Don't Miss Tomorrow's Unique Bridal Workshop and Class!

Hurry! There's only a few spots left to attend!

Dynamite Weddings and Real Weddings Magazine are hosting the Wedding Class & Workshop this Sunday, May 17, from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the Citizen Hotel in downtown Sacramento! We're teaming up to offer you an interactive 2 for 1 event, including a wedding class and workshop. Ignite Your Bridal Style is the theme behind this engaging, pressure free experience. There will be a chance for brides to participate in activity stations, share constructive chats with local professionals and enjoy guest speakers, fine food, champagne, a wedding planning binder and an exclusive parting gift.

Also, we'll be raffling a GRAND PRIZE give-a-way to one lucky bride valued at more than $700!

David Girard Hosts A Wedding Seminar

We are honored to be giving away 3 tickets to the David Girard Vineyards Wedding Seminar this weekend (valued at $75)!! Comment below with your wedding date and tell us, at least one, must have feature for your day. We will select a winner, at random, on Friday, March 6th, so be sure to check back and see if you were selected!

David Girard Vineyards is hosting a wedding seminar for brides and grooms and invite you to meet a small showcase of vendors they support. Come enjoy the view and wines produced by this amazing venue. The event will be this Sunday, March 8th from 12:30 - 4p.m. For more information or to get tickets, visit David Girard Vineyards.

Check out all the Dynamite Vendors that will be participating at this upcoming event!!

A Day to Remember
Allison Stahl Photography
Celebrations! Elegant Party Rentals
Flourish Designs
Luxury Limousines
The Memory Journalists
Mr. DJ Service
Profinish Design
Real Weddings Magazine

I attended this event last year, as a guest, and it is a must for brides! See you there!

* Carissa, from Sugar and Spice and... will be showcasing her tasty desserts (they're truly tasty, ask me for my testimonial :I) and giving one lucky couple the top tier of a cake to take home and enjoy!

Photo provided by The Memory Journalists

Come See Us!

Don't miss the Real Weddings Class taking place this Sunday, February 22nd at the Sacramento Marriott! Dynamite Weddings is honored to offer complimentary admission to the first 15 brides to contact us at info@dynamiteweddings.com!!

Come enjoy the Dynamite Weddings class: Top 10 Things Every Bride Should Know. Register now to participate in this intimate bridal experience. You can meet high quality vendors, receive a useful Wedding Class planning binder and walk away with a generous swag bag full of goodies!! Also, enjoy complimentary champagne and delicious food samplings while visiting with participating professionals.

We'll see you there!

Check out the Dynamite Vendors that will be participating as well:

A Slip of Elegance Chaircovers
Flourish Designs
Sharpe Photographers
Stephanie J Designs

Tip - A Gift That Keeps Giving

Do you have someone in the wedding party who always has an assortment of magazines strewn across their coffee table? Consider a one year subscription to a new mag or continuing a subscription that they already have.

Check out the deals at MagsDirect.com

Are You A Cover Model?

Real Weddings Magazine is looking for their Summer/Fall 2009 cover model. Do you ever picture yourself on the cover of a wedding magazine, included in a spread, wearing fantastic wedding dresses, getting your hair & makeup done?? Real Weddings Magazine is anxious to hear your fantastic engagement story and see some fun pics to help make their decision. Send 'em in now!

Photo cover by Sharpe Photographers

Welcome Real Weddings Magazine

Sierrastyle Weddings magazine received an overhaul. We all loved Sierrastyle Weddings as it was, but the creative team at Sierrastyle decided to change the name to reflect their main focus at the publication. Welcome Real Weddings Magazine filled with 22 amazing, encapsulating real wedding stories and tons of other cool stuff, including helpful articles, fun editorial and survey responses completed by Dynamite Weddings readers.

The coolest part of the new site is the new blog keeping everyone up to date on the happenings within Real Weddings, real wedding stories, contests and updates. The first post on the new blog is Wendy and Terry's wedding story, editors and owners of the magazine. You absolutely must watch the video! Terry's "engagement" surprise gets my vote for the most well thought out. Love it! Read the blog post here. It is so awesome that they have a video of the whole experience!

Also, don't forget to enter to be the next cover model for Real Weddings magazine! You could see yourself in print in a photo shoot spread and possibly win the cover for the following issue! Don't miss out! The deadline is February 15, 2009.

This cover photo shot by Sharpe Photographers

Tidbits - Historic Honeymoons

Once the wedding is over, it’s time to relax and (let’s be honest) recover. After the big day, it’s honeymoon time – and frankly, neither one of you can wait. Just you, your newly anointed, and a few sunset cocktails – sound like a plan? Well then make it a good one. A wedding requires careful attention to planning, and so does the honeymoon. Budget, accommodations, crowds, locale – there’s a lot to consider. But if it’s too much to think about, don’t worry. We’ve done some thinking of our own, and have unearthed fabulous honeymoon options for the history-loving couple.

HISTORIC HONEYMOONS
There are plenty of cultural, artistic and historical cities for globe trotting, museum-bound honeymooners to enjoy. From the temples of Kyoto and the architecture of Prague to the Dalmation coastline of the Adriatic, magic awaits for the couple who knows how to tour and isn’t shy about doing it.

WHERE: Makarska, Croatia
WHY: Adriatic adventure, ancient cities, archaeological sites, centuries-old everything, a less-crowded Greece
STAY: Sv. Petar Lighthouse
(lighthouses-croatia.com)
PLAY: The beaches of Makarska Riviera
EAT: Anything off a roasting spit
SEE: Mt. Biokovo

WHERE: Palermo, Sicily
WHY: Palaces, patron saints, strong espresso, enviable Mediterranean
proximity
STAY: Centrale Palace Hotel
(centralepalacehotel.it)
PLAY: The Teatro Massimo
EAT: Cannoli
SEE: Palermo Cathedral

All photos courtesy of their respective organizations.

ARTICLE COPYRIGHT SIERRASTYLE PUBLISHING, INC.

Spotlight On - Real Weddings Magazine

Real Weddings - Sacramento to the Sierra

Real Weddings, formerly known as, Sierrastyle Weddings Magazine is dedicated to offering brides and grooms a world class publication that presents the very best in the wedding industry. Real Weddings Magazine is the region's definitive guide for wedding specialists to showcase their products and services in an elegant coffee table size publication with a sleek and sophisticated design. Real Weddings has the largest newsstand and retail distribution of any area wedding publication, reaching the most brides and grooms in Sacramento and the Foothill region. The latest issue of Real Weddings hits stands this week and offers a glimpse into 22 real weddings with half showcasing work by an assortment of dynamite vendors.

Say "I Do" to this beautiful new magazine!

site: www.realweddingsmag.com
email: info@sierrastyle.com
phone: 916.988.9888

* This cover and inside spread from the cover contest was shot by a dynamite photography team, Sharpe Photographers!

Tidbits - Groomsmen Gifts (part 1)

Your closest buddies will be there for your big day. Give the guys who stand up for you something they can use.

Swissmar Seven Piece Bar Set. $60 at William Glen. 2651 El Paseo Ln, Sacramento, 916-485-3000, williamglen.com.

24 Season One Special Edition DVD.
$59.99 at Borders Books. Folsom, 916-984-5900.

One year of movies. $203.88 with Netflix, netflix.com

Cigar Cutter Swiss Army Knife. $81 at We Be Knives,
San Francisco, 415-982-9323,
webeknives.com
REI Gift Card. REI, Roseville, 916-724-6750, rei.com.

Content provided by Sierrastyle Weddings

Tidbits - For Your Review

CD – Disney’s Fairy Tale Wedding
Instrumentals with a jazz twist from all your favorite Disney movies. Includes one of our personal favorites, Cinderella’s “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes.”

CD – The Modern Wedding Collection: Various Artists
“Pachelbell’s Cannon: that’s sooo 17th century.” If your musical selections are a little too classic, try this. Classical re-workings of the Pixies, Peter Gabriel, U2, The Flaming Lips, and more. Grandma won’t even notice the difference!

Book – Accessorizing The Bride: Vintage Wedding
Finery Through The Ages, by Norma Shepherd
Vintage never goes out of style. This exhaustively researched and beautifully photographed coffee-table book is a great reference providing excellent inspiration if you’re seeking “something old.”

Book – Simple Stunning Weddings:
Designing & Creating Your Perfect Celebration, by Karen Bussen
Location, location, location is the focus of this handy book from wedding design expert Karen Bussen. With all the great information and style tips contained within, it’s like having your own personal wedding designer.

Content provided by Sierrastyle Weddings

Ignite the Flame - Week End Unwind

Surprise your significant at the end of a long week with a warm bubble bath, their favorite libation and a relaxing massage. You'll be surprised at how grateful they are for this welcome home!

Photo of Dream Day Spa provided by Sierrastyle Weddings

Tidbits - Romantic Honeymoons

Once the wedding is over, it’s time to relax and (let’s be honest) recover. After the big day, it’s honeymoon time – and frankly, neither one of you can wait. Just you, your newly anointed, and a few sunset cocktails – sound like a plan? Well then make it a good one. A wedding requires careful attention to planning, and so does the honeymoon. Budget, accommodations, crowds, locale – there’s a lot to consider. But if it’s too much to think about, don’t worry. We’ve done some thinking of our own, and have unearthed fabulous honeymoon options for the romantic couple.

ROMANTIC HONEYMOONS Starry nights, moonlight, and dinner by candlelight – that’s romance…and that’s you and your other half. The wedding was just a preview of what you have in mind for your honeymoon. Ceremony, formality, long walks and lingering kisses – where do you sign up? Right here.

WHERE: Big Sur, California
WHY: A temperamental sea, a calming breeze, woodsy retreating, hot springs, tide pools, sunrise hikes
STAY: The Post Ranch Inn (postranchinn.com)
EAT: Lobster and a glass of a Monterey white
PLAY: Beach overlook massage
SEE: Point Sur Lighthouse

WHERE: Savannah, Georgia
WHY: Southern hospitality, magnolias and Spanish moss, antebellum antiquing, pretty girl boutiques, stately architecture
STAY: Kehoe House (kehoehouse.com)
PLAY: Tybee Island
EAT: Spicy shrimp
SEE: The city’s Historic District

WHERE: Santorini, Greece
WHY: arresting Aegean views, sunsets and sunrises, white-hot architecture, ferries to the neighboring Cyclades isles
STAY: Katikies (katikies.com)
EAT: Lamb, kalamata olives and Ouzo
PLAY: Sail Santorini
SEE: Ancient Thira

All photos courtesy of their respective organizations.

Content provided by SIERRASTYLE WEDDINGS Magazine

Do you want to be a Cover Model?

Alright Ladies,

It's that time again!! Sierrastyle Weddings is looking for their next 3 finalists to partipate in a editorial photo shoot for their winter/spring issue. The lucky winner graces the next cover!

Download and fill out the form.

Contest ends August 19th, so get your submissions in now!

Top Ten Things Every Bride Should Know

In yesterday's Wedding Class, Dynamite Weddings taught "The Top 10 Things Every Bride Should Know". We wanted to share 1 item each day for those that wanted the full notes or were unable to attend. In the spirit of The Top Ten, made so popular by David Letterman, let's start with #10:

#10 - Remember the real reason this wedding is occurring. (This one is not only addressed to the bride and groom, but all involved.)

* It's easy to get wrapped up in all the details of "a wedding", but remind yourselves this is not just a wedding, this is your wedding which is taking place to join together you and your partner, lover and friend, who compliment each other in a magical way. Don't let the planning overshadow your reason for wanting to marry this person. Take time out to enjoy each other: date nights, day trips, etc.

* This wedding is a celebration of the love and union of you and your fiance. Choose friends to participate in your wedding that can appreciate that. Your friendships may be tested while planning your wedding involving your friends. We hear more sad stories about a Bridesmaid-zillas than we do about Bridezillas. Make sure that you are choosing people for your wedding party that you can count on throughout the entire process. If you wouldn't trust them with a key to your house, then I probably wouldn't trust them to hold the wedding ring. Be careful picking friends that have a tendency to make every event about themselves or have a habit of being inappropriate. If you want those friends to be involved, give them a job that makes them important, but not in the limelight. Have them be in charge of gathering family members for pictures or making sure all the gifts, flowers, etc. make it out of the venue at the end of the reception. There's a job for everyone, just choose wisely!

Check back for #9 tomorrow. If you have some suggestions to add to our list of "Things Every Bride Should Know", please email Nicole @ info@dynamiteweddings.com . If you want to comment on the ones listed, please do so. Soon-to-bes are eager to learn from others' experiences.

Be sure to check out The Memory Journalists' blog, a Dynamite Vendor, who also taught a class yesterday, "Looking Your Best on Camera". Jennifer will be posting a tip each day from her class.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Maren Photography

The Wedding Class - Sierrastyle

Thanks so much to all the amazing brides that attended The Wedding Class today at Masque Ristorante, hosted by Sierrastyle Weddings.

We had an amazing time today meeting so many friendly, exciting brides and mingling with all the top notch vendors invited. It was great to see Phill Sheffield, Sheffield Multimedia, a fellow Dynamite Vendor, showcasing his amazing innovative video style. Jennifer Dunham Starr, The Memory Journalists, and another Dynamite Vendor, was present wowing the brides with her digital display, elegant albums and educational, interactive class "Looking Your Best on Camera".

Thanks to all the brides that participated in our Dynamite Weddings class, "Top 10 Things Every Bride Should Know". It was informative and we plan to post the details of each outlined point daily. Congrats to the bride and her fiance getting married in October 2009 who won our congratulatory bottle of Dom Perignon.

Thanks to Sierrastyle Weddings for hosting this enlightening, entertaining event! Brides, let us know some things that you learned in the classes today so we can share them with brides that were unable to attend.

Calling ALL Brides - Be a COVER MODEL

I just recently realized that the Cover Model contest for the next issue of Sierrastyle Weddings magazine is open to soon to be brides, but also to recent brides! So I'm blogging about it so that all 2007 brides, as well as 2008 brides, who want to be on the cover - send in your applicant form now!

Sierrastyle Weddings’ “Be Our Next Cover Model” contest is open to applicants who meet all of the following criteria:

• Entrants must be at least 18 years of age as of November 15, 2007; and must be legal residents of the United States.
• Entrants must be engaged as of (close of contest) March 2, 2008, and must remain engaged through March 31, 2008; OR entrants can be married and have been married
• to their spouse prior to March 2, 2008 but not before January 1, 2007.
• Entrants can not be professional models or TV personalities.
• Sierrastyle may request a brief interview with entrants prior to selecting finalists – interviews will occur the week of March 2nd.
• Three finalists of contest must be available for fitting(s) during the weeks of March 9th and/or March 16th; and photoshoot which is tentatively sheduled to take place in the greater Sacramento area in mid-late March 2008.

The Wedding Class

Check it out - The Wedding Class! Informative and helpful in planning your wedding. We will be there too to provide some extra special information.

Sierrastyle Weddings Magazine presents:

THE WEDDING CLASS

The Wedding Class offers you:

• An intimate, sophisticated showcase of the region's top wedding professionals.
• A complete planning binder with complimentary software to keep you organized.
• Learn industry secrets in a variety of educational wedding classes taught by the area's premier professionals.
• Take advantage of free offers and valuable savings from the most sought after wedding vendors.
• Enjoy great wine and a spectacular sampling of food from Masque Ristorante, recognized as one of the best new restaurants in the U.S.
• Limousine transportation provided by Corporate Transportation Solutions from a central location in Folsom.

Featured classes taught by top area professionals:

• Looking your best on camera.
• Your reception... starring YOU!
• The perfect fashion for you
and your bridal party.
• Get organized and stay organized...
using the wedding class planning binder.

and...

• The 10 things every bride should know!

ONLY $49.00 FOR 2
That’s less than $25 per person
Tickets will be $79 Day of show – if available!
Limited to the first 60 Brides and their guests.

Preregister here now!

Real Weddings Magazine

Real Weddings Magazine is the premier wedding planning resource for today's brides and grooms! They're dedicated to offering brides and grooms a world class publication that presents the very best in the wedding industry—from real weddings featuring local resources, their cover model contest featuring beautiful wedding dresses from area boutiques to unique honeymoon ideas and our inspirational style files resource guide, Real Weddings has it all—from Sacramento to the Sierra!

Real Weddings Magazine is also the region's definitive guide for wedding professionals to showcase their products and services in an elegant coffee table size publication with a sleek and sophisticated design. And, it has the largest newsstand and retail distribution of any area wedding publication, reaching the most brides and grooms from Sacramento to the Sierra.

Say "I Do" to this beautiful magazine!