Ever since we tied the knot I've received several inquires about how I got in shape for the wedding, so rather than continue to respond individually I am going to lay it all out here to be taken as just one point of view/ one option of many to try out there. The first thing I would say is that between working a very demanding job, pulling together wedding plans, and carrying on with everyday life (and living with a boy with the fastest metabolism in the world)...working out and eating right ain't easy. The second thing I'd say is that everyone is different and what worked for me might not be right for you so... you do you! 

Wedding Workout: 

• I am a naturally muscular person so I tend to stay away from some of the aggressive strength classes at the gym and look for options that tone and lengthen. I was turned on to barre classes back when I lived in NYC, but didn't really truly appreciate them and see how wonderful they can be until I discovered Exhale Spa and Pure Barre. These classes completely transformed my frame and I seemed to just shrink and tone in places I never thought possible. I tired to go to barre classes three times a week in the two months leading up to the wedding. 
• I'm not a runner. This seems strange coming from someone who used to be a pretty darn obsessed trackster back in the day, but I think I just ran myself sick of running. However, because of this I often miss out on some essential cardio. For someone who hates running and cardio... in order for me to pick-up the pace and push myself I need something just shy of a drill Sargent screaming in my ear... enter Barry's Bootcamp. They will kick your butt. 

1. Exhale Spa // 2. Barry's Bootcamp // 3. Pure Barre

So that's it! No big secrets here! And if you're ever at the Exhale Back Bay or Pure Barre in Burlington keep an eye out for me! I'm still addicted so have been trying to continue to go on a regular basis. The no drinking and eating right thing however has gone completely out the window... 

XOX

I love summer weddings. And when I say love, it's more of bordering on obsession. Sunset ceremonies and outdoor soirees under the stars make me melt into a gushy puddle, so even I was shocked when we decided to have a winter wedding. Despite my initial hesitation, I have to say, it's one of the best decisions I've ever been a part of and looking back I wouldn't have done it any other way. As someone who had never been to a winter wedding, I wish someone would have told me all of the great things I had to look forward too in planning a wedding this way (aside from that whole marrying the person you love/ your best friend in the world thing)...

1) The photos are completely magical...

.... It also doesn't hurt that we were lucky enough to land these awesome photographers :) 

2) It's a fun and unique experience for your guests 
I'm the biggest advocate for summer weddings out there, but sometimes it's nice to mix it up a bit. Aside from the fact that it's my favorite place in the world, we chose Vail because we knew it had something for everyone. We have a lot of friends who love to ski and snowboard and we have a lot of friends who wouldn't be caught dead in something as unflattering as snow pants, so we made sure to pick a location that would be a fun winter vacation for both groups. We also heard a lot of people say how nice it was to have something in late February/early March to look forward to as it's kind a lull in the year. 

3) You avoid the summer wedding schedule maddness
Not only is it easier to narrow down a day for the wedding that doesn't conflict with another wedding, we didn't have to compete for our top vendors. We pretty much had our pick of everything so we could make our day exactly as we wanted it. We even squeezed a few "good deals" out of it due to how clear vendor calendars were at the time. 

4) Weather worries be gone (sort of)
The morning of our wedding I looked outside and there were about 6 inches of new snow outside my window and it continued to fall at a rapid pace. To any bride this could trigger complete panic mode, but because we were in the winter wonderland of Vail ... the more snow the better!! Our guests enjoyed a good day of skiing and our photos turned out even better with a fresh layer of powder as the perfect backdrop against the rocky mountains. 

The one caveat here is that weather will always be a worry at any wedding. For much of the week they were forecasting rain on our wedding day. Of course.... an extremely rare occurrence in Vail in the peak of ski season. Luckily it turned out to be snow and was even better, but I still had anxiety about it all week  (I think that weather worries are just part of the deal... Woof.)

There are countless amazing things about winter weddings that I could go on and on about, but there are also some considerations that I wish I had been warned about going in... but that is a whole other post on a whole other day :) 

XOX

Getting married is so. much. fun. 
No seriously. It's magical. 

It's also official that coming back to the real world after a magical winter wedding and a mini-moon in the sun is just about the hardest thing in the world. All I want to do is talk to someone, anyone... unassuming strangers and all... about every last little detail. 

Throughout the planning process it has taken all of my being to not share every single detail along the way, but I didn't want to give any of the fun surprises away too soon! So I've stored up a ton of wedding blog ammunition that I am so excited to share over the next few weeks. I'm so excited to share all of the things I learned, all of the things I wish I would have known, all of the things that were the absolute worst, and all of the things I enjoyed most. What an amazing way to relive every precious moment!

I'm not going to lie. It wasn't all roses all the time and there were many times I wanted to throw my hands up in the air and just elope already, but in the end it was all worth it. It was such an amazing day and we have so many friends, family, and vendors to thank for that :) 

XOX