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13 Must Dos Before and after you say "I DO" be sure you... by Kayla Budzina Rest. Be sure to get a good night’s sleep the night before the ceremony. The sooner you fall asleep, the sooner your wedding day will arrive! Have a few moments of rest on your wedding day, too. You will probably need it. Relax. This is one of the best days of your life, and that’s exactly what it should feel like. It is easy to be blown away by everything, but stay focused and try to stay calm. Take a few deep breaths, and let the day sink in. Your bridesmaids and family are there to help you, so by all means, let them! Eat. Perhaps the most important detail of all—DO NOT skip meals! You need all the energy you can get. Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You will want to feel your best from the ceremony right up until the honeymoon, and the first step in achieving this is to take care of yourself. At the very least, be sure to have a light, healthy snack before the ceremony. Appreciate. Chances are, a lot of important people helped to make your big day possible. Be sure to thank your bridal party, friends and family. Let everyone know how much you appreciate his or her help and attendance, whether it’s someone you only see once a year, or someone you see on a daily basis. Take Care of the Details. Make sure you, your maid of honor, or another trusted bridesmaid helps you assemble a “survival kit.” Pack emergency items like safety pins, nylons, thread, hairspray, aspirin, breath mints, lipstick, a compact with a mirror, etc. Be sure to arrange for someone to take care of the day-after details, such as returning rental items and bringing personal belongings back to your home. Take Care of Legal Stuff. Some of the most important items are your wedding rings and your marriage license—be sure you have these with you or know who does. Secondly, be sure to have checks to take care of any leftover payments or obligations. Smile. You never know when someone is photographing you. You don’t want someone to catch you on camera making a silly or gloomy face. This should be the happiest day of your life—make sure you look exactly how you feel! Prepare Photos. Take your time when posing for photographs. The constant arrangement (and rearrangement) of you and your bridal party may get tedious, but your wedding photographs will be a part of your life forever, so be patient. To make the process go a little smoother, let your wedding party know to be ready for the photos shortly after the ceremony. Be sure to give a list of “must have” shots to the photographer before the ceremony, so he or she knows the most important shots. Bring a Change of Shoes. You’ll be dancing the night away, so you’ll want to be comfortable. Practice moving around in your shoes before the wedding to break them in and get used to them at the same time. Choose Undergarments Carefully. You don’t want undergarments appearing every time you move, and you certainly don’t want to be rearranging uncomfortable undergarments while you are in the spotlight, so choose smartly. Stay Sober. Stay away from the alcohol! Your reception will be a huge celebration, but you will want to remember every bit of it, so go easy. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff. Ideally, everything will run like clockwork but, as the saying goes, nothing is perfect. It is nearly inevitable that some little tiny detail might not go exactly as planned, but don’t get all worked up if that happens. Chances are no one else will notice the little things that you might notice. And remember—the most important thing is the marriage to come, not the wedding. And last, but absolutely not least… Show Him Your Love. You just got married! Make sure to tell your new husband how happy you are that you are finally together. If you would like, arrange to have a note sent to him before the ceremony telling him how you feel. What a harmonious way to kick off your new couplehood and life together! TIP: If you feel overwhelmed with all the planning for your wedding, consider hiring a wedding planner. This will be especially helpful if you plan a reception in a non-traditional setting. The money you will pay for his or her services is well worth it and at the end it may save you money that you may otherwise use on unnecessary or poorly planned expenses. – SCB

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