Tips for stress free wedding planning

This months blog is a guest contribution from Elise Morgan (follow her on twitter @elisemthewriter) that fits nicely into our mini series on wedding planning - Thanks Elise for taking the time to put this together for us.

Planning a wedding can be stressful – so much so that one study found 96% of engaged and newlywed couples considered it the most stressful thing they’d ever done. While this can be great for strengthening the bond you have with your intended spouse, reducing stress throughout the planning process is sure to leave you more relaxed and able to enjoy the big day. Below are some tips for stress-free wedding planning that will leave you and the bridal party happier and much more relaxed.

Why wedding planning can be so stressful

It’s no surprise wedding planning can raise our stress levels. Organising a day that reflects you as a couple, lives up to your dreams and keeps everyone happy takes time and patience – both of which might be in short supply if you have a job, bills to pay, a young family or other responsibilities to manage.

Sticking to a budget, making decisions on so many of the details from food to transport and everything in between, keeping your future in-laws wishes and that of your own family balanced with what you want as a couple and managing mini-crises throughout can all mount up and add to our everyday stresses.

How to reduce the stress and anxiety of wedding planning

Plan and prioritise - Organising a wedding is a huge task and can easily get out of hand if you don’t have a clear idea of what you want and how to get there. Start off with the big picture and work your way down to the detail. Creating a mood board is a helpful way to do this and also show your suppliers what you mean by cottage chic with a twist of punk!

Consider hiring help to begin with - A wedding planner might not seem like an essential expense, however, if you’ve not planned a big event before, their expertise and experience can help guide you to the best decisions, keep you on budget and direct you towards reputable and reliable suppliers. A great wedding planner will listen closely to your ideas and save you time, money and stress so you can immerse yourself in the magic of your big day.

Remember to sleep - it sounds simple right? But when you’re agonising over the guest list, favours or need to get those invitations in the post by the end of the week, it can be easy to skimp on sleep. It’s a mistake to do this though, all of the common pre-wedding stress will be worse if you’re sleep deprived. Getting enough sleep will help you manage the additional stress that wedding planning can bring and even help you to feel more satisfied with your relationship.

Stay healthy when we’re feeling under the weather, it’s easier to feel overwhelmed. Equally, additional stresses can impact our health. The best way to combat this is to maintain a healthy diet and regular exercise. Exercise will counterbalance the wedding stress and eating healthily will support your immune system.

Stick to a schedule – It’s no surprise that your wedding day is one of the most exciting days of your life but getting there isn’t always such a blast. Wedding administration tasks such as guest lists, seating plans, and keeping track of RSVPs may seem menial and downright boring, but it’s important to know just how important they really are. This is why setting aside some time to complete these tasks and planning your diary according is so crucial. Don’t let these seemingly small tasks slip through the cracks!

Communicate - When things all get a bit too much, one of the best ways to release the stress is to get it out – talk to a trusted friend or family member, chat with your partner about the stresses and things that are upsetting you or write it down in a wedding planning journal. Simply letting go of the stressful thoughts in your head by communicating them with others or writing them down can help to reduce them and make obstacles seem more manageable.

Planning a wedding needn’t be a stressful experience. By planning ahead and keeping on top of your health and well-being, wedding planning can be one of the best times for getting to know your fiancé even better and build the strong foundations needed for a life of happiness and togetherness.

If you would like to speak to us about partnering with you to create your dream wedding get in touch here.