There’s no doubt that wedding planning can be a stressful business. So many decisions to make, puzzle pieces to coordinate, people to manage. All the while, trying to juggle your job, your family, your social life, and paying the bills. But don’t forget: this is supposed to be fun! Fortunately, there are some things you can do if you start to feel frayed and frazzled. From taking breaks to maintaining a sense of humor, here are eight smart strategies to reduce wedding planning stress and save yourself from a meltdown.
Stay organized. Planning a wedding means dealing with multiple quotes, contracts, checklists, fabric swatches and other pieces of information. It’s easy to lose track of them all (especially if you’re not working with a wedding planner). So it’s important to stay organized, right from the start. Make use of a budgeting spreadsheet and other tools to keep things under control. And always keep your to-do list to an achievable length, to avoid feeling as if you’re drowning.
Be kind to your body and mind. This isn’t the time to push yourself until you feel completely burned out. After all, you want to be healthy and radiant on the big day, so you can enjoy every moment! Take care of your body by getting regular exercise (lots of home workouts are now available!). And if you haven’t already, try a meditation or mindfulness app like Calm or Headspace. Take a social media detox when you need one. Most importantly, listen to your body and what it needs before wedding planning stress catches up with you.
Take a break. It’s important not to let wedding planning completely take over your life. Take regular breaks, including wedding-free time with your partner – and your friends! Where possible, try to take a short break out of town. Or switch off the phone and make it a little staycation.
Stop obsessing over details. I love pretty wedding details, but often, it’s these details that cause couples a lot of stress. It’s important not to obsess over the little things, and be able to let some of them go. Being decisive is essential if you want to stop yourself from going around in circles. Weigh your options, make a decision, and move on to the next thing…never looking back!
Reconnect with your partner regularly. As the saying goes, you’re planning for a marriage, not just a wedding. It’s vital that you make space in your schedule to reconnect regularly in the months before your wedding, and just enjoy being engaged. After all, when the flowers have faded and the day is just a memory, your bond is what will truly matter. Be sure to prioritize it.
Keep a sense of humor. What is life without laughter? No matter what life throws at us, if we can find a way to keep our sense of humor, we’ll get through it. Be silly with each other, and if something goes wrong, try to see the funny side. These are the things that will make the best stories in years to come. They’re also what will help you keep that all-important sense of perspective, and truly save your sanity.
Don’t let comparison steal your joy. There’s so much pressure on couples to have a ‘perfect’ wedding day. But holding yourself up to an impossible standard will rob you of the joy of a wedding that is truly yours. Try to remove yourself from situations where you feel comparison kicking in. And if someone else starts making comparisons, change the subject!
Ask for help. You don’t have to do this alone. Whether it’s hiring a wedding planner or asking friends and family for help, do yourself a favor and get the assistance you need. Hire great vendors, delegate tasks, and then let them do what they do best!
These are all good strategies to follow to alleviate wedding planning stress. But of course, if your anxiety has become debilitating, and you’re experiencing panic attacks or other symptoms, then do seek professional help.
At the end of the day, your wedding is a wonderful, magical party. But it’s your marriage and the people in it that really matter.
WE’D LOVE FOR YOU TO SHARE THIS IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR WEBSITE BUT PLEASE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING COMPLETE INFORMATION: Event Producer Strategist, Entrepreneur, Speaker, and Coach, Annette Naif, CEO & Creative Director of Naif Productions.
This article was written by Mindy Weiss.
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About Naif Productions:
Naif Productions is a strategic event planning, design and production firm specializing in corporate, live coaching sales events, social, non-profit, and weddings. Based in New York City, we produce events worldwide from Fortune 500 clients and coaches to families and charities. Naif Productions specializes in helping clients attain their goals, realize return on investment, and achieve the most unique, creative experiences.
About Annette Naif:
Since 1986 Annette Naif has been designing and producing custom events, helping clients create their unique style that translates into a memorable and profitable experience. Annette spent 17 years producing events in the motion picture industry where she helped coordinate numerous productions for film and episodic television programs. Since then Annette’s been running her own event production company, coaching other event planners, teaching an event operations and production course at NYU, and now is the CEO & Creative Director of Naif Productions.