Must-Have At Home Workout Equipment

Written with love, by Jennifer Dene

Each week I've been sharing with you a new bridal workout to help you get in great shape for your big day. Some of my favorites include this outer thigh workout and this full body workout for brides.

I try to make every exercise series quick — because I know that planning a wedding leaves you crunched for time — and simple to do at home. 

All you need for an effective at-home workout routine is a couple of pieces of equipment, to provide resistance, help with flexibility, and, basically, just to keep things interesting.

In case you're not already equipped, I've made a simple check list of the key pieces that I use all. the. time. 

See you next week for another bridalicious sweat-sesh!

The Bridal Boutique | Something Blue Lace Rhinestone Garter Set by Ella Winston

Sponsored with love, by Ella Winston

Not much is more beautiful than that gorgeous garter set the bride wears on her wedding day. It's a shame it'd hidden all day because they just take our breath away. But of course you've got to stick to tradition so garters are a must for all brides. Today we're featuring one of our favorite rhinestone and pearl garter sets with a bit of something blue from Ella Winston. I mean, how stunning is this?! I would want to wear that on my wedding day, wouldn't you?

Scroll down to see some photos of our favorites and click on the black link below to browse the rest of their pretties!

Learning How to Dream Together

Written with love, by Karley Kiker

I’ve mentioned to you guys before that I started writing letters to my husband at age 14, which means that I was dreaming about marriage for almost 10 years before it actually happened. Once Taylor proposed those dreams only intensified. Yes, we planned a “Hitched in a Hurry” wedding in just 4.5 months...but that doesn’t mean I skipped over creating a Pinterest board, trying on dresses, picking up items for our first home together, or any of those other pre-wedding activities that are particularly dream inducing.

One thing I didn’t dream about is what would happen to all of the other dreams I held close to my heart as a single girl. Like maybe becoming a professor one day (my plans included having a lounge area at the back of my room, complete with couches and a coffee bar). Moving to France long-term and continuing to work on my language skills. Hosting or appearing on a television show (judge me if you will). Putting down roots in a community. The list goes on.

My husband, of course, came into our marriage with a different set of dreams. For starters, he wanted to buy a German Shepherd (and actually put down a deposit for a puppy at one point). He had planned to travel the world via World Race before settling into a job. He wanted to get certified to solo-skydive. The thought of committing to living in a city (or even a state) long-term freaked him out. And still does.

So what happens when, after the dream of marriage is fulfilled, it feels as though other dreams that were birthed during a time of singleness are put on hold, or worse…dying? France is nowhere near the top of Taylor’s “countries I’d like to live in” list. I still don’t know if World Race is something I feel personally called to. Something (and somebody) has got to give in these scenarios, but when it’s your dream that’s on the chopping block, feelings of hurt, resentment, and defensiveness are bound to follow.

This is where Taylor and I are continuing to learn that it’s absolutely essential for us to grasp the concept of “dying to self”—see this post on selfishness and this advice from my parents for further details. We’re both committed to remembering that our marriage doesn’t revolve around just one of us. As individuals, do we want our deepest desires and wildest dreams to be fulfilled? Absolutely. But our joint dream of doing life together forever takes precedence, and that requires (frequent) compromise from both of us.

Final thoughts: I absolutely love living in our cozy little beach house in South Carolina, so it’s tempting for me to start feeling anxious-bordering-on-upset whenever Taylor mentions how much he loves the idea of living in Hawaii one day. But—from experience—squashing his dream and diving into a defense of my own isn’t going to do anything in the way of making him feel loved, understood, and/or supported. It’s also a guaranteed way to make him think twice before daring to dream out loud with me again, and I don’t ever want to miss out on the chance to hear his heart.

Cheers to the messy journey of learning how to dream together, and to all the wonderful things that come to life when we do!