Whether you’re the bride, groom, maid of honor, best man or a happy guest of the soon to be Mr. and Mrs., everyone wants to look picture perfect on the big day! The Bluebird Productions team had the opportunity to discuss exercise, diet and health tips with The Aspen Club and Spa’s very own trainer, Devan O’connor. Here you’ll find tips for the best wedding workout to get you in shape for wedding season!

Start Planning! Set a goal, and break that goal into micro goals. How much weight do you want to lose or gain? Are you trying to tone up or slim down? Allow yourself enough time to set up a training plan that will work.

Create “micro goals“: Allow yourself 3 months of pre-wedding training and break it up into weekly goals.  For instance if you want to lose 20 lbs before a wedding, break it up into 12 weeks. Focus on losing 1-3 lbs a week for the first 10 weeks, then double it during “crunch time”, the two weeks prior to the big day!

Week 1: Get healthy!  Chances are the bride or groom hasn’t committed to a daily fitness plan, hence the pre-wedding scramble to get in shape. Find a gym, a trainer, or a workout program that’s right for you, followed by a healthy eating plan.  Get in a healthy mindset; start tapering off the sweets, booze, lazy habits (cough! “Sex and the City” marathons, cough!) and start working towards your goal.

Weeks 2-10:  Stick to your goals and modify! Look back at each week before and ask yourself “did I meet my weekly goal?,” “am I still on track for my ultimate goal?” Decide what works best for you and what doesn’t and modify your work out routine to best fit your needs.  Get into a solid routine that you can maintain stress free and keep working towards that goal.

Weeks 11-12:  Work it out! Now that you’ve got your routine dialed in, it’s time to turn up the heat!  No doubt you’re stressed for the big day. Harder workouts will help release endorphins to ease the stress, not to mention help burn those last few pounds.

Additional Tips on Getting Fit!

Find a workout buddy! Nothing can be harder then changing your daily routine and lifestyle so why not find someone to share the pain.  Chances are you have the perfect workout partner in your new “life partner.”  Statistics show couples that workout together stay together.  Of course you and your significant other could be on opposite schedules, in that case you’ll need to find someone else.  Bridesmaids and groomsmen tend to work the best, as they may have the same goals in mind as you.

COMMIT! Just as in a successful relationship with your significant other, you need to commit to your goal of healthy living/eating and a workout plan. Start sneaking treats here and there or skipping scheduled workouts and your commitment to nutrition and fitness will fall apart. Chances are once you commit to this new healthy way of living, you’ll continue to live this way for years to come.  As in marriage, staying committed will lead to many more years of happiness…..and hopefully fitness.  Make a vow not only to your bride or groom but to fitness as well!

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For most brides, wedding cakes are both an exciting and delicious part of planning your big day. As wedding planners we have seen cakes in all shapes and sizes from simple and elegant to complex and magnificent. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the variety of choices, take a look at a few of our favorite wedding cakes from past Bluebird Production weddings to give you the inspiration you need to get started.

Once you have discussed with your wedding planner the theme and décor of your wedding you can begin to think about how your wedding cake will fit into the overall concept of the wedding. You should give yourself plenty of time to plan your wedding cake, at least three to six months before the wedding. The first step is to do your research and look for recommendations from planners or others who have gotten married in your area. Once you have a few bakeries or pastry chefs in mind, set up a time to stop in and chat with them so they can create an image of your dream cake and you have confidence that they know exactly what you are looking for. It is also extremely important to set up a tasting before you place the order for the cake. Finally, get creative with your wedding cake design by incorporating the color scheme and any theme from your big day onto the cake. And remember, the most important part of your wedding cake is that you love it!

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Choosing a hairstyle for your wedding can be both exciting and terrifying, which is why we want to share a few tips and some gorgeous wedding hairstyles from past Bluebird Production weddings. An important thing to remember is that your hairstyle should complement your dress. If you are choosing to wear a veil you must also consider how it will be incorporated into your wedding hairstyle. For those of you who want to add a little something special to your hairstyle look for small and simple hair accessories that incorporate flowers, lace, or beads for a glamorous splash of style. Make sure you take care of your hair for at least a month before your big day with moisturizing shampoo and conditioner to ensure ultimate shine on your big day. Whether you choose a sleek updo or loose feminine curls remember that the most important thing is that you feel gorgeous and confident on your wedding day.

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Beautiful wedding invitations are an essential part of every wedding. Wedding stationery  can consist of save the dates, wedding invitations, and thank you cards. For destination weddings you can incorporate the theme from your invitations into welcome notes, maps, a schedule of wedding weekend events and recommended hotels, restaurants and activities. Not only will your beautiful wedding invitations express the theme of your wedding but they will also communicate to your guests the tone of the wedding, whether it is formal, intimate, or casual as well as the important details of the event. Your beautiful wedding invitations can have multiple components that you can be creative with such as the outer envelope, the invitation, a reception card and a response card with a self-addressed, stamped envelope. For destination weddings, you can make your beautiful wedding invitations and save the dates unique by creating personalized maps that highlight the important locations of your wedding weekend. Wedding invitations should be ordered three to four months prior to the wedding and should be sent six to eight weeks before the wedding date. The reply cards that are part of wedding invitations traditionally provide a place to communicate your attendance and whether or not you are bringing a guest. More recently, couples often include menu options on the reply card as well for guests who may have dietary concerns. Once your dream wedding is over you can thank your guests appropriately with cute thank you cards that match the theme of your beautiful wedding invitations. 

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There is nothing more spectacular than rustic elegant flowers against the backdrop of an Aspen mountain wedding. From centerpieces and décor to boutonnieres and bridal bouquets we have perfected the rustic elegance that often accompanies mountain weddings. The bountiful venues from flowering meadows to intimate cabins that can be found in Aspen offer a terrific setting for these rustic elegant floral arrangements.

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Creative and unique escort cards are an essential piece of every wedding and there is nothing better than finding a fun way for your escort cards to complement your wedding theme.  Escort cards can be found in so many shapes, colors, and sizes the possibilities can be overwhelming. We want to share our absolute favorite creative and unique escort cards from past Bluebird Productions weddings. A must have part of every weddings stationery, these creative and unique escort cards will allow your guests to easily find their table leaving more time for mingling and cocktails.

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by Bluebird Productions

Spice up your Aspen wedding with some fun and creative wedding desserts. Many brides and grooms are opting for less conventional ways of treating their guests to a sweet treat and this new dessert trend is a great addition to any wedding. Whether you choose cake pops, cupcakes, or a full-blown ice cream bar your guests will love this fun twist on dessert. For those of you who feel that having a traditional cake at your wedding is an absolute must these fun and creative wedding dessert ideas are a great addition to ensure your guests are truly cozy at your beautiful mountain wedding.

Newlyweds Lauren and Andy chose a twist on a classic cupcake by adding a cute “I Do”

By turning cake into a cake pop your guests can dine on dessert while they dance the night away.

Fruit cups provide a refreshing treat after a delicious meal.

Everyone loves a classic ice cream sundae.

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An Impromptu New Year’s Eve Wedding In Aspen

The Bride and Maid of Honor’s Bouquets

“Love is not about finding the right person, but finding the right relationship,” gushes Marsha, our New Years Eve bride to Kate Ryan of Bluebird Productions.  After several years of dating, Marsha and her beau, David tie the knot on a perfect winter day in Aspen.  As David has been skiing the slopes of Ajax Mountain for over 40 years, and refers to Aspen his second home, Marsha fell in love with the idea of ringing in the New Year amongst a very romantic, yet low key ceremony at Aspen’s Untied Methodist Church (also known as Aspen Community Church).

Aspen Community Church

Marsha and her sister dazzled in their floor length, black velvet gowns, and diamond jewelry.  While the men looked dapper in their custom made, black suits.  As Marsha and David pronounced their love for one another, snow began to fall outside.  After their matrimony, David and Marsha didn’t seem to notice the brisk weather, as they kept each other warm and strolled the city’s downtown streets.  David, happy to have his bride wrapped around his arm, held the white and green, exotic bouquet filled with anemone, calla lilies, hydrangeas, star of Bethlehem, hypericum berries, berzillia berries, and dusty miller (by Carolyn’s Flowers), and Marsha held her husband tight.

The Newlyweds

The celebration continued at The Roaring Fork Club with lots of love, champagne, and a beautiful red velvet and cream cheese frosted cake; created by the pastry chef at The Caribou Club.  The impromptu New Year’s Eve wedding and affection shared between the newlyweds made believers out of all witnesses, that 2013 is sure to be a good year in life and in love.

Family and Friends Attending the New Year’s Eve Wedding

New Year’s Eve Ceremony

The Bridal Bouquet

Happily Ever After

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Off season doesn’t exist at Bluebird Productions. Aspen’s winter season is upon us, and Bluebird couldn’t be more eager to bring out our winter décor for the occasion! Our Aspen team has been hard at work in preparing for the quickly approaching winter wedding season. We’re excited to tell you what we’ve created for these once in a lifetime events.

We’re giving you a sneak peak of one of our upcoming weddings, and a taste of winter weddings in Aspen! Inspired by seasonal decorations around town, at hotels, updated blogs, magazines, and our favorite holiday movies we’ve helped to create the perfect winter wonderland for a local bride and groom.

The Aspen wedding will be stunning with shimmering gold linens, completely candle lit, gold pine cone place card holders, a hot chocolate bar, festive white Poinsettias, and Aspen’s Silver City Strings playing music to tie it all together. The bride and groom will be sharing their nuptials in front their friends, family and loved ones, with the ambiance of a wood drawn fire nearby. The groom will keep his bride warm, along with her fur shrug. The entire event will truly be magical, winter wonderland, while guests coming from near and far will be fortunate to get a real taste of winter weddings in Aspen.

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Thanksgiving is upon us and the smell of Turkey and all of your favorite sides will fill your home before you know it! In Aspen, Thanksgiving means the start of ski season and the World Cup. With less than two weeks until the big day, here are a few of the Bluebird Productions Girls’ favorite tips for planning a Thanksgiving Dinner that will allow you to ski, watch football or enjoy the time with your family in whatever way you see fit and not stress. Sit back, relax, and enjoy a few of our favorite Thanksgiving dinner tips:

1) Set the perfect table! This year we are loving lots of candles. We plan on hitting the slopes so dinner will be a late one. Nothing is better than a LOT of laughter, turkey and the fixings, and wine lit by candles. Here is a great example we fell in love with on one of our favorite blogs: Camillestyles.com

2) Assign seats with unique and autumnal place cards. A well assigned table sparks fabulous conversation and will keep your guests entertained all night long! Here is our favorite autumnal escort card of the moment by Joy Thigpen:

3) Add a little fruit! Use that those extra pears lying around your home to create a unique arrangement. You can bake them into a yummy tart later in the weekend. In the meantime, they are a symbol of fortitude.

4) Finish the night with a fun dessert. The Bluebird Production girls are known for our love of all things sweet. We cannot wait to bake these mini pumpkin pies. Check out the recipe on bakerella.

Enjoy these fun Tips for a Great Thanksgiving Dinner. We are thankful to you all for your support. We are thankful for a successful 2012. We look forward to a fabulous, festive and fun holiday season and an amazing 2013!

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