Wedding Prep Advice

Marriage day prep is as crazy as everyone says. I was fortunate enough to not feel the full force until a few weeks before but boy did I feel it. Number one piece of advice I'd give to future brides: Make an outline!! All the relatives/friends involved in reception setup etc., make sure they know minute by minute how everything should go. Put the times of when sealing, photo sessions, reservations times are along with addresses of flower/food/rental pickups etc. And give assignments (after confirming with the individuals of course). Put the phone numbers of the main parties on the outline and give a copy to each group. I wish I had done this!!!

Other pieces of advice...ask people to help you with invites (labels, stuffing, cutting etc.). DO NOT do it alone. Make a list of things you must have for the day of and then things that are negotiable. Secure the must-have's first. I did this and was very grateful. This did include charging items on my credit card but I made huge payments each paycheck so nothing was ever due (I think this helps raise your credit score too so that's a plus).

The Honeymoon

We had an absolute wonderful time! And this is what I suggest you do and don't for best results.

DO...go to the doctor. I was literally 99% more nervous than I needed to be. I brought my cousin who I'm close with and that made it even less nerve-wracking. So I suggest bringing a friend/relative that you're close with to help you relax. I also chose a male doctor because he was gentle (versus a female who might have a more "toughen up" attitude) If the doctor doesn't suggest that you use something leading up to the honeymoon then talk to me. It's a lifesaver if you do a certain appropriate prep work. 

DO...talk about sex often with your fiance. Yes the first few times are extremely awkward but it will be 100% worth it in the end. After a few weeks the awkwardness will be minimal and by the time the day comes, not only will you be excited but your nervousness will be almost 0%. You could try looking up "ice breaker" questions for starting the conversation or just jump in cold turkey but DO IT.

DO...book a nice place for your first night. I splurged a little bit but it was so worth it. That's the last place you want to feel any discomfort with your surroundings. Ask me if you want a recommendation.

DON'T...get all your advice from parents or others of their generation. While they have good general advice, I don't recommend getting all the details this way. A) it was a while ago for them and B) technology has advanced in this area that make things easier and still appropriate. 

Married Life

Having only been married for 10 days I highly recommend married life, obviously, but I can still see how it can become a significant learning experience as many say. We've followed the advice of those around us to pray together each night and I've started to share little marriage tips from a book I'm reading. Is it too early to read a marital success book? Absolutely not! The conversations we've gleaned have been amazingly healthy and entertaining, even this early on. 

And...as a sidenote. If you're 22 and single like I was, DO NOT convince yourself that you're not getting married no matter how many relationships you've been in. There is no age limit on getting married in this world and especially if you're under 30, don't even start to accept single life. It's inconsiderate to girls that are older than you and it puts your heart through unnecessary stress. It literally can happen quicker than you can imagine and if you're wasting your energy on "preparing to be a twenty-something spinster" then you might not have the strength to form your lips into "Yes" when he pops the question.