First, the excitement of the engagement ring. Then, a bride’s mind turns to planning. Caterers, photographers and, of course, how she’ll look in the dress.

Even the most trim, toned, self-confident woman has something about her body she doesn’t like, and with the deadline of the wedding looming, there is both pressure and opportunity to make changes for most brides-to-be.

We talked to experts on bridal fitness and appearance, and here is their best advice:

Q: I want to lose some weight before my wedding. Is this normal, or are most brides in shape when they get engaged?

A: You’re very, very normal, said Christa Hannold, owner of Christa’s Dress Shoppe in Twin Falls. Three out of four brides tell her consultants that they want to lose pounds before the wedding. However, she strongly suggests that a bride order her gown in the size she is when she chooses the dress, rather than assuming she will get slimmer in time.

“It’s a four-month process to order the dress, and many of them say, ‘I’m going to lose the weight,’ and then they don’t,” Hannold said, noting that only a quarter of those who say they want to slim down actually do. “It’s probably one of the hardest times in your life to lose weight, because there’s so much going on and you’re so nervous.”

Hannold also noted that 95 percent of dresses have to be altered anyway, and it’s easier to take in an inch from a larger dress than to let out a too-small one.

Q: But I’m determined. What can I do to buck that trend?

A: Hannold said she has seen the best success with women who opt for a structured program, whether it’s Jenny Craig or a personal trainer.

Nikki Kober, owner and trainer at BodyIQ in Twin Falls, has worked with many brides to help them get ready for their big day.

“What’s hard for a lot of ladies is to get the motivation, and being a bride is a great motivation. They have that deadline,” she said. “They want everything to be perfect.”

Kober said it’s important to have professional advice as you try to slim down and tone up, because it is easy to overdo it.

“Don’t work out too hard or too long or do the exercises wrong, because you can injure yourself,” Kober said. “You need to keep eating, have a wellness coach or a trainer help you with meal plans for your body type.”

Q: Oh no! I was going to work out regularly, but I got so busy, and now there are just three months before the wedding!

A: There still is time to tone up, Kober said. “The (brides) that are on a shorter time schedule, they get either more workout sessions during a week or a more intensified workout when they’re in here,” she said.

At Marod Medical Spa in Twin Falls, spa manager Trish Larson said her counselors often work with women to develop fitness plans well before their weddings, but many of their clients come in during the last few months before the event.

“If time is more of the essence, we’ll do the SmartLipo body sculpting,” Larson said. “Most of them come in and want that, because it doesn’t cost as much as you would think it would, and it’s instant gratification. We’re the microwave generation, we want it now.”

Of course, surgical procedures are fairly extreme, and not for everyone, and Larson said all the spa’s clients receive counseling to help them see themselves for the features they like and are proud of.

“Everybody has body dysmorphic disorder to some degree,” she said. “If somebody’s really down on themselves I can take away their tummy (bulge) and they still won’t like who they are.”

Q: But I’m happy the size I am, I just want to look my best. What are my options?

A: Hannold said some brides she sells to have this attitude, “which is refreshing and nice. I think they’re more beautiful when they accept who they are,” she said. “Some in the 14-16 (size range), even in the 20s, are more confident than those who are littler.”

She has dresses that are designed to create long, lean lines on any size bride, and she suggests strategic use of ruching to move the eye across the body in the most flattering way.

Hannold also advised ignoring the tag inside the dress, because wedding dress designers size things differently than designers of street clothes.

At Marod, the liposuction can quickly eliminate small bulges in areas like the tummy and thighs.

And Kober noted that, depending on what style dress is chosen, she can recommend exercises to firm up the body parts that are most revealed.

“If you have a dress that doesn’t have sleeves, you want toned arms,” she said.

Of course, the easiest way to be pleased with how you look is to accept yourself the way you are, at least for today. After all, when you’re walking down the aisle, none of the guests will be criticizing your thighs — they’ll just be excited to see how happy you are.

Ariel Hansen may be reached at ahansen@magicvalley.com or 788-3475.