Win $100 in Books in My Bridesmaid Dress Contest
By Elaine Viets
Ladies, did you ever have to wear an ugly bridesmaid dress?
Me, too.
Nothing can take away that feeling of shame when you wore that horror in front of all those people. Worse, it’s in a photo!
Now, I can make you feel better.
You can enter my Bridesmaid Dress Contest and win $100 in books. Think of it -– hours of soothing reading to take away the sting of that dress.
Enter the "I Can't Believe I Wore This Dress. It’s outrageous" category.
I’ve heard rumors that there are women who liked their bridesmaids dresses. In fact, those dresses were so good-looking they wore them again.
If you’re one of those fabled creatures -– and I suspect you’re rarer than unicorns -– enter it in the "I Can't Believe I Wore This Dress -- it's gorgeous" category.
I'm really excited about my new Josie Marcus Mystery Shopper mystery, "Murder Is a Piece of Cake." Josie gets married in this novel -- after she solves a murder.
That’s why I’m celebrating with the Elaine Viets Bridesmaid Dress contest.
First place winners in both categories will win a $100 gift certificate to the bookstore of their choice for e-books or tree books, and an autographed copy of "Murder Is a Piece of Cake."
Second place is a $25 gift certificate and an autographed copy of "Murder Is a Piece of Cake."
Third place is an autographed copy of "Murder Is a Piece of Cake."
That peach bridesmaid dress in the photo? My maid of honor, Sue Brandt Schlueter, is wearing it at my wedding in 1971. Sue is still my friend. I’m not sure which category the dress belongs in, but the style was cutting edge in Florissant, Mo., back then.
Only photos of bridesmaid dresses that you’ve worn may be submitted. Photos of dresses from other weddings or magazines are not eligible. Submit as many times as you like, as long as you’ve worn the dresses.
You may enter both the National Bridesmaid Dress Contest and the St. Louis Bridesmaid Contest. However, if you win in any category of the St. Louis Contest, your photos are not eligible to win the National Contest.
Enter now through Nov. 1. Click on the bridesmaid photo at elaineviets.com and upload your picture.
If you live in the St. Louis area, you’re doubly lucky. You can enter two Bridesmaid Dress Contests – the National Contest and the St. Louis Contest one.
The St. Louis contest has cool prizes including a VIP beer tasting party for ten at Schlafly Bottleworks, a chocolate tasting party at Kakao, dinner for two at the Fountain on Locust, a Gooey Louie cheesecake and autographed copies of "Murder Is a Piece of Cake."
Check out the St. Louis contest here: http://elaineviets.com/new/Events/default.asp
The St. Louis contest judging is 7 PM, Thursday, Nov. 15, during my talk at the St. Louis County Library, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, Mo. 63131. E-mail your photo to Carrie Robb, adult services librarian, St. Louis County Library at [email protected].
Better yet, wear the dress to the library. A free autographed copy of "Murder Is a Piece of Cake" will be given to the first three women who wear their bridesmaid dresses to the St. Louis contest.
Hurry! Upload your photo at elaineviets.com.
Winning is a piece of cake.
What fun! I just posted the gawd-awful matron of honor dress I wore at my sister Katie's wedding. Big leg-of-mutton sleeves, empire waist -- thank goodness you can't see the enormous hair bow clamped to the back of my head with several hundred bobby pins!
Posted by: Marcia Talley | October 19, 2012 at 07:35 AM
Readers, you can see Marcia's dress at elaineviets.com.
What can I say, Marcia? Except I've seen worse. In fact, I've worn worse. The photos of me in pink ruffles and a tiny lace jacket have thankfully disappeared.
Posted by: Elaine Viets | October 19, 2012 at 07:53 AM
Aw schucks -- I have a beautiful bridesmaid dress but I don't get to wear it until April. We were lucky, the bride's only rules were that the dress be in a rainbow color (no pastels or black) and that we picked the same dress. Since there are only two of us bridesmaids, the whole thing took about 30 minutes. Much better than my other three turns at the wheel where I didn't get a choice in anything.
Posted by: CilleyGirl | October 19, 2012 at 03:44 PM
Sounds like you have a smart, thoughtful bride. Lucky you. Any photos of those three loser (maybe winner) dresses?
You could enter them.
Posted by: Elaine Viets | October 19, 2012 at 03:46 PM
No bridesmaid dresses here. The closest I came was my friend's outdoor wedding, planned as a hippy-ish picnic event until her older female relatives took over and made it slightly more formal. I hadn't packed dresses, so I wore my favorite jeans with India-print patches. She wanted a "reading" of some sort, and all I could think of on the spot was from Fiddler -- "to life! and if our good fortune never comes, here's to whatever comes." She loved it! I think her relatives were scandalized . . .
I do have a photo of the jeans somewhere, if you want it.
Posted by: Storyteller Mary | October 21, 2012 at 09:13 AM
Sure, upload the jeans, Mary.
And tell your friends. Maybe they'll buy a book for you with that $100 if they win.
Posted by: Elaine Viets | October 21, 2012 at 09:33 AM