Fitness Guest Post: Kelli from The Turquoise Piano

We all know one of the first things to be added to the wedding to-do list is to get your engaged booty to the gym! And whether you're trying to lose a few pounds or just tone up what you already got, we all want to look our very best on our wedding day!

Well, since I am no fitness expert, I have invited one of my new favorite bloggers to talk a little about getting in shape for your big day. Take it away, Kelli...

"First of all, thanks Meaghan for letting me guest today.  I love meeting new bloggers and their friends!

Hey y'all!  My name is Kelli.  I'm a mom of two little girls trying to lose the baby weight and I actually never really say y'all out loud.  I'm from Utah.  It's just not in our vocab (but I say it in my head all the time).  I blog over at The Turquoise Piano about fitness, DIY, decor, real estate, and some kid stuff.  Basically whatever I have to say, I say it there.


Today I want to talk about weight loss before your wedding (or your friend's wedding).  I know you want to look your best on your wedding day.  I did.  But between the stress of planning the wedding and spending enough quality time with the people who matter, we often struggle with how to get there.  I did the Atkins diet for a few weeks before.  Worst. Diet. Ever. For me.  It's basically all fat and protein and zero carbs.  I had no energy and felt sick.  And the worst thing is that even if I did lose weight, I gained it all back plus more that quickly.

Fast forward a year and I lost my job and started a new one as a nutrition and exercise consultant because I had a bachelors degree in exercise science.  My new job was where I learned how to be healthy.

The first thing you need to know is to never eat below 1200 calories.  Your body will lose weight, but as much as it loses fat it will lose muscle and you'll be the same body fat percentage.  Not lean.  I suggest eating  5-7 small meals per day with 200-400 calories in each meal.  That way your metabolism stays high and burns fatty fat fat.

The second is that lifting weights will not make you bulky.  You're not going to look like you're a weight lifter on steroids -- unless you are on steroids.  Lifting weights is important to burn calories and become lean, which is what you want.  I suggest lifting 2-5 times per week.

Cardio is also important.  I suggest at least walking 4-5 times a week for at least 30 minutes.  Doing so burns your fat storage and you also get leaner.

It's all about becoming lean.  It's not all about losing weight.  Please do it the right way.  You can come over to The Turquoise Piano for my workouts, meal plans, and more suggestions.  Leave comments, email me with questions, whatever!  I'm here to help."

Thank you, Kelli, for sharing your fitness insights today! If you like what you read today, get yourself over to her blog and check out more. Also be sure to leave Kelli some comment love below!

And if you haven't yet, make sure you enter the Kiki La'Rue giveaway before it ends on Monday.

 

Kiki La'Rue Giveaway!

Thanks to all of my lovely readers, I have finally reached and passed my goal of 100 Facebook likes! And y'all know what that means...it's finally giveaway time!

After years of wrestling with the idea of wedding planning as a career, this year, I finally took the plunge and with every small goal accomplished, I am reassured that I am on the right path. My dreams of becoming an online wedding planner are slowly but surely coming true! Thank you to all of you for reading, commenting and following. Thank you for sharing this journey with me!

When I first announced the impending giveaway at the beginning of the year, I knew, without a doubt, it had to be Kiki La'Rue. If you don't know about KLR yet, you are seriously missing out! I can't help but order new pieces left and right...their stuff really is that addicting! And honestly, as a wedding planning website, I can't think of a more fitting clothing store. Whether you're the bride shopping for the perfect shower dress or honeymoon attire or a bridesmaid searching for adorable outfits for pre-wedding festivities, you've found the perfect destination.

Check out some of my new favorite pieces:

Egyptian Queen Dress

Fan of your Game Dress

Natalie Dress

Fade into me Dress (also comes in Plus)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

After you've entered, head over to KLR's website to see what you would get with your $50 gift card and then comment on this post and tell me! Good Luck!

Autumn Rustic Wedding: Lisa & Kenny

Happy Friday! If you're a regular on the blog, then you know I have a soft spot for rustic weddings. I love the simplicity and the natural elements that combine to create a stunning backdrop for the event. I'm a sucker for all things burlap, mismatched bridal party attire, haybail seating and handmade centerpieces. Rustic weddings may be the trend of right now, but they are nothing new won't be on their way out any time soon!

Lisa & Kenny were married on November 3, 2012 at Immaculate Conception Parish in O'Fallon, Missouri. In between ceremony and celebration, they stopped at Faust Park for some lovely outdoor shots, complete with the freshly fallen autumn leaves.  The couple combined soft, muted pinks, touches of gold and the perfect amount of nature to create a romantic feel. And no rustic wedding is complete without plenty of cowboy boots! 

Thanks to Kelly Adler at Irish Eyes Photography LLC, Lisa & Kenny for sharing this gorgeous rustic wedding with my readers and myself today. I have been gushing over these images for weeks waiting to post them for you all to see. Head over to their Facebook page (linked above) and check out their work. If you're interested in more information, me or Irish Eyes and tell them I sent you! Also be sure to check out Kelly's first featured wedding on my blog here.

If you'd like your own rustic wedding featured on All Tulled Up, contact me for more info!

Cautionary Tale about Wedding Photography

It's not often that I get too personal on this blog and that's because it's not about me...it's about you! I write these posts, add beautiful images, contact talented vendors and work hard for all of my brides and grooms, in an effort to make your wedding planning a little bit easier. Because even if you choose not to hire me, I still want to help you! But today, I am going to write a little about me to help you.

I spent 14 long months planning the perfect wedding on a small budget. I was still very young (20), living with my parents, while my soon-to-be hubby was working hard to pay off his student loans and working an extremely demanding job. Thankfully, my amazing parents offered to pay for our wedding.  I paid for small things here and there, but the overall expense was left on my parents.

In all the years I had spent reading magazines and bridal blogs, choosing the elements of my dream wedding, I knew it was an expensive event, yes, but I did not realize the real price tags of individual items until it was time to pay for them, and my parents were even more shocked than I was. This was the moment my real passion for planning weddings on a budget was born. I was determined to find an affordable option for everything. And choosing a photographer was where I began. After already booking one, I ran into an old family friend, who after congratulating me, reminded me she was a photographer. Knowing her and feeling comfortable with her, I went home, checked out her portfolio and prices and cancelled with the first photographer to book the family friend.

Biggest. Mistake. Ever.

A few months later, our engagement photos had turned out gorgous and communication was going smooth. On the day of the wedding, I felt that things went better than planned...until I thought back and realized a lot of the shots I had requested weren't taken. A few days later, I called my mom from our honeymoon, cried a little bit, but then reassured myself that I was overreacting and that my pictures would be beautiful!

Then, three months later and I get the photos in the mail. All that I can remember, after anxiously popping the CD into my computer, is tears streaming down my face. I cried a lot. And I cried for days. Instead of the typical thousands of images from a wedding, I received less than 800. Instead of flawlessly edited photos, I received blurry, dark, far away, awkward and duplicate shots. (These examples are the best of the bad, being that the awful ones are still on a CD in my office that I don't particularly want to look at.)

 

Even with two photographers, there is one photo of our first kiss and well, it sucks!

There is not a single photo of my husband and I at the altar. Not a single photo of my brother with my family and I. There are only a tiny handful of pictures that the hubs & I are even alone in...and most of them aren't very good. No photos of our first toast (except this staged one she asked to take as she was gathering her things and leaving the reception...)

I am still sad and I will always regret my decision and wish I had better photos to remember this day by. Thankfully, this photographer has sinced removed wedding photography from her list of services on her website so no other couples will have to go through what we did.

You can have the wedding photos you've always dreamed of or even better, if you make better decisions than I did. Here are some tips and things to look for in a photographer...

Don't book a photographer unless:

• you see several full wedding albums they have done in the last few years
• you read reviews online or ask for reviews or contact information from previous clients
• their main (or one of their main) focus(es) is weddings/ engagements
• they have a team or second photographer working with them
• they are professional!

Things to look for:

• good standing with the BBB
• referrals from other local wedding vendors
• they've been featured on wedding blogs/ websites
• awards from prominent wedding businesses and sites
• archives and portfolio listed on their website
• good editing skills in their work 
• check out their facebook page for recent activity
• a reasonable rate (you get what you pay for!)

Please feel free to contact me for any assistance in finding the right vendors for your wedding. Comment below and tell me what other things you think could be added to this list of things to look for!

The Opposite of "Congrats on your engagment!"

                                                                            Source: zazzle.com via Quote Life on Pinterest

This past weekend, the hubs and I headed to my hometown to celebrate my belated 22nd birthday with family. While at dinner, my Grandma reminded me of the fact that she had been married for two years and was expecting her first baby within months of turning the same age. Although similar scenarios do take place today, it's not nearly as common as it used to be.

The hubs proposed to me on March 26, 2011. I was just 20 years old. But that didn't cross my mind for a nanosecond when I said "yes!" because I knew I was being asked to spend my life with the man for me. Being a younger bride/ wife, I especially enjoy planning weddings for couples in the same boat. Because it can be challenging and not just financially, but from a social aspect as well.

Shortly after we shared the news with close friends and family, we excitedly posted our new relationship status to Facebook. And (to my face) the feedback was excitement, congratulatory wishes and genuine happiness for this new chapter in our lives. But it didn't take long for the negative comments to surface. People would condesceningly say things like, "How old are you??" or "Why would you wanna throw your life away like that?" I was consistenly reminded that the statistics were against us. I even recall multiple comments about an eminent divorce.

I was not only hurt, but furioius. How dare anyone tell me when to get married or that my marriage was doomed to fail?! One afternoon, I posted a status about my frustration with all of the rude comments and was immediately comforted by friends who had received the same or even worse reactions.

People will always have something to say, especially the ones who don't even know you! And yes, the majority of people will be happy for you, but you may have to be prepared for the ones who aren't when their comments take you by surprise. Sometimes it's out of spite or jealousy and sometimes it's simply because people think they must have a say in everything, especially topics which are none of their business.

Young engaged couples may face different obstacles in their relationships, but at the end of the day, you will know when you've met the one you want to build a life with. And it doesn't matter if you're 22 or 42.

                                                                            Source: kushandwizdom.tumblr.com via David's Bridal on Pinterest

It's okay to get married young and it's also okay to wait. And no matter what your age, everyone will have an opinion on every.single.decision you make regarding your wedding. So take the negative words as they come, have a snarky response ready and...

Winter Wedding: Michael & Jamie

It's Friday, which means it's photo post day!! I love sharing weddings and engagments with you guys every week. I am constantly meeting new and talented photographers who are willing to share their work with me and I look forward to posting those images all week long. This week, I am sharing another adorable winter wedding. Enjoy!

After meeting in college, Michael and Jamie recently tied the knot on December 29, 2012. The ceremony took place at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in the heart of St. Louis, followed by a reception at the Wildwood Hotel. Given a short timeframe, Jamie managed to find time to plan her wedding, attend school and prepare for a huge move to the east coast immediately following the wedding. The celebration served not only as a sendoff into married life but a fabulous goodbye party as well. Jake Sorrill of If Only...Photography captured their day.

*Credits for all images to If Only...Photography*

Thank you, Michael & Jamie for allowing me to share the memories of your beautiful day! If you would like to have your wedding or engagement featured on the blog, email me for more info!