Matrimonial Monday!

Borrowed picture from bridalguide.com

Yesterday I attended my first ever bridal expo. It was intense to say the least. So intense that I didn't have the where-with-all to take photos—a major regret. That being said, I think an expo can be an excellent tools for brides, grooms, mother's of brides, bridesmaids, and all the rest!

Before heading into the battle that is a bridal expo, here are some tips.

1. Be Organized. Come prepared with a folder or notebook in which you can put handouts or jot notes about specific vendors. When you get home with all the stuff you collected throughout the day, you will be happy you did. 



Beautiful little notebooks I bought at Target that are great for on-the-go.

2. Wear Comfortable Clothes and Shoes. I followed this rule pretty well—only a small heel on this girls boots—but I saw many ladies donning sky high stilettos and tight mini dresses. The goal of this day is to gather information for your wedding while having fun, and I could see the look of absolute agony on some faces yesterday. 
3. Come with a Supportive and Patient Group of People. This can be a long day of wedding education, so you want to make sure that you are with people who are as interested as you.
4. Drink Water. The champagne, wine, and beer tastings will have you dehydrated right quick. So pick up a bottle of water to wash it all down. Also, make sure you don't drink so much that you become forgetful or unfocused. You have a job to do!
5. Have an Amazing Time: I think the main objective of the day is to have fun. Chances are you are with some of your bridal party, or fiancé, or mom and they just want to see you have a good time. Make the day memorable. If all goes to plan, you won't have the opportunity to be a bride at one of these things many times. 

The day for me was a success. I decided having Dan there would have been a plus as there are so many things I want him involved with, and I think secretly he has an opinion about. 

Our wedding isn't until sometime in Summer 2014, so we could actually do this again next year. Maybe then I will put some of this advice to use and get a little more accomplished. 

Til next time.

Matrimonial Wednesday...

Sorry for the continuation of Matrimonial Monday....my ridiculously light schedule got the better of me.

—Have you ever noticed that when you have less to do less gets done???—

Anywho, today I want to talk about wedding fitness. Yes, wedding fitness is a thing. 

Moments after you say "yes!" to your proposal, your mind is filled with soft-focus images of your wedding day and of yourself in white. And I am sure I am not the only one who's imagined self images showcase a slimmer, more toned body. 

Shapely arms. A toned back. No jiggles or bulges. These are the things newly engaged women think about. 

In my quest for a better body, I have enlisted the help of good nutrition (post to follow!) and a motivating exercise routine.

I am a person who truly enjoys exercise. But what I do not enjoy is repetitive and monotonous exercise routines that leave you feeling bored. That's why I jump around between several forms of exercise. This method not only keeps you interested, but it also keeps your body guessing which tends to yield better (and faster) results. 

I feel slightly embarrassed to own this DVD set. However, the results are pretty amazing. I suffer from a less than voluptuous rear, and I think that this has really helped to lift my back side. The abs DVD from this set is also really good. Overall I consider this to be a pretty full body workout, so I use this in between a lot of the other types of exercise that I do. 

 Cardio Barre, and similar ballet inspired exercise, is great for lengthening and toning. I find that fat loss is less the goal of this kind of workout, with tightening and toning being the primary objective.

This terrible picture is of the barre that you do most of the exercises at. It's not only great for a workout, but it's an excellent stretching tool, which only helps you to look longer and leaner. 

Saving the best for last, my latest obsession is pilates. Currently I am doing a combination of these MTV pilates DVDs, although I also have Winsor Pilates and that is great, too! Pilates is mainly focused on the core/"power house"/abdominals. Strengthening these muscles helps with posture and alignment, not to mention that in order to strengthen those muscles properly and safely you must employ the use of your arms and legs which leads to the toning of the muscles found there. 

My results so far: After doing about a month and a half of Brazilian Butt Lift, I lost about 10lbs. After introducing the pilates and Cardio Barre, I have slimmed down further, although this hasn't been reflected on the scale. I dropped a pants size and my stomach is much flatter. I occasionally visit the gym, but my home workouts are very effective for me, not to mention meditative. 

I'd love to know what at home or gym workouts you do. Do you love spin? (I do!) Do you love boot camp classes? Do swear by Insanity or P90X? Let me know!

I'll continue to update this topic in the coming months. Becoming healthy and more physically fit is a continual process and journey, and I'd love to have company along the way. 

Til next time.

Matrimonial Monday!

Due to unforeseen school complications (i.e. my ridiculous graduation application process) M.M. will be held tomorrow.

See you all at Matrimonial Tuesday!

loving your home

Living Room

As previously mentioned, I am a believer that home really is where the heart lies. I am a serious homebody, so I think it is essential to my way of life to make my home comfortable and a happy place to be.

Living Room, different angle

Dan and I spend the majority of our time in the living room. That's where the record player, stereo, and of course, the TV are located, so it makes sense that we congregate there.

Living rooms can easily become bogged down with ugly electronics and entertainment centers, so here are a few things that bring style to a space.

As if we didn't already know this, a vase of fresh flowers can add a fresh beauty to any space. In these pictures I have pink peonies, which I will miss so much with the coming of fall, but flowers of any kind really do wonders.

A good potted plant will also do. I love succulents and herbs.

Our succulents and herbs catching some sun

If you have hardwood floors, a rug is an opportunity to add flair and also warm up a room. In the case of my living room, we have a southwestern inspired rug, which was total steal at Cost Plus.

Another obvious but effective measure to take is adding pillows. I am not totally satisfied with our existing pillow collection, but muted colors are a good representation of what I like. I prefer soft, costal-inspired colors and fabrics. Greys, creams, and sage greens are great if you want to create a soothing pallet. If you go for pale colors, I recommend interesting textures such as faux fur or rough-woven fabrics to add dimension. And of course, pattern is always great!

Dan is a pre-law philosophy major and music lover

Finally, books add so much to any room. Dan is the curator of our book collection, so I credit him with the artful arrangements. Books are a great conversation topic, not to mention many of ours are just pretty! Making small stacks of them around the living room or on shelves adds a distinguished and artsy vibe.

Hippie-inspired books supporting a photo of my mom and her siblings in 1964 or '65...must find out!

The way to creating a space that you love is filling it with your favorite things. The main objective should be comfort, but I believe that can be easily done with style.

Til next time.

Matrimonial Monday!

Hello and happy Monday! Today marks the first official "Matrimonial Monday" here on To Market. 

As the title suggests, I am getting married. 

I toyed with the idea of creating a wedding blog—and by toyed I mean I actually created one and quickly abandoned ship—but I came to realize that only talking about my engagement and impending wedding would be too much. Instead I will be writing about wedding stuff on Mondays. 

Today is a day of introductions. I'd like all of you to meet Dan, my fiancé.

Dan striking a pose at our engagement party. Post to follow!

We met seven years ago while we were in high school. He is drummer in a reggae band, a philosophy/pre-law major, and the love of my life. He is honestly the kindest most gentle man I have ever known, and I am better person because of him.

He asked me to marry him on our seven year anniversary. I cried the happiest tears of my life. 

A piece of advice: when the man of your dreams gets down on one knee (no knee—no deal) look at him and not the ring. This is a mistake that I have kicked myself for several times since our engagement.

Anyway, we are now planning our wedding! It's a little ways off—2014—because of school and other life happenings, but I will try to keep you all with me every step of the way until "I do."

As some of you probably know, weddings take a lot of energy, planning, and time...so I know good material will spring from it.

Til next time.

Photo booth pictures from the fair. Age 16 to 24.

Why market?

I've recently become aware that my life surrounds a handful of things. And these things, as it turns out, seem to fit nicely within the term “market.”

I exchange ideas for feedback. Exchange money for goods. Exchange energy for production. Exchange time for the chance to see something interesting or beautiful.

I have devised a theory that we are all exchanging something for something. But that’s what makes life so exciting. The opportunity to obtain something through the exchange of something.

In this blog I will discuss my constantly evolving love of fashion. My love of food and my adventures in trying to cook it. My quest for a creative outlet in following or creating D.I.Y. projects. And my love for my home, where my heart truly is.

Welcome To Market.