You’re getting married, and the big day is set to be one of the happiest of your lives. But, as many know, the run-up to the wedding itself has its challenges – with keeping your guests happy one factor, along with those ever rising costs. Considering around 243,000 couples tie the knot annually in the UK there’ll always be some bumps along the road, as research from greetings card marketplace thortful shows.
The statistics
The biggest pressure for most couples is the pursuit of perfection, with 49% wanting to “make sure their wedding day was perfect” – yet more than a third later regretted spending so much time worrying.
Guest-related pressures were another common stressor, with 30% finding guest list decisions stressful.
Other top wedding stressors include budget management (48%); their wedding outfit (45%), with 45% also agreeing that sourcing the right entertainment make those stress levels rise.
So, how do you reduce wedding stress to make the run up to your big day as worry-free as possible? Here, luxury wedding planners Siobhan Craven Robbins, and Andri Benson offer their insight into how to keep costs down and take the stress out of planning.
Keep guest number sensible
“I think the most important thing is to only invite people you want to be there,” says Siobhan. “You should feel no obligation to invite guests that you either don’t like or are indifferent to. It can really overshadow the day’s dynamic.”
Stick to your budget
It’s also important to look at your budget ahead of committing to anything to ensure you have the funds to pay for the wedding you want,” she continues. “If you don’t have it, delay the wedding! It is incredibly stressful to feel the pressure of bills coming in that you are struggling to pay – and is also not fair on the suppliers.”
Share The Workload
“A wedding is essentially a big production, so it’s no wonder couples feel stressed trying to manage it all,” says Andri. “The key is to share the load, whether that’s hiring a planner to oversee the planning and/or the day, delegating tasks, or simply giving yourselves permission to let go of the things that aren’t important. Building in breathing space, time to enjoy the lead-up and the day itself, is just as important as the logistics.”
