Here comes the bride...

Hey everyone,

Is it me or is everyone getting married? It seems as though so many people I know are planning their wedding this year. Several people have approached me and asked for advice in planning their big day. When I got married I was in love with the process. I really enjoyed being a bride. It was so exciting for me to see my dream wedding come to life. My wedding day was exactly, no better, than I envisioned it.

Lots of my family & friends asked me how I was able to bring my dream wedding to life so effortlessly. I was not a stressed and worried bride. I was determined to truly enjoy the experience of getting married and planning the big day.

Since it seems as though there are so many brides out there struggling with the plans and all the pressures, I thought I would offer some advice on how to manage it all.

When you first start to plan your wedding day, it can be overwhelming. There is literally a million things to do. Some brides struggle with figuring out what wedding style they want. My advice is when you start to plan your wedding, go dress shopping first. Go looking for your wedding gown first is very important for several factors. First, the wedding gown is important to every bride regardless of her bridal style. Shopping for your wedding gown is a very emotional and happy event. It is a great way to set the tone for the rest of your wedding preparations.

Most importantly, I think that your wedding gown ultimately defines what kind of wedding you will end up having. For example, if a bride chooses a cinderalla gown, then obviously that dress would work in a very formal setting. Therefore, something like a beach or destination wedding may be ruled out. Your gown is the backdrop of your wedding, it's important that it goes with your overall theme.

Another piece of advice is when determining your budget, do not cut corners on your photos. There is a lot areas that money can be stretched, your photos are not one of those areas. Be mindful about that, because they are going to be documenting your day and that can be considered priceless.

To all the brides out there, enjoy this time. It will be one of the most joyous times of your life. Even if things do not go according to plan, smile anyway. Finally, never loose sight of what the day is really about.


Feel Free to ask any questions you may have.

Product Review: Eco Styler Moroccan Argan Oil Styling Gel

Hey, I just wanted to do a quick product review. I recently purchased the new Eco Styler gel with Argan Oil. This gel is very inexpensive, I paid $1.99 for the 12 oz. I purchased it at my local beauty supply. Eco Styler is available at so many locations. I am sure you can find it in your local drugstore, grocery store or beauty supply; if not you can order it online from numerous vendors. 

The products reads that it will add shine to your hair, while giving you max hold.  The hold on this product is a 10 the firmest hold that this company offers. The gel is very thick, it has the consitency of a paste. 

The gel goes on smooth, however the thickness of the product made it a little difficult to distribute throughout my hair evenly. Although the gel feels heavy it did not weigh down my hair. As it was going on my hair it smelled like pure rubbing alcohol. I hate that... yuck. 

As the gel dried it did give me curl definition, however it was drying very crunchy. In order to minimize the crunch. I applied some Jane Carter Nourish & Shine to my hair after it dried. This step completely eliminated the crunch and decreased any frizz. The final results... My curls were defined, bouncy & weightless. 

As for the ingredients, don't believe the hype, Argan oil is the second to last ingredient. So this gel contains very little Argan oil. The plus about the ingredients however, is that this gel does not contain silicone, which is great.

Overall, this product is pretty decent. I will rate it a 3 of 5 stars. I will use this gel again, mostly for doing my hair to run out for errands or something. (when I want to preserve the good ish). This gel cannot replace some of my other gels. However, the fact that this can even compete with a $20 dollar gel, say it a lot. 

GIVEAWAY WILL BE:

MISS JESSIE'S PRODUCTS (A FEW OF THEM) 

STAY TUNED.

Vegas... Anyone?

Hey everyone,

I wanted to discuss one of my favorite travel destinations... Las Vegas, NV. Now when I go to Las Vegas my agenda is to enjoy the exciting nightlife and amazing entertainment. Las Vegas is not really a place you can go to stay with the intentions of relaxing and escaping it all. My joke is once I get home from Vegas then I need a real vacation to relax and catch up on sleep.

Las Vegas is a very fast pace, high energy city. The Las Vegas strip is constantly busy. There is so much to see and do, the possibilities are endless. So let me give you my personal tour of Las Vegas and why I enjoy it so much.

Accommodations:

Unlike Atlantic City, the casino/ hotels in Las Vegas are much more inexpensive. The rooms are made so affordable, so that people will go spend money elsewhere like in the casino. Also I find all the casinos / hotels on the Las Vegas strip are either new or newly renovated. This means no matter where you chose to stay you will enjoy all the modern comforts and upgrades. 

On my last trip to Las Vegas I stayed at Harrah's which is directly across from Caesars. Harrah's was a great choice because it is smack dead in the middle of all the action on the strip. Now my room at Harrah's was great. My room was newly renovated and I had all luxuries and amenities as a 5 star hotel without the high price. I had a gorgeous view overlooking their pool and the Las Vegas strip, which was just breathtaking at night. I had flat screens in my bathroom. I mean the Ritz Carlton did even have that. So I bet you are wondering how much? Well I stayed in Las Vegas for 6 nights and the total cost of my room was just under $200. THAT'S IT! I got a fabulous room and even more fabulous price.

So when you are booking your hotel in Las Vegas do your research, and trust me there is always someplace else offering the same thing for less. 

HOW TO GET MORE DEALS....

When you check in at your hotel, always ask about what is comped? Las Vegas is the capitol of comps. There is always some freebies floating around. You just have to ask and the right people. What can you get comped??? Everything.

From dinner, to a VIP table at a club to a free night's stay at a casino. 

NIGHTLIFE

My favorite Las Vegas nightclubs are Pure, JET & Tao. FYI all of these were in walking distance from Harrah's. Ladies I know what you are thinking ( walking in heels, how far?) but I literally mean either right across the street or next door. Harrah's location is absolutely perfect. 

Ok some quick info on the clubs, Pure is the best in my opinion. Pure is located in Caesars Palace and its divine and the ambiance is unmatched.  If you are in town, you must check it out. 

Also entry to these clubs can be very pricey and long line to get in is even worse. However, if you show up at the club during the day and look for the guys in suits with a clipboard. You can put yourself on the VIP list for that evening, its that simple. Then you show up that night and you are instantly VIP, no waiting on line and no paying. I love it.

Remember to grab a few free drinks in the casino before you hit the clubs.

DINING

The dining options in Las Vegas are endless. However, briefly I will tell you about my two favorite spots. For a lunch you have to check out the Burger Bar. It is located in Mandalay Bay. As you might have figured out they make burgers. However, the cool thing about the burger bar is you can order your burger ANY WAY you like. You can anything on your burger from caviar to fried eggs and its all amazing. Every time I go I get the Kobe Beef burger with sweet potatoes fries.  This place has never let me down.

My other favorite place to dine to Rao's. Rao's is located in Caesars Palace. Its the best Italian I have ever had in my life. Rao's originated in Harlem, NY, but no one can get reservations there, they are booked up a year in advance it ridiculous, but that is a testament to how good it is. So for me the next best thing is  the Vegas location.  If you enjoy Italian you will not be disappointed.

YOU MUST...

While in Vegas there is just a few things you must do. Here is my top five must do things.

5. See the Water Show in front of the Bellagio. ~Its Breathtaking and the best Free show on the strip.~

4. Stop by a Pool Party. ~ Very Interesting Stuff~

3. Ride the Roller Coaster at New York, NY. ~Its attached to the building, why not free fall and see the strip in a whole new way (upside down).~

2. See a REAL Las Vegas Show.

1. Don't sleep, ~You will miss all the action~

Enjoy