Organization Is Your Friend

Even if you’re the type who’s never made a list in your life―and you’re proud of it―now is the time to change that. There will be hundreds of details to pin down, and trying to keep track of them all will seriously fray your nerves. “It may seem like a daunting task to monitor it all, but there are some wonderful online organizers that include timetables, budget spreadsheets, and the like,” says Yifat Oren, an L.A.-based wedding and special events planner. (For a good starting point, try the Ultimate Wedding Planning Checklist.)

Stay Within Your Comfort Zone

Many stressed brides schedule “relaxing” activities that are out of their usual routines. “Don’t reinvent the wheel here,” says Julie Pryor, an event coordinator and owner of Pryor Events in Los Angeles. “Do whatever relaxes you ordinarily: whether it’s meditating, getting a massage, or hanging out with your best friend. But if you’re not a person who’s into yoga, the day before the wedding isn’t the time for some elaborate yoga class.”

Don’t Try to Wear Too Many Hats

Your role in the wedding is to be the bride―not the caterer, the florist, or the bandleader. “Interview your vendors carefully, get references―from people you know, if possible―and once you’ve hired them, let them do their job,” advises Oren. “Communicate clearly via e-mails and keep records of your arrangements, but trust that they will deliver what you’re paying them for without micromanaging.”