Yes, I know it's Friday..I'm like five days late with my blog! I'm soo sorry! This week has really gotten away from me. Not even sure why I was busy every second of every day, but I was! That happens when everything needs your attention, when everyone needs your time, and when every day is filled with many tasks to be done. Thus this week's topic: dealing with the stress.
Stress is defined as "a state of mental tension and worry caused by probems in your life, work, etc." Stress while planning a wedding as a DIY Bride, in addition to dealing with life, work, etc should be defined as "hell on earth!" LOL I mean it truly is! When a bride decides not to hire a professional planner, she assumes all the tasks, responsibilities, and stresses that go along with planning; in addition to her already busy and stressful life. This is why we now have expressions like "Bride-zilla" and "Monster-inlaw"! Because the enormous amount of pressure can cause a bride and other family members to simply...snap!
As a professional, I have always been on the fence about DIY Brides, siting the challenges and accolades it brings having to do it all yourself; so I do not always recommend it. But since I care about my fellow Wed-heads, I am committed to helping you achieve the most beautiful and memorable wedding possible as a DIY Bride. So here are some ways to deal with the stress.
1. Be and Stay Organized. If you've been following my blog, you know that day 1 I suggested pulling out all those magazine pictures and Pinterest ideas, and putting them into a binder divided into each wedding category such as Ceremony, Reception, Flowers, Entertainment etc. So hopefully you followed suit. If not, do not do anything else until you do! It is imperative to be and stay organized throughout the entire planning process, if you want to avoid or decrease stress. Keep your contracts, contact info, color swatches, and other pertinent info in this binder. And then keep the binder in your work bag or the trunk of your car. You never know when you may need it! Protect this binder with your life if need be! LOL It is your wedding planning bible! Having everything in one organized place, allows for better preparedness and communication. And that will always alleviate stress.
2. Keep track of important dates/times. Stay on top of venue/vendor meetings by adding the dates to your calendar on your cell phone. We all walk around with our phones attached to our hands nowadays, so why not have important appointments handy at the swipe of your finger. Plug in the meeting date and time, but also add a reminder in for the day before your appointment. By getting a reminder the day before, you have time to get prepared for the meeting, such as writing down any questions you may have, or putting pertinent samples and documents in your binder you may need. Forgetting meetings and documents are a huge cause of stress for brides when you don't have a professional to remind you of these things.
3. Keep a checklist. There are tons of websites, such as The Knot.com, devoted to giving you planning checklists to help keep you on track. Most checklists will advise you when you should accomplish certain tasks during your planning process, such as when you should mail your invitations etc. Find a list that works for you and stick to it. Make sure you mark it off as you go. If you dont, you will end up forgetting something and redoing tasks unnecessarily. Causing you unneeded stress.
4. Stay on budget! No seriously, stay on budget. I can not stress it enough. The biggest stressor most brides have is MONEY! DIY Brides always want what they can't afford, and there's no one willing to break their hearts and tell them no. That's usually a planners job to politely keep them on budget and excited about what they can actually afford. I'm usually the devil sitting on my client's left shoulder screaming in her ear about her budget! LOL But that's my job. As a DIY Bride, you have to be your own Money Police! LOL Again, if you've been following my blog, keep your budget spreadsheet in your binder and resort to it whenever you get the urge to overspend. Since money is half the battle when it comes to wedding planning, don't make it a part of the battle. If you stay on budget, I promise you, you will reduce 90% of your stress, guaranteed.
5. Ask for help. Enlist the help of your fiance', your girls, your mother..anyone that will help. You can not do it all, even if you think you can. Balancing home, work, and life in general is a dauntng task in itself. Yes, all women are Wonder Woman! But we don't always have to be. Ask others to help and that frees up your time and energy for other things.
6. Balance the wedding planning. Do not let planning your wedding consume you! It does not have to be your every thought or fill your every waking moment. You surely will snap if its all you think about. Plan some down time around the planning. Maybe only do wedding errands two weekends a month, and the other weekends get out and enjoy yourself. Or schedule meetings only on Saturdays before noon; that way the rest of the day is yours to do nothing or to spend time with your fiance. Either way, plan the wedding, don't let it plan you.
7. Make planning fun and stress free. Finally, do things with your fiance or your girls that makes planning enjoyable. Get a massage or a spa treament before going to your hair/makeup trial. Go out dancing the night before your meeting with the DJ to get song ideas for him to play. Or plan a camping trip or other outing one weekend with the entire wedding party; have fun while getting them all together at once to give them much needed info like hotel info, arrival times etc.
Bottom line, when and if you feel yourself getting stressed by the planning process, because there will be a little stress, take a few days off from it. Forget about it for awhile and clear your head. You will return to the table with a clear mind and a refreshed attitude. And then if that doesn't help...hire a planner! LOL
Next week, we will discuss RSVPing. Its number two on the list of stressors, right after money. But I'll show you ways to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally to deal with them.
Until then, Wed-heads, have a great weekend!
No comments:
Post a Comment