Makeup Fit For a Celebration: Tips From A Pro

Whenever I am getting ready to celebrate, be it a holiday party, a wedding, or just a date night, I like to put a little extra effort into getting my makeup just right for the occasion.  There is something about adding a bit of pop from a new lipstick or a dusting of a fun eye shadow that says I am ready for a fantastic evening of celebrating! 

And while I have been playing with makeup since I can remember, I will take all the tips I can get from experts such as Kimara Ahnert.  I was recently emailing with the ladies of Kimara Ahnert Cosmetics and first off I have to say wow- this place looks amazing and I have added to my list of must go to places when we visit New York.  I mean how could you not feel amazing after a pampering afternoon of spa services or getting your makeup done at this cozy and elegant studio!

So back to getting ready for that celebration and those tips! Like in most things, it is all in the details.  Kimara Ahnert was sweet enough to share tricks for adding a little glamour into your holiday or celebration makeup routine...

Cleopatra eyeliner, bold new brows, and lips so red they make the heart race – there’s very little that’s muted in makeup this holiday season. 

Make Eyes POP!

• To make eyes really stand out, line the inside rim with a white pencil.  Apply an iridescent shadow to the inner corners of the eyelid, while dusting the brow bone as well

• Great camera eyes are created using shimmering shades of champagne, gold and copper.  The sheen shows off the sparkle within the eyes and creates the most impact, helping you to look beautiful, not painted

• Always use mascara!  Plump natural lashes by adding individual false eyelashes on the corners of your eyes and within your natural lash line

Even, Conceal and Contour

• To instantly contour the face, use a fan brush to sweep bronzer along the cheekbones, nose and jawline.  This will draw attention away from any redness or other imperfections and will accentuate the shape of the face

• Use a cream based blush on the ball of the cheek to create a flushed, "pinched cheek" look; you can even use your lipstick “in a pinch” 

• Undereye concealers should be applied with a concealer or foundation brush.  The best formula to use is a stick foundation for strongest and longest lasting coverage, or try an illuminating concealer to not only hide circles but to also brighten the entire eye area in one quick step  

Create Fuller Lips

• To maximize your smile, brush lips with a toothbrush to exfoliate and create a fuller pout.  Then, line lips outside of the natural lip-line, fill with your favorite lipstick and dab a pearlized gloss to the center of the lip for added “VaVoom”

• To create shape, dab a shimmer eye shadow very subtly just over the top lip before lining to create the perfect “cupid’s bow”  

Troubleshooting Tips

• Instantly narrow your nose – Contour the sides of your nose with a bronzer using a fan brush and highlight the bridge with a good concealer
• Color code – No matter what, always have a pop of color somewhere – blush, lip or eyeshadow color

Beautiful!  I do love a bit of glamour for a night out celebrating. 

And as a little public service announcement; Kimara has some pretty lovely products available in an online shop which is great for those of us not able to go to her lovely studio.  I was lucky enough to score a free sample of her lip gloss and it is now my favorite, go-to lip gloss with that perfect color for the day and enough shine to lead into the evening - love it.

Planning Event Menus: Tips From FIG Catering

Whether you are planning your wedding, hosting a baby shower, or are planning any upcoming celebration chances are you are trying to figure out how to tackle the menu.  A thoughtful menu can help set the tone, enhance the theme, and most importantly make your guest full and happy!  

When planning our wedding, we really wanted the menu to have personality and to play a role in setting the tone of an intimate summer garden party.  Molly and Justin at FIG Catering helped us achieve that and made the planning simple.  

So for today's "Tips From the Pro's" we have Molly from FIG Catering to share pointers on planning a menu for your event.  FIG Catering, For Intimate Gatherings, provides hand crafted food and impeccable service for private and corporate gatherings from 2-120 guests. FIG is helpful, fun, and inventive in their approach to special event catering, office catering, and in-home cooking classes.

If you're anything like me, you spend at least 15 minutes at a restaurant looking at the menu, forgoing pleasantries and conversation until important dining choices have been made. Regardless of how many times I have been to a particular restaurant or if I have a taste for something specific, I want to make sure that I am making the best decision possible. Now imagine making the dining decision for 10, 50, or even 200 people. That's what planning a menu for an event is like.

Photo by Brian Kinyon Photography

You want to be somewhat selfish because you are hosting the event and you want to serve things that you like to eat. However, you also have to take your guests into account including their food restrictions or allergies, co-hosts or benefactors (this often means parents if they are paying for or helping with the wedding), and your guests general food likes or adventurousness. Beyond the food, the style of service (buffet, plated meal, passed hors d'oeuvres) is also a factor in planning an event menu. If you're navigating the slippery slope of menu planning, here are a few tips:

1. Know your guests. Even if you don't know exactly what they would order at a restaurant, have an idea of their style and level of comfort with service. Some crowds are more unaccustomed to and put-off by passed hors d'oeuvres and won't eat them, while others love when the food comes to them.
2. Approach your caterer with broad strokes, rather than specific menu requirements. Sure, most caterers can accommodate your wants - whatever they are, but if you approach them with a planned menu that's all you'll get. If you give them more general ideas (either of taste and flavor combinations, favorite restaurants, cuisine or ingredients), you are likely to get more creative ideas including items you may not have even considered.
3. Plan the majority of the menu around your most difficult guest. No, you don't want your entire menu to be vegetarian if only 1 guest out of 100 eats that way, but in general if you have a few vegetarians, guests who don't eat pork or seafood, or a significant number of guests who prefer to avoid carbohydrates it's easiest to plan around them. If you and your caterer plan a unique and delicious menu, the other guests won't even notice what they're missing.
4. Consider the season. If you love strawberries, but are having an event in October consider strawberry jam. Choosing seasonal ingredients will make your menu more delicious, less expensive, and more environmentally friendly.Photo by FIG Catering
5. Think about crowd dynamics. If you're bringing together families or different groups of friends, consider a menu and service style that will encourage interaction (buffet service, cooking class parties, light meals or hors d'oeuvres thatto allow formingling). If it's a tight knit group, plan an intimate menu that harkens back to a shared experience.
6. Know your style. If you'd really like a plated dinner, but are concerned that some of your guests will feel like it's overly stuffy make the menu a little more fun and casual but keep the dinner plated. After all, it is your party.

There are a lot of things to think about when planning a menu, but if you approach it will some ideas in mind (and are somewhat flexible on those ideas) you are sure to develop something that pleases you and your guests' palates.

Thank you so much, Molly & Justin!  For those of you in the Chicagoland area, I highly recommend contacting Molly and Justin at FIG to discuss your next office lunch, cocktail party, or intimate wedding.  And regardless of where you geographically, if you are at all interested in cooking, dining, food talk you will want to check out their blog Food Talk With Fig.

Working With Your Floral Designer: Tips from Nancy Liu Chin

I am so excited for today's post. When I was planning my wedding, I was constantly trying to figure out how to achieve the most impact while staying within my budget. Florals are often one of the elements of planning that can be a challenge in terms of figuring out what flowers to use, which vases go best, and keep it all within my frugal budget please! During my search for floral inspiration I came across Nancy Liu Chin Designs and I have been smitten with her work ever since. A quick tour of her website shows why it is no surprise that she is one of the most sought-after floral designers in the Bay Area.

Nancy is known for her ability help clients translate their vision into reality. Thus why I am so excited for today's post... Nancy has stopped by to guest blog and give us tips on working with your floral designer to get the most out of your budget for floral design.

1) Agree to a Seasonal Buy
When in doubt, request a seasonal buy. What does this mean? The florist will go to market and select what they love for your vision/style and what looks the best. It like saying to a cook, here's $200 to cook a meal for 4 people. Find the best ingredients and do it. It really allows a floral designer to be more creative. If you specify that you only like this flower, that flower than a floral designer has no choices. I always recommend seasonal buy for those on a budget. Allowing your floral designer to be creative will take your budget further.

2) Avoid High Maintenance Flowers
Believe it or not there are flowers that are high maintenance. Try to avoid them. Flowers like gardenias bruise so easy. When a bride orders gardenias for a corsage, boutonniere, hair piece or for their bouquet, I always have to cushion the proposal because I might have to buy more and make a few more boutonnieres. Ask your floral designer to recommend flowers they think would work for your type of wedding. They will be able to make suggestions to fit your style.

3) Summer Brides - Avoid Heat Sensitive Flowers
Some flowers are so heat sensitive. If you are getting married in the summer be aware that flowers might "POOP" out. Even the most seasoned floral designers have had issues. Hydrangea is a good example of a flower that's heat sensitive. Half an hour in the sun during 100 degree temperature will "kill" these flowers. I don't know of a single floral designer who hasn't faced this dilemna yet again year after year when a bride wants delicate flowers during the summer heat. Be realistic. Once again, if you know it will be warm, ask your floral designer for suggestions. Don't force them to buy the flowers you like only to have them "die"!

4) You don't need to know the names of all Flowers
My brides are so savvy and smart. I love how knowledgeable they are but frankly, I don't think that a bride needs to know every name of a flower in order to get wonderful floral designs. I would never expect this from a bride. Yet in recent years more and more brides feel that they need to know this in order to have great flowers. I stress to my clients that it is more important that the floral designer or florist has a portfolio that shows their range. They should be able to do all different styles. They should have some weddings that are on the more expensive side and others that they do that are more moderate. The best floral designers have great tips on which flowers are best for a bride's proposal. That's what a good floral designer does. And even the most experienced floral designers may not know every single botantical name but the good ones have years of experience and know what works.

Rely on their knowledge, don't try to outsmart them or feel that they expect you to know everything about floral design.

5) Be prepared.
There's nothing more frustrating for a floral designer or florist then a bride who has nothing prepared for a floral consultation. I can't think of one advise more important than this. Do research. You don't need to know all the names of every flower. But go through magazines to determine a style that you like. Do you like romantic floral arrangements? Do you like avant garde? Go to some ready made flower sites to see what the costs are. When you look at a photo on a flower website like ftd.com, teleflora.com, etc, count how many stems of flowers there are. You would never believe how many couples who come see me and say a flower should be so and so price. Often times they are quoting me a price for a flower on a website that's in a bulk box. It's like asking Paula Dean to charge you the cost of the flour and butter to make her famous pancakes. Commodity price is not the same as a finished, hand craft arrangement.

Bottom line: be prepared. Bring magazine tear sheets. Bring swatches. Bring photos of things you like. Bring a floor plan of your ceremony site, reception site. Think about style aspects. Instead of focusing on the name of flowers, think about what you want your day to be about.

6) Avoid generic questions
The first question every bride or groom asks when they contact a vendor is "how much do you charge?". This question is probably one that you will get answered when you meet a florist/floral designer. However, if you email this question, it really is like asking, "how much should I spend for a car?". It's so generic that no decent floral designer can answer that. It's too broad. Avoid questions like this because you may not get the right information or answer. You might end up with answers like ," our minimum is___________." Would that really help you as a bride or groom? Keep in mind without knowing you, a floral designer has not idea what you like, what colors are want, what flowers you will like, how many centerpieces, and on and on and on.

If you are going to begin communicating with a florist/floral designer, ask them if a budget of _$____ would be doable for a wedding of _____(# of guests) for a __________(your event date, i.e. Sunday afternoon). Give them some descriptions and show a bit of your own personality. Here's a good example of how to communicate:

"I like arrangements that are filled with flowers especially romantic garden varieties. Pieces that are great for an afternoon lunch wedding at an outdoor winery on the 2nd Sunday in August for 100 guests. My wedding colors will reflect my like for summer citrus fruits. I love the use of foliage when it is appropriate. I may not have a huge budget but I'm looking for someone who is creative, experienced, and reliable. If you've worked at my venue I would be even more thrilled though I'm open. Most importantly, I want to have fun. I don't want my wedding to be overly stuffy and I looked at your work and there are many different images that could work so I would put my trust in your abilities"

Now that's a wonderful email that gives your floral designer several great bits of information and this will help the florist/floral designer understand your unique needs and bit about your personality.

The real wedding montage below is of a wedding that was during the summer in 2008. The bride did everything right to get the most impact for her budget. She deferred to me on floral issues. She didn't go for the most expensive flowers, she went for the ones that would reflect her "preppy chic" wedding. She didn't ask me for the cost of her flowers. She told me that she had # of guests and needed me to come up with creative ways to get her the most for her budget. She avoided high maintenance flowers and opted for sweet gerbers, spider mums, imported roses, mums, orchids and anything else that I thought would work. The results were florals that complimented her vision.

Images courtesy of Ken Buck Photography

Thank you so much for sharing these valuable tips, Nancy!  If you haven't seen the absolutely stunning work that is done by Nancy Liu Chin Designs then you must check our her site!