10 Ways to Reduce Wedding Planning Stress

Is there anything more stressful than planning a wedding on a budget? Probably, but not much. Let’s face it, when you only have one chance to celebrate your love and kick-start a new and exciting part of your life, only the best will do and that’s incredibly stressful.

The key is to keep calm and put things in perspective. Remember, a marriage is far more than the events that unfold on just a single day. If you’re stressing out as the big day nears, try these steps to keep yourself from completely freaking out and becoming bridezilla or groomzilla…

1. Listen to Advice

It may be hard to believe when you’re in the midst of planning your wedding, but many, many other people in your life have gone through their own wedding days. And guess what? That means they know what can get in the way of a successful wedding.

So, be sure to ask your friends and family what made their weddings great and what issues threatened to ruin the day. You might just learn a few interesting tidbits that could help your own wedding day go super smoothly.

2. Get Active

Feeling stressed out can often lead to feeling tired and may even cause you to get sick, spending more time than usual in bed, or lying on the couch. But that’s hardly the best way to deal with wedding day stress. Instead, you’d be better off getting on your feet and being active.

Studies from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America show that physical activity can significantly help reduce stress, giving you the strength to push past your exhaustion and overcome those wedding planning blues. And it doesn’t have to be super-intense activities like running or cycling. You can also try yoga, walking, or playing sports with friends.

3. Be Social

Is your wedding planning driving you nuts? Don’t bottle up your feelings; instead, sit down with friends and family to carefully discuss what’s making you miserable.

Not only could your pals and family members help you find a reasonable solution to your problems, but engaging in the simple act of chatting could help dramatically reduce your feelings of stress. Just be sure to avoid obsessing over your wedding problems and ask your friends and family what’s bothering them, too.

4. Enlist a Helper or Two

Part of the reason grooms and (especially) brides become stressed over weddings: they feel like they have to do everything themselves. That, unfortunately, is a recipe for disaster when it comes to stress.

The key is to reach out to others to help shoulder the many responsibilities that come with organizing a great wedding. Having a parent take care of some issues, a best friend look after other matters, etc. People will be happy to help, especially when they see how it makes you more pleasant to be around!

5. Eat Healthily

Getting stressed about something (whether it’s work or planning a wedding) can often lead to unhealthy eating habits. Unfortunately, many people deal with their biggest problems by reaching for the wrong foods, like high-fat, high-sugar, or high-calorie junk foods.

But that won’t help the problem. In fact, eating unhealthy could cause you to gain weight or generally feel awful. So, while that donut or hamburger might make you feel better for a few minutes, it will only intensify your stress in the end.

6. Remember Why You’re Doing This

Just about anyone who’s planned a wedding has reached a point where they ask themselves “is this really worth it?” The only way to answer that important question: think back on how you and your partner got to this point.

To do this, go back to the text messages, letters, emails, or Facebook and Twitter posts you sent each other when you started dating. Think about your first few dates. This kind of exercise can help invigorate you and reduce the stress associated with planning a wedding.

7. Make Time for Yourself

Weddings are about celebrating the love of two people but it’s important to remember that everyone (even those in long-term relationships) needs some time to themselves. Often, spending time alone doing something that relaxes you is the best way to deal with the stress associated with wedding planning.

So, take a walk in the woods, go for a dip in the pool, fire up your favorite video game or curl up next to the fire with a good book. Do whatever it takes to help you unwind and focus on the coming big day in a reasonable and rational way.

8. Get Away

Weddings are expensive, especially when they’re followed by a pricey honeymoon. As a result, many engaged couples avoid going on vacation and spend their time at home in the weeks and months leading up to the big day.

Unfortunately, that can make it feel like the stress associated with a wedding is inescapable, leaving partners fighting and hardly looking forward to their wedding days. That’s why it’s so important for couples to get away for a couple of days, leaving all talk of the wedding behind. Even if it’s only going down the road to dinner and a nice hotel, do it…you won’t regret it.

9. Get to Bed on Time

Nothing intensifies the stress associated with wedding planning like failing to get a decent night’s sleep. Being fatigued will make it difficult to focus on your wedding or any other responsibilities in your life, like work, taking care of the kids, or getting along with your partner.

That’s why it’s so crucial that you get enough sleep. Don’t watch television or use screens (i.e, smartphones or tablets) before bed and plan to get at least seven to eight hours of shut-eye. Wedding day you will thank me for it.

10. Groove it Out

Nothing relieves stress like listening to your favorite music. You know, the kind of music that gets you up and happily jumping around. So, skip the dreary early ’90s grunge music and go for the upbeat dance hits (or whatever makes you feel like grooving).

Study after study shows that listening to music, especially the music that you really enjoy, can alleviate stress. That’s key when preparing for the big wedding day.