Featured Jorge Manuel Bride: MELODY SANTIAGO CUMMINGS

Bride Melody Santiago Cummings

Jorge Manuel Wedding Dress Style: The Vela from the Nebula Collection 2010

Retailer Store: J Del Olmo Bridal Gallery, Coral Gables, Florida

Photography Avenna Studios

Oh No! This is it! The Upon A STAR Entries CLOSES TONIGHT at MIDNIGHT!

We have received so many heartfelt stories of love and self-discovery. We are so blessed to have received entries from one end to the other end of the United States! But, there can only be one winner and the time to narrow down our contestants to just 6 finalists is near. If you are a bride-to-be and have either been shopping for a special dress, but haven't found it, or simply would love to win this year's Upon A Star Wedding Gown contest dress, then you must submit your entry by tonight March 17, 2012 before 12:00 a.m. No other entries will be allowed after contest entry period comes to a close!

To the many brides who submitted your entries, stay tuned on our blog and website for updates on the contest. A group of 6 judges will deliberate from tomorrow till April 8, 2012. "Narrowing down the contestants is so difficult. Once you get connected with the applicant and her story on love and life, it really is stressful because you want so many of them to win! It truly is remarkable how fairy tale stories of love do happen in real life. Learning about the couple's struggles and overcoming them inspires me!" says Kyle Leverett, Operations Manager of Jorge Manuel Inc. and official contest judge.

On April 9, 2012, the designer's website will showcase the 6 finalists on his website where the public will voice their favorite in a public vote. The public vote accounts for half of the points needed to win! Becoming one of this year's UPON A STAR finalist already makes them a winner. All six (6) finalists will win a custom veil or accessory from Jorge Manuel!

'Til then, we urge you if you are a bride-to-be to submit your entry before midnight tonight! Applying is easy. Just visit the designer's website jorgemanuelweddings.com for application and full contest details! If you are a friend of someone that you know would love to wear this year's contest gown, then hurry and let them know! We are down to the wire and the Finalists are "upon" us! Stay tuned throughout the week for further contest details posted here on our blog!

Good Luck!

At The Strike Of Midnight....! UPON A STAR Entries Come To An End.

Just like in the fairy tales, on Saturday March 17, 2012, once the clock strikes twelve, the dream of walking down the aisle in a one-of-a-kind wedding gown will be narrowed down to the participants who submitted their entries early. If you don't know what fairy tale we are talking about, let us tell you!

Jorge Manuel, the bridal gown designer and this year's UPON A STAR Win A Couture Wedding Gown Contest retailer sponsor, Hitched, pair up to bring to one very special bride a dream made only for a princess! Jorge Manuel is giving away a free custom designed wedding gown and veil to one very luck lady. The Winner will go through the entire dream process: measurements, muslin (a mock of the dress fitted and corrected before the real gown is made), a final fitting, and veil customization.

About the gown. If you have ever dreamed of walking down the aisle in a gorgeous, strapless mermaid Taffeta gown (pictures are shown above and below this text) with all the right beaded french lace your heart can handle, then this gown will wow your senses! It is a beautiful gown designed by both Jorge Manuel and Hitched in an effort to cater even to the most discriminating of brides.

The Winner will take home the gorgeous custom dress and veil plus a free night stay at the Fairmont Hotel in Washington D.C. on the night of the Upon A Star Celebration at Hitched. Imagine that! A ball celebrating you, the winner!

If you dream in color and fell in love with the dress as much as we did, then head over to the designer's website www.jorgemanuelweddings.com to enter for your chance to win the gorgeous "Eternal Flame" gown. But remember this fairy tale chance of winning the Jorge Manuel gown ends on March 18, 2012 at midnight!

From Sketch to Reality - The UPON A STAR Win A Couture Wedding Gown Come To Life

Drum Roll Please...The UPON A STAR Win A Couture Wedding Gown Contest Dress Unveiled!

It all started a couple of months back when the gals at Hitched, this year's retailer sponsor, and designer Jorge Manuel got together to create a one-of-a-kind gown for one very lucky bride. The UPON A STAR gown is a gorgeous 100% off-white Silk Taffeta and Silk Satin mermaid silhouette with French beaded lace. It took countless hours, pattern makers and a team of very talented seamstresses to make. The beading was mostly encrusted and done by hand. Truly a special gown for one very special bride.

We are now halfway through the contest submission deadline. The entries have been coming in from all over the U.S. for one very exciting reason. The "Eternal Flame" dress for this year's Upon A Star contest by designer Jorge Manuel has been the reason for beautiful heart warming stories of love and self-discovery in every submission we have received. See our blog post of the making of this gorgeous dress by clicking The Making of this year's Upon A Star Contest gown.

The submissions will only be accepted until March 17, 2012. So hurry and submit an entry if you are a bride-to-be who would love the win this gorgeous gown! Visit jorgemanuelweddings.com for full contest details and application requirements. If you have already done so then submit your application through the designer website.

As soon as the contest submission for entries comes to a close on March 17, 2012 a group of a panel of judges from Jorge Manuel and Hitched will pick 6 finalists. They will post to the designer's website where the public will be able to vote for their favorites. Making it into the 6 finalists already makes each of those entries a winner.

Jorge Manuel will be awarding each finalist with a custom veil or accessory valued at $450. The grand prize winner will walk away with the gorgeous gown seen on this blog and a free night stay at the Fairmont Hotel in Washington D.C.

It is sure to be a night of dream making when we announce the lucky bride at the UPON A STAR CELEBRATION PARTY at HITCHED in May. If you are a bride-to-be who can picture yourself winning and wearing the gorgeous "Eternal Flame" gown on your big day then hurry and visit the designer's website jorgemanuelweddings.com for full contest details and to apply!