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The walls are covered in mood boards and you are surviving on a diet of bridal magazines and pure wedding planning adrenaline, but are those glossy pages really giving you the whole truth about getting hitched?
Things Every Bride Really Should Know...
- 1You might have been mentally planning this day since you were five years old, but don't forget it's the groom's day too and not all his ideas are daft (unless he utters the words, "How about a themed wedding?" in which case you can ignore everything else he says until after the honeymoon).
- 2It will get a little stressful at times, but nobody likes a bridezilla! If you find your partner hiding inside a wardrobe, shaking and clutching his lucky football scarf for comfort, you might have gone too far.
- 3Every time a wedding supplier quotes a price, your partner will go into meltdown. That's their job, they're not trying to stop your dream wedding. They have to be the (fiscal) yin to your (free-spending) yang – that's how marriage works.
- 4It won't all be perfect. There, we've said it. It's the hardest thing to accept, but your dream wedding simply might not be possible. However, what you actually end up with could be even better, so be prepared to be flexible on some details and you'll be amazed at the unexpected/fab alternatives that crop up.
- 5Yes, you're in love, yes you want to spend the rest of your lives together, but there will be times during the wedding planning that you want to kill each other. It's all just part of the fun!
- 6Good news, everyone is going to buy you a present! Bad news, you're going to have to buy them dinner first.
- 7The average wedding costs slightly more than the National Health Service, just FYI.Pick a budget that works for you, not one that competes with Kate and William.
- 8The bridesmaids are too scared to tell you they don't like their dresses, so think to yourself: 'Would I wear that?' It's best to keep everyone happy as much as possible..
- 9What is the single most important aspect of the wedding? Having the right people there, marrying the man you love, seeing a moat filled with pink swans as Ed Sheeran sings "Shape of You" from a passing hot air balloon? Whatever it is, keep that central at all times – the rest is simply dressing.
- 10No matter how much money you save, it'll still be slightly less than you need for your 'dream wedding'.
- 11When the officiant says "...until death do you part..." you can't say: "Can I bring him back if I keep the receipt?"
- 12Someone will get drunk and make a t*t out of themselves at the wedding reception. Don't let it be you.
- 13Not everyone has a stressful build-up to the wedding. It's a popular wedding cliché that movies love, but, in reality, lots of couples have great fun planning the wedding without any major dramas.
- 14No matter what the build-up feels like, this will be the happiest day of your life, so remember to take time and enjoy it all!
There you have it, 14 things every bride should know.
We're not going to pretend it's the most fact-based advice you are ever going to receive, but it is full of the things that other people won't want to say.
The most important thing you should know is that it will be amazing!!
