Featured LDE Wedding : Weddings Unveiled

I was ecstatic to receive an email from Kirstin at Weddings Unveiled Magazine sharing the good news that one of my 2010 weddings with Jessica Lorren Organic Photography was going to be featured on their blog Completely Unveiled. This was a truly gorgeous wedding for a really awesome bride and I was so happy to be a part of her special day.

Check out the post here

What LDE Friends Are Up To : Mi Amore Foto

During my nightly Facebook check, I was ecstatic to see that Mi Amore Foto was featured on Style Me Pretty for stunningly capturing this wedding at Grove Isle Resort + Spa.

Grove Isle holds a special place in my heart as it was one of the first "Florida" venues I visited after I moved from the city. Located on a private island, it's a very intimate resort that truly possesses the ability to whisk you away to a secluded retreat that features old south Florida style! I vividly remember being totally blown away by this property and felt incredibly happy to have relocated to such a beautiful place. On top of this, there is an awesome view of the Miami skyline AND the property has a life-sized chess board with 3-foot chess pieces. Brides, remember this for a fun e-shoot location!

In any event, Shannon, the pictures are breathtaking. Congratulations on joining the SMP family! You truly have a gift for capturing all the fine details that make a wedding unique and giving people the ability to feel what it was like to be a part of this most special day. Can't wait to work together on James Wieland + Jennifer Jennifer Dalla Riva's big day!!!

Jessica Lorren Photography - She Shoots People

My friend, and photographer extraordinaire, Jessica Lorren (the eyes behind the lens in the post below) was featured on Style Me Pretty for this beautiful wedding she shot at the Powel Crosley Estate! For those of you who are not familiar with SMP...wow, time to visit that site like now. For those of you who frequent SMP, then you know it's an amazing dream to have your work spotlighted on their site. I'm so proud and happy for you Jessica!!!

World’s Most Expensive Suit

I came across Born Rich for the first time today when I was researching some ideas to decorate a pool for an upcoming event. Very cool blog with a lot of cha-ching stuff. For instance, I fell in love with these designer pool lamps they posted. They are rechargeable lamps, constructed of waterproof polyethylene, which means no chance of receiving an electric-shock! Priced at $450, they are not for the budget friendly, however they are tres chic and would certainly make any event swank!


Then there was this suit, apparently the world's most expensive suit. Designed by Alexander Amosu and costing £70,000 or $101,860!!! So what makes a suit cost $101, 860? Well, it is its rich make and the number of hours it took to give shape to this formal garment. The one-off creation has taken in excess of 80 hours to complete and is made from vicuña, a rare wild South American animal related to the camel which only produces enough wool for shearing every three years, qiviuk, the world’s most expensive wool, gathered from the Arctic muskox. When blended with pashmina from the high mountain plateaus of the Himalayas they create Vanquish II, one of the world’s most luxurious cloths. The suit features over 5,000 individual stitches equating to £14 (approx. $20) per stitch. And no price for guessing that the suit features diamonds to justify its six-figure price tag. The suit features nine 18-carat gold and pave set diamond buttons to make it worth every penny. The most expensive suit went on sale in London and was sold to a mystery buyer for the mentioned $101,860 price tag.

Photo and article courtesy of Born Rich

In The News: New U.S. Cigar Tax

A CF Dominicana Cigars roller at a Maybach Mercedes event
at Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach
New U.S. cigar tax has companies split on whether to raise prices for rollers at events. Cigar rollers and manufacturers across the country received a tax increase on Wednesday with the reenactment of the State Children's Health Insurance Program that President Obama signed into law in February. Though the tax increase was significant, from a 4.8 cent tax per cigar to nearly 10 times that amount, companies that supply cigar rollers for events—a popular entertainment option across Florida—are split on whether to raise their prices.

Santiago Cabana Cigars manager Liama Cavana said the tax has forced the company to raise its rate from $500 to $540 per hour. Echoing that sentiment, Miami Stogies will also increase its pricing by roughly $12 to 14 per bundle of 25 cigars.

The legislation is an extension of a prior program that Congress proposed twice during George W. Bush's administration, though he refused to sign. Finally approved and signed by President Obama in February, the bill will provide health coverage to uninsured children, paid for by an increased tax on tobacco products made and imported into the United States.

Will the price increase curb rollers' presence at Florida events? Ysset Boan, president of planning company Glam Events in Miami, said she'll continue to book cigar rollers even if their prices increase as a result of the tax. "If it went along with the theme or what the client wanted, I would definitely do it again," said Boan. "I really don't think the tax will affect them that much, especially if you have an event with a lot of cigar aficionados."

Photo Courtesy of CF Dominicana Cigars
Article Courtesy of Biz Bash by D. Channing Muller