Wedding blues?

Planning a wedding can be extremely frustrating. I think we all know someone that may have been sweet as pie, but the closer her wedding day approached, she turned into a complete Bridezilla. Weddings can cause rifts between family, friendships and even the newly weds to be. Speaking from experience, wedding planning was so much hell that I ended up cancelling it and chose to get married at the courthouse. Our witnesses were one of my husband’s friends and the photographer we hired.

Looking back, I regret allowing myself to get so overwhelmed. If I didn’t focus on what other people wanted and expected of me, I probably would’ve pulled off a beautiful day.

Here are 5 things I learned during the process, that I hope will help you:

1. Set a limit and stick to it! Whether it’s budget or the number of guests, do not budge. This is the day that you can afford to leave out those “cousins” that you only see at family events. Close family and friends are the ones that you should want to be there. The point is to celebrate your union. Think of the people that have been there and witnessed the moments leading up to your big day. And if your family aren’t eating Lobster and Veal on the regular, it’s completely ok if they eat steak and shrimp at your wedding.

2.  Do not be ashamed of getting married at the courthouse…Honestly, who caaaarees? At the end of the day, it’s only going to be you and your significant other to stand 10 toes down, when life gets rough. The longer that you’re married you’ll see relationships around you come and go, it doesn’t matter if their wedding were big or small. It’s just fluff…nice fluff, but there’s something powerful in being able to focus on your spouse and nothing else.

3. Whether you get married at the courthouse or have a huge wedding, find a great photographer! You want to be able to look at these pictures and escape back in time. I was lucky enough to know an amazing photographer and she completely accommodated us and made our tiny courthouse wedding feel like a big deal! I know you’re probably thinking “Jeez Sy, we’re trying to save money”! I’m not saying that you have to break the bank, because there are so many beginner photographers that are so talented. We were Charmekia’s (Our Photographer) first wedding…ever, but she was so talented that you can’t even tell.

Check out CharMarie Photography Here: https://www.instagram.com/charmariephotography/

4. Just because you’re getting married at the courthouse doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t dress up and look cute! Even though I didn’t spend a lot of money my $40.00 dress and $10.00-dollar flower crown still made me feel beautiful, and you deserve to feel beautiful on your big day too.

5. There still should be some sort of planning going into your small wedding whether it’s reservations at your favorite restaurant, a small party with the in-laws or a picnic on the beach with your babe, make the day special because this day starts a new chapter of your life and it should feel like it. You ever read a really awesome story and then there’s this one chapter that you wish you could rewrite? Don’t let your wedding day be that chapter.

I hope these tips help and remember your wedding day is about you and your honey.  Don’t let yourself get too overwhelmed because in a blink of an eye it’ll be over and instead of enjoying the process, you’ll be stressed out.