For 2025, we’re setting the intention of self-love. Why? Self-love is not a practice inherent to women. By cultivating it, we can build healthy boundaries with the world, break negative cycles, and improve our mental and physical health to become more emotionally resilient.
“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.”
- Lucille Ball
Image by Kelly Sikkema
Details
Date: Wednesday, February 12, 2025
Time: 6 - 8 pm, please arrive by 6 pm
Location: O’Maine Studios, 54 Danforth St, Portland, ME
Fee: $75 for alcoholic and NA beverages, apps, crafts, a photoshoot, and a keepsake photo
Cancellation policy: All sales are final and non-refundable. However, your tickets are transferable to an individual. If transferred to someone, please email us their name and email address at hello@heldportland.com.
What to expect
Setting the tone - Mary Beth and Tenaya will connect attendees to the event’s purpose and introduce the evening’s partners: Ashley Tucci, owner of Aristelle, and Greta Tucker, photographer.
Understanding self-love and its barriers - The group will sit in a circle and begin with a quick, light-hearted “one-word check-in,” where attendees say one word reflecting how they feel about themselves at that moment. Ashley will facilitate the discussion about why she’s made self-love a daily practice and how she helps other women through her business and newsletters. We’ll then open it up to the group to ask ourselves why societal pressures discourage us from self-acceptance and worth and what self-love truly means beyond popular definitions.
Words create meaning - Art supplies will be spread around a long table. Let’s get crafty and have fun! Under candlelight, we’ll gather to craft a card, sign, or image of a word or phrase to set this year’s intention.
A photo op to emboss the intention - One by one, as we finish our signs, we’ll have the opportunity for Greta to snap individual photos of ourselves with our sign as a keepsake and to commemorate the night and practice. Images will be sent digitally following the event.
Cheers and checking in - We’ll end the night by revisiting the “one-word check-in” to see if the sentiment has changed. With some drinks in hand, we’ll toast the 10th anniversary of Ashley Tucci’s Aristelle and our intentions of nurturing self-love!
Ashley Tucci
A native of Maine with a background in software and financial services sales, Ashley Tucci took the helm
of Aristelle in September 2019 and has since built a team of bra-fit experts who serve a diverse
community of women from across the state and the country. Aristelle’s dedication to the customer
experience has created an inclusive environment where women can learn about and shop for lingerie
and everyday essential bras and underwear in a safe, inclusive, empowering, and uplifting environment.
A unique shopping experience that inspires customers to “love what’s underneath.”
Ashley knows she cannot control how society makes women feel about their bodies and worth. However, she can control how each woman feels about herself within the four walls of her store and when she walks out the door. That is her mission every day.
Greta Tucker
Greta Tucker, an Armenian-born photographer, seamlessly weaves her rich cultural heritage into the art of portraiture. Raised in the heart of Yerevan, Armenia, Greta was immersed in a world of ancient traditions, vibrant folklore, and stunning landscapes. These early experiences indelibly shaped her artistic vision, infusing her work with a unique blend of classic elegance and contemporary flair.
Beyond her artistic pursuits, Greta is deeply committed to empowering women. She believes that photography can be a powerful tool for self-expression and self-discovery, and she strives to create images that celebrate women's strength, beauty, and diversity.