Wedding planning does not have to be complicated. Here are 5 things to let go of for simpler wedding planning and a stress free wedding planning process.
There is no doubt that wedding planning can become overwhelming super quickly. You probably have a million different ideas running through your head about how you want your big day to look. Planning a wedding can feel like a full time job. And assuming you have one already, wedding planning can quickly become stressful and exhausting.
But wedding planning does not have to be anxiety inducing. Here’s 5 things you can do to make your wedding planning simpler. These tips will help you stay on top of wedding planning, reducing stress, anxiety and decision fatigue.
1. Decide on the “extras” you want for your wedding and let go of the “nice to haves”
You might think that the best wedding in the world needs to include all of the latest wedding trends. Biodynamic confetti cannons or a dancefloor covered in dry ice. A DJ that also plays a diamond encrusted saxophone and fireworks to farewell guests. You’ve seen all the trends on Tik Tok or the gram.
But the truth is that the most memorable weddings incorporate personal details that reflect the two of you. Whether that’s mini figurines of your fur babies on your wedding cake. Or cocktails named after your favourite holiday locations. You don’t need to “have it all” to create a wedding that your guests will remember forever.
So instead of exploring every single idea out there, sit down and take a little time to chat about details you want to include on your day. The truth is that your wedding should be the perfect reflection of the two of you and your love story.
Let go of the “extra” wedding vendors you MIGHT like to reach out to because they are trending on socials. Instead, create a list of those you KNOW you want to explore. Believe me, you could search for ever and ever and still not find all of the amazing talent that exists in the wedding vendor marketplace.
Create a short list of options to explore. But don’t be tempted to create a list of EVERY wedding provider in each category in your city. This will only result in feeling overwhelmed.
When I work with couples to plan their weddings, I encourage them to cull options often during your wedding planning. For example, if you are considering having a DJ that can also play the saxophone or violin or any other instrument you love, reach out to three of your favourite options at a time. This ensures that your inbox doesn’t overflow with emails. These can quickly overwhelm you and take the fun out of exploring the significant amount of options available.
If you come up short with your initial list, shortlist another 3 or 4 options to consider.
Choose a few criteria to use when shortlisting wedding vendors. Here are a few examples:
- When we look at the website and socials for this provider, do they seem to fit the vibe we are looking to create on our wedding day?
- Is their pricing within our budget? Many vendors will list starting from, minimum spend or indicative pricing on their websites. Where they don’t do this, by all means reach out. If a vendor looks great, but is outside your price range, move on. This is only going to create a wedding budget head ache for you later on (see item 2 below!)
- Does this wedding vendor have many reviews available on line? Decide how many reviews you want to see as a minimum to put this wedding vendor on your shortlist
2. Let go of options you simply won’t fit in your wedding budget
If you are like most couples, you will need to prioritise where you will spend your wedding budget.
Yes. It would be awesome to have a celebrity sing at your wedding or a fireworks display that rivals those on New Years Eve in Paris, but don’t torture yourself by continuing to look at options that sit outside your budget.
As mentioned above, sometimes you can determine wedding vendors that sit outside your budget simply by looking at pricing on their websites.
Where this is not possible, reach out via email, their website contact form or their socials to learn more about pricing, before you fall in love with what the vendor is offering. There will be plenty of awesome options for you to consider within your price range, so keep looking!
3. For simpler wedding planning, break down your TO DO list
If you are already knee deep in wedding planning, you will have worked out that your wedding TO DO list remains long – right up until the week of getting married. And looking at that list every single day can quickly become overwhelming and stressful.
If you are constantly stressing over your to do list and lying in bed at night wondering how you’re going to get everything done, it is time to break down your to do list and to do less!
Take a look at your list and see if there are any jobs that someone else can do on your behalf. Delegate tasks where you can with clear instructions. Then prioritise your list and just focus on getting three things done a week.
Breaking your wedding to do list down is the best way to ease stress and anxiety as you plan your wedding.
4. Stop worrying about what other people think
Everybody’s love story is unique. And you want your wedding to reflect the two of you authentically. So stop worrying about what other people will think about what you plan for your wedding day. The most important thing is that the two of you have the best day ever.
Constant scrolling of social media and unsolicited advice from family members and friends can quickly result in you losing focus on what YOU want for your wedding day. Letting go of the expectation of others and instead focussing on finding the perfect vendor team to bring your vision to life, is a positive step to taking back control of your wedding planning. It most certainly leads to less stress in the lead up to your wedding.
I have been a part of many weddings. I can tell you that the most memorable weddings are those where the couple have added personal touches and elements that mean something to them, rather than incorporating the latest trend or bowing to family pressure.
5. Brush off feelings of resentment
Life can be messy. Yes, you are marrying your favourite person in the world but that doesn’t mean that family and friends will behave exactly as you would like, during the wedding planning process. For simpler wedding planning, brush off any feelings of resentment and frustration with those around you.
Having a positive mindset and a commitment to “not sweating the small stuff” will serve you well throughout your wedding planning process. Any of these scenarios sound familiar?
- You’ve asked someone you love to help you with a task and they have flaked out on you and not followed up
- A guest has just let you know they cannot come to your wedding and you’ve already printed your Seating Chart
- Your bestie is supposed to be coming along to all of your appointments with you, but is constantly late
Whilst it is important to have personal boundaries and to express disappointment when people let you down, it’s also important to maintain some perspective whilst planning your wedding. If someone turns up late to a pre wedding event, it doesn’t mean that they should be struck from your wedding guest list.
Resentment can take up a lot of real estate in your mind and let’s be honest – there are plenty of other positive things to think about when you’re planning your wedding. You cannot control people or their actions. Simplify your life and let go if you can.
It can take a few attempts but I assure you that there are so many awesome things to daydream about ahead of your wedding – focus on those things instead.
So, there you have it. 5 easy ways to create a simpler wedding planning journey. Remember that wedding planning is supposed to be fun. Anticipating your wedding should be exciting. By simplifying your wedding planning, you are both more likely to enjoy the process and reach your wedding day energised and ready to have the day of your lives.
Need a hand with planning your wedding? Get in touch. We’d love to help.
Photo credit: fotopettine