Stressed About Your Wedding? Here are 7 Tips to Help

We all have that one familiar foe. You know, the one that feels like it’s got its grip on you twenty-four seven, the one making every day things seem difficult, and the one making it hard to sleep at night. Fortunately, I’m not referring to an actual person (although if there is someone like this in your life, you might want to head for the hills!). What I’m referring to is the bane of all future brides’ and grooms’ existences: stress! So, how do you kick this evil villain to the curb?

Start Planning Early

Don’t plan on getting married any time soon? It may seem like you have plenty of time to get all your ducks in a row. But believe me when I say that wedding planning exists in its own time zone, where—once you start—minutes pass like seconds. Even if you don’t plan on getting married for another year, every little bit you can do now will save you from ample amounts of stress later on. When you have so many appointments to attend, calls to make, and vendors to research, you’ll be happy you aren’t doing certain tasks  at the last minute.

Start Saving Early

Another big source of wedding stress comes from the sheer cost of wedding expenditures. That’s why it’s also a good idea to start saving up as early as possible. Internet banking can make this process easy. An account with a company like Chime, for example, can be set up to automatically transfer a percentage of your paycheck to a separate savings fund. That way, you can take your mind off your money and focus instead on the planning elements of the wedding.

Rely on Your Support Network

Sometimes, all you need is a quick vent sesh (or twenty). Other times, you just need to hear that your table linens are, in fact, the perfect shade of blue to give you that “Springy” vibe. That’s where your support network comes in. Many of your friends and family members are there to help you through your wedding preparations. Develop and nourish these relationships. You’ll find input from those who recently planned a wedding of their own to be invaluable.

Eat Healthy

We’ve all had that (perhaps irrational) fear that we won’t fit into our wedding dress or suit on the day-of, or that it will rip apart just as you make your way down the aisle, but this is mostly just your imagination running wild. Now, it’s common for wedding dress sizes to run two or so sizes smaller than your normal size, so go with a size in which you feel most comfortable rather than focusing on the number. Otherwise, you can reduce much of your wedding planning stress by eating healthier. Don’t know where to start? There’s a wealth of information online, but among some of the most popular fads right now are intermittent fasting, the keto diet, and points-based weight loss regimens like Weight Watchers.

Get Plenty of Sleep

They don’t call it “beauty sleep” for nothing! Try to maximize the amount of sleep in your schedule to reduce stress and combat under-eye bags. Stress can make sleep difficult, but if you try to perceive it as something that will actually help you look and feel your very best—rather than an insurmountable task—then it can become a lot easier to get the seven to eight hours you need. If racing thoughts are keeping you awake at night, try to shift your mindset: focus on everything you’re grateful for and on all of the exciting things you have ahead of you.

Take Breaks

Don’t be afraid to take time off. Time may be of the essence once you set your wedding date, but no one ever got to that point without taking a break every now and then. Believe it or not, wedding preparation is something that should be fun and exciting. If it ever feels too much like work or something you dread doing, then it might be an indicator that you’re pushing yourself too hard. Step back from it for a few days and resume once you’re feeling a little more recharged. You might even want to consider giving yourself days off reaching certain planning milestones, like booking your venue for example.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

The media might make every wedding appear expertly pulled off, but this simply isn’t the reality. We’ve all heard our fair share of wedding horror stories. From misspoken vows to unfortunate drunken occurrences, mistakes happen at weddings. And when they happen, don’t feel like it’s your obligation to feel responsible. Your wedding day is for you to enjoy, so live it up to the max!