Contest entrees are judged on many things including voting by the readers of the Bridal Association of America website. So tell all your friends and family to read your story and to vote for you!!

Contest winner will be posted here in January.

The Bridal Association of America is looking for a few good stories!

We hope that this letter finds you well and sitting atop a plethora of stories that you just don’t know what to do with. We welcome stories from contributors of any age.

Recipe for A Winning Wedding Story

A Wedding story is an inspirational, true story about ordinary people doing extraordinary things. It is a story that opens the heart and rekindles the spirit. It is a simple, inter-denominational, living art piece that touches the soul of the readers and helps them discover basic principles they can use in their own lives. They are personal and often filled with emotion and drama. They are filled with vivid images created by using the five senses. In some stories, the readers feel that they are actually in the scene with the people.

Wedding stories have a beginning, middle and an ending that often closes with a punch, creating emotion rather than simply talking about it. Wedding stories have heart, but also something extra…an element that makes us all feel more hopeful, more connected, more thankful, more passionate and better about life in general. A story that causes tears, laughter, goosebumps or any combination of these. A good story covers the range of human emotions.

The most powerful stories are about people extending themselves, or performing an act of love, service or courage for another person.

Guidelines for a Wedding Story

1. Tell an exciting, sad or funny story about something that has happened to you or someone you know. Make sure that you introduce the character(s).

2. Tell your story in a way that will make the reader cry, laugh or get goose bumps (the good kind!) Don’t leave anything out — how did you feel?

3. The story should start with action; it should include a problem, issue or situation. It should include dialogue and the character should express their feelings though the conflict or situation. It should end in a result, such as a lesson learned, a positive change or pay-off.

4. Above all, let it come from your HEART! Your story is important!

What a Wedding story IS NOT:

1. A sermon, an essay or eulogy.

2. A term paper, thesis, letter or journal entry.

3. About politics or controversial issues.

4. A “My Grandma Just Died, and Let Me Tell You What A Wonderful Person She Was” or “Let Me Tell You About My Disease or Operation” or “I Gave a Bum Some Money, Aren’t I Incredible?” or “Why My Mother Is the Best Mother” or a personal testimony that may mean nothing to the reader.

Story Specifications

1. It is preferred that all submissions are sent via our website at www.bridalassociationofamerica.com. If you don’t have access to the Internet, please submit your stories preferably typed on plain white 8 1/2” x 11” paper, in 12-point Times New Roman font.

2. Please be sure to type the author’s name and contact information on the first page of each and every story.

3. Stories should be non-fiction, ranging in length between 300-1200 words.

4. Mail your submissions in a flat, 9x12 envelope if possible.

5. Send only one copy of each submission.

6. We do not return submissions, so please don’t send the original.

Chapters

Every book is divided into topic chapters with the following as a guideline for typical chapters:

1) On Love: This chapter contains stories that describe acts of love and kindness; the healing power of love; acts of tenderness and compassion; acts of generosity; and events that transcend racism, sexism, ageism and nationalism.

2) On Parenting: This chapter contains stories that demonstrate love and caring in the act of parenting and grand parenting.

3) On Teaching and Learning: This chapter contains stories that demonstrate caring, compassion and creativity in the art of teaching—both in the classroom and outside the classroom.

4) Overcoming Obstacles: This chapter contains stories that demonstrate how we have triumphed over our own personal obstacles or supported one over theirs, and how individually each should be celebrated.

5) A Matter of Perspective: This chapter contains stories that demonstrate how our experience of all events is effected by our point of view, that there is more than one way to see and interpret the same event, and that as we change our point of view, we actually change our experience. These stories may be humorous.

6) A Matter of Attitude: This chapter, like the previous one, will contain stories that demonstrate how our attitudes and beliefs control our perception of reality and our behavior.

7) On Death and Dying: This chapter will contain stories about the power of the human spirit to confront the loss of loved ones through spiritual understanding, healing acts of love and kindness, and through humor.

8) On Aging: This chapter will contain stories about people over 60 years old who are making remarkable contributions to society, who are challenging the stereotypes of aging, and who are living without limitations.

9) On Living Your Dream: This chapter will contain stories that demonstrate the power of believing in your dream, the power of goal setting, the wisdom of trusting and following your heart, the power of giving encouragement and the importance of asking for and being open to receiving assistance from both other people and God.

10) Eclectic Wisdom: This chapter contains stories that don’t fit into any other chapters. The stories are what about any aspect of life that is emotionally moving, touching, inspiring and insightful.

Also include a bio—a short paragraph (of about 50 words or less) about you, promoting your latest book, project, etc. It has been reported to us that those paragraphs have been great advertisements for sales of books and other endeavors. Dr. Cherie Carter Scott, author of If Life is a Game, These are the Rules, has sold hundreds of thousands of books as a result of people writing her after reading her bio in A 2nd Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul. She also appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show as a result of this!

If the story you wrote is published, you will be sent a copy upon publication of the story.