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February 2017

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It’s Hollywood’s biggest night, but it doesn’t have to put a big dent in your wallet. I mean let’s be real, it’s easy to spend oodles of dollars on a glitz Oscars watching party — but we’re here to show you that you don’t have to!

Here are some tips and tricks on how to throw a party worthy of a trophy!

First, what goes better with the year’s biggest films than popcorn?! It’s the quintessential movie snack… and it’s also easy on your bank account and on your party planning anxiety. I chose a popcorn bar with a variety of seasonings — aptly named after some of this year’s Best Picture nominees — and displayed them in glass jars of varying heights. Frequent visitors of my blog know I love me some clear, light and airy party spaces!

Now, no party is complete without desserts, and I just happened to get the most ADORABLE Oscar-themed cookies from my good friend Briana with Just Call Me Cookie! Our “cookie wardrobe” was complete with dresses, tuxes and even the envelopes for award announcements.

But the big winner? These Oscar statue cookies that STAND ON THEIR OWN! I’m in love with these cookies, and the reasons are endless. They are a delicious treat, but also double as cute decor or party favors for your film-loving friends.

Okay, so you’ve got your treats taken care of… But how do you pull your party together?? I’ve written it once, I’ll write it a thousand times: It’s all about the details! The printables made especially for this event by the lovely Linda from Sprinkled Designs were the perfect touch to tie everything into the Oscars theme.

From the invitations, to the labels for our different popcorn flavors, to the Bingo cards for the guests, Sprinkled designs was the ticket! The little things at a party like this are what your attendees will remember, and it’s an inexpensive way to go the extra mile.

This party is all about the stars of the big screen, but it was special for me because I got to make an appearance on the small screen! My good friends at WFAA-TV were so kind and had me talk about hosting an Oscars watching party on News 8 at 4!

It was a blast being at the studio and meeting some of the WFAA on-air crew!

Hey Wedding Wednesday friends! If you stopped by our Wedding Wednesday post last week, you read our interview with Katherine Bahlburg, owner of Bells and Barbells, which is the wedding focused fitness program here in Dallas.

Dang, ladies, I can’t tell you enough about how she and her team have completely changed the wedding planning season for me!

I started going to B&B because I wanted to find a program that was more tailored to me and would help with injury prevention while also helping me tone my body. Plus, what a huge perk to be working with trainers who are focused on my wedding and customize my workouts to my shower dates, photo sessions, and my dress! What more could a future bride want?!

Prior to starting the program, I had read and heard so many wonderful things about Katherine and the success of her program, so I decided to sign myself up! And honestly – anything that got me out of bed at 6 a.m. to work out would have been considered a win for me, but her program has proven to be so much more.

First of all! Katherine and her team are not just another training center. They have an incredible personal touch that helps everyone to succeed. Upon consultation, I talked to Katherine about my goals, my diet, my current workout regimen, my fitness injuries, and of course my wedding date, dress fittings and bridal shoots, so she could see how to focus my fitness plan. Every time I come in and work with her or one of her trainers, she already has a personalized plan for me for the day that addresses a specific injury or body part that I need to work on. No workout is the same and I can always tell how much time and energy they put into my personal plan. And that is just the start of the personalization that Katherine and her team offer!

Despite having a full portfolio of brides and grooms that she manages, Katherine texts me every Sunday to make sure that I have set my goals for the week, gone grocery shopping and created my meal plan, and then always checks in with me during the week to see how everything is going. How she keeps up with all of us is really beyond me, but that’s what makes this company so special! They are right there by my side the entire time, and this friendship and motivation helps all of her clients stay on track.

Where has this year gone?! I can’t believe Valentine’s Day is just a few short days away! As you all know, this year is just absolutely crazy getting ready for our wedding in June, plus my best friend is getting married a couple weeks after us, so we are filled to the brim with exciting wedding prep and parties!

With showers and meetings galore, I have to admit, our Valentine’s Day celebrations are not as elaborate as they have been in years past (remember our Valentine’s Brunch last year?). This year we are taking it a little bit slower and enjoying an intimate dinner for two at home, which is actually perfect since we have been running, running, running so much. I’m really looking forward to a quiet night at home with my fiance.

To create a quiet and more relaxed environment, I wanted a formal and classic dinner table set up this year. I started with a sweetheart table dressed in a white tablecloth with pink and gold accents. Once I set the table, it just looked too plain to me, SO, I employed my new favorite dinner party trick! I found the cutest gold lip wrapping paper (yes, wrapping paper!) from Swoozies and cut it into the shape of my table and used that as the table topper! It put a whole new spin on my table and was exactly what I was looking for! It took literally no time to set the table, but the patterned wrapping paper gave it a very intentional and styled look.

Does this not just completely change the look?! I am so thrilled with how it turned out. It still looks formal and more traditional, but has a certain pop to it that really brings the whole table to life!

Happy Wedding Wednesday! If you’re like me, you’ve probably read up on a lot of different beauty regimens throughout the planning process and probably put in a few extra hours at the gym to try and look your absolute best for the big day! Besides the monthly facials and hair appointments, one aspect that I have really tried to focus on is fitness.

So if you’re in the DFW area, listen up! I have found the perfect wedding-focused fitness program that is customized to you and solely focused on your wedding fitness goals! What more could a future bride (or groom) want?!

Bells and Barbells is a Dallas-based fitness program owned by Katherine Bahlburg, who by the way, is crazy accomplished and has over 13 years of experience as an athlete, coach and trainer across the country (read more about her here)! Her company is 100% centered around your wedding and your health and fitness goals, which is perfect for the bride and groom looking for a tailored wedding program.

Katherine is revolutionizing the wedding fitness world, as there’s literally no other company like hers in the world. So local gals – you’re in luck! To get to know her better and learn more about her life changing program (seriously! Read my personal account here), I have sat down with Katherine to ask a few questions!

1. How did you start Bells and Barbells and how long have you owned your company?

I started Bells And Barbells a little under two years ago. Bells And Barbells came out of an idea and a desire to work with women that were driven and goal oriented. I wanted to create something unique and something that had never been done before, and I wanted to do it in such a way that the business would help fill in all of the gaps/missing links and lack of services commonly found in the fitness world. I wanted to create a full service wedding focused fitness business where brides can go to not only get into the best shape of their lives but to also be surrounded by a fun and exciting environment that also holds them accountable and eases the stressors of wedding planning.

2. What sets Bells and Barbells apart from other personal training studios?