Planning a wedding is a lot of work, and nearly every couple wants each detail to be perfect. This is very understandable as it’s one of the biggest parties you’ll ever host. Best of all, you get to stand in the limelight and soak in love from all your guests. But before you can say “I do,” you have to plan that celebration, which may get stressful. As the tension builds, the bridal monster may get loose. Use these stress-free planning tips to avoid becoming a bridezilla before or on your special day!
Decide What Matters Most
In the early stages of planning, sit down with your partner to decide what details of the wedding matter most. Then organize the tasks you need to do according to priority. This prevents the risk of putting too much emphasis on every planning task.
Remember that nothing trumps your love for your partner when deciding what’s a priority. If you can’t order from the florist you’d hoped to, that’s fine, even if flowers were a high priority. At its core, a wedding is about one thing—the love between you and your partner. Getting overly anxious or frustrated will only spoil the moments of premarital bliss.
Ditch Trends and Tradition
Trying to keep up with all the latest trends or follow each tradition also creates unnecessary stress and may not be what you want. There’s no need to add layers of stress, especially if you think you need to keep up with Instagram-worthy trends or family traditions.
Attention People Pleasers
Some of us want to make everyone happy all the time, but the reality is that this isn’t possible. Knowing how to survive wedding planning as a people pleaser ensures you don’t put unnecessary pressure on yourself.If you plan to invite over 100 guests, some people may not love what you serve for dinner, and others may have their opinions on the decor. You can’t worry about making everyone think that each wedding detail is perfect because we all have our own definitions of what’s ideal.
What matters most is that you meet guests’ needs. There should be ample seating, several food options, great music, and a party atmosphere. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Your wedding should fit your vision because you and your partner will have the strongest memories of the day.
Consider Everyone’s Budget
You may have a high budget for the wedding, but that doesn’t mean bridesmaids and groomsmen have the same luxury. So as you pick out attire, plus hair and makeup requirements, keep things within a realistic price range.
If you have a destination wedding, requiring an expensive dress and professional hair and makeup for all your bridesmaids could be too costly for them. The last thing you want to do is snap at a friend for expressing affordability concerns. Having them stand at your side is as much an honor for you as it is for them.
Accept the Unexpected
Another tip to make wedding planning stress free and avoid becoming a bridezilla is to accept that some things are out of your control. No matter how much you plan, unexpected events will pop up along the way, and that’s just part of life. Rather than dread this and unleash bridezilla, take a step back and think of ways you can fix the situation to keep moving forward.
Even the healthiest people can get sick. So if your maid of honor gets sick on the wedding day, who’s your second in command? Similarly, have a backup plan for outdoor venues; the weather can shift from sunny to rainy in a few hours, and you don’t want to scramble for an alternative.
Know When To Laugh
Sometimes, laughter is the best medicine, and humor is a great way to cope. Have a good laugh if some details don’t go according to plan. Let’s say your centerpieces don’t look as perfect as you envisioned—laugh. In our mind, everything looks ideal because there are no boundaries in our imagination.
Being humorous about the situation and your reaction can help you put those minor mishaps into perspective. Will guests notice those tiny details you’ve stressed over? Probably not. They’re too focused on the delicious food, dancing, and celebrating the love between you and your partner.
Prepare the Wedding Party
While you should accept that some things are out of your control, there are a few mishaps you can prevent. Don’t wait until the rehearsal dinner to ensure your bridesmaids and groomsmen have their attire. This is especially true for out-of-town guests and when ordering clothing online.
For example, if you have bridesmaids buying their dresses from an online store, ask them to send you a photo of the dress once they get it. You could also all get together physically or virtually to try on the dresses. This is important because when buying online, your bridesmaids risk accidentally ordering the wrong color or style. Give yourself the peace of mind of knowing everyone looks uniform.
Ask for Help
We all need help sometimes, and no matter how Type-A you are, a little assistance from your partner and the wedding party goes a long way. Trying to take on everything yourself will create stress. The more worn out you feel, the thinner your patience becomes, giving bridezilla the perfect opportunity to debut and wreak havoc.
Planning a wedding is more fun when you have someone along for the ride, and one of the best ways to deal with wedding planning burnout is delegating tasks. Rather than try to send out all the invitations yourself, have your partner help you. The two of you could divide and conquer by splitting the guest list in half to tackle equal parts.
Take Care of Yourself
As important as planning your wedding is, it shouldn’t come before caring for your mind and body. If you’ve been sitting at the kitchen table for hours researching different bakers and cake designs, put the electronic device away to give your eyes a break. Instead, spend time bonding with your besties by going out for dinner and drinks or having a slumber party! This gives you a mental reset and takes your mind off the wedding so you can live in the moment.
Nourish Your Body
No matter what people say, you don’t have to take up a high-intensity workout routine or drastically cut your diet. Your partner loves you the way you are. Plus, going over the top with exercise or dietary changes can negatively impact your stress levels. If you plan to cut specific food groups or adopt a heavy workout routine, talk with your doctor first to ensure you do what’s best for your body.
Bridal Tip
Remember to continue enjoying your favorite treats. A big part of maintaining a healthy diet is enjoying everything in moderation. Enjoy a cookie or bowl of ice cream after a long wedding planning session.
Give the Benefit of the Doubt
Your vendors may make a few mistakes, so you should have a conversation rather than get angry about this. While these are professionals, they’re also human. A vendor may misunderstand some of your requests, or a minor detail could slip their mind. However, their mistake isn’t intentional.
If your inner Bridezilla whispers error was on purpose, remind yourself that the vendor has a business and reputation to uphold; they don’t have a vendetta against you. The best professionals will do everything they can to correct their mistakes, so you don’t have to fret on your big day. It all starts with a calm and open conversation about what went wrong.
Have Fun
The best way to keep bridezilla at bay is to live in the moment and soak up that premarital bliss. Things will go wrong, and that’s okay. You can laugh about it while devising a new plan with your partner and friends. By having a meltdown, you’ll expend a lot of energy that could’ve gone into correcting the issue you got upset about. No problem is unsolvable; sometimes, the solution is just hidden in the chaos. Enjoy every moment of wedding planning and welcome your big day with a smile.
