trailblazin2005

[woodsteingirl]

they need to invent an ask game where you ask me my top five LEAST favorite of things.

[clawsdevour]

⭒:.ushijima bf hcs

wc: 0.4k content warning: fluff, slight smut, aged up, post-time skip, my booty writing, not proofread

꒰*𖥻.🦅

-Ushijima, the type of boyfriend to observe your facial expressions trying to understand if you like or dislike something. Sometimes he would try to be expressive but look like he's forcing his resting serious face to look happy.

-Ushijima, the type of boyfriend to have acts of service as his love language. He tries super hard to make you happy through his actions to show that he truly loves and cares for you.

-Ushijima, the type of boyfriend to ask you what trending slang means. He's not super social on media platforms but will sometimes stumble across random weird words that are trending. He only uses his phone to look at the weather, message you and his friends, and watch the links you send him.

-Ushijima, the type of boyfriend to openly plan your dates, asking about what you want to do for your next dates. He'd pick up your favorite flowers on the way to surprise you.

-Ushijima, the type of boyfriend to be super honest with his feelings and words. If you say something negative about yourself, he would look into your eyes with his stern face reassuring you how gorgeous you are.

-Ushijima, the type of boyfriend to take your jokes to heart until you tell him you were kidding. He'd be concerned and think you mean what you said with his mouth opened in shock.

-Ushijima, the type of boyfriend to be super respectful and proper upon meeting your parents. Your parents' first impression on Ushijima, would be thinking he's very intimidating due to his build and facial features. However they do warm up to him when he expresses how real his love for you is.

-Ushijima, the type of boyfriend to love watching you suck him off. He loves seeing your swollen lips wrap around his girth, making him tilt his head back in pleasure as your mouth melts his dick. He'd also gently put his large hands on your head to urge you to go further down on him.

-Ushijima, the type of boyfriend to love putting you into missionary with your legs on his broad shoulders. His rough pace pounding into you creating those lewd facial expressions he enjoys seeing twist with the sensations he's giving you.

-Ushijima, the type of boyfriend to carry you bridal style into a nice warm bubble bath before bed. While you soak and unwind, he's taking his time changing the dirty bedsheets so you're able to sleep on a fresh new bedding.

masterlist here

[tarathijewels]

The Best Seasons to Buy Imitation Necklaces Online

Also Read : Buy Imitation Necklace Online | Best Mangalsutra Collections

When it comes to fashion, timing can be everything. You may wonder, “Is there a particular time that’s best for buying jewelry, like imitation necklaces?” The answer is yes! Just like other fashion items, imitation jewelry has its peak seasons when you can find the best deals, the most stunning designs, and even exclusive collections. In this blog, we’ll dive into the best seasons to buy imitation necklaces online and why timing your purchase can make all the difference.

1. Festive Seasons: More Glamour, More Savings

Festivals bring joy, and with them come fantastic offers on imitation jewelry. Whether it’s Diwali, Christmas, or any other major festival, retailers often roll out special discounts and exclusive collections. These festive seasons are a perfect time to buy imitation necklaces online. You’ll not only find beautifully crafted pieces but also benefit from sales and promotions. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a little extra sparkle during the festivities?

Imagine dressing up for a festive celebration with a gorgeous imitation necklace that looks like it cost a fortune, but you got it for a steal. Sounds great, right?

2. Wedding Season: A Time for Statement Pieces

Wedding season is all about grand celebrations, and imitation jewelry plays a huge role in completing the perfect bridal look. During this time, you’ll notice that online stores like Tarathi Jewels offer exquisite collections that cater to brides and wedding guests alike. The variety of designs and the intricate detailing available during the wedding season is unmatched.

It’s also a great time to explore heavy, statement pieces that are perfect for wedding attire. If you’re planning to attend a wedding or even preparing for your own, this is the ideal time to shop online for that stunning necklace that will make heads turn.

3. End-of-Season Sales: The Best Bargain Hunt

End-of-season sales are a treasure trove for bargain hunters. As fashion trends change with the seasons, many online stores offer significant discounts to clear out their inventory. This is your chance to grab high-quality imitation necklaces at a fraction of the price.

If you’re someone who loves to get more value for your money, keep an eye out for these sales. They usually happen at the end of each fashion season, and it’s the perfect opportunity to stock up on stylish accessories without breaking the bank.

4. Holiday Season: Gifts and More

The holiday season is another fantastic time to buy imitation necklaces online. Whether it’s for gifting or for yourself, online stores often have special collections and discounts during holidays like New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, or Mother’s Day. A beautiful imitation necklace makes a thoughtful gift, and with so many options available, you can find something unique for every style preference.

Think about surprising a loved one with a beautiful necklace that adds a touch of elegance to their outfit. It’s these little gestures that make holidays even more special.

5. New Collection Launches: Be the First to Own It

Lastly, when new collections are launched, it’s an exciting time to shop. Brands like Tarathi Jewels introduce fresh designs that align with current fashion trends. Being among the first to wear a new collection gives you a sense of exclusivity and style.

So, if you’re someone who loves to stay ahead of the fashion curve, watch out for these launches. They’re the perfect time to invest in new designs that will keep your jewelry collection updated and trendy.

Final Thoughts

Timing your purchase of imitation necklaces can make a significant difference in what you get and how much you pay. By shopping during the festive season, wedding season, end-of-season sales, holiday season, or during new collection launches, you can find beautiful, high-quality necklaces that suit every occasion and outfit.

At Tarathi Jewels, we understand the importance of offering our customers the best value and the latest designs. Whether you’re looking to treat yourself or find the perfect gift, our online store has a wide range of imitation necklaces to choose from. So why wait? Explore our collection and make your next purchase at just the right time!

Remember, fashion is about expressing yourself, and with the right accessories, you can make a statement without saying a word. Happy shopping!

For any order and shipping info please mail to tarathijewels@gmail.com Alternatively you can contact us via Whatsapp on +91 73052 03958. And also visit our website for more collections www.tarathijewels.com

[amphtaminedreams]

Sitting Front Row at...(On a Budget Obvs): Lookbook no.15

Hey to anyone reading!

And welcome to my fave lookbook I’ve done in a longggg ass time! Yes, that’s partially because it involved making collages and doing the low effort work of scouring Vogue Runway for “research purposes”, but I promise, that statement wasn’t made out of COMPLETE laziness-I am super happy with it too. It’s been a good use of pre-part-lockdown-lift time in the interim between that brief period of Christmas celebrations and eateries finally fucking opening again because let’s be honest, I always knew I was gonna get distracted by oat milk vanilla lattes and veggie all day breakfasts once I could actually sit down with them at my fave local cafe. You could say I was very much operating on a self-imposed deadline.

The “what I would wear to sit front row at...[insert designer here]” TikTok/Instagram reel trend was something I wanted to get on board with ever since I first saw one and whilst the option of doing my own live action take-I really cannot bear the thought of having to edit footage of myself awkwardly attempting to sit nonchalantly in front of a camera for hours on end-was off the cards considering my complete lack of screen presence, I decided a Tumblr text post would work just as well, and if not even better in a way. Given the absence of the time limitations you face when you’re making a reel or a TikTok I thought it’d be cool to present the looks as part of a mini moodboard for each designer which adds a bit of context to each look even if you aren’t familiar with their past collections and establishes the general vibe of the brand I’m attempting to replicate. Not to sound snotty or as if I am the font of all knowledge on anything high fashion related but even with my amateur knowledge I noticed that as the video trend took off and was adopted by big name influencers, it became less about the average person putting their own personal spin on the aesthetic of the labels we can’t ordinarily afford and more about them building outfits that only vaguely resemble the general public perception of the brand around the real corresponding (and often gifted and thus inaccessible to someone who doesn’t makes thousands for a sponsored post) pieces they own SO I thought I’d take the trend back to its roots and get a bit resourceful. All that being said, in no particular order, here are the outfits I would wear to sit front row at Gucci, Vera Wang, Miu-Miu, Marc Jacobs, Dolce & Gabbana, Brock Collection, Alexander McQueen, Etro, Burberry aaaand Saint Laurent based on their past collections and guess what? They didn’t cost a shit tonne of money :-)

-disclaimer: will include an asterisk before any new purchases if from a high street store though to be honest, I don’t think there are any, we shall see! I do include where I got old purchases from in case anyone wants to search anything on Depop/Ebay-

1. Saint Laurent (formerly Yves Saint Laurent)

-blazer from identityparty on Depop, pleather trousers from Zara, jewellery from Dolls Kill-

I know technically abbreviating Saint Laurent to YSL doesn’t really make much sense anymore given the brand’s name change in 2012, but I’ll always think of it as that in the same way I’ll always associate it with the slightly dishevelled yet simultaneously glitzy rock n’ roll aesthetic. The thing is, whilst YSL hasn’t done anything wildly out of the box for a long time, it’s rare they put a look on the runway that I wouldn’t wear; they never end up being a fashion week standout but the Parisienne take on grunge we’ve seen Anthony Vaccarello establish as his go-to will always have a place in my heart. 

2. Alexander McQueen

-embroidered leather jacket from Ebay (originally Topshop), harness from Amazon, dress from ASOS, boots from Koi Vegan Footwear-

Alexander McQueen is a brand that is pretty much universally liked, from the historically extravagant and groundbreaking shows the man himself put together to Sarah Burton’s more toned down but still beautiful collections. Obviously I didn’t attempt to do justice to the former, so I tried my hand at putting together a look inspired by Sarah’s blend of delicate femininity and nomadic edge, and it went...okay? Like it’s definitely not my favourite of all the looks because it does give off slightly cheap copycat vibes buuut outside of the context of this lookbook it’s cute.

3. Brock Collection

-boater hat from Ebay, midi skirt from morganogle on Depop, corset top from ownmode_, heels from amybeckett1, bag from Primark-

Brock isn’t as well known a brand as most of the others in this list but I adore everything Laura Vassar Brock does and I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to try and channel the vision of one of the OG pioneers of the cottagecore vibe through my own wardrobe. I mean fr, this woman’s work as a steady provider of meadow photoshoot worthy dresses and corsets and skirts is v slept on and I will not stand for it. I will sit in front of a camera and then write a paragraph in my blog post begging anybody who reads to give LVB (an abbreviation I acknowledge is unlikely to catch on because Lisa Vanderpump anybody?) some form of acknowledgement for her services to period romance novel inspired moodboards everywhere.

4. Marc Jacobs

-coat from House of Sunny, white shirt from Retro World Camden, co-ord from Sugar Thrillz, bag from Poppy Lissiman-

If there’s one thing Marc Jacobs always does, it’s COMMITS. TO. HIS. THEME. I just KNOW he has a secret Pinterest with separate boards for every fashion era of the 20th century and he is putting those boards to good use providing us with collections that are as immersive as they are eclectic year in year out. 

5. Miu Miu

-beret from H&M, hair clips from H&M, jewellery from Primark, coat from mollyyemmaa on Depop, shirt from YesStyle, sweater vest from YesStyle, skirt from Depop, diamanté belt from Brandy Melville, shoes from Koi Vegan Footwear-

We all like to talk about Bratz dolls and Monster High dolls and Barbies as fashion inspo but can we all focus on Cabbage Patch dolls for two secs so as to acknowledge the fact that a Miu Miu collection is basically all their fits grown up? And made boujie as fuck? If I want my fix of Wes Anderson meets Scream Queens (what a combo) inspired outfits, if I want prissy and girlish but also glam, if I want to look like a bratty rich girl whose one redeeming quality is her eye for vintage clothes, I know where to look and that is the Miu Miu section of Vogue Runway. 

6. Vera Wang

-blazer as in no.1, velvet bralet from catdegaris on Depop, harness from Amazon, skirt from Ebay, knee high socks from Ebay, lace up boots from Ebay-

Vera Wang’s RTW aesthetic, a blend of the ethereal, ultra-feminine bridal designs she’s known for and British style punk rock influences, is something I feel has only become firmly established in recent years but it is everything I ever wanted and more. I always find myself trying to balance the part of me that loves everything girly and delicate and pretty and the part of me that would love to be in a biker gang and Vera’s collections are always an inspirational reminder of just how well it can be done.

7. Burberry

-coat from charity shop, suit from emmafisher3 on Depop, top from simranindia, shirt underneath from Zara, jewellery from ASOS-

Now I’m not gonna lie, I’m not the biggest fan of Burberry but there have been a few looks over the past few years I’ve really liked and as someone who owns numerous trench coats, high necks and way too much plaid, I thought it’d be an easy one to replicate. Plus, if you can count on Riccardo Tisci for nothing else you at least can rely on him giving you some layering inspo which is very much needed in a country where it literally just snowed in April and where my plans for today have just been cancelled because the iPhone weather app did a Karen Smith and didn’t predict rain for today right up until it started raining so thanks for that one British meteorologists. Your incompetence strikes again.

8. Etro

-corset from Urban Outfitters, vinyl trench coat from Topshop, boots from Ebay, black slip dress from kaoanaoleinik on Depop, fur trim afghan coat from louisemarcella-

Like with Brock Collection, Etro isn’t a hugely well known brand, but it is always one of my favourites-to add a spanner into the works of any attempts to cultivate a firm sense of personal style, I live for the ornate Bohemian look that Etro does so well just as much as I love both grungy and girly pieces, and so I really wanted to include a brand whose collections go down that route. It was a toss-up between this and Zimmerman, the flirtier, free spirit counterpart to the dark romance of Veronica Etro’s designs; her vision really shines through the most when it comes to the brand’s winter collections, imo, and given that I live in a country where winter or some weather state resembling it does seem to take up 70% of the year, I did decide on channelling her work rather than that of the equally talented Nicky and Simone Zimmermann this time round.

9. Dolce & Gabbana

-flower crown from ASOS, tiara from Amazon, earrings from YesStyle, dress from alicealderdice1 on Depop, opera gloves from Ebay, boots from Koi Vegan Footwear-

D&G is a brand I felt really conflicted about doing-I don’t include their current collections in my fashion week reviews based on the actions of designers Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce over the last few years because I don’t want to mitigate the collective effort of fashion critics to push them towards irrelevancy. Though people like to claim the brand has turned a corner since Lucio Di Rosa was brought on board as the manager of celebrity and VIP relations last year (they are as prolific a force on red carpet fashion as ever), we haven’t seen any real meaningful apologies or reparations made by Dolce and Gabbana themselves which once again leaves us in the all too familiar quandary of whether or not we can separate the art from the artist especially when it is far too much of a simplification to only credit the two men for their work given there’s a whole design team behind them. There are a LOT of shitty people working in fashion, the whole industry is a bit of a cesspit if we’re honest, but I don’t think that should stop us from at least being able to appreciate old collections if we make sure we aren’t engaging in any kind of promotion of current works whilst doing so. D&G are a brand of high highs and low lows, with looks that range from hideously ugly to showstoppingly beautiful in a single show-when the looks are good, they are GOOD-and their presence in the fashion world is most definitely felt whether we want it to be or not. It would just be shit to refuse to recognise the existence of some real iconic runway moments, the practical work that went into the ornate detail and opulence that helped cement D&Gs place in sartorial history, the styling that’s made goddesses and fairytale queens out of modern day women as they’ve glided down catwalks, the far more extravagant and, let’s be real, sexier version of our world D&G shows have transported us to in the past. Will I talk about D&G ever again? No, and if you Google the scandals their brand has faced over the past few years, there are more than enough reasons why, but just this once I did want to pay homage to some of the collections, the snippets of which I saw on my Tumblr dashboard back when I was about 13, that first got me into fashion.

10. Gucci

-fur coat from Topshop, clips from Zaful, glasses from Ebay, dress from gracewright246 on Depop, shirt from Boohoo, blazer from charity shop-

Now last but, if you ever read any of my fashion week reviews (the likelihood of someone actually having read one of them and reading this is incredibly, incredibly slim lol, I wouldn’t read me either) you’ll know, definitely not least, is Gucci because Alessandro Michele comes through every!! single!! time!!

The man is truly the king of quirky throwback maximalism and it hurts my heart that a lot of people seem to think of it only as a brand associated with ostentatious displays of wealth. Year after year since Michele was made creative director he has released purposeful, fully-fleshed out collections which unravel themselves to us on the runway like time capsules containing the belongings of the rich and whimsical and yes that can sometimes result in outfits which are *ahem* a bit mismatched but it doesn’t matter because through fashion he manages to take us to a vivid version of the past where people could dress as freely and lavishly as they wanted to, into the wardrobe of a person unaffected by the side-eyeing of others. You get the impression he doesn’t design so much as plays around with some kind of enchanted dress up box and takes inspiration from there and to give that impression is only a credit to his talent-to make outfits so kooky and extravagant look like they were meant to be takes a boldness and genuine love for clothes that I do tend to feel a lot of the big name designers have lost in the pursuit of profit and the necessary placating of the dying customer base that keeps that coming in. Of course I'm not for a second saying Gucci does not care about profit, but at the very least, they have on board a creative director who genuinely has fun with what they’re putting out there and wants to make a statement too and that really shows; you can rest on your laurels and sell tweed boucle jackets to rich old white women for eternity but nobody’s going to mention your brand name and the word groundbreaking in the same sentence ever again unless they’re talking about what it was a century ago, you know (mentioning no names...unless...did I hear someone say Chanel)? That feels like such a shady way to end, lol, but I’m sure said brand will survive-to be fair, they’ve been included in every other What I’d Wear to Sit Front Row At video I’ve seen so although I’m always slagging them off for doing the saaaaame thinggggg year after year, for that same reason their aesthetic is instantly recognisable and so will always be a source of imitation. There are obviously pros and cons to being a brand which constantly reinvents itself but I think it’s totally possible to do that whilst maintaining an overall mission, and Alessandro Michele’s work at Gucci demonstrates that with ease.

Anyway, if you got to here, thanks for reading! I know I’m super behind on this whole TikTok trend and I know a Tumblr post instead of a video is a bit of a cop out but all the real, physically awkward ones out there know that watching yourself back is excruciating lmao, so I hope this does the trick. After this, I’m gonna get back to the reviewing S/S21 collections post though knowing me I’ll probs take a few days to get back into that because I feel like since I left full-time education (RIP me going back in a few months) writing continuously like this for any longer than about 15 mins fries what brain cells I have left. Again, thank you for reading and if you are, sending many good vibes your way! Stay safe!

Lauren x

[sherrybaby14]

Bucky’s Bride

Request: Bucky stalks Y/N, pretends to be her friend, gets jealous that she's engaged, she's saving herself for marriage and her jerk groom is leaves her on the aisle. Or in other words Bucky steals the bride. 😉

 Warnings:  Noncon (Please do not read if this offends you), loss of virginity, smut

 Words: 8K

              The cover of the magazine was a smiling bride, decked out in a beautiful lace number.  The headlines read ‘Dream Honeymoon’ and ‘Ten Best Bridesmaid’s Gifts’. You weren’t planning on a honeymoon or having bridesmaids.  But your fiancé was getting annoyed with your lack of caring about the wedding, so you reached for the rag.  

            “Excuse me.”  A stranger went for the same magazine and you grazed hands.  

            “Sorry.”  You turned to see beautiful blue eyes and a handsome smile. His face was enough to make you blink twice.  “Go ahead.”

            “Thanks.”  He grabbed two copies of the bridal magazine and handed one to you.  “Getting married?”  

            “Yeah.”  You nodded. “You?”  

            “Congratulations.  A beauty like you, I’m not surprised someone popped the question as soon as they could.” He smiled a million-dollar smile. You felt like the only one in the store. “No.  No marriage for me.”  

            “You just like bridal magazines?”  You tried not the think about the compliment, not used to hearing such things.  

            He erupted in laughter and threw his head back.  You glanced from side to side, unsure why this handsome man was even paying you a lick of attention.  

            “I own a catering business.”  He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a card. “Research.  I have to stay on top of wedding trends.”

            You took the card and nodded, realizing you were just a mark.  

            “I’m planning on a courthouse wedding.  Maybe a small dinner after.”  You handed the card back.  “Not in the market for a caterer.”  

            “That sounds like a lovely wedding.”  He pushed your hand.  “I was only showing that I’m not some weirdo collecting bridal magazines. Keep it.”  

            You looked at the front:  James Buchanan Barnes, owner ‘Longing Rusted’ restaurant and catering.

            “This is the most popular restaurant in the city.” You’d heard stories of a month-long waitlist.  “You’re Bucky Barnes?”

            “Guilty.”  He smiled.

            You looked him up and down, suddenly feeling self-conscious.  His clothes probably cost more than your rent.   You wanted to get away from the intimidating man, buying the magazine was no longer worth it, but not wanting to bolt from the store.

            “Hold on one second.”  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a buzzing phone.  “Hello.”

            Bucky had turned to answer the thing and you used the opportunity to accomplish option two, dropping the magazine as you left the shop and walked out on to the busy New York street.  

           It was rude, but the man was a celebrity around the city, and you didn’t want to embarrass yourself more than you already had. Your fiancé could deal with thinking you didn’t care about the wedding a bit longer.

 ~~

           “Come on out.  I am sure that one is perfect for you.”  The Bridal consultant was starting to sound annoyed.  

            “I told you, it’s just a courthouse wedding.” You sighed, the ballgown over the top, as you opened the door from the fitting room.  “This is way too much.”  

            “But you look gorgeous!”  She tightened the fasteners and led you over to the pedestal. “I thought you said your fiancé wanted a more traditional look.  This is a traditional bride.”  

            “It’s not me.”  You hiked up the skirt.  “I don’t even care if the thing is white, to be honest.”  

            “If it isn’t the runaway bride?”  A voice made you turn your head.

           There stood Bucky Barnes, a smile on his face as he rested his arm on the wall.  

            “What are you doing here?”  It had been two weeks since the magazine incident and all you could do was stare at him in shock.

            “Stalking you of course.” He raised his eyebrows.

            “Mr. Barnes.”  Your consultant glared at you before going to kiss Bucky on the cheek. “I have the samples at the front of the store.”    

            “Most people at least say goodbye.”  He pushed off the wall and walked toward you. “Where was the fire?”

           You make me uncomfortable.  Why are you talking to me anyway?  That was what ran through your head.  

            “You’re a busy man.  I didn’t want to waste your time.”  You fidgeted, feeling his eyes on you.  

            “That dress doesn’t suit you at all.”  He frowned.  “Where’s your bridal party?  Mom?  Friends? You need some extra opinions.”  

            “Couldn’t make it.”  You wanted out of the dress.  “They’re coming in for the wedding.  I haven’t lived in New York very long and they can’t afford to come out for all the little stuff.  Really the only person in my life who seems to care about the wedding stuff is my fiancé.”

            “Then where is he?”  Bucky folded his arms.  

            “Doesn’t want to see the bride in the dress before the wedding.”  You felt tears sting your eyes.  

            “Woah.” He reached out and grabbed your arm.  “Is everything okay?”

            “I’m fine.”  You wiped your eyes before a drop fell.

            “Come on.”  He led you off the pedestal.  “Get changed. I’m getting you out of here.”

            “It’s okay. Really.”  You didn’t object as he guided you to the fitting room.

            “The only tears allowed in a bridal shop are tears of joy.”  He stopped at the door.  “I’m not taking no for an answer.  Get changed.”

            You sighed and felt some relief as the door shut. Wanting the gown off of you more than you realized.  It didn’t take long until you were back in your jeans and sweater.  

            “I should really get home.”  You grabbed your purse before opening the door.  “And I’m sure you have some reason for the samples you need to get to.”

            “A client wants the appetizers to be influenced by her dress.”  Bucky laughed.  “The same texture as the fabric.  A picture wasn’t good enough.”

            “Really?”  That sounded so absurd to you.  “Man I am not cut out for weddings.”  

           “What makes you say that?”  Bucky grabbed an envelope from the consultant who didn’t even bother saying goodbye to you.  

            “All I want is the courthouse, a small dinner with close family.  I’d rather get married in this than that.”  You pushed open the door to the bridal shop.  “Ugh, I do not need to unload on you like this.  You’re a stranger.”

            “I’m around a lot of brides.  You don’t fit the mold.”  Bucky ignored your last comment.  “Most are excited about the dress, and the lavish party. Celebrating their love.”

            “I don’t want the attention and it’s a waste of money.” You sighed as you looked up.  “But my fiancé is getting annoyed with my lack of caring.”  

            “Well if he wants the big wedding make him plan it?” Bucky stopped a few stores down and pulled open the door to a coffee shop.  

            “I brought that up, but he doesn’t want to wait any longer. Plus he doesn’t even have a guest list.  Not inviting a soul.”  You went to the counter.  “He’d rather I get my wedding with bits of his suggestions thrown in.”  

            “Like a ballgown?”  Bucky pulled out his wallet.  “Two black coffees.”  

            “Lucky guess.  I take my coffee black.”  You were happy for the change in subject.  

            “No luck.”  Bucky winked at you.  “I’m a stalker, remember?”

           “Right.”  You laughed. “How could I forget?”  

            “So why the rush?”  Bucky took both coffees and nodded his head to a booth.  “With the wedding?”

            “We’ve been together for six months, he proposed. Doesn’t want to wait any longer.” You slid into the seat and took your coffee.  “And I’ve kept him waiting long enough.”  

           Bucky’s eyes went wide at the innuendo.  

            “He’s been patient.  It was important to me to wait for marriage.”  You felt your face get hot.  It was the reaction everyone you told had.  You were crazy.  How old were you?  Why wait? What was the big deal?  “I don’t expect you to understand.”  

            “There’s nothing wrong with values.”  He gave a warm smile.  

            “This coming from the man who takes a new model to every opening?”  You raised your eyebrows.

           “Hey.”  Bucky swatted your hand.  “Now who is the stalker?”  

            “I may have googled you after our last run-in.”  You felt yourself relax at the confession. “You’re accomplished.  You should be proud.”  

            “What about you Y/N?”  He leaned back.  “What do you do for work?”

            You chatted away about yourself.  Shocked at how easy he was to talk to, giving little to no thought to the wedding dress debacle.  

~~

           Calling around hadn’t worked, every place was booked. You thought if you made a plea in person someone might give, but you’d already crossed off your first two choices and your heart was heavy as you walked into your third.

            “How many?” The hostess grabbed a menu.

           “Actually, I was hoping to make a reservation for three weeks from Friday, for twelve people?”  You thought three weeks' notice was plenty of time.  

            “Shouldn’t be a problem.”  The hostess pulled out a notebook.

            That was a good sign.  This place didn’t even use computers.  They had to have an opening.

            “That’s strange.”  She frowned.  “We’re completely booked.”

            “I didn’t even say the time yet.”  Your stomach started to ache.

            “Maybe we’re closed or something.”  She turned the book to show you red blocking out the entire thing.  

            “On a Friday?”  You thought you were going to throw up.

            “Why is it whenever I see you, you’re in distress?” The familiar voice calmed you.    

            Bucky was right behind you with his million-dollar smile. After your last run in he was the closest thing you had to a friend in the city and you didn’t hesitate to fall into his chest and start sobbing.  

            “Hey.”  He rubbed your back.  “Shhh. It’s okay.”

            He didn’t ask you any questions.  Just held you as you cried.  It was a week since your trip to the coffee shop.  You didn’t exchange numbers or anything, he probably didn’t even remember your name.

            “Shhhh.”  He held you as he walked you to a corner of the restaurant and sat down in a booth, pulling you against him.

            You cried and cried and cried.

            “Here.”  He brought a glass of water to his chest and you hiccuped as you took a sip. “Everything will be okay.”  

            “I’ve tried every restaurant and they’re all booked.” You lifted your head.  “I haven’t had time to find a dress.  My fiancé won’t help at all, but then he is mad at me for not doing enough and I don’t even care.”  

            “Did you try my recommendations?”  Bucky didn’t stop rubbing your back.  

            “Yes!”  You wiped your face and took more water.  “All but two. I even name-dropped you.”

            That experience had made you cringe, and you weren’t going to repeat the mistake.  

            “The marriage matters more than the wedding.” Bucky smiled at you.  “A lifetime of happiness.  Think of that.”  

            “The way I keep screwing up.”  You leaned back in the booth.  “And he’s been so busy at work with some new client.  We haven’t even seen each other.  It’s so stressful and I feel so alone.”  

            “That settles it.”  Bucky grabbed your shoulder.  “You’re having your wedding dinner at my restaurant.”

            “Thank you.”  You rolled your eyes.  “But you’re out of my budget and don’t you have a month wait?  I’m sure you’re all booked.”

            “Consider it a gift to me.”  Bucky squeezed a little.  “I insist.”

            “I can’t accept.”  You sniffled. “It wouldn’t be right.”

           “You can pay me in feedback.”  Bucky laughed.  “I’ve got a few new menu ideas I want to try out.  I get to choose what you eat.  That sound fair?”  

            “Thank you.”  The tears started to well again, but you felt some relief.  

            “Party of twelve?”  Bucky pulled you against his chest. “I’ll make rabbit, venison, there’s a wonderful cricket dish I’ve wanted to make.”

            “I know you’re joking, but I’d been fine with any of those at this point.”  You let out a laugh between a sniffle.  

           “Only the best for you.”  Bucky rubbed your back.

            “Why are you so nice to me?” You lifted your head and stared at him.

           “I’m nice to everyone.”  He shrugged. “And one month?  Try six.”

           “I know you’re trying to tease me.”  Your lip started to quiver.  “But now I feel worse.”

            “Come here you silly girl.”  Bucky pulled you back in as more tears fell.  “You really are a one-in-a-million.”

 ~~

           Your fiancé was thrilled with the reservation.  Of course, he was too busy with work to come celebrate, but a week later you found yourselves together.  

            Dinner turned to a movie that had turned into some kissing.  You moaned into his mouth as he grabbed at your shirt.  

            “I don’t want to wait any longer.”  He kissed your neck.  “It’s only two weeks.”

            “Stop.”  You grabbed his wrist. “We’ve waited this long.  It’s only two weeks?”  

            “Fuck.”  He hopped up from the couch and ran his hands over his hair.  “Do you know there are lots of women who would be thrilled with this?”

           He ran his hands over the air in front of him.  

            “I’ve been pretty fucking patient.”  He grabbed his coat.  “Working eighty hours a week and can’t even get any from my own fiancé.”  

            “What?”  You stood up and followed him.  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

            “Nothing.”  He rubbed his eyes.  “I’m just stressed about the wedding and now this mystery client at work.  I’ve already ignored at least five e-mails from them tonight.”  

            “Are you leaving?”  You were hoping for some cuddles and time together.

            “Really what’s the point?”  He sighed and pulled out his phone.  “Fuck. I have to head back to the office.”  

            “What’s the point?”  Your nerves flared.  “Relax. We can watch another movie?”

            “Relax?” He scoffed.  “I’ll take my blue balls somewhere else.”  

            You didn’t know how to respond as he went for the door. With another sigh he stopped and turned back to you, placing a hard kiss on your forehead.  

            “I didn’t mean that.”  He opened the door.  “I’ll call you tomorrow.”  

            Before you could process anything, he was gone. What did he mean his fiancé?  Was there some other option?  Now he had a problem, this close to the wedding?  Your stomach was in knots.

            You went to your phone and debated on calling your mom. But she wouldn’t understand. Maybe an old friend?  Who did you talk to anymore?  They all thought your choice was silly.  They would side with your fiancé.  

           Your mind flashed to Bucky.  You wished you could call him.  Then your brain went off like a lightbulb.  You went into your bedroom to the area you emptied your pockets. There it was, the business card.

            You were bothering him, you were certain of it, but you didn’t want to be alone.  Before your mind could talk yourself out of it you dialed the number.  It was going to be the business line anyway.

            Each ring made your heart skip a beat.  Then you were met with one word.

            “Hello?”

 ~~

           “I didn’t know your preferred flavor.”  Bucky dropped a bag on the counter.  “So I brought choices.”

            You watched as he unpacked several types of ice cream on your kitchen table.  

            “I shouldn’t have called you.”  It felt wrong having a man in your apartment this late.

            “Yes, you should have.”  He held up chocolate.  “This is everyone’s favorite.  Right?”

            You nodded your head as you grabbed some spoons.  

            “Your menu is coming together.  I think you will be surprised in a good way.”  Bucky opened the lid.  “Any luck on the dress?”  

            “No.” You brought your hand to your forehead.  “I don’t want to think about the wedding tonight.”

            “Let’s not think about anything.”  Bucky grabbed your hand and led you to your couch. “Let’s eat ice cream and watch bad movies.  Commentary encouraged?”  

            “I don’t know what that even means.”  You sat down as he picked up your remote and started scrolling for a movie.  “Ah perfect. A superhero film.  Let’s point out all the flaws.  Make fun of their costumes.  Plot holes.”

            You smiled and laughed, enjoying the levity.  Maybe it wasn’t a mistake calling him.

 ~~

           Beep.  You pulled out your phone.  

           You think I can win this fight?  The text was followed by a photo of Bucky holding a lobster over his head.  The sea creature snapping at him.  You grinned.

            “That fiancé of yours sure has you smiley lately.” Your coworker gave a wink.  

            A bang of guilt came as your smile dropped.  Texts from him were less and less.  Ever since the ice cream night, Bucky had your number and no problem using it.  A friendship was fine, but once you were married this couldn’t continue.  Not in this manner at least.  

            At Work. You almost didn’t hit send.  But maybe some boundaries had to get put up.

 ~~

           Bucky never responded.  You counteracted by texting your man, but all he sent was one word: swamped.

            The guilt from both of them was gnawing at you.  Bucky knew you were engaged.  He was a friend.  Harmless.  But it still felt wrong.

            Then your future husband’s lack of response made you angry.  You stared at your phone, unsure which of them you should text.  

            A knock at your door sounded and you tossed your phone. It could be missionaries, but you would invite them in for the distraction alone.  

            Instead, you were greeted with a delivery person.  

            “Please sign.”  They didn’t have a package behind them, but a dress rack.  

            “What is this?”  You saw garment bags.

            “Don’t know, don’t care.”  He sighed.  “Just sign your name lady.”  

            You scribbled it down and he shoved took off the bags and handed them to you.  They were heavier than you thought and walked them to the couch with fear they would make your kitchen chair topple over.  

            The top one had an envelope attached to it.  You ripped it open.  

            Sorry I was bugging you today.  One week to go.  Pick a dress.

            Your heart melted.  It wasn’t signed, but you knew who it was from.  You opened each bag seeing beautiful after beautiful dress.  

           What an amazing friend.

 ~~

           You were about to text Bucky, but it didn’t feel right. You needed to call him.  This time you were filled with excitement at the ring tones.  

            “I hope this means you liked your presents.” Bucky’s smile carried through the phone.

            “Thank you.”  You curled into your couch.  “I now have a wedding dress.  I picked…”

            “Eh, eh, eh.”  Bucky coughed.  “I don’t want to know.”  

           “Where should I send the other ones?”  You didn’t want to know the price tag.

            “They’re all yours.”

            “NO!”  You covered your mouth.  “I mean, I can’t.  You’ve done too much for me.”

            “Then you want to do me a favor?”  Bucky paused.  “As repayment?”

           “Whatever you like.”  You were in no position to turn him down.

            “Come taste test some stuff for me.”  

            “Now?”  You looked down at your pajamas.

            “I am tapping confirm on the Uber…they will be there in two minutes.”  

            “Two minutes?!?!”  You shot up from the couch. “I’m ready for bed.”

            “Two minutes.” Bucky laughed. “I’d start heading downstairs unless you want to ruin my five-star rating.”  

            “Ugh.”  You grabbed your purse.  “I’m on my way.”

 ~~

           A Friday night at Bucky’s restaurant.  Your comfy pants may as well have looked like a Halloween costume.  

            You almost didn’t walk in, but the hostess waved you from the window.  Some people sneered at you, but you were escorted to the very busy kitchen.  You expected to see Bucky, but all you saw were heated chefs yelling at each other and paying no attention to you.  

            Basement stairs appeared and you were walked downstairs. The hostess opened the door and it looked like a mad scientist’s lab.  

            “You’re here!”  Bucky was putting this finishing touches on what looked to beautiful to eat. “Have a taste?”  

            Before you could acclimate, he held a spoon to your lips. It tasted like heaven and you plopped down on a stool by the counter.  

            “Please explain why I was hesitant to come if you’re going to feed me that?”  You licked your lips at the flavor.

            “I promise.  They won’t all taste that way.”  Bucky went back to his bizarre kitchen.  “I expect a full report on every dish.”  

            You settled on the stool, eager for this night now.

 ~~

           “I can’t believe this place is so empty now.”  You walked into the main restaurant, lights off and tables empty.  “It was so crowded when I got here.”

            “I don’t like crowds.”  Bucky flipped on a low light.  “It always looks this way to me unless I have to put on an appearance.”

            “You don’t strike me as the put on an appearance type.” You walked next to him, not ready to leave.  “You’re so genuine.”

            “It’s rare when people like us find each other.” Bucky shrugged.  “Genuine people.”

            Your breath caught in your throat.  You were getting married in a week.  Here.  

            “I’ve narrowed my date for your big day down to three.”  Bucky ran his hand over his hair.  “I assume I am invited?”

            “Of course.”  You laughed and hid the disappointment.  You were being crazy; you were nothing to him.  “I value our friendship.  One week to go.”  

            “Relax.”  Bucky pulled you in for a hug.  “Enjoy yourself.”

            “My mom lands on Tuesday.  I’m going to try to entertain her.  She is a bit out there.”  You weren’t sure you wanted to get into it, but the thought left your mouth. “I mean I love her, and I am so excited to see her.���  

            Bucky stopped at the bar and pulled out a chair.

            “Tell me all about it.”  

           You didn’t hesitate as you sat down, ready to speak your mind.

~~

           “Am I ever going to meet the man who is finally marrying my virgin daughter?”  Your mom took another sip of wine.  “The wedding is tomorrow right?”

            “Work has him crazy.”  You looked at your phone again.  

            This week was met with no messages from Bucky and minimal ones from your fiancé. The last one was him bailing on dinner tonight because of how crazy work was.  But plenty of comments from your mother about how you should test the goods.  

            “Do you know how many men I have slept with?” She put her hands above her head in a stretch.

            “No.” You almost messaged Bucky, but then thought it should be your fiancé.

           “Neither do I.”  Your mom grabbed your chin, making you ignore your phone.  “Baby are you sure you want this? I love you.  I know how different we are.  You’re not me, you’re better.  But…be you, not some fantasy of you.”  

            “Would you paint my toenails?  Like you did when I was little?”  You tried not to cry.  

            “Of course.”  Your mom grabbed your hands and kissed them.  “Anything for my little girl. The night before her big day.”

~~

           A knock on your door woke you.  You groaned as you rolled out of bed and went to answer.  A swarm of people entered your apartment like you weren’t even there.

            “James said we’re to make you flawless.”  There was a chorus of five people saying the same thing.

            You gave up objecting after five minutes.  One went for your misspainted toenails, you stopped them.

            “Those stay.”  Memories of your night with your mom flooded back.  

            There was a warning in your gut to check your phone, but you left it in the bedroom, and you didn’t want to disrupt Bucky’s final gift. Besides, it was your wedding day. There was no point in complaining.

 ~~

           Your cellphone now felt like the weight of the world as you paced back and forth outside of the courtroom.   Constantly calling your fiancé on repeat.  

           The ring….ring….ring…to voicemail was killing you.  

            Did something happen to him?  Was it cold feet?  Something worse?  You thought of the ten people seated inside, waiting for you two to enter.  

            “I was hoping you would pick the black and silver number.”  Bucky’s voice made your head snap up. “You are stunning.”

            Bucky was there, a white shirt and black pants, hair slicked back.  Arms wide open, ready to congratulate you.  

            “I don’t know where he is.”  You couldn’t hug Bucky, you needed to get a hold of your soon-to-be-husband.  “What if something happened?  Is he standing me up?  Thank you for the hairdresser and makeup artist, and the masseuses, and the nail technician.  And everything.  But where is he???? We were supposed to start our five-minute ceremony one minute ago?”

             Bucky looked nervous.  He glanced around the hallway.  He always had the right answer, but he looked lost.  

           You about had a collapse on the floor laughing. Everything was so fucked.  

            “I’ve held my tongue, but he is an asshole.”  Bucky picked you back up and glared you in the eye. “You can do so much better.  

            “But I love him.  He is going to be my husband?”  It came out like a question as you stared Bucky in the eye.  “This is so embarrassing. My mom, aunts, uncles, and cousins are in there.  They came to New York for no reason.”

           “Do you love him?”  Bucky looked around your face.  “Really?”

            “Yes. No.  I don’t know.  Maybe?” Right now you had a hard time believing you could ever love someone capable of standing you up on your wedding day. “I have to go in there and tell them. The wedding is off.”  

            “Hey, none of your family know him, right?”  Bucky rolled his shoulders back.  “I don’t know what is happening. But I’ll be your groom.”

             “What?”  You snapped your neck toward him.  “Are you insane?”

           “It won’t be legal.  Just a show. Then we’ll take your family back to the restaurant.  Have the party.  You can save some face and come up with some story later.”  Bucky grabbed your arm and wove it around his.  “Come on.”

           Your mind was racing with objections to Bucky’s idea and fury over your fiancés’ absence.  But before you pulled your arm away he pulled open the door.  

            The only people in the room were your family.  They all rose and smiled as Bucky walked you down the aisle.  

            “Smile.”  He leaned in to you.  “You look terrified.”

            “This is a terrible plan.” You whispered back.  

           “One we are doing anyway.”  Bucky squeezed your hand tight when you stopped right in front of the judge.  

            “This is one of the best pleasures of my job.”  The man in the robe beamed at you.  “You look like a fine young couple and I wish you much happiness in life.”  

            “We will have a very happy life.”  Bucky beamed, but you felt as if you were in a daze.

           “Did you write your own vows?” The Judge asked.  

            “No.” Bucky was taking the lead. “Just want it short and sweet.”

            “Alright, I can do that.  You’re up first.  Repeat after me.”  The Judge cleared his throat.  “I, say your name…”

            Your body went on autopilot when Bucky looked at you, holding both of your hands as he repeated the marriage vows.  When it was your turn you didn’t stop, feeling all your family’s eyes on you as you spoke the words.

            “By the power invested in me from the state of New York, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”  The Judge smiled.  

            Bucky’s hand touched your cheek, cupping your face as his lips pressed into yours.  He parted them slightly.  He was soft, inviting, and his kiss struck you at your core.  

           It felt like the entire world went silent, the cheers of your family distant in the background.  When he pulled away, you lunged in for more and a whimper left your mouth.  

            “Congratulations!”  Your mom hugged you first. “Welcome to the family James!”

           “Please, call me Bucky.”  He added.

            “I knew she called you something other than James.  That didn’t sound right.”  Your mom laughed, not even noticing that Bucky was certainly not your fiancé’s name.

            “Let’s go celebrate.”  Bucky wove his fingers in with yours.

            The little wedding party followed you outside.   Your phone buzzed and you pulled it out as you walked don’t the steps.

  I’m sorry.  Don’t hate me.  

            With one quick push, you blocked the number.  

            At least you didn’t need to worry about him being dead in a ditch.  

            “Everything okay?”  Bucky whispered in your ear.

            “No.” You gave him a fake smile.  “My family thinks you’re my husband and I just got left at the alter.”  

            “Worry about that later.”  He pulled your hand to his lips and gave a kiss.  “Enjoy your day.”  

            You rolled your eyes in disbelief.  This was out of control.

 ~~

           “He is quite the catch.”  Your mom whispered to you in the private room in Bucky’s restaurant. “You did good.”

            “Mom, there’s something I have to tell you.”  You turned toward her.  

            “Can I have everyone’s attention?”  Bucky stood up from the table where you’d just had the most delicious meal of your life.

            A server came into the room with a tray of champagne.  Your family all took a glass and you did the same.  

            “The second I saw my lovely wife I was smitten.  It was at a grocery store.  She was shopping for an avocado.  She picked up so many and held them, putting them back I had to watch.  Eventually, I started to count.  I missed the first half, but she tried fifty-one others.  Who does that?  At first, I found it odd, but then I started to think what is she making with that avocado?  Why does it need to be so perfect?  She’d passed up at least thirty great choices.

            “I was about to tell her as much, but then her nose scrunched and she walked away. I was smitten.  And I wanted to chase after her with a perfect avocado.  That’s when I fell in love with her.  Before we’d even said hello.  I knew I wanted to spend my life giving her perfection.”  

             There was a chorus of awwws, from your family.  Bucky waved you over and you went next to him.  

            “To the happy couple!”  Your uncle rose his glass.  

            Everyone said cheers and clicked glasses while Bucky placed a kiss on your cheek.  

            “That story.”  You whispered in his ear.  “That’s true?”

            You remembered searching for the avocados and giving up.

            “Every word.”  Bucky gave you a peck on your lips.  “Please, stay as late as you like.  But I think it’s time I took my lovely wife home.”  

            Everyone applauded as Bucky started to walk you out of the room.   You were touched by his story, but there was a nagging in the back of your mind.  

            Bucky held open a car door for you and you slid inside.  Trying to piece it together.  

            “The avocado thing.  It wasn’t the same trip as the bridal magazine.”  You looked out the window.  

            “Sure it was.”  Bucky laughed as he started the car.  

            “No, it wasn’t.  I remember because that’s when my fiancé told me to get a bridal magazine.  I came home with no avocado and he said I should have at least grabbed one of those from the checkout.”  You looked at Bucky for a clue.  

            “You shouldn’t bring up your fiancé to your husband.”  Bucky smiled.  “Screw that guy.  He isn’t worth a single thought of yours.”

            “Thank you.”  You shook your head.  “For what you did today.  I’ll have to come up with a reason we aren’t married in a few months, but you saved me from some major embarrassment.”  

            “It was an honor.”  Bucky turned right.  

            “My place is the other way.”  You pointed to the left.

            “Isn’t your mom staying there tonight?”  He tapped the wheel.  “Spend the night at my place, to keep up appearances.”  

            “You’re right.”  It would be hard to explain not spending your wedding night with your husband.  

            Bucky turned into a parking garage.  The attendant waved him through.  You looked up at the skyscraper as you disappeared inside.

            “You live here?”  The building looked expensive.  

            “When I’m in New York.”  He pulled into a reserved parking spot.  “I’ve got a few properties elsewhere.”

            “I didn’t realize you were so…”

            “Rich?”  Bucky opened the door and you did the same.  “I know.  It’s part of your charm.”  

            Bucky led you into a luxurious lobby, waving at the concierge as he held your hand. You walked into the elevator and he hit the button for the top floor.  

            “Facial recognition.”  Bucky smiled. “Pretty neat huh?”  

            “This is crazy.  I knew your restaurant was popular, but….”  This was too fancy.  

            “You didn’t google much besides the models huh?”  Bucky laughed.  “I own six restaurants…in New York.  Fourteen other restaurants around the globe.  I’ve also got a portion of a casino in Vegas with a friend.”

            “But you’re so down to earth.” You shook your head.  

            “Thank you.”  Bucky shrugged and the elevator came to a stop. “Home sweet home.”  

            The doors parted to an amazing space.  The view of the city was insane.   There were modern couches and an open floor plan with a top of the line kitchen.  This was not what you were expecting.  

            “Looks like word travels fast.”  Bucky walked to the table and saw a bottle of champagne and strawberries.  “The building sent up a congratulations bottle.”

            “That’s odd.”  You couldn’t tear your eyes away from the view.  

            “I’ll get some glasses.”  Bucky walked into the kitchen.  

            “All of this and you have a catering business?”  You turned to face Bucky as things started to connect in your brain.

            “Well, I don’t do the day-to-day.  Really it’s not that successful.  I’ll probably focus on other operations.”  Bucky pulled out the stemware, reaching the top shelf.  A folded up piece of paper fell out of his pocket.  

            “And that bridal shop, you were picking up the sample from, that wasn’t high end.  What bride would buy her dress there and afford you as a caterer?”  Your mind went to the coffee shop.  “You knew my coffee preference, and you knew my name.  I never told you.”

            “Of course, you did.”  Bucky came back over and started to pour the drinks.  

            “And all the places that were booked were your recommendations.  Did you tell them to blacklist me?”  You locked eyes with Bucky.  “So, I’d be forced to celebrate at your place.  And my fiancés’ mystery client, keeping him so busy at work, was it you?”

            “It’s been a long day.”  Bucky put his arm around your shoulder.  “You’re sounding a little crazy.  Why would I have this elaborate plan?”

            The nerves started to fizzle out as you shook your head.  

            “I’m sorry.  You’re right.”  Besides what did Bucky have to gain from it?  A fake marriage.  “Today was crazy.  And you helped me.”  

            You rested your head on his shoulder and he kissed your forehead.

            “I would like to take you out on a date though.”  Bucky clinked your glass.  “Not as friends.”  

            “It’s a little soon.”  You gave a nervous laugh.  “Maybe I should take some time to heal.”

            “You don’t seem broken to me.”  Bucky’s hand slid off your shoulder.  “Want a tour of the place?”  

            “Sure.”  You hoped you hadn’t hurt Bucky’s feelings.   You touched your lips and thought about the kiss earlier.  There was a spark between the two of you.    

            “Gimme a second to make sure I hid all my psycho stalker stuff.”  Bucky made a fake pistol with his hand.

           You rolled your eyes.  At least the man had a sense of humor about it.  You wondered how long it would take to live that down.  

            The apartment went quiet as he disappeared down the hall.  You tapped your fingers on the table and then noticed the paper on the kitchen floor.  It stood out against the perfection of the place.  

            You walked over and picked it up, almost setting it on the counter.  But your fingers got the best of you and you unfolded it.  

            The words weren’t registering.  You read them over and over again.  How was this possible?  Was this a mistake? A joke?  

            “I was hoping to wait a bit until you saw that.”  Bucky’s voice no longer brought comfort.  

            You turned toward him with the paper in your hand.  

            “It seems like a lot, I know, but we’re perfect for each other.  You know it and I know it!  What was the point in waiting?”  

            “How?” There was a tremble in your wrist.

            “I have some friends.  Pulled some strings.”  Bucky scratched the back of his head.  “Really, this is a good thing.  Think about it.”

            “I was right.  About everything.  Wasn’t I?” Your voice shook.  “The avocados, the fake catering company, the dress shop, the restaurant, the marriage?”

            “I may have created some situations that led to our interactions.”  Bucky sighed. “I don’t want to start our life out with lies.”

            “Start our life?!?!”  You glanced at the paper.  “Oh God. My fiance.  What did you do to him?”

            “He’s fine. I promise.”  Bucky walked closer to you and you took a step back, holding up your hands.  “He may have drank something that caused him to oversleep.”    

            You thought back to the text message he sent.  I’m Sorry. Don’t hate me.  You had blocked him so you didn’t see the rest.

  “He wasn’t apologizing for leaving you at the altar.  He was apologizing for oversleeping.”  You pushed passed Bucky and went to your purse.  Grabbing your phone.  

  You went to his contact and hit unblock.  A whole flood of messages came in.  

  “He showed up at the restaurant.  Your employees threatened to call the cops.”  You looked up at him in shock.  

  “What are you doing?”  Bucky’s eyes went to your phone.

  “Texting him!”  You started to type out an apology, but the tech was snatched from your hands.

  “HEY!”  You reached for the phone, but Bucky held it away from you.  “Give that back!”  

    “I know this is hard to hear, but that guy was bad news.  I had a private investigator follow him.  He has girlfriends all over town.  You’re one of three.  He made no mention to any of them he was getting married.”  Bucky continued to move away from you as you clawed for your phone.  “His computer was filled with searches about annulments and divorces.  He was only marrying you so he could sleep with you.  Then he was going to leave you right away.”

  “I DON’T BELIEVE YOU!” You reached for your phone, but Bucky kept twisting.  “Annulment?”  

  Relief flooded your chest.  One problem solved.  

  “Keep the phone.”  You grabbed the marriage license and picked up your purse.  

  “Where are you going?”  Bucky looked shocked.

  “Home.”  You walked to the elevator.  “That way I can get an annulment first thing in the morning.”  

  You looked around for the call button.  

  “I wish you wouldn’t have said that.”  Bucky’s voice went cold.

  “You think I was going to stay married to you.”  You spun on a heel.  “I don’t even know how you got the license without me.  I’m getting the hell out of here.  Now call the elevator.”

  “This is why I wanted to wait to tell you.”  Bucky cracked his neck.  “With divorce.  I can hire the best attorneys. Drag it out. There’s still plenty of time to prove to you that you love me.

 “I don’t love you.”  You snapped. “I don’t even know you.”

 “That’s not true.”  Bucky stepped closer.  “Don’t be cruel just because you’re hurting.  Everything I did, was with your best intentions at heart.”

  “Best intentions?”  You scoffed. “You manufactured our whole friendship and married me without me even knowing.  I’m getting this annulled ASAP.”

  The frustration rolled across Bucky.  

  “You can’t get an annulment if the marriage is consummated.”  Bucky cracked his knuckles.  

  “You think I’m going to have sex with you?”  You didn’t have time to even say the next part before Bucky came forward and put his shoulder into your stomach, hoisting you in the air.  “PUT ME DOWN!”

  “I was gonna take you on a few dates.  Get you to open up more.  Then ask you to marry me.”  Bucky carried you down the hall as you pummeled his back.  “Then we’d go to get the license and surprise! We’re already married.  We would laugh and call it fate. It was all planned out.”

  “Bucky you’re scaring me.”  You tried to wiggle off of him.  “Please put me down.”

  He set you down on the bed and kneeled in front of you, putting his hands on either side of your face.

  “You never have to be afraid of me.”  He locked eyes with you.  “I love you so much.  I only want what is best for you.”  

  He hopped up to his feet and you looked around the bedroom.  It was as fancy as the rest of the apartment, the bed was huge.   You stopped looking at the interior when Bucky took his shirt off in front of you.

  “What are you doing?”  You stood up, but his hands found your shoulders and pushed you back down.  

  “I am going to make love to my wife.”  He spoke with conviction.  

  You thought about shrieking.  Running. Hitting.  Kicking.  Biting. Fighting.  But instead, you froze.  Terror leaving you glued in place.  

  “I know it’s your first time.”  Bucky took off his socks and shoes.  “I promise I’ll be gentle.”  

  Little gasps were leaving your mouth as you sat on the bed.  Trying to will your body to react.  To do anything.   He pushed his pants down and you felt a tear drip down your cheek.  

  “Don’t worry.”  The bed dipped.  “I’m going to take such good care of you.  You’ll see.”

  His hand went to the zipper on the back of your dress.

  “NO!” The movement shocked you into gear you shoved at him and ran for the door.  

  “Shhhh.”  Bucky grabbed you, wrapping an arm around your waist and putting a hand over your mouth. “It’s still me.  Think about all our time together.  Ice cream at your apartment.  Late night chats at the restaurant.  I’m still that guy.”  

  You cried into his hand and went limp.

  “That’s it.”  He kissed your neck.  “Don’t fight me or I’ll tie you down.  If you scream I’ll gag you.  Do you understand?”

  You nodded your head as more tears fell.

  “Good.”  He placed a kiss on your head and loosened his grip.  “I love you so much.  I had to have you.  All to myself.”  

  “You don’t have to do this.”  There was a shake to your voice.  “Please. Not like this.”  

  “If I don’t you’ll leave me.”  There was a hand on your zipper, taking it down.  “And now that you know it’s our wedding night I want it to be special. There’s really no point in waiting. We are married.”

  You grabbed the straps of the dress, but Bucky wrapped his fingers around your wrists and pulled your hands down.  The garment fell forward.  He pushed it down over your hips so it fell in a pool at your feet.  

  “Stop.”  You whimpered.  “Please.”

  “Shhh.”  Bucky turned so you were facing him, both of you only in your underwear.  “Just try to relax.”  

  His hand cupped your sex over your panties.  He pushed his palm against you and ground down.  You let out a meep and fell forward, bracing yourself on his shoulders.

  “That’s my girl.”  Bucky kissed your neck.  His other hand at the small of your back. “Enjoying herself already.”

  “I’m not.”  You wanted to bite him, kick, scream, run.  Anything, just to get away.  

 But while your brain struggled to make a plan your body reacts to his touch.  

  “Don’t lie to me.”  Bucky gave a playful laugh.  

  “I’m not.”  You caught your breath.  

  “Oh yeah?”  Bucky stopped moving his hand, but your hips were rocking, humping his touch.  He gave a chuckle and kissed your neck again. Before resuming his motions.  “Its nothing to be ashamed of.  I want you to enjoy this.  I want you to enjoy every single one of our times together.”  

  You brought your hands to your face and covered it in embarrassment.  How could you be participating?  This wasn’t what you wanted.  

  “All those times I wanted to touch you, hold you, feel you this way.”  Bucky started to move faster.  “That body. That beautiful face.  The way you hold yourself.  I wanted to be perfect for you.  To give you a perfect life.  And I will. This is just the beginning.”

  You wanted to tune him out, pretend this wasn’t happening.  But You felt something growing inside of you.  A need.  One that was coming on fast.  

 “Oh God.”  You grabbed on to his shoulder again. “No. I don’t want this!”

  “Of course you do.”  Bucky continued rubbing you.  “I can feel how wet you’re getting through your panties.  You’ve been turned on since the courthouse.  Admit it.  That electricity in the kiss?  You felt it. We’re made for each other.”

 “No!” You gasped as you gave up any semblance of control, letting your hips wiggle and grind against his hand with a moan.

  “Don’t lie or I’ll stop.” Bucky threatened.  

 “Yes!”  You cried into his shoulder, the need for release hovering.  “Yes, I felt it!”  

  “Good job.”  Bucky pushed down hard.  “Now you don’t have to worry about me stopping.”  

  You realized that he just threatened you with the one thing you wanted less than a minute ago.  Your heart flared at the response and then you cried out as pleasure erupted from your center.  

 You fell forward on to him, gasping for air as the room seemed to spin.  

  “Beautiful.”  He kissed your cheek.  “Absolutely beautiful.”

  You didn’t have time to recover before he guided you back to the bed.  You were still seeing stars when he unhooked your bra and slid off your panties.  You went to cover yourself, but Bucky pushed off his boxers.

  The sight of him made you groan and a shake run through you.  

  “I promise it will only hurt for a second.”  He put a hand on your knees and spread them.  “Then you will be all mine.”

 “I’ll stay.  I won’t leave you.”  You tried to scoot away.  “I promise. You don’t have to do this.”

  “I want to.”  Bucky smiled. “It’s our wedding night.”

  His hand found your hip and he pinned you down while his cock ran up your slit. There was no denying you were wet and you cringed.

  “It’s okay.”  Bucky kissed your lips.  “Don’t tense up.  You were made for this, for me.”  

  “Please?”  You hated the way you sounded.

  “Shhhh.”  He brought his mouth on to yours, kissing you hard.  

  You should have fought, but all you did was part your lips and let his tongue slide inside.  Memories of the church filled your mind and you moaned at how good he was the skill.

  But then you felt pressure.  He was sliding inside of you.  It burned, but almost in a pleasant way.   You tried not to clench as he moved further.  Spreading your walls in a way you never thought possible.   You bent your knees and readjusted trying to spread your legs further.  Not wanting it to hurt.  

  “You did so well.”  Bucky broke the kiss.  

 You looked between your bodies and saw he was satiated inside of you.   You hated how hot it looked.  

  “But we’re just getting started.”  Bucky resumed the kiss as he pulled out.  

  You didn’t mean to kiss him back, but there was so much happening your tongue responded.  Then you felt the tingle between your legs grow again.  This time much harder.  Like all the energy in the room was being sucked inside of you.

  You started to roll your hips to meet him.  Grabbing on to his shoulders for something to brace yourself with. Needing more leverage to meet his motions.  

  This didn’t feel good.  It felt amazing.  You had to break the kiss as you struggled for air.  

  Both of your bodies worked with each other and against.  A sheen of sweat grew on your skin.  

  “What….why?”  You didn’t understand as you rolled your head.

  “Cum for me.”  Bucky railed into you.  “Cum for your husband.”

  You gripped the sheets as your toes curled.  You didn’t try to fight it as your body let loose.  Waves of passion and ecstasy spread from limb to limb as you did what you were told.  

  The urge to fight and flee with every pulse of the orgasm.  

  “What a good wife you are.”  Bucky kissed at your cheek.  “I’ll take such good care of you.  Forever.”

[princessanneftw]

The Crown's Erin Doherty on playing Princess Anne – the voice, the hair and the style

By Caroline Leaper, Senior Fashion Editor for Stella Magazine.

As she joins acting royalty for the new series of the hit TV show, the actress discusses her transformation into a princess and just how long it takes to create THAT ’do

Erin Doherty is explaining how much fun it is to pretend to be very, very posh when you’re not. In the lead-up to playing Princess Anne in the new season of the hit Netflix drama The Crown, she says that she spent days practising her best royal voice in mundane scenarios, and offers to order a smoothie at the café we’ve met in ‘as Anne’, by way of demonstration.

‘Anne’s accent, and the whole family’s accent, is so weird,’ she laughs, snapping back into her own south London dialect. ‘It’s alien to me, I’ve never heard anyone else talk like that. My natural voice is the opposite. I watched YouTube videos and would practise when ordering a coffee, or speaking to people I didn’t know. The reactions were brilliant; I’m looking casual with this crazy posh voice coming out of me.’ Indeed, today she looks quite unroyal in her Breton top, khaki trousers and Birkenstocks.

Playing the Princess Royal is Erin’s first major television role. The 27-year-old from Crawley had a small part in the BBC adaptation of Les Misérables this year, and appeared in an episode of Call the Midwife back in 2017, but has otherwise stuck to the stage, graduating from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School to The Young Vic and The Old Vic, after being hailed a rising star of her generation. She is palpably excited about being in The Crown, and refreshingly honest about how she’s ‘winging it’ on one of the most anticipated TV shows of the year. She does, I should say now, deliver an incredibly convincing Anne. When casting director Nina Gold told her she had got the part, she celebrated by having a curry.

The Crown season three will span more than a decade, from 1964 to 1977, warranting an all-new cast to play the ageing royals. 
Olivia Colman picks up from Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth, Tobias Menzies follows Matt Smith’s Duke of Edinburgh and Helena Bonham Carter takes over from Vanessa Kirby as Princess Margaret. We’ve reached the years when the Queen’s children are coming of age; Erin’s Anne is in her late teens when we meet her, and is full of fantastically feisty opinions about being ‘launched’ as an adult in the Royal family.

We all know the plot, or so we think, as The Crown is based on real events. But the brilliance of the show is that we don’t know which bits of history creator Peter Morgan will zoom in on. Season three might cover the time when, in 1974, Ian Ball attempted to abduct Anne and hold her to ransom for £3 million. (‘Not bloody likely,’ she famously said to her kidnapper, and her father Prince Philip quipped, ‘She would have given him a hell of a time in captivity...’). We might get to see Erin in bridal attire, as Anne’s first wedding to Captain Mark Phillips took place in 1973.

Erin is tight-lipped about which events do and do not make the cut. ‘You know what happens to Anne,’ she says. ‘It’s not hard to guess. But Peter makes these people so fascinating because of the way he focuses on stories which might not have been the headlines everyone remembers.’

Anne’s story, Erin says, was largely unknown to her before she began researching ahead of her audition. ‘Princess Anne, honestly, didn’t mean anything to me,’ she explains. ‘Like a lot of people who grow up in Britain, I think, [the Royal family was] always just there. My family watched the Queen’s speech at Christmas, but other than that, you feel a bit removed from it. I had to research her and then I realised, wow, this woman is awesome. I fell in love with her.’

Anne’s reputation as the reluctant, truculent royal, who was more interested in riding horses than wearing ballgowns and playing the part, has come good of late. Where once the tabloid press dubbed her ‘rude’, ‘dowdy’ and ‘austere’, her dependability, cracking wit and commitment to public duty now see her celebrated as the most hard-working royal each year (she completed 180 days of engagements in 2018, 20 more than Prince Charles). And her never-wavering signature style suddenly chimes with the fashion industry’s new drive for more sustainable shopping. ‘At 69, Princess Anne’s country-chic look and penchant for rewearing couldn’t be more on trend,’ a fellow fashion editor of this newspaper wrote back in August.

Erin discovered pretty quickly that her new ‘family’ is full of eccentric, fun and 
complex characters. In one of her first scenes, she is sitting around a television with the Queen and Princess Margaret for tea, cigarettes and whisky, to watch Royal Family, the famously ill-fated 1969 BBC documentary (the reception to it was so bad that it was banished after airing, with the press suggesting director Richard Cawston’s fly-on-the-wall approach had ‘cheapened’ the monarchy). In real life, of course, that meant cosying up with her new co-stars, a cast of national treasures and Oscar-winners.

‘Scenes like that were surreal, but everyone was so normal on set,’ Erin says. ‘Seeing someone like Helena be so calm and cool has been a gift. What makes it weird is that I then go home to my houseshare and my housemates are like, “Your job is insane, did you see Olivia Colman today?” I obviously can’t tell her that they love her in Fleabag every day, that would be weird. And ultimately I’m trying to be like her daughter and build this relationship up with her, so the main goal for me is to forget about the fact that she is Olivia Colman. My dad is the worst for it, he took a flight and texted me, “I’ve just seen Olivia Colman doing the BA safety advert – tell her she’s great in it.”’

As well as the voice, the other thing to get right when becoming Anne was the hair. Today, Erin’s hair is soft, straight and centre-parted. She says it takes a lot of work to mould it into the Princess Royal’s trademark style each day.

‘The hair takes a solid hour and a half,’ she laughs. ‘Most of that time is spent backcombing and setting it with hairspray. Sometimes if it’s not poofy enough, we have to use a sponge doughnut underneath to hold it up more. I’m no wiser as to how she actually does hers. It must be pretty solid, as she doesn’t change it much.’

In Anne’s youth, Erin points out, the Princess typically only set half of her head, leaving some hair down and smooth at the back. For season four, though, which started filming this month, Erin is expecting to double her time in the hair chair, as Anne switches to her mainstay full halo. ‘It takes even more time if she’s wearing any sort of a hat,’ she groans. ‘I brace myself if it’s a hat day.’

Costume was crucial to Anne’s character. This season of The Crown will revisit the Princess’s fashion heyday in the ’60s and ’70s, when she wore sharp checked suiting and chic flares, and was photographed by Norman Parkinson in the era’s Pucci-esque saturated floral prints. Costume designer Amy Roberts recreates some of Anne’s most memorable outfits – many of which would still look relevant and stylish today.

‘She was so on-trend in the 1960s and ’70s. She figured out her style at that age and she has stuck with it ever since,’ says Erin. ‘I created a Pinterest board of her outfits and I saw this amazing thing of Anne throughout the years, reusing her gowns, sometimes rocking it again 20 years later. I love that about her. She must not get rid of anything.

‘My favourite outfit, though,’ she continues, ‘is the one in the first scene you’ll see from me. The idea is that her parents have just pulled her away from riding and she’s 
angry and stressy, so I’m wearing riding boots and stomping around.’

Erin understood that, of all the looks, this would likely be the one that the Princess Royal herself would favour too. ‘So often she’s in these amazing ballgowns, but you can tell that this would be her preference,’ she says. ‘It just feels more like her. Because of her sporting side, I don’t think she gets enough credit as a style icon. You meet some people who remember that she was fashionable, but a lot are like, nope, she’s just horses.’

Ah, the horses. For Olympic athlete and European eventing champion Anne, riding has been a passion since childhood. For Erin, it was a case of all the equestrian gear and no idea.

‘I’d never been horse riding before filming this, it was the first time I’d ever put on jodhpurs,’ she admits. ‘After my initial meeting with the casting team, my agent rang and was like, “Are you OK with horses?” The part was still in the balance, so I said, “Yeah, of course I am.” As soon as I put the phone down I thought 
I can’t believe I’ve just said that. It’s notorious that actors will say they can do something and learn how later, isn’t it? I was petrified. Luckily I had 
a bit of time, so it’s sorted now and I can ride.’

Horses may not have been on the agenda for Erin growing up, but football was. ‘I was pretty good – I was scouted to play for Chelsea,’ she says. ‘I really hated school, so I lived for the weekends; I’d play football on a Sunday morning, and then in the afternoon I would go to stage school. When I was about 14, the schedule was getting so intense that my dad said I needed to choose one. I still do my keepy-uppies in the garden. I’d love it if someone remade Bend It Like Beckham – I’d be totally prepared for that part.’

Erin is one of three children (she has an older sister and a younger brother), and her mother, a retired medical practice administrator, and father, who works in airline operations, split up when she was four and now, respectively, live in Guildford and Folkestone. She’s living in south-east London in a houseshare with strangers who have become friends, and who work in entirely different fields. She grew up, she says, happily hanging around in Croydon wearing a tracksuit. ‘That was our best town to go to with your friends.’

When The Crown was first released, the original cast found themselves famous around the world. Appetite for the show is especially high in the US where, as Erin points out, ‘they flip for the royals.

‘It exploded for the last cast didn’t it?’ she considers. ‘They’re all pretty high-profile now. It’s mental what could happen, but I’m really not prepared for it and I also don’t think it’s healthy to expect it. Imagine thinking your world is going to change then nothing happens, that would be heartbreaking. I don’t think people would really recognise me in the street anyway, I look quite different when I’m not made-up with the hair.’

Claire Foy and Vanessa Kirby, particularly, benefited from the magazine covers and fashion status that came with the territory, as designers from Erdem to 
Gucci vied to dress them on the red carpet.

‘I’ve never really done a red-carpet event,’ Erin says. ‘I was speaking to my publicist and I think we’re going to get a stylist to help. Honestly, these conversations are so alien to me. It’s actually more intimidating to do these things where you have to be yourself. I can get very anxious and I’m more of an introvert if I’m not acting, so the simpler these things are and the less I have to think about what I look like, the better.’

Her photo shoot with Stella is the first that she’s done, an experience that she enjoyed, she says, because she was able to treat it like playing a role.

In her own life, comfort takes priority. ‘My style is pretty androgynous,’ she says, ‘I’m all about not abiding by gender norms, not because I have any particular view of myself that way, but I like messing things around and trying different things. I’ve always been sporty and I’m drawn to clothes that are baggy. What I hope is that you’ll still be able to see me [even when I’m dressed up on the red carpet] and I’ll look back and think this whole experience was amazing and fun, not a surreal period of my life that I didn’t really live in.’

It will be surreal, probably. But Erin seems to have put in the work to ensure that her portrayal isn’t a caricature, and she has got under the skin of one of the nation’s famously-hardy senior royals. She did weeks of research, listened to the historians on set, nailed that voice and even investigated Anne’s Chinese zodiac sign, just in case it gave a crumb of insight to work with. ‘Anne’s a metal tiger,’ she confirms.

Talented, funny, hard-working and, crucially, not at all starstruck by the royals. It is, likely, exactly what the Princess Royal herself would want from the person deemed tough enough to play her.

[cowboyjen68]

Hi Jen! I have been following you for a long time now and have never asked for advice, because once I get to typing I can’t seem to stop. But, I have been struggling with my sexuality my whole life, and now as I approach 25, I really want to be with a woman. Relationship, sexually, i do not care, I would like it all. I joined a lesbian FB group, but everyone seems to be way older than me. And gay clubs are just not my scene and usually everyone runs in packs, and I feel being drunk is not >>>

.  [continued] a good reason to try and talk to someone just because I have the liquid courage (and lets be honest everyone is into each other when they’re sippin)…. I really am at a loss. I feel like a lot of young women expect me (a masculine woman) to hit on them, but I am really nervous, and when I have they might flirt super hard with me but then say they’re straight. I’m beginning to think this search for female companionship is very lonely. Why is it that gay men seem to have an abundant >[con.] sex life, but gay women.. don’t? I know this is a generalization. But still, when I go out to gay bars and it’s mainly men, they all have someone or find someone. “Lesbian night” always seems more intimidating to me, and nobody approaches me like a gay man would approach another. This dynamic is frustrating to me. Why does it seem like the lesbian community suffers a little more than the men? Why does it seem gay men have more casual sex with each other? I hope this isn’t offensive

Let me start at the bottom. Your observation about gay men is not inaccuate and certainly males have much more community support and even cultural support to “sleep around”. They are taught that sex is important and love and committment is the butt of jokes. The stuff that “pussy whipped” men do… even if they are gay, they absorb this toxicity. Also.. sadly.. gay boys as they come to realize they are thought of as sexual beings above all else in our society begin to fulfill that prophecy.  They are told they are dirty, bad, disgusting so often times they internalize that and it becomes “damn if I do, damn if I don’t, so damn it I WILL”.  Lesbians fall victim to the same bullshit.. being told we are dirty or wrong and we often react by dating men “giving it a try”.  Or “finding a nice boy”.  So it is just a difference in the way we are conditioned as male and females as to how we handle the misogyny lathered on us. 

Meeting women is as a lesbian is a problem as old as humans. ( I can’t prove this but I am really really sure it is a fact).  In my younger days, bars were it. That was the “gay space”.   Our only real choice to be able to approach a woman and be pretty sure they also liked women. BUT as times have changed gay bars are filled with straight people. The local bar in my town has drag almost every night so it fills with bridal showers, straight couples and regulars. Those poeple help keep the doors open… I get it.. but it is no longer a space I want to be in very often.. Maybe once every two years if that. I also understand not wanted to be drunk when meeting a potiential mate or even a friend. It clouds personalities and judgements. I prefer to be with my friends for a drunken night out. They already know I am an idiot.

You of course crave sex and intimacy and the companionship of a woman. That is your natural state and very healthy to want that. Let me start by saying.. TAKE  YOUR TIME> Be honest with you. IF you meet someone they don’t HAVE to be the one. You can enjoy dates, making out even sex without a lifetime committment. You need to explore a bit so you know what you like. Be aware that sex with a  woman with whom you have chemistry feels very much like love.. it is probably not. Chemistry is wonderful and important but can also be a part of a Friend with Benefit arrangement or a temporary fun dating situation. Be honest with youself and with her. Talk often about emotions and what you want. 

Some tips to meeting women.

1.  Volunteer when lesbians do. Animal shelters, or rescues. Horse therapy barns. LGBT events. Habitat for Humanity “women built” weekends. 

2. Find the nearest women’s festial and get you butt there.  I know I push this a lot… but imagine 500 to 2000 women, mostly lesbians there specifically to see each other.. to be around each other. 

3. Look for women authors, comedians or musicians coming to smaller venues. .Check out what is going on in your town that is not mainstream. 

4. Attend charity events for any number of non profits: women’s shelters, animal rescue (including wildlife), nature centers, hiking and trail up keep, LGBT events, Food bank fundraisers etc. 

WIth anyone of these. make it a plan to meet at least one person. be honest, you are seeking LGBT friends/ Community.. You might even make some straight friends. but straight people have lesbian friends, cousins and coworkers. 

Approaching women:  Since I came out in 1993/4 and even before that as I was in gay bars (you know.. for the music) as early as 1987 I noticed the trend of butch women being expected to approach women. YET I also observed many butch women standing in a corner trying VERY hard to look unapproachable. What a paradox of actions. 

We get mixed signals. Be the strong, quiet type, don’t smile, look tough, aloof, uninterested.  Puff up, walk like you own the place and ignore those attempting eye contact.. IE “make them work for it”. BUT ALSO.. butches are the “guy” right? We buy the lady a drink, we ask her to dance, we invite ourselves into her space. We boldy say things like “Dance with me”.  

What the ever loving fuck? NO wonder we can’t meet each other. We have two approached fed to us but the world and neither on has any track record of working well or at all. 

My advice... smile, make eye contact and say “hi”.. Basically do what it is you want to do..which is speak to an attractive woman. You being the more masculine of the two does not matter. You are human and seeking connections.. she is human and likely seeking connections. We have words and social cues for a reason.. to connect. As humans, women and lesbians we over think. Don’t. SImplify it to these two line of thoughts:

 1. you say “hi” and she is not interested..she will so “no” or “no thank you” or ignore you. YOU have lost nothing. You weren’t talking to her, you still aren’t so you are just fine. Remember, it is not “you” she is rejecting. She might be married, tired, not interested, out with friends, or just a jerk.  

2. you say “hi” and she says it back. You can ask to sit next to her. Tell her you think she is pretty and want to talk to her. Compliment her shirt or hair style and ask if she minds company. You can Tell her you are tired of not talking to woman and she seems nice so you stepped out of your comfort zone to speak to her (this last one with brutal honesty has a track record of success). At the end of the night, you might have a date, you might have a friend, you might have just had a nice talk with a nice woman. Either way. you either have gained something (date or friend) or LOST nothing but a little time. 

Stop running “worst case scenerios” in your head. She will not toss a beer at you, laugh at you, call you ugly nor turn to her friends and make fun of you. AND If she does.. aren’t you glad she didn’t say “yes” to a date.

As far as social media look in to more specific lesbians groups. Maybe look at hiking, biking, history.. etc.. narrow it down from just “lesbians”or dating sights. Bi woman are also out there and have sites open to th

em.  Find lesbians or bi women with similar interests and you might find some closer to your age. Ask the older women on the Facebook pages about other connections. Maybe there are in other groups or clubs where they see young women asking about finding each other. Us old schoolers know how to network..let them help you.

I hope some of this helps. Let me know how it is going and if you learn something i forgot, please share it with me. 

[ahmademrech-blog]

Ahmad Emrech Look Here For Great Advice About Lead Generation

Ahmad Emrech Skilled tips provider.Lead generation is a topic many people know nothing about. Whether you are a novice or a pro at it, the fact is that there is always something new to learn. In order to do so, be sure to check out the article below and all of it's helpful hints.

To generate leads for your enterprise, make people an offer. The offer can be in the form of a free ebook, newsletter, coupon or other enticement. Make sure it is high in value and relevant to your particular audience. When you make a tempting offer, you will generate plenty of good leads.

Incorporate social media into your efforts to generate more leads, and you will be more successful. Many people do all of their browsing through social media sites these days, so that's where your business needs to be. Cover the major platforms with great offers specifically targeted to your potential customers and watch the leads come in!

If people see you as trustworthy, it's easier to generate leads. Don't pump up your hype too much. You need to instead provide offers concerning what your potential customers value. Be transparent and honest, and then people will probably be more likely to trust what you say.

Survey your current customers about where they typically congregate online. To generate quality leads, you need to understand where your audience hangs out. Once you know, get involved in that community any way you can. That may mean advertising or it may mean becoming a thought leader in the community.

The best way to generate leads is to ask people you know for referrals. It doesn't matter if you're a wedding planner or a car salesman, let people know what you do and ask if they know anyone who may need you. They might not today, but they might in the future.

One thing you must do is to start and grow your "opt in" process for generating leads. You need a marketing newsletter or email marketing or mobile marketing plan for this. You can ask them to opt in on your website, through forums you've joined, blogs and in other places.

Do you know what events are going on in your area that suite your product niche? If you happen to be a realtor, are there any bridal shows coming up? People that just got married need to get homes, so get a table set up and let people know what you're about! Refer to the classified section of your local paper to understand what will soon be available in your area.

If you have not been tapping into the power of social media enough, then it's time to expand your efforts. There are cost efficient social media campaigns you can run on the most popular sites, and ways to really make content go viral. All of your customer base is there to help you share what you can do for your new customers.

Look at your competitors to see what tactics they use to generate leads. You don't need to reinvent the wheel when you are going to market. Oftentimes, your competitors have already done the hard work for you. If you see them using certain tactics heavily, there's a good chance they are doing so because it works.

Find ways to qualify leads that you've brought into the company. Yes, it's important to get as much data as you can, but leads are of different levels of quality. Some leads are more likely to be bigger customers than others. One way is to develop a survey to learn more about their buying habits.

Ahmad Emrech Proficient tips provider.When using Twitter, most people think about growing followers and using hash tags. Sure, but also consider searching for keywords related to your products so that you can find people talking about buying things related to your products. Finding posts of interest can help you generate new leads within your niche.

You will accomplish success by going after individuals who show an interest in or express a need for what you offer. Generic leads can be useful, but only if you are looking to broaden your scope. However, if you're able to tailor your leads to get some kind of information out about a product people will enjoy, they'll be more likely to buy.

Create a local reciprocal referral database for yourself and other local businesses. You can set it up on Google Documents and ask people you know to join it. If you know someone who needs dental work you can refer them to a dentist on the list and, if he knows someone who needs you he'll, do the same.

Customer referrals are one thing, and a referral program can definitely work. But, take things a step further by asking your customer base to provide testimonials. This can really work out for you, as people read through these reviews often to determine if they want to do business with a company.

Remember to consider your timing and not just your content. Great content will only be effective if it arrives to a lead at a time when they need it and will consider it carefully. When is the best time to market to your potential leads? Think about who you are marketing to in order to decide this.

Test out new avenues before you go in whole hog. You don't want to end up investing a lot of time and money and yet get nothing in return. Run a test of each new strategy you have and carefully monitor your results, then jump in when the testing reveals success.

Remember that trending on social media isn't the be-all and end-all of marketing. If you can get any positive buzz at all about what you're selling, you're generating leads. When using social media, the content is king as long as you present it in a way which doesn't sound like spam.

Ahmad Emrech Qualified tips provider.With so much great knowledge now at the ready, you should be able to master lead generation in no time. It's up to you to go forward and make the most of your sales experience. Using the tips you've read here, you should have no problem getting more leads tomorrow.

[the-evil-space-trio-au]

180 Shift, a Navy X Aquamarine fanfic

Ao3 Link

Summary:  Navy meets a cute girl at the club and decides to flirt with her. She’s pretty shy at first, not really opening up that much. But a few too many drinks quickly changes that.

Rating: T

Warnings: None

Notes: Human AU, 1980s, Nightclub, Drinking, Slight Dirty Talk, Flirting

Fic 2 of T.E.S.T. Week

---

”So, you come here often?”

Aqua turned around, the bright flashing lights, loud music, and the smell of hairspray all mixing together in the background of the nightclub she had decided to visit tonight. In front of her was a girl around the same age as her, no clue where she had come from.

She had brown skin, a dark brown afro, and was sporting a red crop top with black short shorts. To make her even more extra, she wore dark red tights and black heels. It was all so extravagant compared to Aqua’s plain blue dress and black flats. She never really did follow the latest fashion trends.

”No, this is my first time.” she told her, a bit overwhelmed. Aqua had never really cared much for nightclubs, but decided to give it a try. ”What about you?

”Nah, I’m here like twice a month.”

”Oh...”

”You’re really cute.” the girl said. ”How about I buy you a drink or two?”

Aqua blushed. She didn’t know what to think of this girl who approached her, but she seemed friendly, so she accepted her request. ”Sure.”

They walked over to the bar and sat down next to each other. Aqua made sure her posture was straight and proper, which prompted the girl to giggle.

”You don’t need to be so formal here.” She commented. ”But that’s kinda adorable.”

”I can’t help the way I was raised.” she stated proudly. Normally it could come across as slightly snobby, but this girl’s properness seemed amusing.

”I understand.” the girl replied. ”So what’s your name, dollface?”

”Aqua Marie.” she told her. ”And yours?”

”Navy. But you can call me... anytime.”

Aqua blushed again. ”Oh, you’re too much.” she joked.

”You’re too pretty.” Navy countered.

The bartender arrived and asked them what they would like. Navy asked for wine while Aqua ordered a blue fruity drink.

”You like the classy stuff, don’t you?”

”Isn’t red wine classy?”

”I guess.” she said. Something about the way the lights danced around her brown eyes got Aqua’s attention. ”Are you from around here?”

”Me?” she responded. “I lived here a while.”

”Well I’ve never seen you around.”

”I’m not normally a nightclub person.” she revealed, blushing at the sight of two people with big hair on the dance floor moving rather provocatively with each other to the beat of a techno song. ”I’m new to this sort of... activity.”

”I figured.”

”Is that bad?”

”Of course not...” she took her hand and kissed it. ”Your look is pretty beautiful.”

Aqua blushed even harder. Damn, she was good. Not that she would admit that, though.

There was something about Navy that set her apart from the rest of the nightclub. The noise that irritated Aqua seemed to no longer bother her. It was a nice sort of feeling, but she couldn’t find a way to show it. Straightening her dress, she adjusted herself once more.

”Th-thank you.” she looked away shyly.

The bartender came back with their drinks. They both thanked him and clinked their glasses together. Navy winked at her again and Aqua smiled, feeling a bit more welcome.

---

They talked for a while, ordering more drinks that Navy happily agreed to pay for and getting to know each other more. The loud music became muted white noise compared to their conversation. With each drink, Aqua felt more comfortable opening up. Navy even showed her how to trick the bartender into giving free drinks.

However, it wasn’t too long when it became clear that she had too much. Navy, who was a bit better at holding her liquor, seemed to notice this as well.

It was funny at first. Aqua seemed to act so different. When sober, she kept her emotions mostly to herself. But here she seemed to be speaking her mind.

”I sweah... al’ this political crap got me so bloody annoyed.... who does this Reagan arsehole think ’e is anaway... not like the bitch back in England is any bettah...” Aqua slurred, her accent a bit thicker(and more playful) than usual. ”I oughta play a real mean trick on ’im. That’ll showem!” she then giggled loudly, her high pitched voice echoing in Navy’s ears. Which she had to admit, was a gorgeous laugh.

”I think you need to rest now, Aqua.” Navy told her.

”Whaddya mean?” she asked.

Navy took her hand and led her off the bar stool. “It’s time to go.”

”Come on, dahling...” she continued. ”I don’ wanna stop seeing your face.”

”I’m just going to take you home, kay?”

”You can do a lot more than that if you want...” she winked. Navy blushed a little.

“Oh... oh?” she wasn’t sure what to make of what Aqua just said.

“Take me to my room... pin me to the bed... make me yours~” she whispered, wrapping her arms around her waist.

Navy realized what she wanted. She knew it all too well as someone who was pretty experienced in the matter herself. It was quite entertaining to see such a prim and proper girl act like this. The tables have turned, now she was the one being all flirty with her.

Aqua was pretty and she wouldn’t mind sleeping with her. She would love that, actually. But she was drunk, so her mind was too clouded for her to know what she was doing. Navy knew it was not the right time.

”If you rest first then maybe. You’re way took drunk to even think.” the red clad girl replied, moving Aqua’s arms away from her waist. ”Now where do you live?”

---

The walk back to Aqua’s apartment took a while thanks to the alcohol messing with her motor skills. Thankfully it didn’t mess with her sense of direction, and Navy was there to guide her into staying up and on the side walk. There was plenty of stumbling involved, along with incoherent monologues about become a villainess who tricked people into doing her bidding.

Upon getting to the apartment and opening the door(good thing lockpicking was a specialty of hers), Navy carried Aqua bridal style into the living room.

”Ooh.” Aqua murmured as Navy placed her onto the couch.

”Now you stay there and get some rest.” she requested.

”You’re not gonna leave, are you? The fun’s just getting stahted...” she took Navy’s hand and looked at into her eyes. ”Sure I’m prim and proper, but for you I can be bad as I want~” She giggled a bit evilly this time.

Something about that got Navy a bit flustered. Holy hell, that was kinda hot. Who knew she had that in her. But it was time to focus on the situation at hand. She let go of Aqua’s hand and placed it on her shoulder. ”Don’t worry, I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“Why don’t you come closer, though?” Aqua pouted. “I can’t think straight, you really got me good. Lockpicked your way into my heart. You’re so pretty... I just want you take me and... and... fffff-“

“How about we continue this conversation when we’re both aware of ourselves, hm?” Unsure of what to do in this situation, Navy walked over to the television set, tuning into a static station in hopes that it would help Aqua fall asleep.

For now, she just waited.

---

It took a while, but soon, Aqua fell asleep.

Making sure she was surely asleep, Navy picked her up again, quietly leaving the living room and trying to find what could most likely be Aqua’s bedroom. Once she found it, she placed Aqua down onto her bed and put the covers over her.

She looked peaceful sleeping despite the fact that her short blue hair was a complete mess at this point.

Navy figured she’d stay the night just in case, so she went to sleep on the couch. It wasn’t like she had anywhere to be, so she was content with staying at a random stranger’s house. If anything, she would get to see that cute girl again.

---

Aqua woke up the next morning with a throbbing headache. She immediately regretting drinking last night. The first thing she noticed was that she was in her own bedroom. Not only that, but she felt like a hot mess. What even happened... Oh wait. That girl! The pretty girl... Navy! Where was she?

Suddenly, Navy walked in to see Aqua awake. Speak of the devil. “Oh, hey! You’re awake.” She sat down on the bed in   front of her. ”Good morning.”

”Uuuggghhhh.” Aqua groaned, placing a hand on her head. “What happened?”

”You got really drunk, so I took you home.” she told her.

“How drunk was I?”

“You were flirting with me.”

“I flirted with you?” Aqua was a bit surprised at the fact. Was she really that wasted.

“Yeah, it was pretty wild.” she added, laying back, her eyes towards the ceiling, still blushing at what she had heard from her last night.

“Well, to be honest, I do geniunely think you’re attractive.” she admitted.

”Oh really?”

”Yeah...” Aqua replied sheepishly. ”What did I say?”

“Well...” Navy explained. “How do I put this...

“Go on...”

“You wanted me to have sex with you.”

Aqua went silent. “Did... did we...?”

“No, I just took you home to rest.”

“Oh...” she trailed off. Her voice went quiet. Now she was completely embarassed. The fact that she would just.. but then again... did that really sound all that bad? “Canwethough?”

“Oh? You really want to?” Navy asked, a bit smugly.

“W-well... if you want to...” Aqua replied. Taking a deep breath, she continued. “At this point, there’s no use in hiding the fact that I like you, since you already know.”

”Well, I’m definitely down for it if you want.” she accepted. ”But maybe we should wait until later tonight.”

”Yeah, I’ve still got a headache. And I’m a mess.”

”I can come back, how does 9pm sound?”

”Alright. I can call you when I’m ready.” she suggested, getting up from the bed, still a bit hungover but already getting used to it. ”We can exchange phone numbers.”

”Sure! But I have to warn you, one of my sisters might pick up.”

”I’ll ask for you.” Aqua noted, writing her number down on a piece of paper. ”Here you go.”

”Thanks.” Navy handed out another piece of paper.

”That was fast.”

”I already had it on me.” she said. ”Just in case I happen to meet a cutie.”

”Aren’t you a little charmer.” she teased. ”Well I can do you one better.” she quickly kissed Navy on the cheek.

She giggled. ”You may have gotten me this time, but just wait til tonight... I’ll have you moaning my name and whimpering at the sound of my voice.”

”And I’ll have you begging to hear more...”

[lovevlcukworld-blog]

A Real Wedding Photographer

your friendly neighborhood photographer here, sharing with you a little bit of insight from within the tiny walls of my office. You see, there’s a lot of blogging trends going on that I find particularly un-swoon-worthy. Of course, this is just my own humble opinion, but I am here to represent the other photographers and brides of the world who don’t feel heard or seen.

Why are our weddings being repeatedly rejected from wedding blogs? 

 It is certainly not because of the quality of photography. I have repeatedly seen photography on blogs like Cockles and Pretties that would make a 3-year-old look like a pro. At the same time, I’ve seen gorgeous wedding photography shot by colleagues turned down for publication. Why? Because not all of our weddings include brides sporting bird nests in their hair, or pretty, young Anthro pologie-swathed bridesmaids, or meticulously stenciled miniature burlap dinosaurs holding up place cards made from the recycled issues of Rolling Stone, or weddings held in obscure meadows that can only be reached via bush pilot or a team of sled dogs. 

Sometimes our clients get married in churches, country clubs, or even a VFWs (oh yes… it’s true!).

Sometimes they wear a simple silk wedding dresses, or employ florists instead of roaming the hillsides of Sweden picking wildflowers the morning of their weddings. Sometimes they are doctors, lawyers, or police officers who are too busy to make custom bird cake-toppers and who don’t have access to a baby-blue vintage bicycles. Sometimes their weddings are simple. Maybe normal. Sometimes average.

Now, don’t get me wrong; we all love the rustic, the unique and the detailed. I do too, but it isn’t realistic for every couple. And in turn, it’s not realistic to publish that type of wedding in every blog post! In fact, the state of the wedding blog-o-sphere is downright distressing for some couples.They’re visually overloaded by wedding blogs that showcase only the most unique and the most elaborate weddings, implying showcased weddings are the norm.

The Height of Dysfunction I’ve even had brides apologize to me! They say,“I’m sorry, our wedding is very plain. We didn’t have the time to make a lot of decorations.”

“This is probably a really boring wedding for you to photograph, I’m sorry.”

Where are they getting this negative self-image of their wedding? Glad you asked, because I’ll tell you. They get it from the same place that gave women a negative self-image of their bodies: the Media. It used to be that the Media consisted largely of magazines and newspapers. But now you bloggers are a part of the Media, albeit the so-called “new media.”

Wedding Photographers Suck Too Wedding blogs aren’t the only ones to blame. I’ve had a lot of photographers tell me that they only blog about weddings that are highly detailed or where the bride is pretty and skinny. They leave out the VFW weddings and the heavier couples so that perspective clients who aren’t Cockles and Pretties-worthy don’t think to contact them. They don’t want “weddings like that” in “places like that” with “people like that.” 

Because they won’t get published. They won’t have their photography acknowledged. They won’t end up in the 7th-grade popularity contest we call the Wedding Industry. End This + Consider the Average Bride As a publisher, you have a chance and the power to change things. So my plea to you is this: consider the average bride.

Consider the bride who looks at wedding blogs for inspiration, but only finds ideas she either can’t afford or doesn’t have time to make. Consider the bride who thinks less is more. Consider the bride who doesn’t wear feathers. Consider the bride whose wedding and engagement session isn’t meticulously styled with an eye toward publication.

Consider the bride who is typical and realistic.

I’m not saying you should stop publishing unique and detailed weddings, but reach out to real couples and publish their less elaborate weddings, too. Your job as publishers should be to document this wonderful event for all couples. So show us different types of brides and their weddings, both extraordinary and simple.

Do something outside of the norm and you’d probably get even more visitors. And I’m not talking about finding the next fad. Focus on good photography and substance.  All your blogs are starting to look alike anyway.There are very few blogs I feel the need to follow any longer. I know what I’ll find when I visit most wedding blogs because so many posts are filled with the same:

I’d love to visit your site and see all sorts of weddings; the unique mixed in with the average and everything in between. This would make different posts stand out, and brides wouldn’t be apologizing to me about how “boring” their wedding is. Readers would see that every bride and wedding is different — not because of feathers and burlap, but because of the unique nature of human relationships; because of time and money constraints; and because the most important part of the day isn’t in the details. You know what I mean. Deep down I know you do.

The truth is this: Fad Photoshop filters and actions are often used to cover-up bad or boring photography.

It doesn’t matter how many different shoe colors the bridesmaids wore if I can barely see the difference because the hideous yellow and pink of a Photoshop filter. Sometimes I can’t even tell if they’re wearing shoes because the tilt shift effect is used to cover up and blur anything that would reveal it for what it is: a boring photograph. How am I supposed to appreciate the little adorable dogs in tuxedos if the picture is so underexposed that I can’t see the detail in their rhinestone collars.

We get it. It’s the trend. But let’s face it, it’s not a very attractive one. Perhaps it’s time to move on. Perhaps it’s time to consider accepting clear, clean photographs with accurate color. Photographs of the type of weddings that we all actually attend: regular ones. I guarantee these well-documented, professionally-shot weddings that honor true color will be the classics in 25 years. They are honest.

Want to know how to find better photographers?

OK, fine. Then select advertisers whose work you can stand behind. This is important. Readers turn to you for solid recommendations. When selecting vendors, consider skill level, not just sales revenue. Then, when someone advertises with you, you can in good conscious publish one of their weddings or even ask for an expert interview. It’s upsetting when we photographers pay hundreds of dollars to advertise with you and our weddings are turned down, but you’ll publish some hack who not only isn’t advertising with you, but they also take horrible photographs. Oh, but I forgot, the bridal party is sporting twigs in their hair. Come on! I know you’re smarter than that. Aren’t you?

Does this sound like the rant of a photographer who rarely gets published? It sure does. But honestly, I’m published quite frequently. I am most thankful to the little, upcoming blogs that may soon rise up and take over with their good photography and their variety of wedding types. Of course unique weddings that I’ve shot invariably get accepted much faster and in much larger publications. But it breaks my heart when some of my “regular” weddings, which are often gorgeous in their own right, don’t get accepted at all, with the reply that there “aren’t enough details,” even when there are what I consider a decent number of details. Look, I’m a detail-oriented photographer; I always make sure I get a variety of shots. But at the end of the day, those in-between weddings that I shoot, that are unique and held in gorgeous locations, don’t get accepted because they aren’t as wildly eccentric as the weddings that are in the spotlight now.

I love to photograph detailed weddings as much as the next photographer, but all weddings need to be loved! And all brides and grooms need to beloved.

How did this turn into high-fashion? Why are we daily hosting a who-can-have-the-weirdest-decorations-and-wedding-dress contest?

I know this is a lot to ask. And I know the problem doesn’t lie just with wedding bloggers. I also know why you exclusively accept highly-styled shoots and weddings; I understand that you have to make a living, too. You need to attract new readers and new advertisers. You feel the only way to do that is to be unique, to carve out your niche, to offer something new and novel every day. But this fantasy wedding world is not the reality of most weddings.  As you continue to gain respect and power as a legitimate media source, your responsibility toward your readers grows. Don’t screw up their heads with a constant barrage of the unattainable. Give them something they can relate to.

Just Get Real So, it’s time to start including the bride who doesn’t have the time or money for a mid-century-modern, ironic vanity fair.  Let’s celebrate the bride who doesn’t have a craft studio that would make Martha jealous. It’s high time we honor the experiences and pictures of the average wedding that may have simple details, but always has lots of laughter and family and friends. These weddings *can* teach us something about the true meaning of weddings and of marriage. In fact, they do every weekend during wedding season. I think these pictures should be readily available. Don’t be afraid to celebrate the average wedding. It will be okay–more than okay. It will be honest and heartfelt and full of life and substance. It will be real. Really real. I promise.

[woodsteingirl]

tumblr user chessmp3 tell us about bridal trends

okay let me tell you about this years bridal season 🩷 everybody knows new york fashion week just finished up so the trends for 2024 are fairly recent but i think we have a pretty good idea of what we’re heading for… a lot of them are SO good!!!!

for silhouette, we saw a lot of tulle and statement pieces—the drama and flair persist! but a lot of them have that classic, fairy tale inspired, skirt to them and i LOVE that. i love that. recently a ton of dresses have been mermaid dresses or fit and flair ones which i DO NOT care for, so i am SO so ready for the return of the ball gown…

short veils are coming in!!! i like them a lot to be honest, especially with shorter dresses (also in) or separates (i’ll get to in a moment), some of them also feature the flower embroidery or appliqué that has been popping up around which i like a lot!! i like florals when they are understated and nice…

SEPARATES… suits. oh my god suits…. this is a lesbian moment and not a fashion snob moment but we NEED MORE WOMEN IN SUITS… bridal suits this season have been so good i’m genuinely obsessed… separates that aren’t suits have also been coming into the public eye and i LIKE separates i think they work. but a lot of them work better as like reception outfits than bridal dresses, but that’s like. a matter of opinion and i really do like most of them…

there’s also been more color, blue has been really popular this season which i LOVE! something borrowed something blue and such… it’s also just cute !! white and blue look really good together!!! anyways. that’s the rundown.

[beatandblades]

What Should You Take Care of While Having Bridal Makeup?

Not every bride desires to have her face painted on her Bridal Makeup day by a Makeup professional. Nobody is more familiar with your face's contours, skin texture, or How makeup tends to adhere to your face than you are. In light of this, it's understandable that you would want to control how you appear on your special day.

Doing your makeup for your Bridal simply requires careful planning and some practice to ensure that everything goes as smoothly as possible on the big day, as with anything Bridal-related. For expert advice on DIY Bridal makeup, scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Before applying your makeup for your Bridal, consider the following professional 8 advice.

Run a Test

On the day of the event, select moisturizing, illuminating skincare products that are lightweight and won't leave your skin too slippery so that your makeup won't adhere, advises Porcia. For that sought lit-from-within glow, dab a little Hourglass Vanish Flash Highlighting Stick just on the cheeks and temples. Avoid adding shine to the T-zone, forehead's center, and cheeks since they will appear too glossy in flash photography. Do two or three runs through instead of just one.

Remain Honest

Trends come and go, but the photos from your Bridesmaid's Bridal day will be with you always. Stay away from trends and put your effort into looking the greatest version of yourself, unless it's completely against your personality (in which case don't listen to us). With basic Bridesmaid Makeup, your goal should be to highlight your best qualities.

Adopt the Proper SPF

SPF can have an impact on how photos turn out, but it's a requirement if you're being married on the beach or in the height of summer, says Porcia. Try out a couple of different sunscreens in the weeks before your Natural Bridal Makeup to avoid choosing one that will leave a white cast in your photographs.

Think About the Weather

You probably planned your outfit based on the weather, whether it be a dress or a suit. In deciding how much Natural Bridal Makeup to wear and what kind, you should also take the weather into account. You won't be able to wear as much Makeup if the ceremony is lengthy and outside in the middle of the summer since it will melt off faster than if it were indoors during the winter. In either case, keep a primer nearby.

Complement Your Complexion

Make sure to carefully blend your bronzer and match your face, neck, and shoulders. Use a foundation that complements your tanned skin if you're going to wear a spray tan on the day, Porcia suggests. Also, make sure you've tried the spray tan before.

Look After Your Skin

Don't automatically assume that makeup can hide any flaws. Approach this procedure as if you don't plan to wear foundation at all. Set up your skincare regimen months before your Bridal Makeup Artist and stick with it. A mask now and then is acceptable, but the canvas must be constant if you want your Bridal Makeup Artist to be uniform. I advise all to apply a moisturizer that will assist control excessive shine on your Bridal day. "To reduce shine all day, use a moisturizer with a matte finish." The $30 Embryolisse Hydra Mat Emulsion is suggested. "It's light, non-greasy composition hydrates your skin and keeps you looking flawless all day.

Correct Your Eyes' Color

Porcia advises "neutralizing any uneven color on the eyelids." "To brighten, use a color corrector or concealer that is a touch lighter. In addition to serving as a Bridal Eye Makeup, your eye base should make your eyeshadow waterproof and more durable. For fair skin, a white shade should be used, bone for medium skin, banana or taupe for dark skin. The goal is to neutralize and brighten your eyelids, although it takes some trial and error. For this, we're major fans of MAC's Pro Longwear Paint Pots.

Simplify your Browsing

"It depends on choice, but at BeatandBlade, we advise using either gel or pencil to fill in your Bridal Eye Makeup. A pencil may provide depth and shade for a more groomed brow look, while a colored gel will aid in shaping and grooming "Porcia says. Go with what you think will look good and age well when it comes to how filled-in your eyebrows should be.

Resource: https://www.beatandblade.com/post/what-should-you-take-care-while-having-bridal-makeup

[the-fashiongeek-blog1]

Fashion Geek on Fashion Week

    It’s that time of the year again! Leaves are changing color, seasonal drinks are back at Starbucks, and every other commercial is for a back-to-school sale. Soon, temperatures will drop. Daylight hours will shrink. I’ll finally have an excuse to wear the new leather jacket I got for my birthday…Ah, fall.

    I’ve gotta be honest upfront; I hate fall. It’s my least favorite season by a wide margin. But, hey, this blog isn’t going to be a negative space. So I’m gonna try to focus on the positive things - like Halloween, NaNoWriMo, and new episodes of The Good Place. Oh, and fashion week!

    So what even is fashion week? The whole thing can be pretty misleading. For one, it isn’t actually one week. In fact, it’s actually composed of several, individual “weeks”, most of which aren’t actually seven days long. To make things even more confusing, there are multiple fashion weeks each year for nearly a dozen different seasons. That’s not even getting into the fact that most shows at fashion week aren’t showing clothes for the season they’re presented during.

    Umm, let me start over. A “fashion week” can be defined as an approximately week-long event during which designers present their most recent collections in or around the same area. While couture has followed the same general format since the late 50s, and runway shows have been going on even longer, the current lineup has only been around for the last thirty to forty years.

    These days, when people use the general term “fashion week”, it’s typically in reference to the Big Four, which are New York, London, Milan, and Paris Fashion Weeks. They occur in that order back-to-back twice a year. One time focuses on spring and summer dressing, while the other is focused on fall and winter (often abbreviated S/S and F/W or A/W). The first typically occurs in February and March, while the second kicks off towards the beginning of September.

    Now here’s where it gets wonky; the shows taking place this fall/winter will show spring/summer clothes and vice versa. This was the main point of my confusion when I first started getting into fashion. However, there’s a good reason for it. Showing clothes for the coming season allows designers to better meet buyer demands. Not every piece from a collection ends up on the runway, and not every piece shown on the runway will make it to production. It also allows buyers to anticipate trends and gives production teams enough time to craft the finished garments.

    Well…usually. Several seasons ago, the industry saw a new trend emerge; the see-now-buy-now collection. As the name suggests, pieces are available to purchase from the moment the collection hits the runway. Many heavy hitters in the fashion world have adopted this business model, such as Burberry and Tommy Hilfiger. Why? The answer is simple. As production becomes quicker and easier, and shipping is no longer such a lengthy process, some brands and designers have been rethinking the conventional retail schedule. As the world changes, shouldn’t fashion change with it? Brands have seen mixed success so far, but these are recent changes. Perhaps I’ll be able to give you a better answer in a couple seasons.

    The designers in the SNBN camp aren’t the only ones to shirk the conventional fashion week schedule. The late, and much beloved, designer Azzedine Alaïa began showing collections on his own schedule in the 90s. Rodarte and Proenza Schouler, both NYFW regulars, opted to show during Paris Couture Week for a few seasons. This year will be the first season they’re back in the Big Apple. Alexander Wang, one of my all-time favorites, has recently switched over to showing in the gap between seasons. After so many years, designers and clients alike have grown bored of the traditional fashion schedule and are beginning to experiment with their recent releases. Like the SNBN collections, only time will tell what works and how this affects the industry at large.

    Runway shows aren’t the only events that happen during fashion week, though they are the most popular. Many designers show their collections using a presentation format. Guests are welcomed to come in - typically to the designer’s workshop, though showrooms and eateries are also popular - where they can see the clothes up close and personal. (And maybe sip a cocktail or two.) Instead of stomping a catwalk, models are asked to stand or pose while guests interact with the collection. Sets might even be involved - some more elaborate than others. While presentations common for accessory designers, some clothing designers also use this format.

    The upcoming season will primarily show clothes that are considered “ready-to-wear” (also called RTW and prêt-à-porter), but RTW isn’t the only subset of clothing. Earlier, I mentioned couture, or made to measure clothing. Only a select number of designers show couture collections, so the runway season is condensed into a single week - one in early July and another in January. However, because couture itself is so distinct from RTW, it definitely deserves its own post. Like RTW, couture follows the same “season ahead” business model; summer clothes are presented in winter and vice versa.

    There are also two seasonal weeks for menswear, the most prominent of which generally show in the week before couture. However, more and more designers are choosing to show men’s and women’s clothing in the same collection. This has been happening during menswear week for a while now, wherein some collections will include a handful of womenswear looks. In traditional RTW seasons, it was a fairly rare concept until recently, and it’s been gaining a lot of traction. As the world at large continues to loosen its thoughts of gender as a rigid binary, it’s only logical that fashion should reflect this as well. Also, according to brands like Vetements, it’s just more economical. Expect to see male and female models alike on runways like Michael Kors, Burberry, and Saint Laurent during the upcoming SS19 shows.

    But Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter aren’t the only two seasonal categories. There are two main inter-seasons; Resort or Cruise (two names for the same thing, shown before S/S) and “Pre-Fall” season (shown before F/W, natch). Not all designers choose to create inter-season collections, and even fewer do runway shows for them. There are also fashion weeks dedicated to everything from bridal collections, to swimwear. And there are more city- or country-specific fashion weeks besides the Big Four. A quick peek at the international Fashion Week Online calendar shows that there’s just about one every other week - sometimes several simultaneously - happening from São Paulo to Tbilisi to Tokyo.

    Okay, but that’s a lot. It’s probably easiest to just pick and choose which designers or seasons you want to keep up with. (I know I do!) If this is something you’d be interested in, but aren’t sure where to start, I’d highly recommend the American Vogue website. They have a separate Runway tab which allows you to see each look of a collection, often moments after the collection hits the runway. It takes a little longer, but some collections include detail shots of the pieces, or backstage beauty looks. There are also archives of various shows - some going back to the nineties. Besides Vogue, there’s Livingly, WWD, The Fashion Spot, and more. If you’re so inclined, there is the Vogue Runway app that also offers street style photography, a “favorite collections” tab, and can send you updates about recent shows. It’s all a matter of personal preference!

    So…who else is hype for SS19? This upcoming fashion week is a great place to start if you think you might be interested in getting into fashion, but haven’t yet. I’ve been counting down the days myself, and I know I’ll be checking the app daily along with practically every online fashion magazine. In preparation, I’ve also written a list of my top twenty favorite collections from last season. There might even be a few surprises in store this week. Watch this space!

[froufroucakes]

Two Professional Wedding Cake Makers Bring Innovative and Creative Designs to Surrey

Two Professional Wedding Cake Makers Bring Innovative and Creative Designs to Surrey

A pastry pro duo is taking the wedding cake industry by storm in Surrey with their interesting flavours and unique concepts

Frou Frou Cakes is a high-end pastry shop that is run by two professional chefs with a passion for baking. Their unique relationship and innovative approach to baked goods have taken the wedding industry by storm.

The team at Frou Frou is made up of two chefs, Ksenia Rayt, who is a specialist pastry chef, and Thor Lawson, who became a chef after previously gaining a degree in Food Science and Nutrition. Both chefs attended the renowned Tante Marie Culinary Academy where they received their Cordon Bleu Diplomas. Subsequent to training, they have both worked in several different high-end restaurants in London before more recently changing direction.

Additionally, both these experienced chefs have studied and worked under notable pastry chefs Alexander Kislitsyn, Hans Ovando, and Jordi Bordas. All of this in addition to completing numerous courses by other chefs in the industry around the world.

“We like to think we make a great team as our individual personal qualities complement each other and this reflects in the work we do making each cake a unique experience in both taste and image,” says Thor Lawson, Owner and Head Chef at Frou Frou Cakes. “Also, as a couple we have found that we can be more honest and critical of one another, which we think adds an element of perfectionism to our work.”

The mission of Frou Frou Cakes is to alter the face of British wedding cakes. They have already started incorporating interesting flavours into the wedding cakes they bake, including Matcha and Yuzu, Violet and Blueberry, and Banana, Coffee and Pecan. Once you meet these chefs, it is clear that they take delight in inventing exciting, creative, and artistic cakes that are impressive in both flavour and aesthetics. All of their creations are truly unique, and they are continuously updating their range as new ideas come to light. The aim is to expand the current range of signature cakes in the near future. However, they also specialise in custom-made cakes for every occasion that reflects the latest cooking techniques, popular culture, and trends in modern art.

“As a team, we want to create out of this world experiences for the senses, perfectly tailored to your special occasion,” adds Lawson.

A wedding cake is one of the most important features of any bridal couple’s special day, and the impressive team at Frou Frou Cakes will ensure that your cake is not only unique and memorable but tastes good to boot.

About Us

Frou Frou Cakes prides themselves on their wedding cake range. Their mission is not only that every cake that leaves their kitchen is both fresh and made with the highest quality ingredients, but that it will perfectly accent each and every celebration each individual cake has been crafted for. Frou Frou Cakes is an online-based company serving unique, high-end, handcrafted cakes in Surrey and selected London postcodes. They strive to make cakes that would match your highest expectations and bake fresh every day, using only the best quality ingredients including class A free range eggs, premium British flour, and organic products wherever possible. The majority of their decoration is made from the finest quality Belgian chocolate and the cakes are covered in either a ganache or buttercream. They take delight in inventing exciting, creative and artistic cakes that are impressive in both flavour and aesthetics and their creations are truly unique. For more information on Frou Frou Cakes, please visit https://www.froufroucakes.co.uk/.

[itsbrandonkelly]

10-20

10. Are you the kind of friend that you would want to have as a friend?

Yes, I love giving and getting gifts and I’m awesome? Who doesn’t want awesome friends?

11. Does love = sex?

Absolutely fucking not. This is a very toxic and very harmful belief.

12. Your boss tells your coworker that they have to let them go because of work shortage, and they are the newest employee. You have been there much longer. Your coworker has a family to support and no other means of income. Do you go to your boss and offer to leave the company? Why or Why not?

Absolutely. I have enough money to be out of work for a while, I have a well off family and great friends if I was really desperate and it’s just me that I need to look after. Zero dependents. I know I’d be okay but I couldn’t guarantee that they would be. I understand that it would be hard though if I didn’t have things to fall back on.

13. When was the last time you told someone HONESTLY how you felt regardless of how difficult it was for you to say? Who was it? What did you have to tell the person?

Oh god, when was that? A few weeks ago? Maybe? Might have been just over a month? Whenever I take on big projects, I can get a little.. Lot.. stressed about things? I want them to be perfect and not everything always works out that way, I know but I throw myself into these things head first and they’re almost my main focus until they’re done. It’s so easy for me to fall into old habits through that and I don’t always realise that myself at the time so Joonbug has permission to throw interventions when I’m being a dumbass like that and I have to be honest and open about how I am so that I don’t fall into a bad place again by not taking care of myself. It’s good to have someone to talk to.

14. What would be (or what was) harder for you to tell a member of the opposite/same sex, you love them or that you do not love them back?

It was harder to tell them that I didn’t love them back. I actually think I took it harder than they did.

15. What do you think would be the hardest thing for you to give up? Why would it be hard to lose?

Thing? I don’t.. I guess my business? I know that it was literally given to me as a gift but honestly, I have worked so fucking hard for years to keep it and grow it and I’d say that I’ve earned it at this point. It is mine and I’m happy with where I am right now. If I lost it after all of that, I’d be heartbroken.

16. Excluding romantic love, when was the last time you told someone you loved them. Who were they to you?

This morning. I told my parents on the phone because they always like me to call them whenever I travel to let them know I got home safe. It’s kinda cute.

17. If there was one moment and one time in the last month what would you change and why?

I would go back to last week and tell myself not to agree to make outfits for an entire bridal party because I am tired and if she wants them on time then she’s going to have to stop changing her mind about what she wants.

18. Would you give a homeless person CPR if they were dying? Why or Why not?

Well, yeah? Who the fuck wouldn’t? I mean unless it was some horror film plot-esque disease going around killing people through like human contact then hell no but generally? Yeah. 

19. You are holding onto your grandmother’s hand and the hand of a newborn that you do not know as they hang over the edge of a cliff. You have to let one go to save the other. Who do you let fall to their death? What was your rationale for making the decision?

Well, that got very dark very quickly. I guess the baby? We’d all like to say that, wouldn’t we? That it would be easy to make that kind of sacrifice but in the moment, you’d have to actually feel all of those emotions and god only knows what you’d actually do. What if that baby was going to grow up to hurt a lot of people? You just lost someone who did nothing but treasure you your whole life for some pre-psycho. It’s not so straightforward in the moment. Logically though, my brain is telling me that in that situation, you’d try and save them both, obviously and it would make the most sense to lift the baby and put them near you so you could use more of your strength and energy and both hands to save your grandmother so I’d save the baby first and in this instance, that would condemn grandma. Jesus fuck this is dark. I think I need to call her and apologise.

20. Are you old fashioned?

Like the drink? Little bit of sweetness, little bit bitter, full of alcohol? Yeah, I can see the resemblance. As for the definition of old fashioned, I’d say no. With my job, I kind of have to be able to not only move and adapt with the times but try to be at least one step ahead of the trends. That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy the classics though.

A COUPLE DEEP QUESTIONS | Inbox (Still Accepting)

[fullperfectionwerewolf]

mix and match separates, and shimmery colors are making an impact real prom dress sites）（）y7hujs8

We sincerely hope these introductions about different bridesmaid dresses could give you some inspirations for your big day. However, always remember that these are not the only options to explore. Bridesmaid dresses play an important role in a wedding, and they should suit each bridesmaid individually. But they shouldn’t ‘win’ the bride and the wedding dress.What you need is to find your own style. If you still have some problems that you don’t know, welcome to our professional customer service in www.lalamira.com Information. They will certainly know you better than I do.Posted in Wedding DressTagged affordable wedding dresses, cheap black and white wedding dresses, chubby girl wedding dress, red long sleeve wedding dress, short wedding dress long train,chubby girl wedding dress The cost of being a bridesmaid—both emotional and financial—can be a burden. Lighten the load with an affordable bridesmaid dress that won’t oiuwhjsoi-10oid gouge your wedding budget. If anything, a cheaper dress gives everyone an incentive to splurge on the destination bachelorette party. We can’t promise you they’ll be re-worn ball gown wedding dress slip, but at under $300, they are totally worth it.I have to be honest with you, finding the perfect prom dress is a challenge, especially when you are petite. Prom is such a special time in your life and it is important to find a dress that you absolutely love.The two-piece prom dresses, you may think it doesn’t look as mature and sexy as the first two bridal gowns under 200 dollars. But you have to believe that this style of skirt may be more suitable for you, at least it will make you look more slender.

The world of bridal design is always changing to reflect current trends in fashion. Although some trends, like the cold-shoulder look, have thankfully stayed away from most bridal dresses, others trends like over-skirts, two-piece, mix and match separates, and shimmery colors are making an impact real prom dress sites. Here are the trends we are loving in bridal fashion right now!If you’re not going to wear a necklace, you can go for big earrings. Lastly don’t forget to always add a purse! You don’t want to be carrying your staff in your hands or asking your partner to hold then for you。There are a ton of ball gowns to choose from and red homecoming dresses 2020, whether you are looking for something simple and streamlined or something that might make Cinderella do a double-take, somewhere out there is the perfect dress for you. Related recommendations: You don’t requirement to go shopping thirsty vintage wedding headpieces)(*yuhjd If you score a component style of garment in intent short prom dressesP_)(8y7d without travel the danger of your prettify state trampled on red two piece prom dress()*7yghd code doesn’t link your civilize won’t person stricter regulations maroon formal dress shortPO*Iyd