9 Ways to Make Sure You Enjoy Your Wedding Planning

Planning & Advice

There’s no doubt about it, planning a wedding can be stressful business and the journey to the altar isn’t always as straight forward as you might expect. Lengthy to-do lists can put a dent in the excitement levels and can turn what’s supposed to be fun in to a bit of a chore. Make sure your wedding planning is less stress and more fun with these 9 tips…

1. Invest in a Fab Notebook – When it comes to your wedding, a notebook or wedding planner will really be a bit of a lifesaver. Lists and weddings go hand in hand so having a place to jot down thoughts, ideas and list after list will help keep you sane. It’s also the perfect spot to pop any lovely fabrics or wedding tears you come across – Irish business MyWeddingPlanner.ie have a handy planning journal specifically for Irish brides – you can pick it up here.

2. Get Organised – Staying on top of things will mean less stress. A cute wedding countdown sign will have you super excited and will ensure you’re on track! Keep everything together in one place (a dedicated email address or folder can come in very handy) so you don’t lose your mind looking for it and give yourself plenty of time to tackle your tasks. You don’t want to finally get around to emailing your band of choice, only to find out they booked your date last month.

3. Let Others Help – It can be hard to let go of the planning reigns and let others in on your ideas for your Big Day. But delegating will free up time so you can concentrate on the fun stuff or things that really matter to you. People want to help so take some of the stress off yourself and let them. Get you mam typing up labels for your invitation envelopes, your sister looking for bridesmaid dresses or your aunt who is a whiz with a wooden spoon, making your dessert table treats. It means fewer tasks on your to-do list – whoop!

4. Have Fun Days Out – Make a big deal out of your wedding excursions! Tastings, venue visits and sampling one delicious wedding cake after the next are all fun wedding milestones so make a bit of a day out of them. And use your shopping days to have girly fun with your mam, sisters or friends – indulge in a bit of pampering, have a celebratory cocktail when you find your dream dress (or your mam’s MOB ensemble) and some lovely lunches where you can all enjoy the build up.

5. Get Friends Involved – The DIY project you’d your heart set on lovingly crafting will fast become a chore if you’re going it alone. Rope in friends to make it more fun. Have a monthly girls’ night in where you have a bit of a catch up, a couple of glasses of wine and tackle some of your wedding projects whether it’s cutting out place cards, gluing rhinestones to wedding stationery or making your very own wedding signs. Another cute idea is to have them share Pinterest ideas with you so you can all indulge in some gorgeous inspiration together.

6. Avoid Confrontation – It can be tough. Everyone has an amazing piece of advice for you once you flash the ring. People want to help and most suggestions are done with the best intentions at heart but sometimes you just don’t want to hear it. Be polite and thank them but if it’s not for you, just let it slide. You don’t have to go along with any element you’re not happy with for the sake of tradition, because it’s the done thing or because someone’s putting pressure on you.

7. Timing – It’s easy to live in a wedding bubble and forget about all else. While you’re super excited about the centrepiece idea you came across on Pinterest or the adorable sign you’ve got to have for your niece, your other half may not have the same enthusiasm after a day’s work. Nothing will bring you back down to earth quicker than an argument with your partner so set specific times to discuss wedding related stuff to avoid unnecessary tension.

8. Wedding Free Time – While your wedding is a huge and such an important part of your life, it isn’t the only part of your life. It can be hard to enjoy something when you live and breathe it so make sure to take some time away from the Excel spreadsheets and planning notebook for normal stuff like cinema dates with your ladies, a night on the couch with a good book or a slap up dinner with your partner. You’ll enjoy the time you do spend wedding planning way more.

9. Treat Yourself – This is such a special time so make it extra meaningful and special with some fun touches. Treat yourself to something you’ve always dreamed about whether it’s a gorgeous pair of shoes, a fab garter or the prettiest bridal robe in honour of the wedding morning, something you can peek at when it’s all getting a bit too much, that will make you smile. Check out some gorgeous bridal accessories here and some super lovely ideas to get you in bridal mode here. And if all else fails, remember why you’re doing this in the first place – that person you get to call ‘Husband’ or ‘Wife’.

Main photo from Anne & Julian’s real wedding by Denlo Photography