How NOT to go insane when planning a wedding

Hello, fellow brides-to-be. I'm sorry it's been a while, but I have been swamped with work and until today, the wedding planning had taken a back seat.

Today I want to briefly discuss how NOT to go insane when planning your wedding.

Number One - PLAN AHEAD!!!!!!! There is a reason why I'm planning my wedding a year and a half out. Give yourself plenty of time to really plan, to see what you like & don't like and not cram everything all in at once, but rather spread it out.

Number Two - PLAN B!!!!!! ALWAYS have back-ups, multiple choices, etc. Things happen. It's a part of life. If the veil you're obssessed about is no longer available, you had better have another choice that you like just as much (or at least pretty darn close)so that you're covered. I cannot emphasize enough how important this is.

Number Three - REALX!!!!!!! It is so ridiculously important to RELAX and ENJOY your wedding. No wedding is ever absolutely perfect. It's just not. So what? Did you have fun? Was your day a good reflection of you as a couple and your love and devotion to each other? Did your guests enjoy themselves? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you had a great wedding. So there! ;)

Number Four - Have a straight friend who loves to go shopping be your guide!!!! LOL...Ok this one is funny. There's a girl on our roller derby team who was married last year and she LOVES to shop. I nabbed her and asked for her help. I HATE shopping and I don't blend in with the other gals in the bridal stores (I'm the one in there with the biker jacket on having the store people put veils in my hair. Yeah, it's comical! LOL). She is giving me advice, insights, etc. I'll tell you, having people you can talk to, bounce ideas off of, get opinions, etc. is VITAL to the process. It is helping me tremendously and I'm sure it would help you too.

So...relax, have fun and remember WHY you're getting married! :)

Remember, only 529 days till I become the little wife ;)

Wednesday Wedding Tips!

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Today, I am beginning a new series! Wednesday Wedding Tips. These may not occur EVERY Wednesday between now and my nuptials (there are a lot of Wednesdays between now and then!), but I promise at least one a month, ok?

Now, these can be anything from the silly (i.e., don't have a shotgun wedding and expect people not to put two and two together) to actually helpful tips.

Today's falls under the category of HELPFUL tips. :)

Stress can play a big role in planning a wedding. Personally, I have been uber stressed about something un-wedding related. The stress became so bad, it caused my chest muscles to go into spasm!

Thus, we need to remember just how badly stress can affect us - even with our health.

Tip #1 - BREATHE. I know it seems cliche. But, when we're stressed, we take shallow breaths, not allowing oxygen to get to all our muscles and organs. Take a few minutes and really breathe deeply. Take in air until you literally feel like you can't any more. Exhale it all, until there is nothing left. Keep doing this, and you might just find that your stress dissipates.

Tip #2 - Lavender. Lavender is a great scent to help you relax. Get lavender bath oil or body wash. My yoga teacher had this essential oil called "Stress Away." You roll it onto your wrists and chest and inhale the lavender scent. It's GREAT for helping you to fall asleep when you are rittled with anxiety.

Tip #3 - Writing. How appropo that a writer talks about writing, huh? Writing is a GREAT tool to vent anger, help conquer fear and of course, battle stress. Pound out your frustrations on the keyboard. Or, if you're feeling really stressed, hand-write it all out. Physical activity always helps. Gripping the pen can actually be a good release.

Tip #4 - Watch your food. We ALL crave chocolate or other bad things when we're stressed. I am as guilty as the next person. But girls and boys, we're getting married! We want to look good for our big day, right? If you're going to splurge, do so in moderation. When I've been craving chocolate, I'll eat a really chocolate-y fiber or granola bar. Or, I'll just have one big glass of chocolate soy or regular milk before bed. Thus, I tend to my craving, but I'm not over-doing it, either.

Stress is a kicker. I can attest to that with that awful chest spasm. It hurt tremendously! My doctor told me to use a heating pad on my chest a few times a day for about 20 minutes each sitting. That will help to relax the muscles. Doing that, or taking hot showers or baths can help you, too.

This is the day you profess to the world how much you love your significant other. Enjoy your day, don't stress. Ok? :)

Remember only...569 more days till I say "I do!"