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I am not sure if you heard, but we have two "Taylors" working on the Howerton+Wooten Events team.
We are thrilled to share that our very own intern, Taylor Smith, graduated from University of Maryland last week.
Congratulations Taylor! We are really proud of you.
Love and Soul Always, Kay
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Brides!
Please make sure that you are properly hydrated on your wedding day -- on the inside (no passing out allowed) AND the outside. Here are some great options to keep your skin moisturized on your wedding day!
Since your wedding day is a day for splurging, consider trying the Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Dame Crème. This potent anti-aging treatment cream fortified with a Deep Sea Water that targets existing facial lines and helps to prevent new fine lines and wrinkles from appearing. The Deep Sea Water is a key ingredient that enhances metabolic reaction within the skin and helps cell renewal.
Another fun splurge is Philosophy's Hope in a Jar. This cream is a world-famous, daily facial moisturizer originally created for the medical market to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, skin discoloration, rough texture and dehydration. This cream is loaded with antioxidants in a unique soufflé texture.
Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel is a preferred moisturizer for combination and oily skin types. Several experts say that it is lightweight, silky and oil-free but wish that it contained sunscreen.
For parents of children with Eczema, Eucerin is the preferred brand. Most of the Eucerin products arequite thick. But that is a small price to pay because Eucerin products are also known for strengthening and supporting your natural skin barrier, while helping to protect your skin against the elements. This moisturizes is probably the least expensive moisturizer in this blog post, but I must tell you that it will most likely be the most expensive lotion that you find in the drug store.
Special Note: The word, "Ashy" is a colloquialism for dry skin. If not hydrated properly, some skin types will have a look that is similar to chalk or ash – hence the term, “Ashy.” The parts of your body most likely to be ashy are your lips, hands, elbows, knees and feet. As you can imagine, it is typically easier to see dry, ashy skin on medium to dark skinned people. Therefore, this phrase is most commonly used within the African American community.
Love and Soul Always, Kay
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Just so you know, a professional wedding planner would have --
A.) Thought of the outdoor pests beforehand, and recommended leaving the cake inside until right before the cake cutting.
B.) Placed some oscillating fans near the cake/buffet to discourage the outdoor insects and animals.
C.) Placed the cake within a decorative canopy
- or -
D.) Determined an animal and insect control plan beforehand to prevent animals and pests from "crashing the wedding reception."
Enjoy an excellent week!
Love and Soul Always, Kay
(I am not sure of the photo source. My best buddy Juana sent this to me.)
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Love is not merely a feeling; it is an act of will that consists of preferring, in a constant manner, the good of others to the good of oneself. –Pope John Paul II
— from Purity 365: Daily Reflections on True Love
Love and Soul Always, Kay
(Photo: PositivePsychologyNews)
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When I arrive at my vacation destination, I find it very relaxing to feel a cool breeze come in from the window, and the smell of lavender.
Why lavender? I heard many years ago that the smell of lavender relaxes you. I don't know if this is completely true, but it consistently works for my mood after a long day maneuvering airport lines, luggage and taxicabs.
If I were planning my honeymoon, I would take some of these candles (made by The Travel Tin Company) with me because hotels by the beach can be a little (ahem) musty. Plus, these candles are made of soy with 100% cotton wicks, so they are better for the environment that many other travel candles.
By the way, these candles would make a great wedding favor too. What do you think?
Love & Soul Always, Kay
(Photo: The Travel Tin Company)
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Sometimes, packing your suitcase for your honeymoon can be an afterthought. As a result, you might overpack or forget crucial items.
So, I wanted to reprise our list of honeymoon/vacation packing tips. So check it out here.
Hopefully, it will minimize one of your major wedding planning tasks.
Have a great trip!
Love and Soul Always, Kay
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Planning your wedding might leave you very little time to shop for the "TSA-approved" size of your favorite personal care products for your honeymoon.
As life would have it, you can purchase all of them at once on the Minimus web site.
You can find just about everything you need in a travel size -- shampoo, diet specific foods and even household items. In fact, I was able to find a "travel size" bottle of spray starch for my husband. (He likes his clothes crisp).
In addition to your honeymoon, you can purchase these products for your Wedding Day Emergency Kit, Camping Supply Box or the nice little basket you place in the wedding reception venue restrooms.
Love & Soul Always, Kay
(Photo: Minimus)
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If I were packing my suitcase for my honeymoon, I would include the following --
My Bose (Noise Cancellation) Headphones. This things are the bomb diggity! With them, I am able to drown out the shrieks of the crying baby behind me, and I am actually able to hear the actors' words in the inflight movie.
La Roche-Posay (SPF 60) Melt-In Sunscreen. This is definitely on my list because I have been burned before, and I am trying to hold off those wrinkles for as long as I can. I don't go on vacation without this stuff.
World Traveler Adapter. This single adapter contains plug options for more than 150 countries. Note: This adapter does not convert the voltage.
Lilly Pulitzer Stay Afloat Tote. You can fit just about everything in this bag, so you don't have to keep running back to your hotel room for items you left behind.
Kindle. My honeymoon was the best vacation to enjoy after a year of wedding planning. I spent several days reading fun, trashy paperbacks. If I were able to bring a Kindle along with me, I would have so much more space in my bag for munchies.
Island Ice Cubes. If you are worried about the local water, but like your drinks cold consider the Island Ice Cubes. They are hermetically sealed ice trays containing Tasmanian spring water . This leak proof ice tray contains ten (10) individually sealed cubes that can be carried in your luggage without worry, and put in your hotel fridge for freezing.
What do you intend to take with you on your honeymoon?
Love and Soul Always, Kay
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With honeymoons and vacations right around the corner, I thought this would be a good week to focus on packing for travel.
Do you have any recommendations for packing and traveling?
Please send them to me and I will definitely feature them.
Enjoy!
Love and Soul Always, Kay
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"No matter what you've done for yourself or for humanity, if you can't look back on having given love and attention to your own family, what have you really accomplished?" -- Lee Iacocca
(Mom and Fat Daddy Dancing at my Wedding)
If you are connected to me on Twitter or Facebook, then you know that my mother has been in and out of the hospital for the last three months because of her failing heart.
My family is so incredibly important to me, so this has been a really challenging time. My mom and I have had one of those crazy "mother/daughter love/hate" relationships. But I feel comfortable saying that we have been working on becoming close for the last four years. So, I am not ready to see that relationship . . . well, let’s just say that I desperately want more time.
Now that we are in our 2010 wedding season, I am beginning to witness some of the same mother/daughter spats that my own mother and I had prior to my wedding day. And so often, I want to say to my brides, “Don't sweat the small stuff with your mom. If I knew then what I know now . . .”
· I wouldn’t care about that big bow on the back of my wedding gown. Oh goodness! I had every intention of removing this bow from the back of my wedding gown. My mother begged me to let it remain on the dress, so I relented. She loved that darn bow. I may have kept the bow on the back of my gown, but I have been complaining about it ever since. If I knew then what I know now, I would know that no article of clothing is worth my mother’s feelings.
· I would have gotten myself some wedding planning help. Around the same time my mom arrived in DC for my wedding, the soloist canceled because of a death in her family. On top of that, the weatherman started forecasting rain. ß Did I mention I was having an outdoor ceremony, and I refused to get married under a tent? I managed to rectify the soloist situation but I had to do it while my mom tried to chronicle my wedding week with her camera. I knew she meant well, but it was quite annoying. So, my mom caught the brunt of my “wedding week stress.” If I knew then what I know now, I would have recognized her excitement and loosened up. Heck, she probably could have helped me with my soloist challenge.
· I would have allowed her to invite more of her girlfriends to my wedding – even if I never heard their names before. Oh honey! The wedding guest list was such a big point of contention. My mom is one of those ladies that nurtured and maintained every friendship she made. As a result, her portion of our wedding guest list was larger than the combination of my list, my fiancé’s list, and my in-laws’ list. Since I paid for my own wedding, I demanded that she remove some of her girlfriends from the list. I barely knew them, so I didn’t see the big deal. If I knew then what I know now, I would understand that our parents have friends who are extremely important to them – even if they weren’t a big part of our lives.
· I would have involved her in more of the wedding planning process. To say that my mom and I have different styles would be an understatement. I knew that before I got engaged, so I purposely didn’t involve her in very much of the wedding planning. I didn’t want her to take over. About a month prior to my wedding day, she confessed to me that she was hurt. She said that she didn’t feel like the mother of the bride. To make up for it, I invited her to spend the wedding week with me. If I knew then what I know now, I would have included her in at least some of my wedding planning. Because, a lot of moms dream about their daughter’s wedding day long before their daughter does.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms preparing for their son or daughter's wedding. You are a blessing to your children even if your ideas and style don't mesh with your child's plans.
And, Happy Mother's Day to my mom. Your love is truly a gift from God.
Love and Soul Always, Kay
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