When couples first get engaged, the excitement is incredible. Before you know it, ideas are flowing, venues are being viewed, and inspiration boards are filling up. It’s such a special time, but it’s also very easy to become overwhelmed.
One of the biggest pieces of advice I give every couple is this: don’t rush your wedding planning.
Planning a wedding isn’t something you need to squeeze into five minutes after work or discuss while you’re both tired. That’s often when stress starts to creep in.
Instead, choose one evening each week that’s dedicated to your wedding planning.
Make it something to look forward to. Turn off your phones, order your favourite takeaway, pour yourselves a drink, and sit down together with your wedding folder or laptop. Spend an hour or two working through one part of your wedding.
One week it might be your table plan.
The next week it could be finalising your guest list.
Another week you could be choosing your ceremony readings or music.
Breaking everything down into manageable chunks makes the whole process feel much more enjoyable and far less stressful.
One thing I would avoid is greeting your partner at the door after a long day at work with, “We need to sort the wedding!” Neither of you will be in the right frame of mind, and what should be an exciting conversation can quickly become another chore.
Treat your wedding planning like a date night instead. It’s something you’re creating together, and those planning evenings can become lovely memories in themselves.
My Biggest Tip
If I could give every couple just one piece of advice, it would be this:
Keep the number of people involved in planning your wedding to a minimum.
Your wedding day is about the two of you.
Of course, family and friends often mean well, but the more people you ask for opinions, the more opinions you’ll receive. Before long, you’ll find yourselves trying to please everyone else instead of making decisions that feel right for you.
Remember, there isn’t a “right” way to have a wedding ceremony. The perfect ceremony is the one that reflects your personalities, your story, and your relationship.
Listen to advice if you want to, but don’t ever feel obliged to follow it.
Trust yourselves.
After all, years from now, you’ll remember how your wedding made you feel—not whether every guest agreed with every decision.
Enjoy the planning, take it one step at a time, and remember that your wedding should be a celebration of your love, not a source of unnecessary stress.
Happy planning! Shelley – Your Legal Wedding Celebrant in Ireland