Contest Entries for the 'Upon A Star' Win A Wedding Couture Wedding Dress Contest Closes Tonight at 12 a.m.!

If you are a bride-to-be or know of a bride-to-be that would LOVE walking down the aisle in a one-of-a-kind wedding couture dress then let them know to E-mail their photograph and essay defining their idea of love and why the "Star" gown will make their wedding all that sweeter! Entries MUST BE SUBMITTED to Contest@jorgemanuelweddings.com by 12a.m. tonight!

The Upon a Star contest will soon have a winner! 5 Semi-Finalist will be chosen over the next days and posted on the designer page (jorgemanuelweddings.com) and on our Facebook page (facebook.com/jorgemanuelwed) on March 15, 2011. You will be able to meet the lucky 5 entries along with their photographs and entries and vote for your favorite! The 5 lucky semi-finalist will be one step closer to the prize!

We are so excited to have received so many wonderful essays, heartfelt stories, and gotten to meet such wonderful brides-to-be.  Now the hard task of choosing just five contestants is definitely going to have the Jorge Manuel team incredibly busy!

DRESS FACTS (the gown up for grabs): Strapless ball gown Taffeta floral detail fabric with Silk Satin hand-made encrusted bias flowers with hand-embroidered seed bead crystals and crystal center at bodice with Silk-Satin bias sash at waist. MSRP: $5720

We caught up with designer, Jorge Manuel and could not resist to ask what most brides are questioning about the 'Upon A Star' Contest:

Why are you giving away a dress?

I wanted to do something special for all those brides who love couture gowns but simply cannot afford wearing a couture dress. I remember going with my sister to buy her wedding dress. She really longed for a couture wedding dress that was out of her budget. I was fifteen at the time and till this day I remember the look on her face when she knew it was a gown she just simply could not marry in, even if it was the one gown that truly spoke to her. It would make me very happy to know that my gown has made a bride who never thought of wearing a designer gown extremely happy.

Who is judging this contest?

There is a five-person panel composed of three of the judges from Jorge Manuel's creative team and two from our other sponsor, the bridal boutique Maddison Row.

How difficult is it to choose the semi-finalists?
Actually is very difficult because the entries have all been so heartfelt I wish I could give a free dress to all of
them! Unfortunately, the one-of-a-kind gown can only have one winner.

How will the winner be chosen?

The five semi-finalist will be posted on my site and on our Facebook page. The public will be able to get to meet them and their essays and stories. Half of the votes will account from the public and the other half from the judging panel. Scores in points will be assigned to each semi-finalists and then tabulated. The most points given to the contestant wins the gown!

You have decided to make the 'Upon A Star' an annual contest?
I am overwhelmed with the turn out of entries we received. I have learned that there are many brides out there who dream of getting married in a beautiful couture wedding gown, who truly appreciate the gown, the workmanship and artful beauty in it, but simply cannot afford it! I think this is my way of giving back to the industry that is making my dreams of being a wedding gown designer a reality. So I have decided to make this contest an annual one where I will pair up with one of my retailers and together sponsor a couture one-of-a-kind wedding dress to one very lucky bride. 

When will we know the winner of this year's 'Upon A Star' contest?

March 30, 2011 is the big day! It will be an honor for me to give one very lucky bride the gown of her dreams! You know the phrase, "when you wish UPON A STAR?" well, I am just glad I am able to make someone's dream come true.