Organising a wedding is an exciting time, but one that can be very stressful! Here are 5 common problems and resolutions to take the pain out of planning.
Busting the Budget!
Couples spend an average of around £20,000 on their big day, and as my mother never fails to remind me "That's an awful lot of money to spend on just one day!!". Work out what you want to spend, and how you're going to afford it, BEFORE you start planning! Find out whether parents plan to contribute or whether you're going it alone, work out how much you can afford to save before your chosen date (or how long it will take you to save a set amount before you set a date!) This way you only look at venues, dresses, etc that are within your price range - much less stressful than finding your dream venue and discovering later you can't afford it!
As for the budget itself, PRIORITISE, with your fiance work out what are the most important parts of the day, and what bits don't matter, then allocate funds accordingly. Not over does this save money, but you'll have a much more personalised day!
Guest List not Pest List!
Easily one of the biggest wedding headaches! Whether it's the inlaws wanting to invite fifth cousins, your maid of honour moaning about the no-children rule, or your parents pulling the "we're paying we'll invite who we like" card, people will always have an opinion.
To combat invitation chaos make a rule and stick to it! If you say no-kids, don't crumble under parental pressure, you'll only cause more tension if you relent for one and not for others!
If you're parents or in-laws are contributing to the wedding fund they may want to invite some of their friends-give them a set number of invites for them to allocate as they please. One rule to stick to - Its YOUR day if both you and hubby-to-be haven't met them, they do not make the list!!
The Wedding Dress Diet
The key here is to be healthy, be realistic, and be yourself! Of course you want to look your best, but if you've never been a size 0 do you really need to be one on your wedding day? Healthy eating and exercise are the best combo for long term weight loss, so start thinking about your wedding diet early on and you'll be under much less pressure! Quick fix diets may seem like a godsend in the final days, but they often leave you ratty, lethargic and ultra-stressed! Water, and sleep are the best beauty weapons - cliched but true!
He wants one thing - You want another.
Before you go all Bridezilla try and remember, it's his day too! Try and compromise - if he wants a big bash while you're imagining small and intimate, why not have both? A tiny ceremony followed by a grand reception will keep you both happy. Marriage is all about give and take, best get some practice in before the big day!
Striving for Perfection!
Take a deep breath and get a little perspective; no one, literally NOONE will notice if the napkins are eggshell instead of ecru! It's easily to get bogged down by details, and to stress yourself out wanting everything to be perfect. But the truth is things will go wrong, your flower girls will probably throw a tantrum, your hubby might stumble over his vows, and you cannot control the weather. It will still be the best day of your life because you're marrying the man of your dreams. And if it isn't...who cares! In the end, it's just one day out of the rest of your lives together! Aim for a perfect marriage, not a perfect wedding!
