Wedding Planning: Finding a good photographer

Hello Everyone,

Another progress made! We have found our photographers for the engagement and wedding pictures.
Pictures can capture moments that we would otherwise forget so it's important to make sure to find professional experienced photographers that you can rely on to make your special day last forever. Photographers who are passionate and share the same interest as you makes the shoot that much more memorable.
I am happy to say we have two great, creative photographers for the wedding. We love their work and they understand our style. I have known them from a friend's wedding about four years ago and I am happy that they are doing very well with their business. I will not post who they are until after our engagement photos (trust me, they are fun to work with).

In the meantime, I am still looking through bridal magazines for ideas and of course, my ideal wedding dress.

While I am looking through the bridal magazines, my fiance was being very helpful.... looking through gun magazines... SMH.

 Sorry for not being able to give away our photographer's name, but we will soon!!

Until next time,

Stay healthy, beautiful, and inspired.

<3 <3 <3

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Bright Transformer SPF35

Hello Everyone,

Yes, I am still going to focus majority of my blog on how I am planning my wedding, but I can't resist not talking about makeup. I love trying new products and be able to give my opinion on what I think is worth your money. The product I am going to review today may not be sold in the US which is a bummer. I bought this during my trip to Japan because I have not seen it in any of the drugstores in America. We have the Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser which have gotten a lot of good and bad reviews. Most of the negative reviews said it is too greasy or thick.

Maybelline, besides L'Oreal, is my favorite drugstore makeup brand and they have been doing really well with all their new products. What I like about the Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Bright is it has SPF 35. This comes in handy especially when we are approaching summer and strong SPF is recommended to keep your skin looking healthy.

The packaging is cute (22ml) with a twist on cap. The formula is a bit thick but don't be scared, it is easy to blend.

It has some fine shimmer to create a glow-y complexion. 

I have worn this underneath my makeup and I can see why this product is very popular. It does display a dewy affect that brightens my skin. Sometimes when I don't feel like wearing makeup, I will just wear this product to give my face a luminous glow.

Waking up in the morning with dry, dull skin can be a pain in the butt .....

After applying three pea-size amount all over my face it does me look more awake. No make-up is needed for lazy days like this.

Is this worth buying? If you don't have a lot of blemish to cover up, this will help give you that extra hmph! Not an essential in your makeup kit unless you want to try it. This does not provide coverage, only gives you a slight glow. I forgot how much I paid for this, but I don't regret buying it. 

Until next time,

Stay healthy, beautiful, and inspired.

<3 <3 <3

First step for planning a wedding: Relax and start looking for a wedding venue

Hello Everyone,

How hard is it to look for a wedding venue? Well, it depends on what you want and what is within your budget. I would say look at as many places as you can. Do not settle on the first one you see. The hardest thing is making time to go there and see it for yourself. Many times we think the place looks nice in pictures but we end up being disappointed.

Knowing what you want makes it a bit easier. We want to make a memorable experience for our guests and also to reflect who we are as a couple. Internet and by word of mouth from friends are the best way to go about looking for venues. I am so happy that my fiance wants to help plan the wedding with me, such a sweet man he is (in a Yoda voice). Don't let the stress of planning wear you down... sip some tea, relax, and look through Pinterest for some great ideas like me.

 

Another idea is to start keeping track of "things" you need to do if you are not going to hire a wedding planner like us. There are a lot of great wedding apps for ipads and iphones, but the one I like to use is called The Knot. Not only is it a wedding blog for us, it also helps us keep track of the number of guests, a checklist of to-dos, etc. 

 

Taking it one day at a time until the big day!

Until next time,

stay healthy, beautiful, and inspired.

<3 <3 <3

Starting a new chapter of my life....

Hello Everyone,

Let's brush some of the dust off this blog.
It's been quite some time since my last post.  A lot has happened during the past year and I am re-focusing my energy to sharing my future with my fiancé. Yes, my fiancé. That's right, I am getting married!

My blog will now be more about "how to plan your own wedding." Paying for a wedding planner is expensive but if you can afford one go for it. Couples who planned their own wedding makes the experience more memorable. Call me crazy, but I am looking forward to the stress of booking a venue, looking for a wedding dress, planning out the details, debating about the colors, etc All in all, it will be worth it in the end.
Throughout this journey, there will be lessons learned and also advice given by friends which I will include in my blog.

Until next time,
Stay healthy, beautiful, an inspired.

<3 <3 <3

Drugstore Haul: NEW L'Oreal LeMatte Colour Riche, Maybelline Baby Lips Electro & Dr Rescue Lip Balm review

Hello Everyone,

Yes, I have been MIA and now I am just slowly getting back to working on my blog. Yay!

Of course my favorite place in the drugstore is the makeup aisle and I had to pickup "some" new products to try. I have tried these products for a few days and I have nothing bad to say about them. 

I am a big fan of Maybelline Baby Lips and for them to come out with the Electro lip balm and the medicated Dr Rescue I couldn't help myself. I only picked up three out of the five colors from this collection because the neon green (Minty Sheer) and neon yellow (Fierce n Tangy) are both clear. These are great quick fixes if you don't want to put on too much makeup and you are on the go. Although these are not the most hydrating lip treatment, they are fun to collect. Personally, I like them and they work for me.

The Dr Rescue Medicated Lip Balms are great to use for winter. I like the cool freshness of the menthol on my lips. They do provide a nice natural color and decent moisture for your lips. From this collection, I only picked up Pink Me Up and Soothing Sorbet and they are both great colors.

Here are swatches to show how sheer these lip balms are:

For L'Oreal, here is the new LeMatte Colour Riche Lip Color in Matte For Me. La Matte collection has a flattering matte finish. They have a bit of a sheen and don't accentuate the dryness on your lips which is a double plus in my book!

Here is how it looks on:

The color is very opaque and I didn't have to apply too much to get an intense color.

My other favorites for Fall are the L'Oreal infallible eyeshadows in Amber Rush, Eternal Sunshine, and Smoldering Plum. These pigments last all day and are very comparable to high-ends. You will get your money's worth with these eyeshadow pigments.

Current favorite drugstore gel eyeliner is the L'Oreal Infallible 24H in blackest black. It goes on so smooth and makes it easy for you to create the perfect "winged" eyeliner. Two thumbs up!

Until next time, 

stay healthy, beautiful, and inspired.

Have a great night!

<3 <3 <3

My Updated Makeup Essentials

Hello My Fellow Makeup Lovers!

I miss the life of being a Makeup Artist.... I remember carrying my makeup kit everywhere, rushing to photo shoots, meeting new people, and attending fashion shows. I am not even sure how I even did all of that as a hobby.... but it was fun while it lasted.

It feels like years since I last touched my makeup kit. Heck, I hardly even put on makeup anymore and if I do, I keep it to a minimal. Just playing with my makeup recently brought back a lot of memories.

Here are some of my favorite products and the products that I used to create the look I have below:
Laneige White Star Essence- face moisturizer (plus I use a light SPF underneath the moisturizer)
Spackle by Laura Geller- Tinted under make-up primer (As you can tell, I have used up a lot)

Neutrogena Makeup Remover

Maybelline Fit Me foundation (May cause breakout for some people)

Maybelline eyeshadow quad in Modern Metallic

NYC- Sunny bronzer

Maybelline Age Rewind concealer 

L'Oreal True Match setting powder

Victoria's Secret Sheer Blush Creme

Urban Decay Flushed

Rimmel eyebrow pencil in #2 shade
Ardell brow sculpting gel

Buxom in the shade Swinger

Maybelline Master Drama in Midnight Master (to create the wing)

Before picture without makeup:

After: 

Most people ask me how do I keep my skin looking so healthy.... drink lots of water and wear SPF!!!

Until next time,

stay healthy, beautiful, and inspired.

Have a great night!

<3 <3 <3

OOTD: Lazy day outfit

Hello Everyone,

First, prayers go out to the families who are impacted by 9/11.

I have been sick for a few days now and I hardly ever get sick. I even forgot how horrible it feels to be sick. Constantly coughing, having a running nose, and not getting enough sleep is not the business.  But it does feel good to have someone there to take care of you, not gonna lie.

I am getting better, but along with being sick, it comes with many lazy days where I just don't even care how I look. Lazy day outfits are great to wear at home where you can just mix and match anything you want.

What I have on is a simple T-shirt ("Smile for the Camera") from Alloy.com, Snowflake shorts from Victoria's Secret, and knee high sock slippers from Victoria's Secret.
It is a mixed of summer and winter wear, but who really cares as long as I am comfortable.

Favorite song at the moment: Drake- Hold on We're Going Home

Until next time,
stay healthy, beautiful, and inspired.

Have a great night!
<3 <3 <3