Anthony & Ginette- Jamaica

~written by: Cendi Micor

Happy New Year to you all! It has been an absolute pleasure working alongside Anthony and Ginette in planning their wedding in Jamaica. As we begin 2013, we are fast approaching the wonderful trip which awaits us and I am appreciative to all who have helped in making this day possible. Anthony and Ginette are not only clients, they are family and I am blessed and honored that they have entrusted me thus far.

To capture every moment, I would like to kindly invite all of you to download the "Wedding Party" app on your smartphone. Once you have done so, please join "anthonyginette2013" and when we are in Jamaica, you can upload photos and notes for the couple and guests to see via https://www.weddingpartyapp.com/e/OXdmw1O

We kindly ask that you refrain from taking photos during the wedding entourage sessions with the photographers on the wedding day to allow full focus for the photographers to stage their shots. Otherwise, go crazy with your pictures and share them with us all!

Professional photos will be taken by Almost Married http://almostmarried.ca/wordpress/

Safe journey and I'll see you all soon.

The Bazaar of the Bizarre- THIS SUNDAY

What are you doing on Sunday? Come by and visit us as we are featured at this year's Spring Edition of The Bazaar of the Bizarre hosted by Plastik Wrap. This year's venue is the Pia Bouman School of Ballet (6 Noble Street, Toronto) from 11am- 7pm. Admission is FREE.




There will be tons of interesting vendors so you don't want to miss this. Anyone who attends and visits us will receive a promotional code to get a 10% discount on our services.

Hope to see you there!

One-of-a-kind Bouquets- The Bouquet House

~written by Cendi Micor

Although flowers do add a touch of decor to a wedding, I've never really been a huge fan of flowers. I totally love the idea of the flower-less bouquets because they are very unique and memorable. With that being said, check out these insanely brilliant bouquets...





~images courtesy of The Bouquet House

The founder of The Bouquet House is Tara Murney. She has a passion for one-of-a-kind bouquets and is able to use all her creative energy to create a keepsake for her clients that is co-designed by them as well. She uses quality materials like faux flowers, buttons, crystals, silks and satins to create a bouquet that will be like no other.

All you need is a vision, Tara will co-design your bouquet with you and she will take care of creating a bouquet that will last forever. Contact Tara today to get your bouquet!

Ear Gauge Bling

~written by Cendi Micor

Although we can't be definite of the origin of ear gauges, people have been enlarging their ear piercings for hundreds, possibly thousands, of years. Regardless of what it symbolizes, many people have done it these days as a fashion statement.

However, what do you do with these larges holes on your wedding day?

Luckily NewSteel has some options. Besides their online store, they also have kiosks at Oshawa Centre, Vaughan Mills, Square One and Devonshire Mall. Their plugs and tunnels come with cubic zirconias and gems and can make an elegant alternative to your spacers.

From 8ga to 00ga and prices under $20, you can't go wrong.

Check these out...






~Photos courtesy of www.shopnewsteel.c,om

Now that's casually elegant!

getting hitched MAD MEN style

~written by Cendi Micor

Nothing beats the 1960's style of the Mad Men cast. Here is what I picture a Don Draper-esque wedding to look like....

Starting with the women:


www.fashionhousevintage.com

The bride can wear a very simple white dress. Nothing too fancy and very easy to accessorize. The jewellery would surely be pearls...necklace and earrings. Make-up will be very minimal with bright red lips. The hair- pulled back in tight up-do.

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk

www.luellajune.com









The bridesmaids can wear different dresses expressive of their own individual styles.

The men:

www.xerposa.com
Very slick, parted hair wearing simple grey suits with a black tie. Who says the men can't have accessories? At their seats, they surely have to have briefcases and maybe they can carry around the women's stuff for a change?...lol! And of course, they have to have fedoras.

Decor:
Straight edge, business type of furniture and the accent lighting can be desk lamps. Velvet lounge chairs and couches. Another accent, glass ashtrays. Regardless of whether or not you smoke, everyone in Mad Men is a smoker so it just adds to the ambiance.


www.thebeehiveblog.net

Music:
Surely play everything from the Beatles, Petula Clark's Downtown, The Temptations, Diana Ross and The Supremes, The Doors, and Jimi Hendrix. And, of course, for the entrance- A Beautiful Mine by RJD2.

Drinks:
Can't have a Mad Men environment without the infamous whiskey on the rocks

www.stockfoodmotion.com

and of course, the infamous Manhattan...

www.mommysfabulous.com

And last, but certainly not least, you have to play up on the concept of ads. From invitations, to programs to the guestbook, make it look like an ad out of a magazine.

If you or someone you know wants to play up on this theme, contact me. Until then....stay mad!

Bad-ass Kicks for a Bad-ass Bride!

~written by Cendi Micor

I was first introduced to Iron Fist clothing in November 2010. I saw a woman wearing a bright dress amongst a group of women wearing all black. But it wasn't her dress that caught my eyes, it was her shoes. She had on a pair of heels with a design that was very reminiscent of a tattoo design. I loved it! Unfortunately, I am ashamed to say that I have yet to purchase my first item from Iron Fist.

Here are some of my favourite pairs of heels that would be perfect for a fearless bride.

"Bowed Over Platform"


"American Nightmare Platform"


"Lacey Days Pointed-toe Platform"


"Meshed Up Platform"


~all images courtesy of www.ironfistclothing.com
Iron Fist also has clothing and accessories for men and kids. They actually started in 2001 with just mens clothing but realized that designing for ladies would be a hit as well. I am also a fan of their slogan, "made with love for a Heartless World..." Great clothing for those who just couldn't care less about what others are doing.

Too Hot for Guests Engagement Pictures

~written by: Cendi Micor

Although boudoir photo shoots have been around for many years, they aren't exactly the type of photos you see often. Why? Well, they are quite intimate and aren't exactly the type of images to be shared with your next door neighbour or your grandparents.


www.marlenjames.com

As nice as engagement photos are to have displayed during wedding receptions, not every couple enjoys doing them and while they can be awkward to pose for, why not make it even more awkward by doing a couples boudoir photo shoot...ha! This is a great option to really caption the newlywed spark and have images that only you and your fiance can share.

Marlen James is great with these photos. She has a studio in Toronto and has the perfect personality to get you to loosen up and get in touch with your inner sexy. She's a total goof sometimes and is tons of fun! Contact her at mj@marlenjames.com for more info.

**keep posted for details on a special project we have in the works**

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo clothing

~written by Cendi Micor


www.hm.com

H&M has collaborated with the designer for The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Trish Summerville, to create a clothing line based around Lisbeth Salander. Lisbeth Salander is the heroin, played by Rooney Mara, who is a misunderstood woman who has survived abuse and rape.

The clothing line with minimal colour and lots of black is due to appear in stores on December 14, 2011 and is surely a collection that non-fashionistas like myself, can appreciate as it appeals to those who rally for a grunge, laid-back feel.

THE CROW

~written by Cendi Micor

Just a quick post on one of my favourite movies, "The Crow" which is worthy of a mention. Eric Draven (played by Brandon Lee) displays his eternal love for his murdered fiance by returning from the dead to seek revenge.


~Photo courtesy of www.filmpopper.com
I love so much about this movie...the Halloween reference, the music, the crow, the quotes from Edgar Allan Poe's poem "The Raven" and the story of the couple so deeply in love. Ironic that Brandon Lee died during the filming of this film and that it was 3 weeks before he was to be married. Incredibly sad but glad he left us with such an amazing film.


~Photo courtesy of www.retrojunk.com
"Buildings burn, people die but real love lasts forever..." ending line before credits of The Crow.

An Ode to the Iconic ELIZABETH TAYLOR

~written by Cendi Micor


~Photo courtesy of www.movieeye.com


Today, many mourned the loss of a beautiful woman. Elizabeth Taylor died today at the age of 79. She was not only known for her beauty...she was also a talented actress, had her own perfume and well known for her violet eyes. Another thing about her was the fact that she had been married numerous times. Of her eight weddings (two of which were to Richard Burton), her are my favourites looks....




~Photos courtesy of www.glamour.com

Surprisingly, these were both of her weddings to Richard Burton.


~Photo courtesy of www.glamour.com

This dress was not during a real wedding. It was what she wore in the original Father of The Bride movie.

She will always be remembered. May she rest in peace...

~Photo courtesy of www.eonline.com

A Vendor that ROCKS!!!!- NIGHT DAY PRODUCTIONS

~written by Cendi Micor


~Photo courtesy of www.nightdayproductions.blogspot.com

I had an amazing meeting with Nishi from Night Day Productions (NISHI is Sanskrit for "Night" and DIAS is Portuguese for "Day"), and we discussed the importance of capturing special moments through Video. Not everyone is keen on having a Videographer, especially during the “round-table” greetings, but if done the correct way, it is a vital part of keeping your wedding memories. As Nishi thought-provokingly put it during our interview, “how much would you pay to be able to watch your grandparents get married?” I would love to show my video to my daughter, I can only imagine how emotional it would be to show it to her children.

Nishi has been a video editor since 2000; she did everything from rock concerts to lifestyle TV pilots. In 2005, she started shooting weddings with a small team of videographers. So rather than just Nishi editing, she now had a production team. Once the demand increased, she added some photographers to the mix. As Nishi explained, “We're structured differently from most wedding videographers, in that we're not a one-man or one-woman show. Each crew member has a very specific role: Producer, Editor, Videographer, Photographer. A lot of times, with wedding videographers, you'll get the same person shooting and editing a wedding and there's nothing wrong with that. However, outside of the wedding industry, in production, you tend to get people who specialize in either one or the other. In my experience, shooting and editing are two very different disciplines that require different skill sets and even different personalities and temperaments: videographers (shooters) are more extroverted, physical and outgoing. Editors are incredibly detail-oriented and patient and don't mind the long hours in a dark studio tweaking footage until it is just perfect”

They proudly achieved Wedding Wire’s Bride’s Choice for Videography in 2010 and 2011

Wedding Video by Night Day Productions from Nishi Dias on Vimeo.

Their next project is that they will be tackling live web streaming so that it will be possible to broadcast your wedding live on the Internet as it happens…perfect for family abroad. They are also gay-friendly.

Nishi really educates her clients about what’s involved in producing a good wedding video and it costs what it costs. She appreciates couples on a budget, but at the same time, this is a lot of misinformation of what makes “guys with cameras” professional. You can find many articles on the subject on her site www.NightDayWeddings.com

LADY GAGA at the Air Canada Centre

~written by Cendi Micor


Photo courtesy of www.buytorontotickets.ca

Last night, I had the privilege to attend one of the many shows of the Monster Ball Tour. Lady Gaga had literally flown straight from Paris (where she did a Fashion Show) to do her concert in Toronto. Yes, she was a tad late starting, but totally worth the wait because not only did she perform for 2.5 hrs, she also did it straight with no intermission.


Photo courtesy of www.almostmarried.ca/wordpress

EVERYONE knows Lady Gaga…you may not like her or her music, but you know her! She has inspired many and one little girl in particular is Maria Aragon, a ten year old girl who sang Gaga’s song “Born This Way” on You Tube. She played the keyboard while singing and if you haven’t seen it, I recommend you do so http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG0wi1m-89o Gaga flew Maria in from Winnipeg to perform the song (twice) on stage-the ballad version and the radio version. It was very touching and had many in tears.

Gaga was extremely interactive with her fans and even made a phone call to one of the fans during the show and invited him out for drinks after. She is also a huge activist for Gay & Lesbian movements and believes strongly in being whoever you are, no matter what society, your family or friends think. This was evident in the hundreds of fans who dressed up and were completely uncensored. She even threw herself into the crowd (even though she wasn’t supposed to…lol!) and did a bit of body surfing. The security guards loved that!!

This was one of the best concerts I have been to because it was absolutely like NO OTHER. She even had a “Monster” on stage, had people appear to eat her and she re-appeared covered in blood. And her outfits, as expected, were absolutely bizarre and “out-there”. The show was surely an “adult” show but the fans ranged from age 7-70 years old.


Photo taken by Cendi Micor

If you are a “Little Monster” (as Gaga puts it), you will “put your paws up” for her and support her regardless of what outsiders think.

We can all learn from Lady Gaga and embrace our true selves for who we really are because, as she stated many times, we were born this way.

CONTEST TIME-Courtesy of Destination Weddings & Honeymoons Magazine

Click on the link below to enter for a chance to win a Dream Wedding at Atlantis Paradise Island in Bahamas.
**please note that only US Residents are eligible

http://www.destinationweddingmag.com/contests/enter-your-chance-win-atlantis-ultimate-wedding-giveaway

~Photo courtesy of www.destinationweddingmag.com

THIS WOULD INCREDIBLE AS A WEDDING DRESS...love it!

~written by Cendi Micor

For those of you who know me, you know that I am by no means at all a fan of Rihanna. However, I was totally in love with her dress last night at the Grammys. During her performance with Eminem, she wore this....


Photo courtesy of www.ultimate-rihanna.com


Photo courtesy of www.rapfix.mtv.com

If I could have another wedding, I would seriously wear something like that. Or maybe my 10 year anniversary...maybe to renew our vows. Or, even better, any brides planning to wear something like this? If so, I'd love to hear about your plans...

FINGER ELEVEN at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre

~written by Cendi Micor

Finger Eleven's latest album "Life Turns Electric" is amazing and I saw them on January 22, 2011 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.



~Photo courtesy of www.topfloormusic.com

The venue was awesome in terms of the layout...very intimate and easy to locate your seats. Bathrooms were clean and I would most definitely go there again.

Scott Anderson shaved his head again and he was, as always, on point with his vocals. Still, one of my favourite bands to see live!!!!!!! Best songs of the night: "Drag You Down" & "First Time"...I was a little upset that they didn't play "Absent Elements" but overall, AMAZING CONCERT! Finger Eleven has never disappointed me...

IN LIEU OF FAVOURS-DONATIONS

~written by Cendi Micor

I had a wonderful, blessed holiday season and realized just how lucky I am. All material things aside, I am blessed with an amazing family and great friends who are all healthy. I began to give constant thought to finding an outlet to give back somehow to those less fortunate.

Coincidentally enough, Katie Schulz contacted me with a wonderful opportunity. In lieu of favours, why not donate to Cystic Fibrosis Canada? This is not a new concept but since her daughter is suffering from this disease, it is one that I can relate to as a mother of a young child. I could not begin to imagine what it is like and feel there is always room to give back. Couples can provide place cards letting their guests know where a donation has been made. Here is a sample:



For more information, please feel free to contact Katie Schulz mrskatieschulz@gmail.com

I truly believe that everything happens for a reason and that certain people come into your life for a reason as well. I hope to help Katie's daughter, Sophia, and all those who suffer from this disease.

Wedding Band...WHY the left ring finger??

~written by Cendi Micor

Ever wonder WHY we wear engagement ring and wedding band on the ring finger of our left hand? Ever wonder WHY we wear the wedding band below our engagement ring when we actually get that AFTER the engagement ring?


~Photo courtesy of www.pricescope.com

In North America and the UK, the origin of wearing it on your left ring finger came from Ancient Egypt and Romans. It was believed that there is a vein in that finger leading directly to your heart. This vein is known as “vena amoris” , meaning “vein of love”. In England, it was on the ring finger because the groom would slide it partway up the thumb, index finger and middle finger while saying, “In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit”…then place it on the ring finger.

However, in Europe, many cultures wear it on the right ring finger. Some cultures wear it on the left hand when engaged, then switch it to the right when married. Some cultures wear it on the index finger.

As for wearing the wedding band below the engagement ring, some say it is because it is closest to your heart. Regardless…it should come down to your preference.


~Photo courtesy of www.my-weddingdream.com

Where and how do you wear your rings?

Singapore Brides- 1000 ROSES

~written by Cendi Micor

I ABSOLUTELY love this shoot which was done for SingaporeBrides.com. Zhang Jingna, was the talent behind this and was not only the Art Director but also the Photographer. She took the approach of making a dark, yet extremely elegant scene with models Julia Valimaki, Sasha Luss and Zivile Cibaite. The dark roses were able to fill an 18-foot wide backdrop.

















~All photos courtesy of www.zhangjingna.com~

This is an absolutely brilliant shoot and I will definitely be following Zhang Jingna’s work. Check out her site http://zhangjingna.com/

Memorial Diamonds

~written by Cendi Micor

There is no doubt that we cherish the idea of a memory being forever…immortal…everlasting. However, what about preserving someone’s memory by creating a “memorial diamond”? It is not a new concept but definitely, one that I, only recently heard of. Diamonds, made from human or animal hair and also from ashes. Could you imagine having a piece of a loved one you lost (literally) and having it made into a diamond you could wear around with you? Creepy? Maybe, just a tad. Especially the ones made from ashes? What do you think?



How does this work? The hair contains carbon and once that is extracted, it is combined with high pressurized heat and placed in a diamond synthesis press. They are apparently considered genuine diamonds, since they have the same characteristics of mined diamonds.

Life Gem was the world's first company to offer synthesized memorial diamonds but some other places to purchase them include the U.K., Russia and Switzerland.



~images courtesy of www.lifegem.com

Would you ever consider having an engagement ring made this way? Definitely someone to think about….

IT'S BACK!! The Kleinfeld Experience Contest

~written by Cendi Micor






~images courtesy of www.ringbearer.ca

Calling all brides-to-be: Here is your chance to WIN the KLEINFELD EXPERIENCE!! Courtesy of The Ring Bearer. ENTER NOW for this once in a lifetime opportunity by visiting http://www.theringbearer.ca/kleinfeld