"Enjoy every moment!" they said. "It will be perfect!"
HA! Yeah right… Those people have clearly never been behind the scenes of a wedding.
Look, we'd be lying if we told you that your wedding day will be anything less than a bustling blur . But after preparing, attending, and participating in countless weddings over the years, we've boiled it all down to the seven most important things you can do to keep your sanity and make your special day actually feel special:
1. Do whatever you need to do to walk into your ceremony happy and carefree.
Every bride on Earth is nervous the day of her wedding. So spend some time centering yourself.
Maybe that means yoga or meditation before getting dressed. Maybe that means calling your partner. (Tradition be damned!) Maybe that means doing some set up yourself so you know everything is in order… Or maybe that just means a mimosa or two with the girls.
As long as you begin this day with a clear mind and an honest smile, it really will be perfect.
2. Go with the flow.
With that said, accept the fact that something will go “wrong” on your wedding day. But remember, wrong to you is simply "not as planned"—you are most likely the only person who will notice the error. Keep on keeping on. Whatever happens is just part of your love story. And you'll laugh about it later.
3. Eat the food.
You (over)paid for that glorious spread. Take advantage of it! Put pictures on hold, talk to people after, refuse a kiss or two from your partner—whatever you need to do to get more than two bites of that $75 piece of chicken. And if the venue offers to pack up leftovers, TAKE THEM.
4. Take mental pictures.
There are many cues in love and life we could take from Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly (from The Office). Not everyone will get engaged in a gas station parking lot or have the foresight to book a quickie wedding on a tour boat to escape their crazy coworkers... But we all can follow Pam's simple advice: Take a mental picture to freeze frame a special moment.
5. Snap some selfies.
When mental pictures won't do, snap some selfies. We're big proponents of putting the cell phone down and just enjoying the moment. But no one else will capture life from your point of view. It's really fun to flip through photos before going to sleep that night and laugh about pictures you had already forgotten.
6. Spend quality time with your wedding party.
Weddings aren't a breeze for groomsmen or bridesmaids either. They've put their lives on hold and paid a pretty penny to stand by your side. The best of the best will have also helped plan, pack, and maybe even lug boxes around for you. They deserve some love and attention today as well. Toast them at the bar, take some pictures, dance like fools. Anything to show them how much you appreciate them.
And speaking of appreciation...
7. Focus on your partner.
Once the reception starts, it's easy to get swept up in the chaos and pulled in different directions. All the activity can honestly make you feel a little intoxicated and not think as clearly as you normally would. So talk in advance about your expectations for the day...
- Do you want to split up when greeting guests to cover more ground? Are you OK with running off to dance with your different friends? Or do you want to spend most of the day together?
- If you do drift apart, have a plan for meeting back up again to dance or get a drink or escape for a quick walk together.
Remember that the most important person at that wedding is your new spouse. Focus on each other, and cherish those memories you make together.
After all, you only get this day once (hopefully).
Fawn believes in the power of a well-crafted story, the promise of an adventurous future, and the perfection of a Nutella-covered strawberry.
Photo by Edward Cisneros on Unsplash