4 Ways to Make The Most of Your Wedding Planning Process

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So, you are engaged. Congratulations!! The wedding planning process is so fun, exciting, and magical, but it is also easy to get very stressed out along the way. In order to avoid that and instead, make the most of your wedding planning process, I have a few tips for you! These are things that I learned when planning my wedding, so I hope they really help you out.

Take Your Time

I know how it goes – as soon as you get engaged, most feel the need to immediately start planning, but wedding burn-out is a real thing and in order to make sure you are getting exactly what you want and need, you need to take your time to actually figure that out. Let me give you an example of this. While I ended up loving everything about my wedding, there were definitely things that I could have (and looking back, should have) done differently. One example of that is my dress. The day I went in to find a wedding dress, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted. I had dreamt of wearing a big ballgown dress since I was a little girl! I went in and felt extremely rushed and pressured to find a dress, which should have been my first cue to hold off. But, I ended up getting stressed out and I only tried on 3 dresses before making my decision and buying a dress. 

Looking back, I should have taken my time and honestly, the bridal boutique that I went to should not have rushed me. Instead of making my appointment a priority, there were 10+ other girls in there searching for their dream dress, as well. It was a crowded, chaotic day, for sure, and it really stressed me out. Although I did love my dress, I wish I would have slowed down for a minute to make sure it really was my dream dress. This should be how every wedding decision is made – thoughtfully (even if it takes more time), because at the end of the day, you are only tying the knot once and you want to make sure that each decision is exactly what you want and need.

Focus On The Things You Both Love

This is a huge one because there are so many traditions surrounding weddings that it is very easy to get pulled into them just because “that’s the way it is done.” Think outside the box and instead of focusing on every tradition, focus on the things that you both love. Of course, there might be a tradition or two that is important to you – and that is great! As long as you are not settling just because it is what is expected of you and instead, you are focusing on the things that you, as a couple, love, you are on the right track. I promise – when you focus on the things that you care about, it will make wedding planning (and your wedding day) more enjoyable. 

Don’t Settle For Okay Vendors

This is huge! First and foremost, you need to come up with a budget because you never want to fall in love with a venue or vendor that you cannot afford, but once you have your budget in place, interview vendors and tour venues then look up reviews. This is another thing that I did wrong during my wedding planning process – I settled for a videographer and photographer that were both on the cheaper side (and both did not have the best of the best reviews) and I ended up paying for it in the long run. When it comes to venues and vendors, you want people who actually care and who are working with you, not just because it is another pay day for them. 

A great example of this is North Carolina venue, Jeter Mountain Farm. This is a family-owned (operated by the Hunsader family) wedding venue located in Hendersonville, NC with a rustic, vintage wedding feel. From the very moment you walk in to tour the venue, you will know that it is special and it’s not just another payday for the family that owns the farm. In fact, Zach and Kayla Hunsader were married on the farm in June of 2011, so it is an extremely special place for them.

They say, “We’ve just ended our fourth successful season of weddings at Jeter Mountain Farm, and we can both tell you we would not have our lives any other way. Zach and I are continually blessed with amazing couples and families, that choose to have one of their lives’ biggest days here on the farm. We count ourselves very fortunate each and every day in how God continues to provide a living for us at the same place we call home. So as the winter projects come out, and we prepare for another season, know that this couple is here to make your big day exactly how you dreamed it. We look forward to being your host whether it’s for your first time out, or for the weekend of your long awaited day. Our prayer is that each and every couple would go on the have long blessed marriages, and remember every moment they spent here with a smile!”

This popular NC wedding venue is not just pumping out wedding after wedding. Instead, they believe in open communication and a stress-free process, so that you are able to enjoy yourself. This family truly goes out of their way to make your wedding day the best day of your life.

These are the kind of vendors that you need to search high and low for. Needless to say, do not settle for just okay – find the people who will make your dream day a reality! 

Get Everything Done Before The Week Of

Last but not least, get everything done in advance so that you are not stressed out on the week of (or maybe even month of) your wedding day. Of course, things pop up at the last minute that need your attention, but try your best to pre-plan everything so that you are as stress-free as possible! 

This is meant to be one of the best experiences of your life, so really take the time to try to make it fun, stress-free, and magical!