7 Essential Steps for Stress-Free Wedding Planning
There’s a big misconception when it comes to wedding planning, and perhaps you’ve heard it too. A lot of people seem to believe wedding planning is stressful.
The truth is, it can be stressful, however it doesn’t have to be.
Planning a gorgeous flawless wedding – sans stress – is easily achieved, however it doesn’t just magically happen.
Much of it is up to you.
When you implement the appropriate structure and forethought, stress doesn’t stand a chance.
1. Have a clear vision
Just like any other massive undertaking, there are a few major considerations that need to be established.
When planning a wedding, these deliberations are as follows:
- What’s your budget?
- How many people are you inviting?
- Where is your wedding being held?
- What are your most important must haves?
- What doesn’t really matter?
If you start planning and are unclear, it’s easy to get lost in the land of indecision.
If you tend to procrastinate, take heed: this is neither the time nor place.
The clearer you are with your vision, the better understanding you’ll have of what needs to happen in order to make your wedding dreams come true.
And, you’ll minimize becoming stressed out by other people, which leads us to the next point…
2. Remember whose wedding it is
Everyone, and we mean EVERYONE is going to have an opinion about your wedding. If you’re not careful, you’ll get caught in a trap of trying to make everyone happy, which leads to no one being happy, least of all you. And it’s your wedding, remember?
Unless people are paying for your wedding, then maybe they get a say. That’s between you and them. Everyone else? They can keep their opinion.
As much as you might feel pressured, you’re not here to please or impress anyone. This is your day. If you’re veering away from tradition, you may hear comments like, “but our family has always done xyz!” Yet, the sooner you give yourself permission to celebrate your wedding your way, the better. And the only way to achieve this is to have clear solid boundaries.
3. Create a to-do list (and stick to it)
A wedding to-do list ranked in order of priority and with a timeline for completion will be your saving grace. As you work through each item on the list, stress doesn’t stand a chance.
By giving yourself ample time for each task and remaining diligent and organized, slowly but surely, it all starts coming together.
4. Delegate
As much as you may want to be in control of everything, you don’t have to be. In fact, the more you delegate, the less you have to stress over.
Now, this doesn’t mean assign all your to-do’s willy-nilly to whomever. You want to be clear that when you delegate something, the person you’re delegating the assignment to either has some experience with the task, or knows exactly what you want, and when you want it by.
Communication is key when delegating.
In addition, you’ve got your bridal party. They can help you dress shop, test out caterers, check out venues and different hair and makeup looks.
You can make a day of it. Head over to Bella Bridesmaids to check out their stunning dress selection – or peruse their website – and go get mani-pedis after.
Wedding planning can be fun, especially when you’ve got people you love there to share it with you, supporting you and encouraging your vision and making the whole thing a lot more memorable and fun.
5. Take advantage of wedding planning tools
There are so many online wedding planning tools that make wedding planning a cinch. Sites like the Knot let you create a website – a place that houses your registry, the wedding info, and lets guests RSVP. They also connect you with local caterers and entertainment.
There are so many planning tools and resources to help you. Pick a few that you like, and stick to them. Remember, there’s no need to overly confuse matters by downloading too many of them.
Keep it simple, and only use the apps and software that help support your vision.
6. Keep the big picture in mind
This tip extends far beyond wedding planning, and that is to keep it all in perspective. As humans, we’re wired to be hyper-sensitive to the negative, and that can easily lead us to ruminating over things that don’t really matter yet have the potential to steal our joy nonetheless.
Remind yourself what it’s all about, what truly matters. Allow yourself to have fun throughout the process. Keep it all in perspective, and if you find you start fussing over silly things, take a deep breath, and redirect your thoughts.
7. Have fun
Obvious right? Yet just like the last point, this stress eliminating step usually has to be a conscious decision.
Let go of perfectionistic ideals – swap them out with images of fun and laughter. Strive for those, and both the planning aspect of your wedding and the big day itself are guaranteed to be some of the best memories of your life.
Conclusion:
By maintaining a proactive approach through clarity and organization, there simply isn’t room for stress. And if you ever feel it creep toward you take a deep breath, smile, and remember why this celebration is taking place. It’s for you; a beautiful celebration of love.
