Ten Tips to Alleviate Wedding Stress

August 2, 2006

I was talking to a bride last week about her wedding coming next year, and she was already feeling the stress of wedding planning.  Here are a few good tips on keeping wedding stress at bay.

1) Make an appointment to see a wedding consultant.  If you don’t have the money to pay for a Chicago wedding planner, spend a couple of hours with a wedding consultant to help you come with a plan for your wedding vision.  It will save you precious time and will help you make important decisions about your wedding with a professional.

2) Come up with a short list in every category.  You can drive yourself crazy if you try to see 15 vendors in each category.  You probably don’t have the time and it might cause you to worry about making the right decision.  That’s why a wedding consultant is very helpful.

3) Delegate chores to friends and family members that want to help.  Don’t guilt them into helping you. If they’re not up for it, that’s fine.  I’m sure at least one of your bridesmaids would be willing to take on a chore or two.

4) Build in time to exercise during the engagement.  Exercise is an amazing stress reliever.  All you need is 1/2 an hour a day to make a difference.  I’ve been slacking a little bit myself, so it’s time to get back to the gym.

5) Meet with a pre-marital therapist to prepare for marriage.  You don’t have to meet with the therapist every week, but at least a few times to help you both get ready for the transition.

6) Organize your wedding planning duties - hiring the wedding vendors, booking pre-wedding services.  You don’t have to do this alone.  Sit down with a friend to come up with a “To Do” list with a date for when you’d like to accomplish each item on the list.

7) Schedule at least one massage a month.  The massage therapist will help work out any knots you may pick up while planning the wedding.

8) Hire a wedding planner for the Day of the Wedding.  This is very, very important.  If you can’t afford it, then delegate the duty to a trusted friend with great organizational skills.  I will say that a wedding planner knows how to manage the wedding event without breaking a sweat.

9) Keep a journal.  Writing is very therapeutic and can help you work through some feelings that may come up during the engagement.  Plus, it’s a great way to keep track of your wedding journey.  It will be nice to share parts of your journal with your kids on your 25th wedding anniversary.  Just parts…

10) Follow your wedding spending plan without debting, as much as you possibly can.  It’s easy to rack up credit card debt while planning your dream wedding, but that debt will follow you for months to come after your wedding.  Even though most of us have some type of debt, it’s stressful to start your married life together thousands of dollars in the red. 

Your wedding is going to be beautiful no matter what.  Trust me.  As long as you keep the focus on each other, you will be fine.  If you need help with wedding consultation, contact me directly at

Take care!

Alison