Blogs

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 an open back or a halter top gown, here are a few of my favorite upper back and shoulder exercises that will enhance your posture and bring sexy back.

Resistance Band Rowing


Searching for a little “something blue” to add to your festivities? Consider the new La Marca Prosecco mini-bottle, affordably priced at about $5. With its chic blue label and silver accents, it’s not only a perfect fit for bridal showers, bachelorette parties and rehearsal dinners but also as a fun wedding guest favor. You can also dress up your tables with the larger, traditional-size bottles (visit the Store Locator at lamarcaprosecco.com for product availability).

Another popular sparkling wine, Mumm Napa Cuvée M ($22), has an elegant blue and gold label. With its touch of sweetness, it pairs perfectly with the wedding cake, cupcakes or any other desserts at your reception.

If you’d rather match your bottles to a pinkish-rose décor, you’ll love the rich coral color of the Mumm Napa Brut Rosé. Its red fruit favors make it the ideal choice to serve with foods ranging from grilled salmon to country ham to spicy Italian and Asian dishes.

Throughout the wedding process there will be elements that entice you to spend a little more than you were planning on — and we all know how tempting those can be! Some splurges are worth every penny while others may leave you with a case of serious budget regret. Here are a few guidelines to help you decide where to cut corners.

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 >>

The ombré trend has been popular at weddings for the last couple of years, but one of the loveliest ways we've seen the fading-color look used is down the aisle. It's perfect for summer! Browse below for some of the most visually stunning ombré aisles we’ve seen at real weddings.

1. If you’re tying the knot on a hot summer day, fuchsia is a stunning choice for your accent color.

Photo Credit: Liz and Ryan on Munaluchi Bridal via Lover.ly

This mother-son dance will certainly put a smile on your face!

The pair started off dancing to a classic tune before surprising guests with a musical tour through the generations, covering classic moves from "The Twist" and "Thriller" and "Bye Bye Bye," to name a few. Even more impressive: the mother-son duo never practiced the dance together before the big day; they learned their parts separately and performed it for the first time at the wedding!

—Kristen Klein

Planning an outdoor wedding? Here are a few essentials to keep your guests comfortable.

Hydration Station
With the sun bearing down on your guests and the alcohol flowing, everyone needs to be on guard against dehydration. Provide tasty infused waters, which will encourage guests to sample them more so than plain water. And consider personalized bottles of water, which are easier to tote around than glasses. 

With wedding costs on the rise, it can be harder than ever to keep your wedding budget on the right track. Rather than stressing over every little detail, we recommend focusing on the aspects that your guests will really notice — and that'll improve their experience at your wedding. Here, check out the top seven areas worth the splurge.

Ever since becoming a bride, I've learned that many people see an engagement ring as an open invitation to share their opinions on weddings — regardless of whether or not you ask them. Shortly after I got engaged, my fiancé Michael and I were featured in a popular column on a well-known wedding website. We were still in that phase where we were bubbling over with joy, unable to keep all of the thoughts about our upcoming wedding from pouring out of our mouths. So when we found out that our love story had been chosen to be featured, we were beyond excited to have it documented and share it with friends and family. 

When the story was published, I pulled up the website with anticipation, read through the article and clicked through our slideshow of photos, smiling the entire time...until I scrolled down to the comments section. I was shocked by the number of cruel and spiteful messages that strangers had posted, wishing divorce on us and making bets on how long our marriage would last. I promptly closed my laptop, walked away and never breathed a word of its existence to anyone.

Looking back, I can see how outsiders would love to hate us: Michael and I were college sweethearts, and our wedding will take place on Valentine's Day in the same venue where I had my dance recitals growing up. Okay, easy targets for cynics who instinctively roll their eyes at cheesy love stories. I chalked it up to a learning experience that taught me to grow thicker skin, a lesson that has continued to help me throughout my wedding planning process.

Photo Credit: Turn Loose the Art on Scratch Weddings via Loverl.y

Each new wedding season brings a fresh list of must-play songs. Some become wedding classics; others fade into obscurity almost as quickly as they broke onto the scene. We checked in with Scratch Weddings, the nation's leader with the best wedding DJs at affordable prices, to find out which songs are topping their couples' request lists this season.

Processional
► "I Choose You" – Sara Bareilles
► "XO" – Beyoncé
Get more ideas for your processional ►

Recessional
► "Best Day of My Life" – American Authors
► "On Top of the World" – Imagine Dragons
Get more ideas for your recessional ►

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’re a bride wearing a form-fitted mermaid or sheath dress that clings to the body, you’ll want to have a great view from the front and back. And let’s not forget about short wedding dresses that show off your legs! Along with cardio, you can tone up those muscles with some of my favorite body-shaping exercises.
 But first, I’d like to clear up some myths and common misconceptions about exercising your legs and butt.

True or false: Leg and butt exercises will get rid of cellulite, saddlebags, and hip flab.
False! Leg and butt exercises can tone and firm the muscles of your lower body but won’t work magic on their own. To get the best results, you have to combine your leg and butt workout with overall strength training, aerobic exercise, and healthy eating habits.