Belle WEDDINGS scores with MARTHA STEWART
By Janelle De Souza – as published in the Trinidad and Tobago Newsday (Woman’s Weekly – Mentality) – Sunday 29th June, 2014.
With a background in both literature and printing, the next logical step for Aliyyah Eniath was publishing. The result? Caribbean BELLE and its offshoot, Caribbean Belle WEDDINGS, two of the most successful regional magazines to come out of Trinidad and Tobago.
The magazines, as well as the woman in charge of them, speak volumes for quality and style as seen by the recognition of the Caribbean Advertising Federation (CAF). Caribbean Belle WEDDINGS won Gold for Best Overall Magazine Design at the CAF ADDY Awards 2014, while, Caribbean BELLE, won silver.
Regional organisations have not been the only ones to recognise the publications’ excellence.
Belle WEDDINGS recently signed off an agreement with The New York Times to carry Martha Stewart content, exclusively – Caribbean Belle WEDDINGS is now the only publication from Trinidad and Tobago authorised to carry “Good Things From Martha Stewart.”
Eniath said the New York Times was searching for a Caribbean magazine to carry Martha Stewart content. Stewart is well known for her exquisite décor ideas, crafts, and gardening expertise, as well as her gourmet menus.
“Based on our publications’ quality and vision, the New York Times approached us as it believed Belle was the best vehicle in the region to carry Martha Stewart content. It just fit perfectly with the brand. I had always read and enjoyed her columns, and was happy and pleased for the opportunity,” said Eniath.
“With such an international figure associated with the magazine, it would be even more attractive to both readers and advertisers. The Martha Stewart acquisition reflects the overall expansion and success of the Caribbean BELLE brand. Caribbean Belle WEDDINGS has indeed made history as the first regional glossy to sign such an exclusive deal with a global figure,” she continued.
With such high praise, it’s hard to believe Caribbean BELLE was launched only eight years ago.
“I always loved magazines. Nine years ago there weren’t many many high quality publications so I decided to tap into a niche market. I wasn’t aware of the number of local magazines that came and went so I started it with faith,” Eniath said.
Eniath comes from a printing background, which gave her an insight into the industry. In addition, she studied Literature at The University of the West Indies. She said her decision to combine her strengths and the move into publishing seemed “organic.”
Initially, Safari Publications launched Caribbean BELLE that focused on the region’s fashion industry, covering fashion shows and featuring Caribbean designers. It also promoted other creative people from countries such as Barbados, Jamaica and, of course, Trinidad and Tobago, such as chefs and entertainers.
One issue per year was dedicated to weddings. However, the wedding issue was so popular, that the company decided to create a dedicated biannual wedding magazine to appeal to the market.
And so, Caribbean Belle WEDDINGS was born. Coming into being in 2012, the magazine quickly cornered the market. It targets couples planning a wedding in the Caribbean by highlighting fabulous weddings and breaking them down by décor, venue, flowers, cakes and menus.
“The point is to be helpful to brides. It’s basically a wedding planner for a gorgeous wedding on any budget,” said Eniath.
She was proud to note that top photographers from across the region were handpicked to showcase the beautiful weddings on which they work, which also allows for the various vendors to be highlighted.
The work of award-winning Canadian Wedding Photographer Dmitri Markine has also been featured in the magazine as he shot photographs of a newly married couple at locations across the country.
“There are so many wonderful photographers in the Caribbean producing spectacular work that it’s difficult to choose at times,” said Eniath. “They really are our partners in creating the wonderful imagery that is reproduced in print.”
The magazine’s latest issue features as “Ask Martha” column, as well as local designer Charu Lochan Dass, who designed her first wedding dress exclusively for the cover of Volum 3, Issue 1 of Belle WEDDINGS.
In addition, the issue features as exclusive interview with Miss Trinidad and Tobago Universe 2004, Danielle Jones, who talks about her wedding which would also be featured on the hit TLC series “Say Yes to the Dress” this September.
- Published in News
Tobago wedding reception – Dana and Sajeev
Wedding festivities began with a Hindu marriage ceremony at the Lakshminarayan Temple in Freeport and a “slamming” party at home to celebrate. The couple was then ready for their next main event: a glitzy reception at the Magdalena Grand, Tobago.
They wanted an outdoor setting and a destination feel that would remain accessible to their guests, so it was the perfect option.
The effervescent Dana was the picture of elegance in an Oleg Cassini dress and Christian Louboutin shoes. She wore mother-of-pearl and white sapphire earrings, a Swarovski bracelet, and an adorable fascinator—handmade by Hanna Sebestova (available on Etsy).
After a delectable dinner, which included Chicken Scallopini and Grilled Pink Salmon with Chimichurri, guests danced under the star-lit night sky and enjoyed a breathtaking view of the ocean. A fireworks display brought the memorable evening to a close, but not before guests were treated to some after-party snacks: wings and corn soup!
Photos by Gary Jordan
- Published in Real Weddings
Maggie Sottero’s Spring 2015 Bridal Collection
Maggie Sottero’s Spring 2015 Bridal Collection revealed at Bridal Fashion Week, NY, screams romance with a stunning array of belted looks, sweetheart necks with Swarovski crystals, and dramatic backs with keyhold and deep-V cuts accented with lace. Visit maggiesottero.com .
Carolina Herrera – RUNWAY
Carolina Herrera’s Spring 2015 Bridal Collection is about softness and grace, created by the effects of layering, lace treatment and silk silhouettes. The looks are super romantic and sensual with an element of surprise and embody that whimsical signature feel; the dress back designs have a bit of drama from plunging lines to elegant appliques. Visit carolinaherrera.com
Eat Local – Create Taste Mmm…memories
By Cynthia Nelson
When choosing the locale for your Caribbean destination wedding, be sure to take in one of the most important cultural aspects of the country: the food! There is much to explore and sample, so be sure to pick your favourites and let them be deliciously reflected in your menu.
You’ll quickly realise how similar our food is across the Caribbean states. There are certain dishes that you’ll find throughout the region, with signature twists added by each country to make it their own.
Rice ‘n Peas, Macaroni Pie, Stews, Curries, Ground Provisions, Fried Bakes, and Fried (sautéed) Salt Fish are among the dishes we all share. But, the differences in these dishes across countries stem from both the preparation and names given. For example, ‘bakes’ are also known as “Johnny Cakes” in Jamaica, Anguilla, and St. Croix, while Grenadians and St. Lucians call them “floats”. These irresistible little breads are further categorized into “fried bakes”, “roast bakes” and even “baked bakes”.
So, as you travel across the region to celebrate your special day, be sure to enjoy some of the local fare for unforgettably tasty memories!
Cynthia Nelson is a Journalist, Author & Photographer. Tastes Like Home – My Caribbean Cookbook (IRP 2010). She blogs at: www.tasteslikehome.org Write to her at: Cynthia@tasteslikehome.org
Recipes
Bakes/Floats
Yield: 1
INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon butter (salted or unsalted)
- 1 ¾ cups lukewarm water to knead dough
- Neutral-tasting oil for deep-frying
DIRECTIONS
- Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
- Rub butter into flour mixture.
- Add water to the flour mixture to make dough. Do not add all of the water at the same time. (Amount of liquid needed varies according to the composition of flour and temperature of surroundings.) Start with 1 ¼ cups and work your way up from there. When the dough comes together, knead for 2 – 3 minutes.
- Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Rub some oil over the dough and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rest for at least 30 minutes, but no longer than 1 hour.
- Cut dough into 12 equal pieces and form into balls. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Line a large bowl with a kitchen towel as well as some paper towels.
- Heat oil in deep pan on medium heat until hot. Test the oil by breaking off a piece of dough and adding it to the oil; if it sinks and rises almost immediately, the oil is ready. If you have a thermometer, it should register at 325 degrees F.
- Lightly flour a work surface and rolling pin. Take one piece of dough and roll into a disc: about 3 inches diameter and ¼-inch thick.
- Add to the hot oil and fry until browned on both sides. (Once added to the oil, the bake initially sinks, but floats to the surface as it puffs and cooks. Flip the bake over and cook the other side.) Reduce heat if bakes are browning too quickly before the insides are cooked.
- Repeat steps 8 and 9 above until all the bakes are fried.
- Serve the bakes warm. Cut along the sides of the bake to create a pocket and fill with fried (sautéed) salt fish, smoked herring, cheese, ham, or fried fish. Or, cut open completely and slather with your favourite topping.
Fried (Sautéed) Salt fish
Note: This recipe requires overnight preparation before cooking
Yield: 3 cups
INGREDIENTS
- 10 ounces de-boned or boneless salt fish
- Water
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 1½ cups thinly sliced onions
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- Finely minced hot pepper to taste
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
- Night before cooking: Rinse the fish and add to a large bowl of very hot water. Cover bowl and let fish soak overnight.
- Next day: Drain fish and add to a pot of water on the stove. Let boil for 6 – 8 minutes. (The key here is to remove only the salt that is in excess, not all of it. Taste a small piece of the fish; it should not be overly salty.)
- Drain the cooked fish well. When cool enough to handle, crumble into small pieces.
- Heat the oil in a pan until hot, but not smoking. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 2 – 3 minutes.
- Add thyme and hot pepper and continue to cook for another minute.
- Add tomatoes, salt, and black pepper and cook for a minute.
- Add salt fish and cook partially covered for 5 – 7 minutes.
- Serve with bakes, roti, rice, bread, or ground provisions.
Punch de Crème Bread Pudding
Yield: 1 (9 x 13) dish
NOTES
- You will need a large roasting pan in which the 9 x 13 dish can sit comfortably for a hot water bath (bain marie).
- Baking the pudding directly in its dish is also fine. The top, bottom and edges will get brown and crusty, which is quite yummy. However, the look and texture of the baked pudding will be different from the one that has been cooked gently and indirectly in the hot water bath.
- For the bread pudding to truly absorb the custard, it must soak in the mixture for at least 6 – 8 hours. Overnight is ideal. This long period of absorption will also improve the texture of the bread pudding when baked.
- Bread rolls (such as tennis rolls) can be used in place of regular bread. To get the true Punch de Crème flavour, I would advise against using breads or rolls that are already flavoured or spiced.
INGREDIENTS
- Punch de Crème (recipe follows)
- 8 cups cubed bread (preferably 1 – 2 days old)
- ½ cup golden raisins (sultanas)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter (preferably unsalted)
- Boiling water
For Punch de Crème:
- 6 eggs
- 3 cans full cream evaporated milk
- 2 cans condensed milk
- 2 teaspoons Angostura Bitters
- 1 ¼ cups dark rum or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Zest of two limes (substitute with orange)
DIRECTIONS
For Punch de Crème:
- Add eggs and lime zest and whisk until frothy.
- Add evaporated milk, condensed milk, bitters, nutmeg, and rum. Whisk to incorporate.
For bread pudding:
- Add the bread to a large bowl or container.
- Pour the Punch de Crème over the bread. Using a large spoon or spatula, keep pressing the bread into the custard until the bread is heavy with the liquid. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.
- When you are ready to bake the bread pudding, remove from refrigerator and let it come up to room temperature.
- Scatter and fold in the raisins.
- Meanwhile, put a kettle of water on to boil.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Brush the 9 x 13” baking dish with the melted butter, and then pour the bread pudding mixture into the dish. Place dish with the bread pudding in the larger roasting pan for the hot water bath.
- This step of adding hot water to create the bath can be done in two ways:
- Pour the boiling water into the roasting pan on the countertop and then carefully transfer the pan and dish to the oven, or
- Place the roasting pan (containing the dish of bread pudding) in the oven and then carefully pour the boiling water into the roasting pan. Let the water come halfway up the sides of the dish with the bread pudding.
- Bake for 50 – 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
- Remove roasting pan from the oven and wait about 20 minutes for the water to cool. Remove dish with the bread pudding and place on a wire rack to continue cooling. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold. (Note: If you want to add more booze to this bread pudding, then serve drizzled with Amaretto liqueur.)
- Published in Newlywed Kitchen
Ask Martha: Wedding Etiquette, from Planning to the Big Day
Wedding wisdom and practical solutions for all your pressing questions.
Q: I love the way my diamond engagement ring catches the light when it’s clean. How do I keep it that way? Is it a bad idea to shower with it on?
A: Not only will bathing with your ring not hurt it, it’ll help, says Martha Stewart Weddings senior style editor Melissa Colgan: “A little sudsing keeps it sparkling.” Just be mindful that heavy conditioners and soaps can gunk up the setting, so be sure to rinse your ring finger with fresh water post-shower. To maintain a diamond’s shine and keep the prongs clear, mix a few drops of mild dish soap with water, rub it onto the ring with a soft-bristle toothbrush, and rinse. Done monthly, this DIY solution works as well as store-bought jewelry cleaner (but only on diamonds, sapphires and rubies; softer stones like emeralds and amethysts may become damaged by brushing). Visit your jewelry store once a year for an ultrasonic cleaning as well. If that’s where the ring was purchased, the service is usually free, and, Colgan adds, “the jeweler will also inspect the stone, band and setting to check that nothing is awry.”
Q: My fiancé and I have been dating for eight years, but our families have never met. We’re getting everyone together in three weeks for the first time. Is a simple dinner OK, or should we plan more of a to-do?
A: No need to stress out or get too fancy: “A simple dinner sounds perfect—emphasis on the simple,” says Martha Stewart Weddings executive editor Eleni N. Gage. The goal is to have your families feeling relaxed enough to mingle and chat freely. One way to do that, Gage says, is by making the meal something of an activity, which can help break the ice (think barbecue at an Argentine restaurant or dim sum at a Chinese one). You could also extend the length of a traditional supper so people have more of a chance to talk —suggest a round of appetizers to share or dessert for the table. If you’re hosting at home, set out wine and cheese before bringing out the lasagna (again, keep it simple—no sweating over soufflés for the first in-laws encounter). And if both sets of relatives are coming from out of town, hand them a list of fun things to do in the area as a nice gesture. “Who knows?” Gage adds. “By the end of the evening, they might be planning excursions together!”
Q: I’d like to introduce our wedding party at the reception, but my fiancé thinks it’s cheesy. Is there a good alternative?
A: While we enjoy watching goofy videos of over-the-top grand entrances, we know not every couple is looking to be the next YouTube sensation. And if one of you is more reserved than the other, prancing out to something from Jock Jams isn’t going to add up to the wedding of your dreams. Nevertheless, “there are other ways to give your attendants their due,” says Weddings contributing editor David Stark, of David Stark Design and Production in New York City. He suggests taking a cue from Broadway playbills by including a who’s who on the backs of dinner menus left at each place setting. “Print small bios of each player alongside their picture, but use candids or illustrations instead of head shots and quirky text in lieu of a serious résumé,” he says. “It’s a fun way to introduce your ‘cast.’”
Q: My mom wants me to send announcements to relatives who weren’t invited to our wedding, but I’ve never gotten one. Is it appropriate to do so?
A: “It’s less common in this age of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, but popping announcements in the mail after the fact is still the polite way to let people know that you got hitched,” says Weddings senior editor Julie Vadnal. It’s more personal than an email blast and a nice idea to reach out to those relatives and acquaintances who weren’t on the guest list but would want to be informed of your marriage. Mailed announcements, which can be as simple as a handwritten note or as formal as a printed card, are also a great way to spread the word if you eloped or had a very small gathering. And in case you were wondering, anyone who gets one is in no way obligated to send a gift.
Ideally, you’d mail these the day after your wedding; if you’re leaving for your honeymoon right away, have them stamped and ready to go, and ask a friend to drop them in the postbox for you. If that’s not possible, send them out within three months of the red-letter date, before the happy news becomes old news.
Q: My fiancé and I aren’t having a traditional wedding – we’re going to the courthouse and then out to dinner with our parents. I’m not wearing a white gown, but I love the romance of a bird cage veil. Will I look like an idiot in one?
A: Not at all! In fact, Martha Stewart Weddings associate fashion editor Carrie Goldberg says she prefers a bird cage with a knee-length dress or suit, rather than a floor-grazing gown, because the short veil/short dress combo is more proportional. The key to pulling off the look, Carrie says, is to select a headpiece that relates to the colors and fabric that you’re wearing from the neck down. Which means, for example, that you don’t have to automatically default to a white veil just because it’s your wedding. Consider a headpiece that picks up on whatever shades are in your outfit. Or, if you love the way two contrasting hues look together, go ahead and pair them, but make sure the materials are complementary: If you’re wearing a tweed suit, for instance, opt for a headpiece with leather trim, not gauzy flowers.
Q: How do we decide whom to invite to our engagement party? I’d like to include people who might not be invited to the wedding since that will be a small destination affair.
A: Originally, engagement fêtes were intimate events, hosted by the bride’s parents and meant only for relatives and close friends; it was a no-brainer that everyone who attended would also be at the big day. Now, the etiquette is changing as more couples are hosting their own larger gatherings. It’s still easiest if everyone at the kickoff celebration makes the list later, so no one feels awkward or left out. But, as Martha Stewart Weddings senior editor Julie Vadnal says, “It’s OK to bend this rule if you’re having a tiny wedding. Just be clear that this is the case, or people will be left waiting in vain for their invites.”
Q: My two daughters are marrying seven weeks apart, and they’re each other’s maid of honor. They both live away from home, and the wedding is in our home town. Is it OK to have one joint bridal shower? And can they serve as hosts for each other?
A: Logistically, combining both events into one would make sense. “But the sticky issue here is with the guest list,” warns Vadnal, who points out that having a two-for-one shower works only if everyone who comes is invited to both weddings; otherwise, partygoers will feel compelled to bring presents for a bride whose celebration they’re not attending. In the case of your daughters, they do share family, but their friend groups may not overlap. If that’s true, one way to work around the situation is for you to host a joint, family-only shower in your hometown, so relatives (and the brides) travel for just one party. Then, for those who aren’t going to both nuptials, “Separate low-key celebrations, like fun girls’ dinners or brunches or a day at the beach, can be organized by each maid of honor,” Vadnal suggests. Those, your daughters can absolutely host for each other.
(Reported by Jaime Buerger) Got a question? Email us at askmartha@marthastewartweddings.com. Distributed by The New York Times syndicate.
- Published in Martha Stewart, Tips and Tools
Goddess Bride
Photography: Gary Jordan
Styling: Stella Chong Sing
Make-up: Bridgett Pouchet
Hair: Janine Dyer from Dollz Spa
Models: Kristy Agar, Maria Elena Marquez, Brettney Romeo.