Snacks!

With all the peanut M&M’s, toffee, caramel, pumpkin pie, chocolate cake, just to mention the desserts, we had for Christmas, it’s time to be serious about becoming more healthy.  The new Weight Watchers Points Plus program is absolutely great.  You can eat lots of wholesome foods, with no points value.  That not only allows you to lose weight, but keeps you healthier during the flu season, when you have more potential of getting really sick.  Robin Dotson is my leader.  She is so inspirational and fun.  There is also an app for your i-phone.

When you have that mid-afternoon lull, and need a snack, you can’t go to the snack machine.  You will have to bring your snacks from home.  I usually bring two types of fruit every day, just for snacks.  I bring my lunch as often as I can, so that I can work out during lunch and control what I am eating.  To help you remember to bring your healthy snacks to work, you might want to get one of these adorable Thirty-One thermal totes for only $10 and for an additional 1.50 you can get it monogrammed.  Contact Kristie Salyer.  Who doesn’t need a snack tote? 

This might not seem like a blog for a wedding website, but this would really make a great gift for a bridesmaid.  They come in 16 colors.  Also, if you are the bride and you don’t need to watch your weight, the healthy snacks will make your skin look better, give you more energy, and keep you well during the stressful times.

If you are interested in learning more about keeping yourself healthy, I highly recommend Superfoods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life by Steven G. Pratt and Kathy Matthews.

Beans – reduce obesity

Blueberries – lower risk for cardiovascular disease

Broccoli – lowers the incidence of cataracts and fights birth defects

Oats – reduce the risk of type II diabetes

Oranges – prevent strokes

Pumpkin – lowers the risk of various cancers

Wild Salmon – lowers the risk of heart disease

Soy – lowers cholesterol

Spinach – decreases the chance of cardiovascular disease and age-related macular degeneration

Tea – helps prevent osteoporosis

Tomatoes – raise the skin’s sun protection factor

Turkey – helps build a strong immune system

Walnuts – reduce the risk of developing coronary heart disease, diabetes, and cancer

Yogurt – promotes strong bones and a healthy heart

Make this the year you do something for yourself.  Live well.  Feel well.  Be happy!

Hurry - Bridesmaids' Dresses on Sale!

So, you've gotten engaged and you haven't really gotten started with the planning.  So many merchants have huge discounts right now.  Look at this beautiful dress at J. Crew.  Most bridesmaids would look good in this, and it comes in several colors.  They would love owning the dress later, and it costs only (drumroll) 49.99.  Imagine yourself as a bridesmaid, having to pay only 49.99 and getting a silk dress that you can wear again.

If you don't think your bridesmaids can all wear strapless, here is another beautiful dress, and some colors are only 39.99, also silk.

I know from past experience, if you want these, you need to move quickly.  They will be gone, gone, gone in no time.

And, did you think you'd have to make a road trip to find a wedding gown?  Take a look at the Maggie Sottero gowns at Annie's Room.  They have moved from downtown Kingsport to Eastman Road in the center with Panera Bread.  I have purchased two gowns from them in the past, and they are absolutely wonderful to work with.

Let the Wedding Planning Begin!

It's time to take the tree down and get serious about planning your spring/summer wedding.  With the cold weather, what better time is there?  Here are some of the things which could be done while you are in by a cozy fire:

Launch a wedding website. 
Settle on a head count.
Register.
Reserve block of hotel rooms for guests.
Design and make prototype of invitations.
Begin calligraphy for invitations.
Plan your honeymoon.
Start composing a day-of timeline.
Choose songs.
DIY favors.
DIY shower invitations.
Select readings.

I am available, if you need help with any of these items. 

Now that Christmas is over, I am excited to get back into wedding planning mode.

Wedding Planning ~ a Great Christmas Gift

Don’t Know What to Get Your Engaged Daughter/ Granddaughter?

Lots of young women are engaged or will become engaged this Christmas season.  One of the most generous gifts you could possibly give them would be a wedding planner.  Sure you can plan and manage a wedding on your own, but I could help smooth the way toward a stress-free day of your dreams, and save you money along the way.  Since I have experience with many vendors, I know how you can invest your money where it counts.  I can find out what are the most important elements to you, and work hard to find you a great professional at a great price.  Let your mother know, or your grandmother, that this could be the best Christmas gift you get.  Now through January 9, I will give you a $25 discount for booking a wedding.  You don’t have to make a commitment until we have had a face to face meeting.  I want you to like working with me, and I have every expectation that we will make a great team to pull off the wedding you have always wanted.  Check out my website at http://www.denisespearsweddings.com/.

Have a great Christmas season, and a Mistletoe new year!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

The Christmas season is such a busy time for everyone, it seems that it would be a terrible time for a wedding because people wouldn't be able to take time out of their schedules to come and celebrate with you.  I disagree.  I think people who truly love you will make time to do the things they really want to do. 

Planning a wedding during the Christmas season has advantages.  Our church is decorated for Christmas.  If you had a dress, a ring, and a photographer, you could pull it off tomorrow.  The church is available tomorrow, but not next Saturday when a very lucky couple will be getting married there.

The Altar Guild at First Broad Street United Methodist Church has some very talented people.  They decorated ten windows like the one pictured here, and I did two of these matching arrangements for either side of the communion table.

That's only in the sanctuary.  The entire church is decorated inside and out.  Except for Easter, Christmas is the holiest of holidays.  We must always remember why we celebrate.

The words ALWAYS BELIEVE aren't just for Santa Claus.  Merry Christmas everyone!

How Much Time Does It Take To Plan a Wedding?

As much time as you want, or as much time as you need.  Today I directed the wedding of Ashley Boatman and Cole Theile, who got married at 11 a.m. at First Broad Street United Methodist Church.  The wedding wasn't planned far in advance, as a matter of fact I wasn't notified that the couple wanted to get married until November 2.  It was a very beautiful wedding, as beautiful as if it had been planned for 18 months, as many weddings are. 

When you have such a short time, there are many compromises which have to be made.  Many things are not your first choice, but the choices you finally make turn out to be wonderful choices for your wedding.

Here is a candid photo I made shortly after the ceremony with my cellphone.  Notice that the groom is getting used to wearing a wedding ring.  I hope this family will be very happy, and I wish them all the best.  I was proud to be a part of the festivities.

Buttons and Bows

Buttons and bows

They look so pretty, you see

And they will look really nice

Underneath your Christmas tree.

This was a rap song a second grade class as Southside Elementary did one year!

You might think that bows would be a nice touch for kids' clothes or headbands, but they are absolutely everywhere now.  You could get a Big Shot and accessorize your own clothes.  Crystal Bennett is teaching classes in how to make holiday cards, and this is a first for her and a friend, venturing into fabrics http://web.me.com/almanzorj/Stampin/Workshops.html. 

I have been sewing since I was thirteen years old, so when I see something like this, I instantly know how easy it would be to jazz up something. 

Think about how easy it would be to put all these bows on the sleeve of a bridesmaid's dress.  Then, after the wedding, your bridesmaid could decide for herself whether to keep them.  I really love the embellishments, but not everyone is as frilly.

If you have some ordinary ballet flats, you could add these bows to them.

This is just a very plain scarf with lots of embellishment.

You need to hurry if you want to take Crystal's class.  It will be a fun night and you will have the opportunity to make several things to take home.  Go through your closet and find some sweaters that need a little something extra.

Enjoy your holidays!