I got married just over a year ago and whilst it was the happiest period in my life, there were definitely a few moments during the planning where I thought I was going to tear my hair out. K and I were the sole planners of the wedding which is what we preferred as we didn't want everyone else's opinion getting in the way of what we wanted, (something I'll come back to later). 
Don't get me wrong, it wasn't all anxiety and panic attacks. For the most part it was the most fun and exciting experience of my life. Planning your wedding really does fill you with a complete mix of emotions and now that wedding season is upon us, I thought it might be helpful to some of you for me to share my advice on how to get the day of your dreams without all the headache!
(Photo credit - Prestige Photography Solihull)
Get Organised
Before you know it you'll have quotes and numbers coming out of your ears and the only way to not feel overwhelmed is to have it all on paper where you know what's what. You can get a specific wedding planner or a simple notepad, it's completely up to you. Having everything split into neat sections makes it so much easier to keep on top of payments, contact information for suppliers and all of the other important bits. 

 Select Your Wedding Party Wisely and Quickly
It didn't take long for me to realise who was interested in being a part of my wedding and who wasn't so to stop any disappointment I strongly advise you sort out who's going to be in your wedding party very early on. Another thing to note is you don't have to have 10 bridesmaids and 10 best men if you don't want to. My wedding party consisted of my brother and my best friend and they were all K and I needed. 

 Stay True To Your Vision
Everyone has their own personal opinion on what makes the perfect wedding and whilst you might care about your auntie's opinion on what flavour the cake should be or how your mother in law thinks you should wear your hair, just remember it's your day and the last thing you want is to look back on the day and have regrets. We wanted a very formal, traditional yet modern wedding and although some people may have preferred things to be slightly different, we couldn't be happier with the style we chose.

 Prioritise 
Budget always seems to creep up at some point or other and no two weddings have the same flexibility. If you've fallen in love with a really expensive dress that takes up half your budget then that's fine but just remember you may have to cut back on other elements in the wedding. We spent the majority of our budget on the outfits, decor, cake and venue and then saved on everything else. 

 Don't Stress
I'm not usually an anxious person unless I'm worried about something that I really care about so you can probably imagine what I was like during the planning. I constantly felt sick, on edge and just like I couldn't focus on anything else besides the wedding. For some reason the only way I thought everything would work out was if I thought about it 24/7. This isn't healthy or true and even after things were confirmed, I still felt unsure and unsettled.
I know it's easy to panic and think nothing will get done or that the day won't be right but as long as you plan everything out, book your suppliers and stay on top of payments, everything will fall into place, trust me. All of those sleepless nights and mini panic attacks aren't going to make the day run any smoother. It's just going to give you and your partner a migraine!

A few extra things to keep in mind :
Don't forget to communicate with your partner.
Make sure you do a lot of research before selecting your suppliers.
Double check everything! And I do mean everything!
Try to pay off most of the balance before the wedding. 
Put all of your important pieces in one place. The last thing you want is to lose the rings or your veil. 
Have fun and stop being so serious! Before you know you'll be on the dance floor partying the night away without a care in the world.
If you're getting married and found this post helpful or would like to share some of your own advice please leave a comment! 

Maiya
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