Spotted: As Seen at Lovesick Expo

As Carina of Love Me Do Photography was prepping for this month's Lovesick Expo, she contacted me about contributing a piece to be included in a small 'zine that was to be handed out to those couples in attendance. Of course I was more than happy to oblige, and came up a quick little advice article entitled "How To Not Stress Out."

Carina just sent me a copy of the finished product and I absolutely loved flipping through the pages. There's lots of great info in there from so many talented vendors, and it's all highlighted with images from Love Me Do.




I've posted what I wrote below for those who weren't able to make it out to Lovesick to get the printed version. Oh, and good news for those already looking ahead to Lovesick '13: it's not only stopping in NYC and Philly again, but it's also adding Boston and DC to the itinerary.







Planning a wedding and getting married should be fun, right? Right! But it's so easy to forget this and slip into stress mode because throwing together a wedding and walking down that aisle is also alot of work. Here are some things to keep in mind so you can stay calm, cool, and totally stress-free.

While You're Planning...
1. Organize & prioritize: Utilize online or old-school pen and paper tools to keep track of inspirational photos, vendor quotes/signed contracts, guest lists, to-do lists, etc. all in one place. While you could gather ideas for décor and debate DJs vs. bands from now until forever, realize what is most important to have around you on your wedding day and work to keep those items within your budget.
2. Don’t be afraid to ask for help: Newsflash...you aren’t the first people to ever throw a wedding before. Chances are that family members and friends have navigated these waters before and will be able to offer up a lot of advice, support, and an extra hand with DIY projects if you need it.
3. Give yourself a break: When you’re looking at months and months of planning, you deserve a wedding-free moment here and there. It’ll be beneficial to your sanity to put the wedding mag down, stop stalking your photographer’s website, and get back to your other pre-planning hobbies. Everything will be right where you left it…I promise.
4. Don’t wait until the last minute: As your wedding date gets closer, you’re going to want the luxury of being able to spend this special time with your family and friends. So try to continually make progress on that to-do list as much as you can. Nothing is worse than writing out escort cards while in your wedding dress (yes, I’ve seen it done before!)

On your wedding day:
1. Get a good night’s rest (also see “Don’t wait until the last minute” above): It’s normal to have a few pre-wedding jitters, but try to go to sleep at a reasonable hour on Wedding Eve. And hey, everyone needs their beauty rest, right?
2. Eat, drink, and be married: Your wedding day is going to be a fun-filled, action-packed, emotionally-charged…LONG day. Be sure to eat enough and drink plenty of water as you’re getting ready for the festivities to kick off.
3. Allow your vendors to do their jobs: You hired amazingly talented people to surround yourself with on your wedding day. Don’t micro-manage them and just let them do what they all do so well. They'll be just fine without you worrying about their every move.
4. Keep your eyes on the prize: If a relative gets on your nerves, a line is skipped during the ceremony, or the cake is cut slightly behind schedule at the reception…just remember that this is the day you are marrying the love of your life. Nothing else really matters or is worth stressing out about. Have a blast and enjoy!