Top 10 Ways to Stay Bride-to-be Ready [via The Scout Guide]

Originally appeared on The Scout Guide Alexandria

This summer has been a busy one for me.  I have been spending lots of time with the kids, have had a busy travel schedule and planning a wedding has often felt like a full-time job!  When traveling, it is so easy to get off schedule with your diet, sleep and exercise much less get anything on your to-do list done.  The weeks I have been in town, in order to reduce my stress, I have had to really make them count!  

Here are my Top 10 Ways to Stay Bride-to-be Ready in Alexandria this summer:  

1.  Work with Tim Shaheen at LAWRENCE MILLER & CO. to order custom wedding bands and rest easy knowing the craftsmanship will be top notch and the bands will be ready in time for your big day.  

2.  In order to keep your skin fresh and vibrant, schedule regular facials at SARAH AKRAM SKINCARE.  Gosia Habib, head master esthetician, analyzes my skin each visit and customizes my facials according to my needs.  As she always says, “Skincare is not a destination; it is a journey,” so I appreciate her tweaking my peels, masks and treatments each visit.  My new favorite thing to provide an immediate burst of radiance to my complexion?  LightStim Therapy following Crystal Blast Microdermabrasion.

​3.  Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!  I keep my SWELL water bottle, aka “Mom Flask,” from THE SHOE HIVE with me at all times to ensure I am constantly drinking water.  To keep me motivated to drink more, I will often add a drop or two of one of my favorite DOTERRA essential oils, like grapefruit, lemon or peppermint, to my water.

4.  While dining at SOCIETY FAIR, enjoy their delicious nicoise salad with dressing on the side in lieu of their pimento cheese or chicken salad.  This is REALLY hard for me, because I want all of their pimento cheese.  

5.  To stay physically healthy and strong, EXERCISE.  I receive private Pilates instruction with one of my favorite classically trained instructors at GEORGIE’S PILATES LOFT to help me maintain and improve my practice; I stay toned by taking barre classes at BarreTech. and when I am really feeling like sweating it out, I go to Hot Pilates at MIND THE MAT.  

6.  Post work-out, stop by SOUTH BLOCK in Del Ray to rehydrate with one of their cold-pressed green juices or Craft Kombucha on tap and enjoy one of their acai bowls or protein smoothies for a healthy breakfast or lunch.  I also take a Ginger Bomb tonic with turmeric and lemon to-go to enjoy later in the afternoon.  

​7.  When in need of fresh air or to clear your mind, take a nice, long walk along the waterfront trails in Old Town.  Sometimes I walk South towards Mt. Vernon to Jones Point Park and some days I head North towards D.C. to the Washington Sailing Marina.  

8.  Schedule his and her massages in the convenience of your home.  Seem extravagant??  It costs less than going to a spa, and Donnell Atherley of HANDS IN MOTION MOBILE, arrives with a professional massage table, fresh linens, hot stones, essential oils and lotions plus offers you the music of your choice to listen to.  

9.  Catch up with friends while staying on budget by taking advantage of the best and most refined lunch deal in town, the Lickety Split, at the bar at RESTAURANT EVE.  

10.  Stop by GALLERY LAFAYETTE to pick up Todd Healy’s charming gift bags bearing his artwork to make your out-of-town guests feel welcome with a goody bag pre-placed in their room at HOTEL MONACO on King Street.  Goody bag contents?  Sweet treats from SOCIETY FAIR, a list of our favorite restaurants, shops and historic sites on one of Todd’s water-colored, historic maps of Old Town, and a copy of THE SCOUT GUIDE ALEXANDRIA, Volume 2, of course!  

​Still in need of one more coping mechanism?  Try hanging upside down!  Your spine will thank you for the amazing stretch and re-alignment, and you are guaranteed to forget about your to-do list for a while.  

Happy Scouting!