On August 27, 2016, I married my best friend and my one true love. While it was the best day of my life, it took a lot of planning! In this blog, I share just some of the ways I got ready for the big day for all my future brides preparing for their own special day. And trust me – if I can do this – you can too. I only had four months to prepare, but with some of these tips, I was able to do a lot in a very short amount of time.

FITNESS

I didn’t even start my fitness regime until one month before the wedding. I went to a local gym in Chicago that does High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) called Kick@55. There I did a consult with Rebecca Gahan who created a diet for me to follow for the next four weeks and an exercise plan that required me to attend HIIT classes 4-6 times a week. I didn’t think I could make a huge difference in my body in such a short amount of time, but the diet combined with the fitness regime, worked wonders– I lost almost 10 pounds in under a month!

Skin

I am a huge believer in the Green Peel by Dr. Christine Schrammek, and have been doing them for years. The Green Peel consists of herbs, enzymes, minerals, and vitamins that are massaged into your skin. The mixture causes your skin to peel over the next two to four days – but on the fifth day your skin is absolutely GLOWING. It is also fully replenished with tons of essential vitamins and minerals. I did this peel three weeks before my wedding day. Two days before the wedding, I had a complete facial done to clean out the pores (which is easier to do after the peel) and keep my skin looking flawless for the wedding day. I get my Green Peel’s in Chicago at So Lux Med Spa.

Eye Care

I include a special section on this because the skin under your eyes is very different than the skin on the remainder of your face – and you must treat is separately and specially, using products unique to eye care. One month before the wedding I became hyper-vigilant about using eye cream – I didn’t want my makeup on my wedding day to look dry around my eyes. So I started using La Mer’s Eye Cream – which is extremely moisturizing. I also switched this up by using Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado in order to save on costs.

 

 

Hair

One month before the wedding, I did an all over color with my hair stylist to prepare the base of my hair. The week before the wedding I had my hair highlighted and lightly trimmed in order to give it a fresh feel (it also styles better on the day of your wedding and looks healthier and shinier). At home, I did a deep conditioning treatment with a product from Living Proof (you can find this at Sephora). James Rosko at Mane Space did my hair for the wedding and has been doing it for years. He is terrific.

 

That’s about it ladies! I am sure I have much more to offer but those were the four most important points for me. Oh and I had an amazing make-up artist and wedding stylist I can share with you in another post (or email me at ritaabro@gmail.com and I will send you the information).

 

*Disclaimer: Any mention of any business or service provider in this blog is purely out of my love and passion for the business (in laymen’s terms – I paid for all these services and nobody paid me to mention them!).

** All photo credit goes to Pam Cooley Photography. See more of her amazing pictures here: http://pamcooleyphotos.com/rita-ralph-chicago-il/

 

Wishing you health and happiness,

 

Rita