Spotlight On: Fiore Beauty

One of our absolute favorite beauty companies {Fiore Beauty} is featured today on one of our favorite online shopping sites {Rue La La}!

Join Rue La La today {it's free} to take advantage of their offer from Fiore Beauty ~ a two-hour in-home makeup application consultation and makeup bag revamp!

We had the priviledge of working with Jaimi and her wonderful team at Fiore a couple of times last year when my little sister, Alyssa, booked the team for her wedding day hair and make-up! We planned her trial run to coincide with her bridal shower to get double duty out of the fabulous looks created by Fiore.

{At her shower...}

{At her wedding}

Needless to say we loved working with the team and, as mentioned in the Rue La La feature, they came to us for both occasions. My sister also had Fiore come to our hotel the day before her wedding to do mani/pedis for the bridal party and they even came to my own bridal shower for a mini-massage and mini-mani parlor!

Destination Bride-to-Be

Three  months to go until the big day! We have already attended 3 weddings this year which were all absolutely amazing and unique. The events inspired us with tons of ideas for our own special day. With Nate going to Yosemite National Park for his bachelor party this coming weekend with 11 of his friends, I should have plenty of time to focus on some of the smaller wedding details.

Nate playing Groomsman at a wedding in Santa Monica

As a Bridesmaid in Maureen’s wedding at the Nixon Library, standing with my sister

Along with the wedding day we are also planning a few other activities for our guests if they choose to take part.

Thursday: Early Evening Cocktail Hour
Friday: Welcome Dinner
Saturday: WEDDING DAY
Sunday: Boat Excursion - Guests can book a boat tour to join Nate and myself for an exciting day of snorkeling, sightseeing, kayaking, and relaxation aboard the Cabo Escape.

The timeline for the wedding has been confirmed. We are so excited with the finalized locations. Hopefully everything comes together seamlessly!

3:00pm: First Look and Pictures (We decided to do pictures before the Ceremony because the sun will be setting at 5:35pm that day)
5:00pm: Ceremony on the Beach and the Champagne Toast to follow
6:30pm: Dinner at El Torote (The Steakhouse Restaurant)
8:15pm: Reception in the Disco with a live mariachi band, dancing, and of course wedding cake

An entire corner of our townhouse is filled with items for our wedding. It is becoming a little overwhelming, haha. Let me do a rundown of some of the main items that are completed:

The pile keeps getting higher…items stuffed in suitcases, boxes and bags

Dress: Deborah’s Bridal - It came in and looks gorgeous! I cannot wait for my first alterations appointment in September.
Shoes: Nordstrom - Stewart Weitzman flip flops embellished with crystals

Jewelry: Swarovski Crystal – earrings and necklace. Kate Spade - bracelet
Photographer: Sarah Ellen Photography
Hair: Dominique Fulling - mother of the ring bearer and flower girl
Attire: All members of the wedding party are fully clothed, minus pants for the Groom and Groomsmen. We still need to decide if we want to go with khaki or linen pants. Any suggestions?
Ceremony: Tulle for the isle way and arch has been purchased. Palm Fans will be handed out to beat the heat, and decorated paint brushes will be available to brush the sand from between guests’ toes before leaving the beach.
Cake: ClayinAround (Etsy) - created our cake topper which is absolutely amazing. The clay work is remarkable. We also received our Kate Spade Gardner Street serving pieces and toasting flutes as a shower gift. The actual cake will be chosen once we get to Mexico.
Flowers: AccentsandPetals (Etsy) - we ordered over 600 wooden flowers in varying sizes and colors

My grandmother is currently constructing all of the bouquets and boutonnieres. In Mexico we will be building all of the centerpieces with the flowers as well.
Lanterns: Battery powered lanterns from World Market will be placed around the disco to provide more light.

Feathers for my dress and hair

There is still much to design and put together, including welcome bags, welcome books, dinner menus, door signs, etc. This has truly turned into a real DIY wedding!

Lots of Love,
Amanda

Destination Bride-to-Be

After a brief hiatus, our Destination Bride-to-Be checks in with her pre-wedding adventures!

What an incredible time it has been since my last post! I am feeling so loved, inspired and thankful. Over Memorial Day Weekend my sister threw me the most amazing bridal shower and bachelorette party. Friends and family traveled from near and far to spend the weekend celebrating with me in Los Angeles. I will never forget the special moments I shared with so many people who are so close to my heart. Before the events I had a friend make us a few logos and our monogram for the wedding, which you can check out in the photos below.

On Saturday morning, before the bachelorette party, I treated my bridesmaids to a blow dry and style at Dry Bar in Brentwood. It was so nice not having to do our own hair for the big day ahead. We then went to brunch and ventured over to the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills to get ready. My sister booked us a suite for two nights of pure enjoyment along with rooms for all of the girls to crash in after the party!

Bachelorette Party Favors: Engraved Wine Glasses, See’s Candies, and Water Bottles

Everyone meet at the hotel where we prepped for the day by drinking champagne and munching on snacks. When everyone showed up they were wearing my wedding colors, orange and blue…what a fantastic surprise!

Cheers!

Opening Funny Gifts

My Favorite, Texas Sheet Cake!

A limo then picked us up and transported us to two wineries in Malibu. We had such a blast wine tasting. After wine tasting we had a scrumptious dinner at Dukes on the water in Malibu.

I was in for a shock at our next stop! We went to Hamburger Mary’s…for those of you that don’t know they specialize in drag and burlesque shows. It was amazingly hilarious, we had so much fun getting into the action, and it was STUNNING.

My favorite entertainers of the night

The next morning we all went to brunch. All day Sunday we lounged by the pool and then went to dinner with my parents who got into town earlier that day. At dinner I gave my sister and bridesmaids their wedding thank you gifts. I figured it would be easier for them to hang on to everything rather than Nate and I trying to transport it all down to Mexico. All my maids now have their jewelry, beach bags, and a few other items for the main event in Cabo.
Monday morning we headed down to my sisters place in Hermosa Beach for my bridal shower.

Bridal Shower Favors: Luggage Tags and Water Bottles

Our group of women (and my dad and flower girl) had lunch at Hot’s Kitchen, a very unique taco shop. Honestly, they were some of the best tacos I have ever eaten!

We then ventured back to my sisters place for desert and gifts. After the normal bridal shower activities we headed down to the beach to relax and play Corn Hole…my dad built the game and brought it all the way down from Oregon. It was all extremely entertaining.

Me with My Bridesmaids

Wow, what an exhilarating yet overwhelming weekend! I want to say a gigantic THANK YOU to all of you who planned a participated in this thrilling weekend of events. I am humbled by the outpouring of love and support. Sabryna…you rock!
Lots of Love,
Amanda

Destination Bride-to-Be

It’s official - 6 months until the big day! Is that really possible?! During the past 2 months we have been focused and committed to other friends’ weddings, bachelorette and bachelor parties, bridal showers, baby showers…you name it, it has taken place. However, I did find my dress! While shopping with my friend, Marisa I found a dress that I absolutely adored and I decided to bring my sister back with me the following weekend with the intention to purchase said dress. As we walked into the store a new dress caught my eye, funny enough it caught Sabryna’s eye too. I left the store with the new dress, forgoing the dress I was set on buying, ha.

I did find some time to celebrate my 30th Birthday with friends at a tea party!

The countdown is on! It is time to really buckle down, concentrate and confirm our wedding plans now that we have a solid idea of how many guests will be attending. Nate and I are thrilled as over 50 friends and family have completely booked their trips through our travel agent. We are expecting over 100 guests to book by the end of June. It is exciting to know that everyone is ready for a vacation and a chance to celebrate as much as we are.
Numerous people have been asking me, what is the hardest part when planning a destination wedding? The answer is simple: everything will come together very last minute. I am a natural planner and I like everything nailed into place as early as possible; which in reality is the complete opposite when planning a DW. We have a small packet from the resort with very little information regarding the ceremony, dinner and reception venues, but that is all. It is very difficult to get solid answers from the onsite wedding coordinator, until about 2 months before the wedding…crazy, right?! They are so busy with other weddings and prices for vendors change so frequently that it is completely standard to not get specific information until about 2 months out. What makes it even more insane, but thrilling, is that most of the final decisions are handled when you meet face to face with the coordinator 2-3 days before the wedding. I keep reminding myself that this is all perfectly normal, as I am silently freaking out inside.

Rachel, Maureen, and me * All Brides-to-Be in 2011

As part of the wedding package at the resort some items are included (wedding cake, bride’s bouquet/grooms boutonniere, spa treatments, breakfast in bed, etc.). But the best part of the package is that any decorations, centerpieces, chair bows and the list could go on and on, that we bring with us they will set up before the ceremony, dinner and reception and take it all down after. The next question is: How do we get it all down there? Numerous friends in Los Angeles and elsewhere have been kind enough to offer their services as bag carriers and are willing to lug an extra suite-case, since shipping items down to the resort is not an option.

Since getting a few answers from the wedding coordinator (or should I say the 3 different coordinators I have spoken with at the resort, who keep moving to new positions within the resort) is a slow and painful process, I have found my savior the Best Destination Wedding Forum. 

This site is incredibly helpful and I would recommend it to any bride or groom (yes, there are grooms on the site too) who are planning a DW. It is a forum for ideas, suggestions, comments, and concerns revolving around DW in all parts of the world, with the main focus being Mexico and the Caribbean. I have met so many wonderful brides on here who are having or who have had their wedding at the RIU. We share ideas and information that we receive. Some of the most useful information I have been given has come from this site. Let me share one little secret that I learned through a bride on this site; the resort only makes a wedding cake large enough to feed 60 people and each extra slice over that 60 is $9 per person…way too much for a slice of cake in my opinion. Costco is a 5 minute drive from the resort. Costco cake anyone?! I do love their frosting, ha!

Maureen's Bachelorette Party…the first of many this year!

My sister has been tirelessly planning and preparing for my Bachelorette Party and Bridal Shower. Multiple people will be traveling from afar so in order to keep it simple both parties will be taking place during Memorial Day weekend. I am so looking forward to celebrating and spending time with friends and family! Fun pictures are sure to follow in my next post.

Lots of Love,

Amanda

Destination Bride-to-Be

Planning a Wedding – Destination Style!

I can’t believe that it’s already February! Where did the last 2 months go? I have been insanely busy doing everything except planning our wedding. I was lucky enough to have 2 weeks off at Christmas so Nate and I spent the first 3 days in San Diego celebrating Rachel’s (I am a bridesmaid in her wedding in November) and Ann’s birthdays. Then I flew home to Oregon for a fantastic visit with family and friends while Nate went to visit his folks in Arizona, where it actually snowed! Once I got back to Los Angeles I helped plan and execute a good friend’s baby shower and supervised sorority recruitment at my Alma Mater, LMU, as I am the new member advisor for Delta Zeta. Busy, busy, busy!

Ann’s Birthday (my bridesmaid)!

Amber (my bridesmaid) hanging out in Portland during the holidays.

The last thing on my mind was wedding planning. Yes, ridiculous, I know! That is until I received a call from our travel agent informing us that we have official “paid in full’ guests attending our wedding in Cabo. That knocked me right back into the wedding planning mode.

We found a photographer! The resort informed us that we needed to use the photographer they are contracted with; however I was not a fan of that photographer’s portfolio or prices. So my wonderfully talented cousin, Sarah Ellen will be handling all of the photography. In all honesty I didn’t want any friends or family having to work at our wedding; it is supposed to be a vacation for everyone. But after talking to her about our options Sarah told me that she was going to snap pictures whether I wanted her to or not! She is almost as excited to shoot our wedding day as we are to have her there to capture each moment. Check out Sarah Ellen Photography.

My mind has been racing with ideas since recently becoming obsessed with the website, Etsy.com. I ordered 62 flowers made out of birch wood in aqua, orange and natural coloring, thinking that they might work for something as the price was way too good to pass up. From the moment they arrived I was in love! They are extremely light weight, perfect for traveling with and attaching to pretty much anything for decoration. I am in the process of making a special order because I plan on scattering them around the dinner tables and making my bridesmaids bouquets out of them. Wish me luck getting all crafty!

I love, love, LOVE the clay wedding cake toppers that I also found on Etsy. I just commissioned Tina from clayinaround to design ours. I am surprising Nate with it so I will have to provide pictures of our topper after the wedding. I know, 9 months is a long time to wait, but I hope it will be worth it! Seriously, how adorable are these examples?

Nate officially picked out his ring. Being an avid outdoorsman, he chose a ring made out of Tungsten Carbide in hopes of keeping it scratch free. After we picked it up he asked if he could start wearing it now. I know it is tradition to wait until the wedding but I also ask myself, if he likes it so much, why not? Let me know in the comments: Did your man wear his ring before the actual ceremony?

Lots of Love,
Amanda

White House Pilates Bride-to-Be Tips

Mindless Eating...and the solutions to avoid it!

Today's tips are brought to you via "Today's Dietician Magazine"
Today the average person makes nearly 250 food decisions each day. Wow! and most of these decisions happen without thinking!


Research shows that people eat an average of 2.2 more candies each day when they are visible, compared to when they are not. Solution? Don't leave candy out on your desk, dining room table, or anywhere near them! If you don't think 2.2 extra pieces of candy is a lot, you should do the math (2.2 x ~50 calories = ~100 extra calories per day, times 365 days = 36,500 extra calories a year, which is 10 pounds.......)


Be careful when you purchase 100-calorie packs. While the idea may be a good one (portion control) they tend to backfire for about 30% of the population, according to research. The idea of portioning out your food is a great way to make a healthier environment, but you're still going to be better off eating 100 calories of a fruit, vegetable, or low fat dairy product than you will eating a 100-calorie pack of cookies. Also, it's cheaper just to do the portioning yourself!


Have you ever noticed that the foods with the most marketing tend to be the ones that the worst for us? If you have the ability to do so, fast forward through your commercials, or just leave the room when they are on.


Believe it or not, food is cheaper these days, and according to the article it only takes up about 6% of our income (this is an average). I think a lot of us get caught in the traps at stores where we see a "good deal" and then we must buy it, even if we hadn't planned on doing so.Can you say "mindless shopping"! Remind yourself that unhealthy food is typically cheap food, so stay away, unless you really must have it....


Happy & healthy eating!

~ Caroline
White House Pilates

White House Pilates Bride-to-Be Tips

How to dine out smarter and guilt-free

 

Food is a part of our social interaction. You can stick to your diet all you want- but when you get an invite to have dinner out with friends, or out to a special date night with your sweetie, you should be able to accept and not freak out about what the scale might say the next day. Here are some tips to help you dine out smarter and guilt-free.

 

• Prepare before you go. If possible check out the restaurant menu online (if possible) and choose what you will eat ahead of time.  
• Don't skip breakfast and/or lunch. You don't want to be ravenously starving and dive head first into the bread basket. If you are really hungry, eat a small snack before you leave the house (example: small handful of almonds, a few baby carrots, or a small box of raisins).
• Ask how the food is seasoned or prepared. Fish may sound like a healthy idea on the menu, (and it usually is) but if it is blackened- then it's got a layer of grease and salt getting in the way and you are losing the benefits of eating fish in the first place.
• Splurge if you must. But pick only 1 item to splurge on. If you really want a glass of wine- got for it. Or if you really want cake for dessert- have it. Just don't have the alcohol, and the bread basket, and the fries, and the cake, and.... (get the point?)
• Eat half of your meal. Portion sizes are HUGE these days! Split the meal with someone, or eat half and have the other half boxed up. If you have trouble leaving food on the plate, ask the server the bring the box out with the meal and box up half right away. Then you won't be tempted to overindulge.
• Eat Consciously and Intuitively. Stop eating when you are 80% full. If you overdo it, because "it just tastes SO good!" Box the rest up and you can always eat it later and it will still taste great.

 

Look for these key words when choosing off the menu:
Steamed 
Broiled 
Baked

Grilled

Poached

Roasted

 

Stay away from menu items that are:

Fried

Crispy

Au gratin

Blackened

 

Happy Dining!

Sincerely,
Caroline
http://www.whitehousepilates.com/

White House Pilates Bride-to-Be Tips

Tired of the gym? New year, New workout! This year you should...

Try a Pilates Reformer Class! and here is why:

Are you tired of your old ‘going to the gym’ routine? The same old weights, treadmill, and elliptical can get boring quickly because of the repetitive and mindless movement. Pilates will get you out of that monotonous cycle and jump start your mind to work with your body.


A Pilates Reformer class can offer many customized exercises to get you out of your rut and on to a better, more balanced body. Certified Pilates instructors are rigorously trained in over 500 different exercises so you will never get bored. Not only that, but just when you think you’ve got it mastered, we make it harder! In Pilates, you can change the smallest detail, such as inhaling instead of exhaling at the point of exertion, to make the exercise more effective, challenging, productive and fun.

A typical Pilates Reformer class is a full body workout that addresses more than just muscular toning. Each one hour session will include strength training, flexibility, abdominal conditioning, balance work, and spinal movement in all planes of direction. You can add a great cardiovascular workout by using the Jump Board at the foot of the Reformer.

Say goodbye to the uncomfortable short, tight and bulked up feeling you get from kettle bells, bar bells and dumb bells. Pilates incorporates springs for resistance rather than weights. The springs are more effective than weights because they mimic the natural contraction of your muscles. The result is improved balance, better postural alignment and a wonderful lengthening sensation.

Pilates can supplement your weight training more effectively, offer variety to help you cross train your activities, prevent injuries, and promote a healthier, more mindful approach to your workout. You can also supplement time on the elliptical or treadmill with a Jump Board session. Next time you grow tired of your same old trip to the gym, switch it up and seek out a Pilates Reformer class.
 
~Caroline Londergan
White House Pilates

White House Pilates Bride-to-Be Tips

Recently, my fiance' was told by his doctor to cut out all carbs in his diet. He needed to lower his cholesterol. WHAT!? No whole wheat bread, no brown rice, no pasta, OMG... you've got to be kidding me. I love bread! We also eat a lot of brown rice as a side to our fish, chicken, and veggies for dinner.

So I decided to buckle down and try to do this as well. EEeek! All through November, I put myself on this challenge of cutting out all carbs and dairy. I cut out dairy because I wanted to see if it had any effect on my allergies. I get constant ear aches at least once a month, and I've been told that it could be related to dairy foods.

The result for me: I lost 10 lbs! and not only that, but I feel so much better.
The result for him: He also dropped weight and lowered his cholesterol dramatically!

How did we do this, you ask? We adopted a diet high in fiber and protein, low in sodium and fat, increased our cardio workouts to 6 days/week rather than 2-4x/week. And limited that lovely glass of wine to only 2 nights per week.

Our meals would be something like this:
Breakfast: 1 cup of Kashi Cereal with 1/2 cup of Almond Milk
Morning Snack: an apple with 1-2 tablespoon almond butter (so good!), or celery sticks with peanut butter
Lunch: Grilled Chicken Breast (without any marinade) Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots (steamed or raw)
Afternoon Snack: Kiwi or 1/2 of an Avocado or a small handful of raw organic almonds (unsalted)
Dinner: Grilled Wild Caught Salmon, Steamed Asparagus, Roasted Beets

I had always thought that we ate fairly clean and healthy, but now having really cleaned up our diets, I'm no longer craving any more of the bad foods. Don't get me wrong, I love foods like Panini Sandwiches, Pizza, Calamari, Chips, Cookies, and Ice Cream... but now I eat those in much more moderation than ever before. Seeing the results is inspiring and it will also introduce you to foods you have never tried before or even knew that you liked. Example: I had no idea that I liked Beets or Halibut.

In addition to discovering new foods, I realized that the taste of food just the way it is- without drenching it in sauces or dowsing it in salt, actually tastes pretty darn good!

Try it for yourself, even if you just commit to doing it for 5 days, or a full week, taking small baby steps into it will make the task ahead seem less daunting. Here is a great article from Livestrong to show you more ways to cut out carbs in your diet.

White House Pilates Bride-to-Be Tips

It's time to whittle away your waist! Especially after the Thanksgiving holiday. This side plank will have you working your obliques, hips, arms, all while challenging your balance and building a stronger core.

Lie on your side, stack your feet on top of each other. Place your elbow under your shoulder and press into the elbow making sure to lift up and out of your shoulder. (no sinking).Your body should be in a long diagonal line. Also make sure your booty isn't sticking out behind you, think of drawing your tail bone down toward your heels.

Lower your hips down about 3-5 inches, but stay hovering over the mat. (don't touch the ground).

Use your waist & the power of your hips/torso to press back into the diagonal line.

Perform this 25 times on the right and then do the left side. Once you get stonger, increase your reps up to 40. Your waist will thank you :)

Destination Bride-to-Be

Nate and I just got back from a wonderful vacation in Kona, Hawaii with my parents. They flew us over there to meet them for a week as an engagement present. Of course we discussed all things wedding-related while we hiked the volcano, and between breaths snorkeling around the amazing coral reefs. It was a very relaxing way to commence the wedding planning!

Nate and I in Hawaii!

We have had such a productive last few weeks! The location for our destination wedding has been agreed upon. And the winner is… RIU Santa Fe Resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico! Three summers ago I vacationed at the resort with my family, and we had a blast. It was always in the back of my mind as a fantastic spot to have a wedding.

The infinity Pool and beach at the RIU Santa Fe

There are actually two RIU Resorts right next door to each other on the beautiful sands of the Sea of Cortez. The RIU Palace is a classic resort including fancy fixtures and starch white walls, all in all pristine. But we ultimately chose the Santa Fe because of its natural beauty and the truly authentic Mexican spirit it emits. It is the newer of the two resorts and definitely has a more laid-back feel. Being budget conscious we wanted to make sure that as many of our guests as possible could make the trip, and the Santa Fe is giving us great rates. To make it even more appealing it is an all-inclusive resort. The resort is less than 3 miles from downtown Cabo. Meals at the buffet and specialty restaurants, snacks, all drinks, in-room mini-bar, gym, and daily entertainment are all included.

To hire or not to hire a travel agent? That was a huge lingering question we had. After thinking about it and trying to figure out travel logistics on our own, we realized that a travel agent is a must! After speaking with a few over the phone, we finally met with Gloria Emanuelson and hired her on the spot. She was working with a larger nationwide company and recently broke away to start her own new business. Her new site just went on-line: http://www.honeymoondreamsandwishes.com/.

We are encouraging all of our guests to book through her as she will be keeping our RSVP list, and is able to get better group rates. She will handle all room reservations, transfers to and from the airport and coordinating flights. It is a huge relief to know that our guests will always be able to contact her with any questions or concerns, before and during the trip.

I love this picture of the famous arches. I took it from a cruise ship a few years ago.

Not only am I planning my own wedding for next year, but I am also in two other weddings for my sorority sisters and besties: Maureen’s in June and Rachel’s in November. It is going to be an amazingly busy, exciting and fun-filled 2011! Going bridesmaids dress shopping this weekend for Maureen’s wedding is a much-needed break from my own craziness. I am thrilled to being thinking only of her wedding this weekend!

Lots of Love,
Amanda

White House Pilates Bride-to-Be Tips

The Pilates Roll-up


Let's hit the Mat and learn the Pilates Roll Up Exercise. Lie down on the mat with your arms and legs extended. Reach your finger tips to the ceiling and prepare with an inhale. On your exhale, look at your toes and bring your chin toward your chest as your hands come down in front of you. Roll all the way up, moving and articulating one vertebrae at a time off the mat. (If you have trouble, bend your knees and plant your feet firm into the ground, or hold behind your thighs to help you in the beginning.) Stack your spine up tall at the top as you sit (practicing good posture), then roll all the way back down. Keep energy reaching out your legs (if they are extended) in opposition of your roll down. Try to get each vertebrae to move into the mat. Move slowly and don't use momentum. (that's cheating!)

Notice which places you feel stuck, or have difficulty moving through. This is where there is a weakness in your core. To overcome it, move back and forth and hold for three full breaths pulling your navel in deeper. This will help strengthen that particular spot and then the next time you try this exercise, it will be easier.

Complete 8-10 full roll up and downs. Too Easy? Increase the reps to 12-16.

White House Pilates Bride-to-Be Tips

So you are trying to be on your very best eating behavior to fit into that gorgeous wedding dress. I get it! But we all crave something sweet every now and then after our meal. Here is a great idea for a little dessert that will be a hit with you and your honey, and best of all it's guilt free!

"If you deprive yourself of all the things you crave, you will eventually splurge and be worse off than if you had just given in for a small taste here and there."

(Via theAbsDiet)

Yep, it's still a diet. The ice cream gives you calcium and protein with only a modest amount of fat and refined sugar. Indulge and enjoy!

1/2 cup reduced-fat chocolate or vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup berries of your choice, slightly crushed
1 tablespoon chopped nuts of your choice
Starting with the ice cream, layer the ingredients in a small bowl.
Makes 1 serving, Double the recipe for your sweetie!

Need a few ideas to curb that sweet tooth during the day? Try these little ideas that won't throw you off the healthy eating track. Everything in moderation!

1 chocolate pudding cup
3 mini York Peppermint Patties
3 bite-size Snickers
½ cup reduced-fat ice cream

New Series: Planning a Destination Wedding

One of the lovely brides who responded to our inquiry for a new bride-to-be happened to have just gotten engaged, and has also decided on a destination wedding! We thought this would be a great opportunity for our readers to see how foreign destination wedding planning can differ from that in the states. Even the groom will be adding his perspective as well! We won't be hearing from Amanda and Nate every week, but they will keep us updated throughout the yearlong planning process...

From the bride:
Quaking Aspen Campground in the Sequoia National Forest is where “it” happened. After a long stroll under the stars with our two pups during Labor Day Weekend, Nate asked me to be his wife. It was the perfect moment; a moment I will never forget.

{Nate and me at Ponderosa Lodge the day after the engagement (that’s Moxie peeking over the table)}

We were lucky enough to cherish the new engagement for a day, just the two of us, with no interruptions from the outside world. Driving back to our home in Los Angeles, cell phone service returned and immediately the phone calls were nonstop. Apparently he had asked my parents in June and had told his parents around the same time, so they had been waiting for the moment to happen for months. I am still shocked my mom and his mom were able to keep it secret, ha! Nate and I have been together for almost six years and now we are ready and extremely excited to start this next chapter in our lives.

{Pictures of us at Dome Rock with Moxie and Chowder}

As soon as the phone calls stopped and the Facebook messaging died down, we dove into planning. We immediately decided to do something a little non-traditional: a laid-back destination wedding! Our families and friends will be invited to join us in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico to celebrate our marriage and enjoy a vacation with us as well.
Nate and I are thrilled to share with all of you Lucky Orchid readers the ups and downs, the fun times and the stressful times of planning our dream Destination Wedding. Every now and then Nate will make a special appearance in order to share the groom’s experiences.

Next up on Planning a Wedding - Destination Style: nailing down a travel agent, booking a date at an all-inclusive resort for October, 2011, as well as designing the invitations and getting them out early so that our guests have plenty of time to plan!

I love my ring! He picked out the perfect vintage style!

Lots of Love,
Amanda