"I don't want to be a stressed bride" | Wedding Wednesday
Rob proposed on June 30th, 2017 in Rocky Mountain National Park. At that time we were weeks away from moving from MN to CO, he was about to start his PhD program at CSU and I was going to be working remotely & part-time. This wasn’t the best situation to be in while planning a wedding, so we decided to hold off on everything until I found full-time employment. Putting a pause on planning was really hard given I was PUMPED to be engaged but it simply wasn't feasible and I told myself, "I don't want to be a stressed bride". I really want(ed) to enjoy every part of it and not be full of anxiety about costs and timelines.
Maybe it's all the wedding shows I've watched about crazy brides freaking out over the table cloths and chair covers not matching, or the bride that's screaming over a bridesmaid being 10 minutes late but I have made it my goal to be "bridechilla". So far, I would say I've stayed true to that. Here are a few ways I've prevented a stressful experience:
A long engagement has been a huge blessing in disguise. We've had time to think about everything before acting. I'll be talking about this more in a future post.
I have been writing down all my ideas as they come. You never know when inspiration will spike! Have a notebook specifically for wedding planning. Decisions for several things won't be until later but it's helpful to have your thoughts written down so when it's time to make a decision, you can remember what the heck that pretty flower was that you saw 6 months ago. A private Pinterest board is also helpful.
Having a an open discussion with Rob about finances. That should be the first thing you discuss with your partner. It has made decisions easier for us. "Nope. I can't afford that...moving on."
Talking things through with family. For some people this might be a stressful topic, but for us it's been a huge help. Sharing this experience with our parents & siblings has been so much fun. My brother & his fiancé are getting married exactly 70 days after us... my family is in full-blown planning mode x2. I am thankful for the gentle guidance & ideas our families have given us.
Not comparing our plans with magazines & TV shows. A wedding isn't a show it's a celebration.
This is about MARRIAGE not a wedding. If I am Rob's wife at the end of the day I am going to be the happiest woman in the world. Who cares if the wrong music was played during the ceremony or my veil blew away in the wind? Those will likely turn into funny memories we'll think back to on our 40th wedding anniversary.
Xoxo,
The unabashed bride, Anna
P.S: Next Wedding Wednesday will be on December 5th!
