When it comes to wedding planning, one of the main things that can cause stress is the seemingly never-ending to-do list of things that need ticking off in order for everything to go smoothly. There are so many details that go into making a wedding happen. From the invitations to the food, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. But don’t worry, with a bit of organisation and some sensible planning, you can have a stress-free wedding day that you’ll remember for all the right reasons. Here are my top tips:
1. Set a budget and stick to it
One of the main causes of stress when planning a wedding is money. It’s important that you and your partner have this discussion early on in the process to avoid any arguments later down the line.
Do some research and find out a rough idea of what each element (flowers, photography, food, etc.) is likely to cost for what you need.
Work out what you can afford to spend and then start planning accordingly. There’s no need to go overboard, especially if it means you’ll be putting your honeymoon or future home at risk!
2. Delegate, delegate, delegate
Weddings can be really overwhelming, especially if you’re trying to do everything yourself. Hiring a wedding planner is a great way to relieve a lot of the stress. They can take care of venue searching, sourcing suppliers, even help you to understand all the legal jargon in everyone’s contracts.
If hiring a planner isn’t an option for you with your budget, then ask your wedding party to help out. You can have a lot of fun organising DIY nights with your bridesmaids crafting away together and creating some of the lovely details that will go into your stress-free wedding day.
Having a strong support network plays a critical role in reducing your stress levels, according to Health and Wellness Coach Valentina Marsden. “It’s important to identify what triggers are making you stressed so that you can check with friends and families whether what you see as an issue is really something to worry about or if you simply need to let go. Is anyone really going to notice the very thing you are worrying about? Your own expectations, perfectionism, or people pleasing behaviours play a big part in stress levels. Especially during wedding planning, but you want to try and focus on what you can control, and accept what you can’t.” Valentina shares one of her coaching tools called Spheres of Influence to help you start.
3. Have a plan
This one is especially important if you’re the type of person who likes to be in control. Start by making a list of everything that has to happen in the run-up to your wedding and when each task should be completed. This will help to keep you organised and on track. You can find lots of wedding checklists on Pinterest if you’re not sure or if you worry you’ve missed something off your list!
4. Take your time
Just because you’re engaged (congratulations by the way!) doesn’t mean you have to be married tomorrow. Be realistic about your wedding date. Don’t set it for 4 months time if you’ve got a busy couple of months ahead at work, because that time will slip by in the blink of an eye and you’ll feel rushed into making decisions which you may regret when you look back on your day.
As a wedding photographer I usually book u for peak summer dates around 12-18 months ahead, so start there. You’ll be surprised how quickly the best dates get snapped up! If a winter wedding is your dream, you’ll find every supplier has a lot more availability. You might be able to make it work in a shorter timescale if you don’t want to wait so long.
5. Remember why you’re doing this in the first place
Presumably, you’re planning to spend the rest of your lives together because you love each other, right? There’s no point letting arguments about which shade of blue the ties should be or who should sit with who on the table plan put a strain on a beautiful relationship. It’s your wedding, so do it your way. Don’t get bogged down by other peoples’ opinions and trying to please everyone else.
Also, just because you’re going to be married doesn’t mean you can forget how to date. Continue to take each other out for dinner or to the theatre throughout the process. Do whatever you enjoyed doing together before the wedding came along. You don’t want to spend all your time cooped up in Planning HQ at home and forget what it’s like to be together as just a couple.
6. Have fun with it!
This is such an important one. At the end of the day, a wedding is supposed to be a celebration of your love for each other. So don’t let the planning process take over your life and turn into something you dread! A great tip is to sit together and think about all the things you love – then see if you can incorporate these into your day. Love travelling together? Why not name your tables after all the places you’ve been together. Big cinema fans? Perhaps you can marry at a key location from one of your favourite films. The wedding is about YOU, remember!
Getting married and looking for a photographer that will take all of the stress out of your wedding photos? I think I can help! Get in touch with me here.
