New Hope Soap Blog

By Linda Hilliard - Author of the Book
E-mail Your Weight Away - Diet Dialoges for Women

For me, one of the biggest challenges of dieting is food displays. Whether it’s those luscious looking doughnuts where I buy my morning coffee – or the tempting candy bar display at the grocery checkout counter – bad foods are always in front of us. If you are especially hungry when you see those displays, the temptation to buy can be overwhelming.

Food displays can be one of the ultimate tests of willpower. Let’s break it down – one willpower hurdle at a time.

Battling the Chocolate Frosted Doughnut

I haven’t had a doughnut for years, but I am always drawn to them. The doughnut that called to me the other day was not only chocolate frosted, but had some sort of chocolate cookie dough inside. And sprinkles on top. Be still my heart.

As with all willpower battles – there is a nanosecond of truth. The clerk may be looking at you as a calm person order- ing coffee, but a dieter’s inner turmoil when faced with an appealing – but lethally bad – food is tumultuous. In a split second, a dieter can take the high road “just coffee” or the failure road “and two of those doughnuts.”

Wedding favors are a way of thanking your guests for participating in your special day. They are meant to communicate your appreciation for guests that traveled, guests that had to take the day off of work, or guests that hired a babysitter to be able to witness your moment. They are also the most lasting impression that a guest has of your event, as it's a piece of the wedding that goes home with them. 

Unfortunately, most wedding favors find their way into the trash bin only a matter of days later. This is not only a waste of money for you, but also gives your guests a pang of guilt as they toss that silly plastic diamond ring or mini photo of the bride and groom into the trash. How do you avoid this? By giving your guests a unique gift that they will actually want! Here's a look at the top 20 most popular wedding favor ideas.

A Rose By Any Other Name... 

If you're interested in saving a bit of extra money, purchase potted rose bushes and attach cute little tags with your guests names written on them. Bunch them in the center of the table to double them up as centerpieces and your guests can take them home at the end of the evening. 

We are usually under the impression that the wedding day is, well, basically all about the bride.  However, not every groom just wants the responsibility of showing up on their wedding day.  Grooms want to be a part of the planning and even handle some of the wedding responsibility on their own.  With that in mind, here are the top 15 must follow blogs for the groom to follow.

1. Well-Groomed: Well-Groomed was started, in 2010, because the creators were under the assumption that men wanted more than the task of just showing up on their wedding day.  This blog is all about style, wedding planning advice, and even wedding DIYs for the guys.
2. The Groom's List:  This blog is for the guy who wants a checklist of their responsibilities and an explanation to go with them.   This is a great place to go for all the men involved in the wedding.  There is plenty of advice for the fathers involved as well as the groomsmen and ushers.
3. Trendy Groom Wedding Blog:  This blog was created by a full time wedding photographer.    This is the place to go for the groom who needs some inspiration.  This blog provides ideas and tips on how the groom can equally contribute to the wedding, thus making it a truly special day for both the bride and the groom to enjoy.
   

Once you have made the choice to have a DIY wedding, there are many other decisions to make. You need to decide on decoration color and size, flowers, and wedding favors just to name a few. The internet has a plethora of information and ideas. We have done some of the leg work for you and have put together the top 20 wedding planning websites for the DIY bride. 

1. DIY Wedding has a ton of ideas, and even templates, for the DIY bride. They are a great place to start because they have wedding ideas broken down by the four seasons.  

2. You must check out the DIY Network's top 100 wedding projects.        

You know it is October because everywhere you look you see pink. The football players have pink gloves, pink ribbons are on food packaging and pink shirts are worn for fundraising walks. October is breast cancer wareness month.

Let's take advantage of the pink reminders this month to focus on our own health!

It is common for women to spend so much effort worrying about the health and happiness of their loved ones that they don't take the time to take care of themselves. Moms will make sure their children go to every doctor appointment but will fail to schedule their own.

This October call your doctor and schedule your annual screenings. Follow the schedule for mammography that is right for you based on your age and family history. If you have gotten out of the habit of doing self breast exams mark your calendar for the upcoming months so you don't forget in the future.

Although in October the focus is on breast cancer, take this opportunity to make sure you are up to date on another important cancer screening opportunity. If you haven't had a Pap smear within the last year schedule an appointment. Skin cancer is actually more common than breast cancer so be sure to look for changes in moles as well.

Whether you are a DIY Bride or working with a wedding planner these blogs are a must read!

A bride can never have enough time when it comes to planning her wedding, so we are here to help.  This is a list of the top 15 Must follow wedding blogs.  These blogs will help with everything from wedding ideas, to floral arrangements, and everything else wedding related.  We did not want the grooms to be left out, so we included a blog for him.

1.Oh Lovely Day

This blog is all about those tiny details that will make your wedding extra special.  There are plenty of inspirational ideas for the bride that is doing it all herself, to the bride that is looking for those small details that will will tie everything together.  Whether your wedding is a formal affair, or has a country flair this blog has something for everyone.  However, Oh Lovely Day does not stop at the wedding day.  This is also a great source regarding life after the wedding.

2. the-Broke-Ass-Bride

This blog empowers brides to stand up for themselves and create the wedding that they truly want.  It shows brides that it is about being yourself, being creative, and sometimes thinking way outside the box to get the wedding that you desire. It is all about doing the most with what you have instead of worrying about what you do not have.

3. Martha Stewart Weddings

Martha Stewart has been a trusted source for wedding ideas for a very long time.  If you are a bride looking for unique ideas and creativity with a flair of sophistication, this is the blog for you.   The editors of Martha Stewart Weddings have taken the time to gather the latest innovative tips and advice for the bride to be.  Not too mention the list of wedding experts that are more than eager to share their thoughts and ideas.

We've all been there -- invited to a wedding and not sure what to give the couple.

In some cases we don't know the couple's personal tastes very well, while in others we want to give something totally unique and meaningful.

To help you in your search for the perfect buy, here's our list of the top 20 most popular wedding gift ideas for the couple.

1. Stand-up Mixer

The iconic stand-up mixer is a very popular registry and gift item for weddings. With all the great Pinterest recipes available, many couple's want to try their hand at baking, making homemade ice cream or pastas, and more. Plus, it just looks good on the kitchen counter.

2. Wall Clock

It's handy to know the time and wall clocks are often more than a timepiece. Choose from a variety of different looks -- traditional, nautical, funky, Victorian, whimsical, and more!

3. Recipe Book

Find a food-specific title dedicated to a favorite dish or ingredient you know the couple love.

Wedding Dresses and Bridal Gowns, who are the trendsettering fashion designers influencing brides today!

You have dreamed about your wedding all your life.  You want this once in a lifetime event to be as perfect as possible.  Begin this dream by starting with the perfect wedding dress.  We have researched the 15 Most Influential Bridal Designers to help you decide on that once in a lifetime dream wedding dress. 

1. Vera Wang: 

Vera Wang is an ex-ice skater turned fashion designer.  If you are looking for a traditional wedding gown, Wang may not be the designer for you.  However, if you are looking for something that is unconventional, unexpected, and dramatic you will be pleased by her gowns.  Wang pays special attention to create a feminine feel to her gowns.

2. Oscar de la Renta: 

Oscar de la Renta is an American fashion designer.  De la Renta's gowns are for the type of woman who embraces her femininity.  His gowns can be anything from glamorous and sophisticated to whimsy and playful.

The wedding dress is usually the one item that takes a huge bite out of the wedding budget, but it does not need to. A bride may have more options to affording the perfect wedding dress than she realizes. 

1. Something Old  Something Borrowed

As a young girl, did you dream of getting married in your mother's or grandmother's wedding dress?  Money could not buy the sentimental value in wearing a dress that has been handed down through the family.

2. Shops

Take the time to shop around.  Consignment shops are a great place to look for wedding dresses.   Also, do not be afraid to ask the owner to contact you when a wedding dress does come into their shop. 

Talk to the owners of your local bridal shops, and ask them what happens to the sample dresses and the dresses on the mannequins.  You may be able to score that designer dress without paying the designer price.

3. Rent A Dress

If you are not planning on keeping your wedding dress for any sentimental reasons, consider renting your dress.  This option may allow you to get that dress you fell in love with in a magazine but could never afford.  There are also many websites that sell previously owned dresses as well.

If you are planning to have an autumn wedding, but don't have a clue of how to go about planning it, don't worry.  

There are 3 things you can take into consideration when planning a fall wedding  so your special day is comfortable, stunning and unique for a lifetime of memories!

1. Fall Colors:  

To make your autumn wedding truly stunning, it is best to use traditional fall hues.  Colors that resonate the season include black, bronze, burgundy, chocolate, cranberry, crimson, gold, ivory and orange.  You can easily fit in fall colors by way of your bouquet, bridesmaids' dresses, groomsmen attire or wedding decor.

2. Seasonal Foods & Beverages:  

Another way to make your fall wedding reminiscent of fall is to have traditional fall foods and beverages at your reception.  You can pair roast beef and roasted turkey with an assortment of caramelized carrots, pears, pomegranates, pumpkin and winter squash.