Weddings are beautiful, but, let’s face it, wedding planning can be stressful. When there is family involved and budgets to consider, there are several situations that come up that can make you want to elope. Here are several tips on how to handle the stress that comes your way when planning your wedding!
Your groom isn’t helping. We know not all grooms care about the colors of your flowers or what font to use on an invitation, but there are several aspects of the wedding he can be involved in. Ask for his assistance when deciding on music, photographers and food. However, don’t talk about the wedding 24/7 with your groom because that can get old and fast. It’s key to go on date nights where you do not talk about the wedding. You need to unwind!
Your parents want to do it all. Most of the times, the bride’s parents pay for the majority of the wedding day. With that financial responsibility comes entitled opinions. It’s important to listen to them and take their advice, but ultimately, it’s up to the bride and groom. Prior to getting into the weeds of wedding planning, sit your parents down and have a talk with them about what you want on your wedding day and what is important to them. Be respectful and appreciative and make sure to include them on some of your decisions.
Your bridesmaids are complaining about the cost of bridesmaid’s dresses. Let’s be honest here, being a bridesmaid or groomsman can be expensive. Expenses include shower gifts, wedding gifts, dresses, transportation and lodging at the wedding, bachelorette parties, bachelor parties and much more. Be cognizant of how much they are already spending on the activities and gifts, and try not to pick the most expensive dress on the market because you love it. To avoid any eye rolls or unhappy bridesmaids, remember there are lots of super stylish options that don’t break the bank.
The rehearsal dinner isn’t exactly your taste. Dealing with in-laws is a challenging situation in itself and something that needs to be handled with care. Traditionally, the groom’s family pays for the rehearsal dinner in its entirety. Before his family starts getting into specifics for that day, sit down with the groom’s family and chat about whom you want to invite and what you want the vibe of the dinner to be. Communicate early, and you can avoid awkward situations!
Your parents want to invite everyone. When you have to ask your parents, “Who is that?” you probably shouldn’t invite them to your wedding. Make an “A” and “B” guest list for wedding invitations. Also, if you want a smaller wedding, choose a smaller venue, and that way you have a limited capacity and thus limited “random” guests.
You don’t agree on your honeymoon spot. Choosing a honeymoon location can be a hard decision. If you and your groom do not agree on the location, think about choosing something that isn’t either one of your selections. Or, if this works in your budget, spend a long weekend at your choice and then a couple months later, go to his destination. You can both win!
Your groom wants to add impractical gifts to your registry. In general, your wedding registry needs to be gifts and practical things for your kitchen and home. Your groom may get too excited and want to add grass seed, home speaker systems and a drum set, but make sure you communicate to him that a registry is not a personal wish list. A registry serves the purpose of setting your home up for a happy marriage!