Advice from 5 Maltese Recently-Wed Brides

We spoke to five Maltese brides to discover what, in hindsight, they would change about their special day. Here’s what they had to say.

1. Actress Kim Dalli got married to Daniel Azzopardi on 26th May.

We had been planning our wedding for two years so we had plenty of time to ruminate on every single, minute detail of our big day. The only thing which we did not really consider in too much detail was what happened immediately after we waltzed off to start our happily ever after. Looking back, I should have engaged more people to assist our wonderful wedding organiser and best man with the arduous task of collecting all unopened beverage bottles and leftover food, especially given the fact that our reception venue was rather unconventional and access was a tad more complicated than usual. I would’ve also managed the logistics of it better, in that I would have allocated space in family and friends’ freezers to store the leftover food in order to minimise wastage.

2. Lawyer Danica Caruana got married to Matthew Decesare on 28th June.

My advice is to have a list of photos you want taken on the day and to stick to it. Matthew and I had a very short list of must-have photos with family and friends but, on the day, I felt it was all taking too long and I decided not to have some photos from our list taken. Now I regret not having photos with my closest friends on the day… Also, make sure to take a moment to let it all sink in. It will all go by before you know it and you’ll want to go back to that special memory in your mind.

3. International Sales Executive Corinne Bugeja got married to Andrea Bugeja on 15 April.

Being a procrastinator by nature, I started planning my wedding six months before the day, so my first piece of advice is to give yourself enough time! I had no idea planning a wedding required so much time and energy… In fact, I always thought people used to exaggerate.

Secondly, it’s very difficult to stick to a budget, especially when you’re a person who, like myself, gets carried away. However, we found it very useful to pinpoint three things we would spend most of our budget on. Our three main things were venue, food and photographer, but it can differ from one couple to another, obviously.

Last thing I would like to add – here’s me getting carried away again – is something I wish someone had told me: It’s okay to feel anxious, stressed out, have nightmares/sleepless nights, have second thoughts and even get cold feet. It’s only normal as it’s a huge commitment and a scary one at that for me, even though Andrea and I had been living together for eight years and have a kid together, let alone for someone who will be changing their lifestyle completely… What’s important is to make sure you enjoy every minute of it as it passes by so quickly.

4. Doctor Kristie Tonna got married to Liam Mercieca on 6th June.

Planning a wedding was too much fun and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat… And I would not change a thing, actually. In my opinion, the secret ingredient to making it work is to be surrounded by your besties. In my case, I was blessed with my sister as the maid of honour, my six bridesmaids, seven groomsmen and two amazing witnesses. Choosing this team is key as they are going to be the brains behind the organisation of your hens/bachelors and in charge of getting the crowd going on your big day…

Liam and I were looking for something classy and simple for our wedding so we had very plain invites. I also kept this in mind when choosing my dress. I went to shop with an open mind but the most important thing for me was that I could dance in it and breathe. We chose our own home-produced olive oil as souvenirs, which the guests loved. One thing to keep in mind is that the wedding celebrations are just a few hours long and, for us, that the wedding ceremony is what this day was all about. Choosing a priest who we knew and trusted was very important to us and, in fact, I’d like to give a shout out to Fr Brendan who wed us.

5. Lawyer Louanne Grech got married to Daniel Grech on 12th May

My advice is rather simple: trust your gut. Advice from experts is always important but it’s what you want as a couple and how you’d like your wedding day to be that counts. In our case, people told us we were giving ourselves more things to worry about because we had the wedding split into two different areas within the same venue. I’m so glad we did it though, because we feel like it really added something special to our day. Moreover, we had people telling us that it was chavvy to have food stations, and we’re sure our guests loved them in the end. So, yes, follow your heart!