Should I lose weight for my wedding?

It's no secret that 'shedding-for-the-wedding' is a thing these days, and this week I'm thinking a lot about my diet and exercise regime in preparation for my big day. It's just over a year away so it's time to get myself back to the gym and stop binge-eating to drop a couple of pounds.

I've done so many crash diets in the past but the weight just comes back, so this time I am doing it properly. There's the whole internet available to you full of healthy eating plans and exercise regimes if you want to do the same, and lose weight in a safe way.

I want to make it clear that I would be trying to shed the extra pounds at this point of my life whether I was engaged or not, the wedding has just given me that extra motivation. Brides should never feel like they have to lose weight for their wedding because they think it's expected of them. And that's what I want to talk about.

I've heard comments from people in the past, not about myself, but about other bride-to-be's like "Why is she eating a burger a few weeks before her wedding?!" Umm what? It's a serious issue if people think all brides need to be skinny. I say, go girl! Eat what you like, and love yourself as you are.

Here are some things to think about if you're considering going on an intense diet for your wedding...

Feeling good enough
Feeling like you aren't good enough is no way to start the rest of your life with your husband-to-be. The fact is he loves you just the way you are - imperfections and all - so it's time to accept that and be happy.

Wedding photos
You probably don't want to look back on your wedding photos and barely recognise yourself. Wouldn't you rather look like yourself for the biggest day of your life?

Stress
You definitely won't need the added stress of counting calories and watching the scales while you're planning a wedding, and you'll need the brainpower.

So whether you are shedding-for-the-wedding or not, do it for yourself, not for anyone else, and do it in a sensible way. Just remember, your dress size is by far not the most important thing about your day!

Planning your wedding - Part 3

Part 3/10 of my brief guide to planning your big day:  start looking for suppliers

(read part 1, part 2)

It's taken a little longer than expected but I'm happy to say Part 3 of my wedding planning guide is finally here!

At this stage in your wedding planning, you will have come to terms with the fact you are planning a wedding. Hopefully. You'll have decided on your style of wedding, or theme if you want one, and what you want the overall feel of the day to be. It's going well!

It might be worth mentioning that at this point, you might want to consider hiring a wedding planner to get all your ideas in to motion. But if you're more of a DIY bride, or your budget doesn't allow for a personal wedding planner, read on!

The next step is to start looking for wedding suppliers. I'd recommend starting with the 3 most important things. You'll want to sort these out for your wedding first:

Venue

The earlier you choose and book your venue, the more availability they'll have. Especially important if you want to get married during the peak season or on a weekend. 

We chose a stunning Victorian mansion with beautiful grounds and gardens for both our ceremony and evening reception. This was the very first thing we booked for our wedding, and that was over 2 years prior to our wedding date. Even that early our first choice of date was already taken!

Going to lots of wedding fairs can help you choose a venue, or there are loads of directories online. Most venues will be happy to show you around at any time.

Photographer

I've put photographer as another important thing to book first. This is obviously down to the individual bride, but for myself, and probably many others, wedding photography is one of the most important things to get right. 

I've read too many horror stories from couples who asked a friend / relative to take their wedding snaps, rather than invest in a decent professional wedding photographer, and ended up with photos they are ashamed to show anyone.

My Fiancé and I spent a long time researching wedding photographers and again, had signed a contract about 2 years in advance as his books were already filling up. Read my tips and questions you should ask potential wedding photographers here.

Dress

Deciding on your dress early on is a good idea, not only because it usually take 6 months for the dress to be made plus any time for alterations if needed, but also because you never know how long it is going to take you to find 'the one'. Allow plenty of time, and you can't go wrong.

Finding your dress first will also help you style other aspects of your wedding. For example if you fall in love with a gorgeous 50s vintage dress, you'll know to look for other vintage or 50s style things for your day.