Every bride wants to look (and feel) flawless in her wedding gown, myself included. We're all guilty of following certain trends or searching for the next diet secret. However, wouldn't it be great to feel like a more fit, gorgeous version of yourself without having to deprive yourself of anything or change everything about your current lifestyle?

As the daughter of a fitness professional who has been in the industry for over three decades, I have seen my fair share of "quick tricks" or "the next best diet." However, my mom taught me that it's about functional fitness and creating a personalized routine that sets you up for success. I've used this advice throughout every major fitness goal and I can truthfully say that it has never failed me. That's not to say that I haven't strayed from it from time to time, but when I get back to the basics, I feel that much stronger, healthier and happier. 

Here are a few myths I've encountered in my shape-up journey for the wedding:

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John Meis, the hero who disarmed a gunman during a deadly campus shooting at Seattle Pacific University on June 5, has had his honeymoon and wedding registry completely paid for by strangers.

Once it spread on Twitter that the 22-year-old electrical engineering student was planning a wedding with his fiancé Kaylie, the reaction was extraordinary. Dozens of strangers expressed their gratitude for his heroic actions by purchasing items on the couple's registry lists at Target and Crate and Barrel...but that's not all. Jessamyn MacIntyre, a producer at ESPN Seattle, created a crowdfunding campaign for their big day after logging on to purchase a gift and realizing that everything had already been bought. As of press time, over $50,000 has been raised for Meis and his future wife.

Meis, pictured above with his fiancé Kaylie, had been working as a building monitor in the lobby when the shots were fired. He tackled the shooter after spraying him with pepper spray. Onlookers helped him pin down the gunman until police arrived. According to The Seattle Times, friends of Meis describe him as a "quiet, brilliant man and devout Christian."

Disney fanatics, prepare to swoon over this adorable proposal! Henry Barnes, a 28-year-old graffiti artist from Bristol, England, painted an enormous mural featuring the characters from Beauty and the Beast to pop the question to his girlfriend Stacey Smith.

It took Barnes (who goes by the graffiti name "Fiver") two days and over 30 cans of spray paint to create the 50-foot masterpiece. When the mural was complete, he invited his girlfriend of three years to a coffee shop across the street.

The couple walked past the painting in silence...that is, until Smith, a PhD student at Bristol University, burst into tears upon realizing that it was meant for her! "It did all feel a bit unreal and then Henry got down on one knee. It was incredibly romantic and it also felt very strange because there were a lot of people around who started clapping and cheering," she tells the The Daily Mail.

How did Barnes manage to pull off such a huge surprise without his live-in girlfriend finding out? "I have never done anything as big as this before. I spent the first day painting the wall over and the second day, I spent all day painting the characters. It took me eight hours but I managed to catch Stacey completely by surprise," he says.

I have never been one to follow the crowd and my wedding will be no different. In middle school and high school I wore the biggest, baggiest boy jeans I could find and rocked all sorts of funky colors in my hair. Not much has changed since then aside from the pants, which have been replaced by more form-fitting jeans. My fiancé Mike fell in love with me because of my laidback demeanor and unique style, so he knew what he was getting himself into.

We're getting married at Disney World’s Wedding Pavilion in Orlando, Florida on Halloween and our wedding colors are purple and black. In December, we're going to have a masquerade ball-themed reception back home in Grand Rapids, Michigan since a lot of our extended family and friends won't be able to attend our destination wedding. The kicker: My dress is purple!

Mike hasn't batted an eye at any of this — he was previously married and went the traditional route already so he has no problem trying something different this time around. Halloween is our favorite holiday so when I told him I thought it would be fun to get married on that date, he was very excited about it.

Thinking about having a non-traditional wedding but you're not sure if you want to take the plunge? Here are a few things that I've learned so far on my journey: 

If you've spent any time on Pinterest, it probably feels like every couple does a "first look" before the ceremony these days. But the truth is, 77% of BG brides stick to the tradition of not seeing each other before the ceremony. Wondering if a first look is the right choice for you? Here, the biggest benefits and drawbacks:

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Photo Credit: Joe Elario Photography