Wedding season is upon us and wedding planning is in full swing! Being a bride-to-be is supposed to be such a joyous time in our lives, but sometimes it becomes so overwhelming that the stress cancels out the joy. Here are 6 tips for containing our inner-Bridezilla while finalizing the finishing touches of the big day.
1. Have a Plan and Be Organized
Our wedding is one of the biggest projects we will manage in our personal lives and careers. Work with your fiancé to create a plan and budget that meets both of your needs. Create to-do lists, delegate to outside vendors, close friends and family. Do not try to control every detail by yourself or you will go crazy. A good project manager keeps calm and organized and gets all the tasks completed on time and on (under is a stretch!) budget.
2. Actively Communicate
It is hard to please everyone while planning your wedding, but understanding what you really want for your day and what you are willing to compromise on is very important. Actively and respectfully communicate the things that are non-negotiable for you and your fiancé and also the things you are willing to agree to that will make your families happy (whether they are funding your wedding or not). Failing to openly communicate will harness negative energy and resentment and will either result in an unfavorable confrontation or a dark cloud over your big day.
3. Be Considerate
As hard as we try to make everyone happy, it’s inevitable that someone’s feelings will be wounded during the planning process. Many times it is unintentional and other times we are so strung out and self-absorbed (because this is supposed to be all about us anyway, right?) that we don’t take the time to consider other’s feelings when we are making our decisions. Be thoughtful about your decisions whether they are big or small, — they all affect someone.
4. Roll with It
With every type of event, something is bound to go wrong. Perfection should not be the goal. Instead, the goal should be to have a wonderful event in which everyone is having a wonderful time. When something unexpected happens, smile and roll with it. Being calm when faced with a gaffe and possibly laughing it off will put all your guests at ease. That is the polite thing to do.
5. Keep Perspective
Remember your wedding day is one day of your life. It is beautiful and memorable, but it’s not what your life with your soon-to-be-husband is all about. If you’re stressed and nasty to your loved ones leading up to your wedding, nobody is going to be happy with you and they are going to feel badly for your fiancé…this is not exactly how you want your marriage to start. Keep the big picture in mind, enjoy your special day, be gracious to your friends and family and know that this is just the launching pad of sharing the next 50 years with the love of your life.
6. Pay and Have All the Say
If you want to have all the say in how your wedding day will look, the easiest way to achieve this is to pay for the event yourself. Many times professional couples in their 30s choose this option so they can plan the wedding of their dreams and not have to worry about pleasing their parents and extended families. Decisions like these have their trade-offs but this is the way to control the event and hopefully contain any inkling of our inner-Bridezilla.
Do you have any tips for brides-to-be? Share them below!