Joe Fornabaio for The New York Times

At 8:46 this past Wednesday morning, I was well into my daily yoga routine at the Houstonian in Houston, Texas, and far, far away from the fax, computer and iPhone email, and quite deep into a twist that had taken me perpendicular to the floor. I listened for further direction from Rie Congelio, my blithe and breezy “Yoga Body” instructor.

Actually, in the last four years of yoga practice, Rie had said many instructional and inspirational things in her class, yet in the next few seconds she would utter one word that would possibly influence thousands of WeddingWire brides, not to mention change lives, bodies, minds.

So, I listened and over my measured inhale, I heard: “Your next move will be counterintutive.” Say no more. Get me out of here, I have a message for my brides. I packed up my Manduka professional mat and rolled out.

“Counterintutive,” became my mantra. Listen, yoga, at its heart, is about the balance of opposites. The balance in Life. The juxtaposition of Ying and Yang; breath in, breath out. So for brides, who are on what seems a non-stop, life altering twelve month marathon to the alter, or Cabos, the opposite life approach in life would be most welcomed.

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There is nothing more relaxing and yet exciting as having your hair and makeup done on site for your wedding; just as if you are on the set of a movie. But this day is not about a screenplay, it’s one of the most important days of your life and looking like you (and not someone else) should be the plan. As much as makeup can accent your look it should never be relied upon completely for the Bridal Glow. During the busy time of planning your wedding be sure to take care of yourself, it is amazing how eating properly really helps taking care of your skin.

Just how do you get the famous “Bridal Glow”? Some ideas to think about are to open your eyes with the use of specific eye shadows and eyeliner. A soft look would incorporate brown eyeliner, and pink tones. A more glamorous Hollywood look would include dark eyeliner and more red tones in the blush and lips. For a trendy mysterious look, a smoky eye is perfect in hues of grey and browns with a nude or mauve lip color. Keep in mind a bad reaction to new makeup or a disappointing hair color is the last thing you need before the wedding so as we said ‘plan ahead’. We’ve seen it happen so don’t set yourself up for unnecessary stress. A slightly enhanced version of your natural beauty is all that is necessary for achieving the legendary “bridal glow”.

In order to find the perfect hairstyle to complement your flawless skin, many elements factor in: the shape of your face, your height, and the style of your veil. If you don’t know where to start, look first to your wedding gown. If it is highly formal, it may call for a classic upsweep, or sleek and chic, topped off perfectly by a chignon. With the help of a professional, almost any style, whether it’s a sophisticated bun, a chignon set off by tiny flowers, or a French twist, it can be altered to fit the formality of the occasion and the style of your gown and veil. There is one thing to keep in mind if you have hair extensions. Because of the tracks put in place to secure the hair, you may not be able to have your hair in an up-do. Check with your stylist because if that is what you want, you may have to forgo the extensions or have them put in special for the day.

When you visit the stylist, bring as much of the ensemble as you can: veil, jewelry, a photo of your gown, and any other photos of styles you prefer. Schedule a trial session a few weeks before the wedding; having it done in advance will test your love for the style and its durability throughout the day. A trial session will also give you a sense of the amount of time you’ll spend in the stylist’s chair. Be straightforward with them about the result; if it’s not quite right, you can always come back for another session. Please know in advance the trial sessions are not free.

Having smooth, perfect nails will be the finishing touch to your wedding look; don’t forget your hands will figure prominently in photographs. Manicures and pedicures are also wonderful stress-fighters. If you are wearing a shorter gown for the reception perhaps you can select a fun color for the toes, perfect for those flashy peep shoes!

One of the biggest stresses for a bride-to-be is how she will look in her wedding gown on her wedding day. Will she look fat? Will she look flabby? The issue floats around in her brain for months: all the pictures, the wedding album, the wedding video …she MUST look gorgeous!! All ladies start out exercising but sometimes make the mistake of starving themselves the week before their big day. Not only will that NOT help you lose your last few pounds, it’ll actually make you fatter. How? By slowing your metabolism down to a screeching halt. Here are a few tips to keep the pounds off:

1. Start exercising slowing: If you haven’t worked out for awhile, don’t go full force into an exhausting workout plan. Ease into your program by doing light cardio and 1-2 reps of 10 on light weights. After week 1 you’ll be able to increase both loads.

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Just because it’s no longer Breast Cancer Awareness month, doesn’t mean we should stop talking about this very serious matter. It also doesn’t mean we should stop helping to raise money for breast cancer.

Purple Lab’s creatrix Karen Robinovitz understands this and has given us one of the best products I’ve seen in years: SWAC (Sealed with a Cure) lip-gloss. Before I get into the amazing story behind this lip-gloss, lets’ talk about how great it feels to wear it. The lip-gloss goes on smooth and silky without being sticky. But don’t think its one of those non-sticky lipglosses that goes on like water and lasts about 20 minutes; this gloss stays on for hours. The color is a shimmering pale pink so you can literally wear it anytime, anywhere and it’s scented with a hint vanilla so it smells delicious. Now to the great back-story: a portion of the proceeds from each SWAC lip-gloss sold goes to the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation. “The Triple Negative what?” you ask yourself? Yeah, I had no idea what it was before last week either. Turns out it’s an extremely aggressive form of cancer that affects younger woman. Sounds like something you should be aware of right? The lip-gloss color itself is named ‘Nancy’, in honor of Nancy Block-Zenna who lost her fight with triple negative breast cancer two and a half years after her diagnosis. Even better than all of this? SWAC is available all year round , not just for one month out of the year. So, you can wear it on your wedding day, know it will stay through the ceremony, and you’re benefiting an awesome cause!

Thank you Karen Robinovitz for creating such a great product with such an important cause!

For more information on triple negative breast cancer, please go to www.tnbcfoundation.org.

Your dress is dazzling, your shoes are spectacular, your jewelry is divine….but you still haven’t figured out what to do about your makeup?!

One of the biggest debates is should you DIY your wedding day makeup or pay someone else to apply it for you? On one hand you’ll be saving money but on the other…you may risk looking like a not so hot. (Frankly, either option can be fabulous or disastrous.)

Soooo….Let’s play the YES and NO game together to figure out what you should do. Remember girls: Answer honestly!! (Yes: 1 point – No: 2 points)

1. I never leave the house without perfectly blended makeup!

Musical genius: perhaps. Award-winning cosmetologist: not so much.

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YIKES! Don

I had the opportunity to observe a “makeup artist” doing a mock trail run last month (I was interviewing for a position on our Rhode Island Team) and the experience made me think of you, the unsuspecting bride, and how easily it is to be fooled by a resume.  (Yes, the makeup really was THAT bad!)

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The month of June was as wet, rainy and dreary as ever we’ve had here in the Northeast and I for one (really, I think I was the only one!) was deeply grateful.  It was one of those times in my life where I was ok with being a bit selfish – while I did feel badly for all the brides who had the unfortunate timing of having their wedding day during this time I couldn’t help but smile a little when my eyes opened each morning to dull, shadowless days.

Let it Rain, Let it Rain, Let it Rain

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Gigi Anders, the popular author of books Little Pink Raincoat and Be Pretty, Get Married, and Always Drink Tab, dropped me a line on a sunny day in May to interview me for Best Face Forward, her upcoming summer beauty article in Washingtonian Magazine.  Thrilled at the opportunity to interview with such a talented writer for the popular publication, I gathered information relating to makeup to beat the summer heat to tips and tricks on how to make color last during these sweltering days!  Gigi and I gabbed for over 3 hours on skin and makeup!  Before I knew it, she got me to spill the beans on my top go-to brands for foundation to liquid eye liner that lasts!  My advice was part of a larger article, by Anders, which covered skin care advice from top Dermatologists in Washington DC.

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As women, we remember everything, right? We never forget to pack a toothbrush, hair spray, or our trusty pink blush. We have the mind of an elephant and retain all information. If this were actually the case, then there would be no need for a “Bridal Save The Day Care Package” with floss, mints, or a sewing kit!

Just like brides, grooms need a care package for the big day as well. I’ve put together some must-have items for the groom that can be placed in a basket or men’s bag. Have a groomsmen remember to grab this kit and set in the groom’s suite on the big day, for a just-in-case moment!

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To Tan or Not To Tan?

Let me start off by saying, as a makeup artist, I absolutely hate tanning beds.  They’re bad for your skin, you can get a severe burn if you’re not careful, and the color you receive from a tanning bed is unnatural!  It is almost near impossible to get a perfect foundation match when dealing with tanning bed skin.

In May, I visited New York for The Makeup Show and came across a product that intrigued me– Luminess Tan Airbrush System.  An all-in-one tanning system that you can do at home and is safe for your skin?  That’s right folks, there is such a product!  I had to try it out!

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