By Ciara Daykin

Have you always wanted to be a Firefly Occasions bride but been scared that you couldn’t afford our services? Well, now you can have the amazing couture Firefly Occasions wedding planning experience with our new collection of wedding planning programs designed with you in mind.

Our Associate Planner, Kendra Scott, has been trained in the Firefly Occasions style of planning and will oversee your wedding planning program. Brides are WOW’d with the level of service they receive.

With prices ranging from just $1000- $5000 these programs fit easily into your wedding budget and make it possible for you to be a Firefly Occasions bride. Through Kendra you’ll have access to all our great vendor relationships, our out of the box WOW ideas, and Firefly Occasions’ Signature Collection of Décor Rentals.

We are providing a limited number of programs from this collection to brides so if you’re interested then contact us via email at info@fireflyoccasions.com or phone at 1-800-791-5636 ext 701.

By Simon Daykin

Another day, another Twitter hook up.  Blank Label is teaming with Gutsy Groom to bring you guys some really cool stuff in the future, but for right now I wanted to introduce this new company to my readers.  Blank Label is for guys who want their own style, I mean their own style right down to the buttons.  You can design a completely custom shirt JUST FOR YOU right on their site.  I mean, ALL CUSTOM…from the fabric, to the buttons to monogramming to the number of pockets you have.  This is perfect for the Groom with style. Even if you’re going for a traditional dress shirt for the wedding you can wear these shirts to the rehearsal, or incorporate an outfit change into the reception.  And you know that no one will have the same shirt as you.  These are also great for Groomsman gifts.

To visit the site and start designing your very own custom shirt, simply click here.

Insiders’ Secrets To Never Again Feel Tired, Bloated or Stuffed in Your Clothes

Let’s be honest. How many of us set a New Year’s resolution every year to lose weight? And when I was a bride I know that for my summer wedding Christmas was my last free for all and the New Year meant a wedding ready body. But how many of us actually stick to the resolution? Well, I have a good friend- JJ Virgin- who is the secret weapon the celebrities go to for losing weight (and keeping the weight off and having a rockstar body). In fact, JJ helped me lose 40 lbs this year (I’m embarrassed to say I got a little too comfortable enjoying married life with couples dinners and wine!) And I’m so excited to announce that she is offering a free teleseminar on January 12 at 1pm PST called “Freedom from the Fat Trap: Insiders’ Secrets To Never Again Feel Tired, Bloated or Stuffed in Your Clothes.” On this ground-breaking call you’ll learn:

• How to buck the 3 pm lull. Imagine, your energy stays high and sustained all day long. Your focus is laser sharp and you’re able to get SO much more done.
• Finally, abolish those cravings forever. She’ll show you how!
• How your exercise routine COULD be making you fat and tired. You’ll learn JJ’s secrets for getting fit in less than 10 minutes a day (and you don’t even have to go to the gym).
• The #1 thing you MUST do to ensure you get and keep the body you deserve. (If you’re not even wiling to do THIS, don’t bother to be on the call. Nothing she teaches you will work if you won’t do this one thing.)

You can reserve your spot in the complimentary teleclass by clicking here. (Don’t worry, if you can’t make the call live, you’ll get access to the recording if you’re registered.)

By Simon Daykin

Well it’s the end of the year and in the tradition of that, I guess it’s time for my top picks of the year. In no particular order here are my top 5 links of 2009. Companies, who over the last year have come to my attention via Twitter, Facebook, this E-zine or over my extensive travels:

www.englishlaundry.com – Stylish, unique and trendy men’s wear. I can say the quality is great, the shipping is fast and the items are truly unique. The shirts work best un-tucked and in a more casual setting such as the beach.
www.pocketsquarez.com – The best selection and price for pocket squares I have ever seen! Honest! Pre folded and easy to use, I have a few of these and will be ordering more. They add tons of style to any suit, rented or not.
www.indochino.com – Custom made suits. I have a tuxedo from these guys, it fits like a glove, the quality is impeccable and it has my name stitched into it, who could ask for more? I highly recommend these guys for your suit or Tux needs.
www.themanregistry.com – All things Groom! Great gifts for your Groomsmen, or yourself…go ahead indulge yourself. I’m on the expert board, answering questions for the Groom along with some others from the industry. A really great site to help you out as a Groom.
www.blank-label.com – These guys recently found me through Twitter. You can design your own shirt. It’s pretty cool and adds a really unique factor to your attire. You could design your shirt and also those of your wedding party, plus the shirt would make a great take away gift for your Groomsmen.

I was recently interviewed by a reporter for Metro News Today who asked how I would help manage the chaos at the H1N1 clinics. Below is an excerpt, or you can read the full article here.

“Ciara Daykin, CEO of Firefly Occasions Inc., would remedy the situation with an online form so paperwork is completed in advance. “Just like asking wedding guests for their meal choice before the wedding so the kitchen is prepared, the online form would ease lineups.”

She thinks there should be an online and offline way to make an appointment. “Then priority cases could be distinguished, just as we distinguish wedding VIPs who have special needs.”

Daykin understands planning means comfort. Just as she doesn’t want wedding guests asking the bride and groom organizational questions, she would spare the H1N1 clinic receptionist and medical staff. “I would have at least four co-ordinators at each clinic to make their way from person to person to see if they can make their experience better and answer any questions.”

She would try to reduce vaccine jitters with essential oil candles and calming music.”

By Simon Daykin

Over the last few seasons, suit designers Boss, Dior, and D&G have all been creating high quality, shiny polyester suits. Wear this with a slim black tie, write dress shirt, cufflinks, and a tie bar; you will make a serious impression out on the town. You may of spotted Justin Timberlake wearing a similar suit during his last concert tour too . . .Now not every man can pull this look off, and not every bride will like this look. So before you go and get this suit, run it by her. She may think you look like the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz, personally, I think it’s bad ass!

Go Shopping Here.

So I’m gonna start trying something different here. I’m getting a lot of guys asking about what they should wear to the wedding and if they don’t want to rent the suit, then where do they get a great suit that won’t cost them a small fortune. So I’m gonna start my SUIT UP! Section. I’ll be recommending suits, custom suits, made just for you that range in price from $300 – $500. (A fraction of her dress cost.)

This week it’s the Vancouver Drizzle Suit, coming in at $319.00 USD. The weather in Vancouver is so grey it has inspired its own suit. The Vancouver Drizzle suit is one of the easiest suits you can wear. While at first glance you may not think it, this suit goes with everything. It works well with pink, white, blue, or even purple shirts. The light gray works well with many different skin types and has the great ability to make every and anything else you wear look better. Light gray is a complementary color; that is what it is supposed to do.

Click here to start your shopping, and as I always say…”She gets a great new dress, why can’t you have a new suit?”

Free E-Book To Help You Find The Perfect Photographer

I got a message from Peter Doyle of www.storyboardlife.com, a photographer in Atlanta. He had written an E-book on how to choose the perfect photographer for your wedding and he wanted me to read it. Well I did! And I can tell you, I wish all the vendors out there had the balls to write one of these little books. It’s a short read but it’s packed with helpful tips on sifting through all the photographers out there and finding the one that works with you. It is honest and he even includes worksheets for your notes.

Photography is a big part of the wedding day and if your photog doesn’t click with you then that could spell DISASTER…I know Brides & Grooms who hate their photos but admit they didn’t really know what to look for or what questions to ask when they were looking for a photographer. This book walks you through the search step by step.

Click here to download your copy of How To Find A Wedding Photographer.