For vast majority of couples, planning a wedding is a stressful business. That doesn’t mean we suggest avoiding it, on the contrary, but it’s good to be prepared for everything that lies ahead. Although you will have fun organizing your big day together, there are going to be things you will be fighting about. Some couples might need relationship counseling to keep the peace between each other during the engagement period, others might even break up. The majority, nevertheless, survive this period with a few issues and arguments. Here are seven tips on make it through wedding planning!
Popping of the question and the ring are only the beginning of your exciting journey; so many things will be happening around you and too many tasks and events to handle and process properly. Therefore, you should expect wedding planning to put a lot of stress on you and your beloved one. Keeping things good, however, is up to you; don’t let irrelevant things push you apart.
1 – Don’t talk only about the wedding. If you were discussing news, sports, events and work before getting engaged, why would you stop doing that? Of course, it’s hard to focus on anything else when such a huge event has to be planned by you. Nonetheless, it’s recommended to have designated “wedding-free” nights when even mentioning “W” word is forbidden.
2 – “Separateness” is still O.K. Being engaged (and married) doesn’t mean you should stop doing things separately with your friends. It is normal to have less time for your best friend or sister when planning a wedding, but maintaining friendships and relationships is incredibly important. Not only will it make you love and appreciate each other more, but your friends and family won’t feel ignored and neglected too. Girls’ any guys’ nights should be organized from time to time.
3 – Don’t forget who’s getting married. Your wedding is all about the two of you, not about your family and friends. In fact, you should be careful about involving anyone too much into your wedding planning and/or your relationship. Of course you’ll need help and assistance, but make sure nobody drives a wedge between you and your fiancé. Big decisions should be made when you’re alone. So, before sharing any information with others or asking for advice, make sure you’ve talked to your fiancé about it.
4 – Say what you expect of each other. During the engagement period, couples have problems because of their unrealistic expectations. So, before you start planning, it is crucial to sit down and talk about the level of involvement you want and expect in the planning process.
5 – Split the tasks. Perhaps the groom-to-be is more interested in choosing the music, while the bride-to-be would like to explore the options regarding wedding flowers. You’ll make the final decisions together, but you don’t have to read and answer each mail like conjoined twins. When splitting up tasks, you have to trust each other, but also to accept that mistakes will be made.
6 -Set your budget upfront. Your wedding ceremony will probably be the first thing you will be budgeting together (travel arrangements don’t count). Therefore you should discuss your individual finances and future goals upfront. Everybody wants their celebration to be unique, memorable and luxurious, but that doesn’t mean racking up debt. Agree on how much money you’ll spend on your wedding before signing any contract.
7 – Don’t be shy to seek professional help. If you start feeling you’re losing each other and you cannot find the way out, do something about it. Relationship counseling isn’t something to be ashamed of, but the way to show you truly care for each other.