Congratulations! You're engaged! This should be one of the happiest periods of your life, but unfortunately, for many brides to be, the engagement ends up being super stressful. Why? Wedding planning, of course. With the advent of social media, there's more pressure than ever to have a picture perfect wedding day, and the anxiety of not getting it right can wear you down after a while. It's way simpler when you break it down into month by month steps. We got these tips from Tessa Lyn Brand, a wedding planning expert whose consultations have helped more than 120 brides walk down the aisle in style.

Here's her advice for how to properly plan a wedding without having a panic attack.

12 Months Before the Wedding

This is the time when the foundation gets laid, and you should determine the most basic elements of the wedding. Figure out your budget. Of course, it's not the most romantic, but this is the time that you need to sit down and get real with your special someone about just exactly how much you guys can afford to spend. This is also the time to make that critical decision: who's invited? The guest list should be solidified as early as possible, because it also helps you calculate exactly how much you'll be spending.

6 Months Before the wedding

This is the time to nail down the nitty gritty details. You should consult with caterers, as the good ones WILL be booked several months out. Don't be afraid to have more than one tasting - if you're not satisfied, try and try again! It's your special day and you only get married once (hopefully) so you deserve to have everything as you like it. Hire a lighting technician to make sure you're bathed in the most flattering light possible (more important than you think!)