It started off as fun and exciting when you announced your engagement right? Then it quickly turned into a bit of a mess. Whether it’s your friends well-intended pressing of decor ideas on you, those dreaded budget discussions, or family drama over the guest list, it really can get to be too much to handle. And it comes on top of all the normal, everyday life worries you already have. When did getting married become so complicated?
First of all, know that these feelings are completely normal! Weddings can become emotional, high-stress events for just about everyone at some point. The key is to know your triggers, and have a game plan for handling it.
So what is the plan? Here’s my best tips below -
Prioritise
If you’re trying to control absolutely every aspect of your wedding on your own, please just stop. I promise that you can leave a lot of this stuff to your trusted vendors and not only will they love you if you don’t try to micro-manage them, they’ll also be able to do their best work for you.
For the things that you must handle yourself, prioritise the tasks you enjoy and care about the most, and either delegate the rest to friends and family, or give it the flick entirely (there’s no rule that says you have to give bombonniere to your guests).
Reward Yourself
Yay, treats! If you’re having trouble keeping your motivation levels up for wedding planning then let me refer you back to your school days when you got to have a chocolate freckle every time you solved a math equation in your homework. No? Just me?
When you have a huge list of tasks to complete, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Just take it one task at a time and when you’re finished, don’t forget to treat yo’self! (It doesn’t have to be freckles, you can try m&m’s, online shopping, or a manicure - you do you).
Meditate
If you’re not a regular on the meditation train, that’s okay, I got you. This technique is super-easy and anyone with a spare five minutes can do it. If you’re able to, go outside and stand on the lawn with bare feet, but if you’re at a desk job in the city this will still work - Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Pay attention to the physical sensations around you, such as the feel of sunlight on your face, and note the things you can hear such as birds singing or a gentle breeze. Observe how your body feels in that moment. This is a meditation technique known as grounding. It will slow your heart rate and help you feel calm and in control again, ready to face whatever’s going on without panic.
Go on a Date
If wedding planning stress is putting a strain on your relationship with your partner, it’s time to press pause on it all and schedule in a date night, where you can just enjoy each other’s company again. See if you can level-up by banning any wedding talk on the date also. This is something I actively encourage my couple’s to do, and we schedule in ‘planning breaks’ so you can take time away from the to-do list.
Hire Professional Planning Help
You know I had to at least mention this ;) And look, it really is a big help to have a professional wedding planner by your side. A great planner will guide you in the right direction with your plans, take on a ton of the tasks for you, and will also be a shoulder when you need some emotional support. We’re a bit like hairdressers - a safe person to spill your thoughts and worries to, because we’re not going to report back to your family or friends.
Finally, remember what’s truly important here - it isn’t the colour of your linens, or the font on your seating chart. Although those details can be fun, the real goal here is to get married. If you get to the end of your wedding day and you’re married to your person, then mission accomplished and well done you!
Sparrow Weddings believes your engagement should be full of joy and an exciting adventure. That’s why our planning team is dedicated to making it simple, keeping it light, and focussing on the details - so you don’t have to!
Get in touch with our team today to find out how we can help you create your dream wedding and nix the stress, so you can get back to important things like enjoying a netflix binge with your partner-in-crime xo
