Stress levels through the roof? Not sure whether to postpone, cancel or run away? Fed up with making changes to your plans and moving dates? Stressed by family and friends asking you about your wedding day plans daily and in full detail?
Breathe... take a moment
The first thing to say is you are not the first or the last to feel this way. It is totally understandable to feel every emotion while planning your dream day and that's without a pandemic. It's time to give yourself a break.
The main reasons couples suffer stress during their planning are uncertainty, overwhelm and pressure; pressure to get it all perfect, pressure doing it for the first time and pressure from outside forces.
This can be solved by booking a wedding planner who will listen to your ideas making sure you get exactly what you want and usually in a more competitive and faster way. You can book a planner for the whole of your wedding or a small part, you choose. Check out our wedding planners.
Here are a few tips to help
Stay informed – keep in touch with your venue and your suppliers. Be patient as the venue and their team may be closed or furloughed at the moment – send an email to let them know the best way to reach you when they are back. They want to help you as much as you want to be helped. For government restrictions and updates check out the gov.uk website.
Stay calm – if you need to step back – do that. Try yoga, pilates, journaling, meditation, laughter yoga or walking. If you need more support call MindUK and The Samaritans.
Stay in charge – this is your wedding day, don't forget that. You still have control of decisions; yes you might have to be a little flexible, but it will still be an amazing day. All of our suppliers are passionate about making your day the best day ever, do check them out.
Stay in touch – as expected your family and friends are as excited about your wedding as you are. However they can be constantly messaging, texting, or calling to ask you "how's it going?" and "what can I do to help?", so choose a reliable bridesmaid or friend to be your voice, your 'messenger of all things wedding' between you and all your guests. This gives you a break and they will be delighted to have that responsibility. A quick catch up once a month to update them or create a 'wedding newsletter' and they can pass on to your guests. Pressure released.
Check out the blog about wedding websites too.
Stay focused – don't book anything when you're tired, hangry or rushed. Focus on the key elements of your day; What are they? What would you not do without? Put them in a priority list and work through. Remember why you are getting married – stay focused on that too.
Stay together – during stressful times we can all say things in the heat of the moment that later we regret and at times like these those emotions are hightened even more. Take a step back, go for a walk, run or drive. The whole reason for your wedding planning is for a joyous, most wonderful reason – love.
Look for the positives – you get to marry your dream partner and live together for ever. You get to start an exciting new chapter in your life or even the cake tasting – that's a great thing to do together. Do check out our wonderful cake suppliers.
Stay happy – take time out to spend with each other; a film night, home spa day, date night, pub visit or weekend away (when restrictions allow) and have a rule that during those times you are not allowed to talk about the planning. You can even have consequences or 'fines' for the person that mentions the planning first or the most; a free massage or foot rub, they buy all the drinks or pay for the weekend away – you can use your imagination for this.
Above all – remember the saying "this too shall pass" and it will. When you look back at the photos and video of your wedding day you'll know that you enjoyed the journey as well as the day.
Happy planning.