Every bride wants to look her best on her wedding day and it starts with the foods you put in your body. Last week we talked about the worst foods to eat, so naturally today is all about foods that give you glowing skin and make you feel good on the inside and out.

Glowing Skin

Mix chia seeds in your oatmeal or a natural fruit shake, or sprinkle them on your salad on your big day. These little black seeds are the highest natural source of omega-3s, and when your cells are nourished, your skin glows.

Staying Hydrated

Not getting enough fluids can leave you feeling lethargic. Tropical Fruits are a natural hydrators. Melons, papaya, and mangos are especially good because they also contain potassium, which helps regulate your body’s balance of fluids and minerals. Cut a cantaloupe in half, scoop out the seeds, and fill with sliced papaya or mango for a quenching treat.

Ease Water Retention

Waking up with puffy eyes can make you look less than photogenic and swollen feet can keep you off the dance floor. You can trick your body into letting go of excess liquid by eating natural diuretics, such as salad.

All-Day Energy

A great way to kick off your big day is with a bowl of oatmeal. You will be fueling your body with food that lets blood-sugar levels rise slowly and stay even for a long period of time.

Lastly, if your looking for a hotter wedding night, consider snacking on some oysters during the champagne toast. Oysters are packed with the mineral zinc, which apparently works as a libido-enhancer

TGIF!

Photos courtesy of Taste Spotting, thekitchn.com, my recipes, and food channel.

I read somewhere recently that one out of every 10 brides is expecting, if that’s the case then why is there such a lack of maternity bridal gowns? Expectant brides are just like every other bride out there looking for the perfect gown.

So, today I bring good news to all my expectant brides out there! If you have already checked out David’s Bridal and Terra Amore’s Maternity Bride and are still searching for the perfect dress make sure you check out Tina Mak Weddings! Tina’s maternity wedding dresses are breathtakingly beautiful. This Canadian designer has created silk gowns that are both comfortable and fashionable, and are reasonably priced between $890 and $1,700.

Not only are there are accessories like shrugs, sashes, and hair accessories to personalize your look, but if you’re not pregnant, the dresses would totally look spot-on at an outdoor wedding. Make sure you head on over to Tina Mak’s website and check out her full collection.

Photos courtesy of Tina Mak.

This is part 2 of Nina and Nguyen gracing the LDW blog! We featured their engagement session back in November and were so excited when their photographer Chyna Darner Photography submitted their pink inspired wedding!

Don’t you LOVE the candy bar?

You can check out more of Chyna Darner Photography by checking out her website!

Happy Monday!

Every bride experiences nervousness, excitement, and all those other crazy emotions on their wedding day. You’ve put a lot of time into planning your day the last thing you want is an upset stomach, bloating, or gas problems. To avoid any kind of stomach issues we’ve put together a list of foods to avoid the day of your wedding.

Starchy foods

Foods such as potatoes, pasta, and rice are associated with bloating and gas. On the day of and the day before the wedding try and stay away from them if at all possible. Great alternatives if you need a snack before the wedding are wraps and pita bread for sandwiches.

Artificial Sweetener

Artificial sweetener found in some diet drinks, gums, and hard candies, is difficult for your body to break down and can cause bloating and indigestion. Plan ahead and have naturally sweet options on hand, such as frozen fruit like grapes or blueberries.

Caffeine

Water is the best thing to drink before your wedding. Avoid coffee, tea, sodas, energy bars, and other caffeinated products as much as possible. If you’re a daily coffee or soda drinker try to limit the amount you have that morning. Caffeine reduces the amount of water in the body and can lead to dehydration during the ceremony – often a cause of fainting at the altar.

Carbonated drinks

Carbonated drinks, such as sodas and seltzers, contain carbon dioxide which makes your stomach expand so you look and feel bloated and may cause belching. Its best to avoid these at least until after the ceremony. Try reaching for a fizzy drink or water flavored with cucumber slices.

Spicy foods

Spices can do all sorts of strange things as they’re eaten and digested. Spicy food can heat up your body and could cause extra sweating; some spices may irritate your stomach. There’s also a chance of bad breath or food getting stuck between your teeth!

Milk & dairy products

Limit the amount of lactose you eat on the big day. Yogurt, cheese, milk, and other dairy products should be fine in moderation but could irritate your stomach if you’re already anxious.

Powerhouse vegetables

Although cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower are nutritional powerhouses, they also tend to be difficult to digest and can cause gas. Its best to steer clear of these vegetables (as well as beans) on your wedding day.

Think healthy, high protein, and low fat when you’re selecting foods to eat before your wedding day. Avoid the foods listed above and also stay away from foods and drinks that contain a lot of sugar – sugars are good for short-lived energy, but usually leave you feeling tired and sluggish soon after. Also stay tuned for next week when we share with you the best foods to eat on your wedding day!

Name: Kelly Ucen

Location: Scituate, MA (soon to be Greenwich, CT & Branford, CT)

Company Name: New England Country Rentals

Tell us a little about what you do.

New England Country Rentals (NECR) is a premier quality event rental company that focuses on filling the voids in the New England event rental industry, while providing the best products and service. Growing from a personal need into a very fast growing business, NECR has been recognized as the “breath of fresh air” to the New England event rental industry.

In addition to all of the basics that most event rental company offer, NECR has concentrated on the untapped demand for top-of-the-line furnishings and custom products. NECR builds custom superior products ranging from beautiful, hand crafted farm tables and distressed furniture, to high-end china, flatware and glassware. Each of our products have been carefully chosen to set the perfect mood.

Our top of the line furniture collection includes handmade tables, chairs, benches, bars, lounge furniture and statement pieces. We provide a range of finishes, colors and fabrics so clients can chose the pieces that are just right for them.

Whether planning an intimate affair, a once in a lifetime extravaganza, or a dream wedding, New England Country Rentals (NECR) is the perfect full-service rental company to help express your exceptional style. NECR offers an extensive product line that allows clients to hand-pick every creative detail for their event.

How long have you been in business?

2 years

What inspired you to start your business/studio? 

NECR began as a result of Matej and Kelly Ucen planning their own wedding. For several moths they were in a never-ending search for wooden farm tables, but after multiple failed attempts, they accepted that farm tables were not available to rent on the East Coast. They bought reclaimed lumber, rented a workshop from a friend and utilized their savings to produce the tables that they were hoping for.

With their original tables and folding chairs, Matej and Kelly created a company Farm Tables 4 Rent, which quickly expanded to New England Country Rentals (NECR) in less than 1 year. As NECR, Matej and Kelly now focus on bringing new products and trends to life on the East Coast.

What is your favorite thing about your business/studio?

The reaction from brides when they first see our products in real life – we instantly receive a gasp, followed by something along the lines of “I told you I would find this!” to their accompanying guest.

Besides our other favorite of getting to see all the pieces come together in photos, we love the frequency of clients requesting to purchase our rentals after an event, it is very humbling.

Was there a defining moment when you knew you picked the right career path?

When my husband and I were on our honeymoon and constantly daydreamed about the next best thing we wanted for NECR or the next products we would build – one afternoon we were sitting at a poolside bar, sipping on afternoon cocktails and began sketching out our next products on our cocktail napkins with the bartender’s pen. At that moment, I realized that NECR would be the perfect blend of our passions, talents and careers.

When you built your business what style would you say you built it around? (i.e. classic, modern, vintage)

Rustic elegance – we were looking to have an outdoor oceanfront wedding and were adamant that we did not want layers upon layers of linens on everything – we wanted it to look simple, unique and gorgeous. We have since expanded from the rustic elegance into a variety of styles that focus on providing the best in quality and style.

When working with people how do you help bring the vision for the event to life?

Inspiration boards are a huge help – when we sometimes are not able to completely grasp the vision for the clients, we will put together an Inspiration Board for them or ask if they would like to come meet. Often clients will set-up a table in our showroom to see how everything will fit in, it is wonderful to see everything come together and to witness the stress be lifted off their shoulders when they see that it works!

Where do you go for inspiration? (i.e. blogs, magazines)

Wedding blogs – Style Me Pretty, Sparkle & Hay

Furniture Magazines/Blogs – Dwell, One Kings Lane

Furniture Stores – Restoration Hardware, Pottery Barn

Antique Stores & Craft Fairs

Differing Markets – Italy, France, Australia, California

Is there anything else you want people to know about you and your business/studio?

We are ever expanding and adding new products. We often build custom items for events and then add them to our inventory after the fact. It never hurts to ask and we will see what we can do!

Photos courtesy of New England Country Rentals.

**If you are interested in doing a vendor spotlight just email us at lucydylanweddings{at}gmail{dot}com!

You might be knee deep in planning the wedding of your dreams, but you may also be wondering “what am I going to wear to all those parties?” Well… we’ve got you covered! We have some of the hottest trends that will work for any wedding related occasion from some of the hottest celebs out there.

We all love Jennifer Aniston and her style, but this red dress has me thinking twice about that little black dress! This look is perfect for your engagement party and rehearsal dinner, after all, you are supposed to be the center of attention

I don’t know if its just me, but the Duchess of Cambridge hasn’t disappointed in the fashion department. I love this lemony yellow dress and its perfect for your engagement session, rehearsal dinner, bridal shower or your engagement party.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley makes green leather leggings look amazing! This is the perfect look for your bridal shower and engagement session.

Miranda Kerr’s look is perfect for any day of the week and I can’t wait to see more of the nautical look in engagement sessions this year.

If SJP can pull off bright, bold tights anyone can! This look is perfect for your engagement party and rehearsal dinner.

I love this very girly look on Taylor Swift. This look is perfect for any occasion!

Happy Shopping!

Photos courtesy of People.com