Planning your own wedding is one of the most rewarding and stressful things you will ever do! OK, OK I’m being a little sarcastic, I’m sure that having a child is a bit more rewarding and a litttttle more stressful – but in the moment, these wedding planning situations feel like the biggest deal ever. Here’s some advice on how to deal with these stressful situations without going full bridezilla!
That pesky weatherman threatens rain on your wedding day.
Failing to plan is planning to fail! Always keep rain in mind when you are choosing a venue – if you’ve fallen in love with an outdoor space, make sure that they have an indoor option that you and your hunny love just as much! If you plan to have outdoor photos, be sure to have a back-up plan when it comes to rain: obtain permits for indoor photo options also.
Your friend who was invited alone replies with a plus one.
DO NOT PANIC! Do not call your fiancé crying. Do not send a passive aggressive group text to this friend! You’ve got this girl! Pick up the phone and call your friend (Yes, that thing in your hand actually makes calls!) and delicately explain the situation – I promise it’s easier to hit this one head on and quickly!
You begin second guessing every decision you made.
It’s time to step back and take a breather! If you can – plan a weekend getaway with your fiancé and remember WHY you are planning this extravagant party. It’s about love people! I was lucky enough to have a vacation in the middle of our wedding planning adventure and it truly helped me recharge my batteries, remind me why we are doing this and solidify the decisions we made so far. That’s not to say that I didn’t stress out about my lipstick color for 2 whole weeks prior to the wedding day, but at least I didn’t move forward with changing the bridesmaid dresses 2 months before the wedding.
You forgot to tip your vendors.
It’s the end of the night, your heels are in your hand and you’re on your way to the after party when someone hands you your clutch and BAM! you remember – you forgot to tip your vendors. All those wonderful people that made this night special. Don’t fret! Before you head off to your honeymoon, write a quick thank you note to each vendor with their tip and send it on its way – it’s actually a little more special than a crumpled-up envelope if you ask me!
Your venue holds 200 and both sets of parents hand you a list of 250 people.
Go at this situation very politely – this is a touchy subject! Not only is this the biggest day of you and your soon-to-be hubby’s life but it’s also a HUGE deal for your parents! This is one of those times that an in-person meeting is necessary – most parents put together these lists without a budget number in mind. They are just so excited and know that your Great Aunt Sally would really love to see your walk down the aisle…unfortunately, you’ve never even met her! Set some ground rules: 1. Have you seen this long lost relative in the past year? No? Probably doesn’t need to be at the wedding – that’s one couple down! 2. Has your spouse met this friend of your parents? No? Doesn’t need to be at the wedding – another couple down! Also, create an A and B list – although it’s hard to believe, some people will RSVP no to your big day! At that point, you can turn to your B-list and invite more people.
Stay tuned for more articles from the Confessions of a Philadelphia Bride series, written by Victoria Waxman.
Photos: Unsplash