“Wedding bells? Seems more like loud fire alarms to me.”
Finding Mr. Right or Mrs. Right feels like a challenge until the wedding planning begins. Who can relate? At this time last year, I was about fifty days away from getting married. Like any other woman, I wanted everything to be perfect. Every little detail became a huge deal. My fiancé and I were beyond overwhelmed with the guest list,schedules, and last minute details.
As I look back at it now, I can say that most of the stress was unnecessary. Even though our wedding turned out beautiful in every way, I’m more grateful about how special it was for my fiancé and I. The small details didn’t end up mattering. The only thing that really mattered was us. If you want to reduce stress and enjoy the experience, consider these helpful tips and tricks.
Manage the Guest List
Many couples say that figuring out the guest list is one of the most stressful things about planning a wedding. Where do you stop? Will people understand or get offended? Is it worth the extra money to allow plus ones? It’s difficult to not invite every person in your life to your special event. My fiance and I both come from huge families. After writing out every family member, we had over 200 guests, and we still had to include close friends and our wedding party. It was beyond stressful to keep the guest list at a decent number.
Here are some helpful tips to help you manage your guest list successfully:
- Don’t underestimate. Extra food is good leftovers.
- Focus on the most important people first (family members and close friends).
- Limit the number of children or the number of plus ones if the venue is small.
- You may not be able to invite everyone. Have a party after the wedding and show the wedding video to those who didn’t come.
- If a person gets offended because they didn’t get invited, just explain that you can’t go over budget. If they are your friend they will understand.
Don’t Go Overboard on the Details
It is very easy to go overboard with decorations and fun details, especially if you love Pinterest and DIY projects. Before you know it, you are drowning in projects and screwing up the budget. My mother and I both had issues with obsessing over the smallest details like sparkles, ribbons, and party favors.
If you are overwhelmed with the littlest details, you should:
- Decide which details are the most important to you and your fiance.
- Find inexpensive alternatives.
- Limit your projects to only about three or four.
- Don’t freak out if you forget something or something breaks.
- Be unique. It’s your wedding.
Although our guests were in awe with the set up and the fun details, the real focus point was us and the love we shared. You gotta admit it–people won’t remember what type of flowers you had or how the tables were set. People will only remember the love and happiness that was there on your special day. Don’t forget to enjoy the journey and each other!
Featured photo by Eric Alves on Unsplash
My mother and I both had issues with obsessing over the smallest details like sparkles, ribbons, and party favors.
Decide which details are the most important to you and your fiance.