Here are 8 Tips for a Stress Free Wedding. Follow these to  maximise the enjoyment and reduce possible stress. Your wedding day should be one of enjoying one of the most important days of your life… not stress! 

1. Keep yourself hydrated and nourished

Sometimes couples get so wrapped up in making the day perfect, they forget to eat and drink. They become de-hydrated and their blood sugar levels can drop, making them dizzy and feeling faint. Mix that with a hot day and nerves, and you could end up with a wedding ceremony that is aired on Funniest Home Videos (but won’t be so funny to you).

2.Hair and makeup tips for a stress free wedding

When arranging your appointments with hairdressers and makeup artists,  ensure that you as the bride get done first. Have your own transport in case you have to leave before the bridesmaids are finished. This will ensure that you will be dressed and ready when the photographer and/or videographer arrive.

If you are having makeup professionally done, ask them for a sample of the product you are using. Most places have samples and are happy to give them to you. They are a convenient size to put in a small bag to re-apply as needed after the ceremony and throughout the reception.

3. Flower tips for a stress free wedding

Only put the flowers in the fridge if you are getting married in winter or where the outside temperature is quite cool. Flowers don’t take kindly to be thrust into a furnace after they have sat undisturbed for some hours.

Queensland brides should leave the flowers wrapped in wet paper towels (around the stalk end) at room temperature. This prevents the flowers go into ‘shock’ when they go outside.

4.Groom’s arrival tips for a stress free wedding

Both the groom and his attendants should be on site at least a half hour before the ceremony start time to be able to greet the guests, and to be ready for the photographer.

5. Bride’s arrival tips for a stress free wedding

Contrary to popular belief, it is no longer fashionable for the bride to be late. This may have been the case in a time when churches or venues only booked one wedding per day.  These days sites can be booked for another wedding, and you don’t want to be hurried along by the arrival of the next bride and groom.

Also, late arrival of the bride can cause undue stress for the groom and his attendants, and your guests; especially the elderly and young children.  These people have already been ‘standing around’ for some time, and tend to become tired and unsettled. In the interests of all concerned, you should aim to be on time.

6. Transport to the wedding venue tips for a stress free wedding

Close to your wedding date and at approximately the same time and day as the wedding, have a practice run from where you are getting dressed to the venue.  This will cater for about the same type of traffic conditions. Obeying all traffic lights, directions, speed limits etc, note the time it took to get there, then add 15 minutes to it. Use this practice run to calculate the time the bride should be in the car and on her way, taking into account that you may need to allow an extra 10-15 minutes on arrival at the venue for the photographer.  This extra time ensures that she will be able to be taken around any traffic diversions, accidents, RBTs and so on, so that you arrive cool, calm and collected.

If using limousines or hire vehicles, contact the company a few days before the wedding date and go over all transport requirements, particularly timings of arrival at the bride’s home, departure from there and arrival time at the wedding venue, allowing for the photographer who may take up to 15 minutes to take shots of your arrival.  Ensure that the driver will know the location and directions to the wedding venue.

In the event of any accident, flat tyre or vehicle breakdown, it is a good idea for the bride (or father of the bride, if in the same car) has at least $40-50 so that if worst case scenario means that you have to call a cab, you have the money to pay for the fare.  Do not wait for help.

7. During the ceremony

While you are standing for the ceremony, you should never stand continuously on the balls of your feet, as this can close off part of the circulation and result in an eventual faint. Equally, never stand entirely on the front of your feet. This may be a little hard for brides with high heels, but the best way to avoid cutting off circulation is to discretely rock back and forwards, or wiggle your toes. No-one will see!

8. More tips for a stress free wedding

Tips for grooms

• Buttonhole flowers are worn on the left lapel, with the flower facing up. Flowers are usually worn by the groom and his attendants, plus the fathers of the bride and groom.
• The pleats in cummerbunds are worn facing up.
• For best photographic results, shave 2-3 days before the wedding and then wait until the morning of the wedding to shave again.

Tips for brides

• Pack an ‘emergency kit’. Ask a friend to look after it until needed. Include things like lipstick, make up touch ups, nail varnish (to fix a run in stockings). Also include safety pins and/or needle and thread, aspirin, spare hanky or tissues, band aids.
• Consider packing some comfy shoes that you can change into after the photos and formalities are over.
• If you are spray tanning for your wedding, trial the product or professional service first. Be certain you are going to like the end result. A bad spray tan can look tragic, whereas a good one looks fabulous.
• Do not apply any hair removal creams or waxes within a day or two of your wedding unless you are certain that you won’t have a reaction to it.
• Clean your engagement ring  so that it will match your shiny new wedding ring.
• If you are wearing a strapless gown, take your bra off at least three hours before the photographer’s arrival on your wedding day. Bra strap marks stay embedded in the skin for a long time.

For more wedding tips and ideas, check out :https://www.michaeljanzcelebrant.com.au/faqs/