Top Five 2015 Resolutions for Brides

January 6, 2015 Leave a Comment

Happy New Year! Now that you’re caught up and have cleaned all the 2015 confetti out of your NYE outfit, it’s time to get down to business. If 2015 is your year to tie the knot, you’ve got a whole lot of fun ahead of you, and we’re here to help. We’ve got our resolutions that are extra important for you to follow this year to have an amazing year, wedding, and rest of your life!

Go to the Dentist

I know, I know- it’s scary. It’s not fun. It’s kind of the stuff of nightmares and it usually can cause some pain. But you know what’s more painful? Yellow, crooked teeth full of tartar and cavities in your wedding photos. Now that the year has reset, many insurance plans reset so this is the best time to get back into the groove of things. If it makes you feel better, take off work and leave mid-Friday to go to the dentist and treat yourself to a slightly longer weekend. If you’re too nervous to go alone (or anticipate some laughing gas or pain killers), task one of your bridesmaids to tag along. The dentist is always a must- and if you find a good one it can seriously make the chore really easy. While you’re there, be sure to schedule a whitening a few days before your big day too.

Drink More Water

This is such an easy win you’ll wonder why it’s not on your resolution list to begin with. Water flushes all the icky stuff out of your system, clear up your skin, slim your waist, and overall just make your life better. You’ll even save money when you go out! If you hit the town at night and drink, have a glass of water to match your adult drinks and it’ll keep you from feeling icky or dehydrated the next day. It’s a lifesaver and it’ll get your body into an amazing place for your big day.

Ditch the Tan

You should NEVER hit the tanning booths (it will destroy your skin, and seriously put a dent in your health!), and this year you should try to stop doing the fake tan thing too. Enjoy your regular skin and keep it real! Fake tans can be pricey, and if you’ve got a wedding and a honeymoon coming up you’re going to need to save up some cash. Fake tans can also get everywhere and stain your clothes- that’s no fun. Skip the skin tints and enjoy your natural glow!

Say ‘Thank You’ More

This may have been the big buzz in November, but we feel like it should be a year-round state of mind. If you’re not sure how to resolve to do this, start by committing to sending thank you notes once a week. These can be little hand-written cards or a phone call, but just make sure that they are personal. Saying thank you more will instantly remind you of everything that you have and how awesome the people in your life are. Also be sure to say thank you to your vendors and everyone you’re working with for the big day! They’re doing a lot to help your perfect day be perfect- that’s definitely worth being thankful for.

Stack Cash When you Can

Weddings are expensive (duh) so when you can, save money! That can be a big range of things like not picking up that extra pack of gum or soda at the grocery store, or skipping a cab and calling an uber instead. If you have some time during the day, call your bank and credit card companies and ask for lower APR rates (it works- try it!) and higher credit limits. Reassess what you own and sell off or donate what you don’t need anymore. Save as much money as you can this year and you’ll be surprised what you’ll be able to afford by the end of it (hello upgraded honeymoon suite!).

 

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Top Five Bridal Beauty Tips for Cold Weather

December 2, 2014 Leave a Comment

It’s finally December and the weather is seriously cooling down. Time to upgrade the Fall sweaters to winter coats (it’s okay- still totally cute). If you’re getting married soon, or have wedding activities on the horizon, you’re going to need to look your best even if you’re shivering and shaking. Whether you have photos, a shower, a party, or even the main event scheduled soon, we’ve got five awesome tips for this holiday season to keep you looking your best through the new year.

Lip Holidays

Loose lips may sink ships, but chapped lips ruin pictures. Since it’s been getting colder outside, your lips are going to be in much need of extra moisture. Every other day, go ahead and skip the lipstick in favor of a thick lip hydrating lip balm. We love the Jack Black lip balms- they have SPF and leave our lips so smooth. Wearing a lip color can be drying (although it looks SO good), so take breaks for yourself in between. If you have to wear lip color every day, at the very least go to sleep with a layer of lip balm on. Your lips will absorb while you’re sleeping and you’ll wake up with soft beautiful lips that are perfect for your first marital kiss.

Prime Time

If you’re going out and wearing those beautiful sparkly shades on your eyelids you’re going to need some serious primer. Holiday going into New Year’s Eve is the best time of the year to wear some chunky fun glitter. We love the MAC glitter to pile on for special occasions. The one downfall of fun glitter? It can get everywhere. Use a heavy duty primer before you pack it on. We love the Urban Decay Primer Potions and the Too Faced Glitter Glue (it’s specifically made for glitter! LOVE.). Keep that glitter where it needs to be- off of your ironic holiday sweaters and on your beautiful face for all the bachelorette parties you’ll get invited to this year.

Oil Up

You can’t miss out on moisturizing at all this year- seriously, everywhere. Now may be the time to pick up some cuticle oil for your nails in between manicures. Your manicurist will seriously thank you by the time you get your nails done for the big day. You can also mix some cuticle oil in your regular lotion to boost the moisture getting locked into your skin. If you want something on the go (i.e., not messy), Sally Hansen makes a cuticle oil pen for easy application right onto your nails.

Wear a Mask

Face masks are such a must for nights in, but are you also taking care of your hair? Hair masks are perfect for this time of year- especially if your hair reacts to the cold weather. If you get extra frizzy when it’s cold or rainy out (guilty!), a hair mask can do some serious damage to the factors doing damage to your hair. There are a TON of DIY hair masks you can find on pinterest that uses items from your fridge, or you can get to a salon or beauty store for a tub of hair mask. If you want to spend money, we love the It’s a 10! hair masks. They make your hair smooth, silky, and even smell that much better. Frizzy hair can make a beautiful bride look like an electrocution victim. Keep it smooth and you’ll look back on your glorious hair with fond memories.

Red-Balancers

One rough part of the cold- it makes your skin that much more sensitive. One big thing that happens to your skin in the cold is that it can get red really quickly. If your skin is a little too red, you can look sick or your blush can get really overwhelming. One of the best ways to combat this is to switch to a red-balance primer. Clinique makes a great one that is sensitive enough to never break you out, but powerful enough to keep you looking fantastic til you honeymoon in the Spring.

 

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Top Five Tips for a Healthy Bridal Party This Fall

November 20, 2014 Leave a Comment

Fall is one of the best times of the year- the leaves changing, the warm colors, the pumpkin spice lattes… But Fall can also mean some serious sniffles. If your wedding, any photo shoots, bridal party, bachelorette party, or anything are on the horizon, you need to stay healthy this season. We’ve got five fun tips for you and your bridesmaids to put into play so you don’t have to worry about taking any sick days any time soon.

Shots All Around

Go ahead and make a day of it- get your flu shots with your girls! Round ‘em all up, grab brunch, then head to the pharmacy. Flu shots are such a bummer chore to do- might as well have someone to gossip with during it. Bring a bit of an agenda to really maximize your time. Have your girls wear their wedding shoes to break them in or bring in sample pictures of flower arrangements.

Vita-Mocktails

For your next girl’s night in or pre-game before a night out, shake things up with some vitamin based mocktails. Instead of diet cola, grab some fresh squeezed orange juice to mix in with other drinks. Get crafty and come up with fun drinks that involve emergen-c so you get that extra boost of vitamins. It’s fun, a little healthy, a little guilt-free, and a lot yummy.

Hitting the Juice

If you’re really motivated for the vita-mocktails, or if you just want to spend an awesome weekend morning with your bridesmaids, grab a juicer and hit the farmer’s market. If you don’t have a juicer of your own, now you have an excuse to register for one! Hit up a local farmer’s market and go for things like kale, carrot, and oranges (duh). Play around with different mixes and see what random concoctions you like the most.

Be Pro-Antioxidant

Fall is such a great season for food, especially foods that are great for you! This season, go out to eat to talk over the bridal party makeup looks and look for foods with cranberry, pecans, blackberry, raspberries, and other antioxidant-rich foods.  You can do a bridesmaid bake-off using only foods with antioxidants and keep each other healthy and in check. You’ll find awesome new ways to get antioxidants in your system and bond together.

Healthy to a T-ea

One of the healthiest habits you can easily pick up this Fall is switching from coffee to tea. Tea can also be a source of caffeine, so you don’t have to sacrifice your morning boost for health. If you’re not a tea drinker, the best time to start is when it’s cold because your body will react better to it and love you for it. Green tea is one of the best teas that you can drink because it flushes everything out of your body and keeps you running smooth. Take your bridal party to a fancy tea shop (popping up everywhere) and find some fun blends to try. Then get cozy, watch sappy wedding movies on Netflix, and repeat.

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Five Winter Maid of Honor Must-Haves

December 5, 2013 Leave a Comment

A good maid of honor is a prepared maid of honor, no matter how cold it is. If you’re in for a winter wedding, it’s best to keep some cold-weather supplies on hand for the blushing bride. Here at Bridal Hot List, we don’t let anything stop us from looking fabulous, not even a little chill. Pack your clutch with these must haves and you’ll be ready for a white wedding.

A Super Hydrating Lip Balm

The Jack Black hydrating lip balm ($7.50, beauty specialty stores) goes on clear and keeps our lips soft and smooth no matter how harsh the cold gets. If you’d like a little more color though, the Maybelline Baby Lips lip balms ($3-$4, drugstores) are absolutely fabulous. Remind the bride to swipe some on before she goes to sleep so she wakes up with beautiful soft, hydrated lips. Those deep berry colors are beautiful this time of year, but they will look crispy if your lips are chapped and cracking.

Spray Primer

We’re longtime fans of MAC’s Fix + spray ($21, MAC counters) for hydrating our skin in any situation. The last think you want your bride to be worried about is her skin being too dry, damaged, or dull due to the weather. Spray primers are naturally hydrating and go on super light. Creams can feel heavy this time of year when your skin may be more sensitive. Urban Decay also has a fantastic primer spray ($33, beauty specialty stores) infused with vitamins.

Spare Memory Cards

Do you always delete your old vacation pictures right after you upload them? It’s okay, that’s why we plan ahead. People may have snapped more shots than they realized over the summer, fall, and holidays and filled up their cameras. You need to make sure that everyone still has space for the perfect picture, so it’s handy to bring a spare memory card. Grab one of the freebies you picked up during Black Friday and stick it in your purse-just in case.

Body Balm

Dry hand and elbows? No thank you. Pack a travel sized lotion in your clutch just in case your bride starts to get dry. Philosophy’s lotions work wonders, but the smaller sizes are harder to come by. For something compact and super hydrating, we like Burt’s Bees Res-Q Ointment ($6, drugstores). It’s small but extremely powerful. One small pot of this stuff will last you forever- or at the very least, through the winter wedding season.

Emergen-C

We swear by it. Seriously. Replace one cup of your morning coffee with a glass of Emergen-C ($10-$11, drugstores) and your immune system will thank you. If you don’t love the flavor, pair it with lemonade or a juice. A personal favorite is the raspberry Emergen-C pack with a half glass of organic lemonade. Taking your vitamins is crucial this time of year, and by super-boosting your Vitamin C intake you’re sure to get through the season without so much as a sniffle. Keep a few extras on handy in case any of your fellow bridesmaids start to get sneeze-y.

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Five Drinks to Avoid Before Your Wedding

November 16, 2013 Leave a Comment

Bubbly

Put down the diet soda and step away from the table. Any form of carbonation can make you bloat, and that’s not something you want to remember forever in your wedding photos.  That mimosa may be the perfect thing for brunch, but that bubbly won’t leave you feeling bubbly. Darker carbonated drinks can also leave your teeth stained over time, and that’s never a good look. If you want something sweet, opt for an all-natural juice. An even healthier option is to slice up some fresh fruit and chill it with your water.

Red Wine

Two words: stained teeth. Even if you’re trying to pair something with a steak, it may be better to save your glass for a white wine with your salad and appetizers. Even if you’re a few days out from your wedding, you want to make sure your teeth are as white as possible for all your pictures. If you can, hold off on alcohol as much as possible all together. Drinking can affect your skin through dehydration, and also cause your immune system to suffer. With a wedding coming up, you can’t afford to risk any of these things happening.

Meal Replacement Drinks

Meal replacement drinks may sound like an easy way to cut back on your eating overall, but they can mess with your system. It’s best to stay healthy the old fashioned way- fruits, veggies, and water. Cutting corners can not only affect the way your body processes food, but also it can affect your brain. If you’re not eating a true meal, your body may feel more tired and get agitated more easily. Hunger can do crazy things to your brain, and that’s not something that you need to risk right now. Treat your body to what it wants.

“Diet” Drinks

Diet sodas can be just as harmful as regular sodas and the same goes for diet juices and drink mixes. Your body processes and breaks down traditional sugar a certain way, and artificial sugars another way. However if you drink enough diet drinks, your body will end up processing artificial sugar the exact same way it processes traditional sugar. You may think you’re saving a few calories here and there, but in the long run it will be just as harmful as regular soda. It’s best to just avoid them and opt for a healthier choice.

Dessert Drinks

A Frappuccino may sound fantastic right now, but even if you skip the whipped crème those calories still add up. If you get yourself a caramel mocha you have to factor it into your dessert calories, and not just as a drink. It can be so easy to forget how your delicious smoothie can be more calories than a bowl of ice cream. If you’re working on slimming down, be smart about your drink choices. Those calories you’re sipping can add up quicker than you imagine!

 

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