#none of us really knew how to do video editing and everything but i volunteered to learn and do it

[zarafey]

Truly not allowed to have fun at my university anymore bc every group project is just done by ai now so why am I even here

[lifeisadoozy]

sharing a short dousy video edit i made.

i don't know why but i really like this and thought i'd share it on here too.

should i rant about what goes in my head while making this video? no. will i? yes.

basically the song is beginning middle end by leah nobel from to all the boys i've loved before part 3. this song is basically about two people falling in love from the early years of their lives. since lara jean and peter met when they were kids. but then started (fake) dating in high school and their adventure together started right then and there. anyway, watch the movies if you haven't already. this song fits lara jean and peter so well (i don't know if it was written specifically for them or not).

but daisy and sousa didnt meet when they were kids because of one obvious reason: when daisy was a kid, sousa's dead; and when sousa was a kid, daisy hadn't been born yet. they weren't supposed to meet. so their journey started off separately.

daisy's beginning in shield was rocky, to say the least. but she found a home there with coulson, fitzsimmons and may (i'll get to ward) in season 1. they bonded quite quickly, mainly daisy skye and coulson. i think it shifts when she got shot by ian quinn. everyone in the team, especially ward was terrified and angry at the situation. now. she had a relationship with miles early on in the season, which was broken off. but within the context of the song, her beginning was ward. he was her s.o. she was falling for him when she uncovered that he's hydra. add that trauma to the ones she already had prior to shield. no wonder she has trust issues.

her middle was her powers. even though the story started early in the series, it's still the middle. because she struggled with her powers throughout seasons 2 - 5. the middle would always be the bulk of it all. it's where everything happens. it's the crux of a character, of a person. it's where daisy became daisy. now, in the middle of her middle (pun very much intended), was lincoln. the first inhuman who helped her and understood her. i'm sure they've got their own problems and everything, but it doesn't change the fact that he was someone who knew what she's going through. none of her found family could help her the way he could. this is where i think it gets interesting. seasons 2 - 5, where i said was her middle, and basically the peak/climax of daisy as a character, she was falling for and fell for lincoln. it was known that daisy was still in love with lincoln in season 5. possibly around 2 years after he died. but then we found out that she had moved on from lincoln in the beginning of season 6.

season 6 and 7 is the end of her journey with the team. they're still a family. just a family who occassionally see each other. now in season 6, like i mentioned previously, it was acknowledged that daisy had moved on. the past will always be with her, no doubt. the trauma would stick. hopefully just bits and pieces. but it would still be there until she either had alzheimer's, dementia, any other retrograde amnesia injuries or diseases, or the day she died. she would never forget lincoln or ward, heck even miles. she won't forget her past. unless it was taken away from her. so, back to the topic at hand, she wanted her own fitz. she had grown from the woman she was in the beginning, she had grown from the woman and superhero that she was in the middle. she knows who she is now. with the people she worked with. and the people she calls her family. and also with anyone. daisy's ending was perfect (to me at least). she wasn't looking for love right then and there. she was burnt one too many times. but she wanted that kind of love and support. the love and support that fitz and simmons have for each other. something that daisy lacked all her life. she ended up with someone who gave her what she wanted. and what she needed.

with sousa, it's a little different. because we didn't get to see much of his background and family life. we didn't get to know what his life was like during the war and before the war. we begin to see him in the ssr. we all knew, literally everyone knew, even the characters knew that sousa's practically in love with peggy. except for maybe peggy herself. but i'm sure she had an inkling. she definitely had an inkling. but then things go on and he became chief of the west coast office and he was in los angeles while peggy was in new york. he moved on (or so we thought). he started dating violet and was ready to marry her. he told her he loved her. and he did. it's just that he was also in love with peggy. still. and violet saw that. it's as clear as day. and they broke it off.

we didn't get to see much of sousa's middle. mainly because ac wasn't renewed for a third season. which was such a waste because it ended with so many things left unanswered. but we know that between 1947 - 1955, peggy and sousa broke up. we have no idea why. we don't know if steve was back. nada. all we know is that they broke up. when did they break up? again. no idea. but we know that peggy means a lot to sousa. she's like (sorta; i don't like making comparisons but anyway) sousa's lincoln in a way (i'm not saying that they're the exact replica. daisy/lincoln and peggy/sousa are quite different. but they do have similarities. those pairings are the kind where they want to be together forever but knew that it wouldn't work; my interpretation). she didn't die, we know that. but she's sort of the one that got away. my guess is that it's because shield and the world was more important than each other. which wasn't dissimilar to daisy and lincoln's situation. so, yes. peggy's sousa's middle. she influenced him a lot. and he found himself amidst ssr and shield (just like daisy did).

sousa's end was again, perfect. he went to the future. got to see what the organisation he helped build came to be. he went on an adventure to explore space. which he would geek out over. instead of dying, he got to live. with the love of his (new) life. he may be a man out of time, but with daisy and their ragtag family, he is right where he belongs.

daisy and sousa began with "who the hell are you" and ended with "it's beautiful" (just putting this here because i love that fact).

so. they started pretty quickly, didn't they? 4 episodes in and sousa fell in love with daisy. 7 episodes in and daisy fell in love with sousa. though i doubt that they thought they're in love. but they're falling. or walking towards it. 7x03 was when they met. it's where it all began. in area 51 of all places (foreshadow much?). but what's even more interesting is that technically, they began twice. from daisy's perspective, they met in 6x13 (which plenty of people had pointed out; but @agents-of-fangirling was the most recent). even though they didn't actually meet because sousa was wearing that blue (seriously his colour really is blue) hazmat suit and daisy was disoriented (may dying and all that jazz). but from sousa's perspective, they met in 7x03. where they actually made eye contact and conversed. how many couples can say that the when of their first encounter was debatable?

now. their middle, in the video edit, i used the scene from 7x10. because i think that's a pretty good middle. they had their first first kiss. sousa had no idea that happened. yet, there he was, wanting to help. just like his time-loop self. he extended a hand and she accepted. she accepted help. do you know how much of a development that was??? because i think that it's a huge character development (i still haven't rewatched so don't take my word for it). i think that's a good depiction of their middle. oh yeah. before i forgot. they also had two first kisses. and again, i say, how many couples can say that they had two first kiss? figured i'd choose the scene in the middle of those first kisses (pun intended lmao).

sidenote: did y'all see the devastation in her eyes when sousa volunteered to stay in the 80s? or how her eyes went wide and she started to panic when he was injected in the time loops? sousa's a man of action. and when he says something, he means it. so, his constant concern over daisy and him wanting to help in any way he can, it's his love language.

and then we have their ending. the perfect end to an imperfect couple (because nobody's perfect *cue hannah montana*). daisy got sousa a typewriter. because he's from the 50s. since when did daisy buy gifts for her boyfriends/partners/lovers? and they watched e.t. together? that's normal couple things. even though they are far from normal. but they get to experience it all together. daisy didn't get to in the past. none that we know of anyway. and now she does. also, that smile when she talks about him. that fond smile that grazed her lips at the thought of him. i've never seen her smile like that before (none that i remember; and if she did, well then i'm so so happy for her). she looks happy. serene. and her saying "he's a dork" twice in the season just makes my heart burst with happiness for them.

sidenote: my headcannon is that "he's a dork" is code for "i love him too much to explain it in words."

i'd like to believe that even though it has ended, their story has just begun. they're going through their middle right now. and i hope that they won't end. in other words, their end was not an ending. it was a beginning of a new life.

as daisy said, "we're loving the journey together." keyword: journey. it's a long road up ahead. with countless of challenges and obstacles in the way. but in the end, all that matters is that they face it together.

that's it. thanks for coming to my ted talk (for those who actually read it all the way through, i love you).

[andreaeppolitoevents]

What Education Do You Need to Be a Wedding Planner

How to become a wedding planner: Do you need a college degree?

Emma Holland left a comment on my video about Theft in the Wedding Industry that said, ”Hi Andrea! Could you make a video about the education requirements to be a wedding planner? I’m a high school student and I’m very interested in event planning. ❤️❤️”

Well, Emma - this video is for you and the thousands of men and women who are interested in this field, but not quite sure how to proceed.

One of the reasons that I am so committed to teaching others is because I remember how greatly I struggled to find information on the industry when I was in high school and college. The World Wide Web was not yet a thing, and there were not great resources for those of us who wanted to become wedding planners and event designers.

As a matter of fact, my family relocated from Long Island to Las Vegas so that I could attend UNLV, which was and remains one of the top hospitality universities in the world. When I first met with my college counselor I was asked, “So, what do you wanna be when you grow up?”

I said I wanted to be a wedding planner. The counselor looked at me with this blank stare and blinked a few times before telling me, “But that's not a real job. You should study catering!” I kind of laughed and said that while wedding planning was not the most popular job right at the time, there was a woman Marcy (Marcy Blum) doing it in New York. All of these celebrities and socialites were hiring wedding planners. I really believed that the industry would take off, and I was just so insistent and so passionate about it that the counselor enrolled me in….catering. There really was no other place for me to go!

Fortunately, times have changed. In the last 25 years, the role of a wedding planner has grown from something that only socialites and celebrities used to widely being considered a necessity, With so many different types of wedding planning experiences available, many couples find that they can afford to include some sort of professional planning and execution in their budget.

And so how do you break into this industry? What kind of education is it that you need?

The truth is, all you need to do to start your own wedding planning company is a business license, insurance, and a website. That's it! A couple of clicks of a button and boom! Your wedding planner. But that won't make you successful, and it certainly won't make you good. I have a lot of issues with people entering the industry without having taken the time to study both the art of design and the business of being a wedding planner.

Being good isn’t enough. Checklists are good. Apps are good. To do this the way it needs to be done, you need to be great. T and the only way to be truly great is to be incredibly and continuously educated..

Here are 5 things educational elements you need to commit to in order to start a successful wedding planning business:

1. WORK: Get real-world experience. One of the greatest differentiators that sets me apart from others in my field is that I have decades of hands-on, real-world experience. Think about your career and every job you have taken. From my first job as a greeter at a wedding tradeshow to my first "real" job as a hostess at a high-end restaurant to all the years that I spent in hotel and resort catering departments, restaurant sales, and nightlife operations, every job I took was with the intention of honing my craft so that I could be the very best operator on site. I knew that in order to execute and run a successful wedding day, I needed to fully understand what it took to set up event space, to cook and produce food for hundreds of people, and what the service standards were that needed to be obeyed and adhered to. Not because I read about a 1 per 75 rule in a book, but because I watched a bartender get crushed at the opening of doors. My years in retail taught me how to sell to a woman in a dressing room, which has helped me understand what a bride wants to look and feel like while shopping for a wedding dress. There is no amount of book knowledge that will ever substitute for starting from the bottom and working with your own two hands in every facet of the industry you are entering.

2. READ: Equally important to the real-world experience is reading about business. This doesn't necessarily need to be about the wedding and events industry. When I want to engage my mind, I seek to learn from others who have become icons in their own space. Books such as Shoe Dog, written by Phil Knight (the founder of Nike) and inspirational how-to guides from the likes of Tim Ferris and Gary Vee have helped me learn about the business side of being a wedding planner. Reading books gives you the opportunity to learn directly from people that you respect and admire, that you would likely never get to meet. My own personal goal is to read 2 to 3 business or autobiographical books a month. Start with one book, and you will quickly find it addictive. Not a reader? Listen to them on audiobook!

3. INTERNSHIPS: When I was working at the Bellagio as a wedding coordinator, I offered to come in on my own time to learn how to capture and edit video. Back then,, we were working with VHS! I spent about two months working in the darkroom for free so that I can understand how to quickly cut a ceremony and turned around for our couples. I spent another month and a half in horticulture learning how to make a bouquet and boutonnieres. While I was a hostess, I volunteered to set up for large parties so that I could figure out how to set up and teardown around.

Interning may sound like real work experience, and to some extent it is. The difference is, when you're an intern you work for free. There is this idea that working for free is bad. No one wants to work for free anymore. But the truth is that an internship is an investment that you make in yourself. You are paid not in money, but in education and experience.

I get emails and DM's weekly from people who want to come and "work a wedding for free" I never accept these offers for a few reasons. First, my clients deserve to be serviced by top-notch, skilled professionals. I will not disrespect their experience or violate their trust by allowing someone who has not been fully trained on hand. It simply is not worth the risk, and my clients deserve more. Secondly, in order to make the process of an internship beneficial for the intern, I need to be able to spend time with them. I want to be able to give them real access and knowledge, to go over their questions, and to fully explain how I work in a one on one setting. On a wedding day, my focus is my client and I simply cannot do both at once.

So how exactly do you get an internship that will help you while not taking away from the person you're interning for? The trick is to offer to do the grunt work. Offer to respond to emails or direct messages. Offer to schedule social media. Offered to sweep up someone's floral shop, or wipe down rentals. It's not about being in the front of the line and doing the glamorous work. An internship is about you doing the grunt work and learning by osmosis. It's about you being around the real nitty-gritty so that when you are ready you have real-world, behind-the-scenes knowledge that you simply wouldn't have otherwise.

4. FREE CONTENT: Today you are reading and watching a video on the types of education you need to become a wedding planner. That in and of itself is a part of your education. There is a tremendous amount of free content available on YouTube and on Podcasts, blogs, and digital downloads. I can tell you firsthand that I have absolutely learned and picked up tips and tricks on how to run my business by listening to the podcasts and watching the videos that others in my industry have created. Spend your time following and studying the wedding professionals that you admire. Watch how they work if they share behind the scenes videos. Study their style. If they create content, download everything they offer. This will give you a strong basis for developing your own set of skills.

5. Last and Finally….PEER TO PEER LEARNING: Of all the things I've suggested you do, none of them are as valuable as peer to peer education. Conferences and associations put a lot of time and energy into bringing out guest speakers that will present on highly specialized topics that you can learn from. Organizations like WIPA, ILEA, and NACE are amazing for peer to peer education. Conferences and educational events produced by The Knot Pro, Wedding MBA, and Engage are built on the idea that we learn best from each other. These activities are so worth it, and I will say that even with 20+ years of experience and my degree, the most important things I have learned have come from others that are in the trenches with me. If you cannot join an association, enroll in an online course. Personally, I love online courses and am forever enrolled in something. There are also a number of Facebook groups both private and the public that has been created specifically for peer-to-peer education in the wedding planning space.

You may have noticed that nowhere in this video did I say that you needed a college degree or certification because you don’t. That does not mean that I don’t value the degree - I do! I love learning and believe that you should attend college if you have the ability to do so and if you truly enjoy the process. A degree is something that no one will ever be able to take away from you. However, I don't believe the book smarts are the only pathway to success, and when I think about what traditional upper education has turned into I think about that line from Goodwill Hunting where Will says, “You wasted $150,000 on an education you could've got for a buck-fifty in late fees at the public library."

The greatest indicator of success is someone who is committed to continuously learning. My best advice is to read everything you can. Listen to podcasts. Watch videos. Sketch, design, and play. Get a job in the industry. Intern on your off days as often as you can. Volunteer to work on every event you possibly can, because nothing will ever take the place of real-world experience.

So to Emma and anyone else wondering about what kind of education you need to be a wedding planner, I hope this helps! I also hope it encourages you to send in comments and questions. I really do read them and try my best to create the content that YOU need. It is my way of giving back to an industry that has given me everything in terms of professional success and happiness, that has allowed me to make a living while building a life.

Interested in my courses? Watch the video above to the end for a special code that will enroll you today and give you a one-hour consultation with me.

Always…

[buttercream-me-up]

Q&A Confessions // Conor Maynard

Word Count: 1808

Summary- You and your best friends film a Q&A, and it doesn’t exactly go as originally planned.

Warnings; N/A

A/n; School is starting soon, ugh! I’m trying to finish all these imagines by Tuesday, because once school starts it’s going to be hard to write. I’ll do my best to keep uploading, though. Feel free to keep sending requests as well, they just won’t be posted as frequently.

Requested; Yes.

req; Sorry I accidentally sent it before finishing it 😂 Can you write an imagine where the fans ship the character and Connor, and they secretly like each other but Connor thinks she has a crush on Joe because they're inseparable, so he gets surprised and becomes speechless when she turns to him and asks him "When are you going to ask me out?" in a Q&A video they film with the squad after reading a fan's question about that.

-

You laughed as Joe reminisced with you a childhood memory of the two of you back in primary school, and entered his flat, where the boys were already situated. You’d planned a night in with all the boys, but Caspar, being the klutz he was, managed to drop the case of beers you’d bought for the boys and smashed all the bottles. To say everyone was mad at Caspar was an understatement, You and Joe, being the ‘heroes’ of the group, had volunteered to run out to get last minute replacements, and you’d just returned.

You and Joe had known each other since birth, your mother being old friends with his. You were quite close with Zoe as well, the three of you considered yourselves as siblings, even if you were in no form related to the Suggs, you may as well have been, because you and Joe were basically twins in everything you did. From starting school together, to starting your YouTube channels together, and everything in between. You had common interests, talents, and overall were the same people, but opposite gender.

The fans knew this, and despite shipping you and Joe for some time, and being shut down by the two of you saying how you considered each other siblings in a Q&A, had finally moved on. Joe was returned to be considered for his previous ships, Jaspar and Joeck, while you hadn’t been shipped with anyone for awhile. Until recently, that was. Conor had asked you to sing a song with him for his channel, and to say the fans enjoyed it was an understatement. The new ‘buttercream’ ship was created, Y/N & Conor. Even the other boys shipped the two of you, and you didn’t mind at all.

You liked Conor, you really did. His voice was incredible, his sense of humor endless, his protective nature with Jack and Anna was heartwarming, not to mention he was really damn hot. The problem was, he seemed very uninterested or unwilling to be in a relationship. More often than not, you’d find yourself and him shooting flirty comments back and forth, but it never became much more than that. It was unfortunate, but it was life.

“Alrighty boys, now that we’ve got some refreshments, we have a video to film!” You announced, holding up your beer. Cheers were passed around, and the group situated around the couch. Conor, Joe, You, Jack, and Josh were sitting on the couch, while Mikey, Oli, and Caspar were sat in the front of the couch, on pillows, in between the gaps between your legs. Byron didn’t want to be in the video, but he said he would pop in occasionally. He started the camera for you, and with a wave, left the room. You all bid him goodbye, and you smiled as you were surrounded with your best friends, doing what you all loved to do.

“Alright, everyone! Welcome back to my channel!” You started, smiling brightly and waving, doing your typical intro. “Today I’m joined with a few losers, you might know them.” A bunch of “heys!” followed, and you smirked. “Just kidding. You may know these boys; Conor, Josh, Joe, Jack, Mikey, Oli, and Caspar!” You said, pointing to each one as you introduced them. “Byron couldn’t make it today, but he’s here somewhere. Anyways!” You said, clapping your hands together, making Joe and Jack, who were both next to you, jump. “Jeez, Y/N!” Joe said, putting a hand over his heart dramatically.

“Anyways!” You repeated, ignoring them. “We’ve all tweeted, snapchatted, and posted on our Instagrams, telling you guys to ask us questions using the hashtag askthebuttercreams, and today we’re going to be doing a big Q&A!” You said, proudly. “Let’s get right into the video, because this one is probably going to be very long because there are so many of us, but I’ll probably spend at least 3 hours editing so it’s a reasonable video.” You did a quick transition, and began the questions.

So far it had been going smooth, you all took turns asking and answering, you only being asked little questions like how you met, and little questions for certain buttercreams. Nothing terrible. “Alright, I’ve got the next one!” Jack announced, smirking. He scrolled through his twitter and picked a random tweet. You looked at him with raised eyebrows, waiting. “Lovingthebuttercreams96 asked, Why haven’t Joe and Y/N began dating yet? Come on, their chemistry is undeniable!” He read, frowning. You sighed, Jack said “Sorry, should’ve read it first.” “It’s fine, we should’ve just assumed it would be here. I’ll just edit this in between stuff out.” You said, repositioning yourself to prepare to answer. You failed to notice Conor’s immediate frown and discomfort, as he sent a glare Jack’s way, but recomposed himself when you began to answer.

“Okay guys, We’ve said this a bunch of times. We love you all, but please, Joe and I will never be in a relationship. I do not fancy him in any way shape or form, nor does he for me. We’ve discussed this personally, and we are basically siblings. I’ve grown up with both the Suggs, and they’re my second family. I could never see myself in a relationship romantically with Joe.” You said, side-hugging Joe and leaning your head on his shoulder. “It’s true, Y/N and I are basically the same person, everyone, including ourselves, think we’re twins. We may come from different families, but the way we grew up, we may as well have been twins. We appreciate your support, but it’s not happening.” Joe added, wrapping an arm around your shoulder.

While this was being explained, Conor instantly felt guilty. He’d always had a massive crush on you; he could easily say he’d never felt anything for anyone like the way he felt when he laid eyes on you. Every time felt like the first. He got butterflies just watching you do simple things like vlogging or talking to him. He always thought he never had a chance, though, because of the undeniable chemistry with Joe. He’d known you said multiple times how it wouldn’t happen, but he couldn’t help but believe you fancied Joe. Now, he just felt stupid.

“Okay, I guess it’s my turn, and we’ll end the video after because this is already going to take me hours to edit.” You said, and the boys nodded in agreement. “Let’s see..” you muttered, scrolling and tapping on a random tweet. You smirked when you read the name of the twitter account, and locked eyes with Conor, a mischievous grin on your face. Jack and Joe both, in sync muttered a quick “ooooh.” “Oh god.” Conor said, pulling a terrified face and showing the camera. He sat up straight, with perfect posture. “I’m ready for my closeup!” He said, in one of his weird voices.

You laughed, and shook your head. “Alright, Conor. This question is from ccoonoorrmaynard. Wow thats some good spelling. Anyways, they ask, “Why haven’t you asked out Y/N yet?”” You froze, your cheeks flaring, you were not expecting that. Clearly, none of the other boys were expecting it either. Jack’s jaw almost hit the floor, Mikey was sweating (but then again, he always was), Josh looked like he had to pick a side, Caspar looked oblivious (as per usual), Oli had wide eyes, Joe looked at you worried as he knew about your crush on Conor, and Conor, you didn’t know how to describe him. He looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

You were bright red, and you wanted to cry. Obviously Conor didn’t like you; he’d never shown any interest, and you’d just humiliated yourself. “Nevermind.” You muttered, standing up to leave. “I’ll film an outro later.” You said, tears blurring your eyes as you ran out of the room. “Good going, Conor.” Joe said, standing up angrily. “What?” Conor squeaked, shaking his head. He’d zoned out, and now you were gone. “Conor, what the hell? That was your chance!” Jack said, stunned at his brother. “She doesn’t like me back, she was just reading a question.” He said, defeated. “You’re a bloody idiot, you know that? She’s liked you since you met!” Joe exclaimed, slapping a hand over his mouth after. He knew you were going to kill him when you found out he’d told. “Really?” Conor asked, surprised.

“GO!” All the boys yelled in sync, pointing to the balcony where you were crying. He sighed, and did as instructed. “Y/N?” He asked, warily stepping out. “Go away.” You said, but your voice cracked, and Conor instantly knew you were crying. He ran over, and spun you around so you were facing him. His heart broke at the tears running down your cheeks. “It’s nothing.” You muttered, mortified. Conor frowned at the heartbroken look on your face. “You know, I haven’t got the chance to answer that question, yet.” He said, unsure of himself. You looked at him, confused. “What?”

“I haven’t asked you out yet because I’ve been nervous.” He blurted, mentally cursing himself. He probably sounded like an idiot. “You? Nervous? You perform in front of hundreds and thousands of fans while you sing, you post videos online and you’re scared to ask me out?” You asked, ludicrously. “Yeah?” He said, suddenly very confused at your reaction. “Conor, I’ve liked you forever, and we’ve been flirting since day 1. How could I reject you?” You said, amused at how oblivious this boy was.

“You weren’t THAT obvious..” Conor defended, but as he looked back on his conversations with you, he realized it was quite obvious. “Oh.” He said, as he realized how stupid he must’ve looked. “Well, um, Y/N, this wasn’t quite how I was planning to ask, but..” He started, and you shook your head with a smile. You grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him down into a sudden kiss. He was surprised, but wrapped his arms around you and pulled you closer, kissing you back passionately. You pulled away, leaning your forehead against his. “Yes, I’ll go on a date with you.”

“Yes mate!” “Go Conor!” “How do we always manage to save his sorry ass?” You laughed at the boys, especially Jack’s last comment. “Now that that’s settled…” Joe said, winking at you. “C’mon boys, we have a video to finish, and I have a feeling it’s a Nando’s and football night?” You suggested, earning more cheers. As you all re-situated yourselves, Jack and Conor switched positions on the couch and Conor had an arm around your waist, while Joe had one around your arm. You finished the video, and spent the night leaning against Conor’s chest, watching football with Nando’s, with your favorite boys in the world, and you wouldn’t change any of it for anything.