New Hope Soap Blog

Health and Fitness tips to get ready for the Wedding

Everyone wants to look their best on their wedding day. You will have these wedding pictures hanging the walls of your home and the homes of your parents and in-laws for all of the foreseeable future. You will forever be memorialized the way you look on this one day. It's too easy to stress out over your body. But here are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Plan ahead. If you plan on losing weight, do it months before your wedding. There is nothing worse than realizing the day before that your wedding dress isn't going to fit. Make sure you have time to make the proper alterations. 

2. Focus on the face. Wedding dresses these days are incredibly flattering. Most of what people will focus on will be from the shoulders up. Make sure you are using the right face wash, exfoliates; face lotion, etc. for your skin type, and the right shampoo, conditioner, and product on your hair. Also do trial runs with several make-up options and hairstyles beforehand. 

Almost anything can be used as a wedding favor, as long as it's heart-shaped, or you tie a cute saying to it, or label it with "Mr. and Mrs. John Smith, August 2014," or whatever you want to say about your wedding day. Here are 51 wacky and fun wedding favor ideas that people have actually used! Check out this Pinterest Pin Board with examples of all 51 wedding favor ideas!

Wedding Favor Ideas - Food

1. Mints
2. Cookies
3. Candy
4. Honey jars
5. Tea bags
6. Goodie Bags
7. Fortune cookie
8. Mini M&M tubes
9. Cocktail mix
10. Hot chocolate mix, lemonade mix, cider mix, etc.
11. Gum
12. Bottles of olive oil, barbecue sauce, vinegar, maple syrup, etc. maple syrup

Wedding Favor Ideas - Decor

1. Asian fan
2. Votive candle in fun shapes
3. Electric candle
4. Magnets
5. Candle holders
6. Tree ornaments
7. Photo frame

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

I’ve been going to a local gym for about three years. I have to admit I am bemused by how busy the gym becomes as of January 2nd. The other regulars and I arrive and find the “just busy enough” gym jumping with crowds of people puffing and panting on the treadmills and elliptical machines. Many of the newcomers are wearing nifty workout outfits (I’m a little embarrassed in my old T-shirt and faded pants). 

What’s sad to observe is the rapid drop off rate. By January 15th, many of the newcomers aren’t there anymore and by the end of the month, even more have dropped out. Of course a few stay on and join us regulars, but the majority of enthusiastic exercisers have simply gone away; having packed their gym clothes for “maybe later.”

Sandalwood and Sandalwood oil have a deeply rich and warm woody scent that has been sought after and used for centuries for religious and spiritual ceremonies, as an aromatherapy treatment, in cosmetics, perfumes and medicines.

Sandalwood is one of the most sought after fragrant woods even today, perhaps due to the deepness of the aroma, but also due to the fact that sandalwood can retain its bright fragrance for decades!

Sandalwood comes from the fragrant woods of the Santalum genus that include Indian sandalwood, Australian sandalwood, quandong, and other sandalwood varieties.

The history of sandalwood is an intriguing one that goes back for many centuries and is steeped in religious and spiritual traditions, particularly in the Far East. To this day it is widely used in China, India and Japan.