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My sweet friend has lots of exciting things happening in her life. And, it's actually stuff that you might be interested in, as well.  Like, free concerts and great books...just for starters.

So, for today's "Around the Corner", hop over to Emily's and see when she might be chatting it up near you!

Around the Corner...A Little Sweetness from The Sugar Shack!

I vaguely remember when I was a little girl, going into my Grandaddy's old store, and being able to pick out candy for just a few cents.  It didn't happen a lot, but when it did, it was something special.

Today, I happened to pop into a (fairly) new shop in town.  The Sugar Shack has been opened for just about a year now, and is the cutest little candy store around.

Of course, the first thing that caught my eye was the old-timey cash register (that still works!) That definitely took me back to watching Willy Wonka!  But, as you look around, that feeling of being a kid rushes back as you see all the endless jars of candy.

They have a whole wall dedicated to multiple Jelly Belly jellybeans, any flavor you so desire, and chocolate gems in any color you want. Plus, an entire collection of organic candy!

There is table after table of tried and true favorites as well as hard to find specialty selections.  And, everything is $8.99 per pound, so you don't have to wonder how everything is priced.  

However, the sweetest part of this little shop was how it felt to be there.  The happy colors of candy and friendly staff was eager to have a visitor.  And, don't you dare tell my kids that I went without them, because there was even a cute little kids table for children to be able to sit and color.  (not to mention the mouthwatering snack selection.)

This Saturday is the Sugar Shack's first anniversary...or as I would say 1st Birthday!  They're putting on a fun party with pretty hefty swag bags for the first 30 people. Balloon Artist, Magic Christopher will be there from 12-2, and face painting from 3-5 done by Allison Wood. But, no matter when you get there, you're sure in for a treat!

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I've decided Thursdays are going to be my "around the corner" posts.  I'll be highlighting a local business or event that you don't want to miss.  Make sure you check back on Thursdays for an upcoming local outing that's sure to please! And, if you are interested in being our spotlighted business, feel free to email me with information.

Dashing for a Diamond!

We had so much fun at Greensboro's first ever Diamond Dash! We greeted the eager participants with a fun way to get them pumped up about running around town looking for clues for the $15,000 diamond ring...with a sugar high! I've been wanting to design a candy bar recently, so this was the perfect time.

There were some engaged couples and some married couples. Family teams, and friend teams. It was really sweet to see who was paired up together, to try to win the diamond ring. The dashers ran all over, visiting different vendors, learning about our city, and answering challenge questions or activities in order to gather clue words. They would then text the correct answers into the number they had been given to play the game. Each correct answer gave them points, and at the end of the game, whoever had the most points, won.

Take a look to see how it ended! Here's a great video of the Diamond Dash, brewed up just right from our friends over at Media Brewer films...see if you can spot me. (Here's a hint...I'm wearing my red pea coat because it was freezing!!)

Finks Diamond Dash 2011 from MediaBrewer on Vimeo.

So, even though you only caught a glimpse of me working my candy bar, I still wanted to link up with In the Studio this week. I guess it's not technically my "studio", but close enough, right?! This spring has been filled to the brim with all sorts of fun events. Can't wait to show you more next week!

Brides on Tour

Events by Design is participating in Brides on Tour this Sunday! If you (or someone you know) are planning your wedding this is absolutely where to start!

Brides on Tour is a great way to find the best wedding professionals in the area, but with a fun, personable approach. Instead of being overwhelmed by a huge room of hundreds of vendors, enjoy being taken on a tour by local wedding planners, and shown in a relaxed setting how fun planning your wedding can be!

Around 200 brides will board luxury coaches and go tour a few of Greensboro's wedding hotspots. You will get to meet wonderful vendors, see all different floral displays, taste food from local gourmet caterers, see venues set up in wedding decor, try tons of delicious cakes, and win great door prizes to get you ready for your big day! This is the perfect (and inexpensive!) way to begin planning your special day.

But don't just take my word for it... go listen to the brides who went on the first Brides on Tour. Media Brewer films did a fantastic video of the girls who went in the Fall, and it's a great way to see a snapshot of what the day is all about.

It's not too late...get your tickets here, today! You can even request to be with Events by Design if you'd like. You know we'll treat you right, and even have a few surprises for you! Can't wait to celebrate with you!

A Paper Date

This past Saturday, my little girl and I decided we would have a girly date. Her birthday is coming up at the end of the month, and so we decided to go get her birthday invitations. She's only having a few friends go with her to the mall. I asked her if she remembered she was turning seven, and not seventeen! I'm just glad that she still lets me come. Now, granted, we could have gone over to Target, but then, I had another idea. I decided to take her to Ashleigh's instead.

I first met Ashleigh when I was styling the shower with Alexa. You might remember the fun menus we picked out for the shower...

Ashleigh's is my favorite place to go with brides to pick out invitations, programs, save the dates, or anything of the like! Ashleigh and her sister Brooke opened their fun little paper boutique about 2 years ago. They have all sorts of great stationary, bags, and gifts. They will sit with you around their big wooden table and spend as long as it takes to find the right choice. And it doesn't stop there. They know all the invitation etiquette that you need to know when deciding upon wording, and will write it up in a way that is just perfect. They'll even come up with cute little rhymes for party invitations!

My daughter felt so special to be able to go with me to such a fun store, and get to pick out the invitations she wanted for her party. I introduced her to "Ms Ashleigh" and after having a handful of their Valentine's M&Ms, we looked at all the beautiful choices. They had so many fun ones to choose from (for girls and boys for that matter), but here's what she ended up with.

she was so excited she kept on posing with them...

Then, when you're finished shopping, you get to walk out with a super cute bag like this.

I love getting to meet so many wonderful people who work in the same industry. We have so many awesome vendors in our area, and this paper boutique is definitely one of my favorites!

A Dress All Your Own

There are certain parts of my job that I love more than others. Wedding planning is so much fun, in every way, but just like any job, I have certain parts that are just total highlights: the first time I meet a couple, the story of how they fell in love, the giving away of the bride, the first kiss as husband and wife, the first dance, the way the bride looks when she sees the wedding she's dreamt of come to be, and so on and so forth. However, more than anything else, I love getting to know them in the midst of such a sacred time in their lives. The more that I know my client, the better I can give them exactly what they want. The more I know them, the more I can tell what they would pick, what they will love, and how they will think about a situation.

This past Saturday was one of those beautiful moments.

I was having an appointment with a bride, when she started to cry. She has so much on her plate, that she hasn't even been able to find her dress yet. She knew she would, but she just really wanted that step to be taken care of, before we proceeded down our checklist.

I looked at her, and said, "Come on. Let's go."

With a teary eyed glimmer of hope, she said, "Ok, let's go!"

We quick jumped in our cars and headed to a local bridal boutique that has exquisite gowns. Diva's has a reputation for being overpriced, but as soon as we said our low end budget, they got to work pulling gown after gown of exactly what we described. The ladies there know there stuff, and are great about finding exactly what you're looking for.

When she put on the second gown, I knew it was the one. And it astounded me, that I already knew her well enough to know that it was the one. She tried on several after that, but in the end, came back to that one. It was gorgeous, classy, sophisticated, and perfect for her...just like her wedding will be. I thanked the Lord, once again, for the gift of being a wedding planner.

If you're still on the hunt for yours, this is a great website for finding PreOwned Wedding Dresses. You can get that designer style, without paying that steep designer price. PLUS right now through the end of this month, PreOwned Wedding Dresses is doing a give away for a $2,000 gown! If you know a bride who is on the hunt, send her there first!

Another way to save on your dress, is to look in the "floor sample" section of bridal boutiques. Most stores will have their floor samples marked way down, and they will still look brand new.

Here's to finding a dress all your own...at the price you want to pay.

Dance, Dance, Dance!

When I was a little girl, all I wanted to do was dance. I would wake up, put on my dance clothes, complete with my lacy gloves, and turn up the Madonna and Michael Jackson, and dance, dance, dance. Now, don't hold my music choice against me...I was too young to know the difference. But, come on, how much more classic does it get than Beat It and Like a Virgin? (shhh, i know. it's a little painful to admit.) Needless to say, my parents enrolled me in classes, and that was it...I was hooked for life. I love it too much not to be.

For two more weeks, locals have an amazing gift. Greensboro Ballet is offering Ballet for a Buck! For only one dollar, you can learn about the history of dance, styles of ballet, interact with the dancers, and see beautiful performances. Did I mention it only costs $1. $1!! How can you say no to that?! If you're like me, your fall is full of lots of things, and sadly, I've already missed the first few Sundays. But no more. The next two weeks are going to be fabulous:

Sunday, October 24 – 3pm & 4:30pm

Ballet for a Buckaroo . . . how American culture has influenced the international art of Ballet.

Sunday, October 31 – 3pm & 4:30pm

Ballet Boo! A Halloween event for everyone to enjoy!