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Weddings

5 Things Nobody Told You About Your Wedding Day

Between the nerves, excitement and anticipation – here are five things you probably didn't know would happen on your big day.

Kari Kriewald
Kari Kriewald
couple at altar vows outdoor ceremony kari kriewald sophisticated whimsy wedding photos

couple at altar vows outdoor ceremony kari kriewald sophisticated whimsy wedding photos

Photo: Benjamin Garrett Photography

Hi, everyone! I'm Kari Kriewald, fashion and beauty blogger over at Sophisticated Whimsy. Today I'm sharing five things I experienced on my wedding day that no bride would know to prepare for. Keep reading to get an inside scoop on what the unsuspecting bride should expect!

You’ve planned your magical day—everything from the programs to the party favors encompass you and your partner’s personal touch and vision. You’ve imagined everything from start to finish a hundred times and you haven’t missed a mark. It’s one of the best days of your life and you want everything to go perfectly. That’s not too much to ask for, right? No, not at all.

But between the nerves, excitement and anticipation – here are five things you probably didn't know would happen on your wedding day.


1. No matter how much time you allot to getting ready, it's never enough.
Whether you schedule your hair and makeup to last four hours, five hours, or more, it never quite seems long enough. The last 15 minutes before the ceremony begins is complete chaos - it's inevitable. Emotions are running high and people will be scrambling to perfect and finalize their looks.

2. Moments before walking down the aisle, you will get extremely nervous.
Not nervous to marry your other half, but more so because you’re about to make a life-altering decision in front of your closest family and friends. Hearing your processional music begin and hearing “All Rise” to see heads turn and all eyes on you can definitely make you feel a certain kind of way. The good news is the nerves quickly diminish when you are standing at the altar with your love. It's definitely a feeling you can't quite prepare for, but be sure to embrace every second of it.

3. You won’t remember everything perfectly.
You'll probably recall the sequence of events that took place on your wedding day, but probably not the finer details. For instance, you'll more than likely remember everyone that you talked to, but you may not necessarily know what was said. The day will pass entirely too quickly and some portions will be more of a blur than others.

4. There will be guests in attendance that you may not even see.
Whether you want to believe it or not, this one is unfortunately true. Granted, the total number of guests in attendance plays a huge factor in this one. But regardless, being a bride or groom is hard work and definitely takes some premeditated strategy to ensure you individually greet everyone. Try to keep conversations brief and make your rounds as a couple, rather than individually. Be personable and polite, but don't take the conversation to an extreme where it's hard to make your exit. You have many people to say hello to before the night is over and that's already a stretch.

5. Your dress will get dirty, and that’s fine.
You spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on your perfect wedding dress, so it's only natural that you expect it to stay pristine for the entire night. But between the "dress stepper-oners" and twirling around the dance floor, it's nearly impossible. There comes a time in the night where you will have a moment of realization and you accept that the dress will be flawed when you leave. But hey, that's what dry cleaning is for and it's only meant to be worn once.