In line with yesterday’s Trash-The-Dress inspired photography blog, here’s another element of pre-wedding photography that more and more brides are considering: boudoir! (written by Meagan and Jesse)
Many brides are participating in the trend of “trashing their dress” after their wedding day as this is a way of showing their husbands they are committed to them and will never need to wear their dress again. This is a fabulous way of celebrating the end of their wedding period and the beginning of a new life together. Another wedding photography related trend is to participate in a boudoir style photo shoot before the wedding day. While a “trash the dress” photo shoot is extremely fun, it lacks the intimacy that a boudoir shoot can create in the photos and between husband and wife.
For brides who are looking for the perfect gift for their groom, look no further! A boudoir photo shoot is a unique, thoughtful gift to give to your husband-to-be. What better way is there to start off your wedding and marriage than by giving your loved one an album of sexy, classy, and intimate photos of you? These are photos that will last forever (remember in the movie “Titanic” when the granddaughter asks Rose if that’s really her?) Not only is this something your husband will enjoy looking at again and again but you will remember the experience every time you look at them.
Getting in front of any camera can be nerve-racking. This can become even more difficult with such intimate photos. Feelings of awkwardness may arise and you may prefer to stay more on the clothed-side, which is completely fine and definitely an option…. but from experience most girls tend to loosen up after a few pictures are taken and really get into the photos! We want to create photos that are tasteful and classy, yet are something that you and your husband will love! If you are considering participating in a boudoir shoot keep in mind that some of the best shots come when you let your guard down.
Jesse James Photography and Enchantment Makeup Artistry are working together to create stunning photo packages available to you. All packages include professional hair and makeup. For details on packages and price points please e-mail Jesse at giammattolo@hotmail.com or Meagan at m.eagles13@gmail.com. If your wedding day has already passed these photos also make great anniversary, Valentines Day, Christmas, or Birthday gifts.
Below are some photos from our latest boudoir marathon. A special Thanks to the brave girls for letting us post their pictures!
Sexy Stockings
Sultry Silhouette
Black Lace
Champagne Dreams
Incognito
Daring Dreams
{giveaway}
Meagan and Jesse are so excited to share their arts with you that they are giving away a free Boudoir Photography shoot by Jesse James Photography with makeup enhancements by Enchantment Makeup Artistry (which will also provide you a great opportunity to discuss bridal makeup details with an expert!)
Each of the above photos has a sexy name. All you have to do to win your free Boudoir Photo + Makeup experience is Contact Us with the name of your favourite boudoir shot!
One lucky bride-to-be will be selected from the participants by Meagan and Jesse, and awarded this fabulous experience!
I’m so sorry for the lack of blogging lately! It’s funny, I always expect that when “wedding season” is over, I’ll have all kinds of time to catch up with the website. Unfortunately, all I have is all kinds of time to catch up on planning for 2011 – and boy is it shaping up to be a busy year!! (no complaints from me, though! I have the most amazing brides ever!)
It’s been so busy lately, and I’ve had so many people point out to me that I never take any time off, that I decided it was time to find something to take care of myself (so I can be in tip-top shape for everyone else ;). When I lived in the Niagara region, I attended a few classes at Yoga By Sarah (a fabulous studio, perfect for any of you in the Niagara region who are looking to give yoga a try!)
When I moved to Toronto, I began my search for a local studio at which to practice, and what I found varied tremendously. Some “studios” I found were located in church basements, while others in private homes or in community centres. When I thought I had come across a studio that looked how I wanted it to look, I would often find that classes were unbelievably expensive and parking needed to be paid on top of class fees. Like everything I do wedding-related, I wanted to find the best luxe-on-a-budget yoga value around. …. and then I stumbled upon Kula Yoga.
I’m not certain how the website came up in my specific searches, but I instantly appreciated Kula’s website – it was clean, easy to navigate, and I loved that it translated its meaning within the first sentence of the introduction! (to Yoga newbies like me, sometimes the foreign terms can be a bit intimidating!) “Kula” means “community”, or “family” – a culture and outlook the studios try to manifest with their practice every day.
The next thing I learned was that Kula actually offered three studios for practice: Burlington, Oakville, and downtown Toronto. In my case, because I have so many brides scattered all around the GTA and the Niagara region, and because I travel so extensively between these areas, knowing that I was allowed to practice at any of the three studios made me over-the-moon happy! It was exactly what I was looking for!
My first in-person experience with Kula was at their Oakville location. I arrived bright and early on a weekday morning for my first “basics” class (to make sure I could remember the things I learned from Sarah back in Niagara!) and was welcomed with friendly smiles, kind words, and open arms. I was given a tour of the beautiful studio and told about all its eco-friendly initiatives: cork floors, solar panel heating, radiant panel heating, green cleaning products and disinfectants, environmentally friendly paints, low-flow toilets and high efficiency washers and dryers. I was shown both the hot room and the regular-temperature room (both of which were much bigger than I expected! – which is really nice for busy classes!).
With the studios being located in population-dense areas, I knew it must have been imperative to have large practice spaces and extensive schedules, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much diversity in class schedules as I have seen at Kula. Not only do all three studios offer both hot and regular temperature yoga practice, they have almost a dozen different classes available, each divided into comfort and skill levels, Basic, Level I, Level II, Level III, and all-level classes available to anyone who would like to attend. Kula also offers classes at various lengths – 60 minutes, 75 minutes, and 90 minutes of practice.
Since I signed up for my introductory $30 for 30 days (of unlimited classes), I’ve visited both the Burlington and Oakville studios (I have yet to venture downtown, to the Annex – but I will!) and the warm welcome and friendly staff have been a pleasant constant. With morning, daytime, and evening classes available to fit my own sporadic schedule, I’ve had the opportunity to see various new faces, and a few familiar ones now. I’ve come to appreciate the differences in how various instructors deliver their teaching (the schedules outline the type of yoga being practiced, the length of the class, and the instructor teaching it) and I’ve learned so much about myself and how yoga now fits into my life.
Though my schedule doesn’t allow me to attend classes every day, I’ve tried to go as often as possible in the past week, and I’m already seeing a difference in how I feel and in my abilities in class! I can already feel myself learning to relax more quickly, breathe more deeply, stretch a bit further, and I’m finding I require less time to “recover” afterwards. The classes I attend are a pleasant break from my hectic schedule, and I share all this information with all of you, because wedding planning deserves a break as well! Between full time jobs, planning a wedding (regardless of whether you have a planner or not!), being in a relationship, maintaining family and friend relationships, and trying to maintain your own personal sanity, there’s nothing better than to take a deep breath and relax.
When I realized how in-love with Kula I’ve become, and when I knew I wanted to share my experiences with all of you, I contacted the studios via email to get their permission to showcase them on my site. In keeping with WG format, I was tickled pink that Mr. Colin Matthews, the founding director of Kula Yoga Studios, took the time to respond to my email and attach a wedding photo! Thanks, Colin! (and everyone else at Kula!)
It was the hot pink branding and the sassy slogans that caught my interest when Blo-girl, Ashley, first contacted me about coming in to experience a Blo-Out!
I checked out Blo’s website (Blo me dry.com) after Ashley called me earlier this week to introduce herself. I was surprised at the fact that I’d never heard of this Blo phenomenon – which, I see now, has certainly taken the world by storm!
{don’t use the s-word}
Originating in Canada’s very own British Columbia, Blo Dry Bars can be found across North America. Ashley invited me to come in and see her at Bloor West Village, Toronto.
It was an early start to our day yesterday… 8:30 a.m. to be exact… and I was surprised to learn that Blo is open (by-appointment) from 7 a.m.!
I also learned that you never refer to Blo as the S-word (salon). It’s a Blow Dry Bar. They have no dye, and they have no scissors… just Wash, Blo, and Go!
{the menu}
As I sat down in the funky lucite ghost chair, Ashley handed me the Blo Hair Menu – a fabulous list of stylish do’s to choose from!
{the visit}
Ashley set to work on my Blo-out and we chit-chatted about what she does, about what I do, and about how Blo has taken a new spin on classic salon appointments. Remember how our grandmothers used to go have their hair done once a week? Now Blo Bars make it so that you can too! Women are getting Blo-wn before work (Ashley said that some of their clients don’t even own shampoo – they visit the Bar upwards of 3 times per week!), before nights out on the town, and sometimes just to squeeze in a bit of extra pampering into a hectic schedule (most Blo-outs only take about 30 minutes).
{the last thing a bride needs are scissors and dye}
As a wedding planner, I can completely appreciate the fact that Blo styles are precisely what a bride is looking for on her wedding day – no cutting, no colouring, just a perfect hairstyle! With this said, the Blo on Bloor is offering a free bridal consultation to a lucky WeddingGirl.ca Bride-To-Be! All you have to do is visit the WG Profile on Facebook and take a peek at the Blo Hair Menu styles in the photo album I created of my visit with Ashley yesterday!
Just “Like” your favourite Blo style from the Hair Menu, and a random “Like” will be selected to win some Blo swag!
Today’s blog is inspired by two people I’ve never met, but who I have had the pleasure of being “introduced” to by my good friends, Wanda and Brian, at Studio67, who speak so amazingly highly of them that you can’t help but feel the same way.
You know how you feel like you know somebody, even if you’ve never met them, by the way someone else close to you speaks about them? This is precisely the case with Marta and Brock and I. As an avid Studio67 Blog visitor, I watched Marta and Brock’s Same Day Edit the day it was released on Wanda and Brian’s website, and I instantly fell in love with the details. I loved the story, I loved the elements, I loved the animals. I loved the reading by Taylor Mali, Falling In Love Is Like Owning A Dog….
First of all, it’s a big responsibility,
especially in a city like New York.
So think long and hard before deciding on love.
On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security:
when you’re walking down the street late at night
and you have a leash on love
ain’t no one going to mess with you.
Because crooks and muggers think love is unpredictable.
Who knows what love could do in its own defense?
On cold winter nights, love is warm.
It lies between you and lives and breathes
and makes funny noises.
Love wakes you up all hours of the night with its needs.
It needs to be fed so it will grow and stay healthy.
Love doesn’t like being left alone for long.
But come home and love is always happy to see you.
It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life,
but you can never be mad at love for long.
Is love good all the time? No! No!
Love can be bad. Bad, love, bad! Very bad love.
Love makes messes.
Love leaves you little surprises here and there.
Love needs lots of cleaning up after.
Sometimes you just want to get love fixed.
Sometimes you want to roll up a piece of newspaper
and swat love on the nose,
not so much to cause pain,
just to let love know Don’t you ever do that again!
Sometimes love just wants to go for a nice long walk.
Because love loves exercise.
It runs you around the block and leaves you panting.
It pulls you in several different directions at once,
or winds around and around you
until you’re all wound up and can’t move.
But love makes you meet people wherever you go.
People who have nothing in common but love
stop and talk to each other on the street.
Throw things away and love will bring them back,
again, and again, and again.
But most of all, love needs love, lots of it.
And in return, love loves you and never stops.
You can read / see all about Marta and Brock’s special day, Studio67-style, on their blog, here!
As I became (pseudo-)acquainted with who Marta and Brock were (via their wedding details), they were kind enough to find me on Facebook, and compliment the work I do. It was after this that I began to notice the work that they do professionally (and passionately!) and became completely inspired! As the co-founders of Fit For Two TV, Brock and Marta spend their days inspiring others to live life differently, appreciate one another wholly, and push each other beyond previously-established limits.
Not only do Brock and Marta push one another to achieve new goals, live healthier lives, and inspire eachother, they do this for others! Via their online blogs, vlogs, and in-person appearances, these two self-proclaimed health addicts are doing their part to share the (health) love by disseminating tips, tricks, and ideas on getting healthy, living healthy, and staying healthy, together.
Here is their latest Vlog posting, as a testament to what they do:
Just as WG is known and loved for sharing all-things-wedding, I put forth this all-things-health as a source of inspiration for all of you.. .all of us… who only get one chance to do it right with our health – so we may as well start now! (and what better way to do it than with these two lovebirds cheering us along!)
Thanks, Marta and Brock, for being such an inspiration.. without even realizing it!
When chatting with my brides, I’ve come to realize that hair and makeup is often one of the greatest sources of uncertainty and stress when it comes to planning the details of their wedding day. Though I say that there are few things that can actually ruin a wedding day, I’ve heard horror stories about hair and makeup that have consequently left brides feeling far from flawless, resenting their stylists, and hating their photos. When asked what one piece of advice she would deem most crucial to future brides, one newlywed stated that no matter how long it takes to fix, if you don’t like your hair/makeup on your wedding day, make your stylist re-do it…. or…. make sure to choose the right artist! (and don’t forget to schedule a Bridal Trial!)
It is with this advice in hand, and with great pleasure, that WeddingGirl.ca welcomes the super-talented Alycia Vaughan, of Vavoom Makeup Artistry, to the WG Vendor Showcase!
A note from Alycia:
Let us help you bring your best features forward on your special day with an Airbrush Makeup Application. Vavoom Makeup Artists will work with you to acheive the most beautiful YOU! The results are stunning, timeless and flawless. Just what every Bride needs – Vavoom Makeup Artistry.
Be sure to find Vavoom on Facebook to follow their latest makeup design tips and trends!
Enchantment Makeup Artistry is a mobile service dedicated to you. We provide hair and makeup for you on your special day. With that being said we go above and beyond to help you achieve the look you want. Why? Simple!
We believe that your wedding day is one of the biggest days of your life. Finding a style you like to add the finishing touch to your day should be easy, and with us it is!
About Meagan
Makeup has always been my passion. I love having the ability to transform a face and create a breath-taking look. I enjoy every minute in this business and being able to meet all the wonderful people that I do. I am a certified makeup artist including a certificate specifically catered to bridal makeup and also hair design.
Bridal Beauty
What makes a glowing bride? Follow these pre-wedding wellness tips to get the prettiest you! And remember, beauty starts from the inside!
Eat Smart
Choose whole grain, fresh greens and fruits, and clean proteins such as chicken, fish, and beans.
Hydrate
Drink lots of water daily to hydrate the skin and flush out toxins.
Move Your Body
Exercise at least three times a week to strengthen your body and calm your mind.
Take a Relaxing Bath
Add soothing Epsom salts or skin softening powdered milk to your bathwater.
Be Present
Slow down and appreciate what’s around you rather than rushing to get from start to finish.
Bridal Beauty Do’s and Don’ts
1) DO complete a makeup trial.
2) DO get as much sleep as possible on the night before the big day.
3) DO drink plenty of water before your wedding day, and properly prepare skin with moisturizer and eye cream.
4) DON”T go to a tanning bed right before your wedding. If you want more colour use a self-tanner. Test the product weeks before the date. Apply it several days before the wedding in case you need to make corrections.
By Laura || married on May 29th, 2010 || Bridal Bootcamp Survivor
As a reality TV junkie, I applied (pleaded) to get on Slice TV’s “Last 10 Pounds Bridal Bootcamp”. For the 3rd (and final) time, I received the same email stating that they only accept people who live in Vancouver. Time for Plan B. I now had to find a personal trainer, buy my own shiny new set of workout gear, and resign to the fact that a camera crew wouldn’t be following me around. I belonged to a gym in the city, but they would only allow me to buy personal training packages that included at least 24 sessions. This bride didn’t have that kind of cash.
Enter Tamara Brouwer.
I knew of Tamara because she was a personal trainer at the gym I was a member of. She not only had a reputation for making you sweat but also being able to speak to what a person should be eating to maximize their health and workout. I knew she was the one that I needed to help me with my personal ‘Operation: Bridal Bootcamp’. Tamara had started her only personal training business, so I met with her to chat about my goals. I wasn’t looking to lose a certain amount of weight, as I was already fairly active. Rather, I wanted someone who could be tough but fair so that at the end of 6 weeks, I felt amazingly confident when all eyes were on me.
For 6 weeks, Tamara came to my house at 6 a.m. She made sure I maximized my effort for each exercise. She changed up exercises to always keep me engaged and interested by using a mix of kettlebells, weights, steps, and her stopwatch.
Her programs were customized just for me. She also gave me a food journal to record what I was eating so that she could provide feedback. It was important to her that what I was eating maximized the effort I was putting into my workouts. She was truly invested in me and my goals.
I can’t always say I was excited to get up at 6 a.m., but Tamara always came with an energetic and great attitude. One of the most important aspects when working with a trainer is connection and she had my full trust. I knew she was making my goals her goals.
On my wedding day, I felt fabulous! I had that final burst of confidence knowing all the work that I put my body through for 6 weeks had paid off. When I stepped onto the scale a few days after my wedding (post-honeymoon), I was 6 lbs. lighter with 1.5% less body fat. At our final session together, Tamara went through a series of testing with me and we discovered that I had gained 30% more endurance and strength than our baseline from the first session. Even though I am not training regularly with her anymore, she is still a support for me, giving me advice and encouragement.
Tamara Brouwer’s credentials include Certified Personal Trainer, Fitness Instructor Specialist, and Nutrition and Wellness Specialist.
Her passion and motivation is the baseline for her success with clients.
Since 2006, she has been creating specific workouts and providing strong nutritional guidance to clients so they are able to gain confident, energy, and strength.
She trains boot camps and circuits for Brides-To-Be to maximize results and to ensure they feel absolutely gorgeous on their wedding day.
You can contact Tammy at 905-650-8538, or at tbrouwer2002@msn.com to start making your wedding day dreams come true!
Weight and inches are the only thing you have to lose!
Have you bought your wedding dress and are now looking for an amazing way to accessorize and personalize your Wedding Day look?? – Heidi Allen of Rich Bride, Poor Bride and Weddings, Heidi Style! tells us about how to complement wedding dress styles with the perfect jewelry and bridal accessories. Be sure to share this post with anyone you know who is looking to complete her perfect bridal look!
Tonight, I had the opportunity to try one of the most uniquely incredible workouts I’ve ever tried… pole dancing!
SASS (Shanyn’s Artistic Strength Studio) is about expression of strength, beauty and art through the movement of your body.
Shanyn is a young mother of two who shares her time between being a mommy and a pole dancer. She has absolutely no experience as an exotic dancer and is 100% self-taught. With a background in gymnastics, she saw a dance pole as nothing more than another apparatus, and even without ever having touched one, she knew she had to try it. Shanyn bought a pole, installed it in her dining room and discovered an effective way to release all the days stress while staying in shape and revealing the goddess within.
Now, Shanyn teaches women to shed their outer layer and reveal the beautiful and confident women within. She has combined her pole dancing skills with her personal training certification and gymnastics background and has designed a program for all women, any size and shape, to begin and continue to learn the art of pole dancing.
According to Shanyn,
“Pole dancing is no longer for the women who we could never imagine being like, it is for the women who are just like us. It is a great way to get an amazing body while feeling completely empowered and beautiful while enjoying your workout. It is all about using something that has, for years, been seen as a sexual apparatus and using it as our tool to better our bodies and self esteem.”
Tonight, I not only watched Shanyn teach three Level 1 graduates some more advanced pole dancing moves, I was lucky enough to be included in the class and “give it a whirl” myself! (she makes it look so much easier than it is!)
I was also lucky enough to have Shanyn perform some incredible pole dancing choreography, as well as show me her amazing talents on the “silks” (which she is available to perform on at weddings!! – Contact me for more details!)
For those of you in the Niagara / Hamilton / GTA area, interested in coming out to a private WeddingGirl.ca beginner level course (Pole Dancing, Level 1) starting in mid-April with Shanyn, please contact us for details!
For more information about the amazing work Shanyn does, visit her website at PoleFit.ca!
I’ve officially discovered God’s gift to the tanning world….. GLO Niagara tanning center! Not only is it one of the cleanest (they clean GREEN!) and most modern tanning studios I’ve ever been to, Danielle has got to be one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met!
I first met Danielle at a local mall one day, while they were promoting their unique hand-held spray-tanning system (the only one of its kind in Niagara!) When Danielle approached my girlfriend and I about spray tanning, my first question was “Well, won’t I turn orange??”. She explained to us that standard automatic spray tan machines have a solution coloured with beta-carotene…. which colours carrots… which is orange (makes sense!). Instead, her spray tanning system is 90% natural – aloe-based and coloured with caramel and walnut.
I used to tan in a regular bad…. with the UV rays, the wrinkles, and the sun damage. I was told that GLO’s Spray Tanning gives you an instant tan without the sun and no streaks! I had to try it out.
I went to the GLO tanning salon a couple of days ago – completely nervous and afraid of the results. I was told to wear old clothes that could easily be washed (since the spray would come off my skin, but would wash out of my clothes), and since the tan lines would be profound, I was told to wear what I’d be comfortable in. Once I got to the salon, Danielle and I chatted up a storm (she’s amazing!!) for a couple of hours, and in between chatting I would discover some new, amazing thing her salon has to offer.
My favourite random discovery? (minus the spray tan, ofcourse) – tanning bed-UV-teeth whitening! A self-applied system where I paint a whitener onto my teeth, insert a really cute, hot pink apparatus that holds my lips away from my teeth… and whiten my teeth while tanning? REALLY?? (I loved the convenience!)
Finally, the chatting subsided and I moved into a tanning bed. Just 10 minutes in a regular bed to get my skin warmed up and my teeth a little whiter (and it TOTALLY worked!)…. after which I went over into the spray-tan room. Completely nervous and slightly awkward (I opted to spray tan topless since my wedding dress for next month is strapless), Danielle came in and explained the entire procedure to me. I literally had to stand in a “tent”, while she sprayed (slightly cold) colour on me, and she would stop to let me pick my “desired shade” (I opted for a sun-kissed glow rather than a full-on tan).
After the spray, I got out, air dried in front of some fans for about 5 minutes, and I was done! I had amazing tan lines, and it really was an INSTANT tan!! Danielle explained that the excess would wash off in the shower (just like hair dye), which I should take no earlier than 6-8 hours later. I followed her instructions, and had an incredible tan! I was asked about 5 times in the first couple of days if I’d been on vacation!
Now, almost a week later, I think I’m starting to see the spray tan fading… although I’m still left with the hint of tanned colour. There’s no question, I plan on doing this again on the Friday before we leave for our destination wedding – and I’ll be inviting all my bridesmaids to come with me!!
Think back to how amazing you felt about yourself with a tan in the summer…. and then navigate over to their website, or stop into GLO Niagara (4465 Drummond Road Unit #10, Niagara Falls, ON) to rekindle that affection :)
*** NOTE: (we’re in the midst of working out some great promotional opportunities for WeddingGirl.ca clients – so make sure to tell her where you’ve come from!)
