Engagements are always such a loving and joyful time that the pivot towards focusing on planning the wedding can make some couples anxious. However, it’s essential to remember what you’re doing and why you’re doing it, and this should help keep a sense of perspective. With some help and handy tips, we’ll help you remain calm,
So you can enjoy the process leading up to such a special day.
Communicate Effectively with Your Partner
Just like in any other aspect in life, communication is key when planning your wedding. As a wedding planner, you have so many things to discuss with so many parties, so it can be good to approach this like running a business. Assign roles and responsibilities to other people, and make sure that there are clear channels of communication, so that you all feel supported and heard.
Communicating with vendors, especially in the initial phases can be tiresome and irritating, so setting clear briefs and delegating to bridesmaids, groomsmen, family, and friends can be a good way to refine your options.

When you do find the vendors with best services for you, take the time to read the contracts they send you, to fully understand what services they are providing and what their terms are. This can help you develop a better understanding of what you can expect and allow you to maintain reasonable expectations.
Something to keep mindful of when deciding your vendor is to pay attention to their communication styles. Find a vendor that makes you feel at ease. Having a vendor that makes all communication seems effortless will lift a great burden off your shoulders when planning your wedding. Keep that in mind before you make your final choice.
Also read: The Ultimate Post-Wedding Checklist
Economical Decorations That Won’t Break The Bank
When scrolling through socials while planning your wedding, it can be difficult to not feel a sense of inadequacy and really push your budget to make your wedding to match what you see online. Always remember that you don’t need to splurge all your savings to make your wedding special. Wholesale stores, like Koch & Co stock an impressive range of affordable decorations, with discounts for items bought in bulk.
If you are feeling anxious by what can seem like an endless selection of wedding decorations, it can help to keep in mind the functionality of decorations. For example, easels welcome guests and point them in the right direction. As such, they are an important feature that helps set the initial impression on the day. Remember to keep your easel placed on an even surface, or if weather is temperamental, a sandbag should do the trick to help ground it. Place card holders are part of the process of welcoming and guiding guests. They can help give you peace of mind knowing that everyone will be aware of their allocated seating and menu options.

An emerging trend in wedding gifting involves guests treating the couple to monetary gifts. As such, most weddings now have a wishing well. Styles vary from stylish and formal birdcage designs to contemporary and sophisticated mirror finish or acrylic boxes. Though your big day is shared only with loved ones, you could find ways to secure your wishing well to alleviate any stress if the thought of losing your gifts is bothering you.
Nowadays, there are as many wedding cake styles as there are cake artists. You will find that wedding cakes can be crafted in a combination of sizes, shapes, and styles. A simple and stress-free way of elevating and exhibiting your cake is to make use of a cake stand. There are plenty of designs so you can choose a cake stand that complements both your cake style and wedding theme. Regardless of whether it’s a classic white cottage core or a modernistic stand.
Party backdrops, like wedding arches, are highly versatile and can come in a design that’s suitable for whatever kind of theme, material, and style of decoration you want. The freedom they afford can be both liberating and stressful. If you have the budget to do so, it can be a good idea to delegate this role and trust the professionals.
If your budget is more on a DIY scale, it can be good to make a design that can be prepared before the wedding, to avoid last-minute stress. Silk and preserved flowers are a great solution if you have the technical ability to craft your backdrop or arch as well as the storage space for them.
You’ll then need the ability to transport them to the venue on your wedding day. Plinths and pedestals are an awesome alternative to wedding backdrops because they provide greater mobility. Some wedding decorations are less practical than those previously mentioned and instead are only present to accentuate the style and aesthetic qualities of your wedding. Charger plates are large, decorative plates that rest underneath your dinner plate. They are reserved for formal occasions, and are a simple way to elevate the occasion.
You can order charger plates in a number of finishes, from a smooth plate with a contemporary beaded edge to a textured boho rattan finish. Fine details like these can make your theme more prominent in a simple but effective way. This is especially the case if you can find a charger plate to match your cake stand. Confetti is another jubilant wedding decoration that serves more of a thematic function more so than any practicality. An iconic tradition that engages your guests and photographs well, confetti is available in tissue paper, as well as traditional metallic varieties.
For your guest’s convenience, you can also allocate confetti in paper cones and hand them out to your guests before the ceremony. This way everybody will be ready to celebrate at the end. Please keep in mind that some venues don’t allow confetti, so be sure to confirm with venue management prior to making your orders.
Also read: How to Find The Perfect Venue for Your Wedding
Self-Care
Setting boundaries is crucial for mental wellbeing – Especially when you’re planning a wedding. It’s easy to get carried away and pour all your time into making sure everything goes to plan, and doing this is a sure-fire way to get burnt out. Make sure you’re giving yourself some me-time and don’t be scared to ask others for help. Set up an email account that both you and your partner can access that is dedicated specifically to wedding planning. This can be a simple way to alleviate your stress.
When you’re taking the time to unwind, having a separate email makes it easier to avoid any intrusive wedding thoughts when you are enjoying your leisure. The same can be applied for social media platforms. If you’re scrolling through wedding-related content on a separate Instagram account, your own personal feed should be free of wedding content.
Set boundaries in conversations. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to communicate your emotions and let who you’re spending time with know. This way they can help you take your mind off your wedding or better yet, give you a hand with sorting out whatever was giving you trouble.
Structure & Organise Your Planning

Maintaining an effort to keep your wedding planning research well-structured will help you stay organised. The big-ticket items typically include venue/s, catering, wardrobe decorations, flowers, a celebrant, a photographer and/or videographer, and music. Allocate your budget and figure out how much you are willing to spend on each of these before you go about requesting quotes.
Naturally, your list of purchases and hires will continue to grow but you can sort them out by order of importance to help you identify what needs to be secured first. Organising your most important orders first will help you minimise feelings of stress
Some couples find it helpful to set up deadlines to keep themselves on track. One of the most important deadlines is sending out invitations early enough so that your guests have a reasonable amount of time to set aside time from work and other obligations so they can attend. This is equally as important as getting RSVPs back from guests in time to let your vendors know the final numbers.
Don’t Be Too Pedantic
The more you plan, the more you’ll catch yourself adding items to your already substantial to-do list. These items could be trend-based, like an avant-garde fresh flower cake, or something on your wishlist, like a chandelier.
With superficial items like these, it can be helpful to gauge how stressed these preferences make you feel and try to determine whether the value they bring to your wedding is worth the grief. Will it make you that much happier to have the flower cake? Or would you be just as happy to have a different cake on the day?
Don’t allow yourself to be tried down with current trends, and try to figure out what you value most. Listen to your gut feeling, sometimes it’s nice to spend a little extra and treat yourself to decor that will bring you great joy and add considerable value to your wedding. While other times it’s fine to stick with your values and save yourself some time and money going for a simple alternative.
Also read: 8 Unique House Party Ideas for Summer