Wedding Workout Wednesday

The other day I was on the dreaded treadmill and it occurred to me that workouts are probably a hot-topic for other brides. As you know, I have already purchased my dress, over a year in advance, which means I need to stay the same size for at least 360 more days.  My friends and family reading this already think I am crazy for worrying about this, I have maintained the same weight for the past 3 years and a few would probably tell you that I should gain some weight. (Woe is me, I know.) I am a pretty superstitious person though and I have this deep fear that I will gain 20 pounds now that there is a reason for me to really keep the weight off.


Let me back up, I am currently 5'9" and weight about 128 pounds. I know, most girls would kill for this, but I have not always been like this. When I graduated college, I tipped the scales at 164 pounds - on a good day. It was a combination of little exercise, a bartender's schedule, a diet of whatever I could find, when I could find it and a lot beer that got me to that weight. Once I graduated college, I worked HARD for a year and a half to get all that weight off, plus some. I'm talking 5+ days in the gym for 90 minutes at a time and Weight Watchers to get my cravings under control.


Me at my heaviest

Me now:

Was it easy losing almost 40 pounds? Absolutely not. Am I one of those girls who *claim* to "love" going to the gym and all that jazz? Yeah right. I'll be honest, working out is not my favorite things. There are even days that I HATE the gym. I've tried every workout imaginable, still haven't found that that I just can't wait to do everyday. Most days I get home from work and I literally have to force myself to put my running shoes on. 

My favorite part of working out? Being done. 

This brings my to my new blogging category: Wedding Workout Wednesdays! Each week I will share with you what I have (or haven't done) in the form of physical activity. Maybe even share some good-for-you recipes that I may stumble upon... You'll probably hear more about how I have to have a cookie after lunch AND dinner. (This is why I have to keep myself in the gym.)

Since this post is long enough already, I'll create a new one for this week's Wedding Workouts.

Invitations: Couture Invitations

I am currently scouring the internet trying to find the perfect invitations for our wedding. I know we are a ways a way from even thinking about ordering invitations, but it's never too early to start looking. This afternoon while I was watching One Tree Hill re-runs and surfing the internet, I came across Couture Invitations. I love some of the ideas the designer has - especially some of the belly-band ideas like this

and this

Plus - the designer is an Iowa girl - double score. :) For all the brides out there looking for invitations, be sure to check out their website.

Resource: Weddingbee.com

I must share this bride secret with all of your: Weddingbee. I have never been one to be into online message boards, until I found Weddingbee. Weddingbee.com is a forum that allows future brides, present brides, past brides and all other kinds of brides to share experiences, projects, opinions and advice with everyone. I have found so many ideas, tutorials, inspiration and projects via this source - I highly recommend every bride-to-be check this place out.

Centerpieces: The Undecided

I've already covered the two centerpiece ideas I am doing here and here. But I have been going back and forth on what to do for the last. Here are my options:


Option One: Pomander on vase with crystals

The pomander would be made out of tissue paper and probably in a cream-ish color. I would put a ribbon around the bottom of the pomander and the crystals would be black or purple. 

Option Two: Hydrangeas 

I originally wanted to stay away from fresh flower centerpieces because of the cost, but if I order hydrangea wholesale from Blooms by the Box @ just under $4/stem, the price for 11 centerpieces won't be so bad. Additionally, the bridesmaids bouquets are going to be hydrangeas with peacock swords instead of greenery filler. The centerpieces would be white hydrangeas with a few peacock eyes in them. Maybe a ribbon around the center of the vase? 

Thoughts?

Ring-bearer Pillow - thingy

I like to be different. Some people may think I am being difficult at times, but I like to think I am just my own person and like to do my own things. So, I've been searching for something for our ringbearer to carry down the aisle. I've seen a few really cute ideas, plus something traditional...

Option 1.) The box

I found this box on Etsy, from seller BraggingBags. How freakin cute. The seller can even customize and engrave our names and wedding date into the bottom. It is only $30 and I feel this is a fair price, especially because I feel it could be an heirloom after the wedding. This is definitely at the top of my list at the moment. I was thinking for the actual wedding, we could put a small pillow inside with the fake rings (for pictures). 

Option 2.) Twist on a traditional pillow

Again, adorable. However, I would probably just end up selling it afterwards. I found this on Etsy from seller AllofYou as well and is slightly more expensive at $32. It matches our colors perfectly and would look amazing in the pictures - an it IS all about the pictures!!!

Option 3.) Here Comes the Bride Sign

Got this picture from here.

How cute would a 3 year old look carrying a sign like this? Cheap to make, however, way out of the box, which, I am out of the box, but I sometimes like to stay near the box. Also, he would have nothing to hold in the pictures.   

So - what do you guys think? Which option should we go with?

The Dress

I did it, I bought my dress this weekend!!! My bridesmaid L has been begging me to come to Chicago (where she lives) to try on dresses. I was having pretty good luck finding some in Iowa that I liked, and there was even one that I was 95% sure was the one I wanted. Finally, I agreed to visit her and try on dresses. I told myself after this weekend, I will buy my dress. I've tried on ever type of dress imaginable, in every shape, color and style, so after this weekend, I would be confident in my choice. 


I went in thinking I'd try on some nice dresses, but I would ultimately buy the one that I liked in Iowa... Then I tried on the first dress and it was the one. I knew the instant I put it on, I had no reservations, there was no "I like this part and this part, but I kind of wish this part was a little different." It was perfect. I did not cry - I actually have not cried once in the whole bridal experience - but I smiled a lot. 


Then I looked at the price... And it was $400 under what I had budgeted! SOLD. 
I have pictures of me in the dress, but I am going to wait to post pics of me in the dress until after the wedding, here is a picture from the website though:

Yep, I am in love. Can't wait to wear it!

The Dudes Apparel

My mission this weekend? Find 9 more of these ties:

These ties work so well with the purple color of the bridesmaids dresses and I think they will look really sharp with white shirt and black suit. We are not going with the traditional vest/tie combo that you rent at Men's Warehouse or any other tuxedo rental place. Instead, we are buying all of our groomsmen and ushers matching ties and renting suits to go with them. 

I found two of these babies at Younkers, but need to track down nine more. I have my friends scouring Younkers in their cities looking for me. I tried to order them online, but they had every color in this style EXCEPT purple! Dang it. Hopefully by the end of the weekend we will have 11 total in our possession. 

This is the look we are going for with the guy's apparel:

This is a picture from a friend of a friend's wedding, I love how the stripes look against the white shirts and the simplicity of it all. 

Hopefully on Monday I will have good news on the following topis:

• Ties
• Candles and candle holders
• A few more vases
• The dress and accessories.

I know, I said I found my dress, but I go cold feet. I will probably end up going with my orignal choice, but I want to look in Chicago just ONE more time to be sure... :)

Until Monday!

Centerpieces: Cylinder Vases

Next centerpiece up is the cylinder vase centerpiece.

This is my inspiration. My original idea was three cylinder vases, all different heights, each with decorative rocks, water and a feather inside them and topped off with a floating candle. However, feathers in water does not look as cool as it sounds. I thought it would magnify the colors, but it just made them look brown. :(  So my new plan is to do clear rocks in the bottom, water, floating candle  with feathers and willow branches around the base. 

Cylinder vases I have seen priced anywhere from $3 - $5 each, but when you need 3 of them for each table, that is $9 - $15 per table, just on vases. Over the weekend I was stalking eBay for cylinder vases and low and behold, I hit the jackpot! A newlywed was selling 26 vases from Crate and Barrel for only $50!! They are all varying heights, and I will only be one short of nine centerpieces, which I am not worried about. Shipping was $17, so that breaks down to $2.58/vase or $7.74/table. Score!

Just an FYI, this find pretty much made my weekend. J  I'm kind of sad that all my beautiful vases have to be stored away for the next year, out of reach from our animals.