5 top tips to enjoy your wedding

Getting engaged is an amazing feeling but when the reality of ‘I am actually having a wedding’ hits, things can get a little overwhelming. You’ve just realised how much there is to do; how will you be able to plan everything, AND enjoy your special day? We asked our trusted panel of wedding experts here at LoveHearts.com to share their top tips for tackling pre-wedding stress, this is what they had to say:

Plan!

“So much to do, so little time.” That’s one thought you don’t want to have in the months before your wedding; the greatest gift you can give yourself is time and, as boring as it sounds, a strategy. Even if you’re the most spontaneous person this side of Vegas, you’ll soon find that weddings are a maze and the best way you can combat the stress is to plan your route. Yep, we’re talking excel sheets, Filofaxes, journals, Pinterest boards and every colour of highlighter. The way to avoid the panic is to take time out to think what needs to be done and by when.

“Lists are your friends; they can make it easy to see what needs to be done and what is left to do! Also don’t forget to shop around for the best deals and if you are out of season, haggle!”
– Jo Farnsworth

“Make sure you keep planning little bits all the time, don’t leave things until the last minute.”
– Lisa

“Plan ahead by making lots of lists and getting help from friends and family”
– Selina Scott

Keep calm and marry on

It’s your day, so be happy!  That doesn’t mean you have free reign to be bride/groomzilla.  Instead it means you should focus on being relaxed – don’t be the bossy bride who stops Uncle Whatshisname from having too much to drink and don’t lose your veiled head over the photographer being 5 minutes late. Stay the serene bride you want to see in the pictures, you’ll thank yourself later. Most importantly, you’ll look back on your day with a smile. Forget the imperfections and don’t get flustered when things don’t quite go to plan

“Remember that it’s your day. After all the planning, some things will be perfect and other things may not, but what is perfect is you both getting married. Enjoy it.”

– Phil Hough

“Don’t let anyone else turn it into their dream day, do what you want, it’s your day.”
– Melanie Chambers

“Don’t worry too much about other people’s opinions, it’s your day”
– Rebecca Nicholls

“Your day is about you and your groom/bride. Don’t worry about others; it’s your day no matter if you’re in jeans or a dress. So enjoy and be happy”
– Francesca  Purcell

Family matters

There’s no doubt a wedding can mean a lot of expense, planning and organisation.  Generally, parents want to help and certainly do mean well, but they also might use it as an opportunity to invite their friends.  The advice of LoveHearts.com customers is to pick and choose what help you want and be clear on what you want to delegate, and what you want to manage yourself.  You also might want to be clear from the outset that even if you do take a family member up on their offer to help, you still have the power to veto any decision they make!  Set the ground rules.

“I would advise not to allow family pressure to overcome decisions”.
– Lucy Coy

“Don’t worry about who your parents want to invite, it’s your wedding and your memories. … Enjoy it with people you love not granny’s next door neighbour.”
– Jen Malyon

“Remember it’s your day and it’s all about you and your love. So if you don’t want that relative you’ve not seen for years or somebody’s friend there then don’t have them.”
– Elizabeth Hill

Keep it simple

A wedding should be a reflection of your love for your partner.  Love is very personal, and completely unique, so perhaps your wedding should represent everything that is personal and unique to you.  Bear this in mind when you decide who to invite and what music to play.  When you’re clear in your own mind what you want your wedding to look like and who you want to be there, everything else will just fall into place

and remember why you’re there

Perhaps the key to enjoying your wedding day is to remember what the day is all about. Whether you’re getting hitched in a registry office or in the Palace of Versailles (a la ‘Kimye’),it all comes down to the fact that you’re there to tell your spouse you love them, in front of people who love you. Those four lads from Liverpool were right; all you need really is love. And maybe a glass or two of champagne.