The Best Wedding Advice I Ever Got

With wedding season well underway I thought I would pass on a few pieces of advice that my family gave me before my first wedding. Some I agree with, many I don't; but this is what I was told and (for some) how I handled it.

First I was told to make absolutely sure that this was the guy for me. Looking at my wedding budget and knowing it was only going to last for 1 day I realized just how much I was "blowing" on this party. I mean for that amount of money I could put a down payment on a house! So, it should go without saying, but since you can't really back out - make sure he is absolutely the one before you even say yes to the proposal! I was also told to listen to my bridesmaids - granted that none of them were jealous - they see what usually goes unseen or is blinded to the bride.

Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue - not just a pretty rhyme for good luck for a bride - this is also a way for aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins to get involved in the wedding as well. Ask your family to help you find these things so they feel involved too. Trust me, your cousin doesn't want the sole responsibility of just cutting the cake, ask her if she has something blue that would go well with your dress!

If you are doing it all yourself - then DO IT ALL YOURSELF, don't hire someone to print the envelopes if you made the invitations by hand! Don't get over elaborate either - your guests will not even notice that there were only 3 flowers in their vase - only that you were happy and they had fun. Since I do not design flowers I was happier with a small vase centerpiece on each table with 3 small roses and a spray of baby's breath. It looked elegant and it was easy to do! The place cards and napkins were all decorated by me as well - it means more that I did it myself than to have someone else do it - and cheaper too.

The very best advice I got was each time I made a decision I had to think KISS - keep it simple, stupid! While the 100 candles burning on the altar and down the aisle would have been beautiful they also would have been a fire hazard; plus I had to find someone to light them all! It was much prettier with electric candles down the aisle, white Christmas lights on the altar, and a few symbolic candles that were lit by friends and family. Much simpler also usually means significantly less expensive.

Get the dress first. Whatever else you do in your wedding if you don't have a dress that makes you happy you are not going to enjoy your own party - and nothing spoils a reception like a bride who is huddled almost under her table trying to hide her dress because she hates it. Get the dress first and the rest will follow.

Don't let your bridesmaids pick their own outfits - choose something they will wear, but if you leave it all up to them you may find yourself outshined by your attendants. Go with your attendants to pick out their dresses or outfits - even better if you can find a way to accommodate all the body types - but at least you have some control by being there!

Finally, whatever happens enjoy yourself. It may not turn out to be a picture book wedding; you may have drunk Uncle Louie back over the wedding cake and have to send someone out to get a bunch of prepped cakes from the grocery store. Or one of your groomsmen becomes overly jealous and graffiti a bunch of obscenities over the getaway car. Know that things happen, you can't control it, so just have fun! It may be your party and it may be your day, but if you aren't having fun or are upset over some small detail your guests will know and not have fun either.