Nobody wants to look ugly at their wedding. Obviously those 'Wedding Pictures' are the trophies of life. And you want to look purrfect! No surprizes then that for most of us, weddings are the perfect trigger for wanting to get into shape.

Ideally, the right time to begin is about six months before the wedding. In this time frame, you can literally look like an entirely different person. It can be a complete transformation. But what if your wedding is sooner? Not to worry. You can do wonders even with a three-month regime. Even a month and a half is enough to show results... You just have to realize that you're not going to lose more than a couple of kgs. But you can strengthen and tone some key muscles so that even if you don't lose a significant amount of weight, you will stand taller, you'll have more energy and feel better, and your clothes will definitely fit and look better.

Make time for fitness: Many people attempt to lose weight by diet alone, but exercise really is key. There's no way around it — no quick fix or magic pill. Not only does it help you shed the weight, it also reduces stress, boosts your mood and helps you sleep.

Not only can it help you burn fat, sweating will improve blood flow, remove toxins from the body and help you to better at night -- all factors that will lead to that glow being captured in the photos that will last a lifetime.

Research shows that stress and lack of sleep contribute to weight gain.

The biggest mistakes brides and grooms make is overtraining, trying to do too much, too soon, and continuing to do too much too close to the wedding day. Bumping up your activity levels the week before your wedding isn't going to make that much difference and you could get injured.

Don't try to lose more than half a kilo a week. So, if it's a six-week count down, don't look for more than a 3 kg loss.

See your body through her eyes. Ask your fiancee to identify your most displeasing physical characteristic. It's instant motivation. If she's hesitant, make a list for her - abs, love handles, upper arms etc... and have her rank them from best to worst. Make the most-hated body part your workout focus for four weeks then repeat the quiz for more motivation.

Fix what you don't like: You can't change your basic body type -- you are who you are. So shop for the dress that looks good on you the way you look before you start your workout program, and then enhance that look with the workouts.

Once you have your wedding dress, put it on, stand in front of a full-length mirror, and look at the parts that will be exposed. As you do not have that much time, you can concentrate on the areas that will be seen first.

So if you have a sleeveless dress, do the upper-body workouts first - Work the shoulder, biceps, and triceps. For most women, it actually is the upper arms, upper back, and shoulders that command the most immediate attention, with most concerned about getting rid of the "bye bye wave.

For a backless dress, concentrate on the core and back muscles.

Don't skip meals, focus on what you eat: keep a food diary for two weeks (be honest!) and you'll soon see where your weak points are. Don't starve yourself in the weeks before the wedding. Not only is it not healthy, but it can also affect the way you will look on the wedding day, including your skin and your hair.

With guests coming frequently, with people to visit and places to go, it is easy to gorge on everything that is offered to you. This is the time to work that will power. Avoid fried food, sweets, caffeine and colas. This is also a good time to cut down on alcohol and cigarettes. All this is bad for your skin.

Instead eat lots of fruits and veggies and drink tons of water. This is the time to eat healthy, not starve to a size zero frame. You need loads of energy before, during and after your wedding.