Some of my friends and family are asking to see photos from my wedding,
so here are some highlights from the day….and tips that I learned along the way!
Our intention for our wedding was:
a day and night filled with our friends and family, crazy dancing, delicious
healthy food and tons of FUN.
And we got EXACTLY that!
MORNING
On the days that I start off with some type of exercise, especially yoga,
I feel like my best self – calm, present and healthy.
One of my all-time fave yoga instructors, Danielle Tafeen came over and gave us (me and my bridesmaids)
an amazing, relaxing and energizing yoga pre-wedding yoga sesh.
After, she jetted off to give my husband a sesh too!
Starting off the day stretching and calming our minds and hearts
was definitely one of the highlights and SO necessary.
Tip: if you or your friend is getting married soon,
I highly recommend doing some sort of workout morning of.
Something light and fun with good music – anything that will help blood flow, your skin glow and
get your body energized for a full day of getting ready, photos and lots of dancing!
LATE MORNING
After yoga, we ordered green juices and egg and kale sandwiches from Hu Kitchen
to fill our bellies, give us some long lasting energy (+ to make our skin glow)!
Tip: Eating a big breakfast, especially morning of your wedding is recommended
because once you start getting ready, it’s really easy to get caught up with the energy and excitement of the day
and at least you have some food in your stomach to get you keep you energized and feeling good
Tip: Invite helpful and positive people to help you get ready!
Throughout the day, my amazing sister kept me calm and gave me little nuggets of sage pre-wedding advice.
Here is one of her interventions while I’m getting my hair done.
Getting the party started before the party even started made the morning even more FUN and exciting!
HAIR AND MAKEUP
I booked my hair stylist, Anthony Payne, literally a week before my wedding
(Yes, I’m a TOTAL last minute planner) and I was so blessed to find him –
a total superstar with such sweet, calming energy.
And not to mention, he’s a hairstylist to a million models and stars and made me feel like one too!
Tip: Hire people that make you feel like a star,
the best version of you and
hire people with good energy, because all you want the morning of your wedding
are positive vibes.
One of the reasons why I waited last minute for my hair (and makeup) was because, to be honest, hair and makeup were not my main prorities for my wedding day.
My priorities? Having amazingly delicious, healthy food, and having a huge dancefloor
with amazing music that me, my husband and friends and family could ROCK out and celebrate to.
I knew that worse came to worse, I could always do my makeup myself, so finding the “perfect”
person to do me up was second important.
My friend Courtney met my makeup artist, Ashlee Glazer, in an elevator
a week and a half before my wedding. She was so incredibly talented and now looking back,
I can’t even believe I even thought of doing my doing my makeup myself.
Tip: Wedding makeup (and hair) can certainly be pricey.
It’s totally worth the splurge having people you trust day of.
One less thing for you to think about means an even happy (and more zen) bride.
I fell in love with her (and her work) AND she fell in love with my work
and is now an the iloveme ring lover and wearer!
Every time she wears it when working with brides-to-be, she’s sending out positive energy and love.
My mom and sister…
My sister, best friends and sister-in-law.
I love peacock feathers.
So I made these peacock hair pieces for all of my bridesmaids
and they turned out perfect!
And then before we knew it, it was time to put on the dress!
DRESS
I went ALL over wedding dress shopping – and I honestly couldn’t find even one that I remotely liked.
So, I decided to wear my grandmothers wedding dress from 1943, which
my mother and sister wore down the aisle at their weddings too.
It was just too special and too pretty not to wear.
I ended up adding some of the elements that I liked from other dresses that I saw while shopping around
and I incorporated those details into my grandmothers dress –
a sheer, boatneck top, a low back, and a special, sexy surprise on the front!
Since it was worn at three different weddings, some of the fabric needed to be replaced
and I also wanted to make it as “Arielle” as possible,
so I took off the lace decals, opened the back and put a huge slit up the front!
Nowadays, wedding dresses don’t have the beautiful touches that antique dresses used to have.
Some buttons nowadays are actually fake and
made with a hidden zipper in the back of the buttons.
My Nani’s dress was so well made and I wanted to keep the beauty and authenticity of it,
so I kept all of the buttons from my Nani’s dress and my tailor sewed each one on
so it could be buttoned up, just like the olden days!
Tip: Using something borrowed, especially a wedding dress, is eco-friendly,
and will save you lots of money (and tons of time trying on dresses!)
Also, everything has energy in it, so if you like the way the other marriages turned out
and you want to soak up that good energy, go for it!
I’m sure my Nani would’ve been very (happily) surprised that I wore it
I definitely felt her love and positive energy with it on.
SHOES
Tip: Find shoes that are fabulous AND more importantly,
comfortable to dance in. You don’t want to regret splurging on a a pair of shoes that you bought
just to look gorgeous in photos.
Oh – and walk around in them at least 4 times,
on the street, before your wedding to make sure
they are broken in and blister-free.
WEDDING RINGS AND ILOVEME RINGS
It took me a long time to figure out what I wanted to do for wedding rings.
Since I make jewelry, I wanted to design something fun and beautiful,
but I also have crazy skinny and long fingers with the biggest knuckles ever
so I was limited in what I could design to fit my finger.
Since I wanted to continue wearing my “iloveme” ring
(a ring that I designed as reminder for women to take care of themselves),
we decided on simple, gold, matching bands.
Mine is engraved with “ilovelee” and I had my husbands engraved with “ilovearielle”.
Now, I’m able to wear my “ilovelee” wedding ring on my left ring finger WITH my “iloveme” ring-
a reminder to love my husband AND continue to take care of me and love myself.
WEATHER:
Wedding day weather is always a toss up –
But, we truly lucked out – it was crisp, Autumn day,
and the sun shined out of the sky from the second I woke up, so I was ecstatic.
No raindrops, no snow. Thank you, thank you, Mother Nature!
Tip: be prepared for the worst but expect the best…. and PRAY!
GETTING READY TO LEAVE
I’m a New Yorker – born in Manhattan and my wedding was in Long Island, so having a few shots in the city were key for me.
Here are a few:
I had so much fun taking these yoga poses in the street!
Tip: Think about the “definite” photos you want of yourself,
with your husband and of your friends and your families.
Send your photographer a list beforehand,
so you don’t look back and wish you would’ve taken any specific photos.
ON THE ROAD:
My best friends and bridesmaids packed these snacks for me.
They took notes at one of my “Healthy Bride” lectures and made up a basket with all of my recommendations
for MY wedding day! Smart, smart girls.
Tip: Pack healthy snacks to munch on day of.
With all of the adrenaline pumping and busyness of the day, you’ll need some pick-me-ups
LUNCH
While snacks are important, so are meals.
If I don’t eat a meal, I get spacey and irritable, so the day of my wedding,
I made sure to order lunch ahead of time and sit down to eat.
Day of, I ate a salad with a huge piece of salmon: a mix of colorful vegetables, protein and good fat
to keep me energized and satiated (and even some extra omega 3s to help my skin glow!)
Tip: What you eat leading up to your wedding
and what you eat the day of, can affect your skin tone.
Opt for colorful veggies and omega-rich fresh fish for that extra bridal glow.
PHOTO TIME
It was pretty crisp out, but my best friends, sister and sister-in-law made the day so light, fun and warm!
Some fun with my husband, Lee…
FLOWER GIRLS AND RING BEARERS
My pretty flower girls, Shaina (my sister and brother-in-law’s niece) and Kaia (my cousin from Arizona)
met for the first time that day of my wedding and now they skype with each other –
how cute!
They requested to wear pink and I wanted them to feel like
beautiful princesses, so I had their tutus custom-made and had feathers added to the waistline
to funky them up a little.
Their baskets were made of moss and I added peacock feathers to them.
Also, I added some sparkles to their rose petals so it would look glittery
when they threw them down the aisle!
My nephew, Evan was the ring bearer, so here I am prepping him
for his solo dance down the aisle (he didn’t end up making it on his own, but he tried!).
And then he plopped down right on my veil. One of my favorite moments!
Another favorite moment with my sweet baby nephew, Spencer.
Tip: If you have any kids at the wedding, spend a few minutes with the little ones.
Their positive, light and playful energy is contagious and amazing
to be with before you walk down the aisle and it actually helps release some of the
last minute excitement and anxiety!
CEREMONY
I wanted the wedding to feel as “eco” as possible, so keeping up with the healthy outdoorsy theme, I adorned the aisle with fresh grass.
I walked down the aisle to a remix of John Legend’s “All of Me” with music by the amazing violinist, Lindsey Stirling.
When I got married, no one had even heard of the song, and now it’s a radio hit!
This version is especially beautiful and I just love the words:
“All of me loves all of you,
Love your curves and all your edges,
All your perfect imperfections,
Give your all to me,
I’ll give my all to you”
We picked a colorful ketubah (jewish wedding certificate) that had beautiful meaning with yoga poses!
And we adorned with chuppah with kale cabbage flowers and seasonal fruit, representing a healthy, fruitful and colorful life together.
Once the ceremony was over, we walked out to “Power of Love” – a fun, uplifting song that got our guests excited to start celebrating!
Tip: Choose songs that mean something special to you and your husband.
My parents asked me a million times what songs we were using for our ceremony and
we didn’t want anyone’s opinions to interfere with our choices!
RECEPTION
My mom did the beautiful calligraphy for the place cards and
we had them placed in the grass with kale cabbage scattered…
…and we had a gorgeous chandelier light up the table
COCKTAIL HOUR
Cocktail hour included a juice and green smoothie bar.
It brightened up cocktail hour, freshened up everyone’s palate and energized them before they hit the dance floor.
We also gave them the option to use the green juice and smoothies as mixers for their alcohol.
So much healthier than soda or fruit concentrate!
Tip: Ask if you can serve fresh squeezed instead of fruit concentrate.
Tip: Serve some light and fresh fare to help balance out the other wedding food offered.
Fresh juices and smoothies are a plus, or even a colorful salad bar or
a table of vegetable crudite is always nice to munch on along with the wedding favorite, baby hot dogs!
On the bar, instead of popcorn, we offered kale chips and my maple-sesame cashews (a recipe that the caterer used from my site!)
We also offered fresh home-made sushi during cocktail hour
DECOR
The centerpieces were a mix of chandeliers, candles, kale flowers and seasonal fruit.
Most weddings use SO many flowers to adorn the tables,
so I preferred to brighten up the table with some flowers and gorgeous, colorful fruit.
Offering healthy food was one of the priorities of the night.
My husband and I are party people so we know first-hand that the food we eat and the drinks we drink night of wedding
affects how we feel during the wedding, and the morning after.
We wanted our guests to be energized all night AND feel good the morning after,
so the entire wedding experience was a positive one for them.
FIRST DANCE
And then… our first dance was to the slow version of Higher Love…
and then it turned into the fast version of Higher Love!
FOOD
As mentioned above, the food was one of our priorities
so I made sure that the menu was fully designed by me and “Be Well with Arielle approved”.
The caterer was so accommodating and even used some of my recipes from my website!
To start, we offered a Shot of Butternut Squash Soup,
plus a Mini Pumpkin filled with Purple and Green Kale Chiffonade
with fresh Pear and Pumpkin Seeds, drizzled with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette.
Tip: Ask your caterer if they can use any fruit or vegetables to serve the dishes.
It adds beauty (and a pop of color) to the table.
For the entree, we gave three options: fish, meat and vegetarian.
This was the veggie dish: Roasted Acorn Squash stuffed with Spaghetti Squash
Sautéed with Spinach, Green + Yellow Zucchini and Tomatoes,
atop Almond Wild Rice
I sent the caterer my “Coconut Crusted Cod” and
“Un-fried Rice” recipes and they made it perfectly.
I know, because I sat down with my husband and enjoyed my entire meal!
The vegetarian dish was: Coconut Crusted Cod with “Un-fried” Wild Rice, Sesame Asian Long Beans,
Baby Carrots and Farmer’s Market Sprouts sprinkled on top
The meat dish was: Grilled Rib Steak in a Red Wine Demi-Glace Paired with
Seasonal Root Vegetables and Sautéed Spinach with Garlic.
Tip: Every guest will want to say hi to you and your mind will be filled
so you may forget to eat your meal!
Even if it’s just a bite or two or three, taste your meal.
It will give you a boost of energy so you can fully enjoy the night and
you’ll be experiencing a taste of what your guests were treated to too.
THE WEDDING CAKE
I’m OBSESSED with coconut and dulce de leche and my husband, Lee, loves chocolate and coconut so this was a great compromise.
The coconut flakes made it look fresh and a little healthier!
I have to be honest- I don’t even remember what it tasted like so
I’m looking forward to our anniversary when I get to taste it
Thank goodness my sister remembered to take a slice home!
FLOWERS
Although pink peonies are my favorite flower,
they are definitely not in season in New York in November and
they happen to be a little too “pretty” for my style!
So, I chose kale cabbage flowers as the main flower of my bouquet (and wedding decor).
They grow in New York in November, so they’re seasonal AND kale happens to be my husbands favorite vegetable and mine too.
Not to mention, I think they are so pretty!
They come in two varieties- one full of green, blue and purple hues and the other, white and light pink.
And guess who caught the bouquet? My best friend (and bridesmaid), Keri!
And since I’m a fan of using seasonal flowers I chose a mix of blue thistle and berries for the groomsmen.
BEST SURPRISE OF THE NIGHT
My sister, Sarina (the maid of honor), and my brother-in-law, Phil (the best man), made speeches…
and then surprised us with an incredible duo of Don’t Stop Believing!
They both are amazing karaoke superstars and really blew everyone away.
It’s was quite a memorable moment for us…and all of our guests LOVED the performance too!
LATE-NIGHT SNACKS
At the end of the night, we provided some healthy snacks to nourish our guests
for the bus ride home AND to keep them hydrated preventing a post-wedding hangover!
My friend Elana made these cute “Love is Sweet” Kettlecorn Popgram packages
(she sells them at Farmer’s Markets around Los Angeles) and
we gave out the perfect healthy thirst quencher and hangover remedy: Vita Coco Coconut Waters!
Hope this inspires you to have a healthy wedding too!
Check out #bewellbehaspel on Instagram for more photos from my healthy wedding day (and night).
My Fabulous Vendors
Dress: The Bride’s Grandmother’s dress from 1943 (also worn by bride’s mother and sister)
Dress Tailor: Sunny, Bridesmaid Boutique
Thank you to all of my incredible, supportive, positive family, friends and team for making the day memorable, fun and just so incredible.
Truly, my dream wedding – fun, gorgeous and healthy!
