30 Wedding Hacks to Make Your Big Day a Breeze

From work emails to spam, our inboxes can can feel like they are overflowing at times (or all the time!). To prevent missing any important wedding emails, create a new email that is specifically for wedding talk with your vendors. This is a great way to stay organized and make sure that you’ve crossed and double-crossed everything off your to-do list.

There are hundreds of things that need to get done before your big day. To keep track of everything, make an extensive list of to-dos and add check marks for things that are completed. Without a list, you may realize a little too late that you’re missing something super important...such as, a little something called a marriage license.

During wedding off-season, services and venues are discounted because of the lack of business these companies are receiving. By simply having a winter wonderland wedding, instead of getting married in the midst of summer, you’ll be able to spend more cash the rest of your must-have items.

When choosing your wedding date, make sure you investigate what may be going on that day in the town where your ceremony and reception are taking place. The last thing you want to worry about is getting stuck behind a three-hour parade moving at twenty kilometres per hour!

Wedding venue costs can be outrageous, but they don’t have to be. Look for pretty parks that are tucked away in suburbs to maximize your pennies. And, if you can get away with having your ceremony and reception there, you’ll be laughing all the way to the bank.

Wedding shows are one of the best spots to scope out discounts from all different types of vendors, from venues to flowers and everything in between. Whether you’re saving $50 or $500, wouldn't you rather have that in your pocket?

Wedding expenses can be steep, but if you could get something for your dollar, wouldn't you want to? Sign up for credit cards that have rewards programs and then use them for all of your wedding purchases. Who knows, maybe these points can pay for your honeymoon!

Bridal registries can be a ton of fun—who doesn’t want to go into a store and put everything on someone else’s tab? But problems can start when you receive two (or 10) of the same serving dish. Make sure to register at stores that accept returns or will allow you to make exchanges. Don’t assume that all stores do this!

If you’re on a tight budget or accidentally splurged on your wedding dress, look to save some coin on your wedding decor. Websites like Recycle Your Wedding have tons of pre-loved decorating options for a fraction of the retail price. From garlands to candelabras, you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for while keeping your bank account in the green.

This may seem surreal, but sometimes renting can be more expensive than buying. Make sure that you do your due diligence and research all of your options before committing. For example, renting lace umbrellas can much more expensive than just buying a beautiful wedding parasol (like the one pictured here), and depending on your centrepieces it may make more sense to buy them as well. The added benefit of buying these products is that at the end of the night, you can pass it along to your wedding guests as a gift.

Whether your guest list is modest or the size of Kim Kardashian’s, we suggest using a glue stick or water and a foam brush to seal your wedding invitation envelopes. Not only will this save you the torture of licking all that paper, but it will also save you a ton of time in the invitation process. 

This genius trick can save you a ton of time, stress, and grief. Number all of your RSVP cards prior to mailing them out and keep an Excel file with corresponding names. When someone responds, you’ll be able to cross them off the list with ease and know exactly who you’re still waiting on.

Choosing the seating arrangements can take a ton of time and effort, but this trick will help you breathe easy. Print a piece of paper with large circles on it (that represent your tables) and cut sticky notes into strips with your guests names on them. Then, place the stickies around the circles to designate your guests' seats. This way, you can easily make necessary changes without having to start over from scratch. 

If you’re going to spend the big bucks on your bridal makeup, you might as well make use of your trial. Plan it so that it falls on the same day as your engagement photos so that you don’t have to do your makeup yourself or incur the extra cost. This way, you’ll know exactly what your makeup will look like in your wedding photos well in advance (and you'll be able to make any minor adjustments).

Not all photographers are created equally. Some are old-school and only take super traditional shots, while others are all about new angles. Make a Pinterest board of wedding poses that you like and share it with your photographer. This way, they’ll have an idea of some of the shots you’re interested in and you’ll be be elated with the outcome.

Most halls have in-house DJs that are a little less pricey than hiring your own. That being said, it is still incredibly important to meet them before the big day to make sure you're on the same page. Give the DJ a list of songs you and your guests want to hear and make sure that they are up for taking requests the night of the wedding. This way, you and your guests will have no excuses not to dance the night away.

We can only imagine how horrible it might be to bonk noses during your first kiss (while everyone's watching). So to avoid any lip-locking disasters, make sure that you and your partner are in agreement as to what kind of kiss you’ll be having, how long it is supposed to last, and practise it in advance. Now that shouldn’t be too hard!

Strapless dress? Extra low back? Have a seamstress sew your undergarments into your gown and you'll feel extra secure.

While some skip this step or quickly run through it, it is actually incredibly important to have a wedding rehearsal at the place of your ceremony with all those in the wedding party. This is not only about learning how and when to walk down the aisle, but whether or not the venue has any restrictions on photography, bare arms, and even decorations. Leaving this to the day of the wedding can cause absolute mayhem and unwanted stress.

Whether it is your maid of honour or a bridesmaid, make sure that someone carries your wedding day necessities with them at all times. Keep extra bobby pins, a mini can of hairspray, a needle and thread, lip colour, safety pins, and bandaids on reserve to squash any emergency moments in a flash.

You don't want to have to find out that the venue messed up your seating plan or that the father of the groom forgot his tie at home. Appoint a bridesmaid or family member to take care of all of the details to ensure that you won’t have to deal with the added stress on the big day.

Whether you're a bride or bridesmaid, it's imperative to bring a pair of flats to the reception. Because you’ll be on your feet for the majority of the day—walking down the aisle, standing for pictures, greeting guests—your feet will most likely be double their usual size by dinner time. Keep the party alive by remembering a pair of flats. Your tender tootsies will thank you.

Instead of hounding your family and friends to send you pictures of your wedding while you’re waiting for the ones from the professionals, get them to use a specific wedding hashtag every time they post photos on social media. This way, all of the pictures will be in one, organized place so you and your partner can easily gawk at them as you lie in bed the next day.

If you've ever tried to hold down a cathedral veil and train on a windy day, you know what strength it takes to keep them at bay. Tiny veil and dress weights will help keep your ensemble in place and prevent any flyaway calamities. Just attach them on the inside and the secret's all yours.

There’s nothing worse than paying top dollar for your hair and makeup and then ruining it all by pulling your shirt over your head. Make sure to wear a button down shirt while you’re getting primped. Wear one of your hubby’s or get super cute personalized ones for you and your entire bridal party here.

Need a quick fix just in case waterworks start flowing at the altar? A bouquet is the perfect spot to discretely tuck some tissues. No one will know it's there, but we promise you'll be happy it is when the tears start trickling out.

It's bad enough to get deodorant marks on your clothing, and chances are you'll do your best to keep them off your wedding dress. But keep a few dryer sheets handy just in case and rub them over any deodorant marks for a quick fix.

Because your day will be jam-packed with friends and family, you probably won't be able to enjoy a few minutes alone with your new life partner. We love the idea of the bride and groom taking off alone after the ceremony so that they can bask in their new married life...even if only for five minutes. 

There is nothing more annoying than hearing "my feet hurt" from your wedding guests. Bypass the drama by providing free flip flops. Not only is this a cute wedding giveaway, it leaves friends and family with no excuses not to boogie down with you all night.

It is important to remember that regardless of how much your prep, there may still be a few glitches on your big day. Don’t sweat it! Your day is going to be perfect whether or not the limo comes five minutes late or your centrepieces are the wrong shade of pink. At the end of the night, look around and see all of your friends and family who are there to support your new life with your partner—and remember, that's what matters most.