Monday, October 24, 2011

The Baby Shower

I truly miss blogging!! However, I don’t have the focus to blog and it’s been hard to except the fact that my life is different now that I am pregnant.  With this being my first child, I really wanted to take in every glorious moment of my pregnancy and I must say I’ve been very lucky with my experience. As much as I appreciate this experience and I am in love with my baby girl that’s not arrived yet, I also love being a wedding planner and designer.  The work has not stopped but the blogging has and that’s part of my job as well.  I will resume blogging after the baby arrives for sure and I promise to find the balance just like so many other wonderful mothers have done before me.
I am 38 weeks pregnant and I could go into labor any day now but before I do I wanted to share my baby shower with you.  It was AMAZING!! It was everything I wanted and so much more. We didn’t want a traditional shower at all.  We really wanted to have a cocktail party that included all of our friends and family but the purpose is to celebrate our baby girl and boy did we celebrate.  There was food and cocktails and games and music and so much love in the room! There was even a delicious signature drink made by my sister that everyone loved!! They nicked named it Pink Vegas!! I didn't get at the opportunity to have any of course but everyone loved it.  Although the shower was our vision, my mother, sister and the rest of my family all executed it perfectly! And of course no event is complete without a great vendor team!! Here are some images taken by the talented Chad Pennington of So Be It Art Photography whom also took our maternity pictures which lead to the best baby shower invitations EVER that were designed by LePenn Designs!!

DJ + Cliff Sneek Peek from Chad Pennington on Vimeo.

Photography - SoBeItArt Photography 
Invitations & Stationary - LePenn Designs 
Ballons - Ballons & Tings
Cake & Cake Pops - BCakeNY
Desserts - Tonnie's Minis
Cotton Candy  Lollipops - Candy Girl Cotton Candy 

Monday, August 15, 2011

I'm Back ..... If only for a Moment!

So it’s been a long time since I blogged anything or even read a blog. I’ll explain why….

On March 10, 2011 my life changed as I know it. Home alone while my Mr. Wonderful was away enjoying Trinidad Carnival, something occurred to me. Something wasn’t right and I couldn’t put my finger on it. All the emails were answered, bills paid, garbage taken out and the house was spotless. However I felt like I’m forgetting to do something. I moved on with my day and during a casual lunch with a girlfriend she tells me what’s missing in my life which leads the something new in my life. On that day, I found out that I was an expecting mother!! First reaction, shock (I know how could I be), happiness and fear. In one minute I realize my life as I know will never be the same hence is why I was shock, happy and scared all in one. It’s incredible to me how fast I felt the impact of being a mother.  I was busting from the seams with excitement but we agreed not to tell anyone until after the 1st trimester was over.

Life went on as usual around my house and then boom! Fatigue kicked into gear.  I could not stay awake for more than 5 hours without taking a nap and I was in bed every night by 9pm. This was my one and only pregnancy symptom so I feel very lucky. I’ll take a long nap any day over morning sickness any day. I would normally stay up until midnight on most nights, blogging, working or just watching television but this small baby wouldn’t have it. I gave in, listened to my body and got the rest I needed. I used my time to focus on my clients, my health and my Mr. Wonderful. Now time has passed and as busy as I have been I feel like my old self again. I still need more rest than I ever did in the past but I won’t doze off in the middle of a conversation any more.

So here I am 28 weeks pregnant and feeling great!! I've been skeptical about talking about it through social media because I'm a little superstitious but I'm too excited not to talk about it.  So just this past Sunday, I had my biggest wedding of the year and it was great to end my wedding season with a bang.  Now I am ready to focus on getting ready for my baby GIRL!! Yes it’s a girl!! Who Runs The World!! LOL, my new catch phrase.  I did take some time to take maternity pictures with one of my favorite photographers Chad Pennington and now we are starting plan the baby shower which is only 6 weeks away.  So in the next couple of weeks I’ll be catching up, sharing the details and getting back to what I love to do…. Writing about weddings!!!!

Here’s a couple of shots of the progress of the baby bump!!!

All Dressed up for the ball - 17 Weeks

Girls Trip to Essence Music Festival - 22 Weeks 


Babymoon in Cancun!! 24 weeks
Matertnity Pictures in Propect Park - 26 Weeks



Friday, March 25, 2011

Photo Op!! - By Shira Weinberger Photography

This is my Favorite Photo for March taken by Shari of Shira Weinberger Photography.  What I love is the couple looks like they are performing on stage with just the two of them.  What a great moment to capture.  Those couple of minutes when it’s just the two of them and they can take it all in. Great shot Shari!!


Live.Laugh.Love….. Luxuriate!


Deniesha Joseph

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Carnival Wedding Inspiration Board

So early this month in Trinidad & Tobago was their annual carnival which I missed.  My entire family and my Mr. Wonderful were there and I was here in the cold.  So to release some of bent up frustration here is T&T Carnival inspired inspiration board. It’s all about color, lively music and loving life.  When you are parading through the streets with a festive costume with your friends, all your problems disappear, all is right in the world, it’s Utopia and isn’t that what your wedding should feel like!!






Live.Laugh.Love….. Luxuriate!


Deniesha Joseph

Monday, March 21, 2011

Planning Tip - Choosing Vendors



Many couples spend hours trying to find the perfect vendors for their wedding.  The right photographer, the right DJ, the right florist and the list goes on.  The process can consume a lot of your free time.  When you are suppose to be enjoying your engagement, your are now surfing the Internet, flipping through magazines and attending many meetings just to pick the perfect vendor team.  Well let me save you some time with these tips.

1) There are thousands of wedding photographers, florist, DJ's, band, musician and so on.  You can't meet them all so don't try.  You will only confuse yourself and make choosing your vendors all the more difficult.  You should express your vision clearly to your wedding planner and let them choose the best vendors for you.  Your wedding planner will be able to select the vendors that best fit your style, personality and budget.  They will show you options that best fit you.

2) If you have not hired a wedding planner, ask for recommendations.  Wedding vendors travel in packs.  Your venue knows photographers, your stationer knows a calligrapher and your DJ knows a lighting company. These are their colleagues that they have worked with and they trust so you should trust their opinion as well. 

3) If you're not the first of your friends and family to get married, ask them about the wedding vendors they hired for their wedding.  These are real brides with experience and they can tell you their personal experience with the vendors they used.  You can trust them because if a bride is left unhappy with a vendor they will be sure to let you know but if they were happy, they love to share their news.  Be careful with these recommendations because the right vendor for them isn't necessarily the right one for you. 

Live.Laugh.Love….. Luxuriate!


Deniesha Joseph

Friday, February 25, 2011

Guest Blogger - Danielle Cococcia of Crystal Blue Weddings

Last week Danielle gave great tips on how to choose your vendors for your destination wedding.  This week she's talking about reflecting your personal style even when you have a destination wedding.  You know I am a BIG believer in being you and showing your personality during wedding so I love this post! Thanks again Danielle!! Don't forget to check out Danielle's blog for great destination wedding advice, real Cayman Island weddings and inspiration!!

Photo courtesy of Rebecca Davidson

Just because you are getting married outside your hometown does not mean your wedding cannot be a reflection of your style. For example, if you are getting married on the beach, the décor does not need to be all sand, starfish and seashells. Here are a few tips to keep in mind…


1. First things first. Create an inspiration board (or book) to bring the vision in your head to paper. This will help you focus on what design aspects you are thinking about and looking for.
2. Talk to the designer you have hired at your destination. Look at photos of weddings they’ve designed before to find out what they can do. If there are items you are dying for but they don’t have, source them from somewhere else and ask if they will store them for you so you can ship them ahead of time.
3. Choosing a color palate. Again, if you’re getting married in the Caribbean, your color scheme does not need to be tropical, bright colors (unless you want it to be!!). Go with what you love.

4. DIY. As with any wedding, destination or otherwise, take comfort in these three lovely letters. Look to your family members or bridesmaids to help you prepare and carry these items to your destination location.

5. Remember that your wedding style does not start and end with décor. Think about it when choosing your dress, menu, favors and all of the rest.


Photo courtesy of Better Angel

Every aspect of your wedding speaks to your style…you may have to think outside the box to get what you want, but regardless of your chosen destination, one way or another, it can be done!

Live.Laugh.Love….. Luxuriate!!
Deniesha JosephDJoseph@weddedluxe.com
http://www.weddedluxe.com/
718.938.4713

Friday, February 18, 2011

Guest Blogger - Danielle Cococcia of Crystal Blue Weddings

Today we have a guest blogger Danielle Cococcia of Crystal Blue Weddings.  Danielle is the voice behind one of my favorite blogs Crystal Blue Weddings.  Danielle showcases real weddings, vendors and advice from the Cayman Islands.  Today she is giving us her expertise on how to hire wedding vendors for your destination.


Having a destination wedding—where do you start?  If you’re not familiar with the destination, it’s tough to know who is who, who is good and who will help you create your day. 

First things first, research.  With everything on the internet these days, it shouldn’t be too hard to find the vendors to start with.  Look at their websites, blogs, Facebook pages, tweets and whatever else you can find.  Research will at least give you some insight into the who is who and what they can do.

Second, if you can, visit the destination and meet with the vendors.  Nothing is as good as a face to face meeting so if it’s in the cards for you, do it.  When you meet with them, be prepared.  Have a vision for your day and discuss it with them.  After all, they are the ones who are going to help you create this vision—you want to be sure you are comfortable with their abilities, click with their personalities and know that they have the means to make your vision come to life.  If you can’t meet face to face, at least have a phone call with these people.  Trust is very hard to build on emails alone.

Third, and I really see this as a MUST, hire a local wedding planner.  Someone you feel you can trust and click with.  Someone who has experience planning weddings of your size and complexity.  Someone who will be your eyes and ears on the ground and will work with reputable local vendors to pull all of the pieces together and make it happen.   When interviewing planners, be sure to completely understand the services they are offering and how they price their services.  For example, will they handle the vendor meetings on your behalf?  Help you create a working budget?  Be present for the duration of your entire wedding and reception?  How do they charge for their services?

Next, understand the environment from a pricing and budget point of view.  Look at general areas like accommodation and entertainment.  Also, look more specifically at areas for your wedding.  Flowers, for example.  In the Cayman Islands (like in many destinations), wedding flowers need to be brought in from elsewhere.  This significantly increases the cost of flowers which may put that bouquet you had your heart set on way over your budget.  I’m not saying you can’t have it, it’s just helpful to develop a healthy expectation of costs (which is something your local planner should help you with). 

Last, it is likely that you will host more than just the wedding for your guests.  You may want to plan an excursion or a welcome party as a way of thanking your guests for making the journey to your wedding.  Keep this in mind when performing the steps above!

Thanks Danielle!! Check out Danielle's blog Crystal Blue Weddings 

Live.Laugh.Love….. Luxuriate!


Deniesha Joseph

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Destination Wedding Planning

During the month of January we discussed the first steps of wedding planning but that was for those couples that are having weddings in their home town. Now we are going to dedicate some time to destination wedding planning.


The key to planning any wedding is to start off with a good plan. The first steps you take will help the rest of the planning process run smoothly if you start out with a good plan. So now let's talk about the first steps to planning your destination wedding.

Choose a Destination
Choosing the country is easy.  Most couples pick their favorite vacation spot or some where they have always wanted to see. What you really need to focus on is where exactly your wedding will take place. Will it be a hotel? A venue? Indoors? Outdoors? Do want to get married in a church? You also need to know their marriage requirements as well. Many countries have different laws and you want to make sure your wedding is legal.

Choose a Date
Timing is everything when it comes to planning a destination wedding. Not only do you have to consider holidays, your schedules but you also have to consider the current weather conditions for your destination. Hurricane season, rainy season, or winter can all play apart in the time of year you choose to get married.  Some countries are complete opposite of the weather conditions you may leave in.

Wedding Websites
You should set up a wedding website when planning a destination wedding. This will be the hub of all the information your guests need for their trip. It should include your wedding date, destination, accommodation information, weekend itinerary, point of contact if you are working with a travel agent, travel documents needed and of course some details about you. Your love story, the bridal party and any fun facts.

Save the Dates
You should send your STD out one year before your wedding date. It should include your date of course, the destination of choice and link to your wedding website. Also let your guests know a formal invitation will follow.

Live.Laugh.Love….. Luxuriate!


Deniesha Joseph

Monday, February 14, 2011

Happy Valentine's Day

Today is the day to get cheesy and celebrate the love you have with your significant other. Today I want you to take the day off from wedding planning and do what ever your heart desires with your fiancee. Just take this time celebrate the reason you are getting married in the first place, your love each other.


Live.Laugh.Love….. Luxuriate!


Deniesha Joseph

Friday, February 11, 2011

Photo Op!! - By Dante Williams Photography

If I plan a wedding and the bride is doing this at the end of the night, I did my job!! This is my favorite photo for February.  This bride clearly enjoyed her wedding to the fullest.  Thanks Dante Williams Photography for catching this shot! To see the rest of this wedding check out Dante's Blog

Live.Laugh.Love….. Luxuriate!


Deniesha Joseph

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Inspiration Board - Pantone's Color of the Year


So we know Honeysuckle is Pantone's color of the year but we have to know how coordinate it.  One of my favorite combinations is honeysuckle and tangerine.  This is the perfect color palette for a summer wedding.  


Photo Credit: TheKnot, &  (Center Photos) Southern Brides Magazine, 

Live.Laugh.Love….. Luxuriate!


Deniesha Joseph

Monday, February 7, 2011

Real Housewives of Atlanta - Cynthia Bailey's Wedding


So my reality TV obsession has inspired a blog posting once again.  I’m sure everyone has seen the wedding of Atlanta Housewife Cynthia Bailey.  All my wedding industry colleagues were in a frenzy on twitter the night it aired because we couldn’t believe what a disaster this wedding was turning out to be.  The wedding in the end was beautiful but so much went wrong. This is what happens when your wedding starts off with poor planning.  Her first mistake was she hired her friend (whose a great stylist) to plan her wedding. If any brides out there are considering letting their friend plan their wedding and they are not planners, I hope after seeing this you reconsider.  In the end, Cynthia had a beautiful wedding.  She looked gorgeous, her husband looked handsome and the venue was exquisite.  I just hope she enjoyed it to the fullest.  As a planner, it broke my heart to see her stressed out about wedding planning. A good planner would have helped the couple with their budget and many of the mundane tasks she had to complete herself.  Let this be a lesson to all the brides out there planning their wedding. A professional will save you money, time and your sanity. 



Live.Laugh.Love….. Luxuriate!


Deniesha Joseph

Friday, January 28, 2011

It's My Birthday!!





Tomorrow is my 30th birthday and I am surprisingly excited about this "milestone".  For weeks my friends and family kept asking me what I am doing to celebrate and I really had no plans and I didn't feel like making any.  I'm not depressed or anything it's just when you plan for a living you don't feel like planning for yourself sometimes.  Not to mention I just returned from a great vacation so I'm pretty taped out right now.  So with no plans and nothing really special to do I decided I would give something on my birthday.  One lucky couple will receive 8 hours of planning hours from me!! 


During the planning process many brides need advice and not just any advice but professional advice.  So what do they do, the take the web for hours on to get the answer to one question.  I’ve decided to help one happy couple step away from the web and just ask the planner!!  I will be there to help you throughout your entire planning process. This will include vendor recommendations, budget tips, décor inspiration, etiquette advice and whatever you may need during the planning process.  Here is how you enter:

 In 500 words or less tell me about you, your proposal and your love story. Please be sure to include you and your fiancé’s first and last names, location, contact information, a picture and your tentative wedding date so I can ensure availability. The contest begins today and ends March 1st. The winner will be announced on March 4th. Your wedding must be taken place in New York City, Long Island or New Jersey areas during between June 2011 and April 2012. Email your entry to  info@weddedluxe.com.

Good Luck to all!!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Pantone's Color of the Year 2010

Last year, Pantone's color of the year was turquoise and it is still a popular choice for 2011 weddings. I've noticed many brides are searching for the web for turquoise inspiration. So by popular demand, here are the inspiration boards of Pantone's color of the year 2010.


Colors: Turquoise & White
Accent Colors: Gray
Photo Credits: 1) Vases TheKnot 2) Vintage Car StyleMePretty 3) Flower Girl Dress MyKateParkerWedding 4 ) Shoes Project Wedding 5) Cocktails TheKnot





Colors:  Turquoise & Orange
Accent Colors:  Ivory and Gold


Photo Credits: Top from left to right 1) Project Wedding, 2) The Knot, 3) Project Wedding, 4) Merriment Designs



Colors: Turquoise & Purple
Accent Colors: Blush, Mauve or Silver


Photo Credits Top from left to right 1) CeCi New York, All other from The Knot


Color: Turquoise & Yellow
Accent Colors: White or Ivory

Photo Credits Top from left to right 1) Project Wedding, 2) MelBarlow.com (snippet & ink) 3) The Knot, 4 & 5) Project Weddings



Happy Planning,

Deniesha Joseph
Wedded Luxe
http://www.weddedluxe.com/
718.938.4713

Monday, January 24, 2011

Unusual Wedding Venues - Tips on making it work!!

Photo Credits: New York Wedding Guide Central Park Zoo

Sometimes the venue that's for your wedding breaks all the rules but it's still the perfect setting for your nuptials. A museum, a farm, heck even an aquarium maybe the right place for your wedding.  These types of venues are more than welcomed in the world of weddings but your wedding will still need all the elements that make a great venue. You may need to add a kitchen or even bathroom to have your wedding at this unusual venue. You even have to build a reception space from scratch. As a wedding planner, I love these spaces but you should know all that goes into having your wedding there.

Photo Credits: Martha Stewart Weddings Tent Wedding 

Catering
Your caterer of choice will need to bring in a make shift kitchen for outdoor venues or venues without full kitchens. They will charge you for the rental of this equipment.

Bathrooms
Port a potties have come a long way so don’t be scared of the idea of renting one for your wedding.

Tables, chairs and linens, Oh my!
Renting all the tables, chairs, linens, china, glassware and flatware is very important. You have to have more than enough for everyone and you have to ensure you have everything you need. Consult with your caterer or wedding planner a list of must haves.

Photo Credits: My Wedding Binder

Dance Floors

An outdoor space will require you to rent a dance floor.  A rental company will be able to tell you exactly how big of a floor you will need.

The Elements
You have to keep your guests cool in the summer, warm in the winter and dry all year round.  Renting heaters, air conditioners and the right tenting are required when planning an outdoor soiree.  

Live.Laugh.Love….. Luxuriate!


Deniesha Joseph

Friday, January 21, 2011

Real Cultural Wedding - Wendy G. Photography

A new feature on the blog is real cultural weddings from some of the country's best photographers.  Today's real wedding from one of my favorite NYC Wedding Photographers, Wendy G.  







For more real weddings and awesome portraits, check out Wendy G's blog

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Infusing Your Culture Through….. Hors d’oeuvres



Adding your favorite food to your cocktail hour is a great way to celebrate your culture on your wedding day.  Let your guests enjoy some of the culinary delights from your culture or both cultures if you’re blending two families together. No one will ever refuse an empanada!!






Planning Tip:
If your venue doesn’t provide what you are looking for, discuss if it can be done or if you are able to bring outside food in. If you are already bringing outside catering, talk to your caterer of choice about the foods you would like to have.  You should know their specialty before you hire them


Live.Laugh.Love….. Luxuriate!


Deniesha Joseph

Monday, January 17, 2011

Wedding Venue - Room Transformation

Last week we discussed selecting the right venue and what makes it the right venue for you. Well sometimes the right venue is almost perfect but we need to make some changes to make absolutely perfect.  It fits everything you need for a great reception but the decor could use some tweaking , this is no reason to change your venue.  There are ways to fix this minor set back.

Chair covers or changing out the chairs will dramatically change the room. When you have 150 burgundy chairs in a room it’s a focal point.  Cover them with your matching colors or ivory chair covers to give a neutral look. Also consider changing out the chairs if your venue has space to store the other chairs.

Photo Credit: The Cloth Connection

Draping the room with a neutral color will create a whole new color palette to the room. This will cover any fixtures that can’t be removed from the room while providing you with a whole new look to play with.

Photo Credit: Elite Rental

Lighting can do wonders to plain room and hide what you don’t want your guests to see.  With the right lighting, you can highlight the pretty things and dim the lights on the not so pretty.  Also it can change the color of a room instantly. 

The Lighting Guy

Live.Laugh.Love….. Luxuriate!
Deniesha Joseph


Friday, January 14, 2011

Guest Blogger - Brandy Gomez Duplessis

Today we have a special treat! Brandy Gomez Duplessis, celebrity makeup artist is sharing her great beauty tips with us.


Brandy Gomez-Duplessis is a Celebrity Makeup Artist who currently resides in New York and part time in New Orleans. Brandy is also a L'OREAL Paris Pro Makeup Artist. New York makeup artist has worked with celebrities like; Angela Bassett, Kerry Washington, Kim Kardashian, Jordin Sparks, Anika Noni Rose, Edie Falco, and Kathryn Erbe, to name a few. Brandy is also a high demand celebrity bridal makeup artist in New York, that brides usually book her makeup service 1 year in advance. You can also keep up with Brandy by reading her personal blog "Inside The Life of A Makeup Artist", her fashion blog "Black Tie Stiletto" or follow her glamxurious tweets on twitter.

Brandy take is away!!


One of the many questions that are asked by my brides during their bridal consultations is “How can all my bridesmaids have the same makeup look?”  There is no right or wrong answer about makeup looks for bridesmaids. Many traditional brides prefer their bridesmaids to have a uniform look from their dresses, hair, shoes and even makeup. More modern brides allow their bridesmaids to select their own makeup look for the wedding day.


If you’re a bride that opts for all of the bridesmaids to be uniform with their makeup and your bridal party is of different ethnicity's, this can be tricky. Consult with a professional in advance and this will save you a lot of stress and make for happy & glam bridesmaids. I find darker eye shadow colors like; golds, browns, blues, purples and grey’s to be great on all skin tones. Of course you will have to tweak some of the colors a little more as all these shades will compliment each of your bridesmaids from fair, medium, and dark skin uniquely.
My bride, Domini, wanted her girls to all wear grey eye shadow on the day of the wedding, so I selected one of my favorite shade in grey; L’OREAL HIP Cream Eye Shadow Paint in Steely. What I love about the cream shadow paint is that it’s long wearing, creamy, and bendable.  It does not crease, even on oily eye lids, and it’s an eye shadow color that can be worn on all skin tones.  I just lined the eyes with L’OREAL HIP cream black eyeliner and finished the lips with a nude lip color. Try the Cream Shadow Paints in different shades, either way you’ll be sure to have a stunning group of ladies that will help make your special day GLAMXURIOUS.



CREDITS:
Written by: Brandy Gomez-Duplessis
Photographer by Oscar Rajo
Makeup by New York Celebrity Bridal Makeup ArtistBrandy Gomez-Duplessis
Picture courtesy of L'OREAL Paris

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Inspiration Board - Pantone's Color of the Year


Pantone announced the color of the year is Honey Suckle.  This announcement always causes a buzz in the bridal industry.  We look forward to seeing how it all translates into the wonderful world of weddings. So here’s my contribution to wedding inspiration. 


 All Photos Courtesy of The Knot

Live.Laugh.Love….. Luxuriate!

Deniesha Joseph

Monday, January 10, 2011

First Steps of Wedding Planning - Selecting A Venue


One of the first choices you will make during the wedding planning process is selecting a venue. There are some key questions you should ask yourself when you go venue hunting.

Does this venue fit my wedding style, mood and theme?
Your venue should fit the mood you’re trying to create for your wedding. The space should compliment your vision not distract and confuse it. If you choose a venue that doesn't fit the vision, you are running the risk of spending more money to transform the venue to match your vision.

Does this venue fit into my price range?
Before you visit a venue you should know your budget and how much of that budget will go towards your reception which is about 50% of your overall budget. Don't visit a venue that is twice your budget. It will only upset you when you see it and it is perfect and you can't have it. It's not worth the risk. However don't select a venue solely based on price. If it is cheap, it is cheap for a reason. Like my mother always says good things aren't cheap and cheap things are not good.

Can this venue accommodate the number of guests I'm inviting?
The venue should accommodate your large or intimate wedding. You don't want your guests to be crammed in a room with no space to move nor do you want the room to swallow them. The venue should fit your number of guests comfortably. Also some venues have a minimum so make sure you will meet their requirement.

Your answer should be yes to all these questions before you sign on the dotted line. If any of them are a no then you should have a solution in place to accommodate your needs.  If you’re spending too much money to make it work, then consider another venue that makes sense for your wedding.

Live.Laugh.Love….. Luxuriate!


Deniesha Joseph
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