The Final Round is here! Our judges have narrowed all three photo categories down to the top ten of each category. I have revised the timing a bit to make sure that every section gets a solid amount of time for voting. Make sure you follow the directions below exactly, to ensure proper submission of votes. Only one vote per person! No cheating! :)

Voting for the Homegrown Michigan Category will end at 7PM on Friday February 19th. I will be giving each category a full 5 days of voting. So, make sure to check back on Monday the 22nd for The Engaged category, Monday the 1st for The Around The World category and then the final results will be announced on March 8th, 2010! Best of luck to all of our participants and congratulations on making it this far! There were over 400 submissions this year!

Can you imagine how excited I was when I saw the beautiful work of Simply Bloom Photography on Green Wedding Shoes yesterday? This is what I call a dream shoot… one that I dream about participating in! Perfect styling for Valentine’s Week, right? Love it!

Be sure to check out more of Simply Bloom Photography’s work and head on over to Green Wedding Shoes for more adorable inspiration.

Over the course of the next few days, I will be featuring pretty, romantic, girly inspiration here on The Bliss Blog in honor of Valentine’s Day! (Which is only a few short days away!)

To kick things off, I recently came across this ahhhh-mazing engagement shoot by K. Holly Photography. How cute are they? Stay tuned for some major swooning and make sure to head over to Kristen’s blog for more of this adorable shoot!

Seriously, I feel my heart melting for this shoot. The styling, the clothes, the makeup, the props… Adorable! The perfect way to get in the mood for Valentine’s Day!

Not only is the With This Ring blog a fantastic/adorable/super awesome resource for brides and grooms, but the author and creator, Darci, is one of the sweetest people I have had the pleasure of meeting. I feel silly for not knowing about it sooner, since we all know how much I love my blog reading! I recently met Darci at The Making Things Happen intensive in Chicago and instantly felt a connection to Darci’s kind words. (More on MTH coming VERY, VERY soon!)

You should definitely head on over and take a look at all of the adorable posts, advice and info that Darci has to share, but here are a few of my favorites if you are looking for a quick peek.

• I am DYING to plan a surprise wedding! You must check out this adorable event that is featured on WTR blog, with even more adorable photos by Jason G Photography.
• Quick, Easy, Gorgeous! One of my favorite parts about With This Ring is the Quick Palette posts. Love the seeing the colors from one photo broken down to create a beautiful color palette for events.
• Delightful Information & Advice. Seriously, ask her anything.

Just a little note to fill you in on a recent discovery. Warning: Don’t look at this on an empty stomach or during a mad sugar craving. ;) I am officially in love with little cake blog! You have got to head on over and check out Half Baked. This super adorable and yum filled blog created by Carrie Sellman, a fabulous cake designer. I am blown away by the creative cakes pictured all over the blog. Dig in! (And wipe that drool from your chin!)

There is also a fabulous giveaway for 100 super cute notecards. Head on over today to enter to win! I already did. ;)

I am exposed to a million brilliant ideas each year from our clients, vendors and associates. Some of these ideas really stick with me from season to season and I thought it might be nice to share some of them with you. Today, we will focus on some of my favorite flowers from 2009. Some are from real Bliss weddings and some are from some of my fave Michigan Photography Blogs. Enjoy the eye candy goodness!

These photos from Abby Rose Photography are just lovely!

Pretty in Pink from Kristen Taylor Photography

Simply stunning and luxe from Jessica Johnston Photography

So much color from Kristen Taylor Photography

Simple and clean from Kristen Taylor Photography

Beautiful bouquet photo taken by Lemus Photography

Love Joanna's bouquet! Photo by Kara Purtell

There are BIG things happening around the web and we’ve got your front row seat to all of the action. Some of my favorite people are starting new projects and getting the ball rolling on some much needed industry excitement. Others are adding to their already awesome blogs and continuing to create useful and inspiring material. Make sure to stop by these places, check out all of the loveliness and tell them that Bliss sent you! Oh, and follow @BlissAmanda on Twitter for some fun updates and advice for planning a wedding in 2010!

• The Wedding Shoebox is a brand spankin’ new blog from the mind of Valerie Metrejean, owner of Southern Fete event planning and Butterscotch Press. This go-to inspiration source will feature Real Weddings, Inspiration Boards and advice from wedding planners who can pull it all together for you. This is going to be a must-see in 2010, so make sure you don’t miss a beat! For an extra dose of awesome, follow The Wedding Shoebox on Twitter for helpful advice and inspiring ideas.

• Something about The Green Wedding Shoes blog makes me swoon and sigh at the same time. Everything that Jen posts is unique, adorable and oh-so-sweet. Definitely head on over there to check out the gorgeousness and keep checking back for more! Follow Green Wedding Shoes on Twitter for updates and fun filled tweets!

• Ruffled is an amazing, beautiful and creative blog filled to the brim with some of the most inspiring Real Weddings I have ever seen. This blog is near the top of my list and I make sure to visit as much as possible for “sophisticated creativity”. You will LOVE it! I promise. Also, follow Amanda’s updates on Twitter.

• For an even more comprehensive list of wedding and bridal blogs, visit Bride Tide’s list of 100 Must See Blogs for 2010!

2009 was such a wonderful year for Bliss Weddings & Events. We had the opportunity to work with amazing couples, beautiful designs and a great team of vendors. Some of my favorite highlights include:

• Having the opportunity to do what I love and help people at the same time!
• Getting to know my clients on a personal basis and spend one of the most important days of their lives with them!
• Watching past clients move forward with their lives and begin starting their families. So many new Bliss babies!
• Working with some fabulous and well respected vendors.
• Networking with other wedding industry friends via MWEP and a million different social media tools (Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, etc.)
• Attending life changing seminars and workshops, including Eventology 09.
• Continuing to learn from some of my wedding planning idols!
• Teaching new planners and coordinators with the experience I have gained.
• Hiring on three new assistants and continuing our internship program!

A few of our favorite events from this year:

• Joanna & Tom’s beautiful pink and gray wedding with bridal party photos at Comerica Park
• Deanna & Cass’ heartwarming wedding at the beautiful Orchard Lake Country Club
• Lisa & Matt’s Oh-So-Sweet wedding at Mac and Ray’s
• Erin & Grant’s vintage inspired yellow wedding at Dearborn Ritz Carlton
• Anne & Aaron’s smile-filled wedding in Ann Arbor
• Amee & Matt’s chic & swanky wedding at Royal Oak Music Theatre
• Kim & Rich’s gorgeous blue wedding at Meadowbrook & Penna’s

We also had the wonderful opportunity to be featured in two major bridal publications this year! One was a 5 page spread for Shannon & Kayu’s wedding and the other was an article on Unique Reception Entertainment.

Our most popular posts on The Bliss Blog were about River Birch Lodge (One of our favorite venues!) and Barbie’s Boudoir shoot!

Two of my favorite parts of 2009 were the headshots sessions done by Nicole Ladonne Photography (Just for me, Amanda) & Dustin Francis Photography (The Bliss Team).

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post about what is to come in 2010! There are some big things brewing behind the scenes here at Bliss and I am beyond excited to share them with you!

There are so many ways to create a very unique atmosphere, starting with the decor. Pairing up eclectic pieces is always the quickest route, but you can also group similar items at the center if a table. Below are some of my favorite Anthropolgie Home pieces, that can easily be used for a wedding or event and leave everything looking fabulous.

Photos (Left to Right): Analiese Taper Holder $24, Tea Party Candelabra $398, Analiese Taper Holder $24, Night Lights $58, Checkmate $28, Cigarette Pants – - – Many of these come in sets, so be sure to check out each item.

Shoes are my favorite way to accessorize any ensemble. Whether you like pumps or flats, peep toes or t-straps, your girls will love the idea of a cute shoe to set everything off on the right foot. And what pairs with adorable shoes more than an equally adorable handbag? Anthropologie is an excellent resource for all things girly.

Photos (Left to Right): Stacked Smoke $388, Midnight Sky $395, No Place Like Home Flats $138, Evergreen $418, Bette Wedges $98, Sewing Notions $178

Photos (left to Right): Dazzling Display $98, Sarana Clutch $178, Iced Rosettes $298, Speck and a Smidge $46, Great and Small $28, Roses Underwater $98

As any savvy girl knows, the right accessory can make or break an outfit. The same goes for a wedding day! Allowing the girls to show off bits and pieces of their own personalities will help your bridal party stand out from mainstream mavens. A unique statement piece, like a necklace or bracelet, will send your style skyrocketing. Anthropologie’s collection of eclectic accessories will fit your wedding style like a glove. Gorgeous!

Photos (left to right): Glimmer & Glint $58, From O’Keeffe $48, Abundant Calla $228, Bonheur $58, Danver $48, Jeweled Stream $158

Photos (left to right): Full Bouquet $18, Rose Is A Rose $32, Fascinator Comb $38, Wisps and Wings $18, Gossamer $18, Purl Petunia $20

Photos (Left to Right): Toasted Meringue $198, Bits of Ice $48, Twined Satin $198, Odette $48, Chroma Calyx $58, Moth Spark $178