There’s lots happening in the world of weddings, so here’s my periodic “link love” post with some recent news and contests.

Lisa Mark Photography (Toronto, ON) is running a unique wedding contest – the Real Bride Model search. One lucky winner will receive a professional photoshoot with Lisa, along with hair/makeup by Melanie Sivitilli, styling by Ashley Braz, a 5×5 album of 20 images of your choice and a 16×20 canvas wrap of your choice. The prize is valued at over $1500 and is open to everyone (but keep in mind you’ll have to fly out to Toronto for the shoot in the summer). Deadline is April 30.

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Anyone following all those bridal shows on TLC? I have to admit, I LOVE them, especially Say Yes to the Dress. I was just told that Friday is actually “Thank God It’s Bride Day!” on TLC and all programming will be dedicated to wedding shows. It will also be the day for the premier of the fifth season of Say Yes to the Dress and a new episode of Four Weddings. Too bad it’s Jason’s birthday, or I’d be sitting around watching. As well, TLC is also running a Perfect Day Giveaway – learn more about it in this clip, along with a sneakpeek at what’s to come on Say Yes to the Dress.

For those who dreamed of wearing a Rivini wedding gown, you don’t want to miss the Rivini trunk show at White in Toronto, May 7-8. The ladies at White have brides fly in for these events, especially when you don’t have access to these designers, so nothing is impossible. Here’s some more details:

Want to share some news or promote an event? Send an email to melissa@weddingobsession.com – only those who are posted will be contacted. Thank you.

I’m a bit of a blog fanatic. My mornings begin with the perusal of multiple blogs – wedding blogs, fashion blogs, my friend’s blogs, cooking blogs, home decor blogs, you name it. As a wedding photographer, I’m especially drawn to the wedding inspiration blogs, including Wedding Obsession. I love seeing how people incorporate unique details that really make their weddings “them”. Together with my assistant, I styled three mini-weddings and then photographed the results. For several years I worked as a stylist for an Interior Designer so it was fun to stretch my design legs again and “play bride” for a while. I decided to make it interesting by combining the unveiling of these photographs with a promotion. It’s a two for one for brides – delicious details and a giveaway.

I have posted photos from three wedding shoots, each with a very different theme. They are “Modern Elegance”, “Retro Appeal” and “Spring Zing”. After reviewing each of the wedding themes, we’re going to put it to a vote. TWP readers get to decide which of these weddings speaks to them. This is where it gets interesting. Let’s be honest, we’ve all been affected by the recession. Couples are striving for unique weddings, thoughtful details and breathtaking photos to remember it all by, but without breaking the budget. TWP blog readers will be eligible to win a complimentary wedding photography package from Tara Whittaker Photography AND all couples who confirm a wedding photography package by May 15th, 2010, will receive a 25% discount.

There are a few stipulations so pay attention: Voting began April 16, 2010 and ends at midnight on May 15, 2010. The winner will be chosen randomly and announced on May 16, 2010. To be eligible to win, you must vote AND send an email to photography@tarawhittaker.com with “Photo contest” in the subject line. This email must include your name, wedding date and phone number. To win, your wedding must take place in Calgary or the surrounding area and be booked for 2010. Good luck to all brides!

Here’s shoot #1…Modern Elegance. I will be posting the other two throughout the day.

Be sure to check out Tara’s blog – it’s got loads of inspiration. Stay tuned for #2 & #3…

To enter to win the gift certificate, please visit the Beau-coup Wedding Favors site and leave a comment to this post indicating what you’d love to spend the money on to complete your wedding. The contest will end Tuesday, April 13 @ noon MST. Good luck!

Thanks Dolcetto Designs for doing this contest with us :]

Check out the talented Ambient Studio’s (Toronto) Highlight Reel from 2009.

Ambient Studios | 2009 Highlights from L Issler on Vimeo.

Edmonton photographer, Jasser from JAG Photography won editor’s pick from bride.ca – congrats Jasser!

Edmonton brides: Blackbird Photography is proud to donate 10% of all boudoir or pin-up photosession fees to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, and help to create a future without breast cancer. How sweet is that? Below are some more details from Reanna:

Surprise your fiance on your wedding day with a gorgeous hardcover press printed book of you! Either as a gift for someone you love, or just to celebrate YOU (the best reason!).

Boudoir: Celebrate You!
Beautiful boudoir photography, for the bride to be. Boudoir photosessions include a glam-over with a hairstylist and makeup artist to help your inner beauty shine out. Its time for YOU to shine. Session comes with a hard cover press printed book of best images as a keepsake. All sessions come with a private digital online password protected proofing gallery to shop for prints and products.
Pin-Up: Go retro glam!
Retro is back and ever popular! Do you want to be a pinup cutie? Are you the ‘girl next door’ , a tattoo’d Betty, saucy kitten or burlesque star? How about an vintage hollywood glamour starlette? Want to create a special present for your hot wheels fiance? Embrace the retro era and book yourself for: Blackbird Photography’s: Pinup Sessions.
This darling lil’ photo session is for ladies only, with Blackbird Photography’s female photographer and female staff and includes glam-over services of a makeup artist and hairstylist to turn you retro perfection. After your makeover session, have a blast during your one hour photography session which will include as many outfits as you can cram in to the timeframe, using a selection of Blackbird Photography’s props. Session includes a beautiful hardcover press printed book of your images and a private, password protected online gallery.

Boudoir or Pin-Up Package: $390, photosession includes:
-female photographer and female staff
-photosession
-various sets (backgrounds)
-up to four outfit changes
-makeup and hairstyling glam-over by professional artists
-beautiful hardcover press printed book of session images!!!!!!!
-all images are retouched and edited (blemishes begone!)
-password protected private online digital gallery for proofing
-add a calendar of session images for $45 at time of session

All bookings receive one free 8×10 print when they mention www.weddingobsession.com.
Contact Blackbird Photography to book your session now.

Other links you might enjoy:
Vistaprint’s doing new weekly giveaways.
Canadian brides: check out Wedding Bells‘ contests for your city – new prizes every week!
The ever stylish Studio Choo came out with a new online store.
Winter party tips from Studio Dreyer Hensley via design sponge

If you have any news relevant to weddings, please email me {melissa@weddingobsession.com}. You will receive a reply if it is published.

And while I normally don’t do new years resolutions, I’ve decided this year might be a bit different. I’m going to make a list of things I think I should be doing and see how things go.

• Limit myself to 2 coffees a day. This is going to be hard! It’s funny but I started drinking coffee on my trip to Australia in high school and I feel like I can’t function without it.

• Start a filing cabinet. I am sadly one that piles receipts and bills literally everywhere and when it’s time to clean up, I stick them in bags and try to forget about them. I guess it’s time to be more organized! I am horrible..I just found a cheque that I should have deposited close to 3 months ago and this wasn’t the first time…

• Delegate. With wedding invitations due soon and honeymoon plans to organize, it’s time I ask for help. Time to organize a girl party to help put things together and time to crack the whip on Jason to start helping out!

I can think of a million other things I should be doing, but at least this is a start. And I am REALLY dreading the “starting a filing cabinet” one. Can’t we all just have a personal assistant? :]

I totally forgot to mention I picked up my wedding gown 2 weekends ago and promise I will share it soon on the blog. It’s about an inch too big all over so it will take a good tailor to make it fit right. As with most dresses, I was between two sizes (i blame the hips!) and had to go up one. I guess they say it’s easier to take in the dress than take it out, right? Anyways, it ended up being a girls weekend out with Ashley and we had a blast in our snazzy Hotel Arts in Calgary followed by some bar food at a Calgary flames shrine which was a converted theatre.

Gosh I talk to much. But here’s a hair piece I’ve been eyeing over from myrakim on etsy. Love it!

I’ve also been thinking about shrugs lately, since it might be chilly in May, so here are some of the ones I’ve come across and liked!

Happy planning & have a safe new years. I’ve got a new real wedding coming up very VERY soon and don’t forget to enter to win a custom thank you card design courtesy Dolcetto Designs.

{images: hairpiece: myrakim; shrug 1: holly stalder; shrug 2: glamour junkie; shrug 3: holly stalder}

So all you have to do is provide the photos and your information and you’ll receive a custom digital design which you can print off yourself at your local printer. So easy.

I asked Shari, the owner, to give us a bit of insight as to how her company started and what she does:

We live minutes away from Niagara Falls. We moved to Ontario from BC just over a year ago so that my husband could complete his degree in oenology/ viticulture to become a professional wine maker. I was an elementary school teacher in BC with a love for the arts. We have a 20 month old daughter and a 2 month old son, it’s busy times.

Towards the end of this past spring I was feeling the need to do something for myself that utilized my creative/ creating side. With a young child at home and one on the way, my options were limited. I kept wondering if I could have an online custom card business, it would be something that I would enjoy and could mostly do from home. With the itch not going away, I figured I would create a simple website and give it a go. A couple of months later I realized the need for a better site, and Dolcetto Designs was born. It’s been a total of 6 months since I started from scratch, and I have already had over 200 orders from over 170 different clients from all over Canada and just had my first from the US.

I’m recently had a lot of brides visit my site to order thank you cards and some invitations and save the dates. What’s relatively unique about my busines is that I sell a customized digital image (& for a very reasonable price), allowing people to do their own printing. This is by far the most ordered item on my site. In the age of the DIY wedding and soaring wedding costs, this is extremely popular with brides. I am looking foward to growing my business, adding new designs and seeing what 2010 has in store.

THANKS so much to Dolcetto Designs for this giveaway.

Ladies & gents, to enter, all you have to do is visit the Dolcetto Designs site and leave a comment for this post telling me which one is your favorite design!. Winners will be chosen on January 4th, just after the new year.

{images courtesy Dolcetto Designs}

{Loving this “cherished whites” collection from Anthropologie – hot chocolate, fireplace, cozy blanket.}

Other interesting things:
Site I’ve been perusing A LOT lately. Clever clever gifts.
Bestbiddy.com is having a contest for a chance to win a $150 professional photography session.
Stitched Vegas save the dates
2 days left! – Sephora Claus granting wishes

Award winning German photographer Marco Schwarz is planning a new image video of his work and is looking for 1 or 2 bridal couples who would love to have their entire wedding portrait shot in photo & film for FREE with the cost of his & the cinematographer’s flight (retail price of $5000). Contact him directly if you’re interested.

Photo Card Creations giveaway winner: Christina

Hello!Lucky giveaway winner: Samantha

Congrats ladies and thanks to Photo Card Creations & Hello!Lucky!

3 chances per person to enter!

• Comment on this post telling me what you want for christmas and/or

• Leave a separate comment if you follow wedobsession on twitter, indicate your username and/or

• Leave a separate comment if you are a fan of weddingobsession on facebook, indicate your username

It’s that easy!

A winner will be drawn at the end of Sunday (Dec 6). Good luck!