Monday, October 31, 2011

Invitations with Panache!

When planning your wedding or next event, don't forget that your invitation is the first impression that your guests will have of what's to come. Your invitation sets the tone for your entire event! Panache now offers custom invitations and invitation suites - let's create an invitation suite that will build anticipation for your event and reflect your personality, too! More photos coming to my website soon :o)

La Toya Michelle
~You are only limited by your own imagination!






Monday, October 3, 2011

The Journey to Finding the Perfect Wedding Gown


After taking off some time with my husband to celebrate our first wedding anniversary yesterday, I started to reflect back on all of the wedding related errands and shopping that we did leading up to our big day. It is still amazing to me that even though I am a wedding planner, am in total control of my clients projects, and try to remind them to stay calm before the wedding that I still found myself having those same butterflies as every bride-to-be as I waited to walk down the aisle.

For a lot of brides, a big source of stress is selecting their wedding gown. I would say that was different for me. I knew in three tries that the high collared trumpet beauty pictured above was MY gown as soon as I put it on. Oh sure, I tried on lots and lots and lots of gowns after that, because just about every gal likes to try on different wedding gowns just to be sure. But I didn't agonize over my choice and I just instantly knew that Number 3 was MY dress.

If you are currently searching for your wedding gown, try not to stress out about it! Instead, try to remember these five signs to let you know when you've found THE DRESS.

1) Once you put it on, you don't want to take it off! - if you find yourself standing on the platform staring in the mirror longer than you did with any other dress you tried on because you absolutely love this dress and, most importantly, how you look in it, then THAT is YOUR dress.

2) Tears start to fall - whether it be yours or someone who may be with you helping you in your selection, if the sight of you in that dress brings happy tears - THAT is YOUR dress.

3) Budget? What budget? - if all of a sudden the price of the dress doesn't seem to matter and you find yourself thinking of reasonable ways to make the price tag fit your wallet, THAT is YOUR dress.

4) It totally flatters your figure while you party - this is your dress if you know that you can truly enjoy your wedding reception in the dress, meaning you have no restriction of movement allowing you to sit, walk, and dance; and you can go ahead and enjoy that extra glass of champagne since your tummy will, magically, never look puffy. If the gown allows you to be you and flatters your figure all at the same time, THAT is YOUR dress.

5) You can't stop thinking about it - if you experienced any of the above signs and still didn't place your order that day but you still find yourself thinking about the dress and a huge smile comes to your face as the thought crosses your mind - run back to that salon, because THAT is YOUR dress.

Finding the perfect wedding gown can sometimes be a long process, and it should be! This is the dress that you will wear on one of the most important days of your life. But selecting a gown doesn't have to cause frustration and/or anxiety. Try to remember the five signs from above and listen to your heart the next time you visit the salon. Remember, YOU will always guide yourself to YOUR dress.

La Toya Michelle
~You are only limited by your own imagination!