{Fab. Flower Friday} Featuring: Ranunculus!

If you have not been introduced to this lovely little springtime gem you are in for a complete treat!  The ranunculus may appear delicate and dainty on the outside but it is a full, hearty and lasting flower perfect for standing a little bit of breeze and heat for the outdoor springtime, early summer wedding.  The color palette that these darlings come in ranges from yellow, to soft peach, a jammy plum to bright sunny orange.  They compliment flowers from roses, to peonies, and are the perfect touch to a gardeny or vintage themed wedding.  So feast your eyes on these lovelies as they are added to the list of AbFab's most FAVE blooms!

And to see what these beauties look like in a finished product, here are some gorg. bouquets featuring the dear little ranunculus!

~we love the soft palette of this bouquet~

photo credit: Heavenly Blooms

~ranunculus and succulents together make an incredible pair~

~a Chanel inspired bouquet? why not!~

~And of course some bouquets near and dear to our heart, coral peonies and peach ranunculus make a beautiful, spingtime pair!~

~photo credit Simply In Love Photography

{Introducing} our Crazy~ in~ Love Contest Winners: Ashley + John

Congratulations Ashley & John for winning our first ever Crazy~In~Love Contest!  Read on to discover their Crazy~In~Love story written by Ashley:

John and I met through my brother & I's good friend. We always flirted and smiled at each other and joked around. Finally he got the nerve to ask me on a date and I said Yes , of course. We knew it was love, Honestly it's like a fairytale. Me & John are always happy. He's a jokester and loves just smiling and saying stupid funny things to make people laugh and we're both very down to earth and love to just be around each other. I can never be sad around him. He's my rock, my world. He gave me the best thing in this world, our son. We're both two very compassionate people.

Tips to a happy marriage:
Always be yourself. Don't get mad or upset over the little things that don't matter. Be open and honest. Don't be afraid of who you are. We sit down every day to tell each other our feelings about our day & five positive things about each other. Literally everyday. Support each other no matter what. Be sensitive.

We are meant for each other. We both know how to express our feelings, be in touch with emotion and thrive off being with one another. He is the love of my life.

Thanks so much you two for sharing your story with us and congrats again! Enjoy your $100 Gift Card compliments of the AbFab Team! :)

How Creative Can You Get With Your Guest book?

We're beginning to see more and more with each day that anything goes when you are planning your wedding. The bottom line is that it is YOUR big day and you can do whatever your little heart desires. If you want a pink wedding dress instead of white/ivory, you can have it! Reese Witherspoon did, why can't you?! If you want live animals accompanying you down the isle, you can have that too! If you want guests to sign a surf board instead of a traditional guest book, by all means GO RIGHT AHEAD! We love the idea of ditching the traditional guest books and creating something more artistic and representative of you as a couple. Here are a few of our favorites.

Do you play the guitar or just love music? Have your guests sign a guitar instead of a guest book. You can purchase a guitar new, of course, or shop the thrift stores or local music shops for gently used guitars at a really great price. Since wine is AbFab's usual drink of choice, naturally, we love the idea of using wine bottles as a guest book. Leave the labels on and the wine uncorked, or have some fun before the wedding and drink up! If you want to remove the labels, try placing the bottles in the oven for about 10 minutes at 250 degrees. It works every time... :) Here are a few other easy ways to remove labels.

To all you surfers and snowboarders out there, here is the one for you! Have your guest sign a surfboard or snowboard for a keepsake. Do you consider yourself Earthy or are you having a nature-inspired wedding? Ever thought of having your guests sign rocks? What a great idea!

Having a destination wedding or have a lot of out-of-town guests? Have them leave you and your love a note on a postcard. Or you can have your escort cards serve as a guestbook as this puzzle did on the right. Each puzzle piece was an escort card and the guests had to find where their piece fit in the puzzle. Then, guests signed the mat around the puzzle instead of a guest book. Double duty! This clever design uses magnets on the back of the puzzle and magnetic paint on the mat to hold the puzzle pieces in place.

Last but not least, a few examples of the ever-popular guest book wedding tree. "Leaf a Thumbprint, and Sign Your Name!" A couple stamp pads in colors of your choice, and a hand painted tree on a canvas with only the branches is all you need to have this personal touch at your wedding. Spice it up a bit if you'd like with these other variations. Create a decoupage tree and use all different colors of fabric/paper. A glass guest book tree is so unique! Have your guests sign colorful pieces of artistic glass and hang them from wire.

These are just a few of the great guest book alternatives out there. Did you do something different at your wedding or plan to? Let us know by leaving a comment or facebook us! Attach a picture if you have one!

~~The AbFab Team

Color Me Wonder~Wheel

All makeup loving women have wondered what color suits them the best. {Am I a Winter? Am I a Spring? Ughh or maybe an Autumn?} Often times the confusion surrounding 'the perfect shade', can drive women to throw in the towel and give up on makeup all together! Here at AbFab we encourage you not to give up, because makeup is just way too much FUN!

Keep in mind, the idea that you can only wear one or two shades is an ancient concept. With more emphasis on application techniques, the range of color choices have expanded. Modern makeup is meant to be an outlet for self-expression and a way to enhance the beautiful features you were blessed with.

The Makeup Color-wheel has been a staple for determining one's perfect shade for years. Typically, we fall into a certain category, but we can and should venture outside of the box from time to time...you may surprise yourself.

Do Blondes really have more fun? There may be something to that {at least in terms of makeup} Blondes look fabulous in a wide range of fun vibrant colors as well as muted pastels. Try soft blues, pink hues, and peaches for a subtle natural look, then rev it up with a smokey navy shadow in the crease and a bright lip.

Red Hot and Fierce! Oh how we love you in a nude lip. Yes we all know you can pull off the deep dramatic lipstick, but try reversing it girl...you will not be disappointed. Grab some smokey brown or charcoal plum shadow and do it up. Don't be afraid to be a bit dramatic, your nude lip will balance it.

Believe it or not, ladies with deep complexions have the hardest time choosing shades. Most colors that are available are typically too light and can create an ashy look when applied. For a natural yet defined look, pick espresso browns, charcoals, and black eye shadows. A natural lip is always great, but don't be afraid to pick a bright, tropical inspired lipstick....you were born for it!

 {The Beloved Smokey Eye} Be honest, you know you want to try it! A smokey eye can be done with any color, so don't feel intimidated by the deep browns commonly used for this look. Pick a shade that you feel comfortable with. For dark eyed brunettes, navy is a gorgeous choice, and light eyed blondes can't go wrong with a subtle bronze.

Try one of these ideas today and share a picture on our Facebook wall.

{Fab. Flower Friday}-Wherefore art thou Romeo?

The start of something beautiful we feel!  The AbFab team is oh-so-pleased to introduce to you Fab. Flower Friday and Makeover Monday! Spring is clearly upon us~the flowers are blooming like crazy and it's time to freshen the look just in time for beach time, lake time and summer travels!  So we invite you to check in on our mini-blog series for a new flower to be featured every week complete with some phenomenal make-up tips that you {and your face!} won't want to miss!  Informative, fun, and interesting is what we are going for~feel free to leave any comments or suggestions for us! 

So to start off the fab-flower series, we felt the need to debut one of the seasons most sensational, gorgeous and ethereal looking blooms, the Juliet rose.

Often compared to the likes of a peony, the Juliet rose is lush and full, soft and delicate and a perfect compliment to an array of wedding styles.  From vintage and beachy to a bit of classic, elegance, the Juliet rose is a flower we are most certainly swooning over this season!

 

Design: Holly Chapple Flowers

And of course one of our favorites, a bouquet that was plentiful of Juliet roses created for our beyond beautiful bride Jenna.  Her choice of wedding colors was impeccable, not too mention how her vintage~coastal theme complimented not only her personality but also her glowing skin.  Be looking for her and her hubby's gorgeous wedding to be featured on our blog {very} soon!  Thanks to Simply in Love Photography for capturing this sensational day {and all the touching moments in between}!

Photo Credit: Simply In Love Photography
Floral Design/Make-up: Absolutely Fabulous Weddings

Celebrating Cinco De Mayo

Cinco De Mayo is a holiday celebrated nationwide in the United States and throughout Mexico. This fun and festive holiday celebrates Mexican culture, pride, and the fight for freedom during the American Civil War. This is a fantastic time to learn more about Mexican tradition, and reflect on our rich history as neighbors and friends.


Here are some AbFab tips to help you celebrate Cinco De Mayo...

Hosting a Cinco De Mayo Party? Try decorating with fresh fruit. Its festive, fun, and colorful!

Fresh Mex is the way to go! Try Our AbFab Fresh Recipes For Margaritas and Guacamole.

Margaritas: 4 limes, 4 lemons, 11/2 cup fresh Orange Juice, 11/2 cup fresh Pineapple juice, 3 ounces Patron Silver, 1 1/2 ounces favorite triple sec.

~Cut Lemons and Limes in half and squeeze juice into blender, then follow with the rest of your ingredients. Finally, blend until frothy and pour over ice in a nicely salted rim glass.

Guacamole: 4 ripe avocados, 1 lemon, 1 diced tomato, fresh cilantro, 1/2 diced onion(small), 2 ears of raw corn, salt and pepper.

~Peel and pit avocados, add raw corn, tomato, onion, and cilantro. Pour contents into blender, squeeze lemon over ingredients, dash salt and pepper to taste, and blend. Delicious!!!

Beauty Secrets...

Mexican women rub coarse sea salt all over their bodies when they shower for a natural, radiant glow!

Sensitive skin? Try this pineapple facial. Chop and mash pineapple, cover face, and allow to dry (approximately 15 min.), rinse, then follow with favorite cream. The magical enzymes in pineapple will naturally and gently exfoliate your skin.

Finally, for a little extra lash action, take a page out of a Latina beauty magazine! Mexican beauties use two spoons to curl their lashes. They place each spoon on either side of the lashes and curl back. So easy and it works!!!

Have A Wonderful Cinco De Mayo Everyone! Please share with us your fun Cinco De Mayo Plans on Our Facebook Page! Adios Amigos........

Pink-A-Licious!

We have all settled nicely into our nude peachy lips and our subtle flesh toned cheeks, and while we are no where near saying goodbye to that look...PINK IS BACK BABY! Its time to follow the lead of our favorite celebs and pop some pink back into our lives. Many of us associate pink makeup with the not so modest makeup of the 80s, but the "New Pink" is refined, pretty, and flattering on everyone.

*Why the '80's Pink' Failed...Yikes! TOO MUCH! 

The blush is so intense and creates a drastically chiseled look on a woman that should look soft

 and feminine, and the eyes are far too dramatic with such a deep lip shade.

*The 'New Pink'...Oh So Pretty! 

Soft, subtle eyes allow all the focus to be on the gorgeous pink lip! Pink naturally draws out eye color and truly embodies femininity. Notice the natural pink blush placed on the apples of the cheek (not at a severe slant on the side of the face like our 80's lady).

Don't be afraid of color! Glowing Cheeks are in style and totally fabulous!

Our Favorite Pink Picks:

*Estee Lauder's Pure Color Lipstick in "Candy" and Pure Color Lip Gloss In "Rock Candy"

Beautiful Pigments and Extreme Hydration

*Estee Lauder's "Pink Kiss" Blush For A Modest Pink Cheek

*Steal Of A Deal: Covergirl's "Plumberry" Blush For A Bold Pink Cheek

Show Us How You Are Poppin That Pink On Our Facebook Page!

http://www.covergirl.com/

http://www.esteelauder.com/index.tmpl