Countdown to Wedding Day Beauty!

Any bride will tell you that looking her best on her big day is one of her biggest priorities. Don't wait till the last moment to start taking care of yourself. We recommend starting six months out. Here is a great plan to look your most beautiful.

6 Months Before:

1. Schedule a facial appointment. She will help you create a six month facial routine and it will allow your skin time to adjust to any new products.

2. Want a different cut or color? Do it now so you have time to get comfortable with the new look or have time to make any corrections.

3. Your hands will appear in photos so start getting regular manicures.

3 Months Before:

1. Make your hair and make-up appointments for the trial and wedding day. Don't forget to schedule for your wedding parties appointments also.

2. If you want to wax parts of your body, you should start now. There is nothing worse than having a reaction right before the wedding.

3. Don't like the length of your hair? Consider putting in hair extensions. You can create any style you want with them.

1 Month Before:

1. Get your hair and make-up trial done.

2. Enjoy a spa day with your friends. The stress will really start now and you will need it!

2 Weeks Before:

1. Do last minute touch ups on color and trims.

2. Get your last facial.

1 Week Before the Wedding:

Get your brows shaped and other parts waxed.

The Day Before:

1. Get your hands and feet ready.

2. Relax with a great massage.

For suggestions on great places to go visit www.premierbride.com

Why Learn to Dance?

You’ve made a big investment in many aspects of the wedding day that will only last one day. Learning to dance is a small investment in your relationship creating lifetime memories -- an actual skill useful at future special occasions. Dance lessons are the most fun and romantic time a couple can have during the wedding planning process!

Many couples are realizing the importance of expressing their unity and growing closer through this unique learning experience. They are seizing the opportunity to shine on the dance floor while personalizing their celebration through their own creative expression. For these insightful couples, the First Dance is often the highlight of the reception, and the most vivid wedding memory guests take home with them since actions speak louder than words.

There are lots of aspects of the wedding that can be outsourced - - the bakery, the caterer, the florist, the event planner. There are two vital components that only the couple themselves can execute in order for a wedding to be valid and authentic - - their vows and their First Dance. The public and legally binding vows verbally profess the couple’s intentions to be supportive and loyal to each other. The First Dance is the first marital act that physically proves a couple’s ability to be supportive of one another. By exercising teamwork and patience during private rehearsals and ultimately for public display, the couple “moves as one” on the dance floor and a promise is sealed and delivered.

By Deborah Joy, Founder of The Wedding Dance Specialists – serving MD, DC & VA

Honeymoon Planning for Grooms

Are you doing most of the wedding planning? How about putting your groom in charge of the honeymoon details? Lots of guys like to plan the honeymoon because this is where they get to be adventurous and romantic.

Brides, give him a few “dreamy locations” and a couple of “absolutely-not’s,” and let him surprise you!

Looking for a good travel agent? Check out our site for some suggestions.

4 Current Trends in Wedding Receptions

Mary Ann Kenmotsu, Director of Social Catering at the InterContinental Chicago O'Hare, one of the most popular ballroom destinations in Greater Chicago, has her finger on the pulse of the latest wedding trends. We've invited her to share some of them here, for our Premier Bride readers:

#1 - Lights, camera, action!
The trend I see is for lighting to be sexy and striking, it instantly catches our eyes with color and creates the romantic mood. Weddings are using pinspot lighting to highlight centerpieces, uplighting for a dramatic effect, colored spotlights in chandeliers and lit monograms on dance floors. We've also seen custom chandeliers and chandelier walls.

#2 - Environmentally Friendly Weddings
Going green is one of the most popular trends in life and also in weddings. Eco-friendly bridal choices include selecting organic foods and flowers, sustainable seafood and wine, favors that support earth friendly causes, and recycled paper for invitations. It also includes selecting venues that are green certified meaning that they have approved sustained products.

#3 - Lounge/Club furniture
It's not your typical banquet chairs and cabaret tables anymore! Guests love to try out the new cocktail "lounge" and experience a plush, sophisticated ambiance with oversized ottomans, cushy loveseats and fuzzy furniture. Inviting and unique loveseats are also being used by the Bride & Groom during the wedding dinner.

#4 - Mini Mania
Mini sweets and small plates will always be a hot trend but Brides & Grooms are also adding their favorite comfort foods such as mini sliders, mini fries and individual servings of mac and cheese. Hors d'oeuvres are being served in mini mugs, silver spoons and delicate ramekins. Cocktails are being served as mini martinis. The smaller sizes still highlight the flavors but allow a guest to taste everything!

For a list of Maryland, DC or Northern Virginia reception sites, please visit PremierBride.com.

Featured Wedding Winners

Congratulations to some of our lucky PREMIER brides who won having their wedding Featured in an upcoming issue of Premier Bride Magazine. These lucky brides were at the Delmarva Bridal Show on Sunday.

Interested in having your wedding Featured? If you are getting married in the Delaware, Maryland, Washington DC or Northern Virginia area, please visit our site to register to win.

Thank you to James Seip Photography for capturing the event.