kgossman We hear people talk all the time about burnout when it comes to career, but burnout can also happen in other areas of our lives such as relationships, family, or yes, even wedding planning. When we dive headfirst into something, it’s easy to get carried away in everything and forget to set ourselves up for long-term success. Here’s some ways to prevent burnout when planning your wedding so you don’t end up resenting this chapter of your life.
Start Small
First things first, start small when planning. First you need a budget, then you need a date and venue. Usually your venue will dictate which days are open in your desired season or month. Once you have these things in place, then you can begin looking into other vendors and making plans.
Get Organized
Staying organized is one of the biggest factors in wedding planning success! Designate a certain area in your home for keeping your planning stuff. This can be an office or a certain closet. Make sure you keep everything here so you know exactly where to find it. I recommend getting a new notebook specifically for wedding ideas and notes as they come up. You want one specific place to put these so you can find them later. You can order planning binders online or make your own. You’ll need tabs for ceremony, floorplans, vendors, contracts, guest list, budget, etc. Make sure to include lots of blank lined and printer paper for notes and designs. If you prefer electronic organization, check out my Easy Wedding Planning Bundle. It comes with a ready-to-use Excel Workbook with everything you need to get started. And the budget page is easy to keep track of your spending versus writing down everything.
Break It Down
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with everything to do, break it down into smaller items. I like to use the ‘box method’ to categorize everything related into groups. For example, if you’re working on the bar, write down everything related to the bar that you need to do. Book bartenders, pick alcohol, order koozies and cups, order bar menu sign, figure out bar décor, order alcohol, etc. Then you’re focused on one grouping at a time and can work out all the details together.
My Wedding Planning Guide gives you a list of these items grouped together so you have the checklist already done. Get it here.
Pace Yourself
If you’re not great at making decisions or you’ve got other things going on while planning your wedding, such as school or career advancements, give yourself plenty of time to plan your wedding with ease. This may be a year or more, depending on your schedule. This gives you lots of time to book vendors at your own pace, think through details, and even take some months off if things are just too much. To prevent planning burnout, you want to give yourself plenty of time for everything you need, including peace of mind.
Hire A Planner
Speaking of peace of mind, if planning your wedding sounds like a lot to you, hire a wedding planner to help. Hiring a professional to help guide you on your path of decision making, offer recommendations, and help you sort out everything makes a huge difference! There are all different levels of planning, but planning usually starts around $1500 and goes up from there, depending on your event and what you need. If that’s out of budget, look into our Monthly Planning Membership instead. You pay month-to-month for planning help from us for as long as you need us. Read more here.
Set the Expectations
Yes, your wedding will be amazing, but no it won’t be like the movies. Something goes wrong at every single one. Not to burst your bubble, but setting realistic expectations will be helpful early on in your planning journey. Just as if you were a planner, consider backup options for things or events when making decisions. Think through your rain plan when making floorplans. Schedule in ‘wiggle room’ in your timeline if photography goes over schedule. Have a few extra seats for people who show up that didn’t RSVP. Planning ahead for these things will help you breathe better on your big day knowing these things are not an issue.
If you’re someone who gets tired or overwhelmed from socialization, schedule yourself breaks on your big day to slip back into your bridal suite and just relax for a few minutes. You can also eat dinner or have drinks and apps privately with your new spouse before joining your guests. Do whatever you need to do to enjoy your day at the highest level.
Show Yourself Grace
The biggest thing you can do is show yourself compassion during your planning journey. If there are times when you don’t want to plan, you have room in the schedule to take a few weeks off. If you’re putting something off because it’s overwhelming, plan something else that excites you and gets that momentum going. Show yourself grace during all this. You’ve never planned a wedding before, you’re not a pro and no one expects you to be. Ask for help from family, friends, and your bridal party if you need it. Get stuff done-for-you or delivered as much as possible to save yourself time. If you’re crafting or stuffing envelopes or brainstorming ideas, invite your girls over for pizza and wine and get it knocked out.
Hire Day-of Help
If you don’t have a wedding planner you should definitely at least hire a day-of coordinator for your event. You want someone else in charge on your big day to setup, make decisions, and be the go-to for everyone else’s questions. Your coordinator will oversee your timeline to keep everything on schedule, and will cue vendors when it’s time for big moments such as first dances or cake cutting. Choose someone you click well with and trust.
The biggest take-away for planning success is to give yourself compassion and take it slowly! To prevent planning burnout, lean on the people around you for emotional, mental, or physical support. This is an exciting time and you should enjoy every moment. Set yourself up for success on the front end so you feel relaxed and happy during your planning journey.
