Congratulations, you're engaged! This is a new and exciting time in your life, and you are at the beginning of a beautiful journey. And depending on whether your wedding day is in 10 months or 10 weeks, there are a few surefire developments you can expect, regardless of the length of your engagement. Here's what to expect before your wedding day.
You will get a lot of attention!
When you become a bride-to-be, you immediately become the focal point of all attention. Your friends and family members have been looking forward to the day for so long! Everyone is excited for you, and they want to show that excitement by devoting time and attention to you.
So, be prepared to receive a lot of love over the next few months! Of course, there will be the standard bridal prep events, such as engagement parties, bridal showers, bachelorette parties and more, where you can expect many of your loved ones to want to gather, show you love, and impart some wisdom (as well as some gifts for your upcoming married life!) At these gatherings, everyone is going to want to talk to you, and share in your joy and happiness.
If you enjoy being the center of attention, then this is going to be a very fun time for you! However, if the thought of standing in front of a group of people makes you nervous, don’t panic. Just know that everyone is excited for you and wants to celebrate this special time in your life. That being said, if you want to discourage overt attention, then ask your event planners to keep it casual - whatever is going to make you the most comfortable. You are the bride, after all!
You will encounter some stress
Planning a wedding is fun and exciting… but it can also be very stressful. There are a lot of big decisions to make, such as your venue, your food and beverages, your guest list, your flowers and decor, and of course, your dress! And unless you have nerves of steel, you’re going to get a little overwhelmed. In fact, it’s totally normal!
To minimize stress when planning your wedding day, keep things in perspective: what elements are the most important to you? Where do you want to invest both your time and your budget to create your perfect day? When you prioritize these elements, you’ll find that your planning process gets a lot easier (and less stressful).
Another great strategy for managing wedding planning stress is to enlist some help - especially for the elements that aren’t your favorite to put together. For example, if you love thinking about the big picture of your wedding, like the color palette and flower arrangements, but get overwhelmed when you try to decide on the tiny details, like escort cards and table numbers, find someone in your wedding party to help you! More often than not, there will be a friend or family member who would love to jump in and help.
A lot of people will want to share their opinion
Another thing to expect after you get engaged and as you are planning your wedding and preparing for marriage is that you are going to receive a lot of advice: advice on marriage, advice on how to plan your wedding, advice on who should be invited to the wedding, advice on what kind of ceremony you should have, and so much more!
Remember, people are only sharing their opinions because they want you to be happy, and they want you to have a long, successful marriage! Or they want you to have the perfect wedding day! Either way, their opinions are only coming from a place of love.
You are the bride - it’s up to you whether you want to heed and apply their advice… or not! If you do, say thank you and make a mental note (or a note on your phone - you don’t want to forget about the name of that bakery for adorable cookie favors!) If you don’t want to take their advice, say thank you, and go about your planning. It’s your wedding and you deserve to make it your perfect day: whatever that looks like to you!
As you go through the process of planning your wedding and getting ready for marriage, you will encounter attention, stress, opinionated loved ones, and more. But it’s so important to stay relaxed, enjoy each moment, and make some time for yourself. Indulge in all the fun aspects of being a bride-to-be. Buy the magazines, create the mood boards, sign up for a bridal subscription box, and load up on “bride to be” tank tops and coffee mugs. After all, you only get to do this once! Enjoy your time being engaged, and do your best to take in all the love, attention and advice (wanted or unwanted) during this special time.
