How to Get Through Your Wedding Without Wanting To Kill!

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By AudreyBrown
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(9 Ratings)

My wedding, where no deaths occured and only minor fights broke out!

Weddings equal stress, it's a fact. I did everything I could to keep my wedding stress free, and with a lot of help, it worked very well! Here are some things that I wish people had told me about the wedding process, and how you can stay sane and "urge to kill" free.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

A friend to help
A planner, or calender to carry around with you

Step 1

Well, the hard part is done. You're in love, you're ready to commit. Next comes the planning. First, don't listen to what people tell you you "simply must have". People will come out of the woodwork telling you that you must have placecards, silver trays, fresh flowers, traditional this and ceremonial that. Unless you are doing a very orthodox religious ceremony, the truth is you don't HAVE to have anything. People have strong opinions though, so just be ready to listen to the barrage and then immediately put it out of your mind.
Step 2

Find a friend or two to lean on. Preferably some who love weddings or who are great planners. I am lucky to have a great best friend who was willing to shoulder a lot of the burden for me. And she enjoyed doing it. Don't look for help from people who will resent you later or treat you like you owe them something. A weddding is a huge event, and the truth is you can never repay anyone for helping you with your wedding. So find one or two people to be by your side or just a phone call away for the truly important decisions, like the dress and the cake.
Step 3

Don't compromise on what is important to you. Maybe you don't care about food at all, but you really want a night wedding. Don't listen when people tell you that you have to have a wedding with a dinner reception. Have your wedding at 10:00 p.m. if that matters to you. Stick to your guns on the important matters.
Step 4

Delegate. Just as you will want to stick to your guns on the things that are important to you, you will want to delegate lesser matters. If you could care less what kind of napkins or favors you have, pass it off to someone who would care. For instance, we left the rehearsal dinner and groom's cake to my mother in law, I didn't care about it either way, but she got to participate in a way that was meaningful to her. Include people where you can and only when you want to.
Step 5

Have fun when it comes to your day. If things didn't come together the way you had hoped and dreamed since you were a little girl, so what?! If you got what you wanted as a little girl you'd be in a Disney princess dress marrying some kid from Tiger Beat. Your day is special because of who you are marrying, not because it will go perfectly.
Step 6

Don't try to please everyone. It won't happen at your wedding. Someone's Aunt Gertrude will be in the corner making a face about the flavor of the cake. Someone won't be able to make it due to a time conflict. It will happen, and you can't be sensitive when one bad apple tries to be a curmudgeon on or around your special day. So grow some thick skin and let it roll right off your back.

Comments

ChantelAlise said

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on 3/11/2008 My father tried to talk me out of the wedding and my future mother-in-law showed up 45 minutes late. I definitely wanted to kill that day. Too bad I didn't have these tips at the time.