If you want your wedding day to be a memorable and stress free event- picking a theme that reflects yours and your groom's personalities and your zest for life is a first but very important step. Giving this first step personal attention will create an event that has you written all over it and will make wedding stress a thing of the past.

Deciding on a theme means that you and your groom will brainstorm on some ideas. When you both get excited about a subject, this will be your theme. You need to have a common vision of this event, make a decision that will excite you both in order to organize your wedding day with enthusiasm and collaboration - avoiding wedding stress.

Once you have decided on a theme, you will choose an image that is going to communicate to your guests how you visualize your wedding day. Your invitations are the first official step to announcing your wedding. Then you choose a design for these invitations who will best capture the desired look you have identified so that it communicates the feel of your day to others.

The words you are going to use are very important, so take the time to consider different wording for your invitations:

• You want your guests to be excited and to participate fully.
  • You may want everyone to dress in a certain style,
  • You may want everyone to wear the same color;
  • You may ask your guests to bring an item symbolic to your theme, etc.

The written words on your invitations will say all of that. Select your wording carefully and precisely. Make it clear how important this is to you. Being clear on every level will reduce wedding stress, guaranteed.

Here are some tips regarding your invitations:

• Always order more invitations than required (in case you want to invite new friends or you've made writing errors). It's less expensive than to reorder.
  • If you are planning an intimate event, you may want to hand-write your invitations.
  • Buy paper that will match the color, or use the same ink color as your theme.
  • Decorate your personalized invitations with an image reflecting your theme.


• Divide the number of guests in half, as most people come as couples


• Include "#attending" on your reply card
  
  • This is important as you will want a close count when it is time to choose a venue and finalize the number of guests with your caterer.


• Include a return envelope with your address; supply stamps
  
  • Make it easy for your guests (especially for the ones that procrastinate) to reply whether or not they will attend your wedding. This will avoid last minute frustrations and stress.


• Proof read your invitations before finalizing your order
  
  • Have more than one person read the final copy of your invitations.


• Include maps of the different venues to your wedding
  
  • Not everyone has GPS. This is a great way to show your guests that you care about them by making it easy to get to church on time. Out-of-towners really appreciate this extra step.


• Put an RSVP date, as most people forget if they don't reply immediately
  
  • Again, this will prevent disappointment and anxiety


• Mail your invitations 6 to 8 weeks before the wedding

Reducing wedding stress can be fun. Just remember, the journey is as important as the destination.