March 7, 2013

Q & A: Do Not Forget Your Wedding Day



Roll out the red carpet because today is Q & A Thursday y'all! I know that by the title you are thinking how can any bride forget her wedding day? That is not the whole meaning behind today's post. You plan for months and then your wedding day rolls around. Are you ready for the day of? One thing I never thought about were my surroundings on my wedding day i.e. making sure things around made me happy, music was playing, everyone was calm, lunch arrangements. These things just never occurred to me. One reader writes:

Q. I am so nervous about our wedding day. Not nervous about getting married (that I am very confident in) but nervous in time constraints and hair appointments and remembering the whole day. Past brides always say the day goes by so quickly. I don't want to wake up and not remember my wedding day. Do you have any tips for making the day more memorable?

A. The best piece of advice is think about your surroundings. Surround yourself with good. Work out the kinks a head of time (even though some will still happen). Take your time. Be still and silent for a moment. Sit. Hydrate. Eat. Be pampered.

My wedding day was one of the best days of my life but I cannot even remember half of it. It goes by in a blink of an eye. One thing I never thought about or planned to the minute was what I would the morning of my wedding. I literally woke up thinking what now? You plan every single detail to then wake up and have your wedding day actually happening. Do not forget to plan for your morning and afternoon. Yes, I made appointments for everyone's hair. Yes, I had all the dresses steamed. Yes, I had the flowers to be delivered mid morning. But what about me? Here are some ideas to get you started:

{Music, sunshine, champagne}
On my wedding day my maid of honor had a cooler full of oj and champagne. I never thought of that. We popped the corks and relaxed. We walked on the lawn where Rusty and I would meet to become husband and wife. I showered. We ate a huge breakfast. One of my fondest memories is when one of my dearest friends mom hooked her iPod up to the loud speaker in our getting ready room. We sang and danced to the best of Michael Buble all day long. I never once thought to plan any of the things above. Yes, some things happened naturally like a big breakfast but think about how you want your day to go. If you want good music, make a playlist. If you want to cheers with your gals, get drinks. Enlist your bridesmaids for fun ideas. Go on a hike. Lay by the pool. Nap. Do what makes you happy, occupies your time/nerves and surround yourself with goodness. Don't forget to plan for your wedding day. I was lucky enough to have people who already thought it through when I 100% forgot.

{Laughter with your gals}
Plain and simple. Laugh with your friends. Spend time with one another. Reminisce about those college days when you stole large pork and bean cans from a fraternity house or the time you threw a fake wedding in your sorority suite. Take in their advice. Throw a little of your own at them. Spend time with those you love.

{Remember as much as you can}
Your wedding day will go so fast. So fast. There are so many things that I just don't remember. It is not intentional but the fact that things happen quickly. You hug a lot of necks. You have a bit of nerves. You are marrying your best friend. This is a celebration of your love and strength as a couple. Every couple I have worked with or been a part of their wedding I pass along one piece of advice: Pull your love aside, just stand quietly and take it in. Your wedding goes by in the blink of an eye and the next thing you know you are leaving the reception at 11 pm ordering food in the Taco Bell drive thru in your wedding gown. (True story. That is another post. Hey, I was really hungry.) Treasure your day because you get it once. Remember it.

Make your surroundings simple and calming on your wedding day. You are the bride so do what makes your heart sing. Remember you overall goal - marry that handsome man who has been  waiting his whole life for you. It is your day!

Lovebird Productions via Emily Alt Photography.

2 comments:

  1. What a great post! It is actually really easy to get caught up in everything and forget to enjoy and remember it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great ideas - it's important not to get so caught up in everything that you forget to have fun!

    ReplyDelete

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