How Not to Lose Your Sh*t When Wedding Planning- Cotswold wedding photographer
Alright, deep breath…. you’ve got this!
You’re planning a wedding—exciting, right? Also, completely and utterly overwhelming. Between seating plans, budget battles, and your best friends boyfriends cousins strong opinions on linen colours, it’s easy to feel like you might actually lose your damn mind.
But fear not! You can get through this without turning into an stress-fueled monster who survives solely on coffee and endless emails. Not everything will be perfect, and that’s absolutely ok. Do you know what is perfect? Finding your person and being so utterly in love with them that you want to plan a whole day celebrating YOUR LOVE AS A COUPLE!
Here’s how to keep your cool and actually enjoy planning your big day
Accept That Some Things Will Go Wrong
Listen, something will go wrong. Your dream venue might be booked until 2035. The cake tasting might turn into a disaster (yes, that bakery really put lavender in everything, but it’s ok, I know some who won’t…). Your cousins best friends brother might suddenly decide they are an event planner and send you a 12-page spreadsheet of “suggestions.”
The key is to embrace the chaos. Repeat after me: “It will not be absolutely 100% perfect, and that’s okay.” The sooner you accept that, the happier you’ll be.
Pick Your Battles Wisely
Do you really care about napkin folds? Probably not (if you do, hire a stylist. I can recommend you some!). Do you care about the playlist so you’re not stuck dancing to the Cha Cha Slide all night? Absolutely, that went out of fashion in the 90’s.
Decide what actually matters to you as a couple and let the rest go. Your wedding isn’t the Met Gala—no one will remember the difference between blush and dusty rose bridesmaid dresses. Remember a wedding is more about how it FEELS than how it looks. Focus on the things that’ll make the day feel right for you and your partner, not what Pinterest says is trendy. Is your favourite colour bright pink? And you want to match it with red? If so, do it. It’s your wedding. Do it your way!
Delegate Like a Boss
You are not a one-person wedding machine. Trying to do it all will drive you straight into burnout (and possibly an emotional breakdown in the middle of Hobbycraft). Assign tasks like your sanity depends on it—because it does.
• Maid of honor? Put her in charge of the hen party. And maybe the suppliers point of call on the day…
• Future spouse? Have them handle music, food, or literally anything so it’s not all on you.
• Parents? If they’re offering to help, give them something specific to do (but maybe not the seating chart unless you want a family war).
Set a “No Wedding Talk” Rule
At some point, wedding planning takes over your life. You wake up thinking about florals and go to bed stressing about RSVP deadlines. So, set boundaries! Designate wedding-free days or nights where you and your partner do absolutely anything else—watch a funny movie, go for a hike, eat pizza in your PJs. Do what makes YOU happy.
Your relationship is more than just a wedding. Don’t forget to enjoy each other outside of the planning madness.
Stop Trying to Please Everyone
Someone is always going to have an opinion. Your aunts friend from down the road thinks a pizza van is tacky (they’re mad, there’s nothing better than a pizza at 10pm on your wedding day!). Your best friends cat hates the bridesmaid dresses. Your mums fourth removed aunt is still trying to invite her book club.
Here’s a revolutionary idea: You do not have to make everyone happy.
Your wedding is about you and your partner. Make decisions that feel good to you—not to keep the peace. If people get salty over minor details, that’s a them problem.
Remember Why You’re Doing This
When you feel like you’re one cake mishap away from losing your sh*t, take a step back. This isn’t just about a party with fancy outfits and gorgeous centre pieces. It’s about celebrating love—your love—with the people who matter most.
At the end of the day, it won’t matter if the DJ plays the wrong song or the flowers aren’t the exact shade of ivory you envisioned. What matters is that you’re marrying your person. And that’s pretty damn awesome.