|
He asked you to marry him! You call your family and friends and from this point
forward focus on getting ready for the “Big Day!” You set budgets, pick a bridal
party and of course find the PERFECT dress. How do you begin to plan?
Of all occasions, the Wedding Day is when you want to look your absolute best.
All those nearest and dearest to you (including your future mother-in-law) will
be watching, the cameras snapping, capturing you from every angle – and you want
to be stunning for all of it.
From the time an engagement ring is presented, most women automatically start counting
calories. But as the big day gets closer, brides-to-be get busy, schedules get tighter
and next thing you know the last dress fitting causes concern because the zipper
won’t go up. But don’t fret, here’s what you can do to be picture perfect for the
Big Day.
First, start with having a realistic goal in mind. If your wedding is in six months
and you want to lose 30 pounds, that’s an average of 1.25 lbs each week. The process
of losing weight is creating a deficit between calorie intake and calories burnt.
You can do this by:
•
•
•
•
•
•
|
Eating smaller portions.
Identifying sources of empty calories in your diet, such as high-fat and high-sugar
snacks and limit them.
Incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your daily diet. They’re powerhouses
of nutrition and can fill you up on fewer calories.
Choosing leaner, lower-fat meat and dairy products.
Eating your calories, not drinking them. Engagement is a time for celebrations and
parties, so choose your beverages wisely.
Exercising – the best way to get rid of calories is to burn them off. Incorporate
cardio and strength training into your schedule to shed extra pounds and tone muscles
for a picture-ready physique.
|
If it’s within your budget, consider working out with a Certified Personal Trainer.
They provide you with accountability and are able to train you correctly. Not only
can a Certified Personal Trainer provide you with an exercise routine, they can
help you with food choices and much more.
For those who may not have the budget for a trainer, try participating in Group
Fitness classes. The classes are designed for fun while burning calories and physically
improving yourself. The instructors provide options for beginner, intermediate and
advanced level participants.
Whether you are working with a trainer or just walking the neighborhood for exercise,
it is important to pick a workout time and stick with it. If you are going to work
out at lunch always have your gym bag packed and ready to go the night before and
do a quick check in the morning to avoid forgetting key items needed to work out.
Also, try having a workout partner who has no mercy to provide an extra push. It
is amazing how focused and motivated you become during this frantic, crazy, panicked
period in your life. You will want to stick to it because of the strapless dress
you have hanging in the closet or for that tropical paradise honeymoon.
Most importantly, have supportive people to provide motivation and encouragement.
They can be accountability partners, kindly reminding you when they see you eating
a candy bar, “Are you supposed to be eating that?” A supportive network can also
help you relieve some stress. It is proven that stress can be damaging to the physical
appearance, causing premature wrinkles, restless sleep (leading to bags under the
eyes) and overeating. Wedding planning can be a full-time job – and you can’t be
expected to do it all alone. That is why you have a wedding party. Rely on your
bridesmaids and maid of honor to help you out. If your mother or future mother-in-law
offers her assistance, take it! And don’t let your fiancé off the hook either –
it is not the man’s job to just “show up”. He should have a checklist of “to do”
items; you just might need to follow up and make sure they are done.
If you don’t have family or friends to really rely on, hire a wedding planner. Their
job is to handle all of the details so you don’t have to. They will be there to
coordinate the entire day, and ward off any of the stressful issues that might arise.
Something to take into consideration when losing weight or improving your appearance
is the reason behind doing so. Yes you want to look your absolute best for your
wedding day. However what about the days that come after that? Your wedding may
give you the initial incentive for losing weight. What will be your reason for keeping
it off? Only you can decide that. If done correctly this can be a lifetime lifestyle
changing process.
The average wedding costs over $30,000! No wonder couples get stressed when they
begin coordinating a wedding. But it doesn’t have to be this way. The most important
thing is to make your wedding personal. No matter how much you are prepared to spend,
the following budget-savvy strategies will help get the most beautiful memories
for your money:
Before you begin planning your wedding and reception, sit down together and discuss
your top three priorities. This will help to determine where to go all out, and
where you can cut corners. For instance, if it is important to you that the wedding
and reception be held at the restaurant that you went to on your first date or you
know you must have a specific designer gown or certain DJ you really like, then
you can fit that into your budget and decide to save money in other areas.
Keeping the guest list as concise as possible can help drastically reduce reception
costs. Most caterers, restaurants and banquet halls charge per person, so the difference
between 100 guests and 150 will be significant. A way to cut people is give your
parents a limitation on the number of people they are allowed to invite. Also consider
this rule of thumb – you should have enough time to thank each guest personally
at your reception. If you have 250 people, is that possible in two hours?
Food can be the biggest expense at a wedding. Strategies to save on food and catering
include choosing to have a buffet instead of a sit-down meal, a dessert reception,
and a brunch or luncheon instead of a multi-course dinner. Or consider drop-off
catering, where the caterer delivers already prepared food and sets it up.
There are many options for low-cost or no-cost locations including local and national
parks, forest preserves, your own backyard or that of a friend or relative. Also
consider a location that offers an all-inclusive package on the wedding, reception,
and sometimes the honeymoon too. Choosing to have the wedding during an off-season
or on any day but Saturday will also help cut costs. Destination weddings are a
big hit if you want to keep the guest list under 20 people.
A few creative money-saving alternatives to shopping at a traditional bridal salon
include purchasing a gown at an outlet, a department store “as is” sale, renting,
borrowing or even bidding on the internet for one. You could even redo your mother
or mother-in-law's dress.
Those who choose to wed in a location that is already decorated will see big savings.
To set a stylish mood without much work, plan the wedding in a garden, art museum
or a beautifully furnished home. Or consider doing the flowers and decorations yourself.
This is definitely an area that doing it yourself can show off your artistic skills
and allow you to pocket the difference.
For some couples, a band is an absolute must. But a DJ is usually much less expensive,
plus you get an MC to move the reception along. For the die hard live music folks,
look for bands that have day jobs and "jam" for fun. You can also create a mixed
CD of your favorite songs and give them as gifts to your guest.
Weddings tend to go by so quickly, and each moment is so precious, that having
a photographer chronicle the event with a still and/or video camera is the only
way to really capture the moment for posterity. But can photography be affordable.
If you are not looking for a professional look, place cameras on the guest tables
to cut cost. However please note there is not a guarantee for perfection.
Eliminating or limiting a traditional full service bar to one or two hours will
really cut costs. Alternatives include serving beer and wine only, not serving alcohol
at all, or only pouring a champagne toast. Depending on the local laws and the rules
at your reception hall, purchasing the liquor yourself and then hiring someone to
pour is a potential money saver.
A wedding should not be about how much was spent or saved. It should reflect the
individual personalities and priorities of the couple getting married. Cutting costs
won't limit your day if you stay faithful to your personal style. A less expensive
wedding can turn out beautiful and elegant. Its is a day to celebrate commitment,
vows, friendships and everyone in attendance will rejoice regardless of cost.
|