One of the best parts about going to a party like Planning
Pretty where a lot of vendors are in the same place at the same time is being
able to watch them in action. You can see how they interact with other people,
how they manage crowds, and—if you’re lucky—you can watch them practice their
craft. This is a huge bonus when you’re hunting for the perfect wedding vendor.
Planning Pretty guests definitely lucked out because we got
to watch a few potential vendors in action all in one night.
Monica Fish, Antique Honey Photography
Monica worked the party much like she would work a wedding.
Most of the time, I didn’t even realize she was there. She weaved through the
crowd like a stealthy little fox, getting her shot without ever getting in the
way of the guests.
She definitely showed that she is not one of those
photographers that guests complain about afterwards. You can bet she won’t be
in the way during the ceremony or obtrusive during any other magical moment—but
she’ll still get her shot!
The one thing you did notice was her bee booth, which she
created because of the eyesore photo booths usually create. Her booth is big
enough to fit a big group of friends inside and is handicap accessible while also
being much easier on the eyes than a typical metal photo booth.
The photo booth is mobile enough that Monica can usually accommodate two
backdrops and spaces for an event. This versatility has resulted in amazing photo
booth photos with the NYC skyline as the backdrop during one couple’s rooftop
cocktail party.
Jason Scrofani, In-Home Personal Trainer
Jason is a corrective
exercise specialist and holistic nutritional coach who takes all aspects of
your life (sleep patterns, stress levels, pain etc.) into account when
designing a personalized exercise and nutritional program. He’s basically your health
and fitness go-to guy. Bonus? You don’t actually have to go anywhere. He comes to you.
Jason shared some great
tips at the party. Two of my favorites were fat burning secrets: apple cider
vinegar and coconut oil. He says to drink two tablespoons of apple cider
vinegar in 12 oz of water twice a day and to cook with coconut oil (you can also
use it as a moisturizer!). Doing either of these things will help you burn fat without moving a muscle. Awesome, right?
Jason also shared with us
what he calls the Busy Bride Fat Shredding Workout. Here it is:
- Day 1: 15 squat and press, 15 pushups, 30 jumping jacks (3 times)
- Day 3: 30 oblique twist, 30 step back lunges, 30 jumping jacks (3 times)
- Day 5: 10 low back raise (each side), 15 biceps curl, 15 triceps extension (3 times)
All photos courtesy of Antique Honey |
And for those of us who were about to whine that we didn’t
have enough time in our busy schedules for even that, Jason gave us a nightly commercial workout tip (which I talked about in my recap post). Instead
of absentmindedly shoving snacks in your face while you watch your favorite guilty
pleasure TV shows, you can try Jason’s little trick during commercial breaks:
do quick squats or shadow boxing for the duration of every other commercial.
And Jason didn’t just talk. He actually pulled ladies out of
the audience and showed them how to do the exercises he was discussing—and they liked it (see above)! You
could tell that he’s passionate about his work and that he has the ability to
make you passionate about it too.
So have I convinced you yet that you need to be at the next one of these parties?!
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Jen Garry is co-founder of Bijou, a new online bridal magazine and blog.