Planning in Peace: Sharon Naylor's blog to being a harmonious bride at iVillage.com

Here's a mistake a lot of brides make: they want everyone to think they're handling everything just great. They slap on a smile, gush about how fabulously everything is going, how happy they are, and it's all about what they want other people to think. It's OKAY to admit that the wedding has you stressed-out -- it happens to everyone, and none of your friends are buying your super-chipper performance anyway.

So here's how you can return to Planning in Peace: send your friends an e-mail saying, "Hey, I'd love it if you'd send me a little e-mail with something funny, tell me what's happening in your world, and distract me from the moments of stress that pop up now and then. Overall, we're doing great, but I do have my moments. You always make me smile, and I love your stories, so keep 'em coming!" That's a great level of honesty, and it's a great gift to allow your friends to lift you.

You've asked for what you need, and no true friend is going to have a problem with that! Just be sure to add on, "but please, no chain letters right now! I'm too superstitious! ;)"

This one is a book that I wrote, and I recommend it here to help you handle the many stresses thrown upon you by the people *around* you: those meddling parents, difficult bridesmaids, demanding guests, and other people who lose their minds when it comes to your wedding. The Bride's Diplomacy Guide gives you scripts on how to talk to your parents, what to say, what not to say, and how to handle mean-spirited comebacks by others. You'll solve your people problems before they really steal your Peace.

You can never get enough reminders of the simple steps it takes to experience more happiness in your life. Somehow, in the hectic pace of our lives, we forget to appreciate how much we have, the people we love, how good things really are. So pick up my next recommended book Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill, and find out the little shifts in mindset that you can make now, to be happier with what's already going on around you. Isn't it amazing that we *forget* to be happy?! This book has some Buddhist insights, so keep that in mind as you consider this book for your reading shelf. Again, you might find a gem of insight, even if you're not Buddhist.

The second book in my collection of Recommended Reading is one that I'm enjoying right now...with so many thoughts and To-Do's swirling in my head, the title of this one caught me right away: Instant Karma. This is just a collection of quick little acts you can take to get your mind off of the wedding, do something nice for someone else that only takes a moment, correct your own course, and have a little bit of fun. I'm just flipping it open and smiling at the suggestion I land on, and while some of the karma suggestions are confusing (buy a handbag on eBay instead of paying retail?), this is a fun little book to have around. It definitely gets you in the Now.

Today starts a new series of books that I recommend for returning you to Planning in Peace. As with any book, you may find a gem or two that stays with you, or you will be profoundly educated and able to shift yourself away from worrying and stressing about every little thing. These are some of the books that I found helpful as my own wedding approached, and it's my hope that they bring you some relief as well...

Starting with book #1, I'm recommending Five Good Minutes in the Evening, which gives you a bunch of great little ideas for chilling out, connecting with your sweetie, removing the stress of the day, transitioning into rest time, and sleeping better. This is one book in the Five Good Minutes series, which I also recommend. Even with a time crunch, you have 5 minutes to try something new and potentially relaxing, right?