As a wedding planner, it is extremely important that my couples have an exceptional wedding. However, it is equally important to me that my couples have fun while planning their wedding from start to finish. It’s no secret that wedding planning is stressful. There have even been news releases about it. Engaged couples feel extremely stressed when it comes to planning their wedding (probably because they didn’t follow our wedding planning tips).

As a recently engaged couple, you are probably finding this to be true. But the one thing I don’t think is talked about hardly enough is how fun wedding planning can be! I mean, you are getting to decide every little detail about how you want the most special day of your life to go. That’s exciting! So, if the stress of wedding planning has got you down, follow these 7 wedding planning tips to help make the experience fun!

Wedding Planning Tip #1: Get Professional Help

We mean this in the nicest way possible, but you need help. Professional help. It is the only way for you to stress less and have more fun during the wedding planning process. Wedding planners spend years learning the ins-and-outs of the industry. Nobody expects you to wake up on your first day of being engaged and suddenly know how to negotiate vendor contracts or manage the arrival time of your 14 or more wedding vendors. For you to have the time and energy to focus on the best parts of planning your wedding––going dress shopping, finding cute ways to ask your best friends to be in your wedding party, picking your florals––you need a wedding planner who can take care of everything else. 

Wedding Planning Tip #2: Involve Your Friends and Family

You may be thinking I’m crazy right about now, but trust me, including your family and friends in the wedding planning process actually makes it a lot more fun! It doesn’t mean you have to incorporate all of their ideas and suggestions. But it is a great way to bring additional joy and excitement to the planning process. 

Wedding Planning Tip #3: Don’t Rush the Process

Speaking of the wedding planning process, it is just that… a process. It takes time. Don’t expect to have every single detail solidified in your first week of being engaged. At Antonia Baker Experience, we suggest couples have at least a six-month lead time from when they get engaged to their wedding. This way, nothing is rushed. But don’t worry! If you’re getting married within less than six months, it’s doable. You’ll just definitely need to get a wedding planner by your side sooner rather than later. 

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Wedding Planning Tip #4: Get Organized, Quick

While you don’t need to rush the wedding planning process, it is beneficial to get organized. When it comes to planning a wedding, there are certain things you need to do first before solidifying other details. For example, wedding venues typically get booked nine months to a year in advance. Because of this, booking yours is one of the first things you need to do. But to do it, you need to know your wedding date. (Choosing your table centerpieces can wait). By getting organized, you alleviate stress and have more fun because you know what needs to be done is getting done. 

At Antonia Baker Experience, we have wedding planning checklists for all of our couples to help prioritize what needs to be done first. We help you stay organized and on-schedule to have everything ready come your wedding day. 

Wedding Planning Tip #5: Determine Your Wedding Budget 

One of the most stressful parts of wedding planning has to do with money. That is why we highly recommend determining your wedding budget before you start solidifying any of your wedding details. First, sit down with your fiancé and talk about who is paying for what and if any family members on either side have offered to front the bill or contribute to the budget. Once you know this information, you will have more fun planning because you don’t have to worry about whether or not something is in your budget. You just know. 

Wedding Planning Tip #6: Be Open to Options

Know your priorities and know where you are flexible. If you currently aren’t flexible in any area, it’s time to start stretching. No matter how well you plan, how early you contact your must-have vendor, or how detailed your wedding planner is when it comes to your wedding, there will be things that don’t go exactly your way. Be open to entertaining options. Who knows, what you thought was best might not even compare to what you get (in the best way possible). 

Wedding Planning Tip #7: Let Love Take Over

Okay, this may sound a little cheesy, but we mean it. Let love take over the wedding planning process. Turn it into a time to bond with your financé, and don’t let it negatively impact your relationship. You are in control of this! When things start to get tense or you and your partner aren’t seeing eye to eye on the wedding colors or your first dance song, take a break. Nothing is more important than keeping your relationship stronger than ever leading up to your wedding day. 

More Fun Comes with Antonia Baker Experience

There is no doubt wedding planning takes a lot of time and energy, but it is also really fun. And if you follow our wedding planning tips, you’ll definitely experience that. At Antonia Baker Experience, we love our clients, and we love helping them find joy throughout the entire planning process. With us, you don’t only get the wedding of your dreams but you get to have a darn good time leading up to it as well. If you’re ready for wedding planning that comes with less stress and more fun, contact us today!