The Ten Most Common Mistakes

Finding a Wedding Caterer

The Wedding Planning Countdown

Wedding Party Responsibilities

Wedding Formations

10 Tips to Combat Wedding Stress

Many times, brides and grooms experience different kinds of stress. Brides are usually more emotional about the wedding plans and grooms can be more concerned about, or "stressed out" about money. Whether you are a bride or a groom, it is a time where all kinds of stress can manifest itself. Here are a few tips:

1. Expect that there will be stress in planning your wedding. Why? There are a lot of decisions to be made, many details to be worked out, and others may want, or try to influence you. That is not bad or wrong; it just requires that you and your fiancé be aware of what is really happening. Try to respond to issues and avoid reacting to things.
   
   
2. One of the greatest challenges facing brides and grooms is their feelings of wanting to satisfy everyone. There are so many people involved - family, friends and relatives. Setting realistic expectations is very important.
   
   
3. Don't expect perfection. Expect a "terrific" day. Setting expectations that are too high will create stress and lead to frustration, and then more stress.
   
   
4. Feeling stressed about certain elements of the wedding such as, saying your wedding vows or your first dance? Then, visualize the event. Spend some quiet time alone, relax and really visualize in your mind the events going smoothly. Do this exercise several times a day if you need to!
   
   
5. One of the best ways to combat stress is to exercise. When things start getting out of control - STOP. Take a break and go to the gym or go for a brisk walk.
   
   
6. There are always some people (relatives or friends) that know how to "push your buttons". When you are feeling very stressed… be sure to stay away from or at least limit your time with these people.
   
   
7. Wedding planning can cause a great deal of stress between the bride and the groom. Individually, they should be aware of their thresholds for stress, and how much stress they can handle in a given time period. If you notice that one of you is nearing your "threshold", then take a short break from your wedding planning and do something fun together.
   
   
8. Parents can also experience wedding stress as their children get married and leave "the nest". This is commonly referred to as "separation anxiety". It can be a time of great anxiety for the parents, which can then create stress, and highly emotional issues for the bride and groom. Being aware of what is happening, REALLY happening, is a big part of dealing and managing stress.
   
   
9. Time pressure can cause a great deal of stress. Don't try and do everything yourself. Delegate as much as you can to others. Use the Internet.
   
   
10. Are you and your fiancé arguing more than normal? Realize that this is normal because you are spending more time on wedding planning versus spending time on your relationship. That's why it is so important to take time away from wedding planning and spend time with each other. A romantic dinner, a bike ride -- whatever you both like to do together (just don't discuss the wedding plans!)