At its finest, social media brings people together and can be a stellar addition to your upcoming wedding. Use it to keep your guests–family and friends–up-to-date with the wedding goings-on, capture and photos, and keep up with the comments on the day that you’re simply too busy to catch.

Try these 5 simple ways to add social media to your wedding.

1. Create a specific hashtag on Instagram and ask your guests to tag photos.

Put up a chalkboard sign asking your guests to tag any photos they upload with a unique hashtag, allowing them to share the photos with you and letting you go back and look over the moments captured throughout the day. Try doing the same as you get ready with your bridesmaids, bonds with the groomsmen over a beer before the ceremony, or even a sweet photo of just you two right after you become Mr. and Mrs.

2. Create a unique hashtag to keep up with the conversation on Twitter.

Don’t want to miss any “Just went to the most amazing wedding reception. All I can say is …watermelon mojitos and true love!” ? Create a unique Twitter hashtag and let your guests know about it for a sort of social media guestbook!

My suggestion? Don’t post the hashtag until the reception.. unless you want to look out to your guests midway during your vows to a bunch of blue-light glowing faces crouched over their smartphones.

Bonus of the hashtag? You can compile the best tweets and create a printed canvas! Check out the image to see what one awesome couple did.

3. Create a Pinterest board to keep your bridesmaids involved.

I made intricate bridesmaid boxes to ask each of my potential girls to be a part of my big day, and I let each of them know they can follow a Pinterest board dedicated to the day I become a Mrs. Instead of a general “wedding wishes” Pinterest board, this board is all specifics and most-likelys.

If you’re really feeling free of the Bridezilla bug, you can even add their email addresses to the board as contributors.

4. Create a Twitter account specifically for your wedding.

Let your Twitter-savvy friends and family keep up with all the details–both practical and more sentimental–of your big day by creating an account specifically for you two.

Super on top of things? Add “Follow @CandO4ever on Twitter for updates and thoughts” to your save-the-dates!

5. Create a Facebook “fan page” to keep friends and family up-to-date and involved

By creating a Facebook fan page for your wedding, you can post fun pictures from the rehearsal, super sneak peeks of DIY décor, and you can tag photos of your guests from the event. Getting a photobooth? Even better! Most photobooth software has the option to automatically post to a Facebook page.

Will you use social media at your wedding?

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Wedding Day Beauty: Red Lips

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Wedding Day Beauty: Red Lips - The Stylist Quo What’s sexier than a strong red lip? I’m talking bright and matte, or a deeper blue tint and slightly dewy. The contrast with the white-white of a wedding dress is striking, and it’s a great way to bring in a bit of classic sexiness to a classic, sophisticated look. Stick to two simple principles here: find a tone that’s complementary to your skin tone and stick to that. Vary the brightness or deepness depending on the look you’re going for. A later wedding could inspire a deeper, more striking shade, whereas a brighter shade might look better for a daytime wedding might. Matte is always a good choice and appears classier than its glossy counterpart. However, a dewiness works on a deeper shade. Practice, practice, practice before the big day!

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I can’t say no, or: The Trials and Tribulations of Being Less Talky-Talky and More Do-y Do-y

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I can’t say ‘no’ to myself. I just can’t.

I have a vivid imagination, and my energy is high. Couple that with a vision for the future that isn’t totally clear and the feeling (or tenacious hope) that I’ve always had the potential for “big things”, and I definitely can’t say ‘no’. To myself.

I take on too much, and I would say that I can’t say ‘no’.. because I’m too nice! But that’s not the case. I can say ‘no’, when it’s about something that simply doesn’t move me. But I’m awfully persuasive when a part of me wants something yet another part of me realizes that I just don’t have the time or energy anymore.

When a new opportunity arises, I envision myself up to my eyeballs in whatever it might be, living whatever life to which it might lead, and I like it. If I don’t, I’ll say ‘no’, to you. But if I fancy myself playing that part, I can’t say ‘no’ to myself.

“Self, please. Stop. We’re already stretched thin, and do you need another title? Another project?”

“Shut up, Self! We can do this. I mean, there are so many people out there doing so much more. There simply have to be. And am I not as good as those people?! I can do this; I’ll just.. I won’t make homemade bread anymore. We can just buy it from Whole Foods, right? What’s the big deal.”

“Self, no! Aren’t we going to be artisan bread bakers?! What is wrong with you? Only bougie soccer moms buy bread at Whole Foods. We make our bread.”

“You’re right, Self. You’re so right. I’ll keep making the bread. But let’s do this new project, too. OK BYE!”

And so it goes.

Or maybe I’m just a collector! A collector of things, of projects. Of potential futures. Of future characters.

I’m just an overachiever! No, wait. Overachievers tend to finish things, rather than carrying out the details, cooking six soups in one kitchen, hopping from one station to another. I feel like I’m driving eight cars at once. It’s totally possible, if you drive fifty feet, run back to the next car, drive it fifty feet, run back to the third car, drive it fifty feet, and so on.. You’ll get there, eventually. But it’s so much easier to just drive one hybrid SUV, tour bus, bright yellow school bus, singing “99 bottles of beer on the wall, 99 bottles of beer..”.

Maybe I just don’t know when to stop. I wouldn’t disagree if you said I have an addictive personality. That would explain the deep, deep wedding planning that becomes my life, until working on my startup is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end, the there-is-nothing-else-for-which-to-live, until developing our social media training products takes its place as el Capitán.

This ability to drop myself deeply into something provides a multitude of benefits, a competitive edge that can’t be beat. But when I’m deep down in that well of whatever-it-is, it’s hard to see the motivating, inspirational light of what is. Sure, I get everything done that needs to be done, and I do it well. But I still feel like I’d benefit from carving away everything and resting on my social media practice, waiting until, oh, I don’t know, Q3 to start planning the startup.

The annoying little voice in me immediately screams, “Startups wait for no one! Sleep less! You’ll be fine; I promise!”

This tendency prompted me to start a post, entitled “How to Do It All Without Going Insane”, but I got distracted by the vintage show and neglected to finish it.

I’d end this post with some personal realization and uplifting conclusion, but I’ve got nothing.

Not even a clever closing line.

Do you have trouble saying no to the next project that comes your way? Do you find yourself with too many things on your plate?

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Condomonium: A CHOICES Fundraising Fashion Event

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SQ Modern Media covered this fundraising event on March 2, 2013. For more information on blogging services, click here.

“Excuse me. Excuse me. Ex-cuse me. Excuse me!”

The lobby of the Playhouse on the Square on Union Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee was positively packed on March 2nd as hundreds of socially and style-conscious guests awaited the big reveal. The CHOICES event was aptly-named Condomonium, with platters of free condoms at each table and a general wildness that you might not expect at a reproductive health center fundraising event. Boisterous laughter exploded here and there from dozens of small clusters on the lobby floor, but the overall feel was, oddly, simply sophisticated.

Hip bartenders mixed drinks sponsored by the local juice bar, and we noshed on unbelievable brownie squares that were delightfully reminiscent of raw cacao date bars.

I was shuffled upstairs to the dressing rooms by an event coordinator and first laid eyes on several of the creations.

When you attend a reproductive health center fundraiser highlighting garments made from condoms, you have a vision wrapped in a sort of white, clingy film. And then, when you see the actual pieces, you realize how crap your imagination is.

The sheer spectrum of colors was a visual treat, but the femininity of the designs is what truly sold me. As the models took their places on platforms dotting the main studio, I fell in love with the cinched waists, full petticoats, thigh-high slits, fairy-inspired wrap skirts, mermaid silhouettes, and the impressive creativity it took to turn one of life’s more awkward, yet so necessary, grocery items into sartorial art.

Each model stood behind a jar pasted with the designer’s name, into which we were to place “condom votes”, from a bag of five or so “one” brand condoms in design-heavy wrappers.

Love the high-low hemline!

Favorite picture of the whole night.

Also up for vote were slightly more mobile models showing off condom-adorned accessories, from a condom wrapper necklace (loved) to blue condom-dotted elbow-length gloves.

Towards the end of the night, the votes were counted, and the top three designers from each category–apparel and accessories–approached the front of the studio to auction their winning designs.

First place in apparel was a surprisingly wearable creation by Clara Siegel, featuring a tulip-silhouette mini skirt covered in deep jewel toned and shaped condoms. The bodice hinted at the harness theme from spring 2013 ready-to-wear, especially the gorgeously geometric and mod BCBG Max Azria line. Her piece sold for $300, all of which went directly to Choices, helping them provide reproductive health solutions to the Memphis area.

Second place went to Bruce Bui, the well-known and well-loved costume designer from Ballet Memphis. His black and white piece featured an exceptional number of condoms and wrappers, used in tremendously creative ways. The black bodice featured a red corseted back, leading to a full, white condom skirt, reminiscent of a romantic tutu, flowing organically.

Third place was a pink, purple, and yellow two-piece design by Nick Bursoni, tying in an ever-feminine bustier-style top with a flowing, nearly ombré condom skirt. Not one to waste, Nick created a condom wrapper necklace that would cause double-take after double-take on the street.

The top accessory was Kong Wee Pang’s striking graphic-inspired bird necklace, adorned with unrolled condoms in bright yellow and pink. I was reminded of 1960s design–the Partridge Family, specifically, but in an absolutely good way.

Second place in accessories went to my personal favorite accessory, the condom wrapper necklace, which infused inspired depth and shape to the monochromatic silver wrappers. I told my fiancé I’d wear the creation by Brittany Poi on the street, but he neglected to bid. I don’t think he realized I was serious.

Third place went to Rebecca Bells and her coy heart necklace, taking the theme to a subtle, yet edgy place. The necklace went for a whopping $170, all to Choices!

The fundraising event for CHOICES, a reproductive health center in Midtown Memphis, helps support the center and its comprehensive services. Click here to learn more about CHOICES.

We have reason to believe that we should call the event the first annual Condomonium. The night was a success–entertaining, interesting, and for a good cause. Like CHOICES on Facebook or follow them on Twitter to keep up with their events and needs.

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How Athletes Made Commercial Cameos Work.. Right.

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There’s no hiding it, and I’m not ashamed. I’m a huge sports fan, a notion that would have shocked and horrified my 18-year-old self. Yet these days, we spend at least a couple nights out of the week at the FedEx Forum, screaming calls at the Memphis Grizzlies, tweeting them and wondering why they still never tweet back (I’m looking at you, Tony Allen).

But, from the salaries these guys are paid, to the sheer enormity of Super Bowl marketing, I’d venture to guess I’m not alone.

Lately, there’s been a surge of athletes in commercials, but in a different way. And it’s working.

I’m including my favorite commercial cameos by well-known, and often rival, star athletes. Why do these work? Simply because there’s a famous face, telling you to drink Diet Pepsi? No. We’ve all seen the Sofia Vergara commercial. We all know it just.. doesn’t make sense.

They work because the athletes are poking fun at themselves. We like them like this. We relate to them. I feel like Kris Humphriess is my friend now, because of that FootLocker commercial. Like he’s not just some Kardashian pawn caught in the mix–or was he in on it from the beginning?! Another topic for another day.

Blake Griffin has whittled this concept down to perfection, from teasing his younger self about jorts, dunking skills, and burn-prone ginger skin in a series of Kia commercials.

“HA HA HA! Get it!? Jorts are lame! And Blake Griffin is lame! Not because they beat us in the playoffs last year but because.. because.. ha ha ha!”, I exclaimed.

Still, how is this different? How is it successful?

It’s successful because it’s for a Kia Optima. Or, rather, because I know the commercial is for a Kia Optima. And the Chris Paul commercial is for State Farm Insurance. And the Kris Humphries commercial is for FootLocker.

The retention is somehow higher because of this formula, inspiring a lofty goal.

How can we use this formula in our own, more localized circles? Think self-deprecating cameos–they can be as simple as a radio personality or recognizable car salesman.

The most important part of the blog is the following collection of commercials, all featuring star athletes poking fun at themselves or making light of their roles.

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