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WED the Magazine, Volume 2, No. 1 with Sasha Souza and her Magnificent designs. Also in this issue Get Ready for the Gown, Tech WED, Bridal Show Betty, Blogs for Brides, Groom's Corner, WEDpinning, The Wedding Professors, and Something Borrowed Real Weddings.
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WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
WEDWEDWED The Magazine
SashaSasha SouzaSouza PlusPlusPlus
Planning Advice, Planning Advice, Planning Advice,
techWED, techWED, techWED,
Real Weddings Real Weddings Real Weddings
that inspire, that inspire, that inspire,
Pin it to win it Pin it to win it Pin it to win it
and more!and more!and more!
and her and her
Magnificent Magnificent
DesignsDesigns
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
From the Editor’s Desk Welcome to WED Volume 2! We are excited to start out our second
volume with a new cover design AND an amazing event designer
gracing it — Sasha Souza!
I was lucky enough to hear Sasha speak at Wedding MBA last year
and not only was she informative about her design process, but
has a sarcastic wit to boot! You’ll really enjoy our interview with
her and photos of her magnificent designs!
And in honor of the first edition of Volume 2, we bring you a
“Pin it to Win it” contest inspired by Sasha Souza. Create a pin board on Pinterest using
a pin by Sasha Souza Events as your centerpiece and you could win a signed copy of her
book and be featured on our WEDpinning blog! You can follow us and learn more about
the contest at: Pinterest.com/WedBiz
Our trainer Chante Pemberton and our “Get Ready for the Gown” section is back, as well
as Bridal Show Betty, our Something Borrowed real weddings and more!
Be sure to get our App and enjoy WED on your iPad or iPhone for FREE. Just search
WedBiz Media in the App Store. You’ll also find us listed under weddings. It is truly the
way this magazine should be enjoyed! And you can take your inspiration and our
Preferred Vendor listings with you on the go!
We hope you enjoy our magazine – it continues to be infused with love! I’d love to hear
what you think, or if you have
ideas for articles you’d like to
see, write to me at
Happy Reading!
Kelly
Kelly Werder
Editor-in-Chief
WED - The Magazine
WED The Magazine is published by WedBiz Media.
Copyright © 2011, All Rights Reserved.
www.WedBizMedia.com 888-588-1698
Contact Information:
Advertising Sales: [email protected]
Editorial Information: [email protected]
General Information: [email protected]
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
Wish Upon a Wedding is the world’s first nonprofit organization, dedicated to providing weddings for individuals facing a life-threatening illness. They cur-rently have 16 chapters available to grant wishes, all across the United States, with more opening throughout 2011. Wish Upon a Wedding celebrates the courage, determination and spirit of these cou-ples by granting their dream wedding wishes. Their hope is that chosen recipients can inspire other cou-ples facing similar situations to find hope and strength. For more information or to Apply for a Wish, visit www.wishuponawedding.org.
WedBiz Media is committed to promoting wedding related charitable organizations and
providing you with ideas on how you can help. Doing Good!
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
Pop-up Giveaways!
How to Enter:
1. View our Pop-up Giveaway Page for entry info
2. Subscribe to WED’s Weekly Inspiration for updates or follow us on Twitter
3. Tell your friends!
We have new giveaways popping up all the time! Be sure to follow us on Twitter and
Facebook for pop-up giveaway announcements, view our Pop-up Giveaway Page OR
subscribe to WED’s Weekly Inspiration and we’ll send our giveaway announcements
right to your Inbox.
to Win it! Pinterest Contest And this month, look for our. . .
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
to Win it!
“Inspired by Sasha” Pinterest Contest
Create a pin board on Pinterest inspired by the amazing designs of our
cover interview subject Sasha Souza and you could win a signed copy of
Sasha’s book: Signature Sasha: Magnificent Weddings by Design
How to Enter:
1. Visit the WED the Magazine Pinterest page and follow
us on Pinterest (Pinterest.com/wedbiz)
2. Click on the “Pin it to Win it” pin board for some of
the amazing pins by Sasha Souza. Look at Sasha’s
Pinterest page for even more inspiration.
3. Select at least one of Sasha’s pins to inspire your
board.
4. Get Pinning! Create a board with at least 20 pins with
your own dream wedding design.
5. Fill out the Entry form on WEDtheMagazine.com by
August 10, 2012 and include a link to your pin board.
6. All entries will be reviewed and the winner will be
sent a signed copy of Sasha’s book AND will be featured on WEDpinning.com.
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
WED talks with
From theater arts to luxe event
designer, Sasha Souza’s flair for
the dramatic has suited her well.
Event design trendsetter, Sasha
Souza grew up in San Francisco
as the daughter of a flower-child.
After cultivating a background in
the theater, Sasha combined this
approach to event design with
her business acumen in her first
event business, The Whole
SheBang! which she opened in
1995. She is now the award
winning CEO of Sasha Souza
Events and is nationally
recognized as one of the top
event designers and educators.
She shares her journey in this
interview with WED.
WED: How did you get into the event industry?
What inspired you?
I actually fell into the events industry by accident. I
had always wanted to be a stage performer but
because I wasn’t very good at it, I was always in the
back of the house doing the sets, lighting, stage
management, etc. After I realized I would not be
able to be paid regularly for working in theater, I
decided to go back to school and I got a job working
for the University of California in their Internal Audit
Department. Not a very exciting or creative field.
One day I was at a book store looking at books on
home based businesses and while I was reading the
jobs, I came across Wedding Consultant. I felt like I
could do that job very successfully so I took the
advice of the book and joined the Association of
Bridal Consultants, received their training and
literally started my own business about 6 months
later. It’s been 16 years now that I’ve been in the
industry
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
WED: What was your first high profile/celebrity
event?
My first high profile event was for Amy Acker who
was formerly on TV shows (“Buffy the Vampire
Slayer,” “Angel,” “Alias,” “Doll House” and in movies
like “Catch Me If You Can” and “The Cabin in the
Woods”) and her husband James Carpinello, who is a
successful Broadway actor and has also made many
films.
WED: What mistakes did you make early on and
how did you learn from them?
What mistakes didn’t I make would probably be a
shorter list. I feel like I have made every single
mistake in the books, and because I learn best by
doing, those mistakes have all been valuable lessons.
But even though some things didn’t go exactly as I
had wanted or envisioned, and it was “technically” a
mistake, many of those are more like opportunities.
They have almost always turned out to be the right
thing in one way or another and better in the long
run.
WED: Tell us about your team – how do you choose
your vendor partners? How about your staff?
My office team is just me and my long time assistant,
Mellysa. She’s been with me for about 11 years. My
floral design team consists of the lead designer,
Leah, and her staff of about 8 assistants/designers.
Everybody else that works for me is a vendor for the
event; however, I have a very short referral list. I
refer one or two catering companies depending on
the clients’ taste, one cake baker, one or two
invitation companies based on clients’ needs and
budget, a few officiates, a few photographers and
videographers based on budget/style, a single linen
vendor, a single lighting & AV company and one
music/entertainment broker. This keeps a team of
the same vendors together at all events and they all
do the job they were paid to do and know the
expectations I have and that the client has. There
isn’t a huge learning curve and I know that I can trust
them to make decisions that are right for the event
and I don’t have to micromanage them – something
no business owner/human being enjoys. The events
are mostly smooth, aside from a few small hiccups,
but rarely do we have any emergencies and if we do,
they often fix it before I even know about it. It’s
been this way for me since 1999 and I would never
go back.
WED: Let’s talk about your planning and design
process – where do you start when a couple first
comes to you? Where do you find inspiration?
We start with a contract and portfolio review. Once
the contract is signed and the retainer for our
services is paid, we send them an 8-page design
questionnaire. Once we have that back we start the
planning and design process. We manage everything
Photo by Sherman Chu
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
from site visits to the closing wrap up at the event
for our clients. But we have to start with finding out
what they want and where they are, from a design
perspective. Our events are not over the top or
ostentatious. They are events that are designed
specifically to their personalities. Because of this,
the inspiration we get always comes from the client.
Either by adjectives they use when describing their
event or the design of their house. We’ve used the
color in a variety of items to design events around—
favorite scarves, rugs or wall color in a couple’s
home. Realistically, anything that moves my client to
feel good and happy, I need to know about.
WED: Where are some of your favorite venues and
locations for weddings? What do you look for?
My favorite venues are dependent on the couple but
I think any event designer would prefer a “big black
box” – a space that is raw of design and décor or pre-
conceived notions of how it must be done. This
allows for the best design – they are also the more
expensive spaces in that you must bring in every
single stick of furniture, draping, lighting, décor, etc.
But we can make the space whatever we want it to
be for that moment of the couple’s wedding. I also
prefer venues with large setup time as most of our
events take a day or two of load in, a day of event
setup, event day and a day or two of strike.
WED: What have been some of your favorite
weddings that you’ve done?
With 16 years in the business, I have a ton of
favorite weddings so it’s incredibly hard to choose.
And I like so many of them for different reasons. For
example:
Kristen & Todd’s photo wall (above). It’s been
duplicated all over the internet but I still think ours
was the best iteration – it gave us a way to display
family photos and have the guests interact within the
Photo by Elizabeth Messina
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
wall. I also loved her herb toss. Instead of tossing
flower petals or bird seed we used organic herbs
such as lavender, chamomile and rosemary.
Candice & Erich’s wine cave dinner (below).
Gorgeous mirror top table with a custom built
structure overhead to make the cave feel like a
garden. We custom poured tons of candles,
thousands of roses and carnations. It was romantic
and opulent.
The Mexico Fire Table (next page): 64’ long flaming
fire table on a beach on mainland Mexico. It was a
little bit dangerous and had never been done before
— completely awe-inspiring. It’s what happens
when you have too many margaritas before you
design a wedding.
The bridesmaids
bouquet from Kate &
Dave’s wedding was
a stunning contrast to
their ocean blue
gowns. I love the
orange and yellow
combination.
Annette & Brian’s
wedding reception
open structure
was one of the most
famous events we’ve done. The low hanging
Japanese lanterns were perfect and appeared to be
floating low over the pool. Every single pole or post
was covered in hand sewn moss sleeves.
I also love the escort card display & ceremony
structure of Caroline & Chris’ wedding. It was rustic
but elegant and whimsical at the same time.
What I love most about our events is that although
there is a prevailing style and you can tell who did
the event in comparison to other designers, they are
still so completely the couple’s style as well.
WED: You’ve been featured on numerous television
shows, including the popular “Whose Wedding is it
Anyway?”. What was this experience like? How
did it help your business?
The experience of doing TV is always exciting. But
you have to know that it can be a double-edged
sword. Unless you’re the executive producer on the
show, your words can be used out of context and
your drama produced. For Whose Wedding, the
show worked very well for me. I think that’s because
I didn’t try to be who I am not just for the camera. If
I was exasperated with the client, it showed. If I was
having a great event, it showed. Being who I have
always been has served me very well and TV can
bring out the best or worst of your personality. I Photo by Sherman Chu
Photo by Sherman Chu
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
have learned when to turn down a TV spot because
it will not benefit the company or the client, and I
have learned how to do a shoot in one or two takes.
Because of my background in theater, the producers
love me since I’m efficient with their time and can be
concise when answering their interview questions
and know how to use my personality for the camera.
As far as it helping my business, it’s definitely given
me more name recognition amongst my peers and
more name recognition with potential clients. But
people have to like your personality before they are
willing to interview you. If you come across like a
nitwit on TV, it would decimate your career more
than help it.
WED: You’re the Founding President of Wish Upon
a Wedding. Tell us about Wish Upon a Wedding.
How can wedding professionals become involved?
Liz Guthrie, who was a wedding planner in San Jose,
CA, started Wish Upon a Wedding 2 ½ years ago.
She came to me with the idea of a non-profit
organization that allows the events industry to give
back to couples who are facing terminal illness & life
altering circumstances and
allows them to utilize the
money they spend to grant the
wish as a tax deduction. I took
the role of Founding President
and I’m now in my second 2-
year term. Thus far, we have
granted over 30 wishes
nationwide with 20 chapters
across the US. Each of our boards consists of 11
board members and they report to the National
Board but they are responsible for planning and
implementing all of the wishes for the couples. Each
of the wishes submitted comes to me for review
before going on to the chapter for approval. Each
wish is checked for accuracy by a Wish Grant Chair to
determine if the information in the application is
Photo by Kurt Ackerman
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
truthful and correct. Couples who are facing less
than five years survivability on a terminal illness are
granted their wishes and we also do a limited
number of non-terminal, special circumstance wishes
for couples that have faced other challenges. We do
not grant wishes for couples that are facing
monetary hardship or military deployment unless
that deployment results in an injury or illness upon
return. It’s been such an honor to see this grow
from less than 5 chapters to over 20 in just two short
years and to see all the happy couples that have
been helped to live their dream to have a wedding.
One of our wishes that passed said, “You never know
how many people’s lives you touch throughout your
own life” and that has been a quote I’ve hung on to
because it speaks volumes about each of our lives
and the opportunities we have every day to be
gracious, caring and loving. We are blessed to have
jobs that we love, to make money planning pretty
parties and giving back should be something we all
do – whether it’s time, talent or money. Everybody
has something that they can give to help others in
need. People who wish to get involved with Wish
Upon a Wedding can fill out an application to be a
wish granter on our website
WishUponaWedding.org or if they would like to sit
on a board, or start a chapter or even make a
donation, there are links there to get information for
anything they would like to do to support our
organization. We consider ourselves to be the
Wedding Industry’s charity of choice.
WED: You’re also a Master Bridal Consultant with
the Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC). How
did you become involved with this organization?
How has this helped your business?
When I started my business, I began with the
education of the Association of Bridal Consultants
and through the years, I continued their training
until I received their highest honor: Master Bridal
Photo by Alisha & Brook
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
Consultant in 2004. This helped me get a firm
foundation by which to start and grow my business.
I started going to their conference in 1999 and
learned so much from other planners. We didn’t
have the wealth of information we have now in the
many workshops, conferences, classes, etc. back
then, so we relied on a one time per year conference
to network and share ideas. It was a pretty magical
time for me. I learned to compete against myself
and nobody else.
WED: Wedding conferences and organizations
around the world seek you out for speaking
engagements, not only for your experience but also
for your sarcastic wit. What wisdom do you try to
impart during speaking engagements?
“Be Yourself. Everybody Else is Already Taken,” is a
quote by Oscar Wilde. I’ve never tried to be
anybody other than who I am. When I hear people
in the wedding industry say “I’m going to be the next
so & so” I always wonder why they would want that.
When I speak to my industry peers and to brides, I
am exactly the same person as when I speak to my
clients. They hire me for my personality and are
willing to pay more money for somebody who has an
opinion and who will freely give it to them. I’m the
personality that will laugh with my client — of course
knowing what parts of my personality my clients can
take. For example, recently we replied to a client
who sent an email full of typos. But we responded
to them fully in Pig Latin.
I don’t believe that we can’t have fun with our
clients or that it’s unprofessional. I honestly believe
that it helps build a rapport with the clients when
they’re comfortable with us. When I’m not being
fake, we have a better experience with the event and
I know that my niche client can take a little ribbing,
enjoy the process and has a great personality. We
have fun with them and they have fun with us.
We have a few rules in our corporate culture:
Have a personality
Be brutally honest
Trust & respect your vendors, pay them on
time
Don’t guess because chances are good
you’ll probably be wrong
Shut your mouth and listen to your client
Humor {& Sarcasm} is totally appropriate
WED: Any advice for newer industry
speakers?
When standing in front of people imparting
your knowledge on them, try to bring a little
personality to the party. How boring is it to listen to
a speaker behind a podium drone on about how
fabulous they are? Brag about how much money
they make? Tell you they’ve never had any
problems with their weddings and they always tell
their clients “YES”…and best of all… their business is
AMAZING!
If you’ve been in this business long enough, you have
had the opportunity to learn so much. People who
come to hear you speak are looking for something
that they can take back and implement TODAY to
make their business better than it was before they
paid to see you. So don’t stand up there and lie to
people. Be honest and tell people what you do right
Photo by Sherman Chu
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
and what you do wrong. People can learn just as
easily from your mistakes as than they can learn
from your accomplishments. They aren’t there to
hear about what you think about yourself. They are
there to learn from you. Give them the goods that
you were paid to give…and they paid to hear.
WED: Your Sparkliatti blog has amazing inspiration
for couples planning their wedding. First, where did
you come up with the name? And what have been
some of your recent favorite posts?
When I was trying to come up with a name, I wanted
something that wasn’t just “Sasha Souza’s Blog” or
“Blog of Sasha Souza Events” – because I wanted to
feature things that weren’t just my work but
showcased a lot of different talent and voices.
Sparkliatti came from the term Glitterati, actually. It
was an available URL and I’ve had it for about 4 years
now. My daughter, Hilary, now does most of the
posts and editing and I admit that we’re a little
behind in posting new articles — but it’s wedding
season and she works as an event planner in New
York City so she’s very busy as well.
Some of my favorite recent posts are all from Hilary
and they are:
Steven Tyler’s Rock Weddinspiration board
Bridal Skirts
A three part post on Plaid
An older post I love that I did is titled: Feed Your
Vendors. {Editor’s Note: this is a MUST read for
every bride and groom. And vendors could learn a
thing or two in this article too.}
WED: How are you incorporating social media into
your business? Has any platform changed how you
work?
I have used all types of social media almost from the
inception. I have been on twitter for four years, had
a Pinterest account very early on, use Facebook’s
Pages for our business page, Linked In and more. I
think that each have their own set of benefits and
Photo by Sherman Chu
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
drawbacks. The biggest one is the need for time to
invest in social media. It’s an interesting dichotomy.
You want to use it to gain “popularity” by way of
likes, followers, etc. but you also have to use your
time for the clients who have hired you and are
paying you to plan their events. It’s difficult to multi-
task the amount of time it takes to dedicate to
having real conversations with people on Twitter,
Facebook, etc. I can’t design a person’s layout of
their event while reading tweets of other people in
the industry and having 15 ongoing conversations. I
can’t believe that anybody can be busy in their
business and tweet 150 tweets in a day. For that
reason, I’ve stepped back significantly from Twitter
and use it only to announce things and thank/
acknowledge people. I feel that I need to give my
attention to my clients and potential clients and not
worry about gaining popularity by way of that
platform.
The one social media that has served me very well, is
online inspiration boards. Sites like Pinterest and
Indulgy are great for me because it plays directly into
what I do. It is still a vortex of time to build boards,
but we have used it in such a way as to exchange
client ideas so that we can design their event with
them visually before putting in time to put it on
paper only to have them change it down the road
because they didn’t give us the proper visuals in the
first place.
WED: Tell me about your book “Signature Sasha” –
how did this come about?
Signature Sasha: Magnificent Weddings by Design
is the first book I have produced so it was a learning
experience. It is a hard cover wedding design book
featuring beautiful photography of all aspects of
wedding design, including never before seen
weddings. The book was initially conceived when I
was approached by a publisher about showcasing
our unique work and at first, I didn’t know if I really
wanted to do it — only because of the amount of
work that goes into writing and choosing the images,
etc. and I wanted the book to have my voice, so I
didn’t want to rely on a ghost writer or anybody to
design it for me. I am so glad that I did it the way
that I did – over 5 months. It was an intense schedule
writing, editing, sorting, uploading and refining
images but I’m extremely proud of the final product.
I worked with a layout artist and editor to refine my
vision once it was on paper and they gave me good
input on how a book normally would layout. It was
honored as the Gold Medal winner of the 2011 IPPY
(Independent Publishers Award) in the Home &
Garden Category.
WED: What can couples and wedding professionals
learn from your book?
This book is a culmination of my many years
experience and Signature Sasha: Magnificent
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
Weddings by Design provides brides & grooms,
event planners, caterers, designers and florists with
unique design inspiration. It is the first book of its
kind to offer details on event design from inspiration
to execution.
Signature Sasha: Magnificent Weddings by Design
not only provides stunning images to use for
inspiration, but is also chock full of guidance on how
to go about creating events that are one of a kind. It
contains comprehensive advice ranging from color
couture, to floral, to creating inspiration boards and
allows the reader to dream about their ideal
wedding design. You can also follow along my own
memory lane as I showcase how other couples have
chosen their own personal signature style by reading
the background on eight "love story" real weddings.
WED: What advice would like to leave for our
engaged couples reading this article?
The best advice I have for couples is to not worry
about what they didn’t have at their wedding.
Realize that nobody is going to miss it if you don’t
have hard liquor but serve really delicious wine and
craft beers, they won’t miss the ice sculpture you
couldn’t afford or the groom’s cake. As long as you
are providing them with great timing that evening,
wonderful food {buffet, station, passed or sit-down
dinner}, a place to sit and a fun bit of entertainment,
you will hit the event out of the park. Also
remember that the groom’s opinions on everything
from décor to food to booze or music are valid. I ask
brides to give the groom “his way” on things that
don’t matter as much to her and to pick her battles.
The wedding isn’t the bride’s day and it’s not the
most important day of your life. It’s ONE of the most
important days and it’s about the couple and their
guests. ~ WED ~
Be sure to check out Sasha’s Inspiration Boards on her website.
Be sure to check out
Sasha Souza Events’ website
and the Sparkliatti Blog
for more magnificent
design inspiration.
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
Get Ready
for the
Gown!
Our Get Ready for the Gown section will
help you get in shape and healthy for your
wedding day and beyond. Our fitness and
nutrition experts will provide you with a plan
to get you gown ready!
Personal Trainer Chante Pemberton dispels the myth
of bulking up with weights.
Summer Weddings mean strapless gowns and many brides wanting the perfect arms. The biggest mistake we women make is we do too many repetitions and not enough weight. I don't know how many times I've had female clients say, "I don't want to do too much weight and get bulky." Please know that challenging your arm muscles with more than a five pound dumbbell won't bulk you up. Women and men develop muscle differently due to hormonal differences. As women, we are a bit too low in testosterone to seriously bulk up.
Biceps, Triceps and shoulders can be targeted by several different exercises. I suggest two or three different exercises for each muscle. One of the best exercises that will work all these muscles as well as work your chest, back and core muscles is the push up. The Push up is a great way to warm up before your arm routine. {Visit the WED YouTube Channel for Chante’s Pushup video.}
Bicep curls with dumbbells or elastics in different directions is important so you work both parts of this "two headed" muscle. Try using at least five pound dumbbells and if you
can easily do two sets of 15 repetitions take it up a notch and go for eight pound dumbbells. Triceps are one area of the woman's body that is a high fat area. This is the area I hear the most complaints about. So get busy dipping, not chips. You can do tricep dips anywhere there is a chair or a bench. Grab those dumb-bells and add kickbacks to your arm routine. Five pound dumbbells can work well on this move.
The shoulder is a three headed muscle—front, medial, and posterior deltoid. We need to do several moves to get a well rounded shoulder. Working the rear shoulder is what most people are missing in their workout routine. A bent over fly can target this muscle and I suggest starting with light weight on this move. The front raise, upright row and overhead press will target your medial and front deltoid. Start with 3-5 pound dumbbells and remember two sets of 15 should be challenging. Remember, marriage is hard work and challenging and so should the arm workout that will help you Get Ready For The Gown.
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
View Chante’s Latest Video on WED’s YouTube Channel.
Be sure to consult a doctor before starting any kind of exercise routine.
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
Get Ready
for the
Gown!
Our Get Ready for the Gown section will
help you get in shape and healthy for your
wedding day and beyond. Our fitness and
nutrition experts will provide you with a plan
to get you gown ready!
Meal Planning Maven Linda Shapiro creates meal
plans that can help you Get Ready for your gown. Consult with your physician before starting any
new meal plan or making a change in your diet.
One key to changing your diet is planning your meals. Our friend, the Meal Planning Maven Linda Shapiro, is phenomenal at this task. Here’s a sample meal plan from her website, MealPlanningMaven.com. Contact Linda directly for a custom designed meal plan to meet your needs.
Pudge-Buster Sample Meal Plan
Want to blast–off that annoying “pudge” that mysteriously found its way to your tummy and hips? Then start out by trying MPM’s Sample Pudge-Buster Menu. Simple and satisfying, this menu is designed for busy cooks like you who have limited food shopping and prep time.
Check out MPM’s tantalizing array of Personalized Meal Planning Services that will help you create a healthy eating lifestyle and say goodbye to pesky “Scale Creep.”
MPM will also teach you strategies for making healthy restaurant choices, coping with food temptations at parties, as well as con-quering stress-induced snack attacks. So get ready to clean out your fridge, freezer and pantry. Don’t think Meal Planning Maven doesn’t know you have a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Phish Food ice cream lurking in your freezer!
Intrigued? Then why not take the next step and find out what MPM can do for you.
Here is a sample of a Pudge-Busting meal plan MPM offers to her clients.
To make your meal plans truly personalized, MPM will do a de-tailed interview with you to identify your food likes and dislikes as well as find out how she can create menus that will work well with your lifestyle and budget.
Pudge-Buster Sample Meal Plan Click links for recipes
Breakfast Two Eggs Over Baby Spinach 1 cup berries 1 slice sprouted grain toast
Power Snack Fresh veggies with salsa
Lunch Farmer’s Market Salad topped with chicken, beef, turkey or fish
Power Snack Cherries 'n Berries Smoothie
Dinner Chicken Cacciatore served over spaghetti squash Steamed broccoli with lemon and garlic
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
CALLING ALL BRIDES and MEMBERS of the WEDDING PARTY!
NEED to BLAST OFF SOME PUDGE BEFORE YOUR NEXT FITTING?
Well, you’re in luck! The Meal Planning Maven (MPM)—our own Get Ready for the Gown’s Linda Shapiro— is closely
associated with the blockbuster, results-driven Smoothie Shakedown, created by Ann Louise Gittleman Ph.D. C.N.S.
Find out why this EASY 14- day plan based on 2 delicious smoothies, 1 healthy meal plus snacks daily is sweeping the
nation! If you need to drop “just a few or a whole bunch,” before the BIG DAY, the Smoothie Shakedown may be the
perfect solution for you.
And… MPM would be delighted to coach you through the program from start to finish!
MPM can also help you personally by sharing her healthy eating secrets you can use, today, tomor-row and always. Her specialties include creating customized meal planner packages and one- on- one food coaching, utilizing the highly successful book, The Fat Flush Plan, also by Dr. Gittleman.
The skills you will learn with Meal Planning Maven will help you achieve your goals and hopefully
avoid the telltale newlywed “pudge” all too common for many new brides (and grooms!)
MPM’s Golden Pudge-Busters
1. Don’t be fooled by the latest crash diet…they almost never work. Any weight lost often comes right back after normal eating is resumed.
2. Create reasonable goals. You didn’t put the weight on overnight, so don’t expect it will magically disappear just as fast.
3. Record your goals and progress. Get yourself a journal and use it. It has been proven people who are successful at losing weight and keeping it off record their journey every step of the way.
4. Get rid of the junk. Give your fridge, freezer and pantry a makeover, getting rid of the holiday excess. Fill your shelves with fresh fruits and veggies, lean proteins and healthy snacks.
5. No skipping breakfast, please. Cutting out the first meal of the day not only may make you feel crabby, but also feeling so hungry by the afternoon that you will wind up scarfing down many more calories than if you had eaten breakfast.
6. Water is a huge appetite buster. Before you binge on sugary snacks, ask yourself if you are truly hungry. Chances are you’re just thirsty, so drink up! Not to mention, your skin will thank you too.
7. Beware of diet saboteurs. We all have them in our lives-family, friends and co-workers always urging you to eat “just one cookie.” Just say…“I have food allergies and this food makes me sick.” Works every time!
8. Find another best friend besides your scale. Unlike a true best friend, the scale may let you down, especially if it won’t budge. Take your measurements regularly or judge success by how you look and feel.
9. Get out there and move. Find a balance between aerobic and resistance training that works for you. This is not rocket science, but it works. Plus, exercise is fun and a real stress-buster.
10. Mini-indulgences are great rewards. Get in the habit of treating yourself. Not with chocolate cake mind you, but what about a nice massage, or a new pair of skinny jeans?
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
Bridal Show Betty is here to share her views
and review of everything bridal on TV. And
maybe even find a lesson or two.
In this issue, Bridal Show Betty looks at casting
notices for some of the latest reality wedding
shows and Randy to the Rescue.
Hi – I’m Betty – and I’m a bridalshow-aholic. It all
started innocently enough – watching Bridezillas and
Whose Wedding is it Anyway while I was planning my
wedding. But I just can’t get enough! I’ve even sat
through all the episodes of Bridalplasty – evidence of
my problem. So, I finally found a way to justify my
viewing habits. I’m writing this column for WED
and rating shows for you with mini-tv’s (1-5 TV’s).
But I prefer to stay anonymous – known only by my
nom de plume, Bridal Show Betty.
In our column in this edition, we wanted to share a
few upcoming casting calls for Wedding TV shows.
Yes, real brides actually make it onto these shows!
Below we share the casting calls for some of our
favorite shows. If you’re looking to be on Bridezillas,
we’ll let you figure that one out on your own.
WE tv's hit series My Fair Wedding is now seeking
brides who are getting married in the LA area in JULY,
AUGUST or SEPTEMBER, 2012 and need a little help
making their dream weddings a reality.
This season, they're looking for brides with UNIQUE
wedding ideas -- ideas so unique that the groom,
family, friends or bridal party may not be completely
convinced that it's a good idea. If you are that bride
(or that groom, family member or friend), then they
want to hear from YOU! David Tutera can take any
unique idea and turn it into the perfect wedding
event for EVERYONE. Visit WeTV’s Casting Page for
more info.
And for TLC, the producers of Say Yes to the Dress want to help you find your ultimate wedding dress! If you're a bride with a HUGE personality and smaller budget, then a new TLC wedding show, I Found the Gown, could be your answer to scoring a designer dress for less!
If you or someone you know is on the hunt for a
discounted designer wedding dress, the experts at
Vows bridal outlet in Boston can find you your very
own dream gown. Whether you're a fashionista on a
budget, someone who loves the art of the deal, or a
bride-to-be running out of shopping time, they can
solve your dress dilemma. Visit the TLC Casting Page
for more information.
And for those brides who prefer a more extravagant
experience, world renowned bridal stylist Renée
Strauss and her colorful team of consultants are back
for a sophomore season of Brides of Beverly Hills.
Vowing to deliver even more glitz, glamour and
drama, season two will continue to follow Strauss and
her team as they navigate the unique personalities
and demands of the Beverly Hills bride. Produced by
Planetworks Inc., this 15-episode half hour season is
scheduled to premiere October 2012.
The series is currently casting for brides looking to
share their story. For more information visit the TLC
Casting Page at: tlc.discovery.com/casting
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
Randy to the Rescue {Behind the
Scenes Video} Watch on TLC
Randy to the Rescue
TLC, Fridays 10 p.m.
Must See!!
a
Well it’s about time Randy Fenoli got his own show!! Randy to the Rescue, TLC’s newest bridal install-ment, features bridal style guru Randy Fenoli (of Say Yes to the Dress fame) as he hits the road to bring his favorite gowns, unsurpassed dress knowledge and
signature styling approach to lucky brides around the country. Across eight cities, Randy provides a “head to hem” makeover for brides-to-be along the way. From dresses and accessories to hair and makeup, Randy creates a bridal blueprint for each bride, with a full look that can be replicated on their actual wedding day.
Straight off the runway and transported via big rig, Randy rolls into town with a bridal salon on wheels to dish out his top tips on bridal style, do’s and don’ts and the hottest trends for the season. Along the way, viewers are introduced to the emotional stories of deserving brides wishing for dramatic makeovers for their big day. City stops include: San Diego, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Nashville, Cincinnati, Boston, Minneapolis. Never fear: it’s RANDY TO THE RESCUE!
I love this new take on the bridal gown show. If you missed any of the first run shows, be on the look out as they re-run on TLC.
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
Our wedding planning experts teach you how to organize for your
wedding day. In this issue, Paige Simpson and Kelly Werder of No Worries
Weddings and Events talk about how linens can make a room.
From the Connie Duglin
Linen website—Example of
a design tool that allows
you to choose the various
linens options and try them
on your table. Many linen
rental sites offer this. We
recommend viewing the
linens in person as well via
a sample or swatch.
When creating your wedding design, consider
all five senses, including touch, particularly in
regards to table linens.
Most venues, such as hotels and country
clubs, will supply a poly-blend standard linen,
usually in white or other neutral color, for
your wedding. By upgrading your linen to a
more elegant fabric, it can dramatically
change the look and feel of your event.
Many brides either do not think to upgrade
the linen or do not have it in the budget.
When planning for your centerpieces (and
the whole tablescape), consider allotting a
portion of your per table budget toward
linens. Even an overlay with a bit of color or
shimmer can make a dramatic difference. An
organza overlay for example, may run less
than $10 per table but add an easy touch of
shimmer and sophistication.
If you are holding your wedding in a
restaurant or country club, they often will
only supply a linen that does not go full to
the floor. To give your wedding a more
elegant look, be sure that you have full-
length linens. This is vital if you are using
rental tables with metal legs—you will want
to cover these up!
If your budget is truly limited, consider a
table runner to add a pop color or style to the
table. Many linen companies now offer a
variety of fabrics in a runner style. And be
sure to consider an upgrade in the napkin as
well. Your guests will appreciate that.
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
WED is on Pinterest! Follow our
boards: Pinterest.com/wedbiz/
Pinterest is by invitation only.
Need an invite? Send your
request to:
with the subject line:
Pinterest Invite
Have you checked out . . .
With the growing popularity
of Pinterest among brides,
WED launched the
WEDpinning.com blog to
feature some of the best
wedding pin boards and
share “pinteresting” news, such as Pinterest
Apps and add-ons. You’ll also find featured
Pinterest contests including our “Pin it to
Win it” Inspired by Sasha contest.
Happy Pinning! Example of WEDpinning.com Pin Board of the Week (above).
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
tech
WED
TouchNote– It’s the marrying of digital and print—and we love it!
TouchNote allows you to create a postcard from your photos — either
online, or using their App (iPhone/iPad/Android) and then have it printed
and shipped for you. We love this idea for Honeymoon postcards OR
Save-the-Dates. Another great wedding use — send postcards to friends
and family who were unable to attend your Destination Wedding! You
could even use these for your Thank You cards. Use your own photos or
ask your photographer for a fab engagement photo or wedding photo. Cost: $1.49 per
postcard including postage Recommendation: A fabulous technology for those looking for
an easy way to print and share photo postcards. Do a test run and see what you think!
We’ve changed “There’s an App for That” to techWED to encompass even more technology
available to help you with your wedding. We’ll share not only iPhone/iPad and Android
Apps, but any technology that may be helpful.
And, as always, be sure to check out the WedBiz Media App!! Yes our own iPad/iPhone App
is now FREE! Designed for the iPad it can also be used on the iPhone. You can download it
in your App Store today.
How it works
Upload your photo for
the front of the postcard.
Then add your message
on the back.
Add in the address you
want to mail it to.
Make the payment and
you’re done!
Can be done online via
their website or using
the TouchNote App via
iPhone, iPad or Android.
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
tech
WED
WedBiz Media – our App is live!! And we are so excited to bring it to
you. Our digital magazines WED and WedBiz Journal are both housed
in the WedBiz Media App. Take your inspiration on the go! Cost: Now
it’s FREE!!! Recommendation: Go get it!
We tested out a sample Save the Date using an engagement photo by Aimee
Rossi Photography and added some sample text on the back. It was easy to do
although some of the options (colors, fonts) are limited. It’s especially great for
the one-off honeymoon postcard, especially to close family and friends. Try it
out and let us know what you think!
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
For the
Groom
She said yes,
now what?
Ideas & Advice
for Grooms
Don’t Fear the Bridal Show!
Your first thought when asked by your bride if you want to go
to the latest bridal show is probably, “why would I want to do
that?” OR “I’d rather be anywhere else.”
But there are quite a few reasons you should consider
attending. Check out our Top 5 below:
Does your guy need
some groom advice?
Check out these
Groomy blogs:
The Man Registry—
with a Groom 101
section
Groom’s Advice from
the Man Registry is a
great blog to follow
covering all kinds of
groomy topics.
The Grooms Says—an
irreverent view from the
Groom’s side of the aisle
1. Your opinion matters! This is a great chance to be efficient and meet a whole
bunch of vendors you need for your wedding in one spot. If you’re there to
meet them, you can put in your two cents when making a decision.
2. Many shows now offer a “Man Cave” or “Groom’s Lounge” to get away during
the fashion show or if it just gets unbearable. Find out if the show near you
offers this.
3. You can check out all the cool free stuff/
giveaways and help to enter the raffles.
4. Two words: Free Cake
5. Your bride will appreciate it and it won’t
kill you to spend 3 hours at a bridal show.
And the next time you want to (golf/fish/
go to a monster truck rally/insert your 3-4
hour activity that you like to do that your
bride does not like), you can remind her
that you went with her to the bridal
show. : - )
Bottom line — it’s your wedding too and this
is a great way to help with the planning.
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
For the
Groom
She said yes,
now what?
Ideas & Advice
for Grooms
Groom Style: KnotTheory.com
We love these ties from Knot Theory. Each
tie set can be worn multiple ways offer
great options for all the groomsmen. The
fashion forward colors are vibrant. Learn
more on KnotTheory.com.
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
With so many great wedding blogs, we went in search this issue for those that help with creating
your design vision and offer advice. Here are a few that offer great inspiration. Be sure to check
WED’s Blog for vendor profiles, giveaways and Weekly Inspiration!
Blogs for Brides Our review of the Best Blogs to help you with your wedding planning
Sparkliatti Blog— We’ve featured her blog
before but since Sasha Souza graces our
cover for this edition, we mention it again.
Planner and Designer extraordinaire Sasha
Souza’s blog—Sparkliatti—always has lots of
gorgeous ideas for your wedding. We love
when she creates inspiration boards and
shares them. Even better when she shares
her real wedding stories! You can subscribe
to her blog and receive updates by email so
you don’t miss any of the sparkly
fabulousness!
www.sparkliatti.com
The Boho Wedding Blog — Are you looking
for alternative wedding ideas for your
bohemian wedding? Then this is the blog for
you! This fun UK based blog offers
inspiration, trends, DIY Tutorials and real
weddings with an alternative feel in mind.
www.boho-weddings.com
Staggered—Another blog from across the
pond, Staggered is geared toward the groom
and his guys to help him through the planning
process. As they say, “We’ve got stag-do
ideas to make you the best best man and
enough wedding competitions, free offers
and discounts to keep you going for life.”
www.iamstaggered.com
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
In this edition’s Something Borrowed, we share weddings with
amazing locations and a nod to vintage style. Each Wedding in this
issue shows that a fabulous location can make for fabulous photos.
Plus, we love a touch of vintage! Want even more Real Wedding
inspiration and bonus photos? Sign-up for WED’s Weekly Inspiration
for Real Wedding and other inspiration delivered right to your Inbox!
Real Weddings, Real Inspiration
Vendors may submit their weddings on Two Bright Lights.
Photographer: Brochman Photography
Photographer: Diane Askew Photography
Photographer: Mark Hayes Photography
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
Kayleigh & Mike
What an interesting location
for a ceremony? On the tarmac in front of a
vintage airplane—we love it! And we love the
other touches like paper airplanes to throw
during the recessional, parachute backgrounds,
and telegraph invitations.
Featured Vendors:
Photographer: Brochman Photography
Floral Designer: Simply Stated Elegance
Venue: Fleming Field
All Photos by Brochman Photography
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
Hilary & Eli A vintage wedding in wine country—
what could be more beautiful! This gorgeous Sonoma, California
vineyard provides an amazing backdrop for the ceremony, with a dinner held
inside the winery. We love the vintage style gown and styling as well as the details.
Featured Vendors:
Photographer: Diane Askew Photography Venue: Gundlach Bundschu Winery Caterer: the girl
& the fig CATERS! Floral Designer: Lavendar,Lavender Musicians: Hot Club of San Francisco
Rentals: Wine Country Party & Events
All Photos by: Diane Askew Photography
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
Kelle & Mark
A Castle setting, vintage style and a horse
& carriage — how can you lose with this
wedding! We love the feathers in the hair
and the fedora for the groom. Vintage
done elegantly!
Featured Vendors:
Photographer: Mark Hayes Photography
Venue: The Dunafon Castle
Hair Stylist: Keri Winters Bridal
Band: Swing Essence
All photos by: Mark Hayes Photography
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
Lily & Charlie The Keystone Ranch in Colorado provided the
setting for this fun wedding. The rustic feel was great for photos. You
can tell from the photos that the guests had a great time.
Featured Vendors:
Photographer: Timothy Faust Photography Venue: Keystone Ranch
Event Planner: Bliss Elevated
All Photos by: Timothy Faust Photography
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
Featured
Bridal Shows
WED The Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1
No Worries Weddings
Your Destination Wedding Specialists
Full Service Wedding Planning
Day-of Coordination
Officiating
Serving Southwest Florida
239-821-9381
MyNoWorriesWedding.com