You're engaged and now it is time to plan your dream day!! Planning a wedding in 2022 may be very different than it has been in previous years. Following gathering guidelines, venues booked out due to postponed weddings from 2020 and 2021, and price inflation of goods are just a few things that come to mind. Navigating these three things on their own can be stressful, but when you add them on top of guest lists and menus it can be overwhelming! I have wedding planning anxiety, now what??
We are here to offer some helpful tips to help ease some of the stress and anxiety that you may be feeling. Wedding planning should be an enjoyable experience and not one that causes you anxiety!!
Prioritize And Be Flexible
When it comes to planning your day, it’s a good idea to make a list of the things that are most important to you. Whether it is the venue, the cake, or even something as simple as the type of flowers you want on your tables, having a list can help you decide what you need to focus on first. Prioritizing the things that are most important can help you to get those planning details out of the way first and increase the possibility of getting what you want. Wedding planning anxiety can also happen when you don’t even know where to start… Well don’t worry, girl we’ve got you! Having a wedding checklist can help to keep you organized. Checklists are also helpful to keep track of dates and certain details that need to be accomplished.
Along with prioritizing, being flexible is also a great way to help ease some of that wedding planning anxiety. Wedding planning can be a fickle beast! Sometimes your ability to just roll with the punches and be flexible with things could help your stress level. Wedding checklists help you to know what to prioritize first. For example, booking vendors before finalizing a seating chart or dress shopping for the bride before picking bridesmaids' dress colors!
The venue you dream of isn’t available for your desired date? Take a deep breath and try your best to be flexible. Ask for the venue’s availability in that general time frame and see if you can find something that works. If you can’t find something that works, being open to a different venue may be the best option for you. According to The Knot 2022 wedding trends article, “with a surge in demand for events, many couples have accepted that a Thursday wedding is just as great as a peak Saturday event.” Winter weddings also offer fewer crowds, which means better accommodation prices, your choice of the best vendors, and reduced venue rates. A weekday wedding could also save you money, vendors sometimes charge a lower rate for a weekday than they would for a prime Saturday!
Don’t Compare Yourself To Others
Wedding planning anxiety often can be caused by comparing your day to what you see on the web! Pinterest wedding boards full of high-end, expensive designs can be overwhelming. Pinterest can be a great place to put ideas together that you love. Try taking details from different ideas, putting them together, and making them your own. It’s an awesome way to keep from comparing yourself to others! Making your own design that your budget can accommodate can help anxiety. This is your day so make it your own.
Understanding Pricing
Product shortage and inflation are definitely not new things to us being two years into the Covid Pandemic. Inflation has affected the wedding market with labor shortages and an increase in the cost of goods. Planning for these increases is important, to help relieve wedding planning anxiety. Research the costs and shop around to different companies to compare prices and experiences.
Market value varies from state to state, venue to venue, and per size of your wedding. If you’re planning a wedding in a different location, check the prices in that specific area. For the love, it’s so helpful to hire a wedding planner, especially when you’re planning a Montana destination wedding. This also goes hand in hand with flexibility. Planning a budget and being flexible to accommodate that budget is so important! According to the Wall Street Journal “the projected average cost for weddings in 2022 and 2023 ranges from $24,300 to $24,900.” With more than 2.6 million weddings happening in the U.S. in 2022 alone.
Did you know that one of the top 2022 wedding trends is to have a more intimate celebration? As a result of the pandemic, many couples reduced the size of their weddings. While this felt sad at first, it’s opened the door to happier, more intimate weddings. The wedding budget goes up exponentially when you have a high guest count. You can expect to pay $40/person for a mid-range caterer, so decreasing your guest budget can really help.
Reading the Fine Print
Wedding planning anxiety can cause you to rush into making decisions without reading the fine print. When it comes to signing contracts, you want to sign when you are completely aware of everything you are agreeing to. For example, your venue might only allow certain vendors and you have already hired vendors that are not approved for that venue. This can put you in a sticky situation, which is why it's so important to be aware of details in the contract and understand them!! If you don’t understand something don’t be afraid to ask.
Knowing marriage licenses requirements for the chosen state and county you choose to get married in is also so important! Did you know there is no waiting period to get married in Montana? This is not the case in all states! Knowing all requirements keeps you from being in a sticky situation so close to your day!!
Self Care
This is the most important thing when it comes to planning anxiety! Remember you need to take care of yourself. Finding different ways to help you relieve stress and anxiety should be your number one priority. Meditation, yoga, running, journaling, and listening to music can be some great options!
It is easy to find meditations apps, yoga apps, or websites that have guided and unguided meditation and yoga. If you are struggling with what you journal, search for prompted journaling websites. Listening to music or your favorite podcast to help wind down is another great option!!
According to Bride.com “How to Handle Wedding Planning Stress, According to Science,”
“Eighty-six percent of couples said pre-planning stress caused them to experience physical symptoms like breakouts, reduced sex drive, headaches, and changes in appetite—even hair loss!” Let's be honest! We are trying to save the hair, not lose it!!
Self-care also includes making time for you and your partner. Date nights, weekend getaways, and even just relaxing on the couch help to reduce stress and anxiety levels. Including your partner in wedding planning can also help you to reduce some of your wedding planning anxiety. You don’t have to do it all yourself.
That leads us to our last tip!!
Hire a Professional
Wedding planning is a whirlwind. Navigation through the process is guaranteed to cause you wedding planning anxiety at some point. The best way to avoid becoming overwhelmed is to HIRE A WEDDING PLANNER!!! Wedding planners know the ins and out’s of the wedding industry and take care of the leg work so you don’t have to. Don’t worry, we’re here for you!!!
We want you to enjoy your day. Making sure every detail goes off without a hitch (pun intended). If that doesn’t instantly relieve your stress I don't know what will!! Hiring an experienced wedding planner puts you at ease knowing that any problems that arise will be taken care of. Wedding planning anxiety can be nearly non-existent and it should be!! Our job is to make your dreams come true with as little stress as possible…
Wedding planners are especially helpful for destination weddings. Knowing the best in the biz in their area is what they do! They have all of the hook-ups to make your day the best. Preferred vendors lists help you narrow down who to work with, which venues would be the best for your vision, the caterers that offer the menu items you might be looking for, and even the rental company that offers your dream bouncy house! We save you time by reaching out to companies and getting quotes for you. Helping you to make informed decisions without the stress of contacting vendors!!
Wedding planning anxiety makes one of the best days of your life, the least enjoyable day very quickly. Keeping calm, asking for help, and taking care of yourself are some of the best ways to keep stress and anxiety away! Remember you don’t have to do it all yourself. Wedding planners are here to help make your wedding day amazing and keep your sanity intact!!
These are just a few tips to help keep wedding planning anxiety at bay! Follow us on Instagram for more helpful tips for our future Wild Montana Brides!