There's a really interesting article in Newsweek about "The Incredible Shrinking Bride."

Pressure on the wedding is such that most women, even those who are at a normal weight, feel they need to lose weight for their weddings, spend a fortune to have their nails and hair professionally done and get the star treatment for their walk down the aisle. One woman even told how she planned to have facials each month until her wedding and consulted a dermatologist about antibiotic treatments for her acne.

While there's nothing wrong with self-improvement, I feel like any changes you make should be a long-term goal, something you've always wanted to achieve. Let the wedding add the motivation, not the desire.

I, for example, have been dieting for my wedding. But it's not a sudden thing. I've been thinking about losing weight and eating healthier for months (okay, years), certainly long before Ed proposed. The wedding just helped me structure myself. Now, not only do I have a definite goal (the weight loss), I have a time frame (September) and a motivation (looking hot in a wedding dress).

One British publication featured a bride who lost about a third of herself for the wedding, but her diet still isn't fabulous. Sure, she's eating less, but I still don't see many veggies on the menu.

I'm eating healthier and exercising more. And if I don't reach my goal before my wedding, I will see it through to the end. Besides, Ed asked me to marry him as I am, so I'll have to go with the belief that he's pretty okay with me, cellulite and all. In fact, he thinks I'm beautiful, and I have no intention of disabusing him of the notion.

Don't sweat it. You want to take a crack at creating a better you for your wedding, have at it. But if you're only halfway there on your wedding day, don't let it ruin the experience. Hopefully, you'll only be doing this once.