We were so excited when we were approached for an interview for NYCityWeddings.com. If you are not familiar with this site, it is a resource for brides getting married in the Long Island and NY metro area. Here brides can find vendors of any sort as well as mingle and chat with other brides to be. It was a great resource when I was planning my very own wedding.
Click here for the interview.
People are constantly looking for great ways to show brides a good time before they get hitched. One of the latest trends is pole dancing classes. This fun, energizing, exciting class gives a bride and her girls a way to unwind before going out for a nice meal or to a lounge. The owner of My Pole Fitness, Kee, stopped by ellyB today to give us an insider peek:
ellyB: Why did you start My Pole Fitness?
MPF: My Pole Fitness was created to provide women with an alternative fitness method that would provide a combination of strength, grace, cardio and fun. I wanted women to feel great about themselves while getting into shape and evoking their sexier side.
ellyB: What can one expect during a My Pole Fitness session?
MPF: Women can expect to evolve. Our classes and workshops are geared to teaching floor moves, chair work, pole transitions and pole tricks. Any lady can expect to learn a fluent dance routine combined with pole moves and a lot of unleshed sexy.
ellyB: How many ladies can do the class at one time?
MPF: Depending on the type of class or workshop, there is typically 6-10 ladies in class. Pole classes will accomodate 6 ladies to make sure that each lady gets enough time on the pole.
ellyB: Is the pole sturdy? How?
MPF: yes. The pole can accomadate up to 200 Ibs, and it can be either permanently affixed or pressure spring mouted.
ellyB: What other activites can you learn in the class? MPF: The most important activity that you will learn in our classes is the activity of appreciating and taking care of you body.
ellyB: What are the advantages of taking the classes?
MPF: The advantages of taking our class(es) is improved muscle tone and weight loss, enhanced confidence and a renewed mind.
ellyB: Do you bruise during the session?
MPF: Yes, ocassionally you might find a little bruise here and there. I like to say that pole dancing is graceful and exciting, but it’s also a full contact sport. It’s just your body and the pole so some bruising may occur however, once you’ve tried pole dancing, it’s so addicting, that there’s no chance it’ll keep you away from the pole.
ellyB: What is next for My Pole Fitness?
MPF: My Pole Fitness will be opening a women’s only fitness studio in Conyers, GA in the upcoming months which will allow women a place to go where she can redirect her mind, shape her body and have girl time with other women. We are really excited and plan to take it one step at a time learning as we go.
Thank you Kee for giving ellyB this wonderful interview.
Over the weekend I had the pleasure of meeting Scoobie West, a celebrity hair and makeup artist here in the Atlanta market (available for travel).
Scoobie wrote a fabulous article for brides explaining how anyone can acheive that magazine fresh look on their wedding day:
How To Look Like A Magazine Bride
By: Scoobie West, H.S. West Hair & Makeup
Want to look like you’ve just stepped out of a bridal magazine on your wedding day? Not a problem. It isn’t as difficult as you think. In fact, all it takes is a little insider know-how and discipline. One of those—discipline or know-how—is my job and the other is yours. Can you guess which? Well, marinate on that while I move on with the article.
What do you think is the key to having great look?
If you said “makeup,” you’re wrong. A great look starts with great skin is healthy skin; that begins with a healthy diet and lots o’ water! I also recommend that you get a facial from once or twice leading up to the wedding. BUT, do refrain from getting a facial less than a week prior to the wedding to keep your skin from looking irritated on your big day. In addition to the facial, try to maintain a regular skin care regimen, making sure that your products include an exfoliating cleanser and a moisturizer with at least SPF 15. Are you surprised that healthy skin is the key and not makeup? Don’t be. Even though makeup isn’t the “key” to a great look, it is part of achieving a great look.
Once your skin is on its way to being in tip-top shape, it’s time to focus on makeup. I suggest making multiple visits to the makeup counter. Have a makeup artist test out different colors until you’ve got the perfect color combination. If you’re not too skilled with makeup application, be sure to ask the makeup artist to show you, step-by-step, what to do so that you can replicate the look on your own. If makeup application is a major challenge for you, you might even consider paying for a makeover but having the makeup artist watch while you apply the makeup.
By now, you know what to do to get the magazine bride look. So, I bet you’d like to know how to keep it throughout the day. I’ve got two words for you: Multiple layers. Start with a silicone-based primer and follow that up with foundation, concealer, set with translucent powder, and then your blush, eye shadow, eye liner, etc. When you’re applying color, DO be heavy handed. The heavier than usual makeup application serves two purposes: (1) It insures that your makeup will last through your wedding day. (2) It keeps you from looking washed out in your pictures.
You can do all of that, right? Of course, you can!
So, back to the “guess” I asked you to make at the beginning of this article. I’m sure by now that you realize that I was handling the know-how portion of the two things you need to have the magazine bride look. That means that it’s your responsibility to have the discipline. Translation: You’ll need to maintain your skin care regimen, memorize all of these tips, and then actually use them on your wedding day. Are you up to the challenge?
Biography:
Scoobie West, a beauty industry veteran with nearly 15 years, is the owner of Atlanta-based H.S. West Hair and Makeup. Through his company, West provides custom makeup and hair styling for clients hosting or participating in a wide range of special events—weddings, proms, TV show appearances, fashion shows and more! For additional information, visit www.ScoobieWest.com.
Today at My Couture Wedding the vendor spotlight shines on Laurel Speak Designs. Laurel is a recent bride that has taken her passions to a new level by offering other brides details to enhance their magical day. What we found very interesting in Laurel’s product line is her Gobbo Designs. Gobbo designs have been all the rave in the past two years as brides wanted to take their use of their monograms to the next level. We had time to touch base with Laurel today to see what is going on in the gobbo world:
MCW: What is a Gobbo?
LS: A gobo is a light that uses a carved plate to project an image onto something. In most cases a wall, or floor.
MCW: What inspired you to add the gobbo line to your designing business?
LS: I had seen a lot of girls asking about gobos and where they could get one so I figured why not? It will help me out and them!
MCW: Once a plate is ordered from you, what else does the couple need in order to project the design?
LS: In order to project the gobo you need a light/projector. Essentially any light that has a slot for the thin metal plate to hold will work. You need to keep in mind how you want it mounted though. If it will be projected on the floor, it needs to be mounted up high..
MCW: What is a common mistake brides often make when purchasing a gobbo order?
LS: The design is too intricate. A gobo works using the design as a negative image, a lot of times monograms that people want used have alot of overlapping. On paper you can use color and shading to differentiate the different designs, a gobo can’t do that unless you overlap multiple gobos using multiple projectors.
MCW: Where do you see the future of gobbo’s heading? LS: Going up! It is already pretty popular and with so many people hiring lighting designers for weddings, I think the sky is the limit!
MCW: What is the price range of gobbo’s?
LS: For me the first gobo is $95 plus shipping, if you want multiple copies it is an additional $45 each.
