PRESS: Yodit Gebreyes Talks Wedding Trends on EBS TV

This month I had the pleasure of being asked to appear on EBS TV, an Ethiopian channel based in Silver Spring, Maryland that launched in 2008 with Arab Sat and Dish Network (www.ebstv.tv/). The Helen Show I was featured on alongside Hilina Kebede of Bliss Invite, spotlights successful African entrepreneurs, artists, and intellectuals in the Diaspora pursuing their dreams.

While on the show, I gave my insight on wedding trends, personal event details and what's most important when planning your big day! Special thanks to Favored Partner, Da Vinci Florals & Design for bringing the tablescape vision to life and allowing us to shoot in their beautiful showroom. Here are some close ups to the various table designs we featured on the segment.

Feel free to watch the entire segment below and let me know what you think. And please continue to tune in to EBS TV and share the segment with others, especially recently engaged couples that may need my services. Enjoy!

Promo Commercial - https://vimeo.com/101611343

Segment 1 - https://vimeo.com/101571873 Segment 2 - https://vimeo.com/101577221 Segment 3 - https://vimeo.com/101582994 Segment 4 - https://vimeo.com/101585842

{Purple + Gray + Yellow Inspiration} Habesha Garden Romance Styling Shoot at Meridian Hill Park!

  In 2013 I had the opportunity to plan and coordinate over ten weddings, twenty special events and my very first styling shoot! This shoot was inspired by my love for gardens and the 2013 trend of outdoor weddings that was very popular among couples everywhere so what better place than Meridian Hill Park.

A couple of months ago I had the idea to do the "Garden Romance" Styling Shoot with some great vendors at Meridian Hill Park, a structured urban park located in the Washington, D.C. neighborhood of Columbia Heights. The place is filled with beautiful areas like a cascading fountain, overlooking ledges, gorgeous landscape and much more! I wanted to photograph a young Ethiopian couple so my team and I enlisted in the talents of up and coming models, Alem & Samuel who were great to work with!

Our amazing stylist, Erica Joi from Distinctiv Style knew my color palette and vision and found the perfect bridal boutique in Old Town Alexandria named Ellie's Bridal to pick out a stunning long & lace gown which was very popular all over the bridal salons last year. The gown was also accompanied by long, traditional veil, which we also saw popular with our Favored Brides! The groom's attire was from Savvy Formalwear who has also dressed some of my past clients with great attention to detail and I think they hit the mark with this modern light gray suit and vest combination. The purple tie and handkerchief were the perfect palette addition to finish the look.

Creative Team:

• Bride & Groom Models – Alem Kifle & Samuel Zeleke
• Photography – Damion Miller Photography
• Venue – Meridian Hill Park
• Shoot Styling & Florals - Favored by Yodit Events
• Jewelry & Attire Styling - Distinctiv Style
• Wedding Gown & Veil – Ellie's Bridal Boutique in Old Town Alexandria, VA
• Groom’s Attire – Savvi Formalwear by Sarno & Son Tuxedos
• Makeup - Makeup by Fifi
• Hair - Yene Damtew

#FavoredFriday Blog Post: Airplanes & Trains Styled Shoot from Tunji Sarumi Photography

I came across some gorgeous images from a styled shoot from last week's #Favored Spotlight Vendor, Photographer Tunji Sarumi. It seems to be a very small world because I know the dapper gentlemen in the shoot & fell in love with all of Leanne and Mekdim (a real married couple). You can see their engagement photos here and their wedding and traditional here and here. also shot by Tunji Sarumi Photography. The shoot was styled and planned by J Garner Events and shot at Fort Meade Flying Activity Club. Ready to take flight and fall in love!

Source: Tunji Sarumi Studios

You're Invited: ZAAF's Official Launch Party at Barcelona Wine Bar

We are excited to share some great client news! You're invited to the Official Launch Event for ZAAF™, a new collection of luxury apparel and leather accessories produced by highly skilled artisans in Ethiopia. We spotlighted them about a month ago and now we are planning their launch in Washington, D.C. Each piece is made to exact standards and showcases beautiful craftsmanship and natural resources unique to the region it draws its inspiration from. ZAAF™ is a word that means “tree” in the ancient and noble Amharic language. We hope you can join us in celebrating this great new business and support bringing economic development in Ethiopia!

Event: ZAAF Official Launch Event

Date: February 2nd 2014

Time: 12:00pm-4:00pm

Place: NEW! Barcelona Wine Bar - 1622 14th St NW Washington, DC 20005

RSVP: http://zaaflaunchdc.eventbrite.com

Attire: Brunch Chic 

Parking: Street Parking Available

Complimentary Cocktails & Passed Food for Guests

ZAAF Products will be on sale at the event with 20% off!

For more information: info@zaafcollection.com

Event Hashtag: #ZAAFLaunch

Social Media: @Zaafcollection (Instagram)

#FavoredFriday Celebrate the Holidays With Ethiopian Inspired Holiday Cards by Designer Maro Haile

 

This holiday season get creative & cultured with your greeting cards and gifts with Deseta!

Deseta, a new collection of multicultral cards, tote bags, and more is spreading the love this holiday season.     Deseta [deh-seh-ta]: a noun meaning happiness; how you feel when something puts a smile on your face. from Amharic, one of the many languages spoken in Ethiopia. also spelled/pronounced desta.

As an event planner and "go to girl" for entertaining, Im always looking for new vendors to utilize for my clients and myself so when I came across Designer, Mariam-Sena (Maro) Haile, a Brooklyn-based artist and owner of the e-commerce website Deseta.net, I knew I had to share her amazing work with others.

Ethiopian girl singing a christmas carol, tis almost the season!

In an interview with TADIAS, Mariam tells us a little bit of her background being born in Addis Ababa and growing up in Minnesota before settling in New York City in 2000. “I was born in Ethiopia, raised in a tiny town in the Midwest, and now have Brooklyn planted deep in my heart,” she said. “My target market ranges from shoppers who appreciate the unique, non-traditional aesthetic found in gift shops and boutiques to young families and friends of young families looking for printed accessories for their children.” Maro’s aim is to reach as diverse an audience as her background.

Check out some more of her designs below:

Pink afro angel wearing lipstick and mascara logo.

Some of the other holiday cards are this "Cupid's Arrow" for Valentines Day and "Melkam Addis Amet" for Ethiopian New Years!

This modern Adam & Eve card is hilarious and riske for Ethiopian cultural! Love it!

Like what you see? You can learn more and purchase Deseta products at www.deseta.net, or on Etsy at www.etsy.com/shop/deseta and follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/desetaArtAndDesign.

10 Wedding Songs for 2013!

 

In the interest of wedding season that is rapidly approaching, we at Favored by Yodit thought we should list our favorite love songs of 2012 and 2013 that would be perfect to set the mood at any wedding reception. We picked out our top 10 after the break...

1.       Beyonce- Love on Top: Can’t have a love song list without adding our girl Beyonce! This song is really cute and I’ve seen a lot of brides singing it to their grooms so I couldn’t leave it off

2.       Bruno Mars- Marry You: The title alone is enough, but also the fact that this has been the song of choice for all proposal flash mobs, makes it a perfect wedding song.

3.       Miguel- Adorn: Hands down the sweetest song of 2012…I dare you tell me what topped it lol

4.       Tamar Braxton- Love and War: She came out super strong with this one… a song about fighting for the one you love…great message for the lovers

5.       Rihanna- We found Love: This song just makes you want to fist pump and pop bottles with the one you love, i’m moving my shoulders as I type lol

6.       John Legend- Tonight: I like a little cockiness, let your mate know what the deal is lol

7.       Tank-Next Breath: There is so much emotion in this song, tank is good for adding a subtle sexy touch to all this love songs

8.       Eric Benet- Real Love: The first time I heard this song, I think I shed a tear…but just one because I’m a G lol…this song is beautiful

9.       Tyrese- Best of Me: What woman doesn’t want to hear that their mate can do anything as long as they are by their side…love this

10.   Avant ft. KeKe Wyatt – You & I: This is one of my favorite songs that came out last year. Avant and KeKe just know how to put together a great love song.

What were your favorite love songs of 2012 and 2013? Would you add any songs to the list?

Real {Ethiopian} Wedding: Yonas & Fasika Sunset Bridal Photoshoot

What a better way to start this snowy week than with a sunny gorgeous wedding photoshoot I came across this weekend! This lovely Ethiopian couple decided to have a photoshoot 2 days before their wedding in Ethiopia. Can I just say the desert backdrop is simply amazing on both the bride & the groom's skin! They are glowing!

I know that might sound strange, but more and more couples are actually going this route inorder to capture amazing photos since the day of the wedding is usually packed with family activities. And if your nervous about having your groom seeing your wedding dress before the wedding you can always schedule the photoshoot after your nuptials to still keep it a surprise for your big day!

When I saw this sunset photo above the city of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia there was something that screamed "Lion King" in every royal sense! I love how this couple chose to embrace their culture and showcase the beauty of the African desert and forest so naturally. Kudos to the photographer and Yonas & Fasika for being such a beautiful couple!

Interested in having your wedding or engagement featured? Just complete the submission here.

Photo credit: Nashville Photography Group (Loved these photos!)