How to avoid wedding day madness

Two of my friends are getting married this weekend, and it feels like the engagement day was just yesterday. We celebrated Vegas style. Partying like it was 1999, going to bed at 7 am. All to commemorate the love that was being expressed between the newly engaged couple.

Fast forward to a week before the wedding, and a few of us are experiencing whip lash, as it seems the wedding has crept up on us faster than you can say 'I do'.

I'm fretting over my dress, my shoes, my hair, my nails, a facial, a pedicure... and then I stop to realize 'what on earth is the bride going through?!' This must be a week of insanity and last minute loose end tying.
From the seating chart to the photos to the speeches to the flowers, where has the bride to be slotted time for beatification?

How to prepare before a wedding so you don't go nuts? Here are a few helpful suggestions:

Hair and makeup trials - these are best to get out of the way about 1-2 months before the wedding, so that you know what to expect the day of. Make sure you speak up if you want adjustments and changes, so that on the big day, the image of what you think you'll look like is a reality.

Waxing - try to do this about 3-4 days prior to the wedding to ensure that any red bumps or irritation have time to disappear.
This also gives you a day or two to catch any of those hairs that might have been left behind after the wax.

Manicure/Pedicure - It would be ideal to have this done a day or two before the wedding. It allows for a relaxing moment of pampering and also full drying time so that there is minimal smudging and re-touching that needs to be done at the last minute. You don't want to have an open bottle of nail polish near your dress the morning of your wedding. That's just asking for trouble.

Take some time to yourself - Taking a week off before a wedding might seem extreme, but this allows for time to take care of the little details such as waxing, facials, pedicures. All of these can be done during the last week before the big event. If you can afford it after purchasing the seven tiered, lemon chocolate sponge mousse extravaganza cake, wedding planners also offer their services for a week or just for the day of the event.

This might help you get in some much needed sleep and relaxation time.
The extra dough spent will be well worth it when you have someone else dealing with frantic calls and organizing rehearsal dinners and table settings, leaving you buff, polish, smooth out, and pretty up yourself for the day.

Hopefully, this extra time spent on the little things for a picture perfect you will allow you to truly enjoy the day that is your wedding. Who knows? Maybe you'll also be able to sneak in an extra smooch or two with your soon-to-be when no one is looking.