Wedding Planning Without Tears

How to handle the four areas that can cause wedding planning overwhelm!

When I was in school, I will admit that math was not my favorite subject. I liked reading, writing, and history, and I thought those subjects were more fun than numbers. I remember being given a book called Math without Tears, from a Math tutor who was an expert in numbers, which offered helpful tips and advice for navigating the world of mathematics. This book ended up being my guide, providing me with the tools and support I needed to get through those tricky math problems. Once I had the help I needed, I enjoyed doing my math homework much more, and my grades improved! Voila! I know it is not easy to ask for help, but it is best to find an experienced professional to guide you to reduce your overwhelm!

This leads me to the world of wedding planning. Yes, it may not be easy, especially if you have never planned a wedding before. And not knowing where to start or being overwhelmed with all of the choices that need to be made, wedding planning can be a daunting task. However, it does not need to be stressful. Once you realize you need help and seek out a professional who can guide you, then you will feel the weight lifted off your shoulders and actually enjoy the wedding planning process.

After working in the wedding industry for over a decade, I have heard a lot from couples about what they are struggling with while planning their weddings. I have put together a list of the top four wedding planning details that can bring you to tears and the solutions to make you feel happier and excited during the planning process, not miserable. A professional wedding planner can make your life easier, save you time and money, provide a road map for you, and listen to you when everyone is giving you their “best advice”.

Wedding planning takes a lot of time, and you already have one full-time job, so you are not looking for another. You might even be moving, or house hunting, which are also stressful life events. You might start to feel out of control, with endless checklists to be completed and you want the wedding planning to be over with! But when you hire a wedding planner, you will see the value they provide for you with their expertise and advice. Your wedding planner will keep you on track, provide you with details you have not even thought of yet, and be a buffer for those who are planning with you who have different opinions. The result will be that you will be able to be more focused and prioritize the details that really matters most to you to incorporate into your wedding.

Here we go! The top four wedding planning details that can cause overwhelm:

1. The Wedding Guest List – Everyone has their list, the two of you have friends from your lifetimes, both sets of parents have family obligations and friends they want to invite. The list seems to grow out of control. Do you invite plus-ones, children, or coworkers? You don’t want to hurt feelings, but who will make the cut? Important to have a realistic guest list, because the next step in the wedding planning process is the venue search.
2. The Wedding Venue Search – Where to start? Local where you live now, or where you grew up, or a far away destination? Will your guest count fit into the space you love? Is the venue location realistic? Is it easy for guests to get to? Is it in your budget? Does it fit your aesthetic? Maybe you just moved to the area and are not familiar with the venues. Or you have been to a lot of the venues and want to choose a different place to set your wedding apart. So many choices can cause overload and confusion. All wedding venues are not created the same, so note taking and site tours are a must!
3. The Wedding Budget – Who is paying, and how much are they contributing? Can your wedding be produced within your target budget? Are you also contributing to the budget? This can be very sensitive and emotional to discuss, and having professional guidance with the realistic budget numbers can reduce the stress of this topic of conversation.
4. The Wedding Guest Seating Assignments – Who sits with whom? How many tables do you need? Are you having a sit-down dinner with entree choices for each guest? What will your seating chart look like? Will you create escort cards with the entrée choice for each guest? RSVP’s are not coming in on time, which delays the seating assignments. This can be very frustrating as you are ready to get the seating assignments completed so the seating chart can go to print and come back in time!

Here are the solutions to make these wedding planning details less overwhelming and more manageable for you:

1. The Wedding Guest List. Be very selective with who you invite. Ask yourself these questions: Will I still be friends with them in 5 years? Is it someone with whom I enjoy spending time with one-on-one? Would I be willing to pay for their dinner at a fancy restaurant? If the answer is yes, then go ahead and invite them. If any answers are No, then take them off the list. Strike through their names and move on.
2. The Wedding Venue. This should be a reflection of the two of you. What you like and what feels comfortable for you. Are you more of a ballroom type? Do you like to go out and get dressed up, or are you more of a nature, let’s take a hike type of couple who would prefer an outdoor garden party type of wedding? Do you have a large guest list and need a spacious venue, or do you want an intimate dinner party wedding? Your planner can give you a list of places to consider that would be a great fit for you. I also recommend that you attend venue visits and ask questions. It would be helpful to have your wedding planning with you to make sure the correct questions are being asked. For example, what is included in the rental price? What time is the venue available for the vendors and us? What time does the reception need to end? Are there noise ordinances? Again, your planner does this all the time and knows which questions to ask!
3. The Wedding Budget. Creating a wedding budget that is realistic is difficult since you have not planned a wedding before. This is an area where your wedding planner can provide you with tremendous insight and guidance. Talking about finances can be stressful and emotional. Be prepared to compromise with your choices. Is the chocolate fondue fountain a want or a need? Have frank conversations with the stakeholders who are contributing to the budget and get a solid plan for what they are willing to pay for. The wedding budget will most likely increase during the planning period due to inflation and rising costs of goods. There are also hidden fees like service fees, miscellaneous fees and gratuities which most couples forget to add into the wedding budget.
4. The Wedding Guest Seating Assignments. We hear this time and again how difficult this is to do. Our advice is to start your seating assignments before you even send out your invitations! I know this sounds crazy, but you already know who your families are, you know who your friends are, and you know who your coworkers are! So sit them together accordingly and put up to 10 guests at a table. Once the RSVP’s come in, it is easier to delete a name than to add a name! Then you can move guests around to make the table numbers as equal as possible. Don’t wait until the last month to do this; you will cause yourself so much stress that could easily be avoided. Start early and you will be glad you did!

So don’t stress and get the professional guidance you need to plan a wedding that is thoughtful, memorable and personalized to you and your fiancee! I hope you find these tips to be useful in your wedding planning journey! Think of your engagement as an exciting time to work together as a couple with a shared vision and the tools to easily navigate these four areas of wedding planning overwhelm.

Reach out to us today at https://gloriaschulzevents.com/contact and let’s get your wedding planning done the easy way!

Photo by Samuel Lippke Studios