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	Brides & Grooms Deciding the Day The Day Before The Day The Day After Home
	Wedding-day disasters can be avoided By Marla Caceres A wedding can be a beautiful thing - if all goes without a hitch. Unexpected rain showers, late photographers and crying ring bearers are only a few of the last-minute crises that can occur on that much-planned-for day. Making the right preparations before the big day, however, can help prevent most mishaps and help you, the bride and groom, happily shrug off those that are inevitable. "It is a rare wedding where all goes off without a hitch," says Linda Kevich, wedding expert, creator and editor of www.superweddings.com. "With so many details and logistics to coordinate, chances are very good that everything will not go precisely as planned, but it is not worth worrying about. Relax, and take it all with a sense of humor." Brides and grooms can have a stress-free and enjoyable wedding if they follow the basic guidelines of planning, professional assistance and attitude. • Planning. There can never be too much planning - the more methodical the preparations for the big day, the lesser the chances of something going wrong. "To a great extent, how well a couple will enjoy the wedding day itself will depend on how well they have handled the planning that goes into it," says Kevich. "When a wedding is well planned, the potential for disasters and stress on the big day is greatly diminished, and as a result, the couple is at ease and has a good time." The first key to planning is starting early. Pick a date, and then work on deciding as many details early on. The more you decide in advance - far in advance - you reduce the chance of making poor, last-minute decisions later. Create a comprehensive list of everything that needs to be done to plan the wedding, and create a timeline to go with it. Never deviate from the schedule. "Falling behind schedule in the planning process can lead to very stressful situations, and a couple who is stressed during the planning process is generally a couple who is stressed on the wedding day," says Kevich. Starting the planning process early also ensures your chances of securing your preferred vendors and sites - very important for couples planning weddings during busy months like June. When selecting vendors and sites for the ceremony and reception, remember to get everything in writing, including copies of all contracts for your own records. • Professional help. It used to be that only the affluent could afford the services of a wedding planner or coordinator. This is no longer the case. Wedding coordinators can work with most budgets, and many offer their services for just the big day - a blessing for couples who want to relax and not worry about the details. "I know what the bride and groom want, and it's my job to facilitate everything to make sure that happens," says Michele Landers, a bridal consultant and owner of Bridal Potpourri, a wedding planning service based in Lexington, Ky. "It's my job to try to keep all the vendors and everyone involved working for the bride and groom's best interest." Wedding coordinators oversee the wedding day, troubleshooting problems before you even notice them. If you can't afford a wedding coordinator for the big day, ask trusted friends and family to take over the role. They can even split the duties into smaller shifts. Just remember that they, too, want to enjoy the wedding. • Attitude. Couples should remember this vow on their wedding day: Don't worry about the small stuff. Things will go wrong - it is unavoidable - but having a carefree attitude about them will help you keep your priorities in check and remember what your wedding day is really all about. "This is the day when you become husband and wife, and your lives become joined as one. If the flowers on the cake don't quite match the color of the table linens as well as you expected, the bottom line is, does it really matter?" Kevich says. "Keep it all in perspective, and make the decision right from the start that, on this one day, nothing will have the power to upset you, because this day is simply too precious to allow that to happen." © - Tribune Media Services
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