I am so excited that today is one of the most historical moments of my lifetime. In a few moments I will join the ranks of many and have my eyes glued to the big screen as Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. The theme for this Inauguration Day is A New Birth of Freedom in honor of the 200th Anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would be proud to know that his dream has become a reality! Below is a schedule of some events for today's Inauguration and some photos taken by the Associated Press this morning:
Schedule of Inaugural Events
January 18
Time Event
8:00 AM Gates open to general public for the We Are One Inaugural Celebration. The Reflecting Pool area, JFK Hockey Fields and Constitution Gardens are open to the public. Space will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
12:00 Children's Inaugural Ball Noon-5 PM
2:30 PM We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial: A public celebration, free to the public.
The entire show will be broadcast live and for free on HBO and HBO.com. (Even though it is shown on HBO, anyone -- subscriber or not -- will be able to watch. Check your local cable/satellite listings for the channel in your area. The celebration will be rebroadcast at 7PM ET/PT and 11:30 PM ET/PT.
Musical performers scheduled for the event include Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Bono, Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Renee Fleming, Josh Groban, Herbie Hancock, Heather Headley, John Legend, Jennifer Nettles, John Mellencamp, Usher Raymond IV, Shakira, Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, will.i.am, and Stevie Wonder. Among those reading historical passages will be Jamie Foxx, Martin Luther King III, Queen Latifah and Denzel Washington. The Rt. Reverend V. Gene Robinson will give the invocation. Rob Mathes will be the music director and arranger for the backing band, which will support all of the artists. Additional performers will be announced as they are confirmed.
7:00 PM The "We Are One" inaugural celebration will be rebroadcast on HBO to all cable and satellite subscriber as an open feed -- you do not need to subscribe to HBO to watch this special event.
January 19 — Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Time Event
Day President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden will participate in service activities to commemorate Dr. King.
8:00 PM "We Are The Future Concert" Kids' Inauguration Concert at the Verizon Center in downtown Washington, DC. Though it is free and open to the public, tickets are required. The concert will be show on The Disney Channel from 8:00 - 9:30 p.m. ET/PT and will be simulcast on Radio Disney.
January 20 — Inauguration Day
Time Event
8:00 AM Gates open for ticketed attendees -- if you have tickets, it will be wise to arrive very early as crowds will be huge and security heavy.
10:00 AM Preliminary festivities begin, including music by The United States Marine Band, The San Francisco Boys Chorus, and the San Francisco Girls Chorus.
11:00 AM Live internet broadcast of the inauguration begins at the Presidential Inaugural Committee web site. See the where to watch page for more information.
11:30 AM If you have tickets to the Inauguration ceremony, you must have passed through security by this time.
•Call to Order and Welcoming Remarks: Senator Dianne Feinstein
•Invocation: Dr. Rick Warren
•Aretha Franklin will sing
•Vice President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn into office
•Music composed by John Williams and performed by Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Gabriela Montero, and Anthony McGill.
12:00 Noon As specified by the U.S. Constitution (20th Amendment), presidential terms of office begin and end at 12:00 noon on January 20. Barack Obama will take the oath of office, which is this simple, 35-word, statement:
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
12:05 PM (approx) President Barack Obama will give his inaugural address, speaking to the nation and world for the first time as President of the United States. Miss the address? Watch it on CNN or read it at the inaugural committee site.
His address was followed by:
•Poem: Elizabeth Alexander
•Benediction: The Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery
•The National Anthem: The United States Navy Band "Sea Chanters"
1:00 PM (approx) Inaugural Luncheon. For details on the menu and invited guests, see the news release.
2:30 PM (approx) Parade down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House. If you have tickets, you need to be in your seats by 1:00 PM. There is open seating along Pennsylvania Avenue. For information on how to get to the parade route, for people with and without tickets, see the Inaugural Committee's parade information page.
Evening There are many inaugural balls held around Washington, DC. Some will be hosted by President Obama, others are just parties.
Balls Hosted by President Obama
For details, see the press release.
•Youth Inaugural Ball - Young Americans aged 18-35
•Obama Home States Inaugural Ball - Illinois and Hawaii invited guests
•Biden Home States Inaugural Ball - Delaware and Pennsylvania invited guests
•Eastern Inaugural Ball - CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT, PR, and USVI invited guests
•Mid-Atlantic Inaugural Ball - MD, VA, DC, NY, NJ, and WV invited guests
•Midwest Inaugural Ball - KS, IN, IA, MI, MN, ND, NE, OH, SD, WI, and MO invited guests
•Southern Inaugural Ball - AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, and TX invited guests
•Western Inaugural Ball - AK, CA, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY, AZ, CO, NV, NM, UT, OK, GUAM/AS invited guests
•Neighborhood Inaugural Ball, hosted by President Obama (New 1/5)
Washington Convention Center. Low Cost and open to public.
•Commander-in-Chief's Ball, hosted by President Obama (New 1/1)
For men and women in uniform only.
Unofficial Balls
•All American Ball
•Blue Diamond Ball
•Change Has Come Inaugural Gala
•"The Dream Come True" Inauguration Gala (7:30 PM EST – 1:30 AM)
•Hawaii State Society Inaugural Ball
•The Hill Ball
•Hip Hop Inaugural Ball
•Inaugural Purple Ball
•Link Live Inaugural Gal
•MTV Be the Change Inaugural Ball
•People's Inaugural Ball (7:00 PM)
•State Society of Arizona Inaugural Ball
•Unity Ball
January 21
Time Event
8:30 AM National Prayer Service, led by The Rev. Sharon Watkins, at the National Cathedral. This non-denominational service will include prayers, readings and hymns delivered by religious leaders of a variety of faiths. This is an invitation-only event. 
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Happy Inaguration Day 2009!
Saturday, January 17, 2009
90's Throwback Celebrity Spotlight: Notorious B.I.G. & Faith Evans
Rochelle's Bling Table Numbers!
Our client Rochelle is having an elegant wedding on the West Coast incorporating the colors of apple green, pink and silver. For her wedding she is infusing chandeliers and crystals for a classic yet elegant theme. I designed these Bling Table Numbers for her to use as a focal point on the tablescapes at her wedding reception.
Have a great MLK Holiday everyone...
Friday, January 16, 2009
Guest Blogger: The Anti~Diva
Please welcome our Guest Blogger the Anti~Diva. She is a New York City passion, products, and perks guru who will be stopping by from time to time to spread a little of her insight. According to the Anti~Diva: “Being a Diva should never be stereotypical !!” So, without further adieu please welcome our Guest Blogger:
I DEW
Every girl dreams of looking absolutely stunning on their wedding day. However, before the dress, the make-up, before the hair can be done, you need the perfect palette. Say “I Dew” to healthy, glowing, smooth and dewy skin with just a few simple steps and products.
The Beautiful Skin Workout
In my never ending search to find the perfect product for beautiful skin, I learned that achieving creamy and flawless skin is easy and doesn’t need to cost you “an arm & an a leg”. In my travels I came across the best product ever for healthy skin – KNOWLEDGE ! Check out the book, “The Beautiful Skin Workout” by Michelle Copeland, M.D., D.M.D. I promise you it is the best $15.00 you will ever spend on your body.
The rules are simple:
Follow the Ten Commandments of Creamy Skin,
Eliminate lifestyle habits that prevent you from looking your best,
Identify everyday products that are ineffective or outright harmful to skin,
Master the five exercises: Cleanse, Ex foliate, Activate, Moisture, and Protect, and
Design a custom program based on your skin type.
What exactly are the Ten Commandments of Creamy Skin? Now, what kind of Anti~Diva would I be if I left you totally in the dark.
Ten Commandments of Creamy Skin
Thou shalt wear sun protection.
Thou shalt clean your face at least once a day.
Thou shalt not subject yourself to extremes, whether excessive UV exposure, binge drinking, and eating, or wildly fluctuating water temperatures.
Thou shalt treat your body’s skin as well as you do your face.
Thou shalt learn how to ex foliate properly and do it religiously.
Thou shalt eat a healthy balanced diet – and drink a lot of water.
Thou shalt slather on such antioxidants, as vitamins E and C or green tea every day.
Thou shalt not be afraid of pigment-reducing creams; use them daily.
Thou shalt make anti aging creams and serums your new best friends and apply them at least once a day.
Thou shalt not smoke.
This book promises to take you from Alligator skin to Creamy skin in just 8 weeks. I have a classroom fully of raging hormone teenagers that can attest to improving their skin by following only some of the commandments, some of the time ! Imagine if they actually stuck to the plan.
My regimen for healthy skin:
Drink at least 2 gallons of water daily.
Remove make-up with Clinique’s “Take the day off Cleansing Balm” make-up remover.
Cleanse (various cleansers, depending on the area & what my skin needs) However, I never wash my face with bar soap – too harsh !
Moisturize with Clinique’s “Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion” twice per day.
Moisturize the body using Soft and Beautiful Skin Body Butter Cream (winter) and Body Oil Gel (summer).
Use UV protection ( usually SPF 30 or 45)
Ex foliate bi-weekly
See your dermatologist.
Finally, the one sure way to say “ I Dew” ….DO NOT HAVE A FACIAL IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE BIG DAY !!!
Mwah ~ TTFN,
The A.D.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Plus Size Boudoir Photography
In a society where advertisers, fashion designers and others have perpetuated the idea that a size 0-8 should be the ideal size for most American women, the reality is that the average American woman is a size 12-14. Ironically, size 12 and up in society is considered Plus Size or Full Figured. Now enter a recent popular trend in bridal related photography entitled BOUDOIR. Picture tasteful lingere (or NOT ;) and alluring poses captured by a photographer to immortalize your beauty and sex appeal for decades to come.
Who wouldn't want to be a Hollywood Pin Up Girl for a day?
Rita Hayworth
Dorothy Dandridge
Lena Horne
Many engaged/married women want to take Boudoir pictures for their fiancee'/husband and or themselves. The one thing I have noticed from chatting with many women is that they have to be in tip top shape or get down to a certain size in order to take these types of photographs.
As a full figured woman I feel that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes and would encourage women no matter what size to embrace their inner and outer beauty. If you are worried about what you perceive to be your flaws being captured on camera a good photographer can minimize those flaws by using certain light and angles. Here are some Tips for Photographing Plus Size Models by author John G. Blair who wrote the book Digital Boudoir Photography: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Fabulous Images of Any Woman
-decide on features that you want to emphasize and those that you want to de-emphasize
-choose costumes and outfits (or even fabric) with that in mind
-think of some locations that will be private enough and not have a cluttered background
-use poses that are stretching rather than ones that "bunch" you up
-as others have said, don't be afraid to experiment
-curving poses are generally more flattering that stiff ones
-think of how the lighting will work with the location, costume, and time of day
-have fun with it
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Sneak Peek: Robin and Sonya's Bling Petal Cones
Recently we have been thrilled to work on petal cone projects for two of our clients. They each have a different color scheme and theme, and each of their petal cones will enhance their ceremony.
Robin is using a color theme, Rosewood, Mahogany & Silver and I designed her monogram using those colors in Photshop:
Sonya's theme is Tiffany Blue, Silver and Black & White Damask:
Now your guest will be able to shower you ladies with petals after I DO!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
2009 is here and that means new hot color trends for the wedding and event season will be making their premiere! In 2008 Chocolate Brown with Pink or Turquoise was all the rave as well as soft greens, and purples.
This year however the color trends promise to be more exotic, with bold splashes of color. Want to keep up with the FASHIONistas? Then check out these hot wedding color combos!
Turquoise & Yellow
Photo Credits: Wedding Wire Blog, Marjorie Skouras Designs, Cameo Stationery, Nine West, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding, Corbis, Martha Stewart Weddings, Wed Favors
Lavender & Orange
Photo Credits: Project Wedding, Project Wedding, Wedding Paper Divas, Candy Briar, Project Wedding, Studio Floral, Ideal Favors, Martha Stewart Weddings, Ideal Favors
Turquoise & Green
Photo Credits: The Knot, Papel Vio, Project Wedding, Nordstrom, The Knot, Nisibio, Elegant Favors, Nine West
Pinks will also be a trend this season but instead of pastel pinks the focus will be on hot luminous pinks that are bold and vibrant. For the Big Day add a splash of these color combos in the decor and accent pieces to make them go POP, but try and keep yourself and the bridal party understated and classic like a gorgeous white or ivory bridal gown. Then you can go for the WOW factor with your color at the Reception.
Wedding Color Trends for 2009
2009 is here and that means new hot color trends for the wedding and event season will be making their premiere! In 2008 Chocolate Brown with Pink or Turquoise was all the rave as well as soft greens, and purples.
This year however the color trends promise to be more exotic, with bold splashes of color. Want to keep up with the FASHIONistas? Then check out these hot wedding color combos!
Turquoise & Yellow
Photo Credits: Wedding Wire Blog, Marjorie Skouras Designs, Cameo Stationery, Nine West, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding, Corbis, Martha Stewart Weddings, Wed Favors
Lavender & Orange
Photo Credits: Project Wedding, Project Wedding, Wedding Paper Divas, Candy Briar, Project Wedding, Studio Floral, Ideal Favors, Martha Stewart Weddings, Ideal Favors
Turquoise & Green
Photo Credits: The Knot, Papel Vio, Project Wedding, Nordstrom, The Knot, Nisibio, Elegant Favors, Nine West
Pinks will also be a trend this season but instead of pastel pinks the focus will be on hot luminous pinks that are bold and vibrant. For the Big Day add a splash of these color combos in the decor and accent pieces to make them go POP, but try and keep yourself and the bridal party understated and classic like a gorgeous white or ivory bridal gown. Then you can go for the WOW factor with your color at the Reception.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Sonya's Aisle Runner!
Sonya it has been a pleasure working with you thus far and we can't wait to get started on your next project!
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Happy New Year!
We would like to wish a Happy New Year to everyone and give a BIG CONGRATULATIONS to all of those newly engaged couples! 2008 was great for EVENTistas as a budding company and 2009 promises to be our year of growth. We have a new WEBSITE, we are in the process of re-designing our BLOG, and we will be offering several new items in our ETSY SHOP.
We are already planning several events in 2009 and we can't wait to share all of the FAB details with you. We are also excited to be hitting the bridal trade show circuit starting in January so stay tuned...
