1. Mere seconds after you get engaged, the questions start pouring in.
2. Everyone has an opinion.
3. It's important to get on the same page as your families before planning anything.
Details that might seem obvious, like who's paying for it, what the budget will be, and what the priorities are.
4. Yes, it's YOUR day, but it's also important to your whole family.
Don't be like me. When I started the planning process, I was fighting for stuff that was only important to me, and it ended rather unpleasantly, sometimes even with tears. I understand that the day is a dream come true not just for me, but also for my parents, so if we need to have a religious ceremony in order for them to be happy, we might be able to come to a happy medium.
5. Planning books are a great place to start.
6. It's typical for prices to be inflated because companies know that they can get away with it for weddings.
A lot of times, there's a big difference between the price for a wedding and the price for any other event. It's sad, yes, but I promise you now is not the time to try and change the rules of the game, all while trying to juggle 1,500 other things at the same time. If you're trying to change the whole world, maybe wait until after your wedding and I promise I'll even give you a hand ;)
7. You're going to have some conflicts with your fiancé.
8. Picking a dress can be a total nightmare.
9. Wedding planners are your best friends.
It's an extra cost that will eat up your budget, BUT they have done this a million times before, so by giving them the reigns you can actually enjoy your own wedding. I was very pleased to have hired people to manage timing, amount of alcohol per person, and negotiations with the florist and every one else.
10. Most of the weddings you see on Pinterest aren't real.
11. That isn't to say you can't still get inspiration from them.
12. Some guests are a headache.
The majority of people understand the unwritten rules and know that they have to RSVP on time. Others are going to tell you last minute that they can't make it, making you end up footing the food and drink bill. It happens at every wedding. It's normal to get stressed and frustrated, but, like they say in Frozen, "let it gooooo, let it gooooo."
13. You don't have to buy everything.
14. We all have a problematic relative.
You're not alone. An uncle is going to drink too much or a cousin's girlfriend is going to wear white on your big day. It happens to all of us. Don't worry about it. Unless they're causing a scene during dinner, no one is going to notice.
15. It's fine to break with tradition.
16. Ask the catering service to assign someone to follow you around.
Everyone told me that I was going to be too busy to eat or drink on my wedding day because I was going to be running around at the reception. I was prepared for that, when all of a sudden a guy approached me and told me he would be with me all night. He made sure that I had a plate of food with me during the cocktail hour and that I always had a drink in my hand during the party. At the end of the night, he got me enough water so I could avoid waking up with a hangover. To be honest, it was one of the best parts of the day LOL.
17. No one pays attention to the gift registry.
We asked for money for our honeymoon, which is pretty typical in Argentina. Nevertheless, plenty of people gifted us dinnerware, which we can't travel with. It's a nice thought because we will have it forever, but it's not going to pay the hotel bill.
18. You're going to wreck your outfits.
19. ENJOY YOURSELF.
It's true that the day is going to fly by, but it's really going to fly by if you're not having fun. Don't worry about it if someone doesn't look comfortable or if your cousin is having a fight with his girlfriend. Enjoy your party because it goes fast.
20. What's truly important is the fact that you're marrying the love of your life.
This post was translated from Spanish.