Tuesday Tips - Planning

TysWife2Be

Ladies,

Are there any pieces of advice you can give to someone planning a wedding?

Are there any ways NOT to stress?

Planner or no planner?

Fill us in!

There are some of us that are not married and others that are married but what do you find beneficial or what did you find beneficial while planning?

KSTURGIS

Are there any pieces of advice you can give to someone planning a wedding?
Dont dwell on things too long. If it isnt working, just move to the next step and find something that does work. 

AND: Breathe, breathe, breathe

Are there any ways NOT to stress?
Booze, lots and lot of booze,  lol. Stressing is apart of this process. Whether it comes from planning, family or friends. Its bond to happen. So just dont get too upset and again it may be hard, but, no dwelling. Deal with the situation and move on. Be it to ignore it or confront it. The time goes so quickly. We dont have it to waste. Even when your a year away, it still will go quicker than you thought it would. I swear I was just at 300 days yesterday. lol

Planner or no planner?
Im a cheater. My bff is a planner. So I just stole her files, take her advice and hell no im not paying that chick. lol What are friends for after all.

They are great if you dont really have the time or just want to have a little less stress. Also sometimes they yknow how to get better discounts. Especially if they have regular vendors that they use.

But for those who dont have them, there is nothing wrong with that either. Im finding that it is  easier sometimes for me to handle things directly. And it gets done faster because I dont have to wait for my planner to get back to me. I already have the answer. Because I got it myself.

Beneficial ?

Honestly, I find you ladies beneficial. Whether I need a laugh, advice or a good check on reality, I know that there is always a lady on her who understands me.

HTH

MIABRIDENTAMPA

Are there any ways NOT to stress? Try to have one day out of the week, where you do NO wedding planning, not even talk about wedding planning. Do not sweat the small stuff. I hear from a lot of brides on my local board, that small things we just have to have because of tk like ( menu cards, I DO letters, MR/MRS letters, flip flops by the dancefloor) if they aren't there the guests wont miss them. Also, I set payment goals for our wedding( i.e. what we wanted to have paid off by 9 months, 6 months, 3 months) so that the 30 days before the wedding we are not trying to scramble and pay things off or worry if we will have coins for the HM.

Planner or no planner? I have a Month of Planner, meaning a month before my wedding she takes over the duties, finalizes anything we need finalized, and handles everything from there on out until we close our hotel door the night of the wedding. I am an advocate of having a planner, even if its a day of planner, because your day is your day, and you want to enjoy it and not have people asking you where to put this and that. Also,if you can afford it, I say hire a non family member, as you want your family to enjoy the big day also and not be bogged down.

Beneficial ?
I find the knot boards beneficial to finding sites on BM dresses, shoes, jewelry. I also recommend going to bridal shows, lots of ways to meet vendors, arrange meetings, get discounts and even enter for prizes. Also I find google reader beneficial. Knottie Pas is the reason we have free wedding photog, that we won after she recommended a photog and I entered their contest.

OFF

Ways not to stress?
--PLAN EARLY!  I can not stress the importance of being organized and hoping on stuff early.  The earlier you plan the less running around like a chicken with your head cut off you will do later. 
--Laugh and if you can't laugh drink.
--Have someone you can vent to and who let you blow of steam about how ridiculous it is that flowers cost that much 
--Use the knot it's a great place for info, sympathy and steam blowing
--ignore everyone's opinion except your own's and that of your FI's.  Everybody else smile nod and tune them out.

Planner or No Planner?
I planned the wedding myself with the FI's help.  However, I must say it is important to have a point person those last few weeks.  We have a day of coordinator to handle the vendor the weeks leading up to and the day of the wedding.  We just really didnt want to have all that stress on our big day.  So even if you dont want a planner have a point person you trust who can be on top of things so you dont have to worry about silly little things when you should be smiling at the camera.

Beneficial
the knot has been the most beneficial part on our planning.  You guys have made me cry, laugh, listened to me vent and applauded our little checks.  You've been the friends I wish my friends could be. 

ladylum

Are there any pieces of advice you can give to someone planning a wedding? You don't have to have everything to have a nice wedding. I am doing without menu cards, STDs, flowers, limo because I wanted to concentrate on the things important to me: food and dancing my butt off!!!

Are there any ways NOT to stress? I agree with OFF, plan early! You have no idea what will happen in the future (remember me starting off wedding planning then finding out I was PREGNANT?!) Don't tell everyone your plans. It's between you and Fi and the people actually helping you.

Planner or no planner? I had no planner, wasn't in the budget but I have three friends who have planned weddings and have been a great help. You ladies have been great as well.

What do you find beneficial or what did you find beneficial while planning? Organization is key and Google is your best friend. Don't stop searching for those breaks.

cincy2011

I'm relatively new here, but I have a few tips to share!  

Are there any pieces of advice you can give to someone planning a wedding? 
Only keep a few very close friends/family in the loop about the day-to-day planning, this will help you get feedback ONLY from people you really care about. 

Are there any ways NOT to stress? 
I have to agree with starting planning early.  Also, consider a longer engagement in order to get through the wedding planning process with as little stress as possible.  You will be with your future husband for the rest of your life, so 6 more months won't kill you.

Planner or no planner? 
We looked into a planner and even interviewed one.  However at the end of the day we felt like we have so much of our wedding planned already that we really don't need a planner.  Also, our caterer has a person on staff who is the "captain" of our event and they are going to coordinate with other vendors and make sure the timeline is adhered to, etc. for about a week leading up to the big day. 

What do you find beneficial or what did you find beneficial while planning?
I find wedding blogs helpful because it gives you a different perspective, although The Knot has been helpful also (especially the local boards b/c I'm getting married in a city I don't live in and have only visited a few times!).  I like the wedding blogs b/c it shows that you can have the kind of wedding YOU want and that's okay.  Sometimes I feel like the "wedding etiquette" conversations are out of control (you HAVE to do this, you CANNOT EVER do that), so I like seeing that people planned their ideal wedding and it all turned out OK.   

rodeo417

Are there any pieces of advice you can give to someone planning a wedding? Do what you and FI want to do!! Screw etiquette and go with your gut feeling... Family and friends will give advice when not asked for some.

Are there any ways NOT to stress? D-R-I-N-K.....lol no really you will get stress just got to gym... its a healthier option and makes you look even more delicious in your dress.

Planner or no planner? nope i am having everything at the hotel so they give me one...

Fill us in!.

There are some of us that are not married and others that are married but what do you find beneficial or what did you find beneficial while planning?
I try not to talk about the wedding alot because people do get burned out.. plan ahead and pay off aheadng instead of waiting to the day its due...