Here are 5 tips I wish to share with all soon to be brides to assist in making the build up as magical and worthwhile as can be.
1. Plan well in advance and be realistic.
Duh..what do you mean??? All brides plan their special day since they received their first barbie doll or were a flowergirl in someone's wedding??
But let me assure you that the fairy tale wedding day can be nothing without a proper and realistic plan and budget of course. I travel quite a bit for a living so I didn't have much time to do wedding shopping so planning for me was crucial.
I cant stress enough how important this first step is. You will not believe how much this saved me and assisted me to ensure that I knew what I wanted and planned realistically for it. It resulted in perfect timing, my husband could take a 2 hour nap during the day and the kids in the bridal party were not restless at all.
Top tip: Attend all those wedding expo's, in order to network and chat and get some real advice from real brides. I love making checklists as this can assist you to maintain a clear idea of what it is that you want for your special day. I subscribed to websites like www.theknot.com; Pinterest ; Facebook (Second Hand wedding group).
2. Get enough sleep and drink lots of water and exercise.
I know you are probably weight watching and counting calories etc...but maintain a healthy diet by drinking lots of water and following a proper eating plan and ensure that you get enough sleep and exercise.
I must admit I didn't get enough sleep and the morning of my wedding my eyes were very puffy...(so sad) and this translates onto pics...so please ensure that you get enough beauty rest before your big day.
My routine involved running 3 times per week, yoga twice per week and cardio including weight training every other day. I worked out 7 days per week and followed the BANTING diet which was the perfect plan for my wedding body goal. Read more about my wedding body journey here
Top tip: Your diet and exercise will prevent you from becoming a BRIDEZILLA and will keep you sane for those stressful times. The last month and week before you get married is always stressful - even if you have enlisted the trust of a wedding planner - as a bride you are always stressing about last minute details.
3. Don't let anyone try to change your mind.
Weddings are a money making industry times a million!!! I kid you not. I had no idea that wedding vendors make so much money off the tiniest things. Invites cost a fortune, and don't get me started on décor and the cake. There is so much to choose from with a modern twist to vintage looks and celebrity style settings. It call all be done and trust me you will want it all.
It is important to not get swept up in a fantasy but know what you have planned and how you would like your day to run. Don't let anyone influence you to make it more over the top or add more features, or in Malay cultures add more cousins to the bridal party!! Stick to the plan as discussed by making sketches or taking pictures of what you had in mind or downloading ideas and themes of what you want and how it should be translated to suit your needs. .
I chose a theme (royal elegance) and stuck with it till the very end. This helped narrow down (somewhat) how I wanted the décor and theme to be channelled throughout the day.
At the end of the day less is more and it is more appreciated and enjoyed.
Top Tip: Choosing a theme helped me tremendously as this is a great way to assist you in making decisions when it comes to cakes, décor bridesmaids etc..
4. Acknowledge your partner and the efforts
Ai foeitog!! With all the focus being solely on the bride throughout all the planning, us brides sometimes forget that the groom plays a major role in the participation and contribution of the day as it is afterall about BOTH of you. LOL:)
Make not mistake each culture and religion have their set rules and guidelines around the way the wedding ceremony should be done, but you can agree that it involves the groom at all times. And therefore it is important to realise and acknowledge that he too has a major function and role to play.
I checked in regularly with my fiancé to ensure that his stress levels were ok - and that he was still certain he wanted to get married!! Throughout the planning it was important to just step back and realise why we are doing this and that we were consciously making a decision together and not just doing so due to any family or peer pressure. We wanted to get married to each other and we made the informed decision to do that. Traditionally In my culture, the groom sees to the house setup and ensuring it is ready to receive his bride. So essentially his responsibility triples in comparison to mine and therefore it was important that I ensured that he always had my utmost support and appreciation. I rewarded him with a honeymoon month ..best decision ever!!
Top tip: Happy wife happy life, was the motto he lived by. We discussed many things and disagreed on many too, but at the end of the day it is about the being married part you need to be focus on and not just the wedding day. So take care of the groom and he will take care of you!!
5. Enjoy the day
...and finally enjoy the actual day.
When the wedding day arrived, I sighed and smiled and couldn't be happier. I woke up really early..(actually couldn't sleep!!) prayed with my parents which was super emotional and thanked them for all the support and contributions. Looked around my room and actually laughed at all the memories that my room held, packed out my dresses and jewellery and then the excitement started rolling in.
Every minute something wonderful was happening and I was present, I was happy and I was laughing. I consciously made myself aware that it is my wedding day, biggest day of my life, and I took it all in and wanted to remember every second.
When I looked around the room while my makeup and hair was being done, while people were fussing about me, while the camera and videographer were shooting, I couldn't be happier and this translated onto pics, onto the mood and onto the vibe of the day.
Feedback such as
" what a wonderful relaxed and fun day we had at your wedding"..
"best wedding ever"...
"best valentines day ever"".....
"Never attended a wedding such as this where the bride made everyone feel like they made her happy"
made the experience and build up all worthwhile.
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