When life becomes boring, tiring and predictable, going on a personal or family vacation is one of the best ways to escape the normal daily hustle.

Whether it’s a weekend off in another state or a 2 weeks holiday in another country, going on vacation is a chance to visit awesome or historical places, meet new people, experience different cultures, create new and amazing memories, bond with loved ones and come alive once again. You will definitely return with a feeling of fulfillment.

The truth is we only get to live once and if there is even the slightest chance of taking a break from work to experience what nature has to offer, you don’t need to think twice. Opportunity, as they say, comes but once. Sadly, I hear many people say they can’t afford to go on vacation because it’s too expensive and they can’t afford it.

That being said, planning a vacation may take time and cost money but you don’t necessarily have to break the bank to enjoy the time of your life. You can still go on an affordable and quality vacation if planned wisely.

This means you have to know when and how to cut spending right from choosing the travel destination to transportation, accommodation, feeding and so on. After all going on vacation is not about showing off how rich you are. It’s about having a swell time.

Check out these six brilliant ways that will help you plan your next vacation without breaking the bank.

1. RESEARCH AND PLAN

Be flexible when planning a vacation. You shouldn’t have your heart set on one place. You also need to have a travel budget and plan according to it. It will help you stay on track before and during your trip.

Read Top10 Romantic Honeymoon Destinations In Nigeria--No 9: Kamp Ikare
You can list out various places you’d like to visit and do a quick research on the mode and cost of transportation to get to each place. If you are going by air, there are various websites where you can compare air tickets to see which one will fit into your budget.

In addition, you can research free events, activities, and places to hang out. You can also check online to see what people who have previously visited any of these places have to say about it. They may offer tips or advice on how to save cost when visiting those places.

2. LOOKOUT FOR DISCOUNTS OR PROMOS

From accommodation to transportation, discounts are cost-savers. There are travel sites which offer discounts to their members. You should subscribe to travel sites, like Wakanow to receive emails about when they are offering discounts or promos.

One of the important aspects of going on a vacation is accommodation. After a long day of activities, you will definitely need a place to rest and prepare for the next day. You don’t have to stay in a 5-star hotel. Remember it’s a vacation.

Jumia Travel offers good discounts on quality hotels. If you have decided where your vacation will be, you can check Jumia Travel’s website to see the closest hotel or guest house to the place. Once you have made a choice, book it online to get it at a cheaper rate.

You can also subscribe to their mailing list. They also send emails regarding their discounts and promos. The bottom line is when you see an offer that is too good to be true, my advice is you should jump on it.

3. TRAVEL LIGHT

You are going on a vacation! You don’t have to pack all your luggage like you are relocating to a new place. Traveling light can save you extra expenses because you won’t have to pay for extra luggage at the airports or bus parks.

4. UTILIZE LOCAL FOOD AND GROCERY STORES

One of the major things people spend more money on during vacations is food. Eating the local or native food of wherever it is you are visiting is part of the vacation experience. It’s also a great way to save money.

You also don’t have to spend a whopping sum of money on going out to eat. You can visit grocery stores to get fruits, cereals, snacks etc. This will save you money for other activities.

5. MEET LOCAL RESIDENTS

Don’t be afraid of meeting and talking to residents of the place you are visiting. It’s part of the whole experience of going on vacation. Be friendly with them. They will definitely offer valuable advice on where you can eat, drink, shop or hang out at a lower price. They can also tell you which places you shouldn’t visit either because it’s expensive or for security reasons.

6. GET SMARTPHONE APPS FOR COMMUNICATION

Having communication apps like WhatsApp, Skype, zoom allows you to chat, call or video call your loved ones from anywhere in the world. This will save you a great ton of money as you won’t have to worry about spending extra cash for airtime.

If you are visiting foreign countries, roaming can cost a lot. These apps will allow you communicate effectively. You only need to subscribe for data and you are good to go.

In conclusion, when you go on vacation, you definitely want to spend. In fact, you must spend. But by following our tips, you can go on vacation without breaking the bank.

Source: http://owanbeparries.com/vacation-without-breaking-the-bank/

When he proposes and she says YES! This is one of life’s greatest moments for couples. A couple’s life is a collection of unforgettable memories; a huge memory lane of how you both met, obstacles or challenges you faced, and how you both plan to walk the path together and forever.

Wedding bells are ringing, plans are jotted down, and one thing’s for sure in the list- engagement photo shoots (popularly known as pre-wedding photo shoot!). Well, it’s the trendiest things all modern couples do today. They definitely don’t want to miss out.

Despite the lots of time together, it could be something that you can both keep, something you can look back to, show your kids, and even grandkids! It’s an open book of your moments together as an engaged couple just months or weeks before the big day, isn’t it?

When preparing for your engagement session, don’t overthink it. Instead, do something that you’d normally enjoy doing, and invite your photographer along!  If you’re still confused, try one of these romantic photo ideas (that would also make for some totally dreamy and butterfly feeling in the stomach proposal ideas, too) below:

8 Brilliant Romantic Photo Ideas

1. Rent a Boat

There’s nothing more romantic than being stuck on a boat with your better half. Renting a boat for the dreamiest engagement shots ever is one of those golden moments you shouldn’t miss.

2. Pack a Picnic

Have you ever wondered how something as simple as a picnic outing could make for a perfect romantic photo idea? While this idea might look quite simple, it’s the quality time that will make a great impact and show the depth and sincerity of your love in front of the camera.

3. Visit a Local Estate

There’s something so romantic about a picturesque setting that is interwoven with rich history and culture, especially when lovers shared sweet moments at that very same spot.

4. Love at Home

Most of us feel most comfortable in our homes, right? So, why not make it a romantic photo idea for your engagement, and keep the romance there? Have your photographer capture you doing things you normally do every day or week, like making breakfast, reading books or newspapers together, playing the piano or even snuggling in bed or watching TV.

5. Be Tourists in Your Own City

Instead of staying at home, an idea like getting fancy and being a tourist in your own city is just so romantic!

6. Walk on the Beach

What is it about the crashing of the waves and the cry of the seagulls as they fly over the vast horizon that calls us to the sea?  I suppose you might not have an answer yourself, but it sure does make for a romantic photo idea.  Put romantically, the beach sure makes for dreamy captures.

7. Be Adventurers

Romance doesn’t have to be about dressing fancy all the time. Put on your favourite jeans, cap and head out for an adventure, whether you love cycling or hiking.

8. Book a Flight

Are you due for a much-needed vacation? Grab this opportunity to book a flight to a favourite destination or one you’ve been dying to visit-even if it’s just for a weekend!

Every photo is a captured moment, a sweet gesture, a passionate expression of affection, and a living proof that love truly is real.  Go and capture those moments!

Source: http://owanbeparries.com/romantic-photo-ideas/

It seems strange, isn’t it? Men pull away when things are going great in a relationship. You’ve been dating him and you are really beginning to think that the relationship is going somewhere. Or maybe you are in a relationship, and the man that you enjoyed doing things with before has begun to lose interest.

What causes this? Why do men easily lose interest and want out?

Knowing the answer to this question can go a long way in making major transformations in your relationship. If you react the wrong way, you might lose him forever. However, if you can discover the main reason why he’s losing interest, it’s one GREAT step in bringing him back to you and creating an unbreakable bond.

At Owanbe parries, we are going to share with you 3 common reasons why men pull away, and one highly effective method you can use to get back his attention and make him want you even more than before.

Here are the mistakes some women make:

Some women call men choice words like “jerks” or “assholes” when men begin to lose interest. They believe moving on to another relationship is the best. However, not understanding the reason behind his lack of interest is a sure way to making the same thing happen in the next relationship as well.

What are the reasons men pull away?

1. You changed the game

Say what? This means you that you became the pursuer instead of the one being pursued. Here’s how the game changes: He’s doing all those nice things for you and now you feel you should reciprocate the gesture so that he knows you care about him too.

This is one of the most common mistakes women make. With women, doing this with your female friend will make your relationship closer. Your female friendship will become stronger.

With men? It’s a disaster waiting to happen.

So, how do you appreciate your man? You appreciate him not by giving, but by appreciating him. For example, if he took you to the movie and you had a great time, appreciate him by telling him how great the movie was instead of looking for here to take him on the next date.


2. It’s Natural

Men pull away because it’s natural for them. It has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with you. This happens most times when you just start dating. He’s still trying to figure out his feelings for you and he may pull away. This may also happen if you are already in a relationship.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make at this time is to ask him questions about the relationship or get angry at him for not calling you or communicating with you. Instead, try to bring him closer.

3. He’s losing interest in you:

He may also be pulling away because he’s losing interest in you. He might have been interested at first, and now he has decided that he doesn’t want to pursue a relationship any longer. This might be for a variety of reasons unknown to you. But one sure way to annoy him and push him farther is by questioning his loyalty or trying to “prove” to him that you are the perfect woman.

Read how to get him back: http://owanbeparries.com/reasons-men-pull-away/

My experience on the 18th of February was not one I was expecting, I did not see it coming at all. Do you remember I mentioned looking for Aso Ebi styles last week? If yes, the reason was because I had this guy named Kunle that I really wanted to represent very well.

Kunle and I have been hanging out a lot lately. I met him at the cinemas few months ago when we both came to see the movie ‘Dr Strange’. It all started when he collided with me, thereby spilling half of my popcorn; he was so apologetic and offered to replace my popcorn but as the big girl that I form to be, I declined and went ahead to get another pack for myself.

I was sitting just by the cotton candy stand when Kunle came to sit beside me and started apologising all over again. I told him not to worry and that everything was fine now. We got talking and decided to see the movie together since none of us had a partner.

I had a nice time seeing the movie with Kunle; he was an interesting person so it wasn’t surprising that we exchanged contacts and have been hanging out and seeing each other frequently since then. We spent long hours on phone conversations and spent most of our free time together.

At a point, I was already having feelings for him and almost concluded that he was my ‘Mr Right’. And because we spent lot of quality time together, I almost believed that he doesn’t have any girl in his life, beside me. So it wasn’t a surprise when I agreed to attend his friend’s wedding, as his date.

I had forgotten about the wedding date until we ran into his friend and his fiancee at Spurs, where we had gone to have lunch. We exchanged pleasantries, and after few minutes of chit chat the couples insisted I attended their wedding. Kunle laughed and told them that I was his date to the function already. The bride-to-be insisted that I get the Gele of her Aso Oke, which I paid for and got at the spot.

The bride-to-be’s voice kept ringing in my head all through saying “I picked only gele and cap, I want my friends to buy whatever type of fabric that suits them as long as it is Magenta in colour”. I was not going to be under-dressed and I had to represent my Kunle well, so I took my time to explore all my fabric vendors and finally settled for a cord lace of ₦27,000 per 5 yards.

Kunle called me at work about 5 days to the wedding and asked me how I was preparing for the wedding. I told him I was good to go; I remember him saying “Hahaha, I trust you to slay, dont disappoint me”. I headed to one nice boutique in Ikeja and bought a nice pair of Gold Heels to match the dress. I won’t mention the designer or the price of the shoe so you don’t start throwing jabs at me but have it in mind that my bank account felt the effect of the purchase.

Finally it was Saturday the 18th, my glam team was on point. I was the definition of Pepper them gang, make up on fleek, dress on point, my accessories were perfect, from my jewellery to my matching shoe and clutch bag. Kunle saw me and he could not hide his joy as he kept complimenting me and taking my pictures. I was beautifully adorned.

Read full episode 2 of My Owanbe Diary on http://owanbeparries.com/2017/02/24/owanbe-diary-episode-2/

Read My Owanbe Diary: Episode 1.

I woke up on the 11th of February excited not because it is another owanbe Saturday but because Temiloluwa is getting married. Temiloluwa is my childhood friend; we met in nursery one and it was mostly just the two of us throughout primary school.

After primary school we went ahead to different secondary schools. It was very heartbreaking but we moved on. When I joined Facebook in 2007, she was one of the first set of persons I searched for, and through chatting on the social network and other chat platforms we started talking and hanging out again.

I have listened to Temiloluwa talk about her ideal prince charming and dream wedding. Her fantasies were luxurious. She wanted a handsome rich man from one of the luxurious corners in Ikoyi or Victoria Island. It will be a plus if he was an American breed and would take her out of the country.

Unfortunately, overtime i have listened to her cry about the men in her life, who find pleasure in not treating her right and always cheating on her till they have to go their separate ways. Finally, my friend found true love and I was really anticipating meeting the mystery man that my friend has kept secret from everyone, including me.

Read My Full Owanbe Dairy: Episode 1 on http://owanbeparries.com/2017/02/17/my-owanbe-diary-episode-1/

Wedding photography is the hype. It has become one of the most profitable ventures in photography.

When planning weddings, most people invest lot of money and time into their wedding photography (and videos), which is well worth it, as this will be the most accurate memoir you have of your special day.

In this part of the globe, with the hustle and bustle of planning a wedding, a whole lot of details get lost in the rush as everything is carried out in a haste.

When picking a wedding photographer, a number of issues should be tabled, and not just the costs. One of the most overlooked aspects of wedding photography in Nigeria is the bridal portrait.

For advanced wedding photography, the photographer should visit the venues beforehand, in order to stake out the venues and get a good feel of them. This way, your photographer takes test shots and determines the best angles and spots from which to take the perfect shots.

Bridal portraits are usually planned with this in mind. They are not just about taking a picture of the bride smiling into the camera (as seen in most wedding photographs of stressed harried brides flashing fake smiles in deceptively serene poses).

A bridal portrait should be a well-planned, thought-out picture, which can be either posed, taken naturally, or a combination of both, giving the bride freedom to pick which she prefers.

This portrait should be a reflection of an aspect of the bride’s life and personality. It could be taken with a favourite parent or grandparent in the background, or taken in her childhood room, giving the reflection of the transition from childhood into womanhood and from one stage of life to a new one.

A good picture is worth a thousand words, and a lot of emotions could be captured in a bridal portrait.

It could be the wistful nostalgia passing over her face as a cousin tells a long-running family joke about the bride. It could be an unguarded moment of sadness or thoughtfulness as she reflects on all the changes the day will bring into her life; the naughty smile as the bride plays a prank on her best friend, or takes a peek at the groom on his way out.

Essentially, taking a great wedding photo is not just about a photographer using good equipment to capture a moment correctly, it’s about capturing the right moment, and framing them to tell the story of that day to the generations yet unborn.

Posed photographs are good and necessary, but nothing beats the truth and beauty of raw emotions in those unguarded moments of play or introspection. Capturing a moment like this may give the bride the one picture that helps her remember all her feelings and emotions of that day and put them in perspective.

This might be the picture that opens up a conversation between mother and daughter or grand-daughter in the future, about her own struggles in life.

So, while being carried away in the whirl of your wedding planning and activities, do not forget to plan a shoot with your photographer, while letting him know the places and people that mean the most to you. And RELAX, your day is gonna be brilliant, take a moment to enjoy yourself and live in the moment, so you can have a happy story to tell of your day, as it is saved for the future generations.

Source: http://owanbeparries.com/2017/02/15/plan-bridal-portrait/

A visual firm located at Ogba, Lagos is seeking an Accountant.

Applicants must be an OND holder, and be good in social media management and MS Applications suite.

Interested candidates should send their CVs to info@finessestudios.com.ng on/before Monday 16/01/17

A visual firm located at Ogba, Lagos is seeking a skillful candidate for the position of Admin Manager.

Applicants must be graduates from accounting background and must be good with MS Applications suite.

Interested candidates should send their CVs to info@finessestudios.com.ng on/before Monday 16/01/17

Our blog, Owanbeparries, is seeking the services of a good content writer. The writer can work on-site or off-site, but must have a personal computer.

Aside having a PC, the writer must possess the following skills:

* Excellent writing skill complement with a good command of the English language grammar.

* Ability to produce original and curated contents.

* Ability to write on Wedding, Event, Relationship, Family, Health and Owanbe Recipes.

* Knowledge of SEO and Keyword analysis.

Interested candidates should forward an application letter and a sample of an already written article to olatunde@xscul.com

Graduates and Interns can apply. Shortlisting starts on Monday 16, January 2017.

Wedding dress is one of the most expensive items to purchase when planning a wedding, and sometimes, I think it is best to have a separate budget for it. No matter how limited your overall wedding budget is, getting your desired wedding gown would still take a fair bit of it.

And what is the essence of paying a huge amount of money for a wedding dressing only for it to look cheap on you. The essence is defeated and the danger is, you may not know. You believe you are rocking a classy and expensive wedding gown, but people think otherwise.

Before people see your wedding gown as a cheap article, here is how to see it first and make informed decision.

Why Your Wedding Dress Looks Cheap

1. It’s whiteness
Bright white can be an impossible color. It can be really tough to pull off. All the details that ought to make the dress a special one would go off in the pictures making it look harsh and losing its graphic feel. Your wedding dress is supposed to be romantic. Try considering soft white or ivory. Do you think it is wrong to incorporate colors into your wedding? I don’t think it is at all.

2. It’s too shiny
Your white can be really blinding. If you say it is really expensive, don’t forget that the material (satin), can be used as bed sheets too. You will want to decorate it with stones, right? For wedding dresses, less is more, and less is pretty. Why should it be so? I advise that you choose matte fabrics.

3. It’s made with low-quality fabric
Most wedding dresses require lots of fabric depending on the style, e.g. Ball-gown dresses; and most of the materials are pretty expensive. My advice: choose simple dresses that are made with higher-quality materials. A dress with little amount of handmade lace makes your dress look more expensive than the huge gowns.

4. It’s got too much salt
Just as too many cooks spoil the broth, too many decorations on your wedding dress ruin its expensive look. Ruffles, bows, dimensional laces, skirts all in one place makes your wedding dress look ridiculous. So, don’t be scared to be plain. Don’t be afraid to leave your wedding dress unadorned. Simple is expensive; bulky is cheap.

5. Pick a length
If you want a short dress, go for it; a long one, go for it. Mullet sucks! Combining lengths can be an eye-sore. High-low wedding dresses are just way out of line. Be decisive.

So, why get expensive dresses and look cheap when you can get both cheap stuff for your wedding dress and look like you’re the only pretty girl in the world.

Source: http://owanbeparries.com/2016/12/04/reasons-wedding-dress-looks-cheap/

Before people get married, they do a lot of thinking: How would my wedding reception be? How much would I spend on foods and drinks? What should I do to make it a good one? And in this recession period, a lot of people have become very conscious of how much they spend, and what they spend it on.

Even before recession, It is normal for people to worry about these things. But worry less; In this article, I will be giving you some ideas on organizing a cheap — but elegant — wedding reception menu during this recession period.

Cheap Wedding Reception Menu Ideas in This Recession Period

1. Invite few people: The number of people you invite determines how much food would be cooked. Fewer people save more money. Remember, you want everything to be on a low.

2. Bring Your Own Wine (B.Y.O.W): A bottle of some wines costs more than the price of a crate of soft drinks; and if your friends are good drinkers, trying to please them will cost you more. My advise: serve only soft drinks and water. Anybody that wants to drink a wine should bring it from home.
3. Have a stand-up dinner: Sit-down dinner can lead to more stuffing while stand-up dinner can enable guest mingle and well satisfied. I bet your wallet would thank you after.

4. Compare prices of plated and buffet meals: …and I thought plated meals were less expensive. After attending few weddings, I came to the conclusion that buffet meals are cheaper than plate meals. You might not agree with me, but I advise that you compare their prices and go with the cheaper one.

5. Your family can cook: It might not be easy getting people to cook but getting your family to assist can be fun tho. The idea would work for both meal styles; buffet or family style service. What do I mean by family style? It simply means having the entire table order one meal and then the plate is passed round. Just like home.

6. Save money on desserts: Having simple display cakes can do the trick. Serving small chops can also reduce the rate at which money leaves your pocket.

7. Smaller sizes can be served: At weddings, I sometimes ask myself if they will ever share the wedding cake. Well, if you really want the cake to go round, get a huge cake and cut in small sizes . Some cakes are never shared anyway and I wonder why.

8. No Hidden fees: Event centers can charge for whatever thing you are hiring or using from them like cake cutting fees, fees for toast and stuff. Ensure no extra charge whatsoever is included.

Add yours.

Source: http://owanbeparries.com/2016/11/30/cheap-wedding-reception-menu-ideas-during-this-recession-period/

Memories of first dance is always an exciting one for couple. If the bride and her groom are good dancers, the party guests would be thrilled and wouldn't want them to stop. But sometimes, we attend weddings and only one of the couple can dance; the other is either shy or a no-dancer.

After the brief introduction of very important guest and a few talks and prayers, the MC announces the couple, invites them to the dance floor. Under the spotlight, with friends and family watching, the time to dance has arrived.

With the way things are evolving, dancing is no longer for professionals. Anyone can dance. First dance is not all about practicing and then displaying on the dance floor. These days, all you have to do is just go with the flow and enjoy every bit of it.

How to Make Your First Dance One to Be Remembered

1. Be a party starter: I suggest you dance to half of the song and then give the guests the opportunity to get involved.

2. Practice: I mentioned earlier that it isn’t necessary you become a professional before you know how to dance. True, but learning how to dance from a few pros and experimenting with them can be fun. Once you learn how to boogie woogie, the guests would definitely follow your lead.

3. Avoid dress troubles: While rehearsing for your first dance, it is important that you try out with your wedding dress, so on that day, you will be able to move with ease.

4. Music matters: Now, this is where caution comes in. Before rehearsing or while rehearsing, choose a song that suits you and your partner; a song that means something to both of you. Doing this will make the day enjoyable and your heart filled with joy.

5. Don’t get it twisted: Before I sign out, I will give one more advice. Please, ensure you give the DJ your own song version. Ensure it is the one you have been rehearsing with.

Source: http://owanbeparries.com/2016/11/29/first-dance-tips/

Every wedding has to be memorable, right? But it cannot be without some very special set of people. They are regarded as VENDORS.

There are about five (5) very important vendors that the show cannot begin without.

Here is their list:

Vendors That Must Be At Your Wedding Event
1. Event decorators: First of all, who would want to have a party or any event in a place with little or no decor? If you ask me, I would say I wouldn’t want to. An event center has to be catchy. It should be attractive. Remember, beauty is everything when it comes to events. They are the most important vendors, don’t you think?

2. Photographers/ videographers: I mentioned earlier that weddings have to be memorable but where does memory come in when there are no photographers or videographers? Photographs serve as reminders of the past. They bring back memories that either makes you laugh, smile or cry. Videographers are also important because they record everything that happened on that day so you would be able to show it to your children or anyone who is interested.

3. Cake vendors: Ever thought of making your own wedding cake? It can be done. But what if you can’t make it yourself? What if what you want has to be done by professionals? What is a wedding without the cake? Cakes have carved themselves into almost every event giving it its importance.

4. Food/ drink vendors: Is there anyone that can tell me why food and drinks are not important in a wedding? I don’t think so. This is because everyone would want to enjoy with you and share in your happiness and they also want a taste of food. They would be hungry and dehydrated too, you know. Food vendors ensure that the food tastes really good and is acceptable by everyone. They also ensure that everyone gets their share. Drink vendors provide the people with drinks of their choice for quenching of thirst and merriment.

5. DJ/ musicians: Not everyone would want to hire DJs and not everyone would want to have a life band. But everyone wants good music and wants to dance. Also, what is a wedding ceremony without music? It would be damn boring and people are most likely not to turn up for that event. Do I speak someone’s mind?

What other vendors do you think are important for a successful wedding ceremony? What vendor should rank first on the list and why?

Source: http://owanbeparries.com/2016/11/26/wedding-vendors/

Choosing wedding rings is not a difficult thing. It is really simple but making up your mind sometimes, is the hard part. Well, it has come to my knowledge that most people prefer diamond rings to gold or silver. Why is this so?
In this article, we would understand the rules to abide by when choosing wedding rings.



Rules to Follow While Shopping For Your Wedding Rings

1. Limit your choices: wedding rings are forever. They come in varies shapes and sizes. They also come in different prizes too. So, how do you narrow your choice? What color of ring or metal do you prefer? Do you want the silver, the gold, the yellow, or rose? Do you want something simple or something flashy?

2. What does your budget say? As I mentioned while writing the first rule, prizes differ. Getting a gold ring is cheap compared to getting diamond rings. Buy rings according to your pocket. Having engravings can also add to the cost. Plan wisely!

3. Be comfortable: your lifestyle should be in mind. It is very important you go for something that would make you comfortable. True, style is important but what is style if you are not comfortable? If you are the kind of person that works every time with your hand, it is advised that you should look for streamlined rings with no frills. Remember, wedding rings are forever.

4. Find the right fitting: rings are most times worn without removing it from one season to the other. Sometimes, your fingers end up swelling especially through pregnancy. To find the right fitting, get your ring size when your body temperature is on the normal level and when you are having a calm spirit.

5. Protect your investment: your ring is an investment, so ensure you protect it! Wedding rings, like most rings, are made of metals and since metals wear, I advise you don't wear your rings while engaging in rough works with your fingers. For example, wearing your ring while doing manual laundering can discolor and wear the ring.
To conclude this article, I would say “to obey is better than complaints”.

Source: http://owanbeparries.com/2016/11/22/5-must-obey-wedding-ring-shopping-rules/

If for anything, the wedding reception should be mind-blowing. Sometimes, people don’t really care about the church wedding, though that is also important. What they want to see is how awesome the wedding reception is going to be.

Though, planning a reception can be exhausting but hey, it happens only once, so you have to make the best of it.

Without further ado, let’s find out how to plan the best wedding reception of all time.

How to Plan a Talk-Of-The-Town Wedding Reception
1. Day-dream: even before the proposal, I am pretty sure you have been fantasizing about the day. Just imagine how wonderful it will be.

Its perfection should be seen with your third eye. Thinking wide is allowed. Sometimes, the thoughts and what we imagine can be really sick but

it is fine.
2. Put your ideas on paper: after fantasizing, make a list. Ensure it is well detailed. Write everything down and brainstorm more.

3. Fix a date: fixing a date can be really tasking. You have to fix a date that is convenient for you and your spouse. It should also be

convenient for those that will be invited. It is advised that when setting the date, it should be at least 6-8 months in advance to enable you

prepare well and gather facts and also ensure everything would work out well.
4. Have a wedding calculator: a wedding calculator is used for the calculation of the wedding budget. It is used to split budget and estimate

all that is related to the wedding reception like foods, drinks, vendor payments, etc. fix estimated prices on all of them before finding out their

exact prices.
5. Guests: before considering the number of guests to invite, you and your spouse should sit down and discuss if the wedding should be a

private or public one. If it would be a private one, I advise that it should be strictly by invitation. The number of guests would determine how

much would be budgeted for the entire wedding reception. It would determine how big or how small the venue should be, how many invitation

cards to be printed, the cost of feeding and the cost of souvenirs.
6. All about the menu: most Nigerian reception weddings cannot do without adding “Jollof rice” to the menu. So, I guess that will not be a

problem. But what other foods will you serve to the guests? Do you want it to be strictly Nigerian, strictly continental or both? How about finger

foods? What drinks should be served? How will the meal be served- buffet or sit-down style? It is important to include traditional meals in the

menu.
7. Wedding cake: how do you want your cake to look like? What about the taste? Do you want it simple or over-designed? Remember, it’s

all about choice.
8. Decoration: first of all, imagine how you would want the venue to look like. Do you want it to be like one from fairytales? Do you want it

to be simple? How elegant do you want it to be? You can seek the opinion of a third party.
9. Outfit: do you want to keep your wedding down on throughout? How many times do you want to change dresses? What would be the

color of your outfit and that of your spouse? What outfit do you expect your guests to wear?

10. Music: music is the soul of entertainment. It is what brings inspiration, it tells the mood of others. It creates the mood. What’s your

favorite song? What DJ do you think is good for the job? What other forms of entertainment do you want? It is best you get a DJ that is good at

his job.
11. Pictures: there should be an order at which the pictures should be taken. Rowdiness should not be condoned. Photography and video

coverage should be done by a professional.
12. Research: after having all these in mind, it is wise to research and choose vendors for the reception and choose the right ones. Also, an

event planner should assist you in planning the great event.
13. Souvenirs: it is not really important to have souvenirs as long as the guests are happy. However, if you want to budget for it, you can

go ahead, but know that it doesn’t have to be expensive.
14. Design the reception program: this should be done with the aid of the wedding MC. Your ideas are welcome.

Source: http://owanbeparries.com/2016/11/17/event-planning-make-wedding-reception-talk-of-the-town/

I remember some time ago, I only knew that there were two kinds of salad; the fruit salad and the vegetable salad. I also only knew that there was only one way each to make salad with the same ingredients.

Well, as I got to attend owanbeparries and also make use of the internet, I discovered that there were too many ways to make salad and make it mouth-watering.

Today, I will be giving you four (4) different salad recipes that would be beneficial. Hope you thank me later!

Salad Recipes
#1 Apple Chicken Salad
Ingredients:
* 6 Cooked chicken
* ½ Chopped apple
* ¼ Celery stalk
* 2½ Raisins
* 1 Your favorite dressing or Italian
* 2 Brown sugar
* Nuts (sprinkled)

How To Make It:
* Simply stir the chicken, apple, celery and raisins together in a bowl.
* In another bowl, whisk the dressing and the brown sugar together till paste. Pour the chicken mixture into the small bowl.
* Coat the chicken with the paste.
* Then serve with lettuce leaves and nuts.


#2 Tomato Chickpea Salad
Ingredients:
* 1 ½ Chickpeas
* 1 Fresh parsley
* 5 Diced tomatoes
* 1½ Chopped cucumber
* 5 Sliced green onions
* ½ Cubed Swiss cheese

Dressing:
* ¼ Olive oil
* 2 white wine vinegar
* ½ crushed garlic
* ½ salt
* ½ dry mustard
* ½ ground pepper
* 1 ½ cayenne pepper

How To Make It:
* Add chickpeas, parsley, tomatoes, cucumber, onions and cheese together in a large bowl.
* Whisk the dressing together.
* Add the dressing into the bowl of chickpeas.
* Cover and put into the refrigerator to cool.


#3 Chicken And Mango Salad
Ingredients:
* Chopped cooked chicken
* Peeled and chopped mangoes
* Cherry tomatoes
* Chopped green bell pepper
* Sliced green onions
* Chopped celery stalks
* Sprouts
* Apples

Dressing:
* Plain non-fat yogurt
* Raspberry vinegar
* Lemon juice
* Sugar
* Sliced and garnished strawberry

How To Make It:
* Put the salad ingredients in a bowl and mix.
* Mix the dressing ingredients in another bowl.
* Refrigerate for about 2-3 hours.
* Serve garnished with strawberries, radishes and almonds.


#4 Watermelon, Tomato And Cheese Salad
Ingredients:
* 2 Cubed Seedless watermelon
* 2 Cherry tomatoes
* 1 Goat cheese
* ¼ Minced scallion
* Salt

Dressing:
* 1 Extra virgin olive oil
* 2 Sherry wine vinegar
* 1 ½ Cayenne
* 1 Roughly chopped parsley

How To Make It:
* Mix watermelon, tomato, cheese, scallions and salt into a bowl.
* Add 2 teaspoons of watermelon juice, virgin olive oil, vinegar and cayenne.
* Toss them into the salad.
* Garnish with parsley.


So, spice up your owanbeparries with these delicious salads. Thank me later!

Source: http://owanbeparries.com/2016/11/12/4-delicious-salad-recipes-owanbeparries/

Party rockers in the house!

I hear there is a party somewhere around and you are all invited.

Now, the big question is, “what do I have to wear”?

Is there any dress code?

I am very sure you know you must look good but have you asked yourself if looking good at a party is worth it?

Indeed it is.

So, what are the reasons why you should look good?

Reasons You Should Look Good

1. Attraction to the opposite sex: There is this saying that nothing is new under the sun; so, the fact that different sexes try to be very

attracting to the opposite sex is not new too. Also, this is like the #1 reason why people attend parties, especially single people. Looking good is

good business. Lol!

2. Easy communication: This is another major reason in the sense that people will want to throng around you just because you are making

a fashion statement. If you appear at a party looking like a hippie, do you think people will want to talk to you? Well, some people might talk to u,

TO MOCK YOU; so, how you dress is how you will be addressed. Remember it is a party, so you have to look your best.

3. Confidence: A person without confidence is considered inferior. The person loses face in the society. So, dress right and boost your

confidence. Feel good about you at all times. Hold your head up high like you have no care in the world. This will bring the first two reasons to

your doorstep in the twinkle of an eye.

4. Levels up your social life: Let me use myself as an example. When I was growing up, I was very shy. Parties were not my thing and it

was difficult seeing me in a crowd. I was always sitting where there was no fun at all. The reason isn’t that I dressed poorly or I was repelled by

people. The reason was that I lacked #3. So, I took the advice of my sister to add more spice to my sense of fashion and try to attend parties and

events. It really helped.

5. Finally, you should look good just for the fun of it: Doing things because you are passionate about it would yield positive results. With this

said, look good and have fun. You need it.

Source: http://owanbeparries.com/2016/11/08/owanbe-parties-top-5-reasons-look-good/

“Makeup makes me beautiful”. “Makeup makes me attractive”. “It builds my confidence”. “It makes me standout”. “It is me”.

These are the answers I got from women on why they wear makeup.

There is something a friend of mine once told me. He said, “Before you get married, take your woman to the swimming pool”. He also said, “The fear is makeup is the beginning of wisdom”. I laughed over this; but the truth is, if you really want to get married you should do that because the rate at which women change in appearance – I mean facially – is something to marvel at.





I also read of a man divorcing his wife on their wedding night. The reason he gave was that he found out she looked really horrible without makeup.

So, the question I ask is this; do you think makeup is deceptive to men?

If you ask me, I would say yes and no with reason.

How do I explain myself?

Yes; because makeup transforms them into beauties. It can turn a gorilla into a fairytale princess. I am not condemning makeup artists. Instead, I am commending them for being artistic.

And as I stated earlier, some women feel it gives them the confidence they lack. I believe that what you believe in is what makes you. If you believe you lack confidence and makeup would provide you with one, so it will be. See the pictures below.



No; because you can’t tell me you only see her in the artificial. The goal of makeup isn’t to hide the natural beauty but to enhance it. Truth is most men think women wearing makeup makes them happy, while others do not.

There are different reasons why people wear makeup. To get these reasons, I had to throw the question to the crowd.

A lady I met said, “I don’t wear makeup to impress guys and I don’t wear it to impress anyone either. I wear it for my own pleasure, so, I don’t care what people think about women wearing makeup”.

So, do you think makeup is deceptive?

Source: http://owanbeparries.com/2016/11/04/makeup-deceptive-yes-no/

Diabetes is considered as one of the most chronic diseases spreading more like an epidemic. As it is a complicated disease, having a regular blood sugar control can go a great way to reduce the complications. To reduce blood sugar, one has to be aware of the kinds of foods he or she consumes.

Every food is good but not every food is healthy!

Carbohydrates are simply sugars and starches. Carbohydrates are divided into two (2); refined and unrefined.

The refined carbs are white breads, flour and pastas. These foods are immediately turned into glucose once they are eaten and digested. They are also referred to as refined sugars.

A diabetic patient should have about 20 – 80 grams of refined carbs daily for a perfect low carbs diet.

Foods like beans, fruits and vegetables are known as unrefined carbs. They consist of fiber which helps in the slowing down of the transformation of carbs into glucose. So, it is important that you eat more of this and less of refined carbs to leave your blood sugar at the moderate level.

The foods that are to be avoided and foods that are to be eaten are as follows;

Foods to be avoided

Coffee drinks: It has been researched that drinking coffee may raise the blood sugar. It has also been researched that drinking coffee reduces the risk of getting diabetes. Just to be cautious, I believe that the reason why coffee is not to be taken by diabetic patients is because most people put sugar, sweetened cream and also milk that’s high in fat into it.
Fruit juice: Fruit juice ought to be number one on my list of foods to be avoided because it contains a huge amount of sugar. Remember, you are controlling your sugar level, so I advise that you shouldn’t even try to experiment.
French fries: The word “fries” should make you shiver because it contains a high level of cholesterol. Most adults love French fries and this increases the risk of being diabetic. Do you know that French fries are loaded with lots of fats and calories? Everyone wants to visit nearby fast-food restaurants without having it in mind that they ought to eat healthy. Please, resist temptation.
Cinnamon rolls: Oh, the sweet aroma of cinnamon rolls! They should be seen as the devil himself. It can lead you to temptation but you just have to resist it and walk on by. As stated earlier, the right amount of carbs to be taken daily if from 20 – 80 grams but as it is, cinnamon rolls contains about 120grams of carbs and roughly 800 grams of cholesterol. So, why go for it?
Cookies: Oh, what wonderful taste they have; sprinkled with sugar; butter syrup, margarine included. But these things have a whole lot of saturated fat and they pile on carbs and more calories.
Smoothies: Smoothies are very convenient for your health; freshly made smoothies, very colorful, eye-pleasing, etc. what about the extra sugar added to it? I’m sure you do not know about that, do you?

Foods to be eaten

Proteins: Lean beef, poultry (skinless), fish, and eggs are very important. As stated before, proteins aid in the stabilization of blood sugar level.
Vegetables: Apart from fruits, vegetables are also referred to as anti-oxidants and should be part of your everyday meal.
Tea: Tea, both the black and green are known as anti-oxidant which aids in the slowing down of the absorption of sugar in the blood stream. Sipping 3 cups of tea a day would stabilize your blood sugar level. Also, avoid putting milk or whipped cream in your tea to avoid complications.
Milk: When shopping for milk, it is advised that you by a fat-free product. Most brands of milk sold are not fat-free; using unsweetened soy milk for instance.
Water: As the saying goes, “water is life”. It regulates body temperature, aids in moving nutrients from one part of the body to the other, removes toxic wastes, and reduces dehydration and also hyperventilation. It also aids in the regulation of blood sugar.
Having diabetes isn’t the end of the world. It is only a way of letting you understand that eating healthy is the key to a happy life. Low carbs diet would be of great help to you.

Eat healthy! Stay healthy!!
Source: http://owanbeparries.com/2016/10/31/approach-to-diabetes-with-low-carbonhydrates/

According to dictionary.com, sleep means to take the rest afforded by a suspension of voluntary bodily functions and the natural suspension, complete or partial, of consciousness; cease being awake.

According to me, sleep means putting the external body to rest and letting the internal part take over.

There is this common knowledge that sleep is only meant to be done at night, and because of this, people tend to overwork themselves thereby leading to breakdowns of the entire body system. As my definition states, when you sleep, the brain becomes more active and the internal organs function properly.

Dr. Paul Nussbaum mentioned five stages of sleep as follow:

Stages in Sleep

The first is called the light sleep where it would be very easy for you to wake when you’re being called. Here, the eye movement slows and the person experiences muscle contractions.

The second has to do with the slower movement of the brain waves thereby causing the eye movement to reduce.

The third and fourth are known as deep sleeps.

The fifth, known as the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) occurs when someone sleeps and dreams.

Most adults need about 6-9 hours of sleep while kids, according to their ages, need about 9-15 hours of sleep.

Symptoms Of Sleeplessness

* Sometimes you feel tired but unable to sleep.

* Other times, you sleep but wake too early and then find it very difficult to go back to sleep.

* Waking up too early in the morning can also cause insomnia.

* Taking sleeping pills to fall asleep causes a temporary sleep and it decreases the functionality of the internal body system when the external is at rest.

Benefits Of Sleep

1 Sleep makes one feel refreshed. Take for instance, you overwork yourself and you feel like you would break down at any moment; what do you do? Simple! Go home. Take off your clothes. Have a cold bath. Fall on your soft comfy bed. Sleep. Easy easy!

2 When you lack sleep, you tend to function 40% instead of 100%. What do you need? Sleep. It would improve the functionality of your brain and the tendency to learn something new would be high.

3 Having adequate sleep can also make you live longer, healthier and happier. Sleep affects life itself.

4 Sleep keeps one’s blood pressure at a moderate level. It reduces the risk of having a heart attack. In layman’s words, it makes you healthy.

5 For kids, sleep can enhance brain activity so you would get good grades and reduce the risk of getting Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

6 Regular shut-eye keeps you in a good mood for as long as possible; except someone gets on your nerve.

7 Finally, regular sleep lets you make better decisions.

So, these benefits of sleep can be very helpful if you decide to begin to have as much sleep as possible, letting your body work as it should. Sleeping is not a sin. Being deprived of it at the time it is needed is.

Source: http://owanbeparries.com/2016/11/01/7-amazing-benefits-sleep/

Growing up can be really difficult especially when it has gotten to the point at which you want to be in control of every situation. While growing up, we tend to make some parenting mistakes that can either be permanent or temporary. Before I go into details, let me brush up on the different stages of growth and development in humans.

Stages of Growth in Human
Infancy – this is from the time of delivery to 2 years. Here, the child does not know what is right and what is not.
Early childhood – this is known as “the grooming stage” and it ranges from 3 to 8 years.
Middle childhood – this is when a child falls from 9 to 14 years.
Adolescence (Teen) – I call this “the pruning stage”; 15 to 18 years. It is the stage in which the child would decide to do things to please them. I also like to call it “the headache stage” as some mothers who have low tolerance level.

As the saying goes, children are rewards from the lord. I met a lady one day; after having a long talk with her, she told me that she is tired of her children- teen to be exact. I asked why. The response she gave was that they are just “too stubborn”. Then I asked her; ”didn’t you pass through the stage they are in now?”.

he said,” I didn’t give my momma the headache they are giving me now”. Of course, it was something to laugh over.

It is true that training up a child is tedious and sometimes, as parents, we tend to make mistakes without knowing it. I hope this article would shed more light and also help you amend where you have missed it.

Parenting Mistakes And Amendments
1. YELLING: it is true that kids can get on your nerves and you blow your top. This would only put them in “shutdown” mode. Nothing you tell them would get into their heads. So, whenever something wrong is done, simply caution them with calmness and love. As they

2. COMPETITIVE PARENTING: It is true that every parent wants their children to be the best but when it becomes something of great competition, maybe among family members or among friends, you tend to overwork the child and instead of leading the child in the path of destiny, the child ends up doing what he or she doesn’t want and it affects the child psychologically.
3. WITHHOLDING VITAL FACTS/INFORMATION FROM THEM: It is of great sadness that parents of today find it repulsive to inadequate to tell children stuff that ought to be known from a particular age till they fall into the hands of advantage-takers. The thought of talking to a teen about sex seems inappropriate to some parents but do you know that a 9-year old girl can get pregnant? It is important that at a certain age, you should sit your child down, either boy or girl and talk about sex so they won’t decide to “experiment”.
[b]4. OVERWORKING THEM: [/b]There is a saying that “all work and no play make Jack a dull boy”. I remember when I was little; my dad never let me mix with other kids. It was either I read or I write or I just get busy with academic work of any kind. It affected me when I got into the university because I found it very hard to involve myself in social activities. I later got a hang of it though. When they are tired, give them a break. Everything isn’t all about work.
[b]5. EMOTIONAL NEGLECT: [/b]Growing up has taught me a whole lot of things. I remember when my kid brother was growing up, anytime he wants to cry, my dad would tell him boys don’t cry. It got me thinking; “how is that possible?”. That is one hell of a parenting mistake. My aunt then told me that it is very important that one must let out his or her emotions. So, my advice is, let your kids let their emotions out. It is relieving.
I could go on and on but I want these to sink in. As parenting mistakes are made, they can be corrected. Enjoy!!

Source: http://owanbeparries.com/2016/10/26/top-5-parenting-mistakes-not-made/

It has been said, perhaps for the umpteenth time that “health is wealth”. But is this really true?

Health is generally defined as the state of physical, mental and psychological well being of a person. A person who is sound in body and mind is said to be healthy.

But just how does this translate into wealth?

A healthy person is capable of generating wealth. He can make sound decisions, think of brilliant ideas that are worth billions of dollars, put his energy to productive use. The same isn’t true of one who isn’t in a complete state of health.

Good health is as important as, if not more important than wealth. A rich person can afford various luxuries of life such as a big car, large house, costly accessories, air-conditioners, etc. But he can enjoy these luxuries only if his health is good.

Maintaining Good Life Through Good Health
In maintaining good health, these factors should be given careful consideration:

* Proper Diet
The body requires a wide variety of nutrients (vitamins and minerals included) in varying quantities for optimum performance. A deficiency in one or more of these nutrients may lead to under-performance of the specific body part(s) that require them to function properly.

For instance, a deficiency in Vitamin A can lead to poor eye sight, infections, including throat and chest infections, gastroenteritis, delayed growth and bone development in children and teenagers, severe sight impairment, infertility and miscarriage in extreme cases.

* Regular Exercise
The place of regular exercising cannot be over-emphasized in the matter of good health. Regular exercise keeps the muscles toned, burns fat, combats stress, improves mood, boosts energy levels and does a lot more than you can probably imagine. Regular exercises also keep weight- and cholesterol-related diseases such as coronary heart disease, hypertension and stroke at bay.

* Personal Hygiene
Cleanliness they say is next to godliness. Keeping the environment, personal effects, food and body clean always reduces the risk of falling ill. Germs and bacteria, the major culprits in poor health, are mostly found in dirty environment and are to a reasonable extent, taken care of when one maintains proper hygiene.

* Medical Check-Up
It is important to visit the doctor regularly to be sure that one is healthy. Simple medical tests to more complex ones are necessary to ascertain one’s health status. Early detection of any disease is germane to fighting such diseases and restoring the body to its normal state of health. Blood sugar, cholesterol level, and other tests as required by the doctor should be taken seriously and treatment of any diagnosed condition should not be taken for granted.

If all these factors are taken into consideration, one’s chances at good health are greatly increased. Only then can individuals have full control of their lives, enjoy the goodness that nature offers and the wealth they have gathered over time.

Source: http://owanbeparries.com/2016/10/20/secrets-good-life/