Okay so, as a bridal stylist, I can see how worried and stressed my brides can get in the run up to their wedding day, so I thought I would come on today to give you a few little tips on how to manage and avoid unnecessary stress.

1. Research!!! The internet is an absolutely wonderful place, you can find anything you need at just the click of a button! Don’t be afraid to reach out to vendors and venues for quotes, this will really help you to visualize your day and decide what direction you want to go in, even theme wise. Nearly every bridal shop has their own website and social media account- have a look around and find what piques your interest. Our own Verona Bridal website has each designer, dress and accessory we currently have in store to try viewable, so you can be sure your potential ‘dream dress’ is in store to try before travelling to us!
2. Break in your wedding shoes!!! You do not want the first time you wear your wedding shoes to be your wedding day because believe me, you will be absolutely ran off your feet! Even just walk around the house in them a few times a week, you want to be sure you will be comfortable the whole day allowing you to enjoy every minute. Also, be sure to have your wedding shoes for your first seamstress appointment, this will ensure your dream dress will be the correct length. In Verona Bridal, we have our own list of highly recommend seamstress’ in the North and South of Ireland!
3. Don’t stress!!! Enjoy the planning process! If you think of it, you plan a wedding for one or two years for it to be over in a day. Planning your dream wedding should be an exciting and magical journey, putting together the most perfect day with your fiancé, who you are going to spend the rest of your life with! You will have your wedding party, your family and your friends there who I’m sure, would help with absolutely anything! Our stylists are always on hand to help with any worries or questions you may have, whether this is to do with your dress or anything surrounding your special day! Don’t get wrapped up or stressed if things don’t work out the way you wanted, every single thing happens for a reason and at the end of the day, it’s what you make it!
4. This is your day!!! Always remember, this is you and your fiancé’s day, no one elses. It is up to you how you want to get married, where you get married, how many people you want attending and if there is any ‘rules’ you create to get the most out of your wedding day! For example; adults only or choosing not to extend invitations to people who want to bring plus one’s you have never met! This is all entirely up to you and every guest should have the curtesy to respect your wishes! After all, you want your wedding day to be the most perfect day of your life and anything that may hinder that will only leave you with regrets. You want to be able to look back in ten years and feel your special day was everything you wanted and more.
5. Ceremony!!! Having attended many weddings myself, there has been a handful where a ‘No Phones During the Ceremony’ rule has been enforced, which I think is an absolutely fantastic idea! You don’t want to be walking up the isle not being able to see your guests because there’s a phone covering their face! Every guest should be present and engaged during such a sweet and special moment of your life. Your photographer will be on hand to capture your momentous time, which I can assure you, will be much better quality than an iPhone!
6. Enjoy!!! Weddings pass by so quickly, you want to be sure you are taking in every single minute. I would strongly recommend pausing for a moment to yourself with your new life partner to savor the day, absorb every aspect of it, and recognise how special this day really is to the both of you. All the planning was finally worth it, getting to spend such a magical day with your nearest and dearest right by your side. You won’t care if any small things go wrong or don’t work out how you planned because no one would even notice! All that matters is here and now. You have made it! You are a bride!

-Maria x