FRIDAY FAVE

I am so excited - I am getting my new Iphone soon. I have been going back and forth between a Blackberry and the iphone. The iphone won! As business is growing, I am finding that I need a source of info right at my fingertips and the iphone fits the bill perfectly. Now, if it were only here in time for the photoshoot tomorrow! Enjoy your Friday.

M-TV Casting call - Engaged and Underaged

LOVE IS IN THE AIR!!!

And MTV wants a front row seat
on your special day!

If you are already engaged and between the ages of 18-22, then MTV wants to hear from you!

MTV’s popular documentary series, Engaged & Underage, wants to tell your love story – the excitement of the engagement, the ups and downs of the planning, the fun along the way, and, of course, THE BIG DAY!!! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity…

You and your future spouse should both appear to be between the ages of 18 and 22. Best case scenario: you're getting married in 2008 or January 2009.


TO APPLY FOR THE SHOW, DOWNLOAD A CASTING QUESTIONNAIRE AT: http://www.mtv.com/ontv/castingcall/index.jhtml?castingId=1509138

OR EMAIL US TO OBTAIN ONE AT: engagedandunderage@mtvstaff.com.


Tell us when and where you are getting married and why this is important to you. Include your name, phone number, email address and a digital photo of you and your future spouse, if possible.

Early Voting

Today was a VERY productive day for the Gregory household. First, we worshipped. Then, I had my models meetings for the photo shoot this coming Saturday (can't wait to share the photos with everyone). And finally, we VOTED. In Indianapolis, there are three locations where you can early vote: The City-County Building, The J.Everett Light Career Center and The Southport Community Center. I was a little leary of voting early. My mind was put to ease when I was able to see how it is done. You vote on paper ballets which are then sealed in an envelope. Don't ask me why this makes me feel better, it just does.

Exercise your right to vote - remember, our ancestors fought for the right for us to VOTE. Let's make them proud!

The following information was found on National Conference of State Legislatures:

Early Voting
More than half the states--31, to be exact--offer some sort of early voting. Early voting differs from absentee voting in that voters may visit an election official’s office or, in some states, other satellite voting locations, and cast a vote in person without offering an excuse for not being able to vote on election day. Satellite voting locations vary by state, and may include other county and state offices (besides the election official’s office), grocery stores, shopping malls, schools, libraries, and other locations. Early voting generally is conducted on the same voting equipment used in the regular election, as opposed to absentee voting, which is conducted on mail-in paper ballots. The time period for early voting varies from state to state, but most often it is available during a period of 10-14 days before the election, generally ending on the Friday or Saturday immediately preceding the election.


Early Voting(Updated October 9, 2008)
The following states permit no excuse, in-person early voting at election offices and, in some states, other satellite locations.
Alaska
Nebraska
Arizona
Nevada
Arkansas
New Mexico
California
North Carolina
Colorado
North Dakota
Florida
Ohio
Georgia
Oklahoma
Hawaii
South Dakota
Idaho
Tennessee
Illinois
Texas
Indiana
Utah
Iowa
Vermont
Kansas
West Virginia
Louisiana
Wisconsin
Maine
Wyoming
Montana

Absentee Voting
Absentee voting is conducted by mail-in paper ballot prior to the day of the election. While all states offer some version of it, there is quite a lot of variation in states’ procedures for absentee voting. For instance, some states offer “no-excuse” absentee voting, allowing any registered voter to vote absentee without requiring that the voter state a reason for his/her desire to vote absentee. Other states permit voters to vote absentee only under a limited set of circumstances.

The Chic Bride, Inc. Grand Opening

If you are a bride in the Indy area, please be sure to check out the newest edition to the bridal gown scene - The Chic Bride,Inc. Owner , Connie Harwell, has a wonderful selection of gowns, veils, linen rentals, etc. Brides: be sure to R.S.V.P.

Grand Opening Event October 25th, 2008!

Join us at 863 Conner St. Noblesville IN 46060

From 10:00 am to 3:00 pm

Visit with an invitation specialist from Executive Creations, first 25 brides to receive gift bag which includes valuable discount coupons from local wedding vendors, a chance to win a free veil, 10-20% off purchases and more!!

Vendor Showcase - Digital Princess Productions

Today we have the honor of a visit from Mercedes Blackehart from Digital Princess Productions.

Tell us a little bit about Digital Princess Productions- what services do you offer?Mercedes Blackehart and Andrea Reese are the co-owners and videographers of Digital Princess and come from the film industry.I (Mercedes) have a bachelors from Art Center College of Design which adds a lot of creativity to the business. We offer a variety of packages from SD to HD,from 4 hours to 12 hours, with custom DVD's, hand-made packaging and ad-on options like a Love Story Interview, Boudoir Video and Slide Show.
Why did you decide to start Digital Princess Productions? When I was getting married I could not find a videographer I liked. Most everything was long, cheesy, boring and to epic Italian music.I had been freelance editing for another videographer and thought, 'Hey, I can do this, but better!' Still nothing had materialized, until one day, while working on a movie, the line producer and I started talking and became business partners. With the experience of the film world behind us, we are so proud to offer such a cool pro duct to brides-to-be. Finally, wedding videos that are fun, fast, entertaining and to the music of their choice!
What do you enjoy most about about your job? Gosh, so much really. I love shooting the wedding day, my partner and I both find ourselves tearing up at the emotional moments and smiling ear to ear when it gets fun and lively. I am primarily responsible for the editing, and I love piecing the story back together in a way that captures the spirit of the wedding day. I also really love that we are one of the few female videography teams out there, and I think that it gives us a leg-up on what brides want.
What qualities should a couple look for when hiring their videographer?Firstly, absolutely make sure you hire someone who loves what they are doing. When a videographer hates shooting weddings, it shows through in the footage. Secondly, love your videographers, they will spend the day following you around, it's important that you get along.Thirdly, love the style of the videographer, although most videographers say they are flexible, they may be only so much.
What has been the highlight of your career to date? The privilege of shooting celebrity and co-host of the Adam Carolla show, Teresa Strasser. She had an informal wedding in Las Vegas at the Venetian.Not only was it fun shooting a destination wedding, Teresa and her man were just darling and we had such a blast following them around all over Vegas! Also we got mentioned in Las Vegas Brides!
One piece of advice for Brides-to-be? Delegate on your wedding day! With our without a wedding planner, have people handling the vendors, the location, everything! You should only be concerned with looking beautiful walking down the isle to your hubby-to-be!
Anything else you'd like to add?
You can visit us at http://www.digitalprincessproductions.com/
Read our blog at http://www.digitalprincessproductions.blogspot.com/
And follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/digitalprincess
Thanks for stopping by, Mercedes!

Meatloaf Cupcakes....who knew?

While reading one of my favorite blogs- Weddify, I came across this FABULOUS recipe for Meatloaf cupcakes! Who knew? Well, Isha over at Weddify did. These are perfect now as the weather starts getting colder. What perfect comfort food all wrapped into one perfect cupcake. I'll take mine with ground turkey,please.

Drop by Isha's blog for more great reading!

Meatloaf Cupcakes with Mashed Potato Frosting–Makes 12
INGREDIENTS
For the “cupcake”:
1/3 lb. ground veal
1/3 lb. ground chuck
1/3 lb. ground pork
1 small carrot, roughly chopped
1 small onion, roughly diced
2 stalks celery, roughly diced
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/3 cup milk1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup shredded parmesan
2 eggs
Salt and pepper
For the “frosting”:
7.2oz box instant mashed potatoes Milk, per package instructions
Butter, per package instructions
Beet juice from canned beets
To garnish:
Green pepper, very finely diced
METHOD
For the “cupcake”:
Preheat oven to 350F.Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk and set aside.Sweat the vegetables in olive oil until softened. Transfer to a deep bowl and use an immersion blender to puree; alternatively, puree in food processor.Mix the three meats, eggs, breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley and vegetable puree in a large bowl until an even consistency is reached.Place meat mixture in greased muffin tins and bake until brown and shrunken away from the sides, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from tin and cool on rack.
For the “frosting”:
Prepare one sachet of instant mashed potatoes according to package instructions. To prepare the other, substitute beet juice from canned beets for the water called for in the instructions. Allow to cool.Transfer each batch of mashed potato into a separate pastry bag (or Ziploc bag with a snipped-off corner) with your favourite pastry tip. Pipe onto cupcakes and decorate with diced green pepper.
Reheat in oven or microwave before serving.

FRIDAY FAVORITES - BAREFOOT DREAMS

So , it's finally starting to get a little nippy here in Indiana. Believe me, I am not pleased. I adore the warm weather. A few things that makes it bearable(besides my hubby and yorkies) are my BAREFOOT DREAMS blanket,my hoodie and my robe. These were featured a few years ago as Oprah's favorites. I received my robe from my two of my dear friends for a birthday gift. I then acquired my hoodie as another birthday gift ( is it any wonder I LOVE my birthday?) and actually purchased my blanket from the Nordy's outlet in Chicago. Anyway, I say grab a movie, a fire(place), your hubby or fiance {or yourself}, a cup of hot chocolate and a BAREFOOT DREAMS blanket. You'll be glad you did. You can purchase them online BAREFOOT DREAMS.

More info on the company{photos:website}:

"The Barefoot Dreams® collection features a variety of soft and luxurious blankets, precious newborn, toddler, and kids wear, and select products for grown ups including sumptuous spa style robes, throws, and blankets. Barefoot Dreams® CozyChic® Robes and throws are featured in 5-Star Resorts and Spas, and are top sellers at Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Fred Segal, just to name a few. From celebrities to grandmas to the modern mom on the go, everyone loves the classic yet hip Barefoot Dreams® designs. All products are washable and dryable, lovingly constructed and packaged by hand."

Cc. elaine Bride Chic Gowns

Brides - are you looking for a cutting edge bridal gown designer? Well, look no further than Indianapolis' own, Cc Elaine of Cc Elaine Bride Chic. She has THE most beautiful custom made dresses. I also love the fact that she has a new line of Plus size gowns - Femme Luxe - which are phenomenal. She treats each bride as they should be treated - like a star. Below is an excerpt from a publication featuring Cc elaine -
"Caren Lewis is the owner of Cc. elaine Salon Bride Chic ( http://www.ccelaine.com/) in Indianapolis. Her unique designs have been featured in Ebony magazine and toured nationally with Brides Noir magazine. This diva shares her passion for fashion with her clients. She promises that every bride will receive movie star treatment when it comes to the design of her wedding gown. Caren's vision is to establish a chain of custom bridal salons throughout the country where brides would be able to select a gown from the Cc elaine collection or have a gown designed for her.
Lewis comes from a long line of dressmakers. Her passion for fashion design developed in junior high school. "I developed an interest in fashion design so that I could create the kinds of clothes that I visualize for myself."
Following graduation from Indianapolis' Arlington High School, Lewis studied the art of fashion in New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta. After receiving a Bachelor's Degree in Fashion Design from Atlanta's American Intercontinental University, she set her sights on establishing Cc.elaine Couture, designing contemporary high fashion apparel for Atlanta's socialites and entertainment-industry types.
Lewis' interest in wedding gown design developed from her own wedding experience. Frustrated by her search for a wedding gown that exemplified her unique style, Lewis designed her own cutting edge master-piece, for her 1993 nuptials held at the Indianapolis Art League, in the park along side the river.
Lewis' 2002 move from Atlanta to Indianapolis further spurred her interest in wedding gown design. Realizing that many women shared in her difficulty finding the "right dress", Lewis redirected her focus. "Indianapolis' entertainment industry is much smaller than Atlanta's. Someone asked me to do a wedding dress and it took off from there. So I decided to do bridal and Cc. elaine's Salon Bride Chic was born in February 2002."
Cc. elaine's Salon Bride Chic offers an eclectic mix of custom designed bridal wear, original hand-crafted hair ornaments, jewelry, headpieces and accessories."

Be sure to give her a call at 317.924.CHIC to style your own BEAUTIFUL wedding dress.

Gray is the new brown

Looking for new color combinations for your wedding? Gray goes with just about every color you can imagine. I love the true gray , the silvery gray - all of the grays. Mix it with burnt orange for the fall , red in the winter or sunshine yellow for the spring. Absolutely gorgeous.

I really love the dresses from InStyle, the gray lipstick from MAC and the table scape from Lemiga Events.

Model casting call

I am in the process of casting Indy models for a photo shoot featuring bridal gowns by cc elaine bride chic- one of the leading bridal gown designers here in Indy! If you haven't seen the dresses designed by Caren Lewis, then you are missing out. Check out cc elaine bride chic here. She also has a line, Femme Luxe by cc elaine, for sizes 14-30 which is amazing.

Please drop me a line if you are interested in the photo shoot.

Friday Favorites - Blumebox

Tired of the same old clear vases to showcase your flowers? Then, you may be interested in my FF- the Blumebox. This nifty creation by Whitney and Wade is my new fave. They come in all sizes and colors and shapes. Accessorize with a snazzy boa - also offered on the website. I've ordered some for my annual High Tea party. Can't show you here what I ordered, but rest assured I'll post pix after the event! Here's some info from their website:

"A blumebox is more than a vase or delivery box. It’s a gift box for flowers. And the best bit, they’re 100% recyclable so they’re perfect for hospital deliveries, hostess gifts, corporate and social events (big or small) or a self-indulgent arrangement for yourself. Standing 6 and 10 inches tall with radiant color and style, a blumebox is the perfect compliment to any decor."

Don't forget to sign up for their monthly newslette

photos: Blumeboxr

Model casting call

I am in the process of looking for Indy area models for a photoshoot with a top bridal designer.

I need sizes 4-8 and 14-30.

Please email me at egrego160@yahoo.com for more details.

A cool game of TAG.....

My friend, Katasha of k sherrie + co , has tagged me! Below are my answers to the game:



Four things I did today:

1. Ordered Blumboxes for the annual High Tea in January


2. Worked on designing wedding restroom baskets for a bride.


3. Gathering information and models for a photoshoot.


4. Ate Steak'n Shake for lunch.

Four things on my to-do list:

1. Begin timeline for wedding.


2. Buy ingredients for SANGRIA this weekend....my first off in quite some time.


3. Find a flower girl and ring bearer for photoshoot. Tried to get my one year old niece to do it,but evidently her mom says she tries to go after the camera now.


4. Follow up with vendors for a wedding.

Four of my guilty pleasures:

1. LV, Kate Spade and Gucci bags.


2. Coffee mugs - mainly Starbucks. My husband has "banned" me from buying anymore. Especially since there is no more room to store them:)


3. Chanel makeup brushes.


4. Michele watches.

Four random facts about me:

1. I was born in Pakistan (Air Force brat).


2. My hair was bright red as a child.


3. I looooove oatmeal now (thanks again to Starbucks!)


4. I collect pens. The W Hotel pens are my current fave!

Thanks for tagging me , Katasha. That was very fun. Now my list:

1. Shana from Crossroads Cottage.


2. Jesse from JC Disc Jockey.


3. Megan from meganwphotography.


4. Jessica from atlantabride.

Tuesday Inspiration

She Walks in Beauty - Lord Byron
She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies:
And all that's best of dark and bright Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow'd to that tender light Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
One shade the more, one ray the less Had half impair'd the nameless grace Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face: Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling place.
And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent, A mind at peace with all below, A heart whose love is innocent!

Happy Birthday, Maxi

Today is Max's 8th birthday. I just love him so! Today, he is going to be pampered and then...... treated to his favorite food (although ANY food is his favorite!).

Happy Birthday, Maxi!

In celebration.....Keith Cephus Photography

My cousin and his fiance are getting married today in Virginia Beach. Since I couldn't be there, I decided to do a search of photographers in their area. I found a gem of a photographer, Keith Cephus. His work is brilliant. How surprised was I to find out that he shoots at The Founders Inn where my cousin is having his ceremony and reception. ALMOST just like being there. For more photos, check out Keith's blog at http://keithcephus.com/blog/. I guarantee you won't be disappointed!

Have a LOVE-ly day!

Trash the Dress - Indy Style

My friend , Katasha Butler, is planning an Indy Area Trash the Dress (aka the Day after Sessions) event. You really can't beat the deal with some of Indy's finest photographers. Below is from Katasha's blog. I personally can not wait to see all of the photos!

K Sherrie+Company is pleased to bring Indiana brides petite Trash The Dress Sessions! Otherwise known as Day After sessions, this allows you to wear that dress one more time and have a little fun with it without worrying about being too precious!
Photo Credit: On 3We're collaborating with some great photographers of JAndra Photography, On 3 Photography and Cathy+David Photography to bring you TWO sessions in October: Sunday, October 12, 2008 and Sunday, October 19, 2008. We're channeling an Urban Safari theme, so downtown Indianapolis is the place to be!
For $225 you get makeup by Blush Artistry (using MAC cosmetics) and a session with one of the fine photographers--one hour total out of your busy day! Thirty edited, high-rez digital files are yours to keep and do with them what you wish. You also get the opportunity to create a book or order additional prints and products from the photogs. And, yes, your man can come! Spaces are limited and are filling fast! There are only three total spaces available on 10/12 and six total spaces on 10/19. Email us at info{at}ksherrieco{dot}com for more details and to claim your space!