As a Chicago Wedding Planner for the past 16 years, I've seen A LOT of what can happen at weddings. Everyone wants a stress-free and fun wedding day. Over the years, it has become clear what couples can do in advance to make that goal a reality.
Here are 3 things that will actually reduce wedding day stress:
1. Decisions Made Early
Last minute choices = Last minute stress
Ideally, all vendors should be booked, wedding participants notified, timeline locked in and setup details planned by 3 weeks before the wedding.
Even a small change made suddenly can invite disruption. We had a wedding many years ago where on the day of the wedding, mere minutes before the ceremony was to begin, the family decided to change what had been practiced at the rehearsal and have the Father of the Bride walk a grandparent down the aisle. A seemingly small change, but that meant that the dad would need to circle back and get back in line to walk the Bride down the aisle. Instead of dropping off the grandparent at the seat and then walking back up a side aisle to get back in line with his daughter, he decided to weave through some back hallways so he wouldn't be seen and ended up getting lost in the maze. We were ready to cue the bride's entry, but her dad had gone missing! That all happened because of a last minute decision that differed from what had been planned and practice.
Even the smallest details should be decided upon in advance.
2. A Realistic Timeline
While a wedding day is long, from early morning hair and makeup to the last celebratory midnight song of the reception, it always feels like it flies by to the couple. So, a wedding day timeline is crucial. A packed timeline can look efficient on paper, but it's one of the biggest stress triggers on wedding day.
Buffer time = Calm energy
Think through logistics like transportation and especially photo timing. It can be tempting to jump on all of the trends, like taking not just a first look with your spouse-to-be, but also a first look with your bridesmaids and then one with your dad too. Then, add in sunset photos, and don't forget that goofy reception photo with your high school friends and then your college friends. But also factor in some time for the surprise outfit change. You can probably see where this is going. On the day-of, making each of these photo-ops and trending moments happen often means pulling the couple away from the festivities.
Having constant photo-ops and to-dos to check off can make for a rushed day and prevent the couple from really feeling present.
When nothing feel rushed, everything feels better.
Pro Tip: Plan 10 minutes of alone time with your new spouse after the ceremony to enjoy some hors d'oeuvres and catch your breath. It will help you soak in the moment.
3. Someone Else Handling the Details
If you or your family are setting up items, answering questions, and solving problems, then you're not fully present and savoring the moment.
A LOT happens behind-the-scenes. I could write an entire book about our experiences handling unexpected moments and solving problems at weddings. Most often small issues crop up, like a broken strap on a bridesmaid dress or the wrong number of place settings at a table. But we've also dealt with larger issues, like the florist delivering the wrong flowers or the DJ's equipment malfunctioning.
Hire a day-of-coordinator to run the show!
Your only job on wedding day should be to:
Look Fabulous
Relax
Enjoy the Day
Make calm a priority on your wedding day!
In need of wedding planning help in the Chicago area? Contact us for a complimentary consultation.
