After almost two weeks as a newlywed, I have decided I am an expert at being married… just kidding. There is a lot I still have to master about being a wife, so I will hold off on giving any advice. One area where I do feel qualified to share some wisdom is the wedding day. After months of planning + stressing, my big day came + went without too much drama. Did everything happen according to plan? Not at all. Was it perfect? 100% yes.
Now that my own wedding day is behind me, I am ready to share the lessons I learned with my soon-to-be newlywed friends. Below are my ten biggest takeaways from my wedding.
Newlywed Wedding Day Tips
Use a videographer. I asked dozens of people what they regretted not having at their wedding. The answer was by and large having a videographer. Your wedding day is a whirlwind. I know that sounds dumb; at least it did to me. But, it is so true. Firstly, there is so much emotion that day, there is no way to take everything in, and even if you could, you are only one person. I spent a lot of time + money choosing my ceremony music only to realize I am only out there for like the last two songs. Thanks to my ceremony video, though, I will be able to experience the day just like my guests did.
Make your family get there earlier for pictures than you think they’ll be needed. They will be late, even if you give them a printed + digital schedule. While I somewhat assumed my fiance’s family would be late, mine was, too! This is why my third wedding day tip is to hire a boss photographer. Ashley of Smash Studios did so much more than just take beautiful pictures. She kept the day moving. She was not shy about telling people where to go or that they weren’t done yet, etc. On a day when my inner control freak was overwhelmed, it was so nice to know that someone I could trust was on top of those details + I didn’t have to worry about missing pictures I wanted.
This may not be exactly related to your wedding day, but it was to mine. Book your seamstress early + lie about when your wedding is. This may be a little extreme + not at all relevant to you, but I was late to get my hair + makeup done because my seamstress wasn’t done with my dress. Sitting in the car outside her studio while my mother stood over her was not the most relaxing way to start the day. Her reviews said she was pretty last minute, so I should have done myself a favor + fibbed about the date of the wedding.
Tips to Stay Sane
As this newlywed looks back on her day, there are some things I did that helped me stay sane + some things I should have done that would’ve made the day a bit easier for me.
Sleep in! You do NOT need to get up at 6 AM on your wedding day. That is insane + will make the day a bit miserable for you. I slept in until 9:30/10 o’clock + it was amazing. Now, that may not be possible depending on the time of your wedding or the size of your party, but 5.5 hours was more than enough time for me + my crew to get ready + take pictures.- Have an emotional babysitter. Your MOH or one of your maids should be there with you all day to monitor how you’re feeling. It is easy to get overwhelmed. You have no idea how many people touch you on your wedding day + how often. Thankfully, my maids were there to sneak me + a shot of tequila away into the bridal suite when they could tell I needed a break.
- Have a private hideaway. While my bridal suite had a curtained-off area I could sit in alone, there was no door close to shut out the noise or to lock for a minute of peace. You get asked a lot of questions + if you’re like me, you might just want a minute to yourself. If you don’t have one, you may end up looking like this.
- Have a private dinner. My caterer recommended this + it was perfect. After the ceremony, me + my hubby stole into the bridal suite to have our dinner. It not only ensured we actually got to eat, but it also gave us a little bit of time to decompress, chat with each other, and recharge before joining the masses.
- Have a plan to leave early. I thought there was no way I wouldn’t want to shut the place down. I was wrong. Having a fake exit meant we didn’t really have a plan of when to leave. Despite the efforts of my MOH to get the party to shut down a bit earlier, it raged on until the premise moment my vendors were paid to leave. I don’t regret staying until the end, but I could have left 30 minutes earlier + been just fine.
My number one tip is to surround yourself with people you actually want to share the day with. It is a beautiful, emotional, long day. You do not need to spend it putting on pleasantries + dealing with your annoying stepcousin. Put the people in your wedding that you actually want in your wedding. They will help make your day a dream + create amazing memories.
I hope you find these tips from a newlywed helpful for your special day! Looking for more advice for wedding planning? Check out my other wedding-related content!