Planning your own wedding can sometimes feel overwhelming and stressful, but if you follow these stress-free tips below, you will find planning your wedding will be smooth sailing, and more enjoyable from an expert event professional mindset.

1) Set a Budget, and Stick To It
Weddings can be very expensive, and just like any other event, you may find yourself wanting to add additional items to your master list closer to the event date, which may not have been in your set budget.

Try making a budget and stick to it. If you think you may have “wish list” items that will pop up closer to the time of the wedding, add those items in with your set budget from the very beginning. Aim to never exceed the set amount you have budgeted for from day one.

If you overspend on flowers, then you must cut back from something else …

When planning your own wedding it is important to keep track of the many little bits and pieces. Even the best wedding planners can overlook a few items until the last moment, when it may be too late. With that in mind, here is my guide to the ultimate list of things to buy for your wedding day.

Be sure to pin or bookmark this page for future reference.

1) Bridal Veil / Hair Accessory

I ended up wearing a fingertip length drop veil for my wedding, but now wonder if I should have worn a floor-length veil instead. I strongly suggest choosing your veil and hair accessory long before your wedding day so that you know exactly which one you want to wear.

Try on the veil a few times throughout the process, take photos wearing it with your gown, and get a feel for how you will wear …

With dozens of decisions (colors! cake! flowers!) and dozens more logistical details, planning nuptials can daunt even the most intrepid couple. It’s no wonder that so many choose to hire a wedding planner to coordinate their big day so they can focus on the fun. But if you’re up for handling it on your own, you can pull it off — as long as you approach it with a pro’s mindset. Consider these tips:

Hire a Pro on a Limited Basis
You may find that the investment pays for itself. “The money and time a planner can save is valuable,” says wedding planner Lisa Milko, of Event Perfect in Atlanta. “I can negotiate discounts a couple cannot and make recommendations on DIY and budget-saving places that many people would not consider, or be able to do without a little direction.” To save money, you could recruit a planner only …