedding Lane"

Tina here... Check us out as we are featured in the lastest blog post of

The Wedding Lane. 

Thanks Eileen for the kudos! Looking forward to reading more of your posting.

La La's Wedding Tips

Something I watched the other day that I thought was worth posting. Found a beautiful picture of actress and former MTV Veejay La La Vazquez and her longtime love NBA star Carmelo Anthony.



Here, La La shares some of her insights on personal tips to remember before, during and after your wedding (just some of the things I've told myself and brides I know). 

La La’s Full Court Wedding (Bonus Edition) Tips - from VH1

• Let your man have some say in the details (“marriage is about compromise afterall”)


• Don’t take everything so seriously…Remember to laugh


• Make time for your friends


• Keep your relationship fresh (“never let the romance die”)


• Go with your first instinct!


• Make your family a priority (“don’t get so engrossed in the planning process that you forget important things that go on in your life”)


• Rely on the advice of people that you trust


• Stay flexible (“if you want to change things at the last minute”)


• Be in the moment…or else you’ll miss it! (“take a moment to soak it all in”)

Accessorize Me Part I: Wedding Veils

There are certain things and ways that can suit a bride perfectly right before the "I do's". From her "fits-like-a-glove" wedding dress, her hair "did", nails done, flawless make-up on, a radiant glow that a happy bride can carry throughout her special day, and not to forget her forever mate hand-in-hand and ready to unite to become one.  But there are also a couple other things besides what I just mentioned above that compliment the perfect wedding dress and the perfect bride. And that is what every girl and every stylish woman can attest to...the importance of accessorizing. 

Today I will concentrate on the wedding veil.  There's one specific wedding veil for every bride-to-be, and one that completes the style of her wedding dress. But before I move on, let's try and understand the significance of the bride's veil with a short history (and some may believe a fictional) lesson as to why a veil was important for brides. 

Photo sharing courtesy of http://weheartit.com/entry/532139

It was said that it was bad luck for the mister to see his future misses before the ceremony (and some will still rule this as a no-no to this day). So in order to conceal her, a veil was placed over her face, until they were face to face at the altar.  Going even further back into time, it was also believed that a veil was to stray away the demons from the bride. Not sure what demons, but all these superstitions carried on for many years or at least showed to prove (in most weddings) the importance of wearing a veil.

Photo Courtesy of Brides Magazine

So for this post, I went straight to the simplest of all resources...my friends. I've asked a few of my girlfriends to share their story of why they chose the veil they wore for their wedding day.

Here we have Aimee (miss mimi). She wanted a veil that had a similar style of rhinestone designs and one that wouldn't take away the focal point of her beautiful wedding dress, but yet accent the dress in some way. So she chose a single layer elbow length ivory Bel Aire veil with a simple design around the edges, adorned with a few rhinestones.  Stunning!

Photo Courtesy of bride Aimee Chow (7/7/07)

Next is Arvie. She chose to wear a thin bordered lace mantilla veil because she liked the way it draped across the top of her head and how it fell elegantly down the back and over the shoulders.  Not only did this veil remind her of the Virgin Mary picture, but she also loved Mandy Moore's character's wedding veil in the movie A Walk to Remember.  Eloquently graceful!

Photo Courtesy of Ed Pingol Wedding Photography - 4/3/10

Our next bride is Lileth (yes, you're right...from Letlove Photography).  For her destination wedding in Costa Rica, she knew right away the type of veil she wanted to wear, which was a bird cage veil.  She said that it was something that reflected her personality and sense of style (which is sooo true). She adds, "I am such an old, classic, vintage soul--it also speaks old glamour which I love."  Absolutely gorgeous! 

 

Photo Courtesy of Steve Maller Photography

To all you brides out there, much luck to you and easy findings on finding the perfect veil. But also remember that no matter what a bride picks for her wedding veil, for whatever reason, there are no explanations to describe the beauty that's extended as she walks down the aisle...it's priceless...a forever moment.

Coming up next in this 3-part segment, I'll be touching up on wedding day hair accessories. Stay tuned...

Ko'Olina Resort-Your Hawaiian Get-a-way

...And we're back! Courtney had taken a 2 week vacation to Europe, and I just got back from my birthday/anniversary relaxation in Hawai'i.

I feel terrible that I haven't been able to get back to my postings on a weekly basis. But no worries...we haven't forgotten about you.

During my visit to my home island of Oahu, we stayed one night at the amazing Ko'Olina resort in Kapolei. 

And I'm serious when I say that we saw 4 different couples getting married at the Ko'Olina resort in just one Saturday afternoon. And how do I know that they were all different couples? Well, the moment we arrived in our upgraded room with a breathtaking pool, lagoon and ocean views, we saw a couple standing on the beach off the beautiful blue lagoon, both wearing white, and posing to take their wedding day photos.  About 30 minutes later, the minute we walked passed the pool toward the sand, we see another couple (this time, it's a groom wearing a black suit) heading toward their outdoor reception. Not even 10 minutes later, another couple approaches the sandy beach and the groom is wearing a handsome beige suit, ready to take their pictures. "Wow, that's 3 weddings" I thought to myself. As soon as Jay & I were done swimming, we walked on over to the other man-made lagoon to check it out, only to turn around and see another couple gazing into each other eyes during their photo session.  I was shocked to see that many weddings taking place all in one afternoon.  After reading up on Ko'Olina's different websites, it's pretty convincing that they offer a unique blend of paradise, tropical essence, and dedication to fit any couple's desires.

They provide different wedding packages to best fit your needs for your wedding and/or wedding renewals. Options are endless...whether you want to hide your toes in the sand while exchanging your vows in front of the crescent-shaped lagoon.

Or feel the warmth of the sun and sea breeze on their ocean front lawn.

Or perhaps your preference is to take a traditional stroll down the aisle of their Chapel by the Sea.

... Because Ko'Olina is nestled on the west coast of Oahu, imagine the sunset views you can have on your wedding day.

From the Ko'Olina Beach Villas Resorts, to the JW Marriot Ihilani Resort & Spa...you and your guests may choose from a couple places to stay.  And that's not all...they're expecting to open a Disney Resort called Aulani in 2011. Just think of the wedding packages they'll offer through that resort!

While there, you can even gather your guests together to attend the nearby luau at Paradise Cove.  You may also participate in all different kinds of activities they offer around the resorts.  Whatever your preference...if you've always imagined your very own Hawaiian wedding, Ko'Olina Resort is one to consider, and won't let you down.

We HEART Referrals

It's quite a thrill to know people...who know people...who know people...who need you (your help, your services, your insight, your expertise). We call these REFERRALS. 

And anybody in the business LOVES referrals.  It brings forth an array of appreciation and shows a side of your capabilities.

I spoke to my very good friend Lileth of Letlove Photography the other day.  It was so exciting to hear her enthusiasm about her upcoming photo jobs with clients, and all because of leads from friends. As she continued on, she sounded more ecstatic to share with me some good news about people who might be taking an interest in our wedding planning services.  Let then started to talk about building a "community" amongst us and other vendors we already are in touch with (C&C Superstars).  I know I've read somewhere the importance of something very similar to this, and knew we would eventually apply this to C&C, especially since we're just starting out.  Basically sticking together to scratch each other backs, if you will.  And although we do understand that it all comes down to the clients themselves to choose what's best for them, I think it'd help a great deal to share with couples other vendors in our "community" we trust.  I know first hand that's what they would want...that's what they would ask for.

Not even 30 minutes after I hung up the phone with Let, I received a text message from another friend of mind, who's mother had inquired about our Day-of "Keeping My Cool" wedding package for a friend of hers who has a daughter getting married.  Just that inquiry alone, had me smiling from ear to ear, and visioning the potential we have to service any bride and groom out there.  Just the fact that C&C Engagements is being looked at as a force in the wedding biz who can help make wedding dreams come true is absolutely exhilarating.  Aside from that, what makes this post more special is that we've begun researching several venues for two sets of newly engaged couples who have plans to get married in 2011.  Courtney & I are very pleased and fortunate that they've entrusted us to help them with certain parts of the planning.

Some of you may understand the feeling of being recognized and how it feels to be acknowledged of what you do best, and even with the referral that you can do the job, it's a fulfilling moment. And that's just the beginning.  It's no easy task, but with this "buzz marketing" (crossing fingers and toes), we can overcome the impossible, and create wedding visions into reality.