Introducing ...

our second BRIDE FRIDAY!

Malin Viktoria comes to us all the way from Queensland, Australia.

A photographer by profession, she lives with her fiancé Michael and their cat Emo.

And wait for it.

The wedding date?

11.11.11

We wish Malin Viktoria and Michael lots of fun as they prepare for their big day. The next time we see them we'll be sharing their e-session.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks that ring looks fabulous!

On to the Friday giveaway!

Candee Caldwell has been nice enough to give a Mary Kay Pedicure Set. It's sitting in my house at the moment - and I will mail it to the winning bride. No cost for shipping, but an overseas winner will be responsible for customs tax incurred at her end, if any is applicable.

Entering is easy - but I will repeat that these giveaways are only open to brides.

Simply leave a comment which includes how you got here. Please don't enter your email address as this is a public site. On Thursday, August 19th @ 1900EST I will use random.org to draw a winner - and post that name here on Friday, August 20th. The winner will then have 2 days to contact me.

Good luck!

Thursdays with lili #1

Welcome to the first installment of Thursdays with lili. On this day we'll be talking about jewelry, and hearing from our team of outstanding professionals. Hopefully the things I choose to talk about (or ask others to talk about) will resonate with you - but please feel free to make suggestions.

Now .. moving on for today ...

Kelly Ippolito is the person most brides and vendors associate with the Eastern & Central arm of Perfect Wedding Guide. We'll be catching up with her sometime in September, but today I just want to share something that made me very proud at the Perfect Bridal Showcase they sponsored this past Sunday.

My jewelry made it onto the catwalk!

Stunning models and gorgeous gowns made for a very fun fashion show.

Dresses were supplied by

The Wedding Embassy

of Watertown, CT.

You can check them out on their website and on their facebook page.

Hair and make up by Beauty Entourage.

Their website can be found here. You can also find them on Facebook.

As I said earlier, today we also have the first in a series of professional tips.

First up is Dr. Richard Briggs.

Here is what he has to say:

Amidst the excitement and bustle of wedding preparations, don't lose sight of some basic requirements for a healthy marriage. Simple as it may sound, keep up the communication! Make sure you and your spouse-to-be are on the same page about things and be sure to discuss differences of opinion. When there is a disagreement, show respect. Researcher John Gottmann has established that the best predictor of a healthy marriage is respectful exchange and the best predictor of marital failure is a pattern of communication where people put each other down. In the moment, points of disagreement may seem huge, but in the long run you will remember how you treated each other, not the specific details of your wedding.

Doctor Briggs is a clinical psychologist who specializes in couples and adult treatment, among other things. He has helped clients with a range of marital and premarital issues; including sexual and emotional intimacy, responsibility and control in the relationship, communication patterns, and parenting. Doctor Briggs has degrees from Harvard and New York University, and holds a postdoctoral certificate from the William Alanson White Institute. He has a private practice in both Brookfield and Westport, Connecticut.

Passage To India

When I embarked upon this blogging journey, one of the things I was sure I wanted to do was to look at the different ways marriage is celebrated.

I've always been fascinated by Indian culture - so I think I'll start there.

Over the course of the past few months I've had the pleasure of becoming better acquainted with a photographer by the name of Dinendra Haria. Based in London, Dinendra (who is originally from Gujarat, a state in the Western part of India) takes great pride in working with Hindu couples and capturing the essence of their bonding.

As Dinendra explains, there are several stages to a Hindu ceremony; the first one being Ganesh Puja, or Mandap Roopan.

This involves worship of Lord Ganesh - who dispels the darkness of ignorance and removes obstacles.

As the weeks unfold we'll be learning more about this and other aspects of Hindu tradition - through Dinendra's magnificent photos.

I must add, however, that Dinendra's scope reaches far beyond weddings. He does corporate and fashion work as well - and his work has graced such publications as the prestigious Perfect Asian Magazine.

Connecticut Tuesdays: Candee Caldwell

Candee's love of make up began in her childhood.

She tells of countless days spent with her mother - who worked for Elizabeth Arden in Salt Lake City, UT - hearing the same message over and over.

The best make up in the world will do nothing for you if you don't take care of your skin.

When she ventured into the wedding industry eighteen years ago, she brought that pearl of wisdom with her.

Mary Kay provided her with the opportunity to educate women about the techniques of applying make up themselves, but as she grew her business she realized that she had a passion for actually applying make up herself. So she worked hard to further her education and get certified at her own expense; honing her special talents. Several times a year she takes workshops with internationally-renowned make up experts - and at least two of those are out of state. When I sat with her a few weeks ago, she had great stories to tell about a recent trip to Dallas Fort Worth where she learnt more about highlighting skin for special photography. She was also very excited about an upcoming workshop here in Connecticut about Makeup for Women of Color - led by an instructor who has worked with Essence Magazine NYC.

"Things evolve constantly in the wedding industry," Candee says. "Something that is in one year is out the next. New colors, bold accessories, birdcage veils and everything vintage. But through it all, brides keep asking for the natural look as far as their make up is concerned. And that's what I'm best at. Helping women discover how good they can look just being themselves. There are beautiful features in every woman - it's just a matter of identifying and highlighting them."

When I asked Candee how she goes about this, she smiled, and led me to the private part of her home office.

I had to laugh.

A director's chair!

And the symbolism is truly perfect - because it's the bride who directs operations. She is asked to leaf through a book full of different looks and pick the one she likes most.

From there on it becomes a partnership.

I could go on and on about Candee, but I think I'll end this feature by saying that what sets her apart (both as an industry professional and a human being) - is that she gets into the spirit of things and takes a personal interest in everyone who crosses her path.

And that's really what weddings should be all about - keeping it personal.

Until Candee's new website is up and running, you can reach either reach her through her Facebook page, or you can call her on:

203.794.0036

Photo Credits:

Bride Trial / Wedding Day photo - Fischer Williams Photographic Studios

Brides Holding Flowers - Picture This Of CT

Candee Caldwell / Director's Chair - yours truly

Oh .. and by the way ... Candee is giving away a fabulous MK pedicure set to brides following this blog - so be sure to check back here on Friday and enter to win!

Inspirational Love

Today I've decided to share the story of Shane and Tracy. Mostly because of the kind of people they are.

You'll see what I mean as you read further.

Tracy was 28, recently divorced, and mother to a young child when she met Shane. She says with a chuckle, "had you told me a year ago that one Hardess biscuit, a scary movie and a broken thumb nail at the bowling alley would turn into the greatest love I've ever known ... I would have thought you were crazy."

It hasn't all been a bed of roses, though.

They face struggles like every other couple - and continue to face them on a daily basis.

But last March, a short while after Shane proposed and preparations were underway, they met a couple facing a life-threatening struggle.

Stage 4 cancer.

They realised immediately that they had a chance to make a difference.

Where it mattered.

So they put their own wedding plans on hold and began to pour themselves into the newly-married Italian couple who had nobody here except their mothers. They hung out, cooked, prayed with and for them, and encouraged them as best they could. Bonding with the couple in the process.

Sadly, Kenny's courageous battle with cancer ended in June. But as Shane says, "standing with them through chemo allowed us to see true love in its rarest form." To that Tracy adds, "they said they were blessed to meet us, but the blessing has really been in us meeting them."

The wedding will now be taking place on October 16th, 2010 - and we're thrilled to share that Tracy and Shane have agreed to share the wedding photos with us after the event.

We wish the best of everything to you both - and look forward to seeing you tie the knot!

Ending the week on a good note

So much for the new format.

This week was a wash, courtesy of computer issues. I fought them tooth and nail, but in the end had to concede that it was better for my blood pressure to just let this week go, buy a netbook till said issues were resolved, and start over on Monday, August 9th.

So for the past few days I've focused on talking with people and making jewelry.

And speaking of jewelry .. today would have been giveaway day. There are, in fact, a pair of earrings being given away - but it isn't happening here.

It's all going down over at The Girl In The Pink Wedding Dress blog.

I won't give away any details, but she and I will be teaming up over the next few weeks. It all starts today though - so mosey on over to her blog and discover what it's all about.

Good luck!

The Engaged Wedding Community

As we grow older, we come to realise that inspiration is relative.

Relative to who we are.

I'm one of those individuals who place great value on people and interaction, and as I was mulling over what to write about today, it struck me that I owe some thanks.

To the person who offered me a springboard into the world of wedding industry professionals.

Without knowing me, no less.

I've been making jewelry for brides for a couple of years now, and I really didn't have much contact with other vendors. Well, other than the ones I met at bridal shows I was exhibiting at. And then I stumbled - quite literally - across the place that changed all that for me. Taking me and my business in directions I hadn't anticipated.

You know, some people lead and some people follow. And some people create avenues for both of those qualities to come together.

Christine Dyer is one of those people.

Now if you're a wedding industry professional you probably know all about her already. But for those of you who aren't, she's the founder and CEO of BridalTweet. A fabulous community started in April of 2009 with the intention of bringing down walls between brides and wedding experts.

There were 7,431 members the day I joined the community in late April 2010. Fast forward to today, and there are 8,370 members.

With new members joining daily.

It isn't hard to understand why the site is so popular, either.

Through the incredible channels Christine has created, brides can come to the community and ask the wedding experts whatever questions they might have. I've seen brides from all over the world ask questions; in threads spanning dozens of pages because vendors pitch in to address the questions from all angles.

On top of that there are planning ideas, notices about local events, giveaways - and the chance to get as personal as you would like.

Vendors are given maximum editorial freedom through the blogging system on the main page, the chance to showcase all of their expertise, and the opportunity to create connections with other industry professionals. I can attest to the power of these connections, as I've made several of my own over the past few months. Connections which are rapidly turning into working partnerships in some cases. Moreover, Christine's weekly blog offers free business wedding advice to said vendors - giving valuable tips which enable them to grow their business

In Christine's words, this community is taking a REAL leadership role in shaping how the wedding industry can continue to connect and prosper.

I, for one, am proud to be part of the community - so I thank you, Christine.

You are truly an inspiration.

BridalTweet can be found here.

Christine's blog is available at the following address.

You can follow Christine on Twitter and Facebook.