8 TIPS: HOW TO TRULY ENJOY YOUR WEDDING DAY
You have put so much work into planning your wedding day. The list goes on from caterers, venues, attire, colours, and invitations. All of these things are so important in the grand scheme of things. They each contribute to having the best experience and beautiful memories of your big day. So, how do we make sure you actually enjoy your wedding day? Here are 8 tips for how to truly enjoy your wedding day because I know, once it's all planned out and in motion, you don't want to have to think of last-minute things.
1. Starting the day with good vibes
Waking up on your wedding day is so exciting. That anticipation of everything you've been waiting for is finally here! Whether you have your entire wedding party getting ready with you, or a few close friends, have all the fun things planned to start the day on a good note. Maybe have a mimosa bar- ready to sip on, or start brewing coffee as soon as you're up.
It might be fun to create a special playlist with your partner (or even make one for each other) to listen to as you are both getting ready. This is a fun way to weave in romantic moments throughout your day.
2. Don't skip breakfast on your wedding day!
As much as your nerves might be getting to you, try to plan out a good breakfast the morning of. You're going to be soooo busy on the day of your wedding and it's important to give your body all the necessary nutrients to keep you energized and healthy throughout the day. Beyond breakfast, it could be helpful to get your favorite snacks and place them in places you'll be or let one person be responsible for making sure you're eating throughout the day. The last thing you want to happen is to feel sick or light-headed on your wedding day.
Don't forget to ask your caterers to put a plate (or a few boxes) of food aside for later. During the reception, it can be so easy to get caught up in socializing, dancing, photos, etc. that you don't even get to eat the food you picked out and paid for! They will be more than happy to save you a meal.
3. Share the wedding day timeline with everyone!
With such a busy wedding day, timelines are going to be your best friend. We don't need any extra fees for extended use, or lingering family members when it's time to move on. Set your timeline for each part of the day and don't be afraid to be strict with it. You can account for extra time or things taking longer (as they sometimes do) but then at least it's accounted for and not ruining the next event of the day.
Most importantly, don't forget to share the timeline with everyone! You can add this to your invitation in a fun way or post it at the ceremony entrance on your welcome sign. This way, all your guests know what to expect and can have the timeline in mind when going throughout the day.
4. Appoint a go-to person for handling “day-of” issues!
Even with everything planned out, there's still a lot of managing and directing that will be needed. It could be helpful to appoint 1-2 people for this. They can be the “go-to’s” for questions about the day, for keeping the timeline on track, for helping with caterers, etc. Everything that you swear you won't forget during the day but with everything going on, you just might forget! But these are things you just shouldn't have to worry about on your wedding day. You're allowed to hand these things off to someone else so you can focus on enjoying your wedding day. Ps. this can totally be the wedding coordinator or planner if you have one! To learn more about what its like to hire a wedding planner, read this blog post.
Here's a list of some things that you can hand off.Someone to help set up
Direct caterers
Manage family members for photos
Reception damage control
Paying caterers
Clean up
5. Pack comfy shoes!
We all know what it's like to be in dress shoes all day long. It's tiring! And it will probably hurt for a few days. Make sure to pack more comfortable shoes for your reception (and after photos of course). That way you can dance and celebrate without needing to give your poor feet a break. If you have brand new shoes for the ceremony, it could be helpful to break them in a few weeks before your Wedding day so that it's still not as bad!
6. Pack an Emergency kit
Pack a Wedding Day emergency kit and give it to a close friend/wedding party. You will thank yourself later when one of those “could not have planned for this” moments happen and you have everything you need. It's also nice to just have that extra bobby pin or swipe of chapstick to help you feel more prepared. To make it a bit more fun, check out these personalised bags on Etsy.
Here's a list of some things you can add to your kit!Stain remover
Water bottle
Chapstick/lipstick
Medicine
Extra bobby pins
Mini sewing kit
Granola bar
Deodorant
Safety pins
Tissues
Nail glue
Gum/mint
7. Make time for just the two of you
From the ceremony to pictures, to the reception, the dances, and socializing, you could get to the end of the night and realize you barely had any time with your partner. How sad is that! This is your day- the day of celebrating you two and it's important to have time for just the two of you to take it all in. So, plan for a small window at some point during the day for you guys to run off together and just have an intimate moment, share your thoughts or feelings, check in with others, or just look over the party and everyone you love celebrating you. However makes the most sense for you, it's important to have time alone to take it all in. It is your wedding day after all.
8. Release control
I know that it can be scary to release control of something that you have planned so intricately for so long. But that's the thing- you put so much into this day and did everything you could to make it go smoothly. Sometimes, even with all the planning in the world, unexpected things still happen and that's okay. That is why we have our appointed person for damage control. That's why we have the timeline. The goal of the day is to celebrate love and enjoy yourself. So, keep that in mind when something little pops up, and be ready to roll with it!
Preparing for the big day!
I have shot countless weddings and know how much extensive planning goes into this big day. It's part of the fun and what makes the day so memorable. The best part of being able to enjoy the fruits of your labour and truly enjoy your wedding day. Hopefully, these tips remind you of something you might've forgotten or give you a brand new idea of something you might want to incorporate into your wedding day.
These are some of the things I help my couples plan for on their big day. For more on what it looks like to work with me, click here!
