White House Pilates Bride-to-Be Tips

Mindless Eating...and the solutions to avoid it!

Today's tips are brought to you via "Today's Dietician Magazine"
Today the average person makes nearly 250 food decisions each day. Wow! and most of these decisions happen without thinking!


Research shows that people eat an average of 2.2 more candies each day when they are visible, compared to when they are not. Solution? Don't leave candy out on your desk, dining room table, or anywhere near them! If you don't think 2.2 extra pieces of candy is a lot, you should do the math (2.2 x ~50 calories = ~100 extra calories per day, times 365 days = 36,500 extra calories a year, which is 10 pounds.......)


Be careful when you purchase 100-calorie packs. While the idea may be a good one (portion control) they tend to backfire for about 30% of the population, according to research. The idea of portioning out your food is a great way to make a healthier environment, but you're still going to be better off eating 100 calories of a fruit, vegetable, or low fat dairy product than you will eating a 100-calorie pack of cookies. Also, it's cheaper just to do the portioning yourself!


Have you ever noticed that the foods with the most marketing tend to be the ones that the worst for us? If you have the ability to do so, fast forward through your commercials, or just leave the room when they are on.


Believe it or not, food is cheaper these days, and according to the article it only takes up about 6% of our income (this is an average). I think a lot of us get caught in the traps at stores where we see a "good deal" and then we must buy it, even if we hadn't planned on doing so.Can you say "mindless shopping"! Remind yourself that unhealthy food is typically cheap food, so stay away, unless you really must have it....


Happy & healthy eating!

~ Caroline
White House Pilates

White House Pilates Bride-to-Be Tips

How to dine out smarter and guilt-free

 

Food is a part of our social interaction. You can stick to your diet all you want- but when you get an invite to have dinner out with friends, or out to a special date night with your sweetie, you should be able to accept and not freak out about what the scale might say the next day. Here are some tips to help you dine out smarter and guilt-free.

 

• Prepare before you go. If possible check out the restaurant menu online (if possible) and choose what you will eat ahead of time.  
• Don't skip breakfast and/or lunch. You don't want to be ravenously starving and dive head first into the bread basket. If you are really hungry, eat a small snack before you leave the house (example: small handful of almonds, a few baby carrots, or a small box of raisins).
• Ask how the food is seasoned or prepared. Fish may sound like a healthy idea on the menu, (and it usually is) but if it is blackened- then it's got a layer of grease and salt getting in the way and you are losing the benefits of eating fish in the first place.
• Splurge if you must. But pick only 1 item to splurge on. If you really want a glass of wine- got for it. Or if you really want cake for dessert- have it. Just don't have the alcohol, and the bread basket, and the fries, and the cake, and.... (get the point?)
• Eat half of your meal. Portion sizes are HUGE these days! Split the meal with someone, or eat half and have the other half boxed up. If you have trouble leaving food on the plate, ask the server the bring the box out with the meal and box up half right away. Then you won't be tempted to overindulge.
• Eat Consciously and Intuitively. Stop eating when you are 80% full. If you overdo it, because "it just tastes SO good!" Box the rest up and you can always eat it later and it will still taste great.

 

Look for these key words when choosing off the menu:
Steamed 
Broiled 
Baked

Grilled

Poached

Roasted

 

Stay away from menu items that are:

Fried

Crispy

Au gratin

Blackened

 

Happy Dining!

Sincerely,
Caroline
http://www.whitehousepilates.com/

White House Pilates Bride-to-Be Tips

Tips to get through the Holiday Season!


The holidays can be a hard time to follow your clean eating rules. There are so many temptations with all the family gatherings and company Christmas parties. But you can still end 2010 being fit and healthy without derailing all the hard work you put in throughout the year.

Here are some tips to help you through:

1. Before you pop that next sugar cookie in you mouth - stop and think, "would I eat this on a 'normal' day?" or "am I hungry or am I just eating cause I'm bored or just because it's there?"
2. Fill up on fruits and veggies first and then eat all the other stuff in small portions. Just a taste of that potato salad will satisfy the craving while allowing you to eat it and enjoy it, but not go overboard.
3. Pass on the Egg Nog! Drink LOTS of WATER! It will help fill you up and keep you hydrated throughout the day. You may not even be hungry when you think you are - being thirsty can disguise itself as hunger.
4. Get in a cardio workout. Take a brisk walk, go for a jog, dance around the living room to your favorite tunes. Getting your blood pumping will keep your body (and your mind) tuned in to your fitness routine and keep you on track to feeling great.
5. Enjoy and savor this time with family and friends. It is what the Holidays are all about!

And remember - don't beat yourself up if you happen to slip up here and there. Your body is smarter than we give it credit for. If you overdo it- your body will naturally not be as hungry the next day in order to regulate correctly (if you are in tune enough to listen!).

Happy Holidays!
 
~White House Pilates

White House Pilates Bride-to-Be Tips

Recently, my fiance' was told by his doctor to cut out all carbs in his diet. He needed to lower his cholesterol. WHAT!? No whole wheat bread, no brown rice, no pasta, OMG... you've got to be kidding me. I love bread! We also eat a lot of brown rice as a side to our fish, chicken, and veggies for dinner.

So I decided to buckle down and try to do this as well. EEeek! All through November, I put myself on this challenge of cutting out all carbs and dairy. I cut out dairy because I wanted to see if it had any effect on my allergies. I get constant ear aches at least once a month, and I've been told that it could be related to dairy foods.

The result for me: I lost 10 lbs! and not only that, but I feel so much better.
The result for him: He also dropped weight and lowered his cholesterol dramatically!

How did we do this, you ask? We adopted a diet high in fiber and protein, low in sodium and fat, increased our cardio workouts to 6 days/week rather than 2-4x/week. And limited that lovely glass of wine to only 2 nights per week.

Our meals would be something like this:
Breakfast: 1 cup of Kashi Cereal with 1/2 cup of Almond Milk
Morning Snack: an apple with 1-2 tablespoon almond butter (so good!), or celery sticks with peanut butter
Lunch: Grilled Chicken Breast (without any marinade) Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots (steamed or raw)
Afternoon Snack: Kiwi or 1/2 of an Avocado or a small handful of raw organic almonds (unsalted)
Dinner: Grilled Wild Caught Salmon, Steamed Asparagus, Roasted Beets

I had always thought that we ate fairly clean and healthy, but now having really cleaned up our diets, I'm no longer craving any more of the bad foods. Don't get me wrong, I love foods like Panini Sandwiches, Pizza, Calamari, Chips, Cookies, and Ice Cream... but now I eat those in much more moderation than ever before. Seeing the results is inspiring and it will also introduce you to foods you have never tried before or even knew that you liked. Example: I had no idea that I liked Beets or Halibut.

In addition to discovering new foods, I realized that the taste of food just the way it is- without drenching it in sauces or dowsing it in salt, actually tastes pretty darn good!

Try it for yourself, even if you just commit to doing it for 5 days, or a full week, taking small baby steps into it will make the task ahead seem less daunting. Here is a great article from Livestrong to show you more ways to cut out carbs in your diet.

Destination Bride-to-Be

Nate and I just got back from a wonderful vacation in Kona, Hawaii with my parents. They flew us over there to meet them for a week as an engagement present. Of course we discussed all things wedding-related while we hiked the volcano, and between breaths snorkeling around the amazing coral reefs. It was a very relaxing way to commence the wedding planning!

Nate and I in Hawaii!

We have had such a productive last few weeks! The location for our destination wedding has been agreed upon. And the winner is… RIU Santa Fe Resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico! Three summers ago I vacationed at the resort with my family, and we had a blast. It was always in the back of my mind as a fantastic spot to have a wedding.

The infinity Pool and beach at the RIU Santa Fe

There are actually two RIU Resorts right next door to each other on the beautiful sands of the Sea of Cortez. The RIU Palace is a classic resort including fancy fixtures and starch white walls, all in all pristine. But we ultimately chose the Santa Fe because of its natural beauty and the truly authentic Mexican spirit it emits. It is the newer of the two resorts and definitely has a more laid-back feel. Being budget conscious we wanted to make sure that as many of our guests as possible could make the trip, and the Santa Fe is giving us great rates. To make it even more appealing it is an all-inclusive resort. The resort is less than 3 miles from downtown Cabo. Meals at the buffet and specialty restaurants, snacks, all drinks, in-room mini-bar, gym, and daily entertainment are all included.

To hire or not to hire a travel agent? That was a huge lingering question we had. After thinking about it and trying to figure out travel logistics on our own, we realized that a travel agent is a must! After speaking with a few over the phone, we finally met with Gloria Emanuelson and hired her on the spot. She was working with a larger nationwide company and recently broke away to start her own new business. Her new site just went on-line: http://www.honeymoondreamsandwishes.com/.

We are encouraging all of our guests to book through her as she will be keeping our RSVP list, and is able to get better group rates. She will handle all room reservations, transfers to and from the airport and coordinating flights. It is a huge relief to know that our guests will always be able to contact her with any questions or concerns, before and during the trip.

I love this picture of the famous arches. I took it from a cruise ship a few years ago.

Not only am I planning my own wedding for next year, but I am also in two other weddings for my sorority sisters and besties: Maureen’s in June and Rachel’s in November. It is going to be an amazingly busy, exciting and fun-filled 2011! Going bridesmaids dress shopping this weekend for Maureen’s wedding is a much-needed break from my own craziness. I am thrilled to being thinking only of her wedding this weekend!

Lots of Love,
Amanda

New Series: Planning a Destination Wedding

One of the lovely brides who responded to our inquiry for a new bride-to-be happened to have just gotten engaged, and has also decided on a destination wedding! We thought this would be a great opportunity for our readers to see how foreign destination wedding planning can differ from that in the states. Even the groom will be adding his perspective as well! We won't be hearing from Amanda and Nate every week, but they will keep us updated throughout the yearlong planning process...

From the bride:
Quaking Aspen Campground in the Sequoia National Forest is where “it” happened. After a long stroll under the stars with our two pups during Labor Day Weekend, Nate asked me to be his wife. It was the perfect moment; a moment I will never forget.

{Nate and me at Ponderosa Lodge the day after the engagement (that’s Moxie peeking over the table)}

We were lucky enough to cherish the new engagement for a day, just the two of us, with no interruptions from the outside world. Driving back to our home in Los Angeles, cell phone service returned and immediately the phone calls were nonstop. Apparently he had asked my parents in June and had told his parents around the same time, so they had been waiting for the moment to happen for months. I am still shocked my mom and his mom were able to keep it secret, ha! Nate and I have been together for almost six years and now we are ready and extremely excited to start this next chapter in our lives.

{Pictures of us at Dome Rock with Moxie and Chowder}

As soon as the phone calls stopped and the Facebook messaging died down, we dove into planning. We immediately decided to do something a little non-traditional: a laid-back destination wedding! Our families and friends will be invited to join us in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico to celebrate our marriage and enjoy a vacation with us as well.
Nate and I are thrilled to share with all of you Lucky Orchid readers the ups and downs, the fun times and the stressful times of planning our dream Destination Wedding. Every now and then Nate will make a special appearance in order to share the groom’s experiences.

Next up on Planning a Wedding - Destination Style: nailing down a travel agent, booking a date at an all-inclusive resort for October, 2011, as well as designing the invitations and getting them out early so that our guests have plenty of time to plan!

I love my ring! He picked out the perfect vintage style!

Lots of Love,
Amanda

White House Pilates Bride-to-Be Tips

Just Breathe!


We all get stressed out. Planning your wedding can bring out the unwanted bridezilla in even the most appreciative, down to earth and logical lady. Here is a plan to get back to yourself and take a moment to re-center.

Left nostril for calming
Right nostril for energizing

Pranayama: A yoga inspired meditation breathing technique will have you feeling calm, refreshed, and energized.

The 12 Amazing Benefits of Alternate Nostril Breathing:

1. Revitalizes: A few rounds of alternate nostril breathing is a quick pick me up if you are feeling flat, tired or even stressed. It provides your body with a much needed dose of extra energy.
2. Improves brain function: When you mind is dull – concentration and clarity is poor. Alternate nostril breathing brings equal amounts of oxygen to both sides of the brain for improved brain function.
3. Cleanses your lungs: A daily 5 minute practice morning and night of alternate nostril breathing is great way to remove stale air and impurities from the bottom of your lungs. Did you know that we hold 70% of our toxic waste in our lungs?!
4. Calms an agitated mind: A few minutes of focused alternate nostril breathing is helpful to calm an “over thinking” mind. The ancient yogis believe that if you can regulate your breath, then you can control your mind.
5. Merges the left “thinking” brain and right “feeling" brain: Alternate nostril breathing optimizes both sides of your brain so you can access your whole brain.
6. Encourages a calm emotional state: In times of emotional distress and upset, a few rounds of mindful nostril breathing will soften the intensity of over reactive emotional states. The longer you practice, the more stable your thinking, and the calmer your emotions will become.
7. Improves sleep: If you can’t sleep at night lay on your right hand side, gently close your right nostril with your right thumb and breath through your left nostril. This will activate your parasympathetic nervous system which will calm you down and slow your heart rate.
8. Great preparation for meditation/sleep: Alternate nostril breathing is a simple little trick that can be practiced for a few minutes before you begin your meditation practice. It’s a very easy way to help you find your meditation groove.
9. Excellent for your nervous system: By focusing on your breath and deepening it, your brain will register this message and trigger the parasympathetic nervous system. You have effectively switched your nervous system from a stressed response, into a relaxation response. Single left nostril breathing (by closing your right nostril) will direct the flow of oxygen and energy to the right hemisphere of your brain, allowing once again, for the parasympathetic nervous system to be switched on.
10. Regulates the cooling and warming cycles of the body: Left nostril is feminine, nurturing, calm and cooling. Right nostril is masculine, heat, competitive and force. Favouring one nostril more than the other can effect the heat or coolness of your body.
11. Clears and boosts your energy channels: Slightly forced alternate nostril breathing improves and directs the flow of energy throughout your body – preventing sluggishness. It oxygenates your blood and allows the energy (Prana) in your body to be strong and flowing.
12. Promotes rest and relaxation: A restless mind cannot relax. Alternate nostril breathing melts away an imbalances between the right and left hemisphere of your brain and calms your thoughts.

Alternate Nostril Breathing Exercise - find a quiet place to sit comfortably, close your eyes and follow these easy steps:
Step 1: Place your middle finger between your eyebrows. Use your right thumb to close off right nostril.

Step 2: Inhale slowly through your left nostril

Step 3: Pause for a second, hold the breath in

Step 4: Now close the left nostril with your ring finger and release thumb off the right nostril

Step 5: Exhale through your right nostril

Step 6: Now, inhale through your right nostril

Step 7: Pause again

Step 8: Use thumb to close of right nostril

Step 9: Breathe out through the left nostril

Step 10: This is one round. Start slowly with 1 or 2 rounds and gradually increase to 5 or 6 rounds. Never force. Sit quietly for a few moments after you have finished.

Caution: Do not hold your breath if you have high blood pressure. More advanced methods of pranayama (alternate nostril breathing) need to be practiced with an experienced practitioner. Practicing on an empty stomach is preferred.

White House Pilates Bride-to- Be Tips

Got sore muscles from your new exercise plan? Roll it out!

 Rolling out the lactic acid build up in your sore muscles will help: 

• Target all your sore points; release your trigger points
• Increase range of motion
• Decrease soreness and pains
• Increase training efficiency
• Fix postural problems
• Recover faster 

Roll out sore quad (thigh) muscles, outer hips and thighs, glutes, and upper and lower back. Ahh...

Here are some tips for foam rolling:

• Concentrate on sore and tight areas, quadriceps, outer thighs, glutes, upper and lower back.
• Roll out the full length of the muscle, go slow and you will feel it loosen more each time.
• Breathe! Exhaling will help send oxygen to the tight muscles.
• Go slowly, it will hurt more, but you will get more benefit.
• Stop on the sore points (trigger points) and hold until the pain fades.
• Pre workout focus on getting through the full length of the muscle, spend less time on each.
• Post workout, focus on the trigger point aspect and spend a lot of time on each muscle.
• Try not to roll over joints, you'll notice when your body doesn't like it.

White House Pilates Bride-to- Be Tips

Most wedding dresses will show off your arms. Here is a plan to get a rockin' upper body to go along with that gorgeous dress! And best of all, it will take you less than 5 minutes!

20-10-5 Reps
You are going to alternate between repetitions of push ups and triceps.

               

Drop and give me 20 push ups (yes, it can be off your knees)
Now, do 20 tricep dips
Then 10 push ups and 10 tricep dips
almost done...
5 push ups, 5 tricep dips ... you're done!

Do this every day and I promise you will thank me later :)
This WILL get easier, and when it does, bump it up to 30-20-10 Reps!

White House Pilates Bride-to- Be Tips

Get Moving!

Grab your best bridesmaid and take a walk, go for a jog, just get outside and move!

Think of it like a social event! A chance to bond and talk while you get fit together! Plan on meeting up 2 or 3 times a week, after work, on your lunch break, or early in the am. No excuses! You don't want her to bail on you, and you can't bail on her!


Even just walking can make a difference in your body, your mood, and your friendship!
Or...
Boost your walks with bursts of energy and adding some small friendly competition: "I'll race you to the end of the block!" or "Let's sprint the rest of the way home!"
 
To healthy living,
Caroline Londergan
Owner, White House Pilates

New Series: White House Pilates Bride-to-Be Tips

We are excited to team up with the lovely Caroline Londergan of White House Pilates in Hermosa Beach, CA to bring you weekly tips for keeping in tip-top shape for your wedding, and really for a healthy lifestyle all around.

Caroline was the first to introduce the amazing benefits of Pilates to The White House, the United States Secret Service, and the Washington D.C. SWAT Team. She is a Certified Pilates Instructor through the PhysicalMind Institute/The Method Pilates as well as a Certified Yoga Instructor with the Yoga Alliance. Caroline expanded her knowledge of Pilates by studying with Stott Pilates, Balanced Body University, and the Pilates Method Alliance.

After eight years of touring and dancing professionally, Caroline opened White House Pilates in Hermosa Beach, CA in 2009. She embodies a healthy and active lifestyle and enjoys sharing her knowledge and technique with clients...and we are happy to share Caroline's tips with you, our Lucky Orchid Wedding readers!

...so without further delay...

Go Get a Pilates Ring or Magic Circle!

You've got the bling now go get the ring! This is a great way to get fit at home. The Pilates Ring is available at places like Target or Walmart and it usually comes with an instructional video. You can use this circle for an intense full body workout.

Here are just a few to mention:

Inner Thigh Blaster: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet hip distance apart on the floor. Place the outside pads of the circle between and right above the knees. Pulse the circle 12 times and then hold and squeeze the ring for 12 seconds. Repeat 3 times. Then do the same thing all over again in a bridge. (To do a bridge: Step into your feet lifting your hips off the floor and balancing on your shoulder blades.) Once you get stronger, challenge yourself more by increasing your reps to 20 pulses and hold and squeeze the ring for 30 seconds.

Outer Thigh Blaster: Same exercise as above just change the circle placement. Put your feet through the circle bring the inner pads up above the knees. Press out and engage your glutes (your butt) for the repetitions. Then press out and stay trying to break the circle apart rather than squeezing. Repeat again in the bridge position. This will work your hamstrings, and glutes even harder.

Tone your upper body and arms: Stand with really good posture, your abs engaged and your glutes supporting you. Hold the circle on the outside pads out in front of you like a steering wheel, with just a slight bend in the elbows. Pulse the circle 20 times, and then squeeze for 20 seconds.Repeat 3 times. Move the circle overhead, but still slightly in front of your head on a diagonal. Pulse here for 20 repetitions and squeeze for 20 seconds. Repeat 3 times. Place the circle behind you and hold it on the outside pads and low with the bottom of the circle pointing down toward your heels. Pulse here 20 times and repeat 3 times.

Abdominal Crunches with Neck Support: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet hip distance apart on the floor. Put your head through the circle with one of the inner pads behind the nape of your neck. Your hands go on the opposite inner pad with your arms bent and relaxed. Look down at your knees, engage your abdominals (pull your navel to your spine) and curl up for an abdominal crunch. Keep your pelvis neutral, with your hip bones and pubic bone staying parallel to the ceiling. Try to maintain a little space below your waist. Once you get stronger, bring your legs up to table top. (Table top: lift your feet off the floor, with your legs in a 90 degree angle, your knees above your hips and your shins parallel with the ceiling) Or maybe even extend your legs out straight to a 45 degree angle. *This is fine as long as you don't feel anything in your back and can stabilize your torso with your abdominals.

To healthy living,
Caroline Londergan
Owner, White House Pilates

Tabletop design by Kelly Oshiro Events

Even if you don’t have a huge budget to spend on décor, you can always add style to your tabletop by choosing a unique combination of china and flatware. Here are some of my favorite combinations:



This combination was used for a stylish Christmas party I planned in just three weeks. The tabletop design was finished with a runner of moss, tons of candles, and gold ornaments.

This design was for this wedding was based on the concept of “Zen Glamour.”


The result is a sophisticated look that incorporates reflective surfaces, damask, green silk, and succulents in the floral arrangements.

[photo by Harper Smith Photography]


You can always go to your rental company and play with you setup until you find just the right combination. And if you coordinate with your florist you might be able to take the floral mockup to your tabletop design session.

Here’s but a small sample of the tons of china, glassware and flatware options available to rent for your wedding. All rental photos from Town and Country Event rentals, based in Los Angeles

From basic white, to clear to ornate, china comes in just about any style you can think of.








Chargers are another great way to add a pop of color or texture to your table, especially if you are using a simple linen on the tables.



Similarly flatware can range the gamut from basic, to modern, to ornate.


Glassware is another way to dress up the table and take it to the next level.



Colored glassware is also available, though it was a little bit over used a few years ago. Personally, I like to use it at the bar serving the signature drink. All the glasses lined up on the bar in the same color looks pretty and creates instant drama at the bar.

{Note from Laura: Thanks so much Kelly for those 2 very informative posts. It's been such a pleasure to read them and I hope you will come blog again soon! Also, be sure to check out my guest blog today on Kelly Oshiro's site for some useful info about the calligraphy process.}

Picking colors/finding your inspiration

Hi everyone, my name is Kelly Oshiro and I’m a wedding planner and event designer based in Santa Barbara. I’m a big fan of Laura’s work and I’m excited to share some ideas and advice. Thanks Laura for inviting me to your neck of the woods!

So now let’s talk about my favorite part of wedding planning—design, design, design…

[photo by Harper Smith Photography]


So you’ve picked your location, have a date, found the dress (or at least know if you want a ballroom gown or a sheath), and have an idea on how formal the event will be (sit-down or casual buffet?) – you have, haven’t you? If not, I would wait a little while to start on the design process because those three elements will help guide you and make choosing colors and the design elements a whole lot easier.

Once you’ve got those three pieces figured out its time to start collecting images of weddings you love, pieces of art, or anything that you find inspiring. I particularly like non-wedding related magazines like Elle Décor as the color palates and design elements showcased are something you don’t find in a regular wedding magazine.

On the flip side you should also collect some images that you don’t like. Sometimes is easier to formulate a design by starting with what you don’t like and then working towards what you do like. Its also helpful to keep these photos on hand when you meet with your florist, event designer, and your cake person—think of these photos as the equivalent to the “do not play list” you give your DJ.

So now with your big stack-o-photos its time to compare and contrast the images. Is there a common element that keeps popping up? For instance, do you have tons of photos of peonies? The color aqua? Monochromatic design?

[flowers by Artfool, via Style Me Pretty]

Grab a sheet of paper and write down all the words that would describe your group of images. Common words I use when I work with brides are:

Simple
Romantic
Modern
Fun
Retro
Ornate
Chic
Organic
Glamorous
Casual
Formal
Dramatic

I would also recommend putting together an “Inspiration board” to help you continue to focus and hone in on what you really love. Check out Style Me Pretty or Snippet & Ink for examples.

[inspiration board from Snippet & Ink]

So now you’ve got some ideas for color and the “look.” Now, it’s time to work on the details. Think about how you met, your favorite date night, food you both love, family traditions, and so on. This process is a great time to get your fiancé involved—you never know; he may come up with the best detail ever (my husband suggested doing challah and nutella, his favorite snack, in lieu of plain old bread and butter. Needless to say the nutella was a huge, huge, hit.).

Don’t worry if you don’t have every last detail worked out 6 months before the wedding. Design is an organic process and changing your mind, revising, reconsidering, throwing all your ideas out the window and starting afresh is completely normal.

[photos by Harper Smith Photography]

If you’re totally clueless about design here’s a tip to make anything look good: find three elements and repeat them. Here I used rocks as part of a sign holder, to hold down seating cards and the invitation to the post-wedding brunch, and to line the ceremony aisle. Happy designing!!!

Introducing: Guest Blogger Kelly Oshiro Events

Well it's a late start to the week but I am here to introduce my new guest blogger, Kelly Oshiro of Kelly Oshiro Events. Kelly is a couture event designer in the Santa Barbara, California area. She offers luxury full service event planning for California brides and destination weddings, but also a variety of other packages as well, one of which is a location scout service in which she will go out to your proposed site and walk you though any logistical challenges you may encounter based on her 7 years of expertise as an event coordinator. This is a stand alone services mainly for couples who don't have the need or budget for a full service wedding coordinator but do want to know if a particular venue will fit in their budget and any unforeseen costs that may accompany that site. Check back tomorrow and Thursday for two great posts from Kelly!