If you're in the process of planning a wedding right now, you know that losing your mind is definitely a possibility. How many times have you asked yourself "maybe running off to a tropical island isn't such a bad idea"? It seems so much easier to just run off one weekend and become Mr. and Mrs. Right? That's what I thought.

There is some semblance of planning involved even if you're eloping. You can lose your mind planning a wedding in a short amount of time. But have hope, because it can be done, and you don't even have to turn into bridezilla to do it.

Now that you've set a date, and picked a location, you need to inquire about getting a marriage license. Marriage license laws vary from state to state. Some states have a waiting period other states are a little more lenient. If a state has a waiting period, this might change your original plans, so make sure that you check into the state laws before making your travel arrangements. This website is a good starting point. It has a directory listing of county clerks offices broken down by state. It also has a list of blood test laws, and prior divorce requirements for each state (if you're divorced, dig out your divorce papers and bring them anyway, even if the state says you don't need them).

Next comes the part of coordinating your wedding. You can take on the task of gathering all of the people together yourself. Photographer, videographer (should you desire a DVD of the momentous occasion), limo driver, and most importantly, a wedding officiant. Or, you can hand the reins over to a professional for a fee and have them take care of everything. This is a great idea if you're planning a wedding out of state. It's one less thing that you have to worry about.

If you choose to utilize a coordinator, comparison shop. Make Google your friend and check your decided location for coordinators. There are tons of websites out there if you're getting married at a remote location such as Hawaii or The Bahamas. The fees will vary, so base it on what's really important to you. After all it is your special day, and even if it's just the two of you, having certain luxuries does make a difference. I had an excellent experience with our coordination company in Maui, and I can't thank them enough for saving my sanity.

Even if no one is going to be there, you're still going to want to look like a pretty pretty princess, trust me on this. The girl in you will take over, and you will start to freak out a little about what to wear. This is normal, because, most likely, you will have pictures taken. You won't want to look at yourself wearing jeans and a t-shirt on your wedding day, for the rest of your life. Get a general idea of what you want to wear, and be open. After all, if you're planning in 2 or 3 weeks, you may not be able to have a full wedding dress altered in time, or it might be out of season for certain types of dresses that you're looking for.

Don't forget the little things. Do you want to wear some jewelry? Do you want to get your hair done? Do you have your something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue? Make a list of things as you think of them, keep a little notebook with you at all times. It's very easy to forget the little things when you're planning your big day in a short amount of time.

Last but not least, just relax, and don't freak out (like I did). Things will work out, even if it feels like they won't, and your wedding day will end up being perfect. Because my husband is always right, things always have a way of working out in the end.

Article by (recent destination wedding bride) Statia.