Thursday, July 29, 2010

Before You Tie The Knot Premarital Education Webinar

BEFORE YOU TIE THE KNOT, is for the modern couple. This couple wishes to educate themselves in all things pre-marital. Done in a webinar format; We know that that you are extremely busy and we value your time.


When people say “counseling”, they think only of dreaded marriage counseling that is performed when there is an issue to solve and move past. This is premarital education.


Premarital education should be thought of as writing the manual for your married life. Webinar is 2 hours. Done in a Q & A format, there are no right or wrong answers.

Session 1
- Relationships
- Finances
- Home
- Housekeeping


Session 2
- Children & Parenting
- Social Activities
- Red Flag Warnings


Getting married in Los Angeles or Orange County?

Blessings All Around provides Officiant services. After completing session 1 or 2, a 10% discount is given when hired.



How To Choose The Bridal Party

When planning your wedding you want to have helpful people around you. One way to make sure that happens, is to select the right people for each job.

Not sure of the duties for the bridesmaids or groomsmen? Not only will we go over suggested positions but a description of each job.

FREE teleseminar



Just For Two Marriage Planning - Long Beach


JUST FOR TWO is for the couple who wishes to start their marriage on the right foot- fully informed - with a plan.

Just for Two weekend session is offered as a way for you and your fiance(e) to get a true understanding of what topics cause derailments in a relationship. Formatted to help you and your fiance(e) better understand what to expect during your marriage. Think of this session as writing the instruction book for your married life.


During the weekend session, we will discuss the topics mentioned below. Select from 2 different times 11am - 3pm and 4pm - 8pm. Done in a Q & A format, there are no right or wrong answers. Includes all needed materials.


Topics of discussion


- Relationships
- Finances
- Home
- Housekeeping

- Children & Parenting
- Social Activities
- Red Flag Warnings

A certificate of completion will be given at the end of the session.

Getting married in Los Angeles or Orange County? Blessings All Around provides Officiant services.


Sunday, July 25, 2010

Women of Wisdom and Understanding

Women of Wisdom and Understanding - your journey towards mutual understanding and better communication in your marriage. Married 5 months, 5 years or 50 years, learning the steps of P-I-L-L-A-R can strengthen the relationship you have with your husband.


Learning to use the steps of P-I-L-L-A-R will help you be the best wife that you can be for your husband, the way your husband needs you to. Men and women are different, but that doesn't mean that our relationship needs to be difficult.

Join us for this great teleseminar. Choose from the following times:

  • 11am - 12pm
  • 1pm - 2pm
  • 4pm - 5pm
  • 6pm - 7pm


You can have the marriage that you've always wanted.




Saturday, July 17, 2010

Wedding Ceremony Planning 101

Need to plan your wedding ceremony but don't know where to start? Start here: Wedding Ceremony Planning 101.

Learn the different types of ceremonies available, why the time of day makes a difference, how to select your wedding party members and much more.

Helping you make great decisions!




Attend this workshop to get 10% off your wedding ceremony package! Blessings All Around offers mobile officiant service for Long Beach, the greater Los Angeles area and Orange County.




Thursday, July 15, 2010

Vernon Baker, extraordinary hero dies

By Larry Shaughnessy, CNN Pentagon Producer
July 15, 2010 6:58 p.m. EDT
Vernon Baker, left, here with President Bill Clinton, earned a  Medal of Honor for his actions during World War II.
Vernon Baker, left, here with President Bill Clinton, earned a Medal of Honor for his actions during World War II.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Baker, who received the Medal of Honor more than 50 years after his heroic acts, dies at 90
  • He took out several machine gun nests firing on his unit in Italy
  • The U.S. government admitted racism was a factor in Medal of Honor decisions
  • "I just feel I was a soldier and I did my job," Baker said after the 1997 ceremony

Washington (CNN) -- Vernon Baker earned a Medal of Honor for his actions during World War II. But because of what the U.S. government acknowledges was racism against African-Americans who performed heroically in the war, it took more than 50 years for him to get what he had earned.

Baker, one of only seven African-Americans to receive the nation's highest military honor from World War II, died Tuesday at his home in Idaho, according to his hometown police and coroner's offices.

He passed away after a long battle with cancer. His wife and members of his family were by his side. He was 90 years old.

Baker was orphaned at the age of 4, and was raised first by his grandparents and later at Father Flanagan's Boys Town in Nebraska.

He joined the Army six months before the Pearl Harbor attack and was part of the 92nd Infantry Division, the first unit of "colored" soldiers to see combat in World War II.

He eventually rose to the rank of lieutenant and was leading a platoon against entrenched German machine gun nests near Viareggio, Italy, on April 5, 1945.

His official Medal of Honor citation describes what he did:

"When his company was stopped by the concentration of fire from several machine gun emplacements, he crawled to one position and destroyed it, killing three Germans. Continuing forward, he attacked and enemy observation post and killed two occupants. With the aid of one of his men, Lieutenant Baker attacked two more machine gun nests, killing or wounding the four enemy soldiers occupying these positions. He then covered the evacuation of the wounded personnel of his company by occupying an exposed position and drawing the enemy's fire."

After spending the better part of a day putting his life at risk to lead his unit, Baker was back in action the next evening:

"On the following night Lieutenant Baker voluntarily led a battalion advance through enemy mine fields and heavy fire toward the division objective."

Baker was originally awarded the Army's Distinguished Service Cross for his action. But in the early 1990s, a study was done to find why none of the more than 400 World War II Medal of Honor recipients was black. The study found "a racial disparity in the way Medal of Honor recipients were selected."

Seven African American heroes from World War II were chosen to receive the Medal of Honor from President Bill Clinton. Four of them had died in the war, and two others had died in the time since the war. Only Baker was at the White House to have the iconic star and pale blue ribbon draped around his neck.

During an interview with CNN before the White House ceremony on January 13, 1997, Baker spoke about the racism that delayed recognition of him and his fellow Medal of Honor recipients: "As I look back on it, it really makes me feel sad that we did our job, we fought, but we weren't appreciated"

After the White House ceremony, Baker told CNN, "I still don't feel like a hero. I just feel I was a soldier and I did my job, and I think I was rewarded for it."

Baker is survived by his wife, Heidy, and five children. He is expected to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.

Thursday, July 08, 2010

Michelle Obama to visit Gulf Coast

By Alex Wong, Getty Images
July 8, 2010 -- WASHINGTON -- First lady Michelle Obama on Monday will make her first trip to the Gulf Coast since the BP oil spill by visiting Panama City Beach, Fla., aides said today.

She will deliver a speech to area residents after being briefed by officials and local leaders, aides said. The briefing largely will be closed to the press.

"We are excited to have the first lady come," said Gayle Oberst, mayor of the Florida Panhandle community of 13, 453. "Tourism is the lifeblood of our city and county and we are seeing drastic changes in the way people feel about coming to the world's most beautiful beaches if there is a possibility of oil being on the sands." (read more)
By Alex Wong, Getty Images

Blessings All Around is WeddingWire Rated for 2010

Press Release

Long Beach, Ca – July 7, 2010 WeddingWire, the nation's leading site for wedding reviews, just announced that Blessings All Around is WeddingWire Rated 2010 for wedding Officiant services. WeddingWire Rated is an annual award program for wedding professionals based on hundreds of thousands of recent wedding reviews.

WeddingWire Rated, the industry's first formalized review program, is the most recognized and trusted brand among engaged couples looking to locate wedding businesses. The award program recognizes wedding professionals across the country, like Blessings All Around, that have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to service.

These reviews have been written by past clients of Blessings All Around, and include detailed ratings and insightful descriptions of the newlyweds' experience. From quality of service to overall level of professionalism, these reviews showcase the high level of service newly engaged couples can expect from Blessings All Around.


"We are excited to unveil WeddingWire Rated, now in its fourth year, as a way to recognize wedding professionals for their commitment to service," said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire's CEO. "WeddingWire Rated allows wedding businesses to clearly differentiate themselves in their market, while providing engaged couples an easy way to find the best services for their wedding."

Blessings All Aaround, would like to thank their past clients for sharing reviews of their
weddings on WeddingWire. Reviews for Blessings All Around can be found across the entire WeddingWire Network, which includes WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee.

For more information, please visit Blessings All Around on WeddingWire .

Rev. Angela Butts-Chester is a Pastoral Counselor in Long Beach, Ca, with Angela Chester Ministries. She offers Officiant services with Blessings All Around and hosts I Do Radio. Rev. Chester is the author of Before You Tie The Knot –A Premarital Counseling Workbook for the DIY Couple.


About WeddingWire, Inc.
WeddingWire, the nation's leading technology company serving the $70 billion wedding industry, is the only online
wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding professionals. For e ngaged couples, WeddingWire offers the ability to search, compare and book over 100,000 local wedding vendors, from wedding venues to wedding photographers to wedding cakes. WeddingWire also offers an online community and a suite of cutting-edge planning tools for weddings, including wedding websites, all at no charge. For wedding professionals, WeddingWire provides free online management tools creating the only market opportunity that gives local businesses control over their clients, reviews, leads and performance. Businesses that join the WeddingWire Network appear on WeddingWire.com and other leading sites, including MarthaStewartWeddings.com, ProjectWedding.com and Weddingbee.com (both part of eHarmony), and Celebrations.com (part of the 1-800-Flowers family of brands).



Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Long Beach Museum of Art


I married a wonderful couple on July 4th - Tiffany & Jerry - at the Long Beach Museum of Art on Ocean Blvd., in Long Beach. The view was gorgeous. Deciding to use a rich cocoa-brown for the table drape, everyone had a view of the Pacific Ocean.

Getting married at a museum may not be your first choice, but with a view like this, at least place it on your list. I love being a mobile officiant for this very reason - finding new places to pass on to my bridal couples.