Sabrina Garrett

There is something to be said for facing your fears.

Now, I am not advocating skydiving if you are scared of heights or visiting a beekeeper if you are deathly allergic to bee stings – but every once in a while a healthy dose of bravery can do the mind and body good.

I experienced this last year when I wrote about Safari Greg visiting the Lebanon-Wilson Public Library. Safari Greg brought all kinds of exotic critters to the library to show the children, who were there as part of the library’s summer reading program. Safari Greg saved the largest of his pets for last – a Boa Constrictor.

I have been scared of snakes since birth and I believe that is instilled in my DNA. Our family dog, Copper, killed a snake once and left it on the front porch as a “present” for my mother – and it wasn’t pretty.

She was screaming. I was screaming. The dog was screaming. It just wasn’t good. In fact, I think the only thing we hate worse than snakes – are mice, which is a blog for another day.

Well after seeing about 15 children hold the Boa, I decided it was time to face my fear.

I have always believed that when people fear something it is because: A) They have had an unfortunate experience with it before, or B) they need more information about it.

I decided that my fear was based on Option B. Safari Greg answered all of my questions, including: Is it going to bite me? What will you do if it tries to suffocate me?

Safari Greg reassured me that the Boa Constrictor was very friendly and familiar with having strangers hold her. He said that if she got aggravated or displayed any unusual behavior – he would notice it and unwrap her from my arms (Boas do not have poisonous venom to attack their prey – instead they coil their muscular bodies around their subjects to suffocate them).

So. I. Held. The. Snake.

And you know what? It was fun. I felt so proud of myself for getting over my fear!

I held her for about a minute and then passed her on to a fearless 8-year-old, who thought she was just about the coolest thing ever.

I read on the Lebanon-Wilson Public Library webpage today that Safari Greg will be returning for another show on June 18. However, I do not plan to hold any snakes this time.

For Sabrina Garrett - the only place snakeskin belongs is on shoes and purses!

Walking through Kroger today I noticed an Almay makeup display. The sign featured Hollywood’s beloved Mother/Daughter duo Goldie Hawn and Kate Hudson, who is the company’s current spokesperson. The advertisement reminded ladies to remember their own moms this Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 12).

“All the best makeup secrets come from my mom,” Kate was quoted.

If my mom and I had a makeup campaign, my quote would be: “All the best advice comes from my mom.”

I do not know how she does it, but mom has the answers to just about everything. I could be at the point of hysteria and in about 30 seconds my mom can calm me down and make me see the light.

She says that this wisdom is partly due to the fact that she isn’t 24 anymore, like I am, and has gained experience “just by living.”

Once when I was in Kindergarten I swear my mom read my mind. It was one of those bad, stormy, tornado-warning days in Middle Tennessee and my class at Tulip Grove Elementary in Hermitage had been practicing our “tornado drill.”

For a little kid, the tornado drill is almost as scary as the real tornado. We didn’t know what was going on other than the fact that the lights were off, the thunder was roaring and we kept receiving these emergency instructions. I remember being at my desk and just wishing as hard as I could that my mother was there.

Lo and behold, not 20 minutes later there was a knock on our classroom door – and it was my sweet mama. This was quite a few years ago when school security was not as tight and parents could stop by for a visit in the middle of the day.

She didn’t stay long, just wanted to make sure that I was okay since she knew how scared I was of storms.

She has always been there for me – cheering me on in school plays, in the bleachers at every football and basketball game I cheered at in middle school and high school, teaching me how to accessorize and match my shoes with my purse, sacrificing things for herself so that I could have the perfect prom dress, homecoming dress, Abercrombie jeans, a limo ride on my seventh "princess themed" birthday or a brand new Mustang when I graduated from high school.

And yes, she also taught me about makeup. How to contour my cheeks, which eyeliner will last through a night of dancing, and the mantra that Miranda Lambert has now made famous: “Go and fix your makeup, girl. It’s just a breakup!”

“Because,” mom says, “When you look good you feel better. You never let them see you sweat.”

I hope that one day in the future I will get married to a wonderful man and have a baby girl of my own to share all these life lessons with. Of course at that point my mom will probably have to move in with us because I won’t have a clue what I am doing – and like I said, she has the answers. (Ha Ha)

This blog is dedicated to my mother, #1 fan, stylist, therapist and best friend, Pamela Garrett – and all the other incredible mothers out there who have gone above and beyond for their babies. Mothers are truly angels on earth!

If you are like me you have about five articles of clothing that you wear on a regular basis – and about 50 that don’t fit, are collecting dust or have their tags still on them.

I realized just how much stuff was piling up this week when I bought a black fringe bikini at Target. I came home and tried on my newest purchase. “I am so happy to have a new bikini for summer,” I thought…until I realized that I already had three black bikinis that were still wearable. Needless to say the fringe one went back to the store.

A lot of times we don’t organize our things the way we should because of time constraints and just the general stress of it all. Organizing your closet – unless you are a professional or just extremely detail oriented – is annoying.

I started working on my closet last night and after about three hours I believe it is about as clean as it is going to get. Here are some of the problems I ran into and how I approached them.

Hope it helps with your closet!

1. Get rid of old clothes: Almost everyone has a dress or two that they do not wear anymore. Sure a few may be tattered or extremely out of style – but for the most part they are good clothes that do not fit or you simply do not wear anymore. I bagged up several and gave them to a friend’s church clothing drive to help those less fortunate, but there are other options to get rid of excessive amounts of clothing:

• Give them to a friend who it might fit. It may be an item that you have worn 200 times, but it will be new to them.
• Give it to Goodwill or a church, as I mentioned above. Goodwill in Lebanon has a drop container. Just make sure they are currently open and accepting items before you go.
• Have a yard sale or sell nicer items online.
• Figure out new uses for old clothing (ex: Could you use it in the future for a Halloween costume? Cut up old t-shirts for cleaning rags or cut off outdated denim pants into distressed spring shorts.)

2. Get plastic containers: Shoe boxes take up entirely too much space, in my opinion, so I invested in clear plastic containers that can easily slide under my bed or be stacked in the closet. Plus – if you are a shoe addict like me, you can get colored boxes for different shoe seasons to keep suede boots separate from espadrilles.

3. Develop a system: I moved all of my winter clothes to the back of my closet and all of the spring/summer ones to the front for this season. I also separated blouses and dresses – and hung all of my new items in the front. That way I will remember to wear them and they won’t get lost if my closet gets messy again!

Horse and hat enthusiasts, rejoice!

The Kentucky Derby kicks off this weekend – which means celebrities and other notables will be breaking out the mint juleps and heading to Churchill Downs in their most colorful spring attire.

For those of you who prefer to remain closer to home – the Iroquois Steeplechase will take place the following weekend, Saturday, May 11 at Percy Warner Park in Nashville. I have been searching all over local stores and the internet for outfit inspiration. Here are three of the best looks I have found!

Which ones do you like?

“Fat” is such an ugly word. I hate it.

Anytime I hear someone call another person “fat” – I cringe over how cruel it sounds.

Sure, some people are really thin. Some people are overweight. And some people are in between.

But you know what? It takes all shapes and sizes to keep this world moving – and shame on you for berating another person!

This topic has been on my mind ever since it was announced that reality star Kim Kardashian is pregnant. Every time I am in the grocery store, all the tabloids say – “Kim Kardashian gains 200 pounds!” – or something to that effect and I think it is beyond mean.

She is a shorter, curvier girl to begin with – of course she is going to gain some weight when she is pregnant! In one article I saw, they interviewed a doctor who said that pregnant women should only gain 25 to 35 pounds and that Kardashian appears to have gained much more.

She must be on the same diet that my mother was on. I was born weighing only 5 pounds and 11 ounces – but my mom will tell you that she gained about 60 pounds when she was pregnant with me and once got stuck in a sports car. But you know what? I came into this world happy and healthy and she managed to lose the weight in six months.

Pregnant women are experiencing a miracle and growing another person inside of them – and should never be called “fat.”

Instead of criticizing each other and putting unrealistic expectations on young women in real life and in Hollywood – let’s compliment one another! My challenge to blog readers is a piece of advice I learned from Mom. She said “not everyone can look like a model, but all people have something unique and beautiful about them. It may be inside or it may be on the outside – but when you see it, compliment them on it.”

What comes around goes around.

I was very honored today to be able to attend Wilson County Habitat for Humanity's Houses of Hope Luncheon as both a reporter for The Wilson Post and a guest of my friend Romel McMurry.

Romel was gracious enough to let me sit at his table with guest speaker, Voice of the Tennessee Titan Mike Keith. Mike is just a super nice guy! He told the audience all about his experiences volunteering on a Habitat Build in 1998 - and said he has continued to do what he can for the organization since - whether it be picking up a hammer or just lending his celebrity to the cause, as he did today.

I had met Mr. Keith about a year ago when the Titans Caravan visited Carroll Oakland School in Lebanon - so today I walked up to him and gave my typical "Hey, I interviewed you before" speech - and to my surprise he remembered me. He said yes, I met you last year during the Titans Caravan - which was cool and says a lot about his character.

Most people who are interviewed as much as Mr. Keith would not remember one single interview, but he did and I thought that was really nice. Every encounter I have had with a member of the Tennessee Titans organization has been great. It just goes to show that Tennessee really does have the BEST people. At least, that is my opinion :)

Congratulations to the award recipients today and thank you to Habitat for all they are doing to help dreams come true for folks here in Wilson County!

The full article and event photos will be in Friday's Wilson Post.

Also, be sure to check out photos in "Sabrina out on the Town" in the May/June issue of Wilson Living Magazine.

As a proud graduate of Cumberland University, I have to promote my former professor's new play!

Dr. Michael Rex will be debuting his new play "Nice Girls Don't: A Romantic Comedy of Mistaken Identity" at Lakewood Theatre Company in Old Hickory, TN on April 19. Dr. Rex is a talented playwright and wonderful teacher.

I encourage any of you who enjoy the theatre to go see it. Here is the scoop:

Lakewood Theatre Company in Old Hickory, TN, proudly announces the World Premier of Nice Girls Don’t: A Romantic Comedy of Mistaken Identity.  Produced in cooperation with Metro Nashville Arts Commission.  19 April – 5 May 2013  28 April performance will be sign interpreted for the deaf & hard of hearing.

What happens when the person you fall in love with isn’t who they claim to be? And what if the person you are not supposed to fall in love with turns out to be your soul-mate? Getting what you want rather than what you need is hard.But also really funny.

Written by local playwright, Michael Rex – professor of English & Creative Writing at Cumberland University, Nice Girls Don’t stars Treg Miles and Jennifer Bennett and is directed by Barbara S. Hartman making her Nashville directorial debut. Hartman built a reputation for directing original plays in Houston, TX before relocating to Nashville in 2011.

Nice Girls Don’t runs 19 April -5 May – Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30 and Sundays at 2:30.

Tickets available at www.ticketsnashville.com or Reservations at 615.847.0934. Lakewood Theatre is located at 2211 Old Hickory Blvd.

Awards show season has passed and while many viewers stayed glued to the tube to watch favorite films be recognized or see one of the magnificent gowns Naomi Watts donned on the red carpet – I tuned in for Argo Director Ben Affleck.

I have loved Ben the Actor ever since I saw Armageddon – but Ben the Person?

He dated just about everyone. Gwyneth. JLo. And pretty much any press about him in the late nineties included his gambling and boozing. So while he was talented and handsome, I never thought of him as being the ideal man.

But I guess the love of a good woman works wonders.

I like Ben the Person so much after watching him sing his wife’s (the lovely Jennifer Garner) praises at the Oscars this year - calling her “more perfect than I am” and thanking her for “working” on their marriage.

In a day and age where the phrase “happily married” is becoming a cliché, it is refreshing to hear someone acknowledge that – no, we are not perfect people – and yes, relationships (whether it be friendship, dating, living together, or marriage) take work.

I admire a man who can give public kudos to his partner.

So guys…the next time your lady calls you when you are watching the game at your buddy’s place or clocking long hours at work – don’t mutter some “ball-and-chain-what-does-that-woman-want” nonsense. Be a “Ben the Person” type-of-guy and pick up. Ask what you can do to help out. Take a surprise home. Thank her.

You don’t have to be an Oscar winner to give credit where credit is due. I believe it will make a world of difference to her – and to your relationship.

Different people are attracted to different looks & styles: Preppy, sporty, chic, sweet, casual, glam – the list could go on.

While I admire all of these looks – the style that has always caught my eye can be summed up as “NashVegas.” Big hair. Big bling. I make no bones about it – I love anything that glitters.

As a little girl I had two idols – Elizabeth Taylor and Dolly Parton. I loved each of them so much that I demanded (in the way that only an only child can) my mother get me two wigs – one that was long and jet black & another that was poufy and platinum blonde – so that I could play dress up to look like Dolly and Liz. Of course, my dear sweet mother granted my wishes – and loaned me some of her fabulous jewelry so that I could “walk the red carpet” (in our living room). Thanks, Mom!

My obsession with glam continued thru high school. It didn’t matter that I attended a private school with a strict uniform code and girls who sported barely there makeup. My gang and I preferred to dress it up daily with body glitter, butterfly hair clips, colored tube socks or tights, dangling earrings and as much Lancôme Bronzer and Juicy Tubes gloss as my friend’s aunt (who sold Lancôme) would donate to our cause.

The best part about the holiday season, for me, is being able to bring some serious sparkle into everyday life. Sequined sweaters and dresses, glittery shoes, flashy jewelry, hair jewels – twinkling Christmas lights set a beautiful backdrop for bling, after all!

Take advantage of Christmas, New Year’s and holiday parties – use the season as your chance to stand out. Here are a few of my favorite glamorous looks this season that sparkle from head to toe!

Shoes

Outfits

Outerwear

Accessories

Makeup

Thanksgiving has passed and it is just a hop, skip and a jump until Christmas.

In my world this translates to – it is time to shop, shop, shop! For some reason time seems to speed up during the holidays and for years now my goal has been to have all of my Christmas shopping done by Dec. 1. Sometimes the goal gets met. Sometimes you’ll find me lurking about on Christmas Eve – still in search of the perfect present.

Let’s hope this is year a Dec. 1 kind of year J

A few weeks ago in a special section of The Wilson Post, I wrote a story about finding great gifts for under $35. On some gifts, you may want to spend more – that is solely up to the gift giver. However, the great thing about Christmas gifts is that they do not have to be expensive – they only have to show thought and consideration. You want to give someone a present that is uniquely them.

Savannah Salerno, a hair and makeup artist at Looker’s Salon & Spa in Lebanon, said giving the gift of beauty services can make the ladies in your life “feel like a million bucks for less.” She recommended gift certificates for services such as professional makeup application, rock star blow outs and spray tanning as must have gifts for any woman.

“Around the holidays, everybody needs relaxation because they are going 90 miles an hour,” said the mother of two. “Coming in and getting a spray tan or getting your makeup done for a holiday party is something that most women don’t get to normally do because they are usually busy with work, kids and taking care of others. Everybody forgets about themselves – but when you take care of yourself it allows you to better care for the people around you.”

She added that having these services done also makes special events even more exciting. “People come in and have their makeup done and they say it makes them feel like a movie star. It makes the event you are going to extra special,” she said. Professional makeup application starts at $35 and spray tanning at Looker’s is only $30.

I love the idea of personalized and monogrammed gifts because they show tons of thought.                     

Watches, money clips and flasks are all great items that can be engraved for men. I recently found that Gigi’s Gifts & Jewelry in Lebanon does in-house engraving on these items; whereas a lot of other businesses have theirs sent out (which can take a couple weeks to get back). I have dropped items off at Gigi’s and picked them up in the same week.

A good friend of mine, Cathy Wair, is a Thirty-One Consultant. I have a Thirty-One monogrammed makeup bag that I adore (and a matching duffel bag). Both items were given to me as gifts and I have used them more than I ever imagined I would. Thirty-One makes totes, makeup bags, purses – you name it! The best part about it is that when traveling in a group, everyone knows that is Sabrina’s bag (you know… the one that says Sabrina on the side!!). For questions or ordering information, Cathy can be reached at 615-342-9550.

Even large companies like Coach are on the monogramming bandwagon, personalizing everything from iPhone covers to belts on their website www.coach.com.

Happy hunting!

We don’t get to see each other often, but my dearest and oldest friend, Destini, and I talk on the phone every day. Sometimes – several times. Since she lives in south Mississippi and I’m not on Facebook - this is how we communicate.

For every bad hair day, work project, family issue, crazy ex-boyfriend, awesome new boyfriend, Keeping Up with the Kardashians tidbit – you can bet there is a morning, noon or nighttime conversation about it. Plus texts. I pity the people in line at the grocery store behind me when we are having a life bashing talk fest. Having been friends for 15 years now, Dess Bess and I talk in codes and inside jokes that only we will ever understand.

On particularly bad days – the phone conversations extend to email. Not email as in written accounts of our days, but emailed coupons, links to pictures of new boots, purses, hairstyles and websites with things we want. We’ve both come to the conclusion that when the world goes crazy the only thing left to do is throw your hands up…then reach for your wallet.

Conversations go like this:

“Tell me what you think of this… It isn’t too Snooki is it?” (Destini had the misfortune of being compared to Snooki from the Jersey Shore once and now suffers from paranoia that hairspray, UGGs or sun exposure will trigger another comment. D – I know you are reading this and I’m sorry that I brought this up. No, you don’t look like Snooki. I promise.)

“Do you think I should try a new nail color?”

“I’m bored with my hair.”

“I love your hair.”

“I shouldn’t buy this…I’m saving for (something else).”

This is just normal conversation for two gals in their twenties and usually everything goes well. We throw a little money at our problems, wait 5-7 business days for the package to arrive, open it up and voila – STYLE & HAPPINESS!

Obviously you can’t shop away all of your problems. We understand that life requires us to work hard, pray without ceasing and figure things out in a mature manner without adding personal debt as an issue. But when all else fails --- shopping is the only cure.

Since this blog is new, I probably haven’t mentioned how much I love to travel. I’ve figured out that, in my case, the trip usually is not the most important part – it is the preparing for the trip and traveling that I adore.

Most people have told me that packing is their most daunting task. If they could have someone else do it for them, they would. Not me. I love to spend hours washing my clothes (or just picking them up from Sparkle dry cleaners), deciding what I will wear on the trip and then carefully checking to make sure everything liquid is double bagged in Ziploc bags and that I have the tools necessary to create any hairstyle. I think that by taking my time and not rushing the packing process I am able to pack lighter and travel better.

Then comes the actual travel. I love airports. To me, they are like a mini-world. Starbucks? Check. Nail salon? Check. Bookstore? Check. Don’t even get me started on buying perfume at the Duty Free shop. Perfume is my weakness.

Today (Friday) I am traveling to New Orleans.

I was up and at work by 6:45 a.m. to cover the meeting of the Lebanon Breakfast Rotary, then it was write, write, write all day until I had to leave to catch my 4:50 p.m. flight.

I still had one more story to get in before press time once I arrived at the airport. “No problem,” I thought. “People are at the airport on laptops all the time. I will just sit down and be one of them.”

What I didn’t know was that BNA does not have free internet! I thought everyone had free internet, but apparently sitting at Panera sipping lattes has spoiled me.

I paid $8 to get online and email one, 200-word article to my work. Maybe I shouldn’t be complaining - but $8 could buy several other things. For example, with that $8 I could have:

-          Had my nail polish changed at Palazzo Nails in Lebanon (my favorite)

-          Ordered at #3 Spicy Chicken Sandwich meal at Chik-fil-A with waffle fries and a diet coke

-          Had two tall Soy Caramel Macchiatos from Starbucks

-          Bought a tube of my favorite drugstore mascara

-          Picked four Powerball tickets…with PowerPlay…for my lottery-playing mother

-          Pumped two gallons of gasoline into my SUV

-          Purchased a magazine (since I unfortunately left the latest issue of Wilson Living on my desk)

-          Saved it for my “Las Vegas Trip” fund

Okay, I am off my soap box.

I got a chair massage and it soothed me. I still love airports!

Regardless of how you feel about the way it turned out – let’s all take a deep breath and give thanks – Election Day is over!

I am not sure what Wilson County Administrator of Elections Phillip Warren and his fearless crew are up to on this Wednesday, but I hope they are getting a chance to relax. Over the past few weeks, I have kept in touch with them on a day-to-day basis, to get information for stories on early voting. They have worked tirelessly to make sure that both Early Voting and Election Day went smoothly for Wilson County.

51,715 of our county’s 75,824 registered voters cast their ballots in Tuesday’s general election. 31,896 of those individuals early voted.

Next election, I am FOR SURE voting early. I ran around like crazy yesterday trying to find A) Time and B) the right location to vote.

The great thing about early voting is that you can vote at ANY of the four designated Wilson County locations – which were the Election Commission in Lebanon, the Mt. Juliet Community Center, the Watertown Community Center and the Gladeville Community Center.

I should’ve have listened to Phillip Warren when he told me that early voting saves time and stress on Election Day, but I did not. For starters, I lost my Blue Voter Registration Card. Lucky for me, voters here are not required to present their voter cards at precincts, just a state or federally issued Photo ID.

I went to Southside Elementary School before work to vote, which is where I voted before. However, I was told when I arrived that I had been moved to another polling place – the Norene Community Center. On my lunch, I drove all the way out to Norene only to find that my assigned polling place was not the community center, but Cedars of Lebanon Park.

Last night, when I got another break in my schedule, I voted. It was just shortly before the 7 p.m. close, so I know I was cutting it to the wire, but I was successful in my voting quest! 

I’m heading to Halloween on the Square here in Lebanon at 5 tonight – and guess what? I have company!

Boo came into my life at 10 a.m. this morning when he was running in the middle of North Mt. Juliet Road. I was in the area to do a story, saw this little cutie scared to death in the road and had to help him. Thanks to my friends at New Leash on Life who are working hard to find Boo’s owners.

Until then, he is running with me.

Happy Halloween you all!

From Sabrina and Boo

Who doesn’t love a wedding?!

I attended a beautiful (and extremely fun) wedding this past weekend (Congrats Pat & Allison!) and I am looking forward to another memorable occasion when my best friend, Destini, and her fiancé, Corey, tie the knot in five months!

Dressing up, eating cake, dancing the night away, seeing family and friends, toasting the happy couple, going into the photo booth (multiple times) – I can’t think of a better reason to celebrate!

All of these moments make the event fabulous and memorable. But the actual moments I love the most are these:

During the ceremony…

- When the preacher/priest/rabbi/wedding officiant announces the bride and groom – Mr. and Mrs. (insert name here) to the guests after their vows are complete. As a guest, you get to witness something truly epic! Here are two people, embarking on one of life’s greatest journeys together.

- Watching the bride walk down the aisle. Brides are always beautiful and the moment where her father lets go and she takes her future husband’s hand never fails to make me cry.

During the reception…

- The Best Man’s Speech. I love to watch the best man deliver his speech (which varies from hilarious to offensive) and pray that the bride and groom are good sports.

- Everybody dancing to Shout!! and any other music that promotes organized dancing (I’m talking about some good ole Cha Cha sliding and the Wobble).

I was curious if other people love weddings as much as I do, so I asked my nearest & dearest to share their thoughts for this blog. Read on… 

Q: What is your favorite part of a wedding?

“The precious little flower girls trying their best to make it down the aisle. Always makes me laugh. Especially when they walk halfway and then freak out. Of course, the entrance of the bride. The music always makes me cry. Always. Even if I am a guest and don’t know the bride from Adam.” – Christy

“The bride’s dress.” – Destini

“When the groom says his vows to the bride.” – Romel

“I personally like the ceremony. Just because I see marriage as the ultimate bond between two people in the name of God that is meant to never be broken. I guess it’s just because of a high respect for the idea of the institution itself. Then, of course, the garter throw.” – John L.

“The bouquet toss! I always catch it and yet am still single!” – Carrie

“You’ve got me. I’ve never been to one without drama.” – Marie

“Prenups are good. They function to ensure that people really want to be together. No one financially gains when they decide to leave. Gives peace of mind and honesty to the ceremony.” – Mark

“The reception because of the great food and drinks!” – DJ

“When they kiss!” – Michelle

“When the already married couples give the newlyweds advice on how to have a great marriage…that and open bars.” – Lexi

“When the preacher announces them husband and wife.” – Mitzi

“I love a good reception. It warms my heart to see friends and family celebrate love and commitment for the couple through being together.” – Maggie

“The way the groom looks at the bride when she walks down the aisle and how happy the couple looks together.” – Tina

“My favorite part is the reception. It’s that time when people who don’t get to see each other often all come together with two people in mind. Also, a great time to meet new people that have come for one side or the other.” – John M.

“The reception. Everyone is relaxed and having fun…stress is over.” - Delaine

“Dancing. And staying as far away from the bouquet toss as possible.” – Aline

“My reception was awesome because we could just let go and have fun after months of planning. Also, when Tommy and I washed each other’s feet symbolizing our dedication and humble love for each other. That was really special to me.” – Mary D.

“The moment the bride and groom first see each other when the wedding march starts. Love the looks on their faces.” – MJ

“Watching the couple exchange vows. And the cake!” – Kim

“Watching the bride in all her beauty and seeing the reaction of her future husband’s face as she is walking toward him. The innocence and genuine emotion it brings is amazing.” - Charity

“The reception! Duh! … When the bride walks down the aisle probably.” – Casey

“Dancing at the reception.” – Steven

“The reception.” – Mary 

“The moment the doors opened and I looked at the groom (my husband). I felt such a peace and love. It was overwhelming and I knew I was supposed to be with him the rest of my life … I wanted to stay in that moment forever. Then I wanted to run down the aisle because I was so happy.” – Melanie

Thank you to everyone who submitted answers!!! Here are a few priceless memories from my friends' special days I wanted to share :) Love is beautiful - and so are these folks!

Once upon a time when my work schedule was Saturday-Wednesday, I daydreamed about what it would be like to have weekends off like the rest of the world.

Now that I am a proud staff writer at The Wilson Post, I have found out what it is like to have weekends off – and let me tell you, it is not what I expected.

I used to think that my Saturdays would be spent sleeping in and watching recordings of my favorite fall television shows (it is the final season of Gossip Girl, after all). But those thoughts have gone with the wind. Nowadays I could not be busier on Saturdays – and you know what? I love it. Gossip Girl can wait.

I spent my time volunteering at the 33^rd annual Oktoberfest in Nashville this past Saturday. The event raised funds for the restoration of historic Assumption Catholic Church and Monroe Street United Methodist Church, and for the continuation of outreach projects for the needy.

I worked as a volunteer in the Biergarten with some of Wilson County’s finest ladies: my mother, Pamela, Delaine Smith and Laura Beth Duncan. Some of our Nashville-based friends, including Laleh Vatandoost-Lamb, Michelle Stuart, Peter Marcum and Brian Senecal (who is Fiscal Director of Tennessee Bureau of Investigation) also donated their time to this cause. Senecal was in charge of organizing volunteers – and he did a great job! We were a hard working bunch from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.

I had the best time serving folks and spending an afternoon with good friends.

I can’t wait to volunteer again next year and hopefully visit both of the churches that Oktoberfest benefits. Until then, ich liebe dich, Oktoberfest!

Aging. It freaks me out.

At 24, I really can’t tell you why. I am well aware that I have years before I have to worry about wrinkles, sagging skin, age spots and lying about my age. I’m young, stay out of the sun and have good genes. My mother (whose exact age I do not know) is one of the most beautiful women over 40 that I have ever seen. My Nano (also whose age I do not know) is looking great for a gal over 70. Even my great-grandmother, who lived to be 98, was lively and rocked red lipstick until the day she died.

But aging isn’t like it used to be. Nowadays it seems our society is obsessed with youth. Every time you turn around there is a new anti-aging product on the market. A new hairstyle that provides an instant facelift effect. A new makeup technique to erase the years.

This obsession isn’t going away – so I say, if it makes you look younger or just plain feel better – WHY NOT DO IT?

On Saturday, Oct. 6, the fabulous Dr. Deborah “Doctor Deb” Sherman was the guest speaker at an invitation-only event at the Beauty Boutique in Lebanon. If you go to shermanaestheticcenter.com, you can read more – but for the sake of this blog I’ll keep Doctor Deb’s bio brief.

In her impressive career, Dr. Sherman has received two nationally distinguished awards for the discovery and description of the presence of lymphatics in the orbital area.For this landmark research, she received the Lester T. Jones Anatomy Award and the Merrill Reeh Pathology Award.Dr. Sherman is an active member of the prestigious American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and has served as President of the Nashville Academy of Ophthalmology .

She is also a National Expert on Botox and Aesthetic surgery, selected as a National Trainer by Allergan, the makers of Botox Cosmetic, to teach physicians the technique of aesthetic Botox.

I first met Dr. Sherman last year, at a similar event at Five Oaks. What impressed me about her, other than her obvious credentials and ability to make women look and feel good, was her vivacious personality.

Dr. Sherman is one of the most down-to-earth people that you will ever meet. She and her team are extremely personable and made all of the women present feel at ease about cosmetic procedures.

As Dr. Sherman put it – “Your face is the only outfit that you wear every day.” Who wouldn’t want to look their best? During the brief seminar at the Beauty Boutique, Dr. Sherman showcased the work that she does and answered questions about the various procedures she performs at her Nashville office.

Botox was obviously the most popular, due to minimal side effects and no downtime. When performed by a Master Injector, such as Dr. Sherman, she said Botox can help address “11” lines in your forehead, crow’s feet, and horizontal forehead lines – all while providing natural results.

I attended the event with my mother, Pamela, and saw many other beautiful local faces like Meleia Bell, Sandy Hubbard, Tasha Irby, Maggie Julian and Beauty Boutique Owner Misty Kennedy. My mom got Botox to correct the crow’s feet around her eyes that day!

We went to the Low Country Boil, a fundraising event that benefits Sherry’s Run, later that night and she had no bruising or side effects – other than the fact that she looked refreshed and awesome!

So maybe aging isn’t that scary – as long as Dr. Sherman and Botox are around.

U.S. Representative Diane Black (R-TN) stepped out of her district and onto the dance floor on Saturday, Sept. 29 at the eighth annual Eye Ball.

The ball, which raised funds for the Wang Foundation for Sight Restoration, was held at the Renaissance Hotel in Nashville and attracted a number of local representatives and personalities, including State Rep. Glen Casada, Channel 4 News Sports Director Rudy Kalis, Channel 5 Anchor Vicki Yates, and host, world renowned cataract and LASIK surgeon, Dr. Ming Wang.

Black, who served as the 2012 Event Chair, said she was honored to be a part of the event.

“I am proud to be involved in an organization that is changing the lives of people around the country and the world through free of charge sight restoration surgeries. As a nurse for 40 years, I have had the opportunity to travel on medical mission trips and see adults and children receive eye glasses for the first time,” she said.

“Whether it is through prescription eye glasses or surgery, giving someone in need the ability to see is a priceless gift that will open up a new world of possibilities. Through the generosity of the community and the help of volunteers, the Foundation is able to restore sight for more and more people in need.”

She served with Wang and Danceworld owner Danny Baye, to judge the inaugural Dancing with the Stars competition at the Eye Ball.

Five hundred guests watched as Casada, Kalis and Yates showed off their moves in the competition, before Baye and his wife, Sharlene, offered guests a basic ballroom dance lesson.

Since being established in 2004, the Wang Foundation for Sight Restoration, a 501c(3) non-profit organization, has helped patients from over 40 states and 55 countries by providing sight restoration surgeries, free of charge. Foundation patient, Martha Adams, gave an emotional testimonial about how her life was changed after having surgery. Adams said that prior to learning about the Wang Foundation, she was nearly blind and the condition “just snowballed.”

“You all look so beautiful tonight. I can say that now, because I can see,” she said.

Staff Writer Sabrina Garrett may be contacted at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .