Hey APW,

Holy damn, I can’t believe it’s already June! If you pay attention to our Instagram stories you know that during the long weekend, Meg locked herself and David (and the kids for what I’m told was an eventful afternoon) in the office for some much needed studio organization. What I did not know was that part of their plans included a surprise set up of my new office! Tuesday morning was like walking into my very own HGTV reveal. There were disco balls, Linda Ronstadt album art, and a couch on which I may now live out my Roger Sterling life goals. (The drinking and sleeping ones, not the NSFW or LSD ones.) So that was not a bad way to start a short week.

June means it’s also the start of Pride month! And in honor of that, I wanted to give a shout out to APW’s business coach, Jay. I started working with Jay at the beginning of last year, and it’s been a life-changing experience (we solved decades old problems that I didn’t even know were problems to begin with. Like magic.) Jay has a particular knack working with powerful women who have a bad habit of getting in their own way. This is a skill developed in part because Jay was born female, then transitioned to male after thirty-five years of living life as a woman, and is now living as a gender non-conforming person. So they really have a unique insight to how differently women experience the world versus men. Living in Kansas, Jay also particularly understands the challenges the LGBTQ community face daily and how those challenges translate to the work force, and uses tat knowledge to help companies be more supportive of their LGBTQ employees. And I just found out that today is Jay’s birthday! So I wanted to give a shout-out here to some of Jay’s work.

• First, Jay’s podcast is an awesome entry into the world of personal empowerment (or whatever less cheesy phrase you want to use to talk about improving your life.) Jay’s podcast, hosted with their friend Becca, is the perfect combination of woo-woo “we’re all connected to the universe” kind of stuff, and “you need to learn how to set personal boundaries or you’re going to be living for other people for the rest of your life” kind of stuff. The podcast is a mix of conversation and live coaching sessions. So basically, it’s like thousands of of dollars worth of coaching, for free on your phone.
• Second, Jay’s audiobook is currently on sale for $3.99. Jay’s book is a really good introduction into their coaching process. My favorite is learning about what Jay calls your “Small.” It’s the part of your lizard brain that tells you that you’re not deserving of happiness, that everyone is judging you, and that you can’t do what you want with your life (more on that here).

We’re so stoked to have Jay coming to The Compact summer camp with us in August. I rave about my work with Jay to anyone who will listen (sorry friends and family, I know you’re tired of hearing about it). But if you aren’t able to make it this summer, the digital version of Jay is almost as good. So please join me in wishing them a very happy birthday today. And get the book while it’s still a steal.

Lastly, as we mentioned in last week’s announcement, we want your input as we start to work on our collaboration with Lace & Liberty (thank you to everyone who filled out the survey!) One of the first questions that came up in our design process was regarding strapless dresses. I, personally, hate them. I’m a 38G, I wear ugly functional bras on the daily. Strapless dresses are my nightmare. And yet. Did I wear one for my wedding? You betcha. Because what other option did I have at the time? And as I’ve looked around, I’ve noticed so many of the real wedding examples we’ve pulled for our collection still feature strapless dresses. And I’m curious: am I alone in my dislike? Or is it just that strapless dresses are all that’s available once you’re in a boutique with limited sample gowns? So if you are so inclined, I’d love if you answer a few short questions below about your feelings re: strapless dress designs:

Loading…

And with that, it’s your happy hour! So get to it.

Cheers,

Maddie

Around the Web with Jareesa

I had no idea that all HDMI cords are NOT the same.

Another fascinating true-crime story: How an Aspiring It-Girl Tricked New York’s Party People—and Its Biggest Banks. (Also here’s a follow-up that’s just as riveting!)

Racked broke down the cost of making lipstick.

Theranos Founder Elizabeth Holmes May Be Our First True Feminist Anti-Hero

Add “listen to loud music in the middle of the day” to the list of things Black people can’t do.

A New Study Says Nearly 6,000 Died In Puerto Rico After Hurricane Maria. The Government Still Says 64 People Died.

If you’ve got a remote job, Vermont will pay you $10K to move there. Any takers?

After Pharma Recall, Double Check Your Birth Control Pills to Make Sure They Aren’t Actually Placebos 

My jaw actually dropped when I read that De Beers is getting into the lab-made diamond industry… after years of the “Real is Rare” marketing campaign.

Former APW intern Rachel gave an delightful breakdown of her dress code that now has me rethinking my entire life and what’s in my closet.

Why MLMs Are So Appealing to Military Spouses

Starbucks finally had their racial bias training and the reviews from the attendees are mixed.

Cardi B as Disney princesses is the best thing I’ve seen this week.

The post APW Happy Hour appeared first on A Practical Wedding: We’re Your Wedding Planner. Wedding Ideas for Brides, Bridesmaids, Grooms, and More.