For the past year you’ve stuck to a regimented work-out routine, completely rid your diet of fatty carbs, and have seen your aesthetician more than you’ve seen your groom-to-be. This should be all the ingredients you need in order to have a blissful wedding day, shouldn’t it? Unfortunately, things have a tendency to pop up when you least expect them. It’s important that you over-prepare for the big day so that you don’t receive an unpleasant surprise the morning of.

Toning those arms and downsizing your midsection is a good starting off point. Plan on getting control of your physique at least 6 months prior to the wedding. For some women, getting in shape is a breeze, while others struggle with every single pound. If you’re not sure what group you fall into, it’s better to play it safe and start early. Find a friend willing to fill the role as your weekly gym partner; or if you can afford it, hire your own private instructor. Once you’ve dropped those pesky pounds you can concentrate on maintaining a healthy balance between diet and exercise up until you say, “I do.”

Eating right can be a little tricky. You may be cramming yourself full of whole grain breads and fruits and not seeing any results. The secret is not only to eat good food, but also in the right amount. Counting calories can become an unhealthy obsession, so make sure that you have someone who can account for all of the things you consume on a daily basis. Remember: just because something says that it’s nutritional, doesn’t mean that you can expect to lose weight upon ingestion. Eating too much of one thing isn’t healthy either, so don’t plan on having salad for breakfast, lunch and dinner from now until the wedding. As high as your aspirations may be to get a dream body, you need to be realistic. Give your body what it craves, just in smaller portions. You’ll be amazed at how effective cutting out a few extra bites can truly be.

During the exercise and eating craze, don’t forget to give your hair the attention it needs. This could be as simple as executing a few conditioning treatments, to adding in some highlights and having your ends trimmed. If you have an idea for your wedding hairstyle but lack the tools and length to make it happen, visit your hairstylist and devise a plan. Also, keep in mind that taking hair color down to a lighter color is a slow process. If you have very dark hair but want golden locks at your wedding, you may need to have your hair colored 4-5 times from now until the big day.

It doesn’t matter if your arms are tone and your face is bright – you’ll find reason to succumb to stress on your big day. It’s a natural part of being the bride. Knowing this, treat yourself to a massage a week before. This will help to loosen up all of your muscles and keep you from feeling tense as you recite your vows in front of your friends and family.