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I'm getting married on September 1st, but Christmas brings out my wildest wedding fantasies. I'm drawn to its technicolor lights, grand sense of tradition and elaborate ornamentation. Above all, the holiday spirit of togetherness magnifies what's already supposed to be one of the happiest days of your life.

These amazing photos from real weddings submissions really speak for themselves. Enjoy—consider them a gift from us to you. Good luck to all of our holiday brides!

The past few weeks have been difficult for me both physically and mentally. There are only 100 days until my wedding and I am still finding it hard to lose the last 20-30 pounds needed to reach my goal weight. I also have many important wedding plans to finalize, including ordering my invitations and booking transportation. I know feeling overwhelmed is normal while planning a wedding (especially for brides trying to lose weight), but I would prefer to not be so stressed. Working out has been my stress reliever these past few weeks and I thank God for it.

I didn't realize how stressed I was until I was arguing with my mother about the dress she would wear to my wedding. Fortunately, I was on my way to my trainer Bonne’s house for a kickboxing class. She was there to listen to my problems, and the kickboxing class was the answer to my prayers! I was able to sweat, kick and punch out all of my frustration and I felt a million times better once finished. That morning, I learned that trainers not only push you to be strong physically, but they will listen to you and offer emotional support as well. 

I’ve also increased my workouts, to help take more weight off and to keep my stress level down. I’ve been seeing Bonne at least once a week and she has been giving me routines to do on my own — which really helps me stay on track. We have been trying to "heavy up" on certain body parts in order to maximize the results in specific problem areas. Here’s an example of a routine Bonne gave me that concentrates on triceps and shoulders that you could try at home: 

Group fitness is a great way to have fun and still get an awesome workout. Exercising with your best friends and bridesmaids is even better!

Last weekend, my trainer and aunt, Bonne Marcus, held a Bridesmaid Boot camp for me and my bridesmaids. We went to a local school and set up on the basketball courts for what ended up being one hour of extremely intense training.

The six of my eight bridesmaids that attended this boot camp got a glimpse of what I do every week with Bonne. We started with 12 stations each with a different exercise we had to do for one minute before switching to the next station. The stations included:

1. Triceps extension AKA "skull crushers" with a 10 pound kettle bell
2. Plié squat with bicep curl using a bar
3. Mountain climbs on yoga blocks
4. An agility running drill
5. Chest presses with 12 pound dumbbells
6. Triceps slams
7. Kettle bell swings with a 15 pound kettle bell
8. Rowing with the band
9. Battle ropes
10. Step ups on the bench
11. Jumping jacks with a chest press using the medicine ball
12. Burpees

Trying to lose weight amid all of the celebrations that come along with getting married is no easy task. From your wedding shower to your bachelorette party there are so many temptations that can throw a healthy diet off track. 

I recently celebrated round one of my two planned bachelorette parties and it was one of the best weekends of my life. The only downfall of my getaway was the extra weight I packed on during it. 

Here's how I spent my weekend and what I did to regain control of my weight-loss: 

My girlfriends rented a house in Narraganset, a small town right outside of Newport, Rode Island and it was so cute and perfect for the seven of us. A great advantange of renting a house is you can cook for yourself, alowing you to save money on dining out and you can prepare heathier meals than you would get at a restaurant!

Tip: If you’re looking for bachelorette party ideas I would highly recommend looking into renting a house in a cool beach town like Newport. You can look for house rentals on websites such as VRBO.com or Airbnb.com.

When you are traveling with a large group of people, renting a house can be cheaper and has less restrictions than staying in individual hotel rooms. My bridesmaids decorated the entire house and made personalized shirts and wine glasses. 

Guest blogger: Bonne Marcus
A fitness industry expert for 27 years, Marcus holds numerous certifications from the Aerobic Fitness Association of America (AFAA), including Step, Spin, Bosu™, Pre/Post Natal, Youth Fitness, Aqua, and Personal Training. She has taught for New York City’s top health clubs, including Crunch, New York Health and Racquet, and Reebok Sports Club. A recognized name on Long Island, Bonne has taught at Dany Holdstein’s Two Worlds, North Shore Health Club, LA Fitness, Sport time, Equinox and currently teaches at the Sid Jacobsen JCC in Roslyn. Learn more at getfitwithbonne.com.

Clients always ask me how they can get flat, sexy abs. Most women think they'll need to do hundreds of sit-ups or crunches but in reality, achieving a toned midsection requires more than just abdominal exercises.

The abdominal muscles, along with your hips, buttocks, and back, are the muscles defined as your core. Developing your core muscles is vital to any long-term fitness program. In fact, a strong core improves your quality of life and supports the strengthening of your entire body. Strength from your core is needed in stabilizing your body during all activities and exercises — so save core-specific exercises for last.

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: 

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.

Guest blogger: Bonne Marcus
A fitness industry expert for 27 years, Marcus holds numerous certifications from the Aerobic Fitness Association of America (AFAA), including Step, Spin, Bosu™, Pre/Post Natal, Youth Fitness, Aqua, and Personal Training. She has taught for New York City’s top health clubs, including Crunch, New York Health and Racquet, and Reebok Sports Club. A recognized name on Long Island, Bonne has taught at Dany Holdstein’s Two Worlds, North Shore Health Club, LA Fitness, Sport time, Equinox and currently teaches at the Sid Jacobsen JCC in Roslyn. Learn more at getfitwithbonne.com.

It’s no surprise that cardiovascular exercise is the cornerstone of most weight loss programs and the key to shedding excess body fat. Aerobic activity also nourishes a positive mental attitude by increasing the body’s level of serotonin (one of the feel-good hormones that helps reduce stress) and most brides agree stress comes along with wedding planning! The question is what is the best cardiovascular exercise? 

There are arguments on whether the elliptical is better than the treadmill, or the Stairmaster better than the stationary bike, but the reality is that you will reap the most benefits from any cardio that you do consistently.  The secret to success is to find an activity you love. 

Below I've highlighted the benefits of five different types of cardiovascular exercise. Read and decide which one is best for you. 

Guest blogger: Bonne Marcus
A fitness industry expert for 27 years, Marcus holds numerous certifications from the Aerobic Fitness Association of America (AFAA), including Step, Spin, Bosu™, Pre/Post Natal, Youth Fitness, Aqua, and Personal Training. She has taught for New York City’s top health clubs, including Crunch, New York Health and Racquet, and Reebok Sports Club. A recognized name on Long Island, Bonne has taught at Dany Holdstein’s Two Worlds, North Shore Health Club, LA Fitness, Sport time, Equinox and currently teaches at the Sid Jacobsen JCC in Roslyn. Learn more at getfitwithbonne.com.

Fitness is all about muscle. Strength training builds muscle tissue, which in turn boosts metabolism, burns fat, and gives the body tone and definition. One of the most convenient strength training methods is using your own body weight as resistance — take your body anywhere and you’re ready for a workout. But is it better to use free weights or machines?

Free weights are portable and a lot more versatile than machines. With just one pair of dumbbells you can do hundreds of exercises. Weights require you to use several different muscle groups to move, balance and steady the body as you lift and lower. 

Guest blogger: Bonne Marcus
A fitness industry expert for 27 years, Marcus holds numerous certifications from the Aerobic Fitness Association of America (AFAA), including Step, Spin, Bosu™, Pre/Post Natal, Youth Fitness, Aqua, and Personal Training. She has taught for New York City’s top health clubs, including Crunch, New York Health and Racquet, and Reebok Sports Club. A recognized name on Long Island, Bonne has taught at Dany Holdstein’s Two Worlds, North Shore Health Club, LA Fitness, Sport time, Equinox and currently teaches at the Sid Jacobsen JCC in Roslyn. Learn more at getfitwithbonne.com.

If you are one of the many brides-to-be preparing to walk down the aisle in a strapless, spaghetti strap, or sleeveless gown, here are a few of my favorite exercises to help tone your arms for the big day.

Triceps Extensions with a Resistance Band


Position yourself on your knees with a resistance band under your shins. Hold the band in both hands, and raise your arms above your head, biceps aligned next to your ears. Bend your elbows to a 90-degree angle behind your head, then fully extend the arms without locking your elbows. Aim for 20-25 repetitions.

Two weekends ago, I had my first gown-shopping appointment at Kleinfeld Bridal in Manhattan, and it was as amazing as I'd always dreamed it would be. Ever since I was a little girl, I imagined trying on the beautiful white wedding gowns at Kleinfeld and finding the dress of my dreams, which (kind of) happened! Although some people poke fun at the whole “Kleinfeld experience,” I have to disagree, because the way I felt that day was the way every bride should feel when going to find “the dress.”

I brought along my mother, my sister (my matron of honor), my best friend Heather (my maid of honor), and my aunt (and personal trainer) Bonne Marcus. When I walked in, I instantly got excited because they were filming Say Yes to the Dress in the showroom that day, which was pretty cool. Deborah Asprea was my bridal consultant, and she was phenomenal! If you are planning a trip to Kleinfeld, you should absolutely request her. She was attentive, helpful, and so sweet.