2. Don’t rush your engagement – take your time planning.
3. That being said, it is NEVER too early to start planning!
4. OCD and anal retentiveness (especially to details) pays off, but...
5. Don't be afraid to ask for help!
6. Much like your husband/wife, choose your wedding party carefully!!!
7. Even if you follow #6 to the best of your ability, be prepared for a rogue groomsman or a space-shot bridesmaid…
8. Assume that, inevitably, something will go wrong.
9. Be able to laugh at yourself.
10. REMAIN CALM - there are some things that you just can't foresee/control.
11. Remember that, regardless of what happens or doesn't happen, at the end of the day you will be married and that is what really matters.
12. Be frugal where you can, but spend $ on things that are worth it (photographer, honeymoon, hotels, etc.).
13. HAVE FUN!!!
14. If you are getting married in the Atlanta area (or are willing to hire an AMAZING photographer and fly him to you), hire this guy.
15. Communication with everyone – wedding party, wedding planner, vendors, etc. - is PARAMOUNT!
16. Be concise in your decisions and stick by them.
17. Compromise is key, but have some sticking points you are not willing to budge on.
18. BREATHE.
19. If you have a relative who you know to get a bit over the top, out of control, or generally obnoxious, warn everyone…
20. And when you think you have warned them enough…warn them again because, really, you can’t stress this enough…
21. And when said relative (for instance your aunt who, hypothetically of course, happens to be a cougar), hits on every living and breathing thing with a penis who gets within 10 feet of her, you can say, “I told you so”.
22. Wedding dress shopping is one of the most fun, stressful, aggravating and amazing experiences you will ever go through – enjoy every minute of it!
23. On the same note, take someone with you who you trust to be brutally honest with you.
24. Try your best to choose bridesmaid dresses that are flattering to all figures.
25. Try your best to choose bridesmaid dresses that they can wear again.
26. Keep weather, temperatures, and wind in mind when making decisions as to dates and times of ceremonies and receptions.
27. Be gracious.
28. At your reception spend as much time as you feel necessary schmoozing with your guests – they have traveled near and far to share in your joy…
29. And, if possible, try to spend a bit of extra time with your out-of-town guests.
30. EAT AT YOUR WEDDING!!! A good site will base the meal off of you anyway, but in the event that they don’t keep in mind that no one likes a bride or groom who passes out…
31. DRINK PLENTY OF H2O – see above for reason.
32. Take a moment to yourself to look around the day of – the day will fly by and become a blur.
33. Make a game plan/checklist/calendar of everything you need to do – it is the easiest way to make sure you don’t forget anything.
34. Have your wedding near a Macy’s – they have everything in stock that someone in the wedding party may forget…especially brown shoes and brown belts when a groomsman brings black.
35. Don’t share everything with everyone – surprises are good.
36. If a small detail doesn’t go as planned or is overlooked don’t fret – you’re probably the only one who knows it’s wrong/forgotten.
37. Don’t worry about taking your own photos – EVERYONE else will be taking them and send you copies/links.
38. SLEEP THE NIGHT BEFORE!!!
39. Have someone tape the ceremony/speeches (if you didn’t hire a videographer) – you will want this for yourself.
40. Understand one thing: YOU CANNOT CONTROL THE WEATHER!!!
41. Use key rings instead of real rings in the ring bearer’s pillow.
42. If your flower girl/ring bearer is under the age of 6 expect anything – we got lucky in that both of ours rocked (save for the ring bearer taking a slight detour down the aisle – but no crying, screaming, breaking down, etc.).
43. Something homemade adds a touch of character – as long as it doesn’t look cheap.
44. I do not know a single couple who consummated their marriage on their wedding night – every movie/TV show is a total cliché as you will be so ridiculously tired that the mere thought of making sweet sweet love will cause you to pass out (I personally fell asleep with the TV remote in hand watching the news)…and if I do know you and you are reading this and you did consummate your marriage the first night, I don’t want to know.
45. Which brings me to my next lesson learned – you will be totally out of touch with what is going on in the world for at least 3 days.
46. Being superstitious is ok – just don’t be neurotic about it.
47. You are going to have hundreds, if not thousands, of photos taken of you – don’t worry about the ones that are not flattering of you…
48. When choosing your meal(s) for dinner keep in mind that while this is your wedding and you should get dishes you enjoy, everyone has to eat them.
49. Getting drunk the night before the wedding is not recommended…
50. A night cap is.
51. COMFORTABLE SHOES ARE KEY!!! I wore flip-flops.
52. Having a friend do your makeup will save you a bundle of $$$...and it’s a bonus when she’s FANTASTIC at it.
53. If you can find someone willing to come to you to do your hair – take them up on the offer – its better then trying to get everyone to a salon where you will have that many more distractions.
54. Pack yourself an ‘emergency kit’ which you can keep on you (include the following: band-aids, Tylenol, Advil, breath mints, etc.).
55. Schedule post-wedding massages – you will need them!!!
56. You don’t have to do every tradition out there (there are literally hundreds), but it is nice to incorporate a few…
57. Especially the ‘Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue’ (which for me were: my grandmother’s pearls incorporated in the stems of my bouquet, my dress and the pearls I wore were new, I borrowed a dollar from my sister which I still have…so as of right now it is my ‘something stolen’, and my something blue was my garter belt…which a 21 year old kid who I used to coach caught…which is creepy).
58. As an addendum to #57, be creative and start a new tradition that you can pass along to your children and grandchildren.
59. When your mother says, “Well now that you’re married, you can start to give me grandchildren” glare at her…glare at her a lot…
60. Take a few moments after the ceremony to spend with your new husband/wife to catch your breath before the mayhem begins.
61. Be prepared for your cheeks to hurt from smiling – but you still won’t be able to stop.
62. Be willing to drop a bit of $ on a nice bottle of champagne to have for your toasts.
63. Two words that will be your undoing, but appreciated by all: OPEN BAR.
64. Be prompt in writing ‘Thank you’ notes.
65. If doing a chair dance, keep the following in mind:
• ceiling heights
• heights of the bride & groom
• heights and strength of the people hoisting you and holding you up
• chandeliers
66. BE ON TIME!!!
67. If you are getting ready on-site, pop out of the bridal suite once and a while to see how preparations are going – its fun to watch the progress.
68. Design your own cake.
69. Candy bars (as in a spread of candy, not a single bar of one kind of candy) are a great way to satiate everyone’s palate for treats.
70. Pick tasty hors d’oeuvres.
71. Make sure you have reserved seating for grandparents, close relatives, and close friends at the front of the ceremony.
72. Although it was easy for us, the seating chart can become the bane of your existence.
73. Excel spreadsheets (or Access if you can handle it) are the best way to keep a log of address, RSVP, gifts received, etc.
74. Go tanning – no one wants to be the same color as their dress.
75. On the same note, don't try to change your ethnicity for the 'Big Day' - you still want to look like you.
76. Be thoughtful in your thank you gifts and cards to your attendants and parents.
77. Read about other wedding day disasters – no matter what may have gone wrong at yours, they probably can’t hold a light to others…
78. When going in for your last fitting, see if the bridal shop is able to add a stain-retardant spray to your dress just in case…
79. If you do spill anything (and God forbid its red wine), make sure you have this stuff handy!!!
80. Taking dance lessons is great, but you can also learn pretty much anything and everything on YouTube…
81. Don’t be afraid to let loose on the dance floor – you will have worked long and hard and should enjoy every moment…
82. I found doing the chicken wing expressed how I was feeling at the time.
83. Have a few days between the wedding and the honeymoon – this will cut back on rushing to do everything and allow you to spend a bit more time with friends and family before you leave.
84. DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, HAVE A THEME WEDDING!!!
85. Welcome bags for out-of-town guests are a wonderfully thoughtful touch.
86. Pack everything that you are going to be taking with you to your wedding a few days in advance – this will avoid rushing around and potentially forgetting anything.
87. When packing for the wedding (other than your gown and the tux/suit) – pack pajamas – all you will want to do post-wedding is sleep…
88. …and eat – so pack some ‘fat pants’ too.
89. Although I was lucky and didn’t have this problem, don’t let others thoughts or opinions cloud your judgment on the ‘Big Day’…you will most likely be stressed enough as it is…
90. Keep up a good front of being calm, cool, and collected – I was all three for the most part all day and the small moments of stress weren’t so bad since I was already relaxed.
91. Find out if any bets are being placed as to who, if anyone, is going to cry first…get in on the bet and throw it in your favor.
92. Speaking of which, make sure the Best Man and/or Maid-of-Honor have tissues handy for the waterworks…
93. Make sure you spend some time with you significant other at the wedding – you’d be surprised how easy it is for the two of you to get separated when schmoozing.
94. Take into consideration those people who tell you to just elope to Vegas…they may be on to something…
95. Make sure you immediately deposit all checks and cash you receive - it’s easy to lose them in the melee...
96. Go to the bathroom before you put on your gown!!!
97. If any of the wedding party is getting ready off-site, make sure that they take at least two to three cars in the event one breaks down.
98. When hiring a DJ, make sure that they have an array of music for all ages and tastes.
99. Don’t forget to have the marriage license signed...speaking from personal experience here...
100. Don’t forget to spell everything correctly on the license...also from personal experience.
101. Forget all of this advice and just hire me as your wedding planner…
