Surefire ways to know when you've crossed the line — and how to bring back the bridal bliss.
By: Sharon Naylor7. You want your bridesmaids and flower girls to get spray-tanned for your wedding day.
It's not a requirement that all of your attendants' skin tones match! Remember that you're not on "The Jersey Shore," here.
How to Dial It Down: Just boot this one from your thoughts, since it would be Bridezilla-ish to require your ladies to undergo pricey spray-tan treatments they might not be comfortable with.
8. You’re skipping girls’ night out so that you can watch wedding reality shows on your DVR.
There’s nothing wrong with watching and re-watching your favorite reality shows about brides! They’re filled with ideas and inspirations. Plus, it's rewarding to see the happiness of the bride and groom after they’ve overcome so much in their planning.
How to Dial It Down: The key here is to make your friends a higher priority than anything on television. Plan relaxing nights out (or in) where you don't discuss anything wedding-related. Remember to still be the same friend you were before you got that shiny ring on your finger.
9. You’re having nightmares about your wedding every night.
Your definition of a nightmare: The cake has buttercream frosting when you asked for fondant.
How to Dial It Down: Most brides have dreams about their weddings, since it is important to them, but when you’re having night terrors about insignificant details, it's a telling sign you've gone too far. Create a time limit for the planning to help ensure a peaceful slumber. Stop at, say, 7 p.m. and fill your mind with happier concerns, like snuggling with your groom.
10. You’re posting pretty wedding images on Pinterest all day during work.
This could actually cost you your job if the bosses catch on or if your company monitors your online activities.
How to Dial It Down: Schedule a reserved Pinterest Time (such as an hour after dinnertime), where you wind down from your busy day with inspirational photos. Make it your evening ritual, but limit "research" to an hour only, so that your groom doesn’t feel abandoned while you’re zoned out in front of your computer.
11. All of your Facebook posts are about your wedding.
Brags, worries, thinly-veiled swipes at your future mother-in-law – nothing is off-limits and your friends count is going down, down, down.
How to Dial It Down: Instead of venting where everyone can see, e-mail your maid of honor when you need a boost. It's fine to post the occasional happy photo or news update (your friends do enjoy sharing your joy!) but be sure to keep posting about other topics, like you did before you got engaged. Also don't forget to respond to friends’ posts with your Likes or comments.
12. You’re calling your groom at work to talk about the wedding plans.
He may start off patient, but you’ll soon hear exasperation in his voice, and that can escalate into arguments.
How to Dial It Down: Don’t think that e-mailing him at work is better, since you’ll just sit there fuming when he doesn’t respond right away. Respect his worktime and the clear mind he needs to do his job – just like you need at yours – and don’t risk either of your jobs with personal calls. Make it a point to wait until you get home to discuss important wedding issues. Just allow him to decompress first—you don't want to overwhelm the poor guy with 20 tasks the second he walks through the door.
13. You’re thinking of selling your grandmother’s jewelry.
You can't stop thinking about ways to save money so you can buy more things for the wedding.
How to Dial It Down: Lock those precious jewels in a lockbox and don’t even think about it. Family heirlooms are way too important to lose just to get a taller wedding cake or a designer dress.
14. People are telling you to elope “for your own good.”
They’re worried about you, especially if your obsessions are making you stressed-out, angry, or depressed.
How to Dial It Down: If you’re experiencing symptoms of stress and depression, please visit your doctor. A professional can help you determine whether your wedding-related obsession is actually just a cover-up for deeper-rooted issues. In a few weeks, you’ll be back to your old self again…maybe even better.
15. You’re thinking more about the wedding plans than you are about who you’re marrying.
How to Dial It Down: Tell your groom how lucky you are to spend the rest of your life with him, write him love notes, thank him for asking you to marry him, talk about the future you envision with him, and make sure he still has you right there with him. Be the woman he fell in love with, and bliss will be there…for both of you.
