Dream-a-Little-Dream Wedding Contest

Merritt Rosenthal Weddings & Events presents the Dream-A-Little-Dream Wedding Contest to Metro Detroit brides. This is an amazing opportunity to tell Merritt Rosenthal Weddings & Events about your dream wedding. The bride and groom with the most creative wedding idea (and creative does not necessarily mean crazy) will receive full service wedding planning support as defined on www.merrittrosenthal.com at half off the regular price (*wedding must be in Metro Detroit). Please e-mail your entries starting September 1 through September 30^th to mrosenthal@merrittrosenthal.com. The winner will be contacted via e-mail on October 6, 2008

Entry Information

1.) Brides’ Name

2.) Groom’s Name

3.) Bride/Groom Contact information

a. Cell phone number

b. Home phone

c. Email address

d. Billing address

4.) Please describe your love story:

5.) What is the date of your wedding?

6.) Where are you in the wedding planning process (beginning-no vendors have been chosen, middle-some vendors have been chosen, end-all vendors have been chosen)?

7.) Please describe your Dream-A-Little-Dream wedding idea:

Wedding Dress Shopping Part 2

As promised, here are a few more tips on wedding dress shopping.

Petite/Slender Body Types

· Dresses with corsets are another terrific option to showcasing your waist and/or hourglass figure. If you would like some “frontal” enhancement, check out Sassybax Very Bare Backless Self-Adhesive bra as it will stay for hours, but is still easily removable and pain-free.

· Whether bedazzled or plain, an a-line cut dress is another must-try shape for this body type.

Curvy/Pear Body Types

· Look like a princess and try-on a ball gown dress. Depending on the designer, many times sleeves can be added to a silhouette, so make sure and ask.

· Try a dress with a slight off the shoulder strap to draw the eyes up as well as to feature the neck and shoulders.

General Tips

· Do not be afraid to try a shape that you may not have considered before heading into a bridal salon. While bridal salons love when brides bring in pictures, be open to suggestions as well.

· Alterations are extremely important to fit, so make sure and select an experienced seamstress. I have heard horror story after horror story about wedding dresses gone wrong, so do your homework.

· If you budget allows it, check out custom design options and treat yourself to a one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

No matter what your body type, there is a perfect wedding dress out there for you. So, go shopping and let the fun begin.

Wedding Dress Shopping

Weddings will always be my number one passion, but the next closest is fashion. Fortunately, they go hand in hand more times than not. Having studied fashion design in New York City, I was able to experience a true fashion mecca. I was even lucky enough to be behind the scenes during a spring fashion week runway show. You could say I picked up a few bits of knowledge. In fact, understanding body types and the importance of fit were definitely a part of that learning experience.

A proper fitting garment, especially a wedding gown, is essential for any bride. Here are a few tips to follow when shopping for the dream wedding dress:

Petite/Slender Body Types

· Try dresses with a natural or cinched waistline as they create an illusion of curves.

· You may also want to try a mermaid cut as it hugs your body allowing your curves to stand front and center.

· Stay away from very large ball gown dresses as you will tend to disappear in them.

Curvy/Pear Body Types

· If you are looking for an option that does not hug the body, try a dress with an empire cut or fuller skirt.

· If you have a fuller bust, you may not find the support you need in a strapless dress, but luckily there are plenty of options out there for you. Sheer straps are a huge trend right now, so check it out.

More tips to come next week…..

Beauty Secrets

The wedding, beauty, and fashion industries are all interwoven and driven by trends. The trends start on the runways of Los Angeles & New York City and trickle down to the pages of Instyle Weddings or The Knot and then to your wedding day. As such, I truly believe it is important to stay connected with these supporting industries. Having worked in the beauty industry for five years, I am privileged to be a little ahead of the game.

Now, I would now like to let you in on one of my secrets and it is called bebeautiful. bebeautiful is “your source for everything beauty.” They offer unique solutions to every possible beauty need through their catalog and website (www.bebeautiful.com).

Here are some of my favorite must-have products for brides:

1.) Spanx Body Shapers & Body Slimming Undergarments -Need I say more? Check out the website for a list of products and prices.

2.) Judith August The Everything Pencil-This miracle pencil hides imperfections like under eye dark circles, birthmarks, and age spots. It comes in a variety of shades to match every complexion. $15 ea.

3.) Miss Oops Rescue Sponges-This is my favorite item as it magically eliminates pesky deodorant marks from any type of clothing without the use of water. $12 ea

5.) Evian Mineral Water Spray-Helps keep you and your makeup refreshed form sun-up to sun-down. 14 oz $16 ea

6.) Essie Nail Good to Go Fast Drying Top Coat- Really, this is the fastest drying top coat around. A great, just in case item, for the day of the wedding. $10 ea

7.) Hollywood Fashion Tape-This do- it- all clear double stick tape is perfect for hiding bra straps, fixing hems, eliminating gaps, securing deep necklines, and more. $10 ea

8.) Silicone Petal Tops-Depending upon your wedding dress or even some honeymoon related garments, this item can come in quite handy. They are flexible stick-on molds that prevent show through and create a smoothing effect. $6/pair

9.) Peaches & Boo Book Save My Feet Blister Elixir-This non-greasy cream prevents blisters from developing and protects skin for up to 8 hours. A must-have for the wedding day! $22 ea

Here are a few new, hot products to check out as well:

The Trends

1.) Talika Eye Dream- Apply this liquid mask at night and wake up to youthful, fresh eyes and less wrinkles. $55

2.) Sassybax Very Bare Bra-An adhesive silicone bra that holds to the body (sizes A-D). Great for low-back wedding dresses! $78

3.) Verseo All Natural Detox Deodorant-“Green is in.” Use to detoxify in a safe way. $12.00