This post is for couples who can really feel the pressures of wedding planning stress or who would like to avoid them.
After reading this blog post my prayer is that you don’t feel overwhelmed with stress when you think about planning your wedding.
Wedding planning stress is a real thing. For most of us, the days or months leading up to the big day can be stressful. It’s not just the pressure of finding the perfect dress and shoes, but also the pressure of making sure everything goes smoothly on the big day itself.
There are so many things to consider: what will we do if it rains? Will our guests have enough food? What if they get sick? How much money should I spend on decorations? And how am I going to pay for all these expenses?
The challenge with keeping wedding planning stress management comes from so many different directions. Wedding Budget, designing, wedding guest lists, finding a perfect wedding venue, family dynamics, and travel, are just a few things that are obvious stressors.
The list could go on forever. The truth is that there is no way to prepare for every possible scenario. So, instead of trying to plan for every eventuality, try to focus on the positive aspects of your dream wedding. Talk to your friends and family about your anxieties. Expectations are important, but unrealistic expectations can cause more stress than necessary and lead to bad decisions.
The challenge with keeping wedding planning stress at a manageable level is that it comes from so many different directions all at one time. Budgeting, designing, wedding guest lists, and travel, just to name a few things that are easily stressors.
The Stress-Reducing Stages
As soon as you’re engaged
As soon as you say, “yes!” you will want to be sure to have a plan to keep your wedding planning stress low. Actually, you can even do this before you even think about getting engaged like when you start dating or if you know that you one day plan to be married.
6 months to go
Wedding planning stress comes in different phases and waves. But the last 6 months of planning your wedding can be especially stressful. This is when things start to really get set in terms of making sure your vendors and wedding party are in place when you send invitations and be sure that your multiple wedding events are all taken care of. All of these are great reasons to make sure that you have a plan for your wedding planning stress.
On the day of your wedding
What if you could reduce the stress of wedding planning at the very beginning by including these 5 steps in your plan?
Every single wedding will involve a great deal of stress. We cover this point in other blog posts however it is worth repeating. Every couple should have a plan on how to deal with this stress. This will help to think about life from the wedding day to the marriage.
Therefore, the good news is that by taking some clearly defined steps to reduce stress you will significantly change how your wedding planning process will go.
Another one of our favorites is the Calm.com app!
Wedding Planning Stress Reducers
If you want to turn your pre-wedding period into the happiest time of your life and get rid of wedding stress levels altogether, then you need to take some action. Here are 5 ways to reduce wedding planning stress:
Plan a Getaway
This has become a challenge with the presence of COVID however there are creative ways to still plan a getaway. As an engaged couple, you can take a day trip to a nearby city or if you are feeling especially adventurous you can even take a roundtrip flight on the same day to a special surprise destination. There are still options for you to plan the escape that you need to help reduce your stress as you prepare to plan for your wedding day.
Be Present
One of the challenges today for just about everyone is to be present. The main reason for this is because of the influence of social media in our daily lives. While we are scrolling, liking, and loving we are often not as present as we could be. The good news is that there are better ways to take the break we need whether it’s from social media or from our daily routine.
You can always put your phone on airplane mode if you need a quick break. This has always been a great feature that apple provides through its devices. You can also activate the “Do Not Disturb” feature that will help you to focus on being present and you can answer your messages when you prefer.
Instagram also just released a feature that allows users to set a daily limit for their use. Read more about this feature here.
Consistent Prayer and Devotional Life
Another recommended way to keep your wedding planning stress down is to be sure to keep your prayer and devotional life consistent. This is something that Believers will find helpful in general however it’s worth lifting up that the wedding planning process can be especially stressful and you will certainly benefit from keeping your prayer and devotional life moving forward.
There are so many tools to help us with this today, most notably the youversion app that helps you to keep track of how many days you have done your devotional without being overbearing. You can always set your notifications to let you know whether you would like to be reminded to spend time doing your devotional or using the many resources that they offer such as a place to write your own prayers and submit them to your community.
Whether you choose to use an app or keep track of your devotional life in a different way the key is to grow together spiritually as a couple in the way that is best suited for you. And again, you will also keep your wedding planning stress low if you consistently
Remember the Joy in Each Task
One of the things that will help you to keep your wedding planning stress low is to simply stop. Stop after every victory. Stop after every challenge. Stop after every reason to celebrate and just acknowledge how things are going during your process. It’s especially important to take time to remember the joy in everything you do for your wedding.
This is a joyous occasion that started with being excited to meet someone and the relationship that grew from that moment. This journey continues because of an indescribable day when you decided that you would get married. Remember to keep celebrating and not get caught up in tasks and checklists that you forget that this all began with joy.
Keep a Journal
Take these steps to reduce your stress from your engagement to your wedding day. You will be glad that you have a plan specifically to deal with wedding planning stress. Take it from experience that wedding planning stress will come in one form or another.
By following these steps you will have confidence that you are prepared. Also, feel free to create steps of your own as you see fit. No one knows your situation better than you do.
Hire a Wedding Planner
If you are having trouble dealing with wedding planning stress, hiring a wedding planner may be what you need. A wedding planner will take care of much of the work involved in planning a wedding.
They will handle details such as finding venues, creating timelines, arranging your bridal party, creating seating charts, and making sure everyone stays on schedule. Hiring a wedding planner will allow you to enjoy the wedding instead of worrying about the details.
To Sum Up
Having cold feet before your wedding is natural and normal. You may find yourself caught in the vicious cycle of feeling stressed out and anxious about your wedding. However, there are ways to break this cycle and make your wedding day special.
Hopefully, this list reduces your stress. Check back for more content on wedding planning.
