The Quintessentials: Issue 3

THE QUINTESSENTIALS WEDDING PLANNING GUIDE

Recently engaged? Congratulations! Now take a deep, cleansing breath because this is a time to be treasured. Don’t let the weeks and months ahead overwhelm you or steal your joy. Oh, and one more thing – read The Quintessentials Wedding Planning Guide for valuable tips to help make your big day your perfect day.

Define Your Aesthetic

Rustic? Classic? Luxe? Modern? Vintage? Bohemian? Taking time upfront to fully visualize your personal aesthetic will help inform decisions throughout every phase of planning your wedding. We recommend creating a detailed vision board – whether that’s a sturdy tri-fold display with cutout images glued to it or a digital Pinterest board. Not only will it serve as a focused guiding force but also as a wondrous big picture of the beauty and bliss to come.

Select Your Venue(s)

First question: Do you want to host your wedding ceremony and reception in the same location or two different venues? If you choose to exchange I-dos in a religious setting, you likely already have one – or at least a short list – in mind. That would still leave the reception venue to consider. Consult your vision board to narrow down possible options to those that embody your aesthetic. Whether that’s a luxe hotel ballroom or a riverside pavilion strung with rustic bulb lighting – Lansdowne Resort offers a variety of venues to fulfill your dreams for the ceremony, reception or both. Expert advice: Nervous about planning an outdoor wedding? Don’t be – we have top tips to make your big day worry-free.

Plan Your Food

Yes, your aesthetic sets the tone here as well. Not just for the dishes that are served but also for the style of service. Think: an elegant plated dinner, lavish buffet spread, trendy action stations, casual BBQ and so many other interesting options. Once you decide on the style of service, collaborate with your catering team to craft a menu and determine details such as bar offerings.

Secure Your Vendors

In addition to booking your desired ceremony and reception venue(s) well in advance, you’ll also want to secure your florist, photographer, videographer and band or DJ. And – this will come as no surprise now – your aesthetic will help shape these choices as well. For all their delicate beauty, florals truly do a lot of heavy lifting to set the scene for your wedding ceremony and reception. Your photographer will capture images that you’ll look back on for a lifetime, so ensure their style matches your aesthetic – same with your videographer. And, just like a movie’s soundtrack, your wedding music will create a mood – make sure it’s in tune with your vibe.

Perfect Your Personal Touches

There are so many details that will make your day your very own. Consider your wedding fashions, invitations, color palette, cake, rings, guest favors, weekend-long (or longer!) celebrations and on and on. When these personal touches are cohesive and fully express your wedding aesthetic, the overall effect is pure magic!

When you’re ready to discover your moment, our experienced Wedding Specialists are ready to help bring your one-of-a-kind vision to life. You can start the conversation here.

THE TASTES OF LATE SUMMER

In the Five Element Framework, the calendar turns from Early Summer to Late Summer on July 22. Although this season is short, it marks a critical transition from extreme heat to the coming cold. It’s a time of long and lazy days that invite us to conserve our energies and embrace the lull. Late Summer is associated with the Earth Element and flavors that are naturally sweet with slightly cooling and humidity-reducing effects. Our seasonal menu will make the most of these foods.

As you plan your own Late Summer menus, we encourage you to create dishes around these key ingredients:

• Grains – millet, white and sweet rice, maize/corn, amaranth, buckwheat and pearl barley
• Vegetables – potatoes, sweet potatoes, adzuki beans, eggplant, bamboo shoots, button mushrooms, peas, chestnuts and celery
• Fruit – apples, pineapple, banana, lemon, grapefruit, mango, papaya, peaches, pears and watermelon
• Proteins – lamb, beef, pork, egg, yogurt, mackerel, perch, salmon and chicken
• Seeds – Almonds, aniseed, peanuts, pine nuts, sesame and fennel
• Herbs – ginger, garlic, saffron, cinnamon and clove

And, when you need a break from the kitchen, be sure to make a dinner reservation at Piedmont’s to enjoy the tastes of the Late summer season before it slips away.

ZERO IN ON YOUR A-GAME

Looking to take your golf game to the next level? Tap into the power of professional instruction at Lansdowne Golf Academy to blow your foursome away during your next round. Our pros are sharing their insider tips on how to make meaningful progress in From Good to Great: How to Improve Your Golf Game in a Hurry.

SKIN RESCUE SEASON

In our last issue of The Quintessentials, we covered the body care boom and how it impacts skincare below the sternum. After a long summer of high temperatures that begged for sunning and swimming, we’re sharing even more tips for rescuing your skin from a season of fun – and the damage that came with it.

Keep Slathering on Sunscreen

Early fall still delivers a glorious dare-to-be-bare day here and there. When you go for that sleeveless top or swingy sundress, protect every inch of exposed skin from the harsh UVA and UVB rays of the sun with a sunscreen that boasts an SPF of 30 or higher. Dermatological tip: Let’s face it – just because your foundation, beauty balm, tinted moisturizer or loose powder has a sunscreen in it doesn’t mean it provides adequate protection. First, apply a high-quality sunscreen made for faces with SPF 30+, then top it with your sunscreen-infused makeup every day of the year.

Don’t Sweat It

Your exercise regimen may have kept your figure swimsuit ready all summer, but sweating off the pounds doesn’t do your skin any favors. Whenever you work out, be sure to frequently blot (not rub!) your skin dry with a clean cloth. Immediately afterward, strip out of your perspiration-soaked clothes and take a warm (not hot!) shower using a mild cleanser. If you need to remove dead skin cells, make sure to use only a gentle exfoliant. After toweling off post-shower, liberally apply a fragrance-free lotion to lock in much-needed moisture.

Get an Inner Glow

You’ve heard it a million times, but hydration is the best thing you can do for your body – and your skin. The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine recommend a daily fluid intake of 11.5 cups for women and 15.5 cups for men. These fluids can come from water, other hydrating beverages and food. Speaking of food, it’s always wise to supplement your diet with fresh fruits and veggies that contain high water (and nutrient!) content.

Treat Yourself

Head to Spa Minérale to indulge in a Satin Skin treatment that delivers the ultimate in hydration. It begins with a gentle back exfoliation using an essential oil-infused scrub to remove dead skin cells, followed by a dry brushing of the limbs to stimulate the production of healthy skin cells. Then a moisture-binding emollient infused with Lavender essential oils is applied all over the body using a Swedish massage technique before you are wrapped in a luxurious Shea Butter and Lavender product which intensifies hydration, increases your skin’s defenses and improves moisture retention – even in the most summer-damaged skin.

‘TIS (ALMOST) THE SEASON

Believe it or not, the most wonderful time of the year will be here before you know it. Be sure to regularly visit our Holiday page for details to help plan ahead for your Thanksgiving Feast, celebrate the Christmas Season in style and bid 2023 farewell at our New Year’s Eve event. Cheers to Happy Season!