The Life Of A Bride | Thoughts & Advice

I was lying in bed the other night thinking about all things wedding which I must admit, is something I do more often than I probably should.
All of a sudden I realised that my fiancé & I have been engaged for 9 months already & the time is just going faster & faster! My brain then went onto overdrive about all the things I've done, need to do or haven't even thought about yet!  Scary times I can tell you.
Amongst all this craziness in my head, I found myself creating a list of things I would have done better or advice I'd have given myself which is why I thought I'd share it with you. My lovely readers. 
I hope this post can help you during a wedding brain explosion (unless i'm the only one who has these & then I guess it's just a slight venting session!)

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1. Don't get sucked into wedding "politics"
You wouldn't believe how easy this is to do. Everyone has their own opinion on wedding politics & who or who should not be invited or who sits where etc etc. Yes, you need to consider some of the standard traditional rules but not down to a tee. Don't feel guilty if you can't afford to invite your great uncle Bob who you haven't seen for 6 years!
2. Stick to your budget
Stick to your budget!!! Once you've set a budget, it does make it slightly easier to keep to it, although you'll always find that one thing in a magazine or on the interweb that you just "have to have." Now I'm not saying I'm perfect because I've done exactly that! I don't regret my decision, I just wish I'd budgeted elsewhere so that I haven't now got to look at that higher £ tag on my budget planner!!
3. Don't put pressure upon yourself
It's your wedding, you've set the time frame, the costs & you get decide every little detail so just chill! Most guests are happy enough to turn up at a wedding not knowing what to expect & are more than satisfied. (I say most because let's face it, there's always a grumpy chops that spends the whole day moaning.)
Tip - Don't tell anyone your theme, ideas, choice of cake, wedding dress design or bridesmaids outfits. This will create the element of surprise for your guests & take the pressure off yourself!
4. Don't obsess with Pinterest
In all other circumstances of life I would advise the obsessing over Pinterest but when it comes to your wedding it just isn't healthy. I've spent hours upon hours searching the wedding pages only to get disheartened that I can't have everything I've pinned! It also just bloody confuses you! Too many options for just 1 wedding.
5. Remember the day is about your fiancé & you
Even though your wedding is for the two of you, it's easy to forget that it's actually about the two of you. You can wrapped up in pleasing everyone else & making sure that they're going to enjoy the day when you should be thinking about yourselves. I mean who wants to spend £10-15k without having some enjoyment themselves? 
6. Do & don't listen to others
Family & friends can be the best & worst part of planning a wedding. It's useful to have a variety of personalities around during this period as each person has their own opinion. But that's when you sometimes need to remember, that it's "their" opinion & as much as it might help guide you, you need to make the decisions at the end of the day.  No-one will be offended.
7. Share the workload
Yes, I know. You've been dreaming of this day since you were a little girl & you know exactly what dress, flowers, cake & vows you want. But remember, you partner may also want some say! Planning a wedding is a long process - especially if you're working full time! Give your partner a job that you know they'll be good at or enjoy. My fiancé has planned the honeymoon which I know nothing about & I'm so excited for the complete surprise.
8. Let your imagination take over
Don't be worried about thinking outside of the box. If you have a picture of your wedding in your head, then do it!
9. Enjoy yourself
You're only going to get married once (hopefully) so make sure you enjoy this time with your loved ones, friends & most importantly, your fiancé.
10. Keep going
I'm definitely at this point right now. I got so much done during the first 9 months that now I have lost a little motivation. I know that it'll pick up again soon & I'll need to snap back into it but I feel like I'm in limbo with 9 months still to go & not too much left to do. Lazy, lazy bride.

I know that this sounds like a moany post & lots of people out there are dying to be engaged & get married to the one they love but trust me, like anything worthwhile, it's hard work! I still love planning my wedding & I'm glad that I've had chance to think about some things I will do differently going forward as well as some motivational points to spur me on!
I hope that these tips & advice help you in some way. 
Thank you for reading
Love, xx


(Pictures on this blog post are property of Grace Van Der Zwart & have no rights affiliated with DaintyBride)