Wedding Advice for my Girls

A couple of great friends are getting married shortly (not to each other, just to be clear, and on different days), and it made me think about the excitement (and complete scatterbrained-ness) in the days leading up to the Big Day.

There are three bits of advice that I would like to pass along to Dawn and Tanya:

First, take lots of "mental snapshots". I had an incredible photographer, but even she couldn't capture all of those moments that only I could see and feel. Take a moment to breathe it all in. Watch everyone enjoying your day with you.

I have used this with other important days as well, including watching Quinn grow.

Second, I'm a planner. Anyone who knows me is laughing because I'm pretty sure if there was an "Extreme Micromanaging Planner" reality show, I'd be the star. Not that I'm saying either of my friends are that type of person, but it's easy to get caught up in the details and expecations.

I handed all my vendors their lists (see?!?) and once the wedding began, I just let whatever happened happen. I planned and prepared for everything I could think of, but had to remember that it was my day and however it ended up, it would be perfect.

The DJ played the wrong version of the Hockey Night in Canada theme (I wanted the Shuffle Demons version, I got the TV version) as we walked into the reception. What could I do? No one knew...no one cared. I didn't either.

Third, have an emergency kit handy, stashed under your table. In this basket of preparedness, have things like:

• Tylenol/Advil (in childproof bottles if you have a chance of kids getting at the basket...and kids are ALWAYS crawling under tables)
• A small baby powder (amazing for sprinkling on your white dress when you inevitably drop gravy on it)
• Tide Wipes (amazing for when your new husband gets schmutz on his shirt)
• Deoderant (seriously...someone is going to forget. Might even be you! Make sure it's not the sort that rubs off white, and this may sound weird but use it once (or rub it off) so you get all those flaky edges off...my Maid of Honor was the one that used my emergency deoderant and it flaked all over her black satin dress and black satin gloves)
• Tissues (duh)
• Hairspray
• Lip balm, touch up makeup, a little mirror
• Bandaids (for those new shoe blisters)
• Tums/Rolaids (take precautions if you have kids around)
• Mints/Breath Spray (probably not gum because that doesn't look too hot in photos)
• Tampons/Pads/Pantiliners (you never know who is going to need them)
• Contact lens solution and a spare pare if you have one (if you're a lens wearer)
• Nail file

I'm sure there are more things that I could add to this list, and there are probably going to be things that you may find useful that I wouldn't have thought of, but there's a start.

Don't forget your slippers/flops/flats (I wore my blue fuzzy slippers through the whole ordeal)!

So I hope that the weather in the Niagara region is perfect on my beautiful friends' Special Days. I'll be thinking about you girls and can't wait to see all the photos!