I am in Minnesota this week for my grandfather's funeral. He was 91 and lived a long, full life. He lived through the Great Depression and lost most of his hearing after a buzz bomb exploded near him during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. I always had to yell while on the phone or in the same room with him so that he could hear what I was saying.

Tonight we found boxes and boxes of slides in a storage unit he and my grandmother had kept. We set up their slide projector and clicked through and manually focused each one. I don't have any pictures to post, because none are in digital format yet, but I was reminded that photographs really are powerful. My family spent a few hours going through them tonight, reminiscing and laughing (my cousin, sister and I especially enjoyed poking fun at the fashion choices of our parents).

Of particular interest were the slides and albums from my grandfather's wedding to his second wife. While I wasn't alive for the occasion, seeing the photos gave me a deeper sense of their relationship. My grandparents' love for one another was evident and their personalities were vividly portrayed in the pictures. When they were done, we wanted more. We couldn't get enough.

I confess - I am horrible at using my camera. I don't enjoy being on either side of the camera and just plain forget to pull it out. I don't even have it with me on this trip - an oversight I am regretting.

So the moral of this story is this: take pictures. Lots of them. Document your life - not so much for your sake but for the people who will remember you. It does matter.

If you have not read The Confessions of a Pioneer Woman, you must. Right now. The blog will open in a new window so you can actually read both mine and hers without giving either up. Genius.

Ree is a former city girl who ate sushi, "wore black pumps to work" and applied lots of lip gloss. She fell in love with a cowboy she affectionately refers to as "Marlboro Man", got hitched, and is now the mother of four children on a ranch in the middle of nowhere.

I like to live vicariously through her blog because I, um, don't want her life, as much as she may love it. I too like my lip gloss and my high heels and a city man will do just fine for me (please God).

So really, check out her blog and keep reading mine too. I cannot compete with her blogging mojo, so I will just have to be content to share her with you.

I leave for the airport in a few hours and am putting off packing until the last possible second. (It’s a habit of mine not easily broken - I have been known to start packing for international trips an hour before I need to leave.) The fact that it is a holiday weekend has affected my travel time: flying out today versus tomorrow (Memorial Day) is a difference of $500 minimum in the ticket cost. Easy decision - Sunday it is.

While this trip is not wedding related, the same rules apply when guests have to travel from out of town for your wedding.

Think long and hard before choosing to have your wedding on a holiday weekend. And after you've made your decision, think again. While you and your honey may have had the best intentions in choosing a weekend with a few extra vacation days tacked on to it, the fact is that if you have guests who are traveling, you have just stretched their wallet by an extra $1000 or more in addition to what they are already shelling out for the trip.

Airline blackout dates and a significant increase in flight and hotel rates can make traveling a strain on your guests. And since, ideally, these guests are your friends, chances are they will just add the debt to their credit cards and keep mum on the major inconvenience and financial pinch you are putting them in.

Aside from the money matters, consider whether you are asking them to travel on or give up time on days they would normally spend with family. As a friend who is a guest traveling out of town to attend a wedding this weekend recently put it: “getting married on a holiday weekend is one of the most selfish things you can do”.

Don’t be the selfish couple.

I receive several inquiries for jobs per week. While we do not currently have any office positions open, I will be hiring additional wedding day assistants for upcoming Fall and Spring weddings soon.

Wedding planning is difficult, the hours are long and it is not as glamorous as Hollywood makes it out to be. The wedding industry can be mean, self-serving and full of ego. Your hair will not be perfectly in place like J.Lo’s and I have yet to run into Matthew McConaughey. While the work is hard, it is also a lot of fun. We realize that your time is valuable and so most positions with Blue Orchid Designs are compensated.

If you are interested in working with Blue Orchid Designs, please take note of the requirements and then follow the submission guidelines below.

The ideal candidate will have the following:
*Flexibility and a positive attitude
*Thick skin and a sense of humor
*Ability to take direction, sometimes from multiple people and possibly from someone of a younger age
*Physical stamina must allow for being on your feet for extended periods of time, running, lifting heavy objects, etc
*Ability to multi-task and problem solve at a moment's notice
*Ability to work independently and in a team setting
*Ability to work in a high-stress setting, under pressure, and with time constraints
*Ability to represent Blue Orchid Designs and our clients with authority, confidence, and class
*Ability to interpret contracts and carry them out

Resumes may be sent as an attachment to info [at] blueorchidweddings [dot] com. Word documents as attachments are accepted, PDF files are preferred. Please, no snail mail or phone calls.

If you need credit for a class, please include the requirements and I will let you know whether or not any of our positions will meet those.

Non-specifics, but handy to know:

The rumors you hear about employers looking up job candidates on MySpace are not an urban legend. I will look you up so please think twice before posting photos of yourself half naked and/or drunk.

Use proper spelling and grammar. The occasional typo is accepted, “text speak” is not.

Taking the time to read this blog and research my company will impress me. Using the phrase “planning parties is my passion” will not.

Today is the lovely Kim Jarman's birthday, so everyone should head over to her blog and leave her some comment love! She is a fabulous photographer and an even better person and if you don't know her, well, you should.

The second article in the food critique series some friends and I are doing for azcentral.com is up and you can read it here. The articles will also run in the print version of the Arizona Republic on the next four Thursdays.

If you are looking for some fun, whimsical invitations or stationery for a shower or social party, check out Design-Her Gals.

At their site, you can step into the dressing room and create your very own Gal, whether it be yourself or your guest of honor. They have tons of outfit and accessory choices as well as hair styles, skin tones, body types and even eye shapes so that you can look like . . . you!

You can then order through their company, or purchase their printshop software and print them right at home. They also have fun e-cards available. These are great for occasions when you want a fun twist on a casual celebration.

I've talked about Jott before, but now that I've had a chance to incorporate it into my daily workflow, I just have to tell you all that it seriously rocks!

About once a week for the past year a group of friends and I have gotten together for lunch. Not all of us can make it each time, but it has been a great excuse to eat, laugh, and stay caught up in each other's lives. We like to joke that we have inadvertently formed a support group for women who "are married to or have at one point seriously dated an engineer". The humor comes from the fact that we are only quasi-joking about the "support group" title. :)

Epicureans at heart, we decided to submit an application to be food critics for the Arizona Republic's Chow and Tell series. After not hearing anything for several weeks, we forgot about it and it was lunch as usual. Later we were notified that we were selected and now for the next month we get to dish about different restaurants around Phoenix and have the tab picked up. It really is a sweet deal.

We decided our theme would be spicy food, so we chose the group name "Some Like It Hot" and came up with a rating system - instead of stars, we would vote by the number of "hot mamas" each place deserved. Unfortunately, they cut that out of the article. Quite a few editorial liberties were taken actually, and while still a good read, the article is a watered-down version of the fab original. I should probably also mention that we are self-appointed literary critics as well. :)

Great news, Phoenicians: in the perfect marriage of carbs and sugar, Sprinkles Cupcakes will be opening a location in Scottsdale, across from Fashion Square, this summer! This will be their fourth shop, with others in Beverly Hills, Newport Beach and Dallas.







{March 2008: Opening Update}

The winner for the Fashionista Blog Contest is Laura Auer from Soiree Special Events in Washington DC! She correctly guessed that my fave designer is Kenneth Cole.

Kenneth Cole is not only a great designer, but I love the commitment his company makes to giving back to a world in need. He is considered "the first member of the fashion community to take a public stand in the fight against AIDS", which he did in 1985.

We're all attracted to certain styles and there is a certain designer whose stuff I am drawn to like a moth to flame. Even before I see the name on the product, I am in love.

So the first person to guess who this designer is wins a $10 giftcard from their choice of iTunes, Amazon or Give Anything, delivered via email. Here is a hint: the designer is a man and my glasses are from his line.

As usual, you may only guess via the comments - emails, phone calls and telegrams will be void. Anonymous comments will also be void.

I run fun little games and contests like these sporadically and without real rhyme or reason so make sure you don't miss out!

Kim won the last contest and yes, she is eligible to win again!

Good luck and have fun guessing!

Hell has frozen over or as it is otherwise known: Liene has joined a gym. It's a true story.

A goal of mine has been to tone muscle and get back in shape. There must be a fitness bug in the water because Paige has been blogging motivational posts about herself and a group of girlfriends training for a triathalon (um, no . . . that is not in my future), and Kim recently posted about doing the nike+ challenge with some friends from around the country.

I've been thinking of joining LA Fitness since it is closest to my house, but Melissa convinced me to join her gym, which is still near me, because then we would be able to work out together. That accountability won out over best location and now I am the newest member of Bally's.

My first session with a personal trainer is tomorrow. I have visions of a tight-faced drill sargeant yelling at me running through my head! Oy, wish me luck!

Often for a bride-to-be, the dress is the most emotional purchase she will make. It is also often one of the first. Even with a ring on her finger, the reality of getting married often doesn’t sink in until she finds the dress that she will be wearing when she exchanges vows. In order to narrow down your search, here are my three fave places to find a fabulous dress in the Phoenix area:

Mariee Gallery, Old Town Scottsdale: Owner Susan Lowmiller has set up her shop in the art district of Scottsdale as a place where “bridal is art”. The clean, minimalist and artsy design of the gallery leaves the focus on the bride and the couture gowns Susan carries. I was in there when a woman fell in love with a gown, and I got a little choked up myself on behalf of this bride who was a complete stranger. Mariee has exclusive contracts with fab haute couture designers such as Valentino, Ines di Santo, Pronovias, Vera Wang Maids and more. [photo by Jane Jordan Photography]



Uptown Bridal, Downtown Chandler: Historic Downtown Chandler is getting some new life infused in it and Uptown Bridal is a breath of fresh air in a once stale area. Started by two sisters, this luxury boutique is fun, lush and relaxing. They have a boutique side as well and carry fun stationery, sequined tees and lots of cute must-haves for bridesmaids gifts. Among the lines they carry are James Clifford, Rina di Montella and one of my favorite designers for her vintage glam twist – Stephanie James Couture. [photo by Jefferson Todd Photography]

Ok I realize that it's Cinco de Mayo and I should be blogging about margaritas. But instead I want to tell you about Snoqualmie Vineyards in Washington and their fab wine.

I'll be the first to admit - I don't know a lot about wine. I tried to learn once about tannins and all that, but all I know is that I like what I like. And forget the rules about which wines pair best with which foods. I like reds. With anything.

One of my favorite reds ever is the 2001 Cabernet Merlot blend from Snoqualmie. I first had it a couple of years ago at McGrath's Fish House (I am confident that heaven will be filled with wine and seafood) and fell in love.

If you're looking for a good, yet inexpensive wine, check them out.

I received a call from MTV today (how crazy is my job?) and they are looking for some starlets for new episodes of their show "My Super Sweet 16".

So if you know of anyone who is going all out for their 16th birthday, first call Blue Orchid Designs - you really can't have a television-worthy party without a professional planner now, can you? We didn't think so. Then check out the flier below for info on how to be on MTV. If you can convince them that you're camera worthy, you could be featured in an upcoming episode.

. . . but you already knew that. :)

The Blue Orchid blog has been accepted to be featured in Delightful Blogs, a selective directory of stylish and savvy blogs devoted to "cutting through the blog smog".

Personally I am excited about this because the founder of Delightful Blogs is also the founder of Delight.com and Hipster Cards, a line of free e-cards that I love (some of the cards are not safe for work, so consider yourself warned!). Hipster cards are some of my favorite online cards to send because they are funny and not at all mushy - like this mother's day card for your foxy mom.

Be sure to check out all three sites . . . you're bound to find something delightful!