The Dreaded Wedding Day Diet

Every bride wants to look fabulous in her gown on the most special day of her life.  She also wants to look killer in her bathing suit on her honeymoon.  Ah, yes, 'tis the time for the wedding weight loss!  There are so many fad diets and supplements out there, but I am a firm believer in hard work and determination.  With just over six months to go (I know, I can't believe it!), I have started to hit the gym and monitor my food intake.  Let it be known that it is NOT easy!  I'd much rather go home after work/school and indulge in pizza, pasta, and anything else that isn't exactly "healthy".  But, sadly, I've traded that in for whole grains, lettuce, chicken, and protein shakes.  I mean, come on, those extra 20-25 pounds aren't going to shed themselves! 

To help motivate myself and meet my weight loss goals, I have convinced my friend (who is getting married two months after me) to join me in a weight loss challenge.  Whoever can lose the most weight by May 15 will be deemed the "winner".  But of course, there are a few catches.  We have each decided to start a "sin pot", in which every time we commit a sin, we must put $5 aside.  This is an honest contest.  "Sins" include eating fast food, not getting four 30-minute workouts in each week, binge eating, and eating any other food that would be considered a huge no-no.  When May 15 hits, the bride with the most weight loss gets to claim the other bride's "sin pot".  The only way to re-claim $5 is to work out for 7 consecutive days for 30 minutes each.  We know the biggest reward will of course be looking lean and fabulous in our dresses, but who can't ever use some extra cash!?  Let the weight loss war begin!

Decisions, Decisions

I thought I had it all figured out.  I wanted to go with blue bridesmaid dresses- David's Bridal has a fairly new color out called Horizon, and it was PERFECT!  But after going to David's Bridal and looking at my options, I decided to go back to Atlas for the bridesmaid dresses because there selection was much better.  They had another blue color, called Cobalt that I LOVED and decided to go with.  Once I made my selection of the type of dress and got a sample swatch from Atlas, I took it home and showed my fiance.  He told me it was purple.  PURPLE!!??  No, no, it's BLUE!  Just a really rich blue, and yes, there IS purple in it, but it is clearly blue.  So now, I have a dilemma.  Eric (my fiance) swears that the color is fine and he likes it (I'm sure wishing he would have never opened his mouth in the first place), but now I'm debating between that color and another called Starry Saphire.  My flowers are going to be shades of orange- peaches, apricots, tangerines- and I think either color will work with the flowers.  I just can't decide!  What to do!?

Bridesmaids

Ahhh..... my girls.... gotta love them!  Today was the day for my bridesmaids to get fitted- it was interesting because two of them are pregnant, (and due one day apart in March!) so it is crucial that all measurements are accurate!  And another bridesmaid could possibly be pregnant, in which case she is holding off until next week to get fitted once she sees her doctor.  And my flower girl... absolutely adorable!  I chose three dresses and allowed her to pick the one that she liked the best.  She is 6 years old and quite the princess!  Everyone kept asking me about shoes, jewelry, hair, etc.... and my answer was "I don't care".  I guess I'm not that picky about what everyone decides to wear as long as all their shoes are silver!  I'm easy and pleasable.  Even the flower girl's grandmother kept asking me which dress I liked better, but I really didn't care, I wanted the flower girl to pick it. 
It is amazing to see things starting to come together... this is really happening!!  We all went to dinner later and discussion about the bachelorette party was brought up- it was weird for me to realize that everyone at dinner was there for me, and I am going to have a whole day of everything being about me and my fiance.  At dinner today I found myself thinking about how lucky I am to have such great friends and family who are all so willing to be a part of my wedding day.  It hit me hard that this is actually my turn for a wedding, as I have been in others and only been a helping hand in the process.
Tell me about your bridesmaid fitting experiences- did you have any pregnant bridesmaids?  I would love to hear your thoughts on attendant gifts as well- I am not shooting for jewelry, as I'd rather let them pick their own.

Planning Buddies

I am lucky enough to have two friends who are also getting married this year, one two months before me and the other two months after me.  It is nice to have others to share the experience and be able to relate with, because let's face it, the guys just don't get into it like we brides do.  Not only is it more fun to have others to plan with, but it has saved the three of us money too!  We have found that interviewing venues together has worked to our advantage- companies want one bride's business, but to get three at one time is golden to them.  They were definitely willing to wheel and deal with us.  The three of us ended up booking the same limo and DJ company and got a great deal.  Sure, there are other friends and family who have offered a helping hand because they are already married, but being at the same stage with your friends is much more beneficial...now we have each other's weddings to look forward to too!  And thanks, Kimmie, for being the guinea pig and having your wedding first... now I can find out ahead of time if the DJ sucks and book another one!