Okay, we know it’s not super fun to talk about the negative parts of a wedding day, but they can be a stressful experience if you aren’t prepared. Sure, they are magical and wonderful, but there is a lot going on and it can be a bit much.

Our goal with this post isn’t to scare you or worry you about how stressful your magical wedding will be, but to help you reduce that stress and enjoy your day as much as possible.

1. Hire a Professional Wedding Coordinator

We always recommend having a wedding planner. Wedding planners can make the whole process MUCH simpler from the beginning all the way until the end. But even if you don’t want a full-service wedding planner who helps you throughout the entire engagement season, we would still HIGHLY suggest having a day-of, or even more helpful, a month-of coordinator. We know of several who we’d love to recommend!

If you aren’t familiar with a day-of coordinator, here a quick explanation of what they do.

It’s their job to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. Everything from the smaller things, like pinning boutiners to lining up the bridal party before they walk down the aisle. Not only do they manage the bridal party, but they also act as the point of contact for the vendors. Instead of a photographer coming to the bride with a question, we go to the coordinator. They answer everything they can, and if they don’t now, then THEY ask the bride.

Wedding coordinators who know the wedding world well will send you a questionnaire or meet with you in person before your wedding day. They know what things need to be handled by someone other than the bride, the bride’s mom, or the bridesmaids. A professional, experienced wedding coordinator know what questions to ask you well BEFORE the wedding day to ensure everything is taken care of.

This cuts down on 19 people all bombarding the bride at once. As you can imagine, this can be a huge load off the bride’s mind, but also such a help to the vendors when everything has a place and a plan.

2. Limit Those Around You

Along the same lines of making sure the brides don’t have to answer a thousand questions on the wedding day, you also need to be mindful of who you have around you during the day. While you want to be open and have all your friends and family with you while you get ready, maybe that’s not best in terms of keeping your stress level low.

If there are certain people who might be a little too hands on or might stress you out, be mindful of having them around. If they aren’t in the bridal party, or on your list of people allowed in the bridal suite, ask your day-of coordinator to redirect those people.

3. Drink Lots of Water

This tip might seem a bit out of place, but it’s one of the most important in my opinion (but I’m always concerned about drinking enough water- can you say hello, hot SC Summers?).

Okay, let me explain myself. It’s more than just getting your 8 glasses of 8 ounces. While I want you to always be hydrated, I think it’s even MORE important on the wedding day.

Let’s imagine you don’t have enough water, and you just fill up on mimosas and coffee. Sure, that’s a yummy day, but by the end of the day, you could start to feel the effects, especially if you’re getting married on a warm day.

Some of the side effects of dehyration are:

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Rapid heart-rate
• Low energy levels
• Tired
• Fainting

It’s a simple tip, but it can save your wedding day. The last thing you want is to be dizzy as you’re standing in front all of your loved ones. Grab a glass of water, and even more helpful, the day/night before your wedding, be sure you’re drinking enough water.

4. Give Your Phone Up

Gasp! The thought of being without your phone! But trust me. On the day of my wedding, one of my bridesmaids took my phone, and it was the most freeing feelings. It’s more than just not getting on social media.

First of all, you get to be present in the moment while you and your girls getting ready and laugh with them, instead of getting nervous and staring at your phone (we all do it).

Secondly, there are going to be a lot of people who want to text you and congratulate you on your wedding day. That’s VERY sweet of them, but you shouldn’t be concerned with responding to dozens of texts. I promise those texts will still be there tomorrow (or even when you get back from your honeymoon).

You also don’t want a million people texting or calling you about wedding related questions. (Refer back to point #1)

5. Stop and Breathe

Here is another one that might sound like a no-brainer, but it’s VERY important. First of all, your wedding day will FLY by, and you don’t want to miss it. On your big day, don’t get too swept up in everything that needs to happen and the craziness of it that you don’t actually stop and soak it in.

The other reason you should stop and breathe is to see how you’re feeling. We promise someone will take care of the things that need to get done. Ask someone else to do them. It’s your job to have the best day ever and marry the love of your life.

Before you walk down the aisle and party the whole night, stop, take some mental pictures, breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. It’s your wedding day.

One of the best pieces of advice we got on our own wedding day was to periodically stop and take things in. Maybe it’s every hour, maybe it’s just each time you are doing a new event throughout the day (getting ready, first look, wedding party photos, walking down the aisle, ceremony, portraits, reception). Be sure to take in each of these times throughout the day!

 

We hope your day is calm and full of fun, and we hope these tips help you make sure to make it that way!