5 Things You Can Do To Combat Wedding Planning Stress

Meagan Gibson Photography

There’s no denying that wedding planning is a stressful business. Whether you always knew you wanted a big, complicated affair or you started out with just a small celebration that has spiraled out of control, it’s easy for the preparations to catch up with you. Especially, right now with a COVID-19 chaos, wedding planning can seam stressful and maybe make you feel a bit unmotivated. Sooner or later, you may find yourself in “the hole”—and the hole is not a fun place to be. Once you get into this place, you’re not going to be thinking efficiently or acting in a way that’s very good for you. It’s awful—but don't worry, we’ve all been there.

So if you find yourself buried in the stress of wedding planning, it’s so important that you give yourself room to break out of it and this is time to do so.

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1. Unplug For 20 Minutes

First things first: give yourself a break. Turn off the TV, put your phone away, close your laptop—just disconnect. Whatever thing you’re doing that feels really pressing and definitely like an emergency will still be there in 20 minutes. So tune out and take a big breath. Run a bath, stretch out, or just make yourself a snack. If you unplug and clear your head, you’ll be able to go back in with more energy.

2. Get Outside

This is really important to remember both in the long and short-term. In the short term, going for a walk is a great way to clear your head if you’re getting stressed. In the long term, getting more time outside every day has a huge range of health benefits. It’s easy, it’s cheap, and it can be totally transformative.

3. Try A Mindfulness App

Mindfulness apps are all the rage right now—and with good reason. They can be an amazing tool to stop you from spinning out of control and they’re a great building block for more mindful habits. Calm, Buddhify, and Headspace are three really popular options. They can help you rest your mind and reset, even when you don’t have a lot of time.

3. Rethink Your Relationship With Social Media

It may seem like social media is helping you connect with people—maybe you even feel like you’re getting some great wedding planning tips from Instagram and Pinterest. But be realistic with yourself—is social media actually helping you or is it stressing you out even more? With COVID-19 spilled everywhere on social media what is real and what is not can give your so much anxiety.

Also, You can be bombarded with unrealistic expectations and endless comparisons to weddings that look totally perfect and seamless. It’s not reality. That can be stressful. Take a step back and get back to your day.

4. Clean Something Really Satisfying

I don’t normally like cleaning, but there are a few things I love cleaning. Taking the lint out of the dryer, wiping down a really dusty shelf, or even reorganizing a messy drawer and getting rid of a bunch of junk you don’t need—there are plenty of things you can clean and organize that are incredibly satisfying, make you feel like you accomplished something, and, crucially, have literally nothing to do with your wedding. Sometimes you need to zone out with something completely different before you can come back to wedding planning with a clear head.

6. Delegate And Ask For Help

This is probably the best thing you can do for yourself in a stressful time like wedding planning. Delegating, combined with saying “no”, can change your life. If you’re a perfectionist or someone relentlessly self-sufficient, asking for help may not seem like a natural step—maybe it even feels painful. But do yourself a favor, remember that there are people who love you and who want you to succeed. Reach out to them. 

Give some tasks to your bridesmaids and future mother-in-law, ask your friends if they can pitch in with those pesky favors you’ve been avoiding—do anything to keep from collapsing into yourself. People want to help you—you just need to give them the chance.

If there’s a way to plan a totally stress-free wedding, we haven't found it yet—so for now, it's paramount that you take care of yourself. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a big breath and try a coping technique. The more you let yourself have a break, the better prepared you’ll be when you get back to wedding planning. It will still be there, I promise.

Wishing you are you and your loved ones Good Health during this time.

XOXO

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Content: https://www.brides.com/

Photography:

How to Build Your Wedding Party? PART TWO

Goodbye Photography

No two wedding parties look alike—they can be made up of friends, family, or a mix of both. No matter what your party should include people who keep you positive, help with guidance and most importantly add no extra drama. Today on the blog, we are sharing PART TWO of our series; HOW TO BUILD YOUR WEDDING PARTY. Last week we shared Part ONE; “What is a wedding party”? and “What are the duties of the wedding party”? You can find it here:

Let’s DIVE in to PART TWO:

“Things to consider when building your Wedding Party” and “Common Questions to ask yourself when choosing your Wedding Party”.

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Things to Consider When Building Your Wedding Party

Make it unique to you.

As we said, while a wedding party consists of traditional roles, who you choose to include is entirely up to you. There’s no set way or rules to follow when selecting who should be part of your special day. Mix it up—have men and women support both partners. Ask your mother to walk YOU down the aisle. Train your dog to be your ring bearer. How your ceremony plays out and the people that you include, should be unique to you and your relationships.

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Consider personalities.

Just like it’s good to have some yin and yang when it comes to selecting the person you want to marry, the same goes for selecting the individuals who make up your wedding party. For example, ideally, your maid or man of honor is someone responsible and ready to tackle the many tasks that come with the role. Choose someone ‘hands-on’ who’s comfortable taking the reigns.

That said, a full wedding party of the “hands-on” type isn’t necessarily the best idea. Be sure to mix things up and try to build a group of various personalities. Some key traits we love to see in wedding party members:

• Someone with a lively sense of humor

• Down-to-earth, down-for-anything supporters

• The empathetic types to text when you’re overwhelmed

• Party animals—hey, you gotta love ‘em!

Goodbye Photography

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Wedding Party Questions

Here are some common questions couples may consider about building a wedding party.

Do We Have To Have the Same Number of Groomsmen/Bridesmaids?

No. There is no wedding party quota!. Typically, couples prefer to have the same number of members in their respective parties, but oftentimes that’s for no other reason than procession’s sake. Don’t feel pressured to add additional people to your party just so the photos are even on both sides. Choose each member of your wedding party with intention—you should want each person (even if it’s only a few) to be there with you on your day.

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Can I Have More Than One Maid of Honor/Best Man?

Sometimes choosing this important role feels impossible. Fortunately, it’s totally fine to have more than one maid of honor/best man. This is common in the case of multiple siblings or close best friend groups. Just be sure that the people you choose know that they’ll be splitting up those major responsibilities and are ready to help out.

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Do I Have To Choose A Maid of Honor/Best Man?

On the other hand, if it seems like too much hassle to choose a maid of honor or best man, forgo the title completely. This way, you don’t have to stress about making a sometimes tough decision—and no one feels left out. That said, we still recommend designating someone to speak on your behalf at the reception (if speeches are your thing) or feel free to ask the bridesmaid to do a group speech. Also, make sure your wedding party is ready to work together to take on those usual maid of honor/best man additional responsibilities.

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Do I Have To Include My Fiance's Sibling In My Wedding Party?

The simple answer is no, you don’t. While it’s common to include your own siblings in your wedding party, depending on your relationship with your partner’s siblings, it’s up to you. Obviously, we want you and your partner to avoid any unnecessary drama or hurt feelings so be sure to be upfront with their siblings if you don’t want to include them. We also recommend assigning them another role if they’re interested (they might not be), such as reading at the ceremony, guest book attendant. Lastly, you can also ask them to wear colors of the wedding to be included in some photos.

Does My Sibling Have To Be My Maid Of Honor/Best Man?

This, again, is totally up to you and dependent on your relationship with your sibling. It’s possible that you have a friend or cousin who you would prefer to act in this role for you. We, as always, recommend being upfront with your sibling to avoid any hurt feelings or drama. It also could be true that your sibling doesn’t want to take on the responsibility of the role. You won’t know until you talk about it with them.

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Is It Ok To Mix Up The Genders In Our Parties?

Absolutely. Your wedding party can be as mixed up as you prefer. Why exclude your best guy friend from your party just because he’s a guy? Please don’t do that. Invite any and all of those nearest and dearest to you, regardless of gender (or any other similar limitation), to stand proudly next to you on your big day.

Building a perfect wedding party may not be the easiest task, but it’s a rewarding one. Incorporating friends and family into your wedding day is a great way to build memories and get the support you need.

Happy Planning

XOXO

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Photography: Goodbye Photography

Content: https://www.zola.com/

How to Build Your Wedding Party? PART ONE

Ashtyn Nicole Photography

A lot goes into planning and hosting a wedding. So, it’s important to keep the right people around you to help you deal with the many ups and downs along the way. Choosing the members of your wedding party is an easy way to do just that.

No two wedding parties look alike—they can be made up of friends, family, or a mix of both. No matter what your party should include people who keep you positive, help with guidance and most importantly add no extra drama. We are doing a TWO series blog post breaking down the building a wedding party. Part ONE in today’s post will cover - “What is a wedding party”? and “What are the duties of the wedding party”?

Then come back next Wednesday to read the SECOND part of the blog covering - “Things to consider when building your Wedding Party” and “Common Questions to ask yourself when choosing your Wedding Party”.

Let’s Dive in:

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Ashtyn Nicole Photography

What Is A Wedding Party?

At its simplest, a wedding party is a group of people chosen by an engaged couple to support and celebrate them from engagement to the big day. Typically a wedding party is made up of friends and family and is responsible for certain wedding planning duties along the way. Think of the pre-wedding showers and parties, participating in the actual ceremony, and even acting as witnesses to the marriage.

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Members of the Wedding Party:

A wedding party can be large or small—it’s entirely up to the couple. Traditionally, the wedding party includes bridesmaids and groomsmen, but technically it also includes other members, as well so we are breaking it down below:

(Keep in mind this is standard list of the “traditional” however, members should be based on your relationship and personal preferences).

• Maid of Honor or Matron of Honor or Bride's Honor Attendant: This person is responsible for overseeing the bridesmaid’s responsibilities and helping the bride with planning. During the reception, the maid of honor typically reads a speech speaking to the couple—particularly focusing on the bride.

• Bridesmaids or Bride's Attendants: A group that consists of the closest friends and family members to the bride. Bridesmaids assist with wedding planning and stand by the bride during the ceremony. More recently, brides are opening their wedding parties to include men, as well: bridesmen.

• Best Man / Best Woman / Groom's Honor Attendant: Equivalent to the maid of honor, this person is the closest friend or family member to the groom. The best man (or woman) stands by the groom on the day of the wedding, makes a speech to the couple during the reception (speaking primarily about the groom), and is responsible for holding onto the wedding rings during the ceremony.

• Groomsmen: A group of the groom’s best friends or closest family members. Groomsmen stand next to the groom during the wedding ceremony and offer moral support during the planning process.

• Ushers: These people literally usher wedding guests to their seats. Also, ushers are used during the processional entrance to escort grandmas or parents to their seats. These are usually other close friends or family assigned by the couple. In some cases, the groomsmen will act as the ushers ahead of the ceremony.

• Bride's Parents: Traditionally, the bride’s parents or parent hosts the wedding ceremony and reception. Other responsibilities may include walking down the aisle with the bride, making a speech at the wedding reception, and participating in a memorable dance. We are seeing more and more of these roles switched when it comes to “hosting” .

• Groom's Parents: Traditionally, the groom’s parents or parent host the rehearsal dinner ahead of the wedding ceremony. During the wedding reception, the mother of the groom may be asked to participate in a mother-son dance. We are seeing more and more of these roles switched when it comes to “hosting” .

• Grandparents: Both partner’s grandparents. While they don’t traditionally play a role in the wedding (they could be asked to do a reading), grandparents are typically escorted down the aisle before the ceremony and seated in the first few rows.

• Officiant: An individual who officiates the wedding ceremony. For religious weddings, this may be a priest, minister, pastor, or rabbi. For non-denominational ceremonies, an officiant may be a government official or a friend/family member who has registered with the county’s clerk office.

• Flower Girl: During a wedding procession, the flower girl scatters rose petals (or flower petals of choice) down the aisle before the bride walks down. Typically, a flower girl is younger than the age of seven. She is usually the daughter of a family member or a member of the wedding party.

• Ring Bearer: This person is responsible for carrying the couple’s rings to the best man/best woman. Typically, the ring bearer is under the age of seven and the son of a family member or a member of the wedding party.

• Readers: Two to three readers are chosen to read aloud select texts during the ceremony. Usually, couples will choose guests beyond their wedding party to include more loved ones in the ceremony.

Additional Roles

Along with the traditional roles of a wedding party, we’ve included some roles a religious wedding may include in the ceremony processions.

• Pages: Otherwise known as train bearers, these are young boys or girls who assist the bride with the train of her dress as she walks down the aisle.

• Candlelighters: Prevalent in Christian weddings, taper candles are lined up at the altar as a symbol and are incorporated into the wedding ceremony. Candlelighters are guests (around the ages of ten or twelve) chosen to light the taper candles before the wedding ceremony begins.

• Shusha Vim: Traditionally, Jewish weddings don’t have a designated bridal or groom’s party. The Shusha Vim is chosen to help assist the couple on their special day (this can be anyone from a sibling, parent, or close friend).

• Chuppah Carriers: During a Jewish Wedding, Chuppah Poles are raised during the ceremony with the help of chosen family members or close friends.

• Koumbaro/Koumbara: Popular in the Eastern Orthodox religion, the Koumbaro/a (Koumbaro for male and Koumbara for female) is a close friend or family member of the groom. The Koumbaro/a assists in both the ceremony and reception traditions.

• Hattabin: In Muslim culture, Hattabins are primarily male friends or family members close to the groom. Acting as a groom’s wedding party, they assist in preparing the groom for the wedding and help with wedding planning. In some cases, the Hattabin is even responsible for seeking out the proposal from the bride.

Ashtyn Nicole Photography

Ashtyn Nicole Photography

Where to start?

1. Make a list of the actually positions you need to fill.

2. Then make a draft of who could fit into those positions.

3. From there, chat with your partner and together decide who fits best

4. Lastly, split the list with your partner and begin to ask

Come back next week to check out PART TWO: “Common Questions to ask yourself when choosing your Wedding Party”.

Happy Planning

XOXO

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Ashtyn Nicole Photography

Photography: Ashtyn Nicole Photography

Content: https://www.zola.com/