Oh, we don’t mean us. We mean our brides—the ladies who have walked through fire and lived to tell the tale! We jest.
After Rose officially became a bride, it dawned on us that putting together a wedding was a really, really stressful endeavor. Between negotiating official paperwork, ballooning budgets, and compromising on décor and first dance songs… it’s kind of shocking that brides still manage to keep their wits about them.
So, to help you cope with any impending nuptials, and just so you know you aren’t losing your mind, we’ve asked our brides to share some of their tips for keeping your marbles together. We’ve left comments as we received them and kept them anonymous so our lovely ladies could give you the skinny without being put on the spot.
Getting, and Managing, Everyone Involved
“There are always so many people involved in planning a wedding; this is both good and bad. The good part is everyone wants to help make it a happy and stress-free day for you, so let them: delegate when you can, ask for help and don't sweat the small stuff. The tricky part is managing all the opinions thrown in your direction—this can get very overwhelming fast, but don't let it be. It's okay to consider some opinions and dismiss others, at the end of the day, do what you believe is best for you.”
"What really made our wedding special to us, and to our guests too, was how much it felt like us! We wanted a warm, personal day filled with the things we love, and elements of our family and culture. Your personal touches are what make the wedding, so don't let anyone dictate how it should go, or do something just because that's the way it's usually done."
“You can't do everything alone. Learn to delegate, because even with a planner (and I had 2!) there was STILL a boat load to do. Task folks with the little things that you know are their forte. For example, one of my bridesmaids helped me out with my music selection, another was my therapist, and another was in charge of all things related to dress and shoes. Did I mention I had 8 bridesmaids? It truly takes a village!”
“Trust the people you chose to work with and communicate with them during the creative process. Listen to everyone but know what you really want and can't do without. Collaborations are everything! Have a clear vision, do your research and have your own visual mood board, you might go in a different direction but it's great to have a good starting point for everyone to know what resonates most with you.”
The Art of Compromise
“Try to make sure everyone goes into it happy! Be it family members, friends, planners, or vendors. It's a day that celebrates love and that goes for everyone!”
“Different elements of the wedding will be more important to you and your groom so try to understand why something's important to each of you, meet in the middle and come to an agreement. Don't fight it out over something that will not be important in the long run. You just need to let some things go! You don't really NEED those napkins anyway…”