Bridal Beauty: Nipping and Tucking Before the Big Day

It's no secret that brides-to-be want to look their best on their wedding day. Slimming down your figure, rejuvenating your skin and relaxing your muscles are common practice. However most brides will assume that was a reference to the gym and spa, not the doctor's office. For the Bride recently spoke with one of Manhattan's premier plastic surgeons, Dr. Adam D. Schaffner, about the growing trend of bride's turning to surgery and injections to improve their look and health before the big day. Here, Dr. Schaffner's advice on what brides can do both in and out of the doctor's office.

FOR THE BRIDE: Bridalplasty has become a term associated with many complete-makeover TV shows featuring brides getting face lifts and chin implants. Few brides realize that cosmetic surgery can be used to treat ordinary flaws such as crow’s feet and scars. What are some of the simpler procedures that can make a big impact for their wedding day? 

ADAM SCHAFFNER: Brides want to look as attractive, rested and youthful as possible. This is a stressful time. That stress can show on your face. Therefore, be sure to get plenty of sleep, exercise regularly and eat well. Avoid junk food. Focus on eating nutritious, healthy meals. For a little extra help, you can work with a personal trainer and/or a nutritionist to optimize your exercise routine and diet. BOTOX, fillers and laser treatments, as well as Smartlipo and rapid recovery breast augmentation, are procedures which are commonly performed before the wedding and can make a big impact on the wedding day. Be sure to plan ahead to allow for adequate recovery time.  

FTB: What are the benefits of choosing surgery over spa or over-the-counter treatments that promise similar results? 

AS: Surgical procedures are performed to achieve a particular goal (e.g., enlarge one's breasts). Spa and over-the-counter treatments are generally performed to give a refreshed look to the skin, nails and hair.

FTB: If a bride is interested in procedures, when is the best time to get started?

AS: The bride should consult with a plastic surgeon as early as possible. This will allow plenty of time to consider all options and not feel pressure to act immediately. Non-invasive procedures such as lasers and minimally invasive procedures such as BOTOX and fillers require less recovery time than surgical procedures. Therefore, it is important to plan accordingly, so there is adequate time allocated to recover before the big day.

FTB: What is the most popular procedure for brides-to-be? 

AS: All brides should perform good skin care every day by applying moisturizer, sunblock and a topical anti-oxidant. Be careful not to get sunburn during the bachelorette party. This is true not only for the bride, but also for the bridal party and family members.

     Before undergoing any treatment, look at yourself in the mirror from different angles and ask yourself if you would like to see something improved. If the answer is yes, then it is time to explore your options. For fine lines and wrinkles, BOTOX Cosmetic can work wonders. From fine lines to deep grooves, from hollow cheeks to lackluster lips, fillers can work wonders. There are many different fillers from which to choose, including Restylane, Perlane, Juvéderm, BELOTERO, Radiesse and Sculptra to name a few. Which filler is right for you will depend on the area(s) being treated. To soften lines, rejuvenate skin, remove spider veins, brown spots or tattoos, a wide variety of lasers may be used. Which laser is best for you will depend on many factors. To address areas of undesired fat, Smartlipo may be performed. Breast lifts, augmentations, and reductions can also be performed to provide the size and shape desired.
     While the focus is on the bride, everyone wants to look and feel great on the big day. Everything that is available to the bride is also available to the bridal party and family. The mother of the bride and the future mother-in-law want to look their best. Many procedures are available to rejuvenate the face, including BOTOX, fillers, lasers, Smartlipo under the chin, mini-facelifts and full facelifts. Mommy makeovers are great to help restore one's body contour.  

    

Dr. Adam Schaffner is listed in Guide to America’s Top Surgeons by the Consumers’ Research Council of America and has been featured on several news programs such as ABC's Good Morning America as an expert on plastic surgery. For more information please visit www.drschaffner.com. 

Brides Need to Know: Postage Increase Jan. 27

Details, details, details! All brides know that it's the little things that can make or break your wedding and a lack of postage should not be one of those things. For all brides who plan on sending out invitations this month here is some need-to-know info:

The US Postal Service will be increasing rates on letters (1oz.) from 45 cents to 46 cents starting January 27. 

zazzle.com wedding stamps

So what does this mean to you as a bride-to-be? Well if you plan on sending out invitations between now and January 27 it means A LOT. If you have already weighed your invitations and purchased stamps but do not plan on sending them out before the 27th make sure you visit your local post office again to get them re-weighed at the new rate. You risk your invitations being sent back and marked 'lack of postage' across the envelope if you do not have the correct postage. This could cause you to have to re-do the envelopes and purchase more postage- sounds costly. Quick fix: If you planned on sending your invites out the following week just send them out before the 27th- it never hurts to be early.

For brides sending out their invitations between now and the 27th make sure you include a 46 cent or a Forever stamp on your RSVP envelopes. You wouldn't want your guests to unknowingly send back the RSVP with a lack of postage, it will be returned to them and cause delays in getting back to you which can affect you getting your guest count in order by your deadline.

Thinking you need new postage? For brides who are searching for 46 cent or Forever stamps (good forever on 1 oz. letters no matter what the postage needed) you can purchase 46 cent stamps for the price of 45 cent stamps right now on zazzle.com. Their site has over 150,000 designs including customizable stamps that feature your names, wedding date and monogram.

Forever stamps can be purchased through the USPS website at usps.com. Some styles that are good for weddings: Wedding Roses, Sealed with Love, Love Ribbons.

Now all you have to do is wait for those replys (yay!)

Color of the Year: Emerald Green!

Get inspired with For The Bride's Spring 2013 issue

Every January brings an abundance of newly engaged brides-to-be. One other thing the New Year presents? A Pantone color of the year. For 2013 the chosen color is Emerald Green. A color which
Pantone describes as "Lively. Radiant. Lush...A color of elegance and beauty that enhances our sense of well-being, balance and harmony".

So what does this mean for brides planning their wedding this year? It means Emerald bridesmaids gowns, green floral centerpieces and of course Emerald jewels.

In For The Bride's Spring 2013 issue (on newsstands now) we pulled together some green accessories for your big day. From clutches and shoes to earrings and makeup we give you a head start on accessorizing with the color of the year. We even chose a gown from The Dessy Collection, the creators of Pantone Wedding, to be the center of our story.

To see the story along with other colored ideas pick up
a copy of For The Bride on newsstands or visit
http://www.forthebridemag.com/order.asp to order a copy.

So tell us- will you use Emerald as your wedding color?

Pantone's Color of the Year http://www.pantone.com

Sweepstakes: Win a Demetrios Gown

Start the New Year off right by entering to win a Demetrios Wedding Gown! 

To celebrate the release of our Spring 2013 issue For The Bride has teamed up with Demetrios to offer one lucky bride a chance to win her dream gown. Sweepstakes ends April 3... spread the word!

Brides-to-be can enter at http://www.forthebridemag.com/sweepstakes.asp

Visit our gown gallery to check out the 2013 Demetrios gowns.
Find a Demetrios salon near you at demetriosbride.com.

Inviting Ways: Your Chance to Win

We all know that the perfect wedding begins with the perfect invitation. Well, here’s your chance to win 100 5x7, one-color letterpress cards and 110 blank envelopes for your upcoming big day—over a $500 value—from Invitations by Ajalon. The company is well-known for their artisan designers who work with the individual couple in customizing the best quality work at the right price.

To enter the contest, all you have to do is describe how he proposed! Was it at a ballgame? Or perhaps you went to Vegas for a long weekend. Complete details of how to enter the contest can be found at Invitations by Ajalon So hurry! Contest ends November 1, 2012. The winner will be selected randomly and notified. All entries will qualify for a free sample pack—a $15 value.

Don't Rain on My Parade! Patricia Canole

After fourteen months of planning a dream wedding on the island of Bermuda, Ashleigh Goldberg and her fiancé, Shane Dorsett, received some devastating news: Tropical Storm Leslie would be an uninvited guest! Their dreams of being married on the beach at sunset were crushed. And what about their guests who were also looking forward to a three-day celebration? To the rescue: The Water Club at Borgota Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, NJ. 

Once it became evident that the Bermuda nuptials would not be a possibility, Ashleigh and Shane decided to take a site tour of The Water Club at Borgata on Wednesday, September 5th and immediately knew that this was the place to say their “I do’s”.

Obviously planning a new wedding in 72 hours is a daunting task. Ashleigh and Shane could not believe this would ever materialize in three days. But thanks to the quick planning and flawless execution by The Water Club wedding team and food and beverage staff, the young couple and their guests were still able to enjoy their beach wedding on Saturday, September 8^th, with the ceremony set on the ocean at Brigantine Beach. “Our staff at Borgata and The Water Club takes great pride in being able provide comprehensive wedding planning and execution, offering everything from hair and make-up, ceremony, world-class food and beverage, and spectacular event space,” said Robert Murphy, Director of Catering and Convention Services for Borgata. “It is especially fulfilling when we can deliver these services in such a short turnaround time and make a young couple’s dream wedding a reality.”

Once back at The Water Club for the reception, guests dined by the pool on a menu created by The Water Club’s esteemed culinary staff who operate under the direction of the hotel’s Culinary Lifestyle Consultant, “Iron Chef” Geoffrey Zakarian. A signature wedding cake was created for the couple by former White House Executive Pastry Chef, Thaddeus DuBois, Borgata’s Executive Pastry Chef.

With not a raindrop in sight, it was an absolutely perfect day for a wedding on the beach. “The Water Club and Borgata took the stress out of a very challenging situation and helped to create a incredibly memorable day for us and our guests,” said a very happy—and grateful—bridegroom. 

Fall Weddings Go VintageBy Patricia Canole

With vintage wedding themes so popular this fall, we invited wedding expert Cara Davis, author of “Cheap Ways to Tie the Knot” to give us some practical advice on planning an affair to remember on a budget. Before diving into the world of antiques and lace, start by planning your expenses so you're not left with a bill you're still paying when the wedding itself turns vintage. Here are several ways to incorporate a romantic look to your wedding.

COLOR YOUR WORLD A solid vintage wedding theme begins with a color scheme. Thankfully there are some fabulous, easy-to-use online tools you can use to create a color story with your wedding. Start with a site like ColourLovers.com and search for “vintage.” Once you've found your inspiration, head over to Sherwin-Williams’ color tool called Chip It! to translate any picture into matching Sherwin Williams paint colors.

ATTIRE Lace, pearls and feminine necklines are go-to components for vintage-inspired wedding dresses. In addition to bridal boutiques, search women's department stores for affordable options. Register for gift cards through CardAvenue.com to allow your guests to help you offset the cost of your dream gown

GREAT GATSBY The classic novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald set in the Roaring ‘20s, stars Leonardo DiCaprio and is set for release in 2013. Vintage-loving brides can pull plenty of wedding inspiration from the look and feel of this film, and already we're seeing ‘20s styled dresses and accessories.

MASON JARS Throw a twist on mason jars at a wedding by painting them for a dated look. Use vaseline on the embossed parts (like the name of the jar), then wipe off that area to create a vintage, distressed look. Insert a bunch of baby's breath and you've got an instant vintage centerpiece. Flank with votive candles wrapped with a paper doilies.

CHALKBOARDS Chalkboards are everywhere, and they add a fun element to wedding day signage. Pull it into the vintage theme by painting an aged-looking frame the color of your wedding, then paint over the glass with chalkboard paint. Use big ones for directional signs, or small ones for place cards or menus.

HOMEMADE A vintage wedding naturally lends itself to homemade touches, and nothing says “homemade” like dessert. Pies continue to be a big trend in weddings this year, and local vendors are making it easier to find baked goods with that down-home taste.

MUSIC Don't just decorate; set the right mood with a vintage record player and vinyl records. Whether it's oldies, Rat Pack or classical, your choice of music will complete your theme and put a smile on your guests' faces. 

For more information from Cara Davis, visit CheapWaysTo.com .