As an introvert, you treasure the time you can spend alone. After all, you need that time to recoup and recharge your emotional battery. But what about your wedding day? You and your spouse-to-be will be in the spotlight for several hours — maybe most of the day, depending on your schedule. Can you handle a whole day of peopling without losing your head? And what can you do to lower your stress levels during the big event? Some useful advice may boost your enjoyment and peace of mind.

Designing Your Event

Sure, you’ll be the center of attention on the big day. But that doesn’t mean that you have to be “on” and ready to socialize at every moment. A few crucial details can make a huge difference between facing things calmly and feeling frazzled. Wedding Wire’s Kim Forrest offers several great planning suggestions for introverts:

• Go with a smaller guest count.
• Limit the size of your wedding party.
• Choose those you trust most as honor attendants.
• Include breaks in your wedding-day schedule.

Dealing with your family may be one of your biggest challenges during wedding planning. That’s especially true if your parents have certain expectations or you have family members who won’t stop offering their two cents about your event. Fortunately, Brides contributor Léa Rose Emery has some excellent advice: Don’t be afraid to dispense with tradition if it makes you uncomfortable. If you don’t want to have a first dance or you’d rather not do the sweetheart table thing, that’s up to you and your fiancé.

Alone Time Together

In her Brides piece, Emery echoes Kim Forrest’s advice about breaks in your wedding-day schedule. Lots of social time will drain your energy, so those breaks are crucial to your happiness and well-being. Consider spending some of those breaks with your partner — this gives you some private time together and out of the spotlight.

Speaking of alone time, more couples are bringing back an old custom: the first look. It used to be a thing out of superstition when the engaged couple wasn’t allowed to see each other in their wedding attire until the big day. But now, the first look is an opportunity to see each other in private before walking into the ceremony. You can take some quiet time together, but it’s also a good opportunity for pre-ceremony portraits. Once the photos are done, take a deep breath and relax. You got this.

Maximizing Comfort With Your Attire

Crafting your wedding involves a lot of details. You’ll probably focus a lot on food, drink, and décor, but there’s also your attire. Authentic individual expression plays a significant role, and you may already be eying candidates for the perfect ensemble. You’ll also be getting alterations done, of course.

But before you go with your final choice, make sure you can live with its fabric and fit for an entire day. If it scratches your skin or hurts your feet, pick something else. If you lean more towards femme fashion, remember that high heels aren’t the only option. A pair of gorgeous low heels or flats can look just as stunning — and save your feet.

Collaborating With Your Partner

Whatever you decide to do about your wedding, you and your fiancé should be on the same page. Introvert, Dear stresses the importance of communication to design a wedding day that fits your visions and supports both of your needs. If only one of you is an introvert, meeting this goal also requires a bit of balance and collaboration. And at the end of the day, it’s your wedding. And that means prioritizing both partners’ comfort in the face of long-held traditions and expectations.