The secret to being a chilled out, confident bride is all down to successful wedding planning.
So from the moment you decide to get to married you should aim to take control of all the preparations & stay there! When it comes to planning the biggest party of your lives, it can seem like a mountain to climb.
You will need to be able to book & organize suppliers, get your dreams across to dress designers & florists, then there is choosing your wedding colors, theme or style, wedding favors & on top of all this there may well be a multitude of family issues that have to be sorted out before the big day.
There are many thousands of brides who will walk down the aisle each year, some confident, some not so.
The secret to being a confident bride? Clever wedding planning.
I am not talking about bridezilla, over obsessive organization, but simply a system that will always let you know where you are up to.
Successful wedding planning is all about lists.
You will write a great many to do lists for just about every aspect of your wedding.
In fact list writing is something that can become quite addictive, so if it is not something you do now, you certainly will be the end of your wedding day! Writing to-do lists is a great way of keeping yourself organized & ensuring that nothing is overlooked.
Write them in a notebook which you can keep in your handbag & in which you can write down anything that you may need to remember, such as telephone numbers, dates or prices.
Pictures of just about everything you want to do with your wedding are another good idea.
Put together a scrapbook of images of everything from bouquets to shoes.
You can then show these pictures to vendors, such as your florist so they can get a good idea of what you want.
If you struggle to get pictures of the things you want, then take a camera out & about with you, that way if you see something you like you can snap it (just ask permission though first, especially if you are in a store!).
Use your computer to store all your wedding related documents & digital images.
Set up spreadsheets for your budget, guest list, RSVP's & gift registry.
Just be sure to create a 'wedding folder' to store everything in on your computer & create a shortcut to it on your desktop.
Include as much important information in it as you can, including accommodation details, dietary requirements, diary dates & addresses.
It will help you to collate information quickly & easily.
As well as a file on your computer, create a file for all your paperwork, such as contracts, quotes & statements.
Be sure to get everything in writing before hiring a vendor or supplier & paying a deposit.
As a final thought, wedding planning is tough going & no-one person can do it all on their own.
So don't be afraid to ask others to help out.
Use the services of friends & family (they are bound to offer - several times!).
This includes your husband to be, your chief bridesmaid & your parents (including the in laws).
Make up a list of everything you would like someone else to do & delegate.