Hello Sunshines!
So you are prepping for your big day, and everything is in place and planned! I’m here to share some tips from my wedding day to help your day run smoothly!
Gin Gin Drops
Speaking from personal experience, excitement can lead to an anxious stomach. Whether it is excitement or nerves, my stomach will tense up and I eat less, which leads to feeling nauseous or light headed. The morning of my wedding I noticed my stomach was feeling normal so I ate plenty of small muffins and fruit. Closer to lunch time, I noticed I wasn’t eating much and I started to feel nauseous. My MOH had Gin Gin drops handy. They are ginger candy drops, which soothe your stomach. I had one in my mouth until I walked down the aisle…no joke. My sweet father popped one more in my mouth as we waited outside. Once I walked down the aisle, all the nerves were gone! Sprite and Ginger Ale are always good for nervous stomachs!
Relax the Night Before
Traditionally, a bride will have her rehearsal then rehearsal dinner the night before. It can be hard to find time to relax the night before your wedding because you are trying to spend time with friends and family. I chose to head home by 9:00 PM in order to relax and rest up. I took a long hot bath then sat in bed with my MOH while watching television. I slept ALL NIGHT LONG. Shocking I know, but my hot bath and my own bed really helped with me resting up before my big day.
Pack the Week Before
I began to pack all my wedding day essentials a week before my wedding. I had a bag for getting ready, our after party, spending the night, and day after our wedding. My awesome MOH went to our Airbnb to drop off my after party and day after bag. I highly suggest doing this the week before because if you try to pack everything the day or week of chances are you will forget something or feel overwhelmed. I made a checklist to use a reference as well, and it was one less thing on my to do list!
Create a Photo Must List
Chances are your photographer should ask you to send them a list of must have photos, but in case they do not I suggest creating and sending them a list! You don’t need to list any basic shots because hiring a professional photographer they will know how to capture moments you wouldn’t think of, and you need to trust their expertise. I had several wedding vendor gifts given to me and I wanted to capture those in my wedding day. You can include certain people or moments in your photo list as well!
BE FLEXIBLE!
I know it may seem hard, but you have to be positive and flexible on your wedding day. There is a 99.9% chance at least one thing will not go as planned….and it’s okay! I was very calm and chill, and my friends/family/wedding vendors were shocked to see how relaxed I was about everything. For example, my junior bridesmaid wore new shoes, and they began to give her blisters during our bridal party pictures. Maybe five minutes before my ceremony, she was crying to me that her feet hurt. I told her to ditch the shoes and walk barefoot.
On your wedding day, you have done all the planning and you need to enjoy the day. Let your wedding day coordinator put out any fires!
Hire a Wedding Day Coordinator
I’m not sure how our wedding would have been pulled off without my wedding day coordinator. I looked into a wedding planner around my local area, and they were out of our budget. My sweet friend, and co worker, offered to help any during the process and to be our rehearsal coordinator and wedding day coordinator. Ahead of our wedding, I connected her to our wedding vendors and notified them she would be our contact person for the day. My rehearsal and wedding day went perfectly thanks to her! I promise you don’t need a “professional wedding planner”, but an organized, efficient person to ensure your wedding day is perfect.
REHEARSE REHEARSE REHEARSE
I’ve seen a wedding that skip the cermony rehearsal, and all it led to was mass confusion on the wedding day. You only need at most one hour to dedicate to your wedding rehearsal. Marrying a man from a different country and culture, we wanted my husband and in laws to feel comfortable with the ceremony and traditions. Even if you have been in several weddings, rehearsing your own wedding is necessary. It gives you a chance to see how the wedding party will be standing, the order of ceremonial events, and give everyone an overview for the ceremony.
Fun Facts
I had a donut wall & didn't eat one...my only regret!
We had our after party at a local night club, and I changed into a fun white dress
I didn't drink any alcohol the entire day. I was too worried it would make me sick/bloated
Our wedding day was a record high - 99 degrees Fahrenheit - another reason I had our entire wedding INSIDE because weather is unpredictable
It goes by SO FAST. Enjoy & soak in every minute!
XOXO, Britt