Wedding Tips

Pearly Whites

How to have a bright, healthy smile for a dazzling look on your wedding day.

The best way to ensure a radiant smile? Good overall health, says Gerald Curatola, D.D.S., a new york-based dentist. Dr. Curatola says research shows a correlation between a healthy mouth and a healthy body. He recommends that in addition to following an at-home dental hygiene regime, you learn to practice good nutrition and stress management beauty from the inside out.

Which foods?
Curatola recommends following a diet that includes lots of leafy greens and whole grains. Eliminate refined sugar (that means no white bread or white sugar), which promotes gum disease. Be sure to eat foods that are high in antioxidants, like spinach and kale, berries and pomegranates, which help the body fight disease. You should also avoid foods that tend to have an inflammatory effect on body tissue, such as luncheon meats and hot dogs and even dairy products, if possible.

Tooth cleaning tips
Since most people tend to spend less than two minutes at a time brushing their teeth, they don’t reach the harmful, sticky plaque that develops on the teeth and in hard-to-reach areas in the mount. For beautiful teeth, eat crunchy fruits and vegetables; like tiny brushes, they scrub your teeth as you eat.
An electric toothbrush can help with this, Dr. Curatola says, but try one that comes equipped with a two-minutes timer so that you do the best job possible. As for teeth whitening, Dr. Curatola cautions against overusing over-the-counter products in order to get fast results. Be sure to follow the instructions on the box carefully or opt to have your dentist do the procedure in his office.

For Healthy White Teeth
Eat: crunchy fruits and vegetables like apples, carrots, cauliflower, pears and cucumbers. Almonds are a good choice too. “ Hit the crudités at parties,” Dr. Curatola advises. These foods are high in fiber, so they act like tiny toothbrushes scrubbing away at your teeth as you eat. You’ll be snacking in a healthy way and whitening your teeth at the same time. AVOID: dark liquids like coffee or red wine and deeply pigmented curry dishes. Also, stay away from carbonated drinks (the carbonation can increase acidity in your mount, making tooth enamel more porous and prone to staining).

BIG-DAY COUNTDOWN
• Immediately ditch the alcohol-based mouthwash and toothpaste. The alcohol dries out your mouth, killing the beneficial bacteria.
• Start a healthy diet. Dr. Curatola believes this to be the basic. Groundwork for a gorgeous smile.
• Six months out: See your dentist for a checkup so that any problems with teeth or gums can be treated well in advance. This is also the time to discuss options like whitening or even more complicated procedures, like bonding or veneers.
• Three months out: See your dentist for another cleaning.
• One month out: If you plan to have an in-office whitening, schedule an appointment now.

Massage Before Marriage
As your wedding day approaches, you can feel your shoulders creeping slowly up to your ears as the stress builds-not necessarily the best way to show off that strapless ball gown you’ve brought. A pre wedding massage may be the perfect way to set those tense shoulders straight, says Marlene Peterson, certified medical massage therapist at the Medical Massage Center of St. Joseph, Michigan.
“Given all the details that have to take place with a wedding, it can be very stressful. Just taking the time to relax clears your mind and calms your spirits,” she says. “A massage can bring you back to a level where you feel like you can cope with everything that’s going on.”
Stress isn’t the only great reason to get a rubdown, says Kathryn Vanderplough, owner and operator of BioTouch Massage Therapy in Michigan City, Indiana. Massage increases blood flow in the body, bringing more of it to the surface. It’s the healthiest way to get that “blushing bride” skin every girl wants.
Relaxation has the added benefit and helping you to focus, something you can easily lose track of in the hubbub of a wedding. “You can remember the real reason behind the whole ceremony,”Peterson says. “Massage kind of gets you back in touch in that.
Both therapists offer this warning to ladies seeking a pre-wedding massage: know your therapist and get your massage at least a day before. A deep-tissue massage on the morning of the big day could leave you in to much pain to walk down the aisle. If you’re new to massage, get references of practitioners from friends and ask the therapist to use lighter techniques. Drink plenty of water after your treatment.
Perhaps most importantly, Vanderplough says, is that you take your time, relax and enjoy yourself. After all, she says, it may be one of the last times you’re alone and indulging as a single woman.

Wedding Planner

12 MONTHS OR BEFORE:
- Announce the engagement.
- Ask friends and relatives to participate in the wedding party.
- Decide what kind of wedding you want, including when and where it will be. Choose a few different dates and sites in case your favorite location is already booked.
- Book the ceremony site, officiant and the reception venue, can be done through wedding planner.
- Start thinking about the guest list. Divide your list between people who need to be invited and those whom it would be nice to invite, in case you need to downsize later.
- Set a budget early and try to stick to it throughout the planning process.
- Order or renew passports if required for your honeymoon.

SIX TO NINE MONTHS BEFORE:
- Decide on the cut, color and style of your dream gown. Take your time shopping to make sure you order the perfect one.
- Research and book the photographer, videographer, florist and entertainment.
- Register for gifts.
- Select a flower girl and ring bearer.
- Choose and order the bridemaids’ dresses .
- Start planning your honeymoon.
- Have your engagement portrait taken.

FOUR TO SIX MONTHS BEFORE:
- Finalize the guest list and order wedding invitations.
- Reserve lodging for out-of-town guests.
- Shop for and order wedding rings. Allow up to four weeks for engraving.
- Decide on the men’s formalwear and order it.
- Make arrangements for the rehearsal dinner.
- Find accessories, including jewelry and shoes. Wear shoes around the house to begin to break them in.
- Buy gifts for wedding party, parents and each other.

THREE MONTHS BEFORE:
- Research bakeries and order the wedding cake.
- Select and hire transportation for the wedding day.
- Purchase reception decorations and party favors.
- Look in to wedding license requirements.
- Plan activities for out-of-town guests for before and after the wedding.
- Schedule appointments for getting hair, make up and nails done.

SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS BEFORE:
- Address and mail out invitations.
- Check with newspaper for wedding announcement requirements. Write it up and send in with photograph.
- Obtain marriage license. Have name changed, if you choose, on all important
documents.
- Mail invitations to rehearsal dinner.
- Collect your “ something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.”
- Write your vows.
- Create a wedding program.

TWO TO SIX WEEKS BEFORE:
- Contact guests who haven’t responded to invitations.
- Finalize menu for the reception and give a final head count to the caterer. Arrange seating and create place cards, if desired.
- Discuss must-have shots with the photographer and videographer. Give final song list to band or DJ.
- Start packing for the honeymoon.
- Keep up to date on thank-you notes as gifts arrive.

ONE WEEK BEFORE:
- Have final dress fitting and bring it home. Make sure maid of honor knows how to
bustle the dress.
- Confirm honeymoon reservations and other arrangements. Finish packing.
- Attend bachelor and bachelorette parties.
- Confirm all arrangements made for the wedding day.

DAY BEFORE:
- Give the best man the officiant’s fee and any other checks to be paid.
- Make sure a member of the wedding party is in charge of bringing the wedding
accessories to the service.
- Rehearse the ceremony and give marriage license to the officiant.
- Give gifts to the wedding party.

DAY OF:
- Give wedding bands to the best man and the maid of honor.
- Present gifts to parents and each other.
- Take a deep breath and enjoy your day.