Wedding Day Beauty: A Snow White's Day In The Sun

Like probably just about every bride on the planet, I hoped and prayed for gorgeous weather on my wedding day. In the months leading up to June 4, I envisioned a day that was not too hot, not too cold, and not too overcast or rainy, but just right.

Well, though it doesn't always work out this way for everyone, I got my wish in the form of a picture perfect 75-degree, clear blue-skied day. But as happy as I was to see the sunshine, I knew it also came with the risk of a sunburn, especially for a fair-skinned bride like me.

So, though I know it's often said that sunscreen can create an unpleasant glare in photos, I was sure to slather on a generous base coat before my makeup artist arrived. After all, I figured it was much better to risk a couple subpar photos than to take much bigger risks, such as looking lobster-red during my walk down the aisle or worse, winding up with skin cancer later in life.

And as for tanning, whether real of fake? I decided to pass, thanks very much, first for the obvious health concerns, and secondly, because faux tanning just leaves me looking, well, faux. Over the years, I've come to accept and love my own snowy complexion, and since it's a natural part of who I am, it only made sense to embrace it on my wedding day, as well.

LESSON LEARNED: As you prepare for and head into your wedding day, do keep in mind that it's just that -- a single day. Stay true to yourself, and don't even think about doing anything that might jeopardize your health or safety just for the sake of a few good snapshots. Trust me, you'll feel more beautiful and confident by just being your own healthy self than you will in trying to become something you're not. Worried about a sunburn? A prop like a parasol or fixture like a canopy during an outdoor ceremony can work wonders, while also providing a great visual focus in photos.

What are your thoughts about tanning or other wedding day beauty procedures?

(Photo Credits: Alex Neumann Photography)

Post-Wedding Fitness Flubs

Way back when I was still just a "miss," I shared with you the way I changed my body and life by choosing to work out and eat healthily over the past year. Prior to the wedding, I was thrilled to meet my fitness goal and see myself featured in SELF magazine becasue of it.

But now that the wedding is over and life is busier than ever, I feel like I’m falling off the wagon, allowing the old excuses to slip off my tongue and the old comfort foods to make their way back onto my plate. It also doesn’t help that this has been the hottest, muggiest summer since I moved to D.C., making it almost impossible to run outdoors – my favorite way to burn off calories and stress.

Looking at my wedding pictures, I feel proud to see how well my efforts paid off, as I recall just how beautiful and fit I felt that day. But just a couple months later, I can now feel my jeans getting tighter and my motivation lagging. While I used to shun an extra glass of wine or helping of dessert, I now often find myself unable to utilize the message hammered into my head during countless middle school assemblies – just say “no.”

After a few days of utter indulgence in New Mexico, I’ve been doing better by eating reasonable meals and doing 30-minute workouts when I can. But still, I long for my hyper-fit self of last year, who ran 15 miles per week and ate tons of healthy meals loaded with veggies.

What do you think, ladies? Am I destined to gain the “newlywed 15”? Have any of you struggled to keep up your health and fitness routines, either before or after the wedding? How do you stay motivated when you’re busy, exhausted, or thwarted by bad weather?

A Bride’s Spring Training: I’m Featured in SELF!

After working hard last year to lose weight and get in shape for our wedding, I’m so honored to be featured in SELF this month as a Challenge success story! (If you read the magazine, I’m on page 83.)

If you’re not familiar with the Challenge, it’s an awesome diet and exercise program SELF features annually beginning each March that’s fun, customizable and inspiring. Last year, I even lost 21 pounds through the program, and continued to lose more after it was over!

To make sure I don’t undo any of my hard work before June rolls around, I’ll definitely be taking up the Challenge again this year. Here, some of my other tops tips and strategies for losing weight and getting in shape!

· I love to run outdoors, and scorched tons of pounds by running at least three miles five days a week last year. But I also hate cold weather, and the snowy winter months have put a snag in my plans. Instead, I bought a fairly inexpensive manual treadmill for $120 so that I can work out while I watch an hour of TV each night. I also go to a Saturday cardio and toning class, offered for a reasonable price at our community center, and alternate between different workout DVDs, including the tough but effective 30 Day Shred.

· I’m not a morning person in any sense of the word, so I schedule most of my workouts in the evenings and at night. The truth is that if I tried forcing myself to exercise in the morning or during lunch, I know I’d quit, so I instead try to figure out the best time based on my body’s natural rhythm throughout the day.

· As hard as it sometimes is, I stop eating when I’m no longer hungry, rather than waiting until I’m completely full. This takes a ton of willpower, but saves lots of calories!

· If I do the same thing for too long, I get bored. To mix things up, I frequently change the fitness classes I take, and also cross-train by including dance, running and weight exercises that work different muscle groups.

· I’ll exercise by myself if I have to, but I enjoy my workouts much more when I have a buddy to share them with. So, I love that Stephen and I usually go running together. I’m also much more successful if I have a specific goal to train or work toward, such as a 5K race. It literally forces me to get moving!

What workout strategies work best for you? Do you have any specific goals you’d like to reach before the wedding?

(Photo Credits: SELF)

A Little ‘Love’ in the Shade…

Try as I might to protect my skin, I’ve spent far too many a beach day or summer winery outing nursing a sunburn. And since my fair complexion rivals Snow White’s, no matter how much sunscreen I slather on, more often than not I end up with a glowing red lobster look if I’m in the sunlight for half an hour or more.

Of all the things that could go wrong on my wedding day, this is honestly the one I’m most worried about, especially since we’ll be taking photos outdoors at a botanical garden before the ceremony even begins. One fun solution? A cute hand-painted parasol that can also double as a great prop for photos!

I just love this classic-looking beauty I snagged from iDoOriginals on Etsy for $42. Of course, I’ll still hit up the SPF 80 beforehand, but this will at least help keep the direct sunlight off my face and shoulders, while letting us get some playful shots with our photographer.

Are you using a parasol or other photography props on your wedding day? Do you have any big worries or concerns on your mind?

(Photo Credit: iDoOriginals.com)

Join me on Twitter and Facebook!

A ‘Picture Perfect’ Gift & Fun TV Surprise

Remember the Get Married Blogger Brides photo box giveaway I told you about a couple weeks ago? Well, guess what? My post drew the most comments, and I won!

I’d like to give a special thanks to everyone who headed over to the Get Married website to share your thoughts and help me win! Your support means so much to me!

If you’re interested in checking it out, my question about fun, affordable cash bar alternatives was also featured on Get Married TV Saturday during the “Slice of Advice” segment about halfway through the show. What a fun surprise!

Now, here’s the piece I wrote about our “picture perfect” moment since getting engaged. I hope you enjoy it!

Picture Perfect

My two favorite photos of Stephen and I weren’t taken during an engagement session. Nor are they two of the many pictures that feature us traveling or touring our favorite wineries. No, my all-time favorite shots include what is probably one of the worst pictures of me in existence. So why, you may ask, out of all the great pictures I just described, do these two have such significance?

Well, after enjoying one-too-many a slice of pizza on our Central American cruise, and many-too-many of Stephen’s famous shortbread cakes right in our own home, I made a commitment to ditch my status as the ultimate couch potato, and instead turn myself into a runner, able to last 10K nonstop by summer’s end.

So, when I know he would have much rather chowed down on pasta and chocolate chip cookies, Stephen instead spent his evenings researching and cooking healthy meals for me. At night, if it was too dark by the time I got home, Stephen laced up his sneakers and headed out to run three miles at my side, encouraging me to keep going, and sticking right with me, when I know this former high school cross-country star could have gone much faster on his own. Without uttering a single complaint, he selflessly attended 8 a.m. aerobics classes on Saturday mornings, and didn’t even flinch upon realizing that he was the only guy in the class.

And after a few weeks, Stephen was as into it as I was, eager to regain the glory of his cross-country days by reading nutritional labels at the grocery store, working out with dumbbells while watching TV, and allowing himself to become hopelessly excited about what had become not only my goal, but his as well.

Finally, one day toward the end of September, with fall creeping in and threatening to put an end to our outdoor runs for the season, we hit the pavement and ran. And ran. And ran harder, faster and longer than we ever had. When it was all over, we checked our distance to see that we had done it. 6.5 miles!

But, as excited as I was that we had reached our goal, I realized that it wasn’t even the accomplishment that was truly the best part. No, it was the time we spent together getting there – encouraging each other, helping each other, and supporting each other – that mattered the most.

Early in our journey to get fit, we took turns taking these two shots of each other before we headed out to run my very first 5K race, and his first in over five years. As you can see, there were no beautiful camera angles, no special editing techniques, and no dressy clothes. All the photos represent is us – plain and simple, in our running shorts and sneakers, together, in love, achieving something big. That is our moment, and it is perfect, even if the pictures appear to be far from it.

What’s your special story?

(Photo Credits: Personal Library)

Bridal Shapeup

I never thought the day would come when I'd say what I'm about to.

I love to run.

A former couch potato in the truest sense of the word, I've been inspired by my upcoming wedding (and gorgeous dress!) to finally whip myself into shape. So inspired, in fact, that fitness has become an important, and yes, fun, part of my life.

For me, variety is the key to meeting my wedding shapeup goals. I've tried to keep things fresh by including a wide range of activities as part of my program, including running my first 5K, taking aerobics and toning classes at the community center, and walking with my work buddies during our lunch break.

This summer, Stephen and I even took a wedding dance class, where we learned the basics of the waltz, foxtrot and rumba, along with easy routines to use during our first dance. (Like this idea? Check out your local community center's website, or try calling dance studios in your area. I've found that many offer fun and affordable programs, either as private or group lessons.)

Here, my other top strategies for shaping up before the big day.

• Do you hate to run? Maybe give dance a whirl. Two left feet? Walk instead of driving to run errands. Simple, enjoyable activities keep me motivated.

• Focus on one or two areas that you most want to tone, based on the style of your gown. For me, those are my abs (for a sleek silhouette) and arms (to showcase my shoulders). Setting a couple specific goals has made exercising much less overwhelming.

• Start slowly. When I first started running, I could barely last for a mile. Now, I can keep going for more than five. Building strength at my own pace has helped me stick with it and see lasting results that I hope will carry me through to my wedding day and beyond.

Do you have any helpful tips that are working for you? Let me know, because I'd love to give them a try!