Proper rehearsal dinner etiquette, how to narrow down a guest list, what types of flowers are in season when. These are just a few tidbits most brides will pick up during the planning process, but what about deeper life lessons, those golden nuggets of wisdom that will help you blossom as a human being? Three brides were kind enough to share their stories in hopes of enlightening other engaged girls.

Material things pale in comparison to friends and family

“Three months before the wedding my fiancé's dad suffered a very rare aortic dissection and had to have emergency heart surgery. We spent most of the time leading up to the wedding in the hospital, before work, after work and on weekends. While he ultimately wasn't able to attend, he did get to watch the whole thing live via the power of the iPad. Seeing him give us a thumbs up from the hospital bed was a true reminder that it's not about the flowers, the specialty linens or the fancy cake. Those are merely gorgeous additions to a wedding day. It's about life, love, family and friends.” — Dana

The ability to compromise is key in relationships

“I'm learning that making joint decisions is our first step toward husband and wife. When I initially pictured wedding planning, in my mind I assumed that I would do everything and tell my groom what time to show up. I now know that he wants to be involved in every aspect along the way and doesn't like to make split-second decisions. He prefers to analyze his options first. I, on the other hand, like to make decisions and move on ASAP. I'm still working on learning his decision-making style and how to combine it with mine, which I think is great practice for bigger decisions during married life!” — Kate

A healthy work/life balance will enhance your quality of life

“About seven months into the wedding planning and after some major procrastination, I had to get really strict with myself about finding a healthy life/work balance. I made sure I was home by around 6:30 pm, Saturdays officially became my ‘wedding planning day' and Sundays were my days to maybe catch up on some work and generally relax. Putting more value on my home time ended up being much more beneficial than simply getting the wedding planning done. With this increased free time, I was able to work out regularly and have lost ten pounds to date. My relationship with my fiancé has never been better since we have more time together and apart with other loved ones. I also got to rediscover some of my hobbies, all of which have really improved my efficiency at work.” — Brittany

This article was written by Elizabeth Mitchell for Brides.com.
Photo: Kristyn Hogan