Okay guys, listen up!  The most popular proposal season is now upon us (Thanksgiving through New Year's Day!), and if you're about to pop the question, you'd better make sure you do it right! Did you know that it has become increasingly popular to stage a grand proposal AND have it secretly captured by a professional photographer?  IT'S TRUE!  Just take a look at this cute couple, caught on camera by Tricia McCormack! 

One of my very favorite things to do is play dress-up.  But not dress-up like when we were kids, going through our mothers' closets and donning their long pearl necklaces.  I love to take a room--or a venue, blank piece of paper, etc.--and accentuate it with beautiful pieces of furniture, accessories, flowers...  I think this is why I love to design styled shoots so much.  Every once in a while (actually, quite often), I'll get inspired by something--a piece of moulding, the color of the sky, a weathered doorknob--and suddenly, I'll have an idea for a photo shoot that brings a team of professionals together and produces perfectly "pin-able" pictures!

Legendary fashion designer, Oscar de la Renta, has died at the age of 82.  

Whether you were in the market for some fabulous new "everyday" attire, some great shoes, or a show-stopping wedding gown (or pantsuit!), you knew that buying one of his designs was a sure hit and a true investment in yourself.

Many of you know by now that this summer had me not only running the new Berkshire Wedding Collective, but also planning our official launch party, held on Wednesday, August 13th.  And since my philosophy is "go big or go home", I knew this needed to be a big deal...and it was!  With over 100 people in attendance (which was no small feat, since the weather forecast was HORRIBLE!), our celebration was loads of fun--great food, great entertainment, great company--and found people lingering around until long after the music had stopped!

One of the advantages of organizing a group like the Berkshire Wedding Collective, is that I get to know some pretty talented people!  And it always gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling when the members get to know each other and collaborate on various projects!  Usually, these projects will include sponsoring events like the Berkshire Wedding Tour, or styled photo shoots; however, sometimes they involve something totally non-wedding-related, such as in this case, where Tricia McCormack was able to take some family portraits for Christopher Duggan!  And let me tell you...family "sittings" just aren't what they used to be (thank goodness!).  Gone are the days of paint-by-number backdrops in an Olan Mills studio!  Tricia's shoots are always fun, relaxed, casual, candid and ALWAYS capture the true essence of her subjects!  Take a look at this fun family session!  I simply LOVE the way it turned out! (submitted by Christopher Duggan)

Having an outdoor event usually means seeing a row of portable restrooms...which most of us usually dread using, no matter how clean they may be!  But at A1 Enterprises, they've raised the bar a bit to provide beautiful restroom trailers--as nice as the bathrooms in our homes--for our gorgeous outdoor weddings in the Berkshires.  

I am beyond excited to bring you this fun interview with Sylvia Weinstock today!  If you haven't seen one of her amazing cakes in person, I highly recommend it!  The images we see in magazines and on television are amazing enough, but to see the detail of each flower petal and leaf up close is simply incredible.

Daisy Stone Studio is a brand new, long-time-coming venture by a girl who's been designing floral arrangements and organizing gorgeous events for years!  When I met Susie Agrillo over coffee and tea at Dottie's in Pittsfield, I immediately sensed that she was quite possibly the nicest person I've ever met and knew that I had to have her on the Berkshire Wedding Collective!  Read on to find out more about this sweet, talented gal!

To say that The Mount is a beautiful place to get married would be a huge understatement!  With its spectacular structures and magnificent grounds, The Mount makes the perfect backdrop for any special occasion.

As most of you know, the Berkshire Wedding Collective is a completely new undertaking in the Berkshires...an unproven endeavor that is fueled by my mission to raise awareness of the Berkshires as a premier wedding destination and by the amazing support of this group of wedding professionals that believes in this mission.  Because it is such a new concept, I am all the more grateful for the support of industry notables like Ceci Johnson (and Sylvia Weinstock, Lyndsey Hamilton and more!), and it gives me GREAT pleasure to get to know my members better through these fun interviews!  So, without further adieu, let's get to know a little more about the face behind the fabulous Ceci New York!

We all know by now that the current trends (rustic-chic, roaring 20's, industrial-chic, etc.) have a pretty strong hold on wedding design.  But I'm beginning to get a sense that in 2015, we may start seeing more retro/mid-century modern/Mad Men events taking place.

When Liz Washer approached me about becoming a member of the Berkshire Wedding Collective, I was positively thrilled!  Not only is she a super-talented makeup artist, but she's loads of fun and really savvy...so I knew I could turn to her for advice for a whole bunch of things!  She's already been able to suggest some minor tweaks to our website, and I'm so excited about growing our businesses together.  If you haven't already done so, be sure to check out her blog.  She's such a talented writer (perhaps we'll see a guest post or two in the near future??), and I always look forward to her funny Facebook posts, too!  Want to know more about this uber-cool chick?  Read on!

When it comes to weddings in the Berkshires, there is no one else (besides me, of course!) who gets as excited about "talking shop" as Tricia McCormack!  She understands the trends, knows the venues and is connected to just about everyone in the County, through either her photography business or her fitness business!  Tricia and I have worked together on numerous occasions, whether it has been a styled shoot, a networking event (like the Lenox Wedding Tour) or our upcoming shared space!  I've really enjoyed getting to know her and had fun reading her responses to my interview questions.

Katherine (Kat) Lockridge, co-owner of Classical Tents and Party Goods, can really be credited as giving me my biggest push into the wedding industry.