Ashton Gardens Wedding With Bonus Fun Proposal Story!

ashton gardens wedding houston chapel doors couple first look
Venue: Ashton Gardens | Photo: Kaitlyn Beauregard Photography

Mosquitos. Guacamole. A clever ruse. Oh, how we love a zany proposal story: “I told Shane I wanted to wait until I officially had a degree to be engaged,” says Joanna. “He waited exactly a week after I graduated. We had talked about going on a hike, and finally planned it for that weekend. While on our hike there there were so many mosquitos it looked like a dark fog was following us. We ran out of the woods with about 30 bites each laughing so hard (with me not realizing his proposal plan was falling apart). We found an area that was mosquito-free, sat down for a picnic, and then Shane told me he had something for me. I got extremely suspicious that he was proposing. I thought to myself, ‘Shane can’t propose with a tub of guacamole (my favorite) sitting in between us.’ Click here to read the rest of this post »

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6 Bridal Foot Care Products We Can’t Live Without

Real talk for a sec re: feet. As a bride, you’re gonna be on them a LOT. And depending on the bridal shoe style you choose for your wedding day, your heels and/or toes are likely to be in the spotlight. Yet, for most brides, pre-wedding foot care tends to fall way low on the bridal beauty prep priority list. Do not–we repeat, do NOT–let this happen to you. Get started on you bridal foot-care regimen at least three months out from your wedding day, and make foot care a part of your daily skincare routine, and make any or all of these six superb products, hand-picked (foot-picked??) by our editorial staff, a part of the plan!

 

Diamancel-Sephora

Diamonds are a bride’s best friend…especially when it comes to her feet. Seriously, y’all, if you invest in just one foot-grooming implement, make it this one. Made with industrial-grade diamond grit (yes, it really is a thing), the Diamancel Diamond Foot Buffer is our go-to tool for eliminating calluses, sloughing off rough patches and softening cracked heels. Is it a bit on the pricey side for a foot file? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely.

Aveda-Foot-Relief

After your daily diamond sloughing and a quick rinse, preserve that baby-soft skin with a good slathering of Aveda Foot Relief Moisturizing Creme. Fruit acids and botanical oils will keep your feet insanely soft and smooth, while peppermint, rosemary and lavender will make your tootsies feel fresh and invigorated, even when encased in your fave snuggly socks!

LOccitane-Shea-Butter

Packed with a hefty 15% super-softening shea butter, L’Occitane’s Dry Skin Foot Cream packs perfectly into handbags, desk drawers and toiletry cases, making it perfect for deep heel conditioning on the go. And we are always on the go.

 

 

Fresh-Brown-Sugar-Body-Polish

Not specifically a foot product, Fresh’s Brown Sugar Body Polish nevertheless makes our top foot care products list because we A) use it in the shower every day, B) always start our scrub routine with our feet, and C) can NOT get enough of the renowned brown sugar and citrus scent of this incredibly luxurious scrub.

Peppermint- foot care-the body shop
For a quick foot pick-me-up at an affordable price point, you can’t beat The Body Shop’s Peppermint Reviving Foot Scrub, which basically turns tough and/or tired tootsies into the foot equivalent of freshly brushed teeth. Yay!

Samba Cream-Sephora

If all-in-one foot-care convenience is your bag, we highly recommend Sol de Janeiro’s Samba 2-Step Foot Fetish kit, which combines a super-cute surfboard-inspired Foot Smoothing Board and a fast-absorbing, cupuaçu-butter-infused Foot Fetish Cream for a one-two punch that, when used several times a week, will get your bridal feet in wedding-day shape like nobody’s business.

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Joyful, Romantic Downtown Houston Engagement Shoot by Adam Nyholt

Already lucky in love, Houston couple Morgan and Nathan scored again, as attendees at this past February’s I Do! Wedding Soiree at The Corinthian, when they won an amazing engagement shoot from top Houston wedding photographer Adam Nyholt.

Known for his superb, unposed, full-of-personality portraits, Nyholt took Morgan and Nathan on a tour of downtown Houston, documenting their deep affection and unmistakable pre-wedding glow all along the way. We’re so excited to feature this engagement photo session here on the blog…and equally excited to see Nyholt’s photos of the lovebirds’ wedding, which will take place at The Corinthian in November!!

Love what you see? Check out more of Nyholt’s recent wedding work here and here, then find out just how he can capture your own wedding in stunning photos you’ll treasure forever!

Adam- Nyholt- engagement- shoot

Adam- Nyholt- engagement- shoot

Adam- Nyholt- engagement- shoot

Adam- Nyholt- engagement- shoot

Adam- Nyholt- engagement- shoot

Adam- Nyholt- engagement- shoot

Adam- Nyholt- engagement- shoot

Adam- Nyholt- engagement- shoot

Adam- Nyholt- engagement- shoot

Adam- Nyholt- engagement- shoot

Adam- Nyholt- engagement- shoot

Adam- Nyholt- engagement- shoot

Adam- Nyholt- engagement- shoot

Adam- Nyholt- engagement- shoot

Adam- Nyholt- engagement- shoot

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Blush, Gold, Gray & Silver Wedding at The Astorian by Ama Photography & Cinema

“We wanted a wedding like nothing any of our guests had ever been to,” says Houston bride Meagan, who tied the knot with handsome Brett at an all-out swanky celebration at The Astorian. “We decided to go against tradition and have a big party instead. Our setup was more of a lounge feel. We had passed appetizers, dessert and treats, along with serviced food stations. The bar was open from the moment you arrived. We wanted people to have a great time from beginning to end and I think we succeeded at that!” So do we, Meagan…so do we. “Our favorite moment is when my brother, the officiant, had us actually turn around during the ceremony and look at all of our loved ones surrounding us. I will never forget that moment and seeing all of our guests smiling back at us.” Luckily, she’ll also enjoy the moment, and all the moments of her incredible day, in photographs by Aisha Khan of Ama Photography & Cinema. Congratulations, Meagan & Brett, wishing you a lifetime of love!

Meagan & Brett-Ama Photography & Cinema-Brennans-Ivory-Astorian-Bright Star Productions-HI-RES110 Meagan & Brett-Ama Photography & Cinema-Brennans-Ivory-Astorian-Bright Star Productions-HI-RES065 Meagan & Brett-Ama Photography & Cinema-Brennans-Ivory-Astorian-Bright Star Productions-HI-RES119 Meagan & Brett-Ama Photography & Cinema-Brennans-Ivory-Astorian-Bright Star Productions-HI-RES114 Meagan & Brett-Ama Photography & Cinema-Brennans-Ivory-Astorian-Bright Star Productions-HI-RES017 Meagan & Brett-Ama Photography & Cinema-Brennans-Ivory-Astorian-Bright Star Productions-HI-RES018 Meagan & Brett-Ama Photography & Cinema-Brennans-Ivory-Astorian-Bright Star Productions-HI-RES022 Meagan & Brett-Ama Photography & Cinema-Brennans-Ivory-Astorian-Bright Star Productions-HI-RES035 Meagan & Brett-Ama Photography & Cinema-Brennans-Ivory-Astorian-Bright Star Productions-HI-RES036 Meagan & Brett-Ama Photography & Cinema-Brennans-Ivory-Astorian-Bright Star Productions-HI-RES037 Meagan & Brett-Ama Photography & Cinema-Brennans-Ivory-Astorian-Bright Star Productions-HI-RES125 Meagan & Brett-Ama Photography & Cinema-Brennans-Ivory-Astorian-Bright Star Productions-HI-RES136 Meagan & Brett-Ama Photography & Cinema-Brennans-Ivory-Astorian-Bright Star Productions-HI-RES028 Meagan & Brett-Ama Photography & Cinema-Brennans-Ivory-Astorian-Bright Star Productions-HI-RES167 Meagan & Brett-Ama Photography & Cinema-Brennans-Ivory-Astorian-Bright Star Productions-HI-RES115 Meagan & Brett-Ama Photography & Cinema-Brennans-Ivory-Astorian-Bright Star Productions-HI-RES103 Meagan & Brett-Ama Photography & Cinema-Brennans-Ivory-Astorian-Bright Star Productions-HI-RES101 Meagan & Brett-Ama Photography & Cinema-Brennans-Ivory-Astorian-Bright Star Productions-HI-RES091 Meagan & Brett-Ama Photography & Cinema-Brennans-Ivory-Astorian-Bright Star Productions-HI-RES147 Meagan & Brett-Ama Photography & Cinema-Brennans-Ivory-Astorian-Bright Star Productions-HI-RES153 Meagan & Brett-Ama Photography & Cinema-Brennans-Ivory-Astorian-Bright Star Productions-HI-RES047 Meagan & Brett-Ama Photography & Cinema-Brennans-Ivory-Astorian-Bright Star Productions-HI-RES049 Meagan & Brett-Ama Photography & Cinema-Brennans-Ivory-Astorian-Bright Star Productions-HI-RES161 Meagan & Brett-Ama Photography & Cinema-Brennans-Ivory-Astorian-Bright Star Productions-HI-RES050 Photos & Video: Ama Photography & Cinema | Rehearsal Dinner Location: Brennan’s Houston | Venue: The Astorian | Galia Lahav Wedding Dress: Ivory Bridal Atelier | Lighting: Bright Star Productions

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How To Pack The Perfect Wedding-Day Emergency Kit

Bridal-Kit

Whether you’re packing your own bridal bag (aka the wedding-day emergency kit) or having your MOH get one ready for you, you’ll want to make sure not to leave out a single wedding-day essential! You can go ahead and start getting your bridal must-haves ready a month before the big day, using our handy list of 10 wedding-day essentials as your guide:

  1. Snacks. You may not feel hungry with all the excitement surrounding you on your wedding day, but you’re going to need energy for this major celebration. Nuts or granola bars are a great source of protein, and will keep for months before your big day.
  2. Toothbrush and toothpaste. Buy a travel size of each to keep in your bag. You wouldn’t want to say your “I do” with anything less than fresh breath.
  3. A garment steamer. If you have a handheld one on hand you’re already winning! If not, get one. It’s an essential tool for smoothing out stubborn gown wrinkles, and can be used for last-minute clothing touch-ups for years to come!
  4. Bobby pins and hair ties. There are going to be lots of girls. Someone is going to need them, right?
  5. Sewing kit. A popped button or dropped hem is never good news. Having needle, thread and hem tape handy will save the day in a pinch.
  6. Mints, not gum. You don’t want to be captured on film chomping away like it’s nobody’s business, after all.
  7. Band-Aids. You’ll be wearing your bridal heels for hours. Even if you’ve made a pre-wedding effort to break them in, you’ll almost certainly have a few blisters or sore spots as the night progresses.
  8. Nail polish. Be sure to pack a bottle of your wedding-day nail color. Your bridesmaids should do the same. Chipped nails are a definite no-no in those detail shots your photographer is going to take!
  9. Lipstick & lip liner. You’ll be kissing your freshly minted spouse all night. Make sure your lip color is locked in or refreshed for photos.
  10. Blotting papers. A quick press to absorb any oil or sweat that may have snuck out to your skin’s surface, followed by sweep of translucent powder, will have you looking fresh and shine-free, in person, and in pix!
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