Hey That’s A Nice Life

I wasn’t totally happy with the first trial run makeup session I had in November and I’ve been kinda stressed about it because I’m just not much a of makeup wearer.

So, I’ve been doing a lot of research and talking to makeup artists, etc.  I learned of a makeup line at Sephora that really interested me and today I had a session with the artist there.

Here is the result:

The makeup line is Make Up For Ever and it’s supposed to stay and stay and stay all day while still looking natural.  It’s been on now for about seven hours and it feels very natural and is holding up extraordinarily well.  It’s high def makeup so it’s used for TV a lot.  To me, my skin looks as nice as it does when I’ve been airbrushed for TV.

Interestingly, we used a different brand of primer.  The primer here is Lorac Aqua Prime, and the eye and lip primer (same product) is Urban Decay.  After the primer set, Terri Anne used a concealer from Josie Maran.  Then she used the #30 Mat Velvet Make Up Fo Ever Foundation (with a much larger foundation brush than I would have imagined) and set it with a Make Up For Ever  translucent pressed powder called Duo Mat #21 (she brushed that on as well).

Next she applied the bronzer (Sephora brand) and blush (Makeup For Ever).

BUT - can we talk about my eyes. I LOVE what she did.  Even better - it’s a Sephora color palette!

I loved the lipstick, too.  In fact - I already bought it.  It’s a $5 Sephora lipliner and some $12 Sephora gloss.  With the primer on, it’s really lasted.

Okay - here is today’s work (taken under the really harsh flourescent lights at work):

And here is the first trial from Bobbie Brown (taken in soft lamp light at home):

Thoughts?

For some reason I can no  longer remember, a few minutes ago I told Don about a strange wedding photography trend that is compelling in the oddest way.  Fake mustaches.  He seemed skeptical that this is actually a trend. 

But it’s true.  A number of wedding blogs that I read have written about it and showcased pictures.  And not a number like 2 either.  A big number.

So I hauled up the laptop and googled ‘wedding mustache’.  This was one of the first pictures that appeared:

See?  Isn’t it odd and strangely compelling?  Offbeat Bride says that fake mustaches are the new red wedding dress so you know it’s for real.

I don’t see us going this route - it didn’t even occur to me to get a red wedding dress - but I sure love looking at the pictures. 

On the other hand, Don’s surprise project does need a few props, so maybe we’ll spring for a few fake ’staches.

moustaches for all! by racheℓ ✈ mergeweddings.com’ s

And it breaks my heart.

“Fidelity”: Don’t Divorce… from Courage Campaign on Vimeo.

After you watch this video, dry your tears and sign this letter destined for the California State Supreme Court. Tell them to invalidate Prop 8, reject Ken Starr’s* legal brief (which would forcibly divorce the 18,000 same sex couples that were married last year in California before Prop 8 passed), and let loving, committed couples marry.  Do it before Valentine’s Day.

*You’ve suspected for a decade that he was evil, now you know for sure.

The problem with writing this wedding blog is that I never know how much people who are attending the wedding want to know in advance.  Do you like that you’ve basically seen the invitations even though they have not yet arrived in the mail?

Today I’m going to let you decide if you want to keep the centerpieces a surprise or if you’re ready to see them now.  If you want to be surprised, come back another day.  If you want to see them keep reading. Read more…

Let’s get it out there for those who haven’t heard.  We’re having an iPod wedding. 

Yes, I have heard the horror stories - iPods that failed, sound systems that weren’t powerful enough, the friend charged with manning it getting sick or drunk … but I’ve also heard lots of good stories, too.  So we decided to chance it.

As far as I can tell, one of the biggest reasons to have a DJ (beside the fact that you have money budgeted to spend on one) is that they are able to read the crowd, change the tone of the tunes and encourage people to dance.  And sometimes they are awful and can ruin a wedding as easily as a poorly planned playlist.  So we might as well take a our chances.

I’ve read 100 articles about how to make it work from a technical standpoint (multiple iPods loaded with the same playlists, sound board, software that helps manage the flow between songs and provides uniform volume, etc.).  But the part about how to get people on the dance floor is a harder.

One of my biggest fears about the iPod wedding is that no one will dance.  So, I’m begging you now - three months out - promise me you’ll dance.  A lot.  All night.

To make it more fun for you, we’ll take requests.  Since there is no live DJ, we’re taking requests any time between now and April 15 or so. 

• If you’re married, what was your first dance (or if you didn’t have a reception, is there a song that you consider “your song”)?
• After dinner, it will be time to shake your moneymaker.  What do you want to hear?

Katy, CDott and Kelly getting their groove on

An e-mail will go out with a more formal request for requests, but start thinking about it and let us know now if there is something that would really inspire you to dance. Try to remember some of the songs that played at the most fun wedding you ever attended.

Please note there will be some country music, but a pretty limited amount so make your requests carefully.  Oh - and no group dances.

When we first launched our wedding Web site, we mentioned that the Friday evening Welcome Picnic would feature entertainment by those in attendance.   This was an idea that Don casually mentioned one day, and that I immediately loved.  Probably even more than he expected.

It came about when Don pointed out to me that in addition to all the talented wedding elves who would help us make invitations and take photos and just be all round helpful before, during and after our wedding that we happened to know an extraordinary number of people with talents in the performing arts.  He thought it would be cool to ask all of them to perform the night before the wedding instead of asking one of them to perform during the ceremony.  As soon as he said, I was determined to make it happen.

So we started by casually mentioning it when someone would mentioned his/her talent.  Then last week, I updated the Web site with actual information about the “Talent Showcase”.  But the full court press started today.

This morning we had some folks over for brunch.  After we had plied some of the talent with lots of mimosas and bloody marys, I started in earnest.  And surprisingly, everyone agreed.  Some really got into it, making plans for acts and making notes about what numbers they would perform.

Others agreed reluctantly, and if you’re one of those people I’m telling you now that we don’t want you to be uncomfortable and will not hold you responsible for anything you said today.  Well, most of you anyway.

Here’s a list of some of the things people agreed to do:

EP - Sing opera
KD - Maybe play a secret new instrument and perform a lounge act with MD
MD - Perform a lounge act with KD
TB - Emcee and perform a 5 minute comedic stand up
TB - Sing
EW - Play the flute
LW - Play the guitar
KW - Irish dance
KH - Sing

We have some out of town friends attending with similar performing abilities that we’re hoping to recruit as well.  EG has said she will sing and play guitar and we’re hoping CVR will sing as well.  FBIL2 also is working a little number for us.  

The best part about today was that we learned about talents people had that we didn’t even know about and were reminded about talents that we had forgotten about overs the years.  So, I bet some of you reading this blog who will be our wedding have a talent that you’d love to show off - it can be serious or silly - and we’d LOVE to include you.  Drop me e-mail (susan at fussellwhiteside dot com) and let me know what you can do.

We going to show off our talents, too.  Don is considering a little juggling act for Friday night, in fact.   As for my talent, well … you’ll see it in the wedding invitations, the programs, the menus, the escort cards, the Save the Date cards, the thank you cards, and so on.  It’s hard to perform, but you won’t be able to attend this wedding and not notice it.

An official e-mail will be sent about the Talent Showcase AFTER the invitations get mailed after which time we’ll need to know what you will perform for our lovely emcee, but feel free to tell me now if you’ve already made up your mind.