Here Comes the Bride: Tips for looking your best on your big day
As I prepare to celebrate my one year anniversary, I thought it would be helpful to share some things I learned along the way to look and feel your best on your wedding day.
There is so much pressure in the bridal industry to be the most beautiful bride, the thinnest bride, the bride with the most expensive, elaborate wedding. All this pressure can just add to the day to day pressures of planning a wedding while trying to live your life as normally as possible. There are a few things you can do to prepare yourself physically and mentally to keep you calm and feeling great on your wedding day.
1. Keep a budget and stick to it when you are planning. There are many books that can help you cut corners without compromising quality.
2. When buying your dress, be flexible. That $3000.00 halter dress may look great in a magazine but not great on your physique. Work within a wide range of dress styles and prices. You will be surprised that your “dream dress” might not be anything special on the rack but looks fabulous on you! I found my dress on a close out rack for $200 after searching through all the couture lines.
3. Buy a dress that fits you RIGHT NOW – try not to envision you in this dress after you lose 10 or 15 pounds. You can always have your dress altered down, but most dresses don’t look good being too tight.
4. Take care of yourself. Schedule regular workouts into your calendar and stick to them. If you don’t know where to start, hire a trainer to get you on the right track. Many trainers are happy to set up with a one time program that you can do on your own for a reasonable fee. If you have flexibility in your budget, try to hire a trainer for the month or two before your wedding. As the day draws nearer, you will find that you have less time to think about your day. Hiring a trainer allows someone else to do the “thinking” for you and they might also push you a little harder than you would on our own.
5. Take a mental break from the planning at least one day a week. I found it helpful to take a yoga class one day a week. It not only helped to stay relaxed, but also helped to remind me what is really important during this time. Many yoga and Pilates instructors will meet you and your wedding party the day of your wedding for a pre wedding class. This could help you stay calm and focused to prevent a “Bridezilla” incident. Yoga teaches you deep breathing exercises which come in handy when you have a hundred or so people staring at you as you walk down the aisle!
6. Stand up tall – your pictures will look much better with good posture and you will thank yourself later. Practice your posture as much as possible.
7. Above all, have fun and remember that despite all the craziness and stress, the only thing that matters is you and your husband and starting your new life together. No one will remember the flowers or the cake, just the great time they had celebrating this special time with you!
A few exercises to tone you for the big day:
1. “Rowing”(for your back)
Take one end each of an exercise band of medium to heavy resistance. With the band around something stable, pull both ends of the band towards you, squeezing your shoulder blades together tightly. Hold 5 seconds. Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
2. Shoulder Raises (for the sides of your shoulders)
Using a 3 or 5 # weight in each hand, stand up tall and slowly raise your arms out to your sides into a “T” position. Do not go any higher than shoulder height.
Lower and repeat 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
3. Triceps Extension (for the back of your arms)
Hold a 3 or 5# weight in one hand. Bend your knees with one leg in front of the other and balance with the other hand resting on a bench or chair. Lean forward from the waist with a straight spine and your abs pulled in tight. Pull the arm with the weights to your side, elbow bent. Slowly straighten your elbow behind you squeezing your triceps (back of the arm). Hold 5 seconds. Repeat 10 on each side for 3 sets.
Please do not attempt if you have an injuries. Always contact your physician before attempting if you are unsure if you can start.
