Some suggestions for your big day

coptracy

1.  Please be happy and not frazzled, you will be doing yourself a favor and EVERYONE else.  Surely you want to look happy, so smile and know everything will be just fine.

2. Don't get mad if something changes and its not perfect because it will. I wasn't going to let the sprinkles and hurricane like winds ruin my day, but we got some great pics because of it (veil flying in air) and some horrible pics (of me) after my hair had enough.  Thank goodness my matron of honor was also my hair stylist and she was able to save the day.

3.  Make more time for pics, we of course did them prior, but felt rushed with 2 hours. Make a list of pics you want and with what people in them, because you will forget, because there is a lot going on.

4. Visit with every table at the beginning of the night, otherwise you will feel bad the next day if you didn't.  Obviously we didn't, while in the process we got pulled away to do something else and we should have went back to doing it afterwards but didn't. I still feel terrible about it.

 5.You will probably feel like you didn't spend much time with your mate during the reception, so make sure you make it a point to talk to each other and maybe throw in a kiss every so often. My husband planned on dancing all night, and we did but we were on the floor at different times though.  We only opened the floor and then closed it in each others arms, sad we didn't do more.

6. Listen to peoples opinions because you are going to get a lot, and don't feel bad if you don't like their idea, it's your say in the end.

7.  Make sure you not only get hooks for bustles but also ask for a looped handle.  My bustle ( I had 3 HOOKS) all broke.  Most weddings I have been to break.  Ask your seamstress to sow on a handle for back-up i was holding my heavy train all night.

8.  Don't be shy when you have to potty.  I had advice from a friend to walk towards and the toilet and while someone holds your dress up you face the wall and squat.  You can either take your panties off before sitting or slide them to the side like I did.  It's very difficult to sit on the toilet as your normally would. Trust me.


9. Saving the best for last, DO NOT DRINK TOO MUCH! I don't think I did but I didn't eat much through the day and so I was feeling a little better than I wished I had. I see it in pictures and also the fact it went by so fast.

znd13

Thanks for the advice!

Dreamergirl8812

Wonderful advice!

kmmssg

That is very good advice.  I would add to make sure you and your new husband stick together as much as possible.  I know a young couple that got pulled apart for most of their reception and that poor girl cried like a baby the next day.  Make it a priority to be together for the majority of the evening so when you dance with others, etc, you are right back together.

B2Z728

Great advice!

I had a french bustle which stayed in place all night. It was tied with ribbons that were attached to the dress. I had no problems with the bustle breaking or coming undone all night - and we rocked that dance floor. Perhaps if it fits the style of your dress, I'd advise this type of bustle - though I believe it costs a little more than your standard 1 or 3 point bustle. 

I'll also add, make sure you take two people to your fittings to make sure they know how to do your bustle and if you have it, how to tie up your corset. Have them practice it with your seamstress. This way, if one person forgets or gets flustered, the other one will hopefully remember and know how to do it. 

coptracy

Yes, I would for sure recommend the french bustle, I wish I would have went that route.

ash273uk

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-recap-withdrawal_some-suggestions-for-your-big-day?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:12Discussion:64f8ccb3-eaf2-4ecb-8a35-157a6c3066abPost:d2727ba6-0d80-4152-bbe7-ef65286a0193">Re: Some suggestions for your big day</a>:
[QUOTE]Great advice! I had a french bustle which stayed in place all night. It was tied with ribbons that were attached to the dress. I had no problems with the bustle breaking or coming undone all night - and we rocked that dance floor. Perhaps if it fits the style of your dress, I'd advise this type of bustle - though I believe it costs a little more than your standard 1 or 3 point bustle.  I'll also add,<strong><u> make sure you take two people to your fittings to make sure they know how to do your bustle and if you have it, how to tie up your corset. Have them practice it with your seamstress. This way, if one person forgets or gets flustered, the other one will hopefully remember and know how to do it.</u></strong> 
Posted by B2Z728[/QUOTE]

THIS!  My MOH got flustered while doing my bustle and it ended up taking a really long time.  She felt HORRIBLE about it, and she also felt really helpless because she was the only one who knew how to do it and she was forgetting what to do. 

I agree with pretty much everything OP said, but especially the part about making sure you make time to talk to everybody at the beginning of the night.  My experience was very similar to OP's and I too felt really, really bad about it.  Six months later I still feel bad about it and wish I could go back in time and change it!

Chrissy241987

Thanks! Great advice!

alison cunningham

Thank you all for your advice, as the wedding is getting closer (3 1/2 months), I keep thinking about more and more little things I need to do, and haven't even thought about some of these things yet. 

Thanks again!

julibug86

Totally agree with the bustle tips.  When my sister got married, the seamstress only showed me and my mom, but on the actual wedding day, my mom was out at the reception - not with us!  I was only 20 at the time and was completely overwhelmed, nevermind that my sister had chosen a dress with the longest train in the world.  There were about 15 hooks and I couldn't figure out what went where!  And my sister was impatient because she wanted to go to her reception!  What a nightmare!

In relaying this story to my seamstress during a fitting a few weeks ago (it's a different seamstress), she suggested color coding the hooks.  She says she does it for all the long trains, because it's unrealistic to remember what goes where.  Fortunately, I'm wearing my mother's dress which does not need to be bustled at all!

Ella and Pedro

OHHH some good suggestions:

French Bustle

Have a few people shown how to do it

Color Coded on Bustle

(I am going to have my fiance, my matron-of-honor - who is my sister, and my fiance's sisters all learn how to do it...and how to help me with it for trips to the bathroom)....

That's been honestly one of my bigger concerns - the train, the heavy and big dress and trips to the bathroom.

Thank you!

mabapunta

Helpful advice! Glad I found the post.

I will add - if you are getting ready AT your ceremony venue, make sure you have someone (either volunteer or requested) specific to collect your regular clothing and other items (eg cellphone) and bring them to you later in the night. My best friend didn't designate someone, and the room was out of sight (out of mind), so we all forgot. So she had to wait until the next day to pick up everything, which wasn't a big deal for her, but could be if you were out of town or if you were leaving immediately for your honeymoon.