Tulle Time: All you wanted to know about June Brides

It's that time of year when all brides-to-be and their moms start finalizing plans for June weddings. We at The Daily Times are gearing up, as well, in anticipation of our annual June Brides section, set for publication on June 1.

Prospective brides began calling about the section last December and more calls have trickled in ever since. Each one was told to check Women's Times around mid-April for the details, which were included in the April 20 section and in other sections of this newspaper since then.

Any couple getting married during the month of June is eligible to be included in June Brides, with the theme, "A Return to Romance." To participate, couples must complete a June Brides form and schedule an appointment for a photograph, which will be taken by The Daily Times professional photographers from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 6, and from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 10.

In order to be included, brides-to-be must call for a photo appointment, scheduled in 15-minute increments on those two days, by Wednesday. If you haven't made your appointment, call me at 981-1168 or Melanie Tucker at 981-1149 as soon as possible. Information about the location will be given when appointments are made.

The June Bride forms are available at The Daily Times reception desk or on the Web site, www.thedaily times.com, in the Women's Times section. Brides need to fill out the information requested about their wedding plans and also write a short, 250-word essay on the theme, "A Return to Romance." Be creative, but keep it clean. Some suggestions to get your creativity flowing are included on the cover sheet. The Daily Times reserves the right to edit for our style and space constraints.

Couples who are interested in being chosen for the cover should also fill out the advertising list. Two cover couples will be chosen based on the number of local advertisers they use, their essay and their photo. This is only for bragging rights and some extra photos, which will be taken at some of the places listed on the advertising list at a separate time from the official June Bride photo. When the couples are chosen, The Daily Times Advertising Department will contact them to set this up.

The deadline to return all forms to me is 5 p.m. Monday, May 12.

Here are some of the questions most commonly asked about June Brides:

What should we wear? We prefer casual-dressy clothing.

Can we submit our own photo? To keep a uniform look throughout the section, we ask that all participants have a photo made by us at the same place.

Can my engagement and/or wedding announcement still run in Women's Times? Yes. You will need to obtain the appropriate forms at the reception desk or by going to www.thedailytimes.com, click on "Contact Us," then print out the appropriate form and fill it out to return to me along with a photo you provide (they are not returned). The deadline is 4 p.m. on the Tuesday before the Sunday you desire publication. E-mailed forms and photos are acceptable.

My wedding is the first of July. Can I still be a June Bride? That would be a big "no." (Believe it or not, that question was asked in the past.)

Still have questions? Call me or send an e-mail.

Linda Albert is Women's Times editor and a staff writer for The Daily Times. Her column runs every Sunday in the Women's Times section. You may contact her at 981-1168 or e-mail linda.albert@thedailytimes.com.