A lot of advice about relationships and marriage revolve around the future because, of course, you are committing to a future with your spouse. But in order to have a healthy future with someone, you need to know important details about a person’s past. If you’re in a serious relationship that’s headed toward marriage, you should have a good sense of who they are before you commit to moving forward. Here’s what you need to know—and what some warning signs might be.

Know How Their Serious Relationships Ended

No one really loves to have the ex conversation, but it’s a necessary one to have before you can really commit to someone. How many relationships has your partner had and, most importantly, how did they end? The best way to go about finding this information is by asking your partner—not by stalking their ex on social media.

Most everyone has relationships that didn’t end well, but you should know if the relationship ended because of something traumatic like infidelity, money problems, or if a situation occurred when someone left abruptly while living together. If your partner owes an ex money, it’s especially important to know this before you tie any of your finances together or choose to move in together.

Though it’s important to be open minded and understand that many people are able to grow and change—especially if these bad breakups happened a long time ago—you should still be aware if your partner caused a lot of harm in the past.

Know Their Sexual History

Although it’s probably best to skip the intricate details (you don’t want to know that much), you should have a good sense of your partner’s sexual history and know things like whether or not they have ever had an STD or got someone pregnant (or had a pregnancy). In this day and age, it’s likely that the person you are with has a sexual past—and that’s perfectly OK—but you should at least be honest with each other about your sexual history.

Know Their Financial History

If you’re considering that this person might be “the one,” then you should do what you can to find out about their financial past. Is your partner a saver or a spender? Are they in severe credit card debt? Do they pay their taxes? How do they communicate about money? These are all things you should know before you agree to enter into a permanent partnership with someone.

That being said, no one is perfect and it’s important not to judge your partner for past financial transgressions—especially if they are working hard to improve their financial position or pay off any debt.

Know What Their Family Relationships Are Like

Family is important, and how a person treats their family is indicative of how they’ll treat you in many cases. When you’re about to commit to your partner, you should know about their history with their family. Have they ever had a falling out with their family? How close are they to their family now? If there has ever been severe family issues, arguments, or longstanding bouts of silence, this is something you should be aware of.

Know if They’ve Been On-Again and Off-Again with an Ex

Many people have that one lost love that they think about from time to time. If your partner has an ex that they’ve been on-again and off-again with, this is something you should know about—especially if they are still regularly communicating.

It’s going to be difficult to move forward with someone if they always have that other person on the back burner, just waiting for their current relationship to fall apart. An on-again, off-again ex is something you should know about before you get in too deep.

However, it’s important to be empathetic here. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a loving, supportive family. If there is a history of abuse or neglect, be understanding of these scenarios if your partner keeps their distance from family.

Despite what rom-coms may tell us, getting engaged (for most of us) is hardly a complete surprise. At this point, you’ve hopefully had conversations about the next step in your relationship and when you may eventually want to tie the knot. However, a proposal is something that your future spouse usually plans in secret—hoping to catch you off guard while you’re making dinner, out at your favorite restaurant, or even right when you get home from work. But what happens when you accidentally spoil their surprise by finding the engagement ring before the question has been popped? Should you pretend like nothing ever happened? Leave the scene of the crime? Here’s what to do if you found the ring before the proposal.

Put the Ring Back Exactly Where you Found It

It’s unlikely that you were trying to snoop for the engagement ring, and it probably happened when you were looking for your long-lost pair of tennis shoes or when you misplaced your keys. Although it can be so tempting to try the ring on once you find it, try to resist. You definitely don’t want your partner to know that you’ve found it, tried it on, and evaluated it before they even got a chance to ask you to marry them. Plus, you definitely don’t want to be caught red-handed with the ring on your finger!

Don’t Tell Anyone You Found the Ring

Whether you find it hidden in their sock drawer or saw it in a pocket in their backpack, it can be all too easy to want to call your best friend or your mom to confide in them that there is a ring and a suspected proposal happening soon. If your partner has hidden the ring from you (albeit not very well), they clearly want to keep it a surprise—so don’t spoil it by letting everyone else in on the secret! As hard as it may be to keep it to yourself, try to keep this news to yourself.

Look Forward to the Surprise of the Proposal

Once you find the ring, you might go through several stages of emotions such as shock, excitement, fear—and maybe even a little bit of disappointment at ruining the surprise.

But don’t let that disappointment linger too long. Instead, focus on the excitement and surprise of the proposal that’s to come. You may have found the ring, but you’d have to be a super sleuth to figure out when and where your future spouse will propose. As hard as it may be, push the ring out of your mind and relax—an even bigger surprise is coming your way.

Don’t Pressure Your Partner to Propose

Now that you’ve found the ring, it’s only natural that you’d expect that a proposal is coming very soon. The ring is there—so what’s the big hold up? However, you may get disappointed when days go by and then weeks with no proposal in sight.

The worst thing you could do in this time frame is to get impatient and angry with them for not proposing and then resort to pressuring them to do it sooner. Trust that there is a plan in place and you being impatient and asking about it could spell disaster.

It’s not a Bad Sign if You’re Nervous

Everyone has different reactions to big life changes. Some people are elated while others are a little tentative (and maybe just the slightest bit nauseated). If you found the ring and immediately got nervous, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your relationship is doomed and that you need to break up. Getting married is a big life step, and it’s only natural that you feel all sorts of feelings about it.

However, if you found the ring and it’s starting to bring up all sorts of doubts about your relationship, now might be the time to explore those feelings rather than later when the question is popped and you feel a lot of pressure to give a certain answer.

A post-wedding brunch is the perfect way to bid your guests adieu, cure their hangovers before their flights, and give everyone a chance to rehash what went down at the reception the previous evening. The post-wedding brunch is traditionally hosted by the bride’s parents, but there’s no reason why an aunt, your in-laws, or even the two of you could host the brunch.

Wondering how to tackle this last wedding event? We’ll tell you everything you need to know from where to host the brunch to how to let your guests know the event is happening.

Pick a Location That’s Convenient

Your guests are going to be scattering in a matter of hours—whether it’s by car, train, or plane—so you’ll need to pick a location that’s convenient for them to get to as they check out of their hotels and gather all their suitcases. The best place to host a post-wedding brunch is a location that’s right near the wedding venue, where (presumably) most of your guests are staying. If your venue isn’t booked for that next day, you could also inquire how much it would cost to host an extra brunch for a couple of hours. This could be a cash bonus for them if they don’t typically host a Sunday wedding.

Don’t Host it at the Crack of Dawn

If your wedding reception went on late into the night, you probably don’t want to host a brunch that starts at 8 a.m.—but don’t start it so late that your guests are waiting in their rooms, hungry. It’s best if you’re flexible with the time so that your guests can come and go as their travel schedule suits them. So, for example, choose to host your brunch from 9 to 11 a.m. and let your guests know that they don’t have to get there right at 9 or leave at 11 in order to participate.

Let Your Guests Know Ahead of Time

Because a post-wedding brunch isn’t part of the typical fanfare of a wedding, you can tell your guests about it in any way you like, whether it’s online or through snail mail. Add a section about the brunch on your wedding website and put all of the information they need to know such as time, date and place, and whether or not they need to note any dietary restrictions. You can also send an insert in your paper wedding invitations letting them know all the details of the post-wedding brunch and ask them to RSVP for that as well so that you know exactly how much food there needs to be.

Pick Some Delicious Food Options

Whether you’re getting the food catered or someone is preparing the food in their own kitchen, brunch is one of the easiest crowd-pleasing meals there is, and there are so many delicious options to choose from. When planning the menu, consider brunch items like mini quiches, breakfast burritos, a breakfast taco bar, fruit salad, mini waffles, muffins, and assorted cheeses. Of course, you’ll also want to offer your guests coffee (they’ll definitely want plenty of that) and maybe even a mimosa or Bloody Mary bar for a little hair of the dog. If your guests have to run quickly to the airport and only have time for a hug goodbye, have some breakfast burritos wrapped to go so they can enjoy them on their Uber ride to the departures lane.

Reuse Your Wedding Decor (But Not all of It)

To squeeze one last use out of your wedding decor, display some of it throughout the post-wedding brunch, such as a couple of centerpieces and a few other strategically placed items. You don’t want to re-use all of it, as that could be a huge pain to drag everything in and out, but the general idea is to have the brunch feel as though it’s every bit a part of the wedding weekend as the rehearsal dinner and the reception. If you had a photo booth or have any instant prints of the reception, be sure to display those and pack them up for guests so they can have a keepsake to take home.

Try to Talk to as Many of Your Guests as Possible

Receptions are a hectic couple of hours for a newly married couple—guests are swarming to tell them congratulations, and it can often feel like they don’t get quality conversation time with as many people as they would have liked. The post-wedding brunch is a great opportunity to have a casual conversation with anyone you missed or those who you only got to spend a few minutes with. Be sure to thank them for coming, give them a hug, and wish them well on their trip home.

Spring is one of the most popular seasons to get married—and it’s easy to see why. The flowers are blooming, the weather is starting to warm up and the venue possibilities are endless. But weddings in spring—just like in any other season—aren’t without their hiccups. Spring weddings have unique challenges that you’ll have to think about before you book a venue or set a date.

We’re tackling how to solve the six most common spring wedding problems so that you can be the spring goddess bride you always dreamed of being.

1. The Unpredictable Weather

No matter where you live in the country, spring can be one of the most unpredictable weather seasons. One day may have icy rain, and the next may be scorching. In some areas of the country, you even have to contend with severe storms with tornadoes or hail.

You may have dreamed of a lovely garden wedding in the spring sunshine—and you may be able to pull it off with some luck—but it’s always best to have an indoor backup plan just in case. If you book a venue with an outdoor component where you’ll be hosting the ceremony, be sure to ask the venue coordinator what you should do in case of inclement weather. If a venue doesn’t have a backup plan for when the weather gets iffy, then you may want to either schedule your wedding for the summer or fall or consider going with another venue that has an indoor ceremony space you can use.

2. Scheduling Around Spring Breakers

Planning a destination wedding in the spring? You’ll most likely have beautiful weather, but you’ll also have to deal with spring breakers who are loud, obnoxious, and don’t really set the background tone that you envisioned for your wedding.

The best way to avoid those rowdy spring breakers is to research the hotel or resort you plan on booking. See what kind of crowd they cater to and whether or not the hotel has a minimum age. Read the reviews on Yelp and TripAdvisor to get a sense of what spring break is like there and whether or not it’s a good place to get hitched this time of year.

3. Hot Days and Cool Nights

Another problem that spring presents is not only unpredictable weather from one day to the next, but the potential for fluctuating temperatures between your ceremony and reception. Spring has a tendency to be pretty warm in the afternoons and then fairly chilly in the evenings, so the best policy is just to be prepared for all situations.

If you’re hosting your ceremony outside in the late afternoon, try to pick a spot that’s decently shaded or provide your guests with paper fans to cool off. For the cold evenings, bring in some extra space heaters just in case and see if there’s any way you can enclose the reception area either with a tent or provide your guests with shawls or other items to warm up.

4. Bugs

Bugs are a sign that the seasons are changing and that the temperatures are starting to warm up, but bugs can be a huge nuisance at a wedding. Ask your florist to design a bouquet filled with flowers or other greenery that aren’t attractive to bugs—because you really don’t want to be running from a bee or a wasp while you’re walking down the aisle.

Another thing to consider when it comes to bugs and spring weddings is the food. If you’re planning on serving food outside, ask your caterer what kinds of protections they have in place to prevent flies from landing on your dinner. Lastly, you may also want to ask your venue if they have any preventative measures for mosquitoes, which can start to be a real pain this time of year in certain locations.

5. Allergies

Springtime is when all the flowers beautifully blossom and things start to come to life once again. But it’s also the time of year when everyone is sneezing their heads off due to allergies. The last thing you want is for your guests to be not-so-silently suffering through your “I do’s” with the sniffles or sneezes. Make sure that your ceremony space isn’t too drafty and doesn’t have too much allergenic plant life nearby.

6. Vacations and Holidays for Family

Your wedding might be the only date that’s circled on your calendar, but many of your friends and family may already have some spring break destinations or Easter plans that are already accounted for. Though you can’t accommodate everyone’s schedule, take a quick straw poll of those guests who are most important and see what the best dates are for them so you can avoid any double-bookings.

There’s truly nothing like newlywed bliss. You’re still fresh from your honeymoon, you’ve recently unwrapped all of the wedding presents, and you’re excited to embark on this new life together. But nothing can pop that newlywed bubble quicker than a knock-down, drag-out fight for the first time in your marriage.

All couples get into arguments every once in a while—and your relationship is no different. Here’s how to navigate your first fight as newlyweds in a healthy and, dare-we-say, productive way.

Don’t Panic

Whether your first fight happens during your honeymoon or months into your marriage, rest assured that married couples do fight, so don’t panic and think that you have a doomed relationship already. Marriage is not a cure-all for any existing disagreements that you had before you walked down the aisle and, believe it or not, you don’t have any newlywed dust that is going to prevent a big argument.

That being said, the first fight of your new married life can be especially startling—so it’s completely OK to get upset or even cry. Just don’t panic and think that it’s already over. You will likely have many (many) more fights.

Understand that Everyone Fights

If you grew up with parents who were constantly arguing or who got divorced, arguing with your spouse can be especially triggering for you. It’s important to understand that at some point every person who cohabitates with another person is going to get into a squabble over something—whether it’s the laundry, bills, or overbearing mother-in-laws.

As long as the fights are few and far between and not about anything relationship-threatening such as an affair or abusive tendencies, it’s perfectly healthy and reasonable to think that everyone is going to get into a fight every once in a while.

Look for Deeper Meanings

The argument you’re having about doing the dishes probably isn’t really about doing the dishes—it may be about the two of you not having an equal share of the household work. And the fight you’re having about the new dining room table that you bought for your apartment isn’t really about the fact that your new spouse doesn’t like it—it may be that you spent money without talking to them about it first.

It’s difficult to do in the moment, but during your arguments you need to dig deeper and look for more meaning than what’s on the surface. It’s only then that you can be able to move on and not have the same fight over and over again.

Learn from the Argument

After you’ve cooled down and you’ve shared an embrace at the end of all the arguing, it’s easy to resume to normal life and forget like it ever happened, but this would actually be a mistake. If you’ve deeply upset your partner, you should learn how to correct the behavior—or come up with a compromise to adapt. Learning from arguments is one of the ways that they’re actually valuable.

The goal of any argument is that you learn more about the intricacies of your partner, which will hopefully lead to the two of you getting along more often than not.

Know How to Fight Fair

Just like in professional boxing, there should be certain limits that you can’t go past in order to fight fair in your relationship. Everyone’s personal limits are different and can range from topics like ex-partners, family, or bringing up past transgressions that bear no relevance to the present day. Know your spouse’s and don’t tread in that water because it can be dangerous territory for you both.

Of course, another element of fighting fair is to respect how that person likes to argue. Some spouses prefer to talk things out immediately while others need a minute to cool off and meditate before they say something they regret. Understand what your partner needs to feel like they have been heard and vice versa. You’ll eventually settle into a rhythm and learn how to work arguments out quickly.

Don’t Immediately Run to Friends and Family

When you were dating, it might have been second nature to report all of the nitty-gritty details to your mom, sister, or best friend, but now that you’re married you should probably stop this practice. This person that you married is not only your spouse, but they are also a new family member.

It’s better for your relationship to keep things between the two of you, especially if they are only silly, day-to-day married life fights. Telling your friends and family the details of your arguments will be an annoyance to your spouse and limit their trust in you. It may be tough to keep it inside, but it’s ultimately better for your friends and family to not know how the sausage is made, so to speak.

If there’s one thing people don’t love to talk about, it’s money. Money is one of the most notoriously uncomfortable subjects of conversation, but when you’re planning a wedding it’s a topic you must broach in order to get anything booked or paid for.

Because money is involved in every wedding decision you make—whether you should book in spring or fall, what kind of dress shop you should visit, how many bridesmaids you have—it’s important to be on the same page as your future spouse and anyone who is helping you with the wedding budget. To help you make some decisions and have those awkward money conversations, we decided to answer some of the toughest wedding questions about money there are.

1. Who pays for the wedding if my parents are divorced?

Traditionally, the bride’s parents paid for the entirety of the ceremony and the reception, with the groom’s family pitching in to pay for the rehearsal dinner. Today, the modern couple pays for a lot of the ceremony and reception themselves, and it’s not uncommon to see both sets of parents chipping in equally.

If your parents are divorced, matters of money can be infinitely more complicated. The answer to this question is that, frankly, it depends. The best thing to do is evaluate your particular situation. Would one parent paying for the wedding upset the other parent? Are both parents able to equally contribute? Be frank and set boundaries with your parents right up front if one or even both of them are offering to chip in.

2. How should we divide the wedding budget if our parents want to help?

If you are lucky enough to receive your parents’ help with the wedding budget, the best thing to do is to sit down with them and ask exactly how much they are able to contribute. While this might sound like an uncomfortable conversation, you want to know exactly how much you’ll have in your overall budget so that you can plan better.

Having an exact number from your parents (plus the amount the two of you will be contributing) will help you determine how much to allocate towards the venue, catering, alcohol, invitations, etc. This also gives you more control over what services and venues you book. Your parents could object to having a wedding at a particular place or give you unwanted opinions about a caterer if you are asking them to help you with the wedding budget piece by piece.

3. My future spouse and I don’t have any parents helping us with the wedding budget. What’s the best way to plan for costs?

If you are paying for the wedding yourselves, you’ll need to decide how big of a wedding you’ll have and how you will want to pay for it. Take stock of how much money you both have in savings and how much money you could feasibly save after all of your financial responsibilities each month. What you want to avoid is incurring a lot of credit card debt—something that could wreak havoc on your future financial lives when you’re married.

The average cost of a wedding is about $25,000 and rising. There are plenty of ways to creatively cut costs, but throwing a wedding for 100+ people is going to cost a pretty penny. The best way to plan for these costs is to think about them realistically. This means that if you don’t have all that much saved up, you’ll need to plan for how long it’ll take you to save the money required to pay for the wedding you want or think about throwing a smaller wedding.

4. My in-laws have a long guest list, but my parents are paying for everything. What should we do?

You and your spouse-to-be determine the final guest list—period. Have a cap in mind for the guest list (this can either be mandated by the wedding venue you chose or by a number that sounds comfortable to the both of you). If your in-laws want to invite extra guests, you’ll need to be firm and let them know that there is simply no room with the plans you’ve already made. If these guests must be invited, then ask if your in-laws would be willing to contribute to the overall cost.

5. How do we ask our parents for help with the wedding budget if they haven’t offered a financial contribution yet?

The best way to go about it is to not expect that they have a secret wedding fund saved for you. Ask if they are able and willing to chip in over dinner one night—and prepare yourself for the answer. Some families don’t have the means to help with the expense of a wedding, and that’s perfectly OK. You may have to readjust what your idea of a realistic wedding looks like or spend some time saving on your own throughout your engagement so that you can get there eventually.

Weddings are expensive—this we already know. With the average American wedding cost now at a staggering $25,000 price tag (and rising), couples who are planning their wedding are looking at every little piece of the ceremony and reception to see where they can cut costs, but it can be difficult to know where to begin.

If you’re looking to save money on your wedding, the best way to go about it is by aiming for discounts on the more costly wedding expenses, which are typically the venue, the food, and the drinks. We’ve pulled together our best money-saving tips for these areas of your budget so that you can plan the wedding of your dreams—without having to sacrifice all of your savings and max out your credit cards.

Venue

The venue is usually without a doubt the most expensive ticket item on your wedding budget, making up about 50 percent of the overall cost of the wedding. Though the venue will always be one of the most expensive costs of your wedding—even with a discount—there are still some clever ways to save a few bucks on this portion of your special day—and here’s how!

Book an Off-Day for Your Wedding

One of the easiest ways to save money on a wedding venue is to book it on another night besides Friday or Saturday. This could be a good option for those couples who don’t have much family coming in from out of town, which would make it easier for folks to come to a wedding on a Thursday evening or a Sunday afternoon.

Choose a Nontraditional Wedding Venue

Whenever you add the word “wedding” in front of something, you can pretty much count on the cost to double. So, choosing that wedding venue that every other bride in town is using is going to add a lot of dollars to the bottom line. However, if you choose a nontraditional wedding venue such as an industrial loft, a restaurant, or even a city park, your costs to book will likely go down. Don’t be afraid to get creative and call around town to see what they would charge to host an event. Of course, the smaller the guest list size, the more likely it is that you’ll score a deal as well.

Have the Ceremony and Reception in the Same Building

Traditionally, couples have gone from one location to another after the ceremony has ended, but this can add unnecessary costs to your budget. A great way to save money on the venue is to host the ceremony and reception in the same space. All it takes is a few small arrangements to go from ceremony space to dinner space—and you can work these out with a wedding planner, the event staff, or your dedicated friends and family who can make it happen.

Borrow a Friend’s House or Property

Have a friend or family member who has the space to host 100 people? Ask them if they would be willing to graciously host your wedding and reception. Be sure to have all of the details ironed out before you talk to them, such as the guest count, where people will go to the bathroom, and how you’ll secure noise/alcohol permits.

Food

Next to the venue, food is usually the most expensive item on a wedding budget. Feeding a lot of hungry guests is pricey, but there are plenty of creative ways to cut costs and still get your guests full.

Serve Heavy Appetizers

Don’t have the money for a full plated dinner? No problem. You can still get your guests plenty full by serving heavy appetizers like mini tacos, shrimp cocktail, a charcuterie tray, or even slices of pizza. It may not be the fancy four-course meal you’ve always dreamed of, but the idea of the evening is to have enough to eat so that your guests are fully and happy (not to mention something to soak up all that champagne).

Skip Dinner and Serve Breakfast Instead

If having an evening reception isn’t all that important to you, you can save a lot of money by serving your guests breakfast foods. Typically, breakfasts are cheaper to cater than dinners. Whether you go with a waffle bar, breakfast burritos, or biscuits and gravy, your guests will get plenty to eat and there might even be enough for seconds.

Think About Foods that Are Easily Served in Bulk

The classic “chicken or fish” individually plated dinners are going to be more expensive because the chef will have to have enough meat to serve each person a plate. However, if you go for foods that serve better in bulk such as barbecue or Mexican food, these dinners will help your money go further.

Alcohol

Everyone wants to have a good time at their wedding, and one of the best ways to loosen people up is by offering them a beverage or two at the reception. The only problem? Alcohol can eat up a lot of your budget if you’re not careful. Here’s how to save on the libations for your evening.

Skip the Champagne Toast

If you’re not a big fan of the bubbly stuff and you know not a lot of your guests aren’t either, an easy way to save some money is by skipping this tradition. Just have everyone raise a glass of what they’ve got in their hand instead.

Serve Wine and Beer Only

There’s nothing like a great cocktail—but once you add in all of the spirits to make them necessary, it can seriously add up. Serve wine and beer only at your reception instead.

Serve Only Your Favorite Spirits or a Signature Cocktail

If the idea of not having your favorite bourbon on hand is too much to bear, then stock up your bar with only a few favorites. You could also have a signature cocktail that the bartenders mix up, which will be cheaper if it’s served in bulk.

Sure, everyone will be turning heads to see the bride when she walks down the aisle, but there’s no reason why the groom can’t also have some fun with his wedding day look! It’s no secret that the focus of weddings has long been mostly on brides—but this is changing as grooms are slowly included in more of the planning and taking ownership over their fashion and style choices for the day. In 2019, groom style is more elevated, sophisticated, and fun than ever, making it easier to personalize and style their look.

Fashion for the groom may not vary as widely as it does for brides, but in 2019 grooms are feeling more inspired to show some personality on their wedding day. Here are seven 2019 wedding trends for grooms that you’ll be seeing more of throughout the year.

1. Navy and Black Suits

We’ve spent decades worrying about clashing navy with black, but in 2019 designers are putting these colors together for a sleek look. We especially love a royal blue suit with black lapels, which creates a dashing mid-century effect that’s perfect for a wedding in a boutique hotel or even a black tie affair.

2. Showstopping Shoes

Although we’ll always love a good wingtip, 2019 is all about defying expectations with groom looks, which includes mixing up the outfit with some incredible shoes. Even if you’re wearing a fairly conservative suit, you can still spice it up by wearing cool sneakers or dress shoes in a bold color like navy blue or magenta.

3. The Three-Piece Suit

For the last decade or so, grooms have been more or less ditching the vest and cummerbund for a more casual suit with just a tie and a pocket square. This year, however, three-piece suits are going to be back and bigger than ever. The three-piece suit (complete with tailored vest and matching single-breasted jacket) is the ultimate elegant throwback piece. A three-piece is a bit more formal than a regular suit, but the jacket can be removed and the sleeves can be pushed up during the reception for a more casual look that’s conducive to dancing.

4. Tweed

When you think of tweed, stuffy 1960s Ivy League professors may come to mind, but this wool fabric is going to be big in 2019. Though this style may not suit a summer wedding, you’ll see a lot of tweed suits in the early part of the year and during the late fall or early winter. A tweed suit is just the right look for anyone who has an affection for vintage fashion or who is getting married in a venue such as a library or museum.

5. Fun and Colorful Socks

Fun and colorful socks have been en vogue for the last several years, but you are sure to see more of them in 2019. Display your interests right on your socks in a colorful fashion, whether you love to read, have an affinity for Star Wars, or have an undying love for your favorite NBA team. Colorful socks are so in style right now that it might actually look a little strange if you’re not wearing them! They’re easy to find, customize, and coordinate with your groomsmen. If your wedding has two grooms, then you and your future husband can wear the same socks or choose patterns or colors that complement each other, which would look pretty adorable in photographs.

6. Bold Colors and Patterns

In the last few years, we’ve seen a lot of grooms taking more chances with the color of their suits, ties, and shirts—wearing everything from a bold blue or paisley to houndstooth. We’ll see a lot more of this in 2019, and we are ready for it. Look for more purples, magentas, and various shades of blue (besides the traditional navy) to be more prominent.

7. Contrasting Jackets

If you’re getting married in a tropical destination, it’s long been a tradition to wear an all-white, breathable suit in a material like linen. This look is timeless and better suited to wear in warm temperatures than a traditional gray or black suit. But this year, you might see a bit of a twist to the all-white or linen look: an addition of a contrasting jacket. Whether it’s navy, gray, or a bold royal blue, a contrasting color looks great against a white suit. Once the ceremony is over, the jacket can be removed for comfort and the sleeves can be pushed up to create a more casual look.

When you’re planning a wedding, it’s easier than you may think to get stressed. With a checklist a mile long and the ever-increasing pressure to pull off the perfect event, it’s no wonder that brides and grooms can feel completely overwhelmed. Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, but it’s not so important that it’s worth risking your overall mental and physical health—so it’s crucial to take care of yourself in the months leading up to your wedding.

Feeling a bit daunted by your mounting wedding to-do list? Try one of these four wellness trends to rest, relax, and take some pressure off.

1. Meditation

People have been meditating as long as they’ve been talking (so this trend isn’t exactly new), but there has been a recent upswing in articles and wellness experts who are stressing the importance of meditating. Meditation is the practice of focusing on an object or activity in order to improve awareness and attention—which makes it a great escape from anything stressful in your life, like wedding planning, for example. Meditation is also a great way to detox from this highly digital life that we lead, and any excuse to stop mindlessly scrolling through Instagram or Pinterest is enough reason as any to get into this wellness trend.

If you aren’t sure where to start with meditation, there are plenty of popular apps available such as Calm or Headspace that guide you through the meditation process.

The main thing to remember is that there is no wrong way to meditate. Even if you only have 15 minutes before you have to leave for your appointment with the wedding planner, or you can only squeeze in some alone time while you’re showering, all it takes is a few moments of calm and quiet to properly participate in this wellness practice.

2. Unplugging from Your Digital Life

One large reason you may be feeling overwhelmed with wedding plans is likely what you’re holding in your hand right now. Our phones, tablets, and other technology devices are well associated with anxiety and stress—but because they are such a large part of our lives (holding our calendars, our contacts, and our entertainment), it can be difficult to break away from them.

A huge wellness initiative you can undertake when planning is to spend some part of your day unplugging from your digital life, whether that be replacing your phone with a traditional alarm clock, avoiding your phone an hour before bed, or resisting the temptation to check it when you’re in line at a grocery store or out to dinner with friends.

Unplugging is good for your mental health as well as your sleep cycle, and may even help improve your relationships.

3. Using CBD Products

When hemp was removed from the Controlled Substances Act in 2018, it opened the door for CBD products (or cannabis-derived products) to flood the markets. It’s likely you’ve seen new CBD shops open up with products that claim to heal anything from chronic pain and anxiety to lessening the effects of seizures. While the verdict is still out on whether or not these products are actually effective, proponents are touting their benefits, which includes the ability to stifle anxiety.

Despite the fact that CBD oil and other products are made from cannabis, these products cannot make you intoxicated. Cannabidiol, which is also known as hemp oil, is extracted from the flowers of the hemp plant and isn’t to be confused with THC, the chemical that produces a high when ingested.

If you are looking for a wellness trend that is a bit unorthodox and all the rage, you might want to give CBD products a try when you’re feeling stressed.

4. Exercising at Home

Hitting the gym is always going to be the ultimate wellness endeavor, but sometimes it can be difficult to make it there (especially when you have a busier than ever schedule). Now trends are turning once again toward home fitness—proving that you don’t even have to leave your house to get a great sweat on. Products like the Peloton—a stationary bike that doubles as a cycling class with on-demand and streaming courses available—are all the rage right now.

In addition to exercise equipment, it’s easier than ever to work out at home with YouTube fitness stars, who make videos with 30-day challenges and yoga classes available on-demand through apps and networks solely dedicated to fitness.

While going to the gym is a good physical release for many, sometimes it just may not work for you because of a lack of time, money, or other reasons. Either way, it looks like working out from home has improved since the days of Buns of Steel and other hokey exercise programs.

If 2019 is the year that you get to purchase the dress, then you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find that this year’s bridal trends are turning out something for everyone—whether you’re envisioning a traditional and modest bridal look, a modern pantsuit, or a romantic, embellished look. Whether you look at a typical bridal shop or you’re conducting your search online, you’re sure to find something uniquely suited to your style.

Although there will always be the classic standbys of the ball gown, the sheath, the empire waist and the sweetheart neckline, 2019 wedding dresses have a lot more consideration for creative embellishment and even—can you believe it!—comfort.

Unsure of where to begin on your journey to finding the wedding dress of your dreams? Here are eight 2019 swoon-worthy wedding dress trends that you don’t want to miss when you’re headed to the bridal store.

Royally Inspired

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry may have gotten married nearly a year ago, but her influence on the wedding gown industry is going to be seen all throughout 2019. Expect to see plenty of royal-inspired gowns with body-hugging silhouettes (in the same clean-cut style as the Duchess of Sussex donned on her wedding day) as well as bejeweled dresses that are reminiscent of regal crown jewels. In addition to Meghan Markle-inspired dresses, you might even see brides ditching the traditional veil for a regal cape, which would look great for a chilly summer evening or a winter wedding.

Romantic, Off-the-Shoulder, and Bohemian

The off-the-shoulder neckline has been everywhere the last couple of years, so it’s no surprise that this trend will continue in 2019 with bridal gowns. Expect to see more emphasis on the collarbone as well as other romantic details like wispy, off-the-shoulder long sleeves and soft fabrics like organza and lace. This is all in line with the boho look that’s been popular in fashion for the last several years, which features lacy, billowy silhouettes that are laid back, yet sexy.

Bows, Bows, Bows

Whether you loved or hated them as a little girl, bows are back and bigger than ever on bridal gowns in 2019. While bows have always been around to accentuate a waistline on a gown, you’ll now see larger versions of them making a statement on other parts of the dress, including on straps and on the back of the dress. Once considered dainty, bows are a force to be reckoned with in 2019.

Bridal Pantsuits

Whether it was inspired by Pantsuit Nation on Facebook or simply wanting more comfort during the wedding reception, bridal pantsuits are popping up everywhere in 2019. The bridal pantsuit gives every inch of fabulous elegance that the traditional gown does, but it’s more relaxed and easier to wear. In addition to being what you wear down the aisle, they can be worn equally as well as a reception outfit or a going away outfit. We can see bridal pantsuits being popular for a variety of women, including those who are heading to the courthouse to get married or brides who aren’t as keen on wearing a traditional gown.

High Necklines and Long Sleeves

Meghan Markle may have sparked a minimalist trend for wedding dresses, but it was Kate Middleton who originally started the interest in higher necklines and long-sleeved wedding dresses. Since 2011, we’ve seen more traditionally conservative gowns flooding the market and 2019 is more of the same. Although conservative, these gowns can still be sexy with their lacy embellishments and tightly fitted bodices—but they’re still more than appropriate to wear during a traditional religious ceremony. Plus, all of those little lacy details look absolutely gorgeous in photographs.

Plunging Necklines

While we’re seeing the growing popularity of conservative dresses with high necklines and long sleeves, we’re also seeing daring brides wear plunging necklines. The skin-baring design is often paired with intricate Chantilly lace or decorative patterns on the bust.

Minimalist Dresses

In addition to sparking a larger-than-life royal trend in the wedding industry, Meghan also inspired designers to create minimalist, simple dresses. Like Meghan’s famous Givenchy dress, we’re seeing a lot of wedding gowns with more emphasis on the silhouette rather than bold sequins, jewels, or any other types of glitzy decoration.

Details in the Back

When you’re walking down the aisle, you don’t just want the front of your dress to capture everyone’s attention—you want every inch of you to be perfectly curated and styled. In 2019, you’ll be seeing more gowns with special detail on the back such as big bows, extra ruffles, an extremely low dip that exposes a lot of skin, or other details. This adds an unexpected hint of surprise to your dress overall, which will only add to the drama of your wedding day look.