Wisdom From the Aisle: What Real Brides Wish They Knew Before Their Wedding Day
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Who better to offer guidance on navigating the journey to I do than those who’ve walked the aisle themselves? To help you plan the wedding of your dreams, we’ve gathered candid and invaluable advice from ten real brides on everything they wish they knew while they were planning their wedding.
Honestly, I got married last December and could definitely have benefitted from some of their advice. From managing stress and setting boundaries to truly enjoying every moment, here’s the top advice from real brides. Learn from their experiences and make your wedding celebrations smoother and more joyful!
Taming the ‘Bridal Brain Rot’: How to Stay Sane During Planning
“Bridal brain rot is real! Wedding planning can be all-consuming, so it’s crucial to hold onto some form of escapism,” proclaims Kendall Alexandra Young, an insights strategist. “Social media is amazing for inspiration, but the second you start engaging with wedding content, it hijacks your entire algorithm. If I could do it over again I’d use burner profiles just for wedding planning and keep my explore page full of hobbies and interests that have nothing to do with flower arrangements or seating charts.”
Leading up to the wedding, take time to consciously detach from the planning process and focus on yourself. This time away will help you realize your vision better which in turn will help your wedding planning process.
Clarity in Communication: Don’t Hesitate to Ask Questions
Empower yourself by confidently asking all the necessary questions throughout the planning process. A wedding involves numerous vendors, costs and logistics. Clarifying everything will ensure that there isn’t any miscommunication later.
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions so you feel confident about everything, from catering costs to napkin fold choices,” states Amanda Lloyd, photographer and founder of Tracy Autem Photography. “At times, I had to restate my question or ask for more information for vendor categories outside of photography. So don’t feel discouraged or feel like you don’t know enough. You are new to this whole wedding planning thing!”
Authenticity on Your Big Day: Prioritize Your Vision
Stand firm in your choices to craft a wedding celebration that showcases you and your partner’s personalities. Your loved ones will have an opinion on everything but it’s up to you to take them into consideration or not.
“Weddings are a family affair and it’s amazing to have family members who are so involved. But it’s also completely okay to prioritize you and your partner. Communicate your boundaries early on, especially when it comes to things like the size of your guest list,” remarks actress and content creator Tia Bhatia. “I stayed firm on keeping my wedding as intimate as possible and it made the whole thing so much more special! I’m so glad I stayed true to myself instead of people-pleasing.”
Stay true to yourself, even if it means deviating from tradition. At the end of the day, you’ll be happy that you did it your way.
Marissa MacLeod, director of marketing at The Treasury on the Plaza, adds, “You won’t regret the non-traditional choices you make for your wedding day, as long as they make sense for you and your fiancé. As introverts, my now-husband and I wanted a small, intimate wedding with just a few of our closest friends and family. We planned a destination wedding in Scotland with just 10 guests. That allowed us to spend several days with our nearest and dearest and truly enjoy our time together.”
Embracing Support: Welcome Help from Loved Ones
Alleviate some of the planning stress by accepting offers of help from friends and family. Accepting help from people you trust will enable you to focus on other things like enjoying the process.
“One thing I wish I had embraced earlier on in the planning process was saying yes when friends and family offered to help,” says Katelyn Denkensohn, founder of Q9 Creations. “We took on a lot of the decor ourselves to stick to our budget. As the date got closer the stress started to build. Looking back, I wish I had accepted their help sooner. When we finally allowed our family to jump in it was such a relief.”
Trust Your Vendors for a Stress-Free Celebration
Allow your hired professionals to take the reins so you are free to immerse yourself fully in the joy of your special day. When you trust your vendors they will be more motivated to do their best.
“For my wedding I chose joy and refrained from being too involved,” states Mansi Dhanak, founder of Revurge. “Ours was a four-day celebration with 2,000 guests where we soaked in every hug. Every magical moment. The secret? Trust your planners and vendors completely! We took a back seat on overplanning and overdoing so we could focus on what mattered: feeling overwhelmed by love and laughter. Not by logistics.”
Stay Connected with Your Partner on Your Big Day
Remain close to your partner throughout your wedding day, making sure you experience every moment of shared happiness together. Add in a few moments alone with your partner in your wedding day timeline.
“Don’t leave your partner’s side all night! We were intentional about experiencing every part of the weekend together, from greeting guests to sneaking quiet moments alone,” says Surie Kabani, director at American Express and a fashion blogger. “It grounded us and made the day feel even more meaningful. You get pulled in many directions throughout the wedding, but staying close helps you fully enjoy the happiness together.”
Cherished Faces: Ensuring Key Family and Friend Photos
Make sure to include dedicated time with your photographer to capture group shots with your nearest and dearest. Sharing a clear list and timeline with your photographer beforehand will ensure that they photograph the people and the moments that matter to you the most.
“Set aside time before the wedding for your photographer to know exactly who the key family and friends are and to schedule dedicated time for those group shots,” remarks Chandni Kumar, a board-certified behavior analyst. “It’s so easy to get swept up in couple portraits or the chaos of the day, and you may end up missing photos with the people who matter most.”
Embrace the Moment: Have Fun and Be Present
Finally, on the day of the wedding take a deep breath, forget about everything that could go wrong, and enjoy the celebration.
“The unforeseen hiccups of your day will work themself out! I planned my wedding diligently. I took into account every possible scenario as a type A personality,” recalls Nicole Back, photographer, videographer and founder of nicole&photo. “However it’s not possible to plan for every situation. Assign a trusted member of your bridal party to remind you to breathe during any overwhelming moments.”
You and your partner have worked hard and dreamt of this day. So let go of all the stress, let your hair down. Just have fun. It’ll be over before you know it.
Sana Chopra Gupta, founder and CEO of Mrs. G, concludes, “Everyone talks about the stress and the planning, but here’s my advice: don’t forget to have fun! It’s not just another party. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime gathering of your people. Be present for it, and let yourself really take in. Because later you won’t dwell on what went off track. You’ll only remember how it all felt.”
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