Wedding planning is overwhelming. I’m not going to sugar coat it. There is a lot that goes into this major life event. Well, some people…some brides….some parents….can make the planning more complicated than it has to be. The truth is that planning doesn’t have to be nor needs to be overwhelming. Keep it to the basics, remember the reason for the day, and enjoy this time! In order to help you do those things, I (with a little help from Huffington Post) have dubbed 5 “essentials” that can be taken OFF your wedding planning check list!
1. Choose your wedding theme. You don’t have to have a theme for your wedding. This is a big wedding miff. I am actually bad about asking bride’s about a “theme,” but by theme I really mean how do you want your wedding to feel…not look. Don’t think that you have to have an exact color palette or pinpoint a theme for your wedding. Example: Down South Rustic, Shabby Chic with turquoise, ivory, coral with hints of burlap. Take this OFF your check list…this is something that will develop during the planning!
2. Browse through bridal magazines for “gown-piration.” Newsflash, those are 9 ft. tall models in those triple 0 tailored designer wedding gowns in the magazine. You could end up hating the gown you fall in love with in a magazine. Helpful hint: don’t look at those bridal magazines for a wedding gown. You know your body and you know if you look the best in an A-line, sweetheart, or flowy dress…that won’t change when you are looking for a wedding gown…in real life! Be open minded, and ladies, DON’T be hard on yourself or your body. You are beautiful, and the dress will only accentuate that.
3. Change your routine. This is broad and covers but is not limited to these areas: beauty, diet, exercise. Hear me out. You are about to embark on a long wedding planning journey. This journey will be exciting and stressful. This is the WRONG time to decide to lose 30 pounds, turn orange from a spray tan, or eat your feelings from the stress of planning. The wedding and the planning are only life changing, so don’t let this time become life altering.
4. Research travel for out of town guests. It’s 2014, and the internet is awesome and helpful. Unless you are planning a destination wedding in Timbuktu, then you don’t have to research accommodations for all of your guests. If you want to help with accommodations, provide a list of 2 or 3 of the local hotels and let them make their travel arrangements from there. Don’t add this to your list…hell, you are throwing them an amazing party and feeding them cake.
5. Buy gifts for each other. I am not saying not to do this. I am simply saying consider all of the gifts that you have already given each other: the wedding, engagement ring, your wedding bands, and a honeymoon. Those are amazing gifts. You nor your fiancé should feel pressured to buy an extra gift for the wedding day. Instead of gifts, you make it simple by writing a letter to each other the night before the wedding. That would mean more than anything bought with money. In the big scheme of life, you are gifts to each other.
One more E-card for our enjoyment.