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All the cellular processes in living cells such as growth, development, morphogenesis and cellular differentiation are a product of gene expression programs involving complicated transcriptional regulation of several genes. This process of transcriptional regulation is tightly controlled and coordinated by proteins called transcriptional regulators. These transcriptional regulators and factors are DNA-binding proteins that bind to the promoter or enhancer sequences on the DNA and facilitate either transcriptional repression or activation.

There are three principal types of transcription factors. These include basal transcription factors, upstream transcription factors and inducible transcription factors. The basic structure of every transcriptional factor mainly contains a DNA-binding domain and an activator domain. DNA-binding motifs found in transcription factors include zinc-finger, helix-loop-helix, helix-turn-helix, leucine zipper and high-mobility groups, based on which transcription factors are classified. The activator domain of these transcription factors interacts with components of transcription machinery such as RNA polymerases and associated transcription regulators.

Regulation of transcriptional factors is a complex mechanism that ensures exact spatio-temporal expression of genes. In response to a specific cellular stimulus, these trans-regulatory factors are activated in a sequential manner. Upon activation, these factors recruit transcriptional co-regulators such as histones that function as co-activators or co- repressors and aid in modifying chromatin structure. Altered activation of these regulators is often associated with various pathologies such as chronic disorders and malignancies. Recent studies are concentrating on developing improved disease treatment strategies through identification of different transcription factor-binding patterns and blocking them.

There are several families of trans-regulatory factors that control critical cellular signaling cascades involved in cell proliferation, survival, lineage development and cellular differentiation. These include Rel/NF-kB family, AP-1 family, STAT family of transcription factors, homeodomain proteins, DNA-binding proteins, POU transcription factors, nuclear hormone receptor family, p53 family and E2F family.

IMGENEX India Pvt Ltd. the only biotech company in Orissa and one of its kinds in Eastern India. IMGENEX India started in Oct as an outsourcing branch of IMGENEX Corporation, San Diego, USA.Find out more information about Transcriptional Factors.

Filed under: Health

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Branding is perhaps the most important facet of any business–beyond product, distribution, pricing, or location.  A company’s brand is its definition in the world, the name that identifies it to itself and the marketplace.  A model may be beautiful, but without a name, she’s just “that girl in that picture.”  Where would Norma Jean be without Marilyn Monroe, or who would imagine Coca-Cola as just a soft-drink manufacturer?  A brand provides a concrete descriptor to customers and competitors alike, a name for a product or service to distinguish it from anything else.  Bob may run a hobby shop, but trying to advertise as “The hobby shop a guy named Bob runs down the street a ways” is financial suicide.  Each customer will have to describe the shop, who Bob is, and what the shop does every time someone asks about it.  This makes the process of recommending a good hobby shop too much work for the average customer, and far too much work for a user looking for hobby shops on the Internet.  A customer looking up Bob’s hobby shop will have an easier time of it if he or she knows to refer to it as “Bob’s House of Hobbies,” and the customer can then refer others to Bob’s hobby shop by name, increasing the potential advertising exponentially.

Developing a brand involves more than just picking a catchy name and placing an ad in the newspaper–a brand is more than a unique string of letters denoting a particular product; a successful brand is a mnemonic trigger that makes a consumer feel a certain way when the brand is thought of.  For those who drink cola-flavored soft drinks, which is more appealing on a hot day: a cold cola soda, or an ice-cold Coke?  Coca-Cola has spent 100 years developing their particular brand of cola-flavored soda as a refreshing beverage and a seminal representation of a market segment.  Coca-Cola has used a combination of direct marketing, give-away techniques, and multi-product cross-branding to achieve maximum brand recognition and visibility in not only its immediately competitive market, but in markets as diverse as Coca-Cola branded race cars and house wares.

Brand loyalty is an integral part of building a brand, as consumers usually have a choice of products in the same market segment, and so a successful company will come up with a way to keep consumers re-buying their product or coming back to their location rather than going to a competitor.  These brand loyalty-building efforts may come in the form of coupons, incentives such as many grocery chains’ technique of “grocery discount cards” or “loss leaders,” meant to draw consumers into the store, where they will hopefully buy products along with the discounted fare at a higher profit ratio.  In exchange for these discounts and grocery cards, many companies collect information about buying habits and average spending amounts, the better to tailor advertisements and better-focus future promotional efforts.  Once a consumer is hooked, brand loyalty tends to result in higher sales volume, as well as loyal customers being less sensitive to price changes of their favorite brands (within reason, of course), as well as less sensitive to competitors’ incentives.  Studies have shown that it takes 5 times as much money to gain a customer as it does to retain one.  That’s 5 times as much money as could have been spent on other things.

A brand is who your company is, and what it is selling–it is as important as naming a baby, and should require the same amount of effort to develop it, but if done well, can mature into a successful and profitable adult.

© 2005, Wholesale Pages UK. All rights reserved.

William King is the director of Wholesale Pages: http://www.wholesalepages.co.uk , Aid and Trade: http://www.aidandtrade.com , Daily Trader: http://www.dailytrader.com and Pakistan Property Portal http://www.zameen.com/ . He has 18 years of experience in the marketing and trading industries and has been helping retailers, entrepreneurs and startups with their product sourcing, promotion, marketing and supply chain requirements.

Filed under: Business

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Coined in the 1960’s,apoptosis is derived from the Greek word apopiptein which means to fall off from. Apoptosis can be induced by a number of stimuli including UV damage, irradiation, drug treatment, or tumor necrosis factor. Once induced, apoptosis can, in turn, act through a number of different cell death signaling pathways.

The number of apoptosis and ‘programmed cell death’ related kits and reagents available to the market have increased significantly over the last few years.  This is in large part the result of increasing evidence implicating the role of apoptosis in a number of significantly relevant disease processes including certain autoimmune diseases, transplantation rejection, and neurodegenerative diseases.  IMGENEX offers over 200 Apoptosis related antibodies, as well as ELISA kits, caspase inhibitors, active caspase detection kits, apoptosis detection kits, and   mitochondrial permeability detection kits.

Author Information

IMGENEX India Pvt Ltd. the only biotech company in Orissa and one of its kinds in Eastern India. IMGENEX India started in Oct as an outsourcing branch of IMGENEX Corporation, San Diego, USA.  Find out more information about Apoptosis.

Filed under: Health

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The Internet has grown from a small network of academics needing a way to trade research into a world spanning, ubiquitous marketplace and repository for nearly every possible kind of information and knowledge. How does a small business avoid being washed away in the constant tide of buying, selling and marketers hawking every conceivable item (and some difficult to conceive…)?

The Internet provides advantages for both customer and proprietor in that one can search for exactly what is desired, without the bother of endless phone calls, driving to malls, or poring over mail-order catalogs. A quick keyword or 3, and hundreds of results vie for attention on the screen. Making sure your company is one of those results near the top is a combination of factors: specificity in product offerings, Search Engine Optimization of web content and linking to and from related topics and sites.

The only way to get noticed on the Internet is to have a listing or presence, whether a dedicated website, ads on relevant sites, or by word-of-mouth. Oftentimes ads on online journals, informative sites, or e-zines (online magazines) are cheaper than space in a print publication, as well as being available to a wider audience than a dedicated website may be. Rates are often available for daily, weekly, or monthly terms, increasing flexibility and allowing a tight budget more leeway. Word-of-mouth advertising can be very cheap, but the returns may be difficult to quantify. Sponsoring web shows such as podcasts or webcasts can be a great and cheap way to gain word-of-mouth exposure. Many times, a podcaster will be so thrilled to gain sponsorship that rates can be negotiated for very little, but make sure to approach a podcaster that has a show related somehow to your business. Don’t overlook resources like Google’s Adwords either, as they can be slightly pricier than similar options like banner ads, but they are shown to be far more effective than pop-ups, banners, or pay-per-click ads due to their specific targeting.

When a potential customer decides to look up a product that you sell, is he or she going to find your site or listing? Being specific in the terms used on your site or listing is key, as keywords are what drive the search engines like Google and Yahoo. If your company sells shoes, it’s not enough to put the word “shoes” on your site–it has to be anticipatory to the searches that potential customers are doing. Most customers have an idea of what they are looking for when doing a search, so instead of “shoes,” a customer will search for “imported Italian leather shoes.” Specific focusing of terminology and product listings are involved in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), as SEO is driven by specific keywords and their repetition or location on a page. If the term “Italian Leather Shoes” is used 15 times on a website, it will pop up higher on the rating listings than one with the same words, but only as a page heading or title. It would be easy to go overboard on this if it were the only criteria, but it is only one of many different methods search engines use to list websites by relevance. Our article on Search Engine Optimization, located here, is a great reference to optimizing your site for maximum Search Engine Performance.

With a clear idea of where you want to go with Internet marketing, it can be a valuable tool to expand your business into the digital realm, but be careful not to go overboard, as all marketing eventually crosses into the zone of limited return. Customers are looking for what they want–it’s up to you to make sure they run into you, and the only way they will is for you to make sure your business is at the places they are going to go.

© 2006, Wholesale Pages UK. All rights reserved.

William King is the director of Wholesale Pages: http://www.wholesalepages.co.uk , Aid and Trade: http://www.aidandtrade.com , Daily Trader: http://www.dailytrader.com and Pakistan Property Portal http://www.zameen.com/ . He has 18 years of experience in the marketing and trading industries and has been helping retailers, entrepreneurs and startups with their product sourcing, promotion, marketing and supply chain requirements.

Filed under: Online Marketing

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Run a search on any of the 200 major search engines, and the results will come up in similar orders on quite a few of them.  How a website owner/operator gets their website to the top of a list is called Search Engine Optimization, or SEO.  Optimizing a website involves many of the same techniques, whether the aim is to optimize for Google adwords, Yahoo, Ask Jeeves or others.  There is a list of what not to do as well, and that list is applicable to all engines, as it mostly refers to tricks and hacks unscrupulous designers use to try to trick the engines.  These kind of pages generally get removed by automated tools and don’t generally last very long, so they are not recommended to bother with.

Website optimization starts with content.  If the content is irrelevant, the website will not last long in the rankings, no matter how many keywords are included.  The best way to get relevant content is to get an expert to write the content.  General content may be more friendly to beginners, but in the search optimization arena, content is what is going to keep readers coming back and webmasters linking to the page.  Many search engines use link counters to rank sites.  If enough people like and value the site, they will link to it from their own site as an example of expert help for visitors seeking more detailed information than they can provide, or are willing to provide.  Often, general-interest sites will link to expert sites, thereby also driving their own traffic up as the initial portal to those expert sites and improving their own rankings in the optimization listings.  The quality of the sites linked is also a major factor in the rankings, as quality sites such as Microsoft and Google are going to be more effective “heavy hitters” than a link to Bob’s House of Website Optimizing. 

When the content is being created, keywords are the “anchors” that search engines hook onto, but just filling your content with keywords risks being dismissed as a spam site, as many spammers merely fill a page with keywords, hoping to hook anyone searching for anything.  These kind of pages are usually removed quickly, but they exist nonetheless.  Specific keywords are the key–instead of Search Engine, use Search Engine Optimization for Google, or combinations of the key words or phrases.  Optimization for Search Engines in one area, then Optimizing for higher Search Engine rankings in another increases the chances of an engine ranking your website content a little higher than it may have otherwise.

The guidelines for content also go for Meta tags such as the title.  Title is very important, as it is one of the bigger spots for an engine to catch, as well as the hook that draws a surfer in once the rankings have been displayed.  A recommended length is 50-80 characters (including spaces), with keywords located near the beginning in case the window is resized on the screen.  A good example would be “Search Engine Optimization tips and tricks for Google”, instead of “How to do important SEO for websites.” 

Search Engine Optimization–what to avoid:  Don’t use huge strings of keywords without relevant content–you may be labeled as a spammer and blacklisted off the engine(s) you’re trying to climb.  Stay away from pop-ups, excessive load times (by keeping the page clean and using fast hosting servers), and lots of flash animation, as this takes time to load and also detracts from the readability of the site.

 More specific information can be found by typing “Search Engine Optimization” into any major search engine like Google or Yahoo and following the links.  Good luck!

© 2006, Wholesale Pages UK. All rights reserved.

William King is the director of Wholesale Pages: http://www.wholesalepages.co.uk , Aid and Trade: http://www.aidandtrade.com , Daily Trader: http://www.dailytrader.com and Pakistan Property Portal http://www.zameen.com/ . He has 18 years of experience in the marketing and trading industries and has been helping retailers, entrepreneurs and startups with their product sourcing, promotion, marketing and supply chain requirements.

Filed under: SEO

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All About Rich Media - The term Rich Media refers to a broad range of digital interactive media that can either be downloadable or embedded in a webpage. When downloaded, it can be used or viewed offline using media players such as Microsoft Media Player, Real Networks’ RealPlayer, or Apple’s QuickTime.

For distance learning through the Web as in e-learning, rich media must be an integral part of the courseware. It should comprise animation, interactivities to various levels of sophistication, visuals and narration. These components make your training programs more effective and your company sees a significant Return on Investment (ROI).

Other components of Rich Media:
File sizes: File sizes must always be small. To minimize delays in file transfer, use file formats that make the best use of Rich Media and are of good quality. These include Microsoft Media Player, GIF, JPG, Real Networks’ RealPlayer, or Apple’s QuickTime, Macromedia Flash (SWF), MP3, Shockwave Audio (SWA), Animated GIF, Macromedia Authorware (AAM) and VOX. 

If there are delays in self-paced interactive course programs, students can be very frustrated as it interferes with understanding and retention. So, file sizes must be small and very streamable to slow modems. By streamable is meant that as bits of the digital video are downloaded, the movie starts to play, until the entire download is complete.

Image formats: If you use lesser than 256 colors, sharp colors and small file sizes, the GIF format is ideal. These include screen grabs, clipart, drawings and illustrations.

JPGs are better for photographs and illustrations with over 256 colors. If you use JPGs for screen captures, it will cause blurring of colors and the file size will be larger because the colors are averaged.

Animation: Macromedia Flash is best for animation on the Web. Not only can you increase the Flash movie to 1024 x 768 from 640 x 480, but you don’t lose any picture quality nor do you increase the file size. Alternatively, you can use animated GIF format.

Movies and digital video: The most popular streamable formats for digital video are Windows Media Player, Apple QuickTime and RealVideo.

Sound files: Of the many formats for sound compression available, MP3 is the most popular and has excellent quality. If you use Real Audio and Windows Media Player 5.0, you can safely use MP3.

One of the best ways of using sound on the Web is to use Macromedia Flash 4.0 and higher which convert WAV files to the Shockwave format it has internally. If you use Macromedia Authorware with its 800kbps plug-in, you can either use SWA (Shockwave Audio) or VOX (Voxware).

Authoring software: You could give your learners a “no plug-in” option by using Macromedia Dreamweaver with Course Builder. It creates good interactive learning, is compliant with AICC norms and can import all kinds of media, among other benefits.

Pratibha R. S.
Executive - Instructional Designer

Filed under: Technology

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What are CBT and WBT?

Electronic  learning or e-learning is an umbrella term for learning enhanced by the use of computers.  To make this happen efficiently, there are many technologies in use, such as CBT  and WBT.

Computer Based Training(CBT) is a new-age way of learning. It  is a form of education in which a student learns by using special training  programs while on a computer. This system worked well in the pre-Internet days,  but with the explosive use of the Internet, the scope of CBTs is forced to expand.  It has several advantages over traditional classroom learning methods and over  self-taught books.

Advantages of CBT:
* The learner can think, respond and give feedback on the subject.
* It offers a stimulating environment where the learner can learn at his own pace.
* A learner can take the course at his convenience without any expense of time or travel.
* By being accessible to the widest audience at multi-locations, it is cost-effective for the learner.
* It can be custom-designed for specific industries, and can also be conveniently used by the physically challenged.
* CBTs also save organizations instructor costs, costs of arranging training and travel and learners travel costs and time.
* Busy IT professionals can get their certifications without the hassle of travelling to a classroom.
* Through CBTs, employees can keep abreast with ever changing technology.
*CBT technology also breaks down complex software into bite sized modules for easy and quick understanding.

Web Based Training (WBT): This is a subset of CBTs in which the material is made accessible on the  Internet by applying Web technologies. Typically, it has text and graphics, animation,  audio and video, and needs additional bandwidth and software to work optimally.  WBT is also referred to as “online courses” and “Web-based instruction”.

It presents the  latest content of any topic that can be modified and is set in a framework of self-directed  and self-paced instruction. It can also be evaluated and adapted, without a  computer platform.

Advantages of WBT:
* Training to users is very easily delivered.
* WBTs can be either in the form of individual or group training.
* Multi-platform capabilities are possible, such as Windows, Mac, UNIX, PDA, phone, among others.
* Content can be easily updated.
* Finished product has a quicker turnaround.
* Requires minimal technical support.
* Billing options comprise user ID, number of accesses, date/time of access.
* Access can be controlled.
* Can be linked with other training systems.
* The Electronic Performance Support Systems  (EPSS) can multitask.

Pratibha R. S.
Executive - Instructional Designer

Filed under: Technology

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There are three basic types of appraisals:  sales comparison, cost, and income capitalization.

* Sales Comparison:  the sales comparison method estimates a property’s value by comparing it to similar properties that recently sold in the area.  Those properties are called comparables, or “comps.”  An appraiser will compare “comps” to the subject property to help determine its value.  Sales comparison appraisals are typically used to evaluate single family homes, townhouses, and duplexes.

Appraisers are generally required to compare the subject property to at least three comps.  Since few houses are identical, the appraiser will adjust the values according to some standard formulas:  for instance, if the subject property has a deck and a comp does not, the appraiser will adjust the value of the subject property upwards to compensate for the additional feature.

Sales comparison appraisals are part “art” and part “science”:  the appraiser has a fair amount of latitude within which to determine the value of the property.  If two different appraisers evaluate a particular property, they’ll rarely agree exactly on its value.

* Cost:  the cost method determines a property’s value by calculating how much it would cost to replace.  The appraiser estimates the value of the property if it was new, then deducts an amount for depreciation (wear and tear) based on the property’s current condition.  The value of the land is determined by using recent sales of comps.  (There is no way to estimate land value by the cost method since land can’t be “replaced.”)

Cost appraisals are more accurate when the property is fairly new, since it’s easier to estimate the replacement cost.  Cost appraisals are also useful when a property is somewhat unique and suitable comparables can’t be found.

* Income capitalization:  income capitalization appraisals place a value on a property based on its ability to produce income.  Income capitalization appraisals are most commonly used to estimate the value of office buildings, commercial real estate, flipping houses and other rental properties.  Very seldom is an income capitalization appraisal done by an appraiser; they’re done by investors.  In effect the investor is determining how much they’re willing to pay – which becomes what the property is worth (to them.)  You’ll see why investors perform this calculation in a moment.

Since determining value by the income capitalization method is something you’ll need to be able to do, let’s look at it more closely.  The process is simple:  first calculate the gross income (rent) for the property and then subtract an amount for typical operating expenses like loan payments, taxes, maintenance, insurance, and other costs.  The result is the net income the property is expected to provide.

Let’s use the following example:

Gross income               $50,000

Expenses                      $40,000

Net income                   $10,000

You’ve calculated that the property will produce $10,000 per year in net income.  Now you can decide how much you’re willing to pay for the property.

You can calculate the value by using the formula:

Value = net income / capitalization rate

The capitalization rate is the expected rate of return.  Let’s say in this case you want to get at least a ten percent rate of return; if you don’t, you’d rather invest your money elsewhere.  The math is easy:

Value = $10,000 / 10%

So, the value of the property to you is $100,000.  That’s the most you can pay in order to get a ten percent rate of return.  In effect, then, that’s the property’s value – to you, at least.

Say you’re willing to accept a 7 percent rate of return.  Here’s the formula:

Value = $10,000 / 8%

The value of the property is now $125,000.  That’s the most you can pay in order to receive the seven percent rate of return you want.

As you can see, an appraiser isn’t the right person to perform an income capitalization appraisal – the appraiser doesn’t know what rate of return you are seeking.  The appraiser can perform a cost approach appraisal to provide a different view of the property’s value, but if you’re investing for income, the income capitalization approach is the only way to be sure you’ll get the rate of return you seek.

Appraisals are important to buyers, sellers, and lenders.  Lenders use appraisals to make sure they don’t loan more than the property is worth.  Sellers use appraisals to make sure they aren’t over-paying for a property and buyers use appraisals to help them properly value their properties for sale.  Understanding appraisals will make you a better real estate investor.

Mark Sumpter is a national speaker, author and full-time real estate investor. He is the founder of The Wealth College Inc, which develops comprehensive, systematic approaches to securing financial freedom through real estate investment. He also offers a series of 52 “Short Sale and Pre-foreclosure Tips That Will Make Your Pockets FAT!” absolutely FREE-of-charge by logging onto www.shortsaleexpert.net

Filed under: Business

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Propecia is the first oral medication to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for baldness and hair loss treatment. Propecia is a prescription drug and you can even buy Propecia online. The active ingredient in this hair loss treatment is finasteride.Propecia works by decreasing the levels of Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in men by blocking the enzyme 5 alpha reductase. This returns normalization of the hair growth cycle and a reversal of the hair loss process. Propecia is however only men for men, women should not take it.

Why buy Propecia for baldness?

Firstly, you can buy Propecia to keep or grow some hair and do away with embarrassing baldness. Secondly, you can buy Propecia because it is the first and an effective hair loss treatment approved by health authorities.Since the time Propecia has been approved as hair loss treatment, many people buy Propecia for their baldness.

Propecia has been overwhelmingly successful not only in clinical trials but also in post market surveys. Almost all results show that men who buy Propecia get satisfactory beneficial effects.The most important reason to buy Propecia is for preventing further baldness and promoting hair growth. Clinical studies indicate that around eighty percent of Propecia users experience a cessation in hair loss and significant number of people witness reversal i.e. they can grow back their hair.

Before you buy Propecia for baldness

Though Propecia is a good hair loss treatment, there are certain limits. Two days after you buy Propecia if you expect to get your hair back, you might be in for lots of disappointment.Remember, that the effects of Propecia are not immediate. Most people have to wait have to wait around three months after they begin their hair loss treatment to see any results. Therefore, it is advisable to be patient and set expect realistic results after you buy Propecia. If you get restless and stop the hair loss treatment before completing three months, you may not see any results at all. In the first three months of hair loss treatment, the loss of hair is gradually slowed.

Hair growth usually starts within the first six months of hair loss treatment. Not all hair that has been lost re-grows. Propecia will work best if you have just starting to lose hair. Most men experience no or minimal side effects from Propecia. Less than two percent experience some type of sexual dysfunction such as a lower sex drive or erection problem. This problem can be fixed by stopping the treatment. The dosage of Propecia for male pattern baldness is 1mg tablet (or as prescribed) once a day. Daily use of Propecia for three-month period is normal before an increase in hair growth or prevention of further hair loss is noticed.

Propecia must be taken continuously to maintain any beneficial results achieved while taking Propecia. If you stop, you will most likely lose the hair that has grown within 12 months.

So buy Propecia online and get rid of baldness!

Filed under: Health

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Destination Weddings are weddings that take place away from where the bride and groom live. They happen in some of the most exotic and wonderful places in the world. These types of non-traditional weddings provide the bride and groom with dreamy settings, while doubling as an opportunity for guests to experience a place they have never been before.

“Today’s couples are more educated, sophisticated, and better traveled than couples of past generations. More affluent than past marrying couples, 27% of these Generation Y couples ( children of the baby boomers and twice the numbers ) will pay for their entire wedding, and they want something different for themselves and their guests; they want to be pampered and taken seriously.

In the year 2006, nine percent of weddings in the United States were destination

weddings, which is a 200% increase in the last ten years. Generation Y couples are tired of the “themed” weddings that became so prevalent and overused in the past. They want to experience different cultures and real settings rather than a “staged” wedding.”

“Although women are still the primary decision makers of the wedding plans, men are more involved today than couples of the generation that preceded them, 83% of today’s couples are employed full time; they work hard (they are paying a mortgage and own one or two automobiles between them). Equally, they want to play hard; realizing that they are together rarely, they want to plan events that will bring them closer. As well, they want to create deep and meaningful memories for the family and friends. Since most couples are not getting married in the areas where they grew up, their time with family and friends is all the more precious and important to them. If they can do this in a unique or even an exotic setting, all the more enticing,” Ernst adds.

St Barthelemy, located in the French West Indies, is that exotic setting today’s bride is looking for. It is the Monte Carlo of the Caribbean, without the traffic jams but with the added advantage of flawless beaches. Shortened to Saint Barth in French and St Barts in English it is an exclusive eight square mile (21 sq km) embodiment of 24-carat French chic. It attracts millionaires on luxury yachts, movie stars and French expatriates fleeing the European winter. It is a Caribbean island where relaxation and Gallic style under a tropical sun have been refined to perfection.

Few islands worldwide, can match the unique blend of style, nature and history that is St. Barts. This tiny island has significant appeal where ‘quality’ is most certainly more important than ‘quantity’… an island far away from the normality of life, making it the perfect wedding destination.

St. Barts is surrounded with turquoise waters, situated near the northern end of the Lesser Antilles group in the French West Indies. At a distance of 200 kms from the island of Guadeloupe and 25 kms from Saint-Martin. It is a mountainous island whose only flat area is occupied by the airport’s runway. As the climate is rather dry, agriculture has never been developed, thus throughout history few slaves had ever been employed. For the most part, St. Bartians are descendants of Breton and Norman fisher folk. Many are of French and Swedish ancestry, the latter evident in their fair skin, blond hair, and blue eyes.

St. Barts’ beaches are renowned for being some of the most beautiful and pristine in the world. Many are found in small coves, which have been protected from development by strict environmentally friendly zoning. Unlike many of its neighboring Caribbean islands, it has not been overrun with prefab condos and large chain hotels. There are six 4 star hotels all featuring romance packages for the wedding or honeymoon couple. All are of single story design, some as one building and others as separate single bedroom villas. Four are located on the beach (perfect for reading-of-the-vows ceremony) the other two are high on the hills with magnificent views of the island and setting sun. Each hotel has been uniquely designed, blending into the surrounding terrain. Luxury and elegance is felt in each environment.

St. Barts features some of the best cuisine in the Caribbean. The island has over eighty restaurants featuring culinary styles ranging from classic French to Asian to West Indian.

Many of the restaurants attract gourmet chefs trained in France to oversee their kitchens. These chefs can also be reserved to serve guests in the intimate privacy of their own villa for any special event or treasured evening. Villas on the island offer breath taking views and the perfect setting for your reception, especially with your own private French chef.

Nightlife of St. Barts is diverse as well. Visitors looking for late-night pleasures can listen to live jazz at a café or dance the night away at one of the local discos or after hours clubs.

St. Barts is also a duty-free port, rated as one of the premier shopping destinations in the Caribbean. The capital Gustavia is the principal shopping area of the island. There are boutiques and emporiums for the most sophisticated shoppers, featuring luxury brands such as Cartier, Hermes, Dior to name a few. The island hosts numerous health and beauty clinics and fitness centers catering to the island’s upscale clientele.

It is important to realize that planning a wedding in a foreign country still has the usual concerns and worries of any home based event; there is the additional stress that something could go wrong in a different location. Aside from making travel reservations for the group, a couple needs to consider local legal issues. For instance, marriage in St Barts is not a legal ceremony, rather it is viewed as a spiritual ceremony. For this reason and others, travelers planning to marry in any foreign country should give serious consideration to hiring a local, home based Wedding Consultant for guidance and advice as well as an on-site Wedding Consultant at the particular destination. .The on-site Consultant will insure that the hosts of the event have all the required documentation, that every detail is planned long before arrival and that only the most competent, professional and expert wedding vendors with proper contracts will provide their services . These on-site Consultants can also provide any needed assistance if the couple chooses to bring along some of their own vendors (e.g. the photographer, floral designer, videographer, etc.). They will check that each client and guest is properly retrieved at the airport, that they are provided with the planned-for-accommodations, and that they are well rested from travel before beginning the schedule of any local tours and sightseeing prepared for in advance. Moreover, the on-site consultant can also suggest local customs that will make the wedding truly unique, one that family and friends alike will talk about for a very long time.

“Premium IV is truly one of the foremost on-site specialists. Located on St Barts they are members of AFWPI (Association for Wedding Professionals International) and JWI (June Wedding, Inc^®). The management team of Premium IV is made up of three experts in service: a successful Canadian entrepreneur, an English expert in receptive tourism and a French restaurateur who have provided magnificent service in the best restaurants and hotels in France, the UK, USA, and St Barts. Additionally, the highly qualified and bilingual staff (French and English) have many years of experience in the island way of life.

They will provide the ultimate in V.I.P. services. Premium IV has brought together, under one umbrella, only the best that St Barts has to offer. With over 120 contracted partners providing approximately 450 products and services. There is virtually no request that Premium IV cannot arrange,” says International Travel Writer, Jesse Nash.

Any special event wedding, honeymoon or other special event that takes place on St. Barts is special and memorable simply due to the Island’s own enchanted ambiance and unique hospitality. The St. Barts experience is all the more enhanced when it is under the direction of a competent Consultant and Director, at home and on the Island. A Consultant or Director who leaves nothing to chance, who sees to it that not only is the St. Barts experience itself magical, but also one that will be treasured forever in the hearts and memories of the travelers. The staff of Premium IV takes the added steps of communicating with the client and/or their home-based Consultant before arrival on St. Barts so that every detail is discussed and decisions are determined and firmed up in writing. From the moment the client and guests set foot on St. Barts, they enter into a well-scripted, stress-free atmosphere in which they will be completely at ease and confident that all the planning will play out like as closely as possible to their dreams.

John Day
President
Premium IV

Contact info:
Phone: 0590 290 007
From the US - 011 590 590 290 007
Fax : 011 590 590 290 008
Email: sales@premiumiv.com
Website: http://www.premiumiv.com

Filed under: Travel And Tourism

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