Wedding: The Ins and Outs of Wedding Guest Lists Advice from Weddingbells’ Editor-in-Chief Alison McGill

Let's back track a bit. Last time I interviewed Weddingbells’ Editor-in-Chief Alison McGill the topic was wedding dress shopping. Today's topic is something that ALL brides dread.. The wedding guest list. This is the one part that has caused me so many headaches! I'm trying to keep my wedding small but all these people are popping up out of nowhere! Trying to accommodate everyone- plus listening to your parents requests is stressful. Hope this helps someone out there! 

Editor-in-Chief Alison McGill tackles my wedding guest list questions

How do you pick who comes to your wedding?
On your wedding day you want to be surrounded by those nearest and dearest to you (both family and friends). Whether you invite all of them will depend of course on your wedding budget and the size of the guest list you can accommodate. If your wedding is super-small and intimate, you may be challenged to narrow down exactly whom you invite. There are no hard and fast rules on who must be there—invite the people who mean the most in your life, who are extra-special. Wedding invites are a delicate subject and often come with their fair share of drama. It’s always good to be prepared for backlash because it happens. Often.

Are plus ones necessary?
Plus ones are not necessary but it’s often expected. Your guest will expect to invite a guest to accompany them to the wedding. If you are not extending the invitation to a plus one, be sure that is clearly indicated on your guest’s invitation. You may hear from the guest asking to confirm that a plus one is not invited. Taking it one step further, your guest may write in the name of their plus one even though you have indicated the invitation is for them alone. Once again be prepared to deal with this situation as you may have a disgruntled wedding guest on your hands.

How early in advance should you send out your invites?
Wedding invitations should be sent out no later than three months in advance of your wedding day. Better yet, it’s always appreciated by your guests if you send a save the date far in advance of your wedding day. People love advance notice on events and you want to be sure they clear their calendar for your wedding day.

What should be in the invite? (Response cards, for example)
Your invitation package includes the actual wedding invite and an RSVP card (or an email address/website where guests can respond). Including a map of the ceremony and reception location is also a great idea.

RSVPS: Mailing them back vs. email corresponding?
Either way is acceptable. It all depends on what the couple is asking for. If there is an RSVP card enclosed, fill out and send back. If there is an email, then send your reply electronically.

The Body Shop: Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter

I might not wear a lot of makeup but mascara is a must for me. I should add... my mascara usually does not come off easily because it's layered. I use 3 to 4 coats to get my desired look... Don't Judge me..haha.

With that being said, I'm always interested in trying out new products which are going to make my life easier before I go to bed. Sometime last year, I got my hands on a tin of this product: Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter ($16.00 CAN). It's honestly amazing! It's really nice to get a product that is soft and gentle but still does the job. This is my second tin! 


Shop The Body Shop: Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter


This cleanser is an indulgent make-up remover for the whole face. It gently and efficiently melts away make-up and impurities, leaving skin feeling clean, refreshed and pampered.

How to Apply:
With a dry face massage the product into skin. Then rinse it off with warm water or use a wet muslin cloth to cleanse & exfoliate.


I applied waterproof/smudge-proof products and let it set. 
Then applied the cleansing butter and worked it in.

This product leaves your skin feeling clean, has a pleasant light scent and melts away your makeup.
What more could you need??

Purminerals- JUPITER ASCENDING Collection Swatches

 I missed playing with palettes- mixing and matching colours to get the perfect look. I received this Purminerals palette inspired by the movie JUPITER ASCENDING ($35.00 CAN). Which stars Mila Kunis and my favourite eye candy Channing Tatum.

Let me start off by saying- this is a limited-edition makeup collection which is sold exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart. The colours in the palette are based of Jupiter Jones’ signature look.



Inside the encasing there is a light-up lip gloss in Galaxy. Which is a appropriate pink for all skin tones.
Plus a liquid precision eyeliner in Outer Space. Also nice black liquid eyeliner perfect for making a clean cat eye.


This palette comes with a mini eye shadow applicator brush. 

Colours from left to right:
  • Majesty eye shadow (pale taupe)
  • Destiny eye shadow (cream)
  • Night Sky eye shadow (slate)
  • Jupiter eye shadow (rose)
  • Caine eye shadow (mocha)
  • Cosmos eye shadow (iridescent white)
Are you feeling this collection?

The Body Shop Sells Sorbet?!?!?

I love when new products/innovations come out. Especially if it's a texture that you have never felt/seen before. It was literally love at first sight when I received this Vitamin E Aqua Boost Sorbet ($20.00 CAN) from The Body Shop.

An instant cooling sensation for all day hydration. This silky-soft moisturiser hydrates and refreshes skin with an ultra-light light formula.
It's so light and soft but very hydrating. Actually- The Body Shop has also come out with line body sorbets which come in your favourite scents.  That's a whole other story but the next time that you are in the body shop please treat yourself and I'll test out every single one. You will fall in love!

Shop the Sorbet line:


Must Have: L'OREAL PARIS Sublime Sun Silky Sheer Face Lotion SPF 50+

My stash right now is insane.. Sometimes I miss out on some gems/don't get to them in time. My regular facial moisturizer got misplaced- so I had to try something new. Some of you may think I'm being over dramatic but it was a life-changing skincare decision. Let me start off by saying that you should be wearing sunscreen daily no matter what your skin tone is. I usually go with about SPF 15 but I'm always looking for something better.

During my frantic rush to get ready one morning for work, I found a stash of sun products that were sent to me by L'Oreal Paris: Sublime Sun Silky Sheer Face Lotion SPF 50+ ($9.99 CAN).

Being a deeper skin tone SPF can sometimes show up white and streaky on me. It's definitely something that you can handle on vacation but not something that I can handle for every day use. The product comes and a slim orange bottle that is small enough to fit into your make up bag.

The formula is fluid and not thick like usual facial sunscreens  I use. The most important thing for me is that by the end of the day it doesn't leave me oily nor does it clog pores because the ultra-light texture is designed for your face.

Check out the L'OREAL PARIS Sublime Sun line:



Why you need it:
  • Oil-free
  • Non-greasy
  • Water resistant 
  • Won’t clog pores
Swatch:



What's your summer style? + GIVEAWAY

What's your summer style?
Right now- mine consists of maxi dresses, short dresses, jean shorts, sandals... oh I could go on and on!

What if I told you that you can win a $5,000 shopping spree just your sharing your Canadian style!
Schick Quattro for Women is celebrating stylish Canadian selfies in a contest called 
Your #Selfie. Your Style

Until July 22nd, you can enter for a chance to win a $5,000 shopping spree:
Two ways to enter:
  • Upload your selfie to Instagram with the #QFWSelfie hashtag and tag @QFWCanada
  • Upload your selfie to the Facebook app here: http://bit.ly/QFWSelfie
To celebrate, Schick Quattro for Women is allowing me to host an amazing giveaway valued at $185!

Contents:
  • Two NEW Schick Quattro for Women razors Enriched with Papaya & Pearl
  • fold-over clutch
  • summery scarf
  • jeweled cuff bracelet 
  • $50 Visa gift card

Canadians Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Don’t forget to like the Schick Quattro for Women Facebook page and follow @QFWCanada on Instagram!


*The winner must provide proof of entry- Google Friend Connect through screenshot + respond in 48 hours to win*

#Likeagirl

Did you know that 56% of girls lose confidence during puberty...
Puberty was an awkward time. Trying to see where you fit in/who your real friends are..
I could go on and on..

Being that I'm the oldest in my family.
I was use to hearing other people using the term "like a girl" to me.

Thankfully, my parents always believed in me and never subjected me to that... but not every girl is that lucky. Only 19% of girls have a positive association with the phrase “like a girl.”

This has got to change! I
t’s time to refine the term #LikeaGirl.

Don't know what I mean? 
Watch this video!


Directed by Lauren Greenfield, winner of the Sundance Film Festival Directing Award for her documentary, “The Queen of Versailles” in 2012, the #LikeaGirl social experiment captures how doing something like a girl changes as they grow up and how a bit of encouragement can go a long way in changing what it means to be proud to be a girl, and do things like a girl.


Zoe Saldana on FASHION Magazine's August 2014 Cover- Hot or Not?

I've honestly enjoyed a few of the latest movies that Zoe Saldana has started in- Star Trek, Avatar and Colombiana were really good. I'll admit she's not one of the actresses I'd look to for fashion inspiration but I loved the way she was styled on the latest cover of Fashion Magazine.


Inside the mag she talks about various things such as her marriage (I actually didn't know she was married) and how she prepared for her role in Nina. Yes.. If you don't know she's playing Nina Simone in a new biopic. I seen a lot of criticism on twitter about her getting the role due to her skin colour.. etc. Fashion Magazine asked her about it and his was her response:

On skin-deep criticisms regarding her casting in the biopic, Nina-
“I handled the role with the same love, the same respect and the same pride that any other black person would, because I am a black woman, a proud Latino black woman, and nobody’s going to take that right from me.”

Hmmm..I really think people should give her a chance.

Overall I see the the cover as HOT!
What do you think?

Beauty News: Bliss + Moroccanoil

Summer is the best time to try out new products.
With all the parties, dates and the vacations going on it's always great to look your best.
Check out these three products!

Chapped lips are not sexy on anyone. Summer is the time to break out your favourite matte lipsticks! So get ready with the Bliss 'Pout'-o-matic Lip Exfoliating Tool ($58.00 CAN). Yes.. there is a tool that will exfoliate your lips for you! No man power required.

This must-have system revitalizes and smooths lips for a beautiful, full look. The pro-powered lip-perfecting device uses gentle rotation and custom designed head with massaging numbs to softly yet effectively stimulate and exfoliate your lips. Complete with a creamy lip scrub to polish, nourish, and condition lips to help color last longer, this set includes all the essentials for soft, healthy lips.
You will never know how a week worth of vacation can cause on your hair.. I remember the first time I went to Cuba and forgot to bring my own shampoo/conditioner. My hair was a mess! 
It could have been prevented with these three products.
Moroccanoil® Moisture Repair Shampoo gently cleanses the scalp, while Moroccanoil® Moisture Repair Conditioner smoothes and reconstructs hair - both providing the added moisture and hydration needed to repair damaged strands and promote healthy, beautiful hair. Moroccanoil® Treatment will instantly absorb into the hair to help create luminous shine and luxurious, silky perfection, transforming hair with dramatic results.
Do you have a lot of dead skin cells? 
Bliss has a solution for getting fit of them their Micro Magic Spa-Powered Microdermabrasion Treatment($56.00 CAN). 

This twice-a-week spa-powered microdermabrasion treatment boosts your cleansing routine by powerfully yet gently exfoliating dead cells and pore-polluting impurities that face washes may leave behind. Aloe and mushroom extract reduce inflammation and calm skin while peppermint extract refreshes and revitalizes. 


Update Your Look with Revlon! #shop #cbias

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.

Lately... I feel like I'm in a make up rut.
What does that mean exactly?

My look is so basic at the moment. Tinted lip balm and mascara.
My days have been divided into working and planning a wedding- so I have no time to get dolled up. 

Since summer is here, it's time to make a change and start playing with new products.
I went to Loblaws to pick up some goodies for my new look. 
Let me start off by saying- I've never shopped for makeup in a grocery store before.
Perfect time to try it out for my #CollectiveBias post.


My initial thoughts about Revlon (makeup) being sold in Loblaws.

Pros
Convenience
  • (Get your fruits and makeup needs in one location)

Cons
Selection
  • (Not as stocked as a drug store)
  • (Not a lot of the new release products)
  • (Messy)
  • (I saw no sales!)


I hardly seen any of the new Revlon products which are shown in the magazines.
No Lip stains or shadow compacts from the new collection.

I love matte lips. So I had to get a Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm ($9.99 CAN)!
This is probably the BEST matte lip product that you can get for under $10.00!
Long lasting & very pigmented. I debated getting this in pink or red.
I decided to put this colour back and go with a signature red lip.

I needed a product to create my famous cat eye which usually requires a lot of precision.
Picked up the new Revlon ColorStay Skinny Liquid Liner (8.99 CAN). The tip is tiny!
Probably one of the smallest ones I've seen on the market.

To finish of the look I went with Revlon Lash Potion Volume + Length Mascara ($12.99 CAN).
It's a "wet" mascara but works well when you let it dry in-between coats.
Again the convenience of grocery shopping and getting makeup is pretty awesome! 

Quick makeup breakdown:

If I'm going to purchase Revlon- I'd probably go to a drugstore for variety, quantity and sales.

Do you have a favourite product from Revlon?