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Planning for your wedding can be one of the most exciting and stressful times of your life.
After you’ve chosen the perfect date, you find yourself with a never-ending checklist of things to do.
In no time you’ll be meeting with potential DJ’s, tasting every cake sample in sight, and imagining yourself at countless venue options.
For some engaged couples, they’ve been dreaming of the day they could begin putting together the details of their perfect wedding.
Others might start to feel overwhelmed, disorganized, and stressed.
If you’re one of the latter, know that it’s completely normal to feel a little defeated when planning the biggest day of your life.
Although not every detail is fun to plan, there should be some moments that get you excited about your special day.
In order to beat the wedding stress, it’s important to get ahead and have an idea of what to expect.
Here are a five tips for those of you at the start of your wedding planning journey.
Start Immediately
Begin by creating your wedding timeline.
Narrow down a season or even ideal month when you’d like to have your wedding.
This helps when working out key dates for booking things in and when sending inquiring to vendors, asking for their availability.
Big bookings, like the wedding venue, should be chosen as soon as possible.
Your venue influences so many other wedding planning details, such as how many people you can invite, what type of vendors will work, and if you’ll need to purchase additional decor.
Try using a wedding planner to help keep your dates and to-do lists organized.
Starting early and staying organized keeps you on track and saves you from any last-minute stress.
Get Plenty of Rest
A common wedding planning mistake is not knowing when to take a break.
Sure, completing the tasks on your to-do list feels great, but every now and then it’s important to take a moment for yourself.
Make going to bed on time a priority so that you can develop a healthy and regular sleep routine.
Most of us require seven to nine hours of sleep to function at our best and reduce stress, which is definitely important with such a big life event around the corner.
An hour before bed, put your phone away, read a book or take a relaxing bath.
This will help your mind and body know that sleep is coming.
Dim the lights and spritz relaxing lavender spray (if you have it) to help your body adjust.
Put down the planning and spend your evenings unwinding before calling it a night.
Eat Healthy
We’ve all heard the saying that when we feel good on the inside, we look good on the outside.
As cliché as it might be, there’s some truth to it.
Giving your body essential nutrients can leave your skin and hair glowing, and can provide the natural energy you need for all those pre-wedding activities.
For some engaged couples, their upcoming wedding day is the perfect motivation to change unhealthy habits.
If you haven’t already, think about the health goals you’d like to reach before your wedding day that will help you feel happy and confident in your wedding outfit.
Boost your smoothie with Power Blendz.
Whether you’re looking to maintain your weight, drop a few pounds, or gain some weight to fill out your wedding apparel, finding a science-based weight loss program can help get you on track to reach your health and fitness goals.
Exercise Regularly
Daily movement and exercise have been linked to reducing stress and improving overall happiness, so now is the perfect opportunity to try that fitness class you’ve been hearing about or mixing up your gym routine.
Plus, when you start to see the physical and mental results of working out, you’re motivation for this new-found lifestyle may continue long beyond our wedding day.
Set your fitness goals and find a workout that works specifically to achieve them.
If working out on your own is a struggle, this could also be the perfect opportunity for some bonding with your wedding party.
Book a group yoga class or try a new spin class together for some extra motivation and accountability.
Ask For Help
Wedding planning is stressful.
Whether you’re handling most of it alone or you and your partner are in it together there are times when it can all feel a bit much.
When you feel burnout creeping up, reach out for help.
Your wedding party, friends, and family, in most cases, are happy to help.
Start by getting a feel for your bridal party’s upcoming schedules.
Are there any appointments they can attend with you so the load is shared?
Or can they help simply by catching up with you for a coffee and a chat so you can unload and talk through some of your ideas.
Wedding Planning Isn’t a Journey You Have to Take Alone
Plan accordingly, take time for yourself, and remember to keep your health in mind and the process will be enjoyable and rewarding.
In the end, as long as you get to celebrate marrying the love of your life with your closest friends and family, you’ve had a successful wedding.
Download the Ultimate Destination Wedding Checklist for Couples
McKenzi Taylor is America’s go-to elopement and micro wedding expert, often featured in small and major media outlets, such as the New York Times. With over 15 years of wedding photography experience, it was after planning her own Las Vegas elopement in 2016 that McKenzi felt her purpose shift into elopement coordination. She started Cactus Collective Weddings soon after in 2017. Since then, she’s become a WIPA board member, and has helped well over 1000 couples get hitched in style around Las Vegas, San Diego and Black Hills.
