When a gal gets engaged, visions of wedding plans often swirl through her head. The cake. The caterer. The dress. And something that probably won’t fit on the registry: a personal trainer.
Lucky for Dallas brides (and grooms!), Bells and Barbells has become a prenuptial staple in the two years since fitness goal guru Katherine Bahlburg opened her concept. Her mission: helping couples look their best as they walk down the aisle.
“On average we have 100 to 120 private training sessions in a week,” Bahlburg says. “Making sure that clients have a customized and personalized experience with us is our top priority, so we want to make sure we don’t have too many at one time.”

Once Bahlburg meets the betrothed couple, the goal-crushing begins, and it’s not just a cookie-cutter fitness model. Each couple, or individual, is handed a detailed, highly personalized plan for he or she to follow.
“Our fitness program contains a little bit of everything and is personalized to each bride or groom based on fitness goals, nutrition goals, wedding dress style, and engagement timeline,” Bahlburg says. “We also have seven dedicated personal trainers specializing in various aspects of fitness, from rehabbing injuries and barbell movements to yoga and dance.”
Newlywed Bells and Barbells client Kinsey Naylor came to the studio in January and whittled her dress size down seven inches, losing 20 pounds. Her nuptials were in late April, but she continues to train with Bahlburg three times a week to stay in shape for a European honeymoon later this month.
Many other individuals, similar to Naylor, continue to train with Bahlburg’s team post-wedding to harness all the momentum created along the fitness journey. She even created a group called the Fit Wives Club and matches individuals with other newlyweds for accountability.
Clients even have the option of bringing a member of the wedding party once a month for a partner-training session. Bahlburg also offers training sessions for clients’ bachelor or bachelorette parties.