Don’t worry about it! Relax! Calm down! Don’t sweat the small stuff! You’ll hear these words a lot during your wedding planning as you are running around and feeling frazzled while trying to make decisions. While they are well-meaning and come from a place of love, you think to yourself “Easy for you to say! We still have to…”. You and your fiancé will have to make many decisions during your planning; however this is one of those times when it’s a good idea to listen to what others are telling you and slow down.

During the planning process there will be lots of details to discuss and decide upon. And lots of chances for something to go wrong – errors in a contract, budgets spiraling out of control, 7095double booked venues, a bridesmaid needs to drop out of your wedding party, your mother is driving you crazy. Things like this and much more can happen. The important thing is for you to maintain your cool. Remember, your wedding should be one of the happiest days of your lives. If you or your fiancé let all the stress get to you, then you won’t be able to enjoy the process or your special day.

If you haven’t learned any yet, now would be a good time to learn relaxation techniques. You could work out at the gym (major plus to look great in your dress!), take up Yoga or get a manicure. Also don’t forget that there are plenty of free ways to de-stress like go for a run, take a nature walk, or put on some soothing music and sit with your eyes closed to clear your mind. Learn to enjoy the wedding preparation rather than let it stress you. Take joy in picking flowers for your bouquet that remind you of your grandmother’s garden, have fun testing out hair and make-up styles, and take some time to listen to your mother telling you stories of her wedding planning over a calming cup of tea.

On your wedding day take some time to just breath and soak up each moment. To prepare for the long, but joyous day ahead, take a warm bath and relax. Do you hair and make-up at a leisurely pace and put on some good tunes. Dance around and have fun with your wedding party. For some, a pre-wedding drink or two (hiccup!) does wonders to calm jittery nerves but be careful and don’t overdo it!

A bride must recognize the balance between the wedding of her dreams, throwing a great party for their guests and saving their sanity. Once you have spent months planning – going over every detail with a fine tooth comb – it’s time to sit back and just go with the flow. Inevitably, there will be some small detail that doesn’t get executed exactly as you had planned. And that’s OK! Chances are, only you will know it’s not how you had wanted it to be. Your guests will probably not even notice. Your wedding day is the celebration of the love between you and your partner, not a judgment on how well you can organize and throw a party!

Through all the crazy planning, always remember to make time for you and your fiancé to spend time together. Away from all the wedding planning the two of you can connect, enjoy, relax, and let the small stuff go.