Wedding Weight-Loss: Big Decisions and New Goals

After my amazing shopping experience at Kleinfeld, I still needed be sure the dress I had found was the one, so I made an appointment to try on more dresses at Bridal Reflections in Carle Place, NY. It was a wonderful shopping trip, the staff was extremely helpful, and they had some great gowns — just nothing that was right for me.

My consultant Lisa was really great, if you go there I recommend asking for her. I tried on about 7 dresses and there were a few that I liked, but none made me feel how I felt when I put on the Mark Zunino gown that I fell in love with at Kleinfeld.

Here are a few of the gowns that didn't make the cut: 

bridal reflections shopping trip

I am beyond thrilled to announce that after leaving Bridal Reflections, I finally made my decision and went back to Kleinfeld to order my dress! I'm so happy that I confirmed that the dress I love is what I'm meant to wear when I marry Renne. 

Check out our complete guide to finding your dream dress here! 

Now that I've finally found my wedding gown, I need to step up my game in order to be 100% happy with the way I look in the dress. I have been keeping up with my workouts, eating healthy, and losing more weight (not as quickly as I’d like), but I decided to try some new things to spice it up.

Surprise! Couple Ties the Knot 30,000 Feet in the Air

When the time was right, Alexander Serruys planned to propose to his longtime love Marieke on a beach somewhere during vacation. However, a Facebook post would forever change the course of this Belgian couple's "I do's," leading them to get married in a surprise wedding on an airplane! The craziest part: They weren't even engaged when they boarded the flight, so the proposal took place the same day, too.

Watch their incredible journey here (skip to the 3:12 mark to watch the proposal):

It all started on Valentine's Day, when Thomas Cook Airlines posted, "If you could marry your love on a plane, would you do it?" Serruys, a 24-year-old bus driver, commented, "Immediately!" Thus, preparations for the #FlightYes14 conspiracy began. The groom hid his phone when he was home and became tight-lipped in an effort not to slip up: "Yes, she did become suspicious of me. Bad start for a marriage!" he jokes.

With the help of the airline, he convinced Marieke, 20, that she and her sister won a free girls trip to Rhodes, and a camera crew would film their getaway. Forty of their closest friends and relatives boarded the plane and hid in the back until the bride-to-be arrived and took her seat in the front of the aircraft.

June 18th

Photo Credit: Petronella Photography on Munaluchi Bridal via Lover.ly

Tip of the Day: Schedule your hair and makeup trial on the same day as your gown fitting. "Your look should have balance and flow. This will help you ensure that one thing doesn't overpower the other," says makeup artist Donna Kelly of Donna Kelly Makeup.

Also, you don't want to schedule your beauty trials too far in advance — three months prior to the wedding date should give you plenty of time. "You want it to be a fresh look and something you and your beauty team will remember," says Kelly.

Plus, check out the 25 Biggest Makeup Mistakes Brides Make.

4 Siblings Get Married on the Same Day!

Close siblings share everything with one another: their joys, sorrows, support...and in the case of the Fortney family, even their wedding day!

Sisters Grace (23), Meagan (23), and Jessica (19), and brother Marcus (21) all tied the knot to their respective spouses on June 14. They each had their own half-hour ceremony at the St. George Utah Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, followed by a joint reception at a local ballroom with around 1,000 guests (yep, you read that right).

four sibling weddings in utah on same day
Photo Credit: Amber Davis via KSL-TV

Yahoo Shine reports that the idea was set into motion after Marcus returned from a Mormon mission trip in Mexico and started planning his wedding with his longtime girlfriend. At that point, Grace was already engaged and Meagan and Jessica also began discussing the prospect of marriage with their significant others.

"With most families, this really wouldn't work, but thankfully, I have wonderful, wonderful sisters and a wonderful brother," Grace Fortney Weaver tells KSL-TV.

Their parents were supportive of their unusual plan: "There are few things that can compare to the fullness of joy that you feel when your children are happy," father Kevin Fortney said. 

Gorgeous Couture Wedding Dresses Designed By High School Students

Recently, we were honored to be a part of the judging panel for the third annual bridal gown design competition from the High School of Fashion Industries (HSFI), in partnership with Kleinfeld Bridal. The incredibly talented students created beautifully detailed gowns that were nothing short of amazing.

Last year, each student designed the dress she'd wear to her own wedding. This year, the students were asked to create a gown that represented their vision of what a woman should wear on her big day. From 40 sketches, the judges chose three finalists who then with the help of fellow classmates, brought their vision to life using fabric provided by Mori Lee.  Students also attended a master class beforehand at Kleinfeld from Dorothy Silver, Director of Sales and Merchandising.

models with the designers and instructors
The designers and models with instructor Sandra Manning, Robert di Mauro and Mara Urshel.

winner and judges of kleinfeld contest

8 Beauty Must-Haves for Summer Brides

An early-spring press trip to the glorious Grace Bay Club on Turks & Caicos was a welcome change from the polar vortex of 2014, but with the fabulous invitation came panic: which beauty products to pack? I decided to road test some of the latest offerings that had landed on my desk. Here, some favorites that proved to be not only Caribbean beach worthy — they’ll also stand up to what promises to be a steamy summer back home in NYC.

Say Yes To Cucumbers Natural Sunscreen SPF 30
This brand says yes to natural ingredients like green tea and shea butter and no to petroleum, phthalates, silicones and chemical sunscreen ingredients (which are unstable, and can break down in sunlight!). Zinc oxide and titanium oxide are the natural skin protecting stars of this water-resistant Skin Cancer Foundation-approved broad-spectrum formula ($11.99, yestocarrots.com).

say yes to cucumber sunscreen

Mosquitno Bandz
Now here’s a concept: chic, waterproof silicone wristbands infused with enough mosquito-repelling citronella oil to keep the bugs at bay for up to six days ($3.99 each, mosquitnoband.com).

mosquitno bands

The Most Flattering Mother-of-the-Bride Dresses

There's no question that all eyes will be glued on you as you walk down the aisle in your beautiful wedding dress and take it for a whirl during your first dance. However, the second most fabulous woman in the room will be the person who helped you get to this point — your mother!

MOBs and MOGs (mothers of the groom) have tons of great options available to them while shopping for their child's big day. Check out some of our favorite on-trend styles to help Mom look and feel her best.

Fit-and-Flares
This sophisticated and versatile silhouette can be adjusted to suit different body types. Accentuate Mom's waistline with a belted look or try a dropped torso if she's slightly short-waisted. Most importantly, make sure that the dress still allows for plenty of movement so she can dance the night away!  

mon cheri mother of the bride dressmontage mon cheri dress
Dress pictured at left by: Special Occasions by Mon Cheri (Style 213895) / Dress pictured at right by: Montage by Mon Cheri (Style 214953)

June 16th

Photo Credit: iStock

Tip of the Day: Avoid taking wedding debt into your marriage to better support your one to five year “after-wedding” goals. As part of making sure the two of you are on the same page, consider goals for housing, transportation, employment, finances, children, travel, and more.

"This will help you to restrict your wedding expenses to support those goals after the wedding. Keep those goals in your wedding notebook next to your wedding budget to keep you on track," says Shimona Mayo, author of Power Plays for Brides.

Plus, check out 101 Ways to Save Thousands on Your Wedding.

June 13th

Photo Credits: Mark Eric Photography

Tip of the Day: Set aside time for a "first look" with your father and ask your photographer and videographer to capture it on film! "Your Dad will be forever grateful," says Mark Motichek of Mark Eric Photography.

Motichek explains that all too often, he sees "Dad happens to stumble into the chaos that is the bridal suite looking for his boutonniere, only to discover that his little girl is being transformed into a glamorous young lady wearing a white dress over in the corner. Just as he begins to approach her to tell her how beautiful she is, he's whisked away to check on some other wedding task...that's it, that was his moment." Alloting time for this special encounter will prevent this from happening.

Plus, check out Our Favorite Father-Daughter Moments.

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