Sound familiar?

I’m a busy woman; I’m planning a wedding, checking guest’s lists, picking china patterns and fighting crime. I don’t have time to fix healthy meals! I’ll just swing right around this drive-thru and be done with it.

Sure you’ve got a hectic schedule (being a modern woman and all) and the temptation to munch a few greasy fries or onion rings while you run errands becomes harder to resist when you’re on the go. Before you waste your calories on that chocolate chip muffin (muffins for breakfast = muffin top on your wedding day!) you may want to keep a list on hand of 10 grab-and-go snacks that will help you meet your healthy lifestyle goals. These snacks are light, quick and easy to make find at the grocery store; no excuses ladies! All you need is the ability to open your fridge door!

1. Toasted Almonds - Almonds = protein, fiber, healthy fat and a hot bride!

2. Hummus and Veggies - Mmm-hmm hummus! Slice up a few sticks of celery, carrot sticks or any other crunchy veggie you love to dip with about 1Ž4 cup of hummus in a container that you can grab out of the fridge on your way out. Hummus and veggies make a delicious high fiber, high protein mini-meal.

3. Frozen Grapes - Take a bunch of grapes and stick them in the freezer for an icy treat that comes in handy, especially in summer. Frozen grapes are a good pre-wedding snack food as well.

4. Popcorn - Hold the extra salt and the butter please! Air-popped popcorn is a healthy alternative to movie popcorn that tends to be over salted and buttered to death. If you can’t kick the buttery habit, try lightly spraying popcorn with olive oil (the key word here is lightly). Olive oil is full of healthy fats like monounsaturated fatty acids.

5. Plain Non-fat Greek Yogurt - It may sound a little boring and plain but add some blueberries or strawberries - and voilà - a tasty and dazzling snack high in fiber and a full dairy serving.

6. Sugar-free gelatin - Try your favorite color gelatin alone or with cottage cheese and add a sprinkle of sliced almonds. If nothing else, it looks like something fun to eat!

7. Salsa and Celery - Quick easy salsa recipe- 3/4 cup chopped red onion , 1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro , 1 diced fresh tomato, 1(10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with lime juice and cilantro, un-drained , 1 garlic clove. Place all ingredients in a blender and chop till smooth. Add the juice from 1/2 lime and you have tasty quick easy salsa to take around with you. See how quick that was?

8. Low-fat Cheese Cubes and Apple Slices – This is the favorite snack of kindergarten kids everywhere, and the new favorite snack of brides on-the-go. Green apples have less sugar content those red apples, so keep that in mind when shopping for apples.

9. Fruit Salad – Add bananas, apples, grapes, pineapple, strawberries and blueberries in a bowl chilled to perfection; we can taste it now! A little fruit salad can also spice (or sweeten up) that boring plain low fat Greek yogurt we talked about in number 5 (sorry Greek yogurt).

10. Dark Chocolate - The coup de grâce of low fat snacks! Let’s be honest, we’re still women here. We’d be hard-pressed to go through out a week with no sweets of any kind. Dark Chocolate is a perfect after dinner snack, as dieticians have stated that ending a healthy meal with a healthy sweet, tricks your mind into being content and officially “ending” your meal. Dark Chocolate is rich in antioxidants, good for your heart, helps manage blood sugar and contains an array of minerals (you had us at hello, dark chocolate). A little sweet never hurt anyone and if a bit of dark chocolate is all there is that stands between you and a full bridal meltdown, take a bite of chocolate.

Did you hear about The Bahamas 16 Weddings Invitation?

Here's the breakdown:

16 couples were chosen from all over the UK to get married with…

16 totally unique ceremonies on…

16 different beautiful islands in the Bahamas on…

May 16, 2012 at…

16:00 hours (4:00 pm)

Adorable, right? Each couple who wanted to be a part of the “16” entered a drawing and expressed which unique wedding experience they wanted, on what island and why.  As you know, yesterday was May 16 and as scheduled 16 couples got married at the same time on 16 different islands, one of which took place at Sandals Emerald Bay on the breathtaking island of Exuma.

The lucky couple, Grazina Zaveckaite and Ruslanas Nekipelovas from Edinburgh, Scotland chose to tie the knot at Sandals Emerald Bay with their dream wedding being a whimsical Flutter of Romance ceremony under a cloudless sky on the beach. We were lucky enough to receive some of the couples photos from the ceremony and we love how in love (and beach-friendly; seriously how dapper is that sea-foam suit!) the couple look taking their vows. The bride looked incredibly relaxed and natural in her dress and casual beach goddess hair style. Congratulations you love-birds from all of us here at the Sandals Wedding Blog!

Take a peek at more of their photos…

For the wedding crazed (like us), finding and exploring ideas to make your wedding stand out comes naturally - we practically breath weddings! For others, you may need a little help to get the creative sands pouring (sand ceremony anyone?)  If you’re planning a beach-themed wedding there are no limits to amount of things you can do with a few well-placed seashells and some sand. We’ve searched and put together a slide show of beautiful ways to “sprinkle in” a few not-so common (but totally gorgeous) ideas! After all it’s the small details that make the biggest difference.

(Photo Credits: sandals.com, michaels.com, betterhomesandgarden.com, factorydirectcraft.com, themermaidmercantileblogspot.com, etsy.com,)

So you've decided to have an adult's only wedding and reception. Ignore that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach; you are not a soulless witch! A lot of people choose to have a wedding with no kids invited.  In fact, you may find that some of your guests would love an excuse to take an adults-only vacation and have a list of babysitters on hand. So how do you break it to your friends and family that your wedding is "for adults only?"  The decision to label your festivities “18 and over” means you have to be gentle (but firm) with your guests; it's simple if you follow these rules:

For most women, our mothers are the ultimate “go-to guide” for advice about everything; guys, hair, make-up, her secret recipes. So naturally, your mom’s advice is more important now that you’re getting married than ever before. We here on the blogging team stopped for a second to ask our own mothers and grandmothers: what’s your best wedding day advice? Here’s what they told us:

Top Ten Pearls of Wisdom from Our Moms:

10.       “Try to sleep the night before. You’re getting married, so we know you’re worrying about your dress and ceremony and all those little details, but you don’t want to be too tired to enjoy what’s one of the most important milestones of your life.”

9.         “Don’t drink alcohol the night before. Yes, I know it sounds like such a mom thing to say but a drunken bride at night becomes a hung-over bride in the morning which we all know is never a pretty sight. Besides, you’ll be toasting champagne all day at your reception, one night won’t kill you. “

8.         “Stay Relaxed in the morning and surround yourself with happy, positive people. Don’t let a million and one little things you can’t control get in the way of your day. Sometimes brides get themselves worked up into such a frenzy they make themselves sick - literally! Try to laugh and have fun!"

7.         “Keep the number of people in your pre-wedding room small. You may think that morning of your wedding will be this slow, lovely, relaxing moment where everyone revels in your beauty; not true honey. You’re nervous, you’re on edge about your ice sculpture and your bridesmaid is whining about how flat her hair looks. If you have to dress alone, do it. If you only want your mom (of course) and your dog in the room that day, then that’s fine too. It’s ok to make yourself happy on the one day you’re supposed to be your happiest!”

6.         “Keep something with you the day-of that brings comfort. If you have a favorite charm or bracelet then wear it, even if it doesn’t match, that’s the style now-a-days isn’t it?” (Oh mom!) “Even if you hide your little trinket in your bouquet or somewhere on your person, it’s nice to have something that relaxes you close to you if you get nervous."

5.         “Invest in a videographer; it makes a big difference! I didn’t have a videographer at my wedding because I figured pictures were enough. Then the day came and went by so fast I barely remember who was there! A videographer can get many different points of view and you can see how your guests enjoyed themselves, who said what as wedding toasts and how sweet your first dance was. It’d be nice to look back and have a recorded account of my wedding.”

4.         “Take a few deep breaths before you head down the aisle and remember to breath. I was so nervous I was holding my breath the entire time. I didn't notice until I felt light headed."

3.         “Eat at your reception. As a matter of fact, eat and drink and taste and laugh at your reception. You’re not a glass sculpture on display; you’re enjoying all this planning and preparation. It’s ok if you get a little cake on your dress or have too much wine; if not now, then when?”

2.         “Ask your poor groom what he likes sometimes. It’s easy to think oh I’ve been planning this day all my life and it’s my way or the high way, but remember after the wedding you have an entire life together and if you don’t compromise now you’ll never do it. He may prove to be very helpful too!”

1.         “Most importantly; embrace the moment and remember why you’re getting married. Think about the love and good times you’ve had and will have in the future. Even if it gets rough think about how much better things are going to be when you can say, he’s my husband and I love him. Think positive, on your wedding day and for all the days you’ll have together afterwards.”

 

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves mom; Happy Mother’s Day to all the wonderful mothers and their timeless advice!

Let’s get down to business. You wedding day is fast approaching and you want to maximize some assets while shrinking others as much as humanly possible. Whether you’re slim with a little extra, very small with no curves or full-figured you want to look your best in your dress. Not to worry - the underwear gods have smiled down on all of us and designed reshaping garments for that exact purpose. While we fully recommend you adopt a healthy lifestyle of diet and exercise to look and feel your best on your wedding day, we also understand there are some things you were either born with or not. However there’s no reason not to fake it till you make it!

With these tips, just call us body magicians…

 

After you read our "fake it" tips, tell us; would you dare fake it and where? We won't tell if you wont!

 

 

Protecting your skin from the sun should always be a priority, whether you’re a beach bride or just a beach bum. Summers in Caribbean destinations are usually bright and hot and can sometimes be a shock to travelers who aren’t used to the heat. You could lock yourself up in your room with all the shades drawn like a modern day Rapunzel until your wedding day or you could fully embrace the gorgeous weather and get a little sun safely.  We want your beautiful bridal skin to be just as perfect as your beautiful beach wedding; so we’ve put together some helpful (and skin saving) tips to keep your skin glowing (in a good way) on the day of your wedding! All tips are dermatologist approved.

• Sunblock vs. Sunscreen- it’s not the same thing (yeah we were surprised too)! Sunblocks are highly effective in protecting against both UVA and UVB rays, the types of UV radiation that cause sunburn and skin cancer, and often appear thick and white on the skin. Sunscreens tend to be less visible on the skin and contain benzophenones which protect against UVA rays, and cinnamates and salicylates, which protect against UVB rays also but allows the skin to absorb more sunlight making it better for safe tanning. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using sunblock with an SPF rating of at least 15. People with fair skin or at high risk for skin cancer may want to go higher; the higher the SPF the longer (and better) the protection.
   
• Apply sunscreen/block before heading out into the sun. While your skin is cool and ready to absorb, apply sunscreen at least 20 mins before heading out into the sun. Make sure apply sunscreen as your first layer, before insect replants, lotion etc.
   
• Your dress may be the first thing your guests notice, but your face is the first thing your groom will notice. Keep you face sweet and burn-free with SPF cosmetics. When choosing and testing your makeup for your wedding look, choose finishing powder from your favorite line with SPF in it.  The same goes for your daytime moisturizer. During your regular skin care morning routine, after you cleanse your face, use your SPF moisturizer and let it sit for a while; then apply your makeup. To get that sun-kissed look on your face without risking sunburn, use a bronzing powder on your face and neck.

More hot tips after the jump...

Summer is here (well almost here but we’re excited anyway)! The only thing that’s better than a summer destination wedding is a summer destination honeymoon. Planning a honeymoon is the fun part: picking an exotic destination, envisioning all the fun and romantic things you can do (champagne massage anyone?) and picturing the perfect tan you’ll have when you return. When it comes down to the honeymoon packing… well that’s a different story. You may remember our wedding day checklist; well now we give to you our checklist of absolutely necessary summer destination honeymoon must-haves (say that 5 times fast)!

Romantic/Adventurous To-Do List- Remember that romantic beach kiss in “From Here to Eternity” that you wished you could remake? Well here’s your chance! Make a list of all the romantic and adventurous things you can imagine doing at your destination and see how many of then you can get through before the end of the honeymoon. You’ll never be bored, even if it rains (The Notebook …rain…Paul Gosling and Rachel McAdams…go for it!) If you have a smartphone, download a "to-do list" app so you'll always have your list with you and you can add to it whenever inspiration hits.

Waterproof Camera and Rechargeable Batteries- memories are all you have to remember this exciting time. It’s best if you can find a quality camera and rechargeable battery pack that you can charge in your room overnight or else you’ll spend the majority of your mojito money on batteries.

Formal Sandals and Casual Sandals- You only really need one pair of Manolos to go with that sexy black dress you plan to wear to dinner. Other than that, dressy and casual sandals are really the only footwear you need. You’ll save major space in your suitcase leaving bulky shoes home.

Dressy Beach/Pool Cover-up- As tempted as you’ll be to show off that gorgeous tan and your sexy beach body everywhere you go, you’ll need something to wear over your swimsuit to lunch or travelling around the islands.

Bottles of Water – Dehydration is one of those things that kind of creeps up on you. You can purchase bottles of 1.5 litre of water to take around with you day to day; especially when headed to the beach.  Remember to keep all plastic bottles in a cool spot out of the sun.

Hair Clips/ Ties- With the summer heat , keeping your hair off your neck helps keep you cool, especially if you have thick hair, braids or dreadlocks. A loose ponytail or messy chignon can be casual enough for an island adventure tour or classy enough for a twilight dinner on the beach. Pop in a few chic hair clips and you’re good to go!

Prescriptions/Vitamins- The best thing to do is to stock up on any prescription medication you need before your honeymoon to make sure you don’t run out while on vacation. Tell your pharmacist how long you’ll be gone for and ask for their recommendation on quantity.

Sunblock/Sunscreen with SPF of 15 or higher- Nothing spoils a romantic trip like sunburn...ouch! The higher the SPF the longer your sunscreen will last.

Designer Sunglasses- or really cute knock-offs! Trust us, you'll need them if you're spending all day in the sun.

Cute Summer Tote- You need to “tote” all these things around with you; might as well make it cute and stylish!

 

Planning a summer honeymoon? What other items would you add to our ultimate bridal guide to the honeymoon?

Have a special niece or nephew that you've been dreaming of having as a flower girl or ring bearor but not sure if they'll make it make it through the wedding – let along a flight? Your wedding can create a relaxed and family-oriented environment for all invited (especially the kiddies) to have a wonderful time. While your nieces and nephews will be excited to attend your wedding, you don’t want their excitement to be short lived halfway through the wedding (or the flight!).

Kid-friendly destination wedding bonus: friends who may not have been able to travel because of young ones get a chance to plan a family vacation around your nuptials!

Here are 5 ways to create a kid-friendly wedding:

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