A wedding is "supposed" to be the happiest day of your life, but you'd never know that by visiting a couple a few days before the event! Weddings are a planning nightmare that are made worse by the fairy-tale expectations that this day needs to be perfect. Since most couples have as little experience with event planning than they do with marriage, this can be a very stressful time where thoughts of centerpieces, appetizers, and wedding favors are on the couple's mind far more than romance and starting a life together. In most cases, this stress is much worse for brides, many of whom grew up fantasizing about their wedding days.
As you plan your wedding, keep things in perspective! Here are a few strategies to help your wedding planning stay as stress-free as possible.
- Accept that the wedding will not be perfect. Something is going to go wrong, guaranteed. The chicken might be a little underdone, or the flowers might arrive late, or the flower girl might be whiny. None of these things matter, and they will give you something to laugh and tell stories about later.
- Delegate. Do not try to put together a wedding all by yourself. Ask members of the wedding party, family members, and friends to run errands for you. Most people will be happy to help, especially if you distribute small tasks to a number of people.
- Grooms, this is your wedding too! Typically, the woman does a whole lot more of the wedding planning than the man. No wonder women turn into Bridezillas! This event is the mutual responsibility of both of you, so guys, you need to do more than get fitted for a tux.
- Stick to a realistic budget. One things brides and grooms are stressed out about is how much money they are spending. Resist the bridal industry's pressure to spend a fortune on the perfect wedding and avoid extravagant purchases. Knowing that you won't be paying off credit card debt for years will cut your stress level down considerably. This goes for the honeymoon too. Cheap honeymoons are just as romantic.
- Don't worry about what other people think. No matter what you do, someone is going to gossip and complain about your wedding. Some people are just like that. You can't please everyone, so don't try to.
- Consider hiring a wedding planner. If you can afford the expense, it just might be worth the expense to pay someone else to be stressed out.
- Don't stress out about family problems you can't control. Sadly, weddings sometimes bring out the worst in people. Maybe Aunt Bertha and Aunt Mabel are sniping about having to being in the same room together. Maybe your sister just broke off her engagement and is too jealous to be much of a help. You can't control other people's behavior. All you can do is be nice to everyone and let them work out their own baggage.
- Focus on the important thing-- the marriage! The quality of your flower arrangements does not matter. The quality of your marriage does. Try to spend some relaxing time together as a couple and reflect upon your good fortune of finding one another.
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