We all know how stressful planning a wedding can be, making wedding planning burnout a very real possibility. Whether you’re trying not to pull out your hair as wedding costs skyrocket or you’re obsessing over every little detail to ensure that everything goes the way you’ve pictured it, feeling overwhelmed is guaranteed to happen if you’re not careful.
Thankfully, this isn’t something new and there are endless resources to help the modern bridal couple looking to keep costs and anxiety low.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when attempting to avoid wedding planning burnout:
Don’t rush
This may not always be possible but last-minute wedding planning is not fun for anyone, especially the soon-to-be bride and groom. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to hop, skip, and jump right into the part where you say “I do,” making sure that you have enough time to plan your dream wedding is always advised as this will give you a spacious timeline to ensure things are handled well and that the process is smooth.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
The number one reason for wedding planning burning is not asking for help. While it’s not always easy to ask for help, it is a necessary practice if you’re looking to keep your bridal party or the partner you’re set to marry, make sure you delegate tasks to ensure everything on your list is ticked off and that you’re not Atlas attempting to carry the world on your shoulders.
Be normal!
It’s so easy to get wrapped up in planning that you may forget why you’re actually getting married – love. A great way to keep your mental health in tip-top shape is by making sure that you get out and spend some quality time with each other. Plan an epic date night with your partner with a strict “no wedding talk rule,” this will allow you to keep some sense of normality.
Have some fun
Can wedding planning be fun? Well, you’ll need to find out. A big reason for something being incredibly stressful is because it’s just not bringing you the joy you need, so why not endeavour to pull out the fun card? For example, if you’re deciding what you should serve at your wedding, why not turn it into an adventure by setting it up as a “culinary tour” that could also double as a date night?
Technology is your friend
There are countless wedding apps that are ready to lend a helping hand as you attempt to navigate the minefield that is wedding planning. Whether you’re looking to make your life easier by setting up a wedding website and forgoing physical invitations or looking for a nifty app to help you sort out your budget, there’s something for everyone in need.
Feature Image: Olguin Photography
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More and more young couples are moving away from wedding traditions. From having both parents and siblings walk the bride down the aisle, to not throwing the bouquet, and now swopping out wedding bands for tattoos.
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The exchange of wedding bands after saying “I do” is symbolic of tradition. Unfortunately though, wedding bands can be removed, stolen or lost. You could also be the indecisive type, like my mother, who has melted down and re-designed her wedding band, as the original was everything but timeless.
For men, wearing a wedding band may be a bit unappealing. My father for example, never wore his wedding band. When I asked him why I got a simple, “I hate wearing jewelry”. He instead kept it and gave it to me when I turned 13. I now wear it on a thin silver necklace.
Getting a tattoo on your ring finger is more appealing to some, especially those looking to move away from traditional norms. Those who do not enjoy wearing jewelry can opt for a more edgy symbol of their eternal commitment to their partner. A tattoo is far more permanent than a wedding band after all.
Matching wedding tattoos are also an option for couples. Or alternatively, you can pair your wedding bands with a wedding tattoo underneath. Getting a tattoo together is also a unique bonding experience.
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There are many wedding band tattoo designs out there. From Roman Numerals of your wedding date, to each other’s initials, to an actual ring design to Mr and Mrs – Mr and Mr – or Mrs and Mrs, to something simple as a single thin band.
If you’re already married, then getting a wedding band tattoo as a sort of vow-renewal, or as an anniversary gift could also be an option.
We saw Beyoncé and Jay Z get matching “IV” tattoos, Dax Shepard has a ‘bell’ tattoo on his ring finger for his wife Kirsten Bell and Behati Prinsloo’s has three dots on her ring finger too. The symbolism of a permanent wedding band tattoo emphasises the eternal commitment of being married. There is nothing more romantic than that.
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You’ve planned the seating chart, chosen the perfect playlist and said yes to the dress, but have you thought about what actually happens during your ceremony?
Your wedding ceremony is one of the most photographed, emotional and memorable parts of the day. It’s also the part that most brides don’t rehearse properly. These wedding ceremony tips for brides will help you feel calm, confident and completely present from the moment you step into the aisle to your first kiss as newlyweds.
Walk slower than you think you should
Then slow it down again.
Adrenaline will make everything feel like it’s happening in fast forward. Walking slowly not only gives your photographer time to capture those once in a lifetime moments, but it also allows you to actually take in the people, the music and your partner waiting at the end of the aisle.
If you feel like you’re walking too slowly, you’re probably walking at the perfect pace.
Carry your bouquet at your belly button
It sounds oddly specific, but it makes a huge difference in photos.
Holding your bouquet too high can hide the detailing on your dress and make your shoulders look tense. Hold it low, around your belly button, with the flowers facing outward. This helps your posture look more relaxed and keeps your neckline and bodice visible.
Hold hands and lock eyes
It might feel natural to look around at your guests, your parents or even your officiant, but the most meaningful place to look is right at each other.
Holding hands throughout the ceremony grounds you, calms your nerves and keeps you emotionally connected. It also looks incredibly romantic in photos.
Hold the kiss
When it’s time for that “you may now kiss” moment, don’t rush it.
Go in for the kiss and hold it while you both count to three in your heads. This gives your photographer enough time to capture the moment properly and prevents that blink and you miss it situation.
Pause before you walk back down the aisle
Once you’re officially married, take a second before turning to walk back up the aisle.
Celebrate. Smile at your guests. Steal another kiss if you want to. That pause creates some of the most joyful and genuine photos of the day.
Pause halfway down the aisle on your way out
Your recessional is your very first moment as a married couple.
As you walk back down the aisle together after the ceremony, stop halfway for a quick kiss or celebratory moment. It gives your guests something special to cheer for and creates one of the happiest photo opportunities of the entire day.
Practise standing together
It sounds simple, but knowing how to stand comfortably next to each other matters more than you think.
Angle your bodies slightly toward one another rather than standing stiffly forward. It feels more natural and looks more intimate during the ceremony.
Don’t forget to breathe
Deep breaths will keep you calm and help prevent shaky voices during your vows.
If you feel overwhelmed, gently squeeze your partner’s hand and take a slow breath together.
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Feature image: Jakob Owens/Unsplash
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You’ve heard about the 4 C’s in diamonds, especially when choosing an engagement ring, but what do they actually mean?
The 4 C’s – cut, colour, clarity and carat – refer to the standards by which the quality of diamonds are assessed and allows one to compare diamonds.
Cut
The cut is important for the diamond’s overall beauty, as it determines how well the diamond unleashes light. This is not to be confused with the shape of the diamond. Cut refers to the diamond’s light performance (in layman’s terms, how much it sparkles). The cut will determine how the stone refracts and reflects light. A perfect stone (balanced and symmetrical) will be cut in such a way that the light that enters it will only reflect out the top of the stone, therefore making it very sparkly. A diamond that is cut too shallow or too deep will cause the light to leak out of the sides or bottom of the stone which causes a loss of shine. The sparkle of a well cut diamond can make it appear larger and you can therefore opt for a smaller carat weight. Who knew, right?!
Colour
Strangely enough, this actually refers to the lack of colour found in a diamond. The less colour, the more rate it is. Diamonds are graded on a scale of D-Z; with D (or white diamonds) being completely colourless. D-F are considered colourless and are therefore the most expensive. G-I are near colourless and slightly less expensive while J-Z have noticeable colour in the stone. Only diamond experts can actually tell the difference in anything higher than a G grading, so if budget is a consideration but you still want a white-looking diamond, a G or H grade diamond will be perfectly fine.
Clarity
Measures the imperfections found in the diamond in terms of number, size and position on a scale that ranges from imperfect to flawless. Internal imperfections are referred to as inclusions and external as blemishes. Clarity is often considered the least important of the 4 C’s due to the fact that the imperfections are often microscopic and depending on the location of the inclusions found in the stone, they can be hidden with the right ring setting.
Carat
Refers to the weight of the diamond, not the size. Two different shaped diamonds can have the same carat weight but appear slightly different in size. With a larger carat weight, the colour becomes more visible and therefore needs to be taken into consideration.
Once you understand the 4 C’s, you will need to think about which one is the most important to you when choosing your ring.
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Feature image: The Glorious Studio/Pexels
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