How to Make Wedding Planning Fun, Not Frustrating

There are so many parts and pieces to wedding planning that sometimes it can feel like a full-time job. Before wedding planning gets time-consuming, stressful and frustrating, do these two things first: invest your time in a thorough wedding planning checklist and invest your money in a very experienced wedding planner.

Here are other tips as you plan your wedding and avoid the overwhelm:

1.   This is a unique moment in your life – enjoy it!

Think of these months of preparation as a unique moment in your life. After all, it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. This is a time when you are entitled and encouraged to organize things and the people around you in a way that makes you happy.

When the rolling questions and demands start to pile up, remember that all of them are for a good cause. People are only asking with the best intentions. But when the wedding planning starts to look more like a guest-pleasing event, step out, take a deep breath and remind yourself that this is your day and the only people you actually need to please are the bride and groom. (You and your fiance!!) With this in mind, everything will start to look simpler.

2.   Be yourself at every step of the way and on your wedding day

It is much easier to organize something when you believe in it with all your heart. Convey your values, beliefs and wishes throughout the whole process. Make it a priority to be yourselves and share your philosophy with your loved ones.

If you’re finding it complicated to make a decision on what venue to choose, what menu to go with, or what flowers to pick, ask yourself which of the options and vendors would depict best what you stand for. Do you believe in supporting small businesses? Would you like to root for more ecological and local providers? Prioritize your vendors. Is photography really important to you? An amazing meal? The open bar? The entertainment? Having amazing, memorable stationery? Whatever that is, put your vendors in order and focus your attention on these choices. The answers will come to you.

Perhaps you feel that it’s important to use this opportunity to give back. Choose traditional wedding registries as a wedding gift option, and link it to a charity of your choice. This way, part of the proceeds will be donated to a good cause — something you believe in.

Are you the kind of person that doesn’t like being the center of attention? That is a tough one. Especially because on your wedding day all eyes are meant to be on you. But don’t stress, there are ways to mitigate the pressure. Keep it small and intimate and focus on your friends and family. Just have a good time. Plan some games (DJ’s are a great resource for this!) and get everyone to participate. This will take pressure off of you and keep people busy and entertained.

3.   Make it as customized as possible.

It is a meaningful day for you, so share it with your guests and make it memorable for them too.

Maybe your throw bouquet is made out of the flowers he gave you on your first date. I had one couple who got engaged in a hot air balloon and their favorite snack together was Oreos. So, we tied HUGE, round balloons to baskets of Oreos throughout their reception and it looked like hot air balloons. It didn’t steal the show, but was such a cute nod to a piece of their relationship!

By adding these special, meaningful details, guests will feel included in the story. You can also do things like name your tables with different topics or milestones that represent your lives: trips you have taken together, your favorite songs or movies, etc.

Another couple loved vinyl records, so we printed their wedding invitation on a small vinyl records and mailed them in their own sleeve. The more fun, personal details, the better.

4.   Don´t do it alone – ask for wedding planning advice

• Speak clearly and honestly to your partner and be ready to listen to him or her. Talk openly about your wishes, your no-gos, the ideas you have and your expectations. Find a common ground that you are both thrilled about. It will not only help you create a perfect day for both of you, but it will also allow the planning to magically fall into a logical structure, and leave you to enjoy the process of preparation.
• DIY is a very trendy approach to wedding planning but, quite a stressful and time-consuming one. Find that sweet spot between doing things yourself and asking for wedding planning advice from a specialist, like Hitch Studio.
• Feeling overwhelmed? Assign small, but important tasks during the wedding day to your friends and family members. It will make them happy to feel that they are actually participating and helping you on your special day and it will also make you feel more at ease knowing that things are being done by people you trust.

5. How can I surprise my wedding guests? 

Our bonus advice on how to make wedding planning fun is to think about offering your guests something special to remember the day. One option is with personalized wedding favors. There are a million options out there and, if you put a little thought into it, you can make something really unique and memorable.

Deciding on wedding favors shouldn’t be a hassle or something that just “needs to be crossed off of your to-do list”. People love gifts, and most of us love offering them too. Approach this topic with creativity and personalization and it will turn into a beautiful keepsake for you and your guests.

The options are infinite, from personalized mugs for the bride and groom, to scented candles labelled with your initials, to golf balls, decks of cards, bottles of BBQ seasoning, and jars of honey. (All of which we’ve seen done this past year!)

On a final note — stay positive, stand in perspective, be creative, ask for help, pick the dress and flowers and meal YOU want, and you will have the best wedding day possible — organized for and by you. Best wishes always from Hitch Studio!