Style Icon of the Week: Keira Knightley

Well, the Olympics are about half way over, but our love of everything British hasn't slowed at all! Our Style Icon of the Week is a Beautiful and Talented Brit, Ms. Keira Knightley. Her effortless style is so chic and feminine  but on her walks about town she knows just how to dress it down enough to be wearable everyday! That fedora! Those Ray Bans! And CHANEL! Her style is so classic, we envy her!

Enticing Entryways

This week in home it’s all about enticing entryways! The entryway sets the tone for

your entire home’s design aesthetic. I love the muted, warm tones of the pieces in the

collection below. Mixing gray, beige and brown pieces create a welcoming environment

and also allow for the use of one or two bold accents if you crave color.

We are channeling the 20’s a little with this grouping when you take a look at the

lighting but mixing art deco with modern pieces like the slate round table creates a feast

for the eyes! All that being said, I’d have to say my favorite piece is the boot bin made

from reclaimed wood. This would be good in an entryway or mudroom and if you’re into

DIY you could even try to make one yourself!

Happy Entryway Day!

Style Icon of the Week: Rachel Zoe

Rachel Zoe is not only the hottest stylist on the Hollywood scene today, but she's mad fab to boot! We DIE for her style, and wish she lived closer so we could walk a day in her FABU shoes! Love it.

What to Wear to the Beach this Summer

Summer is in full swing, and now that we are settling in to the HOT HOT HOT and lazy days of the season, we think it's well about time we offer you some relief. Beaches are where it's at these days, and while some of us love to let it all hang out and flaunt what we've got, some others just want to look cute, stylish, and summer appropriate while we soak up the rays. We have some outfits to assist with this dilemma, both for a day outside, as well as a summery look for the office on those days when you long for the beach. Enjoy!

Style Icon: Sarah Jessica Parker

Ms. Carrie Bradshaw herself. *Sigh*. Is there anyone more elegant? Is there anyone more fashion forward? She exudes confidence in everything she wears, and whether we like it or not, she is a force to be reckoned with! What a designer's muse! Flawless!

To purchase any of the clothing items above, visit our Polyvore Page.

Vendor Spotlight: Michelle Bromley with Here to Help

Michelle Bromley is the owner of Here To Help - A full-service wedding and event planning business located in Austin, Texas. She is our FIRST featured Interview!

1.      Please tell us about your business and how you got your start in the wedding industry here in Austin.

It’s been quite a journey but I am now the Owner and Senior Event Planner & Designer for Here to Help! (aka Allison’s Events by Michelle).  Although my team and I specialize in wedding planning and execution, we also plan fundraisers, galas, birthday and Christmas parties and any other social event you can think of.  Associate Coordinator Amanda Ervin, CWEP (below) recently booked a 30^th birthday party with a Rocky Horror Picture Show theme to be held at Palm Door.  We are all excited for that one! 

I have been in the event industry in Austin, Texas for fifteen years. I have worked for venues, catering companies, a charter cruise ship and planning companies.  I got my start at a Bed & Breakfast on Lake Travis.  I helped the owner transform the B&B into a full-blown wedding facility where I was responsible for everything...sales, planning, set-up/tear-down, event execution and management...I mean everything.  And then I was fortunate enough to help create the wedding program for The OASIS restaurant.  During that time, the Austin Chapter of the networking organization known as ISES, The International Special Events Society, was formed and I joined in 2004.  I served on the board of directors for that chapter from 2005 to 2010 and have won an array of awards from this organization.  In return for my service to this organization, my career as a full-blown wedding planner has taken off a lot quicker than I feel it would have without ISES. 

In 2010, I also began instructing a wedding planning certification class at Austin Community College through Lovegevity Wedding Planning Institute and earned the special designation Certified Professional Wedding and Event Planner.  I truly enjoy teaching because I learn just as much from my students as they learn from me.  It keeps me up on the trends and tools necessary to be continuously effective at what I do.

2. What sets your business apart from the competition? 

For one, my team are all (or soon will be) Certified Wedding and Event Planners.  I think that it is very important moving forward that brides (and anyone else looking for special event planners) check for certifications.  In addition to industry organizations such as ISES, NECI and LWPI hosting certification programs, universities and colleges all over the country are adding event industry related tracts to their offerings, and soon it will be hard for those to start or stay in business that don’t have the education necessary to produce some of the biggest milestone events in people’s lives.

3. Tell us about one of the most challenging aspects of your job. 

By far, the most challenging aspect of my career is educating newly engaged brides that they NEED a planner.  In most cases, family steps in and says that they can plan the wedding and execute it and dismiss claims and experiences from others about things not running so smoothly on wedding day.  I have even heard stories of families being torn apart because of a wedding day that went awry and no one had the experience to handle the issues or deal with the situations and they snowballed quickly.  As a Psychology major in college, I understand the human condition to learn by experience rather than heeding advice.  However, many wedding days could have been saved and turned into the happy, memorable celebrations they were meant to be if an impartial, experienced planner or even day-of coordinator had been hired and utilized.

4. Name one thing about your job that most people don’t know. 

We can negotiate on our clients’ behalves and save them money (even as much as our fee) because of our long-standing vendor relationships.  Other wedding professionals like to work with planners because of our experience and our clients benefit from those relationships and experience.

5. What is one piece of advice you would have for new planners in the industry? 

GET CERTIFIED!  I know you said one, but I have two…join networking organizations.  Word-of- mouth is the best marketing tool you have and how can people talk about or refer you if they have never met you or seen you in action?

 6. What are some of the trends you see happening right now? 

Signs, signs, everywhere are signs!  Also, vintage-modern or retro-industrial is still all the rage in Interior Design as well as events.

7. How has the rise of DIY brides impacted what you do? 

Not really negatively at all…brides still need someone to set out the decorations they’ve made and make sure they do all their traditions within the allotted event time.  Maybe more day-of clients rather than full planning…I’d have to track that.

8. What is your best advice for couples who try to plan everything on their own?

Have you ever been engaged before?  Have you ever planned a wedding or even an important life event before?  Your relationship will be budding and developing during this process and I have seen couples take the stress of the wedding and turn that into relationship stress.  That does not need to happen!  How are your family dynamics?  Does your mother want to plan everything?  Does she want what you want?  I have also seen family relationships strained because of wedding planning.  My advice is to hire an impartial, experienced planner to advise, execute and deal with any issues that arise and you along with your family and friends be guests at the biggest celebration of your life and ENJOY!  No one in your party needs to be sweeping and mopping a venue in formal dress at the end of a very emotionally charged day.

9. Please share one of the most memorable weddings you have done.  

I have planned and produced a lot of memorable weddings, but one of my favorites was held earlier this year at a family residence in Westlake.  The groom came across my website and told me he was hiring me for two reasons: 1. Because I made an impact on him with my advice of why couples need a planner, and 2. Because we listened to the same 80’s bands and danced our rumps off at the clubs of that time period.  He asked me if he was going to be able to hire me and still stay within their budget of around 8K.  I made him aware of the Austin averages and said it would be challenging but if he took my advice and hired the vendors I suggested, we could do it.  He did and we did!  They both resided and worked in Arizona and I didn’t even meet the groom in person until the day of the rehearsal.  The bride only came down once to visit and we jam packed all the vendor meetings in while she was here.  I also got to design the décor.  That is one of my favorite elements of any event so I enjoyed seeing the final product.  It was a magical intimate backyard wedding and I was honored to be a part of it. (Photos below).

10. Fill in the blank: If I weren’t planning weddings, I would be in Marketing and Advertising!

Photos by Ron Parks Photography