Wedding : Advice for the Bride

We can give you a few ideas from things we have learned. You may or may not find this kind of insight elsewhere, so we hope it's helpful to you. If you like our unique perspective, please check back often, as we plan to add more thoughts and opinions as we can. And if you have a story, or other unique advice to share, email us and we'll try to add it to our list. Also, note that we can't cover everything. We assume that you have read a few bridal magazines or other articles and maybe even a few Web sites.

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Please note: The advice given on this page are suggestions only, please read at your own risk.

Money Matters

The Budget
Don't go blindly into your wedding plans, know your financial limitations! A wedding can cost a lot of money, and the more you know about how much you have to spend, the better. And believe me, it all adds up! The last thing you need to stress about right before the wedding, is money and where you are going to get it. Especially, two days before the wedding. And don't forget to include the obvious in your budget, such as the wedding rings, obtaining the wedding license, gifts of appreciation and other miscellaneous expenses.

Staying Healthy

Drink Plenty of Water
First off, let me say that drinking plenty of water can do several things. It can help keep you feeling healthy and it is good for your facial complexion. I know it isn't an easy thing to do. I was doing well, drinking plenty of water up until the day before our wedding. Guess what happened? I stressed out and got a few blemishes the morning of my wedding. I then tried to "take care" of them and made it worse! Luckily, there is always touch up work that can be done on the photos.

Wedding Dress

Arriving on Schedule
It is important to NOT stress out the bride-to-be! This means having important items taken care in advance. The biggest one is the arrival of the bridal gown. It should arrive in plenty of time to get it altered or pressed, if needed. Even when they give you a definite date, follow up on it. Check on the status of your dress's shipment date often and stay on top of it, especially if the date is pretty close to the event. I was warned by another bride who had problems, and even with following up the week before, the manufacturer had to ship mine to the shop overnight!

Alterations - Part I
If you have a family member or friend offer to alter your dress, and they get busy (possibly finishing the bridesmaids dresses). Insist on taking it back to the shop for alterations yourself, even if you are busy and it is a little far away. Last thing you want to worry about is if it gets done right or not!

Alterations - Part II
Depending on the ceremony location, you may want to consider the length of your dress. It is important to have your dress, and all the other's in your wedding party be the proper length. When you do, don't forget to add in the grass factor! If it's deep, thick grass, you might loose a couple of inches in height. And that perfect picture in your head of your first dance of course didn't include walking on grass. Then someone in your wedding party could end up tripping (like our flower girl). Even I was having a hard time walking, I had to kick my dress out in front of me!