There’s no beating around the bush, wedding planning can be stressful! Even though it’s supposed to one of the happiest and most romantic days of your life, the days leading up to it, with all the planning and the spending and the running around and the decision-making and the family-pleasing, can be extremely overwhelming. You want the day to be perfect but it shouldn’t come at the expense of your sanity.
Short of hiring a wedding planner, which can get a little pricey, there are some things you can do to find your zen and keep the stress of planning at a minimum so that you can enjoy the time leading up to your vows.
Have a Plan
The whole process of planning a wedding can be a little overwhelming if you don’t have a plan. Even just knowing where to start can be enough to start thinking about the booze you haven’t even ordered yet (when do you even order the booze!?). But take it easy, step back, and make a plan. Because if you think about it, there are some things you can’t even do until you’ve taken care of other items. You can’t set a date until you have a venue, right?
To get started, you can check out our blog, where we have a ton of planning checklists to help you with anything from parties to items that can wait, and last-minute details. Do a few tasks at a time and don’t get ahead of yourself. There’s no use worrying about the things you don’t have to do yet.
Divide and Conquer
Now that you have a plan, take a look at that task list and pick out a few items you don’t have to do yourself. Now, give those tasks away! Share your wedding planning duties with as many people as you can. A lot of people will offer to help. Some might just be being nice but if they offer, take them up on it! You don’t have to take it all on yourself and if you have a great support system, many wedding duties can be split up. You’ll obviously want to take care of any major decisions yourself or with your fiance, but small, tedious tasks can be split among friends.
Knowing you don’t have to do it all yourself is key to staying calm and collected during the wedding planning process.
Set a Budget (and stick to it!)
Nothing will raise your blood pressure faster than looking at your bills and realizing you’ll probably have to sell your first-born to pay for your big day. Unexpected expenses can get your heart pumping but realizing you’ve fallen in love with something you can’t pay for will send your stress levels through the roof. With a clear budget, you can steer clear of the items or venues that are going to push your budget (and you) over the limit.
This should be one of the first things you decide on with your partner. Sit down before you start planning, think about your financial goals for the future, find out how much family will be paying for and how much you will have to cover on your own, and choose a number that makes sense to everyone. If someone else is offering to pay, remember to go easy and don’t take advantage of their kindness.
Don’t Forget Why You’re Doing This
Remember the person you’re marrying on the day that requires all this planning? Don’t forget about them. Don’t let your relationship and quality time become an afterthought in the midst of all the chaos. After all, it’s a celebration of your love that you’re planning!
Go on dates (or, if you’re saving money, plan evenings in together). Just make sure you’re connecting and you don’t lose sight of why you’re making these plans in the first place. And during your date? Try to talk about non-wedding related stuff!
Don’t Plan 24/7
Yes, your wedding is a big deal, but it’s not your whole life. Make sure you’re taking time to do the things you care about while you’re planning your big day. Spend time with family doing something besides wedding planning. Read a book. Watch a movie. Hang out with friends. Don’t let planning consume your whole life or you’ll be too stressed to enjoy the day when it finally arrives.
Have Stress Relief Tactics Ready
No matter what you do to make sure everything goes smoothly and you’re not getting overwhelmed, something is going to happen to stress you out. Knowing this, and being ready for when it happens, can make a difference in how you react. From breathing techniques to a few stretches you enjoy, have a plan at the ready for the moments where you start to feel overwhelmed. This is guaranteed to help you find your zen, even during your wedding planning!
Let us help take some of the stress out of your big day. You can reach our event coordinators by email or phone at 517-545-1000.
