Make YOUR Wedding Day Special

Wedding Days are Full of Emotional Brides and Grooms

Wedding days are one of those special days that stay with you forever. Emotional brides and grooms are a part of any wedding day. Feelings overflow as the happy couple heads for the church altar.

Emotional brides and grooms often feel scared about the prospect of marriage and feel nervous about standing in the church saying their vows knowing all their family and friends are looking on.

The feelings start long before the actual ceremony.  You can find emotional brides and grooms who get teary-eyed whenever a tuxedo commercial comes on or they see an ad for David's Bridal boutique.

For some of the emotional brides and grooms, the feelings they have can ruin the day because it can be too overwhelming. Some even suffer panic attacks at the thought of saying, "I do" in a crowded room.

Although you want to keep the happiness flowing and make it a day to remember, you have to know how to control those emotions that can pull you down when you least expect it.

If you feel anxiety or nervous on your big day, remember to take time to collect your thoughts and take deep breaths - something many emotional brides and grooms forget to do.

Controlling yourself can be difficult, but if you take the time to compose yourself in those moments when your heart skips a beat for reasons of fear instead of passion, you can truly make your wedding into the special day that you dreamed of.

You may be scared, you may feel anxious, but when you say, "I do" it will all go away as your love flows deep in your heart.  And don't worry if the tears accompany your feelings - guests expect to see emotional brides and grooms at a wedding service.

Take the memories of your special day away with you and cherish them always, because this is a day of celebration of the love you have for your partner. 

Don't Forget It's YOUR Wedding Day!

Your wedding day was meant to be the one true day where the world revolves around you - at least that what we grow up thinking, imagining the whole Cinderella ball with our dream dress and Prince Charming.

Unfortunately, what often happens is a bride allows too many cooks in the kitchen and suddenly it's someone else's dream coming true and the wedding day dream is dashed.

It's not your fault. Planning a wedding (even if you have the help of a professional wedding planner) is a daunting task.  You have to think of yourself, your guests, your wedding party, the vendors, expenses, and a slew of other things for your wedding day.

You need help - a bride can't do it all herself and keep her sanity.  But sometimes, others will cross the line and almost intimidate you into doing what they want - not what you wanted for your special wedding day.

Maybe it's a pushy wedding planner talking you out of every decision you had planned for the last 15 years since you were a teenager.  Or it might be your own dear mom - shaking her head and frowning when you tell her you want a trendy colorful wedding dress instead of traditional white on your wedding day walk down the aisle.

It can take all of the pleasure out of planning your wedding day when other people disapprove of your plans. But you have to bolster yourself against the frenzy of opinions that will be bombarding you and learn how to do it without getting yourself worked up.

If you wind up with a professional who isn't allowing you to express your creative dreams, think about finding another one - or have a heart to heart with her and let her know that you appreciate the expertise she brings to the table, but you know what you want on your wedding day and you just need her help carrying it out.  She won't want to lose a client - so when you state it flatly, with a smile on your face - she should step in line.

What often happens, though, is that a family member or friend becomes the overbearing element in your wedding day planning - and you feel awful at the thought of having to put them in their place.  You worry that feelings will get hurt or even worse - an argument will ensue - and this is supposed to be the happiest time of your life!

Here's how to deal with overbearing family members: "Mom, can we talk a minute? You know I respect and value your opinion more than anything in the world.  But ever since I was a kid, I've had this idea in my head of how exciting it would be to plan my wedding day.  I know you're probably able to spot all of the errors I'm making, so I know it's frustrating for you when I go my own direction, but I really need your support so we can just have fun doing this without arguing over the details."

Mom should realize she's being a damper on your planning process, but if she doesn't, simply smile at her, kiss her on the cheek, and say, "Well don't be mad if do this my own way!" and then go on about your business getting everything ready for your wedding day the way you wanted it.  If she continues butting in during the planning process, just smile and say, "I appreciate your advice, but I'm going to go with my idea." 

Some people just love to argue. If you encounter someone who won't let it die and wants to ruin your wedding day plans, then you need to keep away from that person as much as possible while you carry out your dreams. Yes, it's heart-wrenching, but this is your wedding day - not theirs. Treat yourself right and enjoy picking that red wedding dress or blue bouquet!

Wedding Drama - Keep Your Emotions in Check

A wedding is an emotional event for everyone involved. The bride, groom, families, and your wedding party will all have feelings and opinions on everything from the guest list to the reception, creating ample opportunity for wedding drama to unfold.

Even you yourself may have inner battles regarding some choices. Here's some advice for braving the storm:

Take a Time Out

Do fun things with your mate-to-be that aren't related to the wedding drama going on. Staying connected to your partner is important. This is the first big project you are tackling together.

The same goes for your friends - they probably have things going on in their lives they want to tell you about that aren't wedding-related. Don't let wedding drama consume your whole life.

Stay in the Pink

Don't let physical fitness, proper diet, keeping doctor's appointments, etc. fall by the wayside. You want to look and feel your best on your wedding day, not stressed and worn out by the preparations and inevitable wedding drama. Even if you're on a tight schedule, missing a wedding detail is a minor cost compared to getting burnt out over the planning process as a whole.

Leave a Message at the Beep

It's easy to feel barraged by phone calls from family, friends and vendors. Your answering machine or voicemail can help you slow the pace of all the wedding drama. By screening your phone calls, you get the condensed version.

You'll give more thoughtful replies if you are able to concentrate on the conversation. The best decisions are not made driving 65 mph while juggling a cup of coffee and talking on the phone.

Lend Me Your Ear

Listen to the input of your loved ones. They may give you some ideas you hadn't considered. Tell them that you appreciate them taking the time to let you know how they feel and you will see if whatever they're requesting is a possibility.

Try your best to avoid giving an answer on the spot. Saying yes and having to let them down or flatly refusing their request will only cause more wedding drama.

Aye, Aye, Captain

Whether you choose to incorporate suggestions, the decision is ultimately yours. Go with what feels right - there are no wrong answers. Remembering that you are the captain of this ship can prevent you from feeling pulled in all directions when wedding drama is trying to take root.

When you've made your decision, patch things up if you think you've let someone down. Tell them why you decided against their suggestion and that you hope they'll understand. Asserting yourself kindly but firmly should put the issue to rest and end the wedding drama once and for all.

Four Alarm Fire

Not every glitch is an emergency, so don't let alarm bells ring when a problem arises. There will be some snafus, but don't let them ruin the whole thing - wedding drama is a part of every bride's special day - it's how you handle it that matters most.

Do what needs to be done and focus on all the joy of your special day. If something major happens, it will be a story for your grandchildren. Besides, popular superstition says that the more wedding drama you have, the happier the marriage will be!

Through all the turmoil, remember to breathe deep and don't sweat the small stuff. No matter what happens, you'll come away from the day with treasured memories that will last a lifetime and you won't even remember the wedding drama that unfolded.

Turning Your Home Wedding into a Destination Dream

Are you planning a home wedding?  It doesn't matter whether your budget made the choice to have a home wedding or you did, home weddings aren't what they used to be.

Home weddings have come a long way over the years.  They aren't only for the young couple with a shotgun pointed at the groom anymore!  Now your home wedding can be as elegant and unique as any wedding held in a church or function hall, and for a fraction of the cost.

The key to a having great home wedding is choosing a theme.  Just because your Aunt Sadie thinks her chintz folding chair covers would be "Perfect!" doesn't mean you have to agree just because you're a little strapped for cash. 

If you've decided on a home wedding to save money, and maybe have to put the honeymoon off for a while, too, why not have a destination wedding at home?  It's easy to plan. 

Most couples have a honeymoon spot in mind long before the big day, even if they can't get there right away - why not "go there" on your wedding day and take your guests with you?

Did you plan to go to an exotic destination like Tahiti, Africa or Mexico?  Bring it to you instead.  There are several companies on the Internet that specialize in themed party items at or below wholesale cost, making a home wedding with a destination theme easy to plan and affordable.

Once you pick a theme for your home wedding, start looking around to see what you can find for your budget both online and in your local community at places like Party City.  For under $40 you can get Tiki Themed party favors for your Tahitian destination home wedding. 

An additional $40 or so will get you low-cost grass, paper lanterns, party lights, decorated or colored paper plates, cups, flatware and paper flowers.  For under $100 you've just brought your guests visually to Tahiti with you at your home wedding party! 

Other ways to enhance the destination feel of your home wedding include food and music.  Your budget probably didn't stretch any since you started planning your big day, so think of food and music solutions that won't break the bank. 

Call your local grocery store and talk to the deli manager.  You can order trays of sandwich fixin's, appetizers and a salad array that uses the flavors of your destination for under $20 a tray in most places.  Your deli manager may have even more fun ideas as well (such as mini tacos for Mexico, or coconut shells for bowls for Tahiti) - things that are easy to implement at a home wedding with limited space.

For music, online stores such as iTunes or eMusic are great ways to stock your computer with the sounds of the ocean, or local bands from your home wedding destination spot.  You can then burn the music onto a CD and play it to guests attending your destination home wedding.

If you don't want to use piped in music, you can call your local college or high school and see if the orchestra would be willing to send a quartet (or go for the whole orchestra) to play for an hour during the ceremony and for the first part of the reception at your home wedding, and then you can switch to DJ-style music.

A home wedding doesn't have the stigma that it used to.  Celebrities are commonly having home weddings.  Let your hair down and enjoy "traveling" with your guests on your special day, and smile to yourself when you think of Aunt Sadie's chintz nowhere in sight.