Drawing on their experience as wedding photographers and other wedding professionals, Angie and Wayne Eggleston, owners of Wayne’s View Photography, have created a special project named "Operation Happily Ever After" that will provide a Myrtle Beach dream wedding for a lucky military couple. With the exception of the rings and dress, everything will be provided, including the wedding ceremony, transportation, a reception with all the trimmings, luxury beachfront resort accommodations for the wedding party, and a three-night honeymoon stay. At the same time, Operation Happily Ever After will raise awareness and funds to help support a carefully selected non-profit organization which assists military members and their families.

Here’s how it will work: As of June 1st any active duty bride and/or groom can enter the contest via its website: www.OperationHappilyEverAfter.org. Within 72 hours participants will be contacted by phone regarding eligibility. If qualified, they can register and start receiving votes right away. Friends and family members can vote by pledging $1 per vote, with 100% of all proceeds going to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. The contest web site will display a running tally of votes until the contest ends at midnight on January 31st, and the winner will be announced on February 15, 2011.

Next year on Sept. 11, the lucky couple’s dream wedding will take place on the beach in front of the Sea Watch Resort for the reception site, lodging for the wedding party, and a three-night honeymoon stay. Local businesses have stepped forward to offer such services as the bride’s arrival by horse drawn carriage, officiating of the ceremony, the wedding cake (which will be decorated during the reception), an ice sculpture, photographers, a videographer, a disc jockey, and an artist who will paint a portrait of the bride and groom live during the reception. "We are simply overwhelmed at the response we have received," says Angie. "Even a website design company and a local attorney have provided their services pro bono to help ensure we are doing everything properly. So many generous and caring people have stepped forward to offer their time and talents."

USAF Veteran and SCM Founder Carola Sander McSwain is pleased that the Egglestons have selected the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund which received an A+ rating from the American Institute of Philanthropy and the designation "Best in America" by Independent Charities of America. 100% of the Fund’s contributions go directly to its programs with all administrative expenses underwritten by the fund’s trustees. The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund was established in 2000 to provide financial support to the dependents of US military personnel lost in the performance of duty.

Visit OperationHappilyEverAfter.org or watch their YouTube video to learn more.

Your wedding photographer is going to be one of the primary keys to success for the most important day of your life and you will either love or regret the decision you make in selecting your wedding photographer since their work will help you relive that special day for the rest of your life. Your photographer will be there for your engagement pictures, rehearsal dinner pictures, wedding day picture, reception pictures, and even you after-session pictures. You’ll be relying on their personality, their professionalism, their photographic style and even their choice of picture printers.

It will be worth the investment of your time to review each photographer’s wesbite in your area to see examples of their work and see if their style matches yours. Go heads and use their contact form and ask for an example picture so you can see the quality of the final product for yourself and compare them side by side with others.

Once you have completed your intial reviews, make an appointment to meet several photographers and see if you feel comfortable with them and if they make you feel relaxed and assured that they will handle your wedding day with the utmost care and professional service.

Most photographers will have the cost of wedding packages on their website which will give you an initial assessment including the prices for each stage of the wedding, wedding albums, prints in various sizes, wall portraits, and online slideshows. Be sure to ask if you will receive a copy of the actual digital files or if those remain the property of the photographer.

If you have any questions about selecting a wedding photographer, call Tammy Bevins at (843) 830-7009 or visit Tammy Bevins Photography.

Wedding cakes are rooted in a tradition that dates back to early Roman times when cake was served at marriage feasts. A piece of specially prepared cake was broken over the bride’s head as a symbolic gesture. The cake, made from flour, salt and water, was seen as a sign of good-fortune.

Wedding Cake Size, Shape and Flavor - The wedding cake is likely to attract attention at the reception and should reflect your personal taste and compliment your wedding theme. The shape, size and flavor of the cake are some of the first decisions you’ll have to make.

Square and round cakes are very popular because they are easy to cut into uniform slices, but if your wedding has a distinct theme like hearts, butterflies or horseshoes, you may want the cake shape to follow suit. Chocolate, sponge, cream cake or angel food cake can make a wonderful show. Today, towers of cupcakes are popular with modern brides and are easy to serve, especially at large weddings.

Meet with the Cake Decorator - If you are having your cake professionally made, set up an appointment to see the wedding cake designer at least four to six months in advance. Take along some drawings or a picture of the cake you have in mind. You may want to duplicate the flowers from your bouquet on the cake. Professional sugar-artists can make exquisite replicas.

At the Wedding Reception - Cutting the wedding cake is one of the highlights at a wedding celebration, and it’s probably going to be the first joint-venture you will undertake with your new husband. Visit your reception venue and plan the cake’s exact location. It should be easily assessable from the main table and in clear view of the guests. Ask the caterers to make sure a sharp cutting knife is placed on the table.

If you are serving slices of cake to guests, have someone on hand to take over the actual cutting once you’ve made the first cut and taken a bite with your groom. This will enable you to pose for photographs before you begin greeting guests at the tables.

Flowers help define your wedding and can help reinforce the overall atomosphere of your wedding. Consider these top recommendations for selecting florals for your wedding.

1. Get recommendations from friends, attend bridal shows where you can meet florists, and study websites of local florists.
2. Call and make appointments to interview at least three florists before settling on the one that you feel most comfortable with.
3. Bring the following items with you as you interview each florist:
   • A picture of the wedding dress.
   • Swatches of fabric for bridesmaids dress.
   • A list with the number of bridesmaids, flower girls, groomsmen, fathers, mothers, and grandparents. This list will determine the number of bouquets, corsages, and boutonnieres that are needed.
   • Have an approximate number of tables being used at the reception.
4. Explain your budget to the florist and what priorities you have for wedding party, attendants, and reception facility.

Selecting a wedding gown is one of the bride’s biggest decisions and the process does not have to be difficult. Below are 9 steps to selecting the right wedding dress for you.

Step 1 - Purchase several bridal magazines 9 months to a year before the date and search for the wedding gown styles that you like the most.

Step 2 - Have a price range in mind before you head out to the bridal shops. This will give you a better idea of what type of dress you should look for and help to narrow down your search.

Step 3 - Call bridal shops in your area and make appointments to come in and try on dresses. Be sure to allow for at least an hour at each shop, because you'll be trying on many different gowns!

Step 4 - Bring several of your bridesmaids along with you for input on your dress. Have one of your friends bring along a camera, small notebook and a pen to take pictures of you in the different gowns and make notes about the styles and designers you like best.

Step 5 - Try on as many gowns as you can, and let your bridesmaids give input as well. This way, you will give yourself more opportunities to find that perfect dress.

Step 6 - Narrow down your selections by looking for styles that flatter your unique figure and curves. Be sure to ask your consultant about undergarment options to assist you in getting the perfect silhouette.

Step 7 - Know the alteration regulations at the store where you will purchase your dress. Give yourself a cushion of several months (4-6) for alterations to be completed.

Step 8 - Understand that you may need to pay as much as 50% of the cost of the gown as a down payment at time of purchase, and plan accordingly.

Step 9 - Use pictures of yourself in your dress to pick out coordinating shoes and other accessories.

Personal wedding websites are a necessity for today's Brides. Creating a wedding website is the quickest and easiest way to keep family and friends informed of your big day.

But with so many free options available, why pay for a wedding website?

As with any free service, features are limited. Free sites only give Brides a taste of what a great wedding website can be, with many limitations such as the amount of photos you can upload, which pages are available, and many other key features that are essential in completing a personal wedding website. eWedding.com gives Brides these options. Here are just a few of the must have features for your personal wedding website:

Custom.com - Rather than use the long and confusing URL that comes with many providers and free wedding websites, get the domain of your choice. eWedding.com also offers custom email addresses so you could setup rsvp@danielandsarah.org.

Online RSVP - Save time, money and stress by allowing guests to RSVP right on your own site.

Offer Directions - Setup a page on your wedding website to outline all the events and gatherings. Provide directions to your events and you could even upload maps or provide links to an online map service to assure no one gets lost.

Using a full featured wedding website helps organize and relieve some of the stress of your wedding planning. Family and friends can now just visit your website to get the details on all your events, registries and more. You can easily include your web address with your wedding invitations to get the word out. Plus, having your own site is most impressive! Start by creating a free wedding website today at eWedding.com.