The secret to wedding planning without stress

Nov 9

A bouquet (by Diamond Custom Floral) and wedding gown (by BHLDN) from a Pacific Northwest wedding at Port Gamble on the Hood Canal near Seattle.

So often I meet couples who are completely overwhelmed with their wedding planning. Whether they just got engaged or are waist deep in their plans, trying to keep everything organized between finding a caterer, getting the perfect dress, deciding on the flowers, picking the right venue, figuring out the guest list, and so on, it can be such a daunting undertaking. If you're a DIY bride or aren't using a wedding planner, it can quickly become clear that there are a million things to think about when you embark on planing the modern wedding ceremony and reception. So where do you start? Here's my secret to successfully planning your wedding without stress.

When I was engaged, a friend gave me the best advice of anyone, which kept me sane throughout the whole experience. This advice helped me to stay grounded and take in a deep breath. When planning your wedding, pick your top 3 priorities for your wedding day and focus your energy on their success. Here's something I always tell my couples: something will go "wrong" or won't go exactly how you planned for it to go, and that's OK! As long as you have your top three priorities figured out and executed, then you can look back at your wedding with nothing but joy.

So what does that really mean? When you think of a wedding, what pops into your mind first? Is it beautiful photography? Is it a gorgeous dress? Is it the food? Is it the venue? Is it your family members in attendance? Is it all of your friends from high school and college who you get to reunite and party with? Is it the cake? Is it a cake substitute like French macaroons or ice cream? Is it the party favors? Is it something awesome that you saw on Pinterest? Whatever comes to mind first that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside, there's a good chance that's one of your top 3 priorities! So yes, everything else has to be figured out eventually, but put your heart and soul into making your top 3 priorities happen and don't stress about the other details.

Remember that the purpose of your wedding is for you and your love to commit to each other. No matter what anyone else wants for your wedding day, it's your decision. So take away some of the planning stress! Only focus on the three most important aspects of your special day. If you're happy with those, you'll feel so good and confident about all of it! You got this!