5. Wedding Planners, do you really need one? Unless you’re having a wedding that is going on television, you most likely do not need a wedding planner. Most weddings are planned over months and months, and a mother or the bride will have the final say anyways, so why not start there? They will know what they want, and if you get a checklist going early, you have plenty of time to get everything arranged.

4. A wedding singer or DJ, do you really want one? More and more weddings these days are not hiring live bands. The next option for most people is a DJ. However, this person is going to play music you ask him to, so why not just ask your brother or a friend to play the songs you want? Most churches and halls already have a sound system, all you need are your mix CDs.

3. Do you need a Limo? I know what most of you are saying right now… YES I NEED A LIMO! Well ok, do you need one all night? Most people rent a limo for the night, not thinking that they only really need it from the church to the reception, and/or from the reception to the airport or hotel. If you’re going home after your reception, you sure don’t need to pay the driver to sit outside in the parking lot all night waiting!

2. What about a wedding video? It is happening quite frequently these days….many wedding photographers want to bring their buddy, a videographer along too. They might give you a package deal, but the video is actually the expensive one. This is due to editing, sure it probably takes the guy half a day, but he’s going to charge you hundreds or even thousands to do it. A lot of the time, if you get a friend or sibling to go around and talk to the people while you get ready, you get a lot better video than if a stranger was walking around asking your family questions. However, unless you have a professional photographer in the family, if you want quality photos to hang on the wall for 40 years, you should get a pro. Don’t buy prints from them, make sure you only pay them to take the pictures, and give you the digital copies on a DVD or memory stick. This way, you can print them out MUCH cheaper somewhere else, and also only print the ones you like.

1. Number one tip… Exploit your friends! If you know a killer cook, or better yet a couple of good cooks, have them each make 2 dishes of what they usually bring to parties. Another good idea is a potluck reception. This gives people a way to actually contribute to a loved one’s wedding. Of course do not make it mandatory to bring anything, but personally thank those who do. Pay your niece to go down to a flower shop to make arrangements, or have your aunt bring flowers from her garden. As weddings become less and less grand occasions, let your family and friends help make yours as grand as you can!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

Every once in a while, I love to reward my readers by running giveaways here. This time, we have a couple of awesome beauty products to giveaway to one lucky reader. Check out what they are:

1. Gone In Sixty Seconds By AminoGenesis

 Gone In 60 Seconds is a powerful formula that activates on contact to visibly erase fine lines and deep wrinkles – in just seconds! It’s a scientific blend of oxygenating peptides, micro-collagen and firming proteins tightens, firms and reduces puffiness all day long….similar to having a temporary face-lift in a bottle!

FEATURES:

• InstaFirm Protein: An exclusive protein technology that instantly starts to firm skin and plump up wrinkles, creating younger looking skin – within seconds
• OxyPeptide: Naturally derived peptide that is clinically proven to increases skin respiration and oxygenation by as much as 754%
• GABA: Naturally produced in the body to relax muscles, eliminating the need or desire for painful injections
• Micro-Collagen: Delivers a boost of collagen to the help firm the skin
• Patented Delivery System: Advanced patented technology time releases key ingredients all day long

AminoGenesis products are cruelty free (no animal testing) and do not contain animal by-products.

Usage: Massage a small concentrated amount around the eyes, smile lines, neck area. Allow a few minutes to firm and tone the skin.

2. Chocolat Special By NuNAAT

NuNAAT’s Chocolat Special line is designed to restore chemically treated hair’s natural velvety shine and splendor as the unique formula contains Cocoa Butter and Brazil Nut oils to revitalize and restore moisture. The alluring chocolate fragrance is also a special treat for those looking for a little extra self-indulgence.

• Chocolat Creamy Shampoo – Gently cleanses while moisturizing and protecting the hair shaft from further damage caused by sunlight and chemical treatments. Price $6.49
• Chocolat Shake Conditioner – Pamper your hair as Cocoa Butter and Brazil nut ingredients work together to penetrate and strengthen the hair shaft, bring back shine, silkiness, malleability and softness. This tempting conditioner is ideal for hair that has been damaged by the sun or chemical treatments and its inspiring chocolate aroma arouses the senses offering the perfect sensual experience. Price $6.49
• Chocolat Cream Mask – For a deep penetrating action with lasting results, the Chocolat Cream Mask is the ultimate conditioning experience providing a deep and restorative conditioning to hair damaged by the harsh elements or chemical treatments. For best results, use weekly by massaging a generous portion into your hair and leavings on for 20 minutes before rising. Price $6.99
• Chocolat Anti-Frizz Therma Active – Formulate to reduce frizz, the Chocolat Special Anti-Frizz is activated upon styling with a blow dryer or straightening iron. Simply apply evenly on wet hair before styling to activate. Price $7.49

3. Eye Return Gel From PHYTO-C Skin Care

This nourishing and hydrating eye gel is superb for softening the delicate areas surrounding the eyes. With zinc sulfate and citrus bioflavonoid as a few of the active ingredients, this eye treatment boosts collagen production and reduces the appearance of lines. Eye Return Gel prevents the premature signs of aging around the eyes and provides ultimate antioxidant protection. Price: $48.00 , 15 ml

 New to the skin care market, PHYTO-C Skin Care introduces a powerful line of products containing one of the most clinically effective antioxidants – Liquid Vitamin C, or L-Ascorbic Acid.

The Benefits of L-Ascorbic Acid

Antioxidants work by neutralizing oxygen free radicals, which damage and destroy the skin. L-Ascorbic Acid can effectively neutralize free radicals caused by UV rays or other external factors. Its anti-inflammatory properties allow it to help repair skin cells and tissue damaged by free radicals.

When the skin is exposed to ultraviolet light, measurements show that two-thirds of L-Ascorbic Acid in the skin is destroyed. Scientists believe that L-Ascorbic Acid’s role as an antioxidant is essential in protecting the skin from oxidative damage produced by ultraviolet light exposure. It is believed that free radicals can damage collagen, elastic, proteoglycan and cell membranes.

In combination with Hyaluronic acid, L-Ascorbic Acid activates enzymes that stabilize and maintain collagen structure. L-Ascorbic Acid is the only antioxidant that has been proven to increase collagen production; which improves tissue strength and the skin’s appearance.

One lucky reader will have a chance to win ALL  of the above products. To enter for a chance to win, here’s what you need to do:

• One mandatory entry – Tell me why you deserve to win the above products.
• Three additional entries – Tweet this giveaway using “My Lil Venture wants you to win these awesome beauty products” with a link back to this post.  Please leave your twitter thread. You can do this daily until the contest ends.
• Giveaway is open to US and Canada shipping address only.
• Giveaway closes on 3rd March 2010. Please check back here for the contest result or subscribe to my blog’s feed as I will not be emailing winner.

Disclosure : Prizes for giveaway courtesy of www.aminogenesis.com, www.nunaat.com and www.phyto-ceutical.com.

To achieve this soft romantic look that spells out healthy and shiny. To begin, celebrity hairdresser David Babaii used David Babaii for WildAid Hair Polish throughout her entire head. This provides control and additional shine to the hair.

After drying her hair with a medium round brush and rounding the ends he divided the hair into 4 sections: top, sides and back leaving the nape area free. It is imperative to make the extra effort in sectioning prior to styling so you have total control at all times. Using a T3 large barrel curling iron he wrapped 1″ sections around the inside of the iron and holding for 10 seconds. This creates a soft wave pattern.

After curling the entire head in these loose wavy curls, take some additional Hair Polish and massage into your hands. Using only your fingers, loosen the waves gently with a soft combing action. Next, again using only your fingers as combs take the sides and top and comb back in a half up/half down style. Secure with pins.

High School Musical star Ashley Tisdale is one of the most followed and idolized young celebrities in the world today. From her undeniable talent to her drop-dead gorgeous good looks and effortless style, Ashley Tisdale has created an unforgettable brand name and identity for herself. If you too want to perfect the Ashley Tisdale look and resemble your favorite young beauty use our tips on how to recreate Ashley Tisdale’s coveted style in a few easy steps.

Ashley Tisdale is known for a casually put together yet undeniably stylish and sexy look. Instead of overdoing her fashion statements like many young celebrities tend to by dressing and looking much older than their age, Ashley Tisdale cashes in on her looks by channeling a youthful and vibrant energy without compromising on simple elegance.

For daily wear you should stick to comfortable but well made clothes. A pair of simple yet sexy jeans with a nice t-shirt and the right accessories will do the trick for a day at the University or an afternoon out shopping with friends. Designer brand t-shirts in exciting colors and minimal patterns are all you need to make a strong statement. To take the your look from okay to trendy pair your simple outfit up with tiny heels and a vibrant big bag or a designer purse for a casual chic look. Ballet flats also make for beautiful and comfortable footwear. Pick up ballerina slippers in all styles and colors with bows, glitter, and delicate colors to add a touch of flirty style to your ensemble.

If you want to dress up for an event pick a dress. Ashley Tisdale wears 1960s-era inspired flirty dresses that stop just a couple of inches above the knee. Ashley Tisdale is known for her preference for baby doll style dresses that have a distinct Hollywood classic style at times and you can bring out your pretty feminine side without overdoing it. The trick to taking this classic style and adapting it to today’s trends lies in picking up trendy and eye-catching colors. Unusual shades such as a sparkly midnight blue, peacock green and citrus orange add a ‘fun’ element to the outfit. For your feet we suggest dainty sandals, preferably flat open-toed ones in a color such as cream or pale gold. A dainty bag in bright colors or an interesting pattern is a good way to spice the outfit up.

Where makeup is concerned Ashley prefers a sun-kissed girl next door look which she makes glamorous with expertly done up smoky eyes. Practice lining your eyes and using dark eye shadow in shades of grey, black and a deep purple with lots of mascara to make your eyes pop and add a touch of mystery to the look.

Author:Shelly Wu
ISBN-10: 1601630786
ISBN-13: 978-1601630780

If you’re like me and have this thing for Chinese Astrology, you will want to start the new year learning about your true life path with this book, The Definitive Book of Chinese Astrology.

Part 1 of the book will teach you about the Four Pillars of Destiny or better known as Ba Zi, the cornerstones of Chinese astrology. The Four Pillars Chart is derived from the Date of Birth of a person using the Chinese Solar Calendar, which is based on the return of the sun and the subsequent cycles of the sun’s orbit. The 8 chapters in Part 1 covers in depth details of how the Four Pillars can be used to forecast the destiny and characteristics of an individual and the relationships and interaction between the individual with the surrounding environment.

Next, the author Shelly Wu shares with readers about Zi Wei Dou Shu, or “emperor astrology,” known as the best-kept secret for millenniums and formerly accessible only to royalty.  The most accurate and profound divination tool ever discovered—a kind of Dewey decimal system of the universe—will help you identify your inborn capabilities, achievement potential, and life path. One word of caution though, this book may give you some basic information on Zi Wei Dou Shu but it will actually take you years to actually master this astrology.

In the final part,  you will learn about the Chinese astrological subspecialties, from the IChing, feng shui, and Chinese palmistry, to Face reading, 9 Star Ki, and what the combination of your western birth month and eastern birth year reveals. Included in this book is also an interactive CD-ROM which helps  readers create Chinese  astrological charts for themselves, their friends, and family. This will enable them to better understand  their destiny and assess their life options.

BUY IT : The Definitive Book of Chinese Astrology (EAN 978-1-60163-078-0, pages: 216, price: $18.99) was published by New Page Books. The book is available at Barnes & Noble, Borders, Amazon.com, and many other booksellers

Review copy courtesy of NewPageBooks.com

The month of February the world over is associated with one specific day: the 14th of February- Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day in its original form is meant to be celebration of love of all kinds but has universally taken on the general identity of being a day for romantic love. Lovers of all ages mark their relationship and celebrate their life together by spending the day as specially as possible with their beloved.

Recent years have seen the day move away from being a simple expression of happiness to becoming an extravagant and overdone occasion. While there is no harm at all in going overboard for the one you love it is important to remember your limits. One day cannot become the focus of all your attentions and if you have a tight budget to stick to there is no reason to stretch yourself thin in trying to go the conventional route on Valentine’s Day with expensive flowers, chocolates, cards and gifts, especially with the ongoing recession. In this article we share with you some ideas on how to celebrate Valentine’s Day on a small budget.

A beautiful idea is to prepare a picnic for your beloved. Plan it for the nighttime to add a romantic touch to the occasion. If the weather is nice plan it for a park or the beach where you can lay out a rug, light a few candles and enjoy the food and each other’s company. A portable disc player with a specially made CD will add to the mood while you and your partner spend some quality time under the stars. Incase of cold weather, plan it around a small fire and spend a cozy night together.

Plan the day in advance and do all the things your beloved likes. This doesn’t necessarily involve spending money as a scrumptious breakfast in bed, a luxurious bath and pampering massage, a day out at a local park, zoo or monument and a dinner to top it off can make for a memorable and enjoyable day where you can focus all your attention on your partner without anything to distract you.

If you’re good with an instrument you can make a recording of all her favorite songs and present to her. Music speaks louder than words across all races in the world and soothing classical music sets the mood beautifully. The fact that you played it yourself will add a sentimental value to the gift.

A great yet inexpensive gift idea would be to make a box of the things your partner likes best. Try your hand at arts and crafts by making them a pretty card, handmade jewelry, their favorite chocolates and a good novel. You can also add flowers, a CD, scented candles and a photograph of the two of you together to the box. Be sure to decorate the box well.

Celebrity hairdresser David Babaii achieved this red carpet look by combining eras of vintage fabric textures with the perfect epoch red hair color. According to David, “Nicole Kidman always inspires me but for the 2010 SAG Awards, her beautiful skin tone and breathtaking beauty took the lead. The right style and hair color became my main objective.” David fell in love with this unique period wig that had various tones of ginger. In order to achieve the perfect color match, David sought out the master talents of celebrity hair colorist Lorri Goddard-Clark. Lorri created Nicole’s rich new color, while David created the perfect texture needed to enhance this natural but classic “Bohemian” look.

The Color: Lorri Goddard-Clark matched the vintage wig selected by David Babaii by utilizing a combination of deposit-only color, her signature foil-out reverse highlighting technique and a sulfate-free glaze. Nicole’s hair was transformed from a medium blonde into a rich, warm Gingered Toffee Red to enhance her azure eyes and porcelain skin.

According to Lorri, “It was truly an honor to work with David: he is a genius. I was thrilled to collaborate with him on this look for Nicole Kidman.”

The Style: David gently towel dried the hair and sprayed Bohemian Beach Spray throughout. Next, he gently rough dried the hair moving his hands in various directions to create texture. Once dry, he fashioned a center part and divided tresses into 4 sections (sides, back crown & nape). Starting at the nape area, he alternated between 1″ and 1 ½” ceramic curling irons, taking “V” shaped partings. He then wrapped hair around the inside of the barrel, holding for 10 seconds then gently releasing the curl. With each alternating curl, David slid his fingers up the curl to gently create a soft back combing effect and enhanced texture. After finishing the entire head, David used his fingers and added extra Bohemian Beach Spray to loosen the curls and highlight the richness of the hair color.

Teeth grinding is something that is very common amongst ordinary people. If grinding your teeth is something that is a habit for a person, then a dental appointment should be made immediately so that the problem, as to why you do it, can be determined and resolved.

There are many reasons that a person may grind their teeth, and when it happens, it happens mostly at night when you are asleep, so it can be hard to determine unless you wake up with a sore jaw. If you are someone that has an overbite or an under bite, you may be someone that has a tooth grinding problem. You may be someone that has some missing or broken teeth as well. Not only do these problems cause grinding teeth, but if you’re stressed out or if you are someone that goes through a lot of anxiety as well, you could be experiencing a tooth grinding problem.

If the cause of your teeth grinding is from stress, then you should find ways to calm your stress whether you do it during your awake hours, or during the night time when most people are unable to detect themselves doing it. Try exercising before bed, taking a hot bath, or having someone give you a nice relaxing massage to release the tension that may be in your jaw. You could also go to your local pharmacy store and buy a mouth guard to protect your teeth during the night from grinding.

The best thing to do would be to make a visit as soon as you can to your dentist where he or she can help you to better determine what could be going on with your teeth, and what remedy would be great for you.

We have all gone through one of these. They are the bane of our existence and a terrible reality which haunts us from time to time. Bad Hair Days are unfortunately, no strangers to anyone, and can completely take away from one’s looks and confidence. There are, however, ways and means of dealing with one of these icky days, and we are presenting them here for you:

The best method is, of course, prevention. This can be done by planning your hairstyle and look for the next day in advance and taking the appropriate precautions. If, however, your hair still looks like a little hairy monster one morning, here is what is to be done.

Is Carrie Underwood having a bad hair day?

BANDANNAS: they are cool, they look great and they scream “confidence”. However, you need an attitude to carry a bandanna well, and one can easily go over the top when choosing the colour and design, so please be careful and have an appropriate bandanna ready in case of emergencies.

A PONY TAILis a girl’s best friend when it comes to coping with a bad hair day. Of course, it can be a man’s best friend too, if they ever recognize their bad hair days. Have fun with different colours of rubber bands, and be sure that the rubber band has a protective fabric covering. A silicone based hair serum can go a long way in smoothening out your hair and giving it a finished appearance. If, however, you have problems getting your hair to settle down, there are other weapons like hair gels, sprays and mousse to be considered.

Alternatively, if you have some time on your hands, dab a little olive oil on a straightening iron and straighten your hair out. A straight haired look is always more neat than a frazzled, monster head look. The olive oil can be replaced with almond oil, and is responsible for protecting your hair and leaving it with a slight sheen after the ironing.

Of course, you can always wear a hat or a wig but this is a last minute resort known as camouflage.