Studio Laguna Photography is a proud member of the Independent Wedding Association. We were so honored that they accepted our application, we love the idea of being a part of a group that focuses on customer service, quality product, and who are hands on with their businesses (yay mom and pops!).

Today, was the first ever Independent Wedding Fair, and it was a huge success! There was a no pressure atmosphere and all of the vendors brought their A game. There were panel discussions that were very informative, delicious food, and an ambiance that was relaxed and an experience for the guests.

Festivities Event Services decked out the Five Event Center with luxurious fabrics and an array of accessory pieces. They really complimented the modern upscale vibe of Five.

Music from Urthema Quartet filled the air. I was very impressed with their skill level, as well as song selection. They combined modern and classical songs, and I teared up when they played "Feels Like Home". They also compose their own music! I really enjoyed seeing Radio K had a booth as well. John and I have recently "discovered" this station, and enjoy their music selection. They definitely fit the demographic of brides that attended today's fair.

Jessica's Cakes was there and fabulous as usual. She banned me from tasting too many of her sweets! And Sweets Bakeshop had a fantastic display of graphic cupcakes and vivid macaroons. If I wasn't at my booth, I was at the Chowgirls Killer Catering where they had an amazing spread.

I was really impressed by the diversity and creativity of the floral designers present. Just Bloomed, Dinstinctly Debbie, and Diana's Floral Affairs all showcased different styles and beautiful blooms.

I enjoyed meeting all of the photographers at the show. Becca Dilley Photography, Never Miss a Moment, Red Ribbon Studio, Sarah McGee Photography, and Sewell Photography showed examples of lovely albums and prints, I was so proud to be among these photographers!

And of course, everyone's favorite The Traveling Photobooth was there.

Paperista had fantastic designs on display, I loved the richness of the colors in her invitations! Armato Design had beautiful paper products, and also gave some great advice on one of the panel discussions. She even has a blog that is a must to check out!

One of the favorite booths was JWP Jewelry Design. Her jewelry was beautiful and classic, and the vendors were trying things on just as much as the guests! I was also really impressed with the quality of Knit N Jules work. All of her pieces were so soft and such high quality. Brett Dorrian Artistry is a vendor I will be recommending my brides to for makeup and hair! And Lieling Designs has beautiful work as well...you should check out her Etsy site!

I know this sounds gushy, but I truly had a blast. It is so wonderful to be a part of a group like this, where brides of all types want to bust out of that cookie cutter mold and see what else is out there! I've included some photos from today. The first is a picture of our booth, and the rest of the images are some favorites from the day, including an awesome, modern floral arrangement by Festivities. Enjoy!

Today, I had the honor to meet John Meegan, president of Top Shelf, an upscale men's clothier and tailor. They make amazing custom suits and shirts, and tailor anything as well.

I received a full education today, from the origin of wool (starting in Australia and ending on a mountain top in the Italian Alps) to the many weights and qualities of fabric. I looked through books of the different styles of fabric (there are HUNDREDS of fabric samples to choose from) and then learned about the different cuts of suits and how each is appropriate for certain occasions. Then we looked at the custom shirts. After years of seeing men tug at their collars and complain of them being too tight, I have learned that 1) this isn't how a shirt is supposed to fit and 2) how store bought shirts wear out quickly and the neck keeps shrinking, but high quality, custom shirts get better with age and do not shrink after 2-5 initial washings. And to truly put his money where his mouth was, John showed me that the jacket he was wearing was made in 2001, and one of his favorite shirts that he has worn at least 100 times was made in 1999! And both items looked brand spanking new. That sold me then and there.

What most fascinated me was learning that the shape and height of a collar as well as the type of knot used in a tie directly affects how people perceive your face shape. So having the correct collar and tie will flatter your overall appearance. After all these years of knowing women's fashion, it was a blast learning the intricacies of men's fashion.

John taught me how to tie different knots (including a bow tie, it isn't that difficult, just takes practice) and how to properly fold pocket squares. Did you know that the pocket square is not supposed to match any other fabric on the suit, just compliment it? He also had a lovely book on boutonnieres that showed the history and how to properly wear one in your suit. I had no idea that you aren't supposed to pin a boutonniere, but put a single stem through the lapel button hole. If you want to get fancy, you can have a piece called a posy holder or tussie mussie that secures the flower to the back of the lapel and adds a decorative element.

Sorry if this blog is going on forever, but there was so much I learned and I wanted to share.

If you're looking for a gift for your man for Valentine's Day, Top Shelf is definitely the place to go. You can get something as simple as a paisley pocket square or fabulous tie, or give him the full star treatment with a custom shirt or suit. They even have custom bags that are super sharp looking and funky readers. This is the shop for any man that wants to look distinguished and receive top notch customer service.

Here are my favorite images from my visit today. Enjoy!

Tonight, I was happy to be a part of Snowball, Stages Theater Company's yearly fundraiser. It is a wonderful event, and I love all that Stages does for the community and helping children experience theater.

The guests got to see the musical, The Snowy Day, a whimsical story based on the children's book. I was very impressed by the skill level shown by the young actors. It definitely made me miss theater!

Afterwards, there was a Q&A session with the cast members, and then a night of fun. There was a gigantic bounce house and slide, crafts, science projects, face painting, food gallore, a dance class and much more.

Look for this event next year, it is such a great way to spend a winter evening!

Summer Harsh has been involved in the floral industry for years, but launched her own business, Summer Harsh Botanical Artistry, last year. Tonight, she celebrated her business' first birthday with a swanky party. Friends, family, and industry professionals were all there to see her fantastic workroom, taste the amazing food Summer made herself (and the mini Cheesecakes from Muddy Paws!), grab a drink, and peek into all the rooms of her house which were decorated, top to bottom. Loving interior design the way I do, I went nuts photographing the details in the rooms, they were all so picture perfect and straight out of an Anthropologie catalog!

Anyway, back to Summer...it was great getting to see where her inspirations are born, and her work room is covered with notes from past clients, pictures, and the colors green and red. It is such a vibrant space!

Here are a few of my favorite images. I wanted to show off as much as I could of her work and the people who have supported her business and witnessed it grow to the fantastic proportions it already has. Here is to many more years of success!

The Twin Cities event community was pretty shocked when Geri Wolf announced her retirement from wedding planning. The Style Laboratory has been a big time player in the wedding and event scene for a few years now, and Geri's contemporary style and focus on food and classy decor has produced some amazing soirees.

Thankfully, The Style Laboratory will not disappear, it has simply been reinvented. Geri has created a high tech, user friendly, visually stimulating way to plan an event, and the Style Laboratory is now a storefront in the Gaviidae Commons downtown Minneapolis.

Tonight was the preview of the new space and concept that has the media buzzing and vendors so excited at the possibilities. The store will be open to the public on Monday. Be sure to check it out!

Here are a few images from tonight's event.

Edina teachers showed up in great numbers at the school board meeting this past Monday. With over 200 teachers, spouses, and children filling the lobby outside the board room, they rallied their voices to be effectively heard – their solidarity is evident.

This was a large event, even capturing the attention of Channel 9 News, which aired footage at 10pm that night.

At the board meeting itself, several parents from the community voiced their concerns, such as the district losing over $200,000, since no resolution was reached by Minnesota’s January 15th cutoff; or how the school board can email every parent with students in the district about contract issues, but teachers could face consequences if they email the same parents using the same email system.

Board member Randy Meyer may have hurt the board’s cause more than he knows. After assuring everyone that no contract discussion would ensue following any comments from community members (since discussion is reserved for negotiation meetings), he went against his own words and spoke about the situation. After highly audible groans and obvious feelings of disgust from teachers, the temperature was tangibly warmer. I would wager his comments polarized teachers further from the board. Other board members even seemed to show discomfort upon the out-of-line comment.

The reality is that both sides are looking to meet somewhere in the middle, but they disagree on where that middle is located. Neither side has further pressure from the state, so it seems to be a waiting game. For everyone’s sake, I hope a contract is settled soon.

If you want to support your teachers and show your pride for the amazing Edina school district, come to the next board meeting and be a part of this community. Write letters, spread the word, help support Edina’s students by supporting its teachers.