Weekend Conference

I spent this past weekend in St. Petersburg, FL at the Association of Bridal Consultants Florida State meeting where I gave a seminar on multi-cultural weddings. It is always a little scary giving seminars to your peers and mentors are in attendance.

Not only did I present but I attended 2 days worth of seminars as well. I learned soooo..... many things. My favorite seminar was "Emergency Floral Fixes". We were taught how to make bouquets, boutonnieres and corsages. I have a whole new appreciation for florists. They go through alot to make a simple bouquet. Good feeling for the day!

After the seminar on the way back home we stopped in Ybor City for dinner. At the table behind us there was a girl with a great up-do and a tiara. I thought maybe she had just had her hair trail. So I went to my car and grabbed the bouquet I made and the boutonniere (since she was with a man). Turns out she had just gotten married the night before and she and her fiance were getting ready to go on a cruise. I gave them the flowers.

Blogging is Hard.

So much for my blogging prowess. I have failed miserably at keeping a blog going. So we are going to give it another try to see if I can be any better at it. You know how you intend to do something and everytime something else gets in the way. Well unfortunately, blogging is WAY at the bottom of my list of priorities. Since February, so much has happened.......Weddings, Brides Against Breast Cancer, More Weddings, Fashion Shows, etc.



Remember the 3-Strand Cord? Here's a photo of Michelle and Leonard braiding the cord. It really was a nice addition to their vow- renewal ceremony. While they braided the cord, their daughter read the bible scripture regarding the cord.

March was our annual Brides Against Breast Cancer Charity Wedding Gown Sale. We had a great time, sold lots of wedding gowns and raised more than $30,000. A big thanks to all the brides who took the time to come out and support us! This past Sunday we showcased some of our Brides Against Breast Cancer Gowns at the Wedding Professionals of Central Florida Bridal Show. Beautiful girls, beautiful gowns!! We will be having our next sale in March 2009 at the UCF Alumni again. But watch out for special fund raising events coming throughout the year.

Hopefully, this will be the start of my better blogging ways.

Pay It Forward In The Drive Thru Line!

A few days ago I drove through a Dunkin Doughnuts to grab a quick cup of coffee. When I went to the window to pay I was told the car in front of me had already paid for my cup and did I want to pay for the person behind me. Evidentally someone had paid for the coffee behind them earlier in the morning and started the trend. I was the 15th car and naturally I couldn't break the cycle so I paid for the coffee as well. What a great way to start the day!

Jean M Invitations

My beautiful pink box arrived during the holidays! We are now a Jean M Wedding Accessories and Invitations Dealer. I first saw their line of products at the ABC convention when I took their seminar. I was very impressed by the quality of the invitations and creativity of the associates giving the seminar. You have your choice of paper, ribbon, design, cuts and monograms, envelopes, ink and colors. It's like they took the DIY idea and combined it with the customized idea. I have been playing with my kit nonstop! There are at least 20 different paper colors, 32 ink colors and 3o ribbon colors. I can't imagine not being able to create some awesome wedding looks with this. Check out their site at http://www.myjeanm.com/. But you have to see and feel them to appreciate them!!

New Friends! Wine By Design in Winter Springs

I just arrived back home from our Brides Against Breast Cancer kick-off meeting. In keeping with the party atmosphere I have going on in my life (attended The Knot Vendor appreciation party last night and cub scouts party with my son the night before) I decided to have the meeting at a boutique winery called Wine by Design. What fun!!

I met the owners Mitchell and Sharon about 2 or 3 months ago and had been looking for a reason to get to their shop. Before our meeting we had a wine tasting. I opted for the white wines and sampled two Pinot Grigios called Poets Muse and Radiant Rainbows End. A Reisling named Sweet Liquid Waltz. The Chardonnay aptly named Peachy Spike Concerto and a blush Zinfandel named Raspberry Rhapsody. Mind you all the wine probably added up to one good glass. Then we had our meeting and took a tour of their facility.

What a great idea for weddings especially when the bride and groom are wine enthusiasts. You can taste, ferment, bottle, cork and label your own special vintage for your wedding reception. I think I am going to arrange a night of fun for me and my sister-in-laws after the holidays. Just as a special "wine" down evening. Check them out on their website www.winemasterpiece or stop by the winery at 855 W SR434 in Winter Springs. Tell them LaVoria sent you!

Brides Against Breast Cancer

It's that time of year again! Not the holiday season (although I do love this time of year). It is time to start planning our annual Brides Against Breast Cancer charity wedding gown sale. All proceeds from the gown sale will help grant the final wishes of terminally ill breast cancer patients via Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation.

We already have the venue and the dates. We are having the sale at Fairwinds Alumni Center on the University of Central Florida campus. The dates are March 14-15, 2008. This will be my third year participating in the sale. Last year we raised $30,000 and welcomed approximately 150 brides through our doors. We poured Pink Champagne, listened to harpist Kathleen Attanasi, and had a great time helping the brides in finding the gown of their dreams. This year we hope to do more of the same and throw in some new ways to make the sale special for all the brides and their families.

For more information regarding volunteering, donating your gown or attending as a bride send me an e-mail at MomentsInfo@aol.com.

3 Cord Strand Ceremony

Today I had a meeting with Michelle to discuss her vision for her vow renewal ceremony. As we talked she mentioned that she and her husband were not going to do a unity candle because they were already married. Instead they will perform a 3 Cord Strand Ceremony. I hadn't heard of it so Michelle told me about it.

It is taken from Ecclesiastes 4:12 "A cord of three strands is not easily broken". During the ceremony they will braid three cords together to symbolize the roles of the husband, wife and Jesus Christ in their marriage. After they finish braiding the cord, their daughter will tie it off. Check out this web site for additional information www.godsknot.com/cord_of_three_strands.cfm .

I love this kind of personalization. I can't wait to see it performed during the ceremony.