7 Tips for Beauty Bridal Sleep

Sleep. It's probably one of the last things on your mind as you're busy planning for your wedding. But it's important. A good night's sleep helps you function and have more energy to get everything on your to-do list done. If you're having trouble getting a good night of zzzz's try these tips from the National Sleep Foundation:

1) Create a Sleep Schedule- Give yourself a bedtime and stick to it. If 10:00pm seems like the right time for you to hit the hay, make sure you go to bed at that time every night. It helps train your body to prepare for sleep at that time, which will make it easier for you to fall asleep.

2) Exercise- Getting a good workout in during the day is important to help you burn off unhealthy stress. It also contributes to a better sleep once night time rolls around. Just make sure your exercise routine is 5-6 hours before your bedtime or you might be too energized to sleep.

3) Avoid Caffeine, Alcohol, and Nicotine- If you love your coffee, drink alcohol daily, or smoke cigarettes, it could be robbing you of necessary deep and REM sleep. People who consume these things tend to sleep lighter and wake earlier because of withdrawal. If you want better sleep, it might be time to kick a the habit.

4) Relax- find ways to quiet your mind before bed. Turn off all distractions and take a warm bath, meditate, or listen to soothing music. Whatever you choose, relaxation definitely helps put you in a sleepy state of mind.

5) Sleep until Sunlight- Waking up with the sun or other bright light helps your body adjust to the daylight and helps your internal biological clock reset itself. This makes is easier to get up and start your day.    

6) Don't Lie in Bed Awake- If you find yourself awake in bed and unable to fall asleep, get up and do something. Anxiety can contribute to insomnia, so it might be better to find something to do until you start feeling sleepy.  

7) Check Your Room Temperature- If your bedroom is too hot or too cold it may be keeping you up at night. Make sure your bedroom is the right temperature for you so you can get a healthy night's sleep.

Day of Wedding Coordinator: Who They Are and Why You Need One

I am excited to share this insightful guest post from Chicago event planner, La Toya Keys of Elle Kay Events. If you're still unsure about hiring a day of wedding coordinator, read on to learn how much they do and how beneficial they can be for you on your big day.

You have spent countless hours planning your big day. You have organized every little detail and the wedding party is well prepped for their roles. Now, who will ensure that everything runs smoothly as you planned? Many brides-to-be create more stress on their wedding day by not hiring a day of coordinator, don’t be that bride. 

Benefits of a Day of Coordinator: 

1. Have a stress free day: A day of coordinator will manage your wedding day from start to finish and allow you to enjoy your big day stress free. This should be a person (or team) who is well organized, detail orientated and easily adaptable. A day of coordinator should not be your mom, sister or close friend. Those individuals want to enjoy your day just as much as you do – why take that away from them? Let a professional handle your day.  

2. Coordinators from the ceremony and reception venue are not day of coordinators: Many ceremony and reception venues have coordinators who work for the venue, not for you. Those coordinators are there to monitor usage of the facility. They will not be sure that your mom enjoys the day or that the groomsmen pin their boutonnieres on correctly. Most coordinators do not stay in the room during the ceremony or reception. Their goal is to keep everyone safe and to make sure the wedding runs according to the contract time.

 3. Manage the details: Typically you will initially meet with your day of coordinator 6 months prior to your wedding day. During this meeting, and several meetings leading up to your wedding day, you will discuss every detail of your wedding and review all contracts from vendors. A professional day of coordinator, who is experienced with weddings, will understand the importance of every detail and ensure that vendors adhere to the contract.  A plus to having a day of wedding planner will be their back-up plan. If something doesn’t go as planned or if there needs to be a slight adjustment, your day of coordinator will have a prepared and organized back-up plan ready to put into action.

Still not sure you need a day of wedding coordinator? Below is a short list of duties a wedding planner will complete:

• Organize your wedding day
• Design your wedding day logistics and itinerary
• Confirm with vendors prior to wedding
• Attend and conduct your wedding rehearsal
• Supervise ceremony and reception set-up and breakdown
• Instruct ushers and hostess of duties
• Assist bridesmaids and groomsmen with dressing
• Organize processional line-up
• Assist guest and wedding party with ceremony transition to reception venue
• Act as liaison between catering staff, M.C., photographer, and videographer
• Deliver final payment to vendors
• Supervise reception

Don’t miss out on your big day by worrying about the details and logistic of the day. If a wedding planner doesn't fit in your budget, hiring a day of wedding coordinator will help you and your wedding guests enjoy your big day.

La Toya Keys is the creative mind behind Elle Kay Events, a Chicago based event planning company that specializes in weddings and celebratory events. La Toya creatively and tactfully draws out each client’s likes, hobbies, and interests, and uses these characteristics to create a memorable event. Contact info:  www.ellekayevents.com | Twitter @ElleKayEvents Instagram @ElleKayEvents | Phone: 773-230-4423