As many future brides and grooms will tell you, planning a wedding is almost a full-time job. From choosing a date and venue to minor color themes or place card fonts, every detail takes great care. Stress can erupt when the two of you do not see eye-to-eye on something, the budget gets tight or outside family members try to throw their weight around.

While the entire process may seem like more work than it is worth, announcing your commitment in front of those you love most and throwing a fabulous party afterward is not only traditional, it's romantic, memorable and down-right fun. Taking the time to establish a plan will make preparing your wedding both smoother and, with any luck, end with a fantastic event.

Here are a few wedding planning tips to keep in mind:

1. Keep records. Put all contract agreements, magazine clips and potential seating charts in a binder divided by labeled tabs. This way when you need to remember for sure how much to pay the DJ or whether or not you're allowed to bring your own wine you can do so easily. This also protects you should a vendor request something, perhaps extra money, which you didn't agree to.

2. Make a timeline. Whether your marriage is 2 years away or 2 months, creating a timeline right away will make accomplishing everything that needs to be done easier. A number of books and websites have standard timelines to help you pencil in the little things you may have overlooked.

3. Remember it's your wedding. Politely tell your pushy soon-to-be mother-in-law that you simply don't have room for her dog's veterinarian. Let your parents know that while a country hoe-down might be fun, you had a classier affair in mind. This is your day, nobody else's.

4. Don't let your event be defined by anybody but you. Worried about breaking tradition? Don't be-the day is all about you. If you'd rather have a man of honor than a maid of honor, go for it. If a secular ceremony makes you more comfortable than a religious one, don't hesitate to discuss it with your officiate. While many worry that going against the grain will draw criticism, it will, in truth, transform your special day into something positively you.

While something will undoubtedly not go as planned, following this advice will ensure that the only hitch that goes off on your wedding day will the one everybody has come to see. For more tips or wedding planning resources, visit The Knot at www.theknot.com.