Tips for Lower Stress Wedding Planning

At 26 years old I had never been involved in wedding planning of any sort, so when I sat down to start planning mine, well, it was a tiny bit overwhelming. However, I learned a few things fast, as well as a few tricks to help with the stress. Countless books and articles have been written on this very subject and if others mention these three things... it's for a good reason.

1) Get Organized!- This is simply the easiest, most important thing you can do to ease the stress level of any event. If you can keep everything in one place from the word "go", then nothing should get lost. Devote one folder, notebook, or three ring binder to this cause, and then use it! Use it to hold all your lists, ideas, pictures, brochures, catalogs, business cards, contracts, etc. If do-it-yourself organization isn't up your alley, you can buy wedding planning books with tabs for every aspect of preparation imaginable, and websites such as ourweddingday.com will give weekly updates as to what needs to get done when. Whatever path you choose to get organized, just do it. You'll be glad you did!

2) Do What YOU Want- No, no, I'm not saying to be one of those "Bride-zillas" you see on TV, but this is a special day, and presumably a one in a lifetime experience. You want it to be as perfect as possible. Family and friends will barrage you with suggestions about how you "should" do this or you "have to" to that, but remember- you don't have to do anything that doesn't fit your vision of this wonderful day. Advice should always be considered and other people's experiences should always be taken to heart, however, if you have a very specific idea of what you want, that idea should be politely, but firmly, be relayed to others. You'll be more comfortable and at ease knowing that you won't regret anything about the ceremony ten years up the road. Note- this is especially important if the bride and groom are footing most of the bill. It's your money, spend it how you like!

3) Don't Forget to Include the Groom- It's no secret that a wedding, and wedding planning, is much more exciting for the bride than the groom. Rarely has a groom had his wedding planned out since childhood! But in the bride's excitement, it is easy to forget that there will be a second person standing in front of that alter. Make it a point to include your fiancé's input, and be sensitive to the aspects of wedding planning that he can't be involved in (such as picking out the dress.) If your groom has the apathetic, "do whatever you want" attitude, then give him specific tasks to get him involved. Planning as a couple not only helps relieve stress, it helps to deepen the bond you two have already formed.

These three tips have already gone a long way for me and I hope they can help others as well. Despite what books and magazines claim, I don't believe there is any such thing as a completely stress-free wedding, but that doesn't mean it has to give you an ulcer either! The most important thing to remember is to relax and enjoy your big day!