Many congratulations on your engagement! You have embarked on an amazing journey that will be full of both excitement and stress.
Often, the process of planning a wedding becomes too much for any one person to handle – especially if that person also has the added stressor of full-time work. With all of the different components – from flowers and catering to guest lists and venue research – it can be easy for even an excited bride-to-be to start to feel overwhelmed with everything she needs to do.
A recent study discovered that the majority of engaged women have done at least some wedding planning while at work. It can be tempting to try and sneak in time to plan your upcoming nuptials between phone calls or when you should be focusing on business matters.
If you’re wondering how you can keep up with both your job and wedding planning, don’t worry–you likely already have the skills from your day-to-day work life! Developing excellent time management skills and learning to delegate is crucial in any career, so utilize those same abilities while working on your wedding.
1. Get Organized
You’re getting married! Time to sit down and make a list of priorities, much like you would at work. With your fiance, decide what is most important to the two of you and put those things first. If engagement photos have been on your mind or if you already have the perfect venue in mind, put those items closer to the top of the list. Also, finance how you plan to wed as a discussion between the both of you. By tracking the money you and your future spouse are contributing, as well as any funds from family or friends, against wedding expenses from the beginning of your engagement, you can avoid worrying about details during work hours and focus on what needs to be done.
2. Manage Your Time
While it’s natural to want to celebrate being engaged for a while, if the engagement is long, it’s beneficial for the bride to start planning early. That way, she can get her pick of vendors. However, that added time pressure can make women feel like they need to dedicate every waking hour – even at work – to find the best band or gown. No matter what you want to achieve, it’s key to set realistic goals from the start. That way, you can make efficient use of your time while still enjoying some well-deserved breaks.
3. Break it Down and Stick to a Schedule
If you’re focusing on both work and your wedding, you’ll find it much easier to accomplish large tasks by breaking them down into smaller chunks. Just like a report for your boss–which may take a week or more to complete when factoring in all the research and number crunching–wedding planning works, in the same way, requiring many small steps to reach the final goal. It’s important to factor this style of working into your scheduling so that everything goes smoothly. If you’re feeling stressed about wedding planning, many websites have monthly checklists for couples that can help guide you and give you a sense of accomplishment.
4. Be Communicative
Make sure to keep your fiancé and other wedding party members in the loop when it comes to scheduling appointments for things like venue visits or cake tastings. Keep everyone up-to-date on each other’s schedules so that there is no confusion about who is supposed to be where and when – just like you would at a job. Planning out when you’ll work on wedding activities together can help reduce stress so that you can focus on your job during the day.
5. Spend a Day With Your Fiance
In the middle of prepping for your big day and dealing with all the attendant stresses, it’s helpful to take a break occasionally and remember why you said “yes” in the first place. Do something that relaxes you both–whether it’s going on a run or walk, visiting a museum, or watching a movie–and just focus on enjoying each other’s company. When you focus your attention on your loving relationship, it will create a solid foundation for every other area of your life.
While you manage your career and wedding-planning duties, make sure to find a balance that leaves room for happiness in both your personal and professional life!
What other skills have you learned from previous jobs that could be useful in planning a wedding or any other event? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
