I'm so proud of organising my big day

This time last year I was busy planning our wedding and I just can’t put into words how overwhelming the experience was. Although I had one or two ideas for the big day, I wasn’t someone who’d been planning it for years. Apart from wanting a summer wedding and green bridesmaid dresses, I had no idea where to start.

I admit, there were many aspects of planning a wedding that caused me a lot of stress and the only person causing that stress was me putting too much pressure on myself to create a perfect day.

That’s why now, when ever any bride-to-be asks me for advice, I say that the only thing you need to get right is the man waiting for you at the end of the aisle.

If anything else goes wrong or doesn’t quite look right - who cares. Your wedding day is about a marriage that will last long after the confetti and slices of cake have disappeared.

The trouble is, whatever aspect of your wedding day you look at, there is so much choice out there and with a lot of money at stake, you want to spend it wisely.

The key is to start with your budget and have as much fun and enjoyment with the rest of it as possible.

There are so many magazines, wedding fairs, websites, venues and suppliers out there that research is the way forward.

Even if you know exactly what you want, shop around for the best price and ask family, friends and former brides for recommendations.

I’m not that organised as a person, so planning and pulling off a fab wedding was something that I’m really proud of. No matter what size or style wedding you have, there is a lot to think about.

I know how valuable past experience can be to brides-to-be so that is why we have launched the Advertiser Brides’ Guide to help guide you through the planning stages and have the most enjoyable experience possible.

I hope you find this website useful and please do get in touch with any tips, advice or information that you think will help other brides have the fairytale day that you had.

Remember, it’s your day...do it your way.

My top tips:

1. Make sure you stay relaxed and look after yourself in the run up to the wedding. Getting stressed will just make things seem worse when there will always be a solution. Eat well, exercise and get plenty of sleep to be at your best during the celebrations.
2. Enjoy the planning-it’s too easy to get stressed out by all the choices but try to stay true to your own style and enjoy yourself. Take your time, make notes and research. Don’t regret not doing something once the day has arrived.
3. Use the help of specialists. If you need help with your budget, speak to florists, boutique owners and caterers. They will be able to help to make your money go further and will know exactly where to cut costs without affecting the overall look.
4. Take some time on the day to have a quiet moment with your husband. The day goes so quickly it’s nice to go for a little walk or some photographs to enjoy a special moment together.
5. Remember what the day is about. You are sharing your love with your family and friends so smile, take a deep breath and enjoy every second.

And if you get chance....

By the afternoon, I look a bit washed out on some of the group photographs. I would advise taking five minutes to top up lip-gloss and cheeks after the ceremony ready for those all important shots. Most brides probably do remember this but I just got caught up in the day.

If you have the budget, have a DVD of the day. Thanks to our brilliant DVD, I was able to see everyone arriving at the church and all the other bits of the day that went by in a blur. It is a luxury, but it’s so lovely to be able to sit down and relax after the day and take it all in again. Even if you ask a family member to take some footage, it’s worth it.

I just could not decide between a veil and a flower for my hair. In the end I had both. I wore the veil for the ceremony which I took out for the wedding breakfast. In the evening I nipped upstairs and added a flower for my ‘evening-do’. You could also do this with a shrug or your shoes shoes - by the evening you may want to change into some flat shoes ready to dance the night away.

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