Did you know there’s things nobody seems to mention when you plan your wedding? Here’s the thing, creating your perfect day is downright INSANITY (although worth it!) … this is why you choose the wedding party filled with people who could be considered your ultimate sidekicks during the planning process.

1. Your friends don’t have to be in your wedding party
First of all, let’s be real. You’re probably going to be asked to be in friend’s wedding parties over the years, it doesn’t mean you need to put them in yours. That goes the opposite as well. Just because you weren’t asked to be in someone else’s doesn’t mean they don’t need to be in yours. It’s a friendship, not a life or death situation. You’ll still be friends/family at the end of the day and a wedding isn’t going to change that. Pick the people who have meant something special and touched your life. Choose people who will do anything to make sure you wedding day goes smoothly. Not to mention someone who is happy to help you plan but most importantly knows how to HAVE FUN!

2. It’s all about YOU, not your mom, not your sister, not your bridesmaids and not your soon to be in-laws. It’s about YOU.
There’s going to be a ton of unsolicited advice you receive during the planning process, whether it’s wanted or not. While some is helpful, a ton of it isn’t. Take what you hear with a grain of salt. Implement things that may be important to you but don’t be scared to veto the things that you aren’t interested in. You can’t make everyone happy and realistically, you don’t want too. Imagine what your wedding would look like with all of that advice? You would have a bright pink puffy sleeved bridesmaid dress option with yellow hydrangeas and purple roses, in a black and white tie event held in a country rustic-chic barn. With your 20 person wedding party by your side because you “just couldn’t choose”. Sounds like a nightmare if you ask me!

3. It’s a long day… like a really long day. 
Be prepared to stay hydrated throughout the day! You’re going to get up early in the morning, pull those cuticles, shave those legs, wash that face and shower up all before 9am. That’s just if you’re planning an evening wedding. Not to mention the hours of hair and make-up, making sure all the last minute details are taken care of and getting that beautiful dress that took you months to find, finally on for the last time. If you’re lucky, you’ll have a little down time before the ceremony starts to relax and reflect with your girls and before you know it- it’s go time! By the time your ceremony and reception are in the past and you dance out with your new husband during your grand exit- you’re wiped out. And THAT’S OK! Enjoy the day with your friends and family as you rejoice in the love you’ve created and the two families you’ve brought together.

4. Something WILL go wrong, but it’s not going to take the pep out of your step!
Remember that fabulous wedding party we talked about? This is where they come in! Your wedding party is so much more then friends and family the day of your wedding, they’re super heroes. It’s incredible the lengths they go to in order to be sure your day goes smoothly and you don’t have to worry about it. While your wedding only happens once and it’s incredibly important you have the beautiful wedding you’ve always imagined- prepare yourself to know that no matter what happens, at the end of the day, something will likely go wrong and … your life WILL go on! You got married to be with the person you love for the rest of your life and the little things are NO BIG DEAL! Everything is going to work out perfectly!

5. You don’t HAVE to have something new, something used, something borrowed and something blue
While it’s fun to keep the tradition living on- don’t stress! It’s not a life necessity and while these things are meant to bring you “prosperity, good fortune and luck”… we’re pretty sure you keeping to your vows and fighting for your marriage will do the trick. Like we said before, don’t sweat the small stuff!

6. Don’t forget to ask your fiancé what’s important to him
You’ll be SO surprised by his answer. We have heard people’s soon to be Mr come up with some of the most romantic ideas for a wedding. Including a voice-over in the first dance, saying personal vows instead of the normal “to have and to hold”, creating sweet ideas for the entrance or exit, etc. You never know what he has up his sleeve. While the guys typically push the planning on to the soon to be bride, they usually have a few things that will be beneficial to creating something beautiful for the two of you! You’re not the only one getting married, make sure you include his ideas too!

7. You don’t need to do the typical wedding invite. Get creative!
The longer weddings continue on, the more incredible (and crafty!) people’s save the date’s and wedding invites become. You don’t have to do the typical card or single lay flat announcement. Now in days there are save the date magnets, custom apps, pop-up dates, Viewfinders, etc. (We will make a blog post soon about some awesome Save-The-Date ideas!) Just remember, you can get crafty and don’t have to do the typical “paper” save-the-date or wedding invite!

8. You don’t need to invite everyone and their kid
While having a room filled with all the people you love is amazing, it’s also costly. An average wedding dinner costs about $50/adult and approx. $25/child. So when it comes to the guest list, don’t feel bad about saying NO. This is why you hire incredible vendors to perfectly capture your day so that you can share the memories with friends and family who couldn’t be there. It’s OK not to invite people and it’s perfectly fine to limit your guest list. We have seen some incredible gigantic 500 person weddings and some of the most beautiful intimate 25 person weddings. It’s all about you and the vibe you want to create amongst your friends and family.

9. There doesn’t need to be anything TRADITIONAL about your wedding. 
Let’s be real here, traditions are great. They create awesome memories, continue on for generations and you can add another hallmark staple to your family album. However, breaking the rules or creating your own traditions can be pretty cool, too! Don’t be scared to rock your wedding. How do you think Pinterest got started? People got creative and posted some awesome ideas for others to DIY! Why not be the creator and come up with something fabulous that hasn’t been invented yet?

10. You’ll wish you had spent the money on your photographer and videographer
Here’s the reality, your wedding day is going to be one of the MOST amazing days of your life. It goes quickly and when people say you’re in a “Wedding Bubble” it’s because regardless of the amount of alcohol you consume *or don’t consume* there are things you don’t even see happen in the excitement of the day. When the lights go out, the dress is hung up, the DJ stops playing and you are whisked away to your honeymoon as the new Mr. & Mrs. your photographer and videographer hold the key to your lifetime of memories. Keep generations talking about your wedding day long after it’s gone, because you can never recreate a moment in your life so indescribably amazing.