It’s go time! The wedding we’ve been planning for 15 months will be here in just days. My brain is frazzled with details, I am craving pizza, and I am pretty sure I’m coming down with a summer cold, because my nose is runny and my throat hurts. I told you all in a previous post I felt like I was blissfully ignorant and experiencing the calm before the storm. Well, that’s over. I was told the last two weeks before your wedding are the most stressful, but I thought the suckers who told me that just weren’t as organized as me. However, I am here to tell you that no matter what you do, and how put together your plans are the last two weeks before the wedding will be chaotic, and it’s OK. Just don’t let that chaos steal away the excitement that comes with it. So, instead of laying in bed awake, details rattling through my head, I want to depart some wedding planning advice I’ve picked up along this journey.
One of our walls of sticky notes. A co-worker gave me this idea to put up sticky notes instead of making a giant to do list. So rewarding to pull them off the wall as things get done!
1.) Mistakes will happen: Things will go wrong, and you cannot always control that, so you just got to let them go. Staples is going to print only 50 of the 75 copies you need, and you won’t realize until you’re back home. Macy’s will send you wine glasses when they should have sent water goblets . . and this same mistake will happen twice. You will end up with a typo on something and second-guess yourself repeatedly if you got three spools or four spools of ribbon from Michaels. This will result in daily excursions to the craft store, whose aisles you now have memorized at both the Columbia and Canton locations. A camper will pelt a very hard baseball at you from two feet away leaving a perfectly round and red circle on your arm, and you may just end up in Urgent Care listening to the doctor prescribe you a steroid nasal spray and antibiotics.
However, these mistakes and unforeseeable circumstances (that will happen) are all minor because “At least there’s no tornado.” My friend Ashley Ann was recently married, and her bridesmaid Hannah kept us all calm and focused that day with constant reminders that there was no impending tornado that would tear through her reception. However, it’s always good to have a back-up plan so that in the event of a tornado you’re covered, which takes us to advice #2.
The boxes are packed and almost ready to go with decorations for the wedding!
2.) In the event of a tornado or other natural disaster: Have a Plan B for your outdoor ceremony, and work with people who can make Plan B just as gorgeous as Plan A (cough cough thank you 2hands Studio for having my back on this. You all definitely took some stress off.) Also, consider wedding insurance. After all for how much you are paying it’s worth it to know you’re covered, just in case.
3.) You will probably go over budget: Try not to let this happen, but budget to go over your budget. Hold out a couple hundred or thousand depending on your wedding size and plans for miscellaneous expenses, because they will appear and you will go over budget. As long as you don’t take this too far, you’ll be OK. Because hey this is suppose to be a one-time thing, right, and you want it to be memorable. Ok, so you might be paying off some extra bills post honeymoon, but remember, “at least there’s no tornado.”
My “day-of-bag” is getting there. Can’t forget my shoes or accessories!
4.) Make a ridiculous timeline and share it with as many people as possible: This advice comes from a bride I talked to early on in my planning stages . . . so for those of you who have seen my timeline, you can blame her. I don’t mean to brag, but I am pretty proud of my timeline that includes not only times and events, but addresses and notes. You are a part of the elite few, if you’ve seen the whole master copy and not just the specific groomsman or grandmother’s copies.
My epic timeline. Don’t worry copies are available for those who want one.
5.) Have an Emergency Bag: This tip also comes from my friend Ashley Ann’s wedding. Girlfriend was prepared with bobby pins, fashion tape, Shout wipes, clothespins and even a needle and thread (all of which were used that day!) So, go to Target, go on Amazon and get yourself a little bit of everything (just in case.)
Our emergency kit bag stocked with bandaids, Advil, tissues, razors, fashion tape, bobby pins, baby powder, face wipes, floss, lint rollers, safety pins and so much more!
6.)Try to get some sleep: Clearly I am failing at this piece of advice as evidence of the timestamp that will appear on this late night word document, and the dark circles under my eyes that are really putting my eye cream, and make-up to the test. But seriously, shut down, go to sleep and remember to ask for help when you need it.
7.)Share your appreciation: Shower “thank you’s” and gratitude on your vendors, family and friends who put forth extra effort and excitement leading up to your big day, because after all they are the ones that make the event a party! I have too many people to thank here, but don’t worry I’ll get you at the rehearsal dinner! I will say though that I love my friends. My wedding is as special as it is because you have made sure to make it that! These texts keep me focused on the excitement and real celebration amidst all the chaos of logistics.
Some of the awesome texts that have kept me so excited and happy! Thanks guys!
8.) Finally . . . Stop. Breathe. Look Around: This final bit of advice comes from another bride I talked to early on in my planning. She told me something that really has stuck with me as the most important. She said to stop a moment before walking down the aisle, take a deep breathe and absorb that moment because it is so fleeting, yet so eternal at the same time. I hope I am really able to follow this advice myself on my wedding day ( . . . and hopefully not trip.) With this advice also comes the advice to soak it in, enjoy every moment and make sure to change hats from hostess to guest so you can really live up the whole experience.
So, with that, off I go folks. We’re headed to the Eastern Shore to be married in the next couple days. This wedding is going down for real! People keep asking me if I am ready. And “HELL YEA,” am I ready! I cannot wait to continue my happily ever after with Brian. But, are all the details finalized…no way! It’s OK though, everything will get done. In the meantime I will just keep refreshing weather.com until I see July 3rd in the 10 day forecast, and keep dreaming about cake.
