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Photo Credit: Studio Stem

Add a few of these patriotic summer jams to your playlist, curated by the music experts at Scratch Weddings! 

This week was filled with firsts, challenges and triumphs as part of my ongoing mission to slim down and get in shape for my wedding day. Here, an inside look at my eating and exercise diaries.

Monday, June 24
I had my usual breakfast this morning of two egg whites and a skim latte. I brought a homemade veggie burger and sweet potato fries for lunch. The fries are amazing! Here's how I make them: I peel and cut up sweet potatoes; I sprinkle some salt, pepper and olive oil on them; then I pop them in the oven for about 40 minutes. 

For dinner, my meal was even better. I made Butternut Squash Pasta and Sausage, a recipe I found on my favorite website, skinnytaste.com. You couldn't even tell the creaminess came from a vegetable. 

My fiancé Rene and I went for a half-hour walk after dinner and did some jogging, too. My shins were really bothering me but I pushed through it anyway. Luckily, Rene's back is feeling much better! P.S. Next time I need to remember to wear bug spray — I got eaten alive out there.

Tuesday, June 25
My wake-up call was at 4:45 a.m. to do my workout from Bonne Marcus because I knew I wouldn’t have time to exercise at night. I woke up in excruciating pain with terrible shin splints. It hurt just to walk down the stairs to let the dogs out. Not good! 

My now-husband Jon and I used to live in Washington DC, and it was there that we met via a mutual friend who organized a group outing one night. Jon had never said "I love you" to anyone before, but earlier that evening, he happened to tell his friends, half-jokingly: "Guys, I'm going to fall in love tonight, I know it." Oddly enough, he was right!

Later, we both admitted that we had it bad for each other since day one. When Jon moved all the way across the country to California for school, we were both ready to take on the challenge of a long-distance relationship...but what made it a lot easier was that he proposed during my first visit out to see him!

We quickly decided that we wanted to celebrate with two weddings: an Indian ceremony and reception, and a traditional Christian ceremony with a separate reception as well. So we kicked off the wedding planning while being engaged long-distance for six months before I moved to California myself. In March, we had wedding #1, which took place in Seattle, Washington. In late September of this year, we'll celebrate our six-month anniversary with a second wedding in Columbus, Ohio! Here's what I learned from planning not one, but two different cultural celebrations.

 
Photo Credit: Jaquilyn Shumate Photography

During my three years as Bridal Guide’s Fashion Advertising Associate, I’ve probably swooned over hundreds of wedding gowns. Each time I sat through a runway show, I imagined how each dress would look on me. When my fiancé, Steve, surprised me with an engagement ring in February, I immediately started thinking about what my wedding dress will look like (once I got over my initial shock!).

However, I forced myself to wait a few months before making my first bridal appointment since my wedding isn't taking place until October 2014, so I have plenty of time. I decided to start my dress shopping journey at Bridal Reflections in NYC; the salon not only carries gorgeous gowns, but also provides excellent, one-on-one service. Here's what I learned!

1. DON'T make your appointment on a Saturday.
I knew I’d be shopping with a pretty big entourage, so it was great that we arrived early on Sunday before the salon got too busy. It’s also a good idea to ask for the salon’s first appointment of the day. Our appointment was at 11 a.m. and we were the only people in the salon. I didn't feel rushed at all, and I was able to try on about 10 gowns!

2. DO bring people you trust (and who will tell you the truth).
I brought my mom, sister, aunt, future mother- and sister-in-law, and two of my bridesmaids. I know this sounds like it might be overwhelming, but I knew that they would all give me their honest feedback. For example, my soon-to-be mother-in-law told me that one of the glitzier dresses made me look like a Vegas showgirl!

As the poet Robert Burns wrote, “The best laid plans of mice and men/Often go awry.” The days leading up to our wedding seemed to pass faster and faster, and the realization that we were only four weeks away finally set in. A mixture of anxiety, excitement, urgency, and happiness overcame my fiancée Claudia and I. Our 250-person seating chart was almost finalized, dresses had been altered to size, vendors were all confirmed and the wedding-day timeline was complete. All that was left to do was sit back and wait for the wedding to arrive.

Then the unthinkable happened and we were shaken from our happy state — my grandfather fell ill and passed away quickly. He was the patriarch of our family for nearly 60 years, and at 85 years old, he was still very active and health conscious, serving as a role model and mentor to all of us. Family from across the country arrived into town to pay their respects, say goodbye, and comfort my grandmother. During this time, many family members also regretfully indicated to us that they would no longer be able to make the trip out for our wedding. Considering the circumstances, this was understandable: Our hearts were heavy and the sting of loss remained fresh and real in the following weeks. 

Photo Credit: Stephen Martin Photography

Loverly is the heart of weddings: a visual inspiration search engine designed to help brides discover ideas, people to hire, and things to buy. Loverly makes finding beautiful wedding inspiration easier than ever! Their images are powered by the best wedding publishers and wedding shopping partners on the web. Find Bridal Guide on Loverly >>

We adore classic confetti tosses, either as a way to celebrate right after your ceremony or as you make your getaway at the end of your wedding. There are few things that say “epic bash” more than confetti! However, confetti has uses far beyond the traditional toss. Let’s face it — we all adore the bright colors, so why not revolve your entire celebration around whimsical confetti colors? Think about adding a pop of sparkle by wearing a sequined bolero or including a piñata in your photo booth backdrop! Here are our favorite ideas for your confetti-themed celebration from Lover.ly:

We love these ombré invites, complete with sequins!

Last week, I had the pleasure of assisting on two Bridal Guide photo shoots. As the fashion intern, one of my most important tasks was to steam every dress prior to each shot — and this job was no small task. At photo shoots, we use steamers to eliminate wrinkles from the gowns and ensure that each dress is in tip-top, camera-ready condition. By the end of the steaming process, every dress looks crisp, smooth and picture-perfect.

Now, I don’t know if it’s considered common knowledge or if I was simply kept out of the loop, but prior to my experience at Bridal Guide, I had never steamed anything in my life (besides broccoli or carrots). Luckily, my bosses, whom I affectionately refer to as “the fashion girls,” brought along the Rowenta IS6300 Master Valet Garment Steamer to aid me in my grand endeavor.

The Rowenta Steamer is a true gem. Not only does it heat up in a mere 60 seconds (almost instantly ready for use), but it is specially crafted to diffuse steam across large surface areas. This means that less time spent steaming and there is more efficient wrinkle removal. Additionally, the hose is malleable, so it is easy to maneuver around the dress. Needless to say, I successfully de-wrinkled those gowns quickly and seamlessly and they looked beautiful.

So to sum it all up, when you ask yourself this key big-day question: to steam or not to steam? The answer should no doubt be the affirmative choice: to steam (with a Rowenta IS6300 Steamer, of course).