Samantha K Schmidt

As a woman, it is likely that your wedding dress will be one of the most important purchases of your life. We can talk about how crazy that is another day. Today we are going to focus on how to narrow down such a difficult decision. There are 5 things you have to decide on when picking the perfect dress. Shape There are 5 basic wedding dress shapes. You'll want to pick one that accentuates your best features and hides the ones you don't want to display. The best stylists will have you try on 1 of each shape to figure out what you like before you narrow down any other details. Style The style of your dress should flow thematically with the rest of your wedding. Is your wedding in a church or in a barn? Is the event more rustic or more elegant? I had a dream dress in mind when I first thought about getting married, but that changed after my husband and I picked our venue. My vintage 1920's dream dress just did not fit with the rustic outdoor setting of our weddin...

If you think that your wedding day is going to go off without a hitch, I hate to say it... but you're wrong. There will definitely be bumps and bruises along the way. However, if you're anything like me, sometimes imagining the worst possible scenario can help prepare you for all the little (and big) fails that are bound to occur. I've ranked my wedding fails below in order to relieve you of some anxiety. 5. Taking a Dive Weddings are filled with exciting moments. One of the most exciting moments for your guests is the bouquet toss. It seems to bring out the best and the worst in people. I was looking forward to this tradition as I knew there were quite a few couples who were likely to get engaged over the next few months. I sent word to a few of my bridesmaids to scatter in order for one particular friend to catch the bouquet. The music began, the girls hearts began to race, and toss. I turn around to see my husband's 8 year old cousin taking a dive for the bouqu...

This week I had the opportunity to take a few friends to one of my favorite travel destinations. St. Augustine is a Florida treasure filled with history and culture. The city is only a short drive from Central Florida, so we gathered our cameras and headed east. If you are planning a trip to Florida, St. Augustine should certainly be on your list. Not only does the city date back to the 1500's, but the atmosphere is the closest thing to island life outside of the Florida Keys. The city streets are lined with locally owned businesses with handmade crafts and restaurants with fresh seafood straight out of the Atlantic. Here are just a few of the must-do's when you are in the city. - Take an Old Town Trolley Tour . Not only does the tour give you an opportunity to learn the history of this amazing city, it also allows you to hop on and off at different locations without taking a taxi.  - Go inside the Castillo de San Marcos . This architectural gem was built in 169...

Summer is a great time to go the beach and catch some rays, but after a day of body surfing (or real surfing if you're cooler than me) your skin and hair can be in a state of chaos. Here are a few things that I keep in my beach cosmetic bag to help me freshen up after a day in the sun. 1. Deodorant It's an obvious choice at the start of your day, but you may forget to bring it to the beach. It's likely that your newly tanned skin is dry and in need of some perspiration control. I love this fresh cucumber scent by Dove. 2. Dry Shampoo or Shine Spray I love the texture of my hair after being in the ocean, but the salty sea can leave your hair feeling dry or oily depending on your hair type. For oily hair, spray a bit of dry shampoo at your roots to freshen up. Batiste has a variety of scents and colors to choose from, so you don't have to worry about dusty gray roots. Dry hair needs a douse of moisture. This shine spray from Moroccan Oil is great becau...

My new husband and I are definitely still in the honeymoon phase. People seem to know we're newlyweds by the ridiculous grins we wear. We've been married now for just over a month, and I'm still reminiscing on all the excitement leading up to that special day. For the next few weeks I'll be sharing with you some of things I learned during the planning process as well as give you a glimpse into our wedding day. I'll be posting every Monday from now until August 1st. Each week I'll also ask you to share some of your experiences in the comments. Today's question: How long have you been married or engaged?