What I wish I would've known when I was getting married...

I was inspired to write this post while talking with a newly engaged friend of mine who was asking for all the wedding advice I could give her! I loved telling her everything I wish I would have known at the time, and thought that maybe some other future brides could benefit as well. I'm not saying I know everything when it comes to weddings, I'm not saying my wedding was anywhere close to perfect, and I'm not forcing you to take any of this advice. In fact, most of it is just my opinion. But if you find any of it useful, then great! It was fun to write and reminisce. 

Here are 20 things I wish I would've known when I was getting married (and also just some advice I learned along the way)...

1. As you already know, your wedding photographer is the number one most important thing- spend the money on a good one. HOWEVER, you cannot just put every ounce of trust into them and not have to worry about a thing, unfortunately. On your wedding day, as hard as it may be, try to be on top of the whole picture taking process. For example: I was completely in my own world loving life, and didn't get a picture with just my mom and I, which still breaks my heart to this day. I thought my photographer would be on top of it, but NOPE, you can't rely on that. Also, thanks to Pinterest, we have extremely high standards for wedding pictures these days. If there is an exact pose you want that you've seen on Pinterest, you need to show your photographer during your engagement or bridal session. You can't expect them to know every magical Pinterest pose out there. And if you want that picture, you have every right to get it, and to get it right. You are paying them a lot of money, and pictures (and videos) are the only thing you have to capture the day. Be picky, and be a bridezilla with your pictures. And last: when you first look through your wedding pictures, after waiting for months and being so excited you can't even take it, there's an 80% chance you will be disappointed at first. Look through them, then give it a few days, and look through them again, and you will LOVE them, I promise. The second time you put all those dumb expectations aside and love the pictures because they are yours, and no one else's. 

2. Don't wear your actual wedding shoes the day of your bridals if you are taking them outside, like in some sort of field. They will get so dirty, and you won't even see them in pictures. I had to get new shoes for my wedding day. 

3. For your engagements and bridals (if you are taking them outside), rub your arms, chest, and any other skin showing with bounce sheets so you don't get bug bites. It really works and doesn't have the awful bug spray scent.

4. If you will be using birth control when you are married, get on it as soon as you can once you are engaged, or even before if possible. Why? Because some birth controls make you crazy, some make you mean, some make you gain weight, some make you have no sex drive, the list goes on and on. You may need to try a few to find one you like, and you definitely want to get that out of the way before getting married. 

5. If you are only going to serve desserts at your reception, that's totally fine, but you need to put it on your invitation, or people are going to get mad when they show up starving and expecting dinner, and you only have a pastry for them. They will go across the street to Taco Bell, eat, and then come back, and when people ask them how your wedding was, they'll say, "Great but I was starving, there was no food!" -NO GOOD. If you put something like "light desserts served" or "dessert buffet" on your invite, then they know to eat before! Problem solved. 

6. DO NOT SHOW YOUR FIANCE YOUR DRESS BEFORE YOU TAKE YOUR BRIDALS. I do not understand people who show their groom a picture of them in the dressing room with their wedding dress on. The first look is everything. It's when you feel like a princess most. Get pictures of the first look (and a video if you want). It really is that important. You will never forget that moment.

7. Have a bridesmaid or family member have mints, bobby pins, your lip stain, chapstick, and a mini lint roller on hand at all times. You never know if your great aunt is going to wear a bright pink sweater, hug your husband, and get fuzzies all over him. You've gotta be prepared. 

8. After you have a trial run of your wedding day hair, SHAKE YOUR HEAD AROUND LIKE A MAD WOMAN. I did not do this and had to learn the hard way. My hair was totally falling out all over the place. It didn't fall out at all during my bridals so I thought I was completely fine, but your wedding day is a whole other animal. People are hugging you and grabbing your veil and pulling it down and touching it, so you really want to test it out during your trial run and see how well it holds up. 

9. When taking pictures on your wedding day, you always want to face the side of your head that has more hair out to the picture. For example, if your hair is coming down to one side and the other side is just your ear, make sure your ear side is by your groom and the other side of your head, the actual hairdo, is facing out. That's your good side that day. 

10. DO NOT RUN through your send off line if you want your pictures to turn out! These are some of the most fun pictures, yet so many of them get ruined because the bride and groom are racing through it. Smile a lot, stop and kiss, just walk a normal pace through, and you will love how the pictures turn out. 

11. Want to know what's secretly even more important than the photographer? The videographer. Because what is better than literal FOOTAGE from your all time favorite day? It's like your own personal movie starring you. 

12. You need to buy a lip STAIN for your wedding day. Please don't make your groom have pink or red lips all day. You will be able to tell in pictures, and he will secretly hate life if he's constantly worrying about it. Go to Sephora or Ulta and ask for help. There's tons. NYX has some awesome ones. Even Covergirl has a great one. It looks kind of like a pen. 

13. Eat breakfast the morning of your wedding, no matter how anxious you may be, or those 2-3 hours of taking pictures on the temple grounds after will be the longest 2-3 hours of your life. Force something down. 

14. Tell your photographer pre-wedding day that you'd like them to take all friend pictures first at the temple the day of. Friends that come are often leaving work and missing school, so they appreciate when you get their pictures out of the way first so they aren't just sitting watching all of the family pictures.

15. Do not pack the Carinessa garment bottoms for your honeymoon (if you are going somewhere warm). They are way too long for dresses and skirts and you will be stressed that what you brought isn't working. I love the cotton bottoms. Try to familiarize yourself with all garment options as soon as you go through the temple, and you'll find your favorites.

16. Serve the cake at your wedding- it's a lot of people's favorite part of weddings. Don't do some layers in styrofoam, it's just as expensive as real cake.

17. You have a LOT to recover from after the craziness of your wedding week (it is emotionally draining) and will spend a lot more time sleeping on your honeymoon than you think. Keep that in mind before you book a flight to Thailand, New York, Costa Rica, San Francisco, or somewhere where you will feel guilty sleeping all the time, even though that's what your body needs most. You're going to want to go on a relaxing vacation, not an adventurous trip.

18. Always have your fiance or dad there at the end of each bridal shower to carry everything to the car and then into the house. Some of the stuff is so much heavier than you think!

19. Don't forget your groom's boutineer or wedding ring the day of bridals. The whole point of bridals is to have pictures appearing married that you won't have time to get the day of, and often in different scenery. 

20. Take in every single moment that day. I can't say that enough. It flies by, and you're a bride for one day and one day only. So soak it up, because it is the best day of your entire life.