How to cut down on wedding stress – tips from a professional wedding planner

Not for nothing is planning a wedding meant to be one of the most stressful things in our lives.

Weddings are happy occasions to be sure, but getting from the proposal to the altar can take a lot of work – even for nuptials on the smaller side.

According to wedding expert Illy Goodall of Illy Elizabeth Weddings, planning one pre-pandemic could easily take around 250 hours – that’s the equivalent of 10.4 days.

‘However, with the knock-on effect from the recent years pandemic, this has increased planning time to 300 hours due to the high demand in suppliers within the industry,’ she said.

That’s 12.5 days.

She added: ‘While you have the emotional side to deal with, you also have to deal with everything else, even if you don’t want to.’

For anyone looking to make sure those 12.5 days are as low-stress as possible, Illy has put together some top planning tips.

Don’t rush it

If possible, try to give yourself an extended deadline to ensure you don’t have to rush things.

It’s not uncommon for couples to wait two years or more between proposal and wedding, and Illy recommends taking at least 12 months to plan.

She said: ‘I know it can seem really exciting to try to do it within six months, but post-pandemic I would advise against this, especially to protect your mental health.’

And if it feels like it’s getting to be a bit much, you can always take a break and stop all planning for a little while.

Break tasks down into bite-size pieces

Illy says you need to prioritise what’s important to the both of you, and break tasks down into sections to make things more manageable.

‘Never forget that this day is about the both of you,’ she advised.

‘Don’t feel overwhelmed by doing it all at once – break everything down into sections and give yourself allocated time to work on those areas.’

Illy recommends allocating a set amount of time each week for planning. You could even go so far as to set an alarm for when you have to stop.

That way you can compartmentalize the tasks and switch off more easily when you’re not on the wedding clock.

And don’t forget to delegate what you can to your friends and family.

Stick to that budget

Illy said in no uncertain terms that you need to ‘set a realistic budget and stick to it.’

Unless you’re absolutely comfortable with stretching your budget, you really shouldn’t.

However, Illy also cautioned against opting for bargains.

‘Don’t cut corners,’ she said, ‘there is a reason that suppliers are cheaper, or some things may seem too good to be true.’

Illy recommended a using spreadsheet to keep track of everything will be helpful. You can download templates online for free, or go with trusty (and also free) Google Sheets.

And while we’re on the subject of online resources, she also recommends using a website to sort RSVPs to keep things nice and simple.

Let family or friend drama go over your head

Weddings can be high-tension times for your loved ones too, and sadly that might not bring out the best in them.

‘Don’t take it personally,’ Illy advised, ‘as your emotions can be heightened more than usual.’

If they really start taking things too far, don’t be afraid to put your foot down. If not now, then when? At the end of the day, this wedding is about you and your intended after all.