The Modern Fairytale

Tina Bruffet's beliefs are very strong - and one of the strongest among them is that happiness is a journey, not a destination.

I've been following Tina's work over the past few weeks. Getting a feel for what she does and how well she does it. Ask Tina what she's passionate about and she'll say, "coming up with new things. Working through the kinks. Seeing what works and what doesn't."

She went from being unable to find a suitable tutu for her one year old daughter in stores, a few years ago, to attending a 3-day show with her own creations and selling out before the first day was up.

Pixie Petals emerged as a business, and Tina was in the process of expanding into costumes (complete with hats and bows) when she realized that there was another niche.

Flower girl dresses.

And so the I DO line was born - right out of her home in Missouri.

"This year has been our coming out party for weddings. These dresses are wonderful because they serve a double purpose. The little girls look as though they are stepping out of a fairytale on the day of the wedding, and after the day is over they still have years of fun left in them. It's the perfect gift. I've been told that a lot of my creations hang on walls in little girls' rooms too - as part of the decor. I love that!"

I asked Tina about her newest creations - Victorian Shabby Chic Flowers - and here's what she had to say.

"They're appealing because they can have that vintage look of years gone by or the new chic - vogue look. The color combinations are endless, and each one is unique. No two handcrafted items can ever look completely the same."

The best thing about them, to my mind, is their versatility. They can be pinned into hair, placed on a headband, worn on a sash, used to dress up a clutch, or even turned into a brooch. And, Tina agrees, they can be worn by anyone.

Bride, bridesmaid, mother of the bride or groom.

"I can even make miniature versions for the youngest members of the bridal party."

When I asked Tina what she wishes for herself and her business, her response was immediate.

"I want that quaint little corner store with everything girly imaginable. A store with fairyland window themes. A store that little girls will beg their mom and grandmas to take them to. I want those moms and grandmas to think back to when they were little girls; to the little secret dreams and wishes they had. I want little girls to be little girls. To dream of being a fairy, princess, pirate, or whatever their hearts desire, when they look at my designs."

Now since this is a wedding blog, I had to ask the question.

What's coming up next for brides at Pixie Petals?

It turns out thatTina is very keen to expand the bridal part of her business.

"I want to start a new line of bride-to-be tutus. A novelty-type item for those bachelorettes with a little spunk. Something along the lines of brides and their girls having wedding color tutus to wear to the bachelorette parties, dress rehearsals and other fun pre-wedding photo opportunities."

Sounds like a blast to me. Can't wait to see the first ones roll out!

Now here's the exciting part.

Tina's new fabric flowers will be debuting right here at lili's corner. We'll have a white one to give away this Friday - so be sure to come back and enter to win!

The Garden of Matrimony

I first met Donna Katsuranis in December of 2009.

She was standing at the head of a very long table talking to a group of business people about her line of work.

Gardening.

Donna is, by trade, a master gardener. Somewhere towards the tail end of her presentation someone asked whether she was still serving as a Justice of the Peace - and I remember being struck all over again by something she'd said earlier in her presentation which suddenly seemed to be a perfect metaphor for marriage.

Lets grow the garden of your dreams.

When I mentioned this to her a few weeks ago, as we sat down to talk about this feature, she smiled knowingly. And I have to tell you .. Donna is one of those people whose smile reaches their eyes.

You look at her and know that this is someone genuine. Someone who will go the distance for people around her.

As she pointed out and named the various shrubs and plants in my back garden, we got to talking about the significance of the fact that she is both a Justice of the Peace and an Interfaith Minister.

It not only allows her to tailor ceremonies to a couple's needs, it actually makes crossing state boundaries easier, as different states have different laws where JPs are concerned.

When I asked about the most touching ceremonies she's ever officiated at, she mentioned two.

Her first one - a few years back - when a cousin of hers wanted to marry his partner and lovingly coerced her into becoming a Justice of the Peace, and one a few months ago which was held at Southford Falls National Park.

"They were touching for different reasons," she explained. "The first one was personal. Someone I grew up with, had a relationship with; who wanted me there at this milestone moment in his life. The second one was touching because there was a child involved. I felt very privileged watching the three-way vows as a new family was forged in my presence."

When I asked Donna whether she had any advice for couples about to tie the knot, she smiled (she smiles a lot) and shook her head.

"Everyone wants to give you advice when you say you're getting married. I really don't have anything to say except do what you works for you. This is the ultimate 'your day'. You won't get another shot at this."

If you are looking for a truly personal experience, sit and talk with Donna for a while.

I can't recommend her highly enough.

You can reach her on 203.775.3054 or via email at dreamgardener@earthlink.net

The WEDDvolution

One of the first and biggest lessons any business-owner learns is that you never know who you are going to meet.

Or when.

About four weeks ago I attended a networking party which left me somewhat perplexed. I am by no means a shy person, but I remember standing on the periphery of this large gathering thinking that people were more interested in the victuals and the alcohol (oh, and in schmoozing with people they already knew) than in networking. I came away with a huge sense of disappointment. Questioning why I'd driven all the way there.

It didn't actually become apparent to me until at a week later - when I got a follow up phonecall about my blog from Jessica Coates .. and started to tread the Weddzilla path.

Can I just say ... it's so wonderful to talk to people on the phone and hear enthusiasm in their voice! To hear commitment, and to realise that you're more than just a number to someone. I'll share that at the time I was going through a pretty hefty family crisis. Who, in this day and age, takes the time to check in with a stranger the day after you've talked? Not to see whether you're interested in doing business - but to check up on you because you sounded a little off-key.

Why am I coming at this feature from this angle?

What does this have to do with anything?

To my mind it has everything to do with it - because Weddzilla is all about creating relationships - through personal interaction.

Through conversation.

After Aaron Hall (Weddzilla's CEO) got married, his wife Kristin shared that co-ordinating the wedding had not been much of a pleasure. Finding the right vendors, evaluating prices. Even getting the right advice had been a struggle. Her hard work had paid off, but she wanted more for others embarking on the same journey.

"Why isn't there a site that does this?" she asked.

So Aaron took the idea ... and ran.

Literally.

Over the course of a year he brought together a team of experts (affectionately dubbed The Gurus), and engaged Sara Morgan to help out with sales.

It very quickly became apparent, however, that Sara's passion lay in putting social trends to work - and in helping people leverage their time.

Weddzilla went live just a couple of months ago - but its rise has been meteoric. It's the first online social wedding platform (think Facebook, think Twitter) to fully integrate the wedding planning process into popular social networks. Ensuring a more efficient, interactive, and social wedding planning experience.

So what's to love about Weddzilla?

What's not to love!!?

First off, it was great to learn that the beta testers are brides from across the country. Known as The B Team, they test new features before they are rolled out. And that's great - because this community is a forum for engaging brides - and putting FUN back into the equation.

Consider the Weddmark.

It's a visual bookmarking tool which makes collecting and organizing inspiration from all over the web a cinch.

And here's the cool part.

Each item weddmarked between now and September 30th gives the bride one entry in the Weddmark Challenge.

The prize?

A chance to win a $1,000 gift registry from Macy's!

But that's not all.

Have you heard about the WEDDIFIEDS?

They're revolutionizing the way brides and vendors connect. Brides can post their service needs - including their budget - and vendors can respond by sending a quote directly to them.

And what else is fabulous?

The Guru-Awards 2010!

Almost 200 blogs have been entered! Another testament to how much Weddzilla has grown in the few months it's been live. Blogs play a huge role in the wedding community and, as Sara said to me over the phone, "Weddzilla wanted to acknowledge that. It's wonderful how receptive people have been."

Speaking for myself, I have to say that my daily reading list has grown exponentially since the call for nominations went out two weeks or so ago. There are some fabulous blogs out there - and I highly recommend you check them out.

Sara had some really exciting news to share, too.

She and Aaron will be speaking at the 7th Annual MBA Convention this September.

An accolade indeed!

Now this last photo brings us back to Aaron and his spouse.

Is this a case of Give a man half an idea and he'll build an empire or Behind every successful man stands a brilliant woman?

Hmmm .... jury's out on this one, I guess!

I leave you with the highlights from Weddzilla's launch party. Be sure to check their You Tube channel. Lots of great stuff from the Gurus on it!

OH .. and keep your eye on the blog this Friday.

There will be not one but TWO giveaways this week.

I'm adding a piece called JESSICA to the Stackables Collection.

To acknowledge the woman who took time out of her busy life to make sure I was okay.

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!