The minute you get that ring on your finger, along with the promise of a lifetime of love, you want the whole world to share in your happiness. But the stresses of planning can soon burst your dreamy little bubble. So how do you hang onto that diamond-induced high while your sort through the nuts and bolts and arranging a major event? By adhering to a few simple rules, you can really enjoy your engagement even as you slog through the hassles of wedding planning.
First and foremost: learn to say no (now that you’ve said yes)! You likely have a lot on your plate already, and adding a wedding to the mix is going to take up additional time and energy. So cut back on other commitments to compensate. People will understand (especially if they’re invited to the wedding). Although you may have trouble giving up book club, going to yoga once a week instead of twice, and turning down dinner dates with other couples because you have to pore over place settings, remember that your life is just on hold for a short while. You can resume all of these activities later on. The point is to remain as stress-free as possible so you can really have fun with the planning.
You may also want to delegate some responsibility. Most brides are keen to do it all, but this can lead to a lot of pressure as you try to keep all the details straight. There are plenty of people who want to help you, not the least of whom are the mothers. They are a good source of advice and they’ll likely jump at the chance to participate. Your soon-to-be husband is probably also keen to take some of the burden (and keep you from freaking out), so give him a few tasks to handle and for goodness sake, let him do them (no micro-managing).
Many brides these days even opt to hire a wedding planner. This is a great solution for the busy gal on the go who has a little extra spending cash. A planner will get together options based on a few specifications from you so that all you really have to do is make the tough decisions (should the tablecloths be ivory or ecru?). Cutting back on stress and obligations is the key to having a happy engagement, so do everything you can to relieve the pressure and truly enjoy the process of planning the first day of the rest of your life.
