Theme Thursday: Peach and Gray Elegance Summer Wedding Inspiration:

I really am one for color.  When bold colors were everywhere it was so fun and easy for me to envision a wedding design.  As soon as the softer tones started to come back I panicked  little, because, to me things should POP.  As brides started contacting me with soft pinks, grays, beige and white I really thought I wouldn't like designing these as much...Boy was I wrong!  I LOVE the soft peach, pink, white and gray tones for this wedding design. 

And how fun would a cart, full of fresh fruit {mostly peaches of course} and flowers, be for your wedding favors?!

Using soft peach drapery to highlight the reception area, shot glass sundaes, a gorgeous bouquet and a lovely cake!!  What do you think?

Tent Weddings: Tips and Ideas

I absolutely love tented weddings!  To me, they are a blank canvas that you can transform into whatever you can dream up.  These are also the most difficult weddings to plan.  There are so many things you need to know and think about to make everything go smooth.

Here are some tips and ideas for you to help keep the big surprises away.

1. Check with your city's sound ordinances.  Make sure you know when the music needs to be ended and any laws on serving alcohol.  If you are having your wedding at your home, I suggest to, maybe, bake some goodies and deliver them to your neighbors informing them of the upcoming nuptials.  You know, an ounce of kindness goes a long way!

2. Have a contigency plan for inclement weather.  If your ceremony will be held outside the tent, be prepared to move it under the tent if necessary.  You could easily set up a little draping to separate the two areas if you wish.  This could also include umbrellas for your guests, or making sure you can move to an indoor place if needed.  Watch the weather channel!

3. Hire a professional.  Find someone that has done outdoor weddings before.  This is your best bet.

4. Make sure to announce on your invitations that your are having an outdoor wedding.  Your female guests might choose to forgo the heels for something a little flatter.

5. Prepare the site for bugs.  This could include a spray, but a fun little trick I learned is to use "fish" cat food.  Put it around the perimeter of your area and your stinging pests will be more interested in that than what you have going on.  Citronella candles and bug zappers are good options too.

6. Don't forget about restrooms.  Even if you are having the celebration at your home I would guess you really wouldn't want a few hundred people tramping through your house.  There are some pretty nice "Restroom Trailers" available that offer a larger stall for the bride with a large dress. 

7. Make sure you have enough power.  Talk with your band/ dj, caterer, restroom company and lighting to ensure you won't have a black-out.

8. Verify that there is enough parking for your guests and that it is well lit.  You could set up "painters lights", luminaries, or hand out flashlights for favors.

9. Keep your guests comfort in mind.  Set up a beverage station with ice cold water available.  Use your programs as fans and maybe even offer sunscreen or mosquito wipes.

10. Consider using a sunset as the backdrop for your nuptials. Keep the sun at your guests back rather than in their eyes {they'll appreciate it!}.

Are you having an outdoor wedding?  Do you have any tips you'd like to share?  Leave a comment and let us know.

Spring Centerpieces: Ideas For The DIY'er

If you are looking for ideas for some creative, economical and possibly even centerpieces you can make yourself, then you came to the right place.  I'm going to give you 10 tips on keeping your centerpieces budget-friendly and easy.


1. Use flowers that are in season.
For example, Peonies {my favorite flower} are much easier to find in the spring.  So, if you're having a winter wedding you might want to forgo these.

2. Use fruit and vegetables in your centerpieces.
Bright yellow lemons and green limes are great to use in glass bowls for your tables.  They are fresh and enjoyable to look at.

3. Use large flower heads.  One large hydrangea in a glass vase is beautiful by itself in the center of your tables.

4. Keep the height down on your floral centerpieces.  Over 12" and the price goes up.

5. Use your bouquet and your girls bouquets for centerpieces when you arrive at your reception.

6. If you have florals being used at your ceremony site, get them transfered to your reception.  If you have a large "altar" arrangement, use it at your head table.

7. Use your wedding favors in the center of your tables.  These, then, will serve double-duty!  Does it get any better than that?!

8. Do you like candy {silly question, right?}  Spread the jars amongst your tables along with some little baggies for your guests to fill up.

9. Gather a group of different sized pillars up in the center of the tables.  Put them on a mirror and it will really sparkle.

10. Gather up some beautiful orchids.  Repot them in some gorgeous clay pots and line them up along the center of your tables.  The best part about this is that they are so pretty that they really don't need anything else.

Happy Tuesday!

Theme Thursday: Blush Pink Romance

A new trend that I'm noticing in weddings this year so far is soft colors and very romantic.  This is an elegant, romantic board following through on the Blush Pink color. 

One of my favorite new finds {a perfect addition to this wedding} is the Pearl Paper Cone, from the David Tutera collection, found at www.koyalwholesale.com

Add some crystal garland for hanging and it is perfect for rose petals, confetti, rice, birdseed, or dried herbs.  Or, put it at your aisle seats and add a little floral for your ceremony. 

Leave a comment and tell us your wedding colors!

The Fit Bride: Simple In-Home Workout!

The hardest part of an exercise plan is getting started.  Try to use the motivation of looking great for your wedding day to get you going.  Once you have made that decision to get healthy it is best to have a plan to follow.  Below is a short in-home workout that will be effective and get you going in the right direction. 



Find a place in your house with enough room to move freely and dress in comfortable clothes.  The exercises are described below with pictures to help you with the form.  Try doing each exercise 10-20 times twice, with a one minute break in-between each one.  Keep moving to keep your heart rate up and burn the maximum amount of calories. 

Warm Up - Jumping Jacks (1-3 minutes)


Split Squat -  Wide split with weight staying on the front heal.  Drop down until your back knee almost touches the ground then return to start.  Keep your head and shoulders up to keep back straight.  Switch legs!


Standing Punches - Stand in an athletic stance with feet shoulder width apart.  Fully extend one arm out and back and then switch.  Move quickly as if punching a heavy bag.   Use anything around the house as weight (cans, milk jugs, etc).

Squat Jumps - Squat down until knees are at about 90*.  Keep head and shoulders up and jump as high as you can in the air.  Squat back down and repeat.

Bentover Flye - Grab the weights you used for the punches.  Bend your knees and while keeping head up bend over at the waist to 45*.  Keeping arms straight, flye out to the side like you are flapping your wings.

Seated Twist - Sit on the ground with your knees bent.  Hold something heavy in front of you and lean back until abs become activated.  Twist your head, shoulders, and weight from one side to the other making sure you don't sit back up.

Squat Thrust - Start in standing position then crouch down to place hands on the ground.  Kick your feet back into a push-up position.  Then return back to the standing position.  Jumping at the end would be a good way to make this one harder.



If you have any questions about this short program or would like to learn more please e-mail me at andy@hfhonline.com.

Goodluck and Get Fit,
Andrew

Theme Thursday: Tangerine and Pink Wedding Inspiration

The sun is finally shining and the weather is getting warmer every day.  Tangerine Tango - the color of the year - is such a fun color so that is what I had to go with today!  Seductive, yet bright and encouraging...I love it!

What are your wedding colors?  Are you incorporating Tangerine Tango?  Please do share!

Keep the Party Going: Breakfast at Midnight

It's getting late and your guests have had the time of their lives.  You've given them a day full of celebration, a delicious meal and an evening full of dancing and laughter, but now they are starting to feel exhausted, and nobody is really ready to go home.  It's time to bring out more food. By giving your guests a little something to energize their bodies with, the party will be going on long past midnight!

A good time to think about offering a late-night snack is about 9:30pm, if your reception is until midnight.

One suggestion I have for you - a Breakfast Buffet.  YUM!!! Below are some ideas.

Yes, that's bacon!

Is there really anything better than Bloody Mary's to go with a breakfast buffet?

Fruit and Yogurt Parfait

Mimosa Bar

Espresso {this will take your guests out of their comas!}

Egg and Bacon Muffins

A Crepe Station

Here's a yummy menu for you to offer up in the late hours.

• Fresh Orange Juice

• Seasonal Fresh Fruit and Berries with Maple Yogurt

• 5 Oz. Center Cut Filet and Scrambled Eggs with Grilled Tomato and Cheddar Cheese Potato Soufflé

• Assorted Breakfast Bakeries

• Sweet Butter and Preserves

• Freshly Brewed Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee, and a Selection of Herbal Teas

Are you having late night snacks at your reception?  Tell us what's on the menu.

The Fit Bride: Easy Healthy Dinner

I was eating dinner last night and was thinking that it was the perfect meal to put on this blog.  Eating is one of the hardest things to to today!  Eating HEALTHY that is.  Everyone is looking for quick and easy and that usually ends up being processed garbage.  Below is a meal I make on a regular basis that can be modified to be different each meal.  I will write what I had last night and some options to add.


3 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Clove Garlic
1 Cup Fresh Snow Peas
1 Cup Fresh Cut Broccoli
1/2 Cup Fresh Cut Carrots

(other veggie choices: Mushrooms, Peppers, Cherry Tomatoes)

Season to taste with:
Basil
Oregano
Pepper
Paprika

Throw in frying pan and cook vegetables about half way.  While cooking vegetables boil a small amount of whole wheat or vegetable pasta!

When veggies are cooked about half way add some sort of lean meat...  I have tried these below and cooking times vary!

Lean Venison Steak
Shrimp
Scallops
Chicken

Toss everything together and enjoy!

Eat Healthy,
Andrew

The Fit Bride: Stress - don't let it ruin your wedding!

One thing is for sure, you will be stressed while planning your wedding and on your wedding day.  If you don't get stressed at all then you are a superhero!  How you manage this stress can make or break your big day.  I am sure we have all seen or heard of that show Bridzilla.  Managing your stress will help you not end up on that show and handle your wedding in stride.

I recently watched a film by National Geographic that talked about stress and its affects on our body.  Some stress can be good for our body's but un-managed negative stress can take a tole on us.  Something that seems to be mental can have a lasting negative physical effect on our bodies.  I believe the correct term is phsycosomatic diseases.  We can literally make ourselves sick.

Their are many ways of managing your stress.  Some may work for you and some may not.  The important thing is to find one that works for you and implement it into your daily routine.  Meditation is a form of stress relief used for centuries.  Different types of meditation may work to help release stress and help you relax about everything associated with your wedding.  Below is a link to an article from the Mayo Clinic that talks about different types of meditation.  Check it out and see if any of these work for you.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/meditation/HQ01070

Get Relaxed,
Andrew

The Fit Bride: Nutritional Tip

Nutrition tip: Eating colorful food offers numerous health benefits. Green produce offers immune-fighting properties. Red & blue fruits & veggies promote healthy circulation. Yellow & orange foods strengthen your heart & purify your blood. These foods provide anti-aging properties, encourage weight loss & help ward off disease including cancer & diabetes. Pretty cool, huh?!

Eat Well!!

Andrew

The Fit Bride: Get Educated

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when it comes to nutrition is to follow the mass of drones at the grocery store.  Buying boxes and cans and frozen food that can be put in your pantry and left there until next Christmas!  Food was not meant to sit on a shelf, it was meant to be eaten in a fresh state.

Processed foods are killing us as Americans!  I recently talked to a friend who was having trouble with their weight.  They decided to try eating without bringing processed foods into the mix.  Low and behold they lost 30 pounds with there new found way of eating. 

The best thing we can do as humans is educate ourselves on what is and is not healthy when it comes to our food choices.  We can not go around blindly believing the advertising geniuses just because they tell us that weight loss bar is a great breakfast.  Guess what, it's not even close!!

One of the most educational films I have ever seen is Forks Over Knives.  Forks Over Knives examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting animal-based and processed foods.The major storyline traces the personal journeys of Dr. T. Colin Campbell, a nutritional biochemist from Cornell University, and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, a former top surgeon at the world renowned Cleveland Clinic. Inspired by remarkable discoveries in their young

careers, these men conducted several groundbreaking studies. Their separate

research led them to the same startling conclusion: degenerative diseases like heart

disease, type 2 diabetes, and even several forms of cancer, could almost always be

prevented—and in many cases reversed—by adopting a whole foods, plant-based diet.

Despite the profound implications of their findings, their work has remained relatively

unknown to the public.  Bringing these scientific concepts to life, cameras follow “reality patients” who have chronic conditions from heart disease to diabetes, and are taught by their doctors to adopt a whole foods plant-based diet as the primary approach to treat their ailments. The film features leading experts on health and  tackles the issue of diet and disease in a way that will have people talking for years.

Please go out and educate yourselves about what really healthy eating is all about.  It will make a huge difference in achieving your goals for your wedding as well as leading a healthy lifestyle in your new life afterwards.

For more information check out forksoverknives.com!!

Get Healthy!

Andrew

The Fit Bride: Challenge Yourself

As your wedding nears I know it will be hard to think about much else.  All the errands, phone calls, and meetings to make sure everything is just right.  It will be important to stay focused on your fitness goals through this turbulent time.  One way of doing this would be to challenge yourself to do something you have never done before.  Give yourself something that will push you to keep up on your health and fitness. 

This year I have decided to challenge myself as well, by signing up for the short course in the Waupaca Area Triathlon.  I have never done anything like this so it will really help me stay focused and push myself to get ready.  The excitement of a new challenge will do the trick in keeping me on track.  Try something new and challenge yourself to keep moving forward to achieving your goals.

Below are a few links to races and different ways to challenge yourself in the new year!

http://www.waupacaareatriathlon.com/

http://www.midwestsportsevents.com/paperdiscovery.html

http://www.eastbay.com/halfmarathon/

http://www.greatlakesendurance.com/wisconsin-races.html

Get out and be fit!!
Andrew

The Fit Bride: Meet Your Fitness Guru!

My name is Andrew Whitman and I have been helping people reach their fitness goals for 5 years now.  I am a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.  My favorite part about being a fitness expert is showing people that they can achieve things they never thought would be possible.

Being newly married I understand how important your wedding day is to both the bride and groom.  It's important to have confidence in how you look and feel for such a big occasion.  Over the next few months I will be posting information on The Fit Bride blog that will help you reach your goals and feel confident for your big day!

I work as a personal trainer through TNT Personal Training which offers personalized training for any situation including a wedding.  I also specialize in helping people achieve their nutritional goals.  I am a firm believer in clean eating and staying away from processed foods.  You will see that trend in my blog posts to follow.  If you would like to contact me with questions or would like to meet with me, my contact information is below:

715-513-0245
andy@hfhonline.com

www.facebook.com/TNTPersonalTraining


Thank you and goodluck achieving your goals!!

2012 Wedding Color Trends

A new year has arrived and so have some new, fantastic, color trends for this year's weddings!

I love these colors!!  What do you think?

Make sure to watch the rest of this month for some fun Inspiration Boards using the trendy colors for 2012.  Here's one to get you started using Tangerine as accents.

Are you getting married this year?  What are your colors?

Tent Weddings: Tips and Decor

Well, the leaves are falling, I might be done mowing, the windows are closed and the wood boxes for the fireplaces are full...fall is here!  I love the changes of the seasons, and though my summer wedding season is done - the next one is on it's way.  Weddings are wonderful no matter which season they are in {I also love the "winter wonderland" type of weddings}, but when you are lucky enough to be able to use the natural beauty of the outdoors, that is the best!  There definately is something about green grass, colorful flowers {that you don't have to pay for}, big full trees and birds singing that make people happy.  Then add a wedding on top of that and you have a wonderful day for a celebration. 

Enough of my rambling, now it's time for business. 

When you are planning to have your wedding outdoors, keep in mind that you will not only be working with your vendors, but you will also be working with Mother Nature - and unfortunately, her wishes trump everyone else's.  When I have a couple that is planning their wedding to take place outside - a backup is a must.  Tents are my favorite!  It's like starting with a blank slate and being able to turn it into anything you can dream of.  There are no limitations.  Rustic, trendy, elegant, sit-down dinner, buffet dinner - with the right vendors you can have it all.  You do have to keep some things in mind, though, when putting all of your thoughts together.  Here are 10 tips for you to have a perfect outdoor wedding.

1.  Invitations
When you are considering the wording of your invitations make sure you mention that this will be an outdoor ceremony/ reception.  People might choose to wear "flatter" shoes and lighter clothes - or bring sweaters...

2. Comfort
If your ceremony is taking place under the hot sun, you might want to consider a smaller "ceremony" tent.  Something that is easier for the tent company to put up that will cover the chairs.  Other options are: umbrellas, water and fans (which can double as programs). You will want to make sure to know which direction the sun is coming from at the time of your ceremony.  Have it at your guests backs, not in their eyes.  Also, offering items such as sunscreen and bugspray is a nice idea.



3. Bugs
I am not much into spraying bugs {I just really don't like chemicals}, but I've noticed and increase in bees and gnats lately, so sometimes it is necessary to go the chemical route.  It's not a bad idea to get some Raid and spray your entire ceremony and reception areas about 3 hours before people will get there.  You can also contact a local pest control company and have them come out and treat the property a couple of days before any set-up will take place.  Also, one of my favorite "natural" ways to control these pests...place cans of open cat food around the outside perimeter of the tent - bees love this stuff!  Who knew?!

4. Favors
When deciding what your wedding favors will be keep the heat level in mind.  Chocolate will melt, milk will get sour...you get the idea.  Some of my favorite ideas are: flip-flops, jarred preserves or honey from your local farmers, flower bulbs or seed packets, small saplings wrapped in burlap.  Basically, natural things are great for outdoor weddings.

5. Sound
When you are reciting your vows to each other and saying your "I do's" your guests will want to hear everything you say.  If there will be a larger crowd, talk with your DJ or Band and discuss a sound system for the ceremony.  Most will have this option for you.  If not, talk with your tent rental company...somebody will be able to set this up for you.

6. Permits
If you are having your wedding at a park, or other public place, make sure you contact the local city parks department or other government department to get any permits needed.  Be sure to ask about trash removal, open flame rules and pre-wedding photography.

7. Food
Whether you are having your food professionally catered in {very highly recommended!} or family is providing everything...stay away from perishable foods.  Mayonnaise is an item that should definately be kept out of the dishes being served, or at least brought out at the last minute.  You will also want to consider the frosting on your cake. It should melt in your mouth...not on the table. Instead of the buttercream frostings go with the harder tops like fondant or marzipan.

8. Bathrooms
If you are having your wedding in your parents back yard you might want to keep your 200 guests from going in and out of the home to use their bathrooms.  Renting a Bathroom Trailer is a wonderful way to go.  They come in a variety of sizes, they have running water, and some even have a larger stall for the bride {and all of her gown}.  These are not the porta potties at the county fair!

9. Electricity
Make sure you discuss this very important issue with your venue, rental company, caterer and entertainment.  Chances are that you will need a generator and electric cords so you will need to verify with everyone how much power they need.  After you have that information discuss with your venue and rental company to guarantee that you will not have a "black-out" at your wedding.

10. Lighting
If your celebration will be going into the late hours of the night, you probably won't want your guests fumbling around trying to find their seats.  Talk with your tent rental company for suggestions on lighting companies that they have worked with before.  You will want your dance floor lit up, the food areas, and parking areas. 

Are you having, or have you had, a tented wedding?  Let us know your details!

Keep watching for more tips, tricks and decor ideas to help you have a flawless, beautiful tented event!!