The week of Thanksgiving I had the opportunity to help out a great cause. Sweetest Sin and Sugarush hosted a wonderful event, Go Naked & Check Yourself, along with Teak in Red Bank. Raising money for the awareness of detectable cancers, such as breast, testicular and skin cancer, 100% of the door, raffle and auction sales went to The American Cancer Society. The event raised $8,405.00… Unbelievable!

The night was filled with music by This is it Entertainment, fabulous raffle and silent auction items from local Red Bank shops, restaurants, salons and photography studios ;-P  Even the owner of Bikini Barbers raffled himself off (for a date, of course). Models strutted around in Sweetest Sin‘s sexy lingerie selling raffle tickets, and stylists from Bikini Barbers helped pass delicious hors d’oeuvres by Teak and scrumptious cupcakes by Sugarush.

The event was such a success. I know next year’s event will be even better… I can’t wait!

Starting at 12 am November, 25th use promo code:     BlackFriday

** Please note: promo code is case sensitive

All 2010 & 2011 event, portrait & boudoir galleries have been re-released or extended until December 31st. In addition, we have a great holiday sale for you! Our 1 day only Black Friday Sale is a once a year event that you don’t want to miss.

Happy Savings & Holidays!

Please Note: The studio will be closed November 24th through November 27th. All orders are a final sale. Refunds and exchanges are not eligible on sale orders.

Orders placed before November 25th, 12:00am and after November 25th, 11:59pm are not eligible for the Black Friday discount.

An elegant French Quarter hotel, an awesome team of stylists, a rockin’ photographer and the beautiful YOU = SEXY!!

Don’t wait, spaces are limited… Book Now! ~ 732.889.4790

Didn’t have the time or budget to squeeze in your session before your big day? Anniversaries are the perfect time to give the gift of you all over again! It doesn’t matter if it’s your first, 5th, or 25th… Boudoir photos say everything without saying anything at all : )

Get inspired:

In spite of the grey skies and the on again-off again rain, I am so glad we didn’t reschedule. We never would have experienced the most amazing rainbow I have ever seen. It had the most vivd colors, a full arch and made for a great background.

Mallory has been my personal hairstylist for the past five years, and with me professionally as one of my boudoir stylists for the past four a half years.

Mallory is a wealth of knowledge about hair care, styling techniques, tips and tricks, as well as heath and environmentally conscience hair care products (and holistic remedies… I learn a lot from her).

“I want to be a part of a salon that is constantly striving to be the best, work at our craft and be inspirational in our industry and to others”, Mallory says.

You can find Mallory back at Salon Concrete as an educational inspiration and hair designer as of this week.

 …newly engaged, and planning their February 16th,  2013 Wedding.

It may have been the hottest day of the year, but it was worth it. You can’t even tell we were sweating buckets, haha. Jamie’s parents’ backyard in East Brunswick was the perfect location., casual, lush with greenery with a waterfront view.

What a catch!

More to come of Jamie & Mark’s Wedding in 2013 : )

Fashion-forward and  edgy,”Every strand counts” at Salon Concrete!

Dedicated to providing an extraordinary experience, Salon Concrete and its phenomenal team of stylists and colorists let no detail escape them. Team concrete is not only passionate about hair and the creative process, but the client experience as a whole.

One thing I love about the Red Bank, NJ salon is that the atmosphere is sophisticated yet unpretentious. What makes Salon Concrete stand out among other salons?… Education! Christine Zilinski, the owner, has made training and education the core of building and maintaining such a talented team of stylists and colorists.

Out of a great respect for the environment and their clients, Salon Concrete pays special attention to the impact of a product, and proudly uses davines product for hair care.  davines uses natural ingredients, and only renewable energy resources. Both davines and Salon Concrete dare to do what they believe in, and rather than conforming to the mainstream they thrive on the freedom to develop concepts and products that are original, authentic and emotionally connect with people.

Thank you to Salon Concrete for awarding our lucky April Showers Giveaways winner, Lee Ann Mittler, the opportunity to explore the incredible potential of hair color with a free color service!

Don’t forget Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Brighten your mom’s day with a color service from Salon Concrete!

The only framers I trust to frame my clients’ art.

Megan and Mike founded Frame to Please 8 years ago. However, their framing expertise stems from 30+ years experience. A full service custom framing gallery, Frame to Please also specializes in custom mirrors, shadowboxes & sports jerseys. Recently with the move to their new location to The Galleria in Red Bank they have also evolved into a fine art gallery.

I am very excited to announce two earth friendly lines that they carry . The Michal Sparks’ line of recycled and repurposed handbags and artwork is made from recycled plastic bags. Along with the reclaimed, recycled, restored  theme, and one of my favorite lines, Frame to Please also carries the La Ville line of frames that are handmade and inspired from Southern architectural remains from hurricane Katrina. Stop in and check them out!

Beginning on Mother’s Day you can also find Frame to Please at the Red Bank Farmer’s Market every Sunday  through November. Stop by to pick up one of Megan’s original fruit crate labels.

Megan and Mike love to listen and customize their designs based upon the needs of the customer…. No job too big or too small, they Frame to Please : )

Her Red Bank boutique, located in the antique district, is host to many events not only showcasing her fabulous offerings, but raising awareness and funds for many causes.

Join us at Carla’s Red Bank location on Thursday, May 5th. Pink Girls Night Out (or Pinco de Mayo, haha) is a breast cancer awareness event in conjunction with Red Bank’s Paint the Town Pink ~ Pink Bank.

Last year I announced in a post that Carla Gizzi was opening a 2nd boutique, Carla Gizzi at the beach, at Convention Hall in Asbury Park, NJ. This year I am excited to announce that she is now expanding her AP boutique. Don’t worry, while construction is under way the AP boutique remains open : )

One  lucky April Showers winner will walk away with a gift certificate to shop at any of the Carla Gizzi boutiques. Check the BGP facebook page for winner announcements.

Stay tuned for more giveaways throughout the month of April. For a chance to win one of fantastic giveaways check out our April Showers blog post for details.

Although my obsession is Burt’s Bees products, which soapmarket carries an abundance of, I know that if I don’t make a beeline (yes, I did just say that) for the Burt’s I’m heading home with much, much more than I came for. Of course, that is never a bad thing, especially at this store! I have a hard time resisting the temptation of buying the accessories, let alone all of the fragrant, lathering, cleansing and therapeutic bath and body goodies.

From organic bars of soap, hand poured candles, reed diffusers, and body balms, to bathroom fixtures and even handmade jewelry soapmarket has a little something to make everyone look and feel good!

One lucky person from our April Showers ~ Giveaways will win a fabulous gift basket filled with goodies from soapmarket’s own MarketBody collection of natural bath & body products.  Basket includes rich and moisturizing body lotion, creamy organic sugar scrub, relaxing bath salts, olive oil & shea butter bar soaps and a vegetable & soy blend candle.  Everything is natural, eco-friendly and handmade locally (with exception of the candle which is hand-poured in Pennsylvania). Most products contain organic ingredients.

Shop in -store or online for all your bath needs at soapmarket, and don’t forget to show some love on facebook : )

Stay tuned for more giveaways throughout the month of April. For a chance to win one of fantastic giveaways check out our April Showers blog post for details.

For similar reasons that I became a boudoir photographer, Vivian Taormina was compelled to create Woman Rising. All women possess a unique beauty, sensuality and essence all their own. For me, being able to highlight each of those characteristics and create beautiful works of art that each woman can be proud of and cherish for a lifetime is an amazing job to have. Just as I strive for each of my clients to walk away with a sense of empowerment and a new found love and respect for their bodies and themselves, I feel Woman Rising does the same.

Vivian’s classes are a great precursor to a boudoir session. Learning to be in tune with your body and sensuality is a positive and empowering tool to have.

Woman Rising is a series of dynamic living classes offered by Vivian Taormina of Tao Massage. Vivian designs classes such as her ESP (Expressive Sensual Power) class to empower and inspire women through movement. ESP classes help women to increase sensuality by engaging inner emotions, building on physical sensations and the power of pleasure! ESP promotes weight management through a variety of movements that build muscular endurance, strength and coordination while incorporating a vertical fitness pole.

photo courtesy of Sara Stadtmiller

Group and private instruction are available. Classes take place at Tao Massage, 2116 Sunset Avenue, Ocean, NJ 07712.

Woman Rising events and classes are designed to nourish, educate and inspire your woman inside in a safe supportive atmosphere.

Get inspired and let your inner woman rise!

4 lucky winners will receive a gift certificate to attend a Woman Rising ESP class. For details on how to become eligible to win check out the April Showers blog post.

For up-to-date CLASS SCHEDULE and information check the FACEBOOK PAGE and“Friend” Vivian At TaoMassage.

The perfect tan begins here!

A healthy alternative to a traditional tan. Enjoy a smooth and natural looking sunless tan in 10 minutes. No streaks, blotches or orange colored tans. Nikki with prepare a custom blended tan that suits your natural skin color and your desired tanning color. There is no better way to achieve a beautiful glowing tan that is safe, nourishing, moisturizing, and UV free!

The winner is…

… Heather Noel!

Contact the studio to claim your gift certificate 732.889.4790 or brandi@brandigroomsphotogrpahy.com.

So, why not have a UV free tan that is not only safe, but nourishing and moisturizing as well?

One of our fabulous April Showers vendors is Airbrush Tanning by Nikki. Nikki provides sunless tanning services at Mix’T Salon in Shrewsbury, mobile services for at-home tanning and Bronzing Parties.

What is airbrush tanning?

An airbrush tan is a custom blended tan applied by an experienced professional ensuring you get an even glow that is right for you. 

The airbrush tanning solution contains an FDA-approved ingredient called dihydroxyacetone (DHA). DHA is derived from a vegetable source, sugar cane or sugar beets. Aloe Vera is the base of the solution, along with water and a small percentage of alcohol, which allows it to dry quickly. DHA works by reacting with the amino acids in the outermost layer of the skin, temporarily staining it brown. Nontoxic and noncarcinogenic, it has been used in every sunless tanning product on the market for more than 40 years.

Nikki is not only an amazing tanning technician, she is also so darn cute and sweet you’ll wanna hug her on your way out! She has been passionately custom tanning in New Jersey for 5 years.

For more details on the tanning process, how to prepare and can care to your tan, as well as booking a session or Bronzing Party visit the Airbrush Tanning by Nikki website.

The entire month of April BGP is showering you with over $1500 worth of gifts. To find out how to eligible to win one of the April Showers giveaways click HERE!

… Over a $1,200.00 $1500 worth of products and gift certificate giveaways!

Every week I will be giving away fabulous goodies such as:

• Girls Night Out at Sweetest Sin Boutique with a $50 gift certificate. Enjoy a private shopping party with your girlfriends complete with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, bra fittings, and exclusive specials

• Dramatically change your eyes with a set of Flirt Lash Extension by Winks for naturally looking fuller lashes

• Gift certificates to the empowering Woman Rising classes with Vivian Taormina at Tao Massage

• Vintage inspired shabby chic Carla Gizzi jewelry and home decor products gift certificate

• a Glowing full body tan with Airbrush Tanning by Nikki

• an Airbrush tanning party with Airbrush Tanning by Nikki

•a Gift basket of  Soapmarket‘s very own MarketBody collection of natural bath and body products including rich and moisturizing body lotion, creamy organic sugar scrub, relaxing bath salts, olive oil & shea butter bar soaps and a vegetable & soy blend candle.

• Explore the incredible potential of hair color! Whether you are battling grays, going for a color change or intensifying your natural color, the expert colorists at Salon Concrete will award one lucky winner with a brilliant hair color service.

• Gift certificate to Frame to Please for beautiful custom framing

• a Petite Portrait Session (for either engagement, maternity, kids, or family portraiture) with BGP

Grand Prize is a PRIVATE BOUDOIR SESSION with BGP

So, what do you have to do?

It’s simple! All you have to do is show some love by liking each of the 9 service provider’s facebook pages (links above lead to their pages). Then, head back on over here to my blog and leave a love note in the comments section of the this blog post (April Showers) mentioning that you just spread some facebook love to BGP and our fabulous friends.
Your name will be placed in the tri-weekly drawings for our goodies.

The GRAND PRIZE drawing  will be on the last day of the month (Saturday, April 30th 2011).

**Winners will be announced here each Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday!

I started a Pinterest board that allows me to eliminate the paper trail for my obsession, and house all of my peacock inspired attractions. Here’s a glimpse.

Look at that peacock doorknob… LOVE IT! What about the cutest cupcake ever? I don’t think I could eat it… it’s a work of art.

I only have 3 2 spots available!

9:30 – 11:30

10:15 – 12:15

1:45 – 3:45

2:00 – 4:30 (Just added)

Here is what is included:

Please contact the studio for pricing and booking details at 732.889.4790

I hope it is filled with surprises.