Happy New Year and welcome to 2016! You've either just gotten engaged over the holidays, or you've been planning your 2016 wedding for the past few months -- regardless, this is going to be a great year for you! Full of excitement, anticipation, and likely a small amount of stress.
Almost every bride makes a New Year's resolution to lose some weight to fit into her wedding dress, or to hit the gym a bit harder to keep that girlish figure for the big day. But there are other resolutions that you can make that will ensure your year of wedding planning is as enjoyable as possible.
Have a plan.
If you don't have a wedding planner, you will be on your own to create a budget plan and wedding planning timeline for the months leading up to your wedding. These are very important! Make this your first New Year's resolution and make sure to do these two important steps before you start any of the planning. A good realistic budget and a timeline will help you stay focused and on track.
Promise to have an attitude of gratitude.
This will also be a big year for your parents, siblings, close friends and family. They will be asked to throw bridal showers and engagement parties, purchase bridesmaid dresses, and take some of their time away from their personal lives to help with the planning of your wedding. Resolve to be patient and grateful, and to make sure to include everyone in the planning process. Often the root of all family issues stems from someone not feeling like they've been heard or appreciated. Family dynamics are a part of every wedding, and this can be stressful when everyone has their own ideas and suggestions, and insists on providing their opinions. So patience, forgiveness, and a small thank-you note or a loving hug can go a long way in keeping everyone happy through the planning process. And don't forget your guests - get those thank-you cards out in a timely manner!
Connect with your fiancé.
I always tell my clients to take time once a month to go on a date with their fiancé and to NOT discuss the wedding. It's so important to stay connected with your groom through this time. Brides are excited about their weddings, and often that's all they want to talk about. That's completely fine, but you really have to remember to nurture your relationship and to reconnect as a couple. This ensures that you are concentrating on the marriage, not just the wedding.
Not everything will be perfect.
Resolve to let go of any ideas that everything has to be perfect. Perfection is impossible to achieve and puts far too much pressure on brides. So move forward knowing that there will be some bumps in the road, and you will feel less stress when you look at it that way instead of trying to pull off the impossible.
Promise to enjoy yourself.
This is supposed to be fun! If wedding planning is starting to feel more like a job, then you really have to take a step back and re-evaluate. Maybe you need some extra help - wedding planners can step in at any stage of the planning process to take over if you are feeling too overwhelmed or stressed out. Talk to your fiancé and your family - don't be afraid to delegate some of the jobs so that you aren't doing it all on your own.
Remember to have some perspective.
Concentrate on what's really important and have some perspective please! When problems arise, remember that you are just planning a party - there are far worse things that can happen in life than a guest canceling at the last minute. Stressing about color choices or worrying about what people will think seems so minuscule when you look at the real reason you are planning this joyful occasion in the first place.
So pop a bottle of champagne and celebrate the exciting year to come, knowing you are making resolutions that will help keep you calm and will ensure a joyous year of wedding planning!