How to Achieve Perfect Skin for your Wedding Day

As exciting as it is, planning for your dream wedding can be a stressful process- and unfortunately, that stress can show on your skin through breakouts and blemishes. Take a long-term approach to achieving glowing skin on your wedding day with this year-long guide to wedding skincare.

12 Months to Go: Schedule an appointment with your dermatologist to create a plan for your skincare concerns; continue to see the dermatologist regularly leading up to your big day. Wear sunscreen and stay out of the sun so that your skin stays healthy, and begin implementing your skincare plan. Treatment can take a while to work, and you may have to make adjustments to find out what works for you. Instill good skincare habits in yourself now, such as washing your face twice a day.

6 Months to Go: Avoid flip-flopping between products. To prevent stress-induced breakouts, drink plenty of water and make time for yourself to relax, such as through a regular yoga class.

3 Months to Go: Try a professional body treatment such as a body thermal mask or an exfoliation scrub. Test out different self-tanners or spray tans to find that perfect, non-orange glow for your wedding day.

1 Month to Go: Schedule a brightening facial with extractions for a healthy glow. Have your makeup trial for a dress rehearsal to see what products and colors work with your skin. Make sure you’ve allocated funds in your budget for skincare products that will last you until your celebratory day.

1 Week to Go: Apply sunscreen daily to avoid a sunburn. Wear sensitive skin deodorant, get plenty of sleep every night, and drink water throughout your day.

1 Day to Go: Use a hydration mask for a nourished glow in pictures. Prep your products so that they’re ready to go tomorrow. Go to bed extra early, and stay hydrated while eating antioxidant-rich foods like blueberries, leafy greens, and proteins.

On the Day of Your Wedding: Have a trusted friend or family member carry your day-of emergency essentials, such as extra bobby pins or pressed powder. When getting your makeup done, use mascara, brow filler, and under eye brightener to look awake and refreshed. For an airbrushed look, use facial shine control and setting powder; make sure that your foundation matches your skin tone on both your face and neck. Finally, use setting spray to ensure that your makeup lasts for the entire day.

No matter how beautiful your skin looks, a big smile is the best accessory a bride can have on her wedding day- so have fun and enjoy your big day!

Set the Tone of Your Wedding with Seasonal Invites

Choosing the right invitation for your wedding can quickly convey not only the location and pertinent information but can set the tone or help to create an atmosphere.  With all of the modern technology available today you could almost just as easily send out email invitations, but the difference in sending out a well designed and thought out invitations lets others know of your wedding as well as shape their first impression.

For this reason, it’s important to put some thought into choosing just the right invitation.  Here are some things you should consider when choosing or designing a wedding invitation:

·         Choose the right paper.  Fall invitations as well as other seasonal papers can be a great option for both formal and fun versions.  You can also choose from more traditional embossed or printed papers as well.  The choice of paper you use for your invitations begins to set the tone friends and family can expect at your wedding.

·         Wording and Print style.  Whether you have your invitations professionally printed or do them yourself there are almost thousands of font choices to choose from.  In addition, how you word the invitation itself is probably the best way of setting the tone and environment.  For a more formal wedding event it is important to word the invitation in such a way that those receiving it will read and understand that.  The same can be true of a more simple or fun wedding as well.

·         Traditional or Modern.  Following traditional wording and design or going with more funky and modern styles will immediately let your gets get a glimpse of those values that you want remembered at your wedding.  Just as wearing a hand me down piece of jewelry can tie your feeling to family and the past so can a well worded and designed invitation.

·         Add a picture.  It is customary to include a happy engagement picture with your wedding invitation.  This is not only to help those on the invite list to know exactly who you are, but also a way to share your joy and excitement.  It is true that it takes much more effort to express in words what a picture can do in a second.  A picture allows your friends and family to see your love, happiness, and excitement of your upcoming wedding.

Whether you are planning a very formal traditional wedding, or a simple get together with family and close friends, the invitations are the first indication to your guests not only of your upcoming nuptials, but of the style and tone you wish to have there as well.  Most of all, receiving an invitation allows your friends and family to share with you this momentous occasion.

Bridepower.com Wedding Dress Contest

As some of you may know my sister got married a few weeks ago. I went with her to her final fitting and there were tons of wedding dresses to try on. I wanted to try some on just for fun but I didn’t want to be fussed over. I did happen to look at some of the price tags and the wedding dresses were all really expensive. A wedding is one of the most exciting events in a person’s life, one that you want to be perfect. A lot of it centers around the perfect dress, some people spend months or years looking for that one dress that makes them feel like a princess. I know for some they can’t afford a dress at all. I think that every woman deserves a chance to have a beautiful wedding dress and Bridepower.com thinks so too. That is why they are giving brides to be a chance to win a beautiful designer wedding dress, veil and makeovers to a couple brides that have heartfelt stories of perseverance in the BridePower and VOWS GI Gown Giveaway.

It is easy to enter just share your story with Bride Power. Are you having a financial hardship? Did something happen that changed your plans that was out of your control? Maybe you or your fiancée have health or family issues? No hardship is too small. They would love to hear your story.

Please email Bride Power your story along with a picture. You may be selected to win a beautiful designer gown, veil and a make-over. You must be willing to travel and appear at the VOWS showroom in Watertown, Massachusetts sometime this May or June. You must also agree to be filmed for a reality TV show telling your story, choosing your dream wedding gown and receiving an amazing make-over!

Please email all submissions to leslie@bridepower.com no later than 6/1/10. You will be notified by 6/6/10 if you have been selected. Please include your contact information.

Good luck to those who enter! Let me know if you do and I will root for you! This is an amazing opportunity for those who are getting married! Please remember no hardship is too small, if you are interested at all please enter!