10 Planning Tips For A Stress-Free Wedding

Weddings are so often thought of as the most important days in someone’s life. This may be surpassed later on by having babies or other major life events but for many people, their wedding day is highly anticipated. Some people even having been dreaming of this one moment in their life for years.

And months of planning often go into the saying of “I do”.

Regardless of one’s cultural identity, age, or socioeconomic status, the inevitable part of wedding planning is preparing for how to remain as calm as possible.

Stress on this big day can be difficult to avoid. We cannot plan for all of the imaginable or unimaginable situations that could arise.

But we can do our best to be prepared and we can have faith that our special day will unfold as it is meant to.

That being said, there are at least ten ways to prepare for a stress-free wedding. Keep reading and if you too are wedding planning, it might be helpful to take notes. Best of luck!

Identify A Goal For Your Big Day

What is the most important part of your day?

It may be helpful to really spend time with your partner and by yourself answering this question – then identify the steps to get there.

This question should be the main focus of your planning.

It is often easy to get caught up in the small details and spend time stressing on them. Intentional planning around your most important part of your day, your ultimate goal, may be helpful in grounding you and decreasing some of the stress.

It may help you to feel present instead of getting caught up in the stress of all the other things inevitably going on around you.

Identify What You Are Not Willing To Compromise On

Similar to pinning down your ultimate goal for your day, identify what you are not willing to compromise on and ensure that those objects and events are fully planned around.

You may be unwilling to part from your need to do a formal first dance. If so, clearly schedule that in and ensure that all vendors know about it.

If it is important to you to have a specific flower, start identifying potential florists very early on in the planning process.

Do not compromise on these aspects of your day – but be willing to compromise on the parts that you do not feel so strongly about. And remember – if there is nothing you are willing to compromise on, then you may be being unrealistic and doomed for a stressful experience.

Remember that this is your and your partner’s big day. Have these discussions together.

Be Prepared That Mistakes Will Happen

Remember that even days you look back on and remember as perfect probably had a few minor bumps on the road. Your day will likely not go 100% smooth and that is okay. There’s a good chance you will look back on those moments as funny.

Let go of the idea that your day has to go completely as planned. Sometimes the moments we aren’t prepared for are the very best.

If you do this, any mistakes will not be as painful when they occur.

Delegate, Delegate, Delegate

I cannot say this enough: do not try to do it all yourself.

Tap into the skill sets and interests of your friends and loved ones. Remember, people want to help you in your planning and preparation. So let them – it will greatly reduce the stress.

If the fear of giving control up creates greater stress for you, write detailed lists for your friends and family as you ask them to help you.

Be very clear in your boundary setting with them but know that trying to take it all on yourself will likely cause you a lot of unnecessary stress.

Remember to have fun in this! It is your special day as a couple and you should enjoy the process as well as the big day itself.

Have A Back-Up Plan

I am a great advocate of planning for crisis because in the event there is one, you will already have a plan and this will reduce the traumatic feelings that can arise.

So sit down with your partner and identify a few different back-up plans in case someone is late or something goes wrong.

And make sure that everyone who is helping you on your day knows your back-up plans in case they are needed.

Hire A Planner

If you have it in your budget, hiring a wedding planner can greatly reduce your wedding planning stress. This person should be a professional who comes with great referrals. Do your research before hiring someone – because hiring the wrong person can end up making your stress even worse.

They should walk you through the entire wedding planning process and it is their job to ensure that you and your partner remain as calm as possible.

A planner will also protect you from as much stress as possible. For example, if something is going wrong, they should try to solve it without having to involve you so that your stress level stays calm.

They should also always bring solutions to any difficulties that may arise.

Avoid Too Much Alcohol

Alcohol consumption can feel like a good idea in the moment, but often times it increases the levels of stress and anxiety we feel and we do not make the best of decisions while drinking. This creates additional stress and even shame on occasion.

It is best to avoid extensive drinking behaviour during your wedding as well as the planning process. This will reduce generalized stress and help you remain present.

Set A Schedule

Break your planning up into chunks and maintain the schedule you set for yourself.

Often we feel the need to do it all at once and this can feel overwhelming and be stress-inducing. Identify what you need to have done 8 months before the wedding, 6 months, 3 months, and leading up to your big day.

Set a schedule for your wedding day and distribute it to all your vendors and friends and family who are helping you prepare. This will ensure that your wishes are observed on your day even if you aren’t everywhere at once to supervise.

Use As Few Vendors As Possible

Avoid trying to coordinate with too many vendors.

Often times one vendor can do multiple tasks for you. For example, your caterer could also provide linens and alcohol.

Reducing your number of vendors will reduce managing how much you need to pay to who, who needs to arrive at what time on your big day, and decreases the number of planning meetings you need to attend.

Do Not Try To Take On Too Much DIY

This strategy could be especially difficult for you if you have a beautiful Pinterest account but avoid trying to do too much do-it-yourself for your big day. Taking on too many projects will likely overwhelm you. This is where you can ask family and friends, especially the creative ones, to help you.

You can also find beautiful homemade decorations and invitations on Etsy and other websites where you can support small businesses. This may even help you to have unique decorations, which is always something to take pride in.

But do not expect yourself to do this all yourself, because you will likely be left feeling overwhelmed.

BONUS REPORT

To supplement this guide, please feel free to download this complementary free report:

• Planning An Elegant Wedding On A Budget

Conclusion

Good luck on your big day and remember what your ultimate goal is! Remember why you are embarking on this beautiful marriage with your special person and try to reduce as much stress as you can because it is possible to be as stress-free as you would like.

Additional Resources

These are suggestions for those who wish to delve deeper into any of the above:

1. Hiring A Wedding Planner
2. Unique Wedding Favours