Everyone loves love. Photo of the day..

I have been the worst blogger lately. Goodness I have been BUSY! This month is my last month at the Wedding Mall as most know anyway. I have been working like crazy getting everything ready for the transition and trying to make it as  smooth as possible. So I have the coolest contractor guy doing my contractor type work.. AKA.. drywall hanging, building new walls and that sort of stuff. I have been painting like crazy, starting with the bathroom. EWE that place was nasty! It is coming back to life though and it may end up being my favorite room of all. Many will be shocked to see that I have broken away from my black and white pallet and moved to some crazy colors. I am so excited about this place. Just being downtown inspires me like crazy. I love change and this change is just what i needed to get out of my rut. I could sit in my cave (old office) and wait for my creativity to hit but nothing.. it would drive me crazy! Now though just walking from my car to the door of my new shop, let me say that again.. MY new shop.. is an inspiration! Each day I meet another cool person and I can not wait to meet the next. I feel pretty excited right now to get everything completed and start giving my brides some much deserved attention. (thank you to all my clients for bearing with me during this transition as well) 

When I first ventured out of my home office into a "real" office I felt that being in a bridal district was absolutely necessary now I know that is just not the case. As long as I am in an area that is loaded with cool hipsters and style I am good and my clients will find me. 

I am so excited to be opening this new place right at the start if my wedding season. I feel overwhelmed with happiness, and love and I know that it will reflect my weddings and make them even more amazing then last years. 

Bridal Fitness ~ Hooping = Tight Bod + Fun!!!!!

I know that many girls start a new work out regimen prior to the wedding. I wanted to suggest something that is fun and an amazing workout. HOOPING! Yes all you girls had one as a kid. A hula-hoop. Well maybe not everyone had one but I did and back then I thought skipping while hooping was cool then. Now as an adult hoop dancing is where its at. I used to be totally addicted to this years ago. Then I stopped and about 4 months ago started again. My issue was all the hoops that I bought were too small because I have long arms. Then I found that you can buy hoops for adults. COOL ONES too. I have been using a 6 dollar hoop I found at Target and it is really holding me back from many tricks the only good thing I can see in having a  hoop that is too small is that it is way easier working with multiple hoops. 

Anyhow this is a workout like you wouldn't believe. A full body workout at that and it is totally addicting. I think it is one home workout program many of you will find to be a great time and really stress relieving as well. I suggest creating a really cool play list on you ipod of high BPM songs , turn it up loud and hoop for at least 30 minutes. I think if you say 30 minutes you will likely go over that because it is so fun. Then you start to learn new tricks and moves and it is awesome. here are some samples of some really cool hooping videos. Check them out and also here is a site that can help you get started with some awesome hoops and great instruction Hoopnotica and Hoopgirl.

videos. 

Over and Out

Well this is goodbye for the week.. I went and bought my offspring Disney world tickets for Christmas so the time has come where Delta is down to probably 8 flights prior to ours. (We leave tomorrow)

I am pretty excited since all three of the brood are over the height restrictions and can ride anything I can talk them into getting on. YES! Although chances are they will be talking me into the riding but whatever right! Is all I know is this is going to be fun and I want my 11 year old to photograph me with every stupid Disney character that i sacrificed my TV time for while i make some sort of silly gesture. ha ha. My 11 year old can take amazing pictures! She definitely does not get that from me but she does have an eye for that. YaY for her.

So did you know that you can have your wedding at Cinderella's castle in Magic Kingdom. I am unsure of this concept right now. I did visit this castle as a kid and I do not seem to re-call seeing people actually going in. But that could have been an oversight on my part. So I am hoping that I see a wedding going on. Only because I want to see how this actually works. If I were to have a wedding in Cinderella's castle I would think it would have to be ridiculously flowy. (is that a word) I mean like princess Diana's train flowy. It would have to be over over over the top. Or else just absolutely animated. I don't know. I may ask for a tour.. ha ha. Just to see what a magic castle wedding would consist of. As a matter of fact that is a great idea! I will start calling now! PLUS.. the kids get a tour right! ha ha. Genius of me. DUH! okie dokie I am soo Orlando bound and now more excited that I was when I started typing this 4 minutes ago. See ya on the flip side kiddies!

Tipz #2!!!

Okay kidz.. I have been hearing this too much lately and I try not to be too crazy bossy with my brides but sometimes I think that it is necessary. Especially when i hear " I am doing my own makeup." Oh crap I think to myself.. Now don't get me wrong all of my bridez are gorgeous girlz and I am sure they do a great job at their makeup on a normal day of the week. When I hear this I just say oh is that what you do? You are a makeup artist? No is the answer i get.. 100% of the time. Except for one of my clients who is indeed a makeup artist so she is exempt form this topic.. with her I just asked are you doing your own makeup.. She is allowed.. she went to school for that she knows whats up. So back to the topic at hand.. wedding day makeup is not like everyday makeup. For one it is going to have to survive the most emotional day of your life. 65-70% of the time it is going to need to be able to withstand high temperatures. It must be tear proof, smudge proof, kiss proof, smile proof, and what the hell lets make it fireproof too. (just kidding) I learned this first hand by my friend who is a makeup artist and has done my makeup for every photo shoot I have ever done except for one. I have learned that I am stupid when it comes to makeup. No matter how many times i watch her apply the stuff on my face.. I can never get it to look like it has been professionally applied. When she is finished I am always blown away by my face.. It looks like me just a better version. Which is important as well. You don't want the groom to know it is you just because you are walking down the aisle in the wedding gown. He should be able to recognise your face as well.
Another thing about make up is when you are having photos done these girlz (and some boyz) know tricks to really make your good features pop on camera. Plus they are able to hide your imperfections way better then you can. TRUST ME! Why leave the touching up to the photographer? They are not miracle workers. Just get the makeup. If you are paying $3500.00 for pictures then why skimp on the $50-150 on makeup? It is just common sense if you ask me. Plus this is your day of pampering and fun.
No more blogging today! I am too opinionated today for some reason.

Tipz......

Okay girlz (and boyz). I had a number of meeting on Saturday and two out of three of the meetings we discussed the importance of starting your vendor hiring as soon as possible.
My first meeting was with a couple who had booked me two years prior to the wedding. YAY!! for pre-planning! Let me tell you it has been a cake walk so far with these two. Not only are they hilarious but they are under no pressure! We have booked all of their major vendors (minus the church.. HINT HINT!! Since i know you are a reader) and now we are just sort of hanging out to pull the whole event together. I am really excited about this couples wedding too. I think it will be super swanky and cool. Either way.. next I had a bride come in who had booked NO vendors to date except her ceremony/reception location. The wedding is in 6 months! OK.. I sort of panic with this. Mostly because of photography! I want all of my couples to have a great selection with photographers and when i see that they are booking for a really popular month and 6 months away I think OH CRAP! I immediately want to get on the tellie and start praying for my favorite photo people to be available. After talking to these couples and a photographer that my first couple was booking with we all agreed that brides just do not know what is appropriate for timing when it comes to booking vendors. Some think "oh we have time." meaning we are 6 months away. While others are on the ball and booking a year or years out. I say as soon as you get engaged start booking. I am hoping that gives everyone at least a year or more to plan but I know realistically it could be a few months as well.
My point is, that when booking, it is never too early. Especially with photography, video, venues, cakes. Flowers can be tricky because it is hard to get an accurate quote for two years in advance due to the changes in prices but if you know that you love the florist then go ahead and make your deposit to hold the date. I wish I could get this to brides right as they got that ring so they would know it is ok to start booking. I think things get done in the wrong order. The girls get the ring, then immediately go out and buy the dress. In my opinion I think the dress should wait till 6 months prior to the wedding. Trends change with the seasons! You may find a dress that you love and then a year passes and by then the new lines come out and you are in love with another dress. So you have two dresses. Which is fine if you have the money for two dresses I have had a few brides change into dress #2 during the reception. My guess is though that many people will just stick with the one dress so why not be totally sure that it will be THE ONE?
So the moral of the story is.. it is never too early to start booking. If you want the best vendors then start making those appointments. Do not feel stupid or think oh we have tons of time because the truth is you will feel stupid if you wait and are stuck with vendors that you are forced to settle for.
K.. now i am moving on the blog post #2 which will be a new topic.. :)