The Single Girl's Guide to Planning a Wedding

If you're a die-hard single like me, you scoff at the idea of ever becoming engaged or planning a wedding. I did the same thing, until I fell in love with an amazing man and became engaged in August. I am currently in the midst of planning my own wedding, and let me tell you, sometimes I want to say "forget the wedding; let's get married at the courthouse instead." It's a good thing my fiancee and friends keep reminding me that planning a wedding and getting married can be one of the most wonderful times of your life, regardless of how many times you want to pull your hair out or just hire Subway to cater the event.

Planning a wedding doesn't have to cause so much stress, and here are the things I have found do the best job of keeping me stress-free when planning my wedding.

First, always remember to set aside some alone time with the one you love. Planning a wedding is a time-consuming event, and it's easy to forget the reasons why you have decided to get married in the first place in the midst of picking out a caterer, band and flowers. Make an agreement that at least two nights a week, there is no wedding talk allowed. Go out to dinner, grab some drinks with friends at the local bar, or just cuddle up in front of the television and forget all about planning a wedding. This will help ensure that the wedding planning doesn't consume your entire life.

Next, set a budget and stick to it. There are some times when I receive e-mails from potential reception sites and I gush at the idea of getting married in Kansas City's fanciest hotel and having the swankiest reception, but with costs upwards of $20,000, my dreams are quickly squashed. Remember that planning a wedding doesn't have to cost you a fortune. We have committed to a small budget of $7,000 and I'm finding that there should be some money left over to tuck away for a down payment on our first house. Planning a wedding shouldn't cost so much that you don't have any money left to start a future with. You can plan a lovely, memorable wedding that won't drain your checking and savings accounts. Plus, starting with a budget beforehand can make all other aspects of planning a wedding that much easier: you'll know how much you can spend on your dress or the cake.

Finally, in the midst of planning a wedding, don't be afraid to call on friends for help and advice, even those single ones you're afraid you'll alienate. Remember that not long ago, you were one of those single girls too, until planning a wedding took up so much of your time that you forgot how hard today's dating scene is. My friends have provided a lot of help, even with such trivial things as picking out colors. In addition to asking your friends for help while planning a wedding, don't forget to set aside some regular quality time with them as well. One of the things I feared most after getting engaged was losing touch with my friends while beginning a life with my new fiancee. It is only after quality time with friends that I realized planning a wedding doesn't have to consume my entire life. Plus, they are always there to help you with those occasional wedding jitters. Believe me, everyone gets them.

While planning a wedding, it's easy to get lost in the bridal magazines, food tastings and tours of possible reception sites. Setting aside quality time with your fiancee and friends and sticking to an agreed budget will help ease some of the stress you will experience while planning a wedding. Hopefully, you'll even manage to hold on to some of your single girl ideals and dreams. Good luck with your upcoming nuptials.