Look (And Feel!) Great for Your June Wedding!

Jett makes sure he drinks enough water.

I'm getting married in June! Here are 10 ways I'm making sure I look and feel my best by next month!

1. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. As the wedding date comes closer, the pre-wedding jitters are going to start setting in. Water keeps every system in your body working at its best! It will also keep your skin clear if anxiety makes you break out. 

2. Sleep. Sounds easy, right? Well, not really. We are so busy getting ready for the wedding and, if you're like me, you're going to want to make sure that everything is perfect. That doesn't make for very good sleep. But, if you make sure you get between 7 and 8 hours of good sleep every night, you will feel better and, by extension, look better. Do not sacrifice your sleep!

Jett and Dorian definitely get enough sleep.

Dorian loves yoga to keep his tone!

3. Tone. I'm in decent shape; not perfect, but alright. But even if you're small, you can still look not quite "good," if that makes sense. If you want to look good (at any weight), tone. Don't just quit eating and think that will take care of it--that's the worst thing you can do! Lift light weights, do lunges, dance, walk, swim, do yoga; all of this will help tone your body. Let's face it: we're a month away from June--not a lot of (healthy) body changes can be made right now. But anyone at any weight can tone up a little bit! Toning helps your body look better and any exercise helps your emotional state--gotta love those endorphins!

4. Eat healthy foods. I would just like to start out with a disclaimer: I am not a dietician. That being said, it is common knowledge that the more processed your foods are, the less good for you they are. Get fresh fruits and veggies, whole grain breads and pastas, and cut back on the processed sugars. My biggest weakness is chocolate chips (they're so small--how could they hurt me?! haha). I am doing my best to cut way back on eating those. The more unnatural chemicals you keep out of your brain, the better your brain will function, and the better you will feel! 

Also: check your portion size. I realized that yesterday I accidentally ate two servings of quinoa instead of one just because I didn't read the package. Don't eat more than you need to--eating too much makes you feel sluggish and tired.

5. De-stress. Easy for me to say, right? If you're stressed, your wedding photos are going to have worry lines all over them! Well, not really! But the little baggies under your eyes and your skin not looking as good as it could will definitely be real.

Dorian and Jett both like watching TV to de-stress.

6. Tan. With a bottle. Do not go outside and try to cook yourself to get the right "bronzed" or "sun-kissed" look. You're just going to fry your skin (and your hair) and 90% of the time, you won't get it even anyway. And it's Skin Cancer Awareness Month and if you're outside getting cancer for your wedding, you're defeating the purpose. 

If you're going to tan, invest in a good spray tan. Yes, they're on the pricier end of things, but it's worth it. However. Do it at least 24 hours before your wedding (but not more than 48 hours). You do not want orange on your beautiful white dress. That would be devastating. 

Along with this, if you go to the pool before your wedding, wear sunscreen. The last thing you want is tan lines in the wrong place on your wedding day.

Jett thinks he knows what's appropriate
when it comes to hair products.

7. Do a hair trim/color the week before. This example is brought to you by the movie "Bride Wars." We all remember when Anne Hathaway's character switched the dye for Kate Hudson's character and Kate ended up with blue hair. The only reason that was not a complete disaster is that it was a week before the wedding. If you dye or cut your hair the day before or the day of your wedding while you're having your hair done, you might be in for a very unhappy day. 

8. Get the hairstyle appropriate for your wedding style. Now this sounds kind of stupid, but think about it: if you have a 4pm wedding, should you have a formal up-do? If you have a beach wedding should you have a hairstyle that cannot deal with wind? If you have a 7pm wedding should you have beach waves in your hair? If you're planning on doing photos outside in the summer sun, should you have your hair down so that it makes you sweat and get greasy? 

The correct answer to all of those is "no." If you want your hair up, make sure it's appropriate. I have a 4pm ceremony with photos outside beforehand. A beautiful formal up-do is inappropriate and out of the question. Yes, it's pretty. No, it doesn't fit. A low chignon or loose bun with some loose curls is appropriate. For the beach, if you have long hair, sure, it's the perfect time to have those gorgeous beach waves. But, can you handle your hair blowing around? A half-up style is probably the best for you, or if you want it up, a messy bun is perfect. 

This is the area that, having looked at a lot of wedding photos lately, I feel has the most disconnect and leaves the most to be desired, even if it's a beautiful style.

9. Best shoes = wedges. Some ladies go for the glitz and glam when it comes to shoes. If you can stay vertical on those things for 8 hours (and walk down the aisle without tipping over), go for it. But I've seen a ton of brides with beautiful shoes who kick them off halfway through the evening. Knowing what I pay for shoes, I don't feel like that's a good investment. However, going with cute ballet flats or flip flops gives you zero height. 

As a 5'3" bride, I would like height, but I can't stay in stilettos all day. Also, heels are incredibly impractical for photos outside if you're in grass. Nobody wants their heel sticking in the ground and getting dirty. 

Solution: wedges. I found the cutest strappy pair of 4" wedges for $30 that a) give me height without killing my feet because of the platform under my toes, b) I can walk and dance in them so I won't have to take them off, c) I can wear them in grass, and d) I can wear them again with shorts, jeans, or a dress. 

If you're not a wedge fan because of the way they look and you don't feel like we need to be bringing back the 70s, make sure your dress is long. Since my hem is long, no one is really going to be seeing my shoes anyway. Getting this extra length, especially if you're short or a little on the "plush" side of things, is really important if you're concerned about your image. It slims you down and gives you those extra few inches that those of us who aren't supermodels crave. ;-)

10. Have fun! Leading up to your wedding day, make sure you're having fun! If you're happy on your wedding day, it shows. If you're worried about how everything will turn out and making sure that everyone else has a good time, you're going to be miserable, which also shows. The way to know whether or not your wedding day was successful is this: If, at the end of the day, you're married to the person you were supposed to be married to, your day was a success! So have fun!

Dorian has (too much) fun!

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

Busy Week: Wedding Edition!

I haven't written since Monday. I have been insanely stressed out and busy, so I thought I'd go ahead and share what I've been doing!

I'm getting married in nine weeks! And it's a DIY wedding...so I'm busy. And everything is high stress!

I'm working on floral arrangements. The main color is "sangria" and the accent colors are hot pink, orange, and yellow. I know they don't looks amazing together in these photos, but I don't want to give it all away before the big day! ;-)

I'm also making my 18-month-old niece's flower girl dress! It's going to be so cute! I wasn't sure if she's used to wearing poofy tulle or not, so I made her a practice tutu for the rehearsal (this is not what her real dress will look like--I just wanted it to be obscenely poofy so she can get used to it).

And then, of course, I'm making my dress. :-) I am so excited! I love it! Not going to show too much of it, because I want it to be a surprise, but I can show that I'm working on it. :-)

I'm working on all of this and I have to have someone to hang out with...my dress form, Mila, is my new best friend! ;-)

Sorry I've been so out of it this week, but I will pick it back up next week! Hope you all have had a great week, too!

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

Wedding Priorities...$25,000?!

The last couple of days I've been working on wedding plans! I absolutely love fantasizing about our special day and I've got the important things (colors, bridesmaids, dress, etc!) picked out. But moving forward, I'm running into some major problems: $1400, $1000, $350, and $2500.

These are the costs of the typical reception venue, the bar that is required even if you don't want alcohol at your wedding, one floral arrangement, and the catering for the reception. Seriously. The average cost of a wedding is $25,000, not including the honeymoon. That is insane.

Now the reason I'm so upset by this is not because we can't afford it; both sets of parents have been more than generous in being willing to help us out financially. I have such a visceral reaction to these obscene prices because I grew up in two places where $25,000 could change an entire village or town's way of life.

In Roundup, Montana, a town of 2,000 ranchers, farmers, and small business owners, $25,000 could renovate the park, start an after school program for kids, start a community beautification program, or give every family about $25 to spend on whatever they wanted.

In Vanuatu, $25,000 could feed a village of 100 people for a year. It could buy 1,250 pairs of $20 shoes for kids who've never seen a sneaker, let alone wear a pair. It could build 250 new houses for a village that has to move their location because of the rising sea level. It could build a school so more students can have the opportunity to get an academic education.

Who am I to spend $25,000 on anything, when I know it could change an entire community's future? I am so aware that this is the one wedding I get; the one day where I get to decide everything (!) and not worry about anything. It's a day that is so important and a day on which you begin something so special; but $25,000? Note: Just to be very clear, we do not have a budget of $25,000; a fifth of that at the most.

How did our society get to the point where it's acceptable--no, expected--to spend this kind of money on one day? What happened to love? Isn't that what the day is about: two people loving each other so much that they want to commit themselves to each other in front of every person in their lives that matters to them? So why should we pay ourselves into debt to have the day we want when the day is perfect if the two people involved go home together that night?

So. I'm designing and making my own dress. My bridesmaids, family, and I are making the decorations. I'm designing and making the invitations. We're getting married where my dad works. I'm going to buy single stem flowers and make my own arrangements and bouquets. We're not having alcohol. There is so much we can do that will cut the cost and still give us a beautiful day.

We need to bring weddings back from this crazy show of wealth to what they're about: love. I love my fiancé and I can't wait to share that moment I become his wife with my friends and family--with the budget and meaning I want.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

Birthday Resolutions

Today is my birthday. I'm 24 years old. It's amazing to think that I'm so old. Or so young! Part of me feels like I've been through enough to fill a lifetime and part of me feels so immature and naive. Also, one of my friends just brought to my attention that this is my last birthday as "Kinsey Whearty." Wow! It's true, though; next year I will be "Kinsey Hein!" It is going to be a big year.

In light of my birthday, I'm not going to be writing about politics, devastation across the eastern seaboard, or controversial things. I love doing it, but it has the tendency to make me a little cranky and I don't want to be grumpy on my birthday!

I always take some time on my birthday to make "New Year's" resolutions. Birthdays give me the chance to evaluate the last year and tweak what I don't like that I'm doing and continue what I do like. These are some of my resolutions for this year.

• Bridezilla. :) I'm getting married in June and I do not want to be a "Bridezilla"! 
• Take more of a stand for my recovery. I never thought that I would be 24 and not working because of my health. That's not who I am, and I want to work harder to get this taken care of.
• De-stress. I have a propensity to take little things and get really stressed out about them. If I think back to a few months ago, I know I was stressed out, but I can't even remember what it was that was stressing me out, which means it probably wasn't worth getting super-stressed over!
• Love more. My friends, family, and fiancé. 
• Work on being happier with myself. This blog has been so great for me because I have something that's my own, but I want to take it to the next level. I've got my own site, but I need to push it to something beyond what it is right now. I love doing this and I want to make it something successful. While I'm working hard on making this better, though, I need to make sure that I like myself for who I am and that my self-worth is not tied to my site and how many hits I get each day.

Thank you all for making the last two months of this blog so great! I can't tell you how much I appreciate your support. I started this on a whim almost and it's grown more than I could ever have expected. I think knowing that I have such a great support group is the best birthday present ever!

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi

Social Media: Overshare?

Wow! I just have to say "thank you" to everyone who read yesterday's post--there were over 300 views yesterday alone, and now I'm up over 2,200 total! I've only had this blog up for a month and I am just so excited that it's getting such positive feedback!

I got to thinking about why my blog is doing so well and realized that I would be completely unknown without social networking sites. (Granted, the photos yesterday didn't hurt my views, but I don't really think that's the reason people read my blog.) This morning, I heard that Justin Timberlake is revitalizing Myspace and launching it soon. This is the link to "The New Myspace" preview video. It looks like it's going to be a music sharing/event making/store/hanging out site. In light of this event, I got to looking at the social media scene, and all of the sites I'm on and what I use them for.

http://www.solveitmedia.com

Facebook: This is definitely the social media site I spend the most time on. I am connected with my family who lives all over the U.S., friends from all over the world, and people I've met at professional conferences or educational events.
Pros: Easy to connect with family. Great photo uploading. User friendly.
Cons: It seems boring; I've been on it for over five years and I don't know if it's because I'm older and have better things to do than creep on people or if the site is really just losing its luster, but it's not as interesting as it used to be. Also, I never know what privacy setting has changed; I feel like I read the "terms" every week just to make sure I'm not missing something.

Twitter: I love Twitter for updates that seem kind of silly. I don't necessarily need to post a whole Facebook status about it, but I still want to share or comment.
Pros: Super easy to use. Easier than FB to connect with celebs.

Cons: From what I've observed, people spend less time reading profiles on Twitter, so it's harder to promote yourself or a product. It's also kind of impersonal; just a list of random one-liners.

http://www.emersonsocialmedia.com

Google+: I only use Google+ for promoting my blog and work-related stuff. (Also, I have YouTube; love that.)

Pros: It's connected to Blogger. Hangouts look like fun.

Cons: It's not user-friendly at all. I really don't like the way it's organized. Also, it's not as clean as FB so a lot of people didn't switch/add Google+ when it came out, because why should they? They have a social networking site that they know and love.

Pinterest: LOVE! :) This is pretty much how I'm planning my wedding and getting ideas for what I want to do with my apartment. I love this site.

Pros: It's so easy to use. It's fun. There are so many links to other sites I would never find with out Pinterest.

Cons: Every single thing you pin shows up under your name if you Google yourself. Interesting. 

Recovery Record: BEST APP EVER for people recovering from eating disorders! I use it every day and try to log all my meals! It's great.

Pros: You get rewards (songs) for logging your meals. You can "pair-up" with someone else and give them virtual gifts. It's FREE. You get encouragement emailed to you if you don't log for a couple days and it's really sweet. It's exciting and makes you want to log your meals and get better. It's customizable for your particular needs.

Cons: Again, pseudonyms are the only thing allowed, so you can't really connect with people even if they sound super cool. Sometimes there are glitches and you don't get them fixed until they send out an update.

http://hazellcottrell.com/category/social-media/

Little Monsters: Joined it yesterday to promote my blog since it was about Lady Gaga.

Pros: If you love Gaga, that's the place to be. It's nice to see young people coming together and sharing their problems without any criticism or bullying.

Cons: It is so emo. I'm a little old for the site, I think. 

LinkedIn: Professional social networking site. I have one, but don't use it a whole lot.

Pros: My resume is uploaded. Everyone can see my qualifications for jobs.

Cons: I've had this site for 5 years and have never had someone call me for a job.

The Knot: Wedding site!!! :)

Pros: It has so many ideas! We can have our own wedding site and blog. It gives you a timeline and to do list!

Cons: Honestly, I don't know if it's worth it. I have found a lot more ideas on Pinterest than The Knot, and I have this blog, why would I make another one? 

Fitocracy: This is like an RPG for fitness! It's awesome! I use it every time I work out.

Pros: You don't have to use your real name. You can upload photos. You can give other people "props." Join fitness events in your area. Join groups that relate to your fitness goals.

Cons: Doesn't tell you why you get more points for some exercises and less for others. There aren't a lot of people on it yet, so you have to mostly connect with people you don't know.

PatientsLikeMe: Track your symptoms and see other users who are going through the same thing! I used this a lot when I started having more medical problems. I don't use it much anymore, but I really liked it.

Pros: Awesome graphs. Tons of conditions listed.

Cons: No real names allowed, so if you really want to talk to someone about something, you don't really have a way to do that. Not very user friendly.

http://nowsourcing.com/2010/03/17/social-media-infographic/

So, these are all the social sites I'm on. Social media and social networking is great, but this is kind of crazy! I know that it's the only reason my blog is read, but at the same time, I don't go out and hang out with people, because I'm working on my profiles all the time. Also, none of these are private! Anyone can search and find all of this about me. I don't regret any of it; I feel like I've been very true to myself and I'm honest on everything. It just seems a little bit creepy that I've allowed all of these sites to have access to my information and keep it even after I cancel my accounts.

Our world is moving forward so quickly and social media and social networking is a HUGE part of it! It seems like being social is the exact opposite now of what it used to be: You used to have to try to be noticed; now you have to try really hard to stay anonymous. So, my life is pretty much displayed online; that's typical for our generation. But is it safe? Is it smart? When is privacy more important than sharing everything online?

myspace.com

I asked for an invite to the new Myspace. :)

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi