Start a wedding Pinterest board! In fact, start several, so you can try out lots of different themes (traditional, shabby chic, modern), as well as one for dresses you love, hairstyles you're considering etc.
The Girl's Guide to Getting Hitched
Don't be afraid to ask for help. You'll have lots of excited friends and relatives who are (probably) just dying to help you hand-decorate your Save the Dates with hundreds of fiddly pearls / fashion flowers from tissue paper / carve napkin rings from driftwood and so on.
Be realistic with your budget. You might have your heart set on a Vera Wang gown, or be desperate to tie the knot at Blenheim Palace, but work out your budget and adjust your expectations accordingly! Have the best day you possibly can for the money you have available.
Don't forget about your fiancé. Tempting as it is to turn into a raging Bridezilla, and stamp your little foot until you get everything your own way, it's just possible that hubby-to-be might have some ideas of his own about your wedding. But don't worry - just keep asking his opinion on every single detail, and he'll soon get bored.
Use your contacts to save cash. Best friends with your hairdresser? See if she'll do your do for a nominal fee and a thank you in the speeches. Does your mum make the best cakes in the world? Now's the perfect time to exploit her skills.
Make it personal. Your wedding shouldn't be a bland, carbon copy of everyone else's. It should reflect you and your fiancé, so if you want to have your pet dog as ring bearer, or walk down the aisle to the Star Wars theme, then why not?
Enjoy the planning. You (hopefully - let's ignore the divorce stats) are only going to get married once. The average wedding costs £20,983 and lasts approximately 12 hours. So ensure the planning is almost as much fun as the big day itself, and make the most of looking at venues, cake tasting, and trying on big white dresses.
Prioritise. Decide which bits of the day are the most important to you and your fiancé. If the main focus is on the ceremony, then skew your budget in favour of decorating the church or hiring a musician to play you down the aisle. All about the party? Forgo an expensive sit-down meal in favour of a buffet with a live band and lots of booze.
Keep the kids entertained on the big day. If you've made the brave decision to invite children to your wedding, it's worth forking out that bit extra for a balloon modeller or magician to keep the little cherubs occupied and not running riot in your posh venue. Plus, it gives their parents time to have a drink and a dance. They'll thank you for it.
Remember that it's all about the two of you. Ultimately, it's yours and your hubby-to-be's wedding, so don't let granny insist on a church ceremony if you're a die-hard atheist, or let your future mother-in-law push you into her vision of a perfect dress. Have the day of your dreams, and don't forget to have a moment of quiet time with your new spouse to take it all in. Good luck!
The Girl's Guide to Getting Hitched is out now!