No one is going to call the wedding police

Newsflash: planning a wedding is stressful. There are so many people involved, so many opinions to hear, and unsolicited advice to ignore. Ask any bride and she’ll tell you how heavy the burden of planning the “biggest party of her life” was. Most women have an encyclopedias worth of stories related to future Mother-in-Law demands, parental coercion, and marital meltdowns.

Before you hit the green light on planning the magical day you’ll marry the man of your dreams, there are some planning points you need to know. First and foremost is this: there is no wedding police. If you want to wear a fluorescent pink dress, you can. Your officiant doesn’t need to be a priest, pastor, or rabbi. He or she can be your brother, friend, or otherwise. If you’d like to have your closest friends, neighbors, and anyone else you know - feel free. Alternatively, you don’t need a wedding party. Apparently, millennials are likely to include their dog. The wedding swat team will not break down your venue door.

With that in mind, it’s important to remember this is your day. Your wedding deserves as much personalization as you can afford (not literally). Though understanding the ins-and-outs of your budget and sticking to it is a huge part of the planning process, there are so many ways you can personalize your wedding.

Naturally you can personalize the favors you give to your attendants if you have them. Brides all over love to monogram jewelry and add names to cute robes to wear on the morning of the big day. Favors aren’t the only thing you can personalize; the options are seemingly endless. The menu could cater to you and your future husband’s taste by offering an entree you two had on your first date. You can even create a signature cocktail for your guests.

Personalization doesn’t stop once you leave your wedding venue as a newly married couple. Just because your friends visited a tropical beach for the average international trip of 17 days doesn’t mean that’s the perfect trip for you. Maybe you and your husband want to visit lots of tourist sites in Europe, traveling from country to country thanks to the easy transportation. When travelling abroad, the typical American visits more than one country - but just because that’s the “norm” doesn’t mean you need to follow suit. Travel trends don’t need to be copied and blazing your own trail has never been more popular.

All of this is to say that it’s your day. Enjoy it your way.

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