A Verse By Any Other Name....

Saturday's ceremony readings were delightfully fresh to my ears and brought tears to my eyes.

I love when couples take the wedding day and personalize it to make it their own unique event. And the ceremony is a beautiful place to do just that. It is wonderful to get a glimpse into their love by seeing how they express it in front of their family and friends. Bible verses are lovely and traditional, but passages from favorite poems, plays or stories show you the personality of the couple. Peek here for some inspiration. I had never thought about using "The Velveteen Rabbit," by Margery Williams, though I adored the story as a child!

"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."

"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

I am looking forward to next week's wedding- their reading is coming from a favorite children's book- I can't wait to find out what it is!

Huggies Jeans

Have you seen the new Huggies Jeans Diapers?

We are told these new trendy diapers are perfect for summer. Since we use cloth, we probably will not get the chance to try them out. Will you? :)

"Not So Plain" Jane Fundraiser Event

Janis Makwinja, The Pampered Chef consultant, is hosting a special fundraiser event at our studio, in honor of her sister, Jane, who died of breast cancer in 2003.

The month of May is Help Whip Cancer month with The Pampered Chef, as they join forces with the American Cancer Society to raise funds for breast cancer awareness and early detection programs.

Come to the 1st Annual
"Not So Plain" Jane Fundraiser Event

Wednesday, May 26th at 6pm
Door Prizes! Cooking Class!
$25 Gift Card to Appleby Photography for every attendee

Socialize with your friends, enjoy light refreshments and food,
and Help Whip Cancer!
Feel free to come to the class or just stop in
between 6-8pm if you only need to place an order!
Up to 25% of total sales will be going to the American Cancer Society, as well as $1 for every Exclusive Pink Product purchased.

The Pampered Chef also has a Wedding Registry!
Janis can show you how easy it is to get all the necessities you need!

This event is being hosted at
Appleby Photography Studio
402 E. Wilson Street, Madison
Free parking available in the Wilson Lot, located at E. Wilson & S. Hancock

Please RSVP by May 24 to Janis at 608.824.9995 or janismakwinja@gmail.com
(Orders can be placed until May 28th, www.pamperedchef.biz/janisjane)

"Not So Plain" Jane Fundraiser Event

Janis Makwinja, The Pampered Chef consultant, is hosting a special fundraiser event at our studio, in honor of her sister, Jane, who died of breast cancer in 2003.

The month of May is Help Whip Cancer month with The Pampered Chef, as they join forces with the American Cancer Society to raise funds for breast cancer awareness and early detection programs.

Come to the 1st Annual
"Not So Plain" Jane Fundraiser Event

Wednesday, May 26th at 6pm
Door Prizes! Cooking Class!
$25 Gift Card to Appleby Photography for every attendee

Socialize with your friends, enjoy light refreshments and food,
and Help Whip Cancer!
Feel free to come to the class or just stop in
between 6-8pm if you only need to place an order!
Up to 25% of total sales will be going to the American Cancer Society, as well as $1 for every Exclusive Pink Product purchased.

This event is being hosted at
Appleby Photography Studio
402 E. Wilson Street, Madison
Free parking available in the Wilson Lot, located at E. Wilson & S. Hancock

Please RSVP by May 24 to Janis at 608.824.9995 or janismakwinja@gmail.com
(Orders can be placed until May 28th, www.pamperedchef.biz/janisjane)

Wedding Day Tips, part 3

7. Wear comfortable shoes! Make sure you wear your wedding day shoes around the house to break them in, and don't forget to put scuff the bottom of your shoes so that you don't slip and fall down the aisle. Some brides opt to bring a second pair of shoes (or slippers, flip flops, etc) to the reception so that they can change their shoes after the grand entrance into the reception, which I think is a great idea!

8. Have someone carry your garter for you. Most of the garters that we've seen are really tight and totally uncomfortable. Put it on your leg for a photo during the getting ready process and then give it to a trusted friend (or put it in your purse/touch-up kit) to carry with you throughout the day, and then put it on right before the garter toss at the reception. That way you aren't uncomfortable all day long.

9. Hire a full-time professional photographer. Everyone is looking for ways to save money on their wedding nowadays, especially in our current economic climate, but fabulous photography is absolutely priceless. A professional photographer will guide you through the entire wedding process with ease, know what to expect on the wedding day, have back-up equipment on them, be able to handle all kinds of lighting situations, and know how to pose you to make you look your absolute best. Did you know that by turning your body at an angle and shifting your weight to your back foot while pointing your other foot forward, you can instantly lose 10-20 pounds through the camera? Yep, it's true. A seasoned pro should be able to tell you these kinds of tricks and secrets so that you look AMAZING in your photos.

10. Smile and have a good time! Laugh and let loose in front of the camera; just be yourself and show off that wonderful love that you have for each other. The happiness and affection will show through in the photos that you'll treasure for a lifetime!

A Little Help From Our Friends

We are working hard on some improvements to our studio and we would love your help!

We are interested in your feedback, whether you have used our services yet or not. As we work to improve our services and website, we would like to know your thoughts and suggestions. Your answers will help us to work better as we focus on you! Please take this survey- the answers are anonymous and it will take less than 5 minutes to complete. The more details you are able to provide, the better. We would really appreciate any thoughts that you can share with us, and we look forward to your respoonses! Thank you for your help!!

Take the survey here!

Wedding Day Tips, part 2

4. Avoid salty foods at your rehearsal dinner. The night before your wedding is not the time to begin to feel like you're retaining water! We all know how awful that feels so just remember to keep your salt intake low the night before the wedding so that your dress fits perfectly the next morning.

5. Remember to eat breakfast and stay hydrated! So many brides forget to eat the morning of their wedding or they don't stay hydrated throughout the day. Most people get pretty cranky when their blood sugar is low or they begin to feel dehydrated so don't forget to take care of yourself.

6. Bring a touch up kit with you on the wedding day. We always suggest that our clients include powder, lipstick, lip gloss, a comb and a mini can of hairspray in their touch-up kit or purse. Have your maid of honor be in charge of keeping it nearby in case you need a quick touch-up after the ceremony.

New Wedding Home!

As we prepare for our new website launch, we are splitting the blogs. This will make it easier for both wedding and portrait clients to find the information they need. Our new wedding home is located here. We look forward to seeing you there!

Wedding Day Tips, part 1

1. Do a trial run with your hair stylist & make-up artist before the wedding. Look through the make-up artist's portfolio and really look at each image. Does the client's skin look flawless? Are they shiny in photos? Is the make-up blended well? Do the brides in their portfolios look the way you want to look? If so, then you've probably found a great make-up artist for your wedding day make-up. Have them do your make-up before the wedding though so that you can see if you enjoy working with them and so that there are no unpleasant surprises. Some make-up artists include a trial run in their wedding day fee, others charge extra, but I think it's an extra expense that is well worth it. (This goes for your wedding day hairstylist too) Peace of mind is everything when it comes to your wedding day!

2. Some may suggest airbrush make-up. Brides are seeking airbrush application because not only is it light weight make-up that makes the skin appear flawless, but it lasts much longer than traditional make-up and it helps avoid the forehead shine in your photos. I would suggest a trial run, as a poor application can look caked-on! Also, the thicker layer of make-up can show smudges from too many wedding day hugs, so give it a thorough test.

3. Avoid red lipstick on the wedding day. Unless you are doing a very specific, themed look for your wedding (old Hollywood glam, for example), especially if you like the look of black and white photos. Not many people think about this, but the red pigments in the red lipstick will actually turn your lips black in black and white photography. Just another tip from a seasoned pro. ;)

New Wedding Home!

As we prepare for our new website launch, we have decided to separate the blogs into two. This will allow our wedding and portrait clients to easily and quickly find the information that means the most to them.

So, to our brides and grooms, welcome! This is all for you!

Daddy & Me

Father’s Day is just around the corner!

Mom, surprise him this Father’s Day with a

Daddy & Me portrait session at Appleby Photography.

Let us chronicle the joy of fatherhood and create memories

Dad will love to look back on.

Father’s Day is June 20th, 2010!

Call 608-280-8845 TODAY to schedule a session.

Ecomom Review and Giveaway!

Ecomom has just launched their new and improved website. EcoMom’s goal is to making eco-conscious living easy, affordable, and fun! We have a review, a special discount and FREE giveaway!

We were delighted when we were asked to taste-test a new line of organic food that Ecomom just added to their website. I think organic food is a wonderful aspiration for the whole family, and it’s mandatory in our house for our babies, as well as into toddlerhood. My thoughts are that feeding babies artificial ingredients, preservatives and chemicals has to have a bigger, and worse, impact on them because they are so little- ounce for ounce, they would be getting more of the “yucky stuff”.

We received samples from the Plum Organics Baby and Tots lines, and also from the Revolution Foods line, which is also organic and geared to older kids with products that would work well for the school lunchbox.

The kids were excited when I gathered them for a little tasting party, so I will share our thoughts and reactions.

• The first thing we tried was the Revolution Foods Mashups in Berry and the Plum Organics Tots Peach Mish Mash. Both of these are real fruit puree that come in a foil pouch. I had started the kids out with spoons, but they all preferred to drink the purees right from the packages (I’m sure that was half the fun). These both were a big hit! I was shocked that my picky 10 year old LOVED the peach- she won’t even eat real peaches! She said it was like a yummy applesauce and that we have to buy more for her lunches. My 4 year old liked drinking from the package so much that she ran off to refill them with water and declared that they were her water bottles.
• I was surprised that the Jammy Sammy bars didn’t go ever as well. These are little snack sized sandwich bars that come in kid-friendly flavors like PB&J, which is a staple at our house. Both my 10 and 2 year old thought they were “not so good” while my 4 year old thought they were great and wanted more, though every bite was polished off, so they weren’t that bad! I was told they were like Nutri-Grain bars, but with not enough jelly.
• The Plum Organics Baby foods also come in the foil pouches. They were a generous portion so I could pour out what I needed and reseal the package with the cap for another meal. They come in fun flavors like Pear & Mango! Yum!
• Overall, I think both food lines are great. The options for organic meals and snacks make it easy to have something quick and to travel with healthy food. The combination of flavors was a refreshing variety that kids don’t always get exposed to with “regular” snack foods.

Try It!

Check out Ecomom for yourself! They are offering you, our readers, 15% off your first order! The discount code is SBBL298 and will be good through May 31, 2010. You can use it on anything (but the Ecopass), including a cute little toy recycling truck! The Ecopass is a $99 annual membership which gives you a 15% discount on every order, free shipping and other club “perks”. You can find them on twitter and facebook, as well as sign up for their newsletter.

Win It!

Now for the good stuff: A Giveaway! Ecomom will give away a little gift to one of our readers- $20 worth of Plum and/or Revolution Foods so you can try them out yourself! Your chance to enter ends May 22nd, 2010. The winner will be chosen at random.

How to enter (you can do one, or as many as you like):

• sign up for our newsletter, if you do not already receive it
• “like” on us facebook
• leave a comment on facebook
• leave a comment on this blog
• refer a friend
• share our post on another blog/forum/group/facebook

Comment here or on facebook to let us know what you did to enter (see, that gives you one entry right there!).

Disclosure: I received complimentary food for this review. I did not receive any payment. This is my honest opinion.