Have you heard the buzz about Focus on Females?  It's a women's healthcare symposium in its fifth year that is free and open to the public.  That's right, on Saturday, March 27th at the Tampa Convention Center, there will be 22 different seminars about a wide range of women's health topics all presented by local, area physicians who speak in plain English, provide practical, relevant and ready-to-use health information and even give you a chance to ask your questions.  There are also health screenings, fitness class demonstrations and chair massages - all FREE! This event has proven to have immediate impact, save lives and protect families.  You can register on-line at www.focusonfemales.com.

Oh, and I heard the event planner is AWESOME!  Guess who?  Come by and say hi!

So I'll ask for forgiveness upfront on the corny blog post today, but I couldn't let this milestone occasion go by without some acknowledgement!  I have posted on my four-legged sweeties before and yesterday Kenya turned 16!  Here she is posing for her driver's license picture... watch out Tampa, here comes Kenya!

One of the biggest impressions that you can make at an event is the way you set up your guest tables.  I mean after all this is where your guests spend a good portion of their time whether it be eating, drinking, taking a break from all of that dancing or talking with other guests.  They look at the linen, the centerpiece, the little votive candles - all of those special touches, but sometimes, especially when it is a buffet or action stations for dinner, the table can look incomplete without a full place setting.

There is a great alternative that dresses up a table wonderfully - charger plates.  Generally seen in gold or silver (but you can also find them in other colors), charger plates do wonders to make your table appear more elegant and complete.  And they are totally affordable to rent!

Divine Creations is pleased to announce that we now rent charger plates in gold and silver.  The cost is only $1.50 each (plus local sales tax) and if you mention that you learned about it by reading this blog, we'll give you a 10% discount! 

Carol and Mike were married 30 years ago and unfortunately things didn't work out.  They divorced and went their separate ways and on with their lives.  Years go by, they each get remarried and what once was seemed like a blip in the radar screen.  Then out of the blue, 30 years later they found each other again.  The sparks of first love flew and last summer Carol and Mike were remarried by a friend at the courthouse who knew them "back then". 

On January 9th, before moving away to start their new life in California, Carol and Mike threw a grand celebration to celebrate their reunion with about 50 of their closest family and friends.  They had the most perfect invitations - "sometimes it ends where it all began" and I had my first expereince with arranging centerpieces!  Thank goodness Carol went with simple loose stems!  Held at the Davis Islands Garden Club, the party was to take place outside on the patio overlooking the water.  We had plans for stringing white lanterns across the ceiling, uplighting the trees and having delicate drapes blowing in the breeze.  Well, January 9th turned out to be one of the coldest nights of the year with the temperature dipping down into the 30s.  So... Plan B!  Everything was moved inside - lounge area and tables on one side, food on the other and dancing in between.  It turned out to be a great evening, filled with dancing and laughter and love. 

So it just goes to show you that sometimes love never does die... it just needs to be rekindled.  Best wishes Carol and Mike for a lifetime of happiness!

I know I seem absent as of late, but 2010 has been hopping (and I'm NOT complaining!).  With 4 events in January, the month totally flew by!  And February and March are just as jammed packed!  I want to thank all of my past and current clients for helping me to have the best start of a year ever, and I promise that I will be posting pictures of recent events very soon so check back often!

Happy New Year!  I'm excited for 2010 and all it has to offer.  I think it's going to be a fantastic year! 

About this time of year you hear the word "resolutions" a lot.  I used to attempt to make resolutions... actually I could make them just fine, it was keeping them I wasn't so good at!  I hadn't done it in a few years and then last year I decided that I'd give it a go again.  Realizing as we all do as we grow older, I wanted to try to live a healthier lifestyle so one of the resolutions I made was to eat more fruits and vegetables.  Well... does it still count if they are smothered in chocolate or french onion dip?  So, let's just say I didn't do too good with that one.  Another one was to do yoga or go walking 3 times a week.  Okay... maybe I should have been more realistic and said 3 times a month!  I did okay with that one (the 3 times a month that is... I must have been feeling super ambitious that day to say 3 times a week!) up until going to Ireland this summer.  Somehow when I returned that whole exercise thing was like a foreign concept! 

So, hence the reason that this year I am going back to not making new year resolutions again - with one exception.  It is my year round resolution to provide excellent service to each one of my clients.  That is one resolution that will never change!

Best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous 2010!

We're lucky, we live in the Sunshine State, but not everyone is so fortunate.  So as a big snow storm is barreling right now towards the Northeast coast, we can sit back and kick on the AC because it's still 70+ degrees outside.  So if planning your wedding here in Tampa Bay, why not give your guests a taste of what is in store for them before they even arrive.  Obviously welcome bags at the hotel are a great treat, but sending them some information in advance will get them as excited about your wedding as you are!

For those out of town guests, when you receive their RSVP card that says they are coming to help you celebrate your big day, consider mailing them a packet of information about our wonderful city.  A local overview map and some brochures on local attractions will help them plan some extra activities during their downtime and maybe even have them turn the weekend into a week long vacation.  I mean, who wants to go out and shovel snow when you can go to the beach?!  Stop by your local Chamber of Commerce to pick up some information or local hotels that have brochures displayed in their lobby.  It's all free. And don't forget to add a letter from the two of you about your favorite spots and things to do here in Tampa Bay.

We live where people come to vacation... how great is that?!

Does your inner artist long for something unique to display your favorite wedding photo?  Well, check out www.photopopart.com where you can get a customized canvas for under $200.  It's incredibly simple: select a style (many to choose from), select a layout (anywhere from one to six panels per canvas), pick your preferred size (anywhere from 16x20 for $199 all the way up to 40x40 for $455), add a floating frame if you want, upload a photo and pay - all on-line and all very user friendly!  And it's super fast... within 3 days your creation will be on its way!  Sorry to those of you who just thought this would be a great gift for December 25th... they are no longer taking orders that will be delivered before then!

Time, Inc. has decided to close InStyle Wedding magazine and its last issue will hit the newsstands on December 25th.  A few of my blogs in the past have been on information found in this magazine and I will be sad to see it go.  Below is some great information pulled from its current fall edition regarding different ideas for your bridesmaids' attire.

At one time or another, most ladies have been a bridesmaid or two.  It's at that time you realize whether your best friends have good taste in clothing... or not.  The days of all bridesmaids needing to look all matchy-matchy are behind us and the best gift we can now give to our closest friends is options.  Now, that doesn't mean that they can all go pick out whatever they want... after all there are professional photos that must be considered.  But here are a few tips from InStyle Weddings magazine on options that will look cute and coordinated:

1) Different Styles, Different Shades - You choose a base color then let your bridal party pick out their own dresses in shades of the same color family.  Honestly, not my favorite option to give them... this is when you, the bride, may find out whether or not your friends have good taste in clothing if you didn't already know...

2) One Style, Different Shades - Pick one dress all the same, but open up a rainbow of opportunities.

3) One Color, Different Styles - Bridesmaids aren't one size fits all.  Why not let your friends choose the cut that flatters her frame the best.  Personally, this is my favorite option!  What a concept... maybe your bridesmaids would actually wear the dress again!

4) One Dress, Different Accents - Why not customize the dress with a different color sash as an accent or for those fall or winter weddings, a shawl could be a cool accent too.

Now there are a couple of other ideas for options you can also give them:

A) Jewelry: You pick the one element to keep the look coordinated like pearls or crystals, then let the wedding party pick their own individual pieces.

B) Shoes: Provide them with the shade they should be - most popular are metallic like silver or gold or a simple black - and then let them pick out a shoe that will be comfortable and one they may actually wear again.

C) Hair: Rather than having all matching updos, why not let them wear their hair the way they like to so they feel like they look their best?  Lord knows that I wish someone told me that it is not a requirement to have an updo in order to get married... what was I thinking?!

I am happy to announce that the toy drive was a huge success!  Eighteen89 collected about 300 toys to be donated to the YMCA's Polar Express program that supports Sulpher Springs Elementary School.  A special thank you to everyone who donated toys.  It is because of you that these kids' holidays will be much brighter!