Christmas in July! Book your office or family Christmas party today!

Can you believe 2008 is more than half over? The Thanksgiving and Christmas season will be upon us soon. As a gift to yourself book an event planner today to take care of all the busy details of your family or office holiday parties so you can enjoy your guests. Book now as dates will book quickly. Locally serving the Dallas/Fort Worth Area and greater Phoenix areas.

Contact us by visiting http://www.absolutelyyouevents.com/

Want to plan a destination event? We can cover that too! Travel arrangements are booked at no cost to you! Visit http://www.absolutelyyouevents.com/ to contact Mike.

Arizona clients get your Christmas family photos taken early this year. Mandy Hank Photography is offering a Christmas in September special. Your family session will be half off! That's right only $150 instead of $300. Book today!

http://www.mandyhank.com/

Free Honeymoon! Bridal Show Special Extended

We're extending our bridal show special. Book a full service event planning package for your wedding or business and get a 5-7 night resort stay in the Bahamas or like location on us! Limited time only. Contact us today!

www.AbsolutelyYouEvents.com

A Wedding That Gives Back

Easy, elegant ideas from the I Do Foundation

Your wedding is a time of great celebration and generosity. You and your partner can share some of the joy of your marriage by finding socially conscious ideas to give back as a part of your wedding. Use the I Do Foundation’s Tips to find ways to make your wedding both more meaningful and personal.

Before Your Wedding:1. Identify a reception location that makes an impact: Consider an event space owned by a non-profit organization, where the rental proceeds go to a good cause. Botanical gardens, museums, and historical sites can all make for a picture-perfect reception.2. Think green: To create a wedding that is both beautiful and environmentally responsible, incorporate earth-friendly practices into your special day. From sending invitations made from recycled paper, to hiring caterers that use organic ingredients, there are a variety of ways to ensure your wedding is as healthy for the earth as is it for you.3. Consider donations in place of gifts: Already have a fondue pot? Give your guest the option to donate to your favorite charity. Make it easy for everyone through websites like IDoFoundation.org and JustGive.org.4. Choose gift registries that give back: When you start your gift registries at IDoFoundation.org, up to 8% of purchases made from stores like Target and Linens ‘N Things is donated to the charity of your choice. Make your wedding make an impact … without giving up that new kitchen appliance or set of sheets.

The Day of Your Wedding: 5. Donate leftover food: Locate your local food rescue program and arrange ahead with your caterer to ensure that left-over food gets put to good use. For a great resource, visit SecondHarvest.org. 6. Add power to flowers: Check with your local nursing homes or assisted living centers to see where your centerpieces could add some sunshine to someone’s day.7. Give charitable wedding guest favors: There’s a new tradition in favors that’s lasting long past the wedding day. At IDoFoundation.org, it’s easy to make a donation in honor of your guests in place of wedding favors for a truly inspiring and personal “thank you” from you to your guests.

Looking for a special wedding or event location?Check out Adriatica in McKinney, TX

We had the opportunity to visit a very special and unique wedding and event location this week in Texas. Adriatica. Adriatica, whose design is inspired by Croatian villages with a mix of Italian flare, is sure to become one of the most desired wedding locations in North Texas. Once complete, Adriatica will host a beautiful chapel to seat approximately 145-154 guests and an elegant hotel to accommodate guests and receptions. These are just the wedding specific features of Adriatica. It's so much more. It's about community and family.

When my husband and I travelled oversees last year to visit our family and meet with wedding and event location property managers and vendors, everyone wanted to know about Rome and Venice. We preferred to talk about Croatia, Turkey and the small towns of Italy that captured our hearts. Most don't think of the smaller, quaint villages for destination weddings. That is where we really experienced the heart of these regions, their family and daily lives that we miss out on in much of the United States. We are so quick to grow up, move out and move on, that we tend to miss out on the true sense of community. Let me encourage you to slow down. Enjoy the planning process. The wedding isn't about one day. It's about an entire life with the one that you love.

*Note: Adriatica is not currently booking. Completion is expected early 2009. Stay tuned for more information.

To learn more about Adriatica visit http://www.AdriaticaMckinney.com/.

We visited a Croatian home. They would love to host your rehearsal dinner or reception!

The picture below is a breezeway at the home on a rainy, romantic day.


This is my mother-in-law's home village in Italy. Absolutely breathtaking!

Arizona and Texas Bridal Shows **Arizona Bridal Fashion Debut June 8, 2008**

ARIZONA BRIDAL SHOWS

**VISIT STEFANI AT OUR BOOTH**

Book your complimentary consultation at the show. When you book a "full service" package with us get a FREE 5-7 night stay in the Bahamas or like location for your honeymoon or first anniversary

Sunday, June 8, 2008 PURCHASE 2-FOR-1 TICKETS
Bridal Fashion Debut Phoenix Convention Center3rd Street & Jefferson, Phoenix, AZMap Grooms Ring Drawing http://www.bridalfashiondebut.com/

TEXAS BRIDAL SHOWS

July 12 & 13, 200810a ‑ 5p
The Dallas Bridal Show Dallas Market Hall2200 Stemmons Fwy, Dallas, TXMap Coupon

Come See The Premier Bridal Event InNorth Texas!Over 300 wedding businesses to meet your every wedding need. Tickets are available at the door, and no advance registration is needed. Entry is $10 for adults and $5 for children under 14 - includes toddlers & infants. (No credit cards accepted for admission.) **Register to win fabulous prizes including a diamond ring from Dallas Gold & Silver. No cameras, video cameras or solicitation material allowed from attendees.

July 19 & 20, 200811a ‑ 4p
Fort Worth Bridal Show Amon Carter Exhibit Hall3400 Burnett Tandy Dr., Fort Worth, TXMap Coupon
Come See The Premier Bridal Event InTarrant Country!Over 125 wedding businesses to meet your every wedding need. Tickets are available at the door, and no advance registration is needed. Entry is $7 for adults and $3 for children under 14 - includes toddlers & infants. (No credit cards accepted for admission.) **Register to win fabulous prizes including a diamond ring from Dallas Gold & Silver. No cameras, video cameras or solicitation material allowed from attendees.

September 14, 2008Noon ‑ 5
Plano Bridal Show Plano Centre2000 East Spring Creek Parkway, Plano, TXMap Coupon

Come See The Premier Bridal Show In Plano!Over 100 wedding businesses to meet your every wedding need. Tickets are available at the door, and no advance registration is needed. Entry is $10 for adults and $5 for children under 14 - includes toddlers & infants. (No credit cards accepted for admission.)
Register to win fabulous prizes, including a beautiful diamond ring from Dallas Gold & Silver.

First daughter gets married & Test your wedding trivia

Few times in history has a "first daughter" been married during her father's term as president. Saturday, May 10th, Jenna Bush made her mark in history when she married at her parent's ranch in Crawford, Texas. It's pretty cool when you can say the President of the United States gave me away on my wedding day. Congratulations Jenna and Henry on making your wedding Absolutely You!











Let us know what you would have chosen: White House Wedding or Private Wedding?

Wedding Trivia

1. President Bush's daughter, Jenna, is not the first twin to be married while their father was in the Oval Office. Andrew Jackson Jr., a twin boy born to President Jackson's sister-in-law, was adopted at birth by the president and his wife, Rachel, and raised as their own child. He married Sarah Yorke in 1831 while his father was president.
2. President Nixon's daughter, Tricia, is the only child of a president married in the Rose Garden.
3. The wedding celebration of President Monroe's daughter, Maria, was marred by murder. One of her wedding receptions was held near the White House in the home of American war hero Stephen Decatur. After Decatur was murdered, all the other wedding receptions were canceled, and flags were flown at half-staff across the country.
4. In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt's daughter Alice received scores of wedding gifts, including a string of 62 matched pearls with a diamond clasp from the Cuban government; a mosaic representing paintings in the Vatican from Pope Pius X; and from Empress Dowager, the early 20th century Chinese monarch, a hand-carved, teak chest filled with jewelry, an ermine coat, a fox coat, valuable Chinese paintings and jade carvings.
5. Dorothy Bush, daughter of President George H.W. Bush and sister to President Bush, is the only presidential child married at Camp David.
6. Nine children of sitting presidents have held wedding ceremonies at the White House. The last two were Tricia Nixon in 1971 and Lynda Bird Johnson in 1967. President John Quincy Adams' son John Adams II, who wed in 1828, remains the only son of a president married at the White House.
7. Jenna Bush is the 22nd child of a sitting president to be married, but there have been 23 weddings of presidential children while their fathers were in office. Elliot Roosevelt, son of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, was married twice — once in 1933 and again in 1944.

Celebration Earth Day

You can always find a reason to celebrate and gather with friends. Earth Day is a great day to celebrate! Invite friends to the bash with invitations made from recycled paper or invitation options such as Evite. Ask guests to bring an idea to share on earth friendly products or habits.

Just a few to think about:

• Print on both sides of computer paper (on wedding invitations use the same card for accommodations and directions by simply putting the directions on the back instead of using a separate directions card)


• Turn off water when brushing teeth instead of letting it even drizzle


• Purchase a groovy water bottle or mug for the gym or office instead of purchasing bottled water (this is a good idea for business travelers and honeymooners who tend to buy beverages in plastic bottles once through security)


• Purchase grocery totes to use on every grocery store visit

Feel free to respond to this post with your favorite tips :)