Weddings are the start of a new beginning and for many woman a day we dream of forever. Like many, after reflecting on the day, there are some things I wish could have been done differently. Here are some tips and advice I wish I knew before I got married.
1. Regardless of how you look, everyone will tell you that you are the most beautiful bride.
You might not be happy that you didn't lose enough weight. You might not be happy with your hair or makeup. You might not be happy that you have a zit on your shoulder or countless other things brides, myself included obsess over. Regardless of all that everyone will tell you that you are the most beautiful bride (and they mean it). Guests are going to be checking out the dress that made your mom and grandma cry and enjoy the party of the year celebrating your love.
2. Take some time just you and your new significant other.
This is probably the biggest regret I have when it comes to my wedding day. It is so easy to get caught up in all the people there to see you, the photographer wanting to take pictures, and all the questions the vendors may have for you. Find even just handful of minutes to cherish the fact that you are now married.
3. EAT!!!!!!!
I repeat. Do. Not. Forget. To. Eat. I typically do not eat breakfast so it wasn't a surprise I had a little orange juice the day of my wedding and not much else (I was worried about my dress fitting) and we skipped cocktail hour to get some pictures out of the way much to new husbands dismay (he is a big foodie) and THEN when food was served everyone kept clinking their glasses and I just wanted to eat, you can say I was HANGRY.
4. Clear the air with your new family to-be.
Take the time to clear the air with your new family to-be. When you take that vow, till death do us part, you are also making that vow to your spouses family whether you like it or not. No one gets along 100% of the time but make the effort to eliminate any tension, it will make your wedding day and your marriage go smoother.
5. You can't make everyone happy.
Not everyone will be happy with all the choices you are making when you are planning your wedding it might be something as small as not including a dish that your grandmother likes as a dinner selection to something larger to who is officiating the wedding. It is really important to remember to compromise (within reason) and not take everything personally.
6. At least one thing is going to go wrong. Be realistic.
Nothing in life ever goes as planned. Hopefully it is something small but the best advice I got during my wedding planning process is not everything is going to run the way I think it is going to in my head. Be prepared for whatever it is, weather, hair and makeup taking too long, rogue mother-in-law or anything else. You won't remember whatever it was 10 years from now, and your guests won't even realize that day.
7. Write your own vows.
At first my husband and I were not going to write our own vows it makes me uncomfortable to express my feelings in front of people and I was nervous about what he was going to say. I am also a little bit more traditional in that sense. I am so glad that we decided at the 100th hour that we were going to write our own vows. It was one of the things that truly made our day special.
8. Write a list of pictures you want.
This is something I didn't realize that was so important until after my wedding. To no ones fault other than my own I do not have a lot of pictures with certain family members that I wish I had. I don't have a single picture with my fathers sister or any large family pictures with my husbands grandfather. These are memories and pictures we can never recreate.
9. WAIT to go on your honeymoon.
The day after my wedding I had gotten so sick from exhaustion and lack of eating I spent the day hydrating and laying in bed. Fortunately we did not leave for our honeymoon until the next day but even then we were so exhausted from the wedding we truly didn't enjoy the first few days or so. We wish we had taken a few extra days before leaving for our honeymoon. Keep this in mind when you are booking.
10. Changing your name is a tedious process
Changing my identity of 23 years did not happen in the snap of my fingers (if only it were that easy). It required a day off of work, hours spent between the DMV and Social Security, calling numerous credit card companies and stopping into the bank. There are numerous websites to help you navigate this. Be mindful you may not legally change your name before you go on your honeymoon and make reservations accordingly!
11. Its okay if you don't feel different after you get married.
Before I got married, I had been dating Mike since I was in high school. When we were engaged everyone kept asking, "are you excited to get married?" and I was, but when you've been with someone as long as I have you get to know the good sides, the bad side and the quirky side. None of those things change after you say "I do." After your wedding, life just goes back to normal and its okay not feel any different.
12. This is one of the best days of your life.
Finally, this day goes by in the blink of an eye. Enjoy yourself and all of the hard work you put into making this day happen.
What things did you wish you knew before you got married?
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