Congratulations, you’re engaged! I bet you’re wondering how to plan a wedding when your calendar is already booked solid.
This is something I was struggling with a few months ago when I got engaged. We are going to break down how to be productive when planning a wedding while keeping your sanity and staying cute.
Listen, we all know planning the wedding is one of those things that manages to hit on a different cylinders at once. It is somehow really fun, yet also drag. There can be long periods of down time, then complete chaos. It can also bring families together, or drive a wedge in once impenetrable relationships.
It’s just one of those things.
Couple the previous topics with an insanely busy bride things are bound to be hectic.
When I started my wedding planning, I wasn’t overly concerned with the fighting family stuff — I had other worries. Aside from being wildly indecisive, and a non-planner (expect a blog post on that later), I didn’t know how I would find the time to plan, even after optimizing my morning routine.
It bears repeating that I’m like most geriatric millennials, I have lots going on. I’m responsible for raising growing little humans and decent pups. I work nearly 13 hour days as an HR executive in tech while trying to master this whole blogging deal. I honestly didn’t see how planning a wedding would fit into anything. Simply thinking of the laundry of tasks would send me running off into the abyss.
…and if you’re reading this post, I imagine it’s a nearly identical situation for you.
Don’t worry, I got you, girl.
But first, let’s have some quick girl chat about wedding planning.
Why would we want to optimize efficiency in wedding planning?
Good question, simple answer.
No one wants or deserves to be stressed out when tying the knot with your love.
Life already does a good job of keeping us on our toes. Wedding planning comes with inherit stress. Take a look at any checklist and you’ll see a wide variety of decision points that requires tons of thought. In order to make decisions, you need to dedicate time to increase the probability of coming to some sort of decision. If you are one of those brides who had their entire wedding planned before they were dating, kudos to you. This is especially true if you find that you’re able to live up to your childhood expectations. Most of us find that there’s no glam or glory in the planning stage which is why efficiency matters.
If you’re anything like me, my future hubby and I decided on a longer engagement spreading out the planning — which is both good and bad. While wedding planning is happening, life is still going on in the background. We also don’t have to rush to make important decisions.
So, it begs the question…
How can you successfully plan a wedding when life is happening?
1. Delegate, Delegate, Delegate!
I’ll be the first to the admit that I don’t always do this well. It’s really hard assigning tasks for things you either deeply care about or are responsible for. Luckily, there are plenty of smaller tasks that can live with some else you trust. There are tons of things that need to get done but don’t require your attention.
It can range from the follow:
- Arts & Crafts of center pieces, invitations, and other decorations
- Planning of wedding adjacent parties (this typically belongs with the maid/matron of honor anyway)
- Music planning
Naturally, this isn’t an all-inclusive list. But, hopefully it provides enough context to get your wedding juices flowing.
2. Consider hiring a wedding planner
Full disclosure: This is the route I took and I haven’t looked back since. It’s literally the best decision I made so far. I totally understand this may not be the most cost-effective choice for many couples. What I found is that the wedding industry has recognized the gap and has delivered. Many wedding planners offer low-cost, day-of-coordination that helps alleviate wedding planning without the high price tag. You might always want to consider involving a planner when you’ve worked out a good chunk of the planning.
I found that having someone who 1) loves the sport of wedding planning and 2) is knowledgeable about the industry is truly invaluable. My wedding planner is often the calm voice of reason offering a unique perspective. She also does a brilliant job of the hands-on, tactical stuff. These are items I don’t have the expertise, brain power, or time to manage — let alone the desire to do it. Hiring a wedding planner can be considered a luxury, however, the cost of not hiring one could be even more costly.
Your planner main priorities will be the tasks you can’t manage, thus saving you lots of time.
3. Strategic Time Blocking
Benjamin Franklin said, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” I know I don’t need to reiterate this message.
There are things that will inevitably require your and only your attention. One way to get through this without killing your schedule is time blocking. It’s lifesaver and it’s unbelievably simple! In summary, it’s a time management method where you set aside a several hours and dedicate it to a very specific task. Before you sit down, strategize on the purpose or what outcome you want to achieve. Don’t waste your precious time trying to figure that during the session, your time is better spent in deep work and planning. You’ll find the time flies by, but it was productive at the end.
4. Take a Breather When Needed
We mentioned how stressful wedding planning is. Take time away from the planning to collect your thoughts and relax. We don’t need to discuss the benefits or importance of self-care. Let this be a friendly remind that it’s even more important now! By taking on wedding planning, you’ve taken on an additional full-time job. The only difference is your job doesn’t typically cost you money, a wedding does. Your wedding planning can also be a significant stressor on family finances. Go ahead and make time for yourself and your honey (assuming they aren’t annoying you!)
This should be one of the most exciting times of your life. The memories you collect during the wedding planning process is just as important as the wedding itself. Don’t sour the experience with trivial matters that can be easily avoided.
Good luck!
Drop below and tell us about your wedding planning experience.
