5 tips for a less stressful wedding

Dec 3

I have been in the wedding industry for over a year now, from coordinating weddings every weekend in 2023 to now photographing weddings in 2024, so I have seen just about every type of wedding there is. I’ve attended country weddings, modern weddings, colorful weddings, traditional weddings, weddings with different cultural touches, emotional weddings, fun weddings, crazy weddings. Literally any kind of wedding you can think of. No matter what type of wedding a couple is planning, there is always one type that no one wants- a stressful wedding.

Weddings are so big and important, that they automatically have some pressure on them, but you DO NOT have to accept this lie that your wedding HAS to be stressful! I have been to many weddings where the couple was relaxed and happy and all went as smoothly as possible, but that doesn’t happen by accident. There are certain things that you can put in place to ensure that your wedding day doesn’t have to be stressful.

Here are a few things that almost all of the relaxed weddings that I have attended had in common:

#1. A First Look

I know that this one is controversial because we love holding on to the tradition of a couple seeing each other for the first time on the aisle, but having a first look can be just as special AND it relieves a lot of pressure. When you have a first look it can reduce some of the anxiety of walking down the aisle because the most important person has already seen you, and nothing helps ease anxiety like a few moments with the person you love the most. Not only does a first look reduce pressure on the ceremony, but it also gives you more opportunities for photos earlier in the day. You can go ahead and get couples portraits and maybe even wedding party photos done before the ceremony. There is nothing wrong with having a little extra time later in the day to make everything feel just a little bit smoother.

#2. No DIY

I know from personal experience that when you start wedding planning DIY sounds like a great idea. So many couples decide to go this route because it is a little bit cheaper, and they can make all of the creative decisions themselves. I completely understand wanting to do it this way because I myself was one of the brides that chose the DIY wedding. BUT I can tell you that I have never seen a relaxed couple that decided to decorate their own ceremony and reception spaces on the morning of their wedding. When you choose DIY, there’s more things to do in the same amount of time, which means there's more pressure, and couples can easily become overwhelmed. If you want to have a relaxed wedding day, I highly recommend that you pay the professionals to do their jobs and you just hang out and be celebrated.

#3. Hair and make-up gets done on time!

If you are a bride and you have a bridal party, make sure that you have a hair and makeup schedule in place and you stick as closely as possible to it! 8/10 stressful weddings happen because the bride and bridesmaids aren’t done getting ready when ceremony time rolls around. That makes the guests wait longer, it makes the groom and groomsmen wait longer, and it ultimately pushes the entire wedding back. Especially if you have a large wedding party, make sure that you are keeping track of the time, and getting everyone ready so you can start your wedding when you are supposed to!

#4. A Wedding Coordinator

Wedding coordinators are great because they literally do it all. They are there to keep you on a timeline, they can run to the store if you forgot something, they can keep track of the vendors so you don’t have to worry about them. They are the behind the scenes people that make weddings run so smoothly. If they do their job, you won’t have to worry about anything because they can handle it all perfectly.

#5. The Right Vendors

Lastly, choose the vendors that are right for you. Do your research, meet your vendors, have conversations with them, ask them questions. Make sure that they are going to be the right fit for your day. There are so many things that are avoidable on a wedding day (like a florist not showing up on time, or a DJ playing the wrong song as you walk down the aisle) if you just choose the right people. There are so many vendors out there that are so passionate about making your wedding day the best, so if you stumble upon one that you aren’t sure about, then keep looking until you do.

Wedding days are a big deal, but that doesn’t mean that they have to be stressful. Take these tips, use ones that feel like they fit your situation, and have the wedding that you have been dreaming of. One without so much stress. One where you just get to celebrate being in love.