Here are a few things that perhaps didn't go as smoothly as I would have loved... all in all, that fact that there are only 5 is pretty good! :)
Now I am not telling you to pop pills if you don't need to, but if you have ever had trouble sleeping in these scenarios: the night before a big interview, the night before your first day of school, the night before a huge competition or game. YEAH... I am talking to YOU... Why would your wedding day- AKA the biggest day of your life to date- be any different? The stress, the butterflies, the anxiety, the excitement... I wasn't able to fall asleep until after 3am and had to be up at 7am the next morning to shower for my big day. (I called Logan bawling the morning of our wedding b/c I was so dang tired. Poor thing freaked out that I was having cold feet at first haha!)
*Note: Do a practice run on that sleeping aid. I am a freak show and "Nyquil" actually does the opposite and wires me.
2. Pre-made, typed out "shots" that you want your photographer to take. (Specifically the group & family shots directly after the ceremony and any key details that you really put thought behind.)
Being put on the spot and trying to remember is impossible and risky... Although I had my typed out list, I had 3 that I missed and don't want you to forget, so learn from me:
- Logan and I ALONE at the front of the church
- Me w/ the flower girls only
- Shots of our buffet table at the reception (that one is random, but we put so much thought into our All American and French cuisine to fuse the two cultures, I wanted it captured. Photographers typically don't shoot the food, just the cake so if it is important to you make sure to request it!)
3. This goes for a DJ or band... GO LISTEN to a wedding or event where they are performing before booking them.
I give you full permission to be a wedding crasher for a night! My DJ was only $500 and came recommended from a coworker so I thought- hey the price is right and she has good taste so we are good to go! Now I doubt anyone noticed or cared because a dance party is a dance party, but I gave our DJ a playlist and he did not stick to it. I had key songs I wanted him to play and he definitely strayed off the path playing things like JOURNEY (cringe) that I had told him beforehand to stay away from. Basically, I felt like he put on a generic wedding playlist that he probably had used at many of his weddings and pushed play. It didn't feel personal to me after I had put so much thought into my recommendations. So make sure to have open communication and clear expectations.
Also- make sure he/she knows and sticks to the schedule. (Maybe get your MOH to monitor this) I noticed people were starting to leave because it was getting late, and we still had yet to do our bouquet and garter toss. Me (the bride) had to go ask the DJ to please do it... NOW. He did not stick to my schedule. Again, probably no one noticed, but that is not something the bride should be stressing over.
4. A tid bit: No one goes to a wedding expecting to hang out with the bride and groom.
On our honeymoon I was going through a list of names feeling guilty for not talking very long (in some cases at all) to some of our guests, especially those who came in from out of town. Just know that you will not have time to catch up on life and have a meaningful conversation with each guest. Its tempting to want to though, considering this is the one day in your life where literally all of your favorite people are together in the same room.
I now see the beauty in a Bride/ Groom receiving line or walking table to table during dinner and just saying a quick 1-2 minute hello to everyone. That way you make the rounds, speak to every single guest, and don't have to keep getting dragged off the dance floor to catch up with people :) Call me selfish, but I love to dance! Plus you can avoid the post-wedding "I didn't talk to XYZ and I feel bad" honeymoon guilt.
5. Make a point to stand facing your husband and watch him and his mom in the spotlight.
This is a shout out to Logan and an apology. I had my back turned almost his entire Mother/ Son dance because people were trying to talk to me and I was so excited to see them and catch up. I still feel bad about this. Luckily its on film, but I remember severely hurting his feelings and hate that! This is honestly the only point in the evening where all eyes are off you and focused on the groom. Give him his moment to shine :) Logan- I have re-done this a zillion times in my head and I apologize again and I love you!
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