“I do.” That seems to be the easiest part of weddings. The bride and groom look deep into each other’s eyes and with all their heart vow to love one another unconditionally and eternally. 

Yes, this is what every guest at the wedding has been invited to witness, the joining of two people so completely in love. But if only they had witnessed the two lovebirds just a few months prior to the wedding and they would have thought they’d be attending a boxing match! 

See, the dazzling centerpieces on each table took a month to decide on, the color scheme of the tablecloths and decorations had been changed four times, and it was between chocolate dipped strawberries and caramel cheesecake for dessert. 

What nearly every bride has dreamed of since they were little has now become the most stressful time instead. But it doesn’t need to be that way! Here are some great tips to follow that will have you smiling instead of putting on those boxing gloves! 

1.The wedding will not be perfect. Everyone seems to have this idea that everything will go your way just because they saw it happen in a movie once or twice. The sooner you get this misconception of weddings out of your head, the easier everything else becomes. 

2.Set a date night with your fiancée once a week. Setting aside a day where the word wedding or anything related to the planning of your wedding is never mentioned will allow you to remember why you’re getting married in the first place! 

3.If you can, hire a wedding planner. Even after following all these tips and more, planning your wedding can still be a handful. So if you can afford it, pass the stress onto someone else! 

4.Set a budget. It is so easy to get caught up in planning the perfect wedding that we forget the cost! Remember, your wedding is just one day. Do you really want to be paying it off for years to come? 

5.Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Sharing the load and splitting the tasks amongst your partner as well as family and friends gives you a lighter load and some more time for you to relax. 

6.Focus on your relationship. Planning a wedding can become a fulltime job and suddenly you forget the reason you’re stressed out in the first place! Yes, it’s your wedding, but it’s only one Day. Your marriage is what should be the focus above anything else. 

With all of the effort that goes into planning a wedding the stress gets out of hand, but hopefully these six great tips will pave a smooth road to what should be the most special day of your life.