Usually in this space, we provide some gentle advice about your wedding. Maybe we’ll offer up some entertaining pieces of trivia, or talk about traditions, or suggest what you should and shouldn’t delegate to your maid of honor. But this time, for this article only, we’re going to get extra real. We’re going for some tough love here, people. Here’s the wedding advice you won’t be getting from your friends and family, because they’re nice and they love you and they wouldn’t dream of saying no to a bride before the wedding. So it’s our job to tell you what you need to hear to have a great wedding day. Here’s some real talk from us to you.

MA-748

  1. You are not an auteur. Yes, people like Quentin Tarantino can write and edit and direct in their movies, but they do it fueled by mountains of the kind of drugs that don’t come from the local pharmacy. And if you’ve seen a Quentin Tarantino movie recently, you know there are some things he does better than others. Just watch him as the “Australian” guy in Django Unchained and you’ll see that sometimes it’s better to delegate to others and play to your own strengths instead. So when people offer to help, it’s a good idea to let go of some control and let others do what they’re good at. You’ll have fewer responsibilities, less stress, and the people who help will love to feel useful.
  1. Maybe don’t Pinterest everything. There are tons of DIY crafters out there recycling and upcycling and making an aisle runner out of three old shower curtains and a reel of baling wire. But those people either don’t actually exist and are a creation of some corporation’s marketing mind or are certifiably insane. It’s okay to save a little money by doing a few things yourself, but if you ever catch yourself sticking things together with hot glue, ask yourself if this is really the best use of your pre-wedding time.
  1. Don’t obsess over making your wedding completely novel, outside of any trends or traditions. Sure, we’d like to think we’re all beautiful and unique snowflakes, setting trends instead of following them, boldly blazing our own trails. But honestly, weddings have been around for an awfully long time. The odds of you coming up with something completely novel are pretty slim. And all those boring, unoriginal weddings? They were still great for everyone who went to them, and for the brides and grooms who got married at them. So sure, put the groomsmen in kilts and the bridesmaids on bicycles and hand out wedding sparklers at your reception to all of your guests if you want, but don’t avoid something you’d like to do just because it’s been done before.
  1. Don’t overthink the reception planning. Your reception is, above anything else, a gigantic party for your friends and family. Are they really going to be concerned with whether or not you have ribbons tied on the chair backs? When making the endless decisions that come with planning a reception, think first about what will make a rocking party for your guests, and think last what will look the best if your wedding photos end up on StyleBride.com.

It’s your wedding, so don’t let us tell you what to do; but if you were in need of a little straight talk, we hope that this leads you down the right path.