Don’t Know Which Wine To Order With Dinner?

If you are hosting a dinner and are unfamiliar with the many different types of wine and how to pair them with food, ask the sommelier, if there is one available, for recommendations.   If there is not a sommelier available, ask one of your guests who is familiar with the wines to make a selection.

We cannot be experts on all subject matters, so the guest would most likely be pleased to know you recognize their wine knowledge and respect their wine selection.  It’s better to ask for an expert’s help than have the expert question your decision.

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Begin Meetings On Time

Scheduled meetings should begin on time. Do not wait for late comers unless it is a client or boss.  Waiting for late comers is rude to the individuals who arrived on time and sends a message that it is all right to be late to your meetings.

If you maintian a reputation of starting your meetings on time, participants will get into a habit of arriving on time.

I once worked for a boss who locked the door once the meeting began.  It was rare anyone arrived late to one of his meetings.

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Cutting the Wedding Cake

It is a tradition for the bride and groom to cut the wedding cake at the wedding reception before it is served to the wedding guests.

Both the bride and groom cut the cake together.  The bride should place her right hand on the handle of the cake knife and the groom should place his right hand on top of the bride’s hand.   Cut a small piece of cake, preferably from the bottom tier of the cake, by making two cuts.  Remove this small piece from the cake and place it on a plate.

As a traditional symbol of their commitment and support for one another, the bride and groom politely feed each other a small, bite size piece of cake.  Do not smash the cake into the other person’s face. It is disrespectful and goes against the reason for the symbolic gesture.

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Rings – Attire for the Professional Woman

A woman should wear no more than one ring per hand in a professional setting.  Avoid wearing large or clunky rings that may become a distraction or an obstacle when shaking hands.  Only the engagement ring is allowed to shout “bling” with a large sparkling stone.  All other rings should be simple in design.

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Dayton Daily News

You really need to know your manners around Mrs. Ohio ’92

Sandy Hyde, The president and founder of the Etiquette School of Ohio in Beavercreek was Mrs. Ohio USA 1992

Sandy Hyde, The president and founder of the Etiquette School of Ohio in Beavercreek was Mrs. Ohio USA 1992

By Diana Blowers
Contributing Writer, Dayton Dail
y News, Thursday, May 7, 2009

Sandy Hyde could be called “Mrs. Manners.” She has been called Mrs. Ohio.

The president and founder of the Etiquette School of Ohio in Beavercreek was Mrs. Ohio USA 1992.

The New York native and Beavercreek resident has a bachelor’s degree in Arts, Finance and Management from Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa.

“It is a special triple departmental major in Economics, Communications, and Business Management specifically designed to manage visual and performing arts,” said Hyde, a certified fitness instructor and a certified ballroom dance instructor, who also is certified by the American School of Protocol as an etiquette consultant

She and her husband of 22 years, Kevin Hyde, met when they were both involved in theater in New York.

“He played the violin in the pit orchestra while I performed in the show. I literally danced into his life,” said Hyde, who has appeared in local theatrical productions such as “Crazy For You” and “She Loves Me” at Beavercreek Community Theatre.

As Mrs. Ohio USA 1992, she placed in the top 10 at the national Mrs. USA pageant.

“I had just recovered from an illness and needed a goal to get myself back in shape for. I really didn’t plan on winning. I just thought it would be a great way to better myself and meet other women from Ohio,” she said.

During her reign as Mrs. Ohio, she worked with inner-city children, shelters and cancer patients, “encouraging them to never give up and reach for their dreams.”

She also volunteered as a docent for the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, helping educate students about the instruments and orchestra’s music.

“I used my ballroom dance skills in schools and senior centers to promote physical activity, volunteered as amphitheater administrator of the Centerville Amphitheater and organized the entertainment for the Centerville Americana Festival,” said Hyde, who also was a spokesperson for the American Cancer Society and the Dayton Heart Association.

She has been a model for Kodak and various other companies in western New York and, while attending college, was an alternate with the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes.

After her year as Mrs. Ohio USA, she opened a ladies-only fitness center in Springboro, Shapely Lady, and operated it for six years.

As Mrs. Ohio USA, she worked with children and young adults promoting her “Be Your Best Self” platform. Later she worked as a college director of career services, preparing soon-to-be graduates for the workforce.

“In both of these situations, I noticed many of these young people lacked basic etiquette skills that could help give them confidence in both a social and professional environment,” she said.

As a result, she became a certified etiquette consultant and opened the Etiquette School of Ohio at 348 Yorkshire Lane in Beavercreek where she teaches dining, business and social etiquette skills to school children, college students and corporate employees.

While most of her classes, which range from private lessons and small classes to large seminars, are conducted in the Miami Valley, she does travel throughout Ohio and the United States.

She also currently teaches ballroom dance and fitness classes in the University of Dayton’s Department of Health and Sport Science.

For more information on the Etiquette School of Ohio, call (937) 469-4800 or visit www.etiquetteschoolofohio.com.

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Let Your Partner Sleep – Bedroom Etiquette

If you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep, be courteous and try not to wake your partner up.  One tired person in a relationship the next day can be difficult, but two can be disastrous!

If you can’t sleep:

1)  Do not toss and turn as if you’re angry with the bed. Your partner can feel that.

2)  Fluffing and slamming pillows only increases the heart rate making it even more difficult to sleep. I don’t believe outward aggression is the answer in this circumstance.

3)  Doctors do advise you to get up and read.  Please do so somewhere other than the bedroom. Turning the light on will wake your partner.  This holds true for the TV too.

4)  No heavy sighs or huffs and puffs. In spite of what you may think, your partner will not give you sympathy if you wake them up.

5)  If your snoring wakes you, it will wake your partner as well. Try applying breath strips to your nose or discuss other alternatives with your doctor.

6)  If you can’t control a coughing fit, find another room to sleep in.

7)  If Fido asks you to take him out, don’t wake your partner to tell them. Just get up quietly and take the dog out.  Celebration with the dog is not required upon your return either.

8)  If it’s too hot, too cold, or you have to use the restroom, find a solution on your own. It does not take a rocket scientist or your partner to figure these problems out.

If you have something sweet and romantic to tell your partner, then by all means, go ahead and wake them up!  I’m sure they won’t mind! 8)

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Traditional Anniversary Gifts

First……………………………………..Paper

Second………………………………….Cotton

Third…………………………………….Leather

Fourth…………………………………..Fruit or flowers

Fifth……………………………………..Wood

Sixth…………………………………….Sugar, candy, iron

Seventh…………………………………Copper or wool

Eighth…………………………………..Bronze

Ninth……………………………………Pottery

Tenth……………………………………Tin, aluminum

Eleventh………………………………..Steel

Twelfth………………………………….Silk or linen

Thirteenth………………………………Lace

Fourteenth……………………………..Ivory

Fifteenth………………………………..Crystal or glass

Twentieth……………………………….China

Twenty-fifth……………………………Silver

Thirtieth…………………………………Pearl

Thirty-fifth…………………………….Coral or jade

Fortieth………………………………….Ruby

Forty-fifth……………………………..Sapphire

Fiftieth………………………………….Gold

Sixtieth………………………………….Diamond

Sixty-fifth……………………………..Diamond

Seventieth……………………………..Diamond

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No Food or Drink in the Receiving Line – Wedding Etiquette

It is inappropriate to have food or beverage with you when going through the receiving line. Either wait to have a cocktail or hors d’oeurves until after you have greeted the wedding party, or leave your glass and or plate on a table or tray provided for dirty plates and glasses.  This etiquette rule applies to the wedding party as well.  It does not matter if it is over 90 degrees outside and you need a drink.  Please wait.

Please do not place a glass or plate on a ledge, pedestal, chair, guest registry table or any other convenient but inappropriate surface.

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How Much Should A Guest Spend On A Wedding Gift?

A loyal reader recently asked:

“What is the etiquette for how much to spend on a wedding gift?  Should it be influenced by how much the couple is spending on the wedding, how well you know the couple, and/or whether or not you attend?”

In the past, if you received a wedding invitation, it was obligatory to send a wedding gift  whether you attended the wedding or not.   This is still a good rule to follow today especially if you are good friends or close to the wedding couple.  However, in today’s society, if you have moved away and don’t stay in touch with the wedding couple, you may choose not to send a gift.  In this circumstance, the invitation was most likely sent as a courteous announcement of the wedding in which case a wedding announcement should have been sent rather than an invitation.

A wedding gift is given to celebrate and acknowledge the union of two people you care about.  The gift should never be more than you can afford.  It is a myth the gift should be as much as the bride and groom spent on each guest to attend the wedding.  I’ve said this many times and will say it again, a gift should never be evaluated by it’s monetary value.  If you are struggling to make ends meet, I’m sure the wedding couple would not want you to spend your last cent on their gift.  However, if you are a very successful professional, you may look stingy if you give a chintzy gift.  Give what you can afford.  This rule holds true whether you attend the wedding or not.

Be creative with your gift giving.  Some of my most cherished gifts were handmade.   As many times as I have moved, I always hang a shadowbox containing my wedding invitation decorated with curled paper flowers a co-worker made for me.  I think of her every time I walk by the shadowbox.  Another guest made a beautiful wreath that is also displayed where I can see it everyday after 22 years of marriage.  On cool evenings, I snuggle under an afghan a now deceased aunt made for me.  These gifts were all given with love from the heart.

Let’s not get caught up in the monetary value of wedding gifts.  Try to give something that warms the heart and will be remembered as time passes.

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Business Card Tip

I always keep my own business cards in my left pocket and the cards I receive from others in my right pocket. This organization tip will eliminate fumbling through cards or handing out another person’s card by mistake.  You will also be able to maintain eye contact with the person you’re speaking with rather than having to look down or away from them.

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