WeddingPath News 24 May 2007 1370 views

I am very excited this week because we are having another competition - all the details are at the bottom of this newsletter. First of all, though, I am going to tell you all about smelling good.

When I was a young monkey, fragrance wasn't really an issue. As I have become more refined, I have realised that just covering myself in dung isn't really an option these days. Smelling nice on your wedding day (and night!) is something both b2bs and h2bs need to think about. A good wash behind the ears is a great place to start, but if you are up for going a little further, read on...

Perfumes have a long history and were used as far back as ancient Egyptian times. Around 1000 BC, perfumed balms were used in religious ceremonies and as part preparations for love making. There are five standard families of fragrance - Floral, Oriental, Woody, Fougère (fern), and Fresh.

Men's and ladies' fragrances are made in exactly the same way. Ladies' perfumes tend to have more 'floral' notes, whereas men's scents usually have more wood and citrus notes. So how do you choose a fragrance that suits you?

Choice of fragrance can depend partly on the occasion and climate, as well as personal preference. The lighter perfumes - water based, citrus and softer floral fragrances – are often used for casual/daytime occasions. For special occasions and evenings, the heavier floral, woody or oriental fragrances work well. The choice you make affects your mood and can make you feel sexy, exciting, upbeat, energised and confident. Before you go fragrance shopping, take a while to think about what sort of thing you would like.

You should always test fragrances on your skin; smelling the bottle will not give you a proper representation. However, don't rub the fragrance in as this will distort the scent. Another great tip, if you are trying several fragrances is to ask for blotters and a pen. Spray the fragrance onto the blotter and write the name, then you can keep track of which fragrance is which. Blotters don't give as good an impression as your skin, but you can take them home and get a second opinion. The scent of a fragrance changes after a few minutes so smell again after a little while. Your nose will get fatigued quite quickly, so take breaks (a burst of fresh air helps).

Getting the right amount of a scent takes a little practice. You don't want to end up smelling like the proverbial 'tart's handkerchief', so be sure to ask for a second opinion. The heat from your body emphasises the perfumes, so the best places to apply are your pulse points - wrists, cleavage, neck and elbows. Another technique is to spray the air and then walk through it. Practise applying the right amount of fragrance before your wedding day.

If you have dry skin the fragrance will be absorbed more, so more applications will be required. One way of making the fragrance last longer is to layer products with the same fragrance. You can start with bath/shower gel, then apply scented body lotion and complete the effect with perfume.

Types of product available:
The most concentrated (more essential oils and less alcohol) are perfumes. These also last the longest. Eau de toilette is less concentrated than perfume, and is the most popular choice. Cologne is lighter than eau de toilette and tends to contain citrus, cool and crisp scents. Aftershave is lighter still and is used to smooth and cool men's skin, while aftershave balm is a scented moisturising lotion.

I like to give you the lowdown on wedding-related books and this week I have two new reviews to share with you. As always, one of the WP team reviews the books and then they go out to a b2b'h2b for review (and they get to keep the book). If you are interested in reviewing books in the future, keep an eye out on the forum as that is where we post when books become available.

This weeks books are Collins Gem: Weddings and Collins Need to Know? Weddings.

If you think you might get a little teary on the day, you might want to consider wearing waterproof eye makeup. Alternatively, if you are happy with your existing, non-waterproof mascara, there are special gel products that will ‘seal’ it for a smudge-free finish!

This week's competition is to celebrate the release of the hilarious film Wedding Daze, which includes a whole raft of cringeworthy comedy moments and mishaps.

WeddingPath have teamed up with Pathé to give two couples the chance to win a pair of tickets to one of the selected and exclusive preview screenings taking place across the UK on the 31st May.

To win, you need to go to the WeddingPath newswire to find how to submit your answer to the following question:

Which trilogy of films launched the film career of Jason Biggs?

a) American Pie

b) Australian Pie

c) Shepherds Pie

As always, if you have a topic that you think would make a good newsletter, or a tip to share, drop me a line and I will do my best to help. My email is margo@weddingpath.com.

If you would like me to come to your wedding, and/or honeymoon, please check out the About Me section on my profile page to see my schedule and leave a message on my notice board if I am available.

Have a fab week.

Love and apples!!!

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