Tips for the soon-to-be bride:
1. Don't lose sight of the reason that ring is on your finger. Wedding planning can get overwhelming and distract the bride from her true focus: marrying the man that she loves. It isn't about colors, attire, invitations, decorations, or making everyone happy. Yes, it would be great if all of those things combine perfectly without a hitch, but really, the day is about making memories and starting your new life as a married woman. It is easy to get tangled in all the hustle and bustle of decision making and deadlines, so take a moment to breathe and relish in the excitement of what all of this dedicated planning is really for. The day is for you and your future husband to enjoy and embrace your new journey together; the rest is just details.
2. Organization helps squash stress. Being organized will help things go much more smoothly throughout the planning process. Invest in a binder or wedding planning book- these can be purchased online or in stores, and some even come with fun facts and tips, divider tabs for different aspects of the wedding planning, budget sheets, checklists, and extra pages to take notes. Keeping some sort of organization/filing system will make it easy to collect and store brochures, packets, contracts and receipts, and anything else you might need to stick in there. Even when browsing through magazines, if you see something that sparks your interest, tear it out and put it in your binder for easy reference later on. You will find that keeping track of everything will be much easier if stored in one place.
3. Choose your wedding party wisely. The more is not always merrier. The trend these days seems to be extra-large wedding parties, with 10 or more attendants on each side. Consider those who have been true friends all along, that you know have stuck by your side when you needed them, and will continue to do so in the future, post-wedding. The average person will have only two or three "true" friends at one time. How many times have you seen or been in a wedding party where you've never really seen or heard of one of the attendants, and then never really see them again afterwards? So, maybe they were BFFs throughout grade school, but once college came along, they sort of lost touch. A general invite seems more than generous when considering whether or not to include them on your special day. On another note, consider the cost of having more attendants. Everything goes up in price, including bouquets and boutonnieres, attendant gifts, and even possibly a larger limo to accomodate everyone. Group pictures sort of become a big blur when trying to fit in 20+ people. Those who you can always count on are the ones that should be standing by your side on your wedding day, and don't worry about hurting anyone's feelings: it's your day, not theirs.
4. Do your homework. Do as much research as possible about different vendors, pricing, accommodations, etc. Read up on reviews and feedback from different companies and find out who is BBB accredited. Ask your friends who are married about their experiences, check ratings in sources such as the knot, view portfolios and samples, and take good notes. When you interview a vendor, be prepared with a list of questions to ask so you have all the information you need in black and white. It will help you make decisions later. You may view a venue or speak with a venue that you REALLY like right off the bat. I encourage you to continue checking around before you make your decision- most companies will hold your date for at least a few days until you make your decision. Even if you view more and decide that the original was still the best, at least you know you are making the right decision. Being thorough and over-prepared is definitely a good trait to have/learn when planning a wedding because it will help your decision making easier, and will put your mind at ease when you are confident that you made the best decision.
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