Knitting is the new Nintendo

I wrote this several months ago as I had just come out of wedding planning season for my own wedding and felt like I should share some of the things I learned. I originally posted on Facebook, but now I can share it here as well!

1) Write thank-you cards as soon as you get the gift - the longer you leave it, the easier it is to procrastinate, plus if you’re worried about writing more than one for guests that attend showers in addition to the wedding, just do one for each as they occur, it will be easier in the long run. {tip in a tip: keep an excel sheet tracking who gave you what, paper can get lost amidst the chaos!}

2) Kijiji is your best friend! – Buy, sell, and rent décor and other wedding items for less than you would pay new. I was able to sell most everything I bought there and surprisingly come out even in the end (when it came to decorations).

3) Delegate like crazy – you can’t do everything yourself! You may be a bride, but you are not superwoman. When you do ask someone to help you, give him or her specific directions so as not to be too vague, but also be conscious not to nitpick everything they do. Yes, it is your day, but you don’t want to lose a friendship over something trivial (let alone be dubbed 'Bridezilla'!).

4) Have an idea of the photos you want – Your photographer should know what the basics are, but if there are any very specific ideas you want (such as what you see on Pinterest :) you have to let them know in advance by showing them examples. On the day be flexible during your bridal party pictures, have fun and let the photographer take charge so you can just enjoy your time!

5) When you have chosen your theme and colours and are buying items in those colours, forget trying to match right down to the same shade. It's just not going to happen. Besides, those items are not going to be side by side anyways!

6) Think about other weddings you've been too - Do you remember certain features about it, for example what the chairs looked like? Unless the wedding was over the top and/or you are super observant down to the salt and pepper shakers, there are trivial things you won't remember about each wedding you've been to. Now, if you think about your guests, they are not going to remember the small details like whether the table cloth had a lace fringe or not so don't fret whether you have a feathered pen for the guest book, or a fancy aisle runner! Think of it this way, people won't necessarily notice what's missing, but they may notice the unusual or extravagant so spend your time, energy, and money on the things that matter most to you (it can't be everything) or don't spend it at all!

7) On your wedding day: Take many moments during the day to stop - Litterally Stop. Be very conscious if soaking in the moment as much as you can.

8) Do not plan to rush out of your reception – Linger as long as you can to get the most out of visiting with your guests, especially those who are from out of town. Also, visit with the youngest and more senior guests first because they are the most likely to leave first.

9) Give your caterer a headcount less than your actual count to save some $– Don't worry you won't run out of food! They always make a certain percentage more than required (10-15% typically). You will have people cancel on you last minute, could be due to weather for out of town travelers, no shows on the day of due to sickness etc. by then it is too late to change the catering numbers (the number difference you provide depends on the size of your guest list, I would say 5%).

10) Always have a contract with companies you are renting with, the church, caterer, photographer, bakery, etc. and read the fine print so you know what is included and what you are paying for – We only had a few small issues with contract wording and what that meant with one of our vendors, but I’ve heard horror stories of couples being charged double what they were quoted because they didn’t have it down on paper. Buyer beware!

11) Be very intentional about spending time with your groom in the months leading up to – you are still creating a relationship and just because you are planning what is currently the biggest event of your life, it doesn’t mean you forget what that day is actually about. Cliché, but true.

12) At the very last minute some things will be out of your control, you just have to let it go and trust God!

13) At the end of it all you will be married to your man and that’s the most important!

Mini Tips:

-Don’t forget to drink water during the day. A dehydrated bride would not be fun!

-Make sure to have a prettier hanger for photos of your dress photos.

-Commit your wedding (day) to God. Who better to be in control of it than Him!

-Enjoy yourself! You have family and friends to worry about the nitty gritty for you. (You’d do the same for them wouldn’t you?)

-Pinterest puts out unrealistic expectations of what weddings can look like. Don’t be discouraged! Pick a few things to focus your time and money and the rest will still be so wonderful!