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When Happily Ever After takes a turn….
{ a Personal note }
The past few weeks over here have been a whirlwind of excitement and emotion, love and tears, prayers, and hope – all for one incredibly special WG couple. We met a year ago, fell instantly in love with eachother, and couldn’t wait to see details of their big day come together beautifully. Sometimes though, Life has other plans for us.
With three years of planning tucked safely under my belt, and with having met and worked with over a hundred couples, I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the heartbreaking that comes along with planning a wedding. Not everyone’s journey to I DO is easy, and some journeys are particularly more complex. They are interwoven with the realities of life that most of us would prefer to avoid: medical issues, family complications, and financial downturns.
The role of a wedding planner within the planning process needs to seamlessly transition from planner to counsellor, from coordinator to shoulder-to-cry-on. I’ve answered calls from distraught brides in the middle of the night after an explosive fight with their groom. I’ve struggled to make last-minute changes in light of difficult circumstances that leave weddings moved up by months at a time. I’ve even had the unfortunate experience of helping to un-do all the plans we’d made to date to accommodate a dissolved relationship.
But Fate has a funny way of turning things around. That middle-of-the-night distraught bride is now over-the-moon-happily married. Those last-minute weddings have been absolutely beautiful. The bride with the un-done wedding excitedly reported to me recently that she’s newly in love and is so thankful that things worked out the way they did.
Just because your Happily Ever After doesn’t work out exactly how you’d envisioned, doesn’t mean it’s never going to. Life really is a series of Happily Ever Afters.. and when we close one chapter, we allow another to open. In most cases, the new chapters are written with more love, experience, openness, and peace…. and always have a way of becoming more beautiful than the last.
{ by poet Danna Faulds, from her book Limitless }
As I write this post, I’m reminded of a “prayer” shared in one of my yoga classes….
So today, as we reflect on Happily Ever Afters being exactly what they’re meant to be (even when it’s unexpected)…. just pray to stay open.
I pray to stay open today.
Open to the unrestrained energy of now.
Open to mystery and power.
Open to whatever comes.
Open to routine and surprises.
Open to moving past my first reactions.
Open to my imperfections and the divine spark that underlies them.
Open to wonder and the everyday grace of life unfolding as it does.
Open to events and circumstances that I like, and those I don’t.
Open to fatigue and overflowing energy.
Open to listen and to speak.
Open to love in all the ways it manifests.
Open to give and to receive.
Open to seasons changing, priorities rearranging, nothing staying the same for very long.
Open to letting beliefs dissolve into the ether.
Open to the direct experience of truth.
Open to forgetting and remembering.
Open to life and open to death.
Open to seeing old patterns and letting them go.
Open to fear and courage, ease and difficulty.
I pray to stay open.
Casting Call: ‘The Perfect Dress’
{ Casting Call: ‘THE PERFECT DRESS’ }
The Perfect Dress is an exciting new bridal fashion reality TV series for Slice Network, that focuses on a ‘Pop-Up’ Bridal boutique and its professional team; an ensemble of colourful, committed people from the world of fashion.
{ the Pros }
The team over at The Perfect Dress is casting 5 fashion + retail professionals (that MUST live within 90 minutes of Toronto, Ontario).
The Bridal Fashion Intern - a confident and engaging fashion design student or aspiring bridal stylist with that ‘Queen West’ style; retail experience not required; interest in bridal fashion a must.
The Bridal Consultant – this male bridal consultant is outspoken and strong-willed. He makes women feel like superstars. Fashion stylist.
The Office Manager – Speaks his/her mind and and protects the business side of the business and is often found pulling in favors. Retail management preferred; interest in bridal is a must.
The Bridal Boutique Receptionist – This big personality is the front line ambassador. A Fashion graduate, fashion blogger or anyone with a passion for fashion… and bridal fashion.
The Fashion Retail Marketer – this larger than life dynamo is an experienced fashion retail marketer with knowledge/experience in Pop-Up retail. He/she can get businesses up and running. No bridal experience necessary.
{ requirements }
Interested in being a part of this fabulous new team?
Application requirements inclue:
as well as
- A 2 minute ‘WALK AND TALK’ VIDEO – (it can be shot with a home camcorder!)
Instructions:
Please shoot a lively, outspoken ‘walk and talk’ video, chatting directly to camera, as you tour a bridal salon, boutique or stroll through the fashion district, giving us your 3 most important tips/advice for either brides when they are buying their wedding dress, or marketing and managing a new retail operation.
Videos are to be submitted through www.yousendit.com and must be at least 40MB and in .mov format Please email all submissions materials to the Casting Director, Sue Skinner: smsconcepts@rogers.com
Casting link… http://www.smsconcepts.ca/cast-perfect-dress.htm
Questions? Contact Marilyn Fabrizio at 416 242-3910 or smsconcepts.marilyn@gmail.com
{ the Deadline }
The deadline for photo + resume + video submissions is Thursday, February 9th.
Good luck!
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