TEN WAYS TO GUARANTEE A RELAXED WEDDING
Creating a wedding day that is RELAXED AND STRESS FREE
According to a survey published in Brides magazine (2022) 40% of couples agreed that wedding planning was ‘extremely stressful’ and 71% thought it was ‘more nerve-wracking than other major life events’. Why can planning such a joyful occasion cause so much worry? How can you choose a less rocky road to ‘destination wedding day?’
In this blog, we probe wedding planning ‘pain points’… and how to tackle them!
1. love it or leave it!
Money is always near the top of the list of wedding planning woes. Couples can feel under pressure to spend money on a never-ending list of ‘must-haves’ when truthfully, there’s no set of magic ingredients that make a ‘proper wedding’. Cakes, invitations, bridesmaids, speeches… the list goes on, yet it’s perfectly possible to have a meaningful, perfect-for-you wedding celebration without all (or any) of these things. The solution? Find a venue offering a personalised planning service, rather than ‘one size fits all’ and leave out the elements that don’t make your heart sing! You can have a wedding that is uniquely yours and choose alternatives to a traditional style.
2. keeping it real
When planning your budget, ‘be realistic’ is very sound advice. Do your research into typical expenses early on, as prices might come as a surprise. Accepting the actual costs (rather than what you hoped they’d be!) helps you prioritise what you do and don’t want to include. Once you have fixed your budget, keep coming back to it to avoid costs escalating. Talk together about what you might be prepared to give up if it means you can afford something extra special from your wish list.
3. Family ties
Relationships might be the greatest ‘pain point’ for some couples. Managing the dynamics of a family that may not always get along can be a minefield. Worrying about upsetting people who aren’t invited to your wedding causes heartache, as can falling out with well-meaning relatives who have strong opinions about your guest list! Your vision of the perfect wedding might not be shared by those closest to you, and this isn’t easy. Being honest and open about what will make you happy (and not what will please family and friends) is key. Sharing your hopes and fears should help those close to you accept and understand your choices. If not, then you may have to kindly and respectfully stand firm to hold onto the day of your dreams!
4. party politics
Deciding on your wedding party (if you’re having one) can be problematic. Before you know it, you have an entourage of nine bridesmaids, rather than leave out sisters, best friends, or nieces. There are ways to manage these family scenarios…
When deciding who to include in the wedding party, why not choose to walk down the aisle together as a couple, or alone as a bride, and have a more modern take on the traditional entrance? Inviting close friends or family to help you get ready on the day, rather than having a formal bridal party, can help avoid any hurt feelings and save you time and money, as there is no entourage to buy for. If you’re eloping, having a celebration for loved ones after your wedding can be a great way to share your joy, prolong your ‘wedding bubble’, and wear your fabulous outfits a second time!
5. Wedding-work-life balance
After the initial excitement and post-engagement glow fade, planning a wedding can feel like another job (there’s a reason why it is a full-time career!) and your ‘wedding–work–life balance’ becomes non-existent. You can start to resent time spent on ‘wedding admin’, especially if it’s at the expense of things you enjoy, or worse still, your sleep! Life is hectic, so wedding planning is tagged onto the end of the day, with nights spent falling asleep on the sofa, clutching a lovingly made wedding file. All-inclusive wedding venues with a full planning service are worth their weight in gold. Imagine being able to source your catering, cake, flowers, photographer, and beauty stylists through one team!
6. Wedding Guardian Angel
All-inclusive venues are ‘wedding-ready’ without the need for additional styling, as the ‘wedding angels’ have done the hard work, so you don’t have to. If you have something to wear and arrive at the right time, on the right day, you’re pretty much good to go! Juggling many different suppliers involved in the average wedding alongside your day job and family commitments can also be a real challenge. Finding suppliers you trust isn’t easy, especially if you’re organising a destination wedding, miles from home. A great solution is to consider a venue with a full planning service; they can take the strain out of your big day and take on the role of ‘wedding guardian angel’, including on the day itself.
7. Pressure to be perfect
Few of us are immune to the pressure from social media. Thousands of images, articles, podcasts, and blog posts about wedding trends can lead you down a Pinterest rabbit hole. Couples often find themselves debating whether they need a dessert table or a sweet station, weighing the merits of chiffon chair sashes versus organza bows. Becoming over-focused on your guest’s experience rather than your own can add to the strain… and then there’s the pressure of how you look on your wedding day. When you’re investing in professional wedding photography and surrounded by images of ‘Instagrammable’ couples, the thought of being the centre of all that attention can be overwhelming. The best advice is to try and build in some digital detox time to avoid overload and over-sharing your wedding plans with family and friends…keep everything a surprise and a prevent well-meaning comments about your decisions.
8. Don't sweat the small stuff
Smaller venues with exclusive use have a relaxed, more personal vibe, and can ease some of those ‘finer detail’ worries. The privacy of more intimate venues will give you the confidence to shine and help you feel more at home on the big day. All-inclusive venues have expertly crafted wedding day schedules which means you won’t swear the small stuff. Their tried and tested approach will create a wonderful wedding guest experience – and they’ll be the voice of reason when a well-meaning relative questions your choice of canapes!
9. Show yourself some love
Good old-fashioned common sense never goes amiss as your wedding date approaches. In the run-up to the wedding, it’s important to eat well, sleep enough, and ask for help if you need it. Practise anything you’re worried about (first dance or speeches) and trust in the team you have around you. When the big day finally dawns, take it slowly! If there are any little hiccups, stay focused on what brought you to that moment – to marry the love of your life. It will be over in a heartbeat, so go with the flow and take in every magical moment.
10. You've got this!
If this all sounds a bit doom and gloom, it’s important to counterbalance the challenges of wedding planning with the clear message that it is a wonderful adventure! Remember always that you’re in it together, and it’s just one day that marks the very beginning of your new and exciting chapter. After all the thought, time, and heart you’ve poured into planning your wedding day, make sure you make a tiny space or pause in the day to savour it. And then when it’s all over, have a project or a goal in mind to ward off the post-wedding blues!
Further Reading...
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You might be interested in more of our blog posts:
Your special Place For Getting Ready For The Wedding
Wedding Costs Rising, Budgets Shrinking: How Micro Weddings Help
Thanks to Jenna Carpenter for sharing these gorgeous photos of a beautifully relaxed small family wedding at Cote How
