So it’s almost your big day, and you want everything to be smooth sailing. Well we’ve got 11 wedding hacks, tips and tricks to keep you on point and pretty on your wedding day. Some of these may be a repeat, but we bet there’s a few you’ve never heard before. Keep reading to find out!

1. Let your dress breathe.

Pull it out of the bag the week of the wedding and let the layers between the tulle breathe.

2. Break in your dancing shoes.

. Are you familiar with the thick socks + a blow dryer trick? Or the freeze ‘em and reheat ‘em trick?

3. Go braless. 

Yep, that’s right, we’re major creepers! Just kidding 😉 … The morning of your wedding day, we recommend your squad forgoes wearing anything that will cause deep indents or marks on the skin, like pesky bra straps.

4. Dry off your bouquet stems.

You’ll probably forget this one, but it’s especially important for your bridesmaids depending on the color of their dress. When your ladies pick up their wet bouquets from the vases, likely RIGHT BEFORE it’s time for the photographer to take photos, the stems will drip water leaving wet marks on their dresses until they dry. Is it the end of the world? No. Can it be prevented, though? Absolutely.

5. Blooms to belly button.

What are we talking about? When you hold your bouquet, it will feel most natural and comfortable to hold it up high on your chest, almost like a microphone. Well, depending on the arrangement, can you imagine how silly this could look in photos? So what do we tell our brides? “Blooms to belly buttons” … Or if you prefer our PG-13 version, “Blooms to hips, not tits”.

6. Hydrate the day before your wedding.

So you’re not running to the restroom during big important moments. In fact, make hydration a priority the week of your wedding and get your skin glowing.

7. Test your signature wedding scent.

How do you want to smell on your big day as all your friends and family are giving you big hugs? Phenomenal, of course! If you’re splurging for a new signature fragrance (Tom Ford scents are our FAV), be sure to test it on your skin (not just your clothing) before your wedding day. AKA, don’t wear it for the first time on your wedding day. This may sound strange, but there’s a possibility you could break out in a rash.

8. Powder between your thighs.

As we’re sure you know, Texas is hot, and wearing a long gown doesn’t make the situation any better.

9. Veil weights.

Not easy to find, but SO necessary, especially if you’re getting married in the Texas Hill Country or on Lake Travis. Anything over 5mph winds will fly your wedding veil like a kite, if you know what we mean.

10. Pack cute + comfy shoes.

So you can wear those hot pumps while you strut down the aisle and take wedding portraits and then change into something comfier for dinner + dancing. (plus, heels are great for boosting the hinny).

11. Practice going to the restroom in your dress.

And practice trying before your wedding day. Before you actually have to wear your dress for real!

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past three years of planning weddings, it’s that they’re stressful. In an effort to make your wedding day a little more easy-breezy, I’ve pinpoint a few key elements to get you ready for your big day and put you in the right mental mindset. If you put these five tips to work, you’ll be on your way to a more stress free day.

1. Prepare Ahead of Time

It’s tempting to put the little things off to the last minute, but don’t do it! The goal on your wedding day should be to spend quality time with your squad, not running last minute errands or scheduling your day full with activities and appointments. So what does this mean? Get your mani + pedi done the week of the wedding (not the day-of). Make sure all your bags are packed, personal items are bought, vendors are confirmed, your timeline is squared away, your honeymoon plane tickets are printed and your wedding day champagne is ready to be popped. Because every moment of your wedding day is a precious one, try not to take a single minute for granted.

2. Hire A Team Your Trust

Some brides attempt to DIY the entire wedding set-up process to save money, but if you do this, expect to be stressed with ensuring everything goes well. Trust me, as a wedding planner, the set-up process can be tedious, sweaty, and time consuming. Having a point person there to oversee set-up and break-down, while you’re sipping champagne with your bridal party, is worth every penny spent. And it’s easily the number one regret of a DIY bride. Remember, sometimes you shouldn’t “do it yourself.”

3. Let Go of Control

Letting go of control is hard, trust me, I’m a HUGE control freak. But just know you can’t control everything. The flower girl may cry, someone may spill red wine on your dress, and a bridesmaid will likely end up having a little too much to drink. If you try to micromanage everything, you’ll end up driving yourself crazy (and everyone around you). Let your day unfold as it was meant to and embrace the hiccups.

4. Remember What’s Important

What matters is your marriage and your love for one another. As the bride, you set the tone for the wedding. It won’t matter if it’s sideways raining. As long as you’re all smiles and thrilled to be marrying the love of your life, your guests will have fun, too.

 5. Take Moments to be Present

Yeah, girl, it’s true what people say –  your day will flash by in the blink of an eye. So how can you take it all in and live more intentionally in the moment? Focus on your senses. Concentrate on what you’re seeing, smelling, touching, hearing and tasting. Remind yourself to look around and “stop to smell the roses”.