DIY Life

Weddings... it is so easy to get caught up in the moment. After all, your big day is pretty important, right? Agreed, but instead of being stressed over the planning, it makes sense to me to keep it simple and enjoy every moment leading up to your wedding as well.

Zen Habits has thirteen tips to hep you do just that: keep your wedding plans as simple as possible. They make a disclaimer, though, stating that if you want a traditional wedding that you probably still will have some stress. Their sensible tips are to help alleviate some of the needless worrying, so after the break I'll share some of their ideas.

I wasn't stressed at all planning my wedding ten years ago, and as I read the Zen Habits list, it must be because I kept it simple:

• Keep the guest list small -- We did this, inviting only close family and friends. At 85 guests, it felt like a big party instead of a formal ball, which was just what we wanted.
• Keep the menu simple -- We opted for stations at our wedding, so we didn't need a seating chart, and people could eat from the different food stations for over two hours, casually.
• Go with the easiest attire -- Because we kept our wedding party small, my husband and his best man rented tuxedos and my sister, my only attendant, just wore one of her many bridesmaid dresses hanging in her closet (poor thing!). Yes, I purchased the dress of my dreams, but that actually made everything easier for me. Once I had found "The Dress," I was more eager to make the other plans.

Some other ideas on Zen Habits' list are to forego fancy invitations (in fact, why not make your own invitations?) and to keep favors, decorations, and entertainment simple.

What are some steps you took to keep your wedding simple?