Don't get addicted to reality wedding shows

Yes, I’ll admit…I’ve found myself plopped on the couch once or twice watching a “Say Yes to the Dress” marathon on TLC. When you are in the business, it’s almost cathartic to watch the consultants deal with the same problems I do on a daily basis (i.e. brides who can’t make a decision, moms who control the daughter’s choices, bridesmaids who are more trouble than they are worth). But you can certainly get sucked in to all the glamour and maybe start doubting some of your own choices. Keep in mind girls on these shows are buying a gown at a high-end salon and sometimes have unlimited budgets. You shouldn’t compare your wedding to theirs or second guess your decision if a girl on TV has on a dress similar to your own and calls it hideous!

Between the cable networks there is a plethora of shows from the relatively tame to the outlandish (think “My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding” and “Bridezillas”). It can be fun to watch a few times and maybe even get an idea or two, but keep all things in perspective. They are often going to extremes to make good television…the more drama the better. This certainly isn’t reflective of the typical wedding. And you shouldn’t focus all your spare time on wedding “research.” You had a life before your engagement and you will have to get back to it after the wedding, so try not to fall in the trap of becoming so consumed with wedding plans that you forget what’s really important in life!