David's Bridal

Royal Fleet: Shopping for a Themed Party
by Nicole Brewer

Sometimes, I have clients who need help finding a dress for a special event, including theme parties. Shopping for just the right dress becomes an exciting treasure hunt and truly one of my favorite challenges!

My client Amanda was invited to a black tie event themed, Royal Fleet. Our mission was to find a dress that was both nautical and regal. She found a few options in her size online, but most department stores didn’t have much to offer. I knew we could find lots of options to fit her body type, budget and theme at David’s Bridal’s flagship store in NYC. There, she was faced with the welcomed challenge of deciding which dress to choose!?

I was looking for a dress that would create a waistline and elongate her silhouette, which meant looking for waist-cinching design details as well as vertical movement.  We found several dresses that looked great!

The first was a long gown made of crinkle chiffon with great ruching in the midsection to shrink her waistline and a cascading ruffle along the side—which made her appear taller. We knew this dress came in 44 colors so ordering it in a nice blue would be very easy.

The second dress worked, too! It was a fabulous blue color with an open C-neck and soft, flirty skirt. Because it was a knee length cocktail dress, it also fit into the dress code.

The fabulous V-neck gown won! The color worked perfectly for the nautical theme of the party and the ruching created a flattering waist line, while the long sweep of the gown helped to lengthen her silhouette.

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We added feather accessories to her up-do, an elegant silver necklace and the matching stole to finish the look. Our mission was complete!

Our style expert Nicole Brewer was recently featured on a Better TV segment about wedding etiquette. She shares her best advice from appropriate black tie attire, wearing white and not upstaging the bride, and how to accessorize your look! She even highlights a fabulous DB Studio dress and a gorgeous satin purple dress that will keep you cool and stylish no matter where the wedding is! To find out about Nicole’s great tips watch the video here!

Bridal Boot Camp Part 3: Customize Your Workout for Your Wedding
by Nicole Brewer

Starting a fitness program is a big deal, so having your dream dress as motivation can make customizing your workout fun! Whether you choose a traditional dress that reveals your arms and shoulders, or a style that showcases your back or legs, stick to your fitness program and you will look and feel your best on your big day.

If your gown has a non-traditional hemline that reveals your legs, chances are toned gluts are important to you, too. Using your own body weight and heavier free weights, you can sculpt your best lower body. Here’s how:

• Donkey Kick: Position yourself on all fours, hands directly under shoulders, knees beneath hips. Isolating one leg at a time, elevate your thigh parallel to the ground, bend your knee and kick your heel toward the ceiling, returning thigh to parallel position. Repeat 25 kicks, and switch sides. Do three sets, 25 reps on each leg.
• Squats: Holding 10-15 pound weights in each hand at thigh level, stand with feet hip width apart. Slowly lower your body, as if sitting in a chair, until hips are parallel to the floor, resting weights at waist level or on thighs. Keep all your weight on your heels and be sure that your knees are directly above ankles. Return to standing position and repeat three sets of 25 squats, being sure to keep your head and chest in an upright position.

If your gown is backless, these are specific exercises that can help you tone the muscles in your back:

• Bent Over Row: Holding 8-12 pound weights in each hand at thigh level, stand with feet hip width apart.  Bend at the waist with arms toward floor, knees slightly bent. Maintain a flat back and lift weights toward your ribcage, squeezing shoulder blades together and release. Do three sets, 15 reps.
• Reverse Fly: Holding 8-12 pound weights in each hand, stand with feet hip width apart. Step forward with one foot, bending slightly at the waist with your torso 45 degrees to floor. Without standing upright, extend arms outward as if to open the pages of a big book, elbows slightly bent. Squeeze your back muscles together and release. Do three sets,15 reps.

In addition to strength training 2-3 times a week, I also signed up for my first half marathon and a triathlon to keep my wedding gown workouts exciting and challenging. I felt beautiful on my big day knowing my hard work paid off, and you can too!

Bridal Boot Camp Part 2: Customize Your Workout for Your Wedding Gown
by Nicole Brewer

If you are starting a fitness program with high intensity cardio and strength training, chances are you’ve already begun to see results–especially if you’ve created a motivating workout schedule that you’ve been able to stick to. Congratulations!

Whether you’re well on your way to getting fit or just beginning, you know exactly how you want to look in your dream dress on your big day. So, it’s a perfect time to customize your workout for your wedding gown.

If your dress is a strapless, sleeveless or one-shoulder style, your arms and shoulders will be on display. Hammer Curls, Tricep Extensions and Shoulder Raises effectively shape sexy arms and shoulders. Here’s how:

• Hammer Curls: Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other. Start with your weights near your shoulders, keeping your elbows close to your ribcage at all times and slowly lower one weight at a time using a full range of motion—down and up, mimicking the motion of using a hammer. Aim to do three sets of 30 reps with a 30 second rest between sets.

• Tricep Extensions: Hold one barbell at each end with both hands. Raise the weight directly overhead with your arms straight. Make sure your elbows remain close to your ears while you slowly lower the weight behind your head and neck, returning back to starting position. Aim to do three sets of 15 with a 30 second rest between sets.

• Shoulder Raises: Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other. With slightly bent elbows, slowly extend your arms out at your sides so that they are parallel to the floor and then lower to starting position. Aim to do three sets of 15 with a 30 second rest between sets.

How heavy should the weights be? Many of us think that heavy weights add bulk so we assume light weights are best. But the opposite is true! To build lean muscle and tone sexy arms, you must lift heavy enough to overload the muscle group. That means, by the 13th rep of each set, you should feel challenged but still able to complete the move with correct form. So, start with 8, 10 and 12 pound weights and watch your upper body transform and feel confident in your gown!

Remember, being consistent with your workouts is crucial to achieving and maintaining your goals. But, lifting weights alone is not enough. Healthy eating combined with high intensity cardio is the Secret to your Wedding Workout Success.

Strength training, with a particular focus on my shoulders, was a big part of my bridal boot camp since I wore a strapless dress on my wedding day.

Bridal Boot Camp Part 1: Getting Started!
by Nicole Brewer

You’ve found your dream dress and you deserve to look fabulous in it! If your dress is a halter style, sleeveless or strapless, your shoulders, arms and back will be on display. If you chose a fit-and-flare silhouette you’ll surely want your hips, abs and backside to look their best. It’s a lot to think about. But don’t get overwhelmed. Now is a perfect time to start a fitness program!

Cardio: The Basics
Want to see real results? Workout smart. Combine consistent, high intensity cardio workouts with a strength training program. What’s high intensity? It’s simple: cardiovascular workouts focus on raising your heart rate to burn more calories. So, work out at a challenging pace or intensity. Whether you use cardio machines or prefer to walk, jog or run outside, make sure you’re sweating within the first 10 minutes. If you can carry on a conversation, it’s time to increase your intensity. Group fitness classes ROCK! Even if you’re new to fitness, check out high energy, calorie blasting workouts like Spinning, Zumba and Turbo Kick and watch your body transform!

Strength Training: The Basics
Cardio workouts are great for losing any unwanted pounds as well as maintaining a healthy weight, but if you want to change the shape of your body it’s all about strength training. Not sure what that really means? No worries. Yoga, free weights, nautilus equipment and resistance bands are strength training tools. Whether you use your own body weight, like in Yoga poses or lift weights, finding a resistance program that you can stick to at least two to three times per week is all that matters.

Sticking With It: The Basics
Like most things, if you enjoy something, you’ll stick with it. The key to seeing results is being consistent. So, create a realistic workout plan with activities and workouts you enjoy and get into the groove of getting fit and you will look great in your gown!

Do’s & Don’ts
• Stay hydrated. Drink lots of water and reduce (or skip) those sugar drinks.
• Eat clean. Fuel your workouts with healthy, balanced meals loaded with fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy, lean protein and whole grains.
• Skip crash diets. The results are only temporary.
• Rest. Enjoy your off days and don’t stress about missed workouts.
• Splurge. Don’t deny yourself an occasional splurge or treat.

Check back on July 3 for more tips on how to get bridal boot camp ready for your Big Day!

Biggest Losers, Ryan Kelley and Carla Triplett and me at the San Francisco Triathlon

Big Day Savings
by Nicole Brewer

This week, I did a segment on ways to save on your wedding day. Here are a few of my money saving tips I shared with Fox News anchor and newlywed, Lauren Simonetti, who admitted she spent more than she planned on her wedding. She was excited to hear how future brides could save, and I think you will too!

The Dress
Sticking to your budget is more important for brides than ever before. So if you’re looking for designer wedding gowns at affordable prices, David’s Bridal delivers! They even offer fabulous wedding gowns for under $100 with the same quality fabrics and design details you dream about.

Location
Location and refreshments are a huge part of most wedding budgets. To save on the venue, consider an off-season wedding month like January or November, and try to avoid May through September which is prime wedding season. Also, look into planning a Friday or Sunday wedding which is often less expensive than a Saturday affair.

Consider an alternate location like a fun and affordable cruise! Carnival has several wedding packages complete with photography, appetizers, champagne and cake. Check out packages starting under $2,000 at Carnival.com.

As far as refreshments, limit your open bar to wine and beer only. Or, if a full open bar is a must, opt for well liquors rather than top shelf.

Invitations
High-end stationary stores can be outrageously expensive, so many couples are surfing the internet for do-it-yourself ways to save.

David’s Bridal offers 100 personalized thermograph invitations for under $60. They look polished and professional and can be customized based on your chosen wedding colors and themes. And, if you purchase your dream dress at David’s Bridal, your invitations are even less expensive!

Flowers
Flowers are a big business, especially when the word “wedding” is attached. Florists can quote a wide range of pricing that can make your head spin. So, if you want to save money, consider ordering in-season flowers in bulk, and enlist a few friends for help in making the arrangements. PremiumBlooms.com offers a fabulous 11 piece collection for $360. This includes bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages, petals for the flower girl and a toss-away-bouquet.

Party Favors
It is always nice to have wedding mementos, but the thought of spending thousands on a keepsake that may get thrown away can seem like an unnecessary expense.

To save, consider buying candy at a wholesaler, baking cookies, or sourcing something local to the area in which you’re getting married. You’ll be surprised how simple it is to create cute favors for under one dollar that your guests can eat and toss without the guilt!