We LOVE LOVE LOVE it ~ Philosophy Gives Love

We have long been in love with Philosophy, one of our favorite skincare, fragrance and beauty brands. Founded in 1996 and a favorite brand of dermatologists and plastic surgeons around the country, Philosophy celebrates living joyously and strives to inspire its customers to live a better life by being better to themselves.

In conjunction with the launch of their newest fragrance, Unconditional Love, Philosophy has announced philosophygiveslove.com.

What is philosophygiveslove.com? Launched on February 9th, 2009, philosophygiveslove.com is an interactive destination for philosophy girls to connect, interact and share with their loved ones through a variety of functionalities, including love songs, love notes, stories, a blog and more.

"We are told time and time again that our customers connect with Philosophy through our words and how our products make them feel. Our hope with this new web site is that they will have a new forum to be inspired, to share and receive love, and ultimately connect with one another," says Philosophy CEO Michael McNamara.

Philosophygiveslove.com spreads the love in so many ways...

o BLOG – Updated regularly by the Philosophy girl, visitors will be prompted to discuss and comment on unconditional love and other love-related topics.
o E-CARDS to share with friends and loved ones – Philosophygiveslove.com’s ecards give visitors the chance to send a quick note to loved ones.
o FACEBOOK connectivity with philosophy’s existing facebook page – Become fans of Philosophy and receive samples of unconditional love via the Philosophy facebook page.
o EMAIL OPT-IN to receive text messages and emails – Stay up-to-date on the latest brand news, deals, products and promotions.
o personally customizable LOVE STORIES – Submit your story of unconditional love via philosophygiveslove.com’s love “stories” page. Everyone who submits their love story will receive a free sample of the unconditional love fragrance.
o product & brand NEWS – Check out this regularly updated page to see what the press is saying about Philosophy’s unconditional love.
o “unconditional love” PLAY LIST – Philosophygiveslove.com features a rolling play list of iconic songs that inspire visitors to love unconditionally.


"Unconditional Love is a fragrance formulated to help inspire us to be loved and to give love," says Philosophy founder Cristina Carlino. "With philosophygiveslove.com, our goal is to move beyond the fragrance to provide our Philosophy girls with new, meaningful ways to share love."

A fresh, soulful, passionate fragrance, Unconditional Love was created to make a woman feel loved and cherished and to remind her that to love and be loved unconditionally is the greatest love of all. Available in spray fragrance, shampoo, shower and bath gel and firming body emulsion. $22-$40. Philosophy.com.

Good Reads ~ SHE’S GONE BRIDAL!

What’s a girl to do when her BFF turns into a BFH (Bride from Hell) and is determined to take everyone down with her? Liz Razin is here to help, guiding bridesmaids through the nine stages of life with the bride to be…

According to the Bridal Association of America, 2.3 million brides plan the perfect wedding every year, while an average of 194 million bridesmaids deal with the demands they make. Now, one woman has stepped from the crowd to put these Bridezillas in their place. Her name is Liz Razin, author of SHE’S GONE BRIDAL! A 9-Step Program for Dealing with Your Bride from Hell, just published by Citadel Press.

“Dealing with today’s brides can be truly traumatic!” says Razin, who knows all too well the plight of the modern bridal attendant, having been a bridesmaid eight times and a maid of honor four. Like Razin, almost every bridesmaid called to duty has encountered a Bridezilla. GONE BRIDAL! helps women everywhere finally manage these demanding brides, while managing to keep their own sanity.

In SHE’S GONE BRIDAL!, Razin has designed a one-of-a-kind “Bridal Therapy Program” for anyone and everyone dealing with a bride-to-be. The nine stages she tackles include:
· Denial: Is she really marrying him?
· Diagnosis: Early detection of “bridezilla” behavior.
· Masquerading: Playing the part of “good” friend.
· Anger: Managing meltdowns without having to say you’re sorry.
· Transference: Reap the benefits of the bride without all the fuss!
· Fixation: Stop obsessing over her wedding!
· Family Therapy: There really is someone worse than your relatives.
· Catharsis: How to create wedding well-being on the big day.
· Withdrawal: What to do when the invitations stop coming.

Whether she’s the sister, cousin, co-worker or best friend of a bride, SHE’S GONE BRIDAL! is guaranteed to help anyone survive that long walk down the aisle. Filled with tips, tactics and tools, it's a great book that's also packed with lots of laughter for anyone pulled into marital madness!

Born in New York City to a talkative teacher and an iquisitive psychiatrist, Liz Razin inherited her mother's love of writing and her father's love of psychology. She honed her psychology skills at Tufts University and is currently a partner at a New York advertising agency. Her work has appeared in The Boston Phoenix, StuffNight magazine, and the Associated Press and she resides in New York City, dangerously close to Bloomingdale’s…where she gets many of her lovely bridesmaid dresses.

SHE’S GONE BRIDAL! $12.95. Click here for a list of retailers.

How Do We Thank Thee....

We have been on hiatus for a brief time, but we still have to give love to those who still gave WU love... Thank you and take a look at these fine peeps!

Weddings Unveiled Spring, 2009 Teaser

We couldn't resist offering you a tiny little sneak peek at the Spring, 2009 issue of Weddings Unveiled, which hits newsstands next week. From sunny yellow to deep aubergine and every shade in between, the issue is all about color. With gorgeous fashion, brilliant editorials and more than 30 pages of amazing real weddings... look for it in the hands of stylish brides everywhere on April 1st!


Cover, photographed on location at the Charleston Tea Plantation.

Page 32. Images courtesy of retailers.

Page 42. Images courtesy of retailers.

Pages 51 & 52, from the editorial Rainbow Bright. Bouquets by Janie Medley Flora of Janie Medley Flora Design.

Page 64. From the real wedding feature of Ann & Shawn. Photography by Amy Martin.

Page 71. From the real wedding feature of McKenzie & Gary. Photography by Paul Johnson Photography.

Page 80. From the real wedding feature of Anna & Nathan. Photography by Belathee Photography.

Page 86. From the real wedding feature of Brook & Josh. Photography by Holland Photo Arts.

Page 95. From the real wedding feature of Mabel & Charlie. Photography by Jessica Purvis.

Page 102. From the real wedding feature of Sarah & Michael. Photography by Mary Basnight.

Page 110. From the real wedding feature of Lindsay & Ashton. Photography by David Schwartz.

Page 117. From the real wedding feature of Tina & Alex. Photography by Ryan Joseph.

Pages 127, 138 & 139 from the editorial Spring Fling, photographed on location at The Charleston Tea Plantation.

Page 154. Necklace by Alan Anderson, available at Carole Tanenbaum.

Simply Bloom Photography Short Film Session ~ Lacey and Justin

When Christine and Vania from Simply Bloom Photography in Alabama sent us Lacey and Justin's "Short Film" session, we couldn't wait to share their incredible images. Simply Bloom defines their unique style of photography as "Modern Vintage" and Lacey and Justin's "Short Film" session embodies everything that definition implies. The hair & makeup, the car, the bouquet, the clothes, the shoes and of course the spectacular photography... we love it all! To see more of Simply Bloom's inspired imagery, visit their website at http://www.simplybloomphotography.com/ or their blog.

The NotWedding!

This spring, The NotWedding is back in Atlanta, and it’s going to be an even bigger party than before. On Sunday April 5th, talent from the likes of Our Labor of Love, Joy Thigpen, Ashley Baber, Jacob’s Reverie and many more will be filling W Atlanta Buckhead to create an unforgettable night for our guests.

So you may wonder- what exactly is The NotWedding?... Simply put, it’s a big, fake wedding that shows off some of the city’s most talented vendors in action. Guests can partake in a cocktail hour, an all-out ceremony full of surprises, and a reception that you’re sure to write home about.

Check out TheNotWedding.com for more information and to purchase your tickets to the event. Tickets are $25, and admission includes a gift bag {the first 100 receive a super-deluxe bag}... food, drinks and dancing... a raffle ticket... and quite possibly the most fun you'll ever have. And don't forget, you can enter to win a FREE Atlanta wedding and be featured in Weddings Unveiled!!

Real Wedding ~ Alex and Matt

Alex and Matt's Charleston, SC wedding is saturated with southern charm, from sweet tea to seersucker and everything in between in this selection of lovely images by wonderful Charleston photographer, Marni Rothshild. The fresh palette of cool pastels combined with green and bright yellow offers a light, airy atmostphere amidst the gardens and cotton dock of Boone Hall Plantation.

Credits:
Photography: Marni Rothschild. Event Planning: Engaging Events. Location: Boone Hall Plantation.

J. Major's Trunk Show!

We are so excited about J. Major's up-coming trunk show for Lea-Ann Belter. The newest collection has been receiving rave reviews and now you can view it at J. Major's this weekend! During the trunk show, J. Major's will be offering a discount on Lea-Ann Belter gowns as well as discounts on accessories.

Visit Lea-Ann Belter's website to view her entire collection. If you see any gowns that you would like to try on, please contact the store and they will be sure it is available for your appointment. This trunk show is booking up fast, so if you are interested in attending, call J. Major's for an appointment!

Lea-Ann Belter Trunk Show
J. Major's
March 27 - 29
2400 Park Road Suite G
Charlotte, NC
704.372.0082
http://jmajors.com/

Image courtesy of Lea-Ann Belter

Real Wedding ~ Molly and Scott

It's real wedding Wednesday and after a short hiatus to put the Spring, 2009 issue of Weddings Unveiled to press, we're back with more inspiring real weddings from across the South.

To begin, we couldn't wait to show you Molly and Scott's gorgeous April wedding at Spring Grove Farm in Appomattox, Virginia, sent to us by the always amazing Adam Barnes. Planned by Duet Event Co. (434.444.4482), the wedding was infused with every shade of purple, from violet to deep aubergine. We especially love the lush, gathered florals by Rod Meek & Company.

Credits:
Photography: Adam Barnes. Event Planning: Duet Event Co. 434.444.4482. Location: Spring Grove Farm. Florals: Rod Meek & Company.

The Green Kangaroo

Weddings Unveiled has always loved The Green Kangaroo and we wanted to share their fantastic work with you! Fresh, unique designs are the hallmark of The Green Kangaroo and they have some great things brewing at their shop. They have both a couture and a signature line of invitations, as well as a line of Save-The-Dates. The best part is that ALL of them are completely customizable! We love the the number of options over at TGK, ranging from whimsical and bright, to modern or classic.

The Green Kangaroo began as a business creating only wedding programs, the idea springing from the success of the founder's own wedding programs, designed by her. Today they offer a wide range of wedding stationary that still includes completely original wedding programs. The problem is picking your favorite design! On TGK website, you can narrow it down based on size, style or theme. Below are just a few of the ones we heart!