Brandon and I deeply believe that the most beautiful brides are those who are filled with joy + happiness on their wedding day. A genuine playful laugh, a soft open heart, a gorgeous warm smile and an inviting spirt is what truly makes a bride absolutely stunning + breathtaking. 

And we realize this is what most brides authentically desire on their wedding day, to be filled with absolute grace + bliss. But we also know that wedding planning can be stressful and in the mist of planning your big day you may be thinking, if planning is this much stress how am I ever going to be stress-free on my wedding day. So we wanted to share secrets we learned while planning our wedding 8 years ago, along with new secrets we have learned in our 8 years of shooting weddings with gorgeous happy brides.

1. Give yourself plenty of time to plan.
If you are able to give yourself ample time to plan, 12 months is ideal, you will have more freedom when it comes selecting the perfect vendors + the ability to take your planning at a more leisurely pace.

2. Envision your wedding day clearly.
Before the planning begins take time to fully envision your wedding day clearly and write it all out. This becomes your “holy grail” for planning. Whenever you begin to feel as though things are getting a little crazy with planning refer back to your vision, it will help you remain focused and calm.

3. Select vendors you trust.
This is so key to being a happy bride, because in the end your vendors are amazing creatives who bring your vision to life. Please, please take the time to find vendors who you truly trust. Meet with them in person before signing on. The right vendors will take the stress out of planning and make the process exciting + fun! And a little side note –  to have a phenomenal relaxed planning process, hire an experienced wedding planner.

4. Positivity + Support + Love!
While planning make sure you surround yourself with friends and family who are positive, supportive and full of love and want to help bring your vision to life. Stay clear of the “Negative Nancy” who questions everything you do and wants to always steer you in another direction, that is not healthy and will only add stress. Stick with positive beautiful people, positivity breeds positivity and joy.

5. Be Grateful
Being grateful for your blessings in life, your family + your friends opens the door to a life of happiness and joy. Gratitude is a powerful practice that can revolutionize your life forever! And harnessing that practice before your wedding day can make a huge difference on every aspect from pre-planning to the day you become husband + wife.

6. Shut down the planning a week before your big day. 
The week before your wedding plan to have all your T’s crossed and i’s dotted. Yes, that week is going to be crazy and a little harry but putting in the time to make sure everything is finalized and set to go the week before your wedding is so with it. This way the week of your wedding you can focus on de-stressing knowing that all is ready to go. It will give you and your-soon-to-be time to hang out, cuddle + go on a date night. You will have time to do yoga each day with your girls, grab a smoothie and laugh about funny things going on in each others life. It will give you the opportunity to fully enjoy your life, family + friends before the happiest day ever.

7. Pamper Day
The day before your wedding pamper yourself, this may mean a spa day with a massage followed by a hot bubble bath before bed, or maybe its a day of horseback riding and hiking or a day of running through the mountains – just you and your feet hitting the pavement with a steady quick breath and headphones playing your favorite music. What ever it is DO IT!

8. The day of your wedding set your heart and mind on love, playfulness, and gratefulness.
When you arrive to get ready let loose with your besties – these are your girls, your best friends, your biggest supporters and they got ya Boo! So cheers with them to the good life together. It’s your wedding day, time to let go and enjoy.

9. Hand over the reins to your wedding planner/day-of coordinator
Relinquish control and allow your planner to fret over table placement, lighting and timeline concerns. Allow yourself to soak in every single moment of your wedding day.

10. Refuse to Stress 
Allow yourself to be so ecstatic about marrying your best friend that everything else melts away. If it rains, or the ring bear has on the wrong shoes don’t sweat it.  In the end none of that will matter, trust us, rain can make some pretty epic wedding photographs and the wrong shoes on the ring bear can be super adorable in photos as well! Not to mention those are the things that make memories. Imperfections make the best day even better and the best memories ever more memorable.  It’s all about how you look at it.

11. Kiss a little to passionately and dance like nobody is watching.
We have worked with even the shyest brides and when it comes time for their first kiss as husband and wife they go for it. Because happiness and love is consuming the day. So don’t worry about your 250 guest watching your first kiss focus on your groom who is now your forever darling! And when you dance together dance as if no one is looking. Because true happiness, love and joy (positivity) is contagious. When you dance everyone else will join in! We have shot over 200 weddings over 8 years and we have seen a dance floor go from empty to packed all because a happy, joy filled grateful bride started dancing.

12. EAT!
And last but not least there’s nothing worse than being hangry. EAT BOO!! Make time to eat during your wedding, there will be plenty of time to see everyone after dinner or on the dance floor.

Cheers to your wedding day Boo!!!! You got this girl and we are here to positively support you!