Stress-free Wedding Planning

All the little details matter.
Photo by Norman Yu Photography

Hi all!  As many of you know, planning your wedding can be very stressful due to the amount of work, decisions and money that goes into it!  As I near the end of my countdown, here are a few tips that have helped me along the way:

1.  Use a checklist

Whether you choose to use an online version or print one out, these tools are invaluable!  Personally, I'm using the knot.com checklist because it has everything broken down by when it needs to get done.  It really does help you to make sure you don't forget anything or leave anything to the last minute!

2.  Don't put things off

I know it seems like forever before you're walking down the aisle, but trust me...that time FLIES.  Aim to check off at least one item per week on your checklist to keep up with things.  Set reminders on your calendar for deadlines such as payments to your vendors and dress fittings.

3.  Decide on a theme early

The sooner you have an overall vision for your wedding, the less time it will take you to decide on other things.  For example...if you decided that your theme will be "Starry Night" after the VanGogh painting, you can rule out the butterfly motif on all your paper products.

4.  Keep your fiance in the loop

Most guys don't care about the wedding day...they just want to know when and where to show up.  However, it never hurts to let them know what's going on to avoid any problems later.  For me, I'd assumed that since we're a fairly non-traditional couple that we'd be doing our wedding pictures before the ceremony to save time.  When I talked to my fiance about our day-of schedule, he informed me that he actually didn't want us to see each other until we met at the aisle.  Big surprise!  So yes...make sure that you check in with him from time to time to make sure he gets what he wants out of the wedding...it's his wedding too!

5.  Take some time off from wedding talk

Yes, your wedding is a big deal and deserves your attention and hard work, but don't run yourself ragged.  This is a special time in your life and you should get to enjoy it.  If you're feeling really stressed out, take a break!  Enjoy coffee with your friends or a date night with your fiance...and DON'T talk about the wedding! Or just chill out on your own with a good book and a piece of chocolate!

It's always good to treat yourself!