Picture this - the love of your life dropped down on one knee and invited you into forever and you said YES! YOU ARE ENGAGED! This is one of the most exciting times in your life! Planning a wedding can be such a fun and exciting experience, but it can also be a bit stressful, overwhelming, and let’s be real - a little chaotic, especially for the bride-to-be. And if you’re a DIY, plan it yourself kinda gal like I was, it hits even harder! Your wedding day is a day you will remember forever, and you want it to be perfect. What bride doesn't?! To help you prepare for your big day, here are some tips to make sure everything runs smoothly.

Start Daydreaming Early

There is no shame in this game. The sooner you are able to start envisioning what your big day will look like, the easier it will be to start connecting that vision with things in real life. Some questions you might ask yourself at this phase would be:

• What vendors will help me achieve my dream wedding day? Photographer? Florist? Venue? Bridal Boutique?

• Who do I want standing by me on my big day? Do I even want a bridal party?

• Are we most interested in a big wedding or something more private?

Reach out to Vendors ASAP

When it comes to booking vendors, such as photographers, caterers, and DJs, it’s important to reach out and connect with them even if you are remotely interested in their services. Having experienced this on both sides, as a bride and as a wedding vendor, there is nothing worse than your dream vendor being unavailable. To avoid that, I advice reaching out anywhere from 10-18 months in advance.

Get Organized

Create a checklist and a timeline to keep track of everything you need to do leading up to your wedding day. If you’re DIY-ing this step without a planner, it can be A LOT to try and coordinate so take it slow and fill in the blanks over the course of wedding planning. Trust me when I say, your checklists and your timeline WILL piece themselves together. Things you might find on a checklist or timeline:

• Vendor Arrival Times and Contact Information

• What needs to be in what room at the venue

• Checklists of items for reception area (signage, candles, etc)

• Moodboards for your wedding day

Need help? I made a pretty amazing Canva template that might be able to help you! Shoot me an email if you want in 😉

Practice Your Hair and Makeup before Wedding Day

Schedule a hair and makeup trial with your stylist to make sure you’re happy with your look - I cannot stress the importance of this! I personally had 2 hair and makeup trials with 2 different stylists. Let me tell you, 0 regrets. Not only was I able to experiment with different styles, but I walked into my wedding day stress-free and confident that I was going to feel gorgeous walking down that aisle.

Take Care of Yourself - Physically and Mentally

Another huge part of going into your wedding day is making sure that you are feeling your absolute best. And this doesn’t mean a number on the scale. Make sure you’re resting, eating, and taking the time away from planning to reset. Again, wedding planning is a lot of things but most of all, it should be FUN to picture and plan what your dream day will look like. It’s easy to shut down because the noise of your family members, expectations on social media, or a fitness goal. Shut all that out, and focus on what YOU want on your big day and how you want to feel!

Hire a Professional

You know maybe you’re reading this and said “I am not a DIY girly. It couldn’t be me.” and that is a-okay! Hiring a professional wedding planner is a phenomenal investment. They can help you with everything that we’ve covered so far. I always always always recommend that even if a bride doesn’t choose to work with a planner from the very beginning, they work with a day-of-coordinator so that come wedding day, they get to sit back and soak up every ounce of goodness the day has to offer. Heads up, some venue require you to have a day-of-coordinator!

Enjoy The Process

Last but not least, and most importantly, remember to enjoy the process or planning and preparing for your wedding day. It’s easy to get caught up in the details and forget to enjoy the moment, but your wedding day is a special occasion that you will remember for the rest of your life. Planning should be a fun and memorable experience for you and your partner!

Preparing for your wedding day can be, without a doubt, a tough process, but with proper planning and an awesome team of vendors cheering you on (hehe, I would LOVE to be in your corner on your wedding day!), you can ensure that your day will be everything you’ve ever dreamed of!