By Jess from Du Wax Loolu

While planning my wedding, I learned a few things that I never read in an advice column. So I thought I’d share those tidbits with you.

1. Take it one thing at a time.

Prioritize your to-do list. At the top, put crucial stuff like the site, whose availability will affect your wedding date. At the bottom, put things that nobody will miss, like programs and menu cards. Then start doing things on your list, one after another.

2. Pick DIY projects that can be done in advance.

You need to balance savings against time and stress. You’ll save money making your own bouquet, but you’ll be spending the day before the wedding fighting with floral foam—not worth the stress. On the other hand, making your own invitations can be done months in advance and then checked off your list.

3. When making your guest list, make rules—but be flexible.

My rule was that only guests in serious relationships could bring dates. But when one friend called and said that he didn’t feel comfortable making the road trip by himself and wanted to bring a friend who’d offered to split the driving, I listened to reason and bent the rules.

4. You don’t NEED a wedding binder.

I started to feel like every bride had a wedding binder except me. I kept thinking that I should have one—but I wasn’t sure what would go in it. I kept contracts in a drawer and I had a wedding folder in my inbox. And that was enough for me.

5. Negotiate, but be nice about it.

Screaming that a vendor’s estimate is an outrageous rip-off won’t get you what you want. Calmly explaining that you adore their portfolio and would love to work with them but don’t have the budget to accommodate their price often will work. Added bonus: Your vendors won’t hate you for being insane and rude, and they are more likely to go that extra mile for you—for free.

Do you have any wedding planning tips you’d like to share?

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