Following Your Dreams + A WeddingGirl Photoshoot

A few weeks ago the WeddingGirl team had our very own promo shoot. It was such an amazing experience; a day that I will never forget. I've never been involved in anything like that before and it was so fun!
We all woke up before the sun, packed bags full of all-things-beautiful, and made our way to downtown Toronto.
We shared jewellery.
We did each other's hair.
We spent to morning drowning in coffee, Portuguese custard tarts, and make-up.
We rocked little black dresses with killer stilettos and over sized balloons in frigid temperatures. 
And we laughed. All day.
The #WGx team planned this photoshoot to celebrate the incredible things that happen when you make your wildest dreams become a reality.
And when Jeff from Barking Mad Media asked me what WeddingGirl means to me, I explicitly remember saying that it meant empowerment and making wedding dreams come true. These women that I have been surrounded by these past few months are incredible. They make me believe that anything is possible. Anything that you set your mind to achieve, you can make it happen. Their friendship and support are an incredible thing to have and I am so lucky I am able to work with them. 
And as it turns out, I have started working with my very first couple. I am so excited to work with Julia + Steve who are tying the knot on July 19th. 
Dreams really do come true.
Here's a sneak peek at how our day went.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Follow your dreams - it will be worth it.





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{Blog Love}
Post excerpt borrow from www.weddinggirl.ca Photography Credit: Serena Swan Photography

I'm a new Hamilton-based Bridal Lifestyle Blogger and Wedding Planner at WeddingGirl.ca. If you have any questions or are thinking about hiring a Wedding Planner, make sure to email me at lisa@weddinggirl.ca.
You can also be friends with me on Facebook, and follow me on Twitter, and Instagram as well!

Quick Dry Nail Tip

Before I get into talking about my quick dry nail tip, I thought I'd just give a quick update first since it's been a couple of weeks since I last posted. First, we had a leak in our basement ceiling caused by a leaky dishwasher and then last month our water tank broke and flooded our basement. Lucky eh? So we've been spending the last several weeks pulling up our basement floors, drying everything out and then putting new flooring back in (which is basically done now. *cue the excitement!* 
I've also been busy with my WeddingGirl venture, which I'll be posting about soon. So, thank you for sticking with me while I was on a bit of a hiatus; I should be back to regular posting now. _________________________________________________________________________________________

For today's post, I just wanted to post a quick dry nail tip that I learned from Pinterest. I am the type of girl who always loves to have her nails done. It just makes me feel put together and I feel it really completes my look. I feel very feminine with them done.
I'm not that adventurous when it comes to colour though. I tend to stick with light pinks, neutral colours, etc., but sometimes I find that it takes so long to do my nails because for lighter colours I tend to need at least three coats. Drying takes forever when that happens. So, in comes my quick dry tip: PAM!

You've probably already seen this on Pinterest, and while I was sceptical at first, I decided to give it a try...and I haven't looked back since! While it can be a bit messy, it really does work!
All you need to do after every coat is:
1. Spray your nails with Pam from about 7 - 8 inches away and let the oil sit for 2 - 3 minutes. 2. Gently wipe your nails with a Kleenex to wipe away the excess oil. 3. Gently wash your hands with soap and water. 4. Reapply your polish, and repeat as necessary. 
It should be noted that if you tend to put on a thicker coat of polish, you'll need to wait a few more minutes for your nails to dry. I also recommend that you still give your nails additional time to dry after you are completely done your nails as having several coats of polish on can still be a be soft as you finish.
Please leave me a comment below if this worked for you. I would love to hear about it!
*Polish colour above is Passion.

High Five for Friday!

Wow, it's been a while since I've done a HF4F post! I guess time flies when you're having fun, so let's get right to it!
{ONE} Sean & Robin's Wedding! My friends got married this past weekend and I am so honoured I was able to be a part of it and serve as 'Best Woman'. It was a great night and I am SO happy for them both. 

Me and the Groomsmen, Travis and Chris.
{TWO} Wine, Sweets and Vendors. Tuesday night was full of just those things at an intimate event at Le Dolci, in Toronto. I was able to taste some sweets, sample some wine from Rosewood Estate Winery (which is delicious by the way), and meet some lovely vendors from the wedding industry. The night was pretty good and ended with a really sweet story that involves the Ronald McDonald House of Toronto. You can read about there here. 

Part of our WGx team.

{THREE} We took Eric to the RBG this past weekend too. Their current exhibit is Savage Gardens, which feature carnivorous plants such as the Venus Fly Trap. Eric loved making the displays come alive and really liked seeing all the plants and flowers in the greenhouse. It was such a nice family day.

{FOUR} Thursday night I joined my sister and and her colleagues in the MacKids Bowlathon in support of the McMaster Children's Hospital. McMaster Children's Hospital is home to 159 acute care beds and 10 day beds, 40 subspecialty clinics, a Children's Treatment Centre and one of the largest and most impressive Neonatal Intensive Care Units in Canada. Each year MCH has over 210,000 patient encounters in our subspecialty clinics, diagnostic areas, emergency department, inpatient wards and operating rooms. 

At the bowlathon, 21 team's dressed up, had pizza and pop, and bowled their hearts out, all while raising over $15,000 for this great cause. I am so happy I was able to be part of it again this year. Our team were very moderate cheerleaders! Here is my sister Shannon and I.

{FIVE} Last but not least, and this will not seem like much, but despite my busy schedule this week I have been able to get caught up on a lot of housework! It makes me laugh the I'm including this in here, but I do have a sense of accomplishment! 
I hope your week has been just as fabulous!
Don't forget to link up with Lauren Elizabeth and Carolina Charm!

Wedding Hair

Yesterday was the day I had the opportunity to stand in as the 'Best Woman' and watch one of my closest friends get married. It was truly and amazing day; one that I plan to blog about within the next week or so.
First though, I wanted to write a quick post on my wedding day hair.
It was a simple style, with a little twist and a pretty hair clip. And it's oh so pretty.

Sean (the Groom) and I.

So, it's kind of official...

Do you remember that little tête

-à-tête I posted about several weeks back? Well, after a few more pow-wows with a wonderful group of ladies, I am pleased to announce that I have officially joined the WeddingGirl team!

I couldn't be more thrilled about this exciting opportunity, as wedding and event planning has been a dream of mine for a long long time. However, up until I saw Mary's video,

 I was just a little unsure of where to start and I certainly lacked the confidence in taking the first small steps towards my dream. 
Mary is the girl behind it all. She started WeddingGirl five years ago and probably couldn't have imagined she'd be where she is today. Her 'casting call' video really spoke to me when I saw it. Her passion and words jumped through the screen and really sparked something deep within me and I knew I had to meet her. 
Now, I'm really not one to just go to an event, put myself out there meet new people the way I did, but after my sparks were lit I felt I really didn't have a choice.
I needed to be there. And I was.
I was actually one of the first people there, unintentional of course. Toronto traffic was much lighter than expected if you can believe it. I was also extremely nervous for some reason. And curious. I kept saying to myself, calm your nerves girl, this could lead to something big! So with my nerves as in-check as they could be, I really put myself out there and started introducing myself to people. One of the first things Mary said to me was how she loved how I was so outgoing and talking to everyone. Little did she know that usually when meeting new people, I am shy and sometimes a bit awkward. Just one of my little quirks. 
But I did it. I took a leap of faith. I myself out there. And it was amazing.
Now look where I am. A member of the wedding industry's most gorgeous army.
So without further adieu, I'd like to introduce you to our team.

Starting at the top-left of our collage, and moving clockwise around it; we have Linda, Laura, Bianca, myself, Heather, Margarita, Vanessa, and Carm.
I honestly don't think I could have asked for a better group of women to work with, or have a better mentor to learn from. And with the friendships that are already forming, I have no doubt we're all in it for the long haul.
So here's to all the exciting things coming our way; weddings, travel, Hitched:Abroad, WG TV, and oh so much more.
To learn more about us, click here.
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Please Add|Like|Follow us via the Facebooks, Twitters, and IGs.

Lisa:  FB – Lisa WeddingGirl Dot Ca | Twitter – @LisaWedGirl | IG – @LisaWeddingGirlDotCa

Linda: FB – fraîche Floral Atelier |  Twitter – @fraichefloral |   IG – @fraichefloral

Laura: FB – Laura WeddingGirl Dot Ca  | Twitter – @LauraWedGirl | IG – @LauraWGdotca

Bianca: FB – Bianca WeddingGirl Dot Ca |  Twitter – @BiancaWedGirl

Heather: FB – Heather WeddingGirl Dot Ca | Twitter – @HeatherWedGirl | IG –@HeatherWeddingGirlDotCa

Vanessa: FB – Vanessa WeddingGirl Dot Ca | Twitter – @VanessaWedGirl | IG –@VanessaWeddingGirlDotCa

Carmelina: FB – Carmelina Karas  | Twitter – @WeddingMagGTA | IG – @WeddingPlannerMag

And if you’re not already friends with the one who started it all, you can find Mary at:

FB – WeddingGirl Dot Ca |  Twitter: @WeddingGirlca  |  IG: @WeddingGirlca

The Journey to Kindergarten

Well, it's official. Yesterday was the day that I registered Eric for Kindergarten *insert crying here*. It's such a bittersweet feeling to think he'll be starting school in the Fall, even though he's been going to daycare since he was 11 months old. 
This is different for me though, not only because public school is free (which is a BIG plus), but because it brings out more emotions than I care to admit. From fear, anxiety, and even relief. It's all rolled up into one giant ball of emotion. We as parents help set the stage for what our children experience and this will be no different. How we perceive school is in a way, how he will as well. We'll look on and wonder how he'll recieve this entire experience as he grows into a more capable, competent and enthusiastic learner.
This new journey will set the stage for his entire school career, and that is where the fear comes in. I loved school when I was young; up until grade 5 that is. It all went downhill from there with the bullies that played a big part of my life, whom unfortunately, I still think about today.
I want Eric's journey to be better than mine, but my tortured bullied self still buried deep down inside is crying and screaming for me to protect him. I know first hand that kids can be mean; sometimes downright nasty to each other, and I don't want to think of him going through what I did. 
I know as a mom that I need to go into this with an open mind. An open mind that, yes, he will be OK. Eric is a pretty fun-loving, down to earth boy. He knows how to make you laugh, that's for sure. I know he will make friends and have a great time at school, and he will certainly learn (I have no doubt there). I know he'll come home everyday after school and want to tell me all about his day, I actually look forward to it. To many things actually; being on school council, class trips, school-day visits, and so on).
But because of my early school experiences, I am going to make sure I am involved in Eric's school life, in a not-so-invasive way. He'll still have his own school things. Doing so will make me feel better as a mom; knowing that I can be involved and have a positive influence on him and potentially other children in his class.
So here is to this new life journey (even though it's not until the Fall). 
This mom will be taking it one day at a time.

Wedding DIY Part 1 - Save the Date Cards

I have been talking a lot about weddings recently and my goal to become a Wedding Planner, so why not share some of my own DIY wedding projects? Since my 5th wedding anniversary will be this year (August 29th to be exact), what a perfect time than now to start sharing.
I did quite a bit of DIY projects for my wedding; Save the Date cards, invitations, table names, seating plan...you get the picture. Well, since I'm quite crafty it seemed like a natural fit.
Our wedding was a traditional church wedding; we were married in a United Church since Doug and I are not really all that religious, so I did keep things pretty simple with my projects.
So let's get start shall we? All I needed for the cards were:

• Blank card set from Michael's (came with envelopes).
• A 'Save the Date' stamp with black ink.
• Cake stickers
• Scissors
• Double-sided pop-up 'buttons'
• Clear labels
• Scrapbook Paper
• White card stock paper
• Glue

All I did was place a cake sticker on the front left side of the card and stamped 'Save the Date' on the other. I then printed our details on the white card stock and glued it onto blue scrapbook paper for a pop of colour (our wedding colours were blue and white). I then used the double-sided buttons to 'pop up' the insert, while placing the 'invitation to follow' note at the bottom inside with a clear label.

Isn't that super easy? This was actually a really cost effective way to make save the date cards. I had to make over 100 of them so it was time consuming, but I loved every minute of it and felt very accomplished afterwards.

Cute and simple.