Every bride dreams of looking and feeling her best on her wedding day. Very often, as soon as the engagement ring is slipped on her finger, she begins planning for the big day. This is also the best time for your fitness plan and program to begin. Using a calendar countdown is helpful in setting both short and long-term goals. Keeping the goals realistic helps avoid failure.

Most brides-to-be want to shed a few pounds and define their bodies for the big day. Getting started with cardiovascular conditioning should be your first step. Whether you cycle, treadmill, swim or take an aerobics class, it will get the calories burning. Adding weight training into your program will help you get stronger and tighter. High repetitions with light to medium weights will prevent you from adding thickness and create an overall more sculpted look.

My recommendation for brides who are jumping into fitness for the first time is to start small but think big. It is all too common for brides to burn out quickly by overtraining in the very beginning. Everyone has her own body and body image. Couture stylist Linda Ugenti tells her brides to choose a dress that enhances their specific silhouette and makes them feel most comfortable.

In working toward becoming a fit bride, consistency with a fitness program determines your payoff. Whether you join a gym or hire a personal trainer, you want to stay faithful to a regimen of workouts at least three times a week to achieve your best results. Find exercise that is enjoyable to you, or you and a partner, and your pain can seem almost like pleasure.

There are many blogs and websites that cater to brides-to-be. You can compare fitness tips, challenges and success stories with other brides who are striving to be in their best shape for their big day.

Looking and feeling your best will enhance your precious memories. With all of the time and effort (not to mention money) a bride invests in her wedding day, getting fit and in shape are investments that should not be overlooked, as they will pay off on the big day and well beyond.

Photography by Tina Guiomar

Bride-to-be Caryn Greenberg

Styled by Linda Ugenti/J. Mendel

Photographed at the Grand Salon, Garden City Hotel