Delegate, delegate, delegate. Put your brother in charge of receiving your guests, put a cousin in charge of keeping an eagle eye on the gifts, keep your aunt in charge of the money you receive in those ubiquitious envelopes.

Keep a planner with the names and contact numbers of all those vendors involved with the wedding handy. Have a final meeting with them at least a week before the wedding to iron out all the details.

Make sure everyone (caterers, decorators) knows what time they're expected to start working on the venue. Try to have the caterers and the decorators visit the venue earlier so that they know what they would be working with.

Arrange for cars and drivers to pick up and drop people, and to be ferried between venue and home. Have a minute by minute programme written out for the event, so you will know what will be needed when.

Make sure than an elderly relative is in charge of the stuff required for the wedding ceremony. Give her/him a list and a young cousin to help.

Do give a realistic estimate to the caterers. You won't run short of icecream or food.

Decide how many rolls of film and tapes you want used beforehand with the photographer/videographer. Plan out their vantage positions and make sure there are enough electrical connections available.

If you have relatives coming from out of town for the wedding, make sure you organise a place to stay and a cook for them, if they're not going to be staying at your home.

Allocate a couple of days before the wedding for the beauty treatments. Make sure you have the entire day to indulge yourself. Do have a full rehearsal a couple of days before the wedding if you're planning an elaborate affair

Keep all your bridal trousseau and jewellery in a single room. As well as all the stuff you're gonna be taking to your new home. and number the items to be carried to the new home. And keep a list.