Bridal Beauty: The Future’s Looking Bright (and White)

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Mrs. Marmalade, Norwalk, CT/Raleigh, NC Age and Occupation: 27, Administrative Assistant Fiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Army Officer Engagement Date: December 31, 2009 Wedding Date: July 2011 Venue: Old Cadet Chapel/Highlands Country Club About Me: I'm a Tri-State area "lady," through and through. A big chunk of my life has been split between NYC and Connecticut, and I'm finally heading down south to live with Mr. Marmalade. Our long distance relationship has been one adventure after the next, we've spent time in Texas, Louisiana, Florida,and Georgia, thanks to his military career. Next to Mr. Marmalade, my loves include live music, useless trivia, shoes, design, and my crazy half-tiger kitty, Oliver. I have a passion for food and wine, and I've been known to travel long distances to get my hands on the best meals. I come from a tight-knit big fat Greek Ecuadorian family---we're loud, we talk with our hands, and we spend hours talking loudly with our hands over large meals. I'm going to miss them so much as I pack up and begin my life, far away from home. But with Mr. Marmalade by my side, I'm ready to take on whatever may come. Next up: our wedding!

Bridal Beauty: The Future’s Looking Bright (and White)

March 1st, 2012 @ 2:22 pm by Mrs. Marmalade
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I’ve had a love affair with coffee for as far back as I can remember. As I child, I would sit and eat my breakfast and beg my parents for a sip, knowing that when my mom turned her back my dad would let me add a drop to my mug of warm milk—he didn’t think it was such a big deal.

Image via FitCommerce

Fast forward 20 some odd years, and I needed to start my day with an enormous mug (or two, or three) of coffee. It didn’t help that there was a new single-serve coffee machine just steps from my desk at work. Ah well…

But when the wedding countdown hit the seven-month mark, I had to rethink my caffeine habit. So I made some small changes to my daily routine, without totally giving up my “cup o’ Joe.”

Here’s what I did to get my smile wedding-day ready:

1. Cut back on the java. A quick conversation with my doctor convinced me to limit my coffee intake, it wasn’t easy, but I got down to just one cup (most days).

2. Brushing after meals at work, WITHOUT FAIL.

Image via Kate Spade

According to the ADA, we should brush our teeth twice a day. After a conversation with my dentist, he said I could brush after lunch as well to help keep my smile bright. So I kept a little makeup bag in my desk at work; it contained a toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss. I made sure to rinse after my morning coffee and brush after lunch. This little kit helped this habit stick for me.

3. Switching up my daily routine by using a whitening rinse.

Image via Listerine.com

I used this Listerine rinse; there is a bit of a funky teeth-whitening aftertaste, but I like that it contains fluoride to strengthen the enamel of your teeth.

4. Eating an apple day (or at least trying).

Image via LongIslandPress.org

I stumbled upon this tip while searching the internet for ways to whiten teeth naturally. What I found was that apples clean the surface of your teeth—they contain malic acid, which helps to dissolve stains. Just remember to rinse with water after snacking to get rid of any residual sugar.

It took a few weeks to notice a change, and I was happy with the results. The best part is the habits I created before the wedding have stuck with me.

Do you have any tried and true tips? Are you ramping up your routine to prep for your wedding? Any professional bees out there with tips to add?