Day 6 Bustle's 7-Day Workout Challenge

Thanks for joining our 7 day workout challenge! We are so grateful to Crossfit Mudtown for partnering with us. The coaches at Crossfit Mudtown have worked with us to give you a FREE week of workouts that you can do at home. For our brides out there, these workouts are specifically designed with you and your wedding goals in mind, but they’re great for anyone on any fitness level! You won’t need any equipment for these workouts; just come as you are and get ready to feel great!

For video descriptions of each workout, click the hyperlinked text.

Warm up:

For 8 minutes straight:

10 line hops (forward/backward = 1 rep)

10 reps of sampson stretch (5 on each side)

10 lateral line hops (right/left = 1 rep)

10 reps of spiderman + reach (5 on each side)

Workout:

5 Rounds for Time:

40 lateral line hops (right/left = 1 rep)

30 bicycle crunches

20 jumping squats

Description:

In this 12-15 minute workout, be sure to pace yourself and break movements up with planned rest breaks. On the bicycle crunches, do your best to keep your low back in contact with the ground the whole time (avoid arching your back when you get tired!) and bring your knee all the way to your opposite elbow every rep! On the jumping squats, try to get as high off the ground as possible each jump! Focus more on exploding up off the ground, than on how fast you can get the 20 reps done.

Day 5 Bustle's 7-Day Workout Challenge

Thanks for joining our 7 day workout challenge! We are so grateful to Crossfit Mudtown for partnering with us. The coaches at Crossfit Mudtown have worked with us to give you a FREE week of workouts that you can do at home. For our brides out there, these workouts are specifically designed with you and your wedding goals in mind, but they’re great for anyone on any fitness level! You won’t need any equipment for these workouts; just come as you are and get ready to feel great!

For video descriptions of each workout, click the hyperlinked text.

Warm up:

Tabata*:

  1. Push ups

  2. Jumping Jacks

  3. Straight Leg Raises

  4. Burpees

*For the warm up, it’s 20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest for 8 rounds. You will complete 20 second of one movement before moving onto the next movement. In other words, after completing 20 seconds of push ups, you will rest for 10 seconds, then complete 20 seconds of jumping jacks, before resting for 10 seconds, then completing 20 second of straight leg raises (this is different than how the workout will be!)...you will go through those four movements twice and this warm up will take you 4 minutes total.

Workout:

Tabata** This!

Tabata Push Ups

Rest 1 minute

Tabata Jumping Jacks

Rest 1 minute

Tabata Sit Ups

Rest 1 minute

Tabata Mountain Climbers

Description:

**The Tabata interval is 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest for 8 intervals (4 minutes total). You will complete all 8 rounds of a single movement before resting for a minute and then moving on to the next movement. In other words, you will do all 8 rounds of push ups, then rest a full minute before moving on to all 8 rounds of jumping jacks. 


You can use a stopwatch to keep track of time or you can download a tabata app such as SmartWOD Timer.

Day 4 Bustle's 7-Day Workout Challenge

Thanks for joining our 7 day workout challenge! We are so grateful to Crossfit Mudtown for partnering with us. The coaches at Crossfit Mudtown have worked with us to give you a FREE week of workouts that you can do at home. For our brides out there, these workouts are specifically designed with you and your wedding goals in mind, but they’re great for anyone on any fitness level! You won’t need any equipment for these workouts; just come as you are and get ready to feel great!

For video descriptions of each workout, click the hyperlinked text.

Warm up:

3 rounds not for time:

7 burpees

7 russian baby bakers

7 inchworms

Workout:

For time:

150 air squats

*Every minute on the minute, 5 Burpees (start with burpees on the :00)

Description:

At the start of this workout, you will complete 5 burpees before completing as many air squats as possible in the remainder of the minute. At the top of the next minute (1:00), you will perform 5 more burpees before continuing on with as many air squats as possible in the remainder of the minute. You will continue in this fashion until you complete 150 total air squats.

This workout will likely take ~10-15 minutes. Your goal should be to get 10-20 air squats per minute.

Day 3 Bustle's 7-Day Workout Challenge

Thanks for joining our 7 day workout challenge! We are so grateful to Crossfit Mudtown for partnering with us. The coaches at Crossfit Mudtown have worked with us to give you a FREE week of workouts that you can do at home. For our brides out there, these workouts are specifically designed with you and your wedding goals in mind, but they’re great for anyone on any fitness level! You won’t need any equipment for these workouts; just come as you are and get ready to feel great!

For video descriptions of each workout, click the hyperlinked text.

Day 3:

Warm up:

6 minutes straight:

1 minute line hops (forward/backward)

1 minute glute bridges

1 minute lateral line hops (right/left)

1 minute sit ups

1 minute line hops (forward/backward)

1 minute reverse lunges

Workout:

For time:

100 line hops (forward/backward = 1 rep)

50 sit ups 

12 Jumping Lunges (right leg/left leg = 2 reps)

80 Line Hops

40 Sit Ups

12 Jumping Lunges

60 Line Hops

30 Sit Ups

12 Jumping Lunges

40 Line Hops

20 Sit Ups

12 Jumping Lunges

20 Line Hops

10 Sit Ups

12 Jumping Lunges

Description:

This longer workout will challenge your metabolic conditioning (aka cardio!) and will likely take 15-25 minutes. Chip away at the line hops and sit ups in manageable chunks with planned breaks. Your goal should be to complete the second half of the workout at the same speed or FASTER than the first half. Use a line on the floor or lay down a piece of tape to hop over (forward/back = 1 rep). For the jumping lunges, make sure you stay under control and rest as needed (these will get tiring fast)! On the jumping lunges, you are not jumping for height (like you did with yesterday’s jumping squats) - you’re only jumping high enough to switch legs.

Day 2 Bustle's 7-Day Workout Challenge

Thanks for joining our 7 day workout challenge! We are so grateful to Crossfit Mudtown for partnering with us. The coaches at Crossfit Mudtown have worked with us to give you a FREE week of workouts that you can do at home. For our brides out there, these workouts are specifically designed with you and your wedding goals in mind, but they’re great for anyone on any fitness level! You won’t need any equipment for these workouts; just come as you are and get ready to feel great!

For video descriptions of each workout, click the hyperlinked text.

Day 2:

Warm up:

3 rounds not for time:

30 second high plank

20 flutter kicks (right/left = 1 rep)

10 glute bridges

5 jump squats

Workout:

20 minutes

Minute 1 - 12 glute bridges

Minute 2 - 30 mountain climbers

Minute 3 - 6 burpees

Minute 4 - 10 straight leg raises

Minute 5 - 10 jump squats

Description:

You will complete the number of reps each minute and if you have any time remaining, rest until the next minute/movement. If you are unable to complete the set number of reps in the minute, then decrease reps (e.g. If 30 mountain climbers is too many for you to complete in a minute, decrease reps to 20). 

You will perform each movement 4 times over the course of this 20 minute workout. Your goal should be to complete quality reps from start to finish. What this means: 

  • On your glute bridges, be sure not to arch your back - instead focus on keeping your core tight, pushing through your heels and squeezing your butt at the top of the movement (when your hips are in the air).

  • Mountain climbers are going to drive your heart rate up, so break your 30 reps into 2-3 sets if needed. Try to drive your knee all the way up to your elbow on every rep.

  • Get through your burpees as fast as possible and you should have a good chunk of time left in the minute to rest!

  • On your straight leg raises, do your best to keep your back flat on the ground as you lift your straight legs up off the ground. Bonus points if you keep your heels off the ground between reps! 

  • On your jump squats, try to get as high off the ground as possible each jump! Focus more on exploding up off the ground, than on how fast you can get the 10 reps done.

Day 1 Bustle's 7-Day Workout Challenge

Thanks for joining our 7 day workout challenge! We are so grateful to Crossfit Mudtown for partnering with us. The coaches at Crossfit Mudtown have worked with us to give you a FREE week of workouts that you can do at home. For our brides out there, these workouts are specifically designed with you and your wedding goals in mind, but they’re great for anyone on any fitness level! You won’t need any equipment for these workouts; just come as you are and get ready to feel great!

For video descriptions of each workout, click the hyperlinked text.

Day 1:

Warm-up:

4 rounds:

10 line hops (forward/back = one rep)

30 second wall sit

5 push ups *

30 seconds of air squats

* Modify the push ups as you plan to do in the workout (e.g. couch or knee push ups.)

Workout:

12 minutes, as many rounds as possible

21 air squats

15 sit ups

9 push ups

Description:

You will complete all reps of a movement before moving on to the next movement. In other words, you will do all 21 air squats, then all 15 sit ups, then all 9 push ups, before starting on your next round, which will begin with 21 air squats. Focus on pacing yourself during this 12 minute workout, so that you can keep moving the whole time with minimal rest. Give yourself rest as needed - it is better to take planned rest breaks than to get fatigued to the point you have to take a break.

We hope you are enjoying these workouts as much as we are! Don’t forget to enter our giveaway on Instagram.

Expert Tips for Postponing your Wedding

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Many of you with weddings coming up are now faced with having to postpone the festivities due to the coronavirus. We know how much thought and energy has gone into planning your wedding and we want to help.

Below we’ve listed some tips to help you get started and have included some links with more detailed information that we hope will be helpful.

Tips:   

 1.    Talk to your vendors about postponing your wedding and start with your venue. Many vendors may be willing to make exceptions in light of the circumstances.

2.    If you’ve already mailed invitations, call/text/email your friends and family right away letting them know the date is postponed. Then, if you wish, order just one (or a small batch) of invitations with the new information so you have a set for photos of and also for keepsake.  

3.    If you don’t have a wedding planner, consider hiring one to take the burden off.    

4.    Ask for help! Even though we’re keeping our distance from friends and family, there are still ways they can help. Have your loved ones call vendors to inquire about rescheduling their services.

5.    Postpone the wedding, not the marriage! It’s such a disappointment to have to delay getting married when you thought it would be sooner.  Have a private ceremony now, and celebrate later with friends and family!

Local paper designers, Dixie Design Collective have created some really lovely weekly planning notepads to help with structure and sanity. A little pretty goes a long way when working on a difficult project.

We would like to continue to be a resource for our brides and future brides in this time of uncertainty. Please, feel free to email with questions or ideas {hello@bustlegowns.com}.


Here are some resources for additional information:

Planning a Wedding at Home? Here Are a Few Things to Consider | The New York Times

How to Postpone Your Wedding Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic | The Knot

What to Know if You’re Planning a Wedding During the Coronavirus Pandemic | Brides.com

Venue Spotlight: 2713 Christopher Glenn

We got to visit a local venue spot, 2713 Christopher Glenn, located in Homewood, AL. This beautiful boutique venue has a lot to offer for its size, so we wanted to share all the details (and photos!) with you. It is the perfect space for small, intimate weddings, or even your rehearsal dinner!

The indoor space provides an open floor plan with a stage and includes Free WiFi, and an integrated sound system both indoors and outdoors. The prep room includes a refrigerator, warmer and work station. Apart from the beautiful indoor space, there is also a beautiful outdoor garden area that could be used for the ceremony or reception.

If you like what you see or you want to know more, head over to their website or contact Susan Zuber directly: 205-907-4222 or 2713christopherglenn@gmail.com.

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Business Spotlight: The Chic Next Door

It’s a new year and a new decade — welcome 2020! It’s the time of year for making resolutions, cleaning out and starting fresh! We thought we would start the year out by spotlighting a local Bham business (and former Bustle bride!) that could be very useful to many of you — especially in January.

We met with Emma Freeze at Nordstrom Rack to chat about her new business — The Chic Next Door. Emma’s business centers around something many people struggle with: their wardrobe! The Chic Next Door is a business that offers personal shopping, wardrobe styling, style coaching and closet organization services. Emma will even sell your unwanted clothing items online at Tradesy or Poshmark!

What we love about Emma’s business (and you will too) is that it’s customizable - she wants to meet your needs and your budget. You can book services by the hour or buy a package depending on your closet needs. Not sure what you might need? Email Emma for a FREE consultation . Emma is so much fun and has an excellent eye for style - you won’t regret getting in touch! Oh, did we mention she works with women and men (maybe your dad or hubby could use a little style advice)!

Whether you need just a little spruce in the closet, or a major wardrobe overhaul The Chic Next Door is the only place to start!

Bustle Bride: Jessica Leopard Johnson

Jessica and Brad got married on October 5th, 2019. Jessica initally met Brad because he was her brother’s roommate in college. Fifteen years later they reconnected and hit it off at Jessica’s brother’s wedding (Brad was the best man). After they wedding they started dating and began a long distance relationship. Three years after that they got married!

Jessica’s favorite part of their wedding day was the first look. “I never really dress up or wear makeup so I was really excited for him to see me dolled up!” she told us. “When he saw me the first thing he said was "WOW."  This made the day!”

We are so excited to share Mr. and Mrs. Johnson’s wedding with you. Take a look at their gorgeous wedding day photos!

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Wedding Photography: Photo by David A. Smith / DSmithImages Wedding Photography, Portraits, and Events

Hair & Makeup: Blogo Blow Dry Bar

Wedding Dress - Bustle 

Caterer: Southern Ale House

Soapy Jones (officiate and planner), Elizabeth Walston, Whitney Watson ( decorators, and coordinators)

Florist: Tracy Dollar

Sarah Pounds - Bridal shoot at the Historical Drish House in Tuscaloosa