When Traditional Wedding Planning Becomes a Hassle.....
If you've reached this article then it means that your capacity to absorb wedding planning info, ideas and other people's attitudes have reached critical mass. You've been to a million and one bridal shops, your Pinterest boards over floweth and your family is making you wonder whether or not you're adopted because there is NO WAY you can from this batch of fussy opinionated heathens.
To quote the great Whitley Gilbert, "Relax. Relate. RELEASE!"
Thankfully you have options! Now the first thing to remember is that this wedding is solely happening because you and your beloved decided to make this happen. It's about celebrating the union of two amazing people who love each other enough to commit to their happily ever after -nothing else. Your wedding should be about having fun and enjoying the day with the people who love you the most. If getting to wedding day has become more of a chore there are are a few things that you can do make your nuptials easier .
Choose an I DO CREW. If you can't hire a professional wedding planner or coordinator having a SMALL group of people to help you make decisions can lessen the stress of having to do so much on your own. Have between 1-3 people in your crew that you can bounce ideas off of. Ideally these people will work well together and can keep a secret. These people will be the buffer between you and all other things that will be bombarded with as you make your way through your planning process.
Develop a budget and STICK TO IT. Whether your out dress shopping or trying to decide on a bridesmaid gown having a budget will cut down the "blush noise" considerably. It's super easy to get caught of in the glitz and glam of wedding planning. Everything is so cute and so pretty! Having a budget coupled with your I DO CREW will eliminate you entertaining things that you can't afford thus giving you more time to focus. There are tons of bridal budget templates online to choose from. Generally speaking your wedding budget should be broken down like this:
Venue 13-15%
Catering 20-25%
Cake 3-7%
Coordinator 8-12%
Attire 12-15%
Decor 5-15%
Photography/Videography 10-15%
Stationary/Signage 2-5%
Ceremony 3-5%
Rentals 5-8%
Transportation 1-3%
The exact numbers are dependent upon the number you feel is the maximum you would spend on your day. This breakdown will change according to the things you require to make your wedding day unique.
Go for a Microwedding Instead. So you won't be able to invite Sarah from Accounting or your 4th cousin and their newest beau but you will still have all the same things a big traditional 150+ person wedding has. Just smaller. Typically a Microwedding has a quest list up to about 50 people and they're held at smaller venues. A growing trend with in this style of wedding is to have the ceremony and the wedding in the same venue sans the room flip. Your guests will walk into a space that's designed to house the ceremony and the reception. This will forgo the expenses and the planning of a room flip and sometimes even the cocktail hour. Because your guest list isn't that long you will also have more wiggle room to provide a more in depth experience. Spending $125 a plate on 20 guests is much easier than doing so for 175! Because who said small meant cheap or boring?
Just Elope! Couples are becoming more and more attracted to this style of wedding. It's you, your love and the Officiant in whatever location best suits your brand of love. One of the major pluses that I've seen with the Elopements I've officiated was an overall sense of calm. Elopements allow the couple to focus just on each other. It's typically a quick 10-15 minute ceremony followed by an amazing photo shoot. These type of ceremonies also allow for the couple to be creative on their big day. You can also do what's called a Styled Elopement. This is when you add in elements from a traditional wedding like a full bridal look with a beautiful bouquet and a wedding arch or arbor that's fully decorated. After youve said I DO meet up with your most favorite people at nice restaurant, go on vacation or have a celebration at a later date!
In a world where wearing white after labor day is no longer frowned upon, your wedding day can be anything you want it to be. Don't be afraid to create an experience that is 100% true to your brand of love.
Happy Planning!
