Over the weekend my sister got engaged! Congratulations, Erin and Jeremy! It got me to thinking about my own engagement and wedding planning process. As I allowed myself to take a stroll down bridal bliss memory lane, I thought of a few tips and tricks that brides and grooms should keep in mind:
- Get organized! Having a binder where you keep all contact information, contracts, checklists, swatches, and other wedding paraphernalia not only helps keep you sane in the craziness of planning, but it makes a great keepsake to peruse down the road.
- Keep little memorabilia along the way – receipts from that trip to the coffee shop where you guys discussed all the details, a piece of the fabric that decorated the reception, the label from the bottle you chose to toast with – all of these things may seem little, but they are details about your journey. Then during your first year of marriage, put together a scrapbook of your engagement to wedding journey with everything you collected along the way. Not only does this make a great 1st year anniversary gift, but it creates an incredible keepsake that is a fun reminder of those precious moments together, which is sure to ignite a spark and a tingle when you walk through its pages.
- Take little moments to escape together. Maybe it’s to the local park or your backyard, but take time to sit down and enjoy one another’s company. Try to talk about something other than the wedding.
- Don’t allow the stress of the wedding planning to take away from the journey. These are cherished moments that you don’t get back, so try and take deep breaths and savor each second. If you are getting super stressed about something, just start laughing. Laughter literally has a ton of medical benefits for your physical, mental, and emotional well-being including: relaxation, immune system boost, and the release of endorphins (those things that make you happy). Can’t think of anything funny? Force your face to smile and it won’t be long before you are laughing at how silly you feel.
- And finally…Remember that the wedding day is merely the gateway to the ultimate prize – marriage! You are planning for one of the most exciting new chapters in your life. This is a time to celebrate and rejoice your future union with this special person you have chosen. Don’t lose sight of what really matters!
Happy planning! 🙂
