Raise Your Glass to 2013!

Tonight at midnight, the word "Fin." will be scrawled across a chapter of your life - the 2012 chapter. The year will end, and a new one will begin: 2013. We don't yet know what this new year will hold, but that's the magic of it; it's fresh, open, full of possibilities.

For Luxe, 2013 will be an exciting year. This spring, we'll be launching our first-ever "Look Book" featuring real brides. In June, our makeup line, which you've already seen peeks of, will make its grand debut. There's more, but we can't tell  you yet - just know that it'll be big, and we're thrilled.

What will 2013 be for you?

Every year, millions of Americans make New Year's Resolutions - to eat better, to pay off debt, to be happier, to spend more time with family. Most don't make it; but some do. It takes hard work, focus, and dedication, but New Year's Resolutions can be much, much more than something to regret and repeat at this time next year.

We believe in you.

Forbes Magazine has a terrific list of strategies for making your resolutions stick. Check it out if you want, and then take a tip directly from us: when you look good, you feel confident enough to do anything.

Make this the year that you don't settle for so-so. Change your hair, change your clothes, change your makeup. Sometimes even the tiniest tweak can make for amazing results. We know; that's why we're in this business. From the runway to the living room couch, we believe that looking good and feeling good are essential to doing good in life.

You're beautiful. Embrace it.

So go, our Luxe darlings. Start tonight, on the night of glamour, celebration, and possibility.

There's still time. Stop reading, get out there, and make it happen. This night only comes around once a year!

To you and to the new year, we raise our glasses! Happy New Year!!


XOXO,

Luxe

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

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In a lot of ways, weddings are like holidays: there's the gifts, the family, the celebrating. There's the good food, the fantastic desserts, the music, and the love. Lots and lots of love.

When you're planning a winter wedding, you have the chance to celebrate both at once, for double the fun, double the celebration, and double the festivities. Plus, there are benefits to planning a holiday wedding that you just can't get any other time of year:

1) Lower cost. No matter where you live, winter is considered the off season for the wedding industry. As a result, you may be able to book your caterers, your venues, and your photographers for much less than, say, a June event. The likelihood is also that you'll have your pick of vendors - making sure that you have exactly the wedding you want!

2) Built-in decorations. The number one way to save money on your decór budget is to have a holiday wedding! Churches, hotels, banquet halls, and city streets all prepare for the holidays by putting on their finest, and on your wedding day, the lights and the garlands are just for you. Plus, if you're lucky enough to live in a winter wonderland, you have the most perfect of all photo backgrounds - snow.

3) Combined travel plans. By holding your wedding during the holidays, you have the opportunity to build on your family's current travel plans, helping to reduce your guests' expenses to attend. Plus, if you already have time off for the holidays, you may not have take as much time off for preparations or for your honeymoon - allowing you to utilize your vacation time throughout the year.

4) Unique details. Tiny tree favors, hot cocoa and doughnuts, mistletoe, evergreens boughs, and fur capes are just a few of the fun and unique details perfect for a winter wedding - and oddly out of place the rest of the year. If pine trees and red bulbs are your cup of tea, a holiday wedding is right up your alley.

5) Cooler weather. Those seventeen layers of tulle, satin, and lace you're planning to wear don't come with a fan, but the plunging mercury is perfect for wedding dresses. Pile on all the layers you want, and add tights or boots or anything else you want underneath!

As you get ready for the biggest, most festive, most wonderful holiday celebration of your life, here are a few photos found on Pinterest to inspire you!

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XOXO,

Luxe

Staying on Track to Fabulous During the Holidays

There's something about the moment when the clock strikes midnight on Halloween; the costumes are put away, the pumpkins are tossed into the dumpster, and a certain cheer cuts through the dark and ghoulish atmosphere.

That cheer, my friends, is called the holidays. With Thanksgiving now less than two weeks away, the holiday season is in full swing, with all the blow-up Pilgrims, waving Santas, twinkling lights, and sweet confections you can dream of.

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 Oh. My. Word. Doesn't that spread look amazing?

The problem is, when you're counting down to a wedding or even just trying to get into shape, just looking at a delicious display like the one above seems to add inches to your waistline or, at best, stall your progress indefinitely. Even more, schedules packed with dinners, holiday parties, and parades leave little time for a trip to the gym.

So just how do you enjoy the holidays - and all the "fixins" - without derailing your diet & fitness efforts?

Here are a few tips we've compiled from across the web to help you stay on track:

1) Keep your eye on the prize. You know what your goals are, and only you are responsible for keeping to them. When you eye the dessert table at your next party, think about your goal, and whether you're willing or able to work that much harder the next day to atone for your dietary sins. Ultimately, your success is in your hands; don't let yourself get distracted by the shiny icing.

2) Be realistic. Holiday plans have a way of demolishing normal schedules. As you plan out your week, be honest with yourself. Will you have time for the leisurely 2-hour cardio workout you're used to? Probably not. And you may have to eat on the road as you jet between work and an event. Think about how to handle those bumps in light of your goals. Find a healthy fast food place on the way or pack a quick dinner to grab on the go, and find ways to maximize your training efficiency.

3) Switch to high-impact cardio workouts you can do in a shorter amount of time. With just 10 minutes at the start of every day, you can do a quick, effective exercise routine using equipment that's easy to keep around: a jump rope, a bike, your running shoes, or even just your own body. Push yourself throughout the full 10 minutes; you don't have time to slack off! For a few get-fit-fast routines to fit your schedule, check out this list from Fitness Magazine: 10-Minute Workouts.

4) Plan active time with family and friends. Rather than sitting down and eating cookies together, get out and get your hearts pumping! Build up your appetite for turkey with a pre-Thanksgiving dinner football game. Take a walk through the woods to enjoy the brisk air and the fall colors. Bundle up and head outside for some kid-like fun in the snow: build a snowman, sled down a hill, or have a snow-ball fight with the neighbors.

5) Drink a LOT of water. Many people eat when they're dehydrated, and you may find yourself nibbling on whatever is available, including those decadent desserts, if you're not getting enough water. Plus, if you drink a glass of water before a meal or party, you're less likely to overeat. Keep a tally of your water consumption, aiming for eight 8-oz glasses every day, using an online tracker like www.sparkpeople.com.

6) Load up on the good stuff. At holiday parties and meals, fill your plate with fruits, veggies, and low-calorie meats and eat them first. When you fill up on the good stuff, you leave less room for the high-calorie, low-value delights. You'll still be able to enjoy a bite or two, but you'll make ensure that you've gotten what you need in the meantime.

6) Enjoy - in moderation. One of the best things about being in love is the ability to share food (you know it's true). So if you must have dessert, split it with your honey - or just sneak a couple of bites from him (trust us, it's okay). Aim for lower-calorie cocktails like a Vodka Soda or a Hot Toddy, rather than a Cosmo or a Kahlua-Infused Hot Chocolate. Allow yourself a couple of bites of calorie-rich delights, but stop there, enjoying what you have without going overboard.

If you follow these suggestions, you'll breeze through the holidays and arrive on January 1st with one resolution already marked off your list for the new year.

Stay happy, stay healthy, and stay LUXE!

Luxe Luv,

XOXO


Sources: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Pretty in Pink

Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake got married a couple of weeks ago, and the biggest buzz about their wedding hasn't been the flowers, the location, or the even guests, but the bride's dress.

The stunning brunette walked down the aisle to her husband in a pink and white watercolored dress custom designed by Giambattista Valli and and a long traditional veil. The pictures are being published exclusively by People Magazine, but a few sneak peeks are floating across the internet, showing off the blushing bride in her particular shade of pink:

Mrs. Timberlake isn't the first celebrity bride to don the girlish, nontraditional hue. Singer Gwen Stefani rocked it with a dip-dyed dress ten years ago, Reese Witherspoon channeled Elle Woods in a blush-colored gown for her second wedding, and basketball wife Jennifer Williams donned not one, but two pale pink dresses to marry her sporty husband.

Via: Gwen, Reese, & Jennifer

Clearly, there's a trend here. So we weren't entirely surprised when we spotted a bride in a bubble-gum pink dress posing for photos on the lawn of the Texas capital building this weekend.

Okay, we were a little surprised. Because a bubble-gum pink ballgown is a far cry from the subtle blush number Reese is wearing.

The truth is, we're not sold on this trend. And we like pink. A lot.

Mostly, we're just not sold on Mrs. Timberlake's dress. There's just something about it that we don't love, but that's where we'll leave it, because you may have your own ideas.

And really, on your wedding day, your opinion is the one that matters. Because it's your wedding day. So if you do decide to step out in pink, here are a few dresses that we do love to start you seeing the world in shades of rose:

Jasmine Couture

Kitty Chen Couture

Ivy & Aster

Lazaro

Maggie Sottero

Wtoo

Claire Pettibone

Lux Luv,
XOXO

Wonder Woman does it. So should you.

Some women are superheroes.

You know who I'm talking about. Maybe you are who I'm talking about.

Either way, you know her - the woman who gets up before the sun every morning, and spends her days running meetings, running a business, running after a two-year-old. By night, she throws a dinner party, a fundraiser, a tea party for her little girl. She cooks, she cleans, she wipe away tears and sniffles and spilled drinks. Her calendar is filled from end to end, but she always has time for friends, for family, for last-minute deadlines. And on top of it all, she looks like she stepped from the pages of Vogue: fierce, fashion-forward, and just plain FABULOUS - every single day.

Every superhero has a weakness, though, and for many women, breast cancer is the kryptonite to their superhuman powers. Each year, thousands of women, each of them extraordinary in their own right, are stopped by the cruel reality of this disease.

That's why this breast cancer awareness campaign is so captivating:

Produced by an ad agency in Mozambique for the organizationAssociação da Luta Contra o Cancer (Association for the Fight Against Cancer), each ad's text reads:

When we talk about breast cancer, there's no women or superwomen. Everybody has to do the self-examination monthly. Fight with us against the enemy and, when in doubt, talk with your doctor.

The message is clear: if Catwoman, She-Hulk, Storm, and Wonder Woman are vulnerable to breast cancer, so are you. And if they can take a few minutes from fighting their nemesis each month to do a breast examination, so can you.

Self-examinations are key to early detection, and the earlier you can begin fighting breast cancer, the better your chances are for survival.

The National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. provides a great how-to guide for a thorough self-examination. If you've never done it, start now. Put it in your calendar for every month, and don't miss a single date.

Trust us, this appointment is more important than anything at the salon. It's more important even than that big meeting with your boss (and you can tell her we said so). This is your life we're talking about, and we want to see you live a long, happy, healthy one.

After all, nobody likes to see a superhero lose. So fight, even before the battle begins.

Luxe Luv,

XOXO