Whoever said planning a wedding wasn’t stressful was lying. Wedding planning is fun, but we’d be kidding ourselves if we said it didn’t come with headaches. For all you brides and grooms-to-be, here’s your ultimate guide to stress-free wedding planning.
Don’t Do It Alone
The bride doesn’t have to plan this entire wedding by herself; she can enlist the help of her bridal party, her family, or a wedding planner—if it’s in the budget. After all, what’s the maid of honour for? Even grooms are taking more of a lead in wedding planning. Groomsmen have their own list of things to know for the big day.
This isn’t meant to be a one-woman ordeal. Dole out tasks, such as tracking RSVPs, organizing place cards, and stuffing and mailing envelopes. While these may feel like small duties, it’s exactly these tiny details that become time consuming. Delegating minor details to the bridal party and your family gives you fewer things to worry about, and you can rest assured these tasks are handled with care.
Stay Organized
It’s easy to feel like you’re drowning in wedding responsibilities if you don’t stay organized. A solid system at the start will make it easier to plan as the date gets closer. Whether you create a physical binder or a massive digital folder, keep your ideas, quotes, invoices, budget, and the rest of it together for easy reference and peace of mind.
If creating your own organizer is too much work, take advantage of free wedding apps and tools that do it for you. Wedding planning is a commitment, but an organized couple will have no problem completing everything on time.
Designate Time for “No Wedding” Talk
If all you talk about all the time is the wedding, you’re going to wear yourself out. Find ways to destress from the planning. Your normal life hasn’t stopped because you’re planning a wedding. Set aside time where wedding talk is off-limits. You’re less likely to be consumed with having the perfect day, and you can just enjoy the company and whatever it is you’re doing.
Choose to declare certain hours, or even entire weekends, where the wedding is not the conversation topic. Not every conversation has to be centered around your upcoming nuptials, and you’ll feel completely refreshed when you do return to the tasks at hand. Wedding planning can quickly take over your life, so the occasional break is necessary.
Put Priorities in Line
Your wedding includes big pieces, such as the caterer and the dress, and smaller pieces, such as the place cards and the favours. Each one is important to remember, but you don’t want to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of things to do.
Create a roadmap: Pick three to four key elements that are absolutely crucial for your dream wedding. After you’ve made up your mind on certain topics, don’t second guess yourself. Trust your instinct and move on. Once the key decisions are identified, figuring out the small stuff will feel like a cakewalk.
Keep Your Eye on the Prize
You want your wedding to be perfect, but nobody—except maybe you—will remember that the mains came out twenty minutes late or the caterers served beef tartare instead of beef Wellington. Some aspects will simply be beyond your control, no matter how rigid your timeline is. But at the end of the day, people are here to celebrate the wedding.
When it begins to feel like too much, focus on the big picture. Remind yourself why you’re doing this in the first place and talk to your spouse instead of holding it all in. You’re marrying the love of your life. The point of the wedding is to celebrate the big day together and the beginning of a new future. Everything else is just icing on the cake.
