A little update...

I recently realized that I never really took a "real" maternity leave. I unexpectedly landed in the hospital right before the twins were born (19 weeks ago) and stayed there for a week until they were born. I spent my time recovering from the c-section working on the blog, however, not as much as I was prior to the twins being born. Well, a leave of absence is much needed. It's not as easy as I thought it would be being a wife, new mom to twins, taking care of the house, and running this blog. I'm not sure how long I will be "gone" for but it will be at least a month. When I come back, I'm going to take it really easy and will probably only post 2-3 times a week (as opposed to 5-6). 

I will not be answering any emails unless they are SUPER important. I will not be reviewing any submissions. I will, however, be sharing features from the archives on the Facebook page and staying on top of Pinterest.

I will be finishing up the rest of the submissions I have and hope to have everything featured by the end of the month. Lastly, I will be announcing the next LM styled shoot challenge within the next couple of weeks. 

So stay tuned for all the inspiration I'll be posting on our Facebook page!

Photo credit: Codrean Photography & Film

A Day in the Life of a Professional Wedding Blogger

I'm sitting here, trying to figure out how and what to share about what goes on in my day as a professional wedding blogger because you see, just a couple months ago, I went on maternity leave from my full-time day job and just as of 9 weeks ago, became a mommy to twin boys (who look nothing alike, by the way). So, I'll just share what I've been doing while I was working a FT day job and how I'm handling blogging now as a mom

I launched LM in October 2011 while I was working a full-time job for my dad's company. I woke up every morning sometime between 5:45am and 6:15am. It took me no more than 10 minutes to get ready and I'd get to work in like, 12.5 minutes. My shift started at 7am and ended at 3:30pm but sometimes my dad just wanted to hang out and stuff, so when that would happen, I wouldn't get home until 5/6pm. Once I got home, I would work on the blog while getting dinner ready for the hubby and myself and/or cleaning the house. I would work into the late hours of the night, sometimes only getting 4-5 hours of sleep. It didn't bother me at all because I enjoyed what I did and still do and I can sit in front of the computer for days and not be bothered by it.

Then in the summer of last year, I got pregnant. With twins. Whoa whoa whoa. My life completely changed. I was nauseous from week 7 until week 20. Then I got big fast and just had no energy for anything. I couldn't sit in front of the computer for long periods of time like I used to be able to do. I was tired all the time. All this while this working a full-time job and managing LM all by myself. I continued to work full-time until mid-December (one of the great things about working for my dad was that when I couldn't work full-time anymore, I just told him and he let me go home whenever I wanted to). I worked a flexible part-time schedule from mid-December to mid-January, at which point I went on maternity leave.

Fast forward to mid-February when I ended up in the hospital for a week and it resulted in delivering the twins two weeks early (they were originally scheduled for delivery at 38 weeks but instead, they came at 36 weeks due to an unexpected issue).

So here I am.. a brand new mommy to twin boys. I run and manage Le Magnifique all on my own. I love that I get to be at home and not working at a day job. Le Magnifique is truly a labor of love as I don't make much money from it right now. Actually, I make very little money from it - it's quite sad, haha. But I love blogging, I love the photographers I get to "meet" through my blog, and I love helping get photographers' work out there. I love hearing how photographers have received inquiries and bookings from being featured on LM. I love it. It makes me so proud of everything I have put into this blog.

As of right now, I don't really have a schedule now with two infants who constantly need attention. I tried putting down a schedule but it's tough. It seems like once I sit down to work, one twin will wake up. Once I get him down to sleep, the other will wake up. Fortunately, I have tons of help from family members - otherwise I would not be able to blog or get rest! :) Emails are answered whenever I can get to them, submissions are worked on during whatever free time I get or late at night. For now, things are done whenever. I love doing what I do. It's not glamourous - I don't have a gorgeous office and am usually workout clothes or my PE shorts from middle school. I'm lucky if I get to brush my teeth at all - sometimes I simply just forget and don't remember until I get ready for bed. I'm usually covered in spit and vomit. My hair usually stays in a bun for a couple of days. But it's fun. It's a new experience and I wouldn't change it for anything.

Here are some photos from what happens during my day with the twins:

Follow Le Magnifique on Instagram: @lemagnifiqueblog

Happy 2013!!

Happy New Year, friends! I wasn't planning on writing a post today but this pregnancy has me laying down with my back on a heating pad (and boy does it feel good!). I wanted to use this post to reflect back on 2012 and my hopes for 2013. While I am normally big on writing down my goals, I did not do that this year. The reason being that time simply flew by so quickly that I never set aside time to do that and with the twins on the way, that's really the only thing I've been thinking about (just a couple more months and they'll be here). And another reason is that all the goals I had lined up in my head, have to be put on a temporary hold until I figure out this thing called "motherhood". In 2012 I told myself that in 2013 I want to put together 2-3 inspirational wedding shoots - I'll be lucky if I can do one this year. In 2012 I told myself that in 2013 I want to *possibly* put together a workshop/styled shoot for wedding photographers - that will most likely happen in 2014/2015. I guess the great thing is that I'll have more time to plan these "events" to perfection.

LM's first styled shoot

2012 was a great year for LM. We celebrated our one-year blogiversary back in October! Our traffic increased dramatically since our launch in 2010. We've had increases in other areas such as our Facebook fans and Pinterest followers. I put together LM's first styled shoot, which went great but was a learning experience. I think the most important thing that happened were the relationships I've formed with so many wedding photographers from all over the world. I launched a group on FB for wedding photographers to connect and share their knowledge with one another. One thing I am looking forward to the most in 2013 is continuing to grow these relationships.

I want 2013 to be all about personal growth and relationships. I feel that the only way this blog can get better is if I continue to grow and get better at what I do. With twin babies on the way, I'm not sure that I'll be blogging full-time.. at least not until I get a schedule underway and learn how to be a first-time mommy to two boys :) But I'll do my best to continue sharing inspiration from all over the world.

I'm looking forward to a great 2013!

Why my heart is so full...

Since Le Magnifique was launched back in October 2011, I've had my share of ups and downs. There were times when I really enjoyed what I was doing and there were times when I just broke down and wanted to quit. I felt so alone in this world of wedding blogging. I didn't know anyone. I wasn't making money off this blog and it wasn't my intention to. I didn't even start to charge for advertising space until LM's first "birthday". So money wasn't driving this blog - it wasn't driving me. I started blogging because I saw a void, or what I felt was a void in the blogging industry. I wanted to create a blog that shared more than just pretty weddings. I wanted to share amazing photographs, beautiful love, wonderful and in-love couples. Anyone who knows me can tell you that while I may love complex and over the top things, I prefer simplicity. My wedding was simple. My engagement party was simple. My baby shower was simple. Too much decor freaks me out and will give me an anxiety attack (just kidding... maybe). So while I may really love a wedding that is filled to the brim with details, ultimately, a simple and pretty wedding with gorgeous photographs of the couple will do enough to make my heart happy.

This blog would not be around without all the amazing photographers who have submitted to me. It wouldn't. And because of all these photographers, I decided that I wanted to do a little something special for them - I decided to put together a list of 15 wedding photographers who I feel go above and beyond, who are active in their businesses, who push to be the best of the best, whom I have formed friendships with, whom have been sweet and kind (and so many other things). It was definitely hard to narrow down the list because I wanted everyone on there. But there had to be some exclusivity.

So after weeks and weeks of preparation and hard work, Le Magnifique's Top 15 Wedding Photographers to watch out for in 2013 was born. I revealed the list last night and have been in such amazement seeing all the love these photographers were being given by their friends, families, and fans.  I'm not sure I could have picked a better group of photographers for 2013. I'm truly so excited to watch and follow these photographers over the next year. Cannot wait to see what's in store for them!

Some of the photographers have already posted about this list on their blogs! Be sure to check them out :)

Michelle Boyd Photography

Ashley Therese Photography

Valentina Glidden Photography

Catarina Zimbarra Photography
Closer to Love Photography & Design
Laura Nelson Photography
Ashleigh Jayne Photography
Kristen Booth Photography
Daniel Cruz Photography
Ashley Goodwin Photography

Other things that have recently made my heart really full:

// My maternity shoot with Valentina Glidden. We've become such great friends over the past year and am so thankful for her friendship AND these beautiful photos she took of me and my babies bump :) See the whole shoot HERE.

// Hearing that several photographers have received bookings because they were seen on LM! Wow!!!

//The two little boys growing inside of me:

12.07.12 // 25 weeks

3 years.

Today, my husband and I celebrate 3 years of marriage. It's crazy how fast time has flown. We started dating in January 2006. He proposed to me in December 2008. We married in November 2009. He is the most amazing husband and is going to be the best father to our twin boys. Now, off to go celebrate! :)

We're having...

As some of you may already know, I am pregnant with twins! After what seemed like forever, my husband and I finally found out what we're having :) Can you guess by the picture below? :) hehe. We're having two boys! So very blessed and we cannot wait to meet them!

A personal update from the editor

I've been absent from blogging this past week or so and I apologize! In case you missed it, my husband and I are expecting twins early next year. I'm finishing up my 3rd month this week and let's just say it's been crazy. I started feeling nauseous at around 7 weeks and it hasn't let down since. It has been getting better though.. but those days are shadowed by the "sick" days. I'm in by 8pm (I used to stay up easily past midnight on work nights). I'm sleepy all the time (even with all the sleep I get). At times I cry because either I'm sick and tired of feeling nauseous or I'm scared or I'm excited. My emotions are all out of whack. But nevertheless, I'm so very excited to meet my two little blessings.

So the reason I've been absent is because I honestly haven't had the energy to stay on the computer long enough to complete a blog post. I still work a full-time job, however, lately it hasn't been so "full-time" because of missed days or leaving early (thank God, I work for my dad and he is understanding).  But I still spend the majority of my weekdays at work and by the time I get home, I'm just pooped. I recently brought on board a sweet gal who is going to help me with the blogging (more on her later). So I'm hoping that I'll be able to get all those lovely features out on the blog soon with her help.

In other news..

- In less than one month, Le Magnifique will be celebrating ONE YEAR! I'm so very excited for that :) I'm still thinking of ways to celebrate :)

- Last night, I announced our ad space/blog sponsor sale! The prices are only good until December 1st, so if you're in the wedding industry and want to sponsor Le Magnifique, check out our brand new advertising page. We've made purchasing ads so easy. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to shoot me an email: ads@lemagnifiqueblog.com.


Love you all! Thanks for visiting LM!

xo.
Damaris Mia

The BIG announcement is...

My husband and I are expecting TWINS! We are overjoyed and just so blessed. I was originally going to announce this in a newsletter but the excitement was too much to handle and after hearing the heartbeats and seeing the little ones jump around on the ultrasound, I had to announce it here on the blog. So yeah.. I've been keeping this a secret for the past two months and am so excited to finally be able to let it out!

xoxo,
Damaris


P.S. If you've emailed me in or have submitted to us, we'll be getting back to you soon! Thank you for your patience :) 

A little piece of my heart

Instead of featuring a wedding or a shoot today, I've decided to share a little piece of my heart instead. Originally I was going to post this on my personal/photography blog, but decided to share it in here because it's about this blog.

As some of you may know, this blog was launched on October 1, 2011. It took me about 3 weeks to come up with the idea and create a blog (and all the other stuff that came up with it). When I get an idea that I'm super excited about, you better believe that I don't waste any time. Le Magnifique has been up for 6 1/2 months already and has grown incredibly fast. We're averaging about 26,000 views per month (the earlier months were low, more recent months were higher). We're about to pass 180,000 total views since it's launch. On top of that, we're nearly at 1,600 Facebook fans (yay!). Oh! And Le Magnifique has been viewed in 138 countries!!! We've featured almost 100 weddings/shoots (amazing)! I don't usually post more then one shoot/wedding per day because I want my featured photographer to be at the top of the page for a full day. In addition to all this, I want to share a few things that I feel I do differently than some people:

• I watermark all the images that I feature on my blog with the photographer's website.
• I link all images to go to the photographer's blog or website.
• I put the photographer's name in the title of the post.

I do all this because I want to give my featured photographers as much exposure as I possibly can. I care about the photographers that I feature.. I really do. So if you ever decide to submit your work to Le Magnifique, know that you are in good hands. 

I didn't post those stats or "things I do" to brag or make me seem better. I posted them because it's something I am proud of. Since the launch of the blog, I have not made a single dime off this site and that's because I wanted it to be that way. For the past 6 1/2 months, it's been a labor of love and it has made me love doing what I do so much more. As per request of tons of photographers, I am going to start selling ad space this summer (so if you're interested, stay tuned!).

With all that said, I just want to share a little piece of my heart and shed some light on who I am and what I do besides blogging here. I am happily married to the most amazing, hard-working man I know. We've been married for over 2 years now (3 years this November). We don't have any kids yet but we do have 2 dogs; a Biton (Bichon Frise/Coton de Tulear) named Nala, 6 1/2 years old, and a Siberian Husky named Max, 4 months old. I work a full-time job, Monday through Friday. My Saturday's are usually spent cleaning up the house, doing laundry, hanging out with my siblings, working on the blog, or doing a shoot of some sort. Sundays are spent with my husband, church, Disneyland, going somewhere, or working on the blog. This blog is practically a full-time job because I work on it for hours when I get home from work. There are times when I don't answer emails right away or a feature gets delayed. Thankfully, everyone has been patient and understanding. I don't think most people know that I do have a full-time job outside of this blog. I'm the only writer here but sometimes will say "we".. but that's only because it sounds better than "me" or "I". If I'm being honest with you, there have been times when I just wanted to drop it all because it got so stressful. But I have an amazing support group who encouraged me to continue moving forward. I really enjoy what I do. It's fun. I get to "meet" new photographers and develop a friendship with them. It's amazing. 

So if you're reading this post today, thank you. Thank you for stopping by and checking out my posts. Thank you for leaving comments not only for me, but for the people who have been featured on my blog. Thank you for telling your friends about my blog. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I am so grateful for every single person who stops by my blog. I really am. Thank you. 

And because pictures make posts so much better, Here is a photo I took with my phone of a photo on my camera. This photo was taken yesterday at the San Diego Zoo. That's little me at the bottom and my husband at the top. Happy Monday!

I'm a Dreamer.

Today marks 4 months since I launched Le Magnifique and I cannot believe how far this blog has come. It's been an incredible journey so far and I'm so excited for what the future holds. I'm sharing this post today because I want to share something I read the other day. It's totally unrelated to weddings or blogging but I just felt like it was something I should share. I have a Bible app on my phone by YouVersion, which I just absolutely love. I started doing one of the devotionals they have on there (it's a year long devotional by Joyce Meyer) and came across this awesome devotional:

What is the dream that God's placed in your heart? I'm not asking if you have one, I already know it's there because God gives all of us dreams. I've seen people do all kinds of things to their dreams. Some people bury them so deep in their hearts in order to protect them from the criticism of others. Some people set them out of sight so they don't have to think about them anymore. And some people finally just give up on their dreams because it hurts too much to hold on. If your dream needs a jump-start, there are two things I want you to remember. First, you need to get a vision that's clear. And second, you must keep your vision in front of you at all times. But having a vision doesn't mean that it will instantly appear. God's as interested in the process of vision as He is in the end result. 

The apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:11-13 that he had learned how to be content and satisfied to the point where he was not disturbed by whatever state he was in. In other words, he never allowed himself to get upset with where he was at the moment, he was always looking forward to where he could be. That means you, like Paul, need to find a balance between contentment and ambition. Here's the key: Learn to enjoy where you are on the way to where you're going. When you have a dream or a vision, you have to keep it in front of you. If it helps, write it down. And remember, God will help you live the dream He's given you, step-by-step, one day at a time. 

Prayer Starter: Jesus, even though I don't always feel like it and life tries to get me to quit, I believe You have a great plan for my life. I choose to trust You to help me live the dream You've given me more than I trust my circumstances.

This devotional hit home with me because I'm a dreamer. I live to dream and I dream to live. Le Magnifique was once a little dream and for many months, it was tucked away in the back of my mind because I didn't think I could or should do it. But I did it. I took a leap of faith and I jumped in, not knowing what to expect. There have been days that have been so darn overwhelming. Days when I felt like quitting blogging would be better. Days when I didn't think people would submit to LM or follow LM. But I've learned to not worry about that and to just press forward with ambition because all that stuff will fall into place when I least expect it. So, the reason I am sharing this devotional with you is because you are a dreamer just like me and maybe you're too scared to start living your dream or maybe you're already living your dream (go you!).. don't be scared. Don't let fear stand in the way of doing what you love. You have the potential to be what you want to be and do what you want to do. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

What is your dream?

Lovely updates

I apologize for being absent from the blogosphere last Thursday and Friday. I had a couple posts lined up but being that it was Thanksgiving (and the day after Thanksgiving), I decided to pass on the posts and give you guys a little break before I go post-crazy with all the lovely Real Wedding features we have lined up. November is quickly coming to an end and December is right around the corner and that means Christmas is not to far behind (which, by the way, one of my favorite holidays). This past weekend has been so beautiful here in Orange County, CA. Get this: it's almost December and I was walking around in shorts, tank top, and flip flops. Can I brag and say that it was 86 degrees and a clear sky today? Yup.. pretty darn amazing. So in honor of this beautiful weather this weekend, my sister and I went out to this beautiful location to do a photo shoot (in case you may not know, in addition to this blog and my full-time job, I also do photography). Here is a little sneak peek of what came out of that shoot (more coming to my personal blog later this week):

This shoot has become one of my favorite shoots so far and I'm not saying that just because the model is my sister. Everything about this shoot was just amazing - it was so great that it sparked an idea that I plan on working on for Le Magnifique! So stay tuned for exciting things coming next year :)

The team here at Le Magnifique has 3 lovely weddings to share with you this week. Two of which are very detail-filled! We're so excited to share them with you :)

In other news, in just a couple of days, Le Magnifique blog will have been up for two months! It's been great so far and we're so thankful for your support and encouragement. In order for us to know what you love or don't love, what you'd like to see more of or less of, we created a survey and would really appreciate it if you could help us out by taking a few moments to complete this survey (you can also click on the image below).

Just in case you aren't already, we'd love to have you follow us on Facebook and Twitter! Also, if you would like to receive email updates every time we post, enter your email address below (it will not be shared, I promise). 

Enter your email address:

Lastly, here are some of our favorite posts/sites from around the blogosphere:

+ a sweet lingerie shoot by Elizabeth Messina
+ a Christ-centered wedding inspiration blog that I recently came across (love it!)
+ a garden-inspired wedding on Style Unveiled

New blog in town

It's scary.. being the new blog in town- not knowing anyone or anyone wanting to know you. It's kind like high school during lunch, and all the cool kids are sitting at a table and you're walking around looking lost, trying to find a place to sit because you're not "welcomed" at the cool kids table. Which is fine, you think... you'll just find a more accepting group to hang out with. That's kind of how I feel right now... in this sea of wedding bloggers. I respect and adore every one of them because of what they do (at least the ones whose blogs I check several times a week anyway). But out of all the bloggers I've reached out to, only a couple replied back to me. It was tough for me because when I was looking for help, advice, and guidance, I wasn't really getting it. I created this blog all on my own with what little knowledge I had about this kind of stuff. Don't get me wrong.. I'm not complaining.. it just reminds of when was starting out in photography over 2 years ago - scary and unfamiliar. But it's all a part of life and I'm enjoying it very much so. Why? Because of the amazing support I have around me, the friends I've made because of this blog, and the photographers I've gotten to know because of weddings or shoots they've submitted to me. I'm in a much better place because of all those people and a have a heart full of happiness because of them.

I have so many great things in store for this blog; things I want to do and put together! First, we're thinking of hosting a workshop for wedding photographers! We don't have any details yet, but we hope to create a super fabulous (and fun) workshop! What I had in mind was to host a workshop that would be geared towards teaching photographers how to creatively shoot and capture important details of the wedding (you know, the invites your couple spent so much money on or how about the bouquet and table settings?) - the photos that wedding bloggers like myself are looking for. I have so many more ideas that I will keep secret for now, but if you're interested, I'd love to know!

Second, starting December 1st, Le Magnifique will be accepting sponsors for the blog. We're currently working on a media kit to send out to all our inquirer-ers (yeah, I know that's not a word). If you're interested, please send us an email at damaris [at] lemagnifiqueblog [dot] com.

Lastly, I just want to point out a few things. Ever since the launch of this blog, we've always stamped the photographer's website or blog on each of the photos we submit. We're the only blog in the industry that does this (or at least the only one I know of - hehe). We do this because images get saved on desktops or pinned to Pinterest and sometimes there is no credit back to the photographer. We're thankful for all the submissions we get sent our way and want to ensure that our photographers are treated with respect in regards to their work. Also, another thing you may have noticed is that we only blog once a day. I personally think that it's only fair to the photographer that their feature remains on the front page for that entire day and in addition to that, we're focused on promoting one photographer at a time. So basically, this blog was created with the photographer's best interest in mind (it probably has to do with the fact that I was in their shoes at one point in my life). Features are taking a little bit longer to go up because of this, but we would rather not have a photographer's feature get buried by other posts the same day it goes up.

And I will end with this quote:

Hello Andrea

Have a fabulous weekend! See you all next week :)

P.S. We will be announcing an awesome giveaway for vendors. So keep an eye out for that (it may go up tomorrow or Sunday).

2 years.

I wanted to reserve today's post for a personal one. It's a special day in my life because 2 years ago today, I married my best friend. Ovi and started dating in January 2006, got engaged in December of 2008, and then married the following year in November 2009. It's now November 2011, and we're celebrating our second wedding anniversary! I know only it's only two years but it's still so very exciting for me. The whole idea of sharing my life and myself with such an incredible man, for the rest of my life, is just amazing. God has truly blessed me with someone who loves me unconditionally, someone who could put up with me (because Lord knows how difficult I can be), and someone as hardworking and inspiring as my husband.

In the two years I've been married, I've learned a ton of things. I've learned that you will have hard times, low times, and sad times in addition to happy times. Things won't always go your way. He will forget to take out the trash and leave their dirty clothes on the bathroom floor. He will get water and toothpaste on the bathroom mirror and forget to wipe it down or put an empty cereal box back in the pantry. He won't always arrange the couch pillows the right way, with the zipper on the bottom. He'll want to hang out with his friends from time to time. You two might bicker about the most mundane things in the universe. But the most important thing I learned is letting go of the pride and forgiving and loving one another like Christ loved his church. You don't go running away when things get hard. You don't stay mad at one another because someone left the fridge door open. You learn to forgive and love. You learn to communicate. It's not easy at first but it does get better. I'm just so fortunate and blessed to have someone who loves me so much and won't give up on us. So, happy 2 years to us and to many, many more :)

Marriage is a promise. Not just between the couple but to 
the community at large, to generations past and to those yet to be born. 

- Anonymous

My brother, on leave for my wedding, came all the way from Egypt. I love this photo (even though the second photographer is in the background - hehe).

My love and I

The question is asked, "Is there anything more

beautiful in life than a young couple clasping handsand pure hearts in the path of marriage? Can there beanything more beautiful than young love?"And the answer is given. "Yes, there is a morebeautiful thing. It is the spectacle of an old man and anold woman finishing their journey together on that path.Their hands are gnarled, but still clasped; their faces areseamed, but still radiant; their hearts are physicallybowed and tired, but still strong with love and devotion forone another. Yes, there is a more beautiful thing thanyoung love. Old love."

- Anonymous

Photographer: Tibi Fodor

Ceremony Venue: Bethel Romanian Pentecostal Church (our church)

Reception Venue: Sheraton Park Hotel at Anaheim Resort

Forals: my aunt

Limo: Classic Limos

Bridal gown + veil & Bridemaids dresses: Alfred Angelo

Bolero: Alfred Angelo (sleeves were taken off)

Groom's tux and groomsmen's suits: Friar Tux