Anyone who’s ever seen the early 2000s rom-com The Wedding Planner knows how valuable a wedding planner can be to the whole operation. Not only can a wedding planner plot out a mean seating chart, but they can help keep track of your guest list, take care of your wedding invitations, and be prepared with a breath mint at any moment. Unfortunately, not all of us have the budget to hire a wedding planner to help handle all those inevitable highs and lows of wedding planning (and oh, will there ever be those!). However, just because you don’t have the room in your budget for a wedding planner doesn’t mean that you’ll have to settle for anything less than spectacular—or that you’ll be stressed out to the max. Zola, a company that is reinventing the wedding planning and registry experience, has all of the tools you need to take on the role of wedding planner. And the best part? A lot of it is our favorite word in wedding planning: FREE.

All of Zola’s tools are easily managed in one place, conveniently on their website or on their app, and they’re easy to use. Let’s learn more about how Zola can help you plan your best wedding—without having to sacrifice quality, time, or money.

Create Your Wedding Website (For Free!)

One of the rules of modern wedding planning is, of course, having a fabulous looking website where all of your guests can find important information about the event, such as travel and lodging details for out-of-town-ers. Zola has hundreds of beautiful designs for wedding websites and they’re very easy to set up (perfect for those of us who wouldn’t exactly call ourselves coders). You can customize your favorite design with all of your wedding details, photos, and adorable stories about you two lovebirds. You can even enable online RSVPs to make your wedding planning life even easier. Lastly, Zola’s wedding website also integrates with Zola Registry, so guests can get all your wedding details, RSVP, and buy you a wedding gift all in one place.

Manage Your Guest List

One of Zola’s most innovative and best features is its ability to not only manage your guest list, but also to create it. No longer will you have to painstakingly go through your mom’s old Rolodex or call and text your relatives for their addresses, only to have to build a giant Excel spreadsheet with all of the information. All you need to do is choose who you’re inviting, and then Zola can do the following:

• Collect addresses by sending a link to guests via email or text
• Add contacts from your phone’s address book
• Upload a spreadsheet you’ve already started
• Create a joint Zola account for your spouse-to-be so you can perfect your list together

It’s really that easy. Once your guest list has been completed, you can easily track RSVPs, which can help you stay on top of meal preferences, plus-ones, song requests, and more. This guest list manager also has the capability to contact all of your guests to remind them to RSVP, give them info about lodging, and share links to photos after the wedding is over.

Order Save the Dates and Wedding Invitations

One of the biggest chunks of time you’ll need to carve out for your wedding planning is designing, ordering, and addressing save the dates and wedding invitations. Thanks to Zola, it’s easier than ever to send out your save the dates and wedding invitations. In fact, you’ll barely have to lift a finger.

Zola has over 150 beautiful designs for save the dates, invitations, and RSVP cards, all of which have a matching wedding website—so your guests will see a themed design throughout. On the invitations and save the dates you have the option to personalize language, upload photos, and print on the back as well as customization options for paper types, corner styles, foil, and more. The cost for a save the date starts at just $1.35, and the cost of an invitation starts at just $1.99, which is super affordable and can fit well within most wedding budgets.

The best feature of Zola’s save the date and wedding invitation services, however, are that they offer free guest and return addressing! Your guest list manager will automatically integrate with your save the dates and invitations, which means that addressing envelopes and managing RSVPs is easy.

Create a Wedding Registry

Creating a wedding registry used to mean physically going into many stores and taking the time to scan the things that you wanted—and then trying to figure out how to integrate that into your wedding website.

Zola takes all of the time and guesswork out of the wedding registry and makes the process seamless for you and your guests. The Zola store has all your favorite brands (over 500 of them!) from registry staples like Le Creuset, KitchenAid, Sonos, even Airbnb and Delta—and is the only store with physical gifts and gift cards and cash funds. Zola offers the lowest cash fund fee at 2.5%. The fee is simply a credit card processing fee that you can choose to have your guests pay or pay yourself.

Plus, if Zola doesn’t have what you’re looking for, you can easily add it to your Zola registry from another store. With Zola you’ll also get free shipping, easy exchanges and returns, 20% off post-wedding, and the most guest-friendly registry with gifts for every budget, price matching, and friendly customer service.

Sign up now.

Updating your status from being in a relationship to married means all kinds of changes are likely to occur in every part of your life including legal documents, bank accounts, name changes—and yes, even contraception. While to some, getting married means finally being able to ditch that pack of condoms in the nightstand drawer, there is a lot more than that to consider about birth control after you tie the knot.

If you’ve been thinking about switching your contraception, now might be as good time as any to change things up. Here are six reasons why you might want to consider changing your contraception methods as a newlywed.

1. You Aren’t a Fan of Your Current Birth Control Methods

No matter what type of birth control methods you use—the pill, the ring, the shot, the IUD—there are serious pros and cons to each. And what works for your sister or your cousin may not work at all for you, and may even make you feel downright miserable.

If you aren’t a huge fan of your current contraception method, you may want to visit your doctor to see if switching things up will clear any side effects like headaches, severe mood swings, or even something more severe like chest pains.

2. You’re Moving—and You Have to Switch Doctors

If getting married means an impending long-distance move and you’re currently on the pill, you may want to consider a more permanent form of contraception as you get settled. It can take a while to get set up with an OB-GYN in a new city, and while you’re waiting for your new patient appointment, your birth control prescription can run out. Even a small lapse in your birth control methods can throw your body into a loop, not to mention leave you unprotected.

And if you have a three-month supply, keeping up with your pills on a long-distance move can be a stressful endeavor. (Did you put your pills in the bathroom essentials box, or did you actually leave it behind in a hotel in New Mexico?)

Before you move, make a visit to your doctor and see if you would be a good fit for an intrauterine device, more commonly known as an IUD. This can ensure that you’ll be protected against an unexpected pregnancy as you wait to see your new OB-GYN.

3. You Don’t Want to Have a Baby Any Time Soon

If you’ve been on the pill for the better part of a decade but still aren’t ready to start a family, talking to your doctor about more permanent birth control solutions like the vaginal ring or the IUD may be appropriate. Not only will you not have to remember to take a pill every day, but you’ll also have more freedom when you travel (no more triple-checking that you packed your birth control) and better peace of mind.

4. You Want to Have a Baby Pretty Soon

Now that you’re officially married, you may be eager to start a family. In most cases, simply stopping your current form of contraception is enough to get your body ovulating normally once again, but with the Depo-Provera shot, it may take some extra time before your fertility is back to its old self. In certain women, it can take up to a year before this form of birth control is completely out of your system. So, if you’re considering having a child within the very near future, it may be worth it to talk to your doctor about switching your contraception methods.

5. You Keep Forgetting to Take Your Pill

There’s nothing like waking up in the morning and panicking because you completely forgot to take your pill before you went to bed. Now you have to double-up and use a backup condom for a week, worrying that this may be the time that you accidentally get pregnant.

In order to avoid this whole mess, you should seriously consider switching your birth control methods to something more permanent like the vaginal ring or an IUD. Remember, the birth control pill is one of the most effective forms of contraception—that is, until you forget to take it for the third day in a row. Talk to your doctor about which type is best for you.

6. You Have a Lot of Breakthrough Bleeding

One of the most un-fun parts of being a woman is ruining that pretty new pair of underwear with breakthrough bleeding. This unexpected bleeding between your menstrual cycle is not just a sign that you’ll need to buy new underwear soon—it also may be a sign that your birth control isn’t working for you. Although breakthrough bleeding is common when you skip a dosage of your birth control or if you’ve just recently started a new type of birth control, if it subsists you should talk to your doctor about making a switch to something that’s better suited for your body.

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in a baby carriage—but only if you want it to.

Whether you waited to have sex until the wedding night or you lived together long before you even got engaged, family planning is a serious conversation that all couples should have before they tie the knot, even if one or both of you already have children. We can’t stress this enough: having a 100% understanding of how your partner feels about children, when or if they’d like to start a family, and what methods of birth control you’ll be using is crucial before you even set the date.

So, no matter if you’ve got baby fever or the thought of a baby is completely off the table for you right now, it’s important to plan, talk, and visit your physician if you have any questions or concerns. Here’s what to know about family planning once you’re married.

If You Want to Start a Family Right Away, Make a Doctor’s Appointment

Do you and your spouse have babies on the brain? Can you not walk past a child without dreaming about what your own kid will be like? If you and your spouse are ready to take that plunge into parenthood together, you’ll need to determine the healthiest and safest way to stop your birth control methods shortly after the wedding (or even before, if you’re really ready right now).

If you’re currently using the pill or an IUD, your doctor will recommend when and how to stop as well as give advice on what prenatal vitamins to start taking. She will also teach you about your ovulation schedule, when the best days to conceive are, and the next steps to take if you’ve been trying to conceive with no luck so far.

The most important thing is to relax and don’t panic if you can’t conceive right away. Just because you don’t get pregnant immediately doesn’t mean that there are any fertility problems present.

Want to Wait? Continue or Start Birth Control Methods

If the thought of having a baby right now just isn’t in the cards or you simply aren’t ready yet, you’ll need to either continue or start effective birth control methods immediately. Luckily, there are many forms of effective birth control that you can choose from, and it’s absolutely worth having a conversation with your doctor to determine which method is right for you.

The most common types of birth control for use by women are the following:

• The birth control pill
• The intrauterine device (IUD)
• The birth control shot
• The birth control patch
• The vaginal ring

Don’t Want Kids? Talk to Your Doctor About Options

Not everyone is meant to be a parent, but it’s likely you don’t want to spend your entire marriage going through boxes of condoms or calculating when you’re ovulating. If you and your partner are pretty dead set on not having children, then you should consider your options of permanent birth control, which can include a vasectomy, a tubal ligation, and a non-surgical permanent form of birth control. All of these options have their pros and cons, which you can weigh out with your trustworthy physician who will guide you in making the right decision.

If you suspect that you might want to have children in the future, you shouldn’t do anything permanent until you’ve firmly made a decision one way or the other. Remember, there should be no guilt or shame associated with whatever decision you make, just as long as you can reach that decision together.

LGBTQ+ Couples Have Many Options for Family Planning

For LGBTQ+ couples, family planning may look a little different but requires a similar amount of time, effort, and research in order to be effective. For those couples who wish to adopt a child, you’ll need to decide whether you’ll go through a traditional adoption agency or whether you’ll foster to adopt. You will need to hire a family attorney who can help you navigate the process and ensure that you have full legal rights to the child.

There is also the option of surrogacy for some couples, which can be a traditional egg donor or an unknown egg donor. The financial commitment of a surrogate can depend on several things such as how many previous pregnancies the egg donor or surrogate has had, and the amount of lost wages, travel costs, medication, etc. you’ll have to pay. Finally, there is the option of seeking out a sperm donor if you or your partner are able to carry a baby. With this option you can choose between a known and an unknown sperm donor and whether or not you will be artificially inseminated at a doctor’s office or at home.

Just like heterosexual couples, all of these options should be expressly discussed with your spouse—and both partners should always be on board when it comes to making family planning decisions.

Completely Unsure? You Should Still Be Using Some Form of Contraception

If you and your partner are still unsure of when or if you even want to start a family, it’s best to use at least some form of contraception, whether that’s a condom or a diaphragm. Although less effective, there are also “natural family planning” methods that some couples prefer to use that rely on tracking a woman’s menstrual cycle instead of taking pills or using devices to prevent pregnancy.

Traditional methods of contraception such as birth control pills and IUDs are, however, the most effective tools to preventing unwanted pregnancies. Talk to your physician to see which method would be the best option for you.

It’s easy to feel like love is in the air during the holiday season—because it is. Whether it’s the abundance of holiday cheer, the sales on engagement rings, or the togetherness of family and friends, it’s no secret that couples like getting engaged over the holidays. In fact, about 40 percent of engagements occur between November and February, giving it the nickname “proposal season.”

Though there’s no right or wrong time to get engaged—we’re big fans of the unexpected spring or summer proposal—there is something pretty magical about getting engaged this time of year. To celebrate this annual proposal season, here are seven reasons to get engaged over the holidays.

1. Your Friends and Family Will Already Be Around

What’s the first thing you have to do after you get engaged (besides plant a big one on your future spouse right away)? Tell your friends and family, of course! One of the big advantages of getting engaged during the holiday season is that you won’t have to send out any large group texts. Instead, you can pop over for a glass of bubbly at your aunt’s house or get together with your childhood BFFs and celebrate over dinner while you’re in town.

Telling friends and family over social media or text message that you’ve gotten engaged is exciting, but there’s nothing in comparison to telling them in person—where they can see the ring and hear every little detail of the proposal story.

2. You’ll Have Prime Photo Opps

Another advantage of getting engaged over the holiday season is that everything in town is a bit more dressed up thanks to all of the garlands, twinkle lights, and Christmas trees, which will make the ring photos even more stunning than they would have been already. Plus, you can have that classic ring pose right in front of the big family Christmas tree—always a favorite in our book.

3. Engagement Rings Can Be Less Expensive

Engagement rings are never exactly cheap, but getting engaged during the holiday season can be slightly more economical. Because jewelers are eager to get in on the proposal season action, you may find yourself a great deal. However, a word of caution: finding a diamond or another type of stone with a slashed price doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good deal. Always be prepared ahead of time before you head into the jewelry store and don’t just jump at the first deal that you see. You want to ensure that you’re finding a ring that fits your specifications—and not getting suckered into a deal because it was simply “on sale.”

4. It’s a Built-in Surprise Gift

If you are the one proposing to your future spouse, there’s really not a better time to surprise them with a ring than during the holiday season. This is your chance to get creative, and there are certainly a lot of fun ways that you could present the ring to them such as wrapping it up in a large box Russian nesting doll style or simply getting down on one knee after they are done opening up the rest of their presents. However you choose to do it, you can bet it won’t be a gift they’ll soon forget.

5. The Holidays Will Be More Meaningful

What better way to celebrate families coming together than to commit yourself to starting a new one? Although you may not be celebrating your engagement anniversary every year, there’s no doubt that the holidays will take on a new special meaning after a holiday season proposal.

While your wedding anniversary may eventually steal the spotlight, you can make a pact to take a moment and celebrate your engagement date—even it’s just a quick kiss under the mistletoe.

6. Your Future Spouse Can (Finally) Be Included in Family Photos

Remember all those awkward times that your future spouse was asked to take the family photo instead of being included? Now that you have the ring there’s no excuse for your Aunt Brenda to disclude him or her from the large family photo.

You may not have a date yet, but you have a commitment that your family can (finally) get behind. The downside? Someone is going to have to teach your aunt how to use the self-timer on her iPhone, which is a chore in and of itself.

7. Let’s Face it—it’s Romantic

There’s a good reason for why so many proposals happen during the holiday season: because it’s romantic. The hustle and bustle, the decorations in the stores and in homes, the cocktail parties and the abundance of cozy fireplaces all make for a romantic time. And although you may not be the only ones getting engaged this time of year, it doesn’t make it any less special for the two of you.

You’re about to ask the biggest question of your life—and understandably, you might be a little nervous. Luckily, there’s no right or wrong way to ask someone to marry you, but there are a few things that you can do to make the experience memorable for both of you. With these tricks up your sleeve (and some advice on what not to do) you’re sure to wow them on the way to that big “yes.”

Here are some proposal do’s and don’ts to follow before you pop the big question.

DO Make it Special

Now, don’t get us wrong: the proposal will be special no matter how you decide to do it—whether it’s in a hot air balloon, on top of a mountain, while you’re on a European vacation or during a Netflix binge at home—but you should still give it some forethought to make it special for both you and your partner.

The proposal doesn’t have to be an elaborate ploy with a dancing troupe or an announcement at a playoff game, but it does need to have a little creativity as well as a personal touch to let your partner know that it wasn’t an afterthought or was something that you were pressured into. If you’re hitting a brick wall of creativity, don’t be afraid to reach out to your partner’s parents, close friends, or someone who knows you as a couple to brainstorm some truly spectacular ideas to surprise them.

DO Think about Whether Your Partner Wants it Public or Private

You know your partner better than anyone in the world, so before you pop the ring out at a restaurant or during a family event, think about whether or not she or he would be comfortable answering this very important question in front of a lot of people. Remember: proposals are not any less special if they happen in private or in a quiet part of town. However, if your partner is always watching YouTube video loops of amazing proposals or nudging you in that direction, feel free to make a production out of it.

DO Consider Where Your Partner Will Be Coming in From

There’s no need for the two of you to be wearing your finest evening attire when you propose, but you should still consider your partner and whether or not they will feel like their best selves when you pop the question. For example, if you know that your partner always goes to the gym after work, you may not want to ask them to marry you right when they get home and they’re still sweaty from spin class. If you need advice on how to do it right, take cues from SNL star Aidy Bryant’s now-famous proposal story: her husband knew he only had about a minute-long window to propose when she got home from work—because he knew she’d want to be wearing a bra when it happened.

DO Have a Backup Plan

Like anything else in life, you should have a backup plan in place. Whether your partner is getting off work late or they happened to be in the bathroom when “Will You Marry Me” flashed across the screen, you should always have a second option to go to in case things go awry. No matter what, the most important thing is that you ask. If anything, it’ll make a funny story later of how things went terribly wrong on the way to the “yes.”

DON’T Try to Make Your Proposal Like Others

Even in something as classic as a proposal, there are trends that come and go—but whatever you do, don’t try to copy your proposal off someone else’s. It’s best to be as original and personal as you can so that it doesn’t feel too scripted or disingenuous.

DON’T Accidentally Let the Secret Out

If you’re trying to keep the proposal a secret, it’s best to keep it as close to the vest as possible. This means don’t share the news with any family members or friends who are known to spill the beans and definitely don’t keep the ring in a super obvious place (like a closet the two of you share) just in case your partner starts to reorganize.

DON’T Forget the Ring

The ring seals the deal of the proposal, but in the rush of all the excitement it can be easy to forget it at home! Make a note to yourself to put it in your pocket or your bag before you walk out the door. This is especially important if you are planning on proposing while on vacation. Keep it safely tucked away in your carry-on; the last thing you want to do is stress out about a lost checked bag with your engagement ring sitting inside.

DON’T Hide it in Food

Although this might seem like a tried and true way to propose, we think it might be time to ditch this idea once and for all. There’s just so much that could go wrong. Plus, you never know how hungry your partner may be during the meal, and you really don’t want to spend your first few hours as an engaged couple watching your future spouse get their stomach pumped.

First comes love, then comes prenup—then comes marriage?

While we tend to associate love and marriage with romance, fairy tale endings, and pledging to snuggle up on the couch together forever and ever amen, the hard truth is that a marriage is as much of a financial commitment as it is a romantic commitment. You may think that a prenuptial agreement is the most un-romantic thing in the world, but it can be a great way to protect yourself (and your future spouse) if you are financial imbalanced or are bringing some major assets into the marriage.

Here are a few things you should know about the prenuptial agreement—and how to know if you need one.

What Is a Prenup?

First thing’s first: a definition. A prenuptial agreement is a contract that two spouses enter into before marriage, which includes provisions on the division of property and spousal support if there is a divorce.

Although prenuptial agreements are typically only thought of as something that celebrities or wealthy business people do, there has recently been a rise in millennials requesting prenuptial agreements from lawyers before walking down the aisle. Prenuptial agreements tend to be more common with second marriages or for those who are coming into the marriage with significant assets.

Why Would You Need One

So, why might you need a prenuptial agreement? The main reason for wanting a prenuptial agreement is to protect any assets that you had before you entered into the marriage, but there are also other benefits.

A prenup can be an easy way to discuss money out in the open before you get married, ensure the financial protection of any current or future children that you may have together, and eliminate any confusion or guesswork over financial assets if there is a divorce or a death during your marriage. And yes, a prenuptial agreement does protect an individual’s assets that they had before they entered the marriage, but there is a huge benefit to discussing this while you’re still on speaking terms—just in case the worst case scenario happens.

What if My Partner Is Completely Against Getting One?

If you want to get a prenuptial agreement and your partner is completely against it, the best thing to do is discuss this carefully with them. They might understandably feel hurt or that you are anticipating a divorce before you’ve even exchanged rings. However, the truth is that just because you have a prenuptial agreement does not mean that the marriage is doomed or that you want to “hoard” you money.

At the end of the day, only the two of you can decide together if a prenuptial agreement would be a deal breaker either way.

What Should the Terms Be?

There are many stories and movies that would lead you to believe that only ridiculous things are put in the prenuptial agreement, such as punishments for weight gain or extra incentives if you have more than one child, but the truth is that most judges would throw out anything unreasonable or too one-sided.

The terms of your prenuptial agreement will largely depend on what the two of you are bringing into the marriage and how you would be splitting any of these assets. Your prenuptial agreement can include anything from your record collection to your pets to a stake in a family business. The important thing to remember is this: don’t leave anything out and don’t try to withhold information.

You Will Need Your Own Representation

If the two of you decide to get a prenuptial agreement, some states may require that you have your own legal representation to complete the deal. Even if it’s not required in your state, it’s still a good idea to make sure that your own interests are fully represented in order to make sure that everything is 100% fair. In fact, in many cases a judge will throw out a prenuptial agreement’s terms if both parties did not seek their own legal representation.

Remember: a Prenup Does Not Equal Divorce

A prenuptial agreement may not be the most romantic idea in the world, but just because you get one does not automatically mean that the two of you are destined for divorce court. On the contrary, a prenuptial agreement can mean that you are trying to take care of each other in the event that the worst possible scenario happens.

You Can Also Get a Postnup

If you initially decided against the prenuptial agreement and are having second thoughts after you’ve walked down the aisle—don’t worry. You can still get what’s called a postnuptial agreement. This works similarly to a prenuptial agreement in that it determines how assets are split in case of a divorce, but it’s just completed and notarized after the wedding. Should you decide to get a postnup, you want to do this as quickly as possible as any assets that you’ve accrued together since you’ve been married will make them marital assets.

Getting settled into married life may not sound as exciting as honeymoon-ing or opening up all your presents from the wedding shower, but we’re here to argue that it’s actually even better. If you’re suffering from a touch of the post-wedding blues or you’re not quite ready to go back to work yet after your incredible honeymoon, there are still plenty of things to look forward to in this new season of your life.

To help you keep the excitement alive and well throughout your first year of marriage, we’ve gathered our favorite first year of marriage bucket list items—perfect for you and your new spouse to try in this year and beyond.

Find Your Combined Décor Style

Even if you’ve lived together before, your first year of marriage is the best time to figure out what your combined decorative style is. When you first moved in together, your partner may have brought some of their more interesting (ahem, ugly) furniture, artwork or linens into the house and you both may still have the dishes you started out with in college. This is the perfect opportunity to spend some of those wedding shower gift cards and buy something that truly reflects both of your styles. Your first year of marriage is your chance to get a fresh start and finally start building that grown-up home you’ve always fantasized about.

Cook a Fancy Meal Together

The two of you may live for easy dinners on busy weeknights, but when you have a bit of extra time on the weekends, you should go all out and cook a fancy/incredibly complicated recipe together. Spend some time perusing through recipes on Pinterest, flipping through magazines or watching the Food Network to get some inspiration for your decadent meal. Then, head to the grocery store and search for all of the exotic ingredients that you need (and don’t forget the wine!).

Even if you don’t consider yourselves the best chefs, it’s still fun to try and work together to create something delicious. Besides, how else are you going to be able to use all of those kitchen gadgets that you registered for?

Have a Spontaneous Night Out

Who says married people don’t know how to have a good time? While you can think of nothing better than snuggling up on the couch and watching yet another episode of “Game of Thrones,” you should still make an effort to get all dolled up and enjoy a night out every once in a while. So, go see that movie you’ve been hearing about, go to that restaurant that just opened down the street or see if your city has any festivals or events going on downtown. Better yet, why not go out on a random Tuesday? Nothing will make you feel more energized and happy than shaking up a boring weeknight.

Take a Road Trip

Your honeymoon may be over, but that doesn’t mean that your traveling days are done. Now that you’re married, you have a built-in travel partner—and there’s nothing more fun than exploring new cities or new states together during a quick weekend trip. Dedicate a weekend or two in your first marriage to visiting a nearby city or state that you’ve always wanted to check out and prep the car with plenty of snacks + an incredible Spotify playlist for the road.

Start a New Tradition

One of the best things about getting married is getting to become part of your spouse’s family traditions—and vice versa. Another great part of getting married? Being able to start your own brand new traditions that are unique to the two of you. For example, you could make every Saturday blueberry pancake day—or maybe make every Sunday your museum day. You could also think up new traditions for holidays—such as actually going to buy a real Christmas tree instead of just using a fake one, or maybe going on a trip together instead of buying each other gifts. No matter what you choose to do, it’ll be special because the two of you thought of it together.

Talk About Money

No matter how you’re organizing your bank accounts (separate, joint, a combination), getting married means combining assets and working together to build a financial future. Money can certainly be a tricky subject—and is one of the leading causes of disagreements between couples—but it’s important to do a check-in with each other and have some financial goals to achieve. For example, do the two of you want to save up to buy a home in the next few years, or is the most important financial goal to pay off your student loan debt? Make it a priority to sit down with each other and have a discussion about your budget, financial goals, and investments at least once a month.

Wedding planning is a busy time, but it’s also a time for you to be reflective on your future: where you’ll live, what your holiday traditions will look like and, of course, if and when you’ll start a family. But if you’re starting a family a little sooner than what you thought—like, say, right in the middle of wedding planning—there’s no need to panic or postpone the ceremony.

Expecting a little one soon? Here’s what to do if you become pregnant while planning your wedding.

First, Calm Down

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with wedding planning as it is, but add in a pregnancy on top of it and that can be a recipe for a stressful situation—but it doesn’t have to be. Before you make any arrangements or start to take your pregnancy into consideration with your wedding plans, take a minute to breathe and celebrate your new little bundle of joy that’s coming into the world.

Whether you planned your pregnancy or it was a happy surprise, it doesn’t mean that your wedding plans have to drastically change. You’ll just have an extra little something to look forward to after the ceremony is over.

Plan Who You’ll Tell About the Pregnancy (or Decide to Keep it a Secret)

Depending on how soon your wedding is and how far along you are, it’s possible that you can keep the baby news under wraps until you’re further into the pregnancy (especially if you plan on wearing a loose fitting or flowy wedding gown). You can also choose to share the news only with your immediate family and a few close friends—and stress the importance of keeping it quiet until after the ceremony.

If, however, you’ll likely be showing by the wedding date and you feel comfortable sharing your news, then by all means ask your friends and family to celebrate all of your exciting life changes. And if you’re really bold, you could also wait until the wedding reception to announce the pregnancy in a fun and unique way, adding in a sonogram picture to the family photo table or having one of your parents make a speech and tell your guests how excited they are to be a grandma or grandpa.

Keep a Very Organized Calendar

When you’re planning a wedding, it’s wise to keep a calendar going for appointments with vendors as well as deadlines for sending out invitations, finalizing the menu, and reminders for when the checks are due. Add in a pregnancy on top of your wedding plans and you’ve got twice as many dates to remember for doctor’s appointments, Lamaze classes, and shopping trips for baby’s room.

All of these important dates need to be tracked in the same place to avoid over-scheduling and burnout. Keep a very organized calendar—and combine it with your partner’s—so that the two of you have an exact idea of what’s going on at any given moment.

Plan Your Wedding Dress Selection for a Growing Belly

You may have found the dress several months ago when your size was a bit more predictable, but now your body is changing—and fast. If your wedding date is approaching soon and your belly hasn’t grown too much, you might just need slight alterations in order to be comfortable on your wedding day.

However, if your wedding day is months away and you can’t imagine squeezing into that mermaid gown you picked out 15 pounds ago, you might want to consider an alternative dress or having a serious conversation with a tailor. Still haven’t shopped for a wedding dress? Look for a gown that’s got a looser fit and softer fabric that moves. Your best bets are an A-line or empire waist style that leaves a little more room for your growing baby belly.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help with Wedding Planning

Planning a wedding is already exhausting—but pregnancy will make you tired like you’ve never been tired before. Because you have all of these things piling up on your plate (and all you want to do is nap) don’t be afraid to reach out to your partner, your bridesmaids and your family members to ask for help with wedding tasks. Have a bridesmaid who’s got great penmanship? Recruit her to help you address invitations. Have a mother-in-law with connections to a caterer? Ask her to set up a meeting for you and ask for advice about the menu. Wherever you can, try to delegate tasks to those who would be happy to help so that you can take a beat, relax, and concentrate on growing your healthy baby.

Reconsider Your Menu Options for the Wedding Reception

While you may have had your eye on a cheese plate filled with Camembert and Brie or maybe a sushi bar during your wedding cocktail hour, things have changed since you became pregnant. As you plan the menu for the wedding reception, don’t forget to think about your new dietary restrictions. Of course you want to make your guests happy, but it’s important that you’ll be able to have a good meal on the night of your wedding, too!

Image via CNBC.

Wedding dress retail giant David’s Bridal filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday, but with promises to perform business as usual. Brides, however, can breathe a sigh of relief: the bankruptcy filing will not affect any orders and bridal appointments will not be rescheduled, according to the company.

David’s Bridal, the largest wedding retailer in the country, currently owes creditors between $500 million and $1 billion, according to CNN. The bankruptcy doesn’t come at a huge surprise as the company has been on the verge of this Chapter 11 filing since at least October, when they missed a key debt payment. David’s Bridal reached an agreement with their lenders to reduce their debt by $400 million as part of their bankruptcy terms. This will ensure that they can keep their 300+ retail locations as well as their online store open.

Flashbacks to Alfred Angelo Closings

This bankruptcy filing may have certainly given brides some haunting flashbacks of last year’s Alfred Angelo sudden closing, which left brides in the lurch without their dresses. Many brides were never able to track down their dresses at the stores and thousands lost the deposits that they had put down on their gowns. A year later, there have been $20 million dollars in claims against the now-defunct bridal retailer. Ironically, in response to this sudden shut down, David’s Bridal gave Alfred Angelo brides 40 percent off their gowns.

Changing Wedding Trends

Experts cite a combination of changing wedding trends as well as a high level of debt in their 2012 acquisition by private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice.

Because the wedding industry has in general become more casual, the market has become infiltrated with more low-key bridal wear from H&M and Anthropologie, which gives brides more choices than they’ve ever had before. Online retailers have also become a go-to for modern brides, causing them to skip over the once dominant chain. In addition, people are generally getting married less frequently than ever before. The number of new marriages per 1,000 Americans was 6.9 in 2016, which is down from 8.2 in 2000, according to the U.S. government.

“For more than 60 years, David’s has delivered beautiful, high-quality dresses and accessories for our customers’ most special occasions, and the actions we are taking will enable us to build on that tradition,” David’s Bridal CEO Scott Key said in a press statement. “Our team is laser-focused on providing brides and their families with the five-star service and experience they deserve and have come to expect from us.”

As of right now, everything is expected to be business as usual for David’s Bridal. But if there’s anything we’ve learned from the Alfred Angelo incident, it’s this: if you have ordered a dress with David’s Bridal, make sure you know exactly where it is at all times. Track the shipping with the store and don’t be afraid to ask how long it will take for the alterations to be completed. The last thing any bride needs is a missing dress before her big day!

With the average cost of the American wedding hiking up to an extreme amount of $20,000, it’s no wonder that couples are getting creative in order to keep costs down while still celebrating their nuptials. Enter the micro wedding—the latest in a string of quirky wedding trends—which is defined as a wedding that has anywhere between five and 50 guests. Like the name implies, it’s a wedding—but in miniature form—which means fewer guests and, most importantly, less money.

Other than fewer guests, what does it really mean to throw a micro wedding? How is it any different than a traditional ceremony and reception? And what are the biggest benefits of throwing a much smaller wedding? Let’s go over all the basics of a micro wedding—and why it might be the wedding solution you were looking for.

A Micro Wedding Is Not an Elopement

First things first: a micro wedding is not an elopement, which typically involves heading to the courthouse or jet-setting away to the nearest all-inclusive resort to tie the knot privately. An elopement will usually only have one or two witnesses at most and will not have all the bells and whistles of a traditional wedding ceremony and reception such as bridesmaids, a dinner, or a wedding shower.

A Micro Wedding Can Save You a Lot of Money

Obviously, fewer guests means less money you have to spend on the overall budget. The fewer people you invite, the less food, alcohol, invitations, wedding favors, linens, flowers, and wedding cake you will need to pay for. This is one of the biggest advantages to planning a micro wedding: you literally get to have your cake and eat it too. Many couples who choose to go the micro wedding route are eager to put their savings accounts to better use for things like buying a home, going on a vacation, or starting a family right away.

You Can Also Stretch Your Budget Further

On the flip side, a micro wedding is also a way for couples to get the wedding of their dreams—without having to pay an absolute fortune. With fewer guests, you can afford to splurge on that ’90s cover band you love so much or be able to spring for the plated three-course dinner. Whatever kind of wedding fantasies you may have can become more of a real possibility when you have fewer guests on your list.

A Micro Wedding Is Perfect for Those Who Can’t Do Large Crowds

If you and your partner are more introverted and are completely freaked out by the idea of getting married in front of 100+ people, a micro wedding can feel a little more intimate and less intimidating. A big bonus to a small wedding crowd is that you won’t feel like you have to break up your guest interactions into 30-second conversations. You can actually spend time with all of your loved ones and not have to feel rushed when you are catching up and socializing at the reception.

You Open Yourself Up to More Venue Possibilities

Have you always dreamed of getting married in your grandmother’s beautiful Victorian-era home? Do you always eye that gorgeous little gazebo in the park as a location for your dream wedding? Having a smaller wedding not only means that you can be more flexible in how you spend your wedding budget, but it also means that you can be more creative with where you get married. Because you’re not having to accommodate 100+ people (and find chairs, parking, and space for them to eat), you can get married in nontraditional wedding spaces like your backyard, a rustic barn, your favorite restaurant, or a small room at a beautiful local library.

You Can Skip Over all the Traditional Wedding Stuff You Don’t Like

While this is also true of a bigger ceremony, a smaller wedding means that there aren’t as many expectations to stick to the script. This means you don’t have to do any readings, have any special music, or do the bouquet toss if you don’t want to. You can just keep all the fun stuff, whether that’s the champagne toast or the cake cutting.

The Hard Part of a Micro Wedding? Narrowing Down Your Guest List

The appeal of a micro wedding is that there are fewer guests to pay for, but the downside to this of course is that you actually have to pare down your guest list. This can be especially difficult if both of you come from large families with dozens of cousins or have a big community of friends.

If you’re having a hard time narrowing things down, here are a few things to ask yourself as you make your guest list:

• Does the person you are inviting know the two of you as a couple?
• Have you spoken to this person in the last year?
• Can you imagine the ceremony or reception without them?