Written by Kevin Fagan
Planning a wedding is not an easy process. You have to book a venue, buy a dress, and find suitable vendors to provide food, decor, and entertainment. You will also have several people chiming in your ear with suggestions - some of which can be unrealistic to accommodate.
In essence, there are way too many variables involved, and this partially adds to already elevated stress levels that you may already be experiencing.
In this article, we look at the ways to reduce stress so that it won’t impact you and the planning process too much.
Common Causes of Wedding Stress
Planning can be your biggest source of stress, for example, if you’re planning on having a West Coast destination ceremony with a vineyard theme, some of the factors that play into your stress levels may include not being able to meet your expectations.
You may worry about whether you have enough budget for the wedding of your dreams; or if all logistic matters are taken care of before the big day.
Then there are external factors like trying to please your family and your partner’s family by trying to accommodate suggestions and demands that they may have for the ceremony. Sometimes trying to include everyone’s input may not work well together and end up causing more chaos.
How to Note that You May be Stressed
Ultimately you will feel like everything around you is unravelling, and you cannot focus or make the right decisions.
Some of the notable signs that you are stressed include not being excited anymore or snapping at everyone. You will also note that you have started to procrastinate about the simplest of tasks.
It is important to note that stress does not only affect your mindset and attitude, but your physical condition as well. You may even end up experiencing exhaustion, a change in appetite, panic attacks, and even depression.
How to Reduce Stress
You may have to work to minimize stress. These methods will put you in a better mood and ensure that you remain healthy during the wedding planning process.
How to manage your tasks
The key is to draw up a master plan at the beginning stage of wedding planning. Enlist the help of a wedding planner, or have a journal with you. Your journal should include a master checklist and timeline for your wedding preparations. This way you will be able to manage your time accordingly and feel less overwhelmed closer to the wedding date.
Your checklist will have you pursuing venues as early as a year before the wedding, and making a booking at most 11 months before the big day. For example, if you find a beautiful and affordable estate location, you should not delay and book it to prevent being disappointed at a later date.
Remember to add your budget to your journal. You can allocate rough estimates to each factor of your wedding, to advise as a guideline for your purchases. In this section of your journal make note of decor inspiration, food options, souvenir options, and other similar items.
There should be items that you can buy in bulk or straight from a supplier to help cut costs. For example, suppose you’re planning on serving seafood at your wedding. In that case, you can look at a company that catches and supplies seafood at wholesale prices, rather than a fishmonger that orders from these wholesalers.
The two-fold benefit of exercise
We all know that exercise is a great way to get in shape ahead of your wedding, but it is also a great way to manage your stress.
It will help you burn off any pent-up energy that you may have, but there are also health benefits that affect your mind positively. By exercising you are promoting the release of certain hormones that work to keep your anxiety under control. It will also help you get a better sleep during this time.
Be sure to get some cardiovascular exercise into your daily routine, by going for a run, skipping, or performing aerobics.
Make sure that you’re eating well
When you are under major stress, your eating habits can take a knock. Sometimes you will eat more, sometimes you will eat less, and there are even times you will end up eating the wrong things.
To prevent this, make sure that you have proper meals during the course of the day, and have healthy snacks with you. When deciding on what to eat food, it would be best to focus on meals that consist of multiple nutrients. This includes fresh fruits like bananas and citrus, dark green leafy vegetables, meats like chicken, and seafood like lobster. These foods are packed with the proper nutrients to keep you revitalized and full of energy.
Taking a breather
Prioritize rest and recuperation. It is okay to take a break from planning every so often to go out on a date with your fiancé or pamper yourself with a spa day. Just ensure that you are partaking in activities that will help you unwind and take your mind off your stressors for a few hours at least.
Leaning on your support system
Don’t undertake the stress of planning all on your own, especially if you have family and friends who are your closest allies.
Even if it is not with the planning process, be sure to reach out to people you trust to confide your struggles to. Sometimes a good vent and gaining some outside perspective may be just what you need to take on your wedding planning with a renewed fire.
The Bottom Line
Weddings will always be a stressful event to plan for. Despite the stress, there are several ways you can actively reduce the negative emotions you may be feeling. Take a step back to recuperate and get your mind off planning. Be sure to prioritize your health, as you don’t want to feel unwell and lose motivation leading up to your big day.
