Lessons in Stress-Free Wedding Planning, articles, love

Lessons in Stress-Free Wedding Planning

by Katia Jean Paul
published May 25, 2012

rating: (125 Ratings)

Former brides + brides-to-be share their pearls of wisdom

‘Tis the season to get married! Summer is a time when many couples get hitched, but we often wonder, “How do brides remain calm, cool and collected as they prepare for that momentous walk down the aisle?” Below, our married (and soon-to-be-married) readers impart some sound knowledge on stress-free wedding planning.

“My motto has been, ‘Easy peasy lemon squeezy’. I'm just keeping calm and not stressing, which I think stresses out my mother! The trick is to just stay laid back.” – Natasha

“Hire someone if you can […]: it will be well worth the money! Otherwise, enlist a good group of girlfriends who are willing to get together and help you [with] the décor prep. I eloped [at a courthouse] to relieve some of the stress. That way, I only had to plan the reception. That helped a lot.” – Lara

“Understand that, ultimately, something minor or major will go wrong. Don't fret: go with it and you will enjoy your day.” – Shauna

“I highly recommend a massage the day before or the day of if you can. It’s very relaxing.” - Susan

“You can plan and plan and stress to make everything perfect, but on the day of, you have to let it all go and enjoy the day. It goes so fast. Something might go wrong but you are probably the only one who will notice, so enjoy!” – Angela

“Since I like to plan things, I bought an agenda and did a lot of reading. Then, month by month, I knew what had to be done and made sure I got all the answers I needed.” - Joyce

“Double checking everything through phone calls, emails, and the paper work trail. Once a month, I checked in with my caterer, florist, photographer, baker, stylist, makeup artist, and tailor to see if they were having any specials so I could get more bang for my buck! You never know unless you ask.” - Jeanine

“Have someone to take care of things on the big day. They can make sure everyone is where they need to be, [and that all the] vendors get paid. They handle all the last-minute problems, they make sure that the gifts end up where they are supposed to, etc. Preferably, this person is not part of the wedding party. It makes for a much smoother day that you remember for the big things, not all the little issues.” – Stacey

“If you are not fortunate enough to be able to hire a professional, have a rockin’ crew of friends and family behind you! People you know [whom] you can count on to get things done. Have a vision, and let it be known to everyone involved. Go with the flow and breathe; we can't predict or prepare for every little hiccup. ‘Don't sweat the petty things. Pet the sweaty things,’ was my motto on the day of!” - Danielle

“Do it yourself far enough ahead, and do it yourself if you want it done right.” – Cheryl Lyn

“Make sure it’s the day you want and not what others want.” - Nancy

*Please note that the above comments have been edited for length and clarity.

Tag(s): love, living, relationships, family, wedding planning