A Rustic Step

http://www.jacksonholenet.com

Breathtaking views, clean fresh air, and a home away from home feel, sound like a wonderful idea to you?  Well me too, while I am not packing my honeymoon bag Jackson Hole, Wyoming would make a great spot for honeymooners, as well as vacation goers. 

Jackson Hole, Wyoming is known most for its close proximity to many ski resorts.  Ski season here is from December to April.  After hitting the slopes all day be sure to cozy up next to a romantic fireplace.   At $200 a night Hotel Terra offers a modern place to stay with flat screen TV's and those  fireplaces, complimented with sleek eco-friendly décor.   Another great $200 a night stay is the Rustic Inn, large private decks allow the perfect place to take in the wilderness around you.

http://www.worldonskis.com

Jackson is home to the National Museum of Wildlife Art.  A neat building made of native rocking blending into the wildlife around it.  Be sure to grab lunch at Rising Sage Café, if you do stop here.  Another great activity, (if stopping in Jackson between mid-December to April) is taking a horse-drawn sleigh through the National Elk Refuge.  The refuge is home to over 6,000 elk during these months.  You also MUST take a ride aboard “Big Red”, Jackson’s aerial tram.  Aboard the 100 passenger tram you will get 360-degree views of Snake River Valley and Grand Teton National Park.  There is also dogsledding and tubing down one of the many mountains to enjoy.

http://www.snowrev.com

Take your hubby and saddle up to the bar at Cowboy Bar, one of Jackson Hole’s oldest establishments. (This will be sure to please your man and entitle you to some local shopping).  Speaking of shopping, be sure to walk through the tall antler arches that frame Jackson Hole Town Square, to take on the many boutiques, art galleries, sport shops, and fine dining choices the town has to offer.

http://www.lonelyplanetimages.com

Whether taking on the slopes or the breathtaking  views, Jackson Hole, Wyoming is sure to have something for everyone.

http://www.blog.hotelclub.com

A Paired Step

If you are a “One shoe can change your life” girl like me then you have probably given careful consideration to your wedding day shoes.  Have you thought about your grooms though?  Has he put any thought into his big day shoes? 

If the answer is no, you should consider how your shoes will compliment each other, how they will compliment the look of day, and what the pairing says about you as a couple.

Will your shoes show off your ethnicity?

http://www.blushless.com

 

Will they show what a quirky, fun loving couple you are?

http://www.louisvilleweddingphotographer.com

 

Perhaps your shoes will define that this is a classic elegant event.

http://www.rowellphoto.com

 

Will you be colorful and tie in your wedding colors?

http://www.getmarried.com

 

Whatever you decide it is important to think of how this initial pairing will play into your big day.  After all, your shoes will be sitting next to each other”till death do us part”.

A Shopping Step

Holiday work parties, family gatherings, social networking events, and weddings galore are sure to abound the schedule this coming up season.  With so many different events to attend a major dress shopping spree is needed. 

When dress shopping, weather for a party dress or THE dress, there are a few guidelines one should follow.

1.  Have a visual in mind, know what you are leaning towards, pull pictures, really have a look in mind.

2.  Bring a good girlfriend, yes the one that will be brutally honest as opposed to the one that will tell you what you want to hear.  (For me this normally means bringing along my version of Jack)

3.  Can not be said enough but wear undergarments that flatter you.  Wear a convertible bra that lifts the girls, but can be changed around to fit the different dress styles you will be trying on.  Make sure your under wear is not leaving lines in all the wrong areas.

4.  Always remember to fit your largest area first, alterations are everyone’s friend.  You should definitely have a good seamstress in your rolodex!

Good luck with your holiday dress shopping!  Glam it up girls, this is the time we all get to experiment with new looks and have a little fun with our party outfits.  Look out Niemen Marcus and Nordstrom I am heading your way!

A Miss-Step

With everyone trying to make their wedding and parties stand out, we have seen some fumbles along the way!

Do NOT force your guests to dance!! Yes we all want to see a packed dance floor.  Guests being forced onto the dance floor with a rendition of “hot potato” will not result in a happy dance companion.  While on the topic of dancing full length organized dances ARE NOT FUN!  The “Cha-Cha Slide”, the “Macarena” and/or the “Electric Slide” should NEVER go over 3 minutes.  Anything longer then that will result in your guests clearing the floor.

Please don’t orchestrate an over the top garter extraction.  There are guests around and watching your groom riffle up your dress don’t make them uncomfortable!

http://www.mydeejay.com

As a guest please be careful who bring.  Don’t bring a guy/gal as a 1st date, likewise don’t bring a newly ended ex either.  Both can lead to awkwardness.  I have heard of many uncomfortable guests sitting threw a reenactment of a break-up during the reception.

Please, please, please when leaving the party don’t horde the favors.   Take the one that was meant for you, but don’t bring enough home for the neighborhood. 

Just a few reminders to keep in mind when planning or attending parties, especially with the upcoming party season.

A Reality Step

We live in a society that has been taken over by the world of reality television.  On any given day you can scan through the TV guide and find wedding show after wedding show; but these shows are showing an ugly side of the wedding reality. 

http://www.fancast.com/blogs/2009/tv-news/we-say-i-do-to-wedding-channel

Shows like” Bridezilla’s” (on the WE network)  and “My Big Friggin’ Wedding” (on VH1)  glorify bad behavior in the planning process.  They focus on fighting, bad language, and  poor manners.  What happened to love, family unity, and the beauty of the love coming together.  It is often hard to believe watching these shows that there is love there.  Brides screaming at fiancé's that they hate them moments before a wedding, fist fights between brides and in-laws-to-be and expletives thrown at every vendor and person within reach, are norms within these shows (and sadly becoming a norm in our society)

http://www.bridediva.com/2007/07/10/bridezilla-anita

Don’t use these shows as a guideline to acceptable behavior.  A wedding should honor love, a wedding should bring families together, a wedding should be a joyous time.  The reality show wedding is all about spoiled, over-spending brides behaving badly and at times being rewarded for it.

I choose to believe that united love is still the most important aspect to a wedding.  My TV will not be found on these programs.  I prefer to watch the realities that focus on the love and beauty in a wedding.  “Say Yes to the Dress” (on TLC) is about the joy that is to be had finding a wedding gown.  They also often give a glimpse of some of the beautiful weddings, as well as giving the storyline of how the happy couples came to be.  There is also “I Purpose” (on the Style network) which focuses on the groom-to-be’s planning of the perfect proposal.  Its nice to see a show that focuses on what the groom-to-be goes through, remember it is NOT just all about the bride.