Parfums Jour du Mariage
Wedding Day Perfume
As a lover of great perfumes I wanted to find a special fragrance to wear the day of my wedding. For me, perfume has always had a big effect on how I feel. Eric loves perfume and amazingly seems to notice every time I wear something new. I want to find something I can wear that will take us back to our special day. Much like an old song can take you back to that special time and place.
Finding a new fragrance that exudes love and romance was a journey I couldn't wait to embark upon. While in Paris last fall I began the search. This post is dedicated to the top 5 fragrances for the bride on her wedding day. I will only be revealing numbers 5 to 2 in this post. I want the fragrance I have chosen to remain a secret until after our wedding day. I will post the winner upon our return from the honeymoon.
Number 2: Chloe Love
This was a very tough choice. This fragrance could just have easily been THE perfume for my day. This fragrance can turn every woman into a goddess and transform every sinful thought in a virtue. A contemporary interpretation of Paris. Chloe Love is shy and dewy, sensual by its subdued innocence. Perfect for the bride planning a chic wedding with a vintage twist. This one is really hard to resist. (I'll will have a bottle with me during the honeymoon).
Number 3: DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom
A romantic fragrance that marries freshness, vibrancy, and femininity. A blend of sparkling grapefruit, cassis, and sunkissed apricot meets a blooming floral heart of sheer muguet and petally rose wrapped in luminous jasmine. Perfect for a bride planning a sweet, small and romantic wedding.
Number 4: Vera Wang Princess
A sexy fragrance that includes a mixture of water lily, apple, mandarin meringue, and golden apricot skin, dark chocolate, amber, musk, and vanilla. Radiant, romantic with a hint of whimsy. Perfect for a bride planning an informal, outdoor wedding!
Number 5: Stella McCartney STELLA
A sensual, intense and feminine fragrance. Top notes of rose essence has been fused with peony flower and mandarin essence, while the heart note is based on rose absolute. The base notes of woody ambers inject sexiness to the mix. Perfect for the bride planning and elegant and sophisticated wedding where no detail is forgotten. This fragrance exudes confidence and intrigue.
Ce que J’ai Appris de Grand-mere Callicutt
Things I learned from Grandma Callicutt
Today would have been Grandma C's 88th birthday. I grew up just steps from grandma's front door and when I got home from school I would make a bee-line into her arms. Grandma was a strong, spirited and loving person. She always spoiled me and I always let her. She loved gardening, traveling and she was a top-notch cook. Throughout all those years I now know that many of the things I do and believe today are a direct result of what Grandma taught me. This post is dedicated to everything I learned from Grandma “C”.
- Keep your house clean and tidy – you never know who might drop in
- Select beautiful dishes of solid white – you'll be able to set the table for any season and the dishes will never clash
- Sing a gospel song when you are sad – ain't nothing like an old timey hymnal to lift your spirits
- Serve something Peppermint at Christmas (preferably a peppermint cake – it's really hard to beat)
- Never be afraid to voice your opinion – if you don't no one else will....or can
- Keep at least one pair of yard shoes by the door and never wear them inside (otherwise you'll have alot more cleaning to do)
- You should never be bored – there's always something to pull in the garden or clean in the house
- Drive fast and smart – speed is a good thing
- Use a cream or lotion on your face at morning and night (this is a must do – Grandma's skin was amazing)
- Always have dessert – it'll make any meal seem amazing if if your eating leftovers
This concludes my list. Although there are other words of wisdom I gained from grandma the thing I miss the most is her smile and her laugh. She really had a great one!
Au Revoir Buenos Aries
Goodbye Buenos Aires
I spent this week traveling on business to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Traveling this close to the holiday season had me stressed out but what a blessing the trip turned out to be. I spent three days working with some of the nicest, most sincere individuals I have ever met. I am not fluent in Spanish (I only know basic words) and I was worried about my ability to get around easily but everyone was so nice and helpful. While visiting I had dinner and lunch with several different individuals and during these moments I took the time to ask them about the wedding traditions in Buenos Aires. I learned that dancing is a big part of the celebration after the wedding. Argentinian wedding celebrations last for many hours and usually end with a nice dinner.
Another tradition I found to be just wonderful is that for New Year's everyone dresses in white. The white is a symbol of peace and is practiced throughout the country. In addition, ladies tend to wear pink undies for love. How sweet. It got me thinking how nice it would be if the US had a tradition where for one day we could stand unified for one really great cause. What could be better than standing up for Peace?
My journey was long and my time in Argentina was short but so enriching. I will never forget the trip and what I gained both professionally and personally. Thanks to everyone for showing me such a great time and taking good care of me!