Bridal Fitness - The Fastest Way to Get in Shape for the Wedding

Of course every bride-to-be knows that one of the key ingredients to looking and feeling her best on her wedding day is a killer fitness routine. But sometimes we need a little motivation to transform a bootylicious bod into a bride-a-licious bod. 'Cause let's face it - pounding away on the treadmill day after day gets a tad tedious.

So I'm happy to report that I'm no longer a slave to the old treadmill (or eliptical, or stairmaster...). I've found what I truly believe to be the most effective - and more importantly - most enjoyable workout I've ever tried. It's called boot camp.

I just completed a month-long boot camp here in Atlanta, and hands down, this was the best workout experience of my life. Boot camp takes exercise back to the basics, back to it was actually fun. Remember how much you looked forward to field day back in elementary school? It's a little like that - only you're getting the most effective workout of your life. Every day is different - and exercises consist of tried and true basics - things like push ups, sit ups, relay races, sprinting with cones, scavenger hunts, etc. And instead of struggling through repetitions on your own, the instructors are there to support you and stay on you. You don't want to let them - or yourself -down, so you keep pushing - way beyond what you could accomplish on your own.

Now it's your turn to try it!
Boot camps are catching on, and new ones are popping up all over the country. Many are owned and taught by women and offer specific training sessions geared towards brides.

Here are some local suggestions around the US, as well as some at-home options, to get you started:

1) The American Boot Camp Company - Atlanta, GA - This is the one I did! The 30-Day boot camp program includes 16 group workouts - each about 45 minutes. In addition, instructors monitor your daily food intake, helping you learn how to incorporate nutrition into an overall healthy lifestyle. TheBootCampCompany.com

2) Adventure Boot Camp for Women - Locations throughout the US - Offers four week programs that include one hour sessions Monday through Friday. Cost is $299 for a regular 4-week camp or $199 for a three-day-per-week program. AdventureBootCamp.com

3) FitBoot - Boston, MA - This program has a realistic military approach, but a supportive environment for women of all fitness levels. The course ($375) consists of 45 minute sessions every weekday for six weeks, and recruits must pass a physical fitness test at the end of camp. FitBoot.com

4) Fit to Be Wed Live - West Los Angeles/Beverly Hills, CA - Camp features 60-70 minute workouts 3 days a week for 4 weeks. Geared towards brides, bridesmaids, and mothers of the bride and groom, workouts include lots of shaping and toning in those "key wedding gown areas" -- the arms, back, and shoulders. FitToBeWedLive.com

5) The Healthy Bride’s Boot Camp Workout - DVD - This DVD features four 45 minute workouts, including cardio, abs and push ups, stretching, and weight training designed for the style of your dress. Get in shape for your wedding - all in the comfort of your own home. $21.95 - available at Amazon.com or other retailers

6) Bridal Bootcamp – Paperback – by Cynthia M. Conde - This book is a fitness and nutrition guide created especially for women, with a focus on looking fabulous on your wedding day. It includes 6 month, 3 month and 4 week programs you can follow to lose body fat, increase lean muscle and make healthy lifestyle changes. $14.95 - available at Amazon.com or other retailers.

For more tips and advice to help you physically, mentally, and emotionally prepare for your wedding, visit the Elegala.com Emotionally Engaged Guide

Wedding Attire - What are the etiquette rules for dress code?

Q: I'm attending a New England wedding in November as a guest of a guest. What dress code rules should I adhere toto? Are long formal dresses inappropriate for anyone other than bridesmaids? What's the etiquette?
-Shelley

A: Dress codes for modern weddings have relaxed a bit, but there are still traditional standards for fabrics and styles. Style really depends on the formality of the wedding. For formal evening weddings, guests should dress for a nice dinner or event. This includes suits (or black tie) for men and dresses or skirts in sophisticated colors and fabrics for women. Lengths can also vary according to the style of event and location. For instance – an outdoor beach wedding lends itself to shorter hems and more casual fabrics; however, a formal wedding in a ballroom calls for longer ball gowns or cocktail dresses. As for colors – female guests can now wear black (a color that was once frowned upon), but to avoid competing with the bride, guests should never wear white.

Get more Wedding Etiquette Advice at Elegala.com - Elegant Galas Made Simple

-Cori Russell - style and etiquette editor

Weding Flowers - Tulips for Fall Wedding?

Q: I'm getting married in October and am interested in having tulips in my bouquet. Are tulips appropriate for a fall wedding? Are there any concerns I should be aware of with how they'll hold up?
-Linda-

A: Tulips are spring flowers, and not usually associated with Fall weddings. That said, weddings are really all about expressing your personality and style – so if you have your heart set on tulips – I say go for it!

Things to consider:
Realize that out of season blooms tend to be more difficult to find and therefore more expensive – so you should confirm with your florist right away about cost and availability.

Since the wedding is in the fall, you may want to stick away from pastel colored varieties and opt for bolder reds or deeper yellows instead.

Tulips are thirsty flowers – so make sure they have plenty of water if in a vase or that the floristry foam is well-wetted.

Tulips are also very sensitive to temperature. Try to keep them cool for as long as possible before the event, and don’t place the arrangements next to sources of heat – i.e. next to a heater, on the mantle above a fire, or in the direct sunlight.

Get even more ideas and advice for Planning a Fall Wedding at Elegala.com - Elegant Galas Made Simple
-Cori Russell - Style and Etiquette Editor

Find more advice to help you Plan Your Wedding Flowers at Elegala.com, Elegant Galas Made Simple

Are You Turning into Bridezilla? 5 Tips to Avoid the Monster Inside

Let’s face it, most women don’t set out to become difficult and obnoxious when presented with a marriage proposal and the task of planning a wedding. Bridezilla clichés aside, sometimes the stress in coordinating the details brings out the worst in even the most laid back of women. We all swear it won’t happen to us, but sure enough, there we find ourselves – arguing fiercely with our fiancé about the font style on our place cards or bursting into tears when the mother of the groom adds five more people to the expanding guest list.

It’s easy to do – engaged women are inundated with detail-driven messages expounding elusive images of “perfection” and “fairytale.” From custom labels to custom lighting, the list of “must have” wedding essentials grows exponentially. Meanwhile, the billion dollar behemoth that is the wedding industry sits back and cashes in on the mania designed to ensure the flawlessness of a woman’s “big day.”

So while the critics sit back and label us “bridezilla,” the reality is that our sometimes fanatical behavior is somewhat warranted and perpetuated by those around us. Deep inside every bridezilla is just a woman who fell in love and decided to celebrate a lifelong commitment. The problem lies is getting back to her.

Afraid that you fit the bridezilla bill? Here are 5 steps to help you Avoid Bridezilla Behavior and return to the person you were before the madness ensued.

Bridal Party - Other Ways to Honor Friends Beyond the Traditional Bridesmaid Role?

Q: I don't want to have a huge wedding party, but between my fiance and I we have four sisters, and I have a lot of close friends from college and highschool. What are some options to include important people in my life other than asking them to be a bridesmaid?
- Tricia -

A: When it comes to casting your wedding “VIPs” you have plenty of options beyond the traditional roles of bridesmaid or groomsmen. You could designate a few close friends as “honorary attendants.” Since the role isn’t an “official” role – you can make it entail whatever you want. Your honorary attendants can attend all showers and pre-parties; you can designate special seating for them at the front during the ceremony; you can give them a single flower or nosegay to carry at the ceremony to further set them apart (without giving them a full bouquet), and you can list their names in your program.

They’ll essentially have the role of bridesmaid – without standing and wearing matching bridesmaids dresses at the wedding.

Another option is to designate a specific role to each – one can be a reader at the ceremony, one a candle lighter, one a bell ringer, one a guest book attendant, etc.
-Cori Russell - style and etiquette editor

Cake Smashing - Cute Wedding Tradition or Bad Manners?

Q: My fiancé and I have been to a few weddings highlighted by the cake cutting and cake smash that followed. We think smearing a little cake onto each other’s face is a lighthearted way to display our joy and affection. My mother and some family members have suggested it’s in poor taste. It’s our wedding and our day, can we do it anyway?
- Allison -

A: You are right - it is your wedding, and your job as host and hostess is to make your guests feel comfortable. Since some of your guests have explicitly expressed that they find cake smashing offensive, subjecting them to it would be inconsiderate. Of course, no one can stop you from smashing the leftovers in your hubby’s face in the getaway car.

If you want to be sure your guests have a great time at your wedding, consult this list of the top wedding guest complaints and learn what to avoid.

-Cori Russell - Style and Etiquette Editor

Catering - What is the Average Cost Per Head at a Wedding Reception?

Q: What is the average cost per head for food and beverage at a wedding reception?
-Erin -

A: Cost per head depends on the meal and beverages you choose to serve your guests. For a full sit-down dinner with a full open bar, you can expect to pay around $100 per person ($65-$75 per person on the meal, plus $25-$35 per person on the bar). If you serve a soft bar with just beer and wine – you can reduce the beverage cost by about $10-$15 per person. Serving no alcoholic beverages can reduce this even further to about $5 per person for soft drinks and tea.

If yours is a morning or afternoon reception, the cost per person is usually much less, as breakfast and lunch menus typically range from about $25-$50 per person (depending on your caterer and what you serve). Daytime receptions are also more likely to have limited bars or no alcohol – which again, will save on the per person charge.
-Cori Russell - Style and Etiquette Editor

Find a complete guide to Planning Your Catering Menu at Elegala.com - Elegant Galas Made Simple