Congratulations! You’ve got a gorgeous rock on your finger and a wedding to plan.
And… maybe you’re beginning to notice. There’s a slight difference between dreaming about your wedding pre-engagement, and actually planning the thing for real. Namely, one of them involves a little more stress.
If left unchecked, stress zaps the enjoyment from the entire process. Stress also creates the dreaded Bridezilla and if you aren’t careful, it can transform you from the vibrant beautiful being that you are into—well, we won’t go there.
But fear not. Here’s how to stay calm and stress-free while planning a wedding. Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about staying cool, calm and collected.
Make Key Decisions Early On
What type of decisions are key?
You need to:
- Determine your budget
- Create a guest list
- Establish your wedding party
- Decide on a Theme
- Start looking at venues
These decisions provide the foundation of your big day. After they’re in place, you can add the other details.
Pick a Wedding Planning & Organizing Method
In a world full of pretty paper planners or slick digital options, narrowing it down to just one is almost as bad as narrowing your shoe collection down to a single pair. Each comes with their very own special features and details.
The thing is, wedding planning needs to be approached with precision. Just like an army general in a war or a coach in a football game, you gotta come at it with strategy. You can’t be all over the place with notebooks and scraps of paper, half-finished wedding websites and all that.
So, choose one place for all your planning—fine, two at the most—and stick to it. If you choose two, it may be a good idea to have one digital and one paper, and use the digital to coordinate with others.
Create a Timeline
One of the key strategies to successful stress-free wedding planning is to create a to-do list that adheres to a timeline. The amount of time you allocate for each task depends on when the wedding day is.
Some wedding planning journals or online planning systems come with to-do’s built in, so you can follow along, or get inspo from hundreds of templates that are available online, and create your own.
From venues to source and menus to plan, to wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses to choose. You’ve got a lot to do, and the faster you get it all down and create your timeline, the sooner you can start.
Be as detailed as possible. Set alerts on your phone, and check in and update your list frequently.
Delegate Tasks
As the wise saying goes, just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. Every wedding comes with a long list of to-dos, and you’d run yourself ragged trying to check them all off on your own.
The best way to delegate is to match the right people with the job, and be clear about what you’re looking for and when. If one of your bridesmaids is really into interior design, rope her in and make her head honcho of the décor.
Got a foodie in the group? Great! Bring them to some tastings, or have them shoot some fresh menu ideas your way.
Check in with Yourself
How are you feeling?
What do you need?
These are critical questions to ask yourself during the wedding planning process—or anytime really. Stress has a way of pulling us away from things, including our own well-being. It’s very easy to get caught up in worry, busyness, and that general underlying current of go-go-go that most of us are all too familiar with.
Make a point to check in with yourself regularly, and do things that you enjoy. Non-wedding related self-care things like hiking, spending a lazy day reading in bed, or catching up on your favorite Bravo shows.
Keep the Big Picture in Mind
Probably the most important thing of all is to keep the big picture in mind, the reason for the wedding celebration in the first place. There’s no amount of money or anything that can come close to love. Love is an incredibly powerful thing, and it’s going to be there no matter what. If the cake falls to the floor, so what? If you aren’t able to book the venue of your dreams, who cares? It’s pretty insignificant detail when considered from the big picture perspective.
Many of us are perfectionists and if that’s you, make a choice to not let that dominate. Yes, you want it to be perfect, but if it isn’t so what? It’s still going to be beautiful and fun, and you’ll be surrounded by everyone you love, celebrating your love. My goodness, what an incredible opportunity.
Conclusion:
By being as proactive as possible, creating your timeline and sticking to it, and vowing to keep the big picture in mind, stress and all that unpleasantness don’t stand a chance. Cheers to you, enjoy the moment! It’s your wedding, afterall.