While we always advocate for hiring at least a day of coordinator for your wedding, we totally get that not everyone is going to do so. So, if you’re opting to manage the planning and coordination of your wedding yourself, we have some tips you’ll want to follow, so your day turns out perfectly! (Want to know more about what to avoid when planning?
1. Prioritize Decide what’s most important to you and your soon-to-be spouse and plan to spend more on that. If it’s photos, don’t skip on an amazing photographer. If 5 star food is your goal, put extra toward the caterer. Whatever if most important to you, adjust your budget accordingly.
2. Get your partner involved! Guys, we’re looking at you. Wedding planning is a LOT of work (people do it for a full time job, after all) so give your girl a hand and help out. Want to know how? Find out here!
3. Use your resources. From other couples who got married (What would you do differently? What did you love?) to Pinterest to blogs and magazines (ahem!), utilize ALL your resources!
4. Plan smarter, not harder Use the tools you have on hand to simply your life! After all, why make more work for yourself? Our favorite planning tools can be found here.
5. Break your to do list out by month. Help manage stress by breaking things down into manageable chunks. Wedding planning looks a lot less overwhelming when you break it out month by month, than when you look at the entire thing. Pro tip: We’ve already done this for you! Download our planning timeline for free here!
6. It’s okay to step away. If wedding planning gets overwhelming, it’s okay to take some time off, or bring in professional help. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be planning every waking moment. Remember– it should be fun!
7. That being said, don’t leave everything until the last minute. That’s a sure fire recipe for disaster, without a doubt.
8. Stay organized! It sounds so simple, but staying organized means your mind won’t feel cluttered. Keep projects and purchases in one spot, keep paperwork organized and together, and have systems in place.
9. Don’t ask for too many opinions. It’s tempting to share details with friends and family, but that ultimately means they’ll chime in with their own opinions and advice, which can get overwhelming, fast. Help stay true to yourself and your spouse by keeping your cards close to your chest.
10. Don’t be afraid to keep it simple. Just because you don’t have a dove release, tree planting ceremony AND rescued kittens walking down the aisle doesn’t mean you aren’t going to have a gorgeous, special day. It’s okay to keep some thing simple if that’s what you’d prefer. Or go over the top if that’s your vision. Just make sure you’re doing it because it’s what you want, not just what ‘you’re suppose to do’.
Looking for more planning tips? Find them here!
