Your wedding is supposed to be the happiest day of your life, and the start of a new chapter. But it doesn’t seem fair that your happiest day should involve weeks, months, or even years of stress beforehand. Many people get stressed about their wedding, whether they’ve been dreaming about it since childhood or not.
It makes sense that you would get stressed. There are often huge expectations surrounding weddings, and everyone seems to have an opinion. You’re having to juggle two different families, who might not always get on, while also trying to work out what you want.
In this situation, it’s beneficial to take a step back, take a breath, and try to dial back on the stress. Otherwise, the happiest day of your life will be overshadowed by the stress leading up to it.
Set a Budget
It seems counterintuitive to think about finances when trying to reduce stress, but setting a budget can lighten the load. Many people go into debt trying to fund their weddings, which puts them on the back foot for their marriage. The first year of marriage can be tricky at the best of times, let alone when you’re already in the red.
Set an affordable budget that you can both agree on, including the honeymoon fund. While you might not be able to afford a full princess wedding, you’d be surprised at the unique and beautiful weddings you can arrange on a budget.
Some people have a small ceremony, then another party a few months later to celebrate their marriage. This breaks up the cost of the wedding ceremony and gives you another chance to look great in your wedding clothes.
Plan for Photos
As the years go by, you might forget bits and pieces of your wedding day. It’s nice to be able to look back at photos and even videos of the day so that you can remember everything as it was. There are a few options that allow you to take photos of your wedding day memories.
The most obvious option is to hire a photographer and videographer. These professionals will take high-quality footage of your wedding, edit it, then send it to you in the format you want. It costs money, but many couples find it more than worth the expense.
You can also take advantage of the fact that almost everyone at your wedding has a camera on their phone. After the big day, ask your guests to send their photos to you, so you can then create your own album. This is especially effective for smaller weddings, as there are fewer photos to screen through.
Food and Drink
The catering costs will eat up a huge amount of your budget, which is why some couples lean towards a potluck wedding or a smaller meal for only some of the guests. You should make sure that your guests understand what’s happening before the wedding, so they don’t go hungry if you don’t provide food. However, the most important thing to provide is the wedding cake.
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
