Inspiration Nation: Prepare to Be Obsessed with Tone It Up Co-Founder Karena’s E-Sesh

Katrina and Karena, the beauty, brains, brawn and best friends behind Tone It Up have given us major #FitnessGoals since they launched their fitness empire. And now, Karena and fiancé Bobby’s engagement session (captured by one of our favorites, Jana Williams) and love story, is giving us major #RelationshipGoals. Head to The Vault to see why.

Tell us about the proposal.

B: Karena knew that an engagement was coming, but I still wanted to make sure she was completely surprised. The girls had their annual retreat approaching, in California, with 400 other Tone it Up girls. My friend Dave was in town a few months prior and the idea came up on a walk. I actually think the overly used phrase “epic” may have been said. Whether or not it was “epic,” I couldn’t tell you. I was too busy being nervous and watching my armpits.

K: We had been talking about getting engaged for about a year, so I knew it was coming. I’m a tough one to surprise and Bobby definitely caught me off guard! We were hosting our annual Tone It Up Retreat in Newport Beach with 400 of our Tone It Up community members (all women!) when Bobby got on stage in front of everyone and got down on one knee.

How did you know when you had found the one?

B: It is everything. The friendship, the laughter, the belief in each other, the passion to keep learning, and even how we handle adversity together.

K: I don’t think it was just one moment when I was like ‘WOW….I found the one!’. It was a combination of different moments that led up to it. From the start Bobby has always been very thoughtful in everything he does. For example, I had mentioned to him that I never went to prom, so for our fist Valentine’s Day together he took me! You can see the story here. I literally fell to the ground and was weak in the knees!

Tell us about your first date.

B: Our first date was to go see an interactive art/music installation by the band ‘The xx’, at the Sonos Studio. We anticipated the exhibit for a couple weeks and finally the day was here. As we approached the Sonos Lab, we quickly realized that we were a week too late. However, there was a nice wine bar up the street and that eased our disappointment :)

K: Since we were neighbors, a lot of our first dates were spent at home hanging out having dinner and talking late in to the night or watching a movie. Once we realized that we were more than just ‘friendly neighbors’, we decided to go on an official date! We had planned to go to an art and music interactive event featuring the XX at Sonos Studio in Hollywood. We were all hyped up on going and once we got there unfortunately it was closed. On the fly, we ended up having dinner down the street at Fig & Olive, which ended up being amazing!

Karena, What was your vision for your wedding?

K: When we started dating we took our first vacation together to Kauai. It was on that trip that we sat on the beach looking at Hanalei Bay and said, ‘If this all works out…we should get married here.’ It was a day dream at that time, but fast forward 3 and a half years and it’s that same beach where we will be saying our upcoming vows!

Bobby, how have you been involved in the wedding planning process?

B: We both talked about our overall wedding vision, but Karena has been working out most of the details. I’m on the email chains as well, but I’m mostly lurking without hitting reply. Thank you, Karena!

What were your biggest priorities for the wedding?

B: The location for sure. Kauai is a special place for us as a couple and we have been excited to share the island with our family. We also wanted the wedding to feel relaxed and focus on the beauty of the location. Our decor is minimal and uses white orchids to add to the beauty, but not steal attention from the beautiful view of Hanalei Bay.

K: Our #1 priority for the wedding was to make it feel like a big friends and family vacation. The Hawaiian Islands have always held a special place in my heart and I’ve always wanted to bring my family there. This is the perfect reason!

How will the wedding be a reflection of you as a couple?

B: Nature, simplicity and music. A great view, no stress and some good tunes. Oh yeah, and some cocktails. As McConaughey would say, “Alright, alright, alright.”

K: We wanted the wedding to be simple, modern and clean. For us, it’s important that the beauty of the island is the backdrop. To enhance that beauty we mixed in white orchids, hanging garlands from the trees and cylinders with submerged greenery. The reception will go just past sunset so we have lanterns and tiki torches for lighting.

Bobby, What has been the biggest surprise of wedding planning?

B: Even with a no frills, destination wedding, there are a lot of extra details. If we were having a local wedding at a venue, I could not emphasize the importance of hiring a wedding planner. I’m definitely one for saving, but the professional opinion and organization of a wedding planner will always save, if not money, definitely stress.

Karena, obviously, you’re already in shape, but have you changed your diet/exercise since getting engaged? If so, how and why?

K: The wedding is just under a month away and feeling my best on my wedding day is a top priority. Life and work aren’t slowing down, so I have to give myself permission to take extra good care of my body – meaning, squeezing in an extra hot yoga class or even a lunch time run. I also started following the 4 Week Wedding Program from the Tone It Up Nutrition Plan. Each meal is laid out, super easy. It makes it very simple to fuel my body with the right foods so I can be confident I’ll feel amazing in my dress.

Any advice for the newly engaged lady looking to Tone It Up?

K: Katrina and I put together the perfect guide for any #TIUbride! The Tone It Up Wedding Program has all the tips you need for getting ready for your wedding from planning, throwing a bridal shower, tips for the bridesmaids and how to make sure you’re glowing on the big day!

What are you most looking forward to on the big day?

B: I can’t wait to look into Karena’s eyes and say my vows. Even right now, just saying that made me a bit emotional.

K: Marrying Bobby :)

What about newlywed life are you most looking forward to?

B: Most importantly the continuation of our journey and being grateful for all our time together.

K: I’m looking forward to continuing to build our life together! There’s so much more to learn and explore and it’s comforting to know that you’ve found your ‘one’ to share it with.

Tell us about the honeymoon!

B: Since we are already on Hawaii, we aren’t leaving! After the wedding we are flying to Maui and having the “active” portion of our trip. From Maui, we are taking a boat to Lanai for the “Mai Tai” portion of the Honeymoon. I can’t wait.

K: We wanted to continue the Hawaiian vibes after the wedding so we decided to do a little island hopping. We’ll be on Kauai for a week for the wedding and then we’re headed to Maui and Lanai for the honeymoon. We’re looking forward to a mix of adventure and relaxation!