As most of you know, today is the first day of the second half of the year! For me, working at a marketing firm, that means it’s the first relaxing day in a minute. My job is pretty awesome. I work with all of my best friends at what might be one of the coolest companies to work for in Knoxville. That being said, we’re a small, growing company, and it’s not rare for us to work long hours. People often ask me how I manage planning a wedding in the midst of working, blogging, running Social Media Club Knoxville and just living my life. (By the way, did I mention Michael and I also rescued a dog yesterday? She’s up for adoption!)
So for my fellow brides-to-be trying to balance it all and plan an amazing wedding day in their “spare” time, here are X tips from yours truly:
1. Give yourself enough time. I started planning my wedding just under a year out, giving myself almost 12 full months to meet with vendors, design invitations, figure out DIY projects, etc. This allows you to spread all the planning out and meet with vendors on your time — not under some super-stressful time crunch! I also received one really great piece of advice from my photographer: plan ahead and try to do one project per month. That way, you’re not as stressed as the big day draws nearer.
2. Utilize your off time. I don’t know how many vendors I’ve met and contracts I’ve signed during my lunch break, but I’d say it’s a good percentage. And even aside from meetings, I utilized many lunch breaks to figure out my budget, compile addresses, design invitations, etc. So whether you need to bring your lunch to the office or meet a vendor for a bite, using your lunch breaks to their fullest can gain you 5 hours a week in wedding planning. Don’t waste it!
3. Delegate. Your mother, future mother-in-law, bridesmaids, grandmother, etc. all are probably willing and able to help (and possibly even excited about helping) with different tasks throughout the planning process. From assembling invitations to scouring thrift stores and beyond, let those closest to you be a part of the process. It will not only take some stress off you, but also get everyone involved in your big day.
4. Relax. I don’t know about you, but when I get flustered, I’m basically useless. Take a second to step back and relax. Reorganize your thoughts. Don’t get so caught up in balancing your life and wedding planning that you give yourself a heart attack. Even if you’re under a time crunch, be sure to spend a little bit of relaxing “me” time. I promise it will help you re-energize!
5. Save a few vacay days for pre-wedding tasks. Like most, my wedding is on a Saturday. My last day of work before the big day will be Tuesday, so I’ll have 3 full days to get all the last minute items in order, get a relaxing mani/pedi, finish my DIY projects, etc. My bridesmaids and my mom will be in town during that time to help as well, so my hope is that these 3 vacation days will make a magical difference in the few days before the big one.
How well is wedding planning fitting into your life? What else are you doing to balance the two?
*Photo from aeu04117. Used under Creative Commons.
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