Hosting a Big Wedding? Follow These Stress-Managing Tips

Sep 8, 2017

There’s no doubt that planning a wedding can be a huge undertaking — and a huge expense. After all, the average cost of a wedding reception in 2012 was $13,106 and it’s only gone up since then. You may be able to cut costs up to a point, but what about your stress levels? Hosting a large wedding may never be stress-free, but you’ll definitely be able to enjoy it much more if you follow these tips.

Rent everything from one company

Having to coordinate multiple vendors can be a real headache. If you’re going to be hosting a large wedding at home or in a green space, you’ll do well to secure all of your event rentals from one company. That way, you’ll know exactly when everything will arrive and won’t have to struggle to keep track of multiple contracts for your table linen rentals, tables and chairs, and other wedding decorations. You can even rent your tent from the same company to ensure continuity and reduce confusion.

Use tech to your advantage

If you’re planning your dream wedding in the digital age, you’ll do well to incorporate technology to make things easier. There are countless apps you can use to organize your guest list and payment information, as well as online services that can send out your save the dates, keep track of RSVPs, and give guests all the information they’ll need for the big day. You might even want to consider creating a separate email address specifically for All Things Wedding. You’ll be much less stressed if you can easily access everything you need in one place. Just keep in mind that you’ll need your phone or tablet handy at all times!

Don’t wait ’til the last minute

Let’s face it: getting everything ready for the wedding will be even more anxiety-inducing if you wait too long to take care of it. There are all kinds of wedding planning timelines available online that can give you a play-by-play of when each component should be taken care of. If that list seems too much to manage, don’t be afraid to ask for help from family members or even a wedding planner. Ultimately, planning and hosting a large wedding isn’t going to get any easier the longer you put it off. Give yourself more than enough time to take care of all the details and tackle tasks one at a time. That way, you won’t find yourself in a mad rush near the end and you may be able to actually have fun during the process.

Manage your expectations

Whether you’re hosting a large wedding or have planned a very intimate ceremony for close family and friends, something is bound to go wrong on the Big Day — and that’s okay. There’s no way that every single detail will go according to plan. Embrace the mindset that even when things go awry, you won’t let it ruin the day. Remember to take a deep breath, keep everything in perspective, and always have a backup plan. No matter what, it’s going to be a celebration no one will soon forget. And in the grand scheme of things, no one will remember those little mishaps.

It can be easy to be overwhelmed when planning your wedding, but if you’re able to take your time, use versatile resources, and remember to have fun, you’ll be a lot less stressed once the day finally arrives.