Ask The Experts: How to Help Manage Wedding Stress

Picking out wedding details can feel dreamy. It’s fun to taste-test cake flavours and try on wedding dresses, but sometimes even the most romantic time of your life may feel stressful. Use these tips to help manage wedding stress and have an enjoyable experience right up through the day you walk down the aisle.

Photo by  Gabriela – full shoot here 

1. Get Your Partner Involved

You may feel pressured to make every decision about your wedding on your own. Although your opinion is crucial, you can always get your partner more involved in the planning experience. Divide the responsibilities according to your strengths or have them sit with you during phone calls. You’ll feel more supported and less stressed because you’re not alone.

2. Look Into a Wedding Planner

The most recent research shows that 32% of engaged couples hire wedding planners to handle every last detail. It could be the most straightforward way to manage your wedding stress. They’ll add an extra fee to your budget, so consider how much you can spend. If you have to plan everything yourself, no worries. There are plenty of other stress management tips to try.

photo by Juliana Noelle Jumper – full shoot here

3. Spend More Time Outdoors

Spending time in the sunshine and breathing fresh air could reduce your stress more effectively by changing your environment. Go for an evening walk after dinner or plan local hikes on the weekend. The outdoors may clear your mind so you’re ready to dive back into planning without as much anxiety.

4. Dump Your Brain

Writing down your thoughts can help you let go of your worries. If you haven’t enjoyed journaling before, consider trying a new version.
Brain dumping is a chance to write your stream of consciousness for five to 10 minutes. After your timer goes off, note what’s causing the most anxiety and formulate a plan to solve those problems.

Brain dump journaling releases pent-up emotions that could contribute to your rising stress levels. You’ll feel less frustrated after putting your pen down and walk away with steps to solve the problems that most concern you.

Photo by Samuel Box Photography – full wedding here 

5. Book Things Early

Securing the specific details you want for your wedding might make you more anxious than anything else. Venues and vendors often book events months in advance, if not over a year before the date arrives. Booking things as early as possible will prevent further stress by ensuring your date won’t go to another couple.

6. Keep Your To-Do List Updated

You’ll have weeks or months of wedding planning to track. Create a to-do list that’s easy to update and accessible for everyone involved. A shared digital document will have real-time updates whenever someone finishes another aspect of your wedding planning. You won’t accidentally waste time doing something that’s already done or miscommunicating with your team.

Photo by Riley Glenn Photography – full shoot here

7. Stick With Your Budget

If you haven’t already made your wedding budget, start with your guest list by making the best estimation possible. Even after declaring your hard spending limits, people may pressure you to spend more than you can afford. Sticking with it will make you less stressed because you won’t have to worry about wedding debt after your big day passes.

8. Practice Saying No

Part of sticking with your budget means saying no. It also might mean that you have to repeat your no. People often request extra guests, recommend a bigger venue or ask for different bridesmaids’ dresses. The differences could mean spending money you don’t have or changing your wedding dream to make other people happy.
Get comfortable saying no to reduce your stress and keep it low. Your big day is all about what you and your partner want. That’s the only thing that matters when it comes to final decisions.
When you say no to someone, they may push you to change your mind. Hold firm on your decision. They’ll eventually grow used to what you want. If not, they don’t have to attend.

photo by Stephanie Kelly Photography – full wedding here 

9. Let Others Handle Small Details

Although your opinion is vital for every decision, you can let others handle more minor details to prevent your anxiety from rising. Someone else could commit to picking up your flower order on your wedding day or answer questions from your wedding party. You’ll have less to worry about because the people closest to you will shoulder some responsibilities.

10. Clock Out Every Night

You wouldn’t be able to relax if you left work and continued working on your laptop past midnight. The same idea applies to your wedding planning process. Set a hard time limit on how much time you’ll spend thinking about and planning your wedding after work or dinner. You deserve time to unwind, release your anxiety and sleep to process everything you did during the day.

photo by Martina Boggian – full wedding here

Manage Your Wedding Stress More Effectively

It’s okay to need help managing wedding stress. Although your big day will be fantastic, getting there can be challenging. Use these tips to support yourself and find help from other people. You’ll accomplish everything that needs to happen to make your wedding possible without your mental health falling apart.

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