Get your Hollywood Makeover - Online!

Today, I have been playing around with this online tool from InStyle Magazine. It's called the Hollywood Makeover and it is totally fun addicting! If you want to play around with your wedding day look this is the place for you - now you don't have to have multiple trials with your hair and makeup girl! You just upload a picture of yourself and away you go! You can choose from options like hair, makeup - including lips, eyes, skin or do the whole package with the complete look! I uploaded a picture and tried out different hairstyles - I really liked Katie Holmes hairstyles and even one using Michelle Obama's hair style looked pretty good on me! Just for fun, I opted to let the hubby see how I would look with long hair using Kim Kardashian! Here are my looks:

Go check it out here! It's a lot of fun! A few other sites have something similar but, I found Instyle to be more user friendly! Who is your favorite celebrity?

Maryland: Antrim 1844 Inn and local wedding photographers

One of the things I do every day is surf wedding websites and blogs...it's a tough job, I know. Sometimes, I find myself at sites and I forget how I got there. Such is the case with finding Mr. and Mrs. Adams. It's a blog that was written for (I assume) friends and family to enjoy the musings of a young couple embarking down the aisle. Like I said, I am not sure how I got there but, what kept me there (for a couple of days now) was reading about the venue where "Mr. and Mrs. Adams" (not their real names) were planning their wedding: Antrim 1844. This venue is a neoclassical Civil War plantation that now serves as a nationally recognized bed and breakfast and fine dining restaurant. 

Last summer, when I was visiting my best friend in Maryland, I wrote about this venue, because she was married here! Finding Mr. and Mrs. Adams blog brought back all of the memories from my friend's wedding weekend, which took place in May of 1998! This is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to and it's a place I would absolutely love to go back to (one day, crossing my fingers!). If you are in the area or even if you are planning a destination wedding - this is definitely a place to check out! Sadly, "Mrs. Adams" never finished her wedding blog...kind of leaving readers, like me, with a feeling of "what ever happened to..." so, I didn't get to read about her big day and how everything came together. From her blog, I found photographers, Procopio Photography (and this is exactly how I get lost in all the sites I visit!!).

This photography team has gorgeous "eye candy" for you to view! Their latest blog post, the wedding of Michelle and Jason, at the Washington National Cathedral prompted this blog post actually! My thoughts on the images were: double wow! We did not visit the Washington National Cathedral last summer but, another reason to head back to the east coast! During my visit to their website, I did find the real Mr. and Mrs. Adams! My curiosity about how their wedding turned out was finally satisfied and if you are curious you can check out their pictures here!

I hope that if any of my readers, or maybe people like me who wander wedding websites and blogs, happen upon this post that you might connect with these two wedding vendors! I feel pretty confident that you would not only be in capable hands but, that you would have the most amazing wedding with them! Sharing things I love with you all is just one of the reasons I love writing this blog! Cheers to a wonderful weekend!

===========Update==========

A reader let me know that Mrs Adams is back and updating her blog once again! She just posted a lovely video of her gorgeous wedding at the Antrim Inn! So lovely. Welcome back! 

Cake love from the Tiny Kitchen

It's hard to believe that almost a year has gone by since my summer on the East Coast! While I was there, I was able to meet wedding vendors that completely touched me - and one of those vendors was Michele from The Tiny Kitchen. I have still not forgotten the taste of the incredible cupcakes and a year later, I am still in love with the Lavender Layer Cake

The Tiny Kitchen was created out of Michele's love for mixing fresh natural ingredients, flavors and textures into tasty beautiful cakes...and ice creams! TTK bakes with local MD eggs, dairy and produce (you'll find no additives, preservatives or artificial flavors in Tiny Kitchen foods!) and you really can taste the difference!! This past year, Michele added a beautiful new cake to her kitchen: the Prinsesstarta - Swedish Princess Cake. Love it!

1930s Marital Rating Scale category

I saw this in my google reader and was intrigued! So...how far have we REALLY come in 81 years? I got a kick out of reading these and wanted to pass along...thank you to Blush Ink for posting this and giving me some late night chuckles!

According to this...my demerits are pretty high! (sigh)

• I am a night owl so I am always the last one in bed: **ding** 
• I can not sew on a button **ding** and I don't know what "darn socks" so it must be something I don't do **dink** 
• Soiled dresses/aprons around the house - well if they get soiled from cooking, cleaning, I do not go change so, **ding**. 
• I do wear red polish: **ding**. 
• I am completely guilty of putting my cold feet on this super warm legs! **ding** Back seat driver....hmmm let's just say: **ding**

And now it's the husband's turn:

These surveys prove that the thoughts/actions between men and women will always vary (greatly). Only 2 out of the 12 merits, on the husbands side have to do with interacting with his wife but, on the womans survey 11 out of 12 were about personal interactions with the husband! The husband also had the opportunity for 5 points on 5 questions (25 pts) whereas the wife had only 15 for her merits. On the demerit side the wife had 20 points she could potentially add to that column, while the man only had 15 additional demerits on his side! HMMMM!!

Have you ever wondered? Well, now you can take this fun little quiz from Susan Southerland to find out! Are you the savvy bride? Are you the visionary bride - the one who has planned out her wedding even before she was engaged? Maybe wedding planning has left you feeling like the Bewildered Bride or you have your spreadsheets and seating charts ready because you are the Functional Bride - take the quiz and then come back and share what type of bride you are!

Things I think about....

Lately, I have been going back and forth about my giveaways. I host a pretty major (at least I think it's major) giveaway once a month on my blog. I usually choose 1 or 2 items that I am having fits over because I didn't see it or it wasn't around during my own wedding planning. Oh. They call that jealousy, too. Because you will get it and I will not...but, I am giving it...so, it makes up for the jealousy!! ha. But, all of this wasn't even what I have been thinking about. It's SO hard to find a site that does Just Giveaways for Weddings. I can find sites that are "Just Giveaways" but, my thing is, the need to have the "for Weddings" part. I want a place where a bride can go look and then enter to her hearts content. Hmmmm. So, I guess question is - what do YOU think? Should this be something I move toward bringing to life? I think I might. I have the design and the concept in my head. 

I. COULD. DO. THIS. 

I. AM. GONNA. DO. THIS.

It doesn't change anything....at least for me. My giveaways will remain here but, be listed over there. I just love, love, love the fact that so many women have such great opportunities to win amazing, cool things for their weddings - and some of these things could save them a GREAT DEAL! Having extra money to move around when you are on a tight budget is nerve wracking! 


Any bride on a budget should be entering giveaways! From the win a $100,000 Dream Wedding from Crate and Barrel to the wedding gown of your choice from Bonny Bridal to even just a pair of earrings from an Etsy shop....every little bit helps! 


Awesome. Time to get to work. :)

Wedding Gown Keepsake Sketch

There are certain little things you will keep as special mementos from your big day. Your huge photo album will be put aside somewhere and your wedding DVD will sit on a shelf but, small things...a bouquet brooch, a photograph or two, your garter or bridal hankie...those are the things you will keep around you as reminders. Today, I wanted to share something else that you can keep as a beautiful reminder - a hand drawn sketch of your dress. You know, the dress that you dreamed your entire life about? The dress that made you and your mom cry? The dress you only got to spend an evening wearing? Now, you can keep a version of it forever! Meet Megan Hamilton. She draws beautiful replicas of your wedding gown!

She can do your dress and veil

She can do both your dress and your new hubby's tux

 

She can put her design on a tote bag - she HANDMAKES the bag too!

Add extra little details...like your shoes and bridal bouquet - at no extra charge

Handmade Wooden Picture Frames by Organic Bloom

I came across these amazing frames today from a company called Organic Bloom. I got caught reading about their "success" story....and then moving onto their blogs about wedding cakes and all the other fun things they do! I am amazed when I find people who seem to have ALL THIS ENERGY! But, back to these incredible, hand made frames....I love them. Here's the catch....(isn't there always one?) they only sell - exclusively wholesale - to portrait photographers!! This is totally worth checking into with your photographer though...don't you think?!

(Click to enlarge!)

Chesley Summar Photography - Lebanon, TN

Kristin Geerts Photography - Bettendorf, IA 

Surprise Photography - Poughkeepsie, NY

Lynne Lucente Floral Design - Wins the Bride Choice Award!

Here's a little good news I wanted to share with you all! Do you remember Lynne Lucente? She generously donated a floral wedding package to Wish Upon a Wedding back in November for their silent auction. I bid on, and won, that floral package....that was valued at $1265.00! I did a giveaway in November for the floral package. Well, I was just informed that Lynne Lucente floral designs was chosen to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 on Wedding Wire - this is her 2nd year in a row to be nominated - and win this award! This award recognizes the top 5 percent of local wedding professionals from the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate quality and service excellence in the wedding industry!

Casting Call - Your 15 minutes of bridal fame!

So, I saw this on a wedding board and thought I would pass it along...it could be fun....or not. But, if you are selected well, the 5k could help pay for an awesome honeymoon! Just sayin'...

 NOW CASTING FOR BRIDES AND THEIR MOMS FOR NEW TV SHOW

Are you a Bride who has a mother who is actively helping to plan your wedding? Is your Mom opinionated and strong willed? Are the two of you having difficulty agreeing on the simplest things? Does it sometimes seem your Mom is turning your wedding into the one SHE never had? Or maybe you are the Mom and you just want everything to be perfect on your daughter's wedding day.

If this describes you or your Mom then The Style Network wants YOU both for a new wedding reality show. Brides and their moms who are selected to appear on the series will be paid $5000. You must be getting married in the month of April or May 2011. And you and your mother must both live in Southern California.

Email tvbrides@gmail.com with contact information and photos of the engaged couple and mother (or mother-in-law to be) also include a brief paragraph about why you would be perfect for the show.

Qualifications

Ø     Wedding Date must be during the month of April or June 2011

Ø     Either Mother (or Mother-in-law) and Bride must be willing to participate in show.

Ø     If not a resident of California MUST be available to come in for interview together starting now.

Or call: 818.842-2496 for more details.

Mmmm! Cake!

I was at my favorite bakery in Orange County this weekend, Beverly's Best in Fullerton. We were celebrating a good friends birthday...and every birthday deserves a cake from Beverly's! They had a couple of new mock wedding cakes and I totally fell in love with this one:

Two of my favorite colors for weddings and my favorite wedding flower, the white and black anemone! This size cake would feed about 200 people! Isn't it beautiful?

Destination: Wedding!

I don't mean a "destination wedding" - did I confuse you? I saw these amazing suitcases...but they aren't really suitcases! They are actually boxes from a paper company called Kate's Paperie. They are made of lightweight but sturdy cardboard and trimmed with metal latches and hinges. I thought they could be an interesting photo prop! They come in three sizes: small, medium or large and the price range is $10 - $15 each.

I browsed around the site awhile and came across something else that inspired me...if you have suitcase in hand....what does that mean?? That you are going somewhere....correct!! (my blog readers are so smart!) Keep all your travel details (so you will never forget a single moment of your vacation/honeymoon) in this:

Once I saw these two items, I was hooked! I stayed just long enough to know that I had to tell everyone about this great site that has unique items that I have not seen! I loved these invitations!

They have some wedding items on sale here and if you are new to the site and sign up to get their newsletter you can get yourself a 20% discount! 

Dear Santa....

So, forget having those horrible disposable wedding cameras at every table. They are a waste of money, the pictures do not turn out and it is just overall very frustrating. Instead, invest a little bit of money in something like the Fuji Instax Camera and put a trusted friend or family member in charge of it. I pretty much guarantee you are going to get some pretty fun pictures from this camera!


This is option 1: Fuji Instax 210 Instant Film Camera. Price varies but it was $64.99 on Amazon with FREE Super Saver Shipping. This version of the Instant camera is a little bigger, slightly bulkier than its counterparts. But on the upside...the pictures are a little bigger.

Now, let's talk about Option 2. It's sleeker, it's a little more trendy and it prints smaller pictures (about the size of a credit card, I have read). The size could be an issue for me. I like the aesthetics of the White but I am not sure I want 100 credit card size photos. 

Here is the perfect use (and a great excuse to buy this camera!). Get pictures of people from your showers, bachelor/bachelorette parties, etc. and use these pictures as your place cards for your seating chart! Then, at the reception, have people snap a picture and then hang it up to "develop"! They can leave a little love note on the bottom for you and then voila! You have have your guest book to put together! SO CUTE! I love this idea. I love this camera. I want it (now!).

PS: Santa, if you are reading my blog....I have been a very good girl this year and this camera (the larger one) is the only thing on my list. :)

Checking up on a few of my favorites....

I decided to check up on a few of my favorite Etsy sellers....just to see what was new in their shops! A couple of shops are on vacation but, I was able to drool over a few new items from my favorites!!

ImeonDesign

Have your cake and eat it too! I love her paper crafts! 

LoveToCreateStamps

I absolutely loved working with Todd...he custom makes these stamps and he had a lot of new designs! 

MeandMatilda

Custom neckties and bow ties. I adore the colors and all the fabric choices!

Sentimental Gestures

It's no secret I am a huge fan of brooches - especially when they are incorporated into the bridal bouquet! While checking up on one of my favorite photographers I found these pictures:

 

Photogapher, Murakami, caught the beauty of this sentimental gesture on Mandi and Brandon's wedding day. You can read more about the brooch and see the bride's reaction when she was given the brooch here. In this bouquet shot - the brooch has photos of the brides mom on her wedding day and the mom's mom (the brides grandmother) on her wedding day. How special is that??! What an amazing keepsake too! I just wanted to share this because I thought it was so sentimental and special! Do you have plans of incorporating anything in your own wedding using pictures of your mom's or grandmother's? Share your ideas with comments!! 

One Shoe Can Change Your Life

The title of this post is a quote from Cinderella! Can one shoe really change your life? I can tell you I was pretty excited when, on the day of the Blissful Wishes Ball, I called my UPS store to see if a package had arrived for me and they said YES! I was on my way to the hair salon...without much time to spare. Two weeks before the ball, I had ordered a pair of shoes I fell in love with - from a picture on Nordstroms.com. They were on sale for 50% off too! DEAL. SOLD.

I asked for 2-day shipping but was pretty disappointed, after I ordered, and they said the shoes would ship in a separate package. Not knowing if the shoes would arrive and even look good with my dress I had to run out and find an alternate pair. This was no easy task for me! I was told I HAD to wear heels (I think I have been pretty vocal on my blog that I am not a heel type of girl!). After a few laughable attempts at walking in heels, I finally convinced my friend, Heels + Me = Do Not Mix. I finally found two, wedge type heels, that might be acceptable...but they were not really what my heart desired and honestly, I would most likely never wear them again! So, now fast forward to the phone call the day of the ball...with hours to spare! It was meant to be! Now, these shoes didn't change my life (literally) but I was pretty darn happy and my daughter, who is 4, and LOVES Cinderella thinks they are pretty awesome too...she has some big shoes to fill! :)