How To Stop Wedding Stress From Wrecking Your Relationship
/Weddings should be a celebration of love but all too often they can actually worsen the relationship. I know this first hand - I almost called off our wedding because the stress was really getting to me and affecting our relationship negatively. That’s because, in their modern incarnation, they’ve become major events and tremendously difficult to organize. There are so many expectations and things that you need to do.
The good news is that there are now a bunch of tried-and-test techniques out there that couples can use to bust wedding stress and just have a great day. Here’s what to do:
Prioritize What Matters
Before you begin planning your wedding, prioritize what matters to you, and what doesn’t. Ask yourselves whether you’re going to nitpick every detail or just have a basic wedding. If you set expectations early on, it helps to set the tone for the rest of the process.
Some couples split wedding tasks into “must-have” and “nice to have.” This way, they have a better understanding of what is truly important to them, and what doesn’t quite matter as much.
Communicate More Effectively
According to research, lack of communication is the main issue driving wedding stress (and, interestingly, not just a lack of communication between the partners). In many cases, failure to communicate with the parents and other siblings drives conflict.
According to wedding planning experts, communication is everything. Family arguments can easily erupt when people don’t effectively communicate with each other. Even small things can hurt their feelings, causing tensions and even fighting between the couple themselves.
Offload Some Of The Responsibility To Vendors
Many couples believe that they need to be CEOs of their own weddings, planning everything out with military precision. However, those that experience the least stress always delegate.
For instance, you don’t have to micromanage your photographer. As Matt Birchall Photography points out, professionals can simply follow your brief and implement it throughout the day. They don’t require constant oversight.
If you're struggling to cope with the sheer number of people involved in your wedding, then you might want to hire a wedding manager. These professionals take responsibility by liaising with all relevant parties on your behalf, freeing you up to simply enjoy the day.
Have A Plan B
Weddings can be super stressful if you only have a plan A. That’s because there is no guarantee that things will work out how you intend. For example, it’s common for outdoor weddings to get rained off, even in the summer. If you have nowhere else to go, the entire event could be a washout.
Spend Time On Self-Care
In the run-up to the wedding, you can lose track of self-care. There’s just so much to do and think about that it becomes almost impossible to find time and space to focus on just you.
Spending time on self-care, though, is essential. If you don’t, it can result in reduced libido, headaches, and even a reduction in your appetite. Some people even lose their hair over wedding stress: not a good look for the big day.
Therefore, spend some time unwinding every day. Don’t allow wedding planning to dominate all your thoughts.