Milni

The beginning of the New Year is a great time to plan for the future. Plan on how you will be able to earn more passive income this year than last year. Here are 3 tips to help you earn more:

1. Remain Focused

Ignore all the media noise about debt, high unemployment, and downturns. Do not jump from one strategy to the next. Stay focused on investing in quality dividend paying companies when they are undervalued.

2. Patience

Investing requires patience, in the short term stock prices go up and down, in the long-term history has shown that value stocks perform very well. This is why I teach in the Simply Investing course that any money you require in less than 5 years (to buy a house, car, or go on a trip) should not be invested in stocks. Investing in stocks requires a a long-term outlook.

3. Buy Low

Remember the saying “buy low, sell high”? Buy quality stocks when they are priced low (undervalued), this way you can maximize your profit. There is no point in buying any investment (mutual fund, stock, index fund, real estate) when it is priced high, you will never make any money on it or it will take decades to realize a small profit. How do you know when a stock is undervalued? Watch my webinar where I explain how to determine when a stock is priced low.

Kanwal Sarai, is the founder of Simply Investing, and on a quest to bring financial freedom to all. He created the Simply Investing Online Course on the belief that the world can be a better place if people didn’t have to worry or stress out about money. Simply Investing’s goal is to make investing easy, save you time, and help you safely earn more.

 Don’t wait to start investing. The sooner you start the more money you will make.

 Once upon a time in a land far far away, two souls met for the first time at a Starbucks.  Rani, on her way home from the office, ordered an Espresso Macchiato. Raj promptly made the espresso and made eye contact for the first time with Rani has he handed over her drink across the counter. Five months later both got married and spent their honeymoon in Europe.

 Raj and Rani were the same age with the same birthday but very different other aspects. Raj was the impatient type, always wanting to “live large” and spending everything he earned. Rani was more patient and a visionary, she always thought long-term.

 Rani started investing at the age of 25, she invested $1200 each year and earned 6% annually. Raj ignored Rani’s advice and invested nothing.

 When they were both 45 years old, Rani had $44,143 in her portfolio, Raj had $0. Realizing his mistake Raj decided to start investing $2400 each year, double what Rani was investing so that he could catch up.

 Both Raj and Rani continued to earn 6% annually. On their 65th birthday Rani had $185,714 in her portfolio and Raj had $88,285 even though they each invested $48,000.

By waiting till the age of 45 to start investing Raj’s portfolio was $97,429 less than Rani’s portfolio.

 Rani retired and spent her days reading, and playing golf. Raj continued to work another 12 years.

 The power of compounding can really be seen here:

Rani started investing 20 years sooner than Raj, and over those 20 years her money started to compound. Here’s a quick look at the first 4 years of Rani’s portfolio:

The magic of compounding is this: each year Rani earns 6% but the 6% is calculated on the value of her portfolio which includes the interest she earned the year before. By the time Rani reached 65 years of age, her portfolio was worth $185,714.

The sooner you start investing the better off you will be. Time is on your side so take advantage of it. Even investing $100 per month (just like Rani) can reap big rewards.

Kanwal Sarai, is the founder of Simply Investing, and on a quest to bring financial freedom to all. He created the Simply Investing Online Course on the belief that the world can be a better place if people didn’t have to worry or stress out about money. Simply Investing’s goal is to make investing easy, save you time, and help you earn more.

Sign-up for my free newsletter today!
 

Being focused on fullfilling all of your dreams, today Milni ~ South Asian Wedding Directory announces their new division coming October 2011 – Milni Wedding & Event Planning. 

Wedding & Event Coordinators from Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver collaborate to bring to you Milni Wedding & Event Planning specializing in all aspects of Wedding and Event planning from the invitations to that 25th Anniversary Celebration!

The wedding planners of Milni Wedding & Event Planning work with you to turn your dream events into real unique events.

Stay tuned for more details!

For more information, please contact us at planner@milni.net

Once upon a time, my eyes feasted on a photograph of a modern bride and groom situated in the timeless splendor of Indian architecture. The unforgettable background was a 15^th century auditorium in a fort-palace known as Neemrana, now a heritage resort, located 118 km south of Delhi.  Incidentally, in a recent trip to India, I found myself in this very exact auditorium I had marveled upon years ago when I first saw this photograph.

Upon standing inside this regal, majestic fort-palace reminiscent of the Chauhan dynasty, one encounters a sense of ‘timelessness’ as hundreds of years of stories have unfolded in this royal venue. Alluring peacocks soar the Rajasthani horizon, while honey-colored passageways and tucked away rooms yearn to be explored – one wonders of this place as a potential wedding venue.

In the last decade, there has been a surge of North American couples seeking ‘destination’ weddings in exotic locales of Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica and the Caribbean islands. Alternatively, South Asia presents infinite possibilities to the ‘common’ exodus of matrimonial celebrations. India offers cultural diversity, an array of landscapes and architectural treasures. Most importantly India offers North American desis a sense of connection to their eastern roots.

As a Professional Photographer I aspire to merge people as foreground subjects in Indian backdrops, whether it is nature that lends itself in the form of the Pir Panjal mountains in Kashmir, beaches of Puducherry, backwaters of Kerala or the richness of the Red Fort in Delhi, bustling shops, busy Mumbai intersections or rickshaws that pepper urbanscapes, or fort-palaces with lavish backgrounds for those seeking extravagance. It is the juxtaposition of portraits in contrast with a background that adds another element to the story.  It tells us more about the couple – who they ‘are and what they value. If India resonates then begin to imagine the possibilities ‘India’ lends as a photographic background and unforgettable experience.

About the Author | Zehra Rizvi is a Professional Photographer and owner of Zinfinity Photography & Zehra Rizvi Photography. Visit Zinfinity Photography at www.zinfinity.ca & www.zehrarizvi.com

To learn about Neemrana Hotels visit www.fort-palace.neemranahotels.com

Our wedding reception was to incorporate traditions and customs of both our cultures and religions – Sikhism and Judaism.   The approach to this hybrid of two cultures into one event was guided with contemporary expressions, while blending traditional elements to the overall look to acknowledge our diverse backgrounds. 

The venue set the stage for our celebration.  It was an old historic government building showcasing classic architecture.  The ballroom included a grand oak staircase to an upper mezzanine overlooking both the courtyard and the main dining area. Elegant, traditional French doors open the main ballroom onto the picturesque courtyard with a magnificent view of the building’s duomo.  This set the scene for an elegant and classic affair. 

One big design dilemma from the start was the decision of whether to leave the window coverings in the room open or closed.  The room had fabulous floor to ceiling windows running the length of the room looking into the courtyard, one option was to highlight this and let the view from the ballroom be the main focus.  Otherwise we could allow the room to feel very dramatic and give guests a ‘jaw-dropping’ experience upon entering the room which could only be achieved by having the blinds closed, darkening the room and allowing the dimmed accent lighting and candle light to highlight the set-up of the room itself.  This is what we ended up going with and it worked out beautifully.  Guests had already enjoyed cocktails and appetizers in the courtyard before entering the ballroom for the reception so it was fantastic that they were able to experience both equally stunning but completely different atmospheres. 

The colour theme running throughout the space was a mix of fuchsia, purple and lime green with gold accents.  Originally I wanted to go very neutral and have all white flowers thinking the guest’s outfits (sari’s particularly) would add a ton of colour to the party, but then I had a change of heart and thought with such an important celebration I wanted the flowers and decor to reflect the happiness and joy of this occasion.  I learned in the Sikh religion that white was the colour of mourning, so it was probably a better choice to not have white flowers everywhere!  Everything from the invitations, menu cards and table name cards to the centerpieces and even the groom’s tie were designed with the colour and theme in mind.  The floral centerpieces were a mix of seasonal flowers including peonies, spray roses and orchids.  The tall glass vases were specifically chosen to emphasis the grandness of the room while also allowing guests to talk and socialize with ease from across the table without obstruction.  I was aware how large the ballroom was and that some tables would be far from the head table and wanted as little obstruction as possible for guests when seated. The cupcakes were also a mix of the chosen colours with small gold details.  In addition, we chose to highlight the architecture of the room by up-lighting columns throughout the room in both purple and fuchsia lights.  The effect was dramatic, very modern and fun!  My sari was an off-white colour to honour the westernized tradition of a ‘white wedding dress’ while still keeping within the Indian theme.  White Eastern influenced style lanterns in the courtyard added a mysterious and beautiful ambiance to the space with the candlelight they emitted.  Overall the effect of the reception came across as a modern and elegant affair that represented both our styles while also acknowledging and making reference to our different backgrounds and melded all of these elements making it a unique event specific to just the two of us.

Author:

Stephani Turner is an accredited Interior Designer with over 7 years experience in the design industry.  After completing her education at the University of Western Ontario and graduating from the Interior Design program at the International Academy of Design and Technology, Stephani went on to work as an assistant designer at a prestigious design firm in Toronto.  In 1998 Stephani established her own design firm, Stephani Turner Interiors, where she now works independently on a vast array of residential and commercial projects throughout the city.  She is known for her design style and sensibility which is reflected in the interiors she’s designed which can be described as classic and timeless – creating & combining functionality and practicality in interiors that are beautiful and fresh and will stand the test of time.

 Images:

Images provided by Zinfinity Photography – a creator of photojournalistic, candid & fun images. We understand that every bride & groom is unique.  Zinfinity Photography works with each couple to capture the infinite possibilities of your day! View our portfolio at www.zinfinity.ca  

Said “I do!”

But don’t know what to do?

A Timeless Celebration Weddings & Events Inc. can certainly take it from there!

Weddings are no longer like cookies made from a cookie cutter nor are they just Combo Number 4 from the menu.  Weddings are unique, creative and personalized!  Each bride and groom bring their own flare and personality to the wedding.  Whatever your vision is, the team at A Timeless Celebration can help you recreate it on your special day.

From the time you send out your first invitation to your ceremony and to your reception, let everything flow together with a theme to tie the entire wedding together.

 Whether it’s invitations,

stationery,

ceremony décor,

a chuppah,

an arch,

centerpieces,

or reception décor,

 A Timeless Celebration can surely design a wedding for you that’s unique and unforgettable!

Give them a shout to make an appointment to see their showroom.  By phone 514.667.8671 or by email.  Be sure to join their Facebook Fan Page for promotional offers and prizes giveaways! 

For all the Toronto brides and grooms, A Timeless Celebration will be offering their invitations, linen rental and feather centerpieces in the GTA beginning Spring 2011.  Stay tuned!

Today we share a blog written by the owner and designer from Creative Expressions in Montreal, Quebec. Anita Phillips designs many unique, exquisite and elegant invitations with accessorizing stationery for many spectacular events.

Its time to step out of the ordinary and wrap your luxurious invitations in an elegant Invitation Box.  Invitation boxes are unique, beautiful and elegant.  They come in many sizes and styles and can be customized to your invitation design.  Beautiful Linen textured boxes portray pure elegance and displays the beauty of the invitation within.

 

 
 If you are looking for pure opulence, you may want to incorporate a silk
 invitation box adorned with satin ribbons and crystal embellishments.

Invitations are the introduction to your special day, let them be the first indication of what’s to come.  Create excitement and anticipation……. Elegant boxed invitations are sure to capture everyone’s attention.

Finding a Disc Jockey (DJ) for your event can be quite the challenging task, especially for South Asians in the Montreal and Ottawa areas. Choosing the right DJ can make any event a success but choosing the wrong DJ can quickly ruin an event.  

Today, I share with you one of Montreal’s South Asian entertainment company, Jannat Productionz. From spectacular lighting shows to 10,000 watt systems, Jannat brings it all to your venue location on your special day!

DJ’s are people that love to play music for other people to enjoy and have managed to make a career out of their passion. They stay up on the latest trends in music and are often able to predict which songs and which artists will be the most popular with their typical audience, whether they are playing at a nightclub or at private parties. A good DJ will be able to customize their song list for their audience and keep the audience energized so that they will all have a good time during the event.

Jannat Productionz provides DJ services specializing in Bhangra, Bollywood, Hip Hop, Reggae, Soca, along side with  entertainment services  such as Bhangra and Bollywood dance teams, dhol players, live bands/musicians, event planning,  stage shows, equipment rental and lighting. They cover weddings, engagements, birthday parties, club and corporate events!

For the best music and lighting service in all of Montreal & Ottawa for any sized party and budget, contact DJ Paul:

ph. (514) 867-7464
Email. info@jannatproductionz.com

So I’ve always been slightly averse to speeches during weddings, particularly Punjabi weddings. Punjabis, like Lady Gaga, love to JUST DANCE at wedding receptions. Anything that delays bhangra blaring on the speakers or keeps the slightly intoxicated guests from leaping out of their seats and rushing the dance floor is met with contempt and down right dismissal. Speeches and speakers fare the worst. A bridesmaid could be in the midst of an emotional ode to the bride with tears streaming down her face, and 85% of the audience will not be listening. Not only will they ignore the speaker, but they will proceed to openly and loudly have their own discussions, questioning the purpose for the speech and why they must bear the agony of listening to a sobbing 25 year old girl discussing her relationship to the bride–cuz, honestly, they don’t give a crap. “Where’s the bhangra??” they wonder. Commonly, the guests’ conversational buzz is higher on the Richter scale then the speaker’s voice. Awkward. 

My aversion also stems from over-empathizing with speakers. I often feel embarrassed for them–not only am I embarrassed for them because no one is listening, but also because speeches are often really unnatural…and painful. Yah yah, I’m judgmental, but seriously, has no one ever cringed at a groomsmen or bridesmaid stumbling through their speech and who is visibly terrified of public speaking? 

Given my experiences at Punjabi weddings, My groom and I initially vowed to have only two speeches–US–to say thanks for coming, and now please eat lots, dance lots, and take advantage of the open bar. I think I’ve disappointed some people with this decision…but…yo, it’s our wedding and we call the shots! 

But…I might be changing my tune. I attended my friend’s wedding yesterday, and it was lovely. There were over 400 guests, and quite a number of speeches. Surprisingly, people listened, and I didn’t feel awkward or embarrassed. Perhaps it’s because I knew the bride. Perhaps it’s because the speeches were short, yet sweet and often humorous. Perhaps it’s because there were maybe 5 Punjabis in the hall. Who knows??? 

Regardless, the speeches reminded me that weddings are about relationships, memories, and the future, and that the people we love are coming together to celebrate for all those reasons. Speeches offer the opportunity for our loved ones to express their emotions and experiences, and provide guests with further knowledge and insight into the couple, the families, and friends. 

Nonetheless, I’m still not 100% sure if we’ll go with speeches. If we do,  I think we’ll operate under these parameters: 

-No more than 4 speeches (including the bride and groom as one speech) 

-Choose speakers who are well known by a majority of the guests 

-Choose speakers who are not afraid of public speaking (this is also to prevent people we love from feeling pressured or uncomfortable with speaking if they don’t want to) 

-Request speeches to refrain from too many inside jokes–I find this can alienate guests and therefore encourage individual table conversations 

Written by LittleBrownBride. Catch more of this wonderful bride-to-be on her Blog.

So you have said ”YES” and are officially getting married and thinking now
what???? Yes it can be a very exciting yet a very overwhelming time; so much to
think about. So much to plan, organize and decide on!

Today, we include on Milni an article offering a great deal of advice 
by I Said Yes Wedding Stationery and Design owner in her area of expertise:
INVITATIONS!

I really love what I do and believe that I have one of the best jobs in
the world. I get to meet couples from all over the world and play with
color, graphics and text to come up with a fabulous wedding design that
totally represents the couple and their dream day!

As the owner and designer of I Said Yes Wedding Stationery and Design, I
work with brides like you everyday and come across all sorts of scenarios
and situations. There are some key things that every bride should know
when planning their invitations, so keep these things in mind:

TELL THEM

Send out your invitations 3 months prior to your wedding date. If you are
getting married at the end of September, you should send out your
invitation at the end of June. If you are having a destination wedding
Save the Dates are a good idea and these should be sent out about a year
in advance so that friends and family have ample time to plan their trip
to your wedding.

GO GREEN

RSVP cards are great, but if you want to save some trees and some cost,
get guests to RSVP by phone, e-mail or though a wedding site, if you have
one. In terms of RSVP time, your cut off date for guests to respond by
should typically be 4 weeks before your wedding date.

SOME OLD SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING BORROWED SOMETHING BLUE

Couples always ask me if they can talk about registry or ask for specific
types of gifts, like money, on their invitations. This used to be
something that was frowned upon and considered taboo. But times have
changed and I think it is acceptable only if you let your guests know what
you will be using the gifts or money towards (like a honeymoon or towards
a down payment on a home) because lets face it, nobody wants 17 toasters.

WORD ON THE STREET

There are so many ways to word your invitations and all of the choices can
be a bit confusing. Typically the wording will be affected by who is
hosting the wedding.

If its both sides of the parents that are hosting the wedding then the parents’
names on either side will be listed with the bride’s parents names going
first. If the bride and groom are hosting, their names would be listed
with the bride’s name going first.
If the bride’s parents are hosting, only her parent’s names get listed and
if the groom’s parents are hosting, only his parent’s names get listed.
There are so many scenarios and options and these are just the most common
ones. If you need more information on this, feel free to e-mail at
info@isaidyes.ca and I would be happy to send you more information on
this.

WHAT THE FACE?

So generally what I tell my brides is that if you are having a more
traditional and formal wedding, choose a serif typeface as those reflect a
more traditional feel. A common example would be Times New Roman. If you
are having a modern and contemporary wedding, go with a sans serif type
face as these reflect more a modernistic feel. A common example would be
Arial. If you want something fancy and more whimsical, a script font may be
for you. But be careful because although they look nice, many script fonts
are hard to read. I suggest to my you choose a nice script font and to use
it for only the bride and grooms name so that your names stand out.

I would love to talk to you some more about your wedding invitations. For
a free consultation or a quote on a package contact me at info@isaidyes.ca
and check out our online catalogue at isaidyes.ca