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Are you engaged and overwhelmed? Maybe you're even a little frustrated or confused? If you're looking to save time while wedding planning, you're in the right spot. I have some great tips and hacks for you that will save your time and your sanity and maybe even your budget. Wedding planning can be time consuming, especially since you've probably never done this before, but it doesn't have to be. With these time saving tips, you'll be stress free right on down the aisle!
In today's wedding planning advice post, I'm here to make sure your time spent planning your wedding is as efficient as possible, so that you can enjoy the process and get back to your life, your job and everything else you have going on.
Don't let your wedding planning take over your life. I know, it might feel like wedding planning is your life right now. Enjoy these days where you can say you are engaged and call each other fiancé, because before you know it you'll be married.
So, how do you make sure wedding planning doesn't take over your life? Follow these 15 time saving tips, tricks and hacks for wedding planning bliss!
1. Hire A Wedding Planner
I'm sure you've heard this one before, but it's true. The best thing you can do ot save time planning your wedding is to hire a wedding planner. Planners and coordinators, whether it is for full, partial, day-of or month-of planning, are skilled in planning weddings and are there to help guide you through the planning process. Your wedding planner can have as much or as little control over your wedding planning as you'd like, it's customizable to your likings.
My best advice is to hire the best wedding planner you can afford for as much help and support as your budget will allow. And, truth be told, working with a planner might actually save you money in the long run, as they will help you avoid unnecessary spending and keep you on budget, maybe even under budget. That's their job!
For more on how to work with your wedding planner, especially during this time of working from home and social distancing, be sure to check out this article on How To Work Virtually With Your Wedding Vendors.
Bottom line, a wedding planning can help save you time by taking care of things for you or guiding you on what things you need to get done and when.
2. Delegate As Much As Possible
There's nothing simpler for time saving than reducing your tasks! Less things for you to do is less stress! By delegating tasks to family and friends, you'll take some time consuming tasks off your to-do list and incorporate some special people in your wedding day.
Anything a good friend or trusted family member can do is just one less thing you have to do, such as stuffing invitations, researching after-party locations, planning your rehearsal dinner or bridal shower and so much more.
Trust us, there are plenty of loved ones that would love to help you with wedding tasks, so this is us telling you...let them help!
3. Share the To-Do's With Your Partner
Consider what details your partner may enjoy or excel at when it comes to wedding planning and ask for their help! Put them in charge! This tip helps reduce your time spent wedding planning, but also helps include your partner in the planning process.
Do they really love cake and desserts? Put them in charge of finding a wedding cake? Are they really interested in the band? They can take on finding the band or DJ. Find what they love to do and there will surely be a wedding planning task that they can take over.
When the big day arrives, they'll be so proud of the details that they took part in during the planning process.
Pro Tip: If you put your partner in charge, make sure you let them truly be in charge. Don't micro manage, that misses the point of sharing to-do's!
4. Cut Out DIY Projects
When it comes to weddings, DIY projects can be a huge undertaking. While they may save you a little with your budget they are almost always time consuming. (And most times DIY wedding projects don't save money!) When you consider that time is money, it's a no brainer to cut out the DIY projects and hire the pros for your wedding details.
You need to think really long and hard before you take on a DIY project for your wedding, whether you are baking cookies as favors, doing your own flowers, designing your invitations and every DIY project in between.
For more advice about wedding and DIY, be sure to check out this article we wrote on The Truth About Wedding DIY - 12 Tips for Sanity.
5. Establish Realistic Timelines
Wedding planning timelines are widely available for every detail of your wedding. Florists, stationers and other wedding pros have accurate and real-wedding tested timelines that help you stay on track. As you translate their timelines into your own personalized timeline for your wedding, make sure it's realistic for your wedding.
For more on wedding planning and timelines, you'll love this article on 5 Things To Do 2 Months Before Your Wedding.
Don't forget to get our free Bridal Fashion Timeline so that you know exactly what to order when so you don't miss out for your wedding.
6. Stay Organized
Keeping all of your wedding planning to-dos, checklists, invoices, and timelines organized is important. Whether you opt for a wedding planning binder, keep things on a digital drive, or a mix of the two, being organized ensures that the time you do spend on wedding planning tasks is efficient.
If you're looking to stay organized, you'll love our list of the best wedding planners, binders and printables.
If online planning is more your style, you'll love our 8 Ways To Digitize Your Wedding Planning.
7. Don't Wait Until The Last Minute to Research, Book & Order
Whether you're struggling to make the decision or seem to keep running out of time, stop the cycle and act sooner rather than later. We're talking about booking your wedding vendors and purchasing those wedding decor, details and fashion.
Don't wait and put off decisions, because you never know what situation may arise, when a vendor may book another couples for your wedding date, or when that wedding heirloom you loved sells out.
Don't forget that, we have gorgeous, hand made wedding heirlooms in our couture wedding garter shop. We even have ready-to-ship wedding garters for those last minute decisions!
The longer you wait, the less choice you have. Plus, if you love it, why wait?
8. Use Your Checklists Often
Checklists help keep you on track and make you feel great about accomplishing each wedding planning task. You'll know exactly where you stand at any time by having your checklists readily available.
There are loads of free checklists for wedding planning online, a simple Google search will show you the way. Also, most wedding planners and binders come with check lists inside.
Our Bridal Fashion Timeline is one big checklist for your wedding day fashion. If you follow that timeline, you'll be all set and looking fab on your wedding day - and for all you're wedding events!
I recommend that you combine a few different wedding planning checklists to make sure that you don't miss anything. Be sure to check in with your wedding vendors, they probably have lots of check lists for you too!
Don't forget to check in with your checklists as often as possible!
9. Limit Your Bridal Party & Guest List
More guests, more bridesmaids means more, well...everything! The more wedding guests or bridal party attendants you have, the more food, decor, paper goods, gifts and details you'll need to keep track of and the more money you'll spend.
By limiting your bridal party and your over all wedding guest list you'll be able to spend more time focusing on your wedding design without feeling overwhelmed with taking care of everyone else.
Less people equals less stress!
For more on small weddings, be sure to check out our article on Tips & Ideas For Micro Weddings.
10. Be Decisive in Your Choices
Wedding planning and home renovations are some of the toughest, most 'permanent' decisions you'll make in your lifetime. Trust us, we know the decision paralysis that can occur.
More often than not you feel like you've decided your color scheme when you see yet another palette of inspiring hues that you love. And once you make one choice, it can feel like there are 100 more decisions waiting around the corner. It's like a evil game of Whack-A-Mole!
When you make those important decisions throughout your wedding planning, be confident in your decision and stick with it! It will surely save you time in the long run.
For more on decision making, be sure to check out our article on How To Love Your Wedding Choices Forever.
11. Stay Off of Pinterest
Yes, we know tip #11 may come as a shock, because we love it just as much as you, but we're seriously telling you to stay off of Pinterest. Once you've made your decisions, that is! Pinterest is by far one of the best search engines and research tools for wedding planning. It can show you all the wedding ideas and inspiration you'll need! But, it also holds so many opportunities for you to second guess you decisions and overwhelm you with too many options.
Once you've chosen you color palette, wedding invitations, signed any contracts with vendors, and made choices on all of those other fun wedding details, stay off Pinterest, so you aren't tempted to change your mind and double think your decision.
If you are in need of help with wedding planning and Pinterest, be sure to check out our article on How To Plan Your Wedding On Pinterest - and you better believe that one of our tips is to delete the app from your phone once your wedding choices are made!
12. Set Up a Wedding Website for Guest Questions
Worried about texts, emails and calls from Aunty Sally, Cousin Joe and your college roommate, Jane? Setup a page on your wedding website specific for questions from your family and friends. They'll feel like their question is welcomed and you'll have one convenient place to receive and respond to all of those questions...on your own schedule, whenever you are ready to answer! Plus, with a helpful wedding website full of information about your big day, like when to be where, you'll answer their question even before they can ask!
If you are in the early-ish stages of setting up a wedding website, you'll love this article we wrote on Tips For Building Your Custom Wedding Website.
13. Establish Your Priorities & Forget the Rest
First, choose what portions of wedding planning are most important to you or most exciting. By establishing your priorities you'll map out a list of items for you to take care of and a list of what you can delegate and leave to the pros!
You'll be surprised how easy it is to create a list of priorities once you take the time to sit down and write out what details are most important to you for your wedding.
Then, after you've gotten clear on your wedding priorities, forget the rest. Yes, just let it all go. If isn't important enough to make it onto your wedding priorities, it isn't important.
Refer back to your priorities often throughout your wedding planning process and every time you have a decision to make. Where does this choice fall onto our priorities? And if it isn't even on the list, then you have your answer!
14. Trust Your Vendors To Do Their Jobs
They are professionals in their field for a reason, so let your wedding vendors do their 'thing' that you hired them for! You chose to hire your wedding vendors and already provided the information they need. Don't interfere!
By getting in the way and micro managing your wedding team, you'll just slow them down and create more stress for yourself. Not to mention, you'll just become "that client" and no one wants to be "that client!"
The best thing you can do to save yourself time and energy is to establish your wedding vision, desires and priorities with your vendors from the beginning and then let them work their magic.
15. Remember What's Important
At the end of the day, remember what's important and what all of this planning is for...your union! The special bond you share with your significant other is about to move to the next level and when your partner becomes your spouse that's what everything is all about.
I know it might feel cliche or silly advice, but it's the best time saving piece of advice that i can give to you. If you keep your eye on what's important and what ultimately matters, then decisions will be easy and planning will be stress free.
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Remember, stress never looked good on any bride. Not even you! Use these tips to stay on top of the planning and walk down the aisle with ease.
If you have any more garter questions, check out my garter 101 blog series or find all of my wedding planning advice here on my blog.
