Hello lovely! If you clicked on this blog post, you’re probably in the middle or at the start of wedding planning! If so, congratulations on this exciting new chapter of your life!

It can be so many emotions at once! From being excited and bursting with happiness to anxiety overload and stressing out to the max!

But I’m here to help you know how to stay sane during wedding planning (yes, it can be done!).

As a recent bride, I made a guide below of things I learned either from personal experience or words of wisdom from past brides.

Chris and I were lucky enough to have the wedding of our dreams, so I wanted to help make that a reality for you!

So let’s get to it!

A Guide On How To Stay Sane During Wedding Planning:

1. Be on the Same Page With Your Groom

This was honestly one of the hardest parts of wedding planning for Chris and I! I wasn’t prepared for the fact that he wanted to be really involved in wedding planning, decision making, etc. (which I was all for but not expecting)!

It really tested our ability to compromise and forced us to be better at communicating with each other. So in reality, it really helped us prepare for marriage.

So make sure to communicate with your hubby to be on how involved he wishes to be during wedding planning!

Set aside some time to talk about the big picture of what you both want for your wedding (size, location, etc.) so you’re both on the same page.

This will also be important when family and friends start asking for details. You’ll want to both be prepared to answer those questions.

2. Know Your Actual Budget

The beast of planning a wedding.

I looked up the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. and I was SHOCKED! Before you book any vendor, photographer, etc., you need to set a firm budget.

Setting your budget beforehand will save you headaches and heartaches when shopping for your vendors, wedding dress, even down to the party favors.

If there’s a wedding photographer or venue you just HAVE to have, book them first then you’ll know where to save elsewhere.

No matter how much you plan, save, size down, there’s going to be bumps in the road and some direct hits to the budget.

3. Review a Suggested Wedding Planning Timeline

I never truly knew how time sensitive wedding planning really was until I started planning mine!

The night Chris popped the question, I created a Zola account and it was a lifesaver!

The to do list/timeline they provided was easily broken down and helped me understand what items needed to be checked off every month leading up to the wedding.

I was trying to find bridesmaids dresses about 4 months from the wedding (which I thought would be plenty of time), but was surprised on how limited my options were. I’m sure the pandemic had a lot to do with it but never assume with the wedding industry!

Luckily, I found the perfect bridesmaids dresses that were available within plenty of time! I highly recommend Zola or the Knot if you’re planning your wedding yourself. If you know you don’t have the time (or organization skills), I highly recommend you get a wedding planner before you become overwhelmed!

4. Asking For Help Whenever You Need It

Just because you’re the bride, you’re not expected to do absolutely everything. Have your maid of honor, or someone you can trust and rely on, to help you check off certain tasks.

Things such as calling guests who haven’t RSVP’d yet, keeping a gift list during your bridal shower, or giving vendors their tips after the reception.

This is also a great opportunity for you to bond with your future in-laws. They’re about to become family after all! Whether they live close or far away, make the effort to include them in what’s going on or even get them involved!

My mother-in-law and sisters-in-law threw me a gorgeous bridal shower here in Florida and also helped my maid of honor plan the bachelorette party!

It definitely brought me closer to Chris’s family and I was so thankful for that.

5. Be Upfront With Your Vendors

Whether it’s your photographer, wedding planner, or caterer, the best thing you can do for them (and yourself) is to be upfront and honest!

As a bride, you can never be too specific in describing your needs and expectations. Great vendors want nothing more than a bride that can describe exactly what she wants. It’s the easiest way to ensure that they’re providing the best service and that you’re getting your money’s worth.

I promise you, they cannot read your mind! But what they can do is communicate if your wants and needs can be accommodated and how they can make it happen.

But also, make sure you’re providing this information well in advance! Great things take time and preparation, so make sure to give your vendors plenty of time to plan, coordinate, and deliver for your big day.

6. Read the Fine Print

If you learn anything from this list, please let it be this!!

You’ll probably be signing multiple contracts when planning your wedding and hiring vendors. But please, read the contracts!

I never knew that most wedding venues require the reception to be over at a certain time (sometimes as early as 9 P.M.) or that you have a limited selection of other vendors to choose from (DJ, caterer) for that particular venue.

I thought this was absolutely nuts since I’d be spending all this money just to rent a spot for a night but it’s an actual thing!

Chris and I lucked out by hosting our wedding at my great uncle’s river house and we didn’t have a curfew and had unlimited access to any vendor in town!

Make sure you’re well aware of what’s included in a vendor’s contract of services, what would cost extra, and when payments are due.

Most vendors expect to be paid in full before the wedding day so make sure you’re aware of the due dates. Usually, you’ll have a small payment to secure the vendor and one to two more installments before the wedding.

7. Get Comfortable Saying No

When you’re narrowing down the guest list or when a vendor sends you a preview of the costs, get comfortable saying no. It’s much easier said than done, but I promise you’ll be better off in the end.

Luckily, Chris has a much easier time saying no than me (the struggles of a Libra haha). We had to make some budget decisions with the menu so we were able to come to a great compromise with our caterer.

It’s important to remember that vendors do actually understand that you’re working with a budget. They will work with you (within reason) to come to a solution that benefits both parties.

When it comes to the guest list, it can be a touchy subject. Examples are a family member that’s nagging for an invite, someone asking to bring a random plus one, or a friend of your parents that you don’t even know.

Chris and I wanted a very intimate wedding (our guest list was under 60) and only wanted people who were very close and involved in our lives to be there. We saw it as a very emotional and personal day, so we really only wanted to celebrate it with the ones closest to us.

We made sure to make that very clear in the beginning and stuck to it since it was something that meant a lot to the both of us.

There’s absolutely no reason for you to apologize for what you want for your wedding nor a need to explain to someone who isn’t closely involved in helping you plan!

8. Choose Your Wedding Party Wisely

Thankfully, this was something I never had to worry about! I had my maid of honor picked out since the 8th grade and my bridesmaids were the gals that understood me best!

It was also special because two of them were Chris’s sisters!

Make sure you pick your party that you know won’t cause or add any unnecessary drama to your wedding festivities. Pick the girls that you know you can count on and will do anything for you and you’ll be set!

The same can be said for the groomsmen also! Make sure your beau picks the guys who know him best who are also very reliable to help with any last minute wedding hiccups!

9. Don’t Procrastinate

I did a bunch of DIY projects for my wedding reception. I wanted to add a personal touch to the decor as well as save money wherever I could!

However, I waited until a month before the wedding to finish ALL of them with a full time job, and that was a terrible idea!

Make sure to carve out plenty of time to do your DIY projects to alleviate any extra stress! Also, make sure the DIY actually turns out the way you pictured it before putting yourself in a time crunch situation (another mistake I made😅).

The same can go for the thank you cards to all your guests after the wedding. Just for 56 guests alone, it took me almost a month to write all the cards!

To be fair, every card probably had at least 3 paragraphs but it’s so nice to receive a thank you card promptly after attending a wedding.

10. Enjoy Your Time as a Bride to Be

Probably the most important piece of advice I can give to a bride. Please take some time to remember to enjoy your time as a bride to be. It’s such a special time in your life and it goes by SO quickly.

You always hear that the wedding day goes by in a blink of an eye (and it truly does), but so does your time as a bride. Enjoy your time with your groom to be and the anticipation of your big day!

Just remember when it’s all said and done, it’s about the person you’re walking down the isle to. The rest is just a big bonus!

What did you think of my guide on how to stay sane during wedding planning?

If you have any questions, comments, or things to add, leave a comment or send me a message on Instagram!

Happy Wedding Planning!