We dove head over heels for these DIY watercolor wedding invitations, stationery and more.  This romantic, water-inspired style pairs nicely with a Lake Tahoe lakeside wedding anywhere from formal to casual.  With a dash of color and a sprinkle of water, this “labor of love” will surely have your guests diving in too!

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This Petunia printable watercolor invitation from Anticipate Invitations on Wedding Chicks, is in this summer’s popular fresh peach.  They also include some oh-so darling tips on how to highlight the watercolor theme throughout your wedding.  From brightly painted cookie frosting to dainty, pastel floral napkins… your summer wedding will surely “float” with this unique touch.

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For a more formal approach, this DIY tutorial on letterpress watercolor invitations from Annika Likes is sure to wow.  Beautifully hand-painted and customized invitations never seemed so easy!

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When its time to invite your guests to find their seats for dinner, splash in a bit of watercolor romance to their experience.  We loved this DIY idea featured on Once Wed and we just had to share…  Definitely steal-worthy!

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This next idea from Green Wedding Shoes involves a little more “labor of love” than the rest, but the end result is definitely something you and your guests will cherish.  With a little acrylic paint, this marbled paper can be used for almost all things wedding from tags to menus to box wraps…  Take a look!

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We thought these lovely, quick and easy printable labels for your Welcome Bags, Favor bags and more would be a perfect complement to your lakeside day.  Betsy White Stationery Boutique gives us the 411 on how to make this irresistible accessory.

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Lastly, but certainly not least, as you create your watercolor masterpieces for your guests, reward yourself with this adorable printable poster to use as your guest book from Martha Stewart Weddings.  Then adorn your newlywed home with this piece of art and never forget those that “Love Always” on your wedding day!

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What’s trending up today in wedding design is actually a trend down…  So out with the old and in with the new!  We just fell in love with the lavish, luxurious cascading flower wedding trend for 2013.  This romantic and intoxicating cascade of beauty can be drizzled throughout your wedding from your ceremony to your reception and beyond!

Ceremony Décor
Some couples desire to stand beside the timeless arch to say their “I Do’s” while others dream of exchanging their vows under a traditional chuppah.  Then there are those that love being surrounded by a waterfall of decadent flowers swinging from the trees.  This cascading flower trend has also beautifully lent itself to include lush greenery or sophisticated swaying linen to accompany the altar area.  Wherever you choose to become “Mr. and Mrs.”, this cascading effect emanates true love with a dash of whimsical romance!

Reception Décor
Why not wine and dine under a gorgeous cluster of your favorite dangling flowers, with or without candlelight, for your first dinner as newlyweds?  Flowers adorning the chandeliers, twinkling string lights, cascading flowers dancing above the dining tables… priceless!

Beyond!
Okay, so maybe you just want to ‘splash’ some cascading flowers somewhere else in your most memorable day, but not wanting to fully commit to the cascading flowered arch or tablescape?  Rest assured, here are some other ways to include the trend in your wedding day!

Escort Card Table
This table décor often sets the mood or tone for the evening for your guests’ dining experience.  Whether a few small trailing cluster of flowers to welcome your guests to dinner or a decadent cascade of blooms, this is such a delightful touch!

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Bouquet
Breathe in this divine classic phaeleonopsis orchid cascading bouquet, such a gorgeous statement piece!

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Dessert/Cake Table
Here is a trendy way to incorporate both the cascading effect and the use of ever-so popular paper flowers!

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Wedding Cake
The dramatic detail of the cascading flowers will have all of your guests wondering if they should dare take a bite!

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Hair Flowers
A smattering cascade of white blooms can be simple yet elegant.

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So what’s trending up in wedding design is actually a trend down.  Cascading, trailing, dangling – anything pulling your eye up or elongating a décor accent.  Things are trending up in 2013!

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We all know the famous Victorian poem “Something old, something new…”

Something old, something new
Something borrowed, something blue
And a silver sixpence in her shoe.

and supposedly, by carrying all of these tokens down the aisle, the bride’s marriage will be happy and bestowed with good luck.  The sixpence represents wealth and financial security and literally is worth about 6 cents.  For optimum fortune be sure to wear it in the left shoe!

“Something old” symbolizes continuity with the bride’s family and the past. “Something new” means optimism and hope for the bride’s new life ahead. “Something borrowed” is usually an item from a happily married friend or family member, whose good fortune in marriage is supposed to carry over to the new bride. The borrowed item also reminds the bride that she can depend on her friends and family.

As for blue, this color has been connected to weddings for centuries. In ancient Rome, brides wore blue to symbolize love, modesty, and fidelity.  In Christianity the Virgin Mary is commonly dressed in blue, so purity was associated with the color.  Before the late 19th century, blue was a popular color for wedding gowns, as evidenced in proverbs like, “Marry in blue, lover be true.”

We love to see how each bride will interpret these tokens for her own wedding day and put her personal stamp on this old superstition.

Here are some of our fave updated examples and modern inspirations from this traditional poem!

Something Old:
Love this – the veil worn by one of our brides was also her mother’s AND worn by both of her sisters before her OR wrap a piece of lace or material from your mom/grandma’s gown around the stems of your bouquet OR wear a family gown altered just for you OR pin an heirloom brooch to your sash/dress on your hip…

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Something New:
Modern twist – the bridal bouquet!  One of our brides had a custom fabric rosette bouquet created that will never wilt, lasting forever.  (Great potential for Something Borrowed or Something Old in the future) OR sport jewelry given as a wedding gift on morning of your wedding from your fiance OR write your personalized vows on a scrolled manuscript tucked in your bouquet OR perhaps select a new fragrance…

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Something Borrowed:
Deep meaning – one of our brides carried her family bible used for generations down the aisle along with her bouquet OR wear a hair accessory from a family member in your hair OR perhaps incorporate a little token from each bridesmaid discreetly into your wedding attire OR borrow anything you need to complete your wedding day look…

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Something Blue:
Another fave – blue stilettos peeping out from your dress OR wear bold Sapphire jewelry Or your bridesmaids write a personal message in blue ink on the bottom of your shoe OR write on the underside of your groom’s tie (or on the inside jacket lining) a love note in blue…

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Today we take time to stop and reflect on the year that has gone by, to remember the wonderful new people that came into our lives and to reminisce about the unforgettable life milestones we shared.

A big thanks to the photographers that don’t hesitate to get dirty lying on the ground or hang one-handed from a ladder or wade into the water up to their waists, risking it all so they can get that perfect intimate look or capture a ravishing glance at just the right angle.  Without them, we wouldn’t be able to share a few of these memorable moments and these moments in time would only exist in a fleeting thought…

Thank you to all – our couples, our fellow colleagues – for these moments are a true collaboration of many.  Congratulations and Happy New Year!

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The June wedding of Jill and Dave at the West Shore Cafe kicked off our past wedding season with a bountiful feast of eye-grabbing details thanks to the scrumptious bright yellow Jill is so fond of.  Her wedding color palette comprised of bright yellow, pewter silver/grey with whites and creams was sophisticated and current.

Jill and Dave didn’t want anything too traditional with their wedding and strove for a modern, unique yet elegant touch to their special day.  Standing together with their closest friends and family seated nearby, all eyes were on them during the ceremony as they opted to not have a wedding party.  Another modern change, in leiu of a classic ‘presentation’ wedding cake, they opted for a passed dessert of lemon blueberry mascarpone cake.

Other current touches included faux paper grey flowers mixed in with the real blooms in Jill’s bouquet.  This brought a color and texture spectrum not normally found in nature to the mix – absolutely stunning.  The faux flowers could be found as well throughout the reception including the dining table centerpieces.

Floral rosettes cascaded down Jill’s gorgeous gown and this fabric was mimicked in the backing of each formal invite.  A fresh bright yellow dot motif was carried throughout from the invites to the reception accessories – all by Angela Dal Bon Custom Invitations and Announcements.

Jill & Dave exchanged vows at the end of a long, dramatic pier.  Modern, bold and slightly edgy arrangements on silver pedestals in clear vases elevated the “floating” flowers to new heights and nodded to the Lake Tahoe water just inches away.  Bright yellow pomeander balls flanked the aisle and together with pewter silver were an exceptional color combination.

White floral orbs graced the ceremony and cocktail hours along with the visually delightful bright yellow.  Yellow callas presented in clear fishbowls added another unique floral design to the list by Bellissima Floral.

The clever yellow dot motif popped up again on the escort cards and table numbers.  The center of the long dining tables overflowed with white pillars, hydrangea, orchids and callas.  More pops of the bright yellow awaited each guest at their place setting.

Guests dined with an incomparable lakeside view under a modern and romantic open air tent, with sheer swagging and twinkle lights draping over their heads.

Hollye of Hollye Schumacher Photography captured every detail of this stunning wedding including the perfect sunset kiss that delighted the guests.

This isn’t the only glimpse of this wedding you will see, there is lots more to come of this gorgeous wedding… stay tuned!
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Skimming through the thousands and thousands of photos we have of our events through the years, it struck me the range of colors that presented itself.  Why not put together a handy dandy little guide to the secret meaning behind each color?  Done, and so much fun selecting the right photo to represent each color from our past Merrily Wed weddings…

I never know what colors my next client may fancy and the opportunity to do something new is one of my favorite aspects of my job.   Even with the same basic color palette, little twists and adjustments to the lead colors make every wedding different.  For example, one year I had two clients with the same color palette and the same wedding day (believe it or not!).

The primary colors were navy and green yet one bride leaned towards kelly green and the other towards a spring chartreuse green.  This is where the similarities stopped and the individual personalities of the wedding couples took over.

In fact, both of these weddings were so detailed, original and beautiful, they both landed spots in national and regional publications – Destination I Do Magazine and The knot Northern California Magazine.

This colorful visual guide below will show you what your favorite color means, what it may say about your personality and how the colors you select for your wedding color palette can influence the overall feel of your wedding day.

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Red:
Red is the most intense color of the color wheel.  Red stimulates energy as well as increases enthusiasm.  Red symbolizes love, passion, courage and rage.  Red also emits a sense of protection from anxiety and fears.  If red is your favorite color you are passionate, maintain a busy lifestyle, desire strength and may be a risk taker.

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Pink:
Pink is fun and exciting, some shades of pink can have almost the same energy as red.  Red is passionate without being an overly aggressive hue.   Pink is the color of happiness. Pink stimulates energy, encourages action and confidence.  If pink is your favorite color you tend to be calm, sensitive and sympathetic.  You are also compassionate towards others and dislike controversy.

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Orange:
Orange, a close relative of red, radiates warmth and energy.  Orange stimulates appetite, socialization, as well as activity.  If your favorite color is orange you are friendly, confident and full of energy.  You balance your life with business and pleasure and enjoy both!

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Yellow:
Yellow shines with optimism, enlightenment and happiness. Yellow is mentally stimulating and encourages communication.  Yellow will increase optimism, energy, as well as spark creative thoughts.  If yellow is your favorite color you are creative, intelligent and happiness comes naturally to you.

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Green:
Green occupies more space in the color wheel than any other color and is the second most popular favorite color. Green is a large contributor to the colors of nature.  The color green is seen as tranquil and refreshing, with a balance of cool and warm hues.  Most shades of green are known to be physically and mentally relaxing.  If green is your favorite color you enjoy the nature that surrounds you and love spending time in the outdoors.  You also enjoy calming your loved ones, as well as helping the less fortunate.

Teal:
Teal has the calming effect of both green and blue.  Teal represents sophistication, generosity and creativity.  Teal encourages communication as well as creativity.  If your favorite color is teal you tend to be sensitive, intellectual, imaginative and charming.  You also tend to be self-reliant and independent.

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Blue:
The color blue is the most common favorite color in the world.  Blue is seen as trustworthy, dependable and committed.  It invokes rest and can cause the body to produce chemicals that are calming.  Not all blues are serene, bright blues can become dramatic and cause exhilaration.  Blue is the least gender specific color, it appeals equally to both genders.  If your favorite color is blue, friends find you to be very trustworthy and patient.  You are also conservative and love to have stability in your life.

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Navy:
Navy symbolizes wisdom, self-mastery and spiritual realization.  Navy, being a shade of blue, increases communication within yourself.  Navy develops intuition, increases solitude and lets you focus on personal issues.  If navy is your favorite color you are spiritual, intuitive and intelligent.  You are also self-reliant and tend to take on responsibility.

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Purple:
Purple balances red’s stimulation and blue’s calming effect.  With a sense of royalty, purple is a color often well liked by very creative personalities.  Purple is uplifting, calms nerves, as well as encourages creativity.  If purple is your favorite color, you desire respect, power and often tend to be sentimental.

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White:
White projects purity, neutrality and cleanliness.  The color white encourages clarity and enables fresh beginnings.  White also encourages clearing clutter and purifying thoughts and actions.  If white is your favorite color, you prefer a peaceful surrounding and like to be surrounded by truth and innocence.

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Grey:
Grey is the color of knowledge, wisdom and intellect.  Grey is also known as the color of compromise because it is a mixture of powerful black and pure white.   Grey can sometimes be unsettling because of this compromise, but can also create expectations.  If grey is your favorite color you constantly look for peace and composure.  You  have good business abilities and tend to work hard, sometimes without reward.

Black:
Black is authoritative, powerful, formal and evokes strong emotions.  The color black can create a sense of potential and possibility.  If black is your favorite color you are classy and others perceive you as a powerful individual.  You are very in tune with your emotions and can be spontaneous.

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Brown:
Brown symbolizes stability, reliability and approachability.  Brown is the color of earth and is affiliated with being natural and organic.  Brown creates a feeling of wholesomeness, stability and orderliness.  If your favorite color is brown you are dependable, patient and reliable.  You also tend to not like impulse, because you are organized and everything is well planned.

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Champagne:
Champagne represents the basics, the essentials.   Champagne incorporates the warmth of brown with the crispness of white.   Champagne creates a feeling that is calm, relaxing  and creates a feeling of simplicity.  If your favorite color is champagne, you are conservative, dependable and friendly.  You also tend to be a perfectionist and like everything to be precise.

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Colors reveal a lot more than just adding some eye candy to an area or object.  Keep in mind that a single description may not fit you perfectly and it may be a combination of colors that describe you best.

You may consider these meanings when selecting the color palette for your wedding to instill the feeling that you desire.  More importantly though, just have fun with it!  Can’t go wrong with your favorites and your wedding will be a true reflection of yourself!

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What if you were planning a Halloween wedding?  So for fun (since I probably will never plan a real wedding on Halloween or face my son disowning me for missing trick-or-treating), I thought What If?

The challenge is to create an elegant event, and dare we say romantic, without it feeling like a kid’s Halloween party… but at the same time not to completely lose the obvious inspiration of the hallowed holiday.

What if… we used coffins for benches to sit on during the ceremony?  What if…. lighted pumpkins lined your aisle?

What if… your flower girl used a pumpkin to toss her petals from?

What if… we used tombstones to direct guests to various vignettes?

What if… we used a smokey cauldron to serve the special drink?

What if… you dyed your crinoline a fall orange?  What if… you dressed your bridesmaids in black and white?

What if… we garnished passed appetizers with mini-tombstones monogrammed with your initials?

and What if… for your grand exit your guests released glowing wish lanterns into the Halloween night sky…

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Top Board, Credits from Top Left to Right – ZoesApartmentBlogspot, BrassPaperClip, BHG, HendCyber; Middle Left to Right – ArsenicWitcheryBlogspot, Etsy Artist Ivanna, Pinterest, WomansDay, Etsy Artist AprilHillerDesigns; Bottom Left to Right – Remodelista, JubileeLauEvents, BridalSnob, Juxtapost

Bottom Board, Credits from Top Left to Right – TheForgeStyleBlogspot, BHG, DevaWeddings, Pinterest; Middle Left to Right – Etsy Artist FlourishingAgain, BHG, WeddingObsession, Squidoo, Etsy Artist DamnFrenchDesserts; Bottom Left to Right – Indulgy, ArsenicWitcheryBlogspot, Pinterest, theKnot

Happy Halloween!

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This spring I introduced you to Michelle Van Otten, a respected San Francisco Bay Area author, international public speaker and consultant with expertise in personal peak performance, business image, first impressions and body language.  This is our final in the series of guest posts in which she gave you valuable hints, tips and clues – helping you to become the most magnetic, radiant, confident version of you possible.

If you happened to miss the last two posts – check them out now on how to radiate your inner beauty and how to speak confidently and give a scintillating toast.

Today Michelle is giving us valuable advice that you can use every day from meeting a new friend, nailing a job interview, a successful first date as well as meeting future in-laws…  How to make a winning first impression.

10 Winning Tips on How to Make a Great and Everlasting First Impression on Your Future Family Members and Friends

Meeting your boyfriend’s family for the first time can certainly be nerve wrecking.  But rest assured, no matter what the occasion or event, let me share that the number one pearl of wisdom to keep in mind is to be your true self.  The most impacting and memorable first impressions are those that reflect the real you and your true personality.  You can breathe a sigh of relief and remember that there is no need to look, be or act perfect!  Just remember that most people are really more focused on themselves and their own negative mind chatter that you might imagine.  So the pressure is off and the opportunity is on.

I’m going to give you 10 of my best impression making tips to help build your rapport building skills and make your best and most memorable first impression.

Tip #1: Tune in and be aware of what your body language is saying about you to others.  Your body language is affected by your emotions, belief systems, habits and mannerisms and how well you take care of your physical body.  The basics of body language you can master now to help you build better rapport and connection are things like eliminating negative facial expressions, stiff or poor posture, leaning away from people, and crossing your arms and legs.  Little habits like these can turn others off and present you as negative and unapproachable.  Even when this is not your intention at all!

Instead, give great face and know your emotions are incredibly influential and powerful.  Negative facial expressions are detected faster and are more impacting than positive ones.  Smiling with your eyes and your heart conveys that you are open, confident, interested in others and easily approachable and likable. Lean in towards others when they are speaking with you.  Keep yourself open and engaging.  Uncross your arms and legs when appropriate.  Maintain eye contact and be sincerely authentic with your communication.  Even just keeping a smile on your face and maintaining eye contact as much as possible will set you up for success.

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Tip #2:  Convey true confidence that emanates from the inside out.  Confidence is something a lot of people feel they don’t posses.  So I’m going to give you the top ways to build true magnetic confidence from that has you glowing from the inside out.  Let’s begin.
*The single best way to build your confidence muscle and get a mental boost is by working on your physical body and making fitness a daily routine.  Remember that whether you like it or not, your level of self care sends the most distinct cues about how you treat yourself and this can set the tone for how others will also value you and treat you.
*Improve your self-worth by investing in your style and build a killer first impression wardrobe you look and feel great in
*Work on your posture and fix any slumping or bad habits
*Develop your strength with an attitude of gratitude and focus on noticing everything positive while working on eliminating the tendency to focus on negative things or what isn’t working in your life
*Face your fears and do it anyway.  Remember that Fear is simply False Evidence Appearing Real!

Tip #3:  Remember that people love to hear their name and hearing it makes them feel welcome, included and significant.  There is a deep subconscious effect that happens when we hear our own name used in conversation.  It creates familiarity and a feeling of ease.  It gets our attention and increases our desire to listen in more closely to what follows.  Using someone’s name in conversation is a fantastic way to instantly increase rapport and connection with others.  This little communication secret will serve you immensely in building solid connections with others.

Tip #4:  Become the master of your emotional states.  Whether we realize it or not, emotions dominate the bulk of our non-verbal communication with anyone. Emotions create distinct cues that are conveyed in our facial expressions and body language that send very subtle yet clear messages. Emotions create energy; positive or negative.  Your ability to master your emotions and discover how powerful your emotions are at influencing others happens through the energy you create or take away via your own emotional states.  If you want to be more influential in your speaking or connecting with others, learn how to put yourself into positive emotional states instantly.  This sets the mood you want others to see and feel.

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Tip #5:  Be proactive in starting conversations fearlessly.  It’s all about having fun! Remember that a lot of people are nervous or feeling self conscious.  So take the lead!  Set the tone!  Be in the moment, be curious and engaging.  You win by focusing on others needs and making them feel comfortable first.  One way to do this is to become an expert listener, engaged and focused on what others are saying, so you truly hear them and they know you are listening.

Tip #6:  Your style, appearance and level of apparent self-care are dominant factors in making a million dollar first impression!  These things speak volumes to others about your level of self-standards, the way you care about and value yourself.  Others will treat you with the same exact level of care and respect you treat yourself with!  Take the time to care for your body, health, grooming, appearance and style.  Remember to match your style of dress appropriately to the environment to send the right message and intention.

Tip #7:  Become a Master in the Art of Conversation by learning the flow of what works best in getting the social connection going.  Just simply being proactive in starting lively conversations makes the other person feel safe, warm and open.  The better you are at making someone else feel good and the more you show that you’re focused on their needs makes everyone feel great and you become a highly skilled master.

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Tip #8:  Give up feeling like you have to be perfect and just focus on being the real you! Perfection is the lowest human standard there is.  It’s true mental self-torture.  The more we are able to let this go the more relaxed we become and able to let go of the silly trivial things we focus so much attention to. The truth is that when we obsess and focus on being perfect, we think everyone else around us is focusing on the same things! Wrong! Most people are not tuned in to our little obsessions. We can get to a state of being where we can give up perfection and settle for excellence instead.

Tip #9:  The brain loves sameness and when we find out that we have things in common with others it instantly builds a common bond and makes people much more attracted to us. Well known American author and psychotherapist Virginia Satir said, “The strongest human instinct is not survival.  It’s staying in the familiar and keeping things the same.” As humans, we will gravitate towards the familiar at any and all costs!  We are hard wired to seek out all that feels familiar to us.  When people find out that you share the same beliefs, opinions, attitudes, interests, social groups, likes, dislikes it can instantly help someone feel a higher degree of comfort and build rapport in seconds.

Tip #10:  Keep a tickler file in your brain of current events, newsworthy topics of conversation and things you find funny about everyday life so you always have something engaging to say.  If you’ve ever felt awkward in a social situation where you don’t know a single soul and everyone there seems to appear to know everyone else, you’re not alone.  Now that I’ve shared some key ways to start conversations and make a great first impression, I want you to be armed and ready with immediate topics of interest you can talk with anyone about.

Follow these steps and Michelle Van Otten will help you become the most magnetic, radiant, confident version of you possible! Success in any endeavor is always an inside job first and an outside job second. You’ve got to have the inner game in order to reflect a stellar outer game. She can show you how easy it is to achieve your ultimate self!

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