It's a beautiful day and you're enjoying a hike. All of a sudden, your significant other gets down on one knee and pops the question. You scream, "Yes! A million times yes!" loud enough for the entire state park to hear, and then discuss your dream wedding on the hike back to your car while stealing kisses every few words. Congratulations, you have entered the infatuation phase of wedding planning.

You get back to your car and then you realize where you're going once the engine starts. You're going back to school...to your dorm...to your home.

Then the panic sets in. You're in college and you're planning a wedding. SOS.

Embarking on the journey of planning a wedding in college is a step that few brave souls dare to take. As if college wasn't stressful enough to tickle your fancy, you decide to get married. Now you have to plan a wedding. What on earth are you doing?

I felt that same panic set in. Our wedding was planned around midterm of my senior year. If reading that sentence doesn't terrify you, just wait, it will one day. Somehow, the feat of keeping a 4.0 GPA, finishing all assignments, studying for tests, and planning an elaborate ceremony of love for the best day of your life suddenly gets thrown on your shoulders. You start to shake, slip into a cold sweat, and break out in hives.

Well, maybe not the hives. But you get the picture.

Having gone through this very wonderfully terrifying experience no more than five months ago, I have a bit of wisdom tucked away. Lucky you gets to benefit from it! So grab your planners, wedding checklists, trusty pencils, and your favorite mega eraser because your wedding planning is about to get 10 times easier.

1. You will be afraid, and that's okay.

It is perfectly normal to freak out. I haven't gone through a single day of college in the last four years without a daily freak-out session. Add wedding planning stress on top of it, and you're sure to slowly melt into a puddle on the sidewalk any second now.

2. You will plan, and plan, and re-plan every day.

If you are anything at all like the bride I was, you knew exactly what you wanted and how you wanted it...and then you got on Pinterest and your whole wedding theme changed in about five minutes. It happens to the best of us, trust me. That's when you have a talk with your partner and you compromise on what will look best to both of you and make you both happy. Which leads me to...

3. COMPROMISE.

It's been said time and again that the wedding is the bride's day, and it's all about her. In all honesty, by the end of the planning, you won't care if the ceremony is at a drive-thru chapel in Las Vegas or in the most gorgeous church you can find. You won't care if it's elaborate or simple; you just want that one person to be yours, and for you to be theirs, forever.

That being said, compromise is everything. Yes, the bride has *the most* say in what goes on. However, it's the groom's wedding too. Be willing to talk through the logistics and share ideas. Your partner may have an arsenal of wedding flair tactics up their sleeve you may not know about.

Apart from compromising with your significant other, be okay with compromising for family. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter how you all got married. You're married, you're together, and that's all that matters. Getting there is half the fun, though. We all know that we have that one aunt who is going to huff and puff and throw a fit if everything isn't just to her taste. And Lord help us all if Momma or Granny gets upset. Even though family members cannot (and should not) dictate every detail, giving them some options or a small amount of input isn't going to kill you. Who knows, you may even like what they have to say.

4. Plan ahead.

I've always had a Plan A and a Plan B for everything. My husband and I wanted an outdoor wedding in the middle of October. We knew it was risky. It could have rained, been terribly cold, or miserably hot. We took our chances with an outdoor ceremony being our Plan A, and a small ceremony inside the attached banquet hall as our Plan B. It never hurts to have a back-up.

When it comes to planning, it may seem like that's all a wedding is. You plan for months and months for a ceremony that will be over in less than half an hour. Sometimes, that's the case. What all do you need to plan in order to have your special day be just right?

The wedding party:

We all want every friend and family member we've ever loved to be in our wedding party, but that isn't how it works. Discuss and compromise with your partner about who you want standing beside you on your big day.

Date, venue, and time:

When you do want it to be? Where do you want it to be? Will the ceremony be at the same place as the reception? What time will the whole day begin? Creating a wedding day agenda was the best thing I ever did.

Outfits:

Make sure everyone knows exactly what they're supposed to wear. Coordinate the right colors, get tailoring appointments scheduled well in advance, and double check everything with the bride. Trust me.

Officiant:

Who is going to marry you and your lover? Your local pastor? A judge? A ship captain? Have a Plan B for this as well. Our first officiant backed out on us, and we were lucky to have someone else willing to step in.

Color scheme and reception set-up:

Will the colors be the bride or groom's pick? Will the colors be present at the reception? Heck, do you even want a reception?

Invites:

We used Vistaprint to create some beautiful sentimental invitations to our weddings. However, if you want to go the more traditional route, shop around and see what looks good to you. This also includes the guest list. We all want to invite everyone we know, but sometimes, it isn't plausible. Think of your perfect day and who is there with you...that is who you invite.

5. Remember to relax and enjoy the ride.

Hopefully, marriage is once in a lifetime commitment. This is a huge ordeal, planning and organizing everything. It's also a huge deal for your entire life to change: where you live, your last name, and sharing your life with someone in ways you never thought possible. It can get crazy with planning, and it is all too easy to get caught up and miss the small moments. One day though, you'll look back and see that the small moments were the moments that shaped your life. Enjoy them while they're here.

So where does school fit into all of this?

Dealing with stress of school is second nature to students. They breathe, sleep (sometimes), eat, and stress. It's the circle of life. Planning a wedding is just one more part of life that engaged students have to stress over while still living studious lives.

I know it can be overwhelming trying to juggle classes, friends, and wedding planning. Make time every day to spend with your fiance`. You both will need it, even if that just means homework dates over leftover pizza and Pinterest wedding ideas. You can get through it. You can endure it and enjoy it along the way.

There is no magical formula or quick fix for planning a wedding, especially not while you're still in school. I don't have all the answers; no one does. At the end of the day, you are planning on creating a new life of wonderful memories with the person you love more than anything in the world. Don't get so caught up in the planning of the wedding that you forget to plan your marriage. Focus on the love between the two of you, and life will work out as it should.