Bride's Guide: Q&A for the Big Day

April 30, 2010— -- The 30-Day wedding countdown is now at the halfway mark, which means I'm getting married in 15 days.

Which means it's time to start seriously freaking out.

I'd like to offer my apologies in advance to my husband-to-be, family, friends and colleagues if I behave strangely during the next two weeks.

My very wise mother has advised me to concentrate on rest and relaxation, but there are a few final things to cross of the Wedding To-Do list before The Big Day. One of them is to practice for the first dance.

I'm not a great dancer and I don't particularly like being the center of attention, so I'm pretty nervous about it.

We decided not to take a class, which likely would have only served to make me more nervous, so I asked celebrity wedding planner Mindy Weiss for her advice.

She recommends having the first dance at the start of the reception, right after the newlyweds are introduced.

"When the evening is still young, guests will give you their full attention," she writes in "The Wedding Book."

And her tips for the dance itself actually make it sound like fun.

1. Smile the whole time during the dance.

2. Just hold onto each other and pretend no one is staring at you.

3. Practice a few times before.