Of all the advice out there on wedding planning, I’ve narrowed it all down to the ONE thing every bride should know.

Before I tell you the one thing every bride should know, let me back up. There will be a lot of pressure to please people. For some brides, that means inviting friends who are more like acquaintances. For other brides, that means sacrificing your vision for a parent’s vision, a groom’s vision, or even a wedding designer’s expertise. And then for some brides that means giving in to cultural expectations or religious traditions. Those are REAL pressures. Those are DIFFICULT circumstances and difficult conversations.

However, the ONE thing every bride should know is this: your wedding is YOUR wedding. It’s probably that you have been dreaming of your wedding day since you saw your first wedding. You may have been dreaming about colors and vibes and the perfect dress from the time you were a little girl. Now that you’re engaged and planning your dream day, please remember my ONE thing.

You don’t have to please anyone but yourself. You don’t have to meet anyone’s expectations except your own.

Story of the First Wedding I Ever Shot

Did I ever tell you about the first wedding I ever shot? The wedding ceremony was so “normal.” I had no reason to think the reception would be what it was. My brother and I rushed from the ceremony to the reception (as I typically do), only to find we were the first ones there. For about 20 minutes. This was before texting and iPhones, so I couldn’t just text the bride. I panicked as we waited for at least one other car to pull into the reception venue. Finally, everyone arrived and I saw what had taken them so long.

Everyone had dressed as Klingons (from Star Trek) for the wedding reception. Not only that, but the bride and groom had a 2nd ceremony during the reception done entirely in Klingon. That means they spoke another language, dressed in the garb, and even CUT themselves with a dagger. I can’t make this up. But it is a perfect example of doing exactly what you want for your wedding.

Talk to you soon,
Dale

Does anyone have any other great advice for brides? If so, leave us a comment below!