When 51 married state beauty queens competed for the Mrs. America '04 title in Honolulu, only one word would do: "WOW!"

HONOLULU, HAWAII — "These are the women of wow!" That is how one enthusiastic observer characterized the 51 dynamic and beautiful married candidates, from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, who "wowed" the black-tie audience during the 27th annual Mrs. America competition. After a week full of preliminary pageantry and camaraderie, the finals took place under the stars at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa in Honolulu, Hawaii, in late September.

	"Trophy" wives: 4th R/U Chiann Gibson (D.C.), 3rd R/U Geri Watson (NJ), Mrs. America '04 Heidi Dinan (MO),1st R/U Rachelle Joseph (UT), and 2nd R/U Melissa Ognibene (NY).

From the moment the delegates were introduced during an inspirational, patriotic production number of "America" sung by Ray Charles to the final crowning moment, the thrills and excitement were of goose-bump proportions. Co-hosted by Florence Henderson, star of The Brady Bunch, and Hal Linden, well known as the title character in TV's Barney Miller, the finals show was taped as a two-hour primetime nationwide telecast that was broadcast twice in October on the PAX TV Network.

The setting for the show is a huge outdoor stage under the stars and bright lights at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. A rainbow backdrop and lush tropical flowers surround the stage, while six TV cameras are positioned to capture all the action from every angle. Competition consists of three categories: Evening Gown, Swimwear, and Interview. Mrs. America goes on to represent the United States in the Mrs. World competition each year. This year's contestants, ranging in age from 22 to 50, represented a wide variety of vocational and educational choices, with 30 of the delegates holding a college degree.

The semifinalists were introduced wearing the official Mrs. America swimsuit, as a voiceover biography announced each delegate's age, education, occupation, years of marriage, husband's name, profession, and number of children. The evening gown portion of the show led to the announcement of the Top 5. Each delegate was introduced with her husband, and then answered one question selected from a list of questions submitted earlier by the state winners.

After taking a collective deep breath, everyone was ready to find out who would be crowned Mrs. America 2004. Florence Henderson and Hal Linden revealed the order of finish: Fourth Runner-up, Mrs. District of Columbia Dr. Chiann Gibson; Third Runner-up, Mrs. New Jersey Geri Watson; Second Runner-up, Mrs. New York Melissa Ognibene; and First Runner-up, Mrs. Utah Rachelle Joseph. Chosen as the winner and Mrs. America 2004 is Mrs. Missouri Heidi Dinan, a 5-foot-7-inch, blue-eyed blonde from O'Fallon, Missouri.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MRS. AMERICA INC. BY DON SEIDMAN

For the complete behind-the-scenes story — including features on the "Show Me Your Shoes" parade, the Miss America Trade Show, the behind-the-scenes photos of Miss America celebrities, and a report on the delegates' historic trip to Washington, D.C. — as well as details on other exciting competitive events from across America and a wealth of insider tips to improve your chances of victory, be sure to order Pageantry today.