Weddings, Feathers & Community

The Royal Wedding was viewed by approximately two billion people worldwide.  I was among that gargantuan group, though nestled snugly among a small coterie of pajama-clad, feather-festooned female relatives.  We formed a tiny tribe amidst a global community who were all doing the same thing at the same time.  Pretty cool.

My sisters, daughters, nieces and I all wore our fancy hats or fascinators (that's me, third from the right wearing my sister-in-law's borrowed fascinator).  I'm a firm believer in adding a flourish to the things you do.  Sure, we could have rolled over in our respective beds and flicked on the television or DVR'd the program and watched when it was more convenient...alone.  But what fun is that?

We stumbled from our homes before dawn to gather at my sister's house and eat delicious pastries (fabulous muffins courtesy of Colonial Farms in Washington Crossing, tasty pastry tidbits from Genuardi's and, of course Newtown Dunkin').  It wasn't the unveiling of the Alexander McQueen lace wedding gown that made the morning memorable...although the  sculpted creation evoked images for me of Maria's wedding dress in The Sound of Music.  For us, the real ceremony was the real-time ritual of gathering -- yes, and eating.  That's what community is, after all.  Even when it's a small group of bleary-eyed family members.

So, of course, I'm thrilled to be able to share images and thoughts with the Newtown community in this blog, which is a virtual gathering. By stopping by and reading, you become a part of that community.  Now that's pretty cool, too.

In future blogs, I'll offer my two cents on why it's important to be a part of community and to step in with flair, whether that's a feathered fascinator or a bright smile and a wave in real life or a fancy font in your email communications.

I consulted with a vineyard out on Long Island, NY, this week about how they email the people on their list.  They have a delightful chardonnay, among others, and no budget to tell people about it.  Their approach is to send simple text emails without links.  Gasp.  That's like wearing flip flops with your fascinator...ruins the overall impression.  A simple solution: insert the vineyard logo, change the font to something distinctive and maybe hightlight some words in color.  Done.  It's more likely that recipients will now remember the email.

Stop by again and bring your fascinator or let me know how you add flair to your day.  I'll have pastries.

Best Wishes,

Kellyann Zuzulo

www.kfzuzulo.com

Mystical Publishing