Boudoir, anyone?

Our friends over at Raw Photo Design are hosting a boudoir marathon in September. This is a fun opportunity to get dressed up, let your hair down, and get some tasteful, intimate images of yourself. Boudoir photos are becoming a popular wedding gift for grooms, but they also make a great anniversary gift for husbands, no matter how long you’ve been married.

If you’re not feeling 100% confident about your body, no worries. Eric and Amber know how to pose you in only the most flattering of ways and can do some amazing things with Photoshop. You’ll look like you walked straight out of the pages of a Victoria’s Secret catalog. Head on over to their blog to check out their boudoir portfolio. Contact information is below.

Cooking Classes with Ciao! Catering and Events

Last night, Elizabeth and I, along with two friends, had the pleasure of attending one of the cooking classes led by Tom Devine of Ciao! Catering and Events. Classes are held on select Wednesday evenings throughout the summer from 7pm to 9pm at Two Steps Downtown Grille in Danbury, CT.

Each themed class is taught by either Tom or his business partner, Keith O'Marra, and features four different dishes. Tom or Keith demonstrates how to prepare each dish, offering cooking tips and advice along the way. Then, following each demonstration, the class attendees are able to sample the prepared dishes. Complimentary wine is also served.

The theme of last night's class was A Slice of Sicily and featured the following dishes:

• Cauliflower with Penne Rigati with tomato, fresh basil, and ricotta cheese
• Linguini with Artichokes and Proscuitto with fresh garlic, lemon, wine vinegar, and shaved romano
• Risotto with Fresh Sea Scallops and balsamic drizzle
• Grilled Chicken with black olives, roasted peppers, and crumbled feta

Everything was absolutely delicious and we can't wait to try all of the recipes out at home. It was a fun evening and we would highly recommend attending one (or more) of the classes if you are in the Danbury area. The cost is just $33.00 per person.

Check out the Ciao!/Two Steps Summer Newsletter to see the schedule of upcoming classes and events. They also offer private cooking classes for groups of 25 or more - bachelorette party, anyone?

Aurora Photography Giveaway

The amazing Aurora Photography is offering a really exciting contest and we are so excited about it! Once a month until September 2009, they are giving away a free Trash the Dress/Day After photo session.

This session includes a trip to Joe's Salon, The Wedding Embassy and beautiful flowers created by Simple Elegance. The winners then go on to spend a fun-filled day with Aurora creating memories (and amazing art)!

To enter the contest, simply email Aurora at news@aurora-photography.net (the subject line should read "Day After Entry"). Provide some insight into what makes you unique, an interesting story about yourself and a little something about the person you wish to be photographed with. Explain why you're looking forward to spending a day having fun with Aurora and her crew. They will select the person they believe are most unique, fun and deserve this day of luxury and pampering.

So, start writing! In the meantime, enjoy some images of Aurora Photography's day spent with Kelli and Ryan.

Sweet Charity

When asked about favors, Jessica and I tend to recommend that couples go with edible favors or a donation to the charity of their choice. There are so many wonderful favor options available today, however this suggestion ensures that your carefully selected gift is never unintentionally put aside and forgotten.

Today I found the perfect combination of delicious chocolate and heart-warming humanity. This great idea results in the website Truffles for a Cause.


Take a moment to browse their site. They offer a variety of rich chocolates that are beautifully packaged. When your guests open this tiny parcel, they will be surprised and touched that there has been a donation made to a worthy cause in their name.

To continue the spirit of giving this post might inspire, please take a moment to leave a response to any of the Following Bliss blog entries to support our Comments for a Cause initiative.

Customized Cookies

Who wouldn't want a cookie that looked exactly like them?! Check out Parker's Crazy Cookies. These would make adorable wedding favors!

Special offer from BARWA Photography

During a recent chat with one of our favorite videographers, Marcin from Digital Ink Studio, I learned that he and his wife Joanna have recently expanded their service offerings to include contemporary wedding photography. Since this is a new venture for them, they are offering a limited number of photography packages to Connecticut couples at the special introductory rate of $1,000. This special offer includes up to 10 hours of coverage with two photographers.

We’ve had the pleasure of working with Marcin and Joanna a number of times and we always have a blast with them. Visit the BARWA website for more information about their photography services or check out the BARWA blog to see some of their recent work.

How cool is this?

In my daily blog-stalking adventures, I came across this post by Matt Fink on Digital Media Odyssey’s blog about a wedding painter. What is a wedding painter, you ask? An artist who is hired to paint a scene from your wedding as it unfolds. What a neat idea! I had first heard about this when [b]ecker posted about it on his blog a couple years ago . . .




. . . but I’ve never seen it in action until now. Head on over to Digital Media Odyssey’s blog and take a look at the time-lapse video Matt shot of artist Martin Hardy doing his thing.

P.S. If you are looking for a videographer, Matt is awesome! He shot my wedding as well as the weddings of several friends. Check out his website at www.dmodyssey.com.

Reception Events

Gone are the days where guests were just expected to watch the reception musicians and passively sway to the music. Today’s brides and grooms are intent on making their event more interactive, ensuring that the guests walk away having experienced something different.

There are so many opportunities these days to make your wedding something unique and exciting for your guests. Activities and events within the reception accomplish this goal.

Cigars
Although a classic, cigars made a resurgence a few years ago. Like selecting a fine wine, the search for good cigars has become a favorite activity for many. There are a few options for incorporating this renewed classic in to your wedding.

(image courtesy of The Wedding Chicks)

Seen in magazines such as Inside Weddings and Modern Bride, CF Dominicana maintains a listing of local cigar rollers who can provide their rolling services to your event. Guests will love watching as their cigar is created.

Another option is to provide a cigar bar to your guests. I incorporated this into my own wedding, as my husband is a big cigar fan. Select your favorite brands and types of cigars and arrange them in a humidor. Personalize it even further by including cigars with a monogrammed band (see Thomson Cigar’s website for options. Add another special touch by providing personalized matchboxes that your guests can take home as a favor (check out ForYourParty.com). Make cigar cutters, scotch and cognac available near the humidor, and this will make for a great event cigar lovers will truly appreciate.

These photos are from my own wedding (October 1, 2005).

(images courtesy of Reina McCuskey of MereMatt Studios)

Caricatures
You see people line up on the boardwalk or at the fair to be sketched in whimsical and colorful imagery. It’s always fun to see as someone’s features are exaggerated for humorous effect. Something about seeing a caricature brings people back to their childhood. Why not incorporate this fun activity into your wedding reception? Guests will truly love having their image in cartoon form as a way to always remember the fun they had at your wedding. Take a look at Quick Sketch’s website for more information about hiring a caricaturist for your event!

(image courtesy of Quick Sketch)

Dance Lessons
If you already have your guests on the dance floor, why not teach them a few moves? Hire someone to teach your guests various forms of dance. Salsa, ballroom and belly dancing are current popular favorites. Contact your local dance studio to locate an instructor who would love to teach your guests some new dance techniques!

(image courtesy of KC Dance)

Photo Booth
This is something most of us used to enjoy during a visit to the arcade. Put a few cents in and you would be rewarded with quirky photos of you and your friends. Brides and grooms are now bringing this activity into the reception venue. The photos that are produced will act as a great favor for your guests and they will always remember the fun they had at your event. Visit Classic Photo Booth’s website to review their services.

Silhouette Cutting
Silhouette cutting is the classic art of creating a portrait using black paper. The resulting image is not only beautiful but provides a sense of classic nostalgia. Guests will love to watch as their image is expertly carved into paper. The silhouette they receive can be used mounted on cards or framed to display in their home. Master silhouette artist Karl Johnson has been featured in publications such as Martha Stewart Weddings and Elegant Bride. Take a moment to browse his site and view his beautiful artwork.

(image courtesy of Martha Stewart Weddings)

Guests enjoy receptions where they are encouraged to participate. You have so many options to ensure that your wedding is unique and memorable.

Dress up your dessert!

Cupcakes have been a cute alternative to traditional tiered wedding cakes for some time now. Individual cakes frosted high with decadent icing truly transport any adult guest back to their childhood.

And now, there is a way that the traditional cupcake can be incorporated into the design of your wedding. Paper Orchid Stationery now sells amazing laser-cut cupcake wrappers. They offer a variety of designs, ranging from intricate filigree scrollwork to fluttering butterfly sillhoutes. Are you hosting a garden wedding? Their picket fence design can add yet another distinctive element to your theme.

Visit the Paper Orchid Stationery website to browse all of their wonderful options!

The Schoolhouse at Cannondale

Last night we attended a lovely dinner at The Schoolhouse at Cannondale in Wilton, CT. It’s an adorably charming little restaurant that was converted from (surprise!) a one-room schoolhouse built in 1872 after the Civil War. The restaurant is owned by chef Tim LaBant and his wife Julia, both of whom grew up in Wilton. They are promoting the restaurant’s catering services, and so they invited several area event coordinators to come for dinner and sample the menu. It was fantastic!

They treated us to seven courses, including two desserts, wine, and coffee. Chef LaBant’s specialty is using only the freshest ingredients, often purchased from local farms, and his dedication to quality certainly comes through in his dishes. A few of my favorites from last night included artichoke soup with morel mushrooms, gnocchi with pesto and asparagus, and of course the chocolate hazelnut torte with a malted milkshake accompaniment. Perhaps the most interesting dish, however, was what we affectionately referred to as “the corn trio.” It consisted of a cornbread biscuit garnished with cherries, caramel-drenched popcorn, and corn ice cream. Yes, you read that correctly – corn-flavored ice cream. And yes, it did taste just like corn (sweet corn, of course). :-)

The Schoolhouse at Cannondale provides offsite catering services for small to medium-sized events, and also hosts events onsite at the restaurant. It is a perfect location for a shower, birthday party, anniversary party, rehearsal dinner, or intimate wedding celebration. The restaurant is also open for lunch and dinner Wednesday through Saturday, and for brunch on Sunday. If you’re ever in the Wilton area, you should definitely stop in for a delicious meal in a quaint New England setting.

[photo source: The Schoolhouse at Cannondale]