Photo by Thomas Hawk

Like most brides, you have probably been thinking about getting in shape for your wedding. It’s important to remember not to obsess about things too much though. Your groom and your guests will think you look incredible regardless. However, if you do want to do some work beforehand and make sure you look absolutely fabulous on the day, here are ten simple steps to follow.

1. Stretching

It’s important to stretch before and after any workout. Not only does this prevent injury but also keeps your body limber. Plus, you’ll feel better after having stretched out those muscles that you just put through a grueling workout!

2. Aerobic or Cardio Workouts

The best way to lose weight is to burn fat. You can do is through aerobic or cardio exercises. These are essentially the things that make you sweat and include activities such as swimming, cycling, hiking, and running. If you’re new to cardio workouts, start with twenty minutes a day and gradually build up as you feel you can. This exercise should be done at least three times a week, but make sure that you are not pushing yourself too hard. The last thing you want is to look tired on your wedding day.

3. Body Sculpting

This is exactly what it sounds like – sculpting your body to make it look better. Also called toning, this needs to be done if you want to be a ‘knock-out’ in that wedding gown.

Toning your arms, shoulders and back is essential if you’re planning on wearing a sleeveless dress but it’s still important if you won’t be exposing so much upper body. It’s also important to pay attention to sculpting your legs, even if they will be buried under your gown.

Sculpting can be achieved through simple weight exercises. Often women are under the misconception that exercising with weights will make you look like a body builder when in fact moderate weight lifting serves to add tone and definition without building massive muscles.

4. Spot Reducing

This area of a workout focuses on your trouble spots. If you have a particular issue with your stomach, you may want to focus on abs crunches and sit-ups. If you think your thighs are a bit on the flabby side, leg lifts and running may be your answer. It’s important to remember your entire body needs to be trimmer in order to get to the trouble spots. Start with the big picture and then work your way to the details.

5. Alternate Routines

The same routine every day can get boring quickly and you may wind up doing more harm than good. Once muscles have been through a hard workout, they need time to relax and heal. Resting your muscles one day will actually improve your workout. If you like doing the same routine, take a day off in between workouts and give yourself a break.

6. Night and Day Routines

Why not try cardio exercises in the morning and weights at night? Working out this way makes your metabolism kick into gear twice in one day. When your metabolism is revved you burn more calories. Another way to start and stop your metabolism is while you are working out. When you are doing your cardio, go as hard as you can for two minutes. After the two-minute mark, slow it down but don’t stop completely for thirty seconds. Then go flat-out for another two minutes. This will really get your metabolism into gear!

7. Water, Water, and More Water

Drinking water will greatly help you lose weight and become healthier in general. The body is made up mainly of water and so it only makes sense that it needs a lot of it to function properly. Drinking water can increase your metabolism, which in turn will help burn calories faster, making you lose weight. Water also fills you up and keeps you away from those empty calories like soda pop. To determine how much water you should be drinking, divide your body weight in half. The number you come up with is how many ounces of water you should be drinking a day.

8. Restock Your Fridge

It’s all fine and good to work hard with the exercise to get your body into better shape. But the only way you’re going to hold onto that shape is by eating properly. This means getting rid of the simple starches such as white flour and replacing them with whole grains. It also means substituting chocolate and candy for fruits and vegetables. Keep trays of chopped vegetables and fruits in the fridge and you will take out the chore of eating a healthier diet.

9. Cut Out Alcohol

Not only does alcohol contain a high amount of calories, the calories in the alcohol are the first to be processed by the liver. The liver sees alcohol as toxin and needs to get rid of it quickly. After working hard to process and eliminated the calories in alcohol, the body finds it easier to simply turn calories consumed through food into fat.

10. Love Your Body

Realize that all of this is really just to make you feel better. The truth is you will look amazing walking down the aisle. Even more importantly, you are walking towards a new life with the person you love. Don’t go overboard with the workouts in an attempt to be something you’re not. Working towards a healthier lifestyle for yourself is wonderful but not if you are solely doing it to impress others.

From the invitations to the honeymoon, planning a wedding is stressful business. There are many choices to make, people to think of, finding ways to accommodate everybody, and doing it all on that ever-present wedding budget. It’s no wonder that brides often turn into bridezillas. While you plan your wedding, it is important to remain calm and take a moment or two to enjoy this time in your life. Here are some tips to keep your head and stay composed as the big day approaches.

There are many people in your life that only want to help you. Call on your friends to run errands, plan pre-wedding parties, and offer opinions and advice. When asking for favors, don’t continue to call on the same person. Brides are often most tempted to ask their maid-of-honor and while she is going to be your biggest help, rely on her too often and she may start to feel resentful. As her friend, you don’t want this. Any unhappy emotions will only place extra stress on you.

If ever you can’t handle wedding planning anymore, take some time out for yourself. Go out with friends, relax and enjoy yourself! While it will probably be impossible to banish all thoughts of the wedding from your mind, make a rule not to talk about it. This will help take your mind off it and if you’re sick of wedding talk, chances are your friends are too!

Besides relaxing with friends, make sure that you take some time out for yourself. During your wedding planning, you will find that people always surround you. Whether its vendors, family, friends, or your fiancé; there will always be someone interrupting your alone time. While you love these people and are happy they are involved in your wedding, every bride-to-be needs some time to herself.

Make sure that you and your fiancé also get some quality alone time. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate but plan a date when it’s just the two of you. Again, banish all talk of the wedding. Talk about your marriage and future together. That will be a great stress reliever when you take into account what all the hard work is for. Just being with your soon-to-be husband is sure to put a smile on your face and drive the stress out of you!

Eat foods that are high in nutritional value and low in empty carbs and calories. Too often when we are stressed, we turn to comfort foods such as chocolate or greasy burgers from the local drive-thru. Brides in the midst of wedding planning have very little time and so, the fast, unhealthy choices are generally more attractive. While they may make us feel better for a short while, the long-term effects of comfort foods are detrimental. They do very little for our bodies, often leaving us with a lack of energy and a feeling of tiredness. Wedding planning takes a lot of energy. The last thing you want is to be exhausted.

Along with eating right, take time to exercise. Exercising gives you increased energy and a body in good shape will operate better. Even taking a walk every day for half an hour will give you that boost you need to tackle your wedding head on.

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Whether it’s just a case of wedding jitters, or truly being scared about the commitment you are about to make, there is sure to be a certain degree of anxiety. Feeling scared is normal and totally understandable. Not only are you exhausted from all the wedding planning now you’re about to play out this huge day that’s been months in development. Do not get overwhelmed. Overcome your anxiety with these simple tips.

Limit the Number of Guests

The chances are that even before you have that ring on your finger, you will know if you are comfortable being the focal point of a lot of people. If it’s not your forte then keep the guest list to only the people that you can’t imagine getting married without. A smaller guest list will help relieve your anxiety about being in the spotlight while having only your nearest and dearest in attendance will provide support.

Play Out the Wedding in Your Head

Before the big day, visualize what’s going to happen. Imagine yourself going through the ceremony and the reception step-by-step. Picture yourself facing it all with a very calm attitude. This will better prepare you for when it actually happens. Practicing in your head works. Your mind will be calmer on the day as you will be more familiar with the process.

Share Your Concerns With Your Partner

Many brides feel as though it’s inappropriate to share any concerns or feelings of nervousness with their fiancé, often worried he will assume these feelings are signs of doubt. Nothing could be further from the truth. Talking to your partner now is a great introduction to marriage, when there will be many things that need to be discussed. If you are feeling nervous about actually being married, talking to your partner could help you realize some of the best parts about being married that you haven’t even thought about. If you’re worried about walking down the aisle, your fiancé could reassure you by letting you know that he’s going to be there waiting for you and that everyone is there to share in your joy.

Breathe

It may sound cliché but taking deep breaths and counting to ten can go a long way in controlling wedding jitters and making yourself calm. If all else fails, drink half a glass of wine as you are in the back of the ceremony venue getting ready!

Realize That Things Might Go Wrong

However big or small, there are things that might go wrong on that day. Realizing that most of these things will be out of your control can help to enable you to face them with a calmer attitude and a braver face.

Have Fun

This is one of the biggest days of your life and you’re probably only planning on doing it once. Relax, realize the true reason what all the fuss has been about for the past several months and enjoy knowing that it’s finally happening. Don’t let those nerves get the best of you otherwise you’ll be looking back on your wedding day as the most nervous day of your life, not the happiest.

Once you have decided to get married, no matter how long you have to plan or how big the wedding is going to actually be, you’re going to have some nerves about it. These nerves are not necessarily doubts but simply the overwhelming feelings of planning a wedding combined with feelings of committing to someone for the rest of your life. They are natural and the most important thing is to not get too caught up in them and let them take control of your life. If you’re prepared for these nerves, or ‘jitters’ as they’re often called, and know how to properly handle them, you’ll soon be so busy enjoying your wedding day, you won’t have time to think about your nerves!

Before the Wedding

Wedding nerves can start days, weeks, or even months before a wedding and whether you want to call them wedding jitters, nerves, or cold feet, these feelings don’t generally just crop up the night before the wedding or when you’re standing at the alter, as it’s so often portrayed in movies. The truth is that these nerves are often a result of you simply trying to do too much in too short period of time and your body really does just become overstressed and overworked to the point where you’re on the edge all the time and start to experience wedding nerves.

In order to keep these nerves at bay, it’s important that you take time away from the wedding planning process on a regular basis to go out with your girlfriends, go on a date with your fiancé, or just take a night to yourself to read a book. It doesn’t matter what you do during this time just as long as it’s relaxing and it has nothing to do with the wedding! Taking this small break will give you more focus and more energy to concentrate on planning the details of the wedding so you can be sure nothing goes wrong on the big day – which should help you relax even more! It’s also important during this time to live a healthy life. Don’t smoke or drink to help you relax as these are only short-term solutions that will make the situation worse in the long run. Eating healthily can also give you more energy and make you better able to cope with wedding stress and nerves.

On the Big Day

When your day arrives, it’s true that there are sure to be some butterflies taking up residence in your stomach. At this point, you’re most likely not as nervous about the commitment you’re about to make as much as you are that everything will go perfectly and that you won’t trip on your way down the aisle! The only thing that you can do about these wedding nerves is to take a deep breath and realize that it’s all out of your hands now. You have prepared all that you could and if something is going to go wrong at this point, you won’t be able to stop it anyways. When something does not go exactly according to your plan, laugh it off graciously and don’t let it ruin your big day!

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Your wedding makeup plays a big part in how you will look and feel on the day. A common concern of brides is how long their makeup will last. At an all-day event you don’t want to be ducking out of the reception or worrying during the ceremony that your makeup is running off your face or disappearing altogether.

While you will have time to do some touch ups before photos, plan for those times when touch ups aren’t available. Here are eight makeup survival tips to leave you looking fabulous!

Flawless Foundation

You want to make it appear as if you aren’t wearing foundation. Do this by blending the foundation with your skin tone. The question is not if it will blend but how long it will take to blend. The closer the foundation is to the natural shade of your skin, the quicker it will blend in and the more natural it will appear. For glowing skin, use a shimmer foundation.

To make it last longer, fold a tissue into a square and after you have applied the foundation, gently press the tissue onto it. This will take away excess oil and leave only the color behind.

Delete Dark Circles

If there are dark circles under your eyes from all the wedding planning you’ve done, these can be faded using eye shadow. If the darkness is grey, a soft pink eye shadow will cover up the dark area nicely. If the circle has more of a blue hue, use a matte peach eye shadow to get rid of the color. To make this effect last, apply the eye shadow before you apply your foundation and concealer. This will also have you using less foundation and concealer!

Perfect Powder

Instead of using a powder puff to apply your powder, use a large brush. This will take away any shine that is likely to crop up during the day had you used a puff. Use only as much powder that’s absolutely necessary. Wearing too much makes your skin shiny due to excess sweat buildup. Use a lightweight powder for the same reason. Test before you buy. Place a bit of powder onto a brush and gently blow some of it off. If it immediately drops to the ground, it’s too heavy. If it stays in the air before gently falling, you have found what you are looking for!

Beautiful Blush

To make your blush appear more natural, choose a brush that is the same size as the apple of your cheek. After placing a small amount of blush on the brush, gently tap it onto the apples of the cheek. Then blend it gently up and back towards the temples. Once you think there is enough on, blend it with a makeup sponge that hasn’t been used for anything else. Not only will this provide a better blend but the sponge will also cement the blush into the foundation, making it last longer.

Luscious Lips

To make sure that your lipstick lasts all day, use a trick from the 1940s when women would powder first and then apply. Press powder onto your lips and then with a lip pencil, color the entire lip. Apply the lipstick and then powder again, repeating the process.

Elegant Eyebrows

First tweeze any hairs that are out of place. Only pull hairs one at a time and after each hair, step back from the mirror to make sure that you don’t end up with a surprised look! Brush the hair and color it with a shade that is slightly lighter than that of the hair. If the color is too dark, it will end up making you look cold and harsh. Run a toothbrush over your brows to make sure that the color is fully blended. Run lip gloss over the brows to make the color stay and give you a glowing look.

Eye Makeup Tips

Begin your eye makeup by applying a soft white eye shadow on the brow bone and in the corners. With a very light brown eye shadow, color in the crease of the eye. Downplay your eyes to draw focus on your lips and cheeks or create attention by using very dark mascara. Definitely use waterproof mascara and make it stick by running brown eyeliner over the lash beforehand.

Finishing Touches

If you get the feeling you are wearing too much makeup, lightly spray your face with water. Not only can this make your skin feel better but will also help your makeup set.

While not every dress will expose your arms, many of them will. This is especially true if you are interested in buying a strapless gown. For this reason, many brides-to-be are interested in toning their arms before their big day. Even if you have never worked your arms in the past, you can start a regimen that will surely get them in shape. You do not need a lot of special equipment or tons of time to build toned arms. If you are willing to put in one hour, three to four days per week, you will be just fine.

To have the most success in building toned arms, you need to take part in the appropriate exercises. While there are many exercises that you can do, the following three will help you to achieve the best results.

1. Start with dumbbell pullovers. In order to do this exercise you need a dumbbell, probably in the 10 pound range, as well as a bench or fit ball to lie on. On your back, you will lower the dumbbell behind your head and then extend your arms until they are completely straight. This exercise is a great workout for the triceps muscle which is located in the back of the arm. Many women suffer from excess flab in this area, but dumbbell pullovers are sure to correct this problem in no time at all.

As mentioned above, a 10 pound dumbbell is the perfect weight for most women. Of course, you may want to use something heavier if possible. Remember, you want to work hard so that you see results sooner rather than later. If 10 pounds is too much for you, there is nothing wrong with dropping down to eight or five.

2. Bicep curls are common among women and men alike. If you are trying to tone your arms for your wedding, this is one exercise that you do not want to forget. As the name suggests, these curls are meant to isolate the bicep muscles. But remember, you do not want to lift for mass. Instead, you are simply trying to tone your arms and give them some shape.

With a 10 pound dumbbell, sit on a bench and curl the weight from a resting position to touching your shoulder. While doing these, make sure that you are only using your arm to lift the weight. In other words, do not throw all of your weight into raising the dumbbell.

Most women find that three sets of 10 reps works out fine. By the time you are on your third set you will begin to feel the burn; this means that you are doing everything right.

3. Simple pushups can go a long way in toning your arms. This is a great exercise because you do not have to leave home to do them. In fact, you can do pushups at home, at your office, or anywhere else that you can find spare space on the ground.

Pushups work your triceps, as well as your shoulder muscles. This helps to cut back on flab in the back of your arms, while also toning and smoothing the shoulders. Additionally, pushups are also good for building and strengthening chest muscles.

To get the best results, complete three sets of pushups two times per day. If this is too much for you, start with three sets once per day. As you become more comfortable with this exercise you will be able to expand.

In a wedding gown, your arms will be noticeable to everybody. While it is important to be comfortable with who you are you may want to work on toning your arms before your wedding day arrives. With the three exercises above, you should be able to see major results after one hard month of work. If you get started well in advance of your big day, you will definitely be happy with the look of your arms when you put your gown on!

As a bride, there are many parts of your body that will be exposed when wearing a wedding gown. One area that you want to pay special attention to when preparing for your big day is your shoulders. While you do not want to build too much muscle, you will want to exercise enough to ensure that you build toned, smooth shoulders. No matter what type of dress you are wearing, you will definitely want to spend time toning this part of your upper body.

Building smooth shoulders is not something that will take you months to accomplish. Even if your wedding is quickly approaching, as long as you have a month or so, you should be able to see good results. To get the most out of your time make sure that you are doing proper exercises.

Here are several steps you can take in order to tone and smooth your shoulders. They will help you to build shoulders that are smooth as opposed to overly muscular.

1. Determine what you currently like about your shoulders, as well as the changes that you are interested in making. By knowing which direction you want to move in, it makes it much easier to put together a plan that will allow you to accomplish your goal of building smooth shoulders. You may find that your shoulders are not that bad, they just need a bit of toning. Of course, if you have never worked out your shoulders in the past they may need a lot of work. Regardless of what situation you are in, you should be able to achieve results by taking on the proper exercises.

2. Shoulder presses are a great starting point for building smooth shoulders. With toned shoulders you will not only look better, but it will also give the illusion of a slimmer waistline and lower body.

In order to get the most of this exercise, you will want to work at three different weight ranges. First off, start with doing 10 reps with 10 pound dumbbells. This will really work your shoulder muscles, as well as your triceps. Immediately following this, do another 10 reps with lighter weights in the five to eight pound range. Finally, finish with a light set of 10 reps with three pound dumbbells. This will help to give your shoulders an intense workout, while allowing you to last longer due to the decrease in weight with each set. If you find these weights too heavy or too light for you then change them, they’re only given here as an average amount many women find comfortable.

3. Believe it or not, simple pushups can go a long way in helping to build smooth shoulders. There are several benefits of taking part in this exercise on a regular basis. First off, you do not need to leave home in order to do pushups. You can simply drop to the ground in your home anytime that you have a few spare minutes. To go along with this, pushups will also work other muscles in your arms. This will go a long way in also toning your biceps and triceps.

Generally speaking, you should do three sets of as many pushups as you can. For instance, start the first set by maxing out. If you can do 30 pushups in succession, this is where you should set the bar. For the next set, try to reach this goal again. If not possible, simply do as many as you can; the same thing holds true for the third set.

To achieve maximum results, do three sets of pushups two times per day. For most people, doing this in the morning and before going to bed are the two best times of the day. After the first day, it is safe to say that you will be sore. But after a week of regular pushups, you will begin to notice that your shoulders are becoming smooth and toned.

In most cases, you will want to work on smoothing your shoulders even if you are wearing a dress that partially covers them. In today’s day and age, strapless gowns are all the rage. For this reason, you will want your shoulders to look as good as possible. The best way to do this is by following the exercises above starting a few months before your big day.

Photo by  {teegan}

Building and toning a sleek back is not as difficult as you may think. Even if you have never concentrated on your back muscles before, you can whip them into shape with a few months of hard work.

Before you begin any workout, you need to keep in mind that you are attempting to tone your back muscles, not make them larger. You want a sleek back so that you look good in your wedding gown; not a muscular back that will make you uncomfortable.

Here are several steps that you can follow if you are interested in building a sleek, toned back before your wedding.

1. Put together a workout plan with the proper exercises. You want to know what you need to do during each workout in order to achieve the proper results. If you have never worked your back muscles before, take the time to learn which exercises will work best to your advantage.

2. For a sleek back, you will want to add lat pulldowns to your workout routine. More specifically, you will want to pull the bar down to the front of your body. This is not only a more natural and comfortable position, but it will also help to target the proper muscles.

Lat pulldowns concentrate mainly on toning the latissimus dorsi muscle. If you are going to be wearing a strapless gown, this is the best exercise for you. Lat pulldowns will allow you to tone the area that commonly falls over the back of a strapless dress. By firming these muscles, there will be no excess flab to get in the way.

In addition to strengthening the latissimus dorsi muscle, this exercise will also help to slightly broaden the upper back. While this may not seem like a big deal, a more toned and broad upper back will result in the appearance of a slimmer waistline. And what bride isn’t interested in looking slim?

3. In addition to lat pulldowns, you will also want to add the seated row to your pre-wedding workout. This is another great exercise for toning back muscles. The seating row focuses in on the rhomboid muscle of the back. This muscle is located between the shoulder blades, and is exposed if you are wearing a strapless dress. By toning this muscle in correspondence with the latissimus dorsi muscle, it is safe to say that everything above the back line of your dress will look good. This is especially true as you use lat pulldowns to tone upper back muscles.

In addition to the rhomboid muscle, seated rows will also work the erector spinae muscles and the abdominal area. The erector spinae muscles are those that run along the spine.

One of the main benefits of the seated row is that you will have the ability to work more than just your back muscles. During this exercise, you will also be putting a lot of strain on your biceps; which is another muscle that you will want to tone before your wedding.

Now that you know which exercises are best for a sleek back, you now need to know how many reps and sets to complete. For the most success, you will want to start with 3 sets of 15 reps of lat pulldowns. Immediately following these, move onto 3 sets of 15 reps of seated rows. By moving from one to the next in succession, you can be rest assured that you are going to push your muscles to the max. In the end, the harder you push yourself the more results you will see.

As far as how much weight or resistance to use, this is a personal choice. Obviously, some women are going to be stronger than others. You want to make sure that you are using enough weight to get a good workout, but not so much that it puts unnecessary strain on your muscles, risking injury. Gauge this by your form. Leaning a long way back on a lat pulldown or arching your back on a row and you’re probably lifting too heavy. If you feel like you are pushing yourself without your body being bent into awkward positions then you’re probably about right.

As you can see, building a sleek back for your wedding day is not as hard as many think. With 45 minutes per day, three days a week, you are sure to see results that you will be proud of.

Styling your wedding hair yourself is easy to do if you are armed with a few simple tips, plus some do’s and don’ts for the day.

Browse through wedding and hairstyling magazines to get an idea of what you like. Make sure that you choose a style that you feel reflects your personality. Some brides get carried away with their hair. While it’s good to get carried away about your wedding, don’t end up choosing something that does not reflect who you are.

Consider a few things besides just what you like. Consider the theme of your wedding. If you are having a garden wedding, you may want to think about wearing flowers in your hair. If you are having a very elegant wedding, you may want to wear a tiara. Also consider what your dress looks like. The wrong hairstyle can stand out badly with a certain type of dress. If you are wearing a long, formal dress that expands over layers and layers of chiffon, you probably don’t want to wear your hair tight behind your head, especially if you’re not wearing a veil that will add volume. This will appear disproportioned and the guests will realize something is out of place.

Once you have settled on a hairstyle that you like, practice it well in advance of your wedding. Make sure you practice with any hair pieces in place. You may not want to wear your veil or your tiara during the entire reception and if you wind your hair around the bands, you may ruin your hair when you take it off. There’s nothing more frustrating than getting your hair just right and not knowing how you’re going to put your headpiece in.

Practicing gives you a good amount of time to fix any problems. Once you have done your hair perfectly, leave it in for a while. Look at how long the hairstyle stays put, if it starts to droop or goes flat, or if it just falls apart in general. Do this weeks before your wedding to allow you to come up with ways around any problems or choose an alternative style. Remember to keep your hair the same length as the practice runs or you may have some unexpected problems on the day.

Upon perfecting your style spray with caution. Spraying too much at once can give you the helmet look, definitely not what you want for your wedding day. It’s much better to spray, let it dry, and re-apply another layer if needed. Never get hairspray on your veil. This will cause it to discolor and turn a horrible yellow very quickly.

On the day of your wedding, wear a robe or button down shirt when doing your hair. Obviously you don’t want to get your hair done only to have to pull something over top of it. Put your earrings on once you have done your hair so that these won’t get in your way while you are styling.

Although you may be eager to get your hair in shape as soon as you get up on the morning of your wedding, avoid doing it any more than a few hours before the ceremony. It’s going to be a long day and you need it to stay in place for as long as possible. There’s no point in having a fabulous hairstyle at home only to have flat, droopy hair for your reception.

Always shampoo and condition your hair before you begin to style. Don’t use any products that you have not used before. You don’t want to risk an adverse or allergic reaction to anything on your wedding day.

Be careful about your hairstyle in the months leading up to your wedding. Don’t make any drastic changes to length or color. Hair takes a long time to grow out and if you do this before your wedding chances are, you will not be giving yourself enough time if you end with something that looks bad on you. Stick to what you know. While you may be anxious to look like someone completely different on your wedding day, fight the temptation. Know that you are going to look glamorous just the way you are.