www.BlissEventGroup.net is Launched!

Well, brides and beaus, we have officially made a long-overdue upgrade to the Bliss Blog. Check it out at www.BlissEventGroup.net! From hereon out you will see bigger images, better content, and some fancy new features on the fabulous Bliss Blog. It will be a few days before we have all the features up and running (and all the old posts transfered) but, we are so happy to make this switch! www.BlissEventGroup.net is our new Blog home. Stay tuned! (and keep those comments coming- we want to hear from you : )

A Sweet Letter and Buff Brides Take Note!

We received a lovely note of thanks from a guest of the SWS premiere event today...

Dear Lara,
...Congratulations on an incredible publication. Even though it was late after your party, I came home and read EVERY word. There are so many lovely touches to the magazine--and obviously done with style, love, and great care. You and your staff literally blew me away. So, many thanks on several levels. The premiere party was first rate--from our handsome escort (SEE BELOW) at the door, beautiful and graceful hostesses, incredible vendors--you created a magical evening. I liked that each bridal story was unique. I loved that you were grateful and added the gratitude page. We all stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. So, my wish for you and your talented staff is many more wonderful editions of Southern Wedding Style. Pure "Bliss"
Love, ---

We are so humbled by the response to the party and the magazine. We really can't take credit for it, but must say thank you again to all of the AMAZING vendors who contributed to such a magical night.

The note mentions our dashing escort who greeted guests at valet and escorted the ladies into the party. His name is Jason Sutton and he is an accomplished model and personal trainer (not to mention our in house lighting and lantern expert!). We actually have several brides who are currently working with him to get buff for the big day! So, call Jason if you are interested in having a fantastic and knowledgeable personal trainer whip you (or your husband-to-be) into tip top shape! Many thanks to Jason for helping to make the event so special for some very lucky ladies~ Jason Sutton rnitraining@hotmail.com 850-602-8761. Photographers, take note too- he is a stunning model! Check out these shots from Cook Images of Jason during the SWS lingerie/boudoir shoot this summer...

More SWS Premiere Pics

Check out the Southern Wedding Style Magazine BLOG for more Premiere Party pics courtesy of Oeil Photography!

Rae and Wes ROCK!

Rae & Wesley Leytham of Rae Leytham Photography are just amazing! Check out these new promo pics they took of us last week... Check out all of our new shots on their BLOG. Thank you Rae and Wes!!!

SWS Wedding of the Year

First of all, I have to say how proud I am of the Bliss team. We had a whirlwind week launching Southern Wedding Style Magazine and it was a huge team success! Bliss Producers Danielle Flowers, Leah Harrison, Erica Richards, head of the event Kirstin Hawley, and our new fantastic interns Ashley and Natasha really pulled together to make the event not only another fab event for Bliss, but it was such a relaxed and fun experience. I am so grateful to work with such talented, driven, and stylish women. Cheers to the Bliss team! Special thanks to our husbands and families who were there to help too- we couldn't have done it without you! Also to Jason Sutton for all of his hard work in helping transform Myspayce and for being the dashing greeter for the night. Also, to the local photographers that we cherish on a daily basis- Rae and Wesley Leytham, Patsy Brown, Hara and Jeremy Cook, Rick Schamberger, Samantha and Ken Crooke, Meg and Charles Baisden, Mick and Rita Salter, and all of the vendors who showcased their fabulous work on Tuesday night- you all should be very proud! Congratulations!

Congrats to Natalie and Beau, the SWS Wedding of the Year Couple! Click to view... (may take a few moments to load, but it's so worth the wait!) They are also expecting a baby boy in June- how wonderful!

We're Launched!

What a phenomenal night! Southern Wedding Style Magazine premiered last night to rave reviews and a full house. Every day this week we will be posting photos from the event and updates on the magazine launch. The Online Version of the magazine as well as our brand new website will launch by week's end. A million thanks to all of the vendors, guests, and the SWS team for such a thrilling and successful night. The cover has been kept top secret, but here it is! More to come tomorrow...
.

Southern Wedding Style Magazine Premiere PRIZES

Purchase your drawing tickets on www.swsmag.com or at the event on April 1 (Tuesday!) from 7-10pm at MySpayce Event Place in downtown Pensacola. Tickets are only $10 and the winner does not need to be present to win. Proceeds benefit the Zoo Northwest Florida!

Grand Prize: A Diamond Wedding Band from Rock Hard Designs

• Additional Prizes: Signed Copy of Mindy Weiss’ New Book, The Wedding Book- HOT off the press... we are the first people to receive the book in the US!
• Signed Copy of Jung Lee’s Book Féte: The Wedding Experience
• Signed Copy of Tara Guerard’s Book, Southern Weddings
• Engagement Photo Session by A Thousand Words Photography ($500 value)
• Portrait Session by Rae Leytham Photography ($250 value)
• Photo Session (up to fours hours) by At First Sight Photography ($200 value)
• Picnic Basket for 2 filled with bottle of champagne, chicken salad, fresh fruit, cheese and crackers, and chocolate dipped strawberries ($125 value); donated by Portabello Market
• Cooking Class Tickets from Distinctive Kitchens
• 2 Tickets for Eat! Wine Dinner April 4
• Large Southwestern Cheesecake ($60 value); donated by Classic City Catering
• Hand Painted MarieBell Chocolates; donated by Susan Campbell Jewelry
• Signed Copy of Chef Lee’s Cook Book
• “Love Never Fails” 8x10 Framed Wedding Gift; donated by Calligraphy by Debi
• Two Hours of Wedding Planning with Bliss Event Group Wedding Producer, Erica Richards
• Two Hours of Wedding Planning with Bliss Event Group Wedding Producer, Leah Harrison

more to come...

See you Tuesday!

A Big Week for Bliss

This morning was the beginning of our press run for the premiere of Southern Wedding Style Magazine. We had a fantastic time on Channel 3 and the segment was a huge hit! Monday night, watch for us on YaddaYadda at 9pm on Blab TV. We had some new press pics taken by the fabulous Wesley and Rae Leytham. Here's a sneak peak-

And we have some very exciting news! As if the chance to win a diamond wedding band weren't enough, there are MORE fantastic prizes to win! If you aren't the lucky winner of the diamond wedding band from Rock Hard Designs, you could win ... check back tomorrow for the big announcement!

WEAR TV 3 tomorrow!

Tune in tomorrow to WEAR TV 3 for the mid-morning show with Sue Straughn. SWS Editors and Bliss wedding producers Lara, Danielle, Leah and Erica will be interviewed about the premiere of the South's hottest new wedding magazine! Stay tuned...

The Event of the Year!

Everyone wants to know, so here's a rundown of what's in store for the April 1st Southern Wedding Style Magazine Premiere Event & Bridal Showcase

Tuesday April 1 . 7-10pm . Cocktail Attire . MySpayce Event Space 212 East Garden Street, Pensacola Florida . Mark your calendars- you do not want to miss this RED CARPET EVENT!

Wine, Dine, and Dance the night away! FREE

SPONSORED BY:
* Gotham Catering as well as all of the top local caterers will be creating a feast for the evening! Yes, it's FREE!
* NWFL Valet will be offering complementary valet.... you can't walk too far in those Jimmy Choo's ladies!
* Betty Weber Couture Cakes is creating THE cake. I have seen the sketch- it's phenomenal.
* Joe Occhipinti's Big Band and Orchestra will be playing all evening. They are also bringing professional dancers with them a la "Dancing With the Stars."
* Bliss Event Group has designed the entire event and has several surprises in store.
* BBJ Linens will be dressing the tables to the nines.
* Marble Slab Creamery will be serving fresh ice cream in a special SWS flavor.
* Kent's Special Events has graciously provided us with everything from modern square dinner plates to the red carpet.
* Richie's East Liquors will be serving signature SWS drinks.
* The NWFL Zoo is bringing a bevy of wild animals to help us raise support for their fantastic facility in Gulf Breeze. Proceeds from our Diamond Wedding Band Drawing will benefit the Zoo.
* Kebbie Hollingsworth AIFD is creating a floral fantasy (top secret!)
* and Rock Hard Designs is giving away a DIAMOND WEDDING BAND!

As if that wasn't enough.... The SWS Premiere Event will feature the work of Preston Bailey, Mindy Weiss, Tara Guerard of Soiree Charleston, Modern Bride's Michelle Rago, Legendary Event's Tony Conway, "Who's Wedding is it Anyway"'s Jung Lee, Author of The Five Love Languages Gary Chapman, Sarah Smiley. Meet the South's top event pros: Rae Leytham Photography, Cook Images, At First Sight Photography, East Hill Photography, Salter Photography, Sweet Creations by Sharon, North Hill Chair Covers, Susan Campbell Jewelry, Classic City Catering, A Thousand Words Photography, All About Catering, Calligraphy by Debi, Dine by Design Catering, Distinctive Kitchens, Portabello Market Catering, Big Sexy Foods, Fiore of Pensacola Gardens and Events, Southern Floral Traditions, and many more!

Win a DIAMOND WEDDING BAND from Rock Hard Designs and walk the red carpet at this ELITE BRIDAL EVENT

Drawing tickets only $10. Buy More and SAVE: 5 tickets $45, 10 tickets $85, 20 tickets $160, 50 tickets $400. PURCHASE TICKETS

Drawing Proceeds Benefit the Zoo Northwest Florida . No Limit on Ticket Purchases . Winner Does NOT Need to be Present to Win . PURCHASE TICKETS

SWS Billboard!

Drive down Cervantes in Downtown Pensacola, Florida to see the SWS digital billboard! Congratulations to Bliss Bride, Natalie (Henderson) Pollard for being featured on the gigantic ad!

*photograph of Natalie by Cook Images*

You're Invited to the Event of the Year!

Southern Wedding Style Magazine's Premiere Event and Bridal Showcase is going to be FABULOUS! Dinner, Dancing, meeting the south's top wedding pro's, and the chance to win a diamond wedding band... we're there! This red carpet affair is FREE~ See you April 1st! Go to www.swsmag.com to buy your drawing tickets for the diamond band. Proceeds benefit the Zoo Northwest Florida, so start buying!
click to view larger...

InkyPink.com

OK, we RARELY post things like this, but here is a Bliss secret... www.inkypink.com! This site has everything fabulous for your big day! Here are some of our favorite finds from InkyPink...

Laura & Matt - WPJA win!

Dan and Anne Almasy shot our May 5th wedding and this pic placed in the WPJA awards! Check out Almasy's BLOG for all the details. Congrats Dan & Anne and Laura & Matt!

The Knot Real Wedding Awards

Our May 5th, 2007 wedding, Laura & Matt, is nominated for the Best of Real Weddings in The Knot! Place your votes for this gorgeous wedding HERE!

A Wedding Expert Gets Married

Our very own Danielle Flowers was featured in I Do for Brides Magazine! Check out her gorgeous wedding photographed by Rae Leytham Photography.... Check out Rae's blog to read the article and see details. Congratulations Danielle!

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to all of our beautiful Bliss Brides and Grooms! February has been a very busy month for the Bliss babes. We are all working very hard adding the finishing touches to Southern Wedding Style Magazine which debuts April 1. You are all invited to our premiere party and bridal showcase! All of the top vendors in the south will be there plus you will enjoy a night of (free!) dinner and dancing, exciting surprises, and we are giving away a diamond wedding band from Rock Hard Designs!!! Raffle tickets for the diamond wedding band will soon be available for purchase on www.swsmag.com (which is in the middle of a complete overhaul so check back for the brand new site coming very soon!) and proceeds benefit the Zoo Northwest Florida. Bring your family and friends and come celebrate with us!

In SWS news, we have recently added the famous and fabulous Mindy Weiss www.mindyweiss.com to our Celebrity Contributors roster. Mindy has done every celebrity wedding under the sun and is also co-owner of one of our favorite wedding shops, www.shoploveme.com. She has a new book coming out in April and is also launching an exclusive line with Two's Company. We are so thrilled to have Mindy as a part of our debut issue!

In Bliss news, ... this is old news for us but I realize I haven't posted it yet!... Danielle and I feel so blessed to have two new phenomenal Bliss women on our team. Erica Richards and Leah Harrison have been working with us since last fall and they are both women you need to get to know- glowing, creative, and uber-talented wedding professionals. Welcome, Erica and Leah! (check out our website for more about both of them... www.blisseventgroup.com)

As if all of this wasn't exciting enough for us, we are pleased to announce our partnership with WeddingStar and Jean M and the launch of our new wedding boutique, inkypink. Check back soon for our announcement about the details. Brides, you are going to LOVE this!

Happy Valentine's Day! Love, Lara, Danielle, Erica, Leah, Amanda, Samantha and Kim.

Preston Bailey and Jung Lee!

The infamous Preston Bailey and Who's Wedding is it Anyway?'s Jung Lee have just signed on to contribute to Southern Wedding Style Magazine!

click to view...

Want to be a Certified Wedding Planner?

We are very excited about what that this year will bring. For me personally, I am thrilled to be teaching a course that will allow you (yes, you!) to become a Certified Wedding Planner with The Wedding Planning Institute. The class is a 10 week program beginning the first week of February that will teach you how to build your business from the ground up. You will explore wedding traditions, statistics and even how to design a wedding as unique as you are! Classes are held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30 until 8:30 and all students will have the opportunity to work on real weddings amongst the best vendors in Pensacola. For more information, please click here.

Southern Wedding Style Magazine Premiere

Premiere Event and Bridal Showcase!

Click to view larger...

The Knot Weddings!

It's finally out on newsstands! We have a stunning 6 page feature in The Knot Weddings Florida Magazine. Laura and Matt's gorgeous May wedding was definitely magazine-worthy. Many thanks to Almasy Photography and all of the vendors who contributed to such a magical wedding. And most of all, to Laura, Matt, and the entire Babikow Family... we are honored to continue to celebrate such personal and intimate milestones with you. Congratulations! Brides, get to Barnes and Noble and pick up a copy... before we clean them out!

Click to view full size...








Many thanks to Anne and Dan Almasy, Barbara at Minton's, Mark for such a moving and intimate ceremony, Dana, Emily Stiles, Kelly from Hello Lucky!, Shanon Palin from Fiore of Pensacola, the team at Kents, Lance Brannon the lighting genius, Chef Lee and Steven from Eat!, Joe Occhipinti and his fabulous orchestra, Bill and his lovely wife from WOW Photobooth, Sharon for sweet endings, and to our entire team that made this event possible. Thank you!

Bridal Show

We have had lots of people asking us if we are going to be at the Bridal Expo this year. Yes, we will be there, but we were so busy with weddings in December that we decided having a booth this year was pushing us to wedding overload! Danielle and all of our interns will be there to ENJOY the show this year : ) Brides, come and get to know some of our favorite vendors! See you Sunday!

Kelsey + Jamie 2008

Our super fun July 5, 2008 couple...

Check out their fab engagement session by Cook Images!

Bella Magazine

"Bliss: The Wedding Planner"

2007: A Very Blissful Year

Well, after reading Danielle's post below, the waterworks turned on and I am overwhelmed with gratitude! Let me just tell you a little bit about Mrs. Danielle Flowers Atkinson... I still remember the first time I spoke to her. I knew from that moment, talking to her on the phone, hearing her beautiful southern drawl and positive attitude that affects everything she touches, that Danielle would create unforgettable weddings for so many lucky brides. But, I really am the lucky one. I am so honored to call Danielle a friend and now business partner. I too, don't know how we got here except through a lot of prayer and God's amazing grace. What a year! It would have been enough to just have a year full of fabulous weddings, but this year the Bliss women witnessed so many beautiful personal moments too. Danielle got married to a wonderful man (who now shares an unspoken bond with my husband... being married to a wedding planner is... well, unique!). There was a moment in Danielle's ceremony that I will never forget. She was standing under the stunning stained glass window at Old Christ Church with Kenneth, looking like a classic movie star- like Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly- and a male soloist was singing a soaring operatic piece. It was so moving and so perfect. We all teared up as we witnessed them exchange vows. I knew at that moment that Danielle's life was about to change and she was launching herself into a new and phenomenal time in her life. Bliss has been blissful this year, to say the least. I am so grateful to know you, Danielle, and to get to talk weddings, life, and love with you every day. You amaze me daily with your creativity, zest for your work, and true compassion and love for your brides. You make their dreams a reality. 2008 is already so exciting in my mind- so many exciting things ahead and I'm sure so many big surprises in store for us. Oprah, here we come!

My year in review....

On a personal note, this past Sunday was one of the most memorable days of my life. My entire family was together to celebrate my grandmother Celeste's 90th birthday. Her mother was a floral designer who passed the gift through three generations onto me. I am so grateful. She woke up yesterday morning and sat with me as she drank her coffee. She spoke softly to me "Lara, I just feel so blessed. I pray all the time that our family will be close and get together often and the Lord answered my prayers. I feel such a great peace." She smiled as I reflected on my year. God answered all my prayers too and so many more.... This year my husband returned safely from serving in Iraq, my father who is 74 survived two knee surgeries and even went skiing with us over Christmas, my mom threw my grandmother the most amazing 90th birthday party ever (yes, I get it from her!!), my grandmother is 90 and still lives by herself, works 2 volunteer jobs, and is the funniest and spunkiest woman I know, my brother - who broke his spine less than 2 years ago and was unable to walk- got back on his snowboard last week and was zooming down black diamonds with ease and a renewed confidence (what a miracle!), and Ari and I just found out we will be moving to Chapel Hill in less than 6 months to begin his radiology residency there. Bliss is opening in North Carolina this fall!!! I am humbled, grateful, overjoyed, and overwhelmed with thanks. To God, my wonderful and brave husband, my phenomenally strong family, my friends, to all of the Bliss Women and interns of 2007 - Amanda, Kirstin, Stefanie, Brittany, Jessie, Samantha, Kim, and Sam, all of our beautiful brides and their families, and to Danielle.... thank you for a very Blissful 2007.

Enjoy the following images: just a sampling of "The Best of 2007"

raeleytham.com
Danielle- the stunning bride and phenomenal Wedding Producer.


This wedding will be featured in The Knot Wedding Magazine this spring.



The Bride and Groom of the year for Southern Wedding Style Magazine, Natalie and Beau!

easthillphoto.com


cookimages.com



kimsellers.com





patsybrown.com

A gorgeous ring pillow made of green orchid petals courtesy of the gifted Kebbie Hollingsworth.

salterphotography.com



easthillphoto.com
Beautiful Brides at our Southern Wedding Style Magazine cover shoot.

almasyphoto.com

atfirstsightphoto.com
Danielle putting the finishing touches on the Babikow's 50th wedding anniversary event.

cookimages.com
The New Year is looking Blissful!