Tips on How to Prepare for Your Bridal Pictures

- Schedule your bridal portrait on the same day as your hair and make up trial run.

- When choosing a location to have the shoot, pick a place that has meaning to you.  Such as your parent’s house, the garden where he proposed, etc…

- Bring a mock up bouquet to brighten up the pictures.

- Wear comfortable shoes.  You will be moving a lot so you want to be as comfortable as possible.

-Choose to have some pictures with and without your veil.  This will give you both, a traditional and a laid back look for your photos.

- Bring along your maid of honor, mother and/or grandmother.  They are sure to get you smiling and they will be a great help with your dress and makeup touch ups.

-Drink plenty of water.  Pictures can be exhausting and therefore can make you dehydrated.  Also, make sure you let something before the shoot to give yourself some extra energy.

-Have fun!  Be yourself and relax.  You want the pictures to reflect who you really are.

The Smart Bride Blog’s Beauty Expert

Lashes and Mascara

I don’t have the greatest lashes so I am always in search for products that can help me achieve my best lashes. 

With so many brands and formulas to choose from I know choosing a mascara can be overwhelming.  Also I have noticed a lot of advertisements for mascara with fine print lately.  It often discloses that false lashes were used to achieve the model’s look. Most of us will never have those fabulous lashes you see in print ads.  We just need to find the right “fit” that will give us the each our best lashes.

Here are a few ideas to consider:

1. Decide whether you would prefer to use waterproof or water-soluble mascara. Water-soluble is easier to remove without eye makeup remover, thus minimizing the amount of rubbing around the eyes, which can lead to saggy skin.  Waterproof  is a better choice for those who are prone to tears and also can be a great choice for the physically active.
2. Choose a mascara color according to your hair color; brunettes should use black to bring out their eyes, while black/brown or brown mascara will have a more natural effect on red or very fair-haired women.
3. Choose the type of mascara brush according to your preference. A straight brush is good for coating the hard-to-reach corner lashes, while a curved brush makes it easier to coat more of your lashes at once.

 And the must have for every make up bag? An eye lash curler!  Curled lashes help open and enhance the eyes. 

You can choose from a standard metal curler or a battery operated heated curler.  If you decide on the standard metal be sure to use it prior to applying your mascara.  If you choose the heated curler you can use it before or after mascara.

I personally use Mary Kay’s Ultimate Mascara in Black and JAPONESQUE® Heated Mini Eyelash Curler.   It lifts and curls my lashes with heat.  I find that I get the best result when I use it after mascara application.  I love the results I get by using these two products together!

New ideas!

We recently received information about a company that opened here in the USA in January 2010, started in Germany in 2008.  The company is called Chocri and they create custom candy bars.  You start by picking your base, white chocolate, milk chocolate or dark chocolate, and then move onto choosing the mix in’s from more than 100 toppings.  What a great way to create a custom candy bar favor for each of your guests!  Or maybe a custom bar to give to your bridal party.  Imagine the fun you’ll have creating this special gift for those you will celebrate with.  Imagine the love your guests will feel when they find out that you have created this candy bar especially for them.

2010 Perfect Bridesmaid Toast Contest: Win $300 Cash!

The folks at www.perfect-bridesmaid-dresses.com are having a great contest for bridesmaids.  Check out the details below or go their website for more information.

Whether it’s a funny story about a shared experience or a moving tribute to a loving friendship, the bridesmaid’s or maid of honor’s wedding toast to the bride is often one of the most memorable moments of any wedding.

It’s simple: Write your best bridesmaid’s toast and submit your entry on the form provided between March 16 and April 16, 2010. Voting takes place between March 19 and April 19, 2010. The wedding toast with the most votes wins! Get your friends and family to vote for your toast – and you might win $300!

Your bridesmaid’s wedding toast could be one that you actually delivered at a wedding, one you plan to deliver – or one you made up right here on the spot. Have fun, get creative, and join in. And don’t worry about getting it just right – the perfect bridesmaid’s wedding toast is like the perfect bridesmaid’s dress, it’s as unique as every bride!

2010 Wedding Cake Trends

Cake trends are beginning to change in 2010 and we are seeing brides choose simple decor with a great mix of fun flavors.  If you had the opportunity to read our article on 2010 wedding trends you’ll remember we had mentioned that fondant is out.  That still remains true, whether it’s the look of buttercream or the cost of the fondant, brides seem to be choosing the less expensive alternative of buttercream.

Decor on the cake is simple and true to the theme of the wedding.  We are seeing a mix of modern and vintage and cakes are taking on that same theme.  Painting on the cake is a continued trend we are seeing this year and we are sure that it will be a continuing trend.  Painting allows very artistic renderings as well as a cohesive look to your chosen wedding theme without the high cost of other cake decorating techniques.

Flavors are fun and fanciful this year and the creativity is endless!  We are seeing more flavors for each tier giving the guests a wide variety of choices.  We have even begun to see different flavors within each tier creating a colorful and tasteful combination.  The possibilities are endless so keep an open mind when visiting your local cake designer.

Whatever you decide, have fun with your cake.  With so many designs, shapes, combinations and ideas out there, it can become overwhelming when it comes to choosing the perfect cake for you.  Research and find pictures of those cakes that you love and take them with you to your consultation.  It will help you and your cake designer narrow down exactly what you like and help you in creating the perfect cake for your wedding day.