Getting married is the biggest day in a bride and grooms life, most grooms are happy with whatever ideas the bride has in mind. In most cases, this makes it easier on the groom and will save many arguments. On the other hand, some brides don’t want all the responsibility deciding on absolutely everything and more than likely, they will want some feed-back from the groom. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to wedding planning and your big day. But what about those things that they don’t tell you? It isn’t just the planning that you have to get through, you also have to get through your wedding ceremony.

Having fun and being happy is something all brides want their friends and family to do on their special wedding day. Making sure the food is perfect and the music is enjoyable is one of your tasks. This. Is. Stressful. Planning a wedding can be the best, but most frustrating event you will ever have to look forward to. Everything from sending out invitations to eating arrangements are things that you have to consider. There are so many last minute preparations, so having more than a couple people helping, makes it easier on everybody.

TIP ONE: Accept the help. Just remember, the most important thing for a perfect wedding is to double-check your list. Ask those that you trust to help you. Give specific jobs that aren’t too overwhelming. If you must, try to break up the big jobs into smaller increments of time. It’s ok to ask for help.

You’ll want help with most everything but one thing that you’ll more than likely need you parents for? The addresses of all the family members you’ll be inviting.

TIP TWO: When ordering wedding invitations, make sure that you always order a couple more than you are expecting to mail out. When you’re writing the invitations you WILL notice that you have missed some vital names, don’t feel badly. You did not forget them intentionally, it’s just bound to happen. Since it costs quite a bit to have them sent out, it’s great to just have some extra invites on hand. You can also put one in a photo album to remember for all of time.

People like to feel wanted at any event, especially when they see their very own name on things. Whether it’s a personalized wedding favor or a “reserved for,” tag on the table, they feel more comfortable and welcome. Deciding on what to do for edible wedding favors is very complicated because of people’s allergies, diabetes or uninterested in the candy or mints.

TIP THREE: You cannot please everyone. Making your wedding personal isn’t a bad thing, but you are bound to have a guest or two that will say something about the favors or the seating arrangements. Take these complaints with a grain of salt… or a plate of salt, find yourself some tequila and make yourself a Margarita.

Decorating the church and reception hall is very time consuming and trying on your patience. Making sure everything is level and matches in color is close to impossible, but somebody has to do it. Believe it or not, there are many clashes with other family members or friends to make their day the best it can be. Many people feel overwhelmed before it’s all said and done but the more help you have, the better the outcome is.

TIP FOUR: Coordinate. Accepting help is great, but coordinating said help will take a ton of weight off your shoulders. Let everyone know what they are in charge of. The mother of the bride can be in charge of keeping everyone on schedule, the MOH can be the point of contact for the vendors, and so on. It doesn’t have to be a super in-detail list of jobs, just make sure that everyone is aware of what they’re doing.

Having a photographer on your wedding day is a great way to capture memories. However, there are some considerations that you should keep in mind. If you are having a wedding in a church you should try to make sure that lighting is somewhat acceptable. Ask the church if you’re allowed to have flash photography or if there are places for the photographers or videographers to station themselves and their equipment.

TIP FIVE: Coordinate with your vendors beforehand. You photographer isn’t the only one that you need to coordinate with beforehand. Have your photographer come to the venue around the time of your ceremony to get a feel for the lighting if it is something that you’re concerned about. Ask your venue if your vendors can use the “service” door on the big day so they don’t interrupt your anything that may be going on.

Standing at the alter and announcing “I do” can be a nerve racking experience in itself, not to mention the planning process lasts for months before the important day. All in one moment, it’s done and over with.

TIP SIX: Enjoy every single moment. Just breathe. To be honest, I was the most nervous bride there was (even with half a bottle of rum in my system–I advise against that, btw), I was totally fine at the alter. Once I got up there, I was good with saying what I needed to say and doing what I needed to do. As nervous as you may be, it will all go away the second you look into your grooms eyes.

Try incorporating sentimental value into your marriage. You can try something like carrying a spray of flowers that a loved one or a dear friend of yours carried on their wedding day. It makes the day a little more personal and loving to the individual whom the tribute is aimed towards. You may consider using fake flowers for your wedding. This saves a ton of cash and the majority will be unable to tell that they aren’t real. If you are crafty, you can put together the arrangement yourself ahead of your big day. You can also spray a floral scent on the bouquet if you’d like the flowers to smell fresh.

MOTHER OF ALL TIPS: Utilize all of these tips. You will not be sorry that you’ve taken the extra moment to read this while you’re busy wedding planning. The few minutes it took you to read this will save you tons of time and some money. Coming from a real bride, saving time, money, and stress will do you a world of wonder. But the one thing that I will leave you with that I really mean… ENJOY YOUR WEDDING DAY. Be the happy, smiling bride and don’t let the little things get to you. You got this. Happy planning!