Lyght House Cocktails calls this one the Rise ‘N’ Shake

Photo Courtesy of Project Duo Photography

Grab a handful of the freshest strawberries your supermarket has to sell… Toss in 2-3 kiwis and a medium-sized banana. Next, pour in 3 ounces of milk (your choice)… top with ice and blend away! Perfect for your bridesmaids luncheons, bridal showers or special occasion brunches and lunches, this non-al option is JUST as delicious as it’s spiked cocktail cousins.

(And if you want an extra poolside punch, splash a bit of your favorite fruity-flavored rum and sip slow.)

Once you’ve got a tropical-colored, smooth and creamy dream drink, pour into your glass of choice and garnish with a vibrant kiwi. It’s healthy, fresh and guaranteed good.

For more information on Lyght House Cocktails and for booking and services, visit www.lyghthousecocktails.com

Thankfully, we’ve got professionals like Carmaleita Lyght from Lyght House Cocktails who can set the record straight with such straw’s-just-in-the-way sweet drinks that we can’t help but pass up, and pass along the recipe.

Today’s gem? Fill up your cup with a Caramel Coffee Frostini

Photo courtesy of Project Duo Photography

Start with 4-6 oz. brewed coffee… Add in an ounce and a half of some good ole Irish cream, a pinch of sugar and a cup full of ice. Throw all these goodies into the blender and let the magic come together. You know it’s ready for drinking when you’ve got a smooth and creamy concoction on your hands. Make it pretty with a drizzle of caramel and a dash of freshly grated cinnamon. Sip. Enjoy.

To learn more about Lyght House Cocktails and for booking and services information, visit www.lyghthousecocktails.com.

The monthly Open House gives you (and your groom, your mom, your BFF) the chance to stop in for a personalized tour of our cozy (NEW) home in the West Midtown district. Flip through endless inspiration books, meet some of our vendors face-to-face, sample sweet treats and tasty cocktails and get ready to plan your big day in a flash. That’s a simple, stress-free flash.

Take it from me-a StudioWed bride herself-that centering your nuptials around this nook of incredible talent makes for one phenomenal trip down the aisle!

The event is free for all, but register to attend at www.studiowedopenhouse.eventbrite.com!

This month’s Occasions Magazine gets released with an absolute plethora of StudioWed talent. Congrats to all the vendors for their outstanding work that not only deserves it’s publish, but is sure to inspire the upcoming brides this season!

The all-star team: …I Do Linens, Lemiga Events, Vue Photography, Janet Howard Studio, Jackson Durham Floral, Settee, Sweet Sensations, For Goodness Cakes, Tentlogix, We Rent Atlanta, Unique Event Management, Edge Design, Anne Barge, Event Drapery, Foglio Press and Scoobie West…

Check out the newest issue here, or swing by the studio for your own copy!

Now, you know that StudioWed vendors do nothing short of a phenomenal shindig, whether it’s luscious linens, gorgeous tablescapes or that perfect haute-host look, but let’s get real folks–it ain’t a party without the punch!

Lyght House Cocktails is serving up a mosaic of lip-smacking libations to get your parties started. Check us out every Friday for something new, fruity, chillacious and fun.

Today’s treat? Clink a Classic Mojito

Photo courtesy of Project Duo Photography

Start with 1-2 oz of your favorite brand of light rum… Add 2 tablespoons of simple syrup and give it your best shake. In a separate glass, toss in a handful of muddled mint leaves… Add in ice and throw into your Rum mix. Top it off with a splash of Club Soda and (if you’re really feeling summer-y) garnish with a ruby red strawberry.

In a word? “ahhh”

For more information about Lyght House Cocktails, or to inquire about booking and services, visit them online at www.lyghthousecocktails.com

Don’t be afraid to “trash your dress!” – By Melissa Prosser

You ask why… I ask why not? What are you going to do with your wedding gown? Let it sit in a basement collecting dust and hope that your daughter will one day wear it?  Cut it apart to bits and pieces to try to make something else of it? Well, I say why not make memories and art in the dress!

I love photographing trash the dress sessions.  It’s so fun to see the stress of the wedding day gone, and the bride just willing to play around and enjoy herself in the gown without worrying about possibly getting it dirty.  I recently did a session at Centennial Olympic Park, and you can see my bride had a blast!  You can do one of these sessions however you’d like.

Go get it wet, play with paint, go down to a creek and have some fun in the mud, or do what I did and take it on your honeymoon!

One of the first decisions I made after saying yes (to my husband and my dress) was contacting Del Sol Photography (www.delsolphotography.com) to set up a trash the dress session for our honeymoon in Tulum Mexico.  I worked with Del Sol for about four years while getting training and figuring out this business called wedding photography.  I always knew that I would one day do a session with them in the beautiful waters of the Riviera Maya!  They specialize in doing dress trashing, so I knew I was in great hands

Also, did I mention my dress survived?  We rinsed it off in the shower and let it dry!  It’s still in great shape!

Event after event (wedding or not), their handy-work (yes, pun intended) is worth taking a second glance at. Beyond worth – you’ll have to struggle to keep your jaw off the floor and your hands to yourself. But in the famous words of a childhood tv mentor, “you don’t have to take my word for it…”

And now, they’ve got a brand-new website to match their incredible creativity and talent. Check it out at www.eventdrapery.com!

A HUGE thanks to Mr. Danny Wilson from The Savage Garden for the second-glance worthy arrangements, Tamara Gollob with I Do Linens for the breath-taking foundation of gorgeous linens, Sift! for a sweet bite of something new every time we made a circle through the studio, Lyghthouse Cocktails for her genius in a glass and the St. Germain’s signature cocktail. Our favorite DJs, both One Sound Entertainment and Amp’d Atlanta kept everyone grooving–even inspiring We Pamper’s massage specialists to add a little rhythm to their rub-downs!

And if you ever caught a lull in this chatty bunch’s conversation, you know it’s because they couldn’t stop indulging in the decadent Italian magic coming from A Divine Event’s chic outdoor grill. Everyone washed it down in true vintage-chic style, through handmade straws from Foglio Press! And no worries–no one left without their memories, as Shutterbooth was there luring our guests behind the curtain for a funky photo in the booth!

Here’s a peek of all the fun we had that night – Thanks to Project Duo Photography for capturing the memories… Hope to see you, readers, in the new studio soon!

Our new front door!

The Savage Garden's wonderment...

Cute hand-made straws from Foglio Press!

wish she had me with a manicure first!

cutest bartenders we know!

wedding vendors work hard!

look at the spread from Sift!

mouth-sized morsel from A Divine Event

this is the magic I was talking about...

Our Asheville partners came to visit!

Yay! Me and Michelle!