A GUIDE TO HEALTHY SKIN
Prepping the Canvas

You’ve done everything possible to ensure that you look your best on your wedding day: the dress, the hair, the make-up. Your skin deserves the same attention – well, actually more. Taking good care of your skin will not only ensure that you look your best on your wedding day, but for years to come.

“People with great skin smile from the inside out,” says Meg Brucker, PA-C of A Brand New You in Eau Claire. “Healthy skin is the foundation of beauty.”

Luckily, you can put the stress of having beautiful skin on your wedding day into an expert’s hands. Here are some things to consider as you begin your journey to beautiful skin – with an expert’s help!

Timeframe
Time is everything when it comes to your skin care plan. It’s best to get started as soon as possible so that your skin specialist can put together a thorough treatment plan, thus allowing the time needed to see the results you want. If you have only a few months until your wedding, there is still time to improve your skin, but possibly not enough to address all issues.

It’s also important to consider the time of year that the wedding will take place. The elements affect how skin behaves. A skin specialist will make adjustments to your skin regimen based on the season.

Problem Areas
It’s time to grab a mirror and some sunlight. Nobody has perfect skin, but everyone has areas that can be improved, whether it’s minor to major breakouts, rosacea, or uneven skin tone. Before you can work to make your skin its best, you need to have a good understanding of what needs to be improved.

Goals
Now that you know what skin issues that you want to address, it’s time to set some goals. Your skin is not a hopeless cause. If you take the time to meet with a skin care expert, you will be able to work toward reaching your goals.

“It’s important to make your goals realistic. A skin specialist can help you set attainable goals,” says Brucker.

Shop Around
It’s time to get some professional help. Several facilities in the Chippewa Valley offer skin treatments and procedures. Each offers slightly different services and products, and some vary in their capabilities. Almost all offer free consultations, allowing you be able to test the waters without having to pay a dime. When talking with a facility, make sure to ask about their years of experience, capabilities, and appointment availability (whether their hours work with your schedule).

Once you have found a specialist that meets your needs, you need to review your timeframe, problem areas, and goals. With this information, the specialist will be able to tailor a plan specific to you. For example, a young bride with minor skin imperfections may receive a light chemical peel and microdermabrasion, possibly every 6-8 weeks before the wedding (average cost: $75-100 per session), along with a facial closer to the wedding day.

Protect Your Investment
You’ve heard it time and again, but are you listening? Sunscreen is still the number one way to protect your skin.

“There really is no excuse not to wear sunscreen,” says Brucker. “It’s a proven way to protect your skin – so why wouldn’t you use it? Everyone, men and women, need to have a good relationship with their sunscreen.”

Your skin – the largest organ in your body – also needs moisture. Hydrating the skin improves skin tone and can make the pores appear smaller. Also, make sure to avoid any avoidable premature wrinkling. For example, simply wearing sunglasses will reduce squinting, thus reducing wrinkling in the long run.

Finally, take the personalized advice that you received from your skin specialist to heart. As you meet with a specialist, you will learn many tips and tricks that will be invaluable to your beauty regime, now and for years to come.

Skin care is an absolute must. Put your best face forward, recommends Brucker, as you begin your journey as a married couple: “By making sure that your canvas is the best it can be, the painting is going to be perfect.”

This article was created with assistance from Meg Brucker, PA-C of A Brand New You, a med spa and wellness center located at 3004 Golf Road in Eau Claire. To ensure that you take the time needed to invest in your skin, A Brand New You has very flexible hours, including evenings and weekends. Call 715.379.0906 to learn more.


STRAIGHT WHITE TEETH
Equals Confidence

By Dr. Jeff Moos
So, your big day is approaching, your wedding day that is, and you want to look your best. Looking your best includes having a smile that you feel confident about. There are cosmetic services your dentist can provide that will help you feel great about your smile. These services include tooth whitening (in-office or take-home), Veneers or Lumineers, and Invisalign.

Tooth whitening can be performed at-home or in-office. Staining results from consumption of tea, soda, coffee, red wine, and tobacco. Aging, tetracycline, and other antibiotics may also cause staining of the teeth.

At-home tooth whitening involves your dentist taking impressions of your teeth and creating custom trays. To begin treatment, you will place a thin line of whitening gel into the trays and wear it for the recommended amount of time. Depending upon the product, trays will be worn during the day or while sleeping at night. Results may take longer depending on factors such as how stained a person’s teeth are or how well their teeth respond to the product.

In-office whitening is typically performed in an hour or two with a light and whitening gel. In-office whitening has immediate results and is less time consuming than at-home whitening.

The advantage to dentist supervised whitening verses over-the-counter products is that the dentist will determine whether a patient is a good candidate for tooth whitening. Patients with infected gums, translucent teeth, tooth decay, multiple tooth-colored fillings, or crowns on the front teeth may not be good candidates for tooth whitening.

Veneers and Lumineers are another option to improve your smile. Veneers are custom-designed shells of tooth-like ceramic material that, when applied over the surface of a tooth, can cover worn tooth enamel, uneven tooth alignment or spacing, and chips or cracks. Lumineers are contact lens-thin and are placed over existing teeth without having to remove tooth structure (unlike traditional veneers). Lumineers is a painless, permanent cosmetic solution for stained, chipped, discolored or misaligned teeth.

For a straighter smile, products such as Invisalign can be utilized without traditional metal braces. Invisalign uses a series of clear, removable aligners that move your teeth over time.

Call your dentist today to assist you in achieving a smile you can feel confident about on your wedding day!

Dr. Jeff Moos is the CEO of Midwest Dental headquartered in Mondovi, WI with clinics throughout Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, and Iowa.


TUX TIPS
A Sharp Dressed Man

Face it, all eyes will be on the bride. But since you’re standing next to her, you should probably look pretty good, too. It’s time to get a suit or a tux.

The groom and groomsmen should be measured for their attire several months prior to the event by someone who is trained. Usually the following measurements are recorded: height, chest, overarm, waist, hips, outseam, neck, and sleeve length. It’s your job to make sure that your guys send all needed measurements to the tux shop.

Most people don’t consider buying a tuxedo or a nice suit for a wedding because tuxes are easy to rent. If you are one that frequently attends formal events, purchasing a classic tux or suit is probably a smart financial move. Even if you only plan to attend a handful of formal occasions, it may still be worth your while to purchase your own.

Regardless of if you choose to buy or rent, you will be presented with many options for each piece of the ensemble.

Jackets
Jackets come in varying styles, from classic to more contemporary. If you are considering purchasing your own tux or suit, a black, classic style may be the best choice. For those looking to make a fashion statement, you will be pleased to find that jacket styles continue to change, both in cuts and colors.

Vests and Ties
Vests and ties are a way for you to express yourself and show your individual style. They can vary in color, yet still coordinate with the color theme of the wedding. A black tux can be brought to life with a colorful vest or tie. As the groom, you may choose a different colored tie and vest so that you stand out in the line-up.

Shirts
There are three basic types of shirts: wing collar, turndown collar, and mandarin collar. Shirts are another way to “show your true colors.” There are many ways to add variety with a splash of color. For example, each groomsman could wear a different color shirt paired with a classic, black tie. On the flip side, a classic white shirt is always in style.

Shoes and Accessories
Formal shoes are usually made from patent leather, with varying shapes, colors, and heels. There are many ways to accessorize a suit. A coordinating pocket square quickly dresses up suit and adds a punch of color. Cuff links are a smaller detail that gives a polished, put-together look. Other accessories to consider: hats, cummerbunds, and button covers, to name a few.

If you know that you will need lots of assistance in choosing a tux, call the tux shop to set up an appointment so that you will have one-on-one attention with an expert.

GROOM TO DO LIST
Wedding Day Countdown - What's a Groom to Do?

You’ve bought the ring and popped the question. Now the next item on your “to do list” is to show up at the wedding, right?

Nope. While many grooms let the bride make most or all of the wedding decisions, it’s your wedding, too, and you should play a part in planning it. This is the biggest party you will probably ever host in your life and it should include some of your ideas, too. Added bonus: your fiancé will appreciate that you are showing interest in the wedding.

While there are a number of wedding ‘to do’s’ that either your bride will do on her own or that you will do together, there are several items that are traditionally the groom’s responsibility. Here’s a list to get you started!

12 Months Before
Purchase her engagement ring, if you have not already done so.
Choose your best man and groomsmen and ask them to be a part of the wedding

9 Months Before
Put together a guest list for “your side” and gather addresses.
Book the band or the DJ.
Register for gifts.

Six Months Before
Discuss honeymoon plans and possibly handle all planning.
Make transportation arrangements – to the church, to the reception and after the reception.
Select your and your groomsmen’s attire.
Have your groomsmen send in their measurements to the tux shop.

Three Months Before
Arrange lodging for the wedding guests and attendants.
Plan the rehearsal dinner.

Two Months Before
Purchase a gift for your bride.
Purchase gifts for your groomsmen.

One Month Before
Obtain the marriage license from the county clerk.
Write your vows if you and your bride have decided to write your own.
Prepare a thank you toast for the rehearsal dinner and reception.

One Week Before
Pick up your tux at least one day before the wedding and try it on for fit.
Make sure your groomsmen know when and where to pick up their tuxes.
Allow extra time for grooming: get a haircut, a “man”icure, a teeth whitening treatment, etc.
Get some cash for various gratuities and the officiant fee.

On The Day
Call your bride or send a sweet note before the wedding begins.
Oh, and show up on time!